WIP Wednesday...What else?

It has been a bit crazy with the end of the school year.  But Memorial Day weekend proved to be a very good break and both Mr. Boss and I found ourselves getting a few projects done in between playing with the boys and having a birthday celebration for Bunny!

Finishes:

Outdoor Projects

I actually have finished most of the pillows, so I thought I would include it in finishes! 

 Seven throw pillows made with outdoor fabric. 

I worked on them while Mr. Boss puttered around sealing our pavers and painting the playground.

 I have a few more to do.

 But Mr. Boss is pretty happy to have me work on some things for the family!  

I still am in the middle of making a special project for the outdoors...stay tuned!!!

Wipe Toy 

For Button.  

A Pinterest inspired project.  You can find out more HERE.

In Progress:

Twins Quilt

I have finished the pieced borders this past week 

and now need to get the appliques on and quilt!!!

Embroidered pillowcases

A last minute order for 10 pillowcases to have embroidered/applique PURPLE softballs for a team that has a big tournament this weekend!

I hope they turn out cute on this crazy zebra print!!!

No Progress: 
 

I honestly cry when I see this stack of no progress for these...but there is no particular deadlines, so I don't feel rushed to do them..

Twin quilt for nursery

Christmas quilt 

Baby girl quilt kit 

Thank you quilt

Merry, Merry Snowman BOM

New Projects:

Mug Rugs
 For End of the Year Teacher gifts.  I figured since it was a new project last week, that I haven't even started this week that it might just stay in new.  They are due "tomorrow" so....

yeah....

might not happen at all!

 Of course, linking of Lee, what else would I be doing on Wednesday!

P.S. Shameless promotion...William's quilt is in the running for Favorite Baby Quilt at Blogger's Quilt Festival....to see details...I posted HERE!

Nominee for the Blogger's Quilt Festival

Yes, you read that right!  

William's quilt is in the running for 

Favorite Baby Quilt

I honestly can't believe it made the top 5!  Seriously, I love this quilt...I am currently making two more by request of a friend...but I was SHOCKED when I found out!

A friend messaged me that it was nominated, and I really didn't believe them at first.  

My quilt?

With all those amazing other quilters?

My quilt?

Then I checked my email and it was true!

I promise, I only posted on FB to my friends to go nominate if they could.  I don't have THAT many FB friends, so it must be well liked!!!

If you still like it, it is just TWO clicks away.

Go to Amy's post HERE.

And then just click VOTE above William's Quilt. It changes position every time I have gone back to vote for OTHER quilts ( I promise) and to make sure it really, really is there.

 

I emailed his mom today.  

I think it is amazing how the spirit of that little guy is in this quilt.  And I think that I am just happy it was nominated. 

I can't tell you how important it is for those parents that have lost a child to see concrete evidence that their wee ones were here. 

Even if it is just a name on a quilt.

Thank you, thank you to whoever was so kind to nominate...and thank you for voting if you truly think it is worthy.

 

Two digits

means I can truly no longer look at my "baby" boy as a little guy anymore!

He is 10!

He is a BIG brother now...and I don't think he could be happier...

Nor Button.  He thinks that his big brother is pretty great!

COMPLETE ADORATION

He was the "BABY" for so long, however, it is a hard habit for this momma to break.  So forgive me if I slip every so often!

 

We had some friends over last night and I mentioned that I couldn't believe his 10th birthday was today.  When we moved here to Houston, he was the age Button is now.

He used to just walk right over to our friend's house (who happened to be our next door neighbor) and knock on her door....waiting to join the older kids.  

What is scary is that I was used to his independence.

He was tiny like this little guy at 15 months and he could climb a countertops like no one's business at this age.

How do I remember that?  Because we had to rush him to the ER because he climbed the dining room table to get to his brother's homework.  I was so used to his ability, that I told him to "get down right now"....not knowing he had a pencil in his hand.

Luckily...he only scraped the whole inner side of his eyelid. Phew!

