Ashlawnfarms is back!

I am so EXCITED!  I just gave my blog a new facelift! It has been quite awhile since my last post and it is time for some changes.

1. New blog template ✔
2. New posts about my rag quilting! (Coming VERY soon!)

Did I mention I am EXCITED???

Here is a table runner I made a few weeks ago and you can find this in my Etsy Shop if you hurry....it might still be there!

Life Changes....

This is a very tedious subject for me to write about. As I look back to my last blog I am reminded that my plan 2 and 1/2 years ago was to continue blogging some free tutorials among other things. My life changed the following day as my then husband of almost 10 years told me he was leaving me finally. I was completely thrown for a loop and life changed for me instantly. We were miserable together and his psychiatrist recommended we separate. He moved 1200 miles away 2 weeks after the announcement. I filed for divorce soon after. It was time to move on.....

Fast forward to present day! New man, new house, new car, new job, new everything. My mother even lived with me for a year. She started helping me with my online fabric cutting business and after she moved to her new apartment we moved all the fabric with her. I am so blessed for her and the changes that have taken place. It definitely feels great to be happy again.

I lived in town before and now live in the country on 3 acres. I have a vision to create a 9-patch garden behind the house. I started a small strawberry patch already to see if I can get them established for next summer. My plan is to grow fruits and vegetables to live on eventually. It may end up being a seasonal market type of thing.

Sooo back to me blogging. I have visited this site several times, thinking I would dive back in, but the timing was not right I guess. We are settled into our new house and I have unpacked most of my sewing and quilting things. My sewing room is not exactly how I want it yet, but its a start. I did sew some last week and listed a candle mat on etsy yesterday.

So I am getting to where I want to be again....blogging on what I am doing and sharing some of my ideas and creations.

Thanks for reading!
Theresa

Creations from 2013

I went all the way back to May 2013 to see what I had not posted about. I am so behind! Spring cleaning to blog you might say.

This past year I spent much of my sewing time on custom orders. I am amazed at what all I did accomplish in 2013 as I glance back at my Facebook timeline and my camera that holds my pictures. 

I will start where I left off in May of 2013 and go from there.....

 

Strip style Rag Quilt Purse with Cardinals

 

 

Here I have the squares and pockets sewn and ready to assemble.

 

 

For this purse I selected a vintage caramel/brown marbled button that went very well with these fabrics.

 

 

 The inside pockets and padded bottom.

 

I have started making my purses with longer straps. I have used rag quilt purses with shorter straps and just really appreciate having that extra arm room especially when I wear a heavy winter coat. It just fits better.

 

If you are interested in making a strip style rag quilt purse I have my very own pattern instructions for sale in my etsy shop. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year from Ashlawnfarms! As the holidays are coming to a close it is time to start new goals for the new year. One of my goals is to destash many of the fabrics taking up room in my fabric closet. Today I listed on Etsy many listings of minky squares that I am parting with from my old cutting services. There are many listings to choose from. 

For Christmas I gave my niece and nephew homespun traditional quilts. 

Rag Quilted Christmas Stocking Tutorial

My new Rag Quilting Tutorials are listed and available on  Etsy.

Today I am featuring my Rag Quilted Christmas Stocking Tutorial. These are pretty simple and quick to make.

Seriously,  I am sitting idle at 9 pounds lost on day 14 of  The 17 Day Diet. The diet is still going great- I am just disappointed because the needle on my scales seems stuck! Oh well! My pants are more roomy so why complain?  Right?

Busy Days of Summer

August is here at last. It is not my favorite month because my work as an Athletic Trainer is at an all-time busy season. So I survived today and have 2 weeks of practices before school starts in 2 weeks. Yes TWO weeks.

The weekend was a big last hurrah for me to get some ends tied up. I was able to list my newest Etsy listings on eBay and edited some of the existing listings. I hate it when I use free templates that others have offered but don't keep their graphics current. My listings were pretty sad looking at them with the Tinyurl logo in the background. No more templates like that for me!

On my table lies 6 more stacks of fabric to make into 3 more rag purses 1 table runner and 2 baby quilts for my church charity. I have sewn 4 purses, 2 table runners, and 2 pincushions in the last 3 days. I have spent most of my free time sewing and will continue while I am feeling productive. They lie in wait for the clipping part.

