its been a while...

Sorry guys I know its been a while... I worked.. a LOT this week.. So I manage a college bookstore for those of you who dont know and well.. it was the first week of classes... which means loads of over time! Just a hint.. dont come in and argue at the end of the week... we are running on little to no sleep by then and well things could get ugly.. and of coarse in the end we work there and no what we are talking about.... are you ready for the total hours I worked this week??? drum roll please.......... 67.5 hours... yeah Im exhausted I worked today and took a nap as soon as I got home... I probably could have stayed asleep all night but I told my little sister I would go have sushi with her (which was sooooo good!) I didnt get any quilting done at all this week which I know is exceptable because of how much I worked.. but Im still kind of bumbed.. about wednesday I went in and was talking to one of the ladies that works for me and I told her I missed quilting... she says I have a problem hahah *shrugs* we all have our hobbies :)

~candace

A day of sewing!

sorry I have no pictures to post... I always think pictures make blogs more exciting.... I just wanted to share that today while doing laundry at my folks house, yes I do it there because I dont own a washer and dryer and well.. lets be honest.. its free (and dinner is included) :) hahaha anywho I sat around and watched tv with my mom and dad well more so my mom, dad swept and vacuumed and polished the wood floors and mopped the kitchen, what a good guy he is. so while me and my mom watched tv and dad worked I sewed yes that is all I did while there (besides laundry) I got 11 blocks for my block swap done! so then after dinner I packed up my machine and clean clothes and headed home... where I worked on some actual work.. the kind you get paid for and then when I was finished with that (it didnt take long) I did 2 more blocks! so if you count the 1 I did the other day plus the total 13 I did today.. Im at 14 blocks!!!! only 11 more to go and Im done!!! Im pretty proud of myself, my mom was at 10 last week and I felt so behind but now Im caught up and then some.. Although I will say while this is super fun! and Im really excited about the swap (which actually isnt until october we are just excited) Im kinda sad to have to trade off my blocks... I love the colors I picked out... I know I will love everyone elses too but man.. Oh well I guess that just means Ill have to make another one :) the flowers are so cute!

my block swap!!!

french flowers! i love it!

the outside... the inside...

all laid out just waiting to be sewn!

HIQ sign up! by sept 1st!!!

Turning 20 quilt top... check!

Yes thats right ladies and gents I finished my turning 20 quilt top!!! wooo go me!

isnt it fabulous?! I love it!!! I had to drape it on my book shelf to show that it is actually all sewn together!!! Ill get a better pic for you after I finish quilting it and hang it on my wall!!! Im soooo excited! Im getting ready to resign my lease and my home is starting to come together ;) only took a year. haha and now that Im done with this quilt top I can get started on sewing my blocks for my first block swap!!! Im so excited!!! Id work on them tomorrow but I dont want wendy and andree to see... I want them to be a suprise!

On another note tomorrow is the Sit and Sew at HIQ anyone and everyone is welcome! Its from 7 to 10.. although last time Im pretty sure I was there until 11 or 11:30.. Wendy made me stay haha and those of you who dont live in the area and cant make it well sew with us anyways! Youll be there in the spirit of quiltingness!

a wonderful weekend!!!

I went to my parents lake house this weekend!!! I headed out right after work but first... I made a pit stop at Happiness Is.. Quilting! I signed up for my very first block swap!!!! Im so SUPER excited about it! the blocks are so awesome! Ill post pictures as soon as I finish my first complete one. so anywho. I stopped to pick up some fabrics for my blocks they are french flowers! and super cute! my fabrics are bold and dont really match but do... you'll see. My mom also happens to be signed up for this block swap! so saturday was spent cutting out all of our flowers!!! I decided I cant start sewing my blocks until Ive finished my turning twenty quilt top.. I know Im slow *shrugs* its because I start like 15 projects at one time. The swap is in october so anyone who reads my blog and lives in the area.. sign up! it took the afternoon to cut out the flowers.. and Im sure it wont take long to sew the blocks together at all! I also got a ton done on my hand quilting project! I can not wait until its finished!!!!!

happy sewing!

~candace

the promised pictures!!!

but first! I must share the exciting news that my little sister is home from Ireland! I cant wait to hear all about it!!! ok now on to the goods ;)

ahh! the lovely additions to my stash!!!! they are just so bright and vibrant! which you cant really tell from this picture.. but I promise they are oodles of fun!

and another! this one you can definatly see the patterns better!!! I LOVE these fabrics.. and I got the all HALF OFF!!!! at The Quilt Asylum

Just look at this Jelly Roll goodness!!!!! I walked into Happiness Is.. Quilting! and Laura Kay greated me and asked what I thought.. well I said Ive actually been looking at this fabric online!!! so I had to get one.. it was fate!
I just love the way they look!!! Doesnt it just remind you of those giant suckers from childhood?! the ones it would have taken a month to finish if your parents hadnt made you throw it out at the end of the day! man its almost a shame to take it apart ;) not!ok I dont know how well you can see it.. but this is my hand quilting so far.. I know the stitches are far apart.. I am doing the rocking finger thing.. which kills my fingers.. so any other suggestions Im open.. I really do think by the end of this quilt my hand quilting will be top notch though!


