Kneedeep in the Hoopla

How's that for a catchy title?? I have been knee deep in it, that's for sure. Knee deep in sewing! Still can't post any pictures, because it'll be my luck, nobody reads my blog until I've posted presents for them and then they see...all because I wanted to show the world my goodies. The girls at the crop last night saw them...and loved them as much as I do. How am I supposed to part with this stuff?? I love it so much!!

Anyway, not much else is going on. Three day work week next week. And you know it's gonna be the longest week ever. I thought this last week took forever to get through, but next week will be worse!!

Well, I guess I should get going. Still have some presents left to make and some cleaning to do...

Toodles! ~Kim

Didn't make my deadline!!!

Well, I tried. I worked so hard, but December 1st came and I'm still not complete. Hopefully will get done with all of my Christmas stuff this weekend. I'm getting ready to teach a rag purse class, so hopefully I'll get a couple done today. I'm waiting until I get everything done before going to the laudromat to wash and dry all these "raggy" things!!

Since I spend every waking hour at home sewing, I've been working on my Christmas cards at work on my 10 minute breaks. It's worked out rather well. I also worked on some cards last night at the scrapbook store. It was our last crop there as the store is closing. It's rather sad too. I was originally invited by my stamping demo, but once I came, I really started feeling like a part of a family. We're still going to get together, at least twice a month as I'm able to use the Chamber of commerce twice a month since my boss is a member. We're going to try to get together at the library too. So, it's sad, but it's not the end of the group. I'm glad about that!

Well, I've rambled on about nothing, so I better go! Toodles!~Kim

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

It seems I haven't posted in a while. That's because I've been busy! Yep, you read correctly. I haven't neglected my blog because of laziness, but because of busyness! And while I'd love to post some of the projects I've been working on, I can't because they are Christmas presents and I don't want to spoil the surprise! However, I'd probably be safe as I'm not sure any of my family reads my blog. I don't think I'm gonna make my deadline of having all of my Christmas presents completed and wrapped by December 1st as I've got 3 more quilts and several purses to make. I am teaching a Rag Purse class on December 12th, so hopefully that day I'll get one or two done. DH is off fishing with his dad in the Keys, so I've got plenty of "ME" time, so I'm sure I'll be a sewing "machine"! Oh well, time to get back to work. Toodles! ~Kim

Rag Purse

Well, it looks like I'm quite addicted to making raggy items...quilts, purses...what else can I make? And to be quite honest...I love, love, LOVE homespun fabric!! I had a friend come over last night and I was showing her all my homespun, and became nearly hypnotized by the beauty of it all. She said I had a sickness...perhaps I do. Anyway, here's my purse I made over Labor Day weekend.



This is my favorite project so far. I've also made a denim rag purse that looks a lot like my denim quilt. Same paisley flannel. I'll post a picture once I complete the repairs.

Well, I need to go to work...boo, hiss...I'd much rather stay at home and craft!

Kim

Denim Quilt

Howdy folks out there in bloggyland! I'm finally taking the time to post. As I was trying to figure out what project to post (yes, I've been a busy girl!) I realized I had not posted Mom's quilt!! This quilt didn't start out being her quilt. After my first rag quilt, I decided I wanted to make a denim quilt. So, any free time I had, I was cutting blue jeans up. On July 4th, Mom saw some of the jeans had embroidering on them and made the comment, "I wouldn't mind having a quilt if they had stuff like that on them." I told her she needed to get busy and go to Goodwill and thrift shops to find some good jeans to cut up. Of course, at that moment, I knew...my denim quilt was no longer my own! It was going to be Mom's. Before this point, I was at Backyard Quilts and found some beautiful flannel to back my denim quilt. The two wonderful friends that were with me loved the idea and said my quilt would be beautiful. Well, we talked about it quite a bit and I was finally told that I couldn't put it together without the two of them. Finally I started really working on it. The week before Mom's birthday is when it all came together, so I had to work hard to finish it. I had all of the squares sewn together when I called Cathy & Cindy and said I was ready to lay it out. We met at Cindy's house and laid it on her hardwood floor and set out the squares. We had fun doing it. They both kept asking me if it was OK to change this and that, and I finally told them that this was our quilt, anything they thought was fine. The only thing I said was that it didn't have to have a definite pattern to it. Well, without trying, a pattern happened. And I was OK with it. Here it is. I can't believe how well it went with Mom's living room. I told her she needed to display the quilt like shown in the picture. Whether she is or not, I don't know.



