Shoutout!

This weeks shout out goes to Trista Harrison Photography. She just started her own photography business about nine months ago and does a wonderful job. She does everything from engagements and family photos to newborn and maternity. She took some maternity photos of me in November when I was about 35 weeks along with Gopher Girl. She then took some photos of Gopher Girl in her blessing dress and also some of The Princess in her dress that I made her. I love how the pictures turned out and her prices were quite reasonable. Anywho pop on over and check her site out!

Blocks, Blocks, Blocks

Its been a block party here at my house the last couple of days. I organized a block exchange with five other ladies from around the basin here. We are doing a Patriotic Pinwheel block exchange. Each of us are doing two different pinwheel blocks six times each then we will exchange them with each other and end up with 12 different blocks to use in our quilt. The criteria is:

• must be pinwheel patterns


• must be done in red, white, and/or blue


• 12" finished squares

I got the inspriation on day when I was blog hopping and came across p.s. i quilt's blog and her pinwheel quilt-a-long (I'm sure some of you know of it), well the thought came, hey I should do something like that only an exchange. So I got some ladies to agree and WA-LA we had a group. Our goal is to have all the blocks done by June 15th so we can get our quilts finished by July 4th.

Davis 3rd BOM

I was asked to teach a quilting class for the Relief Society almost two years ago. My mentor told me to do a Block of the month quilt and do a different block each month so thats what we did. The first block is in the upper left corner and then the order goes right and down just like reading a book. We started this in Aug 2009 and finished Sept 2010 (skipping Dec). As you can tell from the blocks we went from simple piecing to more advanced piecing. I just did a throw size quilt wereas some did bigger ones by making more blocks.

I learned a couple things from this experience of mine.

1. Do a smaller project for beginners

2. Do a MUCH simpler project

This project also held a couple of firsts for me.

1. 1st teaching experience all on my own

2. 1st time ever using a fat quarter bundle

But I am happy to report that out of the 10 ladies that started this project:

1-completed a king size quilt

1-completed two twin size quilts (she only went half way)

1- completed all the blocks (I'm sure she finished the quilt but I never seen the result)

2- have the first six done

5- have at least the first block done

Ok so not roaring success but like I said it was a huge learning experience for me and I know how to do it better with much better results next time.

Scrappy 2010 BOM

I wanted to share this cool Block of the Month (BOM) that I've discovered over here at A Little Bit Biased. It has different blocks that correspond with each month. I've only got up to April finished and sewn on, I still haven't decided how I'm going to do May's flowers. The finished BOM quilt can be found here at Freda's Hive. You can click here for instructions to each block and the pattern is free!

I'm having a lot of fun with this quilt and learning different blocks and I'm using only scraps from my stash so it is defintaly a useful quilt.

Turning Two

I call this quilt 'Turning Two', it is The Princess's who just turned two a couple of weeks ago. It is a turning twenty pattern so a mixture of the two creates 'Turning Two'. I adapted the pattern to fit a twin size bed instead of a full or queen. I choose all the bright colors cause they reminded me of how my daughter is and acts so bright and full of life. They also matched the curtains wonderfully. I have my other daughters quilt that will be similar to this one with the same color scheme cut out but it will be awhile before it is sewn, especially since it will be a year or so before she needs it.
I didn't caculate quite right and was short for the backing so I just added some patches to the back, I think it looks neat and it adds character.
This is the quilting I did on, there is also some smaller flowers in the quilt but the photos didn't take. I did all this quilting again on my machine. I loved the way this quilt turned out and The Princess loves it too!

Wordless Wednesday

Experiences

As I was driving home last night from my mothers I was thinking of all the things that I've got to experience in my life and I've come up with a list.
Marlynn's top 10 things to experience in life:
1. A babies first smile.
2. The smell of fresh cut alfalfa.
3. The creak of the saddle as you ride your horse across the mountain.
4. A baby anmials first attempt at standing up.
5. The smell of wet sagebrush and wet wool.
6. That first kiss of your future spouse.
7. A dance with your dad.
8. Seeing a plant find its way upward to the world that you've planted.
9. Hearing a childs sincere testimony.
10. A sunrise.

Shoutout!!

This weeks shoutout goes to...


She does wonderful crochet things from hats and bands to beautiful afgans. I just love the work she does.

This is a afgan that she did for my husband and I for a wedding gift. She made when she was just getting into crocheting and actually taught me how to do a simple stich. My afgan that I started on is still sitting in storage about a fourth of the way done :) but I promise one day I'll finish it.
Head on over to here site here sweet.kiwi.crochet and check out her stuff or her etsy shop. Hope ya'll have a good day I'm going to be cleaning :)

Blogger Quilt Festival

Hello and Hi to all you finding me through Amy's blog quilt festival. This is my first festival to participate in!

