{pinterest, you failed me . . . }

After looking over a few Halloween Pinterest boards, I decided to try two of the ideas.

The first one - empty toilet paper roll spooky eyes.  After saving A LOT of toilet paper rolls, cutting out a variety of spooky eye shapes, spray painting some of them black (my second mile effort), sticking glo sticks inside of them and clothes-pinning them to my bushes, I was left with a "That's it?????" feeling.  They fell extremely short of my expectations.  As Elf would say, "Pinterest, you sit on a throne of lies."

But . . .

The second idea turned out stellar!  I present the black garbage bag spiderweb.  My first attempt looked more like a giant black snowflake but once I got the hang of it, I was cranking out spiderwebs left and right.  This was a great addition to the Orange Dinner this year.

From now on when I look at Pinterest ideas I will remember - If it's too good to be true . . . 

it may not be true (or at least not as cute/easy/clever as someone makes it look.

{why}

{enough}

{stars for asher}

Stars for Asher

I made a baby quilt for Asher using this great pattern.  

I just loved the graphic nature of the quilt.

I love using stripes on the bias for bindings.

Before the quilting and binding

Well, Asher is all grown up (4 years old!) and needs a big boy 'Grandma' quilt to snuggle under.

(I don't think his mother ever let him 'use' his baby quilt ;)

I wanted to do something that referenced back to his baby quilt but was 'age appropriate' for him now.  I found the great spaceship fabric at Joann's and decided to make a 'scrappy' looking quilt with the spaceships as the star fabric.

I cut strips the width of the fabric in various widths (1 1/2" - 4") pulling the bright colors from the spaceship fabric.  I sub cut those strips in to 10" lengths.  I even had a few of the fabrics that I had used in his baby quilt.  I used the spaceship fabric in every block.

Recognize any of these fabrics in the new quilt?

I sewed a variety of strips together to give me an approximately 10" square.  I pressed all of the seams open and squared the block off to 9 1/2".  Believe it or not, it is very hard for me to be 'random'!  I have to really concentrate to achieve a scrappy look.

Details of the stars & suns quilting

Once I laid out the quilt blocks out, I decided it needed a little more 'zip', something to add a visual pause in the busyness of the blocks.  Before I could add the red/white polka dot corners, I had to finalize my layout because I was only placing the white dot fabric on the 'inner' blocks and only on opposite corners.  I cut 3" squares out of the white with red polka dot.  I drew a diagonal line on the wrong side of the square, laid two on each 'inner' block, sewed down the line, trimmed off the excess corner, folded back the dot and pressed.

from Moda's Bakeshop

For some reason, they remind me of the starfighters in Star Wars.

I backed it with a fun plaid flannel, bound it with the spaceship fabric and filled it with lots of love.

I think he likes it!

{along came a spider . . . }

{along came a spider . . . }

The back is a black print from Hobby Lobby & leftover orange wedges  

I love quilts!  I've always wanted a cupboard full of them.  Large, small, pieced, quilted, it didn't matter.  I started collecting patterns and fabrics, gizmos and gadgets but my fear of the end result not being 'good enough' kept me from cutting in to my growing fabric collection. 

Quite simply, I was frozen by fear.

One day, as I was admiring a quilt that Mr. W's grandmother had made, I realized that all of her seams didn't match perfectly and that she had actually run out of one fabric and finished with another.  I didn't love her or her quilt any less because it wasn't perfect.  Truth be told, I loved her and her quilt even more because she had not let perfection rob her of using her God given talents to bless her family and express her creativity.  Why was I holding myself back?  

I thought "For Pete's sake Nancy, it's fabric not heart surgery!"  Go for it and enjoy the process!

Can't go wrong with a stripey binding!

And you know what . . . not one person that I have gifted a quilt to has refused it because it wasn't perfect.  That love, that imperfection, that ME that is in each of my quilts is what sets them apart from 'store bought'.

Inspiration for the quilt's name

I am enjoying the process and along the way I am 

making a dent in my goal of a cupboard full of quilts.

In honor of all things Halloween, I present my

'along came a spider . . . ' quilt!

I used this as my inspiration.  

I didn't want a H A L L O W E E N quilt with novelty prints.  Instead, I opted for more graphic blacks, whites and oranges.  I cut 12 inch wide strips and then sub cut them into wedges.

