Random: from

 { from: Krista}

 {From: Jackie}

 {From: Jackie}

 { From Jackie}

 {From: Kerry}

{From: Kerry}

It has been a fabulous 2013 that full with excitements and new adventures that awaited us to come forward. It also have been a fabulous year to learn more friends here at {1/4" mark} and friends via {Flickr}. I have joined groups' projects for the first time and felt really amazing how quilters work together as a team! They are sweet, encouraging, supportive, and always generous! We have received many really sweet packages this year and they are way generous and sweet.  

{Kerry} sent the package way back in March when I was about to have my citizenship interview. S and I careful open the package together. When she saw her name in the card she was overly happy~ { You all know how to make a child happy}!  Kerry made her a little pencil case. The pattern can be found in her and Penny's {sew-ichigo}. S just loves her little pencil case! She is bring it with her in her new bag that's almost ready.  We saved the chocolate for the Easter Sunday.. um.. It was so good! The vintage fabrics are always so sweet~ I have been using some of them into projects lately.  It would be so great to make a quilt { this quilt} from all the vintage fabrics that I have been collected! The little tea pot mini quilt is SO lovely made! We hope to hang it with our other mini quilts together.  {Thank you, Kerry} 

Another great mail from {Krista}. It is a super amazing thread catcher. The size is so roomy and perfect for the new {sewing table} I made last week.  The little square piece that attached to the pouch is the pin cushion. Oh.. and the extra fabric to play with.  S and I will have thread-free clothes when we walk out the room.  The big bowl that sits on the table will be gone and that would leave more table space for us. {Thank you, Krista}. 

I have always amazed by {Jackie}'s applique zippered pouches. Isn't the little birdie too cute?  She also made me a travel set of sewing kit which I love so much! I have few things that I would love to add into it to  and take with. Jackie is so sweet and made S a bookmark.  The little bookmark is in the second book that she is reading now. Thank you for always thinking of S. She is a very lucky girl! { Thank you, Jackie}. 

The bag for S is nearly completed! She just pick out the fabric for the cross body strap. It has been really great that she is playing fabric and asking if she can pick out her own fabric.  Adding her little ideas make the project extra special. Of course, they are green and blue.  Another sew day will start fairly soon~ May you sew more and more and again { Thank you} for join the group! 

xxc 

Random: time to time

It has been a wonderful week, even it is Tuesday! It is sunny and warm in ND, but I am in my fall clothes, instead of summer clothes. When the windows are up and the breeze comes in the room is still a little cool for me. Summer clothes is a little too early for me. Unlike me, S is in summer shirt and shorts. She is HOT!

The month of May has been difficult for grocery shopping, since our departure day is approaching us very soon. We ran out of few ingredients already and  I have been alike Arrietty whom borrowing ingredients from friends more like, sugar, coffee, and some spices for cooking. It has been crazy to ask for these, but our friends are just so kind to share their ingredients with us and having us over for dinners to get by till we move. 

S' couch is gone, so we moved all the storage boxes out and the { kitchen sink quilt} is on my chair now. It makes the chair cozy and comfortable to sit on. We actually second the idea of selling the couch, but we both think it is too big to move and put in the storage. It was actually our very first own couch, so we were attached to it more!

Sun is out and about so much earlier now and I love S asked  me what are you making when she walk in the sewing room.  This morning, I spent a good part of the time piecing the new tote that I plan to take for our trip.  For S, I used the same block pattern, but will make a smallish messenger bag for her and her mini travel fund.  What have you been busy sewing lately? Hope some gardening for you as well! We are hoping some gardening this summer as well!
 
P.S. I have a proposal for you tomorrow...

xxc

Random: Monday

A travel tote in process and a piece of cheese cake by my side! It has been a wonderful day in many ways.  Finally clothes are washed and folded. S asked this morning if I can handle all the laundry by the time when she gets home. I told her, that's what mama powers for.   

If I shared with what S read from her comments this morning would you not tell her? I am not allow to read her comments until she finished them. She feels fabulous this morning when she went to school. 