He used to scare me.

ALOT.

 

What is more fascinating to me? 
Button seems to have the same propensity to be a "do it myself" little guy.


My two little independent guys.


Ahhhh.....but my baby hasn't really changed much...still that little baby boy, trying to make me smile, but now he has a whole new adoring audience. 

I am actually jealous that I have to share his attention now.

Sunday Project: Baby Wipes Toy

Do you have an empty wipes bin?  

Fabric scraps?

A baby/child that loves to tear through your fabric stash like it is nobody's business?

This is for you!!!

I am not even going to pretend I came up with this idea!  I found it on the somewhat...okay...VERY addictive Pinterest!

Here is the original project.

via Pinterest at this BLOG

But of course...I tweak.....I love to tweak!

I grabbed fabrics with no rhyme or reason.  They just happened to be decent size fabrics from my stash basket.  What is my stash basket? 

A huge basket that I throw all my scraps or mini bolts for the week.  I have decided I waste a goodly amount of time to return fabric as I work on projects.  I now spend Sunday's (laundry day) re-folding my mini bolts and relegating my scraps to where they belong HERE.

My scraps are different sizes...okay they may resemble a rainbow...I know, I know...I love rainbows!

I didn't feel like appliqueing mine nor hemming them. 

 This was a project to get quickly done and in the hands of the baby.

A simple pinking edge with my pinking rotary tool (not my favorite, BTW...I WILL be buying a pair of pinking shears on my next supply trip!)

My wipe container was boring white.

I pulled out my washi tape and made some stripes.

I can guarantee that Button does not care one bit that I didn't go crazy with applique numbers and letters.

He just likes to shove them into the case. 

 I guess most baby's want them out?

I think he takes after me...a little bit of an organizer!

Handmade Parade

 Are you a hand stitcher?

I love to sit down and do an embroidery stitch or two!

If you like to Katey is having a new link up party on Fridays!

She is hosting a linky party every Friday at her blog There and Back.  Go there and show off your stuff okay?

All I have going right now is my various needlepoint projects.

A yarn needlepoint. 

 I am making some progress, but it is slow.  I have no love for stamped projects.  I hate trying to "guess" which color, even with the chart. It feels like added work because they never seem to match.

I also have this going on my stand.

It is a aida cloth throw.  It is nice and soft, but not the easiest thing to work with.  The hoop is one of my very large ones, but isn't really compatible with my stand that I have.  But I am making it work.  I have to admit...this is counted cross-stitch, but my problem is since I don't work on it very often, I really lose my spot...I really need to start marking my chart!

And I finally broke open this kit!

I realize that I am rapidly running out of time to get this done for Button by Christmas.  

I sorted my floss two weeks ago.

And I started the first stitches this week!

Other than that, I have some hand stitching planned for the Twin's Quilts...so I will have something different to share later!

Otherwise, I probably won't be able to join in all the time (especially if all this needlepoint/crosstitch doesn't qualify)

Are you working on any handwork right now?

Finals Equal

Not so final for me!
  I have been running around bus driving my oldest to and fro to school.  When did Finals mean half days all week?  I remember taking several in one day when I was in high school.  I wish I had more done in one week than I do!!!

Uh, oh....am I dating myself?  Am I becoming one of those "back in the day...." moms?

Finishes:

Magnetic Baby Food Jar Storage

 

I finally got all my buttons sorted, organized and off my center cutting island.  The jars, surprisingly, took a ton of room and we know us quilters/crafters need some serious elbow space.  To find out the process I explained HERE.  I don't think you will be disappointed at the difficulty they were to make.  I plan to do some more with notions...in particular...possibly my needles?

Do. Good Stitches Blocks

 This month, my group Imagine. do. Good Stitches quilter asked us to make two blocks. The Rolling Stone/Radiant Ring.  We were instructed to just go with it as long as we used yellow, orange, apple/lime green, aqua/teal, and white.

via Flickr

It was actually delightful to just focus on a block and not have to worry about the end result.  I think I am really going to enjoy this charity!

via Flickr

I especially liked that it didn't take a long time.  A nice afternoon project.  Easy to squeeze in from start to finish!

