2015…GOaling for it!

Before I left home this year…or rather last year…I set some monthly goals for myself…which is something that I NEVER do!  I didn’t Blog about it as I didn’t know if they were realistic or even achievable goals…and I hate failure!  AND I didn’t set the goals for the whole year but rather just for the three month period that we would be Snowbirding…I thought if I started small and kept my list handy, VISIBLE and fairly short that I could stay focussed and on task. 

I have to say that it has worked!! As I said, I kept my list short with only FOUR goals…(a fifth goal got added along the way….)

Here’s what I achieved for the Month of January~

1. My first Goal was to paper piece TEN wee HOUSES (4 1/2”) per month…I completed eleven!

2. My second Goal was to prep and hand applique TWO rows of Clam Shells per month…CHECK!  But I have to admit, this was by far the hardest to attain…I don’t know why, it just was!  Maybe because it takes so long to prep the actual clams, plus I needed a large area to glue it together in preparation for hand applique…and I was forced to use the floor…ugh! I’m too old for that!

It is starting to LOOK like a quilt which is exciting!

3. My Third Goal was to complete one UFO…I finished the Winter Solstice Quilt (by Country Threads)…she is machine quilted, big stitched and bound and I LOVE it! 

4. Goal Number 4… Make a Quilt (to be gifted) by the end of March…  Well…I have found the perfect pattern and the fabric has been purchased.  So that’s a start! Rome wasn’t built in a day!  I ended up ordering the same fabric that was in my daughter’s wedding signature quilt.  It’s hard to mess with perfection…and that’s what this fabric is!  It’s called ‘Horizon’ by Kate Spain it is beautiful!  Very West Coasty…light blues and mauves with a splash of green and very fresh and clean looking.  I will team it up with plain white Kona cotton for an even fresher look.

5. Goal Number 5 was added at the beginning of January when I joined the Face Book ‘Winter Wonderland Stitch-A-Long’…it’s OK to have a weak moment and I’m so glad that I did!! :o)…I got this month’s blocks stitched…

…complete with beautiful birds (you can’t tell but it’s mottled wool stitched onto cotton homespun)…

…and I have even prepped the block for February…the sweetest wool angel!  So…Check and check!  This is a Norma Whaley (Timeless Traditions) pattern!  This was a gift from Norma and it was waiting for me when I arrived at The Sands RV Resort…what’s a gal to do…but rush out and buy fabric and wool and fly at it! :o)  It is such a gorgeous pattern…and there WAS this Sew-A-Long….

Not part of the Goals but finished none the less…(I call this the GRAVY!) …I finished the Old St. Nick quilt top which I started in December 2014…hey that was just last month!  This is unheard of!  I know it’s not quilted BUT it will be machine quilted on my mid-arm when I get home!

This is it spread out on the floor of our RV…and it is massive!

I am so happy with it!!

So I am THRILLED with the results of my goal setting…I think it was SEEING the goals written down, in black and white, that kept me focussed, motivated and on task.  My fingers are crossed that all goes according to plans for February!! And I think they will…I have another UFO ready and waiting, I cut more clam shells to be prepped for stitching, the roofs are made for 10 more houses, the wool applique for the Winter Wonderland is ready for stitching…and tomorrow is February FIRST! I say bring it on!!  And let’s hope there’s some GRAVY… lots and lots of gravy!:o)

What about YOU?  Are you GOaling for it in 2015?!

Have a super Saturday and happy stitching!~P

SEW Close…

With January coming to a close, I have another quilt approaching completion!  Can I get ‘er stitched?

I think I can, I think I can…I think I can….

Check back tomorrow to see what got done…and what didn’t!  I have 24 Hours…where’s Kiefer Sutherland when you need him?

Have a FUN Friday and Happy Stitching!~P

Thrifting Thursday….

Well it’s back to ‘normal’ around here…Claire and Glynis are back home…and I’m sure they are busy playing with their newly acquired loot!  There are lots of good memories of their trip dancing around in this old head!  Such a good time, with tons of laughter sprinkled throughout!  There is NOTHING like shared time with quilty gal friends!

As for here at our park…whenever I get a spare minute I have been working on the Primitive Gathering’s Old St. Nick Quilt…man, she is one BIG mothering quilt! Who knew?! 

The borders are done and pinned together…but Sandy and I made plans and are off on one of our adventures today…so no time for sewing!

