The Seemingly Never-Ending Quilt Project

     It all started with this picture in a DIY magazine.  

     The article is not even about that beautiful circle quilt, but rather how to create the canopy. But it didn't matter. I was inspired! I wanted my own beautiful circle quilt on my bed. Actually, the idea to make my own quilt probably began with the fact that my grandmother made numerous quilts in her lifetime. I kinda put it on my mental bucket list. So, in the summer of 2011, I started my 1st quilt. Did I really just say 1st? My fabulous mom helped me cut the fabric. I even found this tutorial online. {Thank you!!!} I decided to make mine queen size to fit my bed. I seriously took my time with this project. There were months that I didn't even pick it up. Plus, I did the actual quilting part by hand and that was very time consuming. I didn't think I would ever finish it! Slowly but surely though I made my way through the 100 circles and 100 squares and the border. 3 years and thousands of stitches later, I finally finished it this summer!!!!!!!! I worked so hard on it!! I am super excited and I absolutely love it!!!! As you will see Effie loves it too! 

Figuring out the placement

Quilt top completed!

Quilting by hand

Effie loves this quilt!

Bless her little heart!

Surprise! She really made it hard to work on at times.

On this day, she decided to chew on the batting, lol. 

Tornado knocked out the electricity, but I improvised! :)

Finally finished hand-quilting!!!

Cutting off the extra batting. 

Are you almost finished??

Machine sewing the binding!

It was really late and I was tired but determined to finish.

Whoo hoo!!!!! Completed at 2:00 am!

Beautiful and perfectly imperfect circle quilt! I LOVE it!!!

30 Before 30!

     Well, I have a little over 5 months to complete 30 things before I turn 30! I think it will be fun. :) Here is my list:

1. Learn to make fried chicken. {Done and done. 2/2/14}
2. Get a unique flavored drink from Sonic. {Peach Vanilla DC, yum, yum! 2/8/14} 
3. Get a massage.
4. Style my hair differently each day for a week.
5. Teach Effie a new trick. {Check. She can "say" I love you. 1/6/14}
6. Go 1 day without caffeine. {Who am I kidding? I went one morning without it and I decided I didn't want a headache.}
7. Buy a red dress. {Completed 12/16/13; technically, it was wine-colored, but I say it counts! :) }
8. Interview my parents about their childhood/memories.
9. Print pictures on camera and organize into albums. {2013 pics printed and in an album! 2/19/14 HUGE accomplishment}
10. Share something special. {Done several times}
11. Read Gone With the Wind. {I attempted! Got about 200 pages read.}
12. Enjoy an afternoon at the park. {Check. 2/16/14}
13. Brush up on ASL.
14. Learn how to download music onto a device. {I didn't actually do it, but I did figure out how.}
15. A couple of my friends think I should taste sushi. Not so sure about this one! {OK, so sushi is a little much for a picky eater like me. BUT, I did taste Southwestern Egg Rolls, and I liked them! Small steps. lol. Completed 12/12/13}
16. Go to sleep early one night. {Check. 2/1/14} 
17. Dye my hair red. {Completed 12/11/13}
18. Throw a speech-language themed party for my kids at school. {Party!!! 2/19/14 & 2/20/14}
19. Make career goals for the next decade. {Ideas in mind. 2/5/4}
20. Buy fresh flowers for my apartment. {Always wanted to do this! Check! 2/8/14}
21. Make my small grandma's strawberry cake.
22. Go 24 hrs without tv or internet. {Again, who am I kidding? I did make it 12 hours though!}
23. Shoot a gun.
24. Travel somewhere I've never been before. {Completed 9/28/13}
25. Buy a car. {Completed 1/11/14}
26. Make dinner for a friend.
27. Memorize a chapter in a book of the Bible.
28. Cook a Thanksgiving turkey. {Completed 11/28/23}
29. Make a gift for someone. {Completed 12/19/13}
30. Have an amazing 30th birthday! :) {It happened!}

So, I didn't complete everything on this list, but that is ok! It was just for fun and hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to do the rest!!!

Black-Eyed Peas, Cornbread, Cabbage, and New Year's Resolutions

What would New Year's Day be without black-eyed peas, cornbread, and cabbage? This is a Southern tradition. The peas are for good luck and the cabbage is for money in the new year. I must confess though, I did not eat any cabbage. I still have a little time left so I may sneak in the kitchen and eat some leftovers! I probably need to considering we have fallen off the fiscal cliff and taxes are going up, up, up!

 

     On to my 2013 resolutions. I, like most people, make these every year and utterly fail year after year. But, I think it is good to try to improve and challenge yourself. This year, I only have a few. They are completely reachable. Here they are:

1. Reach my total weight loss goal.
2. Run 1 mile. (and potentially more)
3. Finish my quilt. (I am such a procrastinator!)
4. Read the entire Bible through.