3rd Quarter Finish-Along Projects

Since the 2nd Quarter on the Finish-Along with Adrienne of On The Windy Side just ended, that of course means that the 3rd quarter is just beginning. There are a few days left to link up your projects for the quarter, so be sure to stop by and check out all the details.

Here is my list for this quarter. As always I like to be ambitious and have a lot of things on my list, as well as give myself options to pick from.

So much for that goal...

At the beginning of the year I had a goal to blog more. I wanted to blog at least once a week, as well as blog all my finishes for the year - in at least a monthly blog post. Well, I obviously don't have to report on how bad I'm doing at those goals...

2nd Quarter Finish-Along: My List

Yes! Can I just tell you how excited I am that I met the deadline for this FAL?! This Finish-Along event has been one of my favorite blog events for, well, since I started blogging about quilty stuff! But I don't think I've linked up for over a year and a half. I just keep forgetting and missing the deadline. Well, not this time! I put it on my calendar, so every day I've gotten a reminder on my phone to link up. And even with that, look at me... I'm still squeezing my entry in under the wire! (The proposed finished list link up ends today.) You can read all about this over at On the Windy Side.

Celestial Star: Progress Week

Hey everyone!! How is it going?! Have you been able to make any progress these last few weeks?? I hope so! But even if you haven't, there is still another month left, so don't worry. :)

I did make some progress last week, though I wish I had made a little more. I will have a busy sewing week this week, and I'm excited for it! :) Here are all my finished blocks so far. It is such a beautiful day today, I couldn't help myself but have a photo session out on our balcony. In no particular order:

I had the hardest time with the center on this one. I'm not super happy with it, but I'm leaving it for now.

Here is the latest one that I finished:

This one is next in line for being finished. I just need to cut out more of the white background fabric and I can join the other half of this block.

The other night I attempted to lay them out and take a picture. It's not very good in the low lighting, using my phone, but I'm excited as to how the blocks are coming together. The bottom block in the center is the only block out of place, it will actually go at the very bottom of my quilt. :)

 5 blocks  left to go... I can't wait to put them all together. I love all your comments on IG, and find it interesting the blocks that different people really love. Some that aren't my favorite, seem to be other people's favorites, so it helps me feel ok about including all of them in the quilt. :) Thanks!! Your support is greatly appreciated!!! :)


Be sure to link up your progress below!! Even if you have already shared a post in the linkup, you can always add more. Or share on Instagram using #CelestialStarQAL :)


   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   


This is the last progress week, and then I'll start back with some more regular posts and another giveaway starting next Monday! Come back tomorrow for another Sponsor Introduction!!! :)

Happy Monday! and Happy Sewing!! :)

A Peek into the Design Process

If you follow me on IG (@fromblankpages) you have probably seen some of the designs I've been playing with lately. (I share a lot on IG. WAY more than I blog.) Anyway, I thought I'd change it up a bit and share some of my creative progress here. :)


I recently came up with this little design:

 I like leaves

But they did need something. So I used some of the same basic shapes to make a flower:

 a rough draft

In an attempt to fix it and come up with the perfect flower, I came up with these, in this order:

 This one might be my favorite

 Then there was this. This was what I was initially thinking of.

A simple flower with a stem and leaves.

And there you have it. A peek into how my ideas evolve. I really love designing, and playing. The process itself is so rewarding. Lately I've really been letting the designs guide me, and not forcing anything in particular. It's led to some really fun things that I hope I can make into actual patterns and designs soon.

And on that note, I've been sick this week. (Not that that has anything to do with designing.) But since I've been a bit down and out, instead of sitting all day on the couch, I've been sitting at the computer a little more. Yesterday I finished up my first official quilt pattern! It's a pretty simple design, and one I've actually had in my notebook for well over a year, maybe two. The wait is finally over! I sent it out to a bunch of volunteer testers (all found on IG. Let me know if I should ask for testers over here on the blog, and I'll share the opportunities.) ;) Anyway, I hope that I can have it polished off and ready to publish by the middle of next month. I'm so excited, and nervous! It's taken me a long time to get up the courage to try a quilt pattern. Glad that time finally came! I definitely have other designs I'd love to share as well. :) 

Isn't life just full of surprises?! I love it!

