Work In Progress Wednesday: Emroidery 101

 So last week, for the first time I ever, I linked up and shared my Etchings quilt in progress. I had so much fun visiting other blogs and having new visitors commenting on my blog that I decided to do it again! This time I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced. Thanks for stopping by if you're visiting from the link up!
 I went to my first (right Mom?) embroidery class this past weekend. (I add the parenthesis because my Mom would know better if I had taken one as a child. Her memory is better than mine. Not sure what that says about either of us.) Anyway, I signed up at my LQS (that is my Local Quilt Store, for my non-quilting-lovely readers).  For our class we needed to get our hands on a copy of Redwork Winter Twitterings and show up! So I did! And I had the best time.  Here is Redwork Winter Twitterings:  

 There are lots of snowmen and snowbirds in the Winter Twitterings book. It is very cute and I think I'll do some bird-y projects for Christmas.  My teacher traced a pattern* on some cotton fabric and explained a bunch of the basics to us! Here is the progress I have made so far.   

 I love doing handwork, because I can sit with my husband and work on something while he studies or with the television on in the background. It is a great way to BE around each other. My machine is noisy and in a back room, so if I want to spend time with him my man and get some work done on a project, embroidery is the way to go! After this project I'm going to get started on another piece that I'd love to frame for my living room or one of our bedrooms!
Thanks for checking in!

 *Personally, I'm not into super country-cutesy stuff like snowmen for my house decor, but I'm going to finish this project for the practice. It does have a certain Christmas charm to it that could definitely be made into something... hmmm.

I'm Wanting A Spring In My Step!

(Pre-post note: This new blogger set-up is very strange and I'm hoping I get used to it very soon).  * * * * * *
Hello Lovelies,
Spring has sprung and it is quite beautiful and green where we are! 

  We have had a number of rainstorms, afternoon showers, and lots of sunshine! I feel like everything is breathing and alive! It is definitely refreshing. It almost has me wanting to move outside and do most of my living on our patio! 
All the wonderful weather has me itching to go shopping. I have resisted the urge to go into any stores because I know seeing the cute springy / summery tops and bottoms will have me really wanting some new wardrobe pieces. But, I'm going to stay away (as best as I can) because 1. I'm still unemployed! and 2. I'd really like to drop just a couple of pounds before I get anything new for the bod. 
However, I have NOT been able to resist looking at shoes online. It is a terrible thing, that started with the need for a new pair of running shoes (mine have been causing me some pain). I got onto Zappos, shopped around, and ordered with a giftcard that I had. But I didn't stop there. Somehow I shopped around, and went from site to site and ended up on TOMS and now I'm swooning for a pair. I have never tried them on, so I don't know if I'd like the fit, but the idea of shoes (not sandals) that don't require socks sounds sooo appealing in these warm wonderful days. These are my favorite : Ash Canvas Women's Classic for the low, low price of $44.00.

But I like these a lot too: Cream Metallic Linen Women's Classic for $48.00

Ahhh, if only I had a spring birthday!

Work In Progress: Etchings Quilt

One of my newly revisited hobbies is quilting! I sewed and quilted some as a child and then spent many years away from the machine. I made Mr. RH a quilt for his college graduation the year we got engaged and married, but did not have my own machine until Christmas a few years ago. I now have a machine and a great fabric stash, thanks to my Mama, and have recently been inspired and have gotten back into the swing of things. 
I took a class at a local quilt store (LQS) in February  and signed up for another this weekend. It forced me to do some prep work and re-learn how to thread my machine and spin a bobbin before I went to class, so that was a great kick-start. I'm thinking my next class will be very inspiring, too!
But in the meantime, I've been using the skills and  fabrics I already have for a few projects! One of those is, what I hope will be, a very beautiful quilt.   The pattern is called: "dream big" and is found in Camille Roskelley's book "Simplify." 

 She is a wonderful designer and the pattern is easy to read and understand.
I used a jelly roll for the fabrics in my quilt. A jelly roll is around 40: 2 1/2" strips of different fabrics that all coordinate from a fabric line. The one I chose is called Etchings and was designed by 3 Sisters for Moda. It is beautiful: featuring greys, blues, reds and creams. It has some prints that look like tourist maps and some with words etched on. 

The pattern had me cut various size rectangles and some squares from the jelly roll strips and arrange them. I haven't sewn all the strips together, yet, but I  took a photo of the whole arrangement.  It took me a solid six or so hours to get everything laid out exactly how I wanted it.  Now the next step is to stitch all of those interlocking crosses and rows together.

I'm really excited about it. Now, off to the machine!

   P.S. I am linking this post up to The Needle and Thread Network WIP!

A Little About Me.

Whoa!! Where did March go? I woke up this morning and realized I had better get a move on if I was going to meet my bloggy goal for the year of at least one post each month! Ha, I know that is not much of a goal for most bloggers, but it is a step up from last year for me. Anyway, I figure it is about time I answer some questions Callie, at Through Clouded Glass, posted when she tagged me for a post way long ago!
1. If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?  This question is REALLY tough. I want to say it'd be a mixed CD, but... that is probably cheating right? So instead of writing out the mixed songs I would LOVE to have with me, I'll just go with my (probably all-time) favorite CD, Matchbox Twenty: Yourself or Someone Like You.  

