BHMQAL clue #5

Struggling with some of my choices!

Got it done!! It was a busy holiday weekend! But Yesterday the snow fell, Honeyman was on shift, and I was trapped inside all day! OK so I wasn't really trapped, but it was a great excuse for hanging around in my pj's and stitching all day long!

I got the whole clue finished up!

Bonus blocks!

 PLUS I stitched up these little gems with the 'bonus HST' that were trimmed off! They were TINY and I figured since I had them right there I might as well use them! Each HST came out to 1 1/4 inch! I think if I would have REALLY pushed the seam allowance I MIGHT have been able to get them to an inch and a half, but I worry when it starts getting to small!! I had a few HST in my drawer that were the same size and I threw them in there as well! It felt great to get these little buggers out of my drawer! These squares are 3 3/4 inches! CRAZY! Not sure what I'm going to do with them yet! I thought about adding to them and making them the center of a square! Who knows! Maybe I will finally use up the hundred and fifty BAJILLION I have from Celtic Solstice!! LOL

Linking up with Bonnie,
Josie

BHMQAL clue #4

half way there!!

Very interesting clue! I wonder where she is going with this one!!

I have all of this weeks clue cut, but only half way stitched up, but ALL of my other clues are 100% caught up! YAY!! I'm sure there will be plenty of time this week to get this one finished up!

Looking forward to a busy week with family and friends!

Sending out a very Merry Christmas to all!!

Linking up with Bonnie!

Josie

BHMQAL clue #3

Clue #3

Someone (that would be ME) did NOT read directions!! OOPS!! I guess I will pay the price when it comes time to piece the blocks!! I somehow blew over the whole pressing directions! I mean after all Bonnie ALWAYS spins the seams ... right???

Oh well! She told us how to do it and I missed it in the first read!

I had to purchase fabric for this one! These are not the yellows I normally have on hand! I'm more of a bright sunshine yellow gal! But I stuck with the golds!!

I am pretty happy with getting the whole clue finished! I had a busy busy weekend!!!

I love these guys!!

We are having crazy warm weather here in Illinois! Honeyman, the Boy,
and I had a 5K this past Saturday and anytime you can do a 5K in December without winter gear... BONUS!!!
We decided the first one was so nice... why not 5K twice!!! So we did one in the morning in Geneseo, IL (cute, cute little town) and a second here in Moline later that day! The second however was an uncontrolled course and not a 5K at all! It was 3.6 miles!

A great weekend was had by all! I sewed! I ran!! I hung with my loved ones!

Linking up with Bonnie!!

Can't wait to see what everyone else is doing!
Josie

BHMQAL Clue #2

I have a handful left to stitch up! But here's my progress so far on clue #2!! Linking up with Bonnie at Quiltville!

I love seeing the choices others have made! Can't wait to see what comes next!!
See you soon friends,
Josie

I have had a BUSY Summer part 2

So if you read yesterdays post you probably saw the photo of me in the band! I saw that photo, too!! I had not bee feeling the best, I was down in the dumps and I was the biggest I have ever been in my life (including when I was pregnant with my kids!) I hurt! I didn't feel well, mentally or physically! I had gotten to that place where I HAD to do something!

Once upon a time in another lifetime ago I was a runner! I honestly loved to run! Now there was no way in this whole wide world I could run in the shape I was in! So, Honeyman walked with me! I said it in many Facebook posts that God gave him long legs so he could push me! That is what he has done!

Before long we were walking 13:30 minute miles! That is almost to the point I had to start jogging beside him because his strides were just to long for me to keep up with!! I told him to keep going! Keep pushing me!! I might not be able to beat other people, but I am only out to beat ME, to better ME!!!

Inflatable 5K with Honeyman and the Boy in Michigan

I am now running! We have done several 5K's this summer! Including an Insane Inflatable in Michigan with our son!!  Glow Time 5K, this HAS to be fun after all!!
Honeyman got called into work so the Boy did a colour run with me! I beat him by 8 minutes!! And a local Hot Cocoa run! My best 5K time so far was for a local College a scholarship fundraiser, my time was 29:48!!

