Sew Scrappy

Maci's McBaby Quilt

2012-01-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

(Home with a sick baby girl today, so I am trying to catch up a bit.) Here is a quilt that I made for a friend of mine from high school, Jima Jenkins McCarrens. Her beautiful baby is named Maci and her nursery colors are camouflage and fuchsia. Did I mention that I went to high school in Mississippi (and Maci's dad Rick likes to hunt?) I made most the quilt top at my Idyllwild Quilt

Fall Bargello

2011-12-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh, see how behind I am? I completed this Bargello quilt in early October, using the most beautiful batik fabrics. It was so easy to piece and it looks great in our front room, all year long. The back of this quilt is reminiscent of stained glass. I may have to post better pictures to show the depth of the colors. Love. What's that? You are wondering if I stippled this quilt??

Santabulous!

2011-12-26T17:44:00.000-08:00

Wow, I really suck at this blog thing. We have just been so busy that I find myself writing far more "catch-up" posts, than real posts. Prepare yourself for a jumble of information that is in no particular order. I do have a few quilt related posts to enter, but first let me post about Christmas... This is the first Christmas ever...EVER...that I have been without Jakey. It has been pretty

Snow Many Friends

2011-11-27T15:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, I am pretty sure that I have already posted a picture of this quilt, but I am unable to find it. If my memory serves me correctly (which it probably isn't,) I posted the quilt top and not the finished/quilted project. So, in the spirit of catching up, I want to post the finished product. Just a little reminder... My friendship group exchanged snowman blocks earlier this year. In case you

More time (less garlic) on your hands!

2011-10-02T17:13:00.001-07:00

Just had to share this tip for peeling garlic in less than 10 seconds. This will change my kitchen routine tenfold! Woot!How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds from SAVEUR.com on Vimeo.Vampires, beware!- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Snuggly Snowmen

2011-09-23T18:31:00.001-07:00

On the first day of fall, I am happy to present a quilt with which you can get downright snuggly! The quilt is made of flannels with some chenille thrown in for good measure. I bought this kit at Road to California Quilt Show. My friend, Linda, and I couldn't quit gushing over how fun this quilt was. The pieces of black simply make the quilt striking! (That is my sweet hubby holding the

San Diego County, Unplugged

2011-09-09T07:26:00.001-07:00

What a crazy afternoon/evening yesterday! After walking my students to the front of the school yesterday afternoon, I returned to my classroom to find that there was no power. The kids and I waited a few minutes to see if it was a quick interrupt of power or something larger. Well, I think that we know the answer to that, now. Apparently, all of San Diego County and parts of surrounding

Go Rebs!

2011-09-08T06:56:00.001-07:00

Love this!Game day in Oxford Mississippi from scottburtonphotography on Vimeo.- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Rain falls in real time....

2011-09-05T18:45:00.001-07:00

Except when it simply threatens to fall and it doesn't. Today was such an odd day, but absolutely beautiful. The cloud cover and breeze were such a fun change of pace. Things have been so hectic, recently. Between our last minute summer "daycations," Vegas, my sister coming to visit, and getting ready for school to start, I feel like we have been whirling dervishes. Of course, I wouldn't

Viva Las Vegas

2011-08-21T19:04:00.001-07:00

I promise a quilt post in a few days. I wanted to take a moment to post about our family's quick little jaunt to Las Vegas! Now, Vegas happens to be a favorite getaway for Rene and me. However, we have never been with the family, for obvious reasons. :) Well, my dad told me that they could get a pretty cheap fare to Vegas, if we wanted to meet them. He didn't have to twist my arm! We

It's a Jungle Out There Baby Quilt

2011-07-27T07:40:00.001-07:00

Bittersweet. Sweet-I was so happy to make this baby quilt for Derek and Tina's baby boy (due in October.) Bitter-the reminder that Derek and Tina will be leaving the first week in August for Beaufort, South Carolina...Derek's new duty-station. Well, here we are. The end of July. Sigh. Derek and Tina will only be here about two more weeks. :( Jake is used to Derek being gone. He has been

Sunkissed Sherbet

2011-07-25T07:44:00.001-07:00

Yes, this post is brought to you with a side of "catch-up." As per usual, no?In a previous blog post, I mentioned that I had completed my first donation to Kaitlyn's Promise. Well, I finished my second donation about a month ago and was able to send it off for donation, as well. I finished most of the quilt top of this quilt while at our Idyllwild Cabin Fever Quilters' Retreat. I loved how

A Night of Favorites....