Have you had any fun new adventures lately??

I hope so. It's so rewarding to try something new.

even if it doesn't work out.

p.s. please do not copy any of these designs. Thanks!

Cleaning House... or rather, Cleaning Blog

I suppose if I'm going to spend the day sprucing up my blog, I should at least write a blog post too! :) Come check it out! I made new pattern icons, a new blog button, rearranged a few things, I have a new header! (it's so bright compared to what it was before!) I even had the Mr. take a picture of me to replace my old one. It is definitely getting colorful around here. I still have some cleaning, deleting, and figure out to do, so bear with me while it comes along. :) I would love to rework all my pages as well, (like my tutorial pages, and project lists, etc.) but we'll see how that goes. I've spent long enough just on the main page that now I need to get back to other things. Oh life, why do you fly by so quickly?!

(here's a peek of a few things in case you are reading from a feed reader, or on your phone, or somehow where you don't see the entire site. I know I read blogs a lot like that lately.)

new blog button

new tutorial and pattern buttons

So what do you think? Any suggestions before I finish up? Do you hate the new layout? Since you are, after all, the ones who read my blog. :) THANK YOU by the way! Is it too cramped with the icons on the left? I think I'll try them at least for a while. I'm kind of excited about how they turned out.


which photo gets your vote? On IG almost everyone has voted for the top, but I do like them both I think.

Can I ask you a question? I need some help. What do yo do for wrinkles?? I know it doesn't look like I have any in the pictures (because I Photoshopped them out. ha!) But really, what do you use? How do you prevent them? or get rid of them? It's only been recently that I've really started noticing them, but I have crazy crows feet, and also in my cheeks when I smile. The bags under my eyes I'm sure come with the territory of a new baby, but I'm only 31. I don't want to be wrinkles yet! I'd love some advice or tips! Maybe I should look on Pinterest. lol.


So anyway,  besides working on my blog, I've been doing some fun sewing projects that I'm REALLY excited about!

Of course my project for the Kate Spain blog hop... that you'll have to wait for. But here's a peek.

I don't know why my IG photos are always so dark on the computer. They seem to always look better on my phone. Has anyone else noticed that?

And this one. I want to finish it up for the Mini Quilt Challenge over at Ellison Lane Quilts. Which is next week I think? I better hurry! :)

What have you been working on lately? Enjoying your summer? I really have been wanting to get back to the good ol' blog. So hopefully I can make some more time for it soon.  I miss you all! :)

I've been enjoying this guy, and apparently so has the Mr. :)

(I'm so lazy. I'm sharing a picture I took with my phone of a picture that is on my computer. lol. By the way, the new Flickr is really driving me crazy! I don't like it. Everything is too big, and too slow, and too dark... I wish it was customizable so I could change it back.) :)
But isn't this picture so cute?! I love these guys!

Quarter 2: Finish-A-Long Projects

You'd think I'd remember to write my post for the 2nd Quarter of the FAL over at She Can Quilt, but of course, I'm doing it last minute again. :) That's just how I roll right now I guess. ;)

Anyway, I'm so excited to have some of the projects from last quarter off my list, but I also have some new projects to add. Let's see how I do this quarter. I'm hopeful!


Here's my list in no particular order:

Quilts:

1. Mabel's Quilt. Just waiting to be basted. I've been holding off on this because I'm so nervous to quilt it! I got both of the boys quilts professionally quilted, and they look so good. I don't want hers to be any less amazing. I really wanted to quilt flowers on it, which I might still do, but I think I'm finally ok to just do what I'm good at and make it look good rather than try something I'm not good at just to make it comparable to the boys quilts. Anyway, I think she'll love it if I can finish it. :) For some reason I really don't want to crawl all over the floor to baste it right now. Hm, I wonder why that could be?! ;)

2. Kaleidoscope Quilt: I need to piece the back for it. I want to do it like the back of this quilt, but with the colors/prints I used on the front. It's just been a matter of going through my stash and pulling out all those fabrics. I really should just get this one out of the way... it's been way to long!

