A Lovely Year of Finishes For July~

I am grateful to Katie Q, Melissa and Shanna

for giving me a little extra focus.

That bit of a push that encouraged me to finish this top

as part of my July goals!

The second part of the goal was met also when
I was able to catch up with some folks I hadn't talked to in a while.
It was good to hear they are doing well! 

Now I need to decide how to quilt and bind the quilt so it is completed.  

Looking at the picture of the top sewn together,
I don't think my original ideas will be the best, so I am working on Plan C,
or is it D? 

Any suggestions?

You might find some inspiration by clicking this button
to look at finishes by others.....

An Ongoing Solution WIP~

I work with a lot of flannels.

They are warm, cuddly, and wonderful for where we live.

 I also find them very forgiving to sew with.

But, oh there are so many scraps that I want to keep!!

I needed to come up with something to make from them.

And, is there anyone else besides me who doesn't like to hold their threads,

or waste it with start/stop tails??

This WIP became my solution project..

To the right of my machine I keep a pile of tumbler-shaped pieces.

When I come to the end of a stitching, 

I take two pieces and sew them together.

This project will be ongoing for a while,

but when this Work In Progress is done,

there will be a lot of memories stitched together.....

Updates on other WinP's:

Summer Dreamy 

     ~Blocks and sashing are completed

     ~Borders have been DeCIded on

     ~Borders are cut and ready to sew

Barns

     ~One barn done

     ~Another side block completed

Hexies

     ~Another one done

     ~Decided to do solid centers and one row of prints for now

I am checking out Wednesday WIP's created by others here:

You can click on the button on my sidebar to get there as well!

Hexie Love~

I have been having a lot of fun playing 

with these little hexies..

Have you tried them yet?  

I just received some new heat-resistent templates from 

Jane's Fabrics on ETSY

that I hope to try this weekend.

I think the hardest part may be deciding on one project

to focus on so I can work towards a finish!

Truly, making a decision about which way to go is usually
my hold-up to getting things done.

There are just so many possibilities for this WIP.....

Itching to be Stitching~

I was wanting to be stitching so I went to my

long,

long,

list....

to look for something quick to finish.

I had a request for a lunch bag.

It is awfully nice having someone wanting me sew for them,

so I decided to work on that!

This is my proto-type...

It has a little fleece quilted into it,

a pull-out, quick-dry liner,

an inside pocket for utensils..that also can be 

pulled inside-out to dry,

and a top cover that can be pushed out of the way inside

if she doesn't want to use it.

It was kind of fun to play with some new ideas.

It could double as a craft bag if she gets tired of using it for lunches--

she is a knitter..

Though, those cupcakes might make one hungry, don't you think?

Time to get back out and enjoy the sunshine.....

A Barn Raising~

I love a well-structured barn..

so I think I should build my own with the 

Bee in My Bonnet Barn Along.

One barn has been raised!

Another of my Works-in-Progress.....

Updates on other WinP's:

Summer Dreamy 

     ~Blocks and sashing are completed

     ~Borders have been DeCIded on

I am checking out Wednesday WIP's created by others here:

A Little Organizing~

Our Mudroom..

It is called that because mud, snow, muck, etc. hits the house here first!

Everyone drops their coats, snowpants, boots for all seasons,

hats, gloves, groceries...

you get the idea.

Several years ago I carefully built a seat/storage bench.

It was sanded, stained and carefully varathaned so it would last forever.

Then life happened.

Boots were put on it to lace up, wood was thrown on it,

dings and dents began to show.

Really, what did I expect.

I was the one who always wanted an indestructible Mudroom

where we didn't have to be careful.

But, the "stuff" from at least six people and their dog, was too much piling!

So I decided to make cubbies.

It looks functional, and it is, without being prissy

so no one has to worry.

Function over fashion.

I worked on it a bit in the winter inside

then moved outside when the weather warmed.

I had always admired Annie Sloan paints and was tickled

when I found some in Bonners Ferry in March.

Sadly the shade turned out to be too orange ...

In June the Nursing Daughter and I went to Anchorage and spent over

one hour choosing a red.

Thank goodness for those little samples and patient staff!

We knew we had to repaint the wood shed so chose a red to do both--

Behr's Daredevil Red!

It didn't stay this clean too long,

but it is sure helping with our organization.

Best of all, it is done.....

Click on the sidebar button to link to other ideas at 

Making a Plan~

I think I blinked too many times 

and June flitted by.

The days were delightfully filled with family and spring-time activities. 

It all made the month pass quickly!!

Hungry Muskox

Now it seems that the whole summer could be over  

without any projects being completed.

I keep coming up with new ideas and fail to find more minutes to add to the days!

This morning I put the list buzzing around in my head
onto paper....

it was a little daunting to try to look at.

It was making my head spin and I knew I had to do something.

 So I picked up my computer to read my emails...

procrastination at its best!  

One of the emails was from KatieQ who wrote about 

setting a goal for July.

She linked her post to BitterSweet Design's Lovely Year of Finishes.

It sounds like a perfect idea for me!!

So I set two very specific goals for July:

1)  complete the top of my Summer Dreamy

2)  call and check on some folks I haven't heard from in a while.

I am old enough to know the seasons change quickly,
whether we use our time well or not-

but time sewing and with special people is always well spent.....