WIP Wednesday #4

Good news, I've finished reading The Passage by Justin Cronin.  All 776 pages!  Going on vacation this weekend, so all projects are on hold this week.
Current Projects:

BOM Paris in the Fall Quilt - no movement on this one. Still need to finish the borders. 

Kaleidoscope Quilt Along

Finished cutting!

Projects on hold (one's that I've forgotten about)
1. Quilt for my niece - Moda Bake Shop Snuggly Layer Cake Throw
         a.  cut and sew borders
         b.  basting
         c.  quilting
         d.  binding

2. Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #1 - Carousel Lap Quilt - Kim Schaeffer's Cozy Modern Quilts
    Still need to figure out what fabric I've purchased for this one
3. Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #2 - Down and Across Lap Quilt - also from Kim Schaeffer's Cozy Modern Quilts
    Still need to purchase more fabric in dark colors for the borders. 

Projects on my Radar
Happy Hauntings Block of the Month
Postage Stamp Quilt Along
Blockapalooza

Quick and easy dinner

Saturday, we went to Lafayette and Milton. I practically lived there during the summer at my grandparents house.  We also went every Sunday during football season to watch the Saints games that were blacked out in Baton Rouge, but not in Lafayette. 

We went to Keller's Bakery to pick up a few sweets.  We would stop by there every Sunday on the way to to my grandparents house and my mother worked there when she was young. We ate a delicious lunch at my grand-uncle's house - jambalaya, ribs, brisket, macque choux, and so much more!  We also drove by my grandparents old house and the cemetery before heading home. I was feeling a bit nostalgic when I stopped at Maxwell's to pick something up for dinner.  Not feeling like eating anymore meat, I decided to make Hitachi Shrimp. I can remember my mom making this and loving it.  The name Hitachi comes from the brand name of my mother's rice cooker.

2 cups rice
1/2 - 3/4 lb shrimp (small ones) peeled & deveined and seasoned
1 stick of butter, cut up
1 cup of chicken broth
chopped bell pepper & onions
salt & pepper to taste

Throw all of that in a rice cooker and hit cook.  When it dings, it's done.  Delicious!  This might not be the best picture, but I promise it's really good!

Hitachi Shrimp

Heartsy - It's Groupon for Etsy!!!

I'm so obssessed with Groupon & Etsy and I just found out about this great site - Heartsey.  Click this link to join and we'll each get $5 credit!  I've purchased so many great deals on Groupon and similar sites, I can't wait to get discounts at Etsy shops!

Heartsey has daily deals and coupons that you can purchase.  Savings range from 50% - 70% and you can buy just about anything - jewlrey, soap, prints, hair accessories, ceramics, and bags!

Check it out!

WIP Wednesday #3

OK, I know it's Thursday.  I completely forgot to post this yesterday.  I've been reading The Passage by Justin Cronin.  I think it might be the longest book I've ever tried reading!  It's 700+ pages!  So instead of blogging, I was reading

Current Project:


BOM Paris in the Fall Quilt - Finished the sashing and attaching the blocks.  Now I have to do the outer borders. Almost done!!

I'm also currently working on a sweater for my friend's birthday (her birthday 2 years ago).  Her birthday is July 1st and I only have a part of a sleeve left to knit.  I'm hoping to finish it this weekend and give to her this year.
New Project

Kaleidoscope Quilt Along

Don't Call Me Betsy posted the cutting instructions this morning for the QAL.  Can't wait to start cutting this weekend!

Projects on hold (one's that I've forgotten about)
1. Quilt for my niece - Moda Bake Shop Snuggly Layer Cake Throw
     I restitched all of the pieces that were coming undone.  I'm pretty sure I've purchased everything I need to finish.  Still need to:
         a.  cut & sew borders
         b.  basting
         c.  quilting
         d.  binding

2. Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #1 - Carousel Lap Quilt - Kim Schaeffer's Cozy Modern Quilts
    Quilt top is done.  I've purchased fabric eight months ago - I need to figure out if it's for borders or the back.

3. Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #2 - Down and Across Lap Quilt - also from Kim Schaeffer's Cozy Modern Quilts
     I actually finished cutting all of the colored blocks for this quilt the past week.  Now I need to purchase more fabric in dark colors for the borders.  I'm not officially counting this as working on yet.

Projects on my Radar
Happy Hauntings Block of the Month
Postage Stamp Quilt Along
Blockapalooza

Thanksgiving Fabrics/Quilt

My search for fabric for a Thanksgiving quilt has yielded... (All fabric pictures from Fat Quarter Shop - my new favorite fabric store!)

