ORT's ~ Exchanges ~ Hermits ~ Stamps

Hello!  :)

I'd like to share my ORT's for July with you . . .

You might be asking yourself, "What are ORT's?" Well let me tell you!  :)  They are the old ratty threads that are leftover when stitching. As you know I've been stitching pretty non-stop lately so my jar is pretty full! There are lots of wonderful colors in there aren't there?! Sharing my ORT's is part of the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long (how fun is that?!).

Next I'd like to share some exchange goodies with you! I took part in another stitching exchange over at "Stitched With Love Exchanges". I'm really enjoying participating in these exchanges! Thanks Lainey! No one gets to share what they sent or received until everyone has received their package and Lainey tells us it's time to share. Then she posts all the goodies everyone sent and received on the "Stitched With Love Exchanges" blog. You can view all of the goodies here.

This last exchange was a Patriotic one. Here's what my partner April sent to me . . .

Isn't it fabulous?!!! I was so happy when I opened my package!  :)  I love Americana stuff. I actually used to decorate my whole house with it. Now I've toned it down but still have some pieces around. I've actually already stitched the pattern she gave me up into a pillow for the 4th which I shared with you previously here. I also use one of the ribbons she gave me on one of my "Celebrating Red White & Blue" quilt blocks here. I love all of it! Thank you so much April for your kindness and sharing your talents with me! I really appreciate it! Here's a close up of the stitched piece she did for me . . .

I'm planning on doing my bathroom in Americana very soon and this will be hanging on the wall in there year-round. For now it's sitting on a table in my living room. It makes me smile every time I see it!  :)

Here's what I sent to my partner Kim . . .

I was really happy with how it all came out. I hope she was too!  :)  Here's a closer view of the pillow I made for her . . . 

Does it look a little familiar to you? It should! I made one for myself for the 4th and shared it with you here. I also stitched a bigger version of the same design and put it on a block for the "Celebrating Red White & Blue" blog hop which you can see here. Can you tell I like this design?! I love hearts and I love patriotic things!

The next exchange is a "Tea Party in the Garden" exchange. I am preparing a "Garden" package for my partner and I will be receiving the same theme in return. Actually I haven't really started yet. I've been swamped lately. I finally did sit down tonight and ordered the pattern and supplies necessary for the piece I will stitch for my partner and also a couple of extra goodies for her.  :)  It should come quickly as I ordered the items from 123stitch.com and they usually ship items pretty quick. They have great prices and low shipping too! It's one of my favorite places to go for my stitching supplies!  :)

Speaking of stitching . . . this is the weekend for the next

I will definitely be participating and stitching this weekend. I'll be back on Monday to tell you all about it!  :)

Before I go I like to tell you about some items I'll selling over at eBay in case you're interested.

Do you like to stamp? Don't you just love Stampin' Up! stamps?!!! They're absolutely fabulous! I used to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator until a few months ago. I had to give it up as I just didn't have as much time for it anymore. I have lots of great stamps and other items in my personal stash. I've found myself needing to raise some cash pretty quick so I decided to part with some of my lovely, cherished stamps. 73 sets of them to be exact! (Don't worry I still have more! I know!)

Anyway I'm telling you this because I thought you might want to get some of these awesome stamps for yourself. If you're interested you can check out my eBay stamp auctions here. They all end on Monday, July 23rd (or sooner if you use the "Buy it Now" feature). If you do decide to purchase any of them please let me know you came from my blog and I will include a special surprise for you with your stamps! Just a little gift from me to you to say "Thank You!" (My auctions are only available to those in the US . . . sorry!) Have a Great Weekend!  :)

Until next time . . .

A Friday Night Sew-In Celebrating the Red White & Blue!

Hello!  :)

Welcome to day 14 of the "Celebrate Red White and Blue Blog Hop"! There are only a couple more days left. Have you been hopping around and looking at all the fabulous blocks? I have. They're awesome!  :)  You can go here to find the entire schedule and links to the hop so you can start at the beginning. Don't miss out!

Here's Today's Hopping Schedule . . .

Diann C

Quilt Monster in my Closet

daisy and jack

sewingly along . . . You are here!  :)

MoomMist

Susie's World

Thanks so much for stopping by today to view my blocks. At first I thought I'd come up with 3 blocks and then put a table runner together in the end to tie them all together. Then I thought that I'd just make a bunch of blocks. Then I was thinking about what patterns I should use. After looking through some ideas I decided to just wing it. I hope you won't be disappointed. I actually came up with six 12-1/2" blocks. I took pictures of all of them outside and inside so there will be 2 pictures of each block. I hope you will like what you see!  :)

My first block came about by chance. I've been doing a lot of cross stitch lately. I actually made this one design for a swap. I liked it so much I made another for me. I used a different fabric then normal so it turned out bigger than I wanted. I decided to put it aside and made a third one for myself. I looked at the discarded piece and thought what should I do with this? Then it hit me. I'll use it in one of my Red, White and Blue blocks! Yes! That's it! Here it is . . .

Cross stitch and quilting combined! I echoed the cross stitch piece with fabrics from my stash. I think they accent it nicely! Here's another look . . .