(Unfortunately, I made this before the chevron craze because I think a little chevron would add a lot of zip! - 
I guess I'll just have to make another one :)

I still have the quilt label to make 

but in the meantime, enjoy!

{love squared}

Presenting 'Love Squared' - a very pink quilt for Baby West.  I love the simplicity of the design and the opportunity to use a lot of fun fabrics.

I had to include these sweet cherries!

The quilt consists of eight 2 1/2" print squares and one 2 1/2" white square creating a 6 1/2" square alternating with 6 1/2" solid white squares.

She has my heart already!

I love the soft polka dot flannel for the back.

Love the purse

I used a pink/lavender variegated thread and a meandering heart pattern for the quilting.  Once I stepped back and looked at the quilting, I felt that there was too much 'blank' space and so I went back and quilted a soft wave between the rows of hearts.

I loved the fun, bright flower for the binding.  

In honor of Uncle Jason's mission to Japan

Did I mention Baby West is a girl?

{pink & gray pachyderms}

Baby Girl West's momma

I'm so excited to share my 'Pink {and Gray} Pachyderms' quilt that I made for Baby Girl West due in October.  I used this quilt pattern and loved how it turned out!  

My top secret project revealed at the baby shower.
Elephants were the star of the shower's decor.

The only change I made to the pattern was that all of my elephants are facing the same direction.  I plan on using this pattern again.  So many possibilities - simple but graphic!

My first attempt at using a pantograph for quilting.

I didn't know that elephants were being considered as a possible nursery theme when I chose this quilt pattern for Baby West.

Love this elephant!

I love the touch of green in the quilt and the cozy flannel on the back.  I had the pink and green dot that I used for the binding in my personal hoard inventory.  I love how it ties in the front and back.

My love note to Baby West

Baby West's name hasn't been officially decided and so I decided to quilt the information in the quilt instead of a label.  It's a tiny message of love from Grandma to Baby West and includes dates and locations.

Photo bombed by a deer!

{happy birthday, john}

John & Grandma Annie Flygare

Mark, Carolyn, Kathleen & John Bezzant

Siblings are the people we practice on, 

the people who teach us about fairness 

and cooperation and kindness and caring - 

quite often the hard way.  

- Pamela Dugdale -

With six siblings to practice on,
I've had an eventful and wonderful life!

John, Nancy & Robert

{He lives}

The promise of an empty tomb.

Sunday will come.

{nests}

These nests are an annual Easter treat
for our family and friends.

Fancy Nancy's Rice Krispie Recipe

1 large pkg. (16 oz.) miniature marshmallows

1 cube of butter (1/2 cup)

10 cups name brand Rice Krispies

OR

12 cups generic brand rice cereal

(trust me, there's a difference)

Food coloring - optional

Jelly beans (I like the tiny ones)

Peeps

Place your marshmallows and butter in a large pan.

Turn your burner to the lowest heat possible.

Wait patiently and stir occasionally as the butter and marshmallows melt.  If you rush this part, your Rice Krispie treats will turn out tough instead of soft and delicious.  

When the butter and marshmallows are completely melted, stir in your food coloring (optional).

Add your Rice Krispies and stir thoroughly.

  

Spray two 12 cupcake pans with Pam or rub butter lightly.  Spray a 1 cup measuring cup with Pam.  Loosely scoop up a 'cup' of Rice Krispie treat and empty it in to one of the cupcake spots.  How many nests you make will depend on how big you make them.  You can easily get 20 to 24 nests out of a batch if you're careful.  Butter your fingertips lightly and use them to lightly compress the treats and make a nest indentation. Add jelly bean 'eggs' and Peeps to complete your nest.  Once the nests set for an hour or two they will easily hold their shape when taken out of the pan.

{the ten b's}

My Fancy Nancy Bee Stitchery

In honor of President Hinckley's nine b's (and adding one of my own - Be Mine), I decided to make the Ten B's Quilt.

The back

 I used this great (and free) pattern.  I bought the border fabric a few years ago because it reminded me of my Valentine Days in elementary school.  When I saw this pattern, I knew the vintage style fabric would be PERFECT for this quilt.

I love the sweet heart binding

I quilted all ten bees in the border around the hearts.

This quilt makes me smile every time I look at it.

Happy Heart Day!  I'm nursing a wisdom teeth patient (Vanessa) and watching a lot of chick flicks with her on this special day.

I love this sweet striped fabric

Love the sweet bunnies

Backing fabric