Checking In and Catching Up

Holy cow!!! It's been a minute since I've posted :(  So sorry about that!!  Life has just been absolutely CRAZY lately and I've barely had time to sleep let alone anything else.  I had about three weeks where I was battling a nasty sinus infection, the flu, and overall feeling like a bulldozer hit me.  It was a struggle to go to work, let alone work on anything productive.  In the meantime, housework, laundry, grocery shopping, etc. kinda took a back seat and I got really backed up (I mean, on the verge of just buying new clothes instead of doing laundry and taking a black garbage bag to the house and pitching anything I don't know what to do with).

After about 2 1/2 weeks, I slowly started getting my energy back.  Since then, I have been very, VERY busy getting Mt. Laundry done, cleaning up the pigsty of a house, and getting some food in the house.... along with spending as much time in my craft room as possible trying to work on Christmas gifts, along with a bunch of little projects that have come up.

So, without further ado.... here's a recap of what I've been up to (WARNING: REALLY LONG POST AHEAD!!!):

1. Puppy Shower Gifts

I finished up the Bones Quilt I was working on for my girlfriend's "puppy shower," and I also managed to whip up a self-binding receiving blanket with some adorable doggie flannel I found at JoAnn's.

Bones Quilt Project Details:

• Started: September 21, 2014       Finished: September 26, 2014
• Pattern: "Boutique Bones" by 627 Handworks
• Fabrics: Pink & Black dog fabric from a fat quarter bundle from JoAnn's, Pink Kona Solid for the binding, Black Kona Solid for the backing
• Thread: Connecting Threads - Sweet Pink
• Batting: Warm & Natural

 Self-Binding Receiving Blanket Details:

• Started: September 26, 2014     Finished: September 26, 2014
• Pattern: Self-Binding Receiving Blanket from Missouri Star
• Fabrics: Dog-Themed Snuggle Flannel and Hot-Pink Snuggle Flannel from JoAnn's
• Thread: Coats & Clark - White All-Purpose Thread (construction stitching), Coats & Clark - Hot Pink (Top Stitching)
• Batting: None

2.  Fall Friendship Braid Table Runner (For My Mom)

Ever since I saw the video tutorial that Missouri Star did on their Friendship Braid/Binding Tool Table Runner, it's been on my "To-Do" list.  Snagged up a fall-themed Jelly Roll from Missouri Star and got to work.  I even managed to so some free-motion quilting on it for practice.  Didn't turn out perfect, but definitely better than the first few times I practiced.

Friendship Braid/Binding Tool Table Runner Details:

• Started: September 27, 2014     Finished: September 29, 2014
• Pattern: Friendship Braid Table Runner by Fons & Porter
• Fabrics: Harvest Song Jelly Roll by Cheryl Haynes for Benartex, Kona Cotton - Cappuchino Yardage (Solids, Border, & Binding), Unbleached Muslin (Backing)
• Thread: Connecting Threads - Espresso
• Batting: Warm & Natural (Pieced together scraps from other projects)

3. Mini-Cornhole Bean Bags

Hubby has a DJ-in company and he's been looking for new games to play while they're dj-ing at a local bar.  I dragged him to Pat Catan's (a local craft store) a few weeks back looking for some yarn and we stumbled upon some finish-them-yourself Mini Cornhole Boards (they're approx 12" square).  For those of you who aren't familiar with Cornhole, here's all the info.  We bought the boards and some spray paint, but couldn't find any of the bean bags to go with it.  This is when it pays to have a crafty wife.... I can make them :)  I got four cheapie bandana's (two of each color in their company colors) and a couple bags of bean bag filler.  I cut the bandanas into 4" squares, sewed them using a 1/2" seam allowance on three sides, filled up the bag with beans (weighed each bag so they were all the same), and then sewed the opening shut using my machine.  Easy peasy!  I ended up making eight bags of each color, plus I still had two bandanas left so I made little draw-string carrying bags for them using a tutorial from The Crafting Gemini on YouTube.  Not much to them, and got them all done in one night.... kinda impressed Hubby with that one ;-)

I really didn't do too much of the board with the exception of cutting the logo out with vinyl on my Silhouette Cameo.  Hubby put a couple base coats of neon orange and then I applied the vinyl.

Sorry about the shadow of my arm!!! Lol.  Photo was taken in my garage

Once the vinyl was on, Hubby painted over the whole thing with black glitter spray paint.  Once it was dry, all we had to do was remove the vinyl and.... VOILA!

After a couple of coats of crystal clear top coat, they are ready to go :-)

4. Yellow Brick Road Quilt (for my Grandma for Christmas)

"Technically" this one is done, just only have a pic of it ready to be hand-bound.  I actually finished it up a few weeks ago and it's been washed.... just haven't had a good day to take it outside for it's "formal photo shoot."  Hoping I can get a decent pic of the completed quilt, and maybe I'll even be able to get it posted for this week's Finish It Friday!

5. Knitting Project: Baby Blanket

Ok, so this isn't a quilting project, or a finished project.... but it is one of the few UFO's in my knitting queue.  I've had this yarn for a while and wanted to make a baby blanket with it.  Don't have a baby yet to give it to, but it's working up real quick and it'll be nice to have in my gift stash for the future :-)

6. Halloween Costume

My adorable niece, Miss L, turned the big ONE back on Oct 15th.  My sister and BIL threw an awesome Halloween-themed, costume birthday party for her.  Of course, I was stumped for an idea.  Then it dawned on me... I'm going to be bringing my camera anyways, so I might as well go as a photographer.  Well, that idea eventually turned into a "Paparazzi" idea.  Got a cheapie black hoodie from Wally World and a roll of Cricut brand Pink Glitter Iron-On Vinyl.  I used my Silhouette Cameo again to cut the camera and words out of the vinyl and then just ironed it on.  Came out really cute, and it was a REALLY comfy costume considering it was like 50 degrees and raining the day of the party. 

7. Walking Dead Shirt (for Hubby)

Hubby loved his Comic Book shirt so much that I promised I would make him lots more.  When I saw an email from JoAnn's about this Walking Dead Fabric, I just knew he NEEDED a shirt!  He is DJ-ing a party on the 1st that is a "Zombie Theme" party, so this shirt will be perfect for him to wear :-)  With this being the 4th shirt I've made from this pattern... I'm getting pretty good at it.  Lol

Walking Dead Shirt Details:

• Started: October 24, 2014     Finished: October 25, 2014
• Pattern:  McCall's M2149
• Fabric: Walking Dead Cotton from JoAnn's
• Notions: 4 - 3/4" Black Buttons
• Thread: Coats & Clark - Black All-Purpose Thread

Well..... that about sums up the past couple of weeks.  I've got a couple more little projects I'm working on, but I haven't had a chance to get pictures taken yet.  I've got a big WIP quilt that I'll be posting tomorrow, and then the big finish on my Yellow Brick Road quilt on Friday.  Going to be a busy couple of days, but I'm loving it!

Linking up to Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River and Fabric Tuesday at A Quilt Story.