~candace

what a weekend!

Sorry guys, I dont have any pictures to post today.. but I will tomorrow because boy do I have some things to share!!! I went fabric shopping Friday after I got off work.. I know I probably shouldnt have but come on... some times you just cant help it :) I picked up some goodies at The Quilt Asylum I just love their clearance bins! yes fat quarters galore and they always have some good ones to choose from! Not to mention the shelves and shelves and rows and rows of fabric. Its beautiful! Then I went over and paid a visit to the lovely Laura Kay at Happiness Is.. Quilting! She got in two new jelly rolls! one of which Ive had my eyes on.. the Moda Soiree!! oh my! I love it.. Like I said Ill post pictures tomorrow!!!! I have plans for it.. big plans! Then saturday I puppy sat at my parents house, it was fun I definatly enjoy the big space to myself... especially the movie room :) I got my circle quilt all sandwiched together and I started the hand quilting today! boy are my fingers in pain.. I am really enjoying doing this. Its hard and painful but I know that when the end result finally comes around it will be well worth it all! I got quite a bit done Im pretty excited. OH! and just a funny story I let the dogs out this morning about 6:30ish to do their business... I have to go outside with them because my dads dog wont go outside unless you go with her.. I dont know why but she needs you there to do her thing... so I go out side with the dogs enjoying the cool of the morning and the sun coming up and then we turn around to go inside and guess what... I closed the door behind us forgetting that I hadnt unlocked it from the night before.. so Im completely locked out of the house.. in my pjs.. and yes all the doors are locked.. so I walk around the outside because usually my little sister will leave her window unlocked... no such luck.. I went to the front all the windows I could get to were locked.. I finally went back into the backyard and by the kitchen and thankfully the kitchen window was unlocked.. so I climbed through the window and let the dogs back in for breakfast... and unlocked the door so I wouldnt forget and do it all pver again later.. my parents got a kick out of that story when they got home :) Im just glad the neighbors didnt see.. I would have hated having to explain myself.. Sorry officer I wasnt awake *shrugs* hahaha Oh well... this wasnt the first time and Im sure it wont be the last.

~ Candace

self portrait

In all forms of art you end up with the inevitable.. self portrait.. well I happened to be in an art quilting club last year and we did a self portrait out of fabric.. mines not finished Ive still got some embellishing to do... but here it is..

What we did was take a picture of ourselves.. well have someone else do it its easier that way :) then we made it bigger on the copier and then from there we traced it onto a transparency.. then you can trace over that onto your fasta-fuse! its soo easy!!! my hair is actually shor now and I had braces then which I am going to add with silver embroidary thread and juju beads (seed beads) Heres a close up...

my hair is yarn that I picked up at hobby lobby and pricked on there with my felting needle.. I LOVE that thing! it was definatly money well spent! I use it for everything.. I add yarn to my ATCs (artist trading cards) which we traded in our club every month and my post cards which we also traded for holidays and what not which was so much fun to get in the mail!!! Ill post some pictures of those for yall next time!!

~candace

"Stimulus Package"

Faitful Quilter: Elaine's Journey is giving away what she calls a "stimulus package" haha dont you love that?! we all need a little "stimulus" hahahaha! She posted a picture yesterday of what this little package will arrive in so go check it out!

~candace

Turning 20 Quilt!

Its fun and easy! I again purchased this pattern at Happiness Is... Quilting! Yesterday I cut the fabric while at my parents house doing laundry (its what I do on sundays) and today I laid it out on my floor to see where I wanted my colors to go! It has taken over my entire dining room floor... I had to push the table all the way to the couch to give me space... and there still wasnt quite enough *shrugs* you work with what you got :)

this is my fabric Im using the pattern book and the fabric for the back! I love these colors!!!

this is my fabric all cut out and placed in piles accordingly... and it looks like my moms christmas rug... Im not really sure *shrugs*

and this is my quilt top all laid out on my floor! its obviously not sewn together yet.. thats tomorrows task.. well it will probably take me the rest of the week... but when Im finished Im going to hang this baby above my couch (which is orange!) I have incredably tall ceilings... and lots of empty wall space so this will be perfect! I actually bought this little kit before I moved into my apartment and based my entire living room around this quilt and these beautiful fabrics!

~candace~

Weekender Tote!

So I have been working on this for a while and am getting close to actually putting it together.. I know Im slow *shrugs* The pattern was put out by Quilts Illustrated it was designed by Penny Sturges, and it might be the cutest tote I have seen (and the easiest!)



One Jelly Roll should get you three tote bags and some good scraps to use on future projects! This is how I laid it out to decide where the colors went (this is my last side!!! which I finished tonight!!!)

This is what one of the sides looks like with the edges trimmed! I told you it was easy!!! I purchased the pattern and the Jelly Roll at Happiness Is... Quilting! My absolute favorite little quilt shop! I also got started on another project today which I will share with you soon!

~ candace