So my third completed block was Jane’s Tears. This was my first time for doing applique. Anina suggested using a reverse applique method for this block so the tears could be precisely located on the block. I realized this wasn’t the best idea for me since my tear fabric was so dark but I figured I had better go with the reverse method or my block would probably end up looking really wonky. The white flowered fabric is pretty thick so I don’t think the turned under edges show up too bad in real life.

Next was Field of Dreams. This was a simple machine pieced block. I had some fun with this Amy Butler fabric and fussy cut just the edges of the flowers out. I really had no idea how this one was going to work out. I think it looks pretty cool.

The next was Bacherlor Buttons which was reverse applique much like Janes Tears. My applique is still a little wombly but I thought the circles on the circles would be cute.

Next was Chris’s Soccer Field. This one was created using paper piecing. I had done some paper piecing before so this one was a breeze. I love how crisp everything can look with that method. I hope we do another paper pieced block soon.

Then came Mirror Image. This was my first time piecing a curve. I followed Anina’s tutorial and it worked perfectly the first time. I think I got pretty lucky :) I love this orange fabric it’s so cute.

The next block is Simple Simon. It’s a pretty straight forward block but I used this cool Denyse Schmidt fabric to spice it up a little. I wish the diagonal x running through the center of the block had come out a little bit straighter but I’m happy with it non the less.

Dad’s Plaids is reverse applique and regular applique. I was dreading this block for some reason. I put it off until the last possible moment. I used this fabric because it has those little shapes in it like the appliqued shapes.

Jason’s Jacks. I put this one off too. I was worried about all that applique. So I decided to pick a fabric with a busy print to hid any wobbly areas. I think that after finishing this one I finally felt comfortable with my applique skills.

Our next block was Rose of Sharing. I had a lot of fun fussy cutting this fabric. This block was hand appliqued and then machine pieced. I wish the center seam had lined up better but I was afraid of messing up the outer seams line up to rip it. I think this one is pretty cool.

Finally we have Rayelle’s Fence. Rayelle sounds like the name of someone from West Virginia so I like that. I used a paper piecing method to sew together the strips on this one and then I machine basted each intersecting seam before stitching all the rows together. I didn’t do any fussy cuts on this one and I kind of like the haphazardness of it.

It’s called ‘Keep the Conversation Going’ and it was made by a man! Woohoo! You can find more of MudStuffings pottery and art quilts in his etsy shop.

This is the first art I have purchased for our home. JRoam was briefly an art major and several of our friends are artists so most of our walls are decorated with their art. Now that we are no longer on a college budget it is so nice to be able to support artists and hang new artwork on our walls.

Everything is up and growing! The tomatoes and zucchinis have blossoms and the red and green bell peppers have little baby fruits!

I’m not sure that we are going to have too much luck with the carrots – they don’t seem to really be progressing. Now that I think about it, it may really be too late for the carrots even though the package said they can be planted as late as March in our zone. We shall see.

So far the potatoes have been the most interesting to me because we never had those growing up so I had no idea what the plant would even look like.

Jroam and I love to go out and check on it everyday. I picked up some fish emulsion and bone meal so we will be fertilizing later this week.

This is my second block for Dear Jane. It was really pretty easy, just the same as the last only the squares were different sizes. I’m trying my had at applique tonight though so wish me luck.

My Dear Jane Book finally came in the mail yesterday. I guess amazon still had my address at the old house and somehow that is the address that the seller sent it to. I’m surprised it didn’t forward on to this house because we still get some mail with the forwarding label on it but I guess it was just because I was waiting so impatiently for this book that it didn’t forward.

I was really nervous when it finally came time to cut and sew this block! Hopefully I will relax a little soon and won’t stress so much. I’m usually so laid back about things but I don’t know, I really want this one to be nice. Maybe it’s because I’m scanning every block in and scrutinizing it. I’m not going to look at it anymore. I had planned the fabrics for this block in my head and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Next, I think I will try another easy one before I move on to an applique block.

Update: 03/25/08 Hazel is home and moving around a little bit today.  I think she will be back to her old self soon.  

Mostly we sat around and watched the dogs play. Jess and Cory brought Baby Eden.

She had a lot of fun chasing the soccer ball while the boys kicked it around.

Eden discovered that its really easy to dig big holes in sand.

Sometimes, Hazel got caught in the sand spray.

We also ate some good food.

We are exhausted but so sad that everyone had to go home.

I finally have all the fabric gathered together for my Dear Jane quilt. I joined Anina’s quilt-a-long a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to get everything together ever since. I went to three different quilt shops here in Orlando looking for that light gray fabric but nobody had any. Most of the ladies looked at me like I was crazy for wanting gray quilt fabric to begin with. I ended up ordering some online even though I was worried about the color clashing with the charcoal fabric I bought in town. I think it’s going to be okay though.

I’m really frustrated because I still haven’t received my Dear Jane book. I’m eager to get started. I ended up ordering it from a seller on amazon. I ordered Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match at the same time and it came in the mail over a week ago! Now it looks like even it I get the book in the mail tomorrow I won’t be able to start for another week because I have a ton of company coming into town next week. My dad, lil brother, Allie, Jess, Cory, Joe and possibly Brent. It’s been a long time since any of them have been down to visit so we are super stoked. Dear Jane will definitely have to wait our house is gonna be so full.

We planted our first vegetable garden this weekend! It was kind of a last minute decision because we really thought it was pointless to put so much work into a yard that we are just renting and who knows how long we will be living there. I had just read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and I was all pumped about eating local food that is in season so we started going to the local farmers markets only to discover that all of Florida is pretty slim pickins as far as fresh local farmers markets go. Most of the vendors just buy produce and sell it so most of it is not local or organic. I did find some local eggs and butter as well as a local hydroponic tomato and cucumber farmer. That is about it! I always thought that Florida would be a great place to buy local food because we have such moderate weather in the winter but if it exists I have yet to find it.

JRoam and I were discussing how awesome it will be when we move away from Orlando and have our own house with our own garden and we just decided what the hell, let’s do it. My parents had vegetable gardens as I was growing up in West Virginia and I had some successful flower and herb gardens but I’ve never grown vegetables on my own let alone in a climate that is so foreign to me. We ended up planting 6 tomato plants: 2 Red Beefsteak, 1 Marion, 1 Yellow Pear, 1 Roma and 1 Mr Stripey. We had a Pink Beefsteak but JRoam accidentally stepped on it when he was setting up the irrigation system so it was replaced by Mr Stripey. Also planted where a whole row of herbs, (Bergamont Sage, Traditional Sage, Flat & Curled Leaf Parsley, Taragon, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Chives, Rosemary and Cilantro Seeds), 2 Strawberry Plants, 2 Zuccinni, 1 Yellow Squash, 6 Okra, 1 Red 1Green & 1 Yellow Bell Peppers, 6 Jalapeno, 1 Habenero, 1 anonymous hot pepper, a row of Carrot Seeds, about 10 seed red and white Potatoes, a couple red and yellow onion sets, Snow Pea Seeds and Sunflower Seeds. We have no idea if any of it is gonna work but we are going to give it our best.

10 days ago

10 years ago