5K Colour run with the Boy

Lagomarcino's Hot Cocoa 5K

Glow Time 5K with a pal!! 

BIX 7

This man is my rock! And YES my hair is PINK!

Then there were the two big race!! In July I ran the BIX 7 (seven mile run) with my oldest and bestest friend in the world (who happened to get this quilt). This course is VERY hilly including a HUGE hill to start!! My goal was under an hour and a half! AND I DID IT!! I have to set goals for me! Not compare myself to anyone else! All I am going for is the best me I can be!!

The BIG BIG race was the Hot Chocolate 15K in Chicago!!! 

The scenery was amazing!! I love to run outdoors! It fills me with life and renews me!!  We had a wonderful time even if it wasn't my best time! I felt a bit under the weather and I am happy overall with what I have done!

We also did a 5 mile run on Thanksgiving day (the annual Turkey Trot) in the pouring rain!! It was a BLAST!! There may have been rain, but the weather was great! Not cold not windy!! I'll take it!!

Oh, and the best part of this whole journey is so far I am down from 212 lbs on Father's Day to 182 lbs! 30 lbs so far!!  I am a bit sad the weather is getting to cold to run outdoors! We do go to an indoor track to train, but I just don't do well going around and around and...

Anyway! We have signed up for two races a month! I look for great courses and good causes! And all of this is culminating in a MARATHON!! YES!! This year my friends, I turn 40 in August! (Shhh don't tell anyone) My goal is to do our local Quad Cities Marathon!! It is no till the third Sunday in September, so I have ten more months to train! I can do this!! I've got this!! I am strong!! 

In the mean time we are still on the lookout for a half marathon in April or May! Thinking about maybe St. Louis or Chicago!!

Thank you all for stopping by and for listening to this gal rant!! I've got to run! Catch y'all soon!
Josie

I have had a BUSY Summer part 1

I have been busy busy busy! And not all of it has been sewing related!

I guess I guess I have to break this down into two different posts because one is much more detailed than the other! LOL!

Finished deck

Lucky to have these guys!

We started the summer with a deck for our pool! My Lillian could get in the pool but not out and she is WAY to big for us to try to pick up anymore!! So my wonderful FIL came over and he and Honeyman and The Boy did some wonderful work and it has been well loved this past summer!!

Annual Leinies trip!

We take an annual trip up to Wisconsin with friends. It is just a couples retreat! We have a day of wine and cheese tasting! We have a day at the Leinenkeugal family reunion! There is a float down the Chippewa River! It is just an all round fun time!!

Timber City Band

I played my annual gig with the Timber City band! always a blast!! We will come back to this pic in my next post! It's VERY important!

20 x 60!! Yowza!!

Honeyman bought me a GREAT table to replace my ironing borad that was falling apart!  I have been dreaming about this table for a little while and I was over the moon to finally have it in my sewing room!!

Numbered bean bags

I made a few small projects, but nothing crazy or out there!


And then there was the biggest part of my summer...
but that comes in the next post! I will tell you this is a personal journey! Not all of what I put on here is sewing related! I love to read about other people and it makes me feel closer to them instead of the strangers that this cyber world tends to make us!
Stick around will you!
Josie

It's that time of year again!! BHMQAL 2015 clue #1

I know it has been a minute or two! I have been up to some pretty interesting things, but I will get into that in a different post!

It is, however that time of year! My favorite day of the year!! Some people call it black Friday... I call it AMAZING!!

Constant

Once again I am jumping into The Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt along! Allietare!!
I have chosen for the most part to follow Bonnies colour choices! The only difference is my constant! Instead of a grey I have chosen a cornflower blue! This colour pallet is WAY outside of my preferences, but I have a recipient in mine and these are the colours of their living room! So, blue it is!!

Clue #1 was very simple cute little HST in the constant and neutral!

Cute HST! 

all finished up! Maybe I can get back with Y'all soon an let you know where I have been!!
Josie
Linking up with Bonnie at Quiltville

Blessed! A quilt finish!

I'm CRAZY psyched! It's finished and delivered to my oldest and bestest friend in the whole world! And for Mother's Day to boot!!
Ok warning PICTURES!! (and we all know I'm not the best photographer!!)

