Well, as great as Washington DC was, we ended up fleeing the scene at two this morning afterLittle Mister started exhibiting signs of a stomach bug. We are pretty sure it was food poisoning suffered at the same time as catching a fresh cold; but, at the time (of which, I am thinking very little in the way of rational thought happens at two in the morning) it seemed like a good idea to start heading home. The healthy kid decided his time would be better spent at school, so away he went. He brought flowers home with him though (thoughtful, no?).
The sick one basically took up space in different parts of the house all day. But he is so cute, one can't be bothered by it, really.
Coming home early did give me a chance to get some quilting done and enjoy all my new birthday fabric.
If it weren't my birthday, I suspect an intervention of some sort would be happening, but since it IS my birthday, well, it's just a jolly show of capitalism (just go with me on this). Any way, today's gift...scraps! Of fabric! Get excited!
I have recently finished quilting three quilts (and sewing a pillow) of the vintage fabric variety (don't get too excited, all the quilts need binding). I have a bag of scraps left, it needs a new home. I think I have a three quilt limit with fabric, I can't look at the stuff any more. In addition to the vintage-scraps--you should read this as upcyled bed linens, because that is what they are (which came from fat quarters purchased from Whimsie Dots on etsy), I am also going to give you a fair amount of scrap-age of quilt store quality cotton fabrics as well (some of it will just get cut from fresh yardage as I tend to find ways to encorporate my scraps into new projects which leaves very little in the way of fab-scraps in my stash). You'll get a lot of solids as well as some fun prints, a good selection of scraps of all sizes to add to your stash. If you are wondering what one can possibly accomplish with scraps, you are obviously not familiar with the genius of my friend Chawne. Get thee aquainted.
At the moment, all my quilting energies (and general productivity, actually) are going into finishing a quilt for the birthday (or really, birth day--as in day of birth) of Little Mister's teacher (I have decided to quilt more lines...a thing worth doing is worth doing well, after all). The woman has been pregnant for the last nine months, it's not like the impending birth is a surprise, I just waited to the last minute to design, plan, and make the quilt, as one does. If you are interested in getting this very fine collection of scraps to work with (of course it's very fine, people, I do nothing half way), please tell me the most meaningful gift (birthday or otherwise) you pulled together in a hurry (we could also say procrastinated, but that would suggest laziness--and if you are not willing to own your laziness as I am, you might be offended, so let's just say "pulled together in a hurry")... if you are a crafter (which I assume you are because you are reading this blog), this should be an easy one--but it doesn't have to be a gift you made, after yesterday's post and the comments I am curious to see how thoughtful and meaningful gifts given are remembered. In case you haven't figured it out, I take gift-giving very seriously.
I will take comments for this post, and all Novakkah posts, until 11:59 EST (or2359, should you prefer that), Thursday, May 12th. Please leave your responses on the appropriate post. One entry per post/person. I will show you what I have to gift each day and let you know what you need to tell me to try to get it. Giftees will be selected on the 13th and gifts sent out shortly thereafter.
Yes, Chawne can stretch scraps like no other. She is very inspiring, indeed. I hope Little Mister is feeling better. Poor guy. I love that he still wanted his stuffed animals to celebrate, even when he didn't feel like doing so. Cute!
My sister asked me to make journal pouches for this adorable little family of girls she babysits for occasionally. The family has four girls, and they are all melt-your-heart adorable. I forgot about it, and then she asked me where they were, so I whipped them up as quickly as I could to give them to her the next day. I finished late at night, and gave them to her the next morning. I didn't even take pictures. The girls loved them, though, so I guess I pulled it off. I wish I had been able to put more time into them, though.
Posted by: Jacey | May 10, 2011 at 09:24 AM
A few years before my Granny Becker passed away they had a birthday party for her.
We were all to write down things that were special or that meant alot to us...the thing that I always remembered was that at Thanksgiving she would alway have Christmas stockings for all of us. One time I asked her where her stocking was and she responded, " I have never had a Christmas Stocking."
