Newest Quilt

My SIL asked me to make a quilt for my 3 year old niece who will be moving into a "big girl" bed in the upcoming months. I'm extremely excited and honored to be making a quilt for my niece.

Right now I'm working with my SIL to narrow down the color scheme, and browsing through all of the amazing patterns at Moda Bake Shop. My list is already quite long. I'll be sure to share the details as we figure them out.

I'm thinking of renting time on the long arm machine when it comes time to actually quilting it. Fun and exciting! It'll be the first piece (other than my practice piece in last months lesson) that I will be quilting on a long arm. I can't wait to get started!!

Sock Monkey Hat

I like hats. I wear bright cheerful floppy hats all summer long. I have a rather nice sized collection of winter hats. Some with ear flaps, some have pom pom balls, one is a frog, one is a penguin. You get the point... all of my hats are super cute.

My favorite hat this winter is my sock monkey hat. I love him. I got him at the WI State Fair over the summer. I was actually sad that it was too hot to wear him while walking around the fair. I waited months for the weather to turn cold just so I could take him out of storage..and now...it's sock monkey hat time!!!!

I wear this hat everywhere I go. People smile at me because the hat is just that adorable. Most of time I forget I'm wearing it and I think to myself, why is that person staring at me? Then I remember. Ahhh there's a sock monkey on my head.

Last week after getting my allergy shots, the nurse said to me "Where is your hat? You always have the cutest hats!" I promptly pulled sock monkey hat out of my jacket sleeve to show to her and the other nurse. They commented on its cuteness and I turned to walk away. I then overheard the nurses speaking to each other...they were talking about how cute the hat was and how only certain people, including ME could pull off wearing a hat like that.

Hmmmm. I've never thought of myself as someone who could "pull off" a look. I just wear sock monkey hat cause I think he's way fun, and cute. The hat makes me happy. I never stopped to think that wearing the hat was a "look". Interesting.

This one comment has changed my outlook on things. It made me think of other stuff I do/wear just because I like them...glitter nail polish, reading, gnome tote bags, Disney t-shirts, running, and baking brownies for no reason. I don't use/do/wear these thing for the "cool factor" I just like them. They make me happy.

I want to apply this 'do it cause it make me happy theory' to other things in my life now too. For example, I've always loved applique quilting but haven't used that technique in a while. Last year I attempted to make a rather complicated pieced top. I have 12 blocks sewn. They are not the best I've ever done. Each month I wanted less and less to work on the blocks. In fact I still haven't finished the top because I've decided I don't like piecing that much. When other quilters do it...it looks soo pretty and nice. But I just wasn't having fun with the quilt. I'm glad that I tried it, and I learned a lot, but I'd much rather do appliques.

So this year..I'm going back to what makes me happy. Sewing applique quilts (mostly wall hangings as those are my favorite).

I'll be sure to post photos as I create each one. Do something/make something/create something that makes you happy today!!

I want! I want! I want! AKA - laptop

I want a laptop. I've been asking for one for about 3 years now. Sure we have a computer with a huge monitor that DH ordered just for me for digitizing. But that doesn't stop my yearning for a 17 inch screen laptop with oodles and oodles of memory. (Do you think I can call Dell and ask for oodles and oodles of memory? ha ha ha)

I have visions of using my laptop to edit photos while sitting in the warm cozy kitchen (our computer room is at the end of the house and often the coldest room we have). I have visions of answering emails from the couch during TV commercials. I have visions of blogging from the hotel at quilt shows. I have visions of joining DH on his work trips..and lounging at the pool digitizing while he's off at meetings. (In reality I probably would not bring my prized laptop to the pool for fear of it swan diving into the deep end...but you get the point).

Sigh. So far none of these visions have come true no matter how many ad flyers I show DH. He says that I want 'everything'. Okay, he might be right about that..but still I think a laptop would be practical and useful and well...fun.

So this year...I've decided I'm gonna make it happen. 2012 will be the year of the laptop. Whether it be from my constant nagging, or me actually saving up for it...I will get a laptop.  Next up for me...rifling through my closets to find stuff to sell on eBay ;)

Happy New Year!!!!!

Happy New Year everyone!!!  I hope everyone's holidays were fun, safe and filled with love.

Mine were fantastic...I enjoyed every minute with my family and friends. 

This year instead of making New Year's resolutions I've decided to set a few goals for 2012. Here they are:

*Be courageous - there are lots of things that I want to do, but I've been afraid of failing. My most important goal for this year is to take the plunge and just do those things..no matter the outcome. If it works fantastic...if not..well at least I tried...and I won't be sitting there wondering 'what if' anymore.

*Finish the WIP on my self - I have a 3 shelf bookcase that is filled with Works In Progress. Most of them are small pieced wall hangings that I need to quilt. I love quilting..so I'm not sure why I've let them gather into an overwhelming pile. I want to finish them up, and clear off the bookcase so that I can start new projects. And believe me I have a TON of new projects that I'm just itching to start.

*Continue to do what makes ME happy - for a long time now I've put myself first. That may sound 'bad' or 'selfish' but really, when I'm happy, then everyone around me benefits. Doing what makes me and my family happy has really made an impact. Once I started doing that, life went from good to wonderful. If the best thing for me & my family is that I stay home and skip that Tupperware party, then I stay home. And I don't feel guilty about it.

And my final goal...enjoy life, be happy and cherish every day.

- Kat  :)