Emptying the Cupboard II

Back when I worked at the most amazing shop on earth, I ordered this fabric. Avignon by American Jane for Moda. I started this sample, the whole bolt of red focus fabric sold, and I lost momentum. I was using a pattern from this book and had even sewn most of the left over odd shaped triangles together for the edging. 

It went into the cupboard and never came out again  

Fast forward two years.....Out comes the project. I realize there is not enough of anything to finish this project, and I'm determined to finish it without spending any more money. After a panic, a cup of   coffee and messing a bit carefully planning, I found some blue kona in my stash, unpicked all those triangles and set them on their sides, then used the kona for the corner blocks and backing. What looks like a wide binding is actually the backing wrapped to the front and the corners mitered. 

Since it will be used as a tablecloth, I didn't use batting. After sewing it together I hand quilted some of the hexagons with a size 5 variegated pearl thread.

Whew! Done, just in time for a picnic before the weather changes!

Emptying the Cupboard I

This will be the first of a few posts on finishing projects. I have this cupboard that Jess gathered all of my unfinished projects into and I couldn't get the door shut. It made me sad. She basically told me to either throw it away or get the silly things done. She can be tough but she did finish a rug for me to get me started. I whined a bit more and then I got started. This is my first finish, now I just need to remember how to go to the post office.

I could also have titled this, "Sorry I Didn't Answer the Phone Mom, I Was Working On Your Quilt" or maybe..... "Yes Mom, Your Quilt IS Done But No, It's Not In The Mail".

 Please, please ignore the lint.

When my mom was out for a visit last year she asked if I would make her a quilt for her guest room. I told her yes, but only if she'd help. So she decided she wanted a Turning Twenty, picked out her fabrics, helped me cut them up, and before she left we almost had the top done. I finished the borders fairly quickly and started quilting it, and then I started working  and my life went kinda topsy-turvy stopped. About two months ago with Jess, Micah and You Know Who keeping me company, I finished the simple (really?) straight line quilting. I used a blue variegated thread which made a nice grid pattern on the back. It finished out queen size with a bit of overhang, I hope..
I should have taken pictures of Micah and Grandpa "helping" me mark the lines... I hollered a lot, they thought it was funny. Sorry mom, even after a washing it'a a bit used (and still full of lint).
Oh, and Mom, it is in a box... I need to set it in front of the door so I won't forget to take it to the post office...

For those that are still reading, and asked where I work and what I do now, this is for you. Through a series of strange timing and weirdly connected events I am now working as an office manager for a small company that specializes in an area of building, both commercial and upper end residential. I really like it and if I can learn everything they need me to do in a timely manner, I think they'll really like me. No, it's not in the crafty creative vein that I love so much but it is a position where I take care of things and people, so now I concentrate on the part of me that likes organization. Judging from the first part of my post I've neglected that side a bit too long eh? It is funny though, I did manage to meld a bit of what I learned about display to make the books that hold the jobs legible. Such a little thing and it made me happy.

Oops

Apparently sometime in August I stopped blogging.
Sorry I forgot to say anything, I never really informed myself.
I looked at the blog one day and realized it's been three months. 

Things are good and I've missed you.
I'm mostly sorry because I've not looked in on your posts as often as I used to.

I've been.....

having fun

working lots

sewing some

searching for that elusive thing called balance

watching a boy grow

 I've had.....

old friends visit

new friends visit

a wonderful job opportunity come along

There are....

new walls in my house

less weeds in my garden

more laugh lines on my face

I am......

watching a boy grow

enjoying my family

learning a new job

slowly but surely, emptying my unfinished projects cupboard

I'll try and be back soon.

Micah's 1st Birthday

We had planned for the birthday party to be outdoors but unfortunately the weather threatened to be nasty so we ended up moving it inside just to be safe. So there was a lot of last minute re planning of the decorations. Uber and a friend ended up being in charge of the garland and I have to say  I love that they decided to deck out the front of the house!

 lebkuchen were worn

 as well as lederhosen (outfit courtesy of Mum's amazing sewing skills) but don't worry only by the wee one. 

We tried to get a mini photo shoot in but there were a lot of distractions... wind... dogs...

 This child kills me. 

 Mustaches which had nothing to do with the fest they just seemed like they would be fun

 and they were!

 Micah enjoyed his gifts

Though not so much when I put him in his gift...
**Disclaimer** there were awesome balls in this box... he should have enjoyed this!

 Kubbs was played - have you all heard of this game? It's Swedish and it is a blast- dad made our set. 

 Micah wasn't sure what to do while everyone sang to him 

 He was also rather miffed about the large cake in front of him, like we were playing some sort of trick on him.

 He was more than happy to feed it to other people 

 But we found out he is more of a chocolate boy.

1st Birthday Invitations

I know I am finally getting to Micah's birthday. 

I went back and forth trying to decide on a theme and then it hit me - It had to be an Oktoberfest. 

So here are the invites, party pictures will be tomorrow.  

Jacksonville Zoo

We took Micah on his first trip to the Zoo a few weeks back. Just thought you would enjoy some pictures!

Tennessee

This was our first family vacation - Uber and I have spent every other vacation visiting family- not that that is a bad thing our family happens to live in some awesome places. This trip is the farthest I've ever visited into the 'middle' of the states, I've been all over the coasts but the furthest inland before this was Atlanta.... which isn't saying much! 

It was very pretty - and we saw a LOT of it! We logged a little over 1800 miles this trip and Micah was awesome about it. 

The first full day we were there was raining so we got to know the area we were staying in. Which just happened to be where the largest tree house is... I think it was somewhere over 6000 sq ft... and creepy as all get out. 

 This is the less creepy side of the monstrosity. It's being built by a priest and the place could totally have a horror movie filmed in it

 Group shot at the top - to the left you can just make out the end of Jesus mowed into the lawn with a huge cross

 In addition to a church/cathedral-ish area there were a good 20 of these carved people hanging out. It definitely made you a little worried in a few place whether you would make it out again. 

 I am not sure I would say I recommend it but if it is raining and you have nothing better to do it's definitely special!

 We spent a day hiking (2.5-3 miles) in Fall Creek Falls. Very pretty.

 It claimed to have the highest fall east of the Rocky Mountains. I am sure in the spring these falls are a bit more treacherous but we had a blast climbing all over them  

Here we are at the 'biggest' fall

 Millikan's Overlook- reminded me of a mini Yosemite 

 Great Smokey Mountains (hills) National Park this was a nice relaxing day.  We spent most of the day driving Cades Cove Loop- the scenery was gorgeous. And just did a small 2 mile hike which I wont bother you with pictures of. 

 We did the loop because I was told we would see bears- and we did! We saw the bottom right one first he was a cub! I totally wanted to pet him! (haha) we drove right under him- which is why its a terrible pic but he was only 10-15 feet above us. Then the top right was next I would say he was a teenager and a good 35-45 ft up a tree. We were exiting the loop when the guy on the left decided to walk by. He was big! 

 The last hike we did was 5.5 miles (it totally did us in) we went all the way up almost into Kentucky to Big South Fork National Park they have twin stone arches- here is Micah and me under the larger of the two

 Micah waiving to the horses. It's the first time he took notice of a larger animal... this is the distance at which he decided he wanted to be friends with them.

 This is how Micah hiked. 

 This is me at mile 4 of the never ending hike... it was serious... we were climbing up and over boulders, we could barely move the next day!

Ok well this wraps up our vacation- not sure everyone would see this as a vacation- but we had a blast. I am almost done catching up- sorry these posts have been more to catch our family up then anything else!