As March winds down

with fresh snow on the ground I'm heading for points south today...woot.  Before going I finished my last* 2 Advent pieces....

 

Sorry about the shadow but I guess that's the way it goes some days.  No time to redo it, either.   I love that snowman.  He's not your average stationary snowman.  He looks like he's ready to come celebrate Advent with us. 

 

I have packed a long-neglected embroidery project.  Although, it's hard to say if I'll really have much stitching time. 

 

Happy stitching and happy spring...

 

*By 'last' I mean the two I needed to finish to satisfy this month's allotment of four. I still have 12 to go. 

 

 

Merry, Merry Snowmen

This was such a fun block of the month project by Bunny Hill Designs.

I finally got all the buttons attached.  Phew.  What a job.  I think that took longer than any of the blocks by them self.

This picture is after I'd been attaching buttons for a couple hours.  I was about half way done.

 

 One snowman with features, another without. 

 

 They are all so darn cute. 

 

Everywhere you look there are quilting designs that just 'make' the scenes.  Like this swirling snow.

It's hard to get an 'altogether' shot of the quilt.  As I was scrutinizing it, I noticed that one of my little corner snowmen was facing the wrong way.  It's not the one above.  I won't point it out plus there is no real rhyme or reason to how they face.  Nobody will ever know.

 

You can see why I love block of the month projects.  I'd never tackle this otherwise.

Off to run Monday morning errands. 

The half way mark.

We are at the half way point of the longest month of the year.  Technically, not so.  It just FEELS like it's one looooong month.  We're all itching for spring, mud season is still to come, and it's cold out with flakes in the air. 

I am at the half way mark with my Advent calendar project plus I've already finished my silhouette for this month.  Good thing, too, because I have some real demands on my time over the next 2 weeks plus a trip to Florida for spring break.  (I know, poor me....not.)

 

Girl with Teddy and the Advent pieces are titled 'bulb' and 'doll'.  Not real original but who needs it?  I've already started 'candle'. 

This is the month I'm doing 4 Advent pieces since it's such a long month. 

My house is settling back to normal now that the painters are gone.  We still have some re-assembly to do but that will come. 

No signs of spring in my neck of the woods either.  Well, that's probably not entirely true...wildlife is starting to wake up but no robins yet.  Last year we saw them in February.  I have set my sights on our return from Florida as a turning point in the season. 

Keep watching for a picture heavy post where I flaunt show you my latest quilt project.  It's one of the 2 block of the month projects from last year.  I just need to finish all the little details. There are a lot of little details!

Happy Stitching.

On being productive....

I've been hiding in my sewing room while the painters do their thing.  At first it was harder than you'd think.  All that activity around the house is unsettling.  Yesterday I ran all the errands I could think of so I could be away from the smell.  Today I just stayed home and opened a window.  The day flew by while I tackled all sorts of odds and ends.  The only thing worth showing is the trim on my second Handblessings Silhouette. 

 

It's the same pin keep style as my January finish.  I plan to finish all 4 in the same way. 

My March one is under way but I might wait until I finish the April one to tackle the finishing. 

I also started assembling Easter Care packages for the kids.  Aren't these paint can style containers cool?  My kids aren't real candy eaters so it's mainly a token so they know I'm thinking of them.  Also, once they spy the itunes cards inside they'll be sure to figure out how to open them. 

Once I found boxes deep enough to hold the containers there was extra room that I'll need to fill with a few more items.  I'll pick up a few non-candy treats at the grocery store then I can check that task off my to-do list. 

I better get busy fixing supper.  The day just flew by.  I just wish I could have more like it. 

Like I promised...

pictures of framing. 

I have featured each of these as I finished them but framing is the icing on the cake. 

This little blue frame is so cute. 

 

I finished this in 2011 but never took it for framing because it was so small.  I hung on to the idea that I'd finish it myself.  That's a laugh. 

 

 

The blue is about the same on 6 Fat Men but the frame is larger.  More appropriate to the size of the piece. 

 

 

I've used this same purple frame before on a different Halloween piece.  The color just seems to fit the season, I guess. 

 

I also finished a wedding sampler the other day.  I'm not sure when I'll be able to show that one.  I need to make sure the bride-to-be doesn't read my blog before I can show it.    The wedding isn't until August so it may be a while.  

 

We are having some painting done in our living room and kitchen.  We've packed up most everything from both rooms and put all the furniture in the dining room.  I'll be forced into my sewing room over the next few days as the painters take over.   As much as I like order in my life, I am pretty good at working around this sort of dis-order.  The stories I could tell of the projects we've done over the years!  This is nothing compared to some of them.  Not to mention that we're down to one child at home. 

My long arm quilter has finished one of my block of the month quilts.  I will pick it up on Wednesday.  Once I have the binding on I'll post pictures.  I can't wait to see it. 

What can I say?

I really wish I had a glamorous excuse for not posting like I've been buried alive at work, or snowed in, or traveling the globe but instead I just can't keep my hands on my camera.  Honostly, I lose that thing every 3 minutes.  I have lots of things to photograph but only one I'm showing this afternoon. 

Despite my lame excuse for no posts, I have kept up with my monthly promise of an ornament a month.           AND...I finish-finished this baby!

My 2nd Handblessings ornament...Boy with Pull Toy.

My black bear book end is lending a hand.  I now see I forgot to attach the charm that goes with it but it's not too late.  Also, I am almost finished giving my January Handblessing ornament the same treatment. 

Now that I've located my camera I'm going to make a serious effort to keep tabs on it and photograph the 3 pieces of framing I picked up on Thursday. 

I really have been very productive this past month so expect great things now that my camera has been unearthed.