Mom told me she loved it. Then she said that she'd tell me she liked it whether she really did or not...but she really did. I asked her how I knew she wasn't lying and she said because she was telling me she wasn't lying!! :) I know she liked it. She bragged about it to everyone and had me dragging that thing outside to show it to everyone!!

Anyway, there it is. Hopefully I'll get some pictures of my rag purse to show soon. ~Kim

I am alive and kickin'!

Well, it's a good thing I do not limit this blog to crafting only! Cause I got nuttin' today, but thought it would be nice if I make an appearance! I'm in the process of cleaning up my craft area, so hopefully I'll do something soon and post it. I plan on sewing all day on Friday since I'm off work...cross your fingers that I actually DO that. I want to get my rail fence quilt top done before next Tuesday. I'm taking a Flying Geese/Northern Star Christmas class on Tuesday and I'm too excited!!

I've also recently learned Swedish Weaving. I've made one placemat, and am working on #2. I should be done with that tonight. It's very easy and mindless (except in the very beginning). I can watch TV and weave and not worry about messing up. And if I do mess up, which I have, it's super easy to take out and redo. I'll post a picture on those later on tonight after I finish the second one. Gotta run! ~Kim

Latest Favorite Things

Well, it seems I have neglected my blog...just a wee bit! I've been so crafty lately, just nothing I've taken the time to share with my one reader out there in bloggy land. I've actually started some new crafts. (I know, who ever knew ME, starting new crafts! geez!) I know I shared my rag quilt a few months ago, but now I've kind of dived in, head first into...wait for it...QUILTING! And not just rag quilting either! Last week I took a quilting class. The type of quilt was called a rail fence quilt. It is going to be beautiful...if I ever finish it! The fabric I chose was inspired by this card. The card was a CASE from a card we made at stamp club. The paper is Stampin' Up! Designer Cardstock called Parisian Breeze. My demo was so wonderful about letting me borrow her Top Note Die AND her 1 1/4" square punch at a Friday night scrap. I punched ALL night! I now have these pretty little designs coming out my nose!! I even had enough to use for my swap! I did everything you see below EXCEPT the added welcome baby sentiment and the scalloped rectangle under it. I wanted to leave it blank so it could be used for different occasions.




Well, I gotta jet. I'm quilting today with the Quilt Lover's of Murray quilt guild I joined. I did say I went face first into this quilting thing. Why wouldn't I join the quilt guild??? Hopefully I'll publish again soon!! ~Kim

Blog Candy and Paper Blog Hop

http://burninrubber-anotherstampblog.blogspot.com/

Check it out!

Blog Candy

Debbie is giving away a TON of stuff!! Go to this blog here.

http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogoversary-candy.html

But hopefully I'm gonna get picked!!!

Rag Quilt

Well, I said a few posts ago that I was going to take a photo of my rag quilt and post it, but still have not done it. So here it is:




I absolutely love it! I didn't make sure the batting was not showing on the edges (which I knew I should have cut it out...) and you can see it some on the edges.



Oh well, maybe eventually I'll take scissors and cut each little piece out. I started doing that the day that I washed and dried it, but soon I was tired of it! I bought more fabric yesterday at Hobby Lobby only because I actually found some homespun fabric. It will be red, white and blue. I think it will turn out beautiful, just gotta get it all cut down. That's the worst part! Hopefully I'll have enough fabric to make a matching pillow too! Let me know what you think about the quilt! ~Kim

A Couple of Cards

Well, I've been crafty lately, even though I've been super busy. Unfortunately, I've had to create some sympathy cards. Those suck. My boss's father in law passed away while we were on vacation and I'm just now getting a card made. I didn't have a single stamp having to do with sympathy or losing someone. So at stamp club this month, I ordered a sympathy set. Now, someone else that I know has lost his wife very suddenly, so I've got to make a few more cards for him and their two adult daughters. It's all very sad as she was only 55. So, here is one of the cards:



Here's the inside:


I made another one last night with the same stamp set but different layout. I've got two more to go. I think one will be an exact duplicate of the card above since it is going to my boss's wife and the other will go to the friend who lost his wife. The other one I'm going to try to make completely different since they will be going to the same family.