A funny thing happened while I was working on this block. (Actually it wasn't quite so funny at the time.) I figured out the measurements for the stripes and began sewing strips together. Then I realized I'd forgotten to account for the 1/4" seam on both sides. Uggghhh! (This is something I do quite often.) So frustrated but eager to keep going I put it aside and cut new strips and started over. Then when I got to the center stripes I mismeasured again and sewed too many stripes together. Instead of picking it apart I sat it aside again, cut more strips and continued on. This time I got it right! Third time's a charm!  :)

What did I do with the all those strips I had already sewn together? I made two other blocks with them.  :)  Waste not, want not I always say!  ;)  (Plus I hate ripping out seams!) With the first of the two mistake strip blocks I appliqued some blue stars. I decided to blanket stitch around them in a golden yellow perle cotton thread. Another block finished.

Yea! Simple but sweet. The closer photo isn't really a good one (sorry).

Here's the other block I made with the mistake strip blocks.

This time I didn't have as many stripes to work with so I added a blue field and two appliqued stars with a patriotic eagle print fabric. I blanket stitched around these in a golden yellow perle cotton thread as well.

There are the first three blocks! All similar but different. Made by accident or was it fate? Hummmm . . . ;)

The next block is my favorite.

I had some beautiful vintage inspired fabric. I didn't want to distract from it's beauty so I just accented it with some stars and stripes. It needed a little something more. Hummmm.... I found some cool ribbon I had in my stash. It was perfect! Very simple and sweet!  :)

4 down . . . 2 more to show.  ;)  The next block is a basic log cabin with a historical fabric as the centerpiece.

I used lots of patriotic fabrics from my stash to complete this block.

Last but not least . . .

I'm not sure what this block is called. Is it a pinwheel? Is it a star? It's definitely red, white, blue and patriotic!  :)  The center fabric is my favorite find this year. It reminds me of the peace and love of the '60s. The other fabrics are favorites as well.

Well that's it! 6 red, white, blue patriotic blocks. What am I going to do with them? I'm going to make up a few more and combine them all into a throw quilt for me and the hunky dude. I'd eventually love to have one for every holiday and/or season. 

Thank you so much for visiting me and viewing my blocks! I hope you liked them!  :)  Thanks Jane and Madame Samm for hosting! It's been fun! Don't forget to check out all the other wonderful blocks!  :)

Also before you go . . . since I finished these up on Friday these blocks will be my submission for the Friday Night Sew-In.

Heidi and her cousin Bobbi host this monthly event. It's always fun to get together online with women from all over the world and sew on the same night of the month.  :)

Until next time . . .

This 'N That... and Everything in between!

Hello!

I've missed you! Sorry I've been gone so long! I've been a busy girl. Getting into trouble here and there, working on some sewing 'to do list' items, and getting around to some other non-sewing things that have been on my other 'to do list'.

I wanted to post the following runner I made on 9/11 but didn't get to it then.

My heart goes out to all the people who were directly affected by 9/11. May your loved ones remain in your hearts and memories forever. My heart also goes out to all others whose lifes were indirectly affected. I know the events of that day changed us all as individuals and as a nation. I know I am proud to be an american!

I have always loved the americana colors! They warm my soul! I use them a lot in my decorating. Here's the back of the runner.

Let's see... you're probably wondering what I've been busy with. I managed to cut out MY Thanksgiving apron that will basically match this one I made last month.

I didn't get to work on it yet but it's cut and ready to go! I also designed, cut, sewed and finished my mug rug for a swap I'm in. It turned out so cute! I can't believe I designed it and like the way it turned out. I'm sad to say that I can't show it to you yet as I have to wait until my partner sees it first. I wanted to mail it out this week but my partner emailed and said she had flooding and damage from the storms. I'm waiting to hear whether she wants me to mail it now or wait until things are less chaotic. I really don't want it to get in the way.

The non-sewing related item I've been working on has taken up a lot of my time. I'm a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. I've had a couple of boxes of retired stamps & other items I've been wanting to sell. I finally took the 100+ photos and got them all in an email and listed on my other blog. If you like stamps please check the items out at cbyc-su.blogspot.com. You can view the photos here. I also have a link on my right sidebar.

Were you wondering how I've been getting into trouble??? Well... did you notice the new buttons on my upper right sidebar? I've decided to participate in a few new things...

This event started today. It sounds like fun and you will have the opportunity to take advantage of some great deals along the way. You will have the opportunity to make blocks from many wonderful designers. You don't even have to make them all if you don't want to. Go check it out for yourself.

Birdie Stitches Block of the Month...

When I clicked on this button on a blog I immediately fell in love with the project and knew I wanted to do it... although it started in January and ends in December. Do you think I can catch up?? lol!!! This is the fabric I want to use...

It's Sophie by Chez Moi for Moda. It's so yummy and will look so great with the birdies! I just ordered it and can't wait until it arrives! I got a couple of charm packs for the birdie blocks.

I will be using this one for the birdie block centers...

this one for the sashings...

this one for the outer border...

this one for the binding...

and this one for the back.

I can't wait to get the fabrics and get started making birdies!!!

Do you think I'm crazy yet? Well... it gets worse! I've also decided that it would be fun to join this quilt-a-long.

The good thing about this one is that it doesn't start until September 27th and new blocks will come every 2 weeks instead of one or two a week. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it.  :)

I've also got the Ghastlies Blog Hop that I've signed up for.

It doesn't take place until the end of October though. I've already decided what I'm going to make, gotten my fabric and am ready to go. Bad part is I can't tell you what I'm making until then.  :)

Well I think I covered it all! Whew!!! I know it's a lot... and YES... I AM CRAZY!!! but... it makes me happy! Sorry I covered so much in this post. If only I would post more often... sigh....

Until next time...
Cherise  :)