The Crafty Huntress

Ruby Quilt & Weekend Catch!

In the month of January...I STARTED and FINISHED my Ruby quilt top and back!  Such an accomplishment for me!  I usually start things and don't always finish!  Now I just need to get it quilted together and do the binding so it will be complete!

Top with borders on!  Love it!

I was going to do all floral on the back, but decided to get creative with my left over scraps!  I'm really pleased with it.  It's like I have two quilts in one!  I can't wait to have it all complete and be able to snuggle with it on the couch!

I have another quilt in the works that I started over 12 years ago, before we were married!  That will be my next project!

Since it's winter steelhead season, I'll leave you with the catch of the weekend!

and another...

It's a keeper.  So is he!:)

I can't believe tomorrow is already February!  Wow!

Ruby Quilt top!

*Dream Big quilt pattern by Camille Roskelley, Fabric is Ruby by Bonnie & Camille

Today I finished sewing this together!  I got it all cut and sewn in just under two weeks!  Go me!  I have the fabric ordered to do a few borders around this top and the backing.  Then it will be ready for quilting!

I've really enjoyed working with this fabric!  It's so fun and not colors I would have typically chosen.

I have two other quilts that I've started years ago and I think I'll complete those before starting anything new.

I bought this JOY kit from Pagemaps before Christmas.  It was really fun to put together.  I gave it to my mom for Christmas.  It had been awhile since I had painted and glittered anything! 

I think that's all my craftiness for now!  Today we got snow and we're home tomorrow so maybe I'll get some snow pics!

Our last self portrait of 2011!

The week before Christmas we went for a drive to check out some new hunting country.

We stopped on this bridge to check out the river and saw an eagle flying over that landed in a nearby tree!

I asked for one quick pic and he approved...even with his best buddy waiting in the pickup!

Thanks Babe!  We use to not have the gray hairs, fine lines and double chins!  What happened?!!

I love self portraits! 

We need to take a new one for 2012!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that jazz!

Here is our Christmas photo that I meant to post around Christmas!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  We did!  We stayed close to home and went to the movies to see We Bought A Zoo on Christmas Day.  It was a really good movie!

On New Years Eve baby Emerie stayed with us for a sleepover!  She is the sweetest and best baby ever!  I think she may have made two noises when her binky came out!  You can see Gabe was totally watching tv, but he did love having her here!  This was the last picture I took in 2011!

For Christmas I got a jelly roll of Ruby!  I was thrilled and it was just the motivation I needed to start a quilt in the new year!  Right now I am half way done with the quilt top!  I am making this pattern, Dream Big!  The pattern and fabric line are from Camille Roskelley.  I bought her book last year and this is my first project of hers!  She just announced she's got a second book coming out!  Yay!  I'll post pics when I get the top done!

Lately I've been working, sewing and now I better go finish the spaghetti!

Photography!

So last week ended in more sickness.  Gabe & I were off again on Thursday and Christopher ended up coming home early on Friday.  We stayed close to home all weekend and hopefully everyone is on the mend!

My brother, Kelly & Kasen were here this weekend for our office Christmas party!  It's always fun visiting with them and seeing how much Kasen has changed!  He's quite the character and I love that he's talking more now and was even hollering my name!

Since I didn't take any pictures this weekend, I'll share pics from the last few photo sessions I've done.  I've been asked a few times how the wedding pics turned out and realized I've never shared them!  In October my best friends mom got married and asked me to take the pictures.  I was really nervous and ended up renting a different camera lens for the event.  At first I hated the lens, but did use it for the wedding and liked it a little better.  I'll just say that I'm so glad I didn't actually buy that lens.  My lenses are Nikon and I could definitely tell a difference in another brand that wasn't as good of quality.  Okay, on to the pics!

Rick & Peggy (photo by me, edit by bff Billie)

My bff Billie on the right, with her hubby and kids!

Love this family!

One of my favorites!  She spotted him from our 9th grade PE class!  They've been married 15 years this past summer!

A few weeks ago I took pictures of my friend Maria and her family.  I took their family Christmas picture last year.  Maria & I went all thru school together, I think from the 1st grade!  Her son Riley is adorable and has such a great smile!

 

That's it!  It's fun, but sometimes stressful!

My boys say we don't need to get a Christmas tree...ba humbug!  Gabe put his little fake 2 ft. tree in the living room by the gifts and said that would do!  I think I'll make sure we get a tree this week, even it's from a lot in town!  It just wouldn't be Christmas without a tree!  Have a good Monday!

Cookies...that sums up my day!

Gabe was home sick again today.  Just the head cold hanging on.  Today I didn't feel like doing much until this afternoon.  We did run down to the school to get G's homework and stopped by the store for some milk & flour.  Came home and made two batches of chocolate chip cookies.  I don't make any other kind, always chocolate chip!  Weird huh?

I always keep 3 little bowls of cookie dough in the fridge for each of us!  Since earlier this year when Christopher got more employees, I always send cookies to work for his boys.  Or the New Kids on the Block as I call them!

We also got our Wii up and running!  Gabe likes the Wii and his DS, but he's never been one to just sit in front of the games for hours.  He'd play the Wii maybe a few times per month.  For quite awhile he's been telling me it's broken.  Yesterday we messed with it and it was unplugged and the batteries in the remotes were no good.  Easy fix!  The last two nights we've been playing Sports Resort, which is pretty fun.  Gabe usually gets a game for Christmas so I'm glad it's working!  And I should be using the Wii Fit and Biggest Loser games...after I put down my cookie dough!:)

I helped Gabe with his 4th grade math tonight.  He says to me, kind of yelling, "I've never done this before" and I say "Neither have I"!  Or if I did, I sure don't remember it!  4th grade was a long time ago!  I don't remember much after having a baby!

