Chunky Houses two

Here are the fronts of the little quilted chunky houses I made for my partners on Craftster for the chunky house swap.

And here are the backs of them.

I used different techniques on each house. The green on the left was pinwoven on the front and then stitched. The black and white was kind of a mismash of things to get the ying yang affect I wanted. The little hut had a roof woven of ripped fabric strips, that was fun. The one on the right was pieced and then I loved the idea of the backyard tree with a swing. It was made on a very cloudy blah day when I was yearning for spring weather.

(Yes, I really wrote "yearning"!)

I received some lovely houses as well. The swap gallery is well worth a peek if you have some MORE time to waste.

I'm also posting a pic here of the quilt I made for a flickr swap. It had to go to Australia and I'm really not sure if it made it through the fires or if the mail REALLY takes 6 weeks!! Crazy! The theme was favorite things and my partners favorites were red, yellow, ricrac, birds, flowers and trees. (If I remember correctly). I'm not happy with the quality of my handquilting but I thoroughly enjoyed the process. I love love love stitching!

I hope it makes it to its new home soon!

In other news, I keep looking at the picture below (it's our background on the computer and on my cell phone). I've fallen in love with that ootsy cootsy widdle face. (Puppy's bring out the baby talk, sorry). We have a list of names on the fridge. My son still likes "Cricket" even with major opposition on most fronts. I like "Gus" and "Rudy". Time will tell. We will visit the little bugger again when oldest DD is home on Spring Break. We can't take him from his mama until the 4th or 5th of April. In the meantime I have learned that his black and tan coloring is called "phantom" coloring and am slowly bringing in supplies we need for him. (And many we don't!). We still need a crate and maybe a playpen type pen to keep our things safe from him and him safe from Happy until we know if she will accept him. I'm still convinced he will be "her" baby and she'll love the company. Dream on Pollyanna!

SPRING is coming! I saw a Robin last Thursday. It was the morning of the funeral service for one of my best friends' dad. He would have loved any extra celebration of his life and would have appreciated the Robin showing up at that moment. I know I did. RIP Ed!

Off to work on projects of the non sewing variety, unfortunately.

Peace and piece! Jenni

New addition

We will be adding a new member to our family in April!  Today Mac (youngest DS) and I went to Croton, about an hour away, and put a deposit on a cockapoo.  They were only 3 weeks old and the momma was the sweetest most gentle thing!  She didn't mind us handling her babies at all and was very lovable herself.  Mac, in true Mac fashion, fell in love with the first little critter she put in his arms!  It was hard to choose but that it "his" new puppy, and he is naming him "Cricket".  He can't leave his mommy until he's 7 weeks old which will give us time to get things ready and get a crate, food, dishes, etc.  We also need to study up on introducing a puppy to an older dog.  Happy may not be so happy when she has competition for our affection!  Mainly my affection I think.  Anyway, we researched that cockers and poodles are not really territorial and don't get "little dog" syndrome where they try to be the leader or the boss.    I think Happy will be fine.  DH thinks we just put a deposit on a very expensive "Happy snack".  He said the same thing about the kitty last year at this time, that she would be a snack but they very peacefully coexist giving me hope that puppy and Happy will do the same.  I personally think she will love having something to baby.  I hope I'm right!  Anyone with any tips, they're welcome!  

Amaryllisroze wanted a sacred heart quilt in the craftster IYP swap we were doing. The only twist, she wanted it in the immaculate heart style, with a knife through it. I enjoyed the challenge and had lots of fun coming up with this version. I made the heart separately with lots of trims and stitchings couched to it, then finished the edge so it could have stood by itself. Then I made button hole type openings for the knife, which was sewn to heavy peltex stuff. A few roses, some embellishments and there you have it! I had wanted to make a fun border with crazy quilting or charms in it but ran out of time. The background was reverse appliqued but I did a crummy job so I ended up zig zagging it. Everything was from my rather extensive stash, too.

A close up version of the flames

And of the handle:

And a picture of the great triptych she sent to me:

Isn't it great?! It matches my living room well. I love the little paper doll clowns on strings.

On the diet front, I had a lot of "fun" between Christmas and February. So much that it added up to gaining 15 pounds since Thanksgiving! I decided to join Weight Watchers with a friend. We go to meetings on Thursday nights so today is weigh in day. As of last week I had lost 7 of my 15 fun pounds and am hoping I had a good week this week, too. I'm still trying to follow the basic principles I learned in South Beach, mainly eat lots of whole grains, fiber, lean protein and fruit. I'm trying to avoid sugar, the devil's food, because it usually sets me off and makes me want to eat more of it. I need the portion control and points counting of Weight Watchers PLUS I like that you can allow yourself some of the good stuff once in a while, as long as you account for it.

Being a grown-up and accountability. Bleh. I need to get my big butt moving, too. Happy and I have been trying to walk more. It will be easier when it stays warmer. Here she is sporting the same "Hey I just wanna lay here" attitude that I have!



I'm off to make some more chunky houses and get my hair cut today.

