Hazel's Daughter: March 2018

Friday, March 30, 2018

Mystery Quilt Along Finish!!

I got a late start on the Mystery Quilt Along hosted by

Tracy at It's a T-Sweets Day and Cindy at In A Stitch Quilting.

Fortunately in mid-March, my jobs slowed down enough for me to have a few fun afternoons to spend in my sewing room.

Just in time, too, because this project was due March 31st!

The challenge started January 1st when the rules were posted. I love simple challenges that don't have a LOT of requirements. This definitely fell into that wonderful category! All that was required was to use a specific fabric using the pattern and project of your choice.

This is the fabric we needed to use:

It's called Biscuits and Gravy - You Be You in Fluffer Nutter Blue

and made by Moda.

When I saw it online, I thought it was more of a gray color, but it's really more like a green/blue. Very pretty and as I found out, it coordinates well with many fabrics I had in my stash!

I settled on a lovely charm pack that I had long admired, but hadn't found the perfect project for....yet!

This is such a pretty collection called High Street by Lily Ashbury for Moda.

It mingled well with Fluffer Nutter!

I searched on Pinterest for blocks using charm packs

and found I had a gazillion choices.

I got started by making a gazillion half-square triangles.

I wanted to play with the blocks before deciding on a pattern.

So many choices! I loved them all!

This is the layout I loved the most.

Here is Jax showing his approval.

Why is it that of all the places a dog can rest,

they always choose to lay on the fabric???

I shared this photo on Instagram (follow me @ _duchick_) and it made me smile.

I was ready to close the sewing room door for the day when I turned around to take a last peek. I was happy.

Below are photos of the finished runner on my dining room table. It's finished just in time for Easter.

This table runner measures 19" wide x 50" long.

I kinda love it!

Thanks Tracy and Cindy for hosting this Mystery Quilt Along!

Linking up with:

Inquiring Quilter: Wednesday Wait Loss

Sew Can She

Sum Of Their Stories

Sew Can Do

Freemotion By The River

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Review: The Healing Powers of Essential Oils

I am new to the world of essential oils and am probably one of the last ones to jump on the essential oil wagon! It was only a month ago that I bought several combination sets of oils online at a well-known site. I really didn't know how to use them, when to use them, or what purpose they had, but I wanted to be on that wagon with so many of my friends!

Shortly after that purchase, I found this book and hoped it would fill in all the questions I had.

I was 2 days into reading this book when my husband contracted some flu-like virus. His temperature spiked, skin was tingly, muscles ached, and he became miserable with congestion and coughing. I went to the index of the book and looked up what I'd need to help him as he was open to anything to relieve his symptoms and possibly get over this quickly.

In the book, I found several recipe combinations that I felt could help him. Even though I was short one or two oils for each recipe, I gathered what I did have and mixed them with a carrier oil from my kitchen and applied it to his temples and behind his ears. He also kept a small jar nearby for light inhalation.

Did it work? It really did! The next day he was feeling a lot better! The symptoms of the flu (fever, aches, tingly skin) were gone and he felt like he had a minor cold. He continued applying the essential oil combination for the next few days and found he was on the mend very quickly.

"Essential oils can help you sleep better, relieve your pain, heal your digestion, support you in losing weight, and help you feel vibrant enough to pursue abundant and radiant health in all areas of your life." This is stated on p.78 and the above instance alone dealing with my husband's virus, sold me on the powers of essential oils.

What I love about the book is the table of contents and the index to easily find what you're looking for at the moment. Within the pages, there is also discussion on how to get the best results from the oil(s) you're using and where to apply them.

You can find more information about this book here: The Healing Power of Essential Oils

More information about the author can be found here: Dr. Eric Zielinski, D.C.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Saturday, March 10, 2018

A Stitch in Time–Challenge 5 of Project QUILTING Season 9

My mom always told her 8 kids (I'm #7), that we were "a wee bit Irish",

so that was enough to say we could officially wear green on St. Patrick's Day and call ourselves "Irish" at least for a day.

In a way, I think that was also permission for me to enjoy green beer in my college days.

Yes, I had my share.🍺

Last year, my husband and I had our DNA tested and mom was right!

My results came back that I was a whopping 6% Irish and

my husband is 4%! A wee bit Irish, indeed!

Knowing that, it was "about time" we had ourselves a wee bit of green shamrocks to decorate our home with.

Catching on to me method of thinking, are ye?

Anyone with a smidgeon of Irish blood needs at least one green shamrock-y table topper! ☘

And so it had to happen.

I had pinned this table topper and now was the time to make it! It is a freebie from Canoe Ridge Creations....thank you!

It really is a simple project and I finished it in 2 short afternoons.

I was enjoying my make so much that I didn't take too many pics early on. Gasp!

This is my first photo before I had the top and bottom borders on.

Above, straight lined quilting was the go-to choice today.

So many decisions!!! Which binding would look best?

I hope you chose the sparkly shamrock binding!!

Never mind those Mardi Gras beads. I am only 6% Irish, after all.

This wee little guy fits perfectly on the side table near my chair. I really love it!

It truly was time to have some green in our home.

A stitch in time, indeed!

Made in my home in Dubuque, Iowa

Made with 3 layers: fabric top and bottom with batting

Measures: 15.5" x 15.5" square

Linking up with:

Persimon Dreams a-stitch-in-time challenge-5

Inquiring Quilter Wednesday Wait Loss 58

Monday, March 5, 2018

My Day on the Small, Smaller, Smallest Blog Hop!

It's already the second day of the Small, Smaller, Smallest Blog Hop!

Hosted by the lovely Carol S. from Just Let Me Quilt,

you will find an awesome range of projects by fabulous quilters!

Today, I am sharing a (small) gift I made for my sweet friend, Toni.

At our last Galentine's Day party, my friend talked about the poor condition of her pot holders.

(You'd think we'd have better things to talk about, right?)

My mind immediately jumped to how I could remedy that!

Another excuse to spend a few hours in my sewing room AND take part in this blog hop!

I had seen the Friendship Star Quilt Block at Craftsy and figured it would make a great design for a pot holder for a friend!

I chose the smallest size at the 6" finished block.

My added border and binding took it up to 8.5" square.

Craftsy also offers measurements for 9", 12" and 15" blocks.

I set out cutting my pieces and setting up the pattern.

I wanted to add her initials to the center of the star, so I traced the letters onto the paper side of Heat 'n Bond Lite and fused it to a square of fabric. Once cut out and ironed down, I simply free-motioned around each letter a few times.