Two new quilts in the shop

These quilts were finishes a few weeks before Samantha arrived but I just got them listed in my Etsy shop (LadyFaceQuilts). I hope you'll take a look! 

Happy almost weekend! 

Sew. Quilt. Give. finished charity quilt

Today I am super pleased to present to you the finished quilt from another charity bee I have loved participating in: Sew. Quilt. Give.

I was in charge during the month of July and requested simple and colorful granny squares using this tutorial from Blue Elephant Stitches.  

I received absolutely lovely blocks in return and made about 10 more to get the quilt to the size I wanted.  Finished, this quilt measures 45 1/2" x 54" and has been labeled and mailed!

I love how this quilt turned out!  I really wanted to do something a little extra bright and happy so whoever receives it will maybe be more inclined to smile or at least have this quilt to smile about!

I hope they love it.  I hope it brings peace and warmth and comfort.  I hope it is a happy place to go to when everything else seems to be wrong.  Jenn will be taking this quilt, and all the quilts made in Sew. Quilt. Give., to the Alexandria House in Los Angeles.

the one where I do all the things : )

Well, I missed WIP Wednesday again, but still feel the need to track my progress so here goes:

Finished this past week/weekend:

-do. Good Stitches Bliss Circle house quilt

-Broken dishes baby quilt

-baby quilt for my nephew (can't show you this yet, sorry!!)

-Bee blocks for the Quilt Around the World II bee (mailed yesterday)

In Progress/Next:

-Pattern testing for Diane and Tracey (pictures soon. or follow me on Instagram @mgriffin87 to see my progress so far)

-Kawaii Winter Sampler cross stitch -not really next, but I keep telling myself I can work on it soon as a "reward" if I get things done.  It's so stinking cute I just want to stare at it (even though my little owl has a lopsided tummy!)

-Sew Quilt Give charity quilt - basted, ready to quilt.  Hoping I can get this done today and in the mail tomorrow.

-Christmas Quilt for us - top is done, I've started the backing but really have no clue.  Maybe I'll go to JoAnn's and get some flannel for the back and finish it this weekend.

-All the other bee blocks that need to get done - next year I'm not joining so many but they sure are fun! This is a major one, I'm hoping to ge them all done today so I can mail them tomorrow also...

-Christmas Pillowcases/other decorations - my husband is totally embarrassed that we've already got a tree up and the lights on it ("in broad daylight!" were his exact words, silly man) but I just figure it's one less thing to do the week of Christmas.  I got some Christmas fabric with Fat Quarter Shop's awesome sale and want to make us all some pillowcases.

-I've also got pillow covers and table runners to finish and put in my Etsy shop, so I might extend my sale a bit since those didn't get done as quickly as I'd hoped (discount code THANKS25 for 25% off everything)

Well, the kids are watching Cars with sandwiches and pretty intense focus, so I think I'm going to snatch some time to get this list checked off!! 

And I haven't even made a list of what I want to sew for Christmas yet!!!!!!!!  Oh boy....

Linking up with Diane at From Blank Pages today!

do. Good Stitches Bliss circle finished quilt!

I'm having the hardest time waking up today.  It's about 11:30 and I'm still in my pj's.  In my defense I washed all my pants at the same time and they're still in the dryer ; )
Anyway, I had a pretty productive weekend and finished two quilts and made a bunch of backings so I've got lots to show you this week! 

This is a project I've held onto way too long, but it's so cute I bet you'd do the same thing. 

Back in April (yes...that long ago) I was in charge of the Bliss circle of do. Good Stitches charity sewing bee on Flickr and had everyone make me two of these adorable house blocks for a quilt.

Then this past week, I made 4 more houses to make the quilt a little bigger and came up with this lovely top, which I was afraid to quilt!

I had great suggestions on Instagram to add clouds, windows, doorknobs, and other neighborhoodly goodness.  This also scared me, but I pressed on and gave it a try. 

And I LOVE it.  It's easily my favorite thing right now.  I've decided to make my kids a neighborhood house quilt and the block isn't really that hard to do.  I might be making some Christmas houses to turn into pillows also.  Won't that be cute?! 

Anyway, I'm thrilled to check this one off my list, and even more thrilled that it turned out so well!  I used an existing binding I had leftover from a quilt I made in July, and made a backing with fabric from my stash as well. 

 Yes, I did quilt a snowman the size of the house into it. 

It measures 45 1/2" x 56 1/2" before washing.

