Happy New Year!

The last Wednesday of 2014 is here already!  The time certainly does fly.

I hope that 2015 brings you all good health and great happiness!

Things here have been crazier than normal. (I suppose it has been the same for most of you!)

My wonderful hubby gave me a laptop for Christmas!  He was horribly disappointed to discover the mouse pad did not work at all, due to a hardware issue; so, it is on its way back to the manufacturer.  Once it is replaced, I look forward to commenting on everyone's blogs again!  (I spent 20 minutes trying to post 3 sentences on a blog from my iPad the other day, and finally gave up.  It freezes mid-sentence and decides I am done.) I have been admiring all of the beautiful work, though!

As you may see in the picture above, I made a bit more progress on my cross-stitch.  This week, I managed over 150 x-stitches.  Last week, I believe it was closer to 60.  So, I managed my average goal of 100 x-stitches a week. Here is how it looked by Christmas Eve, last week:

This week, I made it to the top of Santa's hat. *grins*

Most of my free crafty time has been spent working on my project for the "We Support You!" Blog Hop.  All I can say, is my idea is v-e-r-y time consuming.  I have not ruined it yet, but I have not used the sewing machine yet.  I'm hoping for the best!

There are still a few gifts I am working on that I cannot share.  Here is another sneak peek at one of them:

I have been thinking a lot about my goals for 2015.

• The posts of my list of goals may occur once a month, rather than once a week - as most of them are incredibly time consuming to complete.  
• I hope to swap more snowballs through Crazy Quilting International (CQI - they now meet on Facebook and Yahoo!) Though, I plan to take a year off from round robins, so I can focus on finishing other projects.
• I plan to finish my CQJP 2014 and CQJP 2015 projects.
• In January, I will be participating in the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge at Simply Green Smoothies.
• I look forward to participating in my first sane-quilting blog hop through Sew We Quilt January 29th - February 11th.
• Following the 1 Xmas Item a Month blog has been great fun.  I would love to participate if it continues through 2015.
• I look forward to getting to know all of you better!

Happy New Year!

Renee

WIP Wednesday 12/17/2014

Wednesdays sure do sneak up on me these days!  It has been a crazy week.  I have made a lot of progress, but not nearly as much as I had hoped.  In addition to the holiday busyness of life, the boys have had appointments, I have been working, had a cold, and my hubby had an out-of-town trip. (How often do you think you end up in a seat next to someone you know on a flight when you are not traveling together?!  My hubby was pleasantly surprised and had an opportunity to catch up with a friend we have not seen in some time.)

Thanks to my cold, I had a day where I had zero energy.  Sitting and working on this cross-stitch was the perfect way to pass the time.  I managed over 300 x-stitches in one day.  (There is always a silver lining!)

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to visit with two wonderful couples we know.  We played Scattegories all evening and had great fun.  My hubby and I put together a couple of Hot Cocoa Gift Kits to give to our friends.  We used this hot cocoa mix recipe from injennieskitchen.com.  (I discovered the recipe on Pinterest last year when I was trying to find an alternative to the cocoa mixes in the store that have so many extra fillers.  I love that it is dairy-free; we make ours with unsweetened almond milk. 3 of the 4 of us in our house prefer this to the store mixes.)  In addition to the cocoa, we provided mix-ins.  There are marshmallows, miniature chocolate chips, crushed peppermint candies, and Kahlua.

Here is another sneak peek at a gift I am working on.

We are a bit behind in everything this year.  I am off to help my boys finish decorating the Christmas tree before their dad makes it home from the airport.

I am linking up with Work in Progress Wednesday at pintangle.com.  To see what others have been up to, check out the links in the comments on this post.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Renee

Last Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week.  Over 300 x-stitches done!
2. Make a birthday gift.
3. Embellish a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) 
4. Complete 7 items on my check list for the We Support You project. Only 1 more done. Gulp!
5. Work on Christmas Gifts See above.
6. Catch up on reading a few blogs?!  (I hope!) I made it to a couple...

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
5. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
6. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
7. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
8. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
9. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
10. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
11. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
12. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
13. Paint guest bathroom.
14. Embellish and assemble thank you gift.
15. Make a get well gift.
16. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind. Work on this in 2015.
17. Make a TAST post. Work on this in 2015.

This Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. 
2. Make a birthday gift.
3. Embellish a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) 
4. Complete 10 - 13 items on my check list for the We Support You project.
5. Work on Christmas Gifts

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
5. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
6. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
7. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
8. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
9. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
10. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
11. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
12. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
13. Paint guest bathroom.
14. Embellish and assemble thank you gift.
15. Make a get well gift.
16. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind. Work on this in 2015.
17. Make a TAST post. Work on this in 2015.

We Support You Blog Hop Still Has Openings!

I have been busy as ever working on my project for the We Support You blog hop hosted by Madam Samm at Sew We Quilt. Guess what?!  There are still a few openings for this blog hop.

If you would like to see the pattern those participating receive for free from Madam Samm, check out THIS POST.  It explains all about the blog hop.  To wrap it up sweet and simple, there is a bra pattern and the words "We support you" or "I support you" - and you may use this pattern to make whatever you like, large or small. Your project needs to be completed in time to share it during the blog hop, which will take place between January 29th and February 11th of 2015.  (January 29th is 48 days away.) Pictures of the bra design may be seen in the link above.

If you are interested in joining the fun directions to sign up may be found by following the link listed above for Sew We Quilt or you may find the directions to sign up on THIS POST by Pat at Life in the Scrapatch. She is our wonderful cheerleader for this blog hop.

A couple of days into the project, my hubby said, "Wow. When you start a project, you don't mess around."  I asked if I had made too much of a mess.  He replied, "No, I meant this is going to take you forever. You don't make it easy for yourself, you go all out."  He may be right.  I broke my project down into steps and I have 42 steps to complete within the next 48 days.  At least 4 of these steps require 2 days to complete, so there is not a lot of wiggle room. (Gulp.)  But, I have a plan of attack and I am sticking to it.  With luck, I will finish early.  This is a gift I really look forward to giving.

This is going to be a gift for a wonderful, wonderful person.  She is worth every minute put into it, plus more.  Now, to see if I can make the actual project turn out as well as the colored sketch I created.  Last night, my hubby told me he thought this was the coolest project I have ever worked on and he is having a hard time not telling people about it. (We are keeping it a secret within our household, so it will be a surprise for the recipient.)  Considering I am using colors he does not even like, that was quite the compliment. 

If you decide to join the fun, please let me know! We can cheer one another along as the event approaches!

Thanks for stopping by!
Renee

WIP Wednesday 12/10/2014

This week, I made more progress on the windows in the upper-right section of the Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament from Heaven and Earth Designs.

I am linking up with Work in Progress Wednesday on pintangle.com.  If you want to learn more about WIP Wednesday, check out this link.  If you want to see what others have been up to, check out this post and the links in the comments.

I have also made a fair amount of progress on other projects that I cannot share yet.  However, I am just itching to show a tiny bit of at least one project.  I cannot say what it will be, or who it will be for.  However, I can tell you I had fun working on it!

Now, to see how many items I can mark off of my way-to-long, somewhat overwhelming to-do lists!  It looks like I knocked one item off the short-term list and three items off of the long-term list.  Not bad for one week - in December, no less!

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Last Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. Completed 195 x-stitches.
2. Make a birthday gift. The embroidery is done! I think it is safe to share pictures on this one.
   

   

   Monogram from The Magic of Crazy Quilting by J. Marsha Michler

3. Create a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!)  This has been pieced!
   
4. Embellish July CQJP 2014 block. Done!  If you missed the post, it is here.
   
5. Complete 1/6th of We Support You project. Done!
6. Work on Christmas Gifts Progress made - and I ordered gifts, does that count?!
7. Catch up on reading a few blogs?!  (I hope!) I managed a few, but I am not nearly caught up.

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
5. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
6. Piece August CQJP 2014 block. Pieced!  
   
7. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
8. Piece September CQJP 2014 block. Pieced!
   
9. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
10. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
    
11. Piece November CQJP 2014 block. Pieced!
    
12. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
13. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
14. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
15. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
16. Paint guest bathroom.
17. Make a thank you gift. Pieced!
    
18. Make a get well gift.
19. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind. Work on this in 2015.
20. Make a TAST post. Work on this in 2015.

This Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. 
2. Make a birthday gift.
3. Embellish a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) 
4. Complete 7 items on my check list for the We Support You project.
5. Work on Christmas Gifts
6. Catch up on reading a few blogs?!  (I hope!)

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
5. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
6. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
7. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
8. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
9. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
10. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
11. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
12. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
13. Paint guest bathroom.
14. Embellish and assemble thank you gift.
15. Make a get well gift.
16. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind. Work on this in 2015.
17. Make a TAST post. Work on this in 2015.

My Winter/Snowman Themed "Snowball" Collection

2013-2014 Winter/Snowman Themed "Snowball" Collection

I am sitting here, grinning from ear-to-ear, eager to share my lovely collection of snowballs with you all!  I am so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful, diverse collection of winter and snowmen.  This time next year, all of these beauties will be assembled into a wall quilt and adorning my home.  We do not get a lot of snow where I live (maybe up to 3 days of snow every few years), so it will be fun to enjoy snowmen all winter long without worrying about driving in snow or freezing pipes.

Generally, I do not like to brag.  Sometimes, you just have to make an exception.  Just look at how talented the ladies are that were so sweet to swap these little treasures with me!

This post is focused on all of the beautiful snowballs I have received, so I did not include photos of the ones I created to swap for them.  (However, I did add links to those posts, just in case you were curious.) Click on any picture for a larger view.

CQI "Snowball" from Nicki Lee received in June of 2013

1. This collection began to grow in June of 2013 with the fun winter flurry pictured above from Nicki Lee in MA.  The snowman was an earring!  And that winter flower still takes my breath away.  (I sent this under-the-sea themed snowball in return.  I can still remember how nervous I was about this first swap.  I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone.)

CQI "Snowball" received from Donna A. in June of 2013

2. Later that June, I received this wonderful snowball from Donna A. in MT.  I absolutely adore the little charm with the snowman on a sled!  The snowy trim makes a marvelous snowy path for his sledding adventures.  (In exchange, I created this pond-themed snowball for Donna. I can remember how excited I was that the cattails and dragonfly actually turned out.)

CQI "Snowball" received from Rita in KS in October of 2013

3. In October, I received this wonderful beaded snowman snowball from Rita in KS.  I fell in love with the snowman, the lace, and the amazing snowflakes.  (In exchange, I created my first hexagon-shaped crazy quilt block.  Rita was SO patient with all of my questions about the size. I was clueless!)

CQI "Snowball" received from Rita in KS in July of 2014

4. In July of 2014, Rita kindly swapped with me again. I just loved the snowman, the "Let It Snow" beads, and her use of lace and a doily.  (In return, I sent another cream/pink/green hexagon-shaped snowball to Rita.)

CQI "Snowball" received from Kristie W. in IN during September of 2014.

5. This breezy, winter-flurry snowball made by Kristie W. in Indiana arrived in September of 2014.  The photo did not capture just how adorable the little snowman is.  The swirl of snowflakes blowing around the snowman just stole my heart. (In exchange, I sent Kristie a pink and brown themed snowball.)

CQI "Snowball" received from Kathy S. in MD in October of 2014

6. In October, I received this wonderful snowball from Kathy S. in MD. (We have several Kathy's in CQI.  Kathy S. in MD is also known on-line as Clothqueen.)  I just love the feather stitches with the silver beads, the darling silver snowflakes, and the fabrics Kathy chose are absolutely wonderful!  (In return, I made this African-themed snowball for Kathy. I learned cross-stitching with 2 strands of floss over one thread of 32-count linen is a BAD idea.  And, the tree was oh-so-much fun!  I am so glad Kathy's theme pushed me out of my comfort zone!)

CQI "Snowball" received from Donna A. in MT in October of 2014

7. Later in October, I received a second snowball from Donna A. in MT.  I fell in love with the snowman fabric.  All of the embellishments are fabulous - the "O" in snow, the tree and ornament the snowman in the print is holding, the snowflakes and all of the little trees are just perfect!  (In return, I sent Donna a winter themed snowball.  This was my first attempt using water-color pencils on fabric and it was so much fun!)