2011-07-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am behind again. I have a few quilts to post, but before that I wanted to share my night of favorites. Recently, I got to share a night with my favorite guy: my husband, Rene. We went out to celebrate our anniversary. :) My favorite guy made reservations at what is now my new favorite restaurant: Paon Restaurant and Wine Bar in Carlsbad, California. I love this place! The location

No more Captain Caveman

2011-06-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

YouTube VideoHear that Captain Caveman voice? Love it! We have always known that Daniel had large adenoids. The guttural language patterns? Check. Deep voice? Check. The snores that sound like a Mack truck and often interfere with sleep? Check.Although he has had enlarged adenoids, he hasn't really been sick in about three years. So, this year, beginning in

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T20:24:00.001-07:00

On this special day, I wanted to take a moment to thank the special dads in my life!First, I'd like to recognize my daddy. He is the sweetest, most loving dad with whom I could ever be blessed. My daddy has always supported me in my endeavors and adventures. I love this picture of daddy and me. Next, I want to recognize Jake's dad, Derek. He is a terrific father to Jake and I sincerely

Happy Flag Day

2011-06-14T08:50:00.001-07:00

From my Gabriela to all of you!(Edited to fix the typo. Damn you autocorrect.)- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Very Quilty Quilt

2011-06-12T20:14:00.001-07:00

With summer vacation finally upon us, I am playing a bit of catch-up. (As is par for the course.)Although my kids are in the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program and must be placed with teachers who have obtained their GATE certification, I am still somewhat able to pick teachers for them.So, there are teachers that have had all four of my children. Last year, to celebrate the

That's my boy!

2011-06-05T20:21:00.001-07:00

I am so proud of my son, Jake. (Well, I am proud of all my children, but this post is dedicated to Jakey.) At the close of each year, the kids get to celebrate all of the things that they have accomplished that year. Tuesday of this past week, we were invited to two awards ceremonies for Jake. The first was during the school day and it was the awards ceremony for Grade Point Average. Jake

Worky-work, Busy-bee

2011-06-02T13:23:00.001-07:00

It is the busiest time of the year!- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Letters to Paris Quilt

2011-05-30T18:03:00.001-07:00

Last year, I donated two quilts to Kaitlyn's Promise to help raise money for the Kaitlyn Vallery Memorial Scholarship. I was able to donate Charmed Star of Avignon and Twinkling Tesselations. I finally finished one of the quilts that I will be donating this year. I did the majority of the quilt-top at our Idyllwild Quilt Retreat. I decided to name the quilt "Letters to Paris," because I used

Summer Yum!

2011-05-26T19:54:00.001-07:00

If I haven't mentioned it previously, it should be stated that this blog is in no way, shape, or form a recipe blog. I do, however, enjoy cooking and love to share recipes that work for my family. Like most families, we eat lots of salads during the summer months. I am pretty lucky that my kids enjoy most vegetables and will try almost anything that I put before them. I happened upon this

You down with OPP? Yeah, you know me.

2011-05-15T19:33:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the lame 90s reference, but it is relevant here. Only the OPP isn't for Other People's Property (or other choice nouns), it is for Other People's Pantries. I am extremely honored that my pantry was featured this week on The Perfect Pantry's weekly feature "Other People's Pantries."Our family is fortunate in that we have a pretty large, walk-in pantry that houses the massive

Mami's Day

2011-05-08T21:09:00.001-07:00

After spending a fun-filled, busy day with my family, I can go to sleep counting my blessings. Here are four of them:(L to R) Cristina, Gabriela, Daniel, Jake (I can't believe how little they all were. I swear there are times that I can still feel them asleep in my arms.)These little babies made my life absolutely complete, and continue to fill my days with happiness. *Love*- Posted using

(Spring) Cabin Fever Quilters Retreat

2011-05-04T20:55:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, I was able to get away to Idyllwild with some of my favorite ladies-my Cabin Fever Quilters Friendship Group.Donna (the Dynamo) and Mare (the Amazing) planned and organized an outstanding weekend for us all. It was fantastic and can't wait until we do it again. We spread out over most of the living room/dining room. I'll admit that it did look a bit like a sweatshop. :) (

