Frame for Me

Now with such a large quilt that I was working on Michael used his special woodworking talents and built me some custom frames.  He was such a good sport and I am so thankful for his wonderful mechanical mind because he was able to make the frames do everything that I demanded them to be able to do.

 

 The very start of the creative building process, working with good materials and smoothing everything out so no quilts will ever snag.

 The beautiful finished product.  It looked so good I almost didn't want to use it for fear I would ruin it but that didn't last long because I needed them fast.

 Now this shows you how amazing and talented my man is.  He built these gears and locks so that I could roll my quilt extra tight and not have to worry about it coming lose until I was ready.

 He also made it so my quilt could rotate to different degrees and even be able to flip upside down if I needed it too.  The only bad part was the peg choice we made to lock it in place.  I broke both sides rather quickly but we came up with a great new solution that has worked wonderfully since, metal bolts!  I haven't broken one of those . . . yet.

Lastly, Michael made some great sturdy feet so it would support the heavy quilts I was going to be placing on this thing.

 

 Here is a good picture of how the quilt looks like on the frame for you to see.  It was quite a challenge to get the quilt on but only because neither one of us had done that before with this quilt style but we manage to figure it out and will now be pros for the next quilt that will go on these frames.  Oh I must say that one of the best parts of this frame is that we can switch out the long width poles for any length of quilt that I am working on which is another plus.  So weather I hand quilt or just tie a quilt I have a beautiful frame to do it all on thanks to my great hubby.

Supporting the Star

  I have been working on this one quilt for over a year and have not said anything about it on this blog until today.  I am very proud of this quilt because it was a hard layout for me to configure for the size I needed it to be.  There is also quite a story that goes with this quilt too.

 

  My sweet brother-in-law was engaged to a girl that liked the color blue.  Honestly that was the only thing I knew about her for the longest time and her first name of course.  Anyways, my wonderful hubby had this fantastic idea in his head that we should make them a wedding gift and what better gift then a quilt.  I was very reluctant at first since I know how long it takes to make a quilt but I was also worried about the size it was going to need to be because my brother-in-law is very tall.  But I agreed to do what my sweetheart wanted because I love him and he also promised to help as much as possible.  I now know that next time it is a "NO WAY!" answer.

 

  Lager then king quilts are very time consuming and I didn't even have a baby when I started.  Thankfully I have some wonderful quilting books that gave me a few good ideas and I was able to come up with a design that I liked.

 

 Here is the first block that I created and as you can see I stuck to the blues as much as I could but I also tried to keep it light.  The white fabric is my absolute favorite ever!  It has these beautiful little quilted stars on it that I wish the picture would show you.  When I got the white I took the entire bolt of fabric because I loved it so much.  Now the main fabric I picked first was the funky flowery one.  I thought it was perfect for my brother-in-law because he is such a fun guy.  The other colors I picked went off of that one.

 Here is the same block but with the square around the star flipped.  I did that to help add a little more personality to the quilt.

Finally this is the last block that I pieced together for my quilt.  It is a little smaller then the other two blocks but I found a way to make that work well with another solid added piece.  Now it took me a couple of months of working every day to cut out these blocks and put them together but I managed to do that somehow with the little work space that I had.

 I then put them together in careful rows as you see above.  Yes it took up my entire couch and did until I was ready to piece the entire thing together.  Michael wasn't too happy about having no where to sit when he got home after a long day of work but you do what you have to when you are in love with a quilter.

 Of course when the quilt was put together it moved to take up the entire floor.  We had to move a lot of furniture to get it to lay out so I could take this photo but it gives you a great view of the alternating blocks which you really don't notice too much.  I am sorry that you can't see the entire quilt in the photo but like I said it is really big.

 Now sometimes I just hate having a quilt that is only one sided.  Especially when you don't have a lot of blankets and you want a new look on your bed.  Well because of that I made this quilt reversible with whatever fabric I had left over.  Okay, I did have to buy just a little more of the darker solid blue which was hard since they were out of what I had gotten.  Thankfully that was an easier fabric problem then some other ones I have had before with quilting.  Again you can't see all of the quilt.  I am hoping once I finish it I'll have nice enough weather that I can take a picture of it outside to get the entire thing in the picture.

 Once I had those two large pieces put together I laid it out on the floor to get it ready for quilting.  Yes, hand quilting which is something that I haven't done since I was in high school.  Of course after this project I may never do it again.

 Now since my quilt was looking good (except for having things not line up like I wanted them to, don't look too closely) I wanted to quilt it with a special design and what better design then the star you see throughout the entire thing.  OH HEY!  I just noticed that in this picture above you can see the fun quilted stars I was talking about earlier.  Aren't they great?  I just love them.  It makes me happy for some reason.

