My new long desired TV tray ironing board!

Hi all!  I got to do a little crafting today with the help of...no not Uki but my husband!  I've been to the States and back and brought back a TV tray with me. I also brought back a cold that I'm just feeling better from!!

I chose my fabrics and batting and got busy cutting to a bevy of tutorials out there!

I used two pieces of batting and one piece of InsulBright all 1.5" larger than my table. 

The Strawberry Riley Blake fabric was supposed to have been cut 3" larger but gee, I screwed up there. 

It was tough to get the fabric turned over but we managed.

I ended up using my pinking shears to cut the edges to keep the fabric from unraveling. 

Then, the man walks in and starts playing with my gun. He realizes it's not working. After taking it apart...

It turns out I loaded the staples incorrectly. Insert big smile here. 

My husband's first shot!  On my project!!

My turn!  You know, that was the most beautiful stapled item I've ever done!

Until he deemed it was not good and took it out. Insert frowny face!

Once I got the hang of it, he continued on and I was tickled at his excitement. We women rock. We carry a bean for 9 months. We let it hang on us for up to two years. We live for that child always and we can handle excited hubby's with our new toy that will help us strike something off our bucket list!  Don't forget these TV trays are not sold in Oman.  I had to break it down and squeeze it in my suitcase and drag it home. Just reminding you. 

I also brought a woman's tool kit in pink and black!  He was granted permission to hammer the staples in!  He approves and is charmed that I brought that too from the US of A!

Ta-da!!!  My strawberry TV tray ironing board with my brand new matching iron!!

Thanks for stopping by. 

The adorable Sleeping Bag Pouch!

The Sleeping Bag Pouch

I saw this somewhere.  I think on IG and then flew over to Aylin's blog.  I read her tutorial several times, as is my method, and finally sat down to make this!  Thank you Aylin!  I found that I got confused, not to her instructions, but to my own rock band in my head!  I finally got it right and I learned one thing...I need to research stabilizers and fusible webs and stiffeners and the like a bit more.  I would like this next one to be a bit more sturdy, that's all.

It really was fun and I can see how quick the next ones will be now that I have a better idea of how to construct it.

Here are a few pictures.

Thanks for stopping by.

The kids and I are leaving in a few days to drop off my first born for university!  I have been feeling sick.  I am sure it's that and a few other things that are going on in my life.  I don't like this feeling though.  Who would!?  Anyway, I hope to find some cute charms to put on my bags as I hope to be making more bags to sell at the local bazaars this coming school year.  Any suggestions on where to source them?   I guess zipper pulls are what I need and cute charms.

Again and always, thanks for stopping by...

XO Mini! Done in two days!

I've been seeing so many mini's on Instagram and Blogland that I realized that all those techniques or patterns that I want to make quilts out of and will never get made; well, I realized that I could make minis!  So, here is my XO Mini...

I started cutting scraps.  My scraps only multiply.  I can never get rid of them!  I grabbed two shades of 8 colors and cut 3" squares.

I then took a decent sized scrap of white and cut out 1.5" squares.  I needed to draw on the diagonal so I put them on the line.  It did help in accuracy but who has the time man?

When I positioned them onto the square, I used our local glue to hold the tips on.  They would be trimmed off later anyway.

Just this much and it worked great!

Then Uki decided to come and take a bath on my work table.  So cute!

When all my stuff was put together, I went to the machine and string pieced it.

I flipped it over and did the other side without cutting any threads.  Then I laid them out on my cutting matt and clipped those threads.

When my Mom was here I started watching a Mexican soap opera.  I got so caught up in it that I did not realize that I sewed and cut the little white corners to the wrong side.  Ugh, I had to unpick all that.

Then I put the glue in the seam allowance which demanded a little bit more precision; but works just as well.

I laid out my pieces and moved them around.

Then I went back to the scrap bin (I have three) and found a piece of batting.  I preceded to cut it into wide enough strips and then trimmed them down so my edges would sew together nicely.

I then got my book on my machine and looked up the zig zag stitch and foot and once that was done; I started to sew the batting strips together to become one.