It's so odd when someone dies. I've only been affected by death a couple of times in my life, and it really makes you numb. Just the thought of any of my family dying cripples me. I've lost my Pop, and that alone was terrible. I wasn't as close to him as I wish I had of been, but he was a wonderful man. His death made me see my dad in a different light. I've grown closer to him, and I'm so happy for that. Jason's lost his granny too, and that was awful too.

Sorry this has been such a bummer of a trip...death just gets ya thinking!

Butterflies & Scraps

Well, I'm finally posting my butterfly card. The card I cased this from was so beautiful, and I thought it would be easy, well, except for all the cutting. Boy was I wrong! I couldn't get the color to stamp correctly. I had to sponge a lot of color on. I was really discouraged after stamping, but I continued on. I had decided I wasn't stopping until it was finished. Here's the card. I loved it in the end. Nope, doesn't look like the card I used as the inspiration, but that's ok. I'm fine with the way it turned out. And my sister loved it.



Well, me and Kara made a pact...to only have WHOLE sheets of paper by the end of the year. We both have a LOT of scraps and frankly, I'm sick of having little pieces of paper everywhere. So I decided that by the end of this year, we either had to use all of our scrap pieces, give them away or throw them away. WHOLE PIECES ONLY in our stash!! I'm not quite sure she's really in for it, I might have dragged her (drug her?) kicking and screaming. But, the night that we (I) made this pact, I made count 'em FIFTEEN cards!! All with scraps! I was so proud of myself. Tomorrow is another scrap/stamp/craft night. I think I'm gonna try to do it again. Maybe even more cards. I'll post more soon! ~Kim

ETA: I finally finished my first rag quilt!! It turned out BEAUTIFUL!! I'm so glad I did it!! I've got more fabric to make another one. The next one is going to be made of flannel instead of homespun material. Hopefully it'll fray halfway decently. I'll take a picture of it soon and post it!

I finally made something!!

February 28th
I finally made something! Today my hubby and I attended a birthday party for our "faux" nephew, Peyton. His birthday is actually February 29th, but since the 28th was a Saturday, the party was then. Of course, since his birthday won't happen for another three years, it is celebrated on the day after February 28th. So, tomorrow is his "birthday." Anyway, since I am known around my circle as the one who makes handmade cards, I made a card for the wee one. And ya know what?? I enjoyed it! I decided this morning after spending HOURS on this card, I wanted to come home and create. Here is the card:



This is the card I cased. Turned out nothing like it, but I tried!! Details: Classic Laid Duplex Cover Ponderosa Pine/Alpine White (base), bubbles and plaid paper is Martha Stewart paper, 80# Cougar Cover White, generic markers for outside stamp, and I think that's it. Oh...the number 1 was covered in Versa Mark and then heat embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. The number was cut out using my Cricut and the cartridge was Cuttin' Up. Stamp set for outside was So Many Scallops.

SIDETRACKING HERE...try to keep up! As we're on the way home, I remember I need to go to work and print some film before tomorrow morning. After spending WAY longer at the party than intended I decided that this has to be done. Now, we're under a weather advisory tonight as it is snowing/sleeting tonight. So, we decide to come home and walk to the dog, then go by work. As we're driving there, we decide that Huddle House is good for dinner, so I stop by work, turn everything on, print the film and then go to the House. It'll take a while for the film processor to warm up, so I'll go eat while it's doing it. Had a great dinner/breakfast and then ran the film through. We had to wait a good 15 minutes for that slow machine to work, but finally we were able to leave. We were going to go grocery shopping (cause that's what you're supposed to do when it snows. But I told Jason, we have bread and milk, what else are you supposed to shop for?) So we didn't go shopping and came home. Luckily nothing stuck so no need for going to the store!! So, I didn't go home and create. I was too tired. Plus, I wasn't feeling creative at all.

