Blessings From Our Nest: March 2014

Sunday, March 23, 2014

So Many Blessings

Do you ever get tired and forget to notice all of the things in your life that you should be thankful for? Well I must admit that this happens to me so I started thinking about the some of my blessings this week and thought I would share just a few of them.

Fabric Therapy!

I went to the Quilters Anonymous Quilt Show and enjoyed all of the beautiful creative quilts and did just a little shopping. These three fabrics are from one of my favorite designer's Bari J. Ackerman.

More Fabric Therapy!

I stopped to visit Melanie at Fabric Chicks in Coupeville and came home with these beautiful fabrics. While I was there I was treated to a fabulous Chai Latte and conversation with a sweet friend and a super shop owner.

Grandchildren!

What fun, a sleepover with three of our grandchildren and playing dress up with this sweet little girl.

Beautiful Flowers!

As a reminder of our Ladies Spring Luncheon at church.

Good food and fellowship, sweet music and testimony of God's Grace.

Birthday Celebrations!

A Seattle Seahawks themed birthday party for Caleb.

This cake was a labor of love created by his parents (especially dad).

Golf ball cookies (so yummy) and cupcakes to celebrate Micah's 32nd birthday made by his wife.

I plan to pay a little closer attention and take note of the blessings in my life.

Just this evening I received a note from my new Secret Prayer Partner and I want to share a verse she shared with me in the card she wrote. I should not be but I am still amazed how God works in others to give us what he knows we need.

Galatians 6:9,10

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Keeping Up on Blocks of the Month

When ever I get a little time I work on my Block of the Month and Stitch Along projects. I have limited myself this year and that was hard for me to do, there are so many talented people sharing Blocks of the Month and Stitch Alongs. I am tempted to join in on every one I see.

The block below is block 12 of Building Foundations Sampler Quilt Along at Row House Creations. I shared block 13 here but somehow missed making block 12.

This is the March block from Fee's Up the Garden Path Stitch Along.

The next two blocks are the same block done two different ways. They are from the 2014 Aurifil Designer block of the month. This is the March block and so far I have made two of each block.

I have looked back a little at my blog posts and I don't see many finishes, so many projects, so few finishes. I will have to see what I can do about that. The sun is shining here in the Northwest, I think my garden is calling to me, that would mean less sewing, oh no that won't do. At a time like this the word balance comes to mind, I'll have to think on that for a while.

Don't miss the small blessings!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Are You Thinking About Ruffles?

I am excited about this hop and want to thank Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt for sponsoring and Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy for being our cheerleader.

I have been thinking about ruffles quite a bit these past few weeks. When I heard about this blog hop I decided to join in right away because I had a few projects involving ruffles that I had wanted to get done. Joining blog hops is a great motivator to help get projects going.

I saw a tutorial for these kitchen towels on a Riley Blake video, you can find it here. I gathered fabric from my stash that will go great in my new kitchen. We are having new cabinet doors installed in April and changing some colors so my new towels are ready and waiting.

My next project is something I have been thinking about making for some time. I had the idea but was not sure how I was going to go about it. I used some of my French General fabric and created a very long ruffle and made a "flower" out of it. Then from another piece of French General fabric I made the ruffled "leaves".

This is one of those projects that just comes together as you go along. The circle of fabric below will be the center of my flower.

The white fabric is called sandcastle, I like the feel of it and use it for embroidery and often for pillows. I added strips of natural linen all around and buttons in each corner.

The back is made with the same fabric used for the leaves.

I had fun with all of my projects and have been inspired by all of the other participants in the "Think Ruffles" hop. I have listed all of the other bloggers sharing their Ruffles projects today below.

March 11th

Needle and Hook

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Blessings From Our Nest (Me)

Little House on the Dairy

Just One More Stitch

Creatin' in the Sticks

Just Sew Quilter

Have fun and I hope you are inspired to go out and sew some ruffles!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Weekend Gardening and Sewing

We had some time without rain or hail or snow last Saturday morning so Pat and I went outside to bravely face the clean up out back that should have been done last fall. I snapped a couple of pictures of my hellebore, it looks a little rough around the edges but is still beautiful, if we hadn't worked outside I might have missed it. That reminds me that hard work has its blessings.

We spent most of the time gathering maple leaves and weeds and several branches that had fallen during the winter storms. We filled the back of our pickup with things from the small fenced in space outside our back door. The transformation is wonderful. I spent a little time washing dog paw prints off the back doors too, they look so nice, for the moment anyway.

After working outside for a couple of hours, I did get a little sewing time in.

I completed my February block for the 2014 Sugar Block Club.

Sugar Block Club - February

Below is block thirteen for my Building Foundations Sampler. Block twelve is somewhere in my sewing room and I will be on a mission to find it and get it done today. I have also been sewing a couple of "ruffles" projects but I can't share them until the 11th, which is my day for the Think Ruffles Blog Hop, the complete list of participants in my post here. Be sure to stop by and see all of the fun projects.

Building Foundations Block 13

I am off work today and will be working Saturday so I plan to do some sewing and to help my daughter in law sew a little blanket for baby Parker. I'll share our progress later. I hope we all get a chance to do something to make someone else smile today.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Think Ruffles Blog Hop Begins Tomorrow

Do you love ruffles? It is almost time for the think Ruffles blog hop. All of the participants are listed below and it starts tomorrow! Woohoo!

March 5^th

On the Banks of Frog Creek

Sparrow In Flight

March 6^th

Lily Patch Quilts

Hill Valley Quilter

Missy's Homemaking Adventure

Quilt in a not-Shell