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T13:27:00.001-07:00

From our family, to yours.- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Snow-Scrappy

2011-04-20T19:33:00.001-07:00

Woot! I finished another block exchange quilt! A few months ago, I posted about the Snowman Block Exchange that one of my friendship groups hosted. I am so excited that I finished the quilt top with all of the blocks. I chose to border each block with some homespuns and some flannels that I had in my stash to even the blocks and to bring the whole thing together. I also added a block to

Scrappy Bargello

2011-04-16T08:42:00.001-07:00

When I went to Road to California Quilt Show in January, I purchased some supplies, fabrics, and a few kits. Of all the things that I brought home, I was most excited about the bargello quilt. (You can see it in the top corner in the picture of my booty.) The pattern was created by a quilter at the Quilter's Coop in Temecula and it was just my style!Other than the fact that it is almost exactly

Friendship Spool Quilt

2011-04-10T11:43:00.001-07:00

Back in May of 2010, one of my friendship groups decided to do a spool block exchange. I posted about our first exchange in the post titled Hangin' by a Thread.For the next few months, every time that we met we would bring enough spools to exchange with other members of the group. During Spring Break, I finally had a chance to piddle around with them and piece them together. When I put them up

A work of heart

2011-04-08T19:40:00.001-07:00

also known as almost caught up! At the end of March, I had to bid adieu to the Teacher Candidate (formerly known as Student Teacher) that had been with me since January. Ms. Angelotti was such a joy to work beside and I know that one day she will make an amazing educator! I really wanted to make her something special that she might use in her own classroom one day.So, my students each

(Not-so) Hidden Stars

2011-04-06T12:40:00.001-07:00

also known as Catch Up Part 6 (I promise to get caught up during my spring break, especially now that the weather has turned icky.)This little lap quilt is for my sister, Kindyl. (Excuse our weeds, please.)She picked the fabric line ( Summer's End by Kansas Troubles Quilters for Moda Fabrics) to match her living room, but I chose the pattern. I used a pattern called Hidden Stars; however, the

Brokenhearted

2011-04-03T19:15:00.001-07:00

also known as Catch-Up Part 5I have been avoiding thinking about this, but it is, unfortunately, a reality. First, I have to introduce you to my ex-husband, Derek, (Jake's dad) and his lovely wife, Tina:Earlier this year, they celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary. We, obviously, have a very comfortable relationship and I consider the four of us (Derek, Tina, Rene, and myself) as co-parents

I'm a mom to a teenager!!??!!??

2011-03-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

also known as catch-up post 4 So, yep. It is true. My little Jakey Smoothface is a teenager. *sigh* It is still so hard to believe that this little sweetness... ...has grown into a teenager. When I look at him, I still see this little guy. In those days it was all about: his shirt sleeves being pushed up, his boardbooks, his Bear in the Big Blue House, his binky, his hot wheels, and

Idyllwild 2011

2011-03-02T18:45:00.001-08:00

Also known as, Catch-upis Interruptis.As soon as Rene heard that a big storm was making its way toward Southern California, he texted me and asked if I wanted to take the family up to Idyllwild. Winning! (Ok, forgive me. I am fascinated by the whole Charlie Sheen demise before our very eyes and Howard Stern keeps playing this stupid exclamation that has become ubiquitous in Charlie's

Snowman Block Exchange...

2011-02-20T19:34:00.001-08:00

also known as Catch Up Part 3Have you ever participated in a block exchange? Basically, you create a block for each member in the group and they do the same. Then, you distribute your blocks to each person and take one of theirs. The idea is that everyone will use these blocks to create their own interpretation quilt. Each will be different, but have the same core blocks. Fun!I belong to two

Love this guy....

2011-02-19T16:45:00.001-08:00

also known as: Catch-Up Part 2Is it any wonder that I love my husband? On top of being an amazing teacher, fabulous father, outstanding intellectual, and best friend, he remembers sweet little things like the day that he realized that he was in love with me. The crazy part is that we were both, happily, with other people. He was engaged and I was in a serious relationship. Then one day, we

Road to California Quilt Show...

