Houseworks Holiday Plan - Week 1

It's Week 1 of the Houseworks Holiday Plan. This week I think I'll be okay, since a lot of it is the same as starting the old plan. Making lists at the beginning is one of my favorite things!

This is the week we will sit down over dinner and go over our debriefing from last year and fill out the Family Values Worksheet for this year. Even better: Deuce is home for my FiL's birthday celebration, so we won't have to conference call him in from Tuscaloosa!

I don't print a paper binder; my notes are all on spread sheets that I can reuse each year. My Master Gift List and budget don't change much from year to year either.

Last year our biggest hurdle was me working full time; scheduling time to shop and plan ahead were on the list of things both The Pit Boss and I wanted to do better this year. Establishing and sticking to a budget are on that list as well.

As for the housework part of the plan, I have a head start on that, too. For my birthday, TPB gave me a ScanSnap iX500 after I shared this blog post from Abby over at Organizing your life about going paperless. We have been scanning like fiends, and have two giant bins of paper to shred.

Are you joining me this year? Which plan will you use? Remember: the more you do now, the more time you'll have for quilting later!







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Making Connections - Fitness Friday with OzzyPip! Plus #LDSI and a Postcard Swap

One of my favorite things about being a quilter is how social it is. From the quilt bees of long ago to the virtual sew-ins on Twitter or Instagram, quilters like to work together and see what other quilters are working on.

My #twilter friend OzzyPip, who has been great about reminding me to post the Throwback Thursday links, has started her own linkup for Fitness Friday. This is where we are supposed to post our progress and cheer on other quilters in search of better health.

My Fitness Friday update is pretty short. The Pit Boss has been working hard to help cook healthy meals and push invite me out the door after dinner for a walk with the dogs. After a completely off schedule summer and two weeks of back-to-school insanity, I think we might be settling back into a routine after this weekend. I'm looking forward to having my FitBit recognize 5 digit numbers once again and get the scale moving in the right direction.

Of course, when we have a long weekend, it's time for a sew-in on Twitter. I'm hoping to actually get some sewing done this weekend. Come join us using #LDSI!

Last, Sandi over at Quilt Cabana Patterns has announced a fall postcard swap. Sign up to send and receive a fall/Halloween themed postcard. These are such fun, quick projects that allow us to own a piece of art that one of our online friends has made.

What are you up to this Labor Day weekend?



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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Beach Baby Bag

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's project is perfect for a long weekend at the beach. If only!

This bag is one my BQF Pam taught me on one of our many quilt retreats. She called it a Fat Quarter Bag, but I can't find a link to the pattern or designer. If you know any more details, please let me know and I will update this post.

Pam made one for my birthday in my favorite blues and yellows. She showed up carrying it one day and, when I admired it, said "I'm so glad you like it because it's your birthday present." The other part of my present was for her to show me how to make it!

I made this one for the pool/beach out of the cutest Beach Baby fabric by Kari Pearson (again, I can't find a link). I love these bags because they hold a stack of beach towels OR a full sized quilt easily. Gracie likes to use this one for sleepovers.

I have a third one of these bags that a guild member made me at the end of my term as guild president as a thank you. The bag and her sweet note really touched me.

Let's take a walk down memory lane and see what you made a long, long time ago.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Menu Plan Monday - Can You Survive Without It?

It's Menu Plan Monday and boy did I miss it last week! We had a crazy schedule with lacrosse starting, a senior parent meeting, back to school night at middle school, and the first football game of the season. I never made a plan or even went to the store because we were gone so much, and I thought we'd just "wing it." Basically, I gave up.

Spoiler alert: no menu plan leads to domestic chaos.

Since I didn't go to the store, we ran out of milk, bread, eggs, cereal, lunch meat, and anything else that could be made into a quick and easy meal. This resulted in eating out too much, eating junk too much, and general malaise. The dishwasher wasn't run regularly, so by Thursday we were out of coffee cups and out of energy (also: dog food). Add that to the 95+ degree heat this week, and you have a recipe for a stressed out, sweaty lunch hour and grouchy kids.

