Halu-Halo

This elf has been busy

(and I'm not talking about the one on the shelf - I'm talking about the bonafide creator of the Christmas spirit here in our house - ahem...)

There are only 3 days till Christmas, after all.  In three days, my Bigs and Littles will be up at 5 in the morning, tearing open whatever Hubby and I had haphazardly lovingly wrapped the night before, and we get to celebrate another year of blessings.

I This elf has been good this year.  If you remember, I sent out my last 2010 Christmas gift *in* February of 2011. The year before, even much later, in March.  This year, I'm proud to report that the last package will be mailed in the next few days - a record.

(See me bow)

Yes, commence the applause.  Enjoy the  moment.  It may not happen again.  

I would like to thank the Academy, and Groupon and Living Social for providing great gift-giving options this year.  

Also, the last of the handmade has been completed today.  Impressed?

 (I'll imagine you squealing in delight.)  

Pattern: Shilling, knit on sz 4 16-inch circs, sz 7 16-inch circs and dpns

Yarn: Cascade 220

It was so much a perfect fit for me, that I seriously contemplated not wrapping it up, and instead just stashing it in my own dresser drawer.  But I didn't, and it's now hidden with the rest of the kids' gifts; it's going to my Biggest, who lost his knit hat earlier this year.  

G used his sweet beanie, which I knit for him when he was 5 (the blue and brown), every winter for almost 5 years.  While I'm grateful that he was able to hang on to it for so long, I finally had to accept that it had disappeared, and decided he needed another one, a completely different one.

Shilling is a very handsome pattern! It's hard to see the texture and cables in my pictures, but it's definitely fitting for an older boy.  I think he's going to love it.  

And the final handmade completed is for my sweet R, for her special American Girl Doll, whom she lovingly named Claire...

A ticker tape quilt!

I decided to do larger scraps, even on this tiny quilt.  R is quite my helper and right hand woman when I sew, and I knew she loved these fabrics.  In fact, she had separated many of these scraps as her favorites.

I did a second round of quilting, adding flowers to it.  I can't tell you how excited I am to give this to her.  I am expecting a doll bed in the mail at any moment, and this quilt will be gracing it.  She is going to jump and giggle absolutely.freak.out when she sees the entire ensemble on Christmas morning.  

The back - pieced fabrics shared by Natalie (thanks, woman!) the last time we were at her place for our Nova Modern Quilt Guild meeting.  R tagged along to the last couple of meetings, and on that day, she actually picked these out the stash.  

This elf will now celebrate with a little bit of chocolate, and maybe even a glass of wine.   While she won't be hanging on the chandeliers or  doing such shenanigans (she is 36 after all), tonight, she will be watching this movie and eating kettle corn like it's going out of style.

Have a great night, everyone!

Fear not the post office

By the time I got to the post office this morning, just a few minutes before 9 am, there were 15 people in front of me.  

I almost turned around and got back into my car.  Not only did I have to be somewhere at 9:30, but I also had Baby J with me.  Did I really want to face a potential meltdown that my toddler is so good at these days?  Was I prepared for the her inevitable no-i-will-not-move-unless-you-drag-me-out-kicking-and-screaming shenanigan?  I put my coat back on, and fiddled with my key ring.

And then, I remembered the date, so I stayed.  

I'm glad I did, because I had quite a few packages go out the door.

One was a quilt block for a charity quilt being put together by Natalie as part of our work with the Northern Virginia Modern Quilt Guild.

This block was put together with directions provided by Camille, from her quilt pattern "Swoon".  Thank you Camille, for sharing these directions with us!  Each contributor provided a block, and the combination thereof with be quilted by Natalie, and will be given to this brave little boy.

Another was a tablerunner and coasters I made for my Aunt-In-Law.

She's the kind of lady that never forgets a birthday or celebration.  She's even early most of the time...I've really got to learn that habit of sending out a card or present a week before the day.  I'm always late.

Ahem, except for this year, I think.   I may actually be on time.

I originally made these blocks as part of a larger pattern for a wallhanging for my kitchen over a year ago.  I then put it all away because I just wasn't feeling it.  I looked at it over the months and just did not find the motivation, the love, to do it.  Until I figured out that this quilt wasn't meant for us.

When I realized that these blocks were perfect for Aunt M, it came together quickly.  Funny how that happens.

I'm thrilled, because I know it's going to a good home.  It's a crafter's dream to know that what they have made will not go into the limbo space of gifts not really appreciated.  And that makes it even better than having it hang on my own wall.

I was in and out of the post office in less than 30 minutes, and not one bit of impatience from anyone was felt.  And thanks to the very sweet grandfather who cajoled Baby J for all of those minutes, I left unscathed, and pounds lighter.   

I hope that you all are marking your Holidays with cheer and peace.  That with all of the hoopla and last minute preparations, that you take care of yourselves too!  

Good luck out there!   

Thanksgiving recovery

Means rest, from the week of planning, the day of cooking, the evening of eating, the night of putting up Christmas decorations, and finally, the aftermath of all of the cleaning.

