Don't let it's cuteness fool you ...

... this is the quilt from hell - the Titanic of quilts!  From beginning (in about 2008, I believe) to finish, whatever could go wrong - DID go wrong - sometimes more than once :D  This was the quilt that started my years-long absolute hatred of Babylock sewing machines, as my BL just could NOT function with any competency during any part of it's construction.  Lordy what a nightmare.  I actually CRIED multiple times during construction, out of sheer frustration.  I finally gave up and put it in a box for 5 or 6 years, only to pull it out last year to catalogue it for my UFO completion attempt.  I didn't get to it until this year, and I'm ashamed to admit that it was only about 3 - 4 hours away from being completed.  I can't even remember all the problems I had, but when I pulled it out, I didn't really see any evidence of hair-pulling-out-worthy errors or screw-ups.  (@#)*$&@)#($& !!!!  I finished it today, and despite the fact that it looks pretty darn cute, it will ALWAYS be the quilt from hell in my mind :D 

Quilt from hell!  60" x 66" of batik cuteness, with a dark and evil undertone :D 

When you shoot your hamster, does he play dead? :)

Nick being a goof - 2011 :D

Happy birthday to our oldest son Nick - he turns 25 today - holy smokes!  We're taking him out for dinner tonight to his (and my) favourite restaurant - The Keg - and then he invited us over to his house for dessert.  He asked if I could make and bring the dessert, LOL.  Dunzo - I made pumpkin tiramisu, and Bailey's Irish Cream cheesecake - shhhhhhh don't tell him - he doesn't know what I'm bringing :)

Nick being a goof in 2005 :)  I'm starting to think our son is actually ... a GOOF!!!  ;)

LilBlueBoo - my new bunny :)

My first bunny using LilBlueBoo's tutorial :)  He measures 9 1/4" tall by 6" wide :)

I didn't follow her construction techniques as I have my own way of doing zipper bags, but the pattern is 100% LilBlueBoo's :)  I quilted the outside fabrics, which makes for a nice sturdy bag, but made it quite difficult to turn those ears right sides out, lol.  Let's just say there may or may not have been some cursing involved, but the end results are DEFINITELY worth it :)  Thank you Ashley for sharing such a fun project!  More bunnies will follow - this guy is too cute to be an only :)

ETA:  I found this page with lots of LilBlueBoo bunnies - very cute - I like her fabric combinations!

After Christmas Sew Along - week 3 - aprony birthday gift :D

I've been sick with a cold most of the week, so haven't spent much time in the sewing room. I did complete a few things for Blue Hills that I'll photograph later, and here are a couple of aprons I finished for a birthday gift. I'm posting this photo to the After Christmas Sew Along 2014. 

This is the larger size of this apron - the robot one is a birthday gift for a little boy, and the pink floral one (baby wale corduroy remnant from Joanns!) is for his BFF :) 

To go along with the aprons, I ordered a few little extra goodies from Amazon:

Available here :)

Available here :)

Available here :)

Hopefully the recipients will like their little gifties :)

One last photo-heavy post - 4/4 :D

Final part of the tour - the basement and the outside :)

Stairway going down into the basement - that's the doorway to a small storage room at the bottom of the stairs.

Built-in shelving in the rec room.

Rec room.

Gas fireplace with hearth.

Dennis checking out the water softener in the laundry room :D

Washer and dryer - yes, he DOES do laundry :)

Storage in the laundry room :)

And now a quick peek outside into the back yard - yep, lots of snow! ;)

Left side of back yard.  He has several mature trees back there, and some shrubs and flowers - we'll have to wait until the spring to see what kind of flowers he has :)  He'll definitely be planting rhubarb!

Right of back yard - that's a stone fireplace on the patio.

Storage shed in the back yard (right side).

And that concludes our tour of Nick's house (although I need to get pictures of the front and of his new hall console table :D) - don't forget to sign the guest book on your way out!  ;)

More house pics - 3/4 :D

Living/dining room :)

The living room is pretty much entirely set up now - he bought the couch and loveseat new, and had the rest of the furniture at our house in his mancave downstairs :D

Shelves on the wall behind the couch - I think they're weird - I'm not sure if he likes them or not, LOL.  Obviously painting needs to be done here as well - I don't think he's the two wall colour type :D

Patio doors leading to the back yard - they mark the end of the living room, and then the next window is in the dining room. 

Looking into the dining room from the kitchen.

Nick assembling his hall console table :D

Priceless dining room chandelier!!  I hope he replaces that thing - it's even uglier in person than it is in the picture - UGLEEEEEEEEEEE!  Good thing we know an electrician or 3!  ;)

House pics - 2/4 :)

Kitchen:

Dennis checking out the leak in the ceiling - the leak has now been fixed by our lovely plumber friend Taylor, but now Nick needs to repair the kitchen ceiling :D

Large picture window at end of kitchen - it overlooks the front yard

This is where we store our beer - NOT!  The ladder and one of the garbage cans used for leak repair :D

Nick pretending to be mad at the photographer (aka ME) :)

Looking for a screwdriver ...

Cooking tortellini soup :D

Nick's bar, LOLOL!

Why yes - he DOES do dishes!

The kitchen needs quite a bit of work - Nick will eventually replace the cupboards and the counter, plus he needs to get a table and chairs to go in front of the window.  All in good time :) 

Hall and guest bathroom:

Dennis and Nick bringing in Nick's new hall console table.

Door to the guest bathroom.

Bifold front closet doors in front hallway (they're in pretty bad shape and will have to be replaced eventually).

Looking into the hall from the living room - the glass door leads down into the basement.

Sink in guest bathroom :)

Window in guest bathroom - on the opposite wall, over the toilet, is a big mirror with a shelf.  Hard to get pics in there - it's very small :D

For Nick's aunties (and some cousins) - house pics - 1/4 :)

Upstairs :)

Bedroom #4 - overlooks back yard (I think)

Bedroom #3 (overlooking front yard)

Looking into main bathroom :)

Office - aka bedroom #2 - overlooks back yard (I think) :)

Master bedroom - check out the sexylicious "lamps" installed on the wall on either side of the bed - they're made of PAPER, lol.  Painting and lamp removal to commence in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... (or whenever he gets to it) :)

Linen closet :)

Lots o' January sewing :D

It's so damn cold outside - what else is there to do?  Housework?  NO!  Sewing?  YES!  Most of these items will be going to Blue Hills :)

Brrr! by Laurie Wisbrun -- 2 boxy bags - 9w x 3.5t x 3.5d and 11w x 3.5t x 4d :)

Fabric airplanes :)

Ladybug boxy bags - 10w x 3.5t x 3d :)

Use-up-the-toile-fabric pouches - 7.5w x 6t and 10w x 10t x 3.5d :)

Michelle Patterns Zip Pocket Pouches (size medium) - mine measure 6w x 4.5t (folded) :)

Earbud pouches from this tutorial - the hexy shapes were made the same way, but using my acrylic hexy as a pattern :D

Use up the last of this pretty fabric zipper bag - 9w x 10t :)

Fabric basket with handle (that one handle won't unflop!) - 12w x 5.5t x 5d :)

Basket without handle - 10w x 5t x 5d :)

Superhero cape made from Thread Riding Hood free tutorial - this one is a size 2.  Pattern was lengthened by 2" :)