Three by Six Blocks on the way

So excited to ship these off to their new homes. Tiffany had such a wonderful idea with this bee. Each participant selects three colors for their blocks and you are in a hive with six other people, so you make six blocks. Participants sign-up on a quarterly basis so you can come and go into the Bee. I plan on participating in all four quarters, so at the end of the year, I will have received 24 blocks. The blocks are 12 inch blocks, so it will make a great sampler quilt! If you are interested in signing up for future quarters, here is Tiffany's blog.

The two blocks I have received so far are fantastic. I will take photos once all of them arrive. Here is the one I received from the talented Penny from Sewtakeahike and last week received this awesome block from Kim and . I must admit, I wish I would have attempted a little more exciting block, but I think sometimes in a sampler style quilt a little simple might be good. The wonderful part of this bee is seeing all kinds of awesome block ideas. I think the rest of the year the hardest part will be choosing which block to do! I will try some more out at the upcoming Potholder Pass as well.

I actually made four of the six blocks a month ago. I was trying to use the same fabric patterns but in the colors requested. I thought it would be fun to show how the same fabrics and the same block can take on such a different look and I thought Flea Market Fancy seeds would look great as the center block . . . but for two of the blocks the pink and gold seeds just didn't work with the other fabrics. I had to add a little to the stash in a happier shade of chocolate brown and I now LOVE how they came out.

My favorite part of a swap is always the printing the label and sending it out. The pressure of having a deadline and need to get something in the mail is both a great motivator for me and a stress. The great part of a swap is it is pushing me to try new things and keeps me excited and motivated. The deadline always keeps me a little on edge. When the kids napped today, I enjoyed putting some cover button packages together for my swap partners and then packaging up the blocks and sending them on their way!

If you have some time, check out the flickr photo's of all the blocks, they are amazing.

Scrapbook Designs make great holiday fabrics

Have my string block/pillow making mojo going still and thought, how about a holiday pillow. Thinking it will make a fun holiday gift and the pillow without the form will be easy to send to Seattle and then I can buy a form when I get there. I think I am going to try and make a few more for various family members. I have had this fabric for a month or so, but didn't want to cut into it it is so cute! Then I found out my local fabric store and second home, KC Custom Fabrics was getting it in and decided I could get out the rotary cutter since more would be available soon!

Max had a fun day today with a readers' celebration at school. He has really taken off this year with his reading and we are thrilled. They got to take a stuffed animal and their favorite book to school for the party. He took Finn the Webkiz pug and Diary of A Whimpy Kid, Dogdays. He snagged the pillow as soon as I finished for a dogbed. So it looks as if I will be making a dog bed for his stuffed dogs for the holidays. He requested some guy colors so his dogs would feel proud of their bed. Too funny! I do think I will have to tone down the sewing for Ellie, both boys are starting to get jealous. I also sew more for my three nieces than for the boys. I have found some fun boyish fabrics lately, so maybe in the new year. I am as bad as Ellie is with the sparkle shoes with pink and girly fabrics!

Batman was a wildman today and I really didn't get a lot of needed sewing or glazing done. All these craft shows are starting to freak me out! Lots to do in the next couple days!

Ellie somehow snapped the photo of herself when I was trying to get her to stand still . . .it captured what I was trying to get, the shiny pink shoes. She has been sporting them everyday since Halloween and they really do go with everything! Today I did get her to put boots on when we went out, but as soon as she crosses the threshold, she is back in the sparkle shoes as she refers to them.