You're Invited

In partnership with Anagram Interactive, I was given an opportunity to do a review for Paperless Post.  I was given free coins to play around the site and to provide a review.  Please note that this is my honest review based on my experience.

Paperless Post is a great site to create invitations, birthday cards, etc.  There are lots of free options, and there are lots of great options to customize your card.

The Post Box lists all your invitations, including your drafts.  From here, you can see who has responded to your invitation.

Once you have chosen your template, you can customize the text, the font, the background colour -- the possibilities are endless.

Here's the draft of my 50th birthday party.  I had to postpone my party and details are not yet finalized.

It's easy to upload or copy and paste the e-mail addresses for your invitees.  You can also update your guest list and send out additional invitations.

You can preview your invitation before sending, but I love that you can send yourself a test invitation.  This gives you the opportunity to see exactly what your guests will receive.

You can even customize the inside of the envelope, if you choose to include an envelope.  I think the envelope is a nice touch.

I encourage you to head over to Paperless Post to take a look.  There are also greeting cards, thank you cards, and stationery.  It's a great way to save on printing and postage costs.

TGIFF - More Pillow Fun

Okay...I may never make another quilt again.  😊  Pillows are so quick and easy -- instant gratification.

Last year, I attempted to play along with the EPP Party hosted by Mister Domestic.  I did not succeed and only managed three blocks -- this is Block #5, Vibrant Star.

I am not going to get around to finishing these blocks, so I added a border -- voilà, a 14-inch pillow.

I attempted free motion quilting on my domestic Singer.  It's not bad, but I'm not totally happy.  My Singer is a workhorse, but she doesn't like free motion quilting much.

It's easier to get photos of pillows because they're small.

Now to make pillows out of the other two blocks.  And then another WIP crossed off the list!!


If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Sarah Goer Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It's my turn on the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop hosted by Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  This is my second year participating, and I extend my thanks to Sarah for all the work that she puts into organizing and hosting this blog hop.

I recently had some success with a table runner using the Quick Curve Ruler Mini by Sew Kind of Wonderful.  So I thought I'd give it a try again, using the same pattern that came with the ruler.

This is the block, which is actually half of the larger block.  Curved piecing is not as hard as you imagine it to be.

I thought I would make Christmas "ornaments" -- but I wasn't thinking when I was cutting the red and green fabrics.  I followed the pattern thinking that I needed an even number of each colour. But I forgot that there were five "ornaments" and that I need 8 squares of one colour and 12 of the other.  And I didn't realize my error until I started piecing the blocks together.

Although the plan is for this to be a table runner, I do like it hanging on the wall.  Maybe I'll add a hanging sleeve.

I felt the fabric called for free motion quilting of stars and loops.  I even hand sewed the binding to the back.

If you're making Christmas gifts this year, I hope you were able to find some new projects during this blog hop, or at least some inspiration.

Giveaway
I have two patterns by Jaybird Quilts to give away:  Mini Northern Lights and Seaside.  Leave a comment for a chance to win both patterns.  The giveaway is open internationally and ends at midnight on Wednesday, July 25, when the blog hop ends.

       

Here is the complete list of all the blogs participating:

Saturday, July 14th

Joy @ Days Filled With Joy

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th

Joanne @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Jan @ The Colorful Fabriholic

Monday, July 16th

Carole @ From My Carolina Home

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels & Eats

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Mary @ Made by Marney

Wednesday, July 18th

Cindy @ Stitchin' At Home

Karrin @ Karrin's Crazy World

Thursday, July 19th

Christina @ Christina's Handicrafts

Sherry @ Books, Hooks, Sticks, etc.

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th

Kristi @ Confessions of A Fabric Addict

Wendy @ Pieceful Thoughts

Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Meloney @ Mel's Quilting Blog

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts

Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Amy @ Sea of Estrogen

Bonnie @ In Stitches With Bonnie

Tuesday, July 24th

Kathy @ Kathy's Kwilts and More

Summer @ Summer Lee Quilts

Wednesday, July 25th

Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

Brandy @ Pampered Pettit

Jean @ All Points of the Compass

TGIFF - Dresden Plate Pillow

I tried something new -- Dresden plate.  I keep seeing Dresden plate projects, specifically over at Musings of a Menopausal Melon and at Patchwork n Play.

I purchased a generic Dresden plate ruler at our guild yard sale.  There were no instructions on the packaging, but I think I did a good job figuring it out.  It didn't lie perfectly flat, but a bit of steamy pressing did the trick.  😊

Aren't those foxes adorable.  I don't know the fabric -- they were a gift from a friend.

I decided to make a 16-inch pillow for a quick finish.  I used Kona White and Curry.  After I put the binding on, I realized I should have added more quilting.

I decided to give the front yard another try for photos, as I seem to be getting good photos there lately.

And since pillows are easier to photograph, a photo beside another bush in the front yard.

Pillows may be my new to-go project -- they are easier and quicker to make than quilts.

I think this pillow will go to the charity I talked about last week.

If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Quilting and Learning

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

WIP Wednesday - Classic Meets Modern BOM

It's time for my July blocks for the Classic Meets Modern BOM hosted by Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation.

All my blocks are made with the following Kona colours:  White, Steel, Turquoise, Berry, Pool, Parrot, and Royal.

