so optimistic...so many projects .....

 hen party is poulsbo bound in the morning for an annual quilt retreat....so today i was busy gathering up unfinished projects for our trip...

hope to make this fig tree a bit bigger

hope to finish this equilateral triangle quilt xo

this ds quilt is exactly where i left off last year at quilt retreat xo WHEN WE ARE FLAT ON OUR BACKS THE ONLY WAY TO LOOK IS UP...SO TAKE CARE TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY XO

so i gathered it up again with high hopes  ...

i cut a few new ds fabrics for the trip... love my scraps xo

this stack is going along on my trip hoping for a worthy inspiration ????

these are left overs that will make a very sweet baby quilt for my nephew and his wife who are expecting a sweet baby girl any day now xo

and i am looking forward to making some more of this goodness xo

i need SIXTEEN  of these stars !!

it will be fun to see how much i accomplish...me and the ladies have been going on retreat once a year for over 10 years now... we always have a wonderful get away and i get a CRAZY amount of sewing time in ....

happy thursday xoxo pam

pouch love love love

pouch #4 coming up...i am going to use  noodlehead's tutorial this time to make a sewing pouch

this is pouch #1 i used a quilter's table tutorial for this 3 zipper pouch...mine did not turn out so great but it was  a good learning pouch xo

pouch # 2 is my favorite... i took some great ideas and made a custom pouch for ME...used a french seam {too bulky] and put an inner zipper along w lots of inside pockets...but i still thought i could improve it by making it a bit deeper and a bit shorter...

i feel so organized w this new pouch of mine xoxo

and it goes perfect w this bag that i made last june

sooo pouch #3 had good intentions but i am so disappointed...it is too deep and the zipper is too short...lessons learned xo i am most happy w pouch #2 and i am taking an early retirement from purse making xo

mostly i feel that i should stick to quilting ~ haha ~ but it has been sorta fun [mostly frustrating]
i did really enjoy the research and picking out fabric...i was inspired by pam @ threadingmyway she had a linky party for purses and there are over 100 ideas here....

happy hump day xoxo pam

lakebay girl's weekend

we had a great get away

bff beach bunnies

beach , beer and beach combing w buckets...even some rookie midnight clamming xoxo

lots of games...we played a great new game called telestrations ~ a game of words and drawings xo

and there was tattoos...

we did not get far with the bottle cap crafts...i did not have the right tools

but i did get these gifts from the sea and i plan on using some caps and mogde podge to make something for my garden xoxo

a big THANK YOU to monica for organizing and terese and orrin  for making us feel so welcome xoxox

                    such a good weekend....had so much fun with the girls and i slept like a baby...
                    so nice to have NO agenda.... xoxoxo pam                  

bottle cap crafts coming right up ....

seriously...google bottle cap crafts and you will be on over load immediately....or just check out brokeassstuart

i have been saving bottle caps for a long time...and i am going away with some  bff's this weekend...a few of us are a bit crafty but i am the ONLY quilter [ and i should say i am completely ok about taking a break from sewing] sooo i was looking for an inexpensive craft inspired by " crafts for poor people " by amy sedaris....

bottle cap possibilities are endless.... i am so looking forward to a getaway with the girls and it will be so fun to do a few crafts...especially when the weekend focus will be eating , drinking , playing games, digging clams and beachcombing xoxoxo

crafting supplies include nails,hammer, modgepodge, split ring pliers, wire, glue gun and brushes...creative ideas include trivets, coasters,  garden art with beachwood , magnets etc.....it is going to be interesting xoxoxo

        happy thursday xoxo pam

serious ds love and more pouch love

got in some good denyse schmidt  trouble at joann's today...i love her fabrics and i now have a serious pile to add to my stash of her fabric xoxo

and i found this bag at tj max

love it xo

finished up this custom pouch....i used a french seam which made it pretty bulky in the corners...

but i love all the little pockets and dividers i made for the inside

and i started another.....

hope to finish this one up tomorrow xoxo

                                                             happy monday xoxo pam

around here this week

celebrated valentines with a great idea from ciscoe...i love that he calls it a "living smooch"

and this is what i have been happily stitching this week xoxo

and we made potluck paella

yum yum

celebrating ani's 25 th birthday...we love her xoxoxo

made her a three zipper pouch with a tutorial from debbie @ aquilterstable

this inspired me to make another pouch  custom made for me....i still have to figure out a few of the finishing touches....with a little help from all the great ideas in blogland xoxoxo

and best news of the week?? my friend jenny had a healthy baby boy on friday xoxoxo
happy sunday xoxo pam

blast from valentines past

just for fun....

waaaay back in 96 i participated in a block exchange with my "going to pieces" quilt group... my only request was HEARTS xoxo

 lily was 4  and sara was 12...and they shared a bedroom...

and i only hand quilted back then....and i only worked on ONE quilt at a time..... hahahaha

HAPPY VALENTINES XOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

sewing mends the soul and the sniffles and linking up to i have to say for some show and tell

enjoying some embroidery while getting plenty of rest nursing a cold...

started out with the wrong color thread for these words and some rusty embroidery stitches...

but i am warming up to it again and liking this much more with the black thread...

next up...how cute is this??

found this iron on stencil pack at joann fabric

also playing around with some slow go cross stitch...forgot how time consuming this is...no wonder these projects take hundreds of hours xo

nick had the crud all last week and looks like  i get the crud this week....i am thankful for tissue...tv...  recliners...naps...sewing and not having to call in sick....although i would love those sick pay benefits ...xo
happy tuesday xoxox pam

also linking up with randi @ i have to say for a very fun show and tell. xo

it is customer time again xo

nothing like taking a break to help you appreciate your work right ?? and i am especially grateful to do what i love while i work !! xoxoox

tess made this t-shirt quilt for her high school senior project...machine quilted w double bubble by patricia ritter

pam made triple baby goodness

machine quilted w figure 8 by dave hudson

machine quilted w paper dolls by patricia ritter

and another w figure 8 by dave hudson

mary made this strip quilt and i machine quilted it w figure 8 as well....this panto is definitely a fave of mine and my customers

happy thursday xo pam