Where've I been...What've I been doing???

Both good questions. i've been around and busy....sit down and relax and i'll show you.

Still dealing with trees and woodshed....blah, blah, blah.   and i decided September was home improvement month and i needed to get some of those things on my 'to do' list actually DONE. so Monday morning i painted the outside basement windows of my studio. .. there's about 10 of them. so, 2 cans of wasp spray later...those are done. i also painted the 2 little windows and door in my shed at the studio...another can of wasp spray....and digging out the tall ladder. still had paint in the can so i also painted the back deck of the studio...more wasp spray. a turtle kept me company while i painted the deck. so i got 2 things scratched off my list. the deck wasn't on the list...so i should get extra points for that. took me about 4 hours all together. why do we put off things that could be done so quickly and easily. i'll just say procrastination is my middle name.

I found a cute quilt idea on someone's blog that i wanted to try. that link is on the computer at the house so i can't tell you who it was. i believe she called it the Stamp Collection. you just cut out bits of fabric and stitch around them...raggedy edge...like you were putting stamps in a book to collect. very fast...kind of cute. i have put it through the washer once to fluff up the edges but need to brush it out and wash it again.

Isn't it just the cutest thing? i cut 12.5" blocks out of muslin to stitch the bits to. i made all 12 blocks in a couple afternoons. i was thinking after i already had 2 blocks done that you could do 'theme' blocks. like all flowers, all birds, all animals...whatever....like you would in an actual stamp collection.

And i quilted up a couple things for a customer. she is going to make a bag out of this piece. it is so colorful and vibrant and i just love it.

And this one is from the same customer. I liked it, too, but it was tougher to decide what to quilt.

A friend of ours has a little girl who is turning 2 later in October so i had to make her a quilt. i thought an alphabet quilt was right for that age. so i embroidered the blocks and made 4 butterflies for the corners. i thought later that i could have put her name in one of the corners instead. my planning skills need work. LOL

It's third in line to be quilted so i need to get busy. it's it cute that they used a quilt for the Q.

My latest obsession was found online on someone's blog, also. go visit http://www.ohfransson.com/   a couple days ago she showed the Tokyo Subway Map....she is making a quilt of it. i decided i 'needed' one, too. LOL   after all, there are only 1600  2" squares to make it...piece of cake...right?  i spent last night drawing out the lines. good thing i have colored pencils. the black squares are the stops for the subway.

Here's a closer view. i am just loving this...a LOT.  my hubby just shakes his head and laughs at me. but it is so graphic and colorful and so me.

The next quilt up today is one for my sister. it is carousel animals. i embroidered the animals for her and she put it together using up her stash of Christmas fabrics.

That picture is kind of fuzzy due to my camera skills. there are all different animals and they are too cute. she paper pieced the rows of tiny strips around the blocks.

Here's the camel

Now i need to get up and go work on those carousel animals. oh, but i really, really want to cut out 2" squares for the Tokyo Subway Map. i know...i'll make a deal with myself. i'll go do the SID and stabilize the quilt then i'll cut out some 2" squares. that will be my reward. LOL

What are your plans for the day? whatever they are....hope you are having fun.