Order Completed

Today I completed one of my many bag orders. The lady who ordered this bag already has one of the same bags in a different color. She wanted another one to use at the beach, but she also wanted it to be slightly smaller and with a cosmetic bag to match.

My next order is another beach bag, but in the larger size (and I mean it is gigantic). Here are the fabrics for the upcoming bag (darker teal for the main color, tan for the accent, and the teal polka dots for the lining).

I'm finding that as I make the same type of bag over and over again, I am getting faster at it. Maybe I will start cutting the fabric for this next bag tomorrow.

Updating

My last blog post left you at the begining of a new school year which now has come to completion. It is hard to believe that another year of school has come and gone. Unfortunately, I was so busy that I did not have much free time to keep my blog up to date on all that was going on in my life.
Over the past few months, I have started up my own little cottage industry (with the help of my awsome grandma ☺) selling bags, and on occasion quilts using the name The Frog Quilter (acronym for FROG is Fully Relying On God). It has been very successful, so much so that I still have ten bags and a baby quilt on a waiting list. I really enjoy making them and it is also a good money maker on the side. Here are a few that I have made so far.









If you have looked at my grandma's blog, she has been posting about the current baby quilt I have been working on. It is almost finished! Hopefully this summer will allow me more time to keep my blog updated!

Getting Ready

It is almost time to go back to school! I can't believe how fast this summer went! On Tuesday, I will head to school and start a new year. I have already gotten my binders for each class that will hold my notes and handouts.

I have labled them on the side according to which class it is. I have set myself up with some pretty tough classes, so hopefully I didn't over do it! Also, I like to do something fun for the front of each binder. Last year I had put drawings that I made in the fronts. This year I did some collages of sorts.

For my Advanced Math binder, I saved candy wrappers and taped them onto a piece of computer paper.

For my Chemistry binder, I took blue and red thread and taped it down to the paper in a swirly pattern.

For my AP European History binder, I dug through my button jar to find a lot of white and cream ones to make this design.

For my AP Language and Compostion binder, I took scraps of fabric and taped them down to a paper in a striped design.

And, for my Economics binder I used pictures that I have taken and made a collage on my computer.

I still have some summer work that needs to be finished. Because I chose to take AP (Advanced Placement) classes, I had to complete some things over the summer for those classes. Well, I procrastinated until the month of August to work on them. Not a very smart idea. Now I am cramming to get it all done in time.

I am excited about going back to school and seein all of my friends, but I am sad that the summer is over already.

Completion

I have finished the pointsettia wall hanging!!!

I decided to bind it in the same orange as the background so it would not distract from the flowers. I really like the way that it turned out.

A couple of months ago, I had posted about a bag that I had made just for fun. I have now made two more for my friends' birthdays.

I really enjoy making them and they are very easy to do. I was thinking about making my own website where I could start to sell some of the things I have been making, such as these bags. I am also in the process of making some cute little wallets. Do you think they would sell? If you would give me your honest opinion, I would greatly appreciate it ☺.

In Progress

This project has been five years in the making. Five years ago, I had taken a fabric painting class at Quilt Odyssey in Hershey. Then with the fabric we had painted we either could make pointsettias or sunflowers. I did these pointsettias and I had them all layed out and had it all ready to be quilted by the end of the class. Well, it was not until last week that I quilted it. Last year I had taken a free motion quilting class so, I decided to try the skills I had learned out on this project that needed so desperately to be finished.

All I need to do is put the binding on and the wallhanging will be finished!

I quilted the petals to make it look like they had veins. I used a pink thread on all of them.

Then, every where else I just did random loops (picture of the back).

I have found that I really enjoy free motion quilting. Now I am working on quilting another wall hanging. I hope to be able to finish it soon! ☺

Gold in Boston

Last weekend I traveled to Boston to compete in a Nazarene Youth convention called Festival of Life. A couple of months ago, I had gone to the district level of competition in Philadelphia and

took my Strips n' Curves quilt along to enter in the competition. It got first place there, so I was sent on to the regional level to compete in Boston. I had an absolutely wonderful experience there being at the Eastern Nazarene College and getting to hang out with other christian teens! And to top the great weekend off, I won two golds. One was for my quilt (God's Promise) and the other one for singing. I am so thankful for the gifts and talents that God has given to me! I am hoping that I will get the chance to do this next year!

Snow Days

The past couple of weeks my area has gotten some snow, causing school to close for a couple of days. During these little breaks, I have enjoyed getting time to sew again.

The first snow day that we had I wasn't able to get to my grandma's house because the roads were pretty bad. So, I just stayed at home and looked around in my own sewing area. I found a simple pattern for a really cute bag. I got some fabric from my stash and sat down for a good part of the day and finished this bag.


I am really happy with the way it turned out!

The second snow day the roads were not too bad, so I traveled to my grandma's house to sew with her ☺. One of my friend's birthday is coming up, so I decieded to get ahead and make her a set of pillow cases.

It felt really great to finally be able to sew again. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long until I can do it again!

Busy

The past month was filled with so many things to do. This upcoming month doesn't look any less busy! A large chunk of my time goes to musical practice that has now been under way for 4 weeks.