I'm not telling you all this to complain; I'm telling you this because this is how our life used to be A LOT and making a menu plan for even a few months makes you forget how chaotic it was. Just make the dang menu plan! (I'm talking to myself here. You can do what you want.)

This week is another jam packed week, but I'm trying to temper it by making a plan and having dinner together on the nights we are able. How do you cope with those weeks when it seems like everyone is running in a different direction?

• Sunday -  Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach, mixed green salad
• Monday - Sweet and Fiery Pork, grilled asparagus, brown rice
• Tuesday - One more back to school night - YOYO
• Wednesday - Crock Pot Korean Ribs, oven roasted green beans, brown rice
• Thursday - College reception
• Friday - Leftover Buffet
• Saturday -Birthday party

What's on your menu?



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A New Plan?

Loyal readers know I've done the Holiday Grand Plan for about eighteen years now, but I'm thinking seriously about switching after reading this article by Cynthia Ewer over at OrganizedChristmas.Com. I've considered it before, but always went back to the comfort of the plan I knew. This year, with our lives in such a different place - working full time, one kid in college and another with one foot out the door - it might be time. 

If this is going to drive you crazy, just skip my blog posts on Sundays until right around New Year's Day; if you find yourself both horrified and curious, stick around.

Don't get hung up on doing every single task or overthink things if your living arrangements don't dovetail perfectly with the plan. I will promise you that doing even a few things early - or just thinking about your plans ahead of time - will make December less stressful.

I'm going to try to blog more this year about my process and what steps have been the most helpful. I would love to know what you do to prepare. Will you join me?






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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - It's Been a Slice of Heaven, Y'all

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

I love working with photos in quilts.  I love the combination of this old art with new technology, the memories in pictures and fabrics, and the gentle way it says, "I love you."

I made my very first quilt using photo transfer fifteen years ago for my father-in-law's sixtieth birthday.  The book Creating Scrapbook Quilts by Ami Simms grabbed hold of me at the quilt shop, and has never let me go.  It is still my inspiration and my first resource.

I took Ami's advice and put everything I could find on this quilt. There are patches and pins, as well as his fraternity lavalier and the promise ring he gave my mother-in-law. This is one of those times when pack rat tendencies come in handy - my MiL had an old army shirt, his letter jacket from high school, and enough other random stuff to make me worry about the weight of it all. We even drove down to Georgia Tech to buy a musical bear, which we disemboweled for the button that plays "Ramblin' Wreck" when you press it.

One of my favorite parts of this quilt is the wide muslin border where party guests were able to write messages, well wishes, and congratulations. Longer lasting and more precious than any old birthday card, right?

The name of the quilt comes from an old family joke about the time some dinner guests overstayed their welcome. My FiL finally got up from his chair and said, "It's been a slice of heaven, y'all, but I'm going to bed." And he did.

Happy 75th birthday, Big D! We love you!

Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!

An InLinkz Link-up

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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - The Old Fashioned Way

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's quilt is one I made back in 2001 for a new baby. This baby was extra special because her parents had suffered three miscarriages before her safe arrival. Their doctors were having some trouble pinpointing the exact problem and, just as they were about to start with some fairly invasive treatment, they found out that her mama was expecting her.

We rejoiced, and I set to work making a quilt. I decided to use all 1930s reproduction prints and plain muslin. The whole thing was just six simple pinwheel blocks, sashed in muslin and bordered with half square triangles. I did crosshatch quilting on my machine, and loved the simplicity of it.  I named it The Old Fashioned Way.

In honor and memory of the baby's three siblings, I also made three miniature versions of the quilts to donate to SHARE Atlanta's 5Bs Project. These blankets, bonnets, booties, buntings, and bracelets are donated to local hospitals with a "Survival Kit" for newly bereaved parents. 

I never realized how many of my quilts were made for these subsequent babies after a loss until I started keeping track of them this way. I suppose that they were at least as therapeutic for me to make as they were for their families to receive. Once again, quilting heals us.

Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!  P.S. Did you know that you can use pictures from your Instagram feed with InLinkz now?

