The Speckled Hen

I Spy with my little eye ...

2010-05-02T17:39:00.006-05:00

I spied this great knitting project bag tutorial over at A Spoonful of Sugar. I scoured through my stash for some knitting novelty fabric, dug through my notions box and found an old red plastic measuring tape that I inherited from my mom, and found some blue soy wool to start a new project to put in my bag. It'll be just enough to make the softest, skinniest little scarf. It all went together so fast. I have enough fabric to do another knitting related project with and I'll have a matching ensemble. I love it when things come together like this. Don't you?

When This You See

2010-04-25T14:53:00.008-05:00

Gift set for a friend.

Charm Pack Wallhanging w/ Yo Yo flowers

"When this you see, think of me!"

Moda Honey Bun Sweet Treat Bag (free pattern) and tissue holder.

No scraps left either - how cool is that!

I bought the Ashford Rigid Heddle as a Christmas gift for myself. It's portable and easy to use while watching TV. I have quite a bit of worsted weight and heavier wool yarn and want to weave scaves, runners, and placemats.

Fabulous Fall continues ....

2010-04-24T11:28:00.007-05:00

This is the slow progress of my Fabulous Fall lap quilt. The blocks are completed, rows sewn, and now the borders need to be added. I have three choices: the red acorn, yellow diagonal diamond, and the brown fabric used around the squares. My thoughts were to do a red, yellow, red combo and then use the brown for the binding. Right now the quilt is 40x48. I wish it would have turned out larger but seeing as it only started with one charm pack and grew legs of it's own to what it is now - I think it looks pretty good. I am ready to move on to one of my many other WIP and call it a day on this one. I like the fact that I had no pre-planning with this one. I see that some name their quilts - so what do you think I should name this one?

A Little Ditty

2010-04-18T08:06:00.005-05:00

Here lives a lady named Rie

who loves to party with tea

She's had this friend since forever

who loves to shop whenever

She had a husband who was a dog

she kept the cat and now she blogs

Sharing tales of her passions and addictions

in a fashion with great detail and conviction.

I am an Aholic!!

2010-04-17T12:01:00.004-05:00

Wikipedia says that a twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems.   I must admit that the first step is the hardest one.

1. ADMIT - I am an AHOLIC (insert fabric, yarn, beads, stamps, shoes, jewelry, clothes, magazines, books, Gadget Queen (kitchen/craft/electronic), decorating/embellishing, food, lattes, chocolate, and on and on and on...)

2. BELIEVE - I believe I have enough (NOT) and I must change my ways. (UGH)

3.  PROMISE - I promise to COMMIT (I have no fear of this word because I am not a male!!) to improving my out of control ways and not to replenish/add to my many overwhelming stashes.

4.  IDENTIFY - I have identified what my weaknesses are (as painful as that is) and located all my UFOs.

5. SHARE - I will bear my soul for all to see.  Therefore, forcing the spotlight on myself - showing all my WIPs.

6. WILLINGNESS - I give freely to this change, which is suppose to make me a better and happier person! Here I thought I was happy with all my STUFF.

7. ACCEPT - I accept that I have entirely TOOOO much stuff and therefore need help!

8. AMENDS - I am sorry to all those people I have made richier because of my compulsion to have it all!

9. APOLOGIZE - I apologize to my BFF for starting this path 26 years ago, for letting her follow me, getting the last or only one of that "item we just had to have" and leaving her scrambling to even the playing field, for the many times I allowed her to beat me to the finish line/register, and for loudly rejoicing, laughing, and doing the happy dance when she spent more money than me.

10. REAFFIRM - I will check and recheck myself to make sure I am staying on the path. I will try not to beat myself up too bad when I fall off the wagon and I will get right back on after I get that one item.

11. MAINTAIN - I promise to post weekly on my blog in order for me to track my progress openly and allow all to throw nuggets of support, rejoice in my will power, and send oohs and aahs when I actually complete an item.

12. EMPOWER - I promise to share all that I have learned, attend guild meetings for support, sell or give away my completed items, and set a shining example of how to overcome this type of addiction.

I PROMISE!!!

No Introduction Needed

2010-03-05T11:26:00.001-05:00

In the quilting world, this man needs no introduction. This is John Flynn who went from being an engineer building bridges with his own construction company to quilting, lecturing, and designing his own quilt frame and templates. He brings such a refreshing aspect to quilting and his magnamic personality just draws you in. This is a quote from John - “My son’s buddy thinks I’m really a secret agent and that traveling as a “quilt teacher” is my cover.” See what I mean!?!

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show

2010-02-28T21:11:00.003-05:00

I attended the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show the last two days.

On Saturday I attended with a friend of mine from DC and we were there for six hours.

On Sunday I ended up going back by myself, I just couldn't get enough.

