Happy Summer!!

Triangles quilt, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

I whipped this quilt up between the end of May and the last day of school. Actually I finished it two days before school ended. Last year I finished a quilt the day that school ended. At least this year I had two days to relax and plan some summer plans. I digress, I had some purple solid fabric I wanted to challenge myself to use it up. I only had 2 yards so I ordered another 2 yards. It took me a couple weeks to decide on a pattern. At first I wanted to make a quilt from Sarah Fielke's book : Quilting from little things. But I like to get all fancy and try new things. I don't think I've ever made triangle quilt before, at least not one of this size and these many pieces. So I had the dark purple as a starting point, then I found some light purple with big flowers on it left over from a quilt I made a few years ago. I used that fabric to pull other colours from. Also I loved the Kaffee Fasett fabric I had ordered with the dark purple solid. I cut strips, sewed strips, cut triangles, lots and lots of triangles. Then I laid everything out on the floor. Something was odd, it was wider than it was long. That's because when doing math for triangles the height is always shorter than the width. I rearranged some to make it longer and sewed and sewed some more. I sewed the rows as I was making them and it came together pretty nicely. Once I had a top I had to figure out backing. I had some yardage that I had picked up last year but I was short. Again I set myself up for the challenge of doing something different. And different I did! I made a giant house on the back. Oh I just love that house!

The quilting came together nicely with some help from my favourite quilting guru. I'm not the greatest of free motion quilters but I do my best. I have to say despite not being a purple lover this has to be one of my favourite quilts I've made.

Me and my boy on the last day of school waiting for the bus outside.

Summer has started around here. Our first week of vacation has already gone by. It was unfortunate that most of the days were spent inside getting on each others nerves due to rain rain and more rain. Our routines are off as well so that's kind of rough when we have no real direction for any given day. Every day feels like a bunch of lumped up Saturdays. Hopefully next week we'll have more structure and routine. We're waiting on confirmation for Aaron to have a companion to take him to the pool twice a week. And another companion to help him another two times a week with exercises and activities during the week. Fridays we're keeping to ourselves just to hang out and not have to go anywhere or do anything. If it were up to Aaron he'd have his ipod nano all day long. He won't do anything else but listen to music. I feel terrible sometimes letting him have it more than is neccessary. But what's a mama of a soon to be teenager to do?!
I'm trying something new this summer and that is to sew a quilt block a day. It's okay if I make more but at least I want one block to show for each day. It doesn't matter what blocks I make just as long as I take a half hour or an hour to myself during the day and do something that I enjoy. So far it's going well. Although sometimes I'm forcing myself to do it more often that not. New routines are always hard for me!


I was playing around one day and came up with this great idea for a scrappy quilt. The block is named the Anvil. I've seen it a couple of ways but I like this one. I'm debating if I'm actually going to go through with it. This could be part of my blockaday summer challenge.


Something I'm really happy about is this new bistro set I bought to put on my porch. I love this little set very much. I can now sit on the porch and have tea or breakfast or lunch and dinner! I even found a cute table cloth I had made a few years ago to put on top of it.




In closing this very long winded blog post, it's been a while hasn't it?, here's a little update on my Aaron. He's nearing 4 months post op and 2 months post cast removal. He had his follow up exrays two weeks ago and I was told things are healing up nicely. He's been slow to gain any sort of mobility. His body works differently than before and he's trying to get accustomed to this. He scoots on the floor to get from one place to the next. He used to crawl on all fours before surgery. This was a bit of a disappointment but I knew he needed time. Aarontime is much slower than realtime. I've tried getting him up on his hands and knees since the end of May but he didn't like it. However I am happy to say that twice this week on his own volition he got up on his hands and knees to crawl from the living room to his bedroom, and once from the living room to outside.

So that's it for now. I hope I can keep up with blogging this summer. I really do miss it. It is fun. Even if there's only one person reading, please say hello and let me know you stopped by. Have a great weekend!!

An update of sorts

Oh this face, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

The journey we embarked upon involving hip surgery and 6 w 4 d of casting went by in a blur! Here we are almost 4 weeks post cast removal. Aaron breezed through his bed rest at home like we were having a party. He was his own personal DJ with his Nano never far from his wrist. He's healed up nicely, he now sports 4 shiney new 6 inch scars on his body (one on each thigh, one on each side of his tummy). The scars dont bother me much, or him for that matter, thet are a testament of his journey. He is slow to return to his presurgery strength and although I knew this going in and have accepted his legs work differently now, I am wistful and hope for his strength to return to he can be the Aaron I knew in terms of mobility. I've heard tell that it can take up to 6 months to a year for him to show improvements. I hope it's not a long year. But if he smiles like this everyday it's all worth it.
I love this boy of mine. He made me a mother.

