I've been calling this the cutest baby quilt in the world and now that it's done, I haven't changed my mind one iota!!! 100% from stash / scraps. (You may recognize that lovely green from this quilt and this quilt!.)

So I had seen this and this. So I had super shoo-flys on my brain. Then I saw this and this with the perfect quilting pattern. Then a super super beautiful new baby was announced as being on her way a little bit early AND I WAS OFF. Then the week after I had pieced the top I saw this. Lots of shoo-fly love going on right now!!

As you can see, I had a very limited amount of light pink sock monkey so a) used two different prints and b) therefore went with 6" finished squares (so 18" finished blocks so a 36" finished quilt). The other super shoo-fly I am making has 8" finished blocks so it'll be 48" instead (see pattern I drew Monica below!).

I cut the fabric on a Thursday night. Pieced the top on a Saturday afternoon. Made the back, and the long binding strip, and the sandwich on a Sunday. Quilted it on a Monday afternoon & put the binding on that night. The blindstitching took me a week, but I do tend to be quite slow at that. YAY. (What I'm saying is, could easily have been done in probably two days total if you worked on it straight through.)

As mentioned it's 36x36 which is the smallest baby quilt I've made. I generally go for larger b/c I want the baby to be able to use the quilt longer, further into their life as a toddler, young'un, etc. But I really wanted to get something off to this new beauty right away as her momma has done some very nice things for me. Plus she's gonna need some pink power to defend against her three older brothers! :) Heh.

Welcome to the world, Truly! You are so very loved.

She was super camera shy as you may have been able to tell but I'm so glad I took her picture anyway.

I'll miss you sweet sweet girl.

One was for my mom and two were me finally doing my end of swaps from the Fall, so they're currently in the mail to friends. Still have a couple more swaps to work on (blocks for Kristy and kindle cover for Phoe) so at least I've got something to focus on while I mope miserably around my house.

Still no luck on the job front. Not even on the interview front. :(

Bee blocks for Sarah!

And starting new things!

I think the crafty bug has finally returned to my house!! At least until I find a job. If that ever happens.

Do you think you can buy rainbow-colored zip ties somewhere? Or did they have to paint white ones? Is there some Earth Wind & Fire-stylin' police department somewhere that uses the rainbow ones?

I have so many questions. :) Heh.

Quite a paltry number of finished objects for 2011.

Of course I was a busy student, taking 4 classes in the spring, 2 classes in the summer (incl. a completely intense chemistry class!), and one class in the fall PLUS full-time student teaching (which counts as two classes but is really the equivalent of about 12 classes hours-wise). And got all As, by the way. [And, you know, finished my degree and all. Bygones.]

I mean I guess it's not that dissimilar to last year but it feels like a LOT less especially since most of those knitting projects were one-day things.

Yeah i mean it's an excuse but still... I could have gotten more done.

5 hats
4 mug rugs
3 quilts
3 skirts
2 cowls
2 placemats
1 pair slippers
1 kitchen matt
1 shawl
...and a MILLION friendship bracelets (most not pictured). Heh.

1. Kinda big and floppy, 2. Hat for a Baby Girl, 3. Bloodpool (Tidepool) Cowl, 4. Two Scrappy Placemats (2), 5. Hat for Jen., 6. Slippahs - On., 7. Just another hat., 8. Hat for Matt 2, 9. Biggie Stars is done done done done DONE!!!, 10. Flapper Hat - right., 11. Mug rug for Ravelry swap, 12. Mug rug 2 for Cathipink, 13. Mug rug 3 for KC, 14. Another mug rug., 15. Magical Mystery Quilt is done da-done-done-done!, 16. Nesty Nine Patch complete! :), 17. Hey look I made a maternity skirt! (NO I AM NOT PREGNANT), 18. Hey, look, I made another one, 19. Third time's the charm?, 20. Aw yeah, there it is., 21. Kitchen Rug / Matt! (summer 30-37), 22. Newest addition: taking a simple thing and making it more complex., 23. Yes, I saved up my last scraps of pink to bindoff with. OORAH.

Leavin' on a plane tomorrow though so even though there are a number of ALMOST DONE items lying around this house, we are extremely unlikely to see any finishes before the middle of January. Ah well.

If you could only ask for one thing, what would it be?

In the meantime, Skars wishes all you crazy cat ladies a merry christmas.

I myself am allergic to cats, but I will just make him throw that sweater out before he climbs in my bed. Oh did I say that out loud? WHOOPS.

So in case you didn't see it elsewhere, I finished graduate school yesterday...FOR THE SECOND TIME. I better draw my cardboard sign now: "Two Masters degrees, will smile for food" ? :)

Hlariously, my Masters degrees are SEVENTEEN YEARS apart. That's right, my other friends grew children into adults during that time. :)

[This is me as photographed by one of my students.]

It's nice to be done in some ways and completely sucks in others. As these things go. ;)

Carry on.

My students created an emblem for me and drew it all over--a banner, on a notebook they all wrote me goodbye notes in. Some drew it on their arms!

I haven't even read all the cards they gave me yet as it was already overwhelming enough. I'm so blown away.

And now I have to get back to work on the all the final projects that are due in my portfolio on Tuesday morning! EEK!!! :)

It was already an emotional rollercoaster of a day and then I went and read this post and wow she just hits it home right here doesn't she: I can’t conceive of what a million dollars, or several million, would feel like to own. I can’t understand how in those millions there can often be no room for justice or the needs of others.

That's all from me for today. The CD swap offer in my last post still stands. You know how to find me if you're interested. :)

Happy end of November. I hope you've enjoyed hearing from me every day except two. :)

Today I am here very quickly before I take my tired self to bed to tell you two things:

1) Check out this Zaac Pick album. Also cheap. Also GOOD! Or so it sounds to me. (Found via Music vs. Misery)

2) I have made this offer in the past and found it quickly embraced. So I'll try it again. I have made two recent mixes that I think are pretty dang awesome. I will send you one -- or both -- in exchange for... what would you like to send me? Do ya wanna buy me an album on my wishlist? Send me a mix of your own? Whatcha wanna trade? I am open for suggestions. :)

Have a good night, y'all. :)

Perhaps I can make it up to you in December. Post-December 9th that is.

In the meantime, look what happens when you decide to make it up to yourself for having not had Thanksgiving and then you don't realize that a can of pumpkin is still in your cabinet 5 years after its expiration date!

Whoopsydaisy. NO, DAD, I DID NOT EAT THAT ONE. ;)