How can it be March already?!? Y’all, this is a slam packed full post because I’ve been so busy my head is spinning! It’s kinda long & a little wordy, so grab a cup of coffee & let’s see what’s been happening in March 2018!
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Blog News
I’m looking into changing the “theme” of my blog, which means the overall look. I want to have a more unique look – specific to Teadoddles. This also means I really need a logo of some sort. I’m a little stumped, believe it or not! I’ve asked my son to help out with it, so we’ll see what comes up soon!
I’d like to welcome all new subscribers – I’m glad to have you here! In case you didn’t know, there’s a page with free adult coloring printables available only to subscribers. You should have received a password with your welcome email for this month. I finally uploaded 3 new drawings this week! I’ve been having a little drawing block, which has made it hard to sit down & finish them up. If you’re signed up for the email, look for an email with a new password tomorrow afternoon.
Standard post time is 7:00 p.m. EST. The blog hops I participate in have different post times & you can find them in the Monthly Posts list below.
Connect with Teadoddles:
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Be sure to check out my new Facebook group, Teadoddles Makers. Share your makes & find help with your maker dilemas!
Weekly Posts:
- Mondays ~> Sewing, quilting, & crochet posts
- Wednesdays ~> DIY, gardening, & organizing posts
- Fridays ~> recipes, health, & life lived posts
Monthly Posts:
- 2nd Monday ~> QAL, SAL, CAL {Something coming up in June!}
- 3rd Monday {posts at 10 a.m. EST} ~> Craft Room De-stash Challenge from C’mon Get Crafty
- 3rd Tuesday {posts at 3 a.m. EST}~> Pinterest Challenge from My Pinterventures
- 3rd Wednesday ~> Garden update
- 1st Friday ~> Teadoddles Talks interviews {working on finding interviewees!}
- Last Friday ~> Monthly Roundup
Life Events
I got the best surprise yesterday! I opened up my door expecting my dad for lunch & my son was standing there with him! Of course, I cried – ha! We were supposed to drive up today to see him, but they had been plotting for weeks for him to come home for a visit. My dad drove up there early thirty Thursday morning to get him for a weekend visit. Yay!
In other news, I seem to be on a “break stuff” streak! I knocked over my Memaw Teadoddles wooden ironing board & the leg snapped in half! : O
I’m hoping my dad can help me fix it. Meanwhile, I took the cover off to use on my mini ironing board frame. That’s just sad looking, isn’t it? I’m also having to hold the cord of my iron up over the iron for it to work. Good grief!
And another thing I’ve broken is my coffee canister I’ve had for years & years. I knocked a cookie dough scoop off it’s hanger & it landed dead in the center of the glass top! I had just filled it with fresh coffee a couple days earlier & I had to throw it away because it had glass in it! Sigh.
Maybe I need to be in a bubble! ; D
Crafty News
My friend Monique hosted another fun crafty swap this month in her Facebook group! We exchanged handmade gifts with partners chosen by her & the only rules were to keep it smaller. You know how you get a gift sometimes you didn’t know you needed or wanted until you receive it? That’s how I felt about my gift! It was a handmade pillow, perfect for extra cushion in my sewing chair! Isn’t it beautiful?
I sent her one of my Charm Square Quilted Totes, a needle book, & a fat quarter for future projects. Sorry, I only have a picture of the bag!
These sewing exchanges are always so much fun to do!
Crochet ~>
My crochet mojo is still in hiding! It will be coming back out during the ride to Atlanta Sunday! ; )
Quilting
It has been another big month for quilting & sewing in general. Here’s what I’ve been up to in the quilting world this month.
~> Monthly Minis from Sew Can She <~ I haven’t started on March’s mini yet, but I did get February’s all sewn up!
~> Starry Bright Sky from Aida {TweLoQ} Designs <~ So I have the two blocks from last month finished, but still need to finish the textured blocks. This month’s blocks are cut out & I need to sew them up this evening so I can be sure to get the next pattern!
~> Three’s Company BOM from Patchwork Posse <~ I went with a Christmas fabric theme for this block. Those tiny flying geese were fun to do & I love the look of them. : )
~> Postcards from Sweden QAL from mmm! quilts! <~ I’ve got all my triangles cut out for this quilt, so it’s time to do a layout & chain stitch away!