Wordless Wednesday

Counting down the days, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

*This was taken a week ago

Wordless Wednesday

waterpainting, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

We travelled like Rock Stars

We travelled like Rock Stars, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

to come home early Wednesday afternoon. We were supposed to have came home Monday but at the last minute a doctor walked into the room to inform me that Aaron's blood gases were off too much and he needed to investigate why. Turns out that he was being over ventilated with his Bi Pap. The settings were tweaked and by Tuesday morning things were good!
We are home now and have been for a day. It has been a whirlwind of people coming and going but we are well and settling into our new temporary normal. Aaron is doing amazing! He has a couple skin issues due to the cast but these are being addressed with special sponge pads. With vigilent care I think he will do great the next 5 weeks.
I'm taking it one day at a time. I'm anxious to get back into the sewing room but all in good time. Once I'm secure enough that Aaron won't jump out of the bed I can leave him to watch tv or play a game and I could sew in 15 minute stretches.
I'm glad to be home.

Dispatch from the Big City (2)

8::52 Fridays, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

We met up with a very nice twitter/flickr friend at a coffee shop on Friday. It was a lovely little chat about this that and everything in between. it was nice to see a friendly face amongst a sea of strangers.
On this Sunday like no other Sunday I've had in many years I'm filled with worry, not dread but just plain mama-worry.
I'm supposed to be an old pro at this considering it is not his first surgery, I've lost count after 5 so it's somewhere between 50 and 10 and it could be number 11 for all I know. When I went for the pre-op I saw a stack of his files and they were at least 12 inches high of papers and notes and tests. Wow!
My stomach bottoms out everytime I think the worst case scenario. I know that Aaron is much bigger and older and healthier than he once was so he has those things going for him. It's just the unforseen things that I worry about most.
I find myself litterally breathing heavier today, sweating once in a while, chilled at other times. We're hanging out in the hotel room in our pajamas because I don't want to venture out and risk him catching something. I just want to rest.
We are to be at the hospital tomorrow at 7:30 am to register for admission. Aaron is to be taken in for surgery at 9 am. From then until the time he comes out I won't know what to do with myself.
If I can't blog for some reason or another I have just added a twitter widget to my blog on the right side. I will update when I can.

Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers and good vibes you have sent. They mean the world to me!

First Dispatch from the Big City

My new Aaron courtesy of Papa's barbershop., originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

Aaron came home Sunday afternoon from spending the weekend at Papa's, sporting a very cropped hairdo. I knew I wanted this done for months and I was ready for it but I didn't realize how gosh darn cute he'd be with his fuzzy little head. This will make our lives so much easier once we are back home and nestled in our little convalescing living room.

We have been here in the big city since Monday. Unfortunately it was our only ride in so we had to come 2 days in advance. Upon our arrival there was a wee mix up with our reservation which hadn't been actually made. Then I was left to worry if perhaps I'd come too early or too late. You see I dream these scenarios at night sometimes. Or I dream that I lose Aaron in the big city. That's not actually a dream, that's a nightmare! I digress, so we arrive, and we're given a room and right away Aaron wants to go to the mall. We go and spend a couple hours walking around.

Tuesday and Wednesday we had a little routine going where we'd wake up and hang out in the hotel until lunch then we'd go out and spend the afternoon at the mall and then come back to the hotel.

Thursday we went to the children's hospital for pre-operation exams, exrays, blood tests, and meet ups with different folks involved in the team. Aaron was given the all clear and he's schedualed for surgery Monday morning at 9 am, although we have to arrive an hour earlier. After spending half a day at the hospital and already being out and about Aaron wanted to go to the mall again and I said sure why not I had been heavily caffinated so I figured I could do it. Even in a snow storm and with sidewalks full of snow and slush. Let me tell you after 4 days of all this walking I think I've already lost 5 pounds because my pants are looser than normal. Which is really not a bad thing.

I'm hoping tomorrow the streets and sidewalks are a little clearer because we're heading out in the morning to meet up with a fellow tweeting friend! How exciting! I'm thrilled because someone is taking time out of their day just to come and say hello to us. After spending 4 days out in public in a big city it makes me want to weep sometimes the rudeness and inconsiderateness of some people. I miss my small town immensely.

