Goals for 2023

 Hello Friends!

I know it's been a while but I have not had much to share.  I have finished a few baby quilts and other crafts and will do a year in review later.

I follow a quilter/cross stitcher named Judy.  You can find her blog here. She is doing a 23 in 23 challenge.  The goal is to finish 23 projects next year.  You can check out her site for directions.  I am choosing to do this with all things I need to finish.  Painting the kitchen cupboards, cleaning out the garages, finish a quilt, etc. It would be fun if you would play along.

I still have not decided on my word of the year for next year, but I have a short list. 

Here are a few of my goals for next year:

• Finish all started quilts- this is doable, as I only have a few that need quilting.
• Paint the kitchen cupboards- I have the paint just need the time
• Clean out the small garage- I will be having a tool sale to get rid of my dad's tools
• Carpeting- I would like to replace the carpet in the living room, spare bedroom and hallway
• Work on building a stash of finished quilts for gifting- especially baby quilts
• Work on a table runner for my Aunt- she would like Winter/Spring reversible 
• Work on bed runner for Aunt's SIL- never done this but might try

I think this is a good list to start.  I will be adding to it.  What were my goals for this year?

1. Finish On Ringo Lake- needs backing and quilting-Finished
2. Finish Grassy Creek-needs more piecing-Finished
3. Finish Unity- needs to be taken apart and remeasured-still working on this
4. Make 3 scrappy quilts for gift closet-not one started
5. Make the Scandinavian flags quilts-there are 5 just need to decide on size-not started
6. Finish all little projects that were started or need fixing-there a quite a few-only a few left to finish

I have a list of house update goals also:

1. Flooring in dining room and living room-not this year, hopefully 2023
2. Paint the kitchen-done
3. Paint the kitchen cupboards-need to do
4. Asphalt the driveway-still deciding on that or cement

Well, I finished 2 big quilts and a few baby quilts this year.  Not to my goals but they are going on the list for next year.  I bought a new sewing machine but have not used her much yet.  Next year we will really break her in!

I will work on my 23 in 23 list in my next post.

Hope you all have a joyous holiday season!

Blessings

Amy

New Car

 Hello Friends

I am sorry it has been so long.  This morning I could hear a cricket in my house.  Not sure where it is exactly but it makes noise.  Hopefully it will find its way outside. Anyway, it got me thinking about this blog and how you must be hearing crickets also.

Not much to report on the sewing front. I did take a quilt in to the quilter.  She informed me that she is quitting long arming.  So now it's back to finding a new quilter.  They are not easy to find in my area and I don't want to send it out if I don't have to.

I did start the #Kimsquaredcreative challenge.  Kim Lapacek from Project Quilting and Kim from Go Go Kim, are doing a sew along.  They are using Tula Pink's 100 Modern Quilt blocks book.  I decided it would be a great way to use up scraps.  I started on Aug 23rd with block 1. 

Of course in true Amy fashion.  That is the only block I have made.  Ugh!  Some day I will stick with these challenges.  I do still have my machine ready and the fabric ready to cut.  I just need to take a day and catch up.  With the holiday weekend I thought I would have time, but now I have plans to do other things.  But I will catch up!!

I did also finish painting a part of the kitchen that has needed it.  My job this fall is to paint the 'old' kitchen.  I will explain in pictures when I take some.  My dad added onto the house through the kitchen.  So we have an old section and a new section with a half wall in between. 

In other exciting news, I bought a car.  I had my car in the shop last Thursday.  It was making a loud muffler sound.  It needed part of the exhaust changed.  Then I had them put new breaks on the front.  A noise in the engine I had told them about was still there when I picked up my car.  I asked what it was and they said valve train.  That basically means you will need to replace the engine.  I was able to drive it all weekend with no problems.  Monday I leave for work and it sounds like I am killing a bird under the hood of the car.  Then my battery light comes on.  I try to do a Y turn to turn around but the steering is not working.  I was able to straighten the car and pull over.  Gathered my thoughts and turned it around.  It was no longer making the noise.  But I did not feel safe so I took my van to work instead.  The van is my mom and dad's but when I bought the house, it came with it.  I use it for hauling things.  It's a 2005 and on its last leg but it gets me where I need to go.  Anyway, I worked for 2 hours then went looking for a new car.  I tried 3 places with no luck.  Hardly any used cars and new cars are too expensive.  I have wanted a Buick Encore for a long time.  I just like the look of them.  I had a Buick Century many years ago and loved it.  I found one and was able to purchase it.  She does not have a name yet but she sure is pretty.

I am very happy with her.  I am also nervous.  When I come to work in the morning, we have deer.  Usually they walk across the road and you can stop, but sometimes they just run.  Ugh!  I got 2 raccoons with my car so I am extra cautious. 

So I am making a list of things to work on this winter.  I don't have it finished yet so I will wait to post that another day.  Do you sew more in the winter time?  The Almanac says we are expecting a very snowy winter.  I will not drive if the roads are bad so I will take those snow days to sew.

Tell me about your September sewing plans!  I need ideas (like I need another hole in my head). :) It is National Sewing month!

