Tuesday, December 29, 2015

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



Monday, December 21, 2015

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

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

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

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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

Thursday, December 3, 2015

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




Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

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