Friday sewing!

 well I would have more projects to share but at the last minute I joined a new Bible study and then a bunch of other things came up, just now finishing up my courthouse blocks from Randi's sew along, thought I would be done yesterday, didn't happen, that is okay though, my Bible study is really good, it's Heaven by Randy Alcorn, at first I was on the fence about joining it..not sure why, but then God kept nudging me and helped me and then a friend mentioned about not letting Satan win, so I went and it was great and also with a great group of ladies!

I made a scallop bunting/garland! my friend Rebecca has a little girl and she likes me lol so I made her a little zippered pouch and the bunting, after I made it, I almost didn't want to give it to her! lol  I love the colors I used. I think I am gonna make one the same and hang it in my craft room

have a nice weekend! Jim is off for the next three days...lots of horse riding gonna go on and Zach is attending DNOW with the church youth group :)

Linking up to Amy's Sew n tell AND Crazy Mom Quilts finish it up Friday  :)

horses, thrifting, cross country, family, books...I live a good life :)

first up is horses...Jim and I have been trying to ride 2 times a week when he is off on Fridays, sometimes we can still squeeze riding 2 times a week if we do a quick ride before church, but now with cross country meets every Saturday morning and with it being hot it hasn't been happening, but when the cooler weather comes I can see us always riding 2-3 times a week :)  poor Zach hasn't been able to ride because of cross country practices so maybe when the season is over he can start up again

Here is Speedy and I...
I have been a bit nervous and a few things have shook my confidence but trying to get past that! still wondering if I should try a bit on Speedy, not sure about this whole hackamore stuff :) Speedy is really coming around and adapting to our family and is starting to show more affection, I have been working with him quite a bit so he has been testing me quite a bit too... this is just in an area about 2 miles from our house...

lots of thrifting lately, it's been fun...(I know Jim is probably cringing if he ends up reading this)
I love my kitchen items especially!

 I mean...LOOK at these cute plates?!! I wish they would have had the whole set!

 found a few cute skirts, they fit pretty good but I know if I just lost 10 pounds they would be perfect on me with no hips buldging out :)
love the embroidery work on this one ($4)

this one is just a simple skirt, pretty casual but super comfy! ($3)

I am in love with this shirt, seriously! it's soo cute with my jeans and boots, Jim says I look like a peasant or a ragamuffin....whatever...                                                                                                                                                                                                      ($1.99)                                                                      

This stack of pillowcases that I might make into an apron and that top flowery fabric is a girls dress, I figure I am going to cut it up and use the fabric though...                                                                                         

now onto Cross Country...this first picture is Zachs race up in Scottsdale, he did really good and felt good, some good friends came to watch him too, it was a good day!                                                                    

these next two pictures are up in Payson, Jim ditched work for 2 hours and we drove up there to watch Zach run, it was beautiful weather and it was green, beautiful area up there, Zach did good, after the race, Jim and I had a dinner date at Chili's :)                                                                                                                     

Usually Zach is too tired as soon as he finishes a race to stand around a take a pic with ol' mom, but this day he did :) I am making sure I really enjoy everything with him right now, with this being his senior year and he is busy, busy and gone soo much, I can't even imagine what this next year is going to be like....I have to stop talking about it or I will start crying ;) (seriously though I will!)

he is headed to California this weekend to go run cross country!!! (I wish I could have gone! lol)

finally finished reading this book, it's really good and perfect for me in the area of my life right now                                                                                                                                                                           

Just started this book, I want to see the movie so bad since I have been hearing how good it is

Been sewing a teeny tiny bit but I messed up but will share that on the next post and hopefully will have a few other projects to share....yes I really do sew (and scrapbook!)

I am really blessed and have a good life, much better than I deserve :)  God has been very busy in my life lately though...I am excited to see what happens in a few areas of my life :)

right now...

 riding Cadet and Speedy a lot lately even though it's so hot, we just get out early in the morning :)

I just started this book (again)....it's the kind of book that is right where you are in your life...(for me personally anyways)

some misc sewing that has been done for my friend Jen, 4 camo pillowcases and 2 camo throw pillows

a little something extra for Jen

playing catch up with 2 quilt alongs and keeping up with friends, school is in and Zach is a senior this year! (re: the book I am reading! ha!)

building a nice big hay barn to hold several squeezes of hay (if we want) right now there is just 1 squeeze (64 bales) of alfalfa and about 20 bales of bermuda (and 1 of 4 German Shorthairs needing to help)

getting ready to build a pasture for the 2 oversize pets and start Clinton Andersons DownUnder Horsemanship program (yikes! I am a little intimidated, hope I can do it good)

doing some running, my toe is doing great! I can't wait for fall, I want to start my fall garden, I am in the mood to organize and purge of a lot of my stuff, I would love to sew and scrapbook lots more but between cross country, horses, family, we will see if I can squeeze it in!