CQI "Snowball" received from Lori F. in Ontario in October of 2014

8. The third snowball I received in October of 2014 was this beauty from Lori F. in Ontario. The idea of stitching a snowman's face onto a section of white fabric never occurred to me and I was absolutely charmed by this adorable treasure. (In return, I created a winter-themed snowball for Lori and I was thrilled with how well the little tree turned out.)

CQI "Snowball" received from Nicki Lee in MT in November of 2014

9. In November of 2014, this wonderful winter block from Nicki Lee in MA arrived.  The stitching, the star and the fun trim are all delightful.  I just love the way Nicki Lee used lace and beads to create a snowy landscape for the darling deer and tree! (In return, I created another under-the-sea themed snowball for Nicki Lee.  I used crayons on fabric, which was loads of fun, but I still think I was more nervous about making this mermaid than I was when I created my first snowball!)

CQI "Snowball" received from Lynne F. in MA in November of 2014

10.  The final snowball in my collection, created by Lynne F. in MA, arrived just before Thanksgiving in November of 2014. I fell in love with the snowman print - such a lovely winter scene!  I love the way it was framed and how the embellishments let the center shine.  (In return, I created a silver/white/blue winter-themed snowball for Lynne.  The wintery tree was so much fun!)

These snowballs will be assembled into a wall quilt that will pass through the generations in my family.  Each and every one is a true treasure.  However, I gained far more than 10 snowballs through these swaps.   I have made wonderful friendships with very talented ladies, and their themes have pushed me outside of my comfort zone, which allowed me to see what can be accomplished with a bit of faith and perseverance.

Nicki Lee, Donna, Rita, Kristie, Kathy, Lori, and Lynne, I cannot thank you enough for these wonderful treasures! I love them all!

Hugs,
Renee

CQJP 2014 July Block

Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) 2014 - July Block by Renee Y.

Well, it is December, and I finally completed my July block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2014.  (Registration for CQJP 2015 is open until December 20th, if you are interested signing up or in learning more about the challenge, check out THIS LINK.  Block sizes will be a minimum of 8-inches square.  I want to sign up, but have not finished the past two years, so I am still undecided.)

This block was really a lot of fun to make.  I love the combination of red, white and blue.  For some time, I wanted to try making a fan-shaped crazy quilt block.  It was a lot of fun!  I kept the stitching relatively simple.  The seams were created with stitches Sharon B. introduced through Take-A-Stitch Tuesday (TAST) posts on pintangle.com.

If I remember correctly, this was my first use of a lace motif.  I just love this little dragonfly!  (I am not affiliated with the shop, but I did purchase this 2 1/4 x 2 1/2" motif through crazyquiltingsupplies.com.)

I did not want the embellishments in the white sections to detract from the fan too much, so I stayed with white-on-white.  The bottom corner just screamed for a spider web.

Eventually, this block will become the front pocket on a purse using up-cycled denim. 

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

A "Snowball" from Lynne F. in MA

This beautiful "snowball" from Lynne F. in Massachusetts arrived in my mailbox last week, and I just love it!

The snowman print is so sweet and charming!  And I love the way Lynne framed it with ribbon and beads.  The stitching on the block is lovely and really makes this center piece shine.

Thank you SO much, Lynne!  I love this snowball and it is a perfect addition to my collection!

If you missed the snowball I made for Lynne, you may see it HERE.  I found it quite fun that we both preferred a white/blue/silver color scheme.

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Another "Snowball" from Nicki Lee

Crazy Quilting International Snowball Swap - made by Nicki Lee for Renee

Just look what arrived in the mail before Thanksgiving!  Nicki Lee made this darling snowball for me.  It is the 9th in my winter/snowman themed snowball collection and the 2nd made by Nicki Lee.  (To see the snowballs I made for Nicki Lee and to see the first snowball she sent me, check out THIS post.)

Don't you just love the use of lace and beads to create a snowy landscape?!  (Nicki Lee hand dyes beautiful lace.  If you have not checked out her Etsy shop, I encourage you to do so!  I am not affiliated with her shop, but I do have a wish list started...)

The details are all so lovely!  The tree and the deer were both from sets of earrings.  (I started looking at seasonal earrings thinking of crazy quilting charms after receiving my first snowball from Nicki Lee.  Such a clever idea!)

Thank you SO much, Nicki Lee!  I absolutely love my snowball!

WIP Wednesday 12/03/2014

It has been a crazy, busy couple of weeks.  For all of you that celebrated Thanksgiving last week, I hope you had a wonderful time.  I am certainly thankful for the many friends I have found through blogging!

Last week, I did not share any progress.  Somehow, it felt silly to write a post about my progress when I only managed just under 40 stitches on my Heaven and Earth Designs Santa and the Mouse Ornament. (As seen in the picture above.)

This week, I managed about 170 stitches more.  It is hard to really see the difference, but a bit more of the window frame was completed and some of the frosty snow on the window pane.

I also spent two afternoons planning out my project for Sew We Quilt's We Support You Blog Hop.  I have made a bit of progress.  My husband thinks this is one of the coolest projects I have done to date.  (He loves me, so I think he's biased! *wink*)  I have not actually done any sewing or quilting on it yet, so we'll hope I don't mess it up too much... (Queen of Wonky Corners - that's me!)

And I am also working on some secret projects. 

OH!  I did receive my last two winter/snowman themed snowballs through the Crazy Quilting International (CQI) Snowball Swap!  I have been itching to share them, but with my hubby working from home and our schedules being so full in the evenings, I have not had enough computer access to write up a post.  Soon, I promise!  (Crazy Quilting International has a group on Facebook now, too! If you are not into joining Yahoo! groups, but like Facebook and crazy quilting, I encourage you to check it out.)

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Previous Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind. PROJECT ON HOLD UNTIL JANUARY.
2. Make a TAST post.ON HOLD UNTIL 2015
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. Completed 200 stitches in the past 2 weeks.
5. Make a birthday gift.
6. Create a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) 
7. Embellish July CQJP 2014 block. This is SO close to being complete.
8. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
3. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
4. Have a count of at least 50,000 words for my Camp NaNoWriMo novel. Hmm... at this rate, I may as well wait until Camp NaNoWriMo 2015.
5. Piece August CQJP 2014 block. 
6. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
7. Piece September CQJP 2014 block. 
8. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
9. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
10. Piece November CQJP 2014 block.
11. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
12. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
13. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
14. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
15. Paint guest bathroom.
16. Make a thank you gift. Partially complete.
17. Make a get well gift.
18. Work on Christmas gifts. Some progress made.

This Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. 
2. Make a birthday gift.
3. Create a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) 
4. Embellish July CQJP 2014 block. 
5. Complete 1/6th of We Support You project.
6. Work on Christmas Gifts
7. Catch up on reading a few blogs?!  (I hope!)

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
5. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
6. Piece August CQJP 2014 block. 
7. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
8. Piece September CQJP 2014 block. 
9. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
10. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
11. Piece November CQJP 2014 block.
12. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
13. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
14. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
15. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
16. Paint guest bathroom.
17. Make a thank you gift.
18. Make a get well gift.
19. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind. Work on this in 2015.
20. Make a TAST post. Work on this in 2015.

We Support You Blog Hop at Sew We Quilt

Happy Wednesday!  With Thanksgiving coming up, I do not have a Work In Progress post to share.  However, I wanted to let you all know I signed up for my first blog hop!

Madame Samm at sewwequilt.com found a blog hop theme I simply could not resist - a We Support You (or it could be I Support You) themed blog hop to support those in our lives with breast cancer.  I had just purchased some fabric to make a get well gift for a relative of ours that is undergoing chemo for breast cancer, and thought this blog hop would be the perfect opportunity to offer a little more support.

Speaking of support, the pattern provided by Madame Samm is a bra. As of yesterday, there were still a few openings.  HERE IS A LINK to the sign-up page.  I encourage you to check it out if you are interested in joining, or if you are just curious about the hop.

Pat from Scrapatches will be our cheerleader.  (This is my first blog, and I have only made a few (unintentionally wonky) quilts, so I hope I do not end up with too many questions!)  

For those of you that stop by for my WIP Wednesday posts, I will share my progress next week.  (I found out a few days ago I will be hosting our Thanksgiving dinner, so life has been busy!)  You may still see what others have been up to by following THIS LINK.

