Hello! Can you see me? I've been

Hiding under a mountain of quilts!  A good thing?  Yes, but it's kept me far, far away from the blogging universe!  I've been wanting to write, to keep you all in the loop of this crazy life, but it's just been so, well, crazy!  I never thought that my Memory Quilts would be quite so popular, I was wrong.  For the last six months, I've been trying to keep up with the orders as well as homeschooling and cleaning the home.  As my family can attest, I haven't been the best.  Oh, and don't forget, I moved in August as well!  So, on top of everything else, we've been unpacking.  My wonderful family actually came up for a weekend, in their RV, and helped me to organize the weekend before Thanksgiving.  This was a huge help as I was hosting the family meal the following weekend!  It is my hope to start blogging a bit more regularly!  I am aiming for at least once a week.  We'll see how well that works!

Here are some pictures of what I've been doing these last few months!

I finally finished this quilt for my cousin after sending it out to a longarmer for the quilting.  Hand stitching the binding of a king sized quilt is no small task!

Participated in a small swap on flickr.  This is what I sent out:

Again, another swap:

 Pattern tested this lovely bag for Anna of charmedliebling which I gave to my sister for her birthday:

 Made this cute clutch for a custom order for a woman who loves dachunds:

 And this bag for another customer:

 Made this noodlehead clutch for my daughter for her birthday:

 Made this set for a sewing room swap:

Pattern tested this wonderful bag for Sara of Sewsweetness, gave it to my Mom for her birthday:

(Said birthday girl, hehe!) My sister threw her a surprise party!  It was totally awesome!

Made this wonderful tote for another swap:

My hubby built these for me.  One is a cutting table (not pictured) and this is my ironing table. I absolutely love it!

Made this table runner for Thanksgiving:

Here it is again with the pies I made for Thanksgiving:

One of five embroidery sayings for a set of memory quilts:

Two infinity scarves for my nieces:

A birthday party for my second daughter:

On the same day we had Christmas with my mom:

Whipped these up for my little guy, but he's too big.  Oh well, in to the bag for my newest niece/nephew to arrive late May!

A Christmas Swap:

A picture of one of the many quilts for customers.  I don't know what I did with the rest of the photos...

So, there ya have it.  My goal this month is to finish my current orders.  Though, for the A Lovely Year of Finishes Challenge for January, I am posting this little guy:

It is for the Sew Sew Modern Swap hosted on flickr.  I am excited to make this as I have one of my own and love the bag!

I'm linking up over at Fiber of All Sorts!

WIP Wednesday

Well, hello there everyone!  I think I fell off the face of blogland!  I've been very busy with shop orders, getting quilts made.  I hit a road block when I ran out of basting spray and my local stores were out of stock!  I ordered more online and now that I have it in my possession, I can finish off the last of the current quilts.  In the meantime, I've been working on swap projects and {gulp} packing!

Yes, we are in the middle of finding a new place. Not what I anticipated I'd be doing this summer.  So, on top of all my orders, swaps, finishing paperwork for last school year and prepping this year's, reviews, and everyday life, I did not want to add this!  But, add it I must.  We still have no clue as to where we're going but, thankfully, the Lord does!

Here are some pictures of what I've been working on:

A fabric basket as an angel package for a swap. Now I just need to fill with goodies.

Mug Rug for another swap. It is finished now, but I can't reveal the entire piece in fear of revealing who my partner is!

Started my Made to Measure Quilt for our bed using Pure by Sweetwater.  Thanks to Angela for her destash I was able to grab this to go with what I had left!

A Triple Zip Pouch for a swap.  I used a Swoon block pattern and shrunk it down.  The block measured just under 7 inches when I finished.  (For those who don't know, this block is originally 24 inches!)

 Halfway basted quilt.  I can now finish this as my spray is in my hands!  Woohoo!

I've done a few other odds and ends throughout along with the packing, but this is all I have decent pictures of!

Linking up with Lee over at Freshly Pieced!

When life gets crazy!

I am still here!  Really!  I've just been very busy trying to finish up many quilts these last few weeks!  Throw in an unexpected one day round trip (14 hours of driving) to Long Island for my Great-grandmother's memorial and you can understand why I've been absent!  The quilts are nearing completion and, once they're finished, I promise to take pictures of them all for you to see.

School just ended yesterday for my oldest, her first year in public school, and she's already spending the day at a friend's house!  :)  My other kids are also finished, yay!  We're just doing reviews for the summer and they're spending lots of time outdoors!

Well, there is a quick recap of what's been happening.  I hope to write more soon! And with pictures of quilts!

Just so there is a picture in this post, here is one of the beach at the Marina where we held my G.G.'s memorial:

It was a beautiful day!

Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is almost upon us and I wanted to share with you what my Mom is going to be receiving.  First off, I pattern tested a lovely wallet for Sara of SewSweetness that I really hope my Mom enjoys.

I made it using the extra fabric I had leftover from the tote I made her.  She helped choose the fabrics and I love the combination.

I hope she really enjoys these!  I will be shipping them out most likely today or tomorrow loaded up with goodies from the grandkids!

What I've been up to...

I've been up to many things lately.  Most are in varying stages of completeness.  Here is a quick run down:

I was a tester for Sara over at Sew Sweetness on her newest bag pattern and she just released the pattern today.  Check out her post for some awesome inspiration!