One Thousand Gifts, Move More, Eat Less & and crafty stuff :)

                                              

The Fedex man just brought me this book today!!!   my mom and I are doing this study!!! It's sort of an online community book club. Can't wait to start reading it! you should too!!!
here is a section to what the book is about....
"One Thousand Gifts beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control and abandon yourself to the God who overflows your cup. It invites you to wake up to God's everyday blessings, and discover, as Ann did, that in giving thanks for the life you already have, you find the life you've always wanted."
To live your life fully right where you are now.  I really need the reminders sometimes!


                                            

Another thought I have been pondering is....CathyZ's Move More Eat Less, oooooh! I soooo need this!
I mean I know I need to do both, I know how to do both, dang, this last year I lost almost 13-15 pounds (depending on the day) and have gained just about all of it back, how dumb is that?!! BUT I knew January would be a good month (along with everyone else in the world) to start..well now it's almost the end of January and I'm finally starting! I did run only 2 times this week but I have eaten better all week (except for today, don't know what is wrong with me! ha!) but I feel really motivated again, plus it helps when your 17 year old son says almost everyday "mom, you going to run today?"  yes he runs a lot, he loves track and cross country and is running a 10K this weekend,  but he is not 41! runnning is hard, I miss running as much as I used to run, now running is hard again (again, kicking myself for not keeping it up). This week I ran at the gym BLECH!, I can't stand going to the gym but considering since I haven't been running as much, I figured I would give my body a break and run on the treadmill instead of the road, the treadmill is sooo much easier (to me anyways). I want to lose the weight I gained back of course but I want to feel better physically and mentally, it helps so much with my lovely panic attacks :)  The farthest I have even ran is a little over 5 miles but I really want to be able to run a 10K! that is my goal again :) So there is my accountability to you!  Join me on this too?

Now something crafty related..... YAY!!! I have not scrapbooked in almost a year! scrapbooking has always been my first love and I miss it so much but a few friends and I have a challenge to scrapbook a page this weekend so look for a picture to be scrapbooked, I am so excited! Lord knows I have enough supplies to have my own personal little scrapbook shop :) now just to decide which pictures to use :)
Oh and my sewing....I have to finish up one very important project! can't say on here but it's a cute project! one area is giving me fits though...sooo wish me luck. I am also sewing some curtains and pillowcases for my friend Jen and then have 2 gifts to finish up for family members :) and 2 to finish up for friends :) plus my quilt along that I am doing, got the fabric cut and sorted into groups, yes I am behind...but that is okay :)  plus the list of aprons and pillows and such for my own home :)

Check this out....do you love tumbler quilts? I do! but since I can't afford an accucut go cutter I found this

                                 
how clever huh? the tumbler ruler  this one is for using charm packs and they have one for layer cakes too

the first fabric I am using it on the 3 Sisters Park Avenue fabric, isn't it so pretty? I have 4 charm packs to cut with that tumbler ruler now to just decide which border fabric to use and the binding and backing. I might choose 2 border fabrics, one skinny and one fat.

                                             

The other fabric I have my eye on is this Tanya Whelan Fabric, Delilah. isn't it just beautiful?!! now to figure out what I want to do with it when I get it, not IF I get it, but when..... :)

                                       
                                              (pic borrowed from sew love fabrics)

pinwheels, fabric and books!

3 of my favorite things!  anyways...I have done a little organizing with my fabric, finally!  after Jodi at Pleasant Home encouraged us to get our fabric scraps organized and start sewing with them, I did and it feels so good! I was surprised that I had a lot more red and pink scraps more than anything else when I really love to use  oranges, blues and greens. See how my fabric is squeezed onto those shelves? I now realize that I need these huge shelves strictly for fabric, not the tons of scrapbooking paper I have and binders and paper work for ASL :) I have been inspired more after organizing and refolding some fabric and have started making some of the items on my Christmas list

Here is a block for my pinwheel table runner, I am using lefover vintage fabrics from cutting blocks for a simple vintage quilt that is in the works

and if you want a good read, get this book! I want to start some of those quilts that she has in the book, but they might have to wait till after Christmas!

Thats about it here, just doing some major ASL studying since I have had family here and other things going on, so I am playing catch up, I hate it when I get behind.

later!