New Obsession!

I got my Silhouette Die Cutting Machine a few weeks ago and really went to town testing it out the first week…Check out some of the things I made!

First Project: A simply made but complicated cut birthday card for a friend!

A design for my netbook in vinyl…not quite ready for wall art yet, the original reason I wanted this machine! I had seen many people creating cool word art for their walls in vinyl using this machine, and really wanted one!! I bought some regular vinyl, some frosted vinyl and some white heat transfer vinyl…check out these amazing tshirts that I have been able to make for the girls :) I see many birthday presents for parties in the future!!

And here are some cool frosted labels for some glass jars…

I’ve also realized that this machine is great for cutting shapes from cardstock, and hence my newest obsession has started: cardmaking!! When I saw how easily I could make really cute die cut shapes on the machine I have been reading tons of cardmaking blogs to get inspiration…so far I have been watching tons of you tube videos these two ladies have made about card making and scrapbooking…
Remember, I look like this at the moment…

…so I have a lot more time on my hands and I am afraid I have lots of time to go shopping online too! I have ordered lots of card blanks, stamps and other goodies to add to my current small sampling of paper and supplies I already had…You will probably see finished cards being added to my finished projects on the blog!
Here are two more cards and a gift tag I have made so far…
 
I have managed to finish some other projects though too!! Here are Aisling’s legwarmers finished…

And wonder of wonders, I have actually finished this hand pieced and hand quilted drunkards path quilt I started ages ago! This will hang in the guest bedroom at some point…

I have also finished the quilt top for my friend going through chemo…working on the freemotion meandering now…ugh…hate wrestling the quilt through my little sewing machine!!

So, as you can see despite the hopping along, I am still managing to get a little bit done, as well as the bit of housework I can manage: dishwashing, cooking and laundry… I am having fun being served my breakfast and SUPERVISING all the sweeping, mopping, and bathroom cleaning. I do admit to helping reorganize the playroom while scooting around on hands and knees, I couldn’t take the clutter…Dave and the girls were cleaning the room by stacking things in the corners and in cubby holes…ugh! Only a few more weeks of staying off that leg (move to a cast with a boot for walking next) so guess I should live it up while I can! Friends are picking me up a few times a week for trips to a local cafe and for patchwork group, so am getting out a bit!
Guess I better go, we have friends visiting today and want to get some stuff done before they arrive! Hope to hear from you!

Surfacing in 2010

Boy I have really let my blog slip on my priority list! It is coming up on 2 months since I posted last. Again, I have been steadily working on a few little projects, hence finally getting up off my heiney and updating!

We have had a lot of extra time off of school, lots of sub zero weather and ice and one nice day of snow. Here is a collage of our snow day, the girls had a blast!


I finally finished the pair of broadripple socks I was working on for Kate's November birthday :). Yup, you have seen this pattern before, as they are a pattern made for the cotton yarn that I use and they look nice, so have done Katy three pairs!! (One for her 40th bday, one for an exchange and one for this birthday...hope she hasn't gotten bored with the design yet...next time a new design I promise, though I might make a twin pair of these socks in this pattern for myself!)


I finished the hand quilting on my tree of life quilt and love it. I took it on my week-long visit in DC in early December and finished sewing down the binding on the plane.


I also finished these two blocks which I am making for a Dear Jane themed quilt for President Obama with this Yahoo group. Took me ages to finally sit down and do them, but as of this week they are flying over to the coordinator of the group quilt in Tennessee.


My lovely friend Barbara sent me a quilt kit she made up for me of a drunkards path quilt, perfect for hand piecing. Again, I brought these for hand work on my DC trip in December and worked on them on the plane, in airports, on trains, and the odd quiet minute on the rest of my trip. I rented a car (a red PT Cruiser is what I ended up with, cute!) and saw different friends for lunch and dinner, I kept moving all the time and had a great time! I was glad though, after all that driving (from Northern VA to North Baltimore) that we had a break coming up from school and we could have lots of lazy mornings!!



I saw two quilting friends, one of whom was my best friend in kindergarten who after receiving a very imperfect quilt from me for her daughter a few years back, took quilting classes and is now the Vice President of her Northern VA quilt guild!!!  Bonnie and I did a bit of shopping (including some really nice Donna Sharp handbags!)... I also got a chance to meet up with Toni in Mt. Airy and did a bit of damage in her quilt shop then went out for the yummiest barbeque I had in a long time!! Here is a pic of us at her shop, I am sporting my new patchwork handbag, lol.


Look at my haul!!


I have finally put my ocean waves quilt on my big quilting frame and marked the celtic knot design I wanted in the open muslin spaces. I have put in my first thread and hope to start doing at least one thread a day on the quilt.  I am also working on a red wholecloth little quilt as well...