I'm leaning towards Grand Finale or Pumpkin Pie.  I just have no idea the type of quilt to make.

Should I make something like this? I've never done an applique quilt before, but I think it would be fun to try them. 

Bunny Hill's Autumn House

 

Bunny Hill's When the Frost is on the Pumpkin

The Great Pumpkin Quilt Pattern

 Pumpkin & Spice Quilt by Whimsicals

Or should I choose a pattern that I really like and just use one of the fabrics I found that I like?

I really like

Tumbler Quilt Patterns

The Postage Stamp Quilt

Happy Zombie's Quilt Block

Do you have a favorite?

This really bugs me...

Took a day trip to New Orleans today to the Audubon Insectarium with my cousin, her son, and my nephew.  It was such a good day.  We saw WAY too many bugs - beetles, worms, termites, spiders, wasps, and roaches.

Owl Butterfly

Yummy! Bug Appetit

My cousin took a TON of pictures (especially of the butterflies)

We had lunch at Krystal burger and took the streetcar down St. Charles.

WIP Wednesday #2

Current Project:

Was able to get a bit more done this weekend on my BOM Paris in the Fall Quilt.  I finished the last blocks.  Also added half of the borders to the blocks and pieced together some of the sashing.

New Project
Kaleidoscope Quilt Along

I finally picked out my fabric and it should be arriving today.  I LOVE getting packages in the mail!  I chose 4 reds and 4 greens of the Kate Spain Flurry line.  I'll need to purchase a coordinating white fabric. 

I was really inspired by Don't Call Me Betsy's markup of the quilt (picture below), that I decided to make one using the same color scheme.  This quilt will be a surprise for my mother. She LOVES Christmas.  I think she'll love this!

Projects on hold (one's that I've forgotten about)

1. Quilt for my niece - Moda Bake Shop Snuggly Layer Cake Throw
This is my very first quilt that I pieced.  I had no idea what I was doing, just started following the 'recipe'.  I did not know about piecing and I had never taken a quilting class.  I front/back stitched EVERY seam!  I still need to go back and check some of the pieced blocks, some of the stitching is wrong.   I'll be taking a long arm quilting class at All Brands (Baton Rouge) in July.  Once I take the class, I can rent time on the long arm to finish up these quilts!

2. Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #1- Carousel Lap Quilt from Kim Schaeffer's Cozy Modern Quilt book
The top is complete - just waiting to take the class to finish quilting.  I guess I also need to piece the backing and put together the binding strip.

3. Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #2 - Down & Across Lap Quilt - also from Kim Schaeffer's Cozy Modern Quilts book
I've only begun cutting (and that was MONTHS ago)

What it's suppose to look like

What it looks like now - just a bunch of cut pieces.  I still need to cut more - I thought I'd be able to use a jelly roll, but my calculations were WAY off.

 

Projects on my Radar
Happy Hauntings Block of the Month

"Ordered" last week, but the BOM doesn't start until September.  This will be my first applique quilt.  I can't wait.  This will also be a quilt for my mother.  In addition to Christmas, she gets Halloween (decorates and we all go over to her house).  I get Thanksgiving, but I haven't found a Fall/Thanksgiving quilt that I like yet. We're trying to give my sister Easter, but I'm not sure it will stick.  She's not as in to hostessing and decorating as my mom and I.

Postage Stamp Quilt Along

Blockapalooza

WIP Wednesday

New Projects:

Kaleidoscope Quilt Along - new post coming soon.  I'm still trying to decide on and order my fabrics.

I've also signed up for another BOM quilt, but the first shipment isn't until September.  I'll post about it later when I receive it.

Ongoing Projects

Paris in the Fall - Yesterday I picked up the final two blocks for this BOM.  I can't wait to finish it!  I started cutting the pieces last night for the final block. 

And here's the Month 7 package - all the sashing and binding.  I've never made such an intricate border/sashing!

Projects on hold (one's that I've forgotten about)

1.  Quilt for my niece

2.  Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #1

3.  Quilt for Aunt/Uncle #2

Projects on my radar

Postage Stamp Quilt Along - I know this is over, but it seems like such an easy quilt.  I must try it!  I also must wait until I find a jelly roll on sale.

Blockapalooza - I love the fabric (Sunkissed by Sweetwater for Moda) and these two quilt blocks.



Happy Zombie's



Fat Quarterly's



For my next Wed WIP, I'll add pictures of these unfinished quilts and more information about each one.