2011-02-18T15:40:00.001-08:00

also known as: Catching Up Part 1January 15th, I had the pleasure of attending the Road to California Quilt Show. It is a great place to see some award-winning quilts, take note of any new trends, meet many new people/designers/vendors, and buy a heap of new things on which to work! Here is my haul: Good stuff! I've included some of my favorites from the show:Some fabulous "Dear Jane"

Quite Contrary

2011-02-17T09:45:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know that I am scheduled for an epic catch-up post, but I have to share this first! I am so excited for an internet "friend" of mine. She is a digital scrapbook designer and creates some fabulous kits and patterns. It makes me wish that I was still into scrapbooking. You can find her designs both on her blog, The Project Girl, as well as on Design House Digital.Although I can

Epic catch-up post...

2011-02-14T14:29:00.001-08:00

...is overdue. :) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

We're off to see the Wizard...

2011-01-17T11:24:00.001-08:00

My sisters have been asking me for quilts for a LONG time. Although they are a definite priority, I have been severely backlogged with projects. Dawn requested that I make her a "Wizard of Oz" themed quilt. Hmmm. I like "Wizard of Oz" just fine; however, I wouldn't consider myself a fanatic. (Admittedly, I enjoyed Gregory Macguire's novel "Wicked" far better.)So, this past summer, I bought

Ready for the week...

2011-01-09T17:37:00.001-08:00

Getting our little family for the week sometimes feels like a full-time job. I like to make sure that all of the lunches are prepared and closets are stocked on Sunday. This makes my Sunday pretty busy; but, it makes my week go so much easier. Here are some examples of my Sunday tasks:PB&J sandwiches for the kids. Yes, my kids are spoiled. I cut the crusts off using this little Pampered Chef

The little things....

2011-01-04T19:52:00.001-08:00

Over the break, we were busy around the house. We cleaned out the kids' rooms to donate some of their older toys to AMVETS. It felt fantastic to do a clean sweep for a worthy cause. (I think between clothes, toys, and bedding, we had about six lawn bags full of things to donate.) I also had the opportunity to redecorate the kids' bathroom. (I wish I had a picture. Later.) We had to have a

As luck would have it...

2011-01-01T18:13:00.001-08:00

I find it hard to believe that I could possibly have better luck than I already have. Seriously. My family is the BEST! We are all healthy, happy, silly, and crazy. We enjoy making each other laugh and loving each other hard. I could not be more blessed than with my husband, children, and our extended family. My friends are unbelievably supportive. I am fortunate enough to teach with my

happy

2010-12-29T10:08:00.001-08:00

I love the tradition of sending Christmas cards. I'm not sure what about these cards makes me so happy, but I am NOT looking forward to taking them down. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

2010-12-26T20:53:00.001-08:00

If you haven't read "Oh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss, please do yourself a favor and give it a read. I love this book for the metaphorical situations and positive message woven beautifully throughout the text. I read this book to my students EVERY YEAR on the last day of school. It never fails to bring a tear to my eye, and sometimes the eyes of my students. I also love the book

Ready for the Big Guy

2010-12-24T19:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the cookies are made.The family room is trimmed and longing for presents. Santa's letter, cookies, and milk are left on the hearth. The reindeer have a small plate of baby spinach. (We have inside information that it is Rudolph's favorite.) The living room tree guards our presents to each other.I'm enjoying the calm before the storm. I think that I am more excited than the kids! :)-

Double Dipping?

2010-12-24T13:27:00.001-08:00

The Tooth Fairy and Santa on the same night? Score! (Or as Gabriela now pronounces it: "thcore!")- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Want some Christmas zen?

2010-12-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

*happy*

Banned

2010-12-19T21:14:00.001-08:00

Well, it looks like Gabriela has learned what NOT to draw and email on mami's iPad. :) Seriously, she isn't in trouble. Who could be mad at this faceNot me! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A Handy Teacher Gift

2010-12-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

I love getting/making gifts for all of the kids' teachers. It is one of my favorite things to do. This year, I went practical. I saw a great idea over on the Idea Blog and decided to replicate it. I took hand sanitizer bottles and removed the labels from the front and back. Then, I printed a poem with the teacher's name and copied it onto a transparency. I trimmed the transparency, rolled

Jolly Holiday Quilt

2010-12-12T18:20:00.000-08:00

This is another quilt that I pieced together at the quilt retreat. I finally got around to quilting it this week. I coerced my hubs to help me take the picture. Isn't he a sweetheart? My usual helpers were all too busy running around in this unbelievably warm weather that we are having. (The thermometer in my backyard showed 84 degrees at around noon today.) The back is mostly flannel (the green)