 Anyways, I found the center and started working my way out from there.  It was a little difficult at first because I had to re-teach myself how to start and stop without making a normal knot like you would when sewing something together.  I also had a difficult time getting my stitches to look evenly which was made even harder when my hubby started helping me to sew but I am so thankful that he did because he is a much faster hand sewer then me, honest!

Well here is how the quilt looked after a month of hand sewing it together.  Yeah, haven't moved it from that beginning spot and was still working from the center out.

 

Here is a final picture update.  This day we were finally going to move/rotate the quilt for the very first time.  It took us a YEAR to get to this point in time.  Now granted in that time I got really sick during my pregnancy and couldn't do anything except lay in bed feeling like I was going to puck all of the time or pass out.  At one point during that pregnancy I felt good enough that I thought I could work on this hence why it is in our bedroom but nope, I just slept all of the time.

Now you might be wondering with this quilt taking so long will we ever get it to my brother-in-law.  Well sadly, no, we won't.  The wedding was canceled for reasons we don't know and that is too bad since my brother-in-law is one of the best guys in the world.  We did talk about possibly giving it to him one day when he gets married but I think that might be kind of strange for his future wife to know that the quilt was meant for him and someone else.  So we are just going to keep it and do something else for him later and I'm sure it will be just as great or even better then this.  I am sure whatever it is will be done a lot sooner then a little more then a years work and counting.

Kitchen Window Shade

I finally get to show off one of the hardest project I have done in awhile.  It is kind of funny but this thing looks really simple and in fact it is to with sewing but it was a big pain in the neck for me because our window is such a small square and I also don't have some handy tool skills like my hubby does.

I saw this great fabric in the store and I bought it a long time ago with making it into a window shade but I never new how.  Well thankfully Pinterest showed me how.  I found these great directions with some wonderful pictures and was able to make it in just five hours.  It took that long because we had a few issues here and there but the curtain still works great.

 

I had to take a picture of it hanging down so you can see all of the fabric.  I'm sure I could have embellished it to make it even cuter but for it being a first attempted at something I didn't know would work or not I think it is fine as is.

Yes I am a dork that has to show you how good it looks even on the outside of the window.  I'm sure my neighbor was thinking I was nuts but I don't care.  At least now I'll have some nice privacy at nights and be able to pull the shade up during the day to get some beautiful sunlight in my brighter kitchen now.

Brighter Kitchen

One of the places in our house that has been driving me nuts is our kitchen.  It is so dark and a very strange color choice.  Really the only thing I like about the kitchen is the good bones it has and not much else.  I hope one day I can ask the past home owner, "What were you thinking when you were trying to do this stuff on your own?!," and I'd like to ask his wife, "Why would you let him do that?!"  Let me explain why with a few before photos.

BEFORE:

 I'm sure one of the first things you are wondering is what is that white spot on the wall.  Well that is where the family left this strange paper towel holder/ wrapper station wall hanging thing.  I don't know it's real name and that is okay with me.  Anyways instead of the guy taking it down he just painted around the thing.  Strange?  YES!  Next, you might think we took off the pantry door to paint.  Nope!  There never was one.  The last home owner put in the pantry which I think was a good idea but not done right.  He covered a wall outlet, . . . well half of it at least.  The other half had open wires sticking out.  Michael and I still need to fix that and hopefully we can get to it soon.  The last home owner also put in the island too.  Another good idea but not done right or completely.  Like it had a bar portion that stuck out so far you couldn't have a kitchen table in the kitchen.  It also was just sitting on the floor and not screwed down/anchored to the floor.  Finally my issue with the island is that it was just open space on the inside.  No shelves!  Seriously, who does that?  Now as you can see we have already got the island fixed up.  We did that last year at the beginning of my pregnancy.

 Here is a good example of the funny paint colors they picked.  I don't know why you would do two walls one color and then the other two a different color.  It was like they couldn't agree on a paint choice so to not argue they just did both.  The colors are actually darker then what they show in this picture.  I do know they were trying to go for the fine wine dinning feel but it just didn't work.

 Here is how dark that color makes the hallway feel too.  Now I do have other things that bug me about our kitchen.  Like the floor was put in wrong and is now coming up (another project the guy did himself).  How the island cabinets and tile don't match the main cabinets and tile.  OH and how the window over the skin didn't have any curtains too!  We did put something up but it was always a temporary thing.  There are a few other things too but those are the main issues that bug us.  I'm sure now your thinking if we didn't like it that much why did we get this house.  Well you really don't notice that stuff when you walk through a home the first time but the main reason was we prayed about it and knew this is were we were suppose to be.  But here is the best part. . . the after photos

AFTER:

 Our new bright and happy hallway.  I'm sorry but I was so excited about the change that I couldn't wait to take pictures after I hung my photos up. 