I still haven't been called for December Jury Duty yet!  Hoping I don't!  Have a good Wednesday!

Cold Season & Babies!

Gabe's cold kept us home today.  This morning he head a pounding head, stomach didn't feel good and he was really pale.  When he's sick he likes me to move his mattress to the living room.  Today he was there all day long.  Tonight he seems better so hopefully he'll make it to school tomorrow.

When days like this begin, I always feel like I can get a ton done while he's laying there sick.  Nope, it never happens.  Half the time he wants me near him or he's asking for more snacks or beverage!

But I did get the living room back together now that the carpet is dry.  I cleaned out the coat closet and pulled out Gabe's snow clothes that were too small.  Still no Christmas decorations out, maybe next weekend!

Can you tell this is our family in lego?!!  They've been sitting in my kitchen window for a few days now.  Gabe has a big ice cream cone, Christopher with a rifle and binoculars, and Me with a rather big camera and a frying pan!  So true to life that Mom has a something she loves and something she wishes someone else would do!  I'll gladly hand over that frying pan and take a bigger camera!

Here's a new picture of Meara!  She's gotten so big!  She'll be 2 soon!  I don't get to see her too much, but I hear she's still the same Meara, full of spunk!

Here's new baby Emerie!  This was last Friday night she was on the Vegas strip checking out the Christmas decor with her Mom, Aunt and Grandma!  Her Auntie P got her this adorable jacket and hat, so darn cute!  The girls are in Vegas for awhile but Britt has been keeping me updated with new pics on Facebook or texts!  Babies change so much, I can't imagine what she'll look like when she gets back!  It's so fun having a baby around!

Today I decided to stop reading Leaving.  I just couldn't get into it.  So now I'm off to find something new to read!  Happy Tuesday!

December already!

The time has just been flying by!  But don't we say that every year?!!  There's a lot I could catch you up on, but lets be real and understand I haven't been good about blogging lately!  So I'll just tell you about now!

This weekend we had no plans and we stayed home all weekend!  My Mom & I purchased a carpet cleaner last week and we both put it to good use already!  We've lived here over 2.5 years and I had not cleaned the carpets yet.  It's all good now, well except Gabe's room and my craft room!  Too much stuff on the floors to go there!  Next I'll be cleaning my car upholstery!

Today I got my little family together for our annual Christmas card photo!  I'm always excited...the boys on the other hand are not!  I had the tripod all set up and my remote ready.  We literally smiled for maybe 1.5 minutes and snapped less than 10 pictures!  Picture #2 was the winner!  We reviewed them on the camera and everyone went back to what they were doing!  I think my dream of snapping whimsical pics of my family all day is out the window!

(Here's the link to last years photo attempt if you'd like a good laugh!)

I came right inside and started printing pics!  I usually order my photo cards online, but this year I decided to make them.  I have enough supplies and kept it pretty simple.  I printed over 40 today, now just need to do the envelopes and they'll be ready to mail!

Homemade Yumm bowls for dinner, my favorite!  Then we all wanted cookie dough for dessert, but I didn't have enough flour.  We all shared a Kit Kat instead!

Gabe's has a cold and fell asleep on the couch.

I'm going to go read before bed.  I'm reading Leaving by Karen Kingsbury, book 1 in the Bailey Flanigan series.  Anyone read it before?  I'm half way and it hasn't really grabbed me yet.  Not sure if I'll make it to book 2.

Have a great Monday!  Yuck!

Christopher...I know you're reading this!  Why don't you want to take more pictures?  You know it would make me so happy!  Thanks for a fun weekend and always making me laugh!

Baby Emerie!

This is our niece Brittney!

She came over on the 30th and I took some pics of her and baby Emerie!

Her due date was 11-14-11!

But she arrived early!

11-7-11

7lbs. 5oz.

20in.

adorable and perfect!

and we had to go visit...twice!

Life is much better with a baby around!

No, I'm not having anymore!

Happy Halloween!

Thought I'd get in one more blog post before this month is over!

Gabe the Logger and Me...obviously as Flo!  Gabe borrowed my Uncles tin hat and suspenders from when he worked in the woods years ago!  His beard came from Etsy as a gift a few years ago.  I got all my gear from my Progressive reps thru work and a few borrowed items of clothing!  Oh and I borrowed the red lipstick from my bff!

I took these of Gabe tonight when we got home as were racing daylight.  My grandpa use to own a logging company and we live on his old property.  His old logging shop is on the property next door that my parents own.  These rusty tracks are along our driveway.  Earlier this year Gabe found the sign in the shop and placed it by the tracks.  I'm sure our company and the garbage man have figured out now that there are no logging operations going on!

Most of Gabe's class during the party today!  The little girl is a sister to a classmate, not a student!

This is Gabe's friend Evin, the sumo wrestler!  Looks like Gabe is rubbing his midsection, but he put his hand out for a high five!  Evin got a little behind in the school parade and had trouble sharing the doorways with other students!  Great costume!

Gabe and my Aunt Jo!  Yep, they're the same height now!

We ended up seeing Megan & Meara a few times today!  Remember Meara?  She's almost two now and so cute!  She got such a kick out of seeing Gabe!

We saw this clown downtown at the parade.  It was so cool and creepy!  The head was huge and it wouldn't talk.  It just walked up to kids and started waving.  The kids either smiled or got scared!

This was one of the groups doing Thriller downtown.  Kind of neat, but Gabe had no idea what Thriller was!  I'll have to show him a youtube video!

Hope you all had a great Halloween!  I can't believe it's November already!