But it was an awesome holiday for our family.

It was intimate (although loud and noisy), simple (even though I made more 9 dishes in addition to the turkey), and easy (even if we had to bring Baby J in to see a doc for an ear infection).

 

I can never get enough of this holiday, when there is absolutely no expectation but to cook and eat.  And be together with loved ones.  When reflection is really encouraged.  For a busy family such as ours, I welcome all of these things with open arms.

But I do have to brag, folks...in the spirit of Handmade Holidays, I present my first handmade present of the season, finished this weekend.

(It's a stroller sized quilt, started almost 2 years ago! Done as an practice of improv, using only  my scraps, to include the white/cream fabrics. The back is pieced as well, but I already have wrapped it up to be sent the first week of December.)

It's been a work in progress for a long time, until I decided who it needed to belong to, and then it took another 6 months.  I KNOW! (I don't need to hear it, I need lessons in time management).  

I suppose that's also what a couple of days of no expectations can do to a woman, it encourages her to tie up at least once loose end.

I hope that you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  And here's to officially welcoming the winter holiday season!

Doin' the Humpty-Hump

 Just turned on some music, to listen to Digital Underground and celebrate some milestones:

16 days: 

 

and halfway done with the binding:

"I'm steppin tall ya'll and just like Humpty Dumpty
you're gonna fall while the stereos pump me.
I like to rhyme, I like my beats funky, I'm spunky, I like my oatmeal lumpy.
I'm sick with this..."  (Digital Underground, "The Humpty Dance")

Excuse me while I go let off some steam and do the Humpty Dance in my living room.

Happy Hump Day!

10 Things that make you go...

10. It's supposed to snow tomorrow?  I'm starting to fear the Mayan predictions of weather gone wild before the end of the world.  

9.  And along those lines, I have found myself not completely prepared for this weather.  Son #2 asked me this morning if I knew where his winter coat was, and by golly, I had no idea.

8.  In fact, we're supposed to have family pictures taken on Sunday (on location, natural light).  I may have to rethink the tutu that I was planning for Daughter #1 to wear.  It's now supposed to be about 40 degrees.

7.  It's also supposed to be pretty chilly for Halloween.  How do I  supplement Daughter #1's witch tutu without me covering up her black and white striped tights?      

6. Speaking of Halloween - it falls on a Monday this year.  Are schools ready for candy hangover symptoms that are sure to rear their ugly little heads?  I can't be held responsible for Krabby Patties that find themselves into my children's backpacks.

5.  I will, after all, be focusing on digging out all of the Snickers and Kit Kats to put in the freezer for my own personal consumption.

4.  Even though my doctor just this last week thought I could lose a few pounds.  As a "preventative measure" she said. Humph.

3.  I told her I would do my best.  After Halloween.  Or maybe after Thanksgiving.

2.  I need the calories!  I will be writing my heart out in November.  And training for my first half marathon in March.   

...and the #1 Thing that will make you go Eek in the Halu-Halo household is

1.  I have a Finished Object to show!  Can I get a...WOOP-WOOP!  

A charity quilt made using fabrics designed by Jay McCarroll himself....fabrics donated to members of the Modern Quilt Guilds for a quilt challenge.  The NOVA Modern Quilt Guild will be sending our quilts to Inova Fairfax Hospital NICU.

I call it "Building Blocks," and I dream for it to go to a baby who will lay, roll, and grow on it, dragging it along, dirtying it, staining it, so his parent will have to patch or re-sew it, and rewash it again and again.    

It is about 30 x 45, made improv style using a log cabin method.

 

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Friday.  Stay warm Northeast!

My peeps

This last week was a true summer-at-home week.  Catching up with my friends, taking kiddos to visit theirs, hosting our own moments.  We had a ton of pool time, and even caught some minutes for a kid/husband/caffeine/alcohol-free sugar-filled nightcap with a girlfriend.  

I even got to spend a few hours with The NOVA Modern Quilt Guild.  

And what a true giddiness it was to see them again; to be around folks who appreciate fabric and quilts, and who celebrate the creative spirit.  I brought R with me at her pleading and on the ride home she marveled that there were "lots of mommies who quilt", which I interpret that she thought I was the only one my age who geeked out over these things.

Because writing has consumed me the last few weeks, I hadn't been making huge strides in my crafting, but after an afternoon with my quilting peeps, I realized it may be the muse I crave.  

By Sunday afternoon, I had completed a few more hexagon blocks and Hubby and I caught a home movie before Mass, talking and laughing through most of it.  During dinnertime I shared stories with my kids about their mama as a teenager, and they laughed and laughed thinking of me as a young person. 

My peeps - I cherish them.  They fuel me; I continue to realize that everything is about relationships.  And each interaction is a ripple, the ocean of our world moved by it.  To think one is their own island is faulty; that success is individual - foolish.

I woke up this morning feeling blessed to have them.

Have a great Monday! 

 

The last quiet morning

It was a good morning.  I got up early as usual with Hubby and spent some quality time with my treadmill, looking as my backyard lit slowly with our cloudy morning sun.

