Help me make a quilt...Please.

So I need some help.  I have cut squares and am all ready to sew them together with one small exception: I do not know what pattern I should use.  Here are some ideas I stole from the internet thought of, please let me know which one you think would be pretty or work best. 

pinwheels

hourglass

hourglass with a random mix of fabric

Diamonds

random triangles

descending triangles (not sure if I have enough of the same fabric for this one)

Sorry about the bad pics and even worse lighting...I work in a space with no windows and yellow walls (it hurts the eyes at times).

Please let me know what you think!  comment here, on the blog or on facebook.  I need some advice before I can sew!
Have a fabulous weekend!

My Baby Brother is Coming!!

Well he is not such a baby now.  He is 24 yrs. old with his own baby actually.  But I am SO excited.  Andrew is coming home for a super short visit and then while he goes to SERE school Sarah (his awesome wife) and Isaac (the previously mentioned baby) are going to stay here and witness the craziness that is student teaching.  I started my new placement yesterday and am liking it so far.  I will let you know of any cool stuff that happens. 
But back to the family...
They are coming TODAY!  I am the only family member (besides Wendy and her bunch- and they live in Germany so that makes more sense) that has yet to meet Isaac.  So I am super excited!  I know that he is a baby and might still be boring...but you never know:). 

Some older (like last month) pics of him:

Precious, Right???

2 months - I think

MY baby brother and Isaac

 Yay for family!  I can't wait for Sarah to get here and we can bond over my cool school new sharpie pens...they are great!

Triangle Blocks

So I found a really easy way to make triangle blocks...

I used two 6" squares. One flower pattern and one from the main fabric (mine is the green).

Then I pinned them together, right sides facing.  It is pinned on two sides...

Then I drew a line down the middle of the square at a diagonal, using a disappearing ink sewing marker.

Next I sewed 1/4" away from the line on both sides...

After that I cut down the line (the one I had drawn), and now I have two triangle blocks.  My next step will be to iron the seams open, but I have not done that yet.  lol. 

I am so excited that I found out how to make the triangle block this way, because I would be the crazy person to cut each of the eighty-odd squares in half and THEN sew them together.  Yay, for time saving!!!

My last day...

 Friday, September 23, was my last day at Donelson.  I am incredibly sad.  It is such a great school with an amazing faculty and a fabulous group of kids.  I know I am going to miss them so much!  I am so thankful for the opportunities I was given at the school and all of the knowledge I have gained.  I have been so blessed to have gotten to learn from such fantastic teachers, such as Jodie and Kirstie. 
Now since it was my last day, thank you cards were in order.  I loved the September card kit from Eclectica and, how perfect, they were thank you cards!!  Of course I altered them (just a super tiny bit), but I love how they turned out!

And when I got to school on Friday the students and Kirstie surprised me with an amazing gift basket.  Full of supplies that I will need for my own classroom someday.

I am a lucky girl!

Training quilt

I have been posting about my quilt, the first one I have ever tried to make...a training quilt.  

Well I finished it!!

I quilted and put the binding on it.  

Now it is not perfect...

It is a training quilt after all...

But I do have some good spots:)

 And after I washed it, it crinkled a little...and is ready to keep someone warm!

Thank you to Diary of a Quilter blog for the beginner quilt tutorial!!
http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/p/beginning-quilting-series.html

Of course I am not quite sure what I am going to do with it now...lol.

On to my next project -

The Lady is 80!

My grandmother recently celebrated her 80th birthday!  

I cannot believe it.  I mean 80 is old, right?  Cause she is not.  

We went out for dinner on her actual birthday, but had a family (girls only) get-together in her honor this past weekend.  She had a blast!

She got to hang out with all of her cousins and nieces...

this is just some of the cousins

And I made her favorite cake - devils food with divinity icing...

and 80 candles.

Took more than one to light them all!

And she blew them all out!

Everyone said that the cake was delicious! 

My mom and grandmother where out until after midnight!  

Those wild young ladies!

Basting a quilt

Basting a quilt is hard work...

First I gathered my supplies:

1)Painters tape

2)Spray adhesive for the quilt

3)Quilting safety pins (slightly bent to make it easier to pin)

4)Batting (I chose the cotton/poly blend)

5)Quilt back and top

I laid out the  back and taped it down to the floor...

the batting went on top of that...

then the quilt top...now to iron.

 Of course I, apparently, cannot do math and have a ton of extra batting (and a nice chunk of the backing - that I used to practice quilting)

 

Then I pinned it all together and rolled it up.

 

Next - on to the actual quilting!

I'm scared ;)

Thank you's and Cookies!

So I know that I said that I would post new pics of where I am with my quilt...but not yet :).
This week is my last at Donelson Elementary.  I am incredibly sad and will miss the kids and all of the wonderful people that I have gotten to know and work with terribly!  But as this is my last week it is time for the thank you's.  Now, I do not really feel like I have time to try and be crafty so I have cheated and used Alissa's beautiful card kits from Eclectica to make these thank you cards.  However, the cards are so fun and pretty that I don't really think anyone will care that I didn't come up with the idea on my own.  LOL.  I already gave the first one out to my University Supervisor, because our last meeting was last week.  So this week, I will be handing them out to my principle and Cooperating Teacher.  I can only hope that I am able to accurately express my gratitude.

 Isn't it cute???

I will post pics of the other cards after I give them out. 

Also...I have made some cookies.  Haha.  I made a small portion because I don't actually need them :).  I saw the recipe on food gawker and then Kirie Walz pinned them on pinterest.

Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies:

not quite sure that I did it right...

chocolate chip cookies stuffed with oreos

I was not so sure if I would like them...and to be honest I still don't know if I do or not.  But I am glad that I tried them out.