Happy New Year!

I started blogging March 2008, probably during the busiest time ever! I was studying full-time and we didn't have daycare for Ask yet, so he was at home with me. That did not leave a lot of time for crafting.
But I must say, that I have learned more this year than I could ever have imagined :)
Reading your blogs, being able to ask fellow crafters' advice -it means so much to me. I love the encoragement you leave in the comments, and although I don't get back to all of you, I want you to know, that every single comment is appreciated so so much!

I wish you all a blessed and happy New Year, and I am looking forward to seeing you and your blogposts in 2009!

Lots of thank yous from Tine

We had a great Christmas

and a busy one. We had Violas daycare come over Dec. 20th, then family and friends on her actual birthday, Dec. 22nd.
She loved all the attention, and I cannot believe I have a 4 year old daugther!

My parents and my sister stayed with us for Christmas, and we had a great time :) They loved their quilts!
Charles was SO surprised, he thought I was making him a laptop-sleeve. He loves his quilt, and actually shed a happy-tear when he opened his present!

Dec. 26th we went to tivoli, and had such a great time. Everything was beautifully decorated, Viola and Ask just loved it...and so did the rest of us :)

The Christmas tree in this next picture is not yellow, it is absolutely covered in lights!
and look....something for me too...

I am a so happy everyone liked the things I had made, it was so much fun! And definately worth all the stress :)

I have promised myself to be better prepared next year. Sew some of the gifts throughout the year....and have my deadline be Dec. 1st!!
I finally started the Rocket Man quilt for Ask. Not that I have done very much so far. Lol!
These are the first 2 stars. They are made from 2½" squares and scraps.... The white stars on the blue fabric in the star on the left...they glow in the dark!!
How cool is that?!

Hopefully it won't freak Ask out!

Thank you Anne!!!

Christmas came to my home from Finland, beautifully wrapped in giftbags for me and my family :)
Anne sent me this wonderful wooden napkin-holder, already filled with the most beautiful Marimekko napkins!
And look at this Moomin fabric? It is sooooo fantastic! This photo does not do it justice at all. I cannot bring myself to cut into this, so I have plans for a quilt where I don't have to. I love it so much!
Look at these aprons for Ask and Viola! Are they not cutest aprons you have ever seen? I am going to bake something with the kiddos tomorrow, just to see them wearing these lovelies :)
And while we bake, we will be listening to Finnish Christmas-music! I am absolutely speechless. Anne, your generosity amazes me! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
But...it doesn't stop here... Anne included a calender that must be every quilters dream! I know it is the most fabulous calendar I ever saw.

Each month has a little pocket, and Anne put a beautiful fabric in every single one!
Look at these..... I did seriously consider posting all twelve months of 2009 in this post, because it was so hard for me to leave any of these pictures out.
But you will get to see them...I am going to make my own block-of-the-month from these. One block featuring that months fabric :) It will be that special quilt of my very own that I have dreamed of making!

Thank you so very much Anne! I love everything you sent! It is unbelievably beautiful. People like you just make me want to cry! Happy tears ;)

Possibly the cutest owls ever......and another two presents finished :)

Eileen from Eileens Attic sent me these adorable owls!! I think they are just adorable!!
Eileen also sent me a kit to make one myself, she knows how busy I am right now, and sent the kit so I would have a chance of sewing one of these beauties before Christmas :) If you want to make one too, there's a tutorial on Eileens blog!
Thank you so so much Eileen! I love them, and they are going on our Christmas-tree....all 3, I am determined to sew up the kit!

And I may just be able to find the time, because I just finished my last Christmas-project!! The flying dutchman quilt for my sister.
I tried my hand at free motion quilting again, and eventhough I definately still have a lot to learn, I can see improvement with every quilt. That is very comforting :)
I pieced the label into the backing...the stamped labels are growing on me, I think I am even starting to like them :D
Here is a picture of the back of the quilt. I wanted to use up all the dots...the pink floral is a Kaffe Fassett print that was just too perfect to leave out...
The binding came from my stash....completely forgot why I bought this fabric, but it works well here, I think.
And all folded up and ready to be wrapped and given away....
....this will be hard to give away.....

The other night I made a Black Apple doll for Viola. It was fun and easy to sew, and I hope she will like it :)
Now...I know I said I was done with all my presents...but can I really give this doll away without a doll quilt??

Scrappy I SPY squares is done!!!

And I love it!! I am so happy this quilt is staying at my house :)
I just finished the binding, some of the scraps I chose are a little heavy, making it hard to handstitch, but it was okay.

Viola is not feeling well, so she is at home with me, which is nice. We have lots of projects, and I get to sew a little during the day. It is not good at all for my paper, I can't work when she is here, so I work at night.
That is seriously cutting into my sleep.... Not a good thing, but I'll manage, the sewing should be done by Dec. 24th (lets keep our fingers crossed. Lol), and the paper by Jan. 5th. And then I'll have some time to catch up!

I made labels for all of the 3 quilts I am giving as gifts this Christmas.. I used stamps, and I am not sure what I think of these, but finished labels are much better then imagined perfect phantom labels...so I am using these :)
Charles' is already on his quilt! YAY!
This quilt is completely done, ready to be wrapped!!
I am soooo happy!

