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.....

This Month's Challenge~

In our family,

I get to make stockings for the holidays.

It seems to take as long as 

a full-sized quilt does, but they bring back a lot of 

memories all hung up.

This month I have a couple to start and finish.

The bigger challenge, though, 

might be connecting online at the end of month

when they are done.

Our big plan is to get the family

all together for Thanksgiving!  

Our kids, families, and a few friends

will come from all directions

to celebrate.

I had better get to sewing before it is time

to start traveling!

Do you have plans?

Please stop by Melissa and Shanna's 

blogs to see what everyone is working on.....

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.....

An October Goal~

I have a pattern picked out,

and three colors chosen

from the Kona cottons in my basket.

Did you notice the frost underneath it? ;-)

It is time to get October's blocks done 

for our 

Color Adventure!!

Since the person who will receive one of the blocks

reads this

(Hello!)

I will have to wait to show the details.

But that set of blocks

is my goal.

Time to get back to stitching.....

October's Goal Setting Party 

can be found here ~

Come check out what everyone is doing

now that summer is over!

A Little August Finish~

A few short weeks ago

it was the beginning of August...

Where did those days go?

My goal (#88) for this month was to turn this

pretty fabric

into a make-up bag for traveling.

I drew an oval to use as a pattern for the top and bottom,

then lined it with PUL for water resistance. 

It is tall enough for travel bottles, tooth paste, etc.

and has a pocket in the lid 

that is wide and flat.

The vinyl pockets have bias on the top and bottom

but are only sewn between the pockets.

They are located just above the bottom

so the pockets can be washed out and not get that

dreaded travel build-up!

The "floor" of the bag keeps items in their place.

Dirty running clothes can even go into

 the center so they don't 

touch clean things in her gear bag!

It was all loaded and ready to roll

back for  o n e  m o r e  semester.....

Yeowzer, did summer go fast!

Please stop by and browse these other great finishes 

at Melissa and Shanna's 

August's LYOF Goal~

My July project is sitting here,

looking at me sadly in its

almost-finished state..

In our busy, busy July

the poor thing just kept getting pushed down the list.

..sigh..

Our warm, glorious, summer days have been such a treat
that it would be a shame to waste them.

Winter and more time to work indoors will be here 

soon enough!

I will get back to July's goal for a finish,

but right now this has jumped to the front of the line.

From this beautiful fabric, 

I will create a gift

for someone very special.

I hope you are all having a wonderful, memory-filled summer!

I am linking up for an August Finish
with Melissa and Shanna.

As always, you will find a 

lot of 

inspiration here.....

July's LYOF Goal~

Last winter I made a test basket out of scraps.

I took parts I liked from one basket, ideas from another

and came up with one the size/shape

I was looking for.

The intent was to make more once I had the dimensions,

but you know how that goes...

In July my goal is to get one done for a biking family we know

with a new little one

on the way.....

I will be linking up with 

the ever wonderful

 

A June Finish~

You have probably seen many version of this bag 

lately.

It seems to be popping up all over.

At the beginning of  June I chose this bag as my goal 

and have come up with this version..

I finally decided to make my first one using only things I had on hand.

Two winters ago I was wandering in Walmart and spotted

 Fat Quarter bundles on sale for $7.

These fabrics were bright and cheerful on that winter day,

and the fabric was a good quality,

so I bought both bundles and saved them for "Someday".

I added a few other fabrics and began using them in a 

Row Along last summer.

But I wasn't loving it.

Rather than invest anymore time in blocks I didn't love,

I set them aside.

Some of those are now Sewn Together in a bag!

None of my zippers are the same size..

but I wanted these colors and 

had to use my things from home.

Because the top zipper was shorter than the pattern suggested, 

I added 4" to each handles.

Inside was full of happy colors!

I like how everything can be zipped in for travel.

I can't wait to use this bag to take advantage of its organizational pockets!

The handles may be a bit too large, 

but they will be easy to snag on the go.

When I make my next one I will hand sew the bindings.  

I am never happy when I sew them by machine. 

Other than that, I am pleased with the outcome.

It was a well-written pattern

and a great idea.....

Check out all of other finishes here~

Let's Get it Done in June~

Isn't this a great bag?  

I bought this pattern on Craftsy..

..a while ago.

This month I want to get one sewn together!

I thought I had my fabric chosen, 

and then I saw something else--

it would be perfect,

but then,

maybe this one?

Too many choices!
My plan is to do it from my stash,
and there is a lot of happy fabric in that mix.

But, I will decide and get it done.

The Sew Together Bag is my June Goal

in  A Lovely Year of Finishes.....

May's Finish~

I am so happy to have this top together!

Doesn't it look like it should be finished and over chairs

for a fun little tent?

Maybe ready for a friend and some rainy day play...

Although, we are hoping those days are done for a while!

I am happily 

(and to be honest, very relieved)

linking up with 

Shanna

and 

Melissa

and their

Come on over and grab some inspiration.....