My Worst Enemy

ME!

I am on a mission to start hitting things hard.  I have a long list that needs to be tackled and I need to really spend every second I can working on it.  I just need to start ignoring "me" for a bit.

I have already been sidelined to make myself this cute Go Faster Box Bag the other weekend.

And I managed to work up a tutorial for my do.Good stitches bee blocks last week.

Card Trick Block in two different sizes!

Saturday, I managed to pull out all of my Fat Quarters out of their bins and get them out on a shelf so I can see them.

This past Sunday, I kinda-sorta tackled the list by finally making a new throw pillow out of placemats I bought for the family room.

And late night Mother's day, I was thinking about my little girl, and decided to design a Butterfly Kiss block.

It is paper pieced and am hoping to find a tester or two after I figure out how to get it into .pdf form.  I was able to finish it up yesterday morning.

Otherwise? I have been working on this.

I promised myself I would NOT take this up.  No knitting or crocheting.

But then I found the DVD I had thought I had given away and I just couldn't resist.   

The first starts were rough, and I do NOT plan on making sweaters any time soon.  But I have a project in mind for a simple square.  We shall see!

 Now to get focused on everything else on my list.  I can't even seem to blog regularly lately!  "Me" needs to settle herself down!!!

Linking up!

Butterfly Kisses

This post was partly drafted well before Sunday and was due to be published on Monday, but, alas, a bug called "The Flu" came in swiftly, ravaging our family, taking out every man, woman, and child in our home!

I am asking you to pretend that today is Monday.

The official Pregnancy/Infant Loss Awareness Day.  

Deal?

_______________________________

Today is about Violet's Quilt.  One of my Butterfly Kisses Quilts.

 The one where I played with purple/violet flying geese and designed a violet embroidery design.

I never got a chance to post the finished project because I was over anxious to get it in the mail and to her mom.   Luckily, her mom took one for me!

I cringe when I see this photo because it is all wrinkled and wonky.  I swear it wasn't before I sent it! I guess I need to wrap things like that better?  At least I hope it straightened out for Devany since the day she pulled it out in that photo!!

Who's Devany?  Devany is Violet's mom,  and is a blogger over at Still Playing At School.  We found each other through the vastly growing "babyloss" online community.

Devany also happens to be a Scentsy consultant.

She, apparently, was so appreciative that she decided she was going to run a 2 week online fundraiser for Butterfly Kisses.  Any orders that she receives will be shipped out directly to the customer, anywhere in the country (sometimes the world).  ALL of her commission from this "party" will come to Butterfly Kisses!  She wouldn't take no for an answer from me.

You may or may not know, that I do my Butterfly Kisses embroidery at no charge.  I am trying to keep it that way, but with shipping it gets to be a bit much sometimes if "traffic" is busy or items are large!  I sometimes receive small donations, and I ABSOLUTELY appreciate it.  As many of my quilt followers know, however, things are not so cheap these days.  My costs sometimes lie in the threads and fabric depending on if I am using my already established supplies or not.  However, the real costs lie in the stabilizer I have to buy for my embroidery machine and the shipping.  Occasionally, I also donate an entire quilt if I feel that it is necessary.

If you are interested in buying something like a warmer, hand soap, bath tablets, drawer scent packs...you name it... please go check out Devany's Scentsy Website.  It would be sincerely appreciated.  When you are ready to buy, you just click on the left side that says "Buy From Party".   She has a designated a Butterfly Kisses Party that you can order from.

Thank you Devany for doing this for me.  I don't deserve it!

Dual Posting with Butterfly Kisses

Three

She would have been three today.....

I have been avoiding this for MONTHS now.

Her third birthday/anniversary...whatever you want to call it.

I am even pretending that it isn't as I type this post.

 But I know it has been three years.

 The proof is when I see the boys now

and compare them to then

 My, have they grown...both in age and in numbers.

 It is also hard to deny the fact that this little guy wouldn't be here...without her.

As for her birthday in particular?

I have no plans.  No one in the house wants to give me ideas.  Butterfly Releases are only for special birthdays like her First Birthday.  I was told that a balloon release is not cool anymore.   I would have Button release one, but I am not sure I want to deal with the "OH NOOOO, momma!!" from that little boy when it went floating up to the heavens.

So I am hoping she sends a butterfly to me....

Just to let me know everything is alright.

________________________________

The reason I decided to even write this post is that I realized ten minutes ago that all the excess energy I have had the last three days is due to the fact that I am avoiding it all.  I have been unconsciously distracting myself.  And I have also been stacking up my plate to keep busy.

I am praying.   

I am praying that I cry at least once.  I didn't cry at all last year on her birthday.   I am also praying I don't cry ALL day either.  

What a conundrum!

But I also must remember.  