March 4th
The next morning, I started working on my sister's birthday card because I KNEW It would take all morning. I was casing a card by Mary Jo Albright that was inspired by a cover of Martha Stewart's magazine. It took forEVER to stamp, and once my mom told me we were postponing the birthday party, I didn't work all that hard on it. After getting all of the butterflies cut out, I stopped. I might work on it tonight after I get home, but I'm not sure. If I do, I'll post it. Gotta run...I'm at lunch so I'll try to post later! I need to update my details on this card! Kim

Greetings from Conch Key, Florida

Hi All. Nope, I promise not to post each and every day of vacation, as that might seem as if I were trying to rub it in your face that I'm on vacation and you're well, OK, probably not. Anyway, this first picture is the view if you're standing on the boat and looking to the right. I thought it was just a beautiful sight and had to shoot it!



This is the second fish I ever caught (yesterday, while WITH the inlaws on the Gulf of Mexico while vacationing in the Keys vs. the first one that was caught while visiting the inlaws when they lived on Merritt Island in Florida in 2003.)



This was probably the biggest fish of the day!! Woot Woot!! Actually, Jason caught one even bigger than mine, but I didn't get a picture of it. So that means I caught the biggest since it's the only record we have. (And as I tell the story over the years, the fish will get larger and larger...ya know, cause that's how fish tales go!!)

The weather is pretty nice here. A little cooler that I had hoped, but nothing to complain about. The boys are out on the boat fishing. I decided I didn't want to join them as my touckas is a little sore from all the bumping around we did yesterday, and the water is even choppier today. Plus, tooth is still hurting from root canal on Wednesday. What a thing to have to get done right before vacation!! MIL is out shopping at some "Florida-y" clothing stores ("Lazy Lizard" and some other store that I can't think of the name now) and to Publix...I almost went just to get to go to Publix...love me some Publix.

OK, I think I'm gonna go nap. Yep, that's what my people do when on vacation. Heck, that's what I do on any day that I don't have to work!!!

I'm not off to a good start on my Resolutions

OK, it's now February and guess how many resolutions I've stuck with? Zero. I haven't even started on most of them. So, since I don't want to be all negative, I won't even try to address any personal resolutions that I've ignored. I'm just not gonna go there. But, I will address my crafting resolutions.

Craft resolutions
1. Make three cards every week. Nope. I made thank you cards, but that was it. And they were all the same. I really should post some pictures as they were super cute (in my opinion). I cased them from someone, but of course I don't remember who!!
2. Get crafts organized and set up where I can sit down and create whenever the mood hits me. Nope. Houseguests and the overall situation with the ice storm prevented anything I could do. Of course, I probably wouldn't have done anything anyway.
3. Make a rag quilt. I'm actually working on it. I started it on January 24th, and I'm down to 4 fat quarters that need to be ironed before I cut them. I should be ready to start sewing the sandwich squares together tonight.
4. Complete all projects that I start (or that are halfway done now.) Nope.
5. Get all Christmas stuff (cards, presents, etc.) completed before December 1st so I can concentrate on the season and all that it stands for (family, friends and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ). Nope.
6. Decorate my new house (provided that we get one!) Nope.
7. Learn one new craft or technique each month (this can probably be accomplished at stamp club as Tonya always has good stuff for us to try!) Well, it's only the 5th, so I'm sure that will happen.
8. Record all of the details of the cards I make, so if I get good enough and have the confidence in my abilities, I can submit cards/projects for publication. Here's a link of Cammie's article with tips for publications. Nope.
9. Along those lines, I'd like to become a design team member for a stamp company. I love all of the stamp companies and it seems like I'm finding new ones every day. I'll keep my eyes open for design team calls and hopefully I'll be right for one of the. The idea of free supplies is something I love!! Of course, I have to get good enough to achieve that goal too. Nope.

What was the reason for this post again??? I guess I am trying to keep myself accountable. I'll forget all about making this post until I get it in my inbox tomorrow, so maybe that'll keep me on track. Hopefully I'll post some pictures this weekend of cards and maybe a quilt?? Later! Kim

Weather sucks...but we're OK.