Thank you so much for stopping by!  If you will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, I wish you a wonderful day!  Personally, I am thankful for all of you I have grown to know through this blogging world.

Best wishes,
Renee

WIP Wednesday 11/19/2014

The good news is that I made progress this week!  The bad news is that it was not on my Winter/Christmas Wall Quilt.  (In the past, I did mention that I find it easy to set projects for myself aside while I work on items for others, did I not?!)

I did make progress on the Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED) Santa and the Mouse Ornament, as you can see above.

My crafty time has been incredibly limited this week.  Although I cannot show the rest of my projects, I can share a few details. I have been busy testing a placemat pattern for a friend. (I am the Queen of Wonky Corners, but somehow managed to get everything lined up - AND the pattern uses triangles.) I have also worked on piecing a few blocks for gifts and for my remaining CQJP 2014 blocks.

Oh, I almost forgot! I know I am months and months behind on my CQJP 2014 blocks, but I have nearly finished the July block.

Kathy Shaw has opened registration for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) 2015!  If you are interested in learning more about CQJP, or signing up for next year, just follow THIS link.  The rules have changed a bit this year, and blocks must be a minimum of 8" square (it was 6" square in the past.) However, the shape of the block does not have to actually be a square.

To see the progress others have made this week, check out the links in the comments left on pintangle.com.  Here is a link to this week's post.

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Last Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind.
2. Make a TAST post. Done!  It is HERE.
   
   
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. Progress may be seen above.
5. Embellish a snowball for Lynne by November 15th. If you missed the post, you may see it HERE.

   

   Winter Snowman Embroidery

6. Share pictures of the snowball I mailed to Lori after she receives it. (It should reach her by November 14th.) If you missed the post, you may see it HERE.

   

   Snowman Winter Embroidery

7. Make a birthday gift. I purchased the supplies I needed.
8. Create a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) The fabric arrived and I found a PERFECT set of charms.  I have almost finished piecing the block.
9. Embellish July CQJP 2014 block. This is almost done! (Finally...)

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
3. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
4. Have a count of at least 50,000 words for my CampNaNoWriMo novel.
5. Piece August CQJP 2014 block. Partially complete.
6. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
7. Piece September CQJP 2014 block. Partially complete.
8. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
9. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
10. Piece November CQJP 2014 block.
11. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
12. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
13. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
14. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
15. Paint guest bathroom.
16. Make a thank you gift. Partially pieced.
17. Make a get well gift. Partially pieced.
18. Work on Christmas gifts.

This Week's List of Goals:

 Short-term:

1. Complete the wall quilt I plan to create with all of my CQI Winter/Christmas blocks. Complete quilting so it is ready to add the back and bind.
2. Make a TAST post. 
3. Complete back for May CQJP 2014 block.
4. Freebie Santa and the Mouse Ornament -  Heaven and Earth Designs chart by Michele Sayetta and artwork by Scott Gustafson. (I believe the ornament is a portion of the chart "Santa and the Mouse.") Complete 100 x-stitches by next week. 
5. Make a birthday gift.
6. Create a block in exchange for the sitting fee for my son's senior pictures. (This will stretch my creativity, as the requested topic is out of my comfort zone.  I ordered specific fabric from an Etsy shop to help with the theme.  This should be fun!) 
7. Embellish July CQJP 2014 block. 
8. Make a purse with my July CQJP 2014 block.

Long-term: 

1. Make a purse with my April CQJP 2014 block.
2. Make a purse with my May CQJP 2014 block.
3. My CQJP 2013 May block - better late than never?! (It is referred to as Block 4 if you follow this link.)
4. Have a count of at least 50,000 words for my CampNaNoWriMo novel.
5. Piece August CQJP 2014 block. 
6. Embellish August CQJP 2014 block.
7. Piece September CQJP 2014 block. 
8. Embellish September CQJP 2014 block.
9. Embellish October CQJP 2014 block.
10. Piece November CQJP 2014 block.
11. Embellish November CQJP 2014 block.
12. Piece December CQJP 2014 block.
13. Embellish December CQJP 2014 block.
14. Complete back panel and make a sew-in frame purse for my Etsy shop. 
15. Paint guest bathroom.
16. Make a thank you gift.
17. Make a get well gift.
18. Work on Christmas gifts.