Fresh Starts of February!

So, a new month is a time of fresh starts and to do lists.  Here is what I accomplished this month. 

1. Modern Dresden 2. In Your Words 3. CAL Cowl 4. Rainbow Afghan 5. Pink Pineapple Purse
I finished my first modern quilting project. I can't wait to try it in different colors.
But I decided to save my favorite for last.....

Pineapple Purse and a Cowl

So, I found a new love this weekend.  I had purchase several purse handles at the fabric store at a huge discount.  (lets say several months ago)  I kept meaning to make a couple purses, but lacked the vision.   Then, it hit me.  To combine two of my favorite things together.  Yarn and sewing made what I think a quite nice combination.

 

 

 

And of course when I love something, I have to take a lot of pictures.......

Dare to Dresden Blog Hop

Let's just say when the opportunity arose to join in the Dare to Dresden Hop, I absolutely jumped at the chance.  I began quilting a little less than a year ago and the Dresden was the second project that I had ever tried.  I have been enamored with them ever since.  Here are two that I have finished in my quilty year. 

Both are pretty traditional Dresdens, but I always consider these hops a growth moment.  To push you to try something completely different than anything that you have done before.  I have never tried anything Modern, or used just solid colors.  I love the look, but it is a little intimidating.  There was no time but the present to test it out. 
And this is what I came up with.....

Stash-Buster Challenge

I had promised myself a couple things in 2013.  One is that I wasn't going to buy another skein of yarn, unless it was to finish off an existing project.  My stash is becoming a bit out of control.  I love to crochet, but when your yarn is a focus of stress.  You need to so something about it.  Right now, I have enough yarn to finish an afghan (that is meant for my hubby) and probably four or five others.  I can't stand it any longer.  Well, I now found a small support group of sorts.  Linda at Linda's Crafty Corner and Ana of  lanas de Ana are having a Stash-buster challenge, no prizes, just all out de-yarning.  I can't wait to start to rid my life of a few balls of yarn.

But first, as a requirement to join in all the fun, we had to show a bit of our yarn goodness. (or craziness) 

 

 

 

I absolutely hated posting this picture.  It doesn't look like the pretty little stash button above.  It is an controlled mess, that I plan to take care of.  This is just a bit of the mess, I couldn't bear to post anymore.  I would like to finish a couple of purses and some cute little pouches.  We will see what I can get done.  Hopefully, at the end of the year, it will be mostly gone and I will be less stressed.  Am I the only one stressed about their stash?

 

 

Homemade Gifts for the Guys

I almost forgot  to show the Christmas gifts that the hubby and I worked on for the fellas in the family.  We had a lot to do, but managed to finish them all December 23.  Yes, cutting it close to the deadline, considering we had to have them completed the 24th.  Nothing like last minute crafting.  The only way I seem to do anything.  Hubby cut and primed four of these signs.........

In Your Words!!

Let's just say, I had a bit of difficultly trying to come up with just a few words.  I could name off several and then I would go to the sewing machine and not be inspired by any of them.  I waited for that bit of inspiration that I was so looking for.  Being a week away for the hop, I was getting a bit desperate. Then, I happened to be watching TV, which for me is pretty rare.  It was late in the night and the our local news had a special on, in which they were interviewing Joel Osteen.  I sat in the dark and listened to the interview.  There was a group of words that caught my attention.  He said "We all should Bloom where we are planted."  I had heard this reference before in a church service, but this definitely sparked an interest in my creative juices.  I think that we all could use some words of inspiration in our every day lives. (Or at least I could) 

So, this is what I decided to do......

A Flurry of Activity - Crochet and Quilting

We are already a week into the New Year and there is a flurry of activity going on.  Busy, Busy, Busy!!  I managed to finish up a couple projects that I had been working on since before Christmas.  The first was another Bavarian crocheted afghan.  Which, I just recently found is also called  a Wool-eater pattern. (OK, I officially love this pattern)  I used the yarn that I had left over from the other afghans I had given as Christmas presents.  It is my own rainbow that I just might have to keep.