OK, so anyone who might be reading this post knows what's going on with the weather in Western KY. Well, our power was out all day yesterday, starting conveniently right after Jason's alarm went off. So I wasn't late for work or anything, but spent all day worried about Lucy being cold and if it didn't come on soon, I'd be cold too. (The way I knew my power was still out was by calling the house. If it rang and rang, that meant the power was out because the answering machine didn't pick up.) I called my friend Shawn to see if there power was on and she said they were at a hotel. If worse come to worse, we could pile up in their room. So, I call and get the very last room at Days Inn. So, I'm happy. They still have power and we've got a room. Well then I call Jason and let him know. He gets mad at me and tells me he can get a room at Baymont, which is closer to our home and we can get home to Lucy quicker. So, we decided I would cancel the room at Days Inn. When I did, she said, "You realize this is the last room we've got, right?" I say yes, I realize that. We've got reservations elsewhere. And we did...on paper. Our card was charged, but the hotel said they did not have any rooms available. I called everywhere, and I was at my wits end. Days Inn booked the room probably as soon as I got off the phone, so even that was out. I even checked Murray Plaza (which anyone that knows Murray knows that its a No Tell Motel). Even they were booked. So, it looks like we're shackin' up with the Johnson's.
So, we get all of our stuff and pack them up a flight of stairs to their room. We move beds around, blow up an air mattress to sleep on, bring food, etc. We are there about an hour, hour and a half, something like that, and I think to check our house to see if power came back on. I got the answering machine, so I was stoked!! I was gonna get to sleep in my bed afterall. SO, we pack back up most of our stuff, saying we'd get the rest today. So, I get to go home, play on my computer and get the internet (which I was unable to do at all at work yesterday as the internet went out and I didn't feel right asking them to come fix our internet when lots of people were without power). So, I was a happy camper. I get in bed around 10:30 or so, after turning on the electric blanket and am diggin' it. Well, evidently, my sleepy time medicine worked because Jason said the power went out a little after 11. And he said , "Well sh*t! The freakin' power just went out." Luckily, it didn't wake me up and he didn't try to since he could tell that I was out, so he just left me alone and let me sleep. Now this morning when I woke up, I realized the power wasn't on and he told me what happened. So, I ask him to get me another blanket to go on top of the comforter to try to get warm again. Finally, after a little bit, I get up and get dressed. Jason decided if we drove around we'd be warm. So, that's what we did. We decided we'd drive by my work to see if there was power. Nope. Then we drove over to his work. Nope. Then we go to the animal hospital to see if we could pick up Lucy (as we couldn't bring her into the hotel). They had a note on the door that said due to power outages, they were closed. It also said that someone had come by this morning to take care of the animals and that they were in a warm place. It also said that we could do pick ups from 3 to 4, so that's what we intended to do. We drove back to the Baymont to check on Kris, Shawn and Peyton. The power was out there too. We sit there chatting as its still warmer there than outside or at our house. We decide we're all gonna jump in the car and start driving south to look for a generator. This was around noon I guess. Nobody had them, so the wild goose chase began. We ended up in Nashville and still wasn't sure we were gonna one anywhere. So finally around 8 pm, we go to IHOP to eat and it's the first meal we've had all day. All of the sudden, Jason's cell phone rings and says that they've got a generator at Home Depot. The one that was directly behind the IHOP. So Jason and Kris go to get it, leaving Shawn, Peyton and me there. It was fine until Peyton dropped a deuce and Shawn left the diaper bag in the car. I offer to walk over there and get it. By the time I got over there, the generator was in the back of the car and they were getting ready to come back. So, now we've got a generator, but it was getting close to 10. Shawn has a great friend Jennifer who has a big three bedroom house in Nashville. So, this is where I'm posting from. Yep, NASHVILLE! We've all bathed and put on clean clothes and are currently washing the clothes we were wearing today. We still haven't been able to reach my parents or sister. I've tried my bosses, but couldn't get through to them. Jason got a hold of his boss luckily. They are saying that power will be out for 5-10 days, but in reality it will probably be two weeks. We're hoping the generator will be able to get our house semi-warm with the space heaters we have. I love the way everything looks as it looks very magical, but I hate being without power. SOOO, if anyone is reading this, we (us and the Johnsons) are OK. I talked to the Sizemores yesterday and they were without power, but had a generator. I think everything is going to be OK eventually, but it's been rather nerve wrecking today. Having a baby and a drama momma with us has not helped the situation. Luckily, the baby's been pretty good as is his momma.