And in the evenings I am trying to get the binding on my tumbler UFO before the end of the month!  I have two days left to get ‘er done but those wee miters around the tumblers are slowing me down considerably!

Thanks to the tutorial over at Jaybird’s Blog, these pesky 120 degree miter corners are a breeze!

Two days to go…can I get ‘em done?  Maybe I need to burn the midnight oil?  Yeah, like THAT’S going to happen…I can’t seem to make it past 9pm!  What’s with that?! :o}}}

Have a thrilling Thrifting Thursday (yup…that’s what Sandy and I will be doing!) and Happy Stitching!~ P

Snippets from Road to California 2015

I swear the Road to California gets bigger and better every year!  To do it justice, you REALLY do need two or more days but frankly one day is plenty!  By the end of the day you REALLY do need one of these…

A massage at the end of the day sounded wonderful…after jostling those crowds and carrying those heavy bags of loot… but who has the TIME!!  We had five hours to get ‘er done and get ‘er done we did!

But I need to back it up…here we are at the back of the bus!  Yes, we are a noisy, crazy and happy bunch! “ROOOAD!…ROOOAD!…ROOOAD!!”

And we are into the Ontario Convention Centre…THREE BIG convention halls hold the vendors and quilt show!  This was before the crowds got heavy!

A few of the quilts that were hanging high….

Our first stop is always Primitive Gatherings.  They will let you take pictures of the entrance to their booth and any quilts/projects when you purchase the patterns…so I just have a couple of pics…

As you can see it was a mad house inside…and filled with quilty goodness!  Wish I could show you more….

Sandy looks happy with her purchases…or perhaps it’s the company she is keeping! haha

Glynis is hyperventilating at this point and needed a paper bag…and not for her purchases!

Next it was on to ‘The Red Door’ where they always let me take pictures!  They are the GREATEST and their booth was full of LOVE and GOOD WISHES!  Feast your eyes…

Oh man, such eye candy in this booth!! 

The GOOD news is…The Red Door has an online shop so everything you see here YOU can order for yourself!  Just go HERE and knock at the big beautiful RED DOOR!  Someone is always there to welcome you and take your order!

Then it was off to Heart to Hand Booth!  No secrets there!  Picture taking is encouraged…and oh man, talk about picture PERFECT goodness!

LOVED this garden sign on driftwood!

Tons of pincushions…a little blurry but you get the picture!

They also had a SNOW Banner on a piece of driftwood that was wonderful but my picture didn’t turn out!  There were just too many people in the booth and I was trying to take the shot over their heads…

This little red man blew me away!  Loved him…and now I have second thoughts!  I should have bought the pattern…he can’t be THAT difficult to make!  Did I mention that Heart to Hand has an ONLINE SHOP??

Gotcha!  Jan and Doris on the run!  Their bags are full…and the day was young!

And for you modern quilters…these next pictures are for YOU!

It was here that I bumped into blogging friend, Janet!  Such a nice lady!  What are the odds of that happening…but I was so happy to hook up and put a face to a name!

I confess…I LOVE this quilt…and almost bought the pattern until I saw that it took a special ruler!  Now…I kick myself!

OK…now back to the good parts!!  This is the booth that I spent the most time in…SEW CHERISHED!  Dawn Shuck was the owner and she was wonderful.  She specializes in hand dyed wool, yarn dyed fabrics, crazy quilting and NORMA WHALEY patterns!  

Can I just say, SEEING Norma’s quilts up-close and personal was a thrill for me!! This sample quilt was done in yarn dyed fabrics and wool and it was exquisite!  The quilting was also PERFECT! I AM SEW GOING TO MAKE THIS QUILT!!

There was a whole wall of Timeless Traditions patterns with the quilts made up!  WOW!!  Like a shrine to Norma!

I have this one at home…OK, it’s technically a UFO but not for long!!  Loved seeing it made up!

Yes, we are still in the Sew Cherished booth!

Gorgeous!

Dawn also specializes in stitchery patterns and Crazy Quilting….

Check out Dawn’s online Shop HERE!

Can you see why I spent so much time in the Sew Cherished booth?!

Thanks Dawn for letting me take pictures!  Your booth was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!

Seriously…now I need that massage…where’s a good masseuse when you need one?

Hope you enjoyed the show!  QUILTS?  Oh yes, it IS a Quilt SHOW! I did take a picture of a FEW quilts…but will show you them tomorrow!  I am sew bad…

Have a terrific Tuesday and happy stitching!~P