Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you out in blogland!  I hope that you have a blessed time with family and friends.  I plan to enjoy the morning with my son, then have a delicious breakfast casserole, spend time with old friends in the afternoon, and do a bit of sewing, just for my own enjoyment. 

Quilted Lizard Creations: I am going to keep up with this better!

Quilted Lizard Creations: I am going to keep up with this better!: Wow, I had no idea I had not posted since September. I am going to get it together and post more regularly. (New Year's resolution?) I mad...

I am going to keep up with this better!

Wow, I had no idea I had not posted since September.  I am going to get it together and post more regularly. (New Year's resolution?)  I made a few Christmas bags for a local business to sell.  I totally forgot to take pictures of them before I sent them over.  So silly, because they were really pretty. And I would love to share them here!  I did make two quilted journal covers for my nieces.  I will post pictures of those shortly.  I hope all of you have a great Christmas and a happy and healthy 2012!

Working on a T-shirt quilt!

Well, I am starting to get in the swing of things now that school has settled in.  It has been one hectic ride!  My son is playing varsity football, so I am keeping busy with traveling to games the past 2 weeks.  It has been lots of fun watching the boys play.  I haven't used the sewing studio much since school started, but I am going to make more time to work on projects.  I have T-shirts cut out for a quilt, and I have some beautiful batik fabric for the sashing.  It will not be the normal sashing with cornerstones, because the recipient is not a traditional quilt girl!  It will be a scrappy sort of look, so it is requiring some calculations on my part!  I think it will turn out just great.  I will post pictures of my progress!

I have spent the last 2 weeks canning and freezing fresh vegetables.  Corn was frozen last week, and this week I made homemade pasta sauce and salsa.  I will surely appreciate the fresh tastes this winter!  What have you been doing?  Got the creative juices flowing?  Leave a comment!

Back to school!

Well, I haven't posted since I have been back to school-shame on me!  I swear, I have not had time to change my mind since school has started.  We have new technology that is just kicking my butt!  It is a huge learning curve and I am sure I will manage to get the hang of it, but for now, it is trial by fire!  I haven't sewn much, just made 2 more potato steamers.  I am working on a plan to make time each day to put in a few stitches.  Wish me luck!

Announcing a great blog giveaway!

Hey all, I wanted to let you know about a great fabric giveaway at 1 Choice 4 Quillting!  They are giving away precuts of some of Moda's newest lines of fabric!


http://blog.1choice4quilting.com/2011/08/new-fabric-giiveaway-with-3-lucky.html

My 1600 quilt!

This is a picture of the 1600 quilt top that I finished in only one day!  Lots of fun for a quick finish.  You don't have to use jelly rolls, you can use any 2 1/2 inch scraps!

My camera is not so great, so the colors don't show up as bright as the real deal!  My birthday is this month, if anyone wants to give me a great upgrade!

Quilted Lizard Creations: Sharing some brownie recipes!

Quilted Lizard Creations: Sharing some brownie recipes!: "So a twitter friend wanted some chocolate recipes and these are both so rich and scrumptious! Mint-Chocolate Brownies Ingredients: 1 bo..."

Sharing some brownie recipes!

So a twitter friend wanted some chocolate recipes and these are both so rich and scrumptious!

Mint-Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate brownie mix (any kind)
**any ingredients called for in brownie mix
1 can chocolate fudge frosting

Mint Filling
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 T water
1/2 tsp. mint extract
5 drops green food coloring

Mix brownie mix and bake as direced on package in 13 X 9 inch pan.  When it is finished, take it out to cool completely.  With an electric mixer, add together ingredients for mint filling until it is fluffy.  Spread onto cooled brownies.  Put the pan in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or overnight, until the filling is set.  After they are set, simply spread on the fudge frosting, cut into bars, and enjoy!

Turtle Brownies

1 pkg German chocolate cake mix
1 c. chopped nuts (we like pecans at my house)
3/4 c. melted butter
1 (5.3 oz.) can evaporated milk
12 oz. package caramels
1 c. chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet)

Combine cake mix, butter, nuts, and 1/3 c. evaporated milk.  Mix (don't beat).  Press half of dough into greased and floured 13 X 9 inch pan.  Bake 6 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, melt caramels and 1/3 c. evaporated milk.  Spread over hot cake.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Crumble remaining cake dough over top. (It will spread when baked.)

Bake 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool, refrigerate.  Enjoy. (Or enjoy hot with ice cream on top!)

One more thing!

I just wanted to share some pictures from International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati!  The first one is a picture of the quilt police.  Yes- they DO exist!

And the next one is a picture of Pat Sloan, myself (totally NOT photogenic) and Heidi Kaisand-they were so nice to visit with at their very busy booth! Thanks gals and fellow quilters!

Quick finishes this week!

So, I made this cute purse from some scraps I found in a box in the garage, and I made this potato steamer for my school cook (who also happens to keep me supplied with chocolate!) I spent about an hour on Sunday cutting out T-shirts to make a friend's daughter a T-shirt quilt. This friend also went shopping with me last week to the LQS (local quilt store) to buy batik fabric to go between the T-shirts.  It is going to look awesome!

My summer is quickly coming to a close, and I will go back to school to teach some wonderful teenagers in about 2 weeks.  The teachers go back at my school on August 11th!  Wow, it seems earlier every year.  But I get so pumped up to begin the school year EVERY year!  Remember what it was like opening the brand new box of crayons in the fall?  I get to do that at the beginning of each year.  Cool or what? 



Top done!

Hello from the blast furnace of Indiana!  Wow, it has been a scorcher! But being inside, I got some sewing done while enjoying the AC.