So, I'm signing off. Hope everyone is well. ~Kim

New Years Resolutions & random babbling

OK, so I'm a little late on this. I haven't made any resolutions until now as I wasn't sure what I wanted to accomplish this year. Kara and I were discussing resolutions, and that got me to thinking. I definitely cannot make resolutions without writing them down. And if I list them here on my blog, maybe it will keep me accountable. (This blog really got me to thinking about this and is the final push to making these resolutions.)I will make life resolutions and crafting resolutions. Not sure if any of them will be easy to do, but here goes:

Life resolutions
1. Purchase a house and move.
2. Start watching my diet better and lose 15 pounds.
3. Start exercising...again.
4. Learn to manage stress better.
5. Spend more time with my family.
6. Start journaling my diet/weight/meds/moods, etc. again.
7. Try to get off of most of my pain meds.
8. Live life to the fullest.

Craft resolutions
1. Make three cards every week.
2. Get crafts organized and set up where I can sit down and create whenever the mood hits me.
3. Make a rag quilt.
4. Complete all projects that I start (or that are halfway done now.)
5. Get all Christmas stuff (cards, presents, etc.) completed before December 1st so I can concentrate on the season and all that it stands for (family, friends and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ).
6. Decorate my new house (provided that we get one!)
7. Learn one new craft or technique each month (this can probably be accomplished at stamp club as Tonya always has good stuff for us to try!)
8. Record all of the details of the cards I make, so if I get good enough and have the confidence in my abilities, I can submit cards/projects for publication. Here's a link of Cammie's article with tips for publications.
9. Along those lines, I'd like to become a design team member for a stamp company. I love all of the stamp companies and it seems like I'm finding new ones every day. I'll keep my eyes open for design team calls and hopefully I'll be right for one of the. The idea of free supplies is something I love!! Of course, I have to get good enough to achieve that goal too.


I guess that is all for now. I should probably resolve to not buy so much crafting stuff (random stuff to alter, paper, dies, etc.) as I haven't been using stuff, just buying. But if I stick with my crafting goals, maybe I'll NEED to buy more stuff! :)

OK, hopefully soon you'll see some cards. I never posted my Christmas card or any of the cards that I made at Tonya's Stamp a Stack workshop. I am without my wonderful portable studio, so I'll have to wait until I get it back to take the pictures. But I really will post some crafts soon.

In other news, Spellbinders is holding a contest to win the new Nestibilities releases. You have to send an email everyday with the featured die name in your subject. I hope I win! Of course, I've got four sets of Nesties and never use them (hard to use when you don't make anything!)

Something else I've been meaning to do is show some blog love. I subscribe to several blogs, but I have one in particular that I LOVE! Debbie is so creative and always an inspiration to me. I've seen her projects in magazines, so she's famous in the crafting world. But she's also very nice and has emailed answers to my many questions regarding a certain card she made. Anyway, I've been meaning to share this info for a while now, but never got around to it!

I'm still alive!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Before Christmas, I was too busy trying to decide what to do for Christmas presents and all that. Then Jason got sick on Christmas Eve, so we missed out on getting together with family. Then, on Christmas morning, I had it and felt like crap. He passed the bug along with me!! So we didn't go to my parents house OR see my dad's side of the family! I was really bummed. We did go to the Greater Cincinnati Area the day after Christmas. We didn't leave Murray until late afternoon as I was still feeling a little poopy until then. Plus, we had a leak in the tire that had to be fixed. So finally we made it! We had a great time up there with Jason's family and had fun with his sister, her huband and their kids. Then, we came home on New Year's Eve. We were so tired, and didn't want to go to anything. But for a long time now, we have a tradition of getting together on New Year's. I couldn't break tradition. We laid around from New Years until this past Sunday. Then we both started getting the Sunday afternoon blues!!

Well, not too much has been going on in my crafting world. I did sit down and make thank you cards to send to all of my friends and family who gave presents to ous. I can't show them on here as I may have one reader or two who will be receiving them!! So, for now I must sign off as I'm a sleepy girl. I'll post copies of the card once they are in the mail. Toodles ~ Kim