Take a minute

and go see where I am featured today!

Why yes I did get a haircut!

November 2011, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

someone recently asked me if I got a haircut and I'm here today to blog that yes I did. This was my hair 1 week prior to getting it cut.


I was bored and thought I'd give myself a trim and cut off 3 inches from the ends.
The next day I thought I'd pop into a hair salon for a quick touch up to the ends in the back to make sure they were even.
The hairdresser did that for me and when I looked in the mirror I wasn't as satisfied as I thought I would be. I felt like I looked still the same only with shorter hair. I needed a change. I told her I liked her hair and to give me what she had.


She did a really great job with layering the hair. I liked how light it felt but I did not like those bangs. It felt like there were only 4 hairs in there. Ugh. They were too whispy for me. So out came my scissors almost every week and I trimmed and trimmed and trimmed some more...

Today my hair looks like this. I am starting to get used to it after almost 2 months with the new hair. The upside is that I'm not wearing the ballerina buns, although I miss them. My hair isn't shedding a lot like it used to. I'm having fun with styling. I even bought a real hair straightener. I'm glad the hairdresser didn't cut off a lot of the length. I can say for certainty that the length won't be staying short and I have a pinterest board dedicated to growing out my hair. I am torn if I will keep the bangs or grow them out. I kinda like the look for now and these suckers grow so fast that I have to decide if I'm keeping them short or not. What do you think? Bangs or no bangs?

Hello there!

3/52 Fridays, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

Dispatch from the sewing room. So much going on and so little getting done, as usual.


I got a start on the quilt for my bed. But since it's unusually warm weather we're having for January I put it on the back burner and started something else.


I Swooned along with the rest of the swoonalongers over at flickr. I made just one block and bordered it to make a smallish baby quilt top. I can't decide on backing so I'm putting this one aside until I can get some.


I gathered these scraps to make a baby boy quilt. I changed my mind about the boats. I'll hold that thought for a later date. I won't give it up entirely. I just didn't want to devote so much time and energy into one quilt being given to a baby I may probably not meet.

All this flurry of sewing activity was spurred by phone call I made last Wednesday. Aaron has a date for surgery and we leave in 5 weeks for pre-op testing. I'm keeping busy in here and trying not to think about what's coming.

Until next time: Be well!!

Wordless Wednesday

Now this is a greeting!, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

Busy busy busy

2/52 Fridays, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

Here I am waiting for the bus. This is my entry for week 2 of 52 Fridays. Isn't it a great self portrait? I love the reflection of the bus in my living room window.
As we enter the 3rd week of January I have had to slow down because I've been plagued by small ailments one after another. This week I'm dealing with an ear infection that started 2 weeks ago! I was prescribed antibiotic ear drops for 7 days, I don't think it worked. Sunday I woke up with pink eye in one eye. I had it in the opposite eye 2 weeks ago. I'm pretty much fed up with being ill and I want to be 100% myself again.
When I moved to the city 10 years ago after leaving Aaron's father I had a hard time getting a family doctor closer to me. The one I had was 40 minutes away and with no car that made it quite difficult for me. I tried to find a new family doctor but no one was taking new patients. So I was alwaus going to the Emergency for little ailments. Over the weekend a friend gave me the name and number of a family doctor and I got an appointment Thursday. I'm happy that I can start taking care of me. I'm nervous because I always fear that something will be terribly wrong with me.


I have 12 blocks! I knew this would be a slow project from the get-go. I didn't realize how slow.. Tiny piece sewing is tedious. Everything has to be near exact to make a good block. I am committing myself to make at least 2 per week from here on out.



As if I didnt have enough projects I started yet another one. This is just a test block for a quilt idea I had in my head. I want to make scrappy boats. This will be a gift for one of the babies to be born this year. I have 3 baby quilts to make, 2 as gifts and 1 as a commission. I need to finish them all by spring.

Now if only I could start feeling better I would have so much more energy to sew.

Something New

cut and ready, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

As if I don't have enough works in progroess I had to go and add another. This is a quilt along with my God daughter. As part of her Christmas present this year I took her fabric shopping and she chose several fabrics with my guidance for color, scale and print. I didn't voice my opinions tooo much because this is her quilt and she's making it. I want her to love it.
For the actual quilt design I've been in love with Kate's work of OneFlewOver. I'm inspired by the simplicity of the design. I thought squares and rectangles would be easy enough for my Goddaughter to take on. She has fabrics cut out for two blocks and next time she comes over she will sew them up. I'm too cold to wait so I'll be sewing up my quilt this week. I hope. If I'm not distracted by making other pretty things....