I completed this baby quilt when I was a Junior in High School. It was my first quilt that I have ever done with applique and I loved how it turned out. I plan on hanging it up in my girls room as soon as I can seeing how they are still babies!

The little lambs were supposed to be in the same stance but I knew how baby lambs really act seeing how I grew up on a sheep ranch so I made them frolicking around the fields just as real little lambs do. I am loving this festival of quilts so much easier to pack the kids around this way :) Love seeing your quilts and all the fantastic workmanship!

The Young Victoria

Last night as I was finishing the binding on my daughters quilt I was watching this show 'The Young Victoria' I liked it although I felt that it just ended, I think they could've had a better ending. But I loved the music in it, so soothing and relaxing, I'm seriously thinking that I should find the soundtrack. I never thought of myself loving the classical music but I loved this movies. Maybe I'm just older and more mature that I can appriecate it or maybe it was cause it was 10:00 at night after a long day of dealing with a two year old while grocery shopping and the music just helped me to relax and let go of the days frustrations. IDK but I loved the music and I got my quilt finished and binded now just off to the wash and onto the bed!! Yay one project down many left to go :)

New blog!

Hey ya'll I started a new blog dedicated just to my sewing and quilting obsessions, check it out and leave some comments! Also let your buddies know about me I'm wanting to do custom work for people and or send people interested in quilting to me! I love teaching everyone new ideas and techniques. Check me out at mammabearsquilting.blogspot.com

Anniversary Star Quilt

This is a quilt I made my mom-in-law and dad-in-law. Dad-in-law was always giving me (and his other daughters) a hard time about never getting a quilt and that everyone else got one. So when I seen these fabrics in the blues and browns I knew it was perfect! My mom-in-law loves blues and browns and my dad-in-law can only see blue and brown (and I think black and white) and I wanted to try out this new pattern that my good friend introduced me too. Its a buggy barn patterned called Garden Path, sorry can't remember the book we did it out of since its her book. I did modify it just a little bit because of personal preference but I thought it turned out great!

This quilt turned out to be a King size quilt and I really didn't want to machine quilt it on my machine so I was actually thinking of having paying someone with a longarm quilting machine to quilt it, but I was able to use a friends and do it myself, it didn't turn out as nice as I would've liked there are tucks here and there which I'm ashamed of so for now I'll stick with what I know and maybe someday I'll try again on a different machine and different table and see if it works better.

Fabric!

Oh how I love fabric there is so many talented designers out there, if only I had all the money in the world....Anywho I got this fabric today all going to make three different projects. You can tell that the one fabric is for certainly for my little princess can't you and the others well we'll let it be a suprise. Here is a few other fabric highlights if only I had the money :).

Both of these are available through fatquatershop.com

I also go this book today, couldn't resist :) I don't know why but I sure am into these types of books right now.

Cowboy Fun~1st Quilt

~Cowboy Fun~
This quilt was the first quilt I ever made. It was made my sophmore year of high school 2002, eight years ago. WOW it really only feels like yesterday but I guess it was that long ago, amazing how much has changed in my life since then.
I had the cowboy block panels for awhile and I really wanted to use them, so I got the blue and tan to match. The blocks measured out to be 10" finished. I also learned how to machine quilt with this quilt on a home sewing machine. That is the only thing I would fix on this quilt since it was my first time I didn't quilt it tight enough and its now coming loose. But still today I love the overall look of it and really wish I had a place I could show it off instead of keeping it in storage.

Birthday time!

Man this week has been birthday week, (which reminds me I need to get Koda's gift done, his bday is two weeks away ahh!)! Sunday was Daisy's birthday she is now offically two!!! And she is showing her age for the fits have gotten much much more dramatic!

This is the cake I made her. My mom always made our cakes growing up and I've begun doing that (all though I thought my mom should just do it she's much better then me). Well this cake has quite the story. I grabbed a cake mix out of the cupboard it said white and I thought good to go. So I started mixing it up and it kept expanding and expanding, well I mixed up an angel food cake :0 woops, so I was like lets give it a go. Well it turned out pretty good I think and it actually got ate :)

More Birthday Pics!

We had a big family dinner since we also celebrated my Grandma Laura's birthday (Daisy's is the day after hers) It was lots of fun and I got to see my sister for a bit SO NICE!

And guess what I'm doing today.....

...Yep so excited! Hope all is well your way!

Wordless Wednesday

New Quilting Blog

So I've broke down and decided to start a quilting blog, hopefully this will help me to post pics and keep an update on all my many projects as well as open up new avenues for me into the virtual quilting world.