Piecefully,
Jenni

Chunky House Love

Oops, I originally posted the chunky houses I made for the first chunky swap but realize now I did that earlier so I've taken them off. Sorry!
See below for the houses from the last chunky house swap on craftser.org. I am currently working on the houses for the next swap, which are due to go out Saturday (yikes!).

Anyway, I did two mini quilts for the 6-12" mini quilt swap on flickr. The first hasn't been received yet by dearfii in Australia (it takes forever for the mail to get there!). They've had all those terrible fires there, I hope it survived! Here is a sneak peek (DON'T LOOK fii!)

And a gees bend inspired quilt for cecysg, which she HAS received.

Tomorrow I will post pictures of the wonderful triptych I received from amaryllisroze and the quilty (which I hope she gets by then) I sent her.

Off to work on more chunky houses!


Piecefully,
Jenni

So January is gone and most of February with out a blog post!  I so stink at this but really would like to get better!!

Let's see, since the New Year youngest DS has been in several basketball tournaments with his 6th grade team.  His last one is this weekend.  He also tried out for the school play "Willy Wonka" and will play the part of Charlie's dad.  I'm not familiar with the part but I'm sure it will be great!  I'm going to the parent meeting in a few minutes to try to get on the costume committee.  Who wouldn't want to outfit Willy and the Oompa Loompas?!!

Older DS has been working out for football (yes, ALREADY).  They had a powerlift competition last Saturday and he got fifth place (and there were more than five in the class!).  He also sang a beautiful solo (Yes I'm biased) in the solo and ensemble competition and received a ""1" which is a "superior" rating for a class A (most difficult) solo.  I'm proud, he seems to care less.  Typical almost 16 year old, right?

Younger DD has finished swimming, got accepted to Bowling Green and their school of Business and received a partial scholarship as well!  Very proud of her, sad she's graduating soon.  Seems impossible in a lot of ways.  We are starting to look for prom dresses and planning her graduation party.

Older DD is back at college and working hard.  She was home this past weekend for some R & R and family time.  I suspect part of the homesickness was also related to no clean laundry!  Both girls had pneumonia the week before Valentine's day so I'm very glad they are feeling better!

I'm off to the play meeting but will be back soon to post some quilt and chunky house pictures!

Piece out, Jenni

Time is running out!

Here it is already folks. The end of 2008. I did okay on my resolutions I guess. I mainly wanted to keep my weight off which I successfully did until the last two weeks! I have a biiig list of resolutions I'm working on for 2009. Mainly to stay fit, stretch my creativity and get some stuff done. I will post it in January.

Sitting on the edge of your chair just waiting with anticipation now, aren't you?! lol. I wonder if anyone reads this anyway! (I bet my mom and dad do!) Love ya!

Anyways, above is a clock I made last year from a cd and hair clips. The atc's were also tags for a 12 days of Christmas swap I did. I need to make another of those clocks! It's based on one made by my good friend rackycoo. I'd love to make one for myself and my girls both want one.

I finished some hand applique on my quilt for dearfii and our flickr swap. It is almost ready to go but I feel guilty that I didn't get it mailed in December. It will go out Friday though.

Friday is the open house of the new Studio 202 for Susan N and Susan S. They are moving locations and I can't wait to see it. What a dream, to have your own studio to work in daily!! Very cool.

I'm off to try to find the rick rack I misplaced and to try to clean around 5 sleeping teenagers that are crashed in my living room. Tonight we go to dinner with our friends and come back home to ring in the new year. My kids are all doing something elses. Em is celebrating her boyfriend's birthday (tomorrow, happy bday Mike!), Jill and Jake are hanging out with their boyfriend and girlfriend and Mac, poor guy, is babysitting for 10 kids. Oh well, he's 12 and doesn't know better! The parents will all be next door so it SHOULD be okay. Probably his first and last babysitting job and not worth the fifty bucks!

Be Merry!

So, since I get a bit nostalgic at Christmas time, here is the Christmas card photo of my kids from December 1999.

And here is this year's photo, nine years later.

I know it's a bit of a cliche' but SERIOUSLY, where did the time go?  When did I get old enough to be their mother!  Why did they have to quit humoring me that they believe in Santa?!!

On the quilty front, I made one small one as a gift that I forgot to take a picture of and have sent it the recipient.  I've started on a cute mini for my flickr partner, dearfii.  The theme is favorite things.  I've also VOWED that 2009 is the year of UFO finishing and destashing.  (Nevermind that I was shopping online for some cute new fabric I saw on another blog.  I closed it before I actually bought it).

I'm off to make some Christmas goodies.  I spent the day yesterday looking at recipes for Christmas eve and Christmas day and grocery shopping.  Apparently everyone else in town had the same bright idea. It took 3 1/2 hours to get everything and get it home.  That was AFTER I cleaned up the 12 pack of Diet Pepsi that exploded in the back of my car from the cold.  It was a mess, all over the windows, the ceiling, the carpet.  I got it up as best as I could.  I cried.  I think it is the holiday blues.  My best friend's dad had to go to the emergency room yesterday and it doesn't look too good for him right now.  That made me miss MY mom and dad, six hours away, even more.

Life is precious people!  Enjoy it to the fullest!  

Wishing you peace (and time to piece),

Jenni