Glitter Bomb Greetings

 Our house is in constant flux. With the basement 95% finished the upstairs is evolving in its new uses. No more TV in the living room means that I keep rearranging the furniture to find the right energy. I think I have it now and it is both cozy and open. The space is a bit of hang-out/wrestling zone/reading area. Yes, all three.

No more TV in the room also means I have an unsightly mess on the wall from when the TV hung there. We have something on its way to hang on the wall, but with Christmas coming I felt the need to pretty it up a bit right now.

Armed with a coupon and my girls we hit the big box craft store for supplies. Lots of glitter, a canvas, some glue. That's it. If I already had the glitter this project would have cost us only $20. I stole a pencil from my Hubby and printed off letters in just the right size. A sharp pair of scissors cut them out just perfectly for me. I measured and laid out the letters, lightly traced around them with the pencil, filled them in one at a time with glue, and glitter bombed them.

This was a Mama only craft. Hubby was sick as a dog but he kept The Garbage Truck busy. The girls worked on their own craft. This was after a mini tantrum on my part about not needing a peanut gallery to do my own project. Did I mention there was glitter?

My glittering skills leave something to be desired, but the overall effect is what I wanted. And even though it is early for me to be decorating, I like knowing the mess on the wall is covered up. I pulled out all our Christmas and winter books so we can cozy up and wait for Santa.

Someone doesn't seem too impressed. What does he know? Or maybe he's just mad I put the glitter away with the one other thing we don't want the kids getting into - the booze?

A Month of Sundays in Use

Thank you for sharing the past Month of Sundays with me. I've quite enjoyed learning a bit more about each of you. And I'm very happy to discover so many tea drinkers amongst us! I put together a few giveaways and take aways from A Month of Sundays. 

First, the take aways.

A Month of Sundays is truly a unique quilting book. And I appreciate all your comments about how you are enjoying reading it. Especially when you say you pick it up again and again. And as much as I LOVED writing the book, remember that you can sew from it too. There are all the quilt, of course, but there are also the 8 sewing projects. Projects that are perfect for gift giving season...

Oh yes, simple, sweet projects that will be perfect for teachers, moms, kids, families, hosts. A project that will be perfect for spending some quiet Sunday mornings together with your little ones. Projects for little adventures. Projects for sewing together and giving together. Projects for throwing a little celebration. So, even if you don't want to read the book, there is a lot there to keep you sewing.

I do hope you will be inspired not just to take back your weekends, but to sew.

When you do sew, please share your projects! Send me photos. Blog, share on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #slowdownandsew all the time.

Now, for the giveaways. I've got four.

A complete kit for Crossword. All the charms cut and ready for use.

This goes to: Sarah! That first Sunday she was doing this:

I loved your first book so I'm sure I will enjoy your second! I actually prefer when pattern books have stories as well. I went to church Sunday morning, and then got busy doing housework. Nothing special on, but a nice day at home.

This lovely bundle of tea party inspired fabric.

This goes to: Miggsie! These were her Sunday dinner comments:

Your brisket looks yummy! We have dinner together as a family almost every night, and the favored topics are sharing what each of us did that day, and sharing all the cool stories we each heard on NPR that day.

And two books!

These go to: Susan

For me? Coffee, please. Loved the photos of your fabric pulls. Just delightful eye candy.

And Quilter Kathy

I like all hot beverages, tea, coffee and hot chocolate in that order!

I will email all winners. In the event that I can't get a hold of someone I will draw a new winner.

Thank you so much for joining me for this A Month of Sundays. I am toasting you this morning with my cup of tea. Take back your weekend.

Friday Favourites - Northern Exposure Sweatshirt

Let's just say that I graduated high school a long time ago. Back when Northern Exposure was about the most awesome TV show on the planet, followed closely by Twin Peaks. I have no idea where I found this sweatshirt back then, but I am so glad I did.

And yes, I still wear it. The flannel shirt too (It's even older - it was the early 90s, after all).

I have two seasons of the show on DVD and I wish I had them all (but with the original music). And iTunes doesn't have it, argh. If I had it then I could cozy up in my flannel and sweatshirt, cook up a moose meatloaf, and settle in for a long winter's watch. Or could someone at least record all of Chris' soliloquies and release it as a podcast?

Santa?

Slabs Meet Low Volume

No doubt about it, scraps get overwhelming at times. And other times the scraps are so inspiring and excited. This time it is the latter.

When I was working on A Month of Sundays all my scraps ended up together in one large messy pile. Then that pile moved to a bag. And that bag moved around and was shoved in different corners. I'm not sure why I felt the need to keep these all together, but I'm glad I did.

Ever so slowly I've been sewing together slabs from the scraps. It is like both my books are colliding into a beautiful mess. I'm in love! I didn't, however, want to just make slabs. I wanted to be a bit more creative, experiment a little.

At some point I read Denyse Schmidt's Modern Quilts Traditional Inspirations. Her interpretation of Shoeman's Puzzle struck me the most of all the quilts. Without a moment's hesitation I started turning my slabs into Shorman's Puzzle blocks. She uses templates, as she usually does. Because of the slabs and the proliferation of bias edges I chose a different route. My blocks are paper pieced. Each block has three seams, about one of the easiest paper pieced options ever. It was a smart choice as it is keeping the blocks in check.

Now, to find the time to make more. I've got more slabs sitting there waiting. When I teach a slab class this is the demo fabric I use. I just need a bit more time and some freezer paper patterns. I made the blocks 10'' square which means I can't print them. So freeze paper it is.

Aren't they fun?