Patriotic Pinwheel Quilt

Well I'm so excited I'm starting another project (hehehe) This one I've decided to do a quilt block exchange of sorts. I have five other ladies helping me out we are all doing two different pinwheel blocks in patriotic colors then we will exchange them and have twelve different blocks total to make a lap quilt. This should be lots of fun!

Farm Life

(After a good day of dockin')

Yesterday I went to the eye doc and he was asking how life is yada-yada, so I told him about our farm and it was just little, but very happy I could be living on one (which I'm SOOOOO grateful for) and he told me, "there is just something special about growing up on a farm, it makes kids so much more responsible and willing to work..." Now I've always believed this, but then I figured maybe I was biased seeing how thats how I was raised. Anywho so he proceeds to tell me "...My kids are lazy, they just sit on their big bums and do nothing, you ask them to put the silverware up and you'd think you'd cut their hand off with all the complaining that goes on..." I found that FUNNY! I mean silverware, come on, they would never last if every morning they had to go change handlines, now thats something to complain about, except it has to be done, so complaining just wastes time.

(Ty & his fav mode of transportation)

So I had to tell him about my brother Ty (who he knows). This past school year Ty's been up at college and it has been tough for him. Not the classes he loved those, but the living in the city and having so much idle time on his hands. He came home almost every other weekend that first sememster. So Ty tells us that when he is driving past a field of hay, or a pasture of cows, he wanted to go so bad and ask the farmer if he could move the water, or help feed the cows, or build fence, anything, he just wanted to find something to do. We all laughed because most kids who head off to college, can't wait to have to do nothing at all and have idle time on their hands, well I guess not if your a farmer through and through, you want your day jammed pack full of stuff to do.

(Farm kids know how to have fun)

I loved growing up on a ranch, I love being able to raise my children here on our farm. It will teach them responsiblilty at a young age which will help them face the future for all their years to come. I'm sorry but I do think this is the best way to be raised...but then again I am biased. :)

Texas Star Quilt

Started April 2007

Finished November 2009

I took a class offered through the USU Extension taught by Peggy Hunting.

I also added Trapunto in between all the points, taught to me by Auntie Renee or as you know her the UHS Home Ec teacher

Pictures don't do the quilt justice but i'm quite proud of how it turned out the star and the trapunto.

Projects

Projects, Projects, Projects thats seems to be all I do (well the only extra stuff I do)
I have so many projects piled up unfinished, cause I see something cute and I want to do it so I get started then something else catches my eye haha. Lets see I have :

• Watermelon Quilt 1/2 blocks sewn, started 3/2010
• Garden Quilt 7/8 of blocks sewn, started 3/2005
• Koda's Quilt Just needs borders, back, and quilted, started 6/2008
• 2010 BOM Quilt (top will be done 12/2010)
• Daisy's Quilt pinned and started quilted, started 10/2009
• Page's Quilt cut out, started 10/2009

Plus all the projects I want to start and already have them in my mind:

• Patriotic Pinwheels throw sized quilt
• Sugar & Spice queen sized quilt
• living room curtains

Those are only the quilting projects I also have scrapbooking that I need to catch up on, a garden to finish planting (although its probably good I haven't after seeing the snow from last night), and I would like to make some more dresses for Daisy, maybe Page too. Plus I have to finish Koda's b-day present, of all his mission pics scrapbooked, I'm halfway done with only a little less than a month to finish it, better get crackin!

Happy Birthday to Me!

(Quayle and I 2yr old b-day)

Hello Hello! Yesterday was my 23rd birthday and I do feel older since I still feel like I should only be 21 :), but then I look at my dad and 23 years ago he was 32 and my momma was 26 and look at me a mom of two at 23 wow!

(Ahhh! Daisy Jumping On Tramp)

All in all it was an okay day. It started out at midnight when Page woke up to wish me a happy b-day, haha right, she wasn't feeling good, kept eating and eating and walking the floor, finally after an hour and half of this I almost made her a bottle thinking I didn't have any more milk for some reason and she was starving but first I went and clean her nose out gave her some meds, which she proceeded to throw up ten mins later, along with a bunch of milk. Then she cried some more and fell back asleep, so back to bed I went.


Slept through Koda getting up at four (thank heavens) but I was awoken again at five to feed Page, this time she ate and went right back to sleep. But low and behold one hour later at the grand hour of six, Daisy woke up and was ready to start the day! I just wanted some sleep I was really feeling it now, so I got up got her some cereal and milk, and started a show for her, then laid back down for only ten mins before she was back in bugging me, so I just got up.