I found that I had a hole and decided to go for it and resew the zig zag.  Yah, once I put all that away.

The ends don't matter as they will be cut off but the three pieces made one piece and therefore it is usable to be my batting.

I layered the backing, batting and top and began a simple quilt 1/4" inside each thing.

After I was done, I had to hide all the loose threads.  I did that by pulling the top thread to the back and tying a knot and then threading it to a needle and running the knot through the back.  I don't like this part.

I grabbed yet another scrap and made binding.

Once the binding was sewn on; I was stitching it down.

I hand sewed my label to the bottom right corner.

and voila!!!!

For some reason, I did not take a picture of the backing with the hanging sleeves.  Trust me, they are in there.  

I have a person to give this to but I made it for myself and I did a very good job, if I might add!  I haven't decided.  

Quilt measures 10.5" square.

Off to a concert....

My daughter's recital!!

Welcome back to both you and me!

I'm really behind in my posting.  I know that.  I've been very busy this past school year.

I'd like to dedicate this post to my daughter's recital.  She is the FIRST female and the YOUNGEST to ever have a musical recital through the Oud Hobbyists Association.  I have taken the liberty to use a lot of their photos and am using my own as well.  

Sit back and enjoy the many photos.  I'm trying to figure out how to get a clip on here so you can hear her but am having the hardest time, man.

AMAL'S RECITAL

APRIL 9, 2014

MUSCAT, OMAN

Amal and Asaad, Radhiya and Idris before the concert, relaxing.  I doubt Amal was relaxing, she was nervous as heck!

The other half, Semantha, Craig and Adam...

Picture of the crowd gathering...

Fethi, the Director of the Oud Hobbyists Association, introducing Amal.  You see her father then me; but before her dad in the doorway you see her!

Another crowd shot.  That's me!!  I see Riyad next to me and my BIL behind him, in the brown dishdasha is Yusuf, a local artist and big supporter of the music scene and he has seen Amal's very first concert three years ago!

More audience members.  Lots of people I do not recognize and lots that I do!  In the inner most corner, bottom right is Wael.  A very kind man that works at the Royal Opera House!  He was very and is very supportive of Amal's musical endeavors!

Adam, Amal, Elisha and Momoko...

Idris, Asaad, Weheb, Amal, Radhiya...

Looks like Amal is introducing a piece (they are called 'pieces' not 'songs').

I just like this picture...

Jammin'....(Bob Marley singing in the back of my head)...

Eek!  Her Daddy and Me!

Idris, the percussionist.  He is such a nice young man and so incredibly talented.

I took this shot of Amal's favorite teacher Mr Frederickson.  Now that she has graduated High School, we 'call' him, TY.  His wife, Marcie, also at school is neck stretching to see something.  Love this shot!

I like this shot too...

I like how she cues and checks on her musicians.  Here we see from the left, Adam on bass, Asaad on guitar, Amal on the oud, Semantha on the flute and Craig on the bass clarinet.

The concert is finished and Amal is thanking everyone...

Amal receiving flowers from her Dad.

After a Recital, the Association gives certificates...  Amal receiving hers.

Amal:  Played the Oud.  She performed three original compositions.

Radhiya, violinist

Walid, Qanoonist

Idris, Percussionist

Asaad, Guitarist

Semantha, Flautist

Adam, Bassist

Craig, Bass Clarinetist (?)

Elisha, Clarinetist

Momoko, Pianist

All the musicians and Amal with Fethi..

Radhiya and Amal.  She has been so lovely to work with.

This was an interview that never saw print.  That is, my part of the interview.

Fethi and Amal...

Amal, Idris, Me and Asaad...

Amal with an oud instructor, Samih.

Here are Rayyan, Shubham and Amal, her friends.  I missed the other two!

Here is myself, my friend Maria, Amal and Shubham..

It's been a pleasure being part of this journey with my beautiful daughter Amal.  She is flying the coop for the States and I wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life.

ALWAYS remember your Momma

Thanks for stopping by.

Here is the video.  I hope it works...