Fall color inside...

Fall blew through Minneapolis yesterday, during the very entertaining Vikings game. Our streak of warm weather ended and a wonderfully cool breeze {OK, very strong wind} filtered through the whole house. I am embracing my pumpkin lattes, sewing time and sweaters. They are a nice balance to staying home with sick kids and my long to do list.
New fall pillows are on my couch and made from my fabric stash {yeah!}. I love the Martha Negley fabric {Crabapples}, I think I might need more... I'm not sure what this brown is, I've had it a while.

I found this hand painted wood block the other day, it is so pretty in person!

The Christmas quilt I was working on isn't turning out the way I had hoped. The blocks are just too country, too rustic so I ordered more fabric and now I am pulling out the tan and adding more red and green. I think that will do the trick. More photos on that later. I have also been experimenting with wonky log cabin squares. Quilt Dad has some great tutorials over at his quilt along. This fabric is Wildwood by Erin Morris for Free Spirit.
The old Amy Butler quilt came out of the closet, just in time to cuddle with a sick child (just a mild cold, with mild fever). This child will not take a nap today, as tired as he is!

This little one started dance class last Friday, she had a great time. After she thought about the stage show in a few months she told me she wasn't going to dance any longer. I think she will keep going to class...it will be an ongoing convo I'm sure!

Enjoy your fall day!

The roman shade...well, it's up.

I started this project long ago. I repurposed fabric from my daughter's Pottery Barn crib bumper and crib sized duvet cover. It was a project that started great and then went downhill. I have never sewed a window treatment of any kind, so of course, lets jump right into roman shades! I found an amazing tutorial by Jen Duncan. Her window is about half the size of mine.

Anyway, after I figured out that my measurements were a little off I dropped this project in frustration. Meanwhile my daughter enjoyed her lovely home depot paper shades for a few more months. I picked this back up a few days ago opting for cute-but-not-perfect over paper.
I have to find a hardware piece to wrap the pull string and we'll call it done. It is a little narrow on the top, and even narrower on the bottom, but it matches the quilt I made and the window seat cushion and pillows her aunt made. I hope to sew some pillow shams and then her room will be done. :)

I've been slackin...

With my trimming. Sometimes I try to correct blocks that are a little off by placing my seam a certain way, or being OK with corners that are close but not perfect. It hasn't gotten me in much trouble, surprisingly. Well, no more laziness. On the last quilt I did with this pattern I trimmed up the sides with extra fabric but didn't truly "square up" the blocks to make sure they were all exactly the same. The quilt turned out nice, but there are a few spots where the corners meet...anyway, this time I'm doing it right.I wasn't going to admit this but when I got that quilt back from the county fair there was a sweet little reminder on the back of my entry form to make sure my blocks were squared before I sewed them together! Sometimes fast isn't always the best.

Some Bad Chicken.

Does anyone remember that cute commerical with that little boy who ate the "bad chicken". I think it was a Medica commerical. I laughed so hard every time I saw it. I checked you tube, no luck.

Bad chicken is what I have been cooking. My last few attempts at a yummy family dinner have flopped. Usually the kids don't eat much, my husband and I eat one meal but no one touches the leftovers. Tonight, not even edible. (burned orange chicken from the slow cooker anyone?) So I might turn over the cooking reigns to my husband. He is an excellent cook (leftovers are always gone) and more than fabulous on the grill. There is no pressure for me to cook I just feel like it makes more sense than to wait until Mr. Fabulous gets home from work, plus he likes to hang with the kids as much as possible when he gets home. The SAHM guilt!

Thanks for letting me rant. My name is Alyson and I don't love to cook. Baking...I'm all in. I have the itch to make caramel apple pie this fall...but not until the temperature falls below 80.

Remember the tall table I found at the garage sale a few weeks ago? Well, here is the finished project...
It found a place in my entry way and I think it will stay there. Someday I will change the spring decor to fall...it's on my list.
I put in a few hours at the sewing machine today, I know, I'm shocked too. I am making another Simple Swap Squares quilt. This time in Christmas fabric!!! Holly Taylor's Moda line called Frosted Memories. It's beautiful fabric, a little rustic with darker reds and greens. It actually matches my Christmas dishes (My Mom pointed that out, hadn't thought of it). Actually Mom liked it so much she wanted one too so this one is hers. :)

Just checked Fat Quarter Shop online and they have this layer cake on sale, 24.99 I think. I try to purchace locally first and then go online if I can't find something. This line sold so quickly at my LQS that I had to go online. Actually I should rave about Fat Quarter Shop because when I cut into this layer cake there was a manufacuter's defect and about 5 fabric squares were cut way too small. I called up Fat Quarter Shop and they sent me another one, in one day, no questions asked! I was impressed.

Ok, I've rambled enough today. Can you tell I had a quiet day with no kiddos yesterday? I have stuff to share and stuff to say!

My First Batik Experience...

This is a project for my mom that I finally finished the other day. This was my first time sewing with batik fabrics and I didn't realize what a different feel they had. I didn't have any problems but I am curious how they wash up. (i didn't wash this one since it is a table topper)

I have been getting a million other things organized and ready for this first week of school. The kids (and me) are doing good. I sent my son off this morning even though he claimed to not feel well. I hope he enjoys the day. I feel like I pace around just waiting to pick him up.

**Edit** Poor kid, bad mom...school nurse called at 1:15 telling me my son had a 101 fever and I need to pick him up. Luckily, Sat am he was fine. :)

Next week I plan to tackle more sewing and I hope to get back to posting projects. Thanks for hanging with me this summer and my serious project deficit! Here a few back to school photos to top off the week!

Never forget...

Art Cart + Art Caddy + Art Smock = Bliss

Ok, bliss might be a stretch but for this Everything-needs-a-place Mom it is close. I am not the clean house all the time kind of gal but I really like to be able to put things away quickly. A year ago I found myself constantly getting out and putting away art project after art project. My solution was these rolling carts I found at Target for 8 bucks. Each child gets one and they can get it out of the closet and roll it over to the table to start a project. The art caddy on top organizes the little stuff.

As for the great smocks...crafty sister-in-law again! She sews these out of vinyl and they work great! Maybe she could post a tutorial....