Still In Progress...

My Tuesday was like a full Monday!  Celebrating Sophia's birthday made for a fun day thou :)  All that to say, I didn't get to work on my design challenge quilt more, BUT I did take a couple more pictures for you!

We were given a page from a seed catalog, and told to select one picture to use as inspiration.

This is where my focus landed - peas!  I love the picture on the left, all the shades of green in the shadows, and the shape.  Nothing has to be literal, just our inspiration, so I cut a circle template!

 Maybe now the photo from yesterday makes more sense?  I'm planning to be back tomorrow with more :)

Our Birthday Girl!  Sophia had a great day being the center of attention.  We also went to the doctor for her and Owen, a little reactive airway trouble...I'm thankful that it's nothing worse, just a nasty cold that doesn't want to leave.

What are you working on today?

Blessings~
Amy
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Happy Birthday to Me & You

Each time we come together for a Festival I am overwhelmed by the response!  You all are so amazing - thank you for sharing your quilts and more importantly your stories that go with them.  I've had comments from some of you that started quilting or blogging (or both!) due to the inspiration found in past Festivals - they mean so much to me!  Thank you for telling me - I love knowing that my vision for this blog is coming to pass. :)

Today is my birthday!  I'm 33 years young this year and looking forward to another great year, full of blessings!  To celebrate with you, I am offering 25% off the two patterns I have listed on my patterns page.  One day only :)

Available for instant download!

Blessings,
Amy
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Madison Bag & a Big Birthday

It's been such a full week!  Thanks so much for your response to my first pattern, and the Blogger's Quilt Festival! In the mean time, I finished my Madison Bag for myself - and almost forgot to show you.

I love the finished product!  Getting there, was a little sketchy, but the size and shape are so right.

The construction methods were a little frustrating.  This is how I had to maneuver the machine to be able to attach the handles....I plan to try another pattern and see how more recent instructions finish the bag.  I wouldn't suggest this pattern for a first time bag maker, but it's so cute.  Don't you think!?


Today is Ella's birthday - she's 10. 10!  My first baby, now 10!  She's been counting down for the last three months, not one second letting us forget that she is SO excited to move into double digits.  Lasagna and cheesecake are on the menu tonight - I bought the cheesecake, but the lasagna will be homemade.  

What are you up to today?
Amy

PS - my manuscript arrived yesterday, time to edit :)
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Happy Valentine's!

I know that not everyone celebrates Valentine's day, so to those that do - Happy Valentine's!  I hope that all of you are loved and blessed!

 Joe surprised me with these flowers on Thursday - he wanted to get them before they were out :)  I am so very thankful and blessed to share my life with him.  We are aiming for dinner and a movie later this evening!

Amy
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My Birthday Girl

Thank you for the birthday wishes for Emmalie!  She had a great day being the center of attention and extra treats too :)  I'm behind (again) (as usual) in responding to comments, but I'm so glad that you are excited about quilters from the Quilt Festival being featured regularly!  I'm looking forward to it!  I'm thinking our first installment will start within a couple of weeks.  

Back to Emmalie -

 She was blessed with new clothes.

A huge box of crayons - every Kindergartners dream!

And quite a few Littlest Pet Shop figures, including this plush one.  (We now have 3 girls collecting the little creatures!) 

She requested the butterfly cake again, with everything going on in our home I asked her to pick two colors, knowing that I didn't have a lot of time to decorate it!  (Go take a look at last year's cake.) 

She got them all on the first go!  She is a blessed little girl with all the love and presents she received today.  Joe and I are blessed by her sweet and gentle spirit.  We love you Emmalie!

Here's the rest of what I've been up to - painting the living room!  My Christmas present from Joe was the paint, and his ability, for the living room.  He's been working non-stop, so I thought it might take months to actually happen.  Much to my surprise, he showed up Tuesday afternoon early, and suggested that we begin painting!  I ran to Home Depot and Wal-Mart (BD shopping) and came back with all the necessities.   He got us started, but I spent most of Wednesday doing my best to paint two large walls.

We are covering the gold with a tealy blue called Jamaican Sea, and the ceiling is back to white.  It feels so fresh and bright - I'm loving it!!  Now what to do with those curtains. . . ???  I'll post more make-over pictures when my computer isn't pushed up against the stairs!

Blessings~
Amy
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Life is Full & I Am Blessed!

I ended up taking more of a break than I had planned!  I have been soaking up the memories with our kids, and loving every moment.  I will admit that bedtime is still my favorite time of day for the kids - I'm wiped by the time they snuggle into bed!

Christmas morning is a favorite time too!  Watching the wonder in their eyes as they open gifts, thoughtfully purchased (not made, this year) for them specifically.

Owen was immediately in love with this Spiral Speedway, he was happy to play with it while his sisters continued opening gifts!  Sadly, I didn't take many more pictures as each one needed help with this or that, and my hands (and Joe's) were busy.

We've been having fun playing Connect 4 and putting together puzzles (Fairy Tale Castle 48pc).  I've snuck in a little sewing while the girls have a tea party too, (Tea Set) they are so fun to listen to!  Milk and Egg Nog have been the teas of choice so far!

Saturday we went sledding!  There's a golf course in Park City, (Mountain Dell) which is closed for the season, but it's a popular sledding hill.  We went with the masses and had a blast,for about an hour, little people get cold fast!  Lots of fun with a sled!  Owen was sad as we pulled away from the hill, he wasn't at all ready to be done.  I was glad though, my lungs ache when I'm out in the cold too much.

This coming week we get to look forward to the new year, goals and dreams.  I've been thinking up a few things, that I really want to incorporate in the new year - I hope you will join me!

Amy

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Merry Christmas!