She is the reason I am quilting again with a fervor I have never had before. 

She is the reason I try to put all the pieces together.

She is the reason I started this blog over two years ago, to share her story. 

 To share me. 

She is my ambassador for Butterfly Kisses.

She has taken a person who has always wanted to give, but never could figure out how.

She has changed me.  

For the good.

Happy Birthday...and thank you so much....

.....my darling baby girl....

WIP: Reality Bites

The holidays approach. All the creativity out there sparks more creativity in you. You start a project here. "Oh, that would be wonderful for Aunt So-and-so".  Add it to the list.  You see a tree skirt you really like at the local departments store "Oh, I can make that!".  Take a picture with your camera phone.  Add it to the list.

Sound familiar?  Doesn't seem so bad?

Until you put it all down on paper.  I have named mine:

My Ridiculously Long To Do List

Yup.  It is ridiculous. When I printed it from google.docs it made it super small and it still printed on BOTH sides.  The list was so long, I had to make sections...twelve of them.  Then I had a column for due dates and a column for detailed process steps.   The red highlights?  NOW and end of October due dates. I wish I could take things off the list, but I can't...until I finish them.

So that means I need to get DOWN TO BUSINESS?  Anyone else in the same boat?

Finishes:

Button's Nap Mat

The thought of Button sleeping on his plastic mat for nap time spurred me to get this done.

 I just finished the binding late last night.  I am in love with this Kona Turquoise.  Bold, bright, and a perfect match for the dotted fabric!

It is floppier than I remember the other boy's nap mats were, but I chose a minky instead of cotton on the inside.  We know that Button loves soft minky fabrics, and I already had this brown on hand.  I want him to feel like he is safe.

And loved.

I used this green dotted fabric I had hanging out in my stash.  It was destined for this project, considering I bought it for a maternity scrub top when I was pregnant with him.  But I didn't feel up to sewing one, so how fitting that it became his nap mat. 

I didn't have two blue buttons or two green, so I went with both.  I kinda like it that way!

Everything that goes to school has to have his name on it, so why not take advantage and make an applique?

You think he approves?

 He clapped!  Definitely likes my efforts!!

Name Game Swap

Oh...and speaking of finishes?  I finally posted the full view of my Name Game Swap.  If you haven't see it yet, feel free to click on the image below to see all the details AND to see the amazing piece of work I received. 

My Artist's Palette Mini Quilt

In Progress:

Baby Girl Quilt

On my design board.   Hoping to piece it today/tomorrow.  It is one of my NOW due dates!

I was tired last night and realize I have to really mix some blocks up.  I promise, I see the blocks that need MAJOR help.  I just sometimes get frustrated because I move one block, and then have to move 12 more.  Sometimes I think chaos is very difficult for me to do!!  It must not be a part of my nature!

Butterfly Kisses

Things were pretty quiet over at Butterfly Kisses this summer.

 Recently, things have been picking up and I am back to doing a blanket/item about every other week.

 

 I am guessing because of the official Pregnancy/Infant loss month, it is on all the mommies minds!

  Finishing up this one today...my power was out all day yesterday and have one more in the wings waiting for my attention.  I suspect I have a few on their way, according to my emails!

No Progress:

You saw the Ridiculously Long To Do list, right?  Need I say more?

New Projects:

Of course?  What did you expect? 

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt

I finally felt the urge to buy the book when I had my hands on a #talknt discount code for the Fat Quarter Shop.

I recently bought a duvet cover for our bedroom because it was on clearance and it had the gold of my current bedroom, but added a new softer light to the room. 

I am tired of dark and dreary dusty purple and dark dusty gold. 

The Farmer's Wife quilt will hopefully folded at the foot of our bed for an afternoon nap.  

Two bundles have already arrived.

Sky Blue Hope Cove

and

Sincere Best Wishes

I am waiting for one more bundle to round out some the corals, golds, and grays.

I will also be throwing in a few colors from my stash, but really wanted to have a focused color palette to work from and keep me focused on!

What is everyone else up to?  Are the holidays getting you geared up or gunshy?

Linking up with Lee

She is getting ready for the Summit....I am green with envy!!!

Vote for Me?

Instead of a big heated or not so heated political debate?

Why not choose a quilt?

How 'bout you just click on the link above and vote for William's Quilt?

I saw the Jelly Roll sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and had to have it.

 Every once in awhile I have a momma that doesn't have an item for me to do a Butterfly Kisses embroidery on.  I occasionally charge...I occasionally donate. 

If I won this roll?  

I would definitely use it for up to 3-4 small infant donation quilts with my already existing stash!

So if you have a few seconds...okay about 20 seconds, could you scroll down to the bottom and click
"William's Quilt by Buttons and Butterflies"?

That's me!