2014, A Lovely Year of Finishes~

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone!

It helped to keep me focused and finishing projects!

These were Lovely Year of Finishes that I posted about:

1) Intention  January

2) Lens Bag  February

3)  Explore  March

4)  Presence   April

5) My red/white and aqua piece  May

6)  Sew-Together Bag  June

7) Fireweed Travel Bag  August

8)  Grand Canyon Suite  October

9)  Ribbon Star Color Adventure  December

They may not have been huge, but they were done!

I did set my goal,  then finished this stocking in November.

Just didn't work to post

.

 I was lucky enough to deliver it to a

special little guy.

I think it was worth being away from the computer 

to be able to see the family!

I didn't even attempt a goal in September after looking at

our trusty calendar.

And there was also one failure ..to..complete :(

in July, but I ended up finishing other projects,

so I can live with that!

It has been a filled year for us all.

Thank you,

Thank you 

to 

Melissa and Shanna

for organizing the 

Lovely Year of Finishes

and to the sponsors 

who made the wonderful prizes possible for everyone.

In May I won Meadow Mist Design's

cute

Paper Pieced Numbers and Pi Quilt

and On a "Jelly" Roll

patterns,

In August I was a winner of one of

Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Design's

creative patterns, Dizzying Diamonds,

and I am looking forward to my October win

from Clover and Violet

The Brooklyn Bag pattern.

The will be fun projects to make in 2015!!

Happy New Year everyone!!

I hope it is full of Lovely's for you.....

Final 2014 Finish for the Lovely Year of Finishes~

It has been an amazing year,

full of sweet blessings 

and, 

(yay!!),

many finishes!

I finished my December block, 

the Ribbon Star by Lee Heinrich

in Honeydew, Cardinal Red and Clover

then had the bright idea to take it to the beach,

for a seasonal picture.

The sand moisture was freezing up on the calm, +20 degree day.

The water was moving in it's slow "gelatin" form,

which I think is neat to watch.

So I thought, "Hey, let's put it by the edge here for contrast.  

What is the worst that could happen?"

The answer came on a breeze as the blocks lifted

and one flew into the Bering Sea.

Luckily, it didn't go too far and the slow-moving water

made it easy to pluck.

The extra weight and moisture helped the blocks 

stay in place for more pictures!

The wet one froze and held the dry block 

securely.

Without the splash of color from the blocks,

the seascape was multiple shades 

of white on white.

I hope you have had a year full of good things,

and finished projects!

Thanks so MuCh to Shanna and Melissa

for again hosting the 

Lovely Year of Finishes!

Please check out the other projects here..

Best Wishes in 2015 to you all.....

Good-bye October, Good-bye~

 I guess, like it or not, 

it is time to kiss October good-bye.

Those rich fall colors have faded into darker tones.

Time to remember days that have past,

in warm, sunny places.

My October block is 

Grand Canyon Suite 

from Judy Martin's Ultimate Book of Quilt Block Patterns.

I used my version of autumn desert colors:

Kona Kumquat,

Corn Yellow,

and Valentine Pink

They were inspired by our trip to 

the Grand Canyon in 

October, 2012.

October is also Tammy's birthday month

so we celebrated it 

with a GrAnd AdvEntuRe.....

I am linking up with 

 at

Hosted by Melissa and Shanna!

Please stop by to check out the other projects.

Maybe you will find the perfect holiday gift inspiration.....

April in a Year of Finishes~

It has been a busy April for everyone it seems!

While I didn't get through everything on my list for the month,

I was happy to finish what I did.

This was first on the list~

Presence from the Sugar Block Club

April Showers of the frozen kind!

But I do love the contrast of the flowers on the white.

The simple Presence block was a perfect one for April.

Can't wait to see what block is next!

I am linking up at the

Lovely Year of Finishes.
You can check out everyone's finishes here~

I can't believe it is almost May.....

Crazy Pinwheels~

I think this quilt may be one of my All-WaYS favorites!
Partly because of the memories that go with it...

I carried the top to Oregon where I met up with college roomies.
We went to a Barn Dance at the Oregon Gardens.
then spent the night the garden resort.

(Don't you love their perfect garden gate headboard?)

My long-time friend, Tammy, came and picked me up

and we toured the fun little Silverton burg

before heading south to drop the top in Brownville.

June and John at Quiltmasters quilted this up during my too short week 

in Oregon

so I could hand-carry it home.

Yes, I GrAtE-Full!!

I used an assortment of 30's, old flour sacks and reproduction fabrics

that I had been collecting for years.

It was a great stash buster, but I love these fabrics and want to do 

more with similar ones.

When I couldn't find the pinwheel pattern I wanted, I drafted one like I "remembered"
and started stitching.

About a month after the quilt was finished I found "The" pattern....

Let's just say, I can still make the one I found without repeating the pattern I made ;0)

Memories hmmm....

But, I love how it turned out just the way it is.
And, two of the best parts--
I learned a lot by trying new things with this project
and
it reminds me of fabulous people.

It is a pretty special finish.....

2013 Lovely Year of Finishes Round Up~

If you are thinking about starting,

but don't know if you really want to or not...

Sometimes declaring a goal PubliCLy 

gives does give you a little more incentive.

Often I let myself slide,

but for six months didn't,

because I had made a commitment to others!

It helped more than you know...

July

August

September

October

November

December

Please come join us!

It is so nice to move projects from the WIP

to the COMpleTED pile!

HaPpY DaNcE on over to start in 2014.....

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.....

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