Mercy by Susan Sims Moody

2010-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Recently, I had the pleasure to read Susan Sims Moody's novel titled Mercy. Mercy is the second book in the Jennifer Martin Mystery Series, with Susan's novel Flatlands being the debut of the series. I am honored to have an opportunity to provide a brief reflection on Mercy. Let me begin by sharing a summary, as provided on Amazon: Mercy, set in the small Mississippi town of that name,

Wonky Sock Monkey

2010-11-28T17:15:00.000-08:00

Another quilt from Quilt Retreat. I sewed the squares together, slightly askew from one another, cut them, and then re-pieced them. The edges are unfinished to give the quilt that raggedy feel. (See our new family Christmas tree, in the background? Isn't it kitschy? We still have the big one in the living room; this one is just for our yearly ornaments.) A close up to show the raggedy,

Thanksgiving Eve and Pumpkins A-Plenty!

2010-11-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

I love the anticipation on Thanksgiving Eve. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, because I get to spend the whole day in the kitchen making Thanksgiving dinner for my family. Happy day! So, the brine has cooked and is now cooling. The turkey is washed and waiting for its brine bath. :) I also wanted to take the opportunity to show the Pumpkin Quilt that I made recently. I finished the

Quilt Retreat 2010 - (Idyllwild)

2010-11-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

(Disclaimer: I wrote this post on my iPad and it isn't the greatest about adding photos from facebook. I'll add the photos later.) I am the luckiest woman ever! Last weekend, I went on a quilt retreat with some friends, and made some new ones. We even formed a new Friendship Group! It was such fun. I can't wait until our next get-together. Check out my car---loaded for our trip. It looked

2010 Boo Crew

2010-11-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

Gabriela the Leaf Fairy Daniel the Clone Trooper Cristina the Baterina Jake the Jawa The Boo Crew The Dastardly Daisy

Happy Birthday, Daniel Shea

2010-10-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have been derelict in timely posting birthday posts. So, shall we pretend that it is October 6th? Thanks for playing! October 6th is the birthday of my youngest son Daniel Shea! Here is my sweet Daniel Shea Ortega on his birthday. I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you a few things about my Shea-Shea. He was a chubby little baby. He loves to climb, play, run, jump and

I looked down at my feet, and I see...

2010-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

I am much higher than I thought I'd be! --Tanya Donnelly Ten years ago, I lost my mom to cancer. We certainly didn't see eye to eye about things, but we loved fiercely. It was such a difficult time in my life; however, her death made me realize that I wanted to make some changes in my life. It is ironic that the loss of my mother and my reflection on our relationship (or sometimes lack

Nerdlets on their way to school...

2010-09-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

You would think that we have a large commute ahead of us. Nope.Jake's school is less than a mile from our home and the elementary school is a little over two miles away. I love my little addicted readers!

Happy birthday, Gabriela

2010-09-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

Let's just pretend that this was posted August 22nd. Ok? (Things have been so fabulously chaotic, that I have had little time to document the life we have been living.) Well, on August 22nd, my youngest baby turned 6 years old! This is the magical time that she and Daniel are both 6 years old, since they are only 10 1/2 months apart. Ahhh, I remember the day that I found out that I was

Classroom Quilt

2010-08-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a little quilt that I made for my classroom. It was unbelievably easy to make and went together really quickly. I used a pattern by yoyo mama called Vintage Baby Quilt. For the front of the quilt I used a muslin background fabric and Punctuation by American Jane for Moda for the squares. THe backing fabric is American Vintage by Showoffs Pattern #30685. It looks like a chalk-dusted

I'd be crazy not to oblige...

2010-07-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, when it was time for lunch, I found Daniel in his room up on his top bunk playing his DS. He said to me, "Mommy, I was about to come find you because I needed some pecklets." He was so adorable asking for pecklets, in earnest, that I grabbed my phone and recorded him. Here he is requesting and explaining pecklets. :) ....and then wanting lunch. Leads with his heart...follows

Finally, I had an appointment with Dr. Bernina....

2010-07-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

My friend Linda and I make that joke often, so I am sure no one else gets it. When we haven't had an opportunity to quilt in a while and we have to carve out some time for it, we make an appointment with our Bernina sewing machines. Such has been the story this summer. We have been so busy enjoying the summer that the last place I find myself is in my sewing room sitting at my machine.

