Mrs. Jones

If I could choose to relive one day of my life it would be June 26th, 2010. Everything was perfect!

After dating for three and half years, getting engaged on my birthday, being "happily engaged" for another three and half years, and planning a wedding for over a year - it was FINALLY time to surround ourselves with people we love and tie the knot seven years and four days after our first date. We enjoyed our morning getting pampered, had a beautiful ceremony, and showed 'em how a "done up backyard BBQ" was really done.

I birthed a quilt!

After 9 months of intense sewing, some difficult pains now and then, and a 35 page instruction book all I made was this quilt.
When I initially cut all the pieces out it was 1,753 pieces but that number greatly increased with all cross-cutting and putting pieces back together. I handed the quilt off last Friday to get quilted by my friend and long-arm quilter Melodee. The anticipation is growing to finally get this little baby (88''x101'') finished!

Cleaning up the sewing room for a good cause...

A few months ago, I read about this challenge to make one million pillow cases. At first I thought I'd make one or two pillowcases and then two turned into sixteen. There is a very simple technique to make the pillowcase and with my serger they were done in no time flat (or in the same time it took to watch two movies - Erin Brokovitch and Home Is Where the Heart Is). I turned these pillowcases into to my local quilt shop The Granary who is donating them to the Oncology unit at UCSF. If you make only one it is worth it!

I did it because I had fabric in my stash that I bought years ago and now realize that I'd never use it. So, what better way to make room for more fabric AND help make someones day!

Girls Weekend Project

On New Years 2010 some girlfriends and I said that we'd get together for a craft day in February. Although our craft levels differ I was determined to figure out something we could all make.
This is what I started out with:


Diane and I went to the Flea Market a few months back and saw a cute but practical apron. We both loved the idea so with a little tweaking I was able to (almost) whip this right up.

It's just a simple apron with a kitchen towel sewn into the waistband and of course a decorative pocket. I don't know about you but when I am cooking or baking I ALWAYS looking for the towel to dry my fingertips on. PERFECT SOLUTION!

Hopefully, I'll be able to post some pictures of our additional creations later in the month. But that's only if we do more sewing than wine drinking ...

The Crutch Cupholder

This is from a while ago but thought it deserved a post:

This is a crutch cup holder that I made ...

This is Angela with her Custom Crutch Cup-holder.

Angela + Powder Puff Football = not a good situation.

I made Angela's day (and the following months) because she was able to pick up her White Mocha from Starbucks in the mornings and crutch to work with no spilled coffee . In Angela's words "wicked" !

Kindle Cover Creation

My co-worker Autumn received a Kindle for Christmas but she could not find a cover for it that she loved. It was a good thing that she has a crafty co-worker like myself who was able to make her a custom Kindle cover.

This is the outside:
This is the inside and I used grippy shelf liner material behind the Kindle so it wouldn't slip out.

Here is my Happy Camper:

to my blog!

Instead of the typical intro, I think this (almost) explains me:
1. I cut my thumb open while trying to break open a stolen coconut with my Dad while we were in Grand Cayman.
2. The vent/AC/fan knobs on my old car all had to be vertical before I turned it off.
3. At restaurants the tines on my forks are always bent.
4. My old 1950's milkshake mixer I bought at a swap meet in Turlock could have been my best "splurge" ever!
5. I want to turn my master bedroom into my sewing room so I would have more space.
6. My dog Maggy loves to tan and she has a tan line from her collar to prove it.
7. Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers.
8. I have 3 hummingbirds that come to my hummingbird feeder (their names are Phil, Phyllis, and Philomena; even though I think they are all boys).
9. My dogs are like my children and I make them matching bandannas.
10. I think I should have been born in the 1950's; I secretly wish I could be a domestic goddess.
11. I wish everyone would do something nice for a stranger once in a while. The world would be so much better.
12. When it rains I love to sew all day and let Maggy sleep in the drawer of my sewing cabinet.
13. I had a cat named Piggy, he came with the house when my parents bought it. I tried to walk him on a leash once and that didn't go over so well.
14. I have enough fabric to probably cover the state of California (and possibly Oregon).
15. People who can't merge should have their driver's licenses revoked.
16. I don't know how I got where I am but I like where it's gotten me.
17. Coupons are my friend. I actually had enough coupons once to get money back from Safeway.
18. In a way I wish I could live in a small town and be nearly self-sufficient but I would still need an internet connection :)
19. Now that my hair is straighter, I wish that it was curlier (like it used to be).
20. Tuesdays nights are my therapy nights - sewing.
21. I wonder what I would do with out my iPhone.
22. My grandmother and I were able to go 16 generations back on our family tree. It's crazy to think how different life was 16 generations ago....
23. My mom and dad make me proud of when I think where they came from and where they are now.
24. I am proud to live in the United States of America and proud of my family who serves and has served.
25. I want to own and run my own Quilt Shop. I may be crazy but who isn't. Someday I'll get there..... in the mean time this is my journey to that place.