I hope my fabric selections and layouts are good enough!

 In Progress:

Retro Flowers QAL

I realized I was vastly running out of time.  So after cutting and piecing the curves, I worked on it Friday afternoon.

Boy.

I have my work cut out for me!  This is slow going process because my die cuts are not the same measurements as the pattern.  

All I have to show for the work is 19 petals.  I decided to hold off on piecing the whole flower because I had an idea....
We shall see!

Zoo Animal Quilts for Twins

I have cut all of my fabrics.  I have my appliques ready to go.  

And I have pieced the inner row and the outer rows. 

Look familiar?  Yes...Just like my entry for the Quilt Blogger's Festival.  Nomination and voting is starting to happen.  I really need to finish looking at all the quilts!

 Now to piece the outer row, applique, and quilt.  
I have that "making progress" feeling.  Don't you love that feeling?

No Progress: 

Twin quilt for nursery

Christmas quilt 

Baby girl quilt kit 

Thank you quilt

Merry, Merry Snowman BOM

New Projects:

Mug Rugs
 For End of the Year Teacher gifts.

I am not sure if I can get them done...but I am going to give it the ole college try! 

Linking up LATE in the day with 

 I am just squeaking in...I almost didn't even link up, but I didn't want to go against my goal of not missing a WIP Wednesday this year!

 

Buttons Galore

We all know I love Buttons...right?

Awhile back, I think I posted that I was distracted one day sorting out all of my button colors into leftover baby food jars.  

What do with all of them was my next question! 

 After cluttering up a basket on top of my island in the studio, I knew they had to find a home.  I decided that I wanted to put them on a magnetic board like you see for kitchen spices.  However, I did not have a lot of wall space for that.

I looked around my room and found that there was opportune storage UNDER the cabinets. 

Jealous?

Don't be...do it yourself!!

I came home with these

 

One coat of Kilz primer and two coats of enamel to cover the caps from ugly Gerber to White. 

I came home with two options for underneath the cabinet.

I learned too late...that aluminum is NOT magnetic.

  This goes into my "return" pile.

 

 Luckily, I had this!

 It took A LOT of stirring and a lot of coats to get my magnet so stick.

But not strong enough for the cap, magnet and jar.  

Do not get me wrong...it works!!! So I don't think the purchase was a waste.  I will keep it in my back pocket for another day.

But no worries, Mr. Boss saved the day yesterday and ran back to get me some real metal flashing.  He took the magnets and a cap with him to make sure it worked.

I am prepared for him to kill me for posting this picture, but he is so awesome for helping me!!!

He cut it down to size, drilled holes for some finishing nails...and then after a bit of neck straining, tiny nail dropping, he was able to secure it!  He now wishes he had used adhesive on the back to keep it in place AND prevent the slight buckling we are experiencing today.   

I had to go back and cover up all the black oopsie marks with a few coats of White Kilz Primer.

While all that was drying, I grabbed my paper tape.

I think it is called Washi tape, but I feel guilty about it because I found mine at Target.  When you buy stuff like this in the office supply area of Target, it sorta loses it's glamour, no?

It is pretty cool stuff.  Like transparent waxy tape with design!

I wrapped them around each jar. 

 Sometimes matching the color, sometimes just complementing.

I simply just put the magnet right inside the cap.  I ended up using TWO magnets stacked on top of each other.  

If you are wondering what magnets these are, I have a photo of them in this post HERE when I used them for the stuffed animal magnets for the boys.

After the paint dried, I just twisted my caps on and stuck them up there!  Of course...rainbow style.  I have an affinity for organizing in rainbows.....HERE and HERE, in case you hadn't noticed!

And just because I just can't get enough of the yumminess...