Life is a Carnival!

2010-07-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

This year, we were unable to go to the Del Mar Fair because Gabriela's eye surgery required an extended recovery time with limited public contact. Since, we couldn't go to the Fair, the Carnival came to us! The San Luis Rey Mission, just down the street from us, hosted a Carnival for their Christmas in July celebration and we decided to attend. It was fun, but let me go on record as saying

Summer, Interrupted

2010-07-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

For the first three weeks in July, every year, we are up at 5:00am almost every morning. We love to relax in bed and watch one of our favorite things: Le Tour de France. Ahhhh, guilty pleasures are good to have. Right? I remember the first Tour that I watched that totally sucked me into the sport. It was 2001 and it was specifically the climb of Alpe D'Huez. At one point, Lance

You think that YOU love rainbows!?!?!?

2010-07-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a double-rainbow? Well, I'll bet you don't love them nearly as much as this guy! :) Stumbled upon this at Neatorama. Hilarious!

Happy Independence Day, America!

2010-07-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776

Look what I scored!

2010-06-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

I came across this sweet Singer 66 Treadle Sewing Machine on Craig's List and fell in love. I have been wanting an antique sewing machine (partially for use and partially to match my decor, which is peppered with vintage and antique items). I have, however, not been searching actively and just happened upon this ad. My sweet hubby jumped right on it and suggested that I call the owner and

A tough road...(long and picture/video heavy)

2010-06-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say that I have experienced my toughest day of motherhood, thus far. There have been many difficult days, don't get me wrong, but this was by far the worst. I finally feel as though I have a moment to write about it and I think that I can do it without totally breaking down mentally. A few months ago, I posted about my youngest daughter, Gabriela, and the fact that she needed

Everything's coming up "Daisy"

2010-06-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally did it. Our family grew by four feet....well, four paws would be more precise. We bought a little puppy. When Edgar died, there was a hole left in our little world. :( It took a while for the idea of a new puppy to grow on us. Our house is pretty crazy and, during the school year, could be described as chaotic. There is no way that we could train a puppy and give him/her all

School's out for the summer!

2010-06-17T21:43:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday afternoon at 1:06pm, we are on summer vacation! We spent the good part of today in the pool, soaking in the perfect day. The last month or so has been such a whirlwind of activities and events, it was nice to do a lot of nothing. I did not get a chance to post the quilt that I made for my dear friend Linda DiVerde. She was my teaching partner for many years when I

And the award goes to....

2010-06-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

Jake! I'm so proud of my BabyJake. He had a pretty big week! Chavez Middle School had their awards ceremony and Jake was fortunate enough to receive two awards: one for a 4.0 GPA and another for Outstanding Student in 6th grade math. He was chosen from all of the 6th graders to receive the math award. :) Jake and Mr. Magnuson, the 6th grade math teacher at CCMS Jake's cheering section:

Whimsical Hexagons

2010-06-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Happy day! Two very close friends of mine were recently blessed with a baby girl; however this story is so beautiful and means so much to me, that I feel the need to share it. Four years ago, this couple adopted a beautiful baby boy. At the time of the adoption, they agreed to be put on a registry to accept babies that have been abandoned or given up after birth at any hospital in the county.

City Camping....

2010-05-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, we had such a fun night! We went to the house of my best friends, Karol and Tom. They invite us over often and we always accept because they feel like family to us! Unfortunately, either Rene or I have to be the designated driver so that we can be sure that we get our precious cargo home safely. Well, Tom came up with a great idea for us to be able to stay as late as we

Hangin' by a thread.....

2010-05-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

That phrase makes me smile, but I digress. I finally finished my spool blocks! Woohooo! My friendship group is meeting tomorrow night to exchange our quilt blocks to make a spool quilt similar to the one pictured. I can't wait to see everyone else's spools! :) The simple things!

Uh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!

2010-05-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

After Gabriela and Cristina watched "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel" at Del Rio's Family Movie Night, they decided to put on a little show. Someone please rescue me from this inane song. Please. Anyone. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I do have to admit that I adore the laughing and giggling of my girls!