Now I just need to find the label and give this baby it's first spin in the washing machine and send it on it's way!!

I'm linking up to Sew Modern Mondays with Canoe Ridge Creations and entering this quilt into the Celebrate Good Stitches contest over at Stitched in Color, when December 10th rolls around of course!

*don't forget to use THANKS25 for 25% off my entire Etsy shop good through this week only (ending Dec. 1) and check back often for new items I'll be listing just in time for Christmas gifting!

WIP Wednesday: Halloween Edition

So, this week is going by faster than it should.  We are having a black and orange Halloween party at our house on Friday (yeah, two days away Friday...) and so I'm narrowing my sewing this week to catching up on Bee blocks and Halloween sewing.

Finished

(or almost finished...) I basted the heck out of some small quilt tops.  Now I just need to finish quilting them, but at least they got moved one step ahead!

Halloween Quilt: 
-So excited to get some good pictures of this.  I love it.  It'll get it's own post soon too, promise ; )

Halloween Bunting and Tutorial:
-You can find that post here.  I love mine.  Adds some happiness to the blank wall!

Bee blocks:
-one day this past week my kids fell asleep at 6:30 so I had a great night of sewing.  I apologize if you follow me on Instagram because you'll have already seen 90% of these pics : /

I got so much done I had time to work on my fun time just for me project.  I sew scraps together, mostly strips, with no direction or editing in mind, and it's pure blissful therapy to see what happens!  Here's what I've got so far:

 I love how it's turning out!

Halloween Costumes:
-Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony - DONE!  I'll have a better picture (I hope) after the thrill of having a tail has worn off.  This is the best I got, she just wouldn't sit still for it!

 This was made by following a tutorial on Craftiness is Not Optional that Jess did for her girls this Halloween.  I tell you what, and it might sound silly, but I was able to make this and it totally doesn't look like a craft project disaster!  I'm actually much more confident that I understand how patterns work and how pieces go together so I'm going to plunge forward and make more clothes!  As you'll see further on in my list.

If you have a little pony in your house, this is a great tutorial!!

Still need to make:
-Mario costume for the monkey boy
-Halloween pillow (just needs to be quilted and assembled)
-Black and Orange shirt for me!  I'm making a Wiksten Tova Tunic and Tank but hope to have one done to wear Friday and the other done to wear on Halloween!  Most of all I'm excited about the fabrics and scared to mess them up.  Wish me luck!

I'm linking up (in time!) to WIP Wednesday over here.  I've already seen some great projects I want to add to my "someday make this" list.  Go look!

Thank you to all who have entered my giveaway so far!  I'm enjoying your comments so much!!  I'm going to compile a list of all the books you've suggested so y'all can see, it's a great variety!

If you haven't entered, there's still time!  Here is the post, and you've got until tonight when I'll close the comments.  I'll pick a winner tomorrow! 

Discounted Rainbow Baby quilt in the shop!

Monday's aren't too cool with me so I wanted to show you this quilt I finished over the weekend and listed in my Etsy shop.

I used charms from a rainbow charm swap I did over the summer to make it, and think it'll be great for a little one to carry around.  It'd be great too as a playmat for a baby to roll all over and stare at and learn colors!

I've taken $20 off the price of this one because I wasn't happy with the way my "straight line" quilting turned out.  There's nothing wrong with the construction, it's just that the lines aren't straight....so I'm still hopeful that someone will enjoy it and not care that the lines are a little wavy!!!

The quilt measures 45 1/2" square and is backed with a leftover Ikea sheet that is super cozy and a great blue with red dot print. 

You can find the listing for this quilt here.

Thanks everyone!

My next post (100th!!!)  includes a tutorial for a super cute Halloween decoration and a giveaway!!  Be sure to come back soon :)

(Ok, I'll tell you, it's bunting!!)

WIP wednesday

I actually finished a heck of a lot this week!

And have only signed up for one more thing, you know you want to!  And...to be honest...I might just do anything Katy tells me to do.  She has good ideas. 

Finished!

On Sunday I finished this plus quilt from the book Simplify by Camille Roskelly.  I LOVE this pattern and I LOVE this quilt.

I've had it sitting around waiting to be quilted for quite a while, and I think I finished the top in April.  It'll get a separate picture overloaded post later, I promise ;)

Scrap Vomit is done!!  And I love it.  I know, I just said that about the last one, but I really love this one.  Sooo much! 