I am slowly working on a knitted celtic knot designed pocket for my felted bag I have been working on for years now it seems...nearly done with that one...woo hoo!


As far as resolutions for 2010 for me, I want to eat more healthily, swim more often, and continue knitting and quilting as often as I can. I am thinking of starting a Baltimore Album style quilt...but still a little scared!!

I was going to wait and post this after the weekend when I plan to finish a bunch of little projects for the girls, but this is getting way too long, so will possibly do another post on Sunday, imagine that!! I am not going to promise anymore about posting more often, I am just going to try!  I am very active on Facebook most days if you wanna see what we're up to round here, click on the link here and sign up or add me as a friend!

Making Progress

I have one finish for the week, but have mainly been making some good progress on the pink socks I had to rip back. Here is the sad state of affairs after I ripped it back to where the first mistake happened (forgot a cable stitch that I had done on the first sock and wanted them to match exactly) and here is where I am back to (well I am actually a bit further on now having turned the heel and started the gussets of the sock...)



I have also been working on hand quilting a Christmas wholecloth quilt that has been languishing in my UFO pile for ages...maybe that can be a finish for February, there is defiinitely too much left to finish this month! But...maybe I can manage to finish that sock??? Hmmmm...


This is my only finish to report lately, but am glad I finally got it done...it certainly isn't precise and wonderful, but it works: my quirky little patchwork roman blind. I made with civil war repro fabric squares to match the Dear Jane and Apple Core quilts hanging in the hallway... Did I ever show you the quilt shelf I got? I am going to eventually try to make seasonal quilts to put there...maybe I should get a move on a Valentines one!!



I haven't talked about this much, but am starting to get excited about it now, Anne Marie is hosting a Quilting Retreat this weekend!! I will be taking a weekend break from my weight loss programme most definitely and enjoy quilting, piecing, knitting, chatting and EATING!  I am also bringing some margaritas and other goodies to add to the party.  I imagine I will be bringing quite a lot of things with me, so will have to take some photos of everything packed into the car, projects, fabrics and goodies to share, a couple of air mattresses and duvets...maybe even a folding table for sewing machines to hang out on! I will bring along my Dear Jane and some other show and tell bits as well...better get packing!!

Getting Behind With Things...

I need to find balance in my life again...it seems to move forward at the speed of light and I barely remember what happens from day to day.

We had a great trip to London and Paris. The kids had a blast in Disneyland even with their poor mom limping after them (I managed to swan dive into a Paris tree on the way to the Eiffel Tower...was looking ahead of me and twisted my ankle when it landed half on the pavers and half in the dirt where the lovely Parisian tree was growing near a cafe, graceful I tell ya...and what a lovely shade of black, purple and yellow my foot was for a while!)... The kids got autograph books and pens from their nice momma and proceeded to stalk any characters in their vicinity for autographs...we have minnie, daisy, snow white, donald, goofy, and Aine's favorite, Robin Hood.  We really enjoyed our time with Katy and her family as well...the kids loved their London Halloween and just loved hanging out with their buddies! Moms and dads enjoyed time to read, play games, and mommas got to sew and knit (well I knit...) it was a lovely time...

Election Day was only a few days after we returned home and I stayed up till 5:30am Irish time watching the amazing returns come back. I actually burst into tears when they flashed the announcement that Barack Obama was the next president of the United States, who knew I would be so emotional. And then I cried again when the future First Family came out and when Obama gave his speech. It was a great night and I'm glad I stayed up to see it happen. 

I haven't been producing a lot lately, we've had lots of playdates and activities, the normal pace of life here, and Aine has just had her 6th birthday party just yesterday which needed organizing as well...an Art Party for her and 10 friends (a SMALL party, woo hoo!) I had a local art teacher come and do some projects and face painting with them and it worked out really well...

My kids like chocolate cake, so I do a Betty Crocker special and then print out on photo paper whatever character/graphic they want that year to personalize it. When it is time to cut cake just lift off the paper and go...very inexpensive, personalized and easy! Love it!

I have managed to finish one pink sock and here is the current status of the second one...


Here are the slippers I knit for Aine at Katy's house, slightly smaller and felty now...

I made this angel for someone...for Christmastime...

I am verrrrrrry slowly working on marking my ocean waves quilt with this celtic knot pattern in the muslin areas..
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I am also slowly doing freehand fans on my tree quilt...


So I am doing things, but nothing finished but the angel at the moment.

