Garden - week 1

We planted some of our seeds on March 22nd. 

One week later, we have some sunflowers coming up! they are the first ones.

We now have some tomato plants coming up I've been told, but I'm only doing weekly posts to track their progress. We got the permit for the fence and got the lines sprayed, so if it's nice this weekend hopefully that will start going up! We've already been playing outside with some neighborhood kids, and had to run and grab them for getting to close to the edge of the yard near the street - scary!

It's suppost to be nice here today, so I'm hoping I can put LittleMan in the jogging stroller and go for a quick run! Soccer registration is also this week, the summer is looking busy with quilt ideas, soccer, swimming, art/cooking classes, camping, BBQ's...Who else loves summer? How's your garden doing? leave a comment and let me know!

Goals & Quilt Update

Here's big mans quilt so far, I've got more blocks ready but wanted more variety, so Im picking up some more FQ's to add to the selection.

I've created some goals to try and accomplish this week (SamsterMommy inspired me).

I'm going to blog every Monday on my goals to accomplish by Sunday - wish me luck! 

1. Go for a run twice.

2. Blog at least three times this week.

2.5 Find three things to blog about this week.

 3. Enlarge, Frame, and Hang one photo.

 4. Complete and Add another row to big mans quilt.

What are your goals for this week? if you've blogged about it leave a  link in the 

comments so I can check it out :)

the Bargain Lovers club

Have you heard of Sew Sisters in toronto?

if not, you must check them out! 

Here's a blurb from there site:

"In September 2007, we opened a retail store at 3961 Chesswood Drive in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Our shop is loaded with fabric, notions, patterns and books that will inspire you to create quilts to treasure. We are constantly growing and stretching to provide you with a larger selection, more projects and greater service. My passion for quilting and serving the public know no bounds and we aspire to provide the best customer service and the best prices possible in the market place" 

They've got a club, called "The Bargain Lovers Club" and you get 10 FQs mailed to you a month for 17.99 (+ tx) - shipping in canada is free! I signed up for it a few days ago, it's such a great deal! They are having FQ deals going on for the whole month of march so check them out before the month is over!

Sew-Sisters  

The Bargain Lovers Club

* other than the order I placed the other day - sew sisters has NO idea who I am, and I am not paid for this posting. I just wanted to share the great bargain with ya'll!

Denim Rag-Quilt Dog Bed

I finished up a dog bed for our pup, Zelda.

okay she's not really a pup, she's totally 3 years old.

I used some old jeans that we didnt' wear anymore. Check out the how to after the photos!

Here's the bottom view:

Here's the top view:

I cut the legs out of the jeans, and cut all the seams out as well.

I sewed all the legs together (it was about 4 legs, different shades), RIGHT side together.

the amount of jean legs you use will depend on the size of the dog bed you need to make!

Once they were all sewed together, I attached them to the purple fabric for the top piece - sew only 3 out of 4 sides, you will need one side to stuff your stuffing of choice in.

(make sure you leave an unfinished hem for this part as well!)

Once it's all sewn together, on all your unfinished hems, you are going to cut slits. 

 see how I cut both layers?

after you've cut all (on bottom piece and edges) throw it in the wash!

it will start to get nice and ruffly, and get more ruffly each time you wash it. 

now at this point, I hadn't decided what I was going to stuff the bed with. I had been thinking foam, which is why I left one side open. in the end I used 3 layers of quilt batting so I could've stuffed it and then washed it. 

oh wells! This way I can pop the seams and pull the stuffing out and applique Zelda's name on it.

 Did this make any sense at all? I should've taken more pictures but I made it in a rush.

and sorry the pictures that were taken if they look bad. I've just started using gimp and I'm all confused, I prefer photoshop much more. Any thoughts on gimp?

Let me know if you've made a dog bed - leave a link so I can check it out, and let me know what you think!

Vintage St Patricks Day Postcards

I love vintage postcards!

I'm always looking for them online, and always trying to come up with projects to use them in.

I've got a few easter projects cooking up here on the farm, so keep checking back for those!

For now, here's a flickr group of postcards I've found for st. patricks day!

There's a group for Easter cards as well!

Are you doing anything special tomorrow?

Giveaway Winner!

Whenever I hear the word "winner", I think of that scene from maters tall tales.

you know, that wrestling scene where they are always saying "the winnah!" "the winnah!".

if you haven't watched that movie, I apologize for sounding like I'm out of my mind!

Anywho, I sent out an email to Lee - she won the FQ's!

if I dont' have a response from her by friday, I will draw another winner.

Keep an eye out for our Vintage Sheet FQ swap in April!

P.S. a big happy 3rd birthday to LittleMan today!

a Celebration!

today, I am celebrating my own 25th birthday!

Happy Birthday to Me! :)

breaking down a FQ

If you're like me, I prefer to buy fat quarters.

I can buy them as I need them (or as I can afford them), and get a nice selection of fabric for a quilt.

I'm a little bit intimidated by quilts that use something other than squares, or some type

of cut that doesn't start out as a square.

and if you're like me again, I'm always wondering how many squares I can get out

of a fat quarter and how many fat quarters I'll need to buy.

Here's where this post will come in handy! (i knew there was a point to this post somewhere...)

One FQ equals

99 - 2" squares

56 - 2.5" squares

42 - 3" squares

30 - 3.5" squares

20 - 4" squares

16 - 4.5" squares

12 - 5" squares

12 - 5.5" squares

9 - 6" squares

6 - 6.5" squares

4 - 8" squares

4 - 9" squares

I've had to buy .25 of a metre before, and compared to my fat quarter purchase - I got much more out of the fat quarter!



Giveaway!

I'm hosting a giveaway in partner with All Things Vintage Sheets!

About the Q Farm: Around here, they call me k-swizzie. I'm an army wife who blogs about photography, cooking, slow cooker and bread machine recipes, preschool activities, quilting/crafting, and life's suprises! I love anything and everything vintage, and am hoping to host a vintage sheet swap in April!!

the Q farm is in the process of getting a shop set up, that will be full of hand dyed fabrics, including some batik FQ's! Keep an eye on the Q farm for more giveaways and swaps!!

Giveaway open to US and Canada residents only. 

This giveaway is open until March 14th 12amPST. Winner will be announced on March 15th.

To ENTER: You have multiple chances to enter, please leave a separate comment for each one.

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing is about her blog.

2.Become a follower of the VS blog.

3. Become a follower of The Qfarm Blog

4. Blog about this giveaway and post your link in your comment.

5. Become a fan of the VS Blog on Face book.

Art Journal

"An art diary, art journal or visual journal is a daily journal kept by artists, often containing both words and sketches, and occasionally including Mixed media elements such as collages. Such books will frequently contain rough workings, in cartoon form, of ideas later to appear in finished works, as well as acting as a normal diary, by allowing the artist to record their day-to-day activities and emotions."

-wikipedia

I'm inspired, and will be starting an art journal this weekend!

check it out.

there is so much more, and a walk through {here}.