Blessings

Amy

Finishes

 Hello Friends

I have a couple of finishes to share with you today.  First up is On Ringo Lake.  This is a Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt from 2017.  I was debating putting bigger borders on and decided to just leave it as is.

It feels so good to have this finished.

I had also just finished putting together the 2020/2021 Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt Grassy Creek.  I just loved the colors in this one too.  Here she is finished:

I think this is one of my fastest finishes.  I did not start this until January of 2021.  I worked on it off and on for a few months.  By June I had all of the blocks made just needed to make the scrappy borders and block surrounds.  It took me a while to do that because it was all paper pieced.  I also needed to add fabric to my stash to finish them.  I put it all together by the end of the year.  It went to the long armer in February with On Ringo Lake.  She was a little behind with seasonal sicknesses, but got them back to me the end of April.  I had them bound by machine right away.  I am so happy with these finishes.

I am trying so hard to finish things before starting new things.  I did put together a top for the GSafe auction.  The fabric was all labeled in a kit that someone donated.  I am still deciding on a border. I have the fabric for the border just not sure it will look good.

Those are my finishes so far.  I did purchase a new sewing machine for my birthday this year.  Will post about that soon.  Just trying to get used to her.  I started with a table runner kit from my sister that has been in my stash for a while.  Stay tuned!

Do you switch up your sewing in the summer?  I just bought a table and chairs set for my front porch.  Hoping to sit and do some hand sewing or crochet this summer.  I don't get much machine time in the summer.

Blessings

Amy

Word of the Year - 2022

 Hello Friends

If you have been reading this for a while, you know that I make a word for the year.  I started this in 2017 as my father was going through some health issues.  My first word was Pause. I was making some health decisions for him and if I paused to think about all of the information, I made better decisions.

Then in 2018 Dad was put on hospice the previous December.  We knew his time was short with us.  I tried to be Mindful of everything I said and did.  I wanted to remember all of our talks. He passed in Aug of 2018.

In 2019 my son graduated from college and I wanted to take him on a trip.  We went to England with my sister.  It was a year of Adventure as I also went to Las Vegas to celebrate a friends 60th birthday.

Then Covid hit March of 2020.  It was also a big year for me as I turned 50. I was hoping it would be a year to Shine.  To meet up with old friends or even make new friends.  Not knowing the pandemic would put a wrench in that.

In 2021, it was a year to find Joy.  We had been on lock down for over a year and there was not a light at the end of the tunnel yet.  I wanted to find some joy in the little things we could do for each other. I tried to join some of the online groups through my guild.  We made a shared block.  It was fun and a good way to think of others and their likes.  I still need to finish my block.  Might turn it into a pillow.

That brings us to this year.  I would like to find the Happy in this year.  Things are opening up, people are gathering (cautiously) again.  It's a good time to find what makes me happy.  Sewing quilts is really close to the top of the list.  With spending time with my family as number one.

If you had a word for the year, what would it be?

Thanks for reading!

Blessings

Amy

Progress

 Hello Friends

Hope you are having a productive year so far.  And if not, that is okay too!  I have weeks where I don't do anything crafty.  And some weeks, that is all I do.  Hoping to find a good balance here soon.  The weather has been cold but not snowy.  We have actually had a few warm days.  If you count 40°F warm. On sunny days, you will usually find me in my sewing room.  That is a messy room I am hoping to get a handle on in the next few weeks.  It's getting hard to find things so it's time to clean and organize.  

I have been working on my Grassy Creek Mystery quilt.  It's a Bonnie K Hunter quilt from last year.  I started it in January after she released what it would look like.  I loved the colors so I thought I would try it.  I had finished the 25 blocks by March and there it sat.  I had to work on the sashing and that is paper pieced.  I was running low on gray fabric so needed to order more.  Then I would get busy with something or nothing else. I was able to finish most of the top.  I am working on the borders but again, needed to order a little more fabric. Here is one of the blocks:

These colors will look great in my bedroom.  The walls are gray so the pop of color will be nice.

Here is the top without the borders.  I have added the skinny green border but I am working on the pieced border now.

I am hoping to have this finished and ready to buy backing fabric by the end of the month. When this top is done I am also hoping to finish this top:

This is the Snowflake quilt by Modern Handcraft.  I have been working on this for a long time and hope to have it done this month to get backing for it also.  My quilter will be busy for me this Spring.

I also need to decide if I am putting borders on my On Ringo Lake quilt.

This was the 2017-2018 winter mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter. Just not sure if I should border it. I might just get backing and send it to my quilter so it can be a finish.

When I need a break from these quilts, I have been working on cutting down my scraps into useable sizes.  I have too much fabric and it's time to start using it!

Well, I think I am doing pretty good on my goal list.  Of course I am like a lot of people and start off the year strong and then sizzle out.  I am hoping to keep my momentum and finish all of my starts.  I am excited to start something new but need these off of the list first.

How do you keep your momentum?  Any tricks or tips are appreciated.

Thanks for reading!

Blessings

Amy