Happy New Year!!

Sorry I'm a little late with the New Year's Greetings. Life has just run away from me yet again. Christmas came and went. It was a low-key affair around these parts. I spent a day with a friend and her family which was nice. I have several pictures to share: I made Waffles for the first time. They were super sweet! I went next door for tea a few times during the break. Aaron went to his dad's for 7 days and I decided that the time was now that I would do my sewing room overhaul. I had been promising myself I'd do this for a couple years now and never got around to it. The dust had been getting to me for several months so it was time. I took a couple before pics. Last Friday I cleared the room out and dumped it into the hallway and poor Aaron's room. Let me tell you that I had a big scare while cleaning the room and putting things back in. The trash bags were in the middle of the room and as I was going through bins and trashing garbage I backed into one of the bags and stepped on something. I thought it was the corner of plastic bin. When I inspected the damage I didn't see anything at first and I looked in the trash bag to see what I had stepped on. Then I saw the blood on my heel and my flip flop was sliced about an inch I freaked out a little. I realized I had stepped on a discarded rotary blade! Once I emptied the room it was time to bring it back in. I went through everything and trashed what wasn't worth saving, gave away whaat I wouldn't actually be using and organized what was left. There's still some work to be done like tidying up the closet much better but I'm very proud that I took this project on and finished it in 2 and a half days. I looks so much better and I feel more at peace when I walk by the room. I no longer cringe walking by seeing the disasterous mess it once was. I am hoping I will be more productive in here for this year. Tomorrow I'd like to reorganize my scraps. Again. My year in patchwork was a little more productive than I thought after I put this year end mosaic together. I have several projects that will be carried into the new year and hopefully I can make some progress on them along with starting and hopefully finishing many more. I have a feeling this will be the year of the baby quilt as there will be a few babies born to family and friends close to me. For now that's my news and I leave you with one last picture: So with that I am choosing CELEBRATE as my word of the year. So much to celebrate for!! It's 2012 and a wonderful year to be alive!

A little quiltie for a little sherpa

Despite life's curveballs I am managing to make time for sewing. Some things I can't share because the are for a swap and I don't want to ruin the surprise. But I can share a little quilt I made several weeks ago now that it is delivered to the new owner.  
Many weeks ago a friend posted a bunch of photos of Japanese fabric scraps up for grabs. I'm a sucker for the cute and asked/begged what I could send her. She was interested in some woodgrain I had scored this fall. I said sure then after piecing the backing of a quilt and setting some aside for binding there was only a little piece to send and I felt kinda cheap. So I went off to my fave shop and found a couple fabrics and added a couple more from my stash and then I didn't feel so bad anymore. I really wanted to surprise her since she had just had a baby and thought that I'd make a wee quiltie with some leftover squares I had from making this quilt.


Here is a closeup of the backing and binding. She loves it and I am thrilled. The baby is adorable!! Doesn't he look like a wee sherpa? All he needs is a flock of wee sheep.

My darling Aaron

He gets very happy when the Christmas bedding comes out., originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

He's sweet.
He's adorable.
He's growing up.
His mind doesn't understand all the changes going on inside his body and in his life.
He's lashing out.
He needs help.
I need help.

This explains my absense. I've been a little blue to blog that my once sweet boy now sees me as someone he loathes. I feel inadequate as a parent. I'm getting the run around trying to get us both help through the appropriate channels. I'm frustrated, I might be down but I'm not out!

Wordless Wednesday

Let the holiday sewing begin!, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

I need to

learn to take my camera with me more often. Aaron and I went on an impromptu walk this afternoon and although the sun was not shining the weather was gorgeous. We walked for about half an hour and I try to get him to propel his own chair more often than not. It's pretty flat land so it's not too hard for him.

Wordless Wednesday

Q(uilts)I(n)P(rogress) pile, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

Hand stitchery

sewing irony, originally uploaded by LauraJ_Sews.

I love to hand stitch but it's just something that takes forever and in this fast paced world I want results and projects to be done yesterday. But slow and steady will win the race, although there is no race in this case. Just a long over due finished bee block for a very dear flickr friend. I am hoping to finish by Thursday so I can mail it off.

I thought it was quite funny that I was hunched over my very modern expensive sewing machine while hand stitching. Yeah, life's like that. You gotta find the funny in it.