All over free motion leaves and swirls!

Of course I had to put her name on it! (this is the back side)

I LOVE to quilt with orange thread!! 

More detail! 

More detail

Back! Can you see the sunset over water??

I do love this pic!!!

Blessed for my Best friend!!

 Blessed! An original McRazie design!!
Designed, pieced, and quilted by me!!
finished size 98x98!
Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me share this finish with you!!
Josie
Linking up with Connie
Linking up with Crazy Mom quilts

April WIP update 2015

I have made progress on 3 of my listed items! (one was on my on deck! So much for finishing a few before I started another!)
Completed tops to be quilted:

• MY PATTERN!!!!- Top completed! Backing in progress! I hope to get it on the long arm this weekend!!
• Blogger BOM (back pieced!)
• Brown Bricks
• Bento Blocks
• Celtic Solstice
• Orange Crush
• Space Dust (needs one more set of borders)
• Luke's shirts (maybe a set of borders)
• Mom's quilt
• Papa's Swoon- Finished Jan 2015!!
• Grand Illusion- Finished Jan 2015!!!

Top in Progress:

• Desiray's Quillow- 2/3 together! One last row and binding!! 
• Karina's Quillow- 5 blocks complete! 4 more to go!
• Darien's Circles
• Bee in my Bonnet Row along
• Brown/Blue Canton Village QAL
• Red & Purple HST
• Medallion Star

Blocks (I may get rid of from guild):

• flowers
• leaves

On Deck:

• Snap Shot QAL
• Roll Roll Cotton Boll
• Tula Pink Alphabet Quilt

I know it doesn't sound like much I guess! But I have finished my pattern top! (photos soon!!) I also did a lot of mending (no fun there) and cleaning up! My poor crafting swallows up most of my main floor! (oops!!) 

Come back and check out pics of my quilt top tomorrow!!

Josie

Working like CRAZY!! I'm so psyched!!!

I have been sewing up a storm!!

I have made progress on the Quillow  I have all of the squares quilted and two rows together! I have to quilt up the name square yet! I put one of the strips on backward and decided to set it aside for a minute so I didn't take my rotary cutter to it!





I have also made BOUNDS of progress on the quilt I designed!! I am so proud of this quilt! I am giving it to my oldest and dearest friend! When it came to the colour choices I asked her for an inspiration photo! This is what she sent me...
I love it! The only problem I see is the colours are VERY similar to the Grand Illusion I just finished! Oh well! I love the palette! I have all of the pieces cut and the blocks half sewn together! It is a VERY Bonnie Hunter inspired pattern! Scrappy, semi traditional, with a twist!!

So, I have a question to throw out there!! I know my readership is WAY down! I have not had that much time pop on here (no, I have not MADE that much time to pop on here) would anyone be interested in a quilt along?? Would you rather a mystery or know what kind of crazy you are getting into?? I have already typed up instructions for the parts!
I'm not going to lie, this is not a throw together in a weekend quilt! It is more like a Celtic Solstice intensity! Oh, that being said please do not think I am even TRYING to compare myself to Bonnie! I just love her work and they inspire me!!

Let me know!! I'm so psyched about this quilt! And because it is for someone I don't know what I would do without It means even more to me! I promise if you like a BHQAL you would not be disappointed in this one! (well the end result anyway!)

See Y'all soon!!
Josie

Linking up with Connie
Linking up with Quilt Story
Linking up with Lee

No beginning/end of the month update because...

Because I spent the better part of Feb in Mexico!!
(OK so a lot of pics and NONE quilt related!!)

Honeyman and his Brother!

Let me start with the fact that I got to deliver my Grand Illusion to my Aunt before we left! YUP, I forgot to take a picture!! We stay at her house the night before we leave because she is close to the airport! She has such a giving soul and I love her dearly!! I used to spend a week each summer (sometimes two weeks) at her house, so the house is nothing strange to me!
OK This trip was to Cancun! It also happened to be Honeyman's 40th birthday!! YAY!! We ate that night at the fancy place and they served him up some chocolate cake (even though he's not really a big eating cake kinda guy)

RyGuy, KC, Honeyman, & me!!

