books + 1st trimester = good friends

I got a nookcolor with my Christmas money.

It has been a good companion while navigating the first trimester. :)

I thought I'd pass on my thoughts --

Heather recommended this series a while back, and I was not disappointed.

I read all of them in just a few days.  I love having a series already published when I start it.  It's such a nice escape.  This one deals with a girl who goes to Dublin, Ireland to investigate the mysterious murder of her sister. It winds up being that she has secret abilities to see the parallel Fae universe, which is attempting to take over ours... if you're a reader who likes to stay grounded in reality, this is not the series for you... but if you'd like to follow the would-be-impossible-if-not-for-some-unrealized-powers-and-unmatchable-allies quest of our young twenty-something heroine (who, like the heroine of another book I know, draws the attention of a much-older and completely inappropriately matched man for her), then it is a fun read.  It's got a  touch of gratuitousness to it, but not so much that I felt like I needed to skip entire chapters... and it's definitely a bit dark... enough so that I'd feel nervous reading late at night, and glad Jay was there. :)

This weekend I also finished the "Study Series" by Maria V. Snyder.  Poison Study is April's read for the "Quilty Girls Book Club," but since I had already read March's book, and I'm not doing much sewing these days, I got started on this one early.

- has the tragic, larger than life heroine who discovers unique, hidden talents

- she, of course, captures the love and attention of an unlikely suitor

- it's not a perfect ending, but the good guys still (mostly) make it.

A fun read.  There are three in this series... the first one is the best, in my opinion, but they're all really enjoyable.  Again -- it's got a bit of fantasy, which I like... I don't want anything too serious when I'm reading to escape the queasies.

I went two days in a row this week of no nap while Steiger was napping (I had errands to run -- don't worry... Daddy or Grandma was with Steiger), so I'm hoping I'll get some energy back soon!  I really do miss my machine.

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One more series -- if you haven't read the Hunger Games yet, it's also right up there in a good series to read.  I finished it over Christmas-time... but I thought I'd give in a mention in case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard about it yet.  The main character is living in a Dystopia, and must use her -- yet again -- unrealized potential and handsome suitors to save the day (I'm noticing a theme in my literature here). ;)

If you've got any recommendations for either a good series, or a good boy's name (I have a strong inkling the next one will be a boy, and while I was wrong with Steiger, I don't think so... but I have no idea how we'll name another boy after the name "Steiger!"), please leave it in the comments!  And I hope to be joining you in sewing land again soon!

so tiny and wiggly

I got to see my baby this morning.

Kind of a scary, odd picture, but it was really fun to see this little person wiggle...

Though... if this child proves as active over the next few months as he or she (I think he) was this morning...

I am in for... some kind of crazy...

My "official" EDD is October 15.

Steiger's quite excited he's going to be a big brother... and he has now got it down that the baby is in my tummy, and not his... only "FOOD!" is in his...

So here's what I've been busy working on the past few weeks...
The woes of the first trimester (I haven't had it too bad really -- just more tired and queasy in the evenings) have been keeping me away from my fabric and machine, and I'm hoping the second trimester brings with it some renewed energy... because I've got more baby quilts to make! (Jay doesn't want to find out the gender, so I'll be doing double duty on the quilts). ;)

If you're the praying kind, I of course covet your prayers for a healthy baby and mama -- with a complication free pregnancy and delivery.

babies with quilts

It's been quiet around here lately... I know...
Life has gotten a bit busier than usual, but I promise I have been working on something (that I hope to have ready to show you on Thursday...so long as my luck continues)...

In the mean time -- enjoy these little cuties.

Lainey and her shabby chic little nine-patch chain

Will, with his Surfer Circle Around.

Olivia Violet, on her Tula Pink.

A wheel for baby Adrian (who is getting so big! He'll be turning 2 about the same time as Steiger!)

(I'll have to ask his mama if he still sleeps with that little blanket)

Ty's mini circle quilt (I love this picture of him)

And sweet, sweet little Thea.

And...just because...one of my favorite baby and quilt photos -- 

also featuring a favorite baby of mine...

If I have ever, or do ever make a quilt for one of your babes -- I want a picture!

Baby quilts are my favorite to make and to give... here's to many more. :)

a pretty rainbow

This whole working outside the house thing has its plusses and minuses.

minus:

I got nothing sewing related done this week... (had an appointment on Thursday that took nap time, and then we celebrated Jay's birthday yesterday... at P.F. Chang's... which is over 1 1/2 hrs. away one-way).

plus:

I could afford this stack of fabric when it was on sale at fabric.com.  I managed to squeeze it in to my cart 15 minutes before the deal ended, AND I had a coupon code. :)

I arranged it all like a pretty rainbow, and was happy.

For those who'd like a closer up look:



Henna Garden, Honey Bee, Amy Butler dots...



a little Modern Meadow, Dance with Me, Ta Dot, Nicey Jane, and Haven's Edge.

If you're my M {cubed} partner... hop on over to flickr land, and let me know what you'd most like to see in your package (if you don't mind). ;)

Honey...so glad you were born...

What would I do without you?

Thank you for dealing with the car today and taking me to work (yep... more rodents under the hood)...

and for working so hard...

and for being such a good daddy for Steiger...

and for doing your best to understand me even though it is beyond foreign to you...

and for getting up with Steiger in the night lately...

and for teaching him about whip cream out of the can (I hear you in there)...

and for marrying me...

and for loving me.

I'll always appreciate it, and love you too.

It's a good little life we're building...

Here's what your son made you tonight.

We love you... and we're so glad you're here.

little Libby's (almost) quilt top

Steiger let us sleep in Saturday morning (bless you child)... so instead of napping during his nap (like I've been doing lately), I decided to sew.

As you can see in the photo, the sun was setting, so it isn't the greatest lighting, and I still need to trim it up, and (possibly) add some borders, but I was so excited that it was an almost quilt top, I had to share.

I'll have a tutorial for how to make those diamonds soon, but I doubt I'll write up a full pattern for this.  There was a lot of pulling ideas out of my tushy playing it by ear that went in to this quilt.  

I'm kind of stressed about how I'm going to trim it up...

My sister-in-law posted some new pictures of Libby for me... it was just the little push of motivation I needed. :)

It is definitely reminding me of when her big sister Molly was brand new...

(To save from confusion -- that's Molly above, in 2008, and below was Molly at Christmastime... next to the tree skirt I made her mama...some of you have met Molly before, with this quilt...)

I had big plans...

I can't really believe it's Friday.

I had big plans for my week "off" (do Moms ever really get a week truly 'off?')

Steiger and I did spend lots of time together... but in the sewing department, this is all that I accomplished:

Kelly's Good Folks Ode to the HST

I knew I wanted to approach my HSTs by value (like this block), but a fellow busy bee beat me to that design.  So I improvised a bit, and decided that the little touch of kona ash in the middle helped accentuate the design motif better.  And it gives the block a focal point too... I was quite happy with it, as was miss Kelly. :)

And Amy's peachy-plummy mermaids.

Amy wanted HSTs or flying geese for her blocks, and I actually went to the block library on EQ7 to come up with a design idea.  I did a few of them up on the computer, and Amy picked the mermaid background.  I was a tiny bit shy of having enough, but I think it still looks good... I hope she thinks so too!  I love the double frames; this quilt is going to be so pretty.

This weekend, I'm really hoping to get some time (and energy) to work on my niece Libby's quilt...

She was born February 23, at 3:33 pm... 6 lbs, 12 oz., 19 inches, and all kinds of preciousness.

I'm only sad I am still two states away.