I've also been working on a quilt for a friend of mine.  I was hoping to add it to the Lovely Finishes link over at Fiber of All Sorts this month, but it seems I won't quite make it.  Oh well. I was close with about i/3 of it quilted!

I also finished up a quilt for a little guy who is battling Leukemia.  He's only 2 years old and was to have his last round of chemo yesterday but the doctors discovered 'something' and halted it immediately.  We still don't know what that 'something' is. 

I also finished off a custom ordered cowl for my Aunt.  I just love the colors!  It's called Tonks from Amanda over at Gnomeacres.

I also finished up a custom ordered memory quilt for a woman who turned 99!  She's also the oldest full-time employee in the country, so I'm told.  (Sorry for the poor lighting, I forgot to get pictures of the top during the day!)

Here is a closer look at some of the blocks that each class created.

Here is a shot of the back: (She's a Home Economics teacher and the school's colors are blue and yellow- a perfect combo in my opinion!)

I also made a pair of mitts for a friend of mine as she has been so helpful in carting me to my doctor's appointments these many weeks as I'm quickly approaching the arrival of my next little one:

I'm also working on a sweater for my hubby.  I'm part of a KAL over on Ravelry.  I am such a slow knitter compared to the women in this group, but I am determined to finish this for him before the weather improves.  (It's a bit further than this picture shows but I haven't taken a new one yet.)

I also have other projects that I'm working on, but currently don't have any progress pics.  I'm also still homeschooling and homemaking as well as preparing for the arrival of the newest addition.

Sorry for being so sporadic, I hope to improve upon that this coming year!

January's Lovely Year of Finishes Goal

Well, I've jumped on the bandwagon!  I have decided to join in and try to finish one project a month.  I have a ton of projects that are in various stages, from stacks of blocks to quilt tops to those that just have a stack of fabric sitting with it's pattern!  

So, for this month I've decided that I must finish a baby quilt that I have started for a friend of mine.  It is currently in the quilting stage!  I know, I'm so close, but I had the quilting decide to kink and I haven't wanted to pull out all of the stitching!  However, the baby has now arrived so I really have no excuse to finish!  

Here is a picture of the quilt before I started quilting.  I will post my progress on it later in the month during our mid-month check-in!

So, do you have a stack of projects that need finishing?  Why not join in.  The linky is open for seven days!  I've linked over at Fiber of All Sorts!

100 Day Hustle-Wrap Up!

Well, it's that time!  It's the end of the year and I finished some of the list.  I also finished other items that weren't on the list and others I never even touched!
Here's the rundown:

1. Lauren's Quilt finished 10/15/12

2. Custom ordered burp cloths finished 11/1/12

3. bee a {modern} swapper blocks
4. quilts for cancer blocks
5. sew.bee.create blocks
7. comfort quilts bee blocks
These were ongoing swaps and I am finishing up the last of them for the year.  Sorry, no pictures.  :(
6. not your granny's bee blocks finished 10/10/12

8. Stef and Sean's wedding quilt finished 10/16/12

9. charity quilt #1: red/green/yellows top done and ready to sandwich
I just need to quilt it!

10. charity quilt #2: blue/white
I just need to quilt it!

11. Sean's birthday quilt
Have fabrics and pattern.  Now to find the time.  Maybe for his next year's birthday?

12.  Stef's Embroidery Wall hanging
Stared at it...

13. Baby blanket for friend-Quilting as of 12/18/12
Baby arrived this week (shares a birthday with my J-boy!)  Now I really need to finish!

14. Flaming Cowl for shop finished 9/25/12

15. Lonestar Wall hanging for home
Still sitting in it's project bag!  Sigh

16. Across the Sea quilt
Still sitting in it's project bag!

17. 3x6 bee block quilt-so many squares to be made into something for me!
Yep, nothing on this one either!

18. Moody Blues bee quilt-need to put that together!  orange/yellow/black
Nada

19. my sew.bee.create blocks made into a quilt as well- Fandango Finished 12/20/12 as a gift for my Great-Grandmother!

20. Pair of socks I've been working on forever...on the needles!
Put aside to work on custom orders and Christmas gifts!

21. Ben's quilt
Nada!  One of my goals to finish this year!

22. fix bean bag
23. fix monkey stuffed animal
Still sitting in the to-do pile.

24. fix Thomas' watch
He fixed it.  :)

25. Pouches for shop:  have done two custom orders this November

26. Custom-ordered fingerless gloves finished 11/14/12

These weren't on the list:
Custom ordered sleepers for my sister-in-laws two youngest:

Made this for a friend as a thank-you gift:

Made these as a custom order for a friend:

Made these as Christmas presents:
This shawl was for my mom: sorry for the not-so-great picture

 And these were for my daughter:

I also made a 241 tote for my sister and silly me forgot to take a picture! *Updated-My wonderful sister sent me a picture!  Oh, she also sent me a picture of the wine bag I made her as well!  :)

I've been one busy lady!  I currently have another custom order on my needles for my Aunt as well as two custom ordered memory quilts.  I better get cracking if I'm to finish everything before my little one's arrival mid-February!

I'll be linking up with Kelsey!

Have a Happy New Year!

Oh, and check back in a day or so for the Traveling Stash Giveaway!  Yes, I won this last round and now I'm trying to decide what to keep and what to add!  :)