My husband and I finished edited my newest rag purse tutorial: listed both on Etsy and eBay and ready for this season's sewing projects!

This was day 9 of my venture dieting on The 17 Day Diet. I have lost 9 pounds and am really proud of myself because I have not cheated one time. I am staying the course and my mind is in a good place. I can feel the fat melt off my legs and thighs. My yoga practice is helping too. It is just so good to feel mentally, physically, and spiritually stable for once in my life!

Persevering

~~Creations 42-46~~

As the weekend comes to a close I must list some quotes I found this morning:

"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did." ~Newt Gingrich

"The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a
strong will, and the other from a strong won't." ~Henry Ward

Perseverance has always been one of those actions that I cling to. Finishing the project-start to finish. Sticking to it. Not letting anything get in the way of finishing something.

I lived by this word a lot in college. It got me through some tough times. It made me stronger as a woman. It came to me in the book of James as I was working on a project for a Bible class I was taking. Little did I know that his verse would still keep me in line and order today.

James 1:4 (New International Version)

⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Over the last year or so I have suffered from depression and have been on what I would say the "wrong" uppers. What I mean is my physician has changed my meds. and I am now back in my old skin again. The brain is a strange organ. Something as small as a wrong chemical reaction taking place there can literally change you into someone you don't know. I was that person. And looking back now I cannot even believe it was me. But I had to go through that to get to where I am now. Persevering through. Someone once told me I like to get on my pink bulldozer every once in awhile. Well I am on it by-golly!

Recently I took on a job- a custom sewing job to make 6 saddle blankets for a gal...this might be the first batch of a series of them if they are a big hit for her out in California on her horse ranch. But anyway this job was big! I am actually so proud of myself for starting, staying with, and finishing the job all within a 2 week time period. (I work full time too.) It is such a blessing to be able to create and this gal has given me some really great ideas to create from scratch. They are all finished now and I wanted to share some pictures with you all. The first one I think was in a prior post. But here are the final 5:

I hope she sends me pictures of them on the horses....I would love to see them for what they are made for.

Busy weekend, leaves, and rag quilting Creations 39-41

Leaves to the left, leaves to the right.....

All raked now and ready to be swept away by the city sweepers!

Goodbye leaves---see you next spring!

(I am sure I will have to rake more in a week or so- out 2 trees are loaded still.)

Over the weekend I spent most of the time sewing. It has been several months since I have been able to sew and create like this:
I did finish a couple of purses : Snowflake Dazzle and Prim Santa Noel

and


a twin size rag quilt that still needs clipped.

as well as a UFO that has been sitting on the shelf for a long time! These are rag quilted burp cloths for the football lover!

Ashlawnfarms Creation #37

It's a bird!

Its a plane!

Its a saddle blanket! Rag Quilted style.......

Yes. I have had a special request to make something unique for a special customer and her horses. This is the first of many saddle blankets I am going to be making for her. I am hoping she will send me a picture of it on the horse soon!

Latest creations....

The last few weeks I have been able to finish # 34, 35, 36 creations.

(Drum roll pleeeeeeeeeeeeze.)
My new Fall tote I made for myself.

A very tiny bag-that I made



And last is a flannel baby quilt that will be going to my church charity to support Birthright.

New Creations for 2010

I will number them so it helps me to keep track of what I made. I need all the motivation I can get at the moment. Ever had that happen to ya? Not want to do much? I call it the winter blues, but I was noticing my calendar said it was March 12 yesterday. Funny how I have missed noticing we are 2 weeks into the month already. Let spring come as fast as it can! I guess March did not come in like a lion too bad for me....or did it?

Creation #1

Baby Rag Quilt and is listed on eBay right now.










Creation #2

Small Homespun Runner on eBay











Creation #3
Large Homespun Runner on eBay










Creation #4
Sunflower Prim stars Table Runner on eBay










Creation #5
St Patricks Day Table Runner on Ebay










Creation #6
Rectangular Sunflower table runner on eBay










Creation # 7 and #8
I do not have pictures of them and I could just kick myself, but I was in a big hurry and did not have time to picture them.

I made a strip rag quilt and matching diaper bag for a co-worker's baby shower. Here are the fabrics I used.....