2. If you were a teacher, what subject would you teach? This is hard for me, because I'm really thinking about wanting to be a teacher. My background would let me teach something like government, law, or history. However, I wish I was a talented artist or art history student that could teach in one of those more creative ventures.  
3. What is your favorite verse and/or quote? Verse: Zephaniah 3:17. It's been my favorite for at least ten years. It says"The Lord your God is with you, He is might to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

4. Why did you start blogging? I liked reading other blogs, so I thought I might like documenting my own stories, thoughts, and whims. It is a lot more difficult for me to get to that documenting part than it once was, but I still really like collecting recipes and occasionally photos and thoughts through blogs, so I try to add a little to that world when I can. 
5. What is one book you think everyone should read (besides the Bible, because that's a given)?
6. Favorite drink to get at Starbucks? Well, before food allergies I would have said a Iced Tall Soy Latte. But these days, I mostly enjoy iced black teas (1/2 sweetened), hot Refresh teas, and the very occasional tall soy hot chocolate with only 1 pump of mocha and 1 pump of vanilla and no whip cream.
And speaking about the 'Bux, I also really, really, loved Iced Caramel Macchiatos at one point before I quit the espresso. I ordered those with a little less caramel than they choose to drizzle. Yummm!   Now I'm drooling and I'm going to go cry a little river thinking about espresso.
7. Would you rather it snow or rain? I'm a big fan of rain. I like watching it when I'm inside and curled up on a couch. Actually, I like watching snow when I'm curled up on the couch, too. And I didn't even really mind shoveling it the few times I have done so recently. So it is tough to choose.  Final answer: I'll say if I'm inside I like rain. If I'm outside walking around, I like snow.    And yes,that is a complicated answer but I grew up in a very dry climate (like the middle of the desert) so any moisture is awesome in my book.

8. Advice that your mom gave you that you never forgot? Do what you love, even if the world doesn't value it or understand it. 

9. Most read website or blog (besides mine, of course . . . *wink, wink*)?I read www.blueeyedbride.com almost every day. I love Erin's posts. She is a thoughtful interesting mother and I enjoy that she posts all the time, because I like new blog content. Pretty funny considering how often I write and publish my own blog content.

10. One thing you would tell your 13 year old self (got this idea from Jessica)? Muscles are beautiful.
I would tell my 17 year old self to hold onto her voice. Meaning, never stop speaking out about things that are wrong. Never worry if your words might offend someone, if you're still being true to yourself.
11. What do you hope people will say about you after you die? I actually think about this sort of a lot. Is that weird? I hope people will say that I was a loving, enthusiastic, deeply committed friend and wife, and most importantly a light (shining because of Him) in this dark world. So that was fun! And thanks to Callie for tagging me.   I know I'm supposed to tag my friends for the same and come up with questions, too so 
Kelley La  BrittanyBrittney Answer these questions: 1. What is your favorite holiday?  2. What do you like most about yourself? 3. If you can only choose one type of accessory to have for the rest of your life what would it be and why? 4. What was your favorite subject in high school? 5. Are you still friends with friends from high school? 6. What is your exercise of choice?  7. What is your most guilty grocery store indulgence? 8. Any shows that you are loving?9. Favorite all-time movie and album?  Thanks for playing along.

 

Leaping!

 Happy Leap Day 2012 Friends! Did you know that there are 97 leap days every 400 years? It's true! Leap years are every four years, except in years ending in 00... UNLESS they can be divided by 40. Don't believe me? Check out this explanation. I'm just love facts about days and dates, so I just thought I'd throw this tidbid out there for you to enjoy as well! Hope you get some wonderful leaping in today!  

Songs I'm Loving

I have recently found some new Christian music that I just LOVE. You may or may not have heard these artists, but I just have to share them, because their music is TOO good and TOO uplifting not to.   First up, Lindsay Mccaul.  I bought Lindsay's cd "If It Leads Me Back" a few weeks ago and I tweeted about how excited I was then.  I had only heard a couple of her songs at that point, but since I have gotten the album, I have pretty much been listening to it non-stop. And that is saying a lot for me, because I don't often listen to music any place other than in my car.    
Here is "Say My Name" which is definitely one of my favorites:

 Next is Audrey Assad.  I don't have her new album "heart" yet, it just came out of Valentine's Day, but I have listened to many of the songs. "Sparrow" is way up at the top for me.  Listen to it: 

 And finally, I have had the newist Shane and Shane cd , "the one you need," for quite some time, but I just LOVE it too and think you might enjoy it. I have listened to it sooo many times already that it just might be my at-the-house soundtrack. The whole things pretty much rocks, but "Miracle" might be my favorite on the whole album.  

So I hope I have introduced  you to something new that will intensify your all-day worship experience of the one who made us and loves us. 
I'm here and I'm still writing,
Katie Beth

Wreath-Making: A Fall Wreath

 So one of the things I have been doing with my time lately is making wreaths.  It all started when I realized I was going to have a very beautiful, almost hunter green front door and that it would be mine, all mine, for at least the next several years.  I decided then and there that I would REALLY like to have a wreath for every season. I started brainstorming and imagining what they could be and what they could look like.  I would have a beautiful orange and brown and yellow leafy one in the fall and I would have a beautiful berry one for Christmas and I would have a heart for Valentine's day! Oh the possibilities were so endless... 
I started looking a little online, and a little at stores, and quickly realized that the offerings neither 1) fit my budget, nor 2) fit with my vision.  Some came close in either category, but none fit both categories, so I just ventured on into the blooms section of my local craft store and gathered up a bunch of lovelies and a grapevine wreath and set off towards home.
Now, I'm not one for hot glue.  I think its stringy and not so permanent and it just bugs me, so I quickly realized I needed to attach the blooms, leaves, ribbons, etc., in another fashion . I decided to wire them on and I think it worked quite well. 
I started with fall, because that was the season it was when we moved into our house with our very beautiful hunter-green-esque front door. So without further ado, here is my homemade fallish wreath!

I still love it and can't wait to put it back on my front door next year! I'm here, and I'm still writing,