I’ve got 1 1/2 quilts to bind & I’ll be finished with the doll quilts for Spread the Love. This event ended in February, but they still need the quilts. It’s just been slow going on the binding because I’m trying to learn more with the binding foot.
If you need some more patterns to collect {ha!}, check out my Sewing ~ Quilts & Crafts ~ QAL’s & CAL’s & all my other sewing boards on Pinterest.
Sewing
I had a little visit this month from a budding sewist in the family. She keeps me on my toes with sewing assignments! I decided to whip out the doll pants & dress she had “assigned” to some of my fabric. ; )
The pants are a little long, but they can be bunched up a little, I’m sure! All the pants sewing I’ve been doing made me go ahead and set up my Brother serger. I’ve only had it hanging out for a couple of years not being used!
I love it! It also made me start watching one of the Craftsy classes I have in my library – Beginner Serging – Machine Basics and Techniques. Although I have used a serger before, this class was still very helpful! I also love that there are printables to make your own serger stitch binder.
DIYing
Okay, so the DIY photos are mostly stuff I got & stuff my dad has made this month. My current “DIY” involves cleaning off my back porch, which no one wants to see! ; )
Dad recently finished this table for a commission. It’s 7′-1 1/4″ x 3′-5″, which is a very large table! I think it turned out awesome!
He’s also been working on these side table/bar stools. My mom & I think this would make a great flooring pattern as well. What do y’all think?
Dad gave me this box of razor knives he found while cleaning up some stuff. It’s even got a sharpening stone!
Of course it took us 20 minutes to get it open, which is crazy because it just has this little plastic latch!
My mom found this mushroom pick for me when she was out shopping. It’s heavier than it looks! I’m thinking it needs to be incorporated into a fairy house for my garden soon! : D
Crafty Goodies
So, I’ve been trying to stock up on some things that are getting low in my crafting stash. Of course, that mostly revolves around fabric! My pinks & purples were becoming non-existent & there were some others getting low. Well, low for me! ; ) Here’s some of my latest additions:
- Art Gallery Fabrics Color Master Gold Leaf Edition ~> I originally purchased this so I could make something for their contest involving these sets. Unfortunately I got my dates mixed up & realized that wasn’t going to happen! I’m still planning on making it anyway & the only hint y’all get is that it’s not for a quilt. ; )
- Plum Fat Quarter Bundle Featuring Art Gallery Fabrics ~> This bundle has definitely helped add some pink & purple back into my stash!
- Fat Quarter Shop’s Moda Mini Charm Pack Club ~> I was super excited to receive my first set of mini charm packs this month! They are all wonderful & I can’t wait to sew them up. I’m planning on making a block with each pack I get & then joining them into a quilt.
- Peach Blossom fat quarter bundle & 1 yard cut of Jungle Ave by Sarah Lawson, “Electreecity” print {that name is everything!!} from Four Peaches Fabric ~> If you haven’t heard, Wendy is closing up shop & currently has her remaining inventory marked way, way down! I’m sorry to see her go, but I understand life is leading her in a different direction. You can check out her blog for more info!
- Boundless charm packs ~> These really helped out with the purples & pinks I needed for the Postcards for Sweden QAL!
- I took advantage of Craftsy’s 60% clearance sale last week & got plastic template material, a hexie ruler, Heat N Bond, Gutterman thread, & a new chalk pencil to try!
Coming up in April…..
- Of course there will be more fun DIY projects coming up & gardening posts will be back!
- Y’all, I’ve been promising a chocolate cake recipe for months now! It will happen this month because I’m baking for a bake sale at the local Habitat for Humanity!
- I’ll be participating in the upcoming Fat Quarter Cubes QAL from the Fat Quarter Shop! I couldn’t decide on Tim Holtz’s Dapper or this Autumn Fields bundle with Art Gallery Fabrics, so I got both! My background fabric is from the Denim Studio line from Art Gallery Fabrics. Look for one {or both} in a finished quilt on April 13th.
Whew, that was a mouthful! Hope y’all have a great weekend!