For the first week there were 5 of us, Honeyman and myself, of course, His Brother Timmy (who is stationed in FL) and our bestest couple friends here KC N RyGuy! I think it is safe to say we all had a pretty good time! I think I am getting a little older because I was in bed each night by 10:30 at the latest and up every morning between 5 & 6!! One morning I was even WIDE AWAKE at 4:30!!!

After KC n RyGuy left the three of us had a few excursions!!



We visited Isla Mujeres (Island of Women), we went snorkeling, and THEN somehow these two knuckle heads talked me into the BOB!!!

Lets start with the AMAZING pics from Isla Mujeres

More history and info about the island can be found here

Ok, I have no pictures of snorkeling, but then there was the BOB!!! I'm not gonna lie to y'all.. I was scarred s*#!less!! In the end it really wasn't that much to get worked up about and I'm glad I did it!! So it is kind of a cross between a motorcycle and a scuba! but not as fast as a motor cycle and not as deep as scuba! In fact you are only about 16 feet below the surface!! I STILL can NOT believe I let the guys talk me into this... and my BIL gave me the most crap! Guess who had to come up half way through the dive!!! YUP!! Poor Timmy!! (hehe)

It really was VERY cool! There are so many more AMAZING things we did and saw!! I am grateful that we have family and friends to vacation with and to help hold down our house while we are gone!! 

As much as I love to be away I am glad to be home! (and my poor little dog whined for an hour when we got home and would not leave our side!!)

I am so glad to get to sit down at my machine today! Oh, how I have missed you!!!

See y'all soon!!

Josie

WIP Wed (Thurday edition!)

OK, So, last week I posted my WIP list and somehow I omitted TWO of my MUST FINISH items! Maybe it is because I am in deep deep hate with the one project!!
A while ago (like two years ago) my Baby Brother asked me to make quillows for his woman and each of her three girls. I quickly made the first one for Sunshine because I had always wanted to use a dresden and this was my chance! I also finished the one for the oldest girl (and can I tell you how much in LOVE with that one I was DROOL!!) So with two done I was faced with the other two... one I don't mind it is just a simple log cabin... but the other!!! All solids (sorry not my favorite) only three fabrics!!! And a VERY fussy pattern (Gods Eye) Then to top it off I had to go and decide to do a very intricate (for me anyway) quilting design on it! SMH! What was I thinking! If I would have done a stipple this would be over and done with!! BUT NO!! Silly me!
So I have to make nine of these blocks and then one 'special' block! I now have 7 finished!! The 'special' name block is hand stitched and will be quilted with an all over stipple! I will wait till we get back from vacation to begin sewing these together!

But for now... Here's a quick sample Oh when I say 7 are 'finished' I mean the CENTER of 7 are finished! I still have the black to do! It will get a VERY simple treatment! But I will decide that when I get all the inside finished! LOL
Linking up with Connie!
See you soon!
Josie







Updated WIP list:

Completed tops to be quilted:

• Papa's Swoon- Finished Jan 2015!!
• Blogger BOM (back pieced!)
• Brown Bricks
• Bento Blocks
• Celtic Solstice
• Orange Crush
• Grand Illusion- Finished Jan 2015
• Space Dust (needs one more set of borders)
• Luke's shirts (maybe a set of borders)
• Mom's quilt

Top in Progress:

• Desiray's Quillow
• Karina's Quillow
• Darien's Circles
• Bee in my Bonnet Row along
• Brown/Blue Canton Village QAL
• Red & Purple HST
• Medallion Star

Blocks (I may get rid of from guild):

• flowers
• leaves

On Deck:

• Snap Shot QAL
• Roll Roll Cotton Boll
• Tula Pink Alphabet Quilt
• MY PATTERN!!!!

Grand Illusion DONE!!

Binding

I am so psyched to get this one done!! I am giving it to my Aunt Judy who has been my biggest cheerleader my whole life! I get to see her in another 18 days! Till then... anticipation!!
I quilted with an all over flowering clam shell in yellow thread! I love the big loopy texture it gives the quilt! And I also bound is in the constant yellow!
I hope you enjoy as much as I do!!
Josie
Linking up with Bonnie for the final linky

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