Tomorrow I start my diet yet again...I am tired of being the weight I am...maybe if I can find some balance to my days, more exercise, more sleep, less running around...a better rhythm to the days, that might help. Here's hoping that I can do that...and find more time to QUILT too!!

A Week in the Life...

It has been a pretty hectic week here since last I posted. I managed to make it to two knitting groups, start 2 pairs of socks, start free hand baptist fan quilting on the tree quilt I brought over, and keep the kids doing tons of activities!

Here are some of the progress shots of crafty stuff:

Finished Dear Jane blocks. I ran out of pre-prepared blocks!!!


So....then I basted and started quilting on the Tree Quilt.


Then the knitting obsession took over. Sarah is teaching me how to knit two socks at the same time on two circular needles, I like it so far!!


But I also like DPNs, on which I started some very pink socks for some larger adult feet. They are for the 30th birthday of a friend of mine who likes pink. She picked out the pattern and it is keeping me on my toes, I like it, though the complicated pattern isn't really showing up quite yet, maybe next week.


Tuesday the girls, dad, and I went to the library for storytime, Wednesday a good day of swimming and playground. Sarah and her kids have been great. We met up with them on Thursday and saw daily for long hours on Friday and Saturday too, I bet they are happy to get a break from us. We went to a horse ranch with them on Thursday, on Friday went to knitting at Barnes and Noble with Sarah while the kids explored the kid section, then down to the library and a gorgeous tea house on the river. Saturday was a very fun Children's Festival. Add into the mix the usual errands, some yard sales, a paddling pool (aka wading pool) purchase and some sidewalk chalk and a fun and busy week was had by all! Thank you so much Sarah for keeping us busy last week, the girls and I had a great time! And look what Sarah had left for mom before we arrived! So generous!! A shawl she designed and knit herself, tea, chocolate and jewelry, what more could you want! Thanks again, mom loves the presents and the thought! Bloggers are wonderful folk :)


Check out this link to see shots of the various things we have done over the week. Here are a few favorite photos:

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

I had a great visit with my mom and dad last week, and really loved all the great comments I got from everyone. Mom appreciates all the good thoughts and well wishes. I have a special request before I get to the quilting and knitting news... Mom is losing her hair now and the chemo has affected her more this second time around, she sounds a bit down now that her kids have both had to return back to their regular schedules. Could you help me cheer her up? I'd love her to get some cards or postcards from everywhere, anywhere in the world to put up on her card wall...it cheered me up looking at it as we put them up and I know that it gives her a lot of pleasure to see all those cards and what they mean. If you are up to sending a card, just email me at catherineoneill at carrigeen.net I'll send over her address. Mom got your card, Beth, and was pleased that my friends were thinking of her. Thank you.

On the crafty front, I finished my hand quilting project I started in Bend. Thimbleanna asked me why on earth I was taking a quilting class after quilting a Dear Jane, lol??  The main reason: I stab stitched nearly the whole quilt, one stitch at a time! I would love the learn that beautiful elegant rocking stitch I see so many doing. But...my teacher in Bend said my stitches were even and good enough, it didn't matter that my rocking stitch wasn't like hers, it got the job done, and that was good enough. I can't use a thimble to save my life, which is too bad as I spent a lot of money on a gorgeous Roxanne one! Maybe someday, but then again, I am getting the job done so why bother?? Here is the finished quilting practice. I think I might make it into a pillow.


 I also started a pair of socks for a friend who has a big birthday in November (think I'm giving myself enough time to finish them?). I can't really show them on here, as I'd like her to have a surprise so maybe I'll just put a little teaser in... I'm fairly into knitting them now, as Barbara has been asking me lots of questions about sock knitting lately, due to her newfound obsession,  and it got me back into knitting again them again tool.


I've put my cross stitch aside for now, as I need to get down to work on my Dear Jane to get it done in the next 10 weeks before our summer visit with mom and dad. The kids are really getting excited about it, the visit, not the cross stitch!


So, plans for the forseeable future: secret socks, Kate's quilt swap quilt, working on the Dear Jane scallops, some hand quilting on another little Dear Jane wallhanging I am working on. Would anyone be interested in owning this? I might do this as a giveaway in the future if anyone is interested! I'll have my full size one done about the same time.


I've also gotten some lovely mail lately. Nicky and I did a swap and here is the gorgeous stitchery she sent me from Leanne Beasley!


Barbara sent me a birthday present that arrived after I'd left for the States: sock yarn, how did she know?? :) Thank you!!!


OOOOOH also...I got some MOO cards!! They are sooo cool!!! small business card like things with photos from my flickr account, very  cool!


I promise to try to write more often instead of doing these huge posts with 20,000 photos. If you've gotten this far, thank you so much!