The new and improved kitchen.  Yeah for no more funny white spot on that wall and for finally having a door on the pantry too!  Now before you ask, no I am not leaving the island that color.  We were low on paint and also didn't quite have enough time to do it either.  I am hoping we can get that portion done this week if Michael can get an night off early.  But that is the most we can do for the kitchen right now.  We will have to wait a bit longer before we can do any more major updates with it but I think I can live with that for now.



Moving Flowers and Fire

We have been doing a lot and I mean a LOT of house hold work both indoors and out.  One of the many projects and one of the most difficult ones is fixing up the back yard.  The past home owner had a very strange layout and we have been trying to correct it ever since we moved into our home.  Michael and I had this grand goal of getting it all or at least most of it done by the time we bless Seth.  Mostly because of everyone we were expecting coming into our home.  Well last summer we worked on moving the fire pit to a much better location and we almost have it done.  I thought I would show a sneak peak of how it is looking for far.

 I really like how it is turning out.  The only problem is we ran out of two types of brinks and need to see if we can find more or something very similar to what we already have.  I also have some fun outdoor design ideas but that requires Micheal building a few things for me and I need to give him a little bit of a brake after all of the hard work he has been doing with me.

 This is my newest flower bed.  I know it doesn't look like much right now but next year it should be full of flowers or at least I hope it will be.  I think my favorite part about this garden bed is I haven't bought any flowers for it.  All were transplanted or saved from other parts of the yard.  A few were given to me also.

 Of course we still have our lovely little helper that always insists we take a few minutes (or hours) brake and play catch with her.

We also still have our mighty supervisor who also tells us when to get back to work too.

Baseballs Youngest Player

It is so nice when you can get a good group of friends together and play some baseball.  We didn't quite have enough to do an actually game but we still had a pretty good time just batting a few balls and catching them too.  I think it is nice when you can have friendly games like that.  I like how it shows our little man that you can still have fun without keeping score.

I guess my glove is a little to big for him.  It actually looks like I could hold him in that thing.  That sure would be a cute photo.

Seth was a great spot and really enjoyed watching everyone take a turn batting.  Well everyone but me.  He is starting to realize when I'm not with him and he starts to cry a little.

Daddy did great in the left outfield.  He was actually kept really busy because most of the batters were right handed.

For some reason daddy was one of that last people that got a turn batting so we were there for the entire game.  Thankfully I had Seth wrapped up really well cause it was starting to rain a little and it was getting dark too.  Hopefully we can play again but I'm not sure how soon that will happen.

Morning Turn Around

This morning I went to get Seth up for his breakfast bottle and found that he had been very busy already this morning.

 He has been doing this several times and one time, when Michael went to get him, he had rolled over to his stomach too.  I guess that means I have one really active sleeper.  Although I still can't figure out how he got out of the blanket because I wrapped him in there really tight.

Well I guess our mornings are just going to continue to get more interesting around here.  Okay I'm sorry but I can't help laugh whenever I see this funny pain expression on his face.  It's almost like, "Mommy stop taking pictures of me and get me out of here so I can have my breakfast."  Poor kid but the pictures are never going to stop being taken of you.

Cuter Than The Dogs

Several years ago (like five) I was with Michael in a Target store and I saw this outfit for a baby boy that I just couldn't live without.  I'm sure none of you ever have that problem when shopping.  Well the sweet husband that I have let me get it even though we weren't expecting any children and didn't know if we would even be blessed with a boy too.

 

Now that you see it hopefully you can understand why I just had to have it.  I do think the only flaw is that it needs to have two dogs on it since we have two.

 

 But any way it says, YES he is very cute and even cuter then the dogs.  Sorry girls I still love you!  I also have noticed that he isn't looking so small anymore with the girls next to him.  I guess my little guy is growing more then what I think.

Wardrobe Change

I think baby's have such cutest cloths and Seth sure has a lot of them too.  It makes it really hard not to take a picture of him in some of these adorable outfits but I know I won't be keeping them forever so why not take a few pictures to remember them.

 I took this picture mainly for the adorable socks that look like shoes.  I love those because then he can't kick them off!

