One post a month...bad?

So now that it is the end of January (last day to be specific), I am trying to blog.  I blogged once in October, once in November, and once in December, so now that it is January I feel that I should have something to show for my utter lack of blogging.  But really I don't.  I have been cleaning mostly...not even crafting.  I have, quite randomly, watched the entire seventh season of One Tree Hill - which may be why I feel behind on my homework.  I have read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and and 80pgs from finishing The Girl who Played with Fire.  I highly recommend the books though the first one has an incredibly slow start.  I have not seen the movies yet, too excited about finishing the books.  I have started back at school and am getting extremely anxious about my master's thesis/project.  My research topic is: "How can I improve how I teach reading fluency to first graders?"  Any ideas??  I will take advice on the subject:)
I have been trying to spend more time with my sister-in-law and nephew while they are here...but I have not been doing the greatest job at that.  But Isaac does get cuter every day.

Isaac - Christmas 2011

Kirie, my lovely best friend, gave birth to her first child Lilie. 

Lilie - January 2012

And I have been dreaming about craft projects I want to complete and the fact that in April I will get to see my sister again and she will only be a few hours drive away!

My sister Wendy and her husband Richard

I have to remake a crib skirt and give away a baby gift this week - and hopefully will get out my mom's Christmas gift that she has still never seen - and then I will be posting crafts!!  WOOT! WOOT!

Crayons

I love crayons! Coloring is always blast, right? I found a tutorial for a crayon roll on skiptomylou.org and sewed one up for a friend.
The tut directions called for two pieces of 5x16 1/2 inch fabrics, one light weight interfacing at the same size, and one 6x16 1/2 inch fabric piece folded in half. It was a cinch.
The only thing I would change is I might make the next one 6x16 1/2 instead of 5x16 1/2.
Sorry the picture quality is so poor.

I have been busy...

That is pretty much an understatement, but it most likely applies to everyone.  So the last quilting project I posted on was the flower quilt...I haven't touched it since that post.  I have decided (with y'alls help) what pattern to use!  I will be starting on it soon.  I have to make some Chirstmas stockings first (like tomorrow).  I have been crazy with student teaching. I am loving my second placement!  I am one lucky girl to have such fabulous schools and cooperating teachers for both of my student teaching placements.  My last day is Tuesday, November 29th.  I am kinda depressed about it. I am going to miss these kids SO much.  I am loving 1st grade, but I loved pre-k and kindergarten too...so I am still not sure where my heart belongs.  I have been accepted to sub for Shelby County and have my application in for the Diocese...I hope to begin subbing next week!  And, oh boy, does my bank account need me to start subbing next week. 
Anyway, I had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  I hope yall did too.  My Nana came to spend Thanksgiving at our house, and since it has been almost a year since I have seen her I was thrilled!  We had a family dinner and Leslie, Jason and their kids (pretty much my sister and brother and nieces) came over for an hour or so.  We also got to skype with Wendy, Asher, Piper, Charis, and Toby and Andrew, Sarah, and Isaac!  I am unbelievably blessed to live in a time where I can talk and SEE my family from miles away.  Charis is talking now, copying what everyone else says.  It sounded like Piper was saying "Katelyn" instead of "Datelyn" so... success!  And she was so sweet, she says that she misses me and wants me to come to her house.  Well, Piper, I miss you too and would love to visit, however - see earlier mention of sad depleted bank account.  So please come visit me!
Happy note:
She is gonna visit me!  April is the expected date that Richard, Wendy, and kids will be moving back to the States - stationed in Fort Campbell Kentucky!!!! Only 3.5 hours away!!
Also Richard may be coming back from Afghanistan in January instead of February, so prayers for safe travel would be appreciated. 
Sad (but expected) note:
Andrew is deploying next week.  I am gonna miss him so much!  I have only spent one Christmas without him and I was with Wendy then...so this Christmas I will be sibling-less (hopefully I can convince Sarah to spend most of the day with me). 

Now that the longest update ever is over:
I have not touched the flower quilt...but I have made two others and already given them away!

This "Memphis" quilt was a gift for a friend of mine (fellow student teacher, that - randomly enough - I also went to high school with) who is having a baby boy in February.  She and her husband are huge Memphis Tiger fans and I thought it would be cute to make baby Landon a "Memphis" quilt.  This is the third quilt I have made and by far the easiest.  I think I made it in three days (while doing all the other stuff I do)!  I should have started with something like this...but oh well.  I have decided that a quilting class to learn how to better bind is in order. 

Now my best friend Kirie is due in January and will be having a beautiful baby girl Lilia...so I have been slaving over her quilt since I posted about the flower one :).

The fabric is Moda - "It's a Hoot" by Moma.  I am in love and wish that I could still get it...but it came out in April and I had a difficult enough time getting it in September.  The backing is "rose" a micro-fleece (or something like that - from hobby lobby...it was awful to tack, just ask my mom who was amazing enough to help me).  I got the pattern for this quilt from LellaBoutique in her etsy shop...and now I have lost it.  I am so mad at my self.  Oh well, I am in love with this quilt and think it is fantastic (if I do say so). 

* the making of these two quilts could not have been possible without Harry Potter on CD, TV ears (if you don't have them you should - they rock), Casting Crowns - Come to the Well CD, and Adele - 21. 

Now off to make some Christmas gifts.  I hope to post next week...we shall see.  LOL

Shape Bingo

As I struggle soar my way through my second placement...I thought I would share one of the activities that I made for my first placement.  I was teaching a kindergarten math lesson and wanted to do something fun with shapes.  We had also been learning about colors so I incorporated it all and made a shape bingo game.  I looked for a freebie on the internet first, but no one had all of the shapes I needed (circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, diamond, trapezoid, and hexagon) so I made one my self. Well really I made 20 - they had to be different you know.  If for some reason somebody wants them click on the words below for the pdf (well at least I think I loaded it right, let me know if you want it and I didn't). 

 Shape Bingo