I pray that you are well and blessed today.  I am enjoying the day with my family and doing a little baking for our Christmas breakfast!  I'll be back in a few days to fill you in on our Christmas happenings.

Blessings ~
Amy

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Recent Happenings

It would seem I've been absent more than present here lately. . . and my creative time has been out the window, but I have good reason!

Saturday morning we packed the kids up and
went camping! Our plan was to be gone two nights, but the second night had some serious storms in the forecast. Joe and I ended up taking down the tent in the midst of a crazy hail storm - thankfully the kids were safe inside the truck :) We opted for more sleep at home, instead of the lightening/thunder night that was predicted.

We had a great time over in Dinosaur! The kids love to collect rocks, and poke sticks in holes to see who lives there. And explore the petroglyphs and scramble the mountain side.




Being in a National Monument means that all the rocks stay where they were found :) I've washed pockets full of rocks before -- oops!

We celebrated this little man's birthday yesterday.

My baby is now two, and no longer a baby! That makes me happy and sad all in the same moment. I'm excited to see what the coming year brings for Owen. More talking, less grunting, potty training, no more diapers in the house, more sleep at night, less wake ups for snuggle time.

He thoroughly enjoyed the attention from everyone!

A duplo train set has been the highlight so far :)
And a scooter like all his sister's have for outside time.
Of course the fun is in taking it all apart too!

Did I tell you he's trying to tell "knock, knock" jokes!? The girls like to take turns telling daddy a knock, knock joke at dinner time - no matter how odd, they always get a laugh from daddy and sisters -- Owen decided to join in last week, and get his own laugh! He loves making his sisters laugh :) So far all he says is "knock, knock" but knowing that he can, when he so chooses, make the sounds, is great! Although, I must say a little frustrating for me - I want him to talk all the time, not just for a laugh! Baby steps :)

Yesterday felt like Saturday, and today feels like Monday - I have lots of wet laundry to do :( I don't think I've been this behind in laundry for a while, but I should get though most of it today. I'm crossing my fingers that I can get a project cut out too - wish me luck!

I hope that you are well and blessed today! I am thankful for our warm, dry home and the clear weather on the horizon.

Amy

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Evidence of a Great Weekend!

I hope that you all had a great weekend, near or far! I have lots of pictures to prove my weekend was a blast!

Coldstone icecream cake--

Owen eating it --

Outside on the new patio--

Owen eating the dirt--


From my little vegetable patch - I know most in the US are already eating from their gardens or getting really close! Here in the mountains if I plant too early the frost gets it - this is the usual weekend for the seeds to go in! They were planted today :)


Joe and I got to go out for dinner on Saturday -- we had a great night on our own. And look what I found while browsing Barnes & Noble! Love all the eye candy in this book.


By birthday fabric! You guessed it :)

I'm hoping to make a summer quilt for our bed, through Dana's quilt-along!

That's all for now - this is our last week of school and it's a full week!
Blessings -
Amy

So little time . . .

I think I need a list!

I had a fabulous time at the Quilt Show on Saturday, and I feel like I haven't stopped since!

Yesterday with the family was so nice and relaxed, after Owen's nap in the afternoon, we headed down to Salt Lake all together. Family outings can be a challenge, but we all enjoyed ourselves. The Gateway is a nice outdoor mall, and we simply strolled. I wandered through Anthropologie and found these - I was due for a new set :) I love all the linens they have in there. A nice dinner out concluded our evening in the valley and we were on our way into the hills! I love living up away from the city. My Mother's Day flowers:
This week marks the beginning of "birthday season" for our family. Over the next 6 weeks we have 4 birthdays, mother's day and father's day play into the equation too. Wednesday Ella will be 9, I have a little project for her, and my parents are on their way - we should see them tomorrow. . . I have a gift to make for my mom too!

So here's my list =

= laundry, laundry, laundry
= make Ella a monster
= birthday cake
= birthday treats for school
= make Mom a Bible Cover (shhh!)
= declutter my desk
= plan a menu
= blog about the HMQS - I met people and have a couple of fun purchases
= clean up the house, more and again, really it never ends :)
= finish up another project, and get it in the mail
= get some decent sleep!

I'm really behind in my email - thank you so much for your comments, I read them all as they come in but often don't have the chance to sit and respond as I would like to. I hope your week is off to a great start-
Amy

Happy Valentine's!

My sentiment for the holiday - "Love isn't love till you give it away." I pray that you are blessed with love today and always!

I found this bowl in a catalog that I still get, I've stopped most - too many trees, theirs is always packed with charming tidbits of days gone by, and I love it all. Although I've yet to buy anything - it's all too nice for this house :)
These towels are pretty adorable too! I put links into both of the pictures if you are in the mood to shop :)

I've been quiet here - sorry. I've been feeling the effects of a snowy week, without much sunshine, and I'm not used to that around here. And I've felt inclined to snuggle up with a book(s) instead of quilting. Have you read the Elm Creek Quilter's Books? I've been trading books on PaperBack Swap and loving it! So far I have read the first 4 of the series and have my eye out for the rest!

Blessings to you, and the one you love ~ Amy

Emmalie Turns 5!

I was trying to get here yesterday! Too much activity in my house :) I'm behind in responding to your nice comments about the quilt top - thank you! I get such a boost sharing here.

Emmalie had a great Birthday - thank you for your birthday wishes for her! A few pictures from our birthday celebration :)
She was exasperated with daddy for taking her picture. I have a few with just her spoon!

The birthday cake - Emmalie asked for a butterfly cake (I already had the pan) with rainbow frosting. I'm not usually quite this artistic with the cakes but I pulled it off :) She loved it! In fact she was just asking me to print this picture so she could have it. Em has a way of bringing a smile to my face at any time :)

Hope you are having a great afternoon ~ Amy