3. Mood Blues Quilt: I need a lot more blocks before this is finished. This quilt is stuck at about the same spot as the kaleidoscope quilt - it's just a matter of pulling fabrics for it and doing it. I have 20 blocks (all made by my bee members... one year ago?). They finish at 10" x 10", and will (almost) all have a yellow strip in the center with blues and greens. I think it'll be gorgeous! (I just pulled the blocks out to look at them again. I think seeing them and having them out is a good plan for actually making progress on them. Maybe that's my problem, I put things away and they get forgotten about!) Anyway, I'm thinking if it finishes at 60 x 70 (is that a good size?) Then I need 42 blocks, so just 22 more to go. That's not so bad I guess!

two blocks are missing from this photo.

4. Giant Granny Quilt: I actually wanted to pull this one out last night and work on it, but I resisted and worked on some of the projects that I already have out instead. I need to start finishing more instead of project hoping and not finishing any at all. I found the perfect backing for this one, and I'm so excited! I was going to make it as a floor quilt/rug type thing for Mabel's room, but I just might have to keep it for myself. :)

5. Nest Quilt: Ok, I have too many unfinished quilts. I don't know why I say "I quilt" because I don't think I make enough quilts to qualify as a quilter. lol. I've been thinking about this lately, and it kind of makes me laugh. I don't know what I do... but I don't think quilt is one of them. ;) Hoping to change that. :) This quilt and the Giant Granny are two quilts I want to write up patterns for. I think that's been my stopping block for them... there always seems to be that one extra step that puts everything on hold. Every project seems to have it... maybe if I realize that I can stop getting stuck and just finish things. :) crossing my fingers.

6. Ok, I think this is the last quilt: Baby Quilt #4. I have the pattern and design all worked out. I think even though this baby is coming NOW, I'm not even going to worry about it until I get these other quilts out of the way. Every child has had to wait a little while for their quilts, Mabel being the longest now, but oh well. At least they are getting one right?! :) I think this would be another fun quilt pattern. (Can you tell I really enjoy making patterns? I have yet to make a quilt pattern though, so I'm a little intimidated by it.) Anyway, it's actually really quick and easy!!

Are you tired of looking at all these yet? I am determined to knock all these constant repeats off my list this quarter!!!

Other Sewing Projects:

7. This Starburst Mini. I really need to finish this. I already quilted it, but I am now wishing it was bigger. I also don't know if I should make it a pillow or a mini quilt. What do you think?

8. Knitting Roll. I don't know why I stopped working on this. I'm actually really close to being done with all these 1" HST's. This is craziness. That's all. ;) I think I have 5 more rows?

9. Travel Duffel Number 2. I didn't realize that I was supposed to prewash my jute when I made my first duffle, and now I'm just waiting to get that washed (wow, I'm starting to feel really lazy with all these hangups. lol.) before I finish this second one. I'm a bit nervous to wash my first one now and hope it won't get totally ruined! I need to blog about these two and put in my two cents about the pattern... it's a fantastic end product, but there are definitely tips and things I want to remember for future times that I make it. (I'm not so fond of vague patterns. I bought it 2 years ago. Maybe it's a better pattern now? I don't know. I know a lot of people are making this right now. I'm curious.) Ok, anyway, that's for another day. I might also make one for the hubby if he ends up wanting one. I think he'd like to have his own. :) I did buy enough jute for a third.

10. Monogrammed Place mats. I'm struggling with these. You can read this post and help me out?! :) I also need to figure out what this new baby's name is going to be and make up the letters for it.

