Life is Full of Good Intentions

I have so many projects that I want to work on this year, that I'm making a New Years Resolution (gasp!) to finish them by the end of 2010. I'll post about them as I go.

Here's the list:

1. Make Christmas stockings for next year



2. Make this really cute bag by Artsy-crafty-babe -

[photo and bag made by Quilting Barbie]

3. Make a cute Christmas tree skirt -

4. Decorate and paint the house (especially our bedroom!) -



[not exactly like the picture above by ikeafans.com]

5. Plant a garden and put a fire pit in the backyard (if our lame HOA allows) -

[photo via Eichler For Sale]

6. Make cute pillows for the couches -



[photo via Be Present Be Here]

7. Do some photography to hang around our house and in our bedroom -



[photo via Andy and Elisha in/around Bend]

I think that's all the projects I want to work on [for now]. Unfortunately, some of these endeavors require having many dollars, but we'll see how things go this year and hopefully we'll be able to tackle many of them!

Anyone have suggestions on how to do some of the above on a really tight budget?

On Quilting

Naturally, I'm a bit rebellious when it comes to anything that I "should" be doing. For example, I should blog about Christmas related stuff. And I should blog about all the awesome things that have happened lately (as mentioned in the previous post). And I should post the new blogs about the books I've been reading lately on my awesome new book blog - www.elishareads.blogspot.com.

But instead I'm going to blog about all sorts of randomosity.

Like this ridiculously cute quilt from Cluck Cluck Sew -


You can find her awesome tutorial on how to make the adorable quilt above here.

I'm pretty sure I'm mostly in love with the fabric - American Jane, by Moda - but the pattern is pretty cute too. I'm thinking I'll make my next quilt with this pattern. We'll see.

I've decided that cute fabric completely makes (or breaks) whether I like a quilt.

Speaking of quilts, this is the quilt I just finished for Mimi as a Christmas present.



[Note to the Reader: Andy informed me that this post was too negative and self deprecating and that no one really wants to read about all the mistakes I made quilting. So, I've deleted my rambling about the mistakes I made and have decided to post what I learned while making this quilt.]

Elisha's life lessons in quilting:

1. Ironing is not optional, no matter how much I wish it were.
2. Your math teachers were right, you will eventually use math in real life. I just wish they had been wrong.
3. You cannot make a quilt look good if you sew it together like a pillow. [yes Becca - you were right, it was a ridiculous idea]
4. Crazy quilts fit my personality better than traditional patterns
5. Staying up all night quilting = sewing through your finger
6. Borders on the front and back of a quilt make it difficult to put all the layers together
7. Cutting your fabric the right size to begin with makes the end result much prettier
8. Maintaining the same seam allowance is not optional
9. Having a new Bernina sewing machine = priceless!

I'm not sure if I mentioned, but Andy's thoughtful and amazing Christmas present to me this year was a fantastic Bernina sewing machine! I still don't actually have MY sewing machine, but I've been borrowing a lender machine from the Bernina dealer by our house until mine comes in. All I can say is - WOW! It is so beautiful and makes quilting 100% better.

I think I'm spoiled with the best husband in the entire world. He loves me. :)

I'll post pictures of its beauteous-ness when I post pictures of the quilt I made for Chantel for Christmas. Yay for quilting!

Merry Christmas!

There is Much to Post About

...like Mandi and Ian's wedding (you can find the beautiful pictures and a slideshow on Chris Becerra's blog - http://becerraphotography.blogspot.com)

...did someone say Bachelorette Party?

...Mandi's bridal shower which I have fun and awesome photos of!

...the beauteous quilts that I've just finished (no pictures until AFTER Christmas. ::winks mischieviously:: )

...And much more!

Stay tuned for posts of awesome-ness!

Three Years Ago Today...

Inspired by my friend Lauren (thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com) who shares the same wedding date as Andy and I (yay for December 9th!), I've decided to post photos of what Andy and I were doing three years ago. So here's what we were doing on December 9th, 2006.

[All photos are courtesy of AJ's Studio - Thanks guys!]

Being ridiculously silly!


Kissing (of course!)


More kissing


Shoving cake in eachother's faces!


Dancing!


More kissing! (sensing a theme here? ;D )


Hugging our friends:


And yet, more kissing:



Praying


Drinking??


Toasting


Man Dancing


WCS Dancing


Chicken Dancing??


Getting beautified:


Playing video games??!


Rock Band? Seriously boys have more fun. :)


The best part of the day? Celebrating it with the people we love.

Anniversary!

Andy and I have officially been married for three years today!! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by. They say the first few years are the hardest and if that is true then Andy and I are going to have the most amazing life together because these last three years have been pure bliss the whole way.

Thank you Andy for being the love of my life, for loving me and living everyday to show me you love me. Thank you for being a man I respect AND love, for making my heart come alive in ways I didn't know it could, for loving God first and showing me His love for me through your actions everyday.

Thank you for being patient, wise, and kind. Thank you for your being you! I love you Andy Catts and I'm looking forward to countless anniversaries to come knowing that every year I'll love you more than the year before.

You - I love. ;)

Three Years of Awesome

It was on this day, three years ago that I said "I do" to my most beautiful and amazing wife. It was a day of bliss, friends, dancing and memories that I will never forget (to be aided by pictures when I'm senile.)

And here I sit, feeling much the same. Each day may present it's own challenges, and those can be many. Nobody said hard economic times and the challenge of figuring out what your life should look like at age 24 was going to be easy. In fact, I feel I can confidently say that education as a whole (a good 17 years of my life) has no real clue how to prepare our youth for what they will face when they are "grown up." But that's OK, it's part of life to figure it out on your own.

The good news is, not much has changed in our marriage since that first day. I love my wife more and more each second that passes, and every time I see her smiling face, I can't help but smile. She is my constant companion, and she will follow me anywhere, even if it means braving sub-freezing temperatures all day for a canned food drive, after working a full week!

Some say that the first three years are the hardest years of a marriage. If they are the most difficult, then I am really looking forward to the future! I am so blessed by God through Elisha - we get along so well, we know each other beyond words, and we really never fight. I know, right? You're thinking that it is impossible - but it's true. I can't explain what a blessing that is. Sure, we have our disagreements, but we always work together to solve them.

So, as I usually do, I'm just rambling on and on about something, but I'll get to the heart of it. Thank you Father for the wonderful gift that is my wife. There is no one better in the world for me, and I have only excitement for the rest of our lives that we get to spend together.

On Fishing

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~Henry David Thoreau

A Blog for Becca (finally!)

Dear Becca,

You have kindly pestered me for months for a bl0g, and I even though I proposed "best-friendship" to you (equipped with BFF necklaces and all), you still require more evidence of my commitment to our friendship. Therefore, I'm finally writing you a blog - all for you and all about you. Happy now?

I suppose I should write things like "Becca is so great" in this blog, but I won't because that would be pointless as you already know how great you are. :P

I do however want to tell you that your photography rocks (which may have a smidge to do with the person who was your awesome photography guru). Do you like how I just complimented you and me all in one sentence? Smooth.... Although, these days you rock all by yourself and do not need a guru since you've become your own guru of awesome. Kudos.

Becca, I am glad we're friends.

Yours Truly,

Mrs. E. Catts

I read too much to blog...

...but I created a new blog anyway. At least this blog is only about reading, so maybe I'll blog more afterall! We'll see!

http://www.elishareads.blogspot.com/