Then it hit me.  I'd better enjoy it now.

Because school's out as of 11am this morning. 

Am I ready for this?  Do you live close by?  Because I may call for a playdate, a lunch picnic, or a meet up at a museum.  Summer is never as slow as I think it's going to be, for I have children with energies that rival the energizer bunny.  It's all great fun, don't get me wrong!  I'm just sayin', expect a phone call.

What's great is that I finished teacher's gifts.  I literally snipped the last of the threads this morning after my workout. 

These are mug rugs for my boys' teachers.  I am always stumped when it comes to teacher's gifts.  Since the concept of mug rugs isn't as popular with non-quilters, I am hoping they don't have one on their desk.

I already had these quilt blocks made from a few years ago when I was learning how to piece.  It was a perfect way to use them up!  I have a few more somewhere in my stash and I may make mug rugs out of them as well for Holiday gift giving.

I know, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Summer first.

I hope you all have a great day!  I'm off to enjoy my last few minutes of pre-summer peace.

Packing a punch

I finished up my end of the Mug Rug swap on Ravelry.  What is a mug rug, you may ask?  It's a little quilt to set your mug on.  The one I received the other day is sitting next to my keyboard - even Hubby has been trained to use it.

Why use a quilt as an oversized coaster?  Why not?  That is the beauty of practical arts.  They are used, consumed, enjoyed.  Mug rugs are the epitome of this.  For while they are small to make, and faster to create than the traditional sized, or even, doll quilt, to sew one up is a multi-step process.

Mug rugs are a great vehicle to attempt and practice a new skill, and I really took advantage of the challenge to create something scrappy.  I had never done anything with hexagons (and english paper piecing, more specifically), and thought it would be perfect time to go for the gusto.

These hexagons are 3/4 of an inch per side, so they are teeny!  But don't they pack a punch all together?  I used up my scraps, since I am still on a fabric-buying-hiatus, even for the binding.

 

A little closer of the quilting.  

 

I do hope my partner likes it!  I'm always a little nervous during swaps.  I sent some tea and a mug along with it to soften the blow in case she decides she doesn't.

Thimble Blossoms has a tutorial on how to do a hexagon Quilt.  It's a great little project to do while chatting on the phone, or in the car on a roadtrip.  Try it if you haven't!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

Tumbling Blocks

My third quilt of 11 for 2011 is complete.

I named this quilt "Tumbling Blocks", and is going to a sweet preemie as part of the Robert Kaufmann Charm Pack Challenge.  My hope is that this quilt will follow a babe from her infancy up to when she will be able to stack those blocks as a toddler.

I was able to catch a quick visit with Natalie, who leads the NOVA Modern Quilt Guild, and was able to pass it to her today in the nick of time for the deadline.  In true form, I was trimming the last few threads last night, all the while wondering how I can organize my time better.

With the last block I pieced a courthouse step for the back of the quilt, using a remnant of a Japanese fabric that I have so little of.  But who else but a babe deserves the best of wishes, to include precious fabric.

I stippled the center of the quilt, and added hearts (wow - was I rusty!), and scalloped the borders.  I have decided that I love scallops!  Now, how to get them even is another story.

I have put away Freida for the weekend...I think she needs a little bit of a breather from the pressure I put her through this last week.  But Monday, I plan to start on our upper hallway quilt!  While organizing last week, I came upon 2 sets of charm packs, and I am excited to use them up.

I hope you all had a great Friday!  

 

Filling our spaces

There was just one large area left on the wall in the girl's room after I rearranged all of the doll quilts around, and I took it to mean that I needed to fill it.

So I decided to pull out my scraps (again - I committed to using them all!) and whip up a quick coin-inspired quilt.  It's hanging above Baby J's crib...unusually high in fact, that it looks a bit odd, but I wanted it out of her sweet little reach.

It's something of a marker for me, to make something especially for a space...it's my statement to say, "ok, this is home now, and I am making you to put you here."   It means so much more for me than changing paint colors, small fixtures or even, upgrading or remodeling.  It's allowing myself to bond with the actual walls and structure of the home.  It's accepting that there will be some permanence here, and momentarily ignoring that I will have to tear myself from it sooner or later.  

Here is the back of the quilt, using the larger pieces of the same fabrics featured in front.  I think I even like it as much as the front side :) .  

I also finally have put up all of the quilts from our past homes.  It took almost 6 months of living here to finally be able to come to a peace that they belong here, too.  So this quilt, though not in an art niche, greets us at the top of the stairs, and this quilt, has taken residence in the kitchen.  There are others, of course, but you get the picture.  

I stippled the cream solid spaces and did a zig zag on the printed fabrics.  I then zig zag'd the border.  And instead of applying a separate binding, I folded over the pieced back.

One day, I will be able to put up my quilts and not have to take them down at all, I tell myself.  But, am I really ready for that?  There's something so exciting about newfound space, or finding a creative way to make these walls speak of our spirit.  And there is something so triumphant about looking around a room and say, most definitely, that "this really is ours", despite the city or state, size or status.  

The girl's room is, officially, done.  :)