Tips from a turtle....

You don't have to be speedy

       sometimes it is more about slow and steady.


                               The important thing....

                                                is to FINISH!


Today I am sharing a UFO  that is now FINISHED!!!!

I know cold and snow is kind of a sore subject right now
as spring has been slow in coming....

so I'll just warn you.... this project is SNOW related.

 

I am a good starter..... I am not so good at finishing. 

So can the heavens just open for a moment
             and let the angels sing.... HALLELUJAH!

It feels REALLY good to have this finished!!!!! 

This project was probably pieced over 4 years ago.

                    SO  Sad!

I brought it out of hibernation in January of this year,
decided to move it forward and  labeled it.....
                 
                   MR. January UFO.

 Today it is SO LOVED!!!

It is adorned with DMC embroidery floss ,

 quilted with Pearle Cotton #12.

The fabric used are a mix of cottons and flannels.
The snowman noses are wool.

                   
   I am on a journey to learn how to hand quilt.

 In the beginning stages it is a journey of learning to persevere.  My fingers got tired of being poked with a needle.  I  had to tell myself to keep moving forward even though I was always wondering if I was going to like how it looked in the end.   I challenged my self to set small goals each time I sat down to quilt... focus on what is in the hoop at the time... don't worry about the end.... trust thy self.... somehow  it all comes together :)   My mind wanted me to quit constantly.... and surrender to machine quilting.... because it was taking toooooo long.

NOTE... Do NOT surrender.

 A hand quilted finish is sew wonderful!

 Sew Satisfying!  Sew worth the time it takes to do it! 

                

Poor guy in the middle

          

The back of the quilt

Raw edge applique-

trying something new.

Used this stencil

 then fattened up the lines

to make it a bit chunkier.

Philadelphia Pavement

made with Recycled shirt

free pattern here

First time incorporating a label into the piecing

Pattern....

"Frost Bite"

Created by

Teachers Pet

http://www.the-teachers-pet.com/quickies.html

I have modified the pattern slightly by adding the snowflakes

and changed the borders up a bit.

Hand quilting ..... it makes me happy.

Janita

Linking to Sarah's Can i get a Whoop- Whoop

             

10,000 Reasons

                                  Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
                                                   
                                                   O my soul,

Worship His Holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul

I'll worship your Holy Name.

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing your song again

What ever may pass, and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul

Worship His Holy Name

Sing like never before, O my soul

I'll worship your holy name.

You're rich in love, and you're slow to anger

Your name is great, and your heart is kind.

For all your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul

Worship His Holy Name

Sing like never before, O my soul

Worship His Holy Name.

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forever more.

Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul

Worship His Holy Name

Sing like never before, O my soul

I'll worship your Holy Name.

 Seems like a day

for

Worship.

10,000 Reasons

Matt Redman

God Bless you today

janita

10,000 Reasons  watch video here  

 Matt Redman

Note to Self........

This song is for me....
because sometimes I'm afraid to take the first step and do what God is asking me to do







Blessed by his love..... I wonder why I let fear win.

I am missing ..... MORE

More of what He created me for.


Janita
 

Little BITS OF BLUE

Wishing I had the magic to do
 a little zip- zap SPRING .... but I don't.

Wishing I could tell you
 I was squishing sand between my toes..... But I'm not.

Wishing my husband would stop telling me
" It is going to snow"  once a week.
 (I have been guilty of a little eye ball rolling)


Winter has surely been putting on a glorious display this year. It will surely be a year to remember.....

 I can hear the stories
 Remember the winter of 2014.

 I 'd like to box up a little of it and save it for the 90* weather  when I'm riding my bicycle in the sweltering heat of July.

 I love having winter..... but winter can be a short chapter in my book .  I am a bit wishy- washy about winter.  I like the days that are sweet, I don't like the days that are  freezing beyond belief.

I am a Spring Girl.              
              If I didn't sew I would be stir crazy by now.

What ever the weather I can wish a Beautiful day for you.

                        Today the sun is shining.
 I can do winter if the sun is shining and the sky is blue.

               Sometimes you have to look for Happy!

We are not without HOPE

I don't remember ever seeing flocks of robins in February!

 A Flock of robins outside my window.

You never looked so wonderful Mr. Robin Red Breast

Somewhere under all this snow

SPRING will SProuT

........ If you're Blue about Winter ......  I'm sorry.   You can blame me for the winter that seems to want to last forever.
I'm still trying to finish some winter projects which are ... Snow related.

At this point I am thankful there is one last hurrah of winter. I need more time.

 After an introduction to Craftsy ..... and the Free Craftsy BOM 2012 here...

I started sewing my blocks in January 2013....  The Hope to  finish dates have come and gone. I have had a few rip-de-dos with my seam ripper.......  I've had a few Now what do I do???... I've tried to work with wool and realized I don't know what I'm doing... I've added a few detour blocks to tell my story....  You know detours...  they are never quick.  It has become more that what it started out to be.

I've learned a few things.... I've struggled with a few things...

 I think I'll be happy when I can sing....
 "Oh Glorious day... This quilt is on my bed!"

I'm gaining but still not finished...   I need to

    Remember
        to
           Enjoy
               the journey.

                                      It is not always about speed.

Introducing you to.....


                             Winter Blues meets Happy Blues!

Slashed with a SNOW theme

9 Patch

Dresden

Ohio star              Amish star

Log Cabin

Low volume log cabin in a blizzard

BOM Detour blocks

Iowa.... Wisconsin..... Arizona

places I have lived

HST triangles

More BOM Detour blocks

Paper piecing a snowflake

Foundation piecing with strings

Making Snowballs and building a snow fort

 while cheating on curved piecing.

Inspiration for the block on the right 

came from a painting hung in this room reveal

http://www.vintagerevivals

Happy-Happy-Happy!

NO wonder kids love winter!

Janita