(two year old photo? what do you think?)

The rest of the day I spent at my moms doing laundry, baking bread, and fixing lasagna for dinner. When Ty and Carson got back at four, Ty took Daisy outside with him, So it was nice to be able to get things done quicker without the little helper, although when I went to get her from him to take her home she grabbed onto his leg and started wailing. Well to say the least I got her strapped in the car seat and headed home. We ate dinner and then waited for Koda's mom and my family to come over to eat cake and ice cream and open gifts. I got a couple of books:

Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother by Kersten Campbell (this is hilarious!) and Turning Hearts by Deanne Blackhurst. My siblings gave me a great card and the movie Black Dog (which is a fav of mine) and my parents gave me some shirts and capris (which is something I really needed I was running out of shirts). Koda tells me that I have to wait for his days off to get my gift from him, so come thursday (hopefully) I'll find out what that is. The greatest gift of all though, both girls slept through the night (Page only waking up to eat) and till seven! So I actually got some sleep :).

Tired and Impatient

So I'm just going to vent a little right now. Its been a long day in a series of long days since Daisy is not feeling 100% due to 2yr old molars :(.

I'm tired of all these things: Saying DON'T all the time, Potty training, being patient, the husband working 14-16 hrs days, feeling like a maid, and paying bills. (Well I'm sure there are more but for right now those are defintaly at the top of the list)

I'm impatient for all these things: Having an oven to cook in that won't intoxicate us, being able to wash and dry our clothes WITHOUT leaving the house, taking a shower that lasts longer then seven mins (new water heater), a potty trained girl, our tractor and school loans paid off, and my husband not working like a slave for his stupied job that we have to have.

Ok I'm done I feel much better now, sorry for all the negativity. I try to be positive and always look on the bright side of life, but every once in a while I just want to complain.

Motherhood Thoughts

Next week I turn 23. You'd think I'd remember that number. Except I can't for some reason I keep thinking I'm turning 21. So this mental reminder that reminds me i'm really two years older than I think I am takes me back to yester-year. Two years ago when I was turning the big two-one I was kidless (although very prego), finishing finals and graduating with my bachelors, living in Logan, and had no clue my life would be where it is today.


Nowadays my days start about seven and go till ten thirty (some days later). The inbetween is filled with chaos some days and some orderly chaos other days. I have a very active strong-willed two year old that thank heavens still takes a nap most days. My four month old is growing up before my eyes, can't believe she's that old now. My husband is a great husband and provides for his girls wonderfully. He does work long hours, long days, long months, but he has a job and thats something to be grateful for. I still have a daily planner but it is no longer filled with test or paper due dates, but with doctor appointments, dinner menus, grocery lists, chores, and playdates.


It use to not matter when I went grocery shopping, morning, noon, or night. But now I know the best day to go is Monday through Wednesday, at ten o'clock in the morning. It is just you and the senior citzens, along with some other mothers and their small frys. There are hardly any lines and the stores aren't crowded. The trick is getting out the door in time to get there. :) Same goes for Doctor appointments. Its also funny how a trip to the grocery store with your hunny feels so nice, its like a date.


I used to have to leave my house only five mins before church started and I'd be there ontime and in my seat. Now I have to plan on leaving thirty mins before, so I can for sure be out the door twenty mins before, in order to get there on time.


I went from having to do laundry only every two weeks to having to have it done at least once every week if not twice.


I've come to relish the time when my girls are asleep naptime or bedtime and just relax. You can't get any relaxation time any other way.


I once upon a time could tell you the latest country hit or newest movie to hit theatres, but now, I honestly have no idea, although I can sing all the songs from Cinderella through to Winnie the Pooh now from memory.


Motherhood changes you thats no doubt. But if I had to choose between my life two years ago and my life today. The crazy chaotic life I have today is defintaly the one I would choose. I was meant to be a mom, I knew it from the moment I seen my baby girl for the first time. It is hard. It is trying. And most certainly a headache somedays, but when your child smiles at you or laughs, it erases all the negative things and makes you just happy that you have such a sweet child that loves you unconditional.


Motherhood is the greatest calling on this earth as well as the toughest.

Shooting

A two year old shooting? Does this sound right? It does if you have my husband and daughter! So today Koda goes out shooting and Daisy has to go find him after a while (she is his sidekick all the time now), so I follow her so I can make sure Koda sees her coming. And she walks on over to him and sits right next to him. He shoots, then looks at her. She jumps up gets in his laps he shows her how to hold the gun and look down the sights, and then proceed to shoot. One, two, three, Four times!! I was able to capture the last time on video but no pictures cause once she was done she went off to the rock pile. All in all it was fun to see!