I did some major $$ damage on both days but it was so worth it.

There were so many quilts being shown this year and I was totally blown away by the artistic quality.

The quilts look beautiful in the photos

but when you are up close and personal they are beyond words.

I was awestruck by the talent and unbelievable details of each one.

Looking at the gallery of quilts I chose to take pictures of

it appears I am really taken by non-traditional quilts

and really like the interpretation of beautiful scenery and photos.

With that I think that might be my challenge for this year.

To interpret a photo that moves me.

I hope you enjoyed my selection of quilts from this year's Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program

2010-02-09T18:37:00.004-05:00

One of my other passions is beading. This is a piece I finished about two months ago. I really love working with the infinite possibilities of creating with tiny glass beads. Beading embroidery has really caught my attention lately and I had this mother of pearl (MOP) button in my beading stash. (Yep got one of those too!) So I sorted through all my beads and matched them to the colors in the button and then I just went with the flow. I like how it turned out and can't wait to play with the other MOP buttons in my stash.

Sweet Stuff

2010-02-07T18:02:00.005-05:00

Aren't these just the sweetest little bags? I had this woven plaid charm pack which only had 22 charms and the Sweet Stuff pattern from This & That. Dug through my stash, found five white zippers, small button covers, and I was on my way. They're perfect size to throw your make-up in and into your bag or in your luggage.

Super Shopper

2010-02-07T12:36:00.005-05:00

Here's some pics of my latest internet purchases. My newest addiction - yes I have many when it comes to crafting - are the This & That little purses and such patterns. Not like I needed another book but I really like the Stepping Stones quilt in the Layer Cake book above and of course I had to buy all new fabric. So I choice My Three Sisters - Aster Manor by Moda. I need to finish up some other UFOs before I start this though. This will be my first large quilt done in all pre-cuts - it should go together quickly.

Not sure why my stash just wouldn't do!! What they heck was I thinking buying all those FQs - I know quick, cheap, and addicting. It's just like every other craft I have mega stash on. I'm running out of room! This is just ONE area of my fabric stash. Sometimes it gives me a headache looking at all those FQs, which is TWO deep and goes past the doors in this closet. I see a lot of scrap quilting in there. : )

Fabulous Fall WIP

2010-02-01T12:31:00.012-05:00

I love the colors of this line, actually anything Deb Strain does I love and have to buy it. Not sure here again why I only bought one charm pack. I guess I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy off on the Moda Bake Shop idea, especially the expense. But I do like the fact that everything is already cut for you and you get to mix and match and get those creative juices flowing. So I am slowly becoming a convert and even went so far as to order another Fabulous Fall charm pack and some extra yardage. We'll see how this WIP turns out.

The perverbial cat 'quilt baptizing' process.
I borrowed him (only kidding)!

Dandelion Girl

2010-02-01T11:28:00.005-05:00

While searching for a quick project to do during the snow storm this weekend, I found that I had only one Moda "Dandelion Girl" charm pack. I have no idea why I purchased it or what I had originally intended to do with it. Knowing me I must have felt I needed to buy something while shopping at my LQS one day and nothing else was speaking to me.
So, I cut some tumbler blocks out and had just enough to make this dresser scarf.

Winter White Out in the South

2010-01-30T12:10:00.008-05:00

This is what the lake behind my place looks like until spring and today with six plus inches of snow. Both are beautiful and first snow is the best but I am sure glad it will be melted in another day or so. No snow plows here except for the major highways and airport. You sure can tell who the New Englanders are though cause they're the only ones out there cleaning the snow off their cars and shoveling. Snow doesn't keep them locked away indoors.

Origami Purse

2010-01-30T10:56:00.006-05:00

Here's the Hobo Bag by Quilt Plus that I made last weekend using a Moda charm pack. I switched up a few steps on when to quilt and how to finish the seams. The picture on the pattern was a little deceiving on it's actual finished shape but it still came out really nice.

Today we are having a winter blizzard here in Virginia Beach. It is totally devastating the area. Perfect day to sew, listen to a book on tape, and watch the snow fall. I don't even think I will get out of my jyammies today. : )

Taking the Plunge

2010-01-26T22:14:00.015-05:00

Here I am taking the plunge into blogworld!
I've actually had my blog for almost a year now and I have been following all the wonderful blogs listed to your right. But I have never written anything in fear of "what will I say and who will read this." I've watched my BFF ease into blogworld like a well trained trapeze artist. While I am quite the chatty cathy and quite adept at spinning a yarn in the real world - I wonder how I will do in this one dimensional world. So I'm pleading with you - go lightly on me and be forgiving cause she knows not what she is doing.
"Here we go into the wild blue blogworld, posting away into the wee hours; here they come zooming to meet her, at 'em girls, show 'er the way!"