A paper pieced mini kaleidoscope

I've been working on trying new quilting techniques. Quilt as you go, and now foundation, or paper, piecing. This is an 18x18 mini dine as a thank you gift. I've used red pepper's kaleidoscope amd a day sail jelly roll. I still have some wonkiness, but it was my first try! 

It took the longest to figure out where to put the quilting!

Next on my list of things to try is English paper piecing. But first I have another baby quilt to get kicked out. 

Flea market Sunday

On good Friday, Dave amd I went to a big vintage forever market. This is one of those curated shows - paid admission, crafters, repurposers, etc. I'm just going to say it now - I don't think I enjoy those very much. I keep trying, but meh. It's like Pinterest blew up (or threw up maybe). 

Anyway, I bought two things.

A gorgeous springy tablecloth. (I seem to be back on the tablecloth wagon after only selling them for two years.)

And a rather pricey quilt top I could not forget about. The pattern is plain...

But that purple! 

Taking town the Easter today and plotting something new for the mantle. You can see it on Instagram. :)

Easter

 Eggs have been dyed.

 Jack had a fit.

 Baskets consumed. (Grant has seriously eaten 14 lbs of candy.)

 (All this girl wanted was a snackeez. She was on and on about will the Easter bunny bring her what she REALLY wants?)

Jack got up at 4 bloody am.

 Ear photos have been taken.

 Insanity ensued.

 Eggs have been hunted, both here and at church. Sam found the golden egg at church. (Why didn't I take a pic?)

Church was attended. Jack had a fit.

Cascarones were broken.

I had to squeeze in a home appraisal on Weds (with 12 hours notice), preschool party room mothering on Thursday, a day trip to a flea on Friday followed by insane running around as we had to have our family Easter on an emergency on Saturday (With 12 hours notice). By today? I AM DEAD.

Now it's time for me to blow that diet and eat chocolate. And pea salad. And then some more chocolate.

Happy Easter!

Visiting

This years Easter Bunny visit was so easy! All of the kids were cooperative.  The little kids even hugged the bunny. Win! (Sam is wearing a GORGEOUS handmade smocked dressed I grabbed at Goodwill.)

I really do appreciate that some of this stuff is getting to be so much easier. (And I really do not miss those oh so hard baby years.) :)

Decorating

I guess by now my holiday stuff has two places to go - the mantel or a tree. If it doesn't go there it doesn't really come out. 

So, Easter: 

Mantel. Not my favorite, it's so cluttery, but after awhile I give up because ain't nobody got no time for that.

Foyer.

And a random pile of things. I had totally given up by this point. 

An appraiser is coming today so I am playing headless chicken. Fun!

Sewing and bunny three

I've been sewing a little. But only a little because I've been "dieting" (don't get me started) and I swear it takes me entire life to get 10,000 steps and count calories and still manage the kids and the house. Amd it's not doing a damn thing. So, yea. 

I needed a less filthy couch pillow. This is an embroidered hankie.

I was flipping through old magazines in the yard and saw this and started making it right then. It's something new for me - quilt as you go. This is a hexie log cabin pattern. It's an interesting method. Satisfying, easy enough. Not exactly fast though (although this would have been hard to piece in the regular way). And it wasted quite a bit of fabric. But! I had a fat eighth bundle of heather Ross that I really had no good use for. I do LOVE the results. 

And the last bunny, for Jack, who still wants to fill his entire bed with stuffies. So I went large and pillow like. I just was winging it here, combining a few ideas from Pinterest with no real pattern.

Rain boot wreath

I've been wanting to do this forever, but it's hard to thrift a cheap, cute rainboot. I finally managed to fund the perfect one (and only one!) in the bins at goodwill. 

Good timing too since I've somehow  lost the umbrella I usually hang up in April. Hmmmm.

I have lots to get blogged this week, let's see if I manage to do it! 

Bunny number two

Second bunny, for Grant. Etsy pattern, fleece and vintage cotton. (And my favorite this year!)

Easter bunny one

I've been working on the kids bunnies.

This one is for Sammi. I used a Candice Olsen fabric sample I thrifted. It is so, so soft!

Complicated bunny pattern is from a toy book.

Family photo time

Last year I missed getting our family portraits taken. I am not even sure why really, I still have the clothes folded on the closet shelf (now too small!). This year I just made it happen. Choose clothes, get hair cut and ready, set, go!

 

I like having the bunny ears done in the studio. One less argument on Easter. :-)

 

 Grant kills me.

It's still hard to believe that all of them are mine.  What a journey.

Happy Sunday to you!

Flea market Sunday

Yesterday was a once a year fundraising flea market. Every year this thing gets bigger and bigger. (Sadly it doesn't mean there is more to buy!)

Yesterday's loot:

More fabric books. I guess some day I ought to make that quilt?

A super fun Hooked rug. I wish I knew how to determine hand made vs mass produced with these.

Silk strawberry embroidery.

This quilt is tattered but it so charming. 

Loads of pastels and novelty prints.

The pattern name is listed as sky rocket in The Collectors Dictionary of Quilt Names and Patterns.

This is an unusual pattern for a vintage quilt. Loads of skinny rows here, a ton of sewing! 

Pretty, eh?

And a pile of valentines.

Not bad for three hours, five miles and freeeeeezing cold wind!