 One night Michael bought me flowers to just do something nice for me.  Well one of the flower heads broke off and I thought, "Hey, its a mini boutonniere for Seth." So lucky for me the pj's he was wearing that night had a front pocket.  So I have a cute little gentle man that is ready to go out on the town with his lady.  Of course he has to grow up more before I'll let him go, like maybe when he turns 92 or something.

 Now these are some very special pj's because his grandma S. made them.  She made them for one of her boys and then gave them to me because they have Winnie-the-Pooh on them.  If you don't know that is the theme of Seth's baby room.

 Here is a total favorite of mine.  Seth got this outfit for Easter so he could wear it to church and look extra specially nice.  I love how it looks on him.  We joke that he is a mini James Bond but not with all that naughty stuff that seams to go with his name.  Were raising a good boy here.

 Finally these pj's are pretty special in meaning to me.  They were given to me by a friend that has actually seen me grow up so it was really nice of her to get something for my little guy.  I can't wait for her to meet him one day.

I also just had to through this picture in because I love how he kind of looks like a little glass doll in this photo with that cute expression of his.

Snuggle Buddies

When I was pregnant with Seth, Faith would come lay right next to my stomach and fall asleep there.  Of course Seth would be kicking her and looking at me with the expression, "Why did you do that mommy?"  I must say that now I'm more then pleased that I won't be getting that face but I also know who she was really trying to snuggle with all along.

Her best friend that she just couldn't wait for.  I think it is so sweet that she likes to be snuggled up with him.  I'm also happy that Seth loves to pet her.

This is my favorite.  Seth can be kicking her as hard as he can (and that is pretty hard) and Faith will just fall asleep.  I can't wait until Seth is older and sleeping in a nice big boy bed because I know I'll find faith sleeping at the bottom of his bed with him.  Oh the sweet moments I get to live and look forward too.

Three Months

Boy does time fly by quickly and we have a sweet little boy that is already three months old.  Now I don't know why but this time I just couldn't get a good photo of him that I liked.  I do know it was my fault because I didn't take his pictures at the time I normally do so lesson was learned here.

 

Now here is something amazing that Seth started doing while I was taking pictures of him.  He was trying to start siting up!  AHHHH!!!  This kid is really growing up way to fast.  He just seems to be making leaps and bounds before my eyes.  Like this last month he has been giggling and laughing a ton.  I love his large smiles at me.  He also does a very funny strange army scoot with his legs when he is on his stomach.  He doesn't get very far forward but still he is trying to move/crawl on me.  Seth also loves looking at books.  He has started to reach and grab at things.  He has already gotten daddy's glasses off of him several times.  Hopefully he wont bend them when he gets older but then again you never know.  Other then that Seth is doing great at copying the high and lows of sounds that I make at him.  It is so much fun having this little man talk with me.  The only hard part is he now takes cat naps during the day (like 30 minutes if I'm lucky) BUT he sleeps wonderfully at night.  He averages between 5-9 hours a night.  So sometimes I'm lucky enough to get enough sleep at night that I can managed my day so I'm okay with the shorter naps.

 

Finally I had to through in this cute picture of my little man.  It was just too cute that I couldn't help but share it with you.  My little man in just like his mommy in having to snuggle with his special stuff animal.

Hockey Fans

Last year Michael and I went to our very first hockey game and had a wonderful time.  We got the tickets for free so I was expecting us to sit in the nose bleeding section but we were actually right on the ground level next to the glass.  It was awesome!  The one thing that I didn't care for the most was the noise level.  It could get really loud, especially when you are sitting close to the horn that goes off when your team scores a goal.  Even with the few bad things I couldn't wait for a chance to go again.  I was also excited to take Seth to his first game.  I have a friend who has a son that plays hockey but their last game was in March and we were still under health house arrest with Seth so I figured his first game would be next year.  Well we got a call from our friend that gave us the tickets last year and again they had some extra tickets this year so we got to go on Easter Saturday night.  I was worried that Seth might not do well with the noise so I took a head muffler thing to put on him in case it did bother him.

Thankfully we were higher up so we could see things better and on the other end away from the horn goal.  As you can see from the picture Seth did just fine.

I was even surprised when Seth watched the players go back and forth on the ice.  Daddy was pretty happy to have him so attentive to the game.  I think we might have a future player on our hands here which is fine as long as he keeps all of his teeth.

Such a fun family night together and I was so proud of how our little guy did.  I think the biggest surprise for us was when Seth feel ASLEEP during the loudest part of the entire game.  Honestly I had the thought go through my head that maybe he has hearing problems but I know that isn't true because his hearing has been checked twice and he responds very well to me when I talk with him.  I guess we just have an amazing little boy.  Now I can't wait for the next session of hockey to start.