11. Numbers Fabric Book. I am SO excited about this. I am rather happy with how it's coming along and think the kiddos will enjoy it when it's done. I'll blog more about this one this week, but anyway, It will have the number on one side of the page, and then that amount of items on the opposite. It will finish at 6" x 6" closed. So it's not too big. It's been fun to work on, and a little quick. :)

12. Alphabet Book. I started on an Alphabet book before I had finished the lowercase letters for the My ABC's pattern, and only actually got a couple done. I'll either continue and make a book with these like the Numbers book, or turn it into a quilt, which I also want to make with these. :)

13.  Mug Rugs and Coasters. I did make some progress on this last quarter and got them all quilted. Now they just need binding.

14. Advent Calendar. I'm adding this because it is something I want to finish. Sometime. :)

Well, I was hoping to have less this quarter, since I finished up 4 projects last quarter, but it looks like I've added 5. oops. ;)

I also have a few other projects I want to start/make/finish, but I'm not going to add them here. Just make a list, because I like lists. :)

• Finish My ABC's Number pattern
• Make a new diaper bag. I already have the pattern and the main fabric picked out.
• I have a few other patterns I want to finish/put together, along with a few tutorials. Yes, I want to blog more, but it's not a high priority right now.
• Super high on my priority list: Swap items for Tiffany and Marika. We are doing a little private swap between the three of us, and I am SO excited because they are some of my favorite friends! So I need to get started and finished with their items. :)

Are you linking up in the 2nd Quarter FAL? 

Good luck if you are, and even if you aren't. :)

2013 FAL - 1st Quarter Projects

 Wow, I almost missed this! I've been waiting to take some good pictures of everything, but it doesn't look like that will be happening in time. ;) I have a lot of almost finished projects that I've been trying to get finished for about a year now. Well, now is the time to get them done! It's tiring having a huge to do list all the time. ;)

I was just going to pick a few projects and work on those, but I decided to list all of them that I want to get done and hopefully I'll be able to whittle down the list through the year. My goal: No more repeat projects! Nothing will last through 2013! ha. 


1. Mabel's quilt - need to finish this before I have another baby! I can't start his until hers is finished. Ready to baste and quilt. Have you seen this picture enough times yet? ha.

2. Kaleidoscope quilt - top finished.

3. Giant Granny Square - I still have a bit to do for the top, but this is a fun one. I really want to see it finished. SO excited to keep it in Mabel's room, or keep it for me. ;) (want to make a pattern for this one.)

4. Baby #4 Quilt - I made up this quilt block and decided it would be a fabulous one for baby #4's quilt. So far I've made one for each baby and they just keep getting more and more modern. :) So fun! I was almost going to say that I'm going to have to keep having more babies, but that is not a necessity to make more quilts. haha. ;)

5. Bags - these are so quick... but I get tired of repetition.

6. Another Quick project - a bunch of mug rugs and coasters.

7. Moody Blues 2 Quilt - this really is/should be on the top of my list. Need to get it done asap. I still have a bit to do on it though, so I would really love to finish a few that are closer and get them out of the way so I can feel like I have more room for this one.

8. Mabel's car quilt. I didn't start it until recently, but if I don't finish it it will be in a pile forever. New projects that don't get finished at the same time I start them are already UFO's. ;)

9. Melinda's quilt - top finished. Need to finish this and donate it.

10. Bee block quilts - I actually have a bunch of bee blocks that I've received from people and need to put them together and finish them. I need more fabric for some of them though. Maybe I'll call out for donations, since they are for donation anyway. ???  My plan post to come.
 hum, I don't have a photo of these. I guess I won't link them up at the end of the quarter if I finish them, but they still count for my list. :)


Some Holiday sewing:

11. Advent Calendar -

12. Christmas Table Runner - that is actually square. Top finished.

and one just one more...


13. Nest quilt - this is a somewhat quick quilt, just need to get at it. I'm about half way done with the top. Would love to make a pattern of this one too.

is it unlucky to have 13 projects? Maybe it's extra lucky and means I'll get them finished! :)

Ok, this is my list for this quarter! Wish me luck! :) (and add Pay it Forward 2013 projects as well as two swaps. I think I will be plenty busy.) :)

There are still a couple hours left if you want to link up your projects over at she can quilt.