I finished the quilt top I was working on last week.  I have been using up odds and ends that I have found in the sewing studio.  I think this pattern is just so easy, using charm packs as a base with a small amount of accent fabrics.  Love the fall colors?  Comments?

Top almost done! This is the last border fabric?

Posting a picture today of the quilt top I made with fabric I found around the sewing area.  I am auditioning the outer border fabric...what do you think?  The blocks are made using 2 charm squares packs and goes together very quickly.  When this is done, back to qulting the flannel baby quilt.  It is adorable in pink and chocolate brown.   Any comments on the border fabric will be welcomed!

What I made today!

So I decided to take a break from quilting flannel baby quilts-it makes my nose itchy!  Anyway, I am on a stash-busting mission, a so-called craft buying "diet".  It is my plan to use up lots of my fabric before buying anything new.  (Who does that?) So I am posting a picture of a block made using the "Charms Gone Wild" pattern.  Here is the first block:

I finished two more this evening and I will try to post them as I finish.  I have no earthly idea what I should use for the sashing!  Any suggestions will be welcome after I post the other blocks.  Well, teenager needs a snack.  TTFN

Baby Quilt

This is the baby quilt I finished.  I did a loopy free motion stitch in the sun, moon, clouds area.  It is a flannel quilt, so soft and comfy!

Quilting a baby quilt!

Wow, I am on a mission to finish projects around here so that I can get organized!  I put a label on a T-shirt quilt that was a graduation gift, and quilted AND bound a baby quilt for church.  I just sandwiched another baby quilt for church.  I am on a UFO busing mission and nothing will stop me!  Now, another friend is requesting a T-shirt quilt...what to do?

End of school and then I can sew, sew, sew!

Well, the students are counting down the days until summer vacation!  Do you think the teachers are doing the same thing?  I am working on a few projects in my spare time, when I am not writing finals and grading papers....

So, I finished 3 quilted purses last month and I have started working on a T-shirt quilt for a June graduation.  Busy, busy, busy, but that keeps me out of trouble.  I am also watching my son's track meets and my daughter's softball games.  We are finally seeing some beautiful sunny weather, after weeks of soaking rains.  Spring in the midwest has its ups and downs. 

I am having some camera issues, so I will post all of the promised pictures very soon.  Any tips on whether someone should get an ipod touch or just suck it up and get an iphone? 

Finished a new bag!

Well, school has kept me so busy that I haven't had a chance to post in some time.  As soon as I recharge my camera batteries (can't find the second set that is already charged...) I will post a picture.  It is from Tammy Tadd Designs and is call Savoir Flaire.  It is a cutie in blues, yellows and apple green.  I had trouble finding a suitable trim for it, but we only have a small JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby here.  I guess the next one I make, I will have to road trip to a bigger store, or hit some online shops.  So what are you making today?

Spring Tote-How Charming!

Finished a bag this week!

So, I finished a really cute bag, a Tammy Tadd design called "New Girl".  It is done with watermelon fabric and is just too cute.  A friend at work saw it and told me her sister loves watermelons, so I said she could have it.  Well, she said I can buy more fabric and make another, so I thought, give her this one and make another out of NEW fabric!  Must now go to LQS!  Have a good week!


On a sad note, worked on a T-shirt quilt this past weekend and sewed the third row in upside down!  Argh!  Has anyone done that before???

Back to School!

Well, after four snow days, we had a full week of school here last week!  I was so worn out that I did not get to fire up the sewing machine much last week :(


So, I did go to the LQS for the Super Boltz sale after the ice storm!  I got fabric to finish a T-shirt quilt for a friend's daughter, backing fabric for a table topper, lining fabric for a tote bag, and some potato print fabric to make potato steamers for the microwave.  I went down to look for purple fabric for the T-shirt quilt and I just couldn't seem to stop myself!  BUT, all of the purchases were on sale for at least 25% off, and one piece was 75% off, so I should feel too guilty?  Let me know!  Have a great week everyone!

Snow days-day three!

Sometimes it is SO nice to be a teacher! No school again!  I am going to put the binding on my king-size "Nature's Notebook" quilt today.  I then will tackle some other projects-maybe a spring/summer bag.  I spotted some watermelon print fabric when I "thought" about straightening up the studio!  Hope all of you are where it is warm!

Check out this blog giveaway!

There is a great giveaway at this wonderful quilter's blog!  Check it out and good luck!


http://oneygirl-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com/

Work and creative process

Well, it has been a few days since I have posted.  Work has kept me so busy that I wish I didn't have a "day" job so I could quilt whenever I wanted!  I had hoped to finish a tote this week-it only needs a bottom put in, but when I got done with work yesterday I was exhausted!  So, I will get my rear in gear and sit down to the machine tonight.  My quilting buddy called today and wants me to show her how to use my serger, so I may do that tonight as well.  She is making fleece flap hats for her son's friend and for my son.  The first prototype was a bit tight for a teenaged boy, as we used a women's hat pattern.  Anyone have a pattern for a men's flap hat?

Sewing on a snow night

It has snowed all day here in Indiana.  I came home to be inspired in my studio and decided to work on a T-shirt quilt for a friend's daughter.  The design is a work in progress.  I didn't want to do the boring blocks with sashing and cornerstones, so it is going to have a scrappier look.  The fabric in between the shirts is going to be pieces of purple batiks, the recipient's favorite color.  I will post when the top is finished!  Maybe someone will have some brilliant quilting ideas.  I am the "queen of top making" and "queen of quilting procrastination"!

First post of 2011!

Well, this is my first attempt at blogging!  I really enjoy reading other people's blogs, especially those that make hand crafted items.  I am a big-time quilter, and I dabble in crochet.  This year, I have tried my hand at knitting.  Is it a good idea to take classes, or can you learn from a book?  Would love to hear from you people out in blogland!