This is Bowtie -- a 12.5 inch block.  With this layout of the four blocks, you create the illusion of a circle in the middle.

Weathervane is another 12.5-inch block.  This was a fun block to make.

You can follow my progress:

• January blocks  
• February blocks 
• March blocks 
• April blocks 
• May blocks 
• June blocks

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

Finish Along 2018 Q3 Goals

It's time to set -- and declare to the universe -- my Q3 goals for Finish Along 2018.

FAL 2018 is hosted by a community of bloggers around the world, and you can link up with any one of them.  I currently link up with Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts.

• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA

• Sandra - Studio Sew of Course - Ireland

• Leanne - She Can Quilt  - Canada 

• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA

• Felicity - Felicity Quilts - Canada

• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA

• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada

• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA

My goals are:

1.  Retreat Bag by Emmaline Bags - I already have the wire frames needed, but I need to select fabric.

2.  Stellar Stars Block of the Month - I am many months behind in this BOM.  I need to make the blocks for the months of April, May, June, and July.  And most of them are paper pieced.

3.  Milky Way Sampler - This was a 2017 BOM hosted by Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts.  I fell behind basically after it started -- only two blocks completed.  I'm going to make the blocks for March, April, May, June, and July.  These, too, are paper pieced patterns.  I hope to get them all done before the end of 2018.

I think that's more than enough paper pieced blocks to keep me busy for the next three months. 

12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop

It's time for the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop hosted by Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

My day on the blog hop is July 22.  I gave a sneak peek of my project here.  You'll have to come back on Sunday to see the finish.

You can click here to see my Christmas tree wall hanging from last year's blog hop.

I'm sure you'll find some inspiration from one of the many blogs participating:

Saturday, July 14th

Joy @ Days Filled With Joy

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th

Joanne @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Jan @ The Colorful Fabriholic

Monday, July 16th

Carole @ From My Carolina Home

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels & Eats

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Mary @ Made by Marney

Wednesday, July 18th

Cindy @ Stitchin' At Home

Karrin @ Karrin's Crazy World

Thursday, July 19th

Christina @ Christina's Handicrafts

Sherry @ Books, Hooks, Sticks, etc.

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th

Kristi @ Confessions of A Fabric Addict

Wendy @ Pieceful Thoughts

Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Meloney @ Mel's Quilting Blog

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts

Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Amy @ Sea of Estrogen

Bonnie @ In Stitches With Bonnie

Tuesday, July 24th

Kathy @ Kathy's Kwilts and More

Summer @ Summer Lee Quilts

Wednesday, July 25th

Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

Brandy @ Pampered Pettit

Jean @ All Points of the Compass

2018 Mid Year Review

At the end of 2017, Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl hosted a 2018 Planning Party.  I decided to keep my 2018 goals simple.  It's now time for a mid year review.

My three goals were:

• Organize all my fabric into one space -  ⛝ Epic fail - Have not done a thing to achieve this goal.  Guess I have a lot of work to do in the next six months.
• Continue to sew projects that make me happy - ✔ 
• Continue to have fun -  ✔ 

These are a few of my recent finishes that I had fun making:

Lisa the Unicorn

Star Thistle

I wonder what's in store for the rest of 2018.  Let's keep having fun!

TGIFF - Paper Piecing Might Not Be So Bad...

...but it's still not my go-to technique.  I will not be converted.  I will not be converted.  😊

I've had this pattern printed for many, many months, and I finally got around to making it.  It's Star Thistle created by Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal.  You can get the pattern here.

Out came the Aurifil thread -- #2021 Natural White.  I like Aurifil thread, but it's quite costly here in Canada.  I have a few spools but don't use it often.  I also decided to try Quilter's Newsprint by the Electric Quilt Company.

Sewing went well -- Jack the seam ripper didn't make a single appearance!!  I was so excited on how well it was going, I forgot to take progress photos.  The Quilter's Newsprint was very easy to remove.

I added some borders to increase the size and did some straight-line quilting.

I used Kona Black, White, Ash, and Chinese Red.

For the grey sections, I tried Glide thread.  I was very excited to try this thread, but in the end, I was sadly disappointed.  I couldn't get the tension right, and at the corners where I changed directions, I ended up with a loop (almost like a missed stitch).  In the end, I gave up.  Since this is a pillow, I'm hoping that it won't be washed often and that the quilting will hold up.

And when you think you know something for certain, double check.  I added borders based on the 14-inch pillow forms that I had in my stash.  Ummm...they were 16-inch pillow forms.  So off to my LQS to purchase the correct size.  Sigh.  While I was there, I took a photo in the Kona section.

A front yard photo shoot.

This pillow will be going to charity.  One of our guild members allows us to use her business space for our monthly guild meetings.  As a thank you, members donate items to their yearly charity auction in December.  All funds go to a local charity that provides safe, second-stage housing and supportive counselling for women and children in our province.  I'm happy to be ahead of the game this year.

If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Celtic Thistle Stitches

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

WIP Wednesday - Fireburst Mystery Flying Geese

I've been playing along with the mystery QAL being hosted by Tish @ Tish's Adventure in Wonderland.  You can get the first set of sewing instructions here if you want to join in.

The second set of instructions can be found here -- flying geese using all the fabrics.

And one square-in-a-square unit.

There's still time to join in if you're interested.  Instructions are provided at the beginning of each month.

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter