happy birthday baby!

happy 27th birthday, love! I hope you enjoyed the cake your mom made for you, and the presents that you got. I'm sorry I'm a horrible wife and didn't have your presents ready or a cake made and that you had to get that from everyone else... but I hope you eventually enjoy my gifts to you. :)

love you dashi!

busy little bee!

wow. where do I begin?!

well, my last post I mentioned that I was at a loss over green fabric... I made my decision!! I ordered from over the rainbow fabrics and opted to get the full four yards. they were $.25/yd more expensive, but I made up for it in shipping. fabric depot was having an issue with their site, and it wasn't allowing me to process the order. something strange - coming back saying I hadn't filled in parts of my order when I so obviously had. rather than get frustrated (and end up ordered 87 yds of green fabric), I just opted to purchase from the other store. worked out! they were super fast, too... had my order within a few days and it was coming cross-country, too! anyway, I think the full four yards will be good... I can decide later if I want to use that, or the "sub fabric" for the border. I've got time!

the week is a big blur... I don't even remember what I did! things were pretty chaotic at work, though... quoting is really picking up. I guess. :)

so I had a birthday last saturday. yup. the big 27. [sigh] it was awesome though. das and I had looked at MORE houses in the morning (after being out at the sun until 2:30a the night before), then he surprised me by getting the video game I've been begging him for. :) so while he napped all afternoon, I played my game. then we got changed and headed off for fuji japanese steakhouse for some birthday hibachi (my FAVorite). much to my surprise, I walk in and 11 of my friends are seated around the grill; they launched into applause at my arrival, but luckily they did not sing happy birthday. :) what a surprise. it was fantastic - thanks honey! you really are the best! :D oh, and one of my gifts was a quilter's tote. I haven't put anything in it yet, but trust me - it will be used!!

easter was great too... went to MIL's house. awesome food - good company. and it wasn't even that late an evening (considering she lives over an hour away and we didn't start dinner until 4:30p-5p).

overall, I've been working on a few things... no sewing, but mostly getting things together in my sewing room and in my mind. :) I'm excited about my quilting projects... and hope to get working on them soon. as I said... sometimes life gets in the way of creativity. :) oh, I was on jen's blog today and saw that she linked to a raffle quilt, plus is getting ideas for her own raffle quilt. I had been thinking about doing a raffle quilt for the american heart association, but am worried that I am putting too much on my plate given that I have other projects in the works. we'll see... that may happen, it may not. :)

birthday list, etc.

just about done with my rows for my 'jacket plaid' quilt for our friends from chicago (well, they are *from* connecticut, well, one is... whatever, they live in chicago now!). I just need to finish up doing the blocks in all rows (there are ten rows of nine blocks)... so I am putting a chunk of four with a chunk of four then will need to add that last loner block. it's taking longer (besides the laziness factor) because I have split them in half to make sure that one half is being pressed one way, the other half the opposite way. these blocks aren't particularly 100% even, so that will make a big difference when I am putting the rows together, and in keeping the top flat, too. it will take longer, but I'm trying to be better about my pressing (which reminds me... I need a new iron and ironing board) and I think I'll feel better about the overall result.

so my birthday is coming up. the big 2-7. [sigh] there a few things that I want... I've decided to list them here. you know... in case anyone who might want to get me a present is reading this. :)

• the jammies pattern: I absolutely LOVE loungewear. if it was more socially acceptable, I would wear pajamas ALL the time. das has a thing about me wearing "socially appropriate clothing" in public... and he's NOT referring to revealing clothing. :)
• barcelona skirt pattern: I don't know why I'm getting into a clothing kick... really. I never made clothes. I tried to make a jumper once in, like, 7th grade. I still haven't finished it. but there's just something about this skirt that says fun. now, if you read the above bullet point... you may be thinking, "um. a skirt? really? why?" I ask myself the same thing. however, it just seems so versatile... maybe it'll be like wearing pajamas all the time. :D
• blue sky hats: again with amy butler... I'm a huge fan of the sun hat. not so much the skull hat, but hey - someone might like it.
• ultimate arts & crafts tote: and the last one of her patterns... this just looks great for keeping everything handy. I have my share of tote bags, don't get me wrong - but this is just *made* for it. :)
• shopping cart cover (click link, go to page 8 or 9): this is from sew baby! pattern lines... and NO I'm not pregnant, but I do have a few friends who are, and this seems like a useful pattern to have for that time when we decide to have kids, too. can't start too early collecting patterns and fabric (although das doesn't agree... ha ha).
• my favorite jacket book: I saw this on moneik's site and I think it looks great. funny thing, too, I went to do a google search to find a link for the list, and the first site that popped up was the blog entry from moneik! looking through a list of the 'taylor made designs' patterns, I think my mom has the sew easy pajama pants pattern. I'll have to check and see. maybe she'll just let me borrow that instead of getting the jammies pattern listed above. hm. anyway, back to the jackets... I like the shorter one, but the longer one is nice, too.
• disc o' sit: my mom has one of these and it helps with my posture and whatnot while sitting and quilting. it makes it harder to slouch while you're working, which makes for a happy back! :) especially during long marathon sewing sessions!

just as a note regarding all the amy butler patterns... I have the weekender bag pattern and her book, "in stitches". I am excited, but scared, to work on the bag pattern; I bought the book originally for the fashion checkbook clutch, but fell in love with the kitty tunnel and the bedside organizer, too. I have a few other other her patterns, too (including this, which I bought to make as an overnight bag for my honorary niece, sophia). they are just so fun and intriguing, and really bringing a modern flair to a hobby/lifestyle that many feel are "just for grandmothers".