An InLinkz Link-up

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WIP Wednesday - Heading for the Finish Line

I'm linking up with WiP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

My progress stalled last weekend when we drove to Tuscaloosa to help Deuce move into his first apartment, but I worked up the nerve to enter this quilt into the guild show. Now I really have to finish it!

I completed the feathering around the points of the star, and moved on to the small square and triangle spaces. I've been browsing for FMQ motifs over at The Inbox Jaunt, and decided to try Lori's Easiest Flower Ever.

Now I've moved on to the more tricky, irregular spaces outside the surround fabric. I couldn't find what I really wanted, so I cut a piece of freezer paper into the shape of the space, folded it in half, and cut out my heart/swirl doodle. I'm going to press it onto the quilt and try quilting around it. I'll let you know how that goes!

My next big decision will be whether or not/how much to quilt in the other areas of the quilt and what color thread to use. I'm sure I'll be back to ask your opinion soon!

Menu Plan Monday - For Real This Time!

It's Menu Plan Monday and we are clawing our way back to "routine." Deuce heads back to Tuscaloosa tomorrow morning shortly after Gracie leaves for her first day of 8th grade. My Middle Child (MMC) has a week under his belt, and is settling into the long days of school/cross country practice/dinner/homework/sleep.

We're experiencing a lot of lasts this week; tonight is our last night before Deuce leaves for awhile, and today will be my last open house at Gracie's school - our fifteenth straight one there! I'm nostalgic and excited and anticipating the very busy months ahead of filling out applications and making big decisions about high school for her and college for MMC.

• Sunday - on the fly (Fall Sports Night/Senior Pictures)
• Monday - dinner at the grands
• Tuesday - Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Tetrazzini
• Wednesday -Asian Brined Pork Loin, jasmine rice, stir fried veggies
• Thursday - chicken and veggie kabobs, quinoa
• Friday - Almost Famous Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Saturday - steaks on the grill, baked potatoes, Caesar salad

What's on your menu?



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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Triple Irish Chain

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's quilt is one that I made back in 2001 for my friend's third son. I told you the story about her first little boy, who only lived a brief 36 hours, and her second son, for whom I made my very first quilt. That summer, when Gracie was one, my friend delivered son number three.

In eager anticipation I made a Triple Irish Chain quilt out of bright primary colors. The squares finish at 1". I thought I might go blind or crazy before I finished, but it turned out to be quite nice. (Unfortunately the photos did not!)  I used an extra wide polka dot binding to finish it off, which I love.

By a twist of fate, this precious boy arrived on his oldest brother's sixth birthday. As you can imagine, emotions were running high and the tension was palpable, which made the joy at his safe arrival even more overwhelming. Even in this terrible picture I think the relief and happiness and gratitude are obvious on my face as I held him for the first time, wrapped in his quilt. Once again, quilting had saved me, calmed me, when my mind and heart were in turmoil.

Can you believe this sweet baby boy turned thirteen last month? His birthday every year is bittersweet, but a reminder of how blessed we are each and every day.

Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!  P.S. Did you know that you can use pictures from your Instagram feed with InLinkz now?

An InLinkz Link-up

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Menu Plan Monday - Back to School But Not Back to Normal

It's Menu Plan Monday and high school starts tomorrow for my middle child, formerly known in this space as the Bear. On a side note, he has informed me that this nickname has negative connotations (I'll let you google at your own risk) and he would prefer I not use it anymore. However, he cannot think of a nickname that he does like.  ("Can't you just kill off my character?", he asked.  Ummm...no.) Henceforth, he shall be called My Middle Child or MMC.

Aaaaaaanyway....he goes back to school tomorrow, Grace starts next Tuesday, and my college boy is home for a week in between his summer research program and the start of the fall semester. Summer is over but we aren't quite back in the routine yet.

• Sunday - fast food after the dinner I made FAILED
• Monday - Quilt Guild/YOYO
• Tuesday - hamburgers on the grill, potato salad, grilled corn on the cob, mixed green salad
• Wednesday - pollo sabroso, brown rice, oven roasted green beans
• Thursday - pork chops, yellow rice, Caesar salad
• Friday- we're introducing Deuce to Big Pie in the Sky, our new pizza obsession
• Saturday -dinner with the grands TBD

What's on your menu?



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