Best of Life in Pieces 2020

For the 6th year I'm linking up with Meadow Mist Designs "Best of" linky party.

It's a chance to look back at the "best" or most favorite posts on my blog this year.

1.  Most views (1579): Just A Bit of Stitching Stuff

Rainbow Binding for Twinkle Stars

I'm not sure why this one got so many views.  I guess one of the labels popped up as a result during a common Google search?  Though the rainbow binding for Twinkle Stars is pretty cool. 

2. Most comments (35): 10 Years At Life in Pieces

Hard to believe it's been 10 years since I started blogging.  The sewing room has been rearranged a few times over that ten years, but it looks pretty much the same now (except probably a good deal messier). 

3. Most link ups for the 15 Minute Challenge: Week 1 of 2020

There were 19 link ups for the first 15 Minutes to Stitch post of 2020. By week 2, the link ups had fallen to 14. Currently there are about 9 bloggers who link up regularly. This approach to getting in that sewing time doesn't work for everyone. It's been really helpful to me into the sewing room most days, especially as messed up as this year has been on a number of fronts.  The weekly 15 Minutes to Stitch linky party will continue this year.   

4.  My favorite finish: Fourth Finally Finished 

Storm at Sea (Streams)
Paper Piecing Class by Carrie Randell (Quilter's Hideaway)
Started:  March 9, 2019  Finished: October 19, 2020

Storm at Sea (Streams) was finished in October and now lives on my bed.  It's definitely My Guy's favorite finish this year.  

5. My favorite blog photograph: Week 21 of 2020: Stitching Stuff    

After being locked down for 9 weeks, we finally ventured to Tulsa for a much needed shopping trip and had lunch in the Tulsa Rose Garden.  It was so nice to get out of the house for a bit and check out the pretty flowers. They were a much needed lift after weeks of worry and working from home. 

I hope you enjoyed my top 5 posts from 2020. You can check out more best of the best over at Meadow Mist Designs Best of 2020 linky party.  

10 Years at Life in Pieces

 Today is Life in Pieces 10 year blogiversary.  It's been ten years of stash reports, design wall Mondays and connecting with some of the most creative, inspiring and fun people. I'd name names, but I'm sure I'd leave someone out. I don't belong to the local guild as they only meet during the week and this working girl isn't able to attend. But I've been so fortunate to have what I've come to think of as my on line guild. There are weekly show and tells, demolish your UFO programs, work down your stash programs, tutorials and my most favorite things the quilt alongs, BOMs and mystery quilts.  

The blog has been a place to record not just the quilty stuff that goes on, but also what's been going on in the rest of my life.  When I started the blog Kiddo (aka the Scientist in Training) was 11 years old. 

Mom (and Dad) spent a lot of time at volleyball practice, volleyball games and volleyball tournaments. There was also swim practice and swim meets in there too.  I have a lot more stitching time these days and I do not miss those o'dark thirty morning rushes to get out the door headed to somewhere for some sporting event. But I do miss the girl now that she's mostly all grown up and off at college.  

While the SIT has changed a lot, my sewing room hasn't changed too much in the last 10 years.

Though it is a great deal messier. 

Maybe because I have more time to hang out there?  We'll go with that explanation. 

So thanks for posting such cool, fun, inspiring stuff. And thank you for hanging out with me, for all the moral support, for all the suggestions, and for all the wonderful comments over the last 10 years. 

It wouldn't be a blogiversary without a give away. So I have this fat quarter bundled of Anthology Batiks from Windham Fabrics to help celebrate. 

Leave me a comment about what you like best about blogging, if you not sure what to write.  I'll pick a winner on Saturday, September 12th and announce it on next week's 15 Minute Challenge post. 

For those in the USA, have a relaxing Labor Day weekend.   

Life in Pieces 5 Year Blogiversary

After 5 years and 1173 posts, I'm still blogging.  Over those 5 years, I've sometimes posted every day and sometimes not at all for weeks at a time. Life gets busy, blogging becomes a chore, but eventually I find my way back.  It's hard to stay away.  When I started the blog 5 years ago, I had no idea of the all the wonderful people I would meet on line.   You all inspire me, motivate me, engage me, uplift me, share with me, and laugh with me.   So to say thanks for all the fun, I have a give away.  A fat quarter packet from RJR Fabrics called Chalk Line.  

So just leave a comment and next Saturday the 12th, I'll select a winner. If you are a no reply blogger be sure to include your email address in your comment.  

In looking back, I found some of my old headers.  Here's a few of my favorites.  

Winter 2010 Header 

Summer 2011 Header

Spring 2012 Header

July 2013 Header

September 2014 Header

Thanks for a fun five years!  

15 Minute Challenge - September 13th

I'm not sure where the last week went.  But it is Tuesday.  Time to look back over the last week and contemplate how many times I climbed the stairs to spend some time in the sewing room.  Before I do that, there is a another item that needs to be addressed, the winners of the blogiversary give away.  I pulled up the good old random number generator and the lucky two are:

Melinda of Melinda Quilts ETC

Swooze of Swooze's Quilts and Tall Tales 

Congratulations to both of the winners.  Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes and fun comments on blogging. 

Moving on to this week's 15 Minute Challenge report. 

I was thinking that this week was pretty bad in terms of sticking with the challenge, but 4 out of 7 days isn't too bad.  I didn't do a lot of sewing this week, but I did spend quite a bit of time working on organizing my fabric stash.  I've had fabric stuck in totes all over the place.  It's hard to see what you have when you it's stored that way.  I got a shelving unit for the closet and have been able to get rid of the totes.  I'm now working on folding all the fabric consistently so it fits better on the shelving.  It is a lot easier to see what I have, plus I won't make as big a mess when I'm looking for things.   The organizing is a work in progress at the moment, it's going to take me a bit to get it all sorted out, but it will be worth it once it's done. 

So how did you do on spending time in a crafty manner this week?  If you feel like sharing, here's Mr. Linky.

Life In Pieces Blogiversary

Today is my first blogiversary!  Wow, it's been a year since I typed a few words in this little window in Blogger and hit the publish button for the first time.  Since then, I've met the most amazingly talented group of women.  Women who quilt, knit, take breathtaking photographs, and are willing each week to share of themselves in their blogs.  Women who have challenged me to become a better quilter, photographer, writer, and person.  Women who have also supported and encouraged me when the getting better part didn't happen.  Thank you.    

So now for the fun stuff, a blogiversary give away.  Just leave a comment on what you like best about writing your blog or reading other blogs.  I'll use a random number generator to select two winners.  Each will get one fat quarter bundle containing 18 Connecting Threads Batik fat quarters. 

Here's a better picture of the fabrics in each bundle. 

I'll run the random number on Monday the 12th and will post the winners on the September 13th's 15 Minute Challenge post.  If you have the 15 Minute Challenge button on your blog, leave me a comment stating that for a second chance to win. 

Thanks for making the first year of Life in Pieces so much fun.