Hooray for quick projects!

So, I finally figured out that if I do quicker, more simple projects, I feel much more accomplished. Like I'm making more progress, getting more done. Such a simple trick, and it lets me use way more yummy fabric, in a bigger variety of ways, than just making quilts would! Plus, no aggravation of trying to drag a huge quilt through my weensy little machine to quilt the top (gotta be my least favorite part!!). So, win-win!

I made my first Gum Drop Pillow (Amy Butler) today. I decided to bring some color into our living room, because up until now, it's been brown, beige, brown, black, and brown. Did I mention the brown? So, I chose brighter fabrics for these (hopefully I'll get a couple more made), and then I am hoping to do the Loulouthi Tiles quilt-a-long, hosted by Rachel at Stitched in Color, to brighten things up a bit. You know, when I get to it.

So, mission accomplished - color! These pillows are incredibly simple to make, the hardest part was stuffing it with the filling. It's hard getting it in there evenly and if you didn't notice in my pictures, I strategically angled the pictures so you couldn't see exactly how lopsided mine turned out! :) This one pillow ended up taking two 5 lb boxes of filler, and there still could have been room for more! That's a lot, and also a lot of money, so I don't know that I'll be exactly rushing to make more, but eventually I will!

Progress

Well, I've gotten a couple of things done over the last few days. I finished the awesome wedding gift (can't wait to share it!), and then I took a long long long break from sewing, and then I made this sewing machine cover for my friend, Susan's, birthday:

Then I made my moms laptop sleeve:

And today I whipped up this apron from a kit I got while in Oregon:

It's reversible!

In other news, two days in the last week have had lower categories leaving the airport, so maybe, just maybe I'll get to make it home for my friends wedding. My fingers are crossed!

Updated: I totally forgot to give credit!! OK, the machine cover is from Empty Bobbin, with only minor adjustments on my part. The apron is by Mary Mulari,and I got the kit at Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR. The laptop sleeve was from Sew Spoiled. oops!

If you know me at all . . .

then you know I'm not a fan of worms. Or slugs. Or, really, anything that wriggles, slithers, creeps, or slimes its way around the world. Ugh, I shudder just thinking about them! Once I worked in a mailroom, sorting and delivering mail and I came across a piece addressed to me. I was so very excited, you know how it is when you find you've got unexpected mail? Yeah. I opened it up and inside was a fake rubber worm, like the ones you use when you are fishing or something, I guess. Maybe I would have been a little suspicious if I'd noticed that everyone in the mail room had gotten very quiet and were watching me from the corner of their eyes, but no, I was caught totally unprepared. Oh those jokesters.

Then when I moved to Utah, the first time, I received a postcard from a friend with a picture of a huge ol' banana slug on it. You know, to remind me of home. I love that they all know me so well!

Anyways, this was all over a decade ago, but recently I've been reminded of these events. You see, its been raining like crazy here and you know when it rains a lot it brings out the worms, right? Back home, when it rained like this, it was nearly impossible to avoid the worms when you went out. Apparently, here, when it rains like this, along with the worms it also brings out the slugs. Oh lordy, the slugs!!

However, this sight totally makes the obstacle worthwhile!

Next month, one of my best friends is getting married. I've been invited to be her matron of honor, something she takes very seriously, I believe. Well, I do too, of course, but the bride is probably the most traditional friend I've got, so I know its a very big deal to her to have asked me, so I'm taking it extra super to heart. And I'm very honored. And I'm VERY worried I'm not going to be able to get there. Living in Germany is great, but boy, it's a long and expensive way from home! I have discovered, and embraced, the opportunity to travel Space-A, but I've been tracking flights out of here for the last couple of months and it isn't looking promising for me. There are these categories that determine your priority if a seat is available on a flight and basically I'll be near the bottom. And nobody even close to my category has gotten out in over a month. And the wedding is in less than a month, and dang it, I really want to be there! So, buy a regular ticket, you say! Yeah, have you priced international travel during August lately? We did that last year for the kids and we're still paying that credit card bill off!

Anyways, I'm just bummed because I really want to be there for my friend and I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to. I guess the good news is that I finished her wedding present and it's by far my most successful project yet! I'm very excited about it and can't wait to give it to her! Maybe I'll mail it now so I can share pictures once she gets it. :) But, we'll wait it out and see if travel options look up next month. Fingers crossed!

Bweeto!

I have to say that this is the funnest age with my guy! In the last month his vocabulary and pronunciation has changed a LOT, and daily there are surprises and exclamations over things he says that we've never heard before. The other day, SSGT was wrapping him up and calling him a burrito, and every time he unrolled him, "Bweeto!" was shouted with urgings to do it again! Very cute.

I've been fairly productive on the sewing front, and I'm really excited that my motivation has stuck around for more than a day or two (we're going on over a half a year, I think!) and can only hope that it sticks around long enough for me to finish all these project hopes I have in my head (and my bookmarks, and blogroll, and oh dear I've embraced pinterest, and geez I hope I stay forever motivated!). I'm looking forward to August being over so I can share my current works, but I'll try to take some pictures of other projects I've got going to share.

In the meantime, BWEETO!

4th

Happy Fourth of July! Lots of people have asked if there are any festivities here, and yes, of course there are! There are so many American military installations in Europe, and well, we definitely need to be able to have the opportunity to celebrate our country while living abroad, so there are lots of things going on. However, we're not doing anything! With a youngster who wont make it late enough for fireworks, and with a constant drizzle forecasted for the day, there just isn't quite enough motivation to get out for it. No problem, more time to work on one of the gazillion projects I've got going on right now!

And boy, I am seriously loving the projects I'm working on! Unfortunately, I can't share pictures yet on the off chance that the future recipients of these gifts actually stumbled across this here blog! And unfortunately, they wont be gifted until August! Hopefully I'll finish them soon and be able to work on some public projects. I will say that Aviary 2 by Joel Dewberry is a gorgeous collection to work with! I wasn't too enthused at first, but I totally love how things are coming together!

And I guess, for now, that's all. Have a great day of picnics, family and friends, and fun!