It is a wonderful beast of a quilt and am fondly looking forward to making another one!  And it's very warm.  I love me a warm quilt! 

Some bee blocks have also been done:

 

These two blocks were supposed to look like film.

This block was a pain.....We're not exactly friends. I dunno if anyone will get this reference, but in one episode of the Golden Girls, Dorothy and Sophia are playing Scrabble and Dorothy challenges a word.  Sophia claims it is a word so Dorothy has her use it in a sentence, "You're no good at disdam game!" Well, that's pretty much how I feel about disdam block!   I know.  I'm a dork.  Love that show.

Made a market tote bag out of Heather Ross' Crafty Chloe fabrics.  I like the finished project but have in mind some edits to make to it and am working on making a tutorial for a kid sized tote bag (Abby thinks this one's hers). 

Up Next!

-Granny squares quilt for Sew. Quilt. Give. charity bee - I've got everyone's blocks now just need to finish it off (Actually, this should be for every charity bee I've been queen of so far, 3, as I've gotten the blocks back and now need to get my butt to finishing those quilts).
-Various Bee blocks
-Tutorial plans (I have 4 tutorials I think you might like.  The hardest part is getting good pictures...and remembering to write things down that I think of while I'm sewing!)


Other highlights from the week:
-Finishing all those quilts.  Seriously. And realizing that I can do things like make my kids a zip-pouch if they need a bag for their crayons so we can take them to church.  I know that sounds like a "duh" moment, but for me it's been a total door opener and helped me relax. 
-My kids know the song "Don't You Want Me" by the Human League and proved it by randomly singing "don't you want me baby," which freaked me out until I figured out what they were actually saying, and singing...
-The Mr. got a job in sports, which is really good.  It's nothing huge, but it's a foot in the door and since he's still in school, it's perfect for now.
-Disdam dog(s) on the other side of our fence!

I am a dog person, but these dogs need a talking to and they aren't very nice.  If they were cuddly fluff-butt dogs it wouldn't bother me so much.    

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced as usual.  You should really go see what everyone's done.  I know I say that every week, and you should check it out every week, but there are some really talented and inspiring things being done!

AND linking up to TGIFF (Thank Goodness it's Finished Friday!) here!

For even MORE pictures of everyday stuff follow me on Instagram @mgriffin87

WIP Wednesday - last minute edition!

I went to sleep at 7:45 Monday night. 

I always have too many windows open in my browser and the hubs doesn't like that because it "pulls" at the internet.... (um, what?)....however, they each represent something important I need to make for a swap, or a bee, or I just need to have it open so I don't forget where it is!!  Does anyone else do this?

I also have too many tops sitting on the dryer and I need to do some basting. 

I use my iPhone for pictures so that's mostly why they usually suck.

This was my to-do pile for today.  In here are 2 bee blocks, 2 fabrics to turn into binding for my Made in Cherry quilt, and the rest of the fabrics for the Patchwork Prism QAL ready to cut.  I've already cut the purples and oranges (I got most of this pile taken care of...keep reading).

Here is the May block for Megan of City Stitches in We Bee Modern.  This was a fun one, as I haven't ever sewn with dark solids before.  Here I used Kona Charcoal and I really like it.  It's brighter in person.

I still have a few more bee blocks to make but it was great to get this one checked off.  It looked a lot more complex in the book and I was a little nervous to get started.

I also finished a long waiting WIP!  My Made in Cherry quilt is done!  I experimented with my new FMQ foot on this one and it was really fun.  I doodled all around the solid purple spots and went in wavy lines over the seams in the patchwork star.

I "finished" cutting out fabric for the Patchwork Prism QAL (I have quotes because I realized I miscut and am short a few green triangles...blah...) and laid the fabrics out.  It's a bit of a hot mess...I am pretty sure the second time I make this quilt will be much better.

 I think this will become a picnic quilt.  I've got some really nice blue fabric that I think is decorator weight.  It's heavier and I hope I'll love it more when it's done...

In other totally random news, we've discovered that my son is absolutely terrified of balloons being popped.  He freaks out big time (this was discovered at the birthday party last weekend).  Shaking, crying, screaming...it's terrible and I have no clue how to help him get over it, except by steering clear of balloons, or anything that could be popped.  Packing materials included.

I am still going to the gym and am dead tired but my biceps have grown so that's good (I've never had biceps before!).  I still look baffoon-ish in the classes I take, but it's growing on me :)

Happy (almost) Thursday!!

I'm last minute linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced!!