You all have made a great Monday for her and I, { thank you}.

xxc

Weekending

S and I loaded up the car and took our furniture, box fans, tables, storage units to the community rummage sale on Saturday. We sold most of our larger furniture and it feels great that we will move less! Tomorrow our couch will be going to a new home { S is a bit sad, since she loves that couch so much}.   As I stayed throughout the sale, S went with our friend to her violin class and later she went swim with the family. She had a great day! After I came home picked up few boxes for donation and a quick trip to the grocery store I was ready for a little quiet and rest time. 

The Saturday afternoon was quiet and then made the simple tote for my friend Elisa's birthday after a little rest at home. She turned 45 yesterday and we had a little celebration together. She is originally from Mexico and always so warm and kind! Her Mexican food are the best! I have requested a dish for the next weekend gathering. The base width of the tote is really wide; 5", since Elisa carries large folders for her classes, so it is perfect size for her.

It must be the spring or phase a little resting after the busy week. I pulled out many new fabrics and started a new tote for myself.  The pattern is hourglass pattern. Since we'll be traveling so soon. I though I'd making a tote with a cover on the top, so that would give some privacy.

You know! It is cheese cake time! I love baking cheese cake in the spring and summer time. We like "cool" sweets in these seasons. It makes everything taste better!  After take the cake out of the oven it needs to be refrigerated overnight, so tomorrow we will have some after school. 

The afternoon was warm and sunny! S went outside to work on her poster.  She likes to be outside when the weather is nice, so she can enjoy the fresh air.  She keeps tell me that the grass is greener each day. Yes, her favorite color, green. The tree buds are coming, but slowly~ We hope to see some green trees before we depart.

S has published her first {blog post} today. If you get a chance, please stop by.

xxc

Update: 1/4" mark shop

Update:

{1/4" mark shop} has added more Patchwork Style zippered pouches. Each zippered pouch has its own characteristic. There are varies sizes for the zippered pouches. The larger scale is perfect for carry sewing tools, makeup, or small stationary supply. The smaller scale is great for passport or small cash when running a quick trip to the market or keep precious jewelry.  The metal zipper gives nice enforcement of the zippered pouch and added a zakka style look.

enjoy~

xxc

Random: Sew many

{shop}

In this transition of moving, the sewing projects are rather simple. Small projects are so much better  and still keep myself moving.  The last ironing board cover was made 5 years ago and it had a hole for a very long time. Finally I took a quick trip to the fabric store and got a piece of home deco fabric. She looks clean and sweet again and it is so much better pressing fabric.

Remember the {half triangles} sewing?  It is a lovely kin-cha-ku now. It is hand-quilted for the bag and this time I added handle on. It is a gift to a friend I hope she will like it.  The second set of half-triangle pieces are nearly ready to assemble together.

The wall in the sewing room is bare! The design board is down and giveaway to a friend here. These stamp blocks are press and ready to store away. They will be waiting for me to come back and continue working on them. I have added more 1.5"x1.5" squares in to the stamp box.

My Tova madness hasn't gone! I need some good space in the living room to work on the cutting. Hope I'll have a new tops to show you.

xxc

Random: sew, the book club

...... {thank. you} for all the encouraging and well wishes! I read them to S and she looked at me in a happy face.  We are looking forward the trip and finally, the trip plan is all settled by the end of yesterday. We are holding new tickets without any mistakes on the tickets this time.  It feels very good to have the ticket ready and the traveling dates are not affected by any of the causes.

I'd love to show you what I found and what they transferred into.  As I go through my school studio I found some older projects that I started with in my graduate program. I did a series of numbering printmaking and was planning to collage textile on the print, but the idea fail apart. I have kept these embroidered numbers in the studio. Yesterday, I found them and took them home with me.

I wondered if you have nice bookmarks around when you read? S' bookmarks are pieces of salvages that I cut from sewing or zipper that can slip in her pages. Sometimes, she use scrap batting that I put in the recycle bowl. It has been a long over duty project; make bookmarks for S!

As our mini book club has just formed this past weekend. I made S two bookmarks and one for myself. They turn out really nice!  You may do any patchwork you like in the front and machine quilted on the batting. I used linen and cotton blended fabric for the backing to give extra firm texture.  S hasn't seen them as she was too busy this morning. Hope she discovered them later today.

 xxc