Charmed Star of Avignon

2010-05-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

For this quilt, I used A Breath of Avignon by Moda Fabrics. I just love the colors in this fabric line. Fun! I used a pattern called Charmed Star by Love Quilt Patterns. It was super-easy to make because it is almost entirely half-square triangles made from a charm pack. I did omit the top and bottom row of half-square triangles because I thought it was overkill. It just didn't seem to

Ides of May

2010-05-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It was Ides of March in Julius Caesar. I also am aware that it is only the 14th; however, I dread hearing about the May Revise to the California budget today. :( Beware the Ides of May.

A Dream Come True.

2010-05-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

How did I get so lucky? Why have I been so unbelievably blessed with this family of mine? I am unable to give an answer because it is certain that I am not a perfect person. I have wronged people in my life and made many decisions that I regret. I have acted poorly and behaved selfishly. For those actions and times, I am full of shame. Despite all of my shortcomings, I must have done

Here we go, again.

2010-04-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

*sigh* My sweet Gabriela was diagnosed with intermittent Strabismus exotropia when she was almost a year old. Strabismus is an eye-alignment disorder. Thankfully, we were referred to one of the foremost authorities on strabismus Dr. David Granet, a pediatric ophthamologist at UCSD's Shiley Eye Center in La Jolla. Initially, we tried patch therapy to preserve the vision in the drifting eye.

Oh, really?

2010-04-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

While putting laundry away Sunday afternoon, I found the following note on the girls' bedroom door. :) Later, I learned that this was directed at Daniel. Apparently, Cristina had reached her limit. On another note, Rene and I went to see Pavement last Thursday night up in Pomona. It was a phenomenal show! Here is some video that someone in the audience shot. Good times!

Twinkling Tessellations

2010-04-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

Here is my newest quilt! I am calling it Twinkling Tessellations for what I think are obvious reasons. I used April Cornell's line called Nature's Notebook. The pattern was from Quiltmaker magazine and I think it was called "Black and White." In the pattern, they used coordinating black and white fabrics. It looked nice, but I really wanted to use the jelly roll and make each "star" from

The day the refrigerator died....

2010-04-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, when I grabbed the half-n-half from the fridge, I knew we had a problem. Our refrigerator had given out. It was still cool in there, but the motor was no longer cooling. Additionally, the floor was sopping wet because everything in the freezer was thawing. We had plans to do a mini-remodel of the kitchen and tear out some cabinets to make room for a commericial-grade

Where the magic happens...wink

2010-04-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I am having problems uploading pictures on a "social-networking" site, so please ignore. :) By the way, I like to say that the theme of my kitchen is "Early American Junk" and my style is "Cluttered." Enjoy. Just a fun pic of my favorite iron skillets doin' what they do best! Mmmmmmmm!For my sister: If you like the color, I can dig around in the garage and find the name of the

Birthday of the Ya-Ya!

2010-03-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day in our house. It is Cristina's birthday! My little Ya-Ya Girl. She is my oldest daughter and I feel so fortunate that her little light brightens my world. She is part bookworm-part artist. She is a dash of spice and a pinch of sugar. Cristina is a little bit prankster and a tiny bit gravitasse. She is the quiet observer of the bunch, but the first to offer analysis.

The tooth fairy knows how to stimulate the economy....

2010-03-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

Poor Shea-Shea. He finally lost his first tooth! Unfortunately, he lost it when he took a big bite of sushi and he accidentally swallowed it. That's right. He lost his first lost tooth. :( There were many tears because surely this is the worst thing that a six year old can possibly imagine. Fortunately for him, the tooth fairy recognized his pain and compensated him appropriately. (I

blush

2010-03-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

This was a fun little quilt to throw together. I used fabrics from Moda's Blush collection and I used a super-simple pattern from Moda's Bakeshop contributed by CrazyMomQuilts. I love the way the little trapezoids go together so simply. This quilt was unbelievably easy (and forgiving.)

Random 2.0

2010-03-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Truly, I should be working to complete 2nd trimester report cards; however, I'd rather post some random photos. Cristina and Gabriela playing around at school on a Friday afternoon. Daniel and Gabriela measuring some of the blocks that I used for Daniel's Lakers quilt. Gabs helping me free-motion quilt. (Don't ya' just love the two left gloves?) A picture of my daddy, Sarah, and the kids

Smarty pants

2010-03-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, I was invited to Jake's middle school for an awards assembly. The letter didn't indicate which award, only that he was being recognized. Well, it turns out that my Jakey was recognized for maintaing a 4.0 grade point average. Woohoooo! Brains and a cutie, to boot. I am so proud, Baby Smoothface! :)

Daniel's Lakers Quilt

2010-02-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Well, Daniel Shea has coveted Papi's Lakers quilt for long enough. I finished his quilt this weekend. I used a pattern that I found in a magazine (the name of which has escaped me, presently.) The pattern consisted of blocks made of pinwheels and 9-patches. I modified it slightly because I wanted to close the white spaces. Therefore, I rotated pinwheels in every other other row so that they

Unpacked and unbelievably happy!

