Goodbye 2009... Hello 2010!

Wow, this seems totally surreal to write - Hello 2010!!

May all of your new year wishes and resolutions come true.

Once, a while ago, my father told me that his resolution every year was to become a better person than he was last year. So Daddy, this one's for you: it's my resolution too, I will be a better person than I was last year.

I miss you Daddy. I can't believe that in May it'll be 3 years since you've left us.

And my other (hopefully stuck to resolutions):
~ Complete 4 baby quilts for Co-Workers
~ Complete my Coffee Quilt
~ Quilt the Red and White monstrosity.. (we'll see on this one)
~ Participate in at least 6 mini swaps
~ Get to 25 states for my personal mini challenge! :)
~ Make 15 mini quilts for the AAQI and my $1000 challenge
~ open up my own little store to sell mini quilt kits and mini quilts
~ Lose 25 pounds or more.

And on Monday - 6 mini quilts are getting mailed out!! So if you've been on my list of mini swappers (personal swaps) be on the lookout!

Improv Quilt Block - for Jo

This is my 12.5" quilt block for Jo from the UK. This is for the My First Quilting Bee and Block Swaps group on Flikr. She sent gorgeous blue fabrics for me to work with, and I had a great time. She requested an Improv style quilt block, and I went for it. Never made one before, but I had such fun.

Here are the fabrics she sent me:


And this is what I made from it:


The bottom has this gorgeous snowflake like print that I couldn't bear to cut apart, so I framed it and had to show it off.

The block isn't horrible, I will get better at it if I practice more.

I send my fabrics in February for the My First Quilting Bee/Block swap group.. now onto thinking of which fabrics I'll be sending.
My ideas for my fabrics:
Anchors and Blues
Puppy Paws and a solid
Greens
Coffee Prints/Colors

And I still don't really know what I'm asking everyone in the group to make.. it's a tough decision!

And more

Thanksgiving has been here and passed.. and I'm still no where near more ready for Christmas. Mom and I went out shopping on Black Friday, and did most of the shopping then (I was in Kohl's three times!!!) and got most of my gifts. Now they're all hidden all over the house (so Bean doesn't find them, or the hubby) and I have to get them wrapped. Now all I need is more time! :)

Here's more of what I've been working on (instead of wrapping!!)

For Dee, only a little sneak peak: Yours is in the mail on Monday. I finished part 2! :)


This was the mini quilt that I sent to Maya for the Four Seasons Holiday Quilt Swap. She did receive it (so now I can post it!), but was away for Thanksgiving so it took her a little bit to respond.



This is the beautiful Mini I received in the swap from the extremely talented Sara:



Would you believe she said this was her first time doing embroidery?? It's too perfect, and already hanging up on our walls.

This was one I was late on, it was for STUD October to Kathy: (She did receive it in November, I just got around to uploading it.



And...
I conquered Triangles!!
I'm still nervous about making them, but I'm no longer scared.

Sleepy Baby.. now with 3 teeth!

Little JellyBean is getting her 3rd tooth, and she's super tired because of it. But, problem is, little Bean only wants to cuddle her mommy. And that means Mommy can't get the last of her sewing done. Mommy needs to send out 3 swaps, so they'll be done tomorrow night, no matter what - Daddy is taking over the cuddling business instead of playing on his XBox. Mommy wants to have a little fun too!

Then I just need to put the final touches on a few other quilts, and I've got 2 of my personal swaps done! Yay! Go me!

Then, of course, I've signed up for the STUD mini - 2 of them actually: Woodland and Anything Goes (Halloween). And in my 6"-12" group we're signing up for Hawaiian style quilts or Hawaiian Themed. Since I've never made a Hawaiian quilt before, I figure a tiny mini would be an excellent way to try it out. And I've got a TON of hibiscus fabric which will be perfect for a Hawaiian themed quilt. I know just what I'm going to do for that one - and I've started getting out the fabric for it.

Till tomorrow when I get to show off the final versions of a few minis!

Today's goals!

I joined a new Christmas Challenge found here Di's Christmas Challenge. The challenge is to finish 3 projects in time for Christmas. Think I can do it? I've got a bunch of stuff to do for Christmas, I'd really like this one to be mostly a handmade one, so I'm going to really try my best to get 3 projects done in August, especially since I go back to work in September.

Currently I'm running a load of laundry - actually pre-washing the fabric I'm going to be using for the Scrappy Christmas Block Swap. Especially since I've got a lot of reds, I don't want them to bleed when the recipients of my blocks receive them.

Edited:



I'll edit this post later tonight with some pictures of my progress. Till later!
Jenn