For her birthday that year I made her a Christmas stocking. It was only a felt kit, but it was very intricate with alot of detail and her name on it. I made her pecan, plain and caramel divinity to fill it and stuck a note in it telling her that now she had a Christmas stocking.
Every year after that I always made her the different divinities for her stocking. Every year she would send me her stocking about a week before Thanksgiving so I could fill it. She would not let anyone else fill it or have any of her candy.
The really incredible thing was that she was not a blood relation. I was gifted with the fact that she chose me...I miss her.
Posted by: Angelia Batson | May 10, 2011 at 12:30 PM
I like to put a lot of thought into my gifts, because I too take gift giving very seriously. On the other hand, I have scrapped together many a last minute celebration. My most recent party: my son's birthday party with 30 people and kids, changed locations to an indoor playground because of bad weather at the last minute.
Posted by: Megan | May 10, 2011 at 03:57 PM
I cast on a baby hat the night before a baby shower and finished it the morning of. Just in time knitting!
Posted by: Kim | May 10, 2011 at 05:40 PM
Making dresses for Little Dresses for Africa and starting a small quilt for Craft Hope. Scraps and bright colors would come in handy:)
Posted by: Jen | May 10, 2011 at 08:05 PM
as you well know, most of my gifts are thrown together at the last minute and usually my calculation of last minute is off so I'm a little later than last minute. on that note, your birthday gift will be late this year.
most thoughtful gift...i would have to say (sadly, as a crafter) that it was planning and taking rocky on a fishing trip for his birthday years ago. He still talks about how much he enjoyed going out on the lake and fishing.
My sewing machine is a storage tabletop and so I think it would be best to exclude me from today's give away festivities.
Hope Little Mister is back in peak shape in time for cake on Friday (or sooner, really).
Happy 5th day of Novakkah!
Posted by: Kathy | May 10, 2011 at 08:31 PM
I am thinking the strip doll quilt I made for my doll obsessed niece. The night before it had to be sent to Idaho. Leaving things to the last minute so I "have to" craft instead of getting up with the baby - a good strategy I think. Indulging in my hobbies while also being a Christmas hero - what a win win right?
heather dot nevits at gmail dot com
Posted by: Heather | May 11, 2011 at 08:33 AM
The most meaningful gift I pulled together in a hurry was DIY silhouettes of my kids that I gave my parents for Christmas. They were so easy but they turned out SO well. I think they are the best handmade gift I've ever made. And my parents *love* them.
Posted by: earthchick | May 11, 2011 at 11:10 PM
Once, I found out a boyfriend (now ex) was going away for thirty days. I stayed up the night before and wrote thirty letters in thirty envelopes, packed them in a box to send with him. They included poems, song lyrics, pictures, illustrations.... everything. He and I eventually ended but I still think about doing it again, he seemed to like it so much.
Posted by: Hannahbelle | May 12, 2011 at 02:31 AM
thanks for the shoutout!
i once wrote a letter containing all the things my dad and i never said out loud for his 60th birthday. he seemed to like it.
Posted by: cauchy09 | May 12, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Every year at Christmas I send my SIL a box of stuff, mostly presents for her boys (who have December birthdays). We send them our Christmas CD, and every year I make some little ornament-y thing for her at the last possible second. One year it was little stacking trees, one year I was felting knitted mistletoe in the middle of the night... It's always a last minute mess and it always works out great.
Posted by: Annika | May 12, 2011 at 01:09 PM
I am thinking the strip doll quilt I made for my doll obsessed niece. The night before it had to be sent to Idaho.
Posted by: pesta ulang tahun | July 21, 2011 at 04:03 PM
The most precious gift I pulled together in a hurry was DIY silhouettes of my kids that I gave my parents for Christmas. They were so easy but they turned out SO well. I think they are the best handmade gift I've ever made. And my parents *love* them.
Posted by: Affordable Insurance | October 19, 2011 at 06:09 AM
outstanding effort, Really appreciable.
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Posted by: best ghost writers | November 26, 2011 at 01:54 PM
birthday fabrics are awesome and baby is so cute.
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