It is a lot of fun and I'm sure it will turn out to be a superb show! I am one of the Shark's girls who is named Francisca. I don't have any lines but I do sing in a trio for one of the songs. There is also a lot of awesome dancing which I am very excited about! I just a little while I will be heading to the school for tonight's rehearsal.

On Wednesday, I will be going to participate in a district band festival. It lasts from Wednesday to Saturday. I'm sure it will be fun but I know I am going to be worn out by the end.

I hope everyone has a nice week and will be able to take some time to relax!

Quick Christmas Gifts

It seems that every year I'm always scrambling to find gifts for my friends for Christmas. This year was no exception. Luckly, I was able to think of something that would be quick to make and that I think they will enjoy.

I made them each a throw pillow with each of their first intials on the front.

I picked out a fabric for the body of the pillow and then a contrasting color for the letter.

I got on the computer and printed the letters out on a heavier paper and used them as templates. I traced the letters lightly on to the fabric and cut them out.

Then, I pinned them on to the body fabric and zig-zagged stitched them on.

After that, all I had to do was sew the front and back of the pillow together and stuff them. They were all easy and quick to do.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! ☺

Christmas Tree Hunt

Every year during Thanksgiving break, my family goes and picks out a Christmas tree. It has become a tradition and we enjoy the time together. So, on this fine Sunday afternoon (sunny and 60 degrees ☺), we headed out in search of the perfect Chistmas tree.




We used my glove that I didn't need to wear to mark a tree that we liked. That way we could go look at others on the lot without forgeting were this tree was.

We finally found a nice tree that all four of us agreed on. My brother Cameron used the saw to chop it down.

Then, Cam and I picked it up and carried back to the van. The tree made it home safe and sound. Now we just have to wait for my dad to set it up in the living room so we can decorate it.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! ☺

Fall or Winter?!

Today, it has been snowing since around 12:00 noon and still has not stopped (it is now 5:00)! I love snow and am really suprised to see this much already in October! We have about two inches now.

They're kind of hard to see but in the picture above there are sparrows seeking shelter underneath our trees and having a snack while they are at it .

The only thing bad about it snowing so early is that it makes the tree limbs get heavy and bend.

So the question is, is it Fall or Winter? ☺

Busy...

Hello everyone! So sorry that I have not posted in a while. Since the start of school, I have been extremely busy. I am taking all honors classes and with that comes a lot of work! But it is worth it in the end.

I have also been busy with band. The marching season is in full swing now and we have practice every Monday and Thursday evening and competitions every Saturday.

This coming Tuesday, I will be going to Susquahanna Universty with our school chamber choir to do a workshop with the university choir and their director. I am really excited. Singing is one of the things that I really enjoy doing! It is going to be a lot of fun.

Have a wonderful week! ☺

Thank you

I want to say a thank you to Mary of Neat & Tidy for this award that she has passed on to me! If you have time, you should go and take a look at Mary's Blog.

I guess that I am suposed to list ten things about myself now. We'll see if I can think of 10! ☺

1. I am a Christian and I want to do God's will, whatever that may be.

2. My family is very important to me. They are wonderful people!

3. I love to sew and quilt! My grandma started to teach me at the young age of 4 and I have been sewing ever since. The time that my grandma and I spend together in this hobby is very special to me!

4. I play three different instruments. The alto saxophone, bassoon, and piano. I play the saxophone in our school marching band and the bassoon in the concert band. The piano I play at home when ever I get a spare minute.

5. I enjoy singing very much! I take private voice lessons. I am in the concert choir and was just recently chosen to be in our school chamber choir.

6. I am a dancer. I take ballet/pointe and jazz classes every week. I also took tap class for about 3 years.

7. I love animals. I have two cats right now. They are so adorable!

8. So far in my school career, I have been a straight A student.

9. I have a weird obsession with earrings. I really don't know how many pairs I have, but I can tell you that I have A LOT! ☺

10. I love food (but who doesn't)! One of my favorite places to eat is Olive Garden.


So there you have it! I guess I could think of ten!

Now, I really don't know that many bloggers yet so I can only pass the award on to a few. If you get a chance you should check out these great blogs!

Barb of *WE* Quilt
Laurie of Quilter Gone Wild
Rose of Pics and Pieces

Thanks again to Mary!

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend!

Birthday Gifts

Two of my friends' birthdays are in September and I normally always make my friends something special for them as a gift. This year I have been making pillow cases. They are really easy and fun to make and you can use really fun fabric that matches the personalities of the people you make them for.

This first pair I made for a friend who's a really fun and exciting girl. Her family is from South America. I thought these colors portrayed that well.

This second pair I made for my other friend who is a very sweet person and who likes the color purple.

It took me about two and a half hours to do each pair. Like I said before, they are really easy and fun to make. ☺

Finished and Delivered!

I have completed Commissioned Baby Quilt #6! And it is even done on time! ☺ I am very happy with the way it turned out. The embroidered alphabet was a new adventure for me this time, but I really like what it adds to the quilt.

Here is a close up of the border.

And here is a close up of some of the embroidered letters.

I delivered the quilt today to the lady who had asked me to do it. She absolutely loved it and was, I think, very pleased. It makes me feel great! This lady is one of two people who have kept me in business and has told me today that in a year or two she is probably going to need another one! I don't mind at all. I love making quilts! ☺