Now onto the next project....I need to piece the backing for my sisters quilt.
And Viola and I are working on calendars for the family, she'll be giving one to Charles, my parents and my sister.

I printed and cut all the photos, one calendar has all the photos in place, and Viola is adding the finishing touches (drawings and stickers!). So only 2 more to go!
But why did I have to choose the kind where I have to write all the dates?!

Lily pad toss (almost) done!

I finished the lily pad toss! Happy me! One more present done :)
I made the bag from this tutorial, it was sooo easy! I used my serger -quick and easy :)
Now I just need to sew some eyes on the frogs...well...so it's ALMOST done... Lol!

I also made binding for Charles' quilt, for some reason I thought this was a time consuming project.
It took ½ hour to cut and sew the binding...and not much more to sew it on to the quilt.
The handstitching will take longer, so I am saving that for friday night... Charles will not be home (Christmas party at work), and I am going to watch tv and finish this when the kids are sleeping.
This is what was left of the binding. I always save the "left-overs", that way I have some for the next scrappy binding project!

Taxi Tote and an award!

This tote is my sisters birthday-present. It's January 5th, so she usually brings her present, when she goes back home after the holidays. I used the Taxi Tote pattern from Anna Maria Horners book "Seams to me". It was a great pattern and really easy to follow. I haven't made bags before, and I think the interfacing I used might be a little too heavy. Or does it get softer as you use the bag??

I was also a little confused about the patterns, I couldn't find any info on seam-allowance, and didn't know if I should add it to the pattern or not. I'm sure she writes about in the book somewhere, I just couldn't find it ;)
After sewing the bag, I am pretty sure, I should the seamallowance is included in the patterns. Oh well!

I hope my sister will like it anyway :)

Thank you for all the birthday-comments for Charles yeaterday, I have read them all to him, and he was very happy :D
I also showed him the part of the post that didn't include his quilt ;)

Melanie from JellybeanAngel gave me this award! Thank you so much :)
It is impossible to me to choose who to pass this on to. You are all so creative, and I wish I could just give it to all of you!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Today is Charles' birthday! Congratulations Sweetheart!
Viola and I made him these potholders, using Messy Karens potholder tutorial. They were as quick to make as she says they are :)
Viola and Ask chose a piece of fabric each, that's why there's a princess potholder. Lol :D

The denim I used has a bit of strecth in it, making it a little difficult to quilt them, but it all worked out ok.......had I stopped to think, I would have ironed some interfacing on it.

Here's the denim-side of one....look....I quilted straight lines! I'm very happy with that, maybe I'll start building up courage to quilt a grid?!

I made them quite large, 27cm x 27cm (10½" square), and they are perfect for him.
The potholders are from the kids, I ended up having to buy him a present. Lol. Somehow I just don't seem to have time for more sewing projects right now!

I finished quilting Charles' Christmas-present-quilt last night, I quilted a heart in the center of each square, it's a little difficult to see in the photo -but they are there. Lol :)

I'm still waiting for the batting and backing for my sisters quilt, hopefully it will get here soon!

Until then I really need to work on a presentation for class on monday, and a paper due January 5th.... Busy-busy-busy!

Getting ready for Christmas

Viola and I went out today and bought an advent candle, a pointsetta, and an advent calendar for Ask, one for Charles and one for Viola :)It all made our home look much more ready for Christmas...Speaking of ready...I am getting some sewing done in the evenings. I have sewn and handquilted these 2 lilypads for Violas lilypad-toss, I have 3 more cut and ready to sew. Then I need to make some kind of bag to keep it all in.....I am thinking a box-bag of some kind would be good.

Charles and I tested the game last night, and it was fun :) I had planned to make some lilies to sew onto tha lilypads, but that won't work! They would be squashed by the frogs during the first game. So....less work for me. Maybe I can make one and sew it onto the bag. That would (hopefully) look pretty.

On a different note....Charles hung these storage units for me today. They are from Ikea, and they are meant for shoes. I use them for extra gloves, mittens, hats, sweaters, scarves....you know, all the stuff that is left all over the place once the kiddos are home from daycare. I put the large Barbapapa stickers on for the kids. Viola chose the orange barbapapa, so that's where her stuff goes. Ask chose the airplane -very much helped by Viola in making his decision. LOL!I love these already! There is no more clutter in our hallway! Yipee!

-oh....you can see the kids' calendars on top of the storage units. Violas is the one with the princesses (obviously) and Ask's is Winnie the Pooh.

Just do it already!!!

I have been so intimidated by the thought of quilting Charles' Christmas-present-quilt.
After thinking about how to quilt it for weeks (it has been weeks hasn't it? It sure seems like it!) I finally decided to just go ahead and quilt it!
It is not as if my quilting skills are going to improve dramatically while I wait and do nothing, so might as well get started :)
I am going to need to do some quilting within the squares, that'll have to be another night. It's almost midnight, and I am beat! Plus the kiddos will paobably wake up before 6 AM...
I also finished the quilttop for my sisters Christmas-present-quilt! I might just make it! I might just finish my to-do list in time!
Of course there is still Charles' birthday-present, Viola's game and my sisters birthday-present...