2010-02-25T19:45:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how emotional moving back into my sweet Del Rio was for me! Tuesday night, at our school board meeting, I presented some letters that my students had written to the Board, thanking them for the fabulous school. I wept like a baby. The were quite obviously tears of joy; but tears, nevertheless. "School, sweet, school" feels like "Home, sweet, home."

So long. Farewell. Auf Wierdersehen. Good night.

2010-02-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

Del Rio is moving from our temporary campus to our fancy-schmancy, newly-rebuilt school! I am so excited that I don't even mind that I have to work for most of my vacation week. (I feel pretty lucky to get it off in the first place!) My room is packed and awaiting the movers to do what they do best. Now that you have seen my temporary classroom all packed up, please enjoy a little video

Plume-tastic giveaway!

2010-02-16T21:10:00.000-08:00

Well, if you love Random Acts of Kindness (RAK), jarmommy is hosting a pretty nice one over on her blog: {pickles & bacon} ! She has an adorable blog, by the way! Have some fun over there!

A Special Day!

2010-02-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

What a special day today is! It is the birthday of my oldest child. My precious baby Jake! I can hardly believe that he turns 12 years old today. A preteen! Wow! He never ceases to amaze me with his intelligence, kindness, and sense of humor. I feel unbelievably lucky to have this young man in my life. Happy birthday, Jacob Llewellyn Cooper! I love you with every breath I take! Here

Another Quilts for Kids quilt

2010-02-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

Here is another quilt that I made for Quilts for Kids. For this quilt, I used fabric from my fabric stash. (Psychedelic, huh?) Quilts for Kids accepts handmade quilts from volunteers and gives them to children in need at hospitals across the country. I hope that this Psychedelic Owl quilt provides comfort to a tween girl somewhere. :)

Pinwheels A-plenty!

2010-01-31T09:23:00.000-08:00

I finished a little lap quilt that I love! For the pinwheels, I used a charm pack from the American Jane collection of "Happy Campers." The backing and binding are also American Jane, but from the "wee play" collection. I really love the retro-feel that these fabrics provide. I quilted it on my Bernina using the ubiquitous stipple pattern that I love so much. :)

Quilts for Kids quilt

2010-01-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

For any quilter (or anyone familiar with a sewing maching , for that matter) that may be interested in participating in something wonderful, let me introduce you to: Quilts for Kids! It is a wonderful program that provides quilts to children in need during their stay in hospitals around the country. These quilts are theirs to keep and provide comfort during a stressful time in their young lives

Road to California Quilt Show

2010-01-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

Wow! How's that for a summary of the quilts that I saw? There were so many unbelievably spectacular quilts on display. I had such a great time with Linda and Carrie. I wish I had taken more photos, but to be honest, the camera was the last thing on my mind. I was just overwhelmed at the talent! Take a look at a small sampling of quilts that caught my eye for one reason or another. Be

Old Primrose Inn Quilt for Sonia

2010-01-17T23:24:00.000-08:00

I finally finished the quilt that I made for René's mom, Sonia. For Christmas, I asked her to choose some fabric that I could use to make a quilt they could have. She chose Old Primrose Inn by Moda Fabrics. It wasn't a favorite of mine, but I really like the way that it turned out. I decided to piece the fabric together in a rail fence fashion and actually went together pretty quickly. I

Belated good-bye

2010-01-11T20:31:00.001-08:00

Well, the Colonel has put away his ornaments.The Christmas cards have all been filed away.Traffic has returned to normal in Bethlehem.Christmas 2009 is nothing but a memory. (A really, really nice one, by the way!)A shot that I took of our tree attempting the bokeh effect. :)

Happy birthday, Elvis!

2010-01-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

*sigh* It makes me sad to think of how much he (we) missed. Happy birthday, Elvis!