Then There Were Eight- and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  This week has been a busy one.  Though it's not something I can really show, I made major progress on my book this week.  Getting the first draft of the manuscript done is always a huge hurdle, and though I'm not finished with it, I knocked out a big chunk this week.  I also finished two more Star of Bethlehem blocks.  I'm planning on 20 total blocks for a 64" x 80" quilt, so I'm almost at the halfway point.

The orchid stripe block on the bottom right corner looks a little out of place right now, but I'm confident that it will blend right in when all of the blocks are done.  I'll just keep plugging away at them!

The other big thing that has been going on for the past couple of weekends is this cabinetry wall in my kitchen-

Since moving into this house a couple of years ago, we've been adjusting to a little less storage in our kitchen.  Actually, it's a little odd.  The house is much bigger than our old one and we have the same number of cabinets, but the cabinets have shorter shelves that can't be adjusted, so finding space for taller/bigger things like small appliances, etc. was a challenge.  

My husband mentioned that since we have SO much space behind the table in our breakfast area (almost 5 feet!), a wall of cabinetry would be doable.  You can see what the wall used to look like in my post HERE.  So, I picked out some stock cabinets, and he and my father-in-law installed them and trimmed them out to the ceiling for me.  My hubs and I spent last weekend painting them a rich green (Valspar- Northern Glen) and putting the pulls on the doors.  Y'all know green is my jam, and I am super thrilled with them.  Best of all, even with all of the extra storage, I still have about three full feet between the table and the cabinets, so it didn't make the room feel smaller at all.  I love that I have such handy men in my life who are willing to do this for me.  So, a busy week indeed.

(ps- my Daddy used to do stained glass as a hobby, and made the stained glass for us when we bought our first house almost 20 years ago)

We're gearing up for an ice storm here that's supposed to move in tomorrow morning, so I'm crossing my fingers that our power holds.  Ice is always more dangerous than snow with regard to power lines and trees, and there's not much you can do with it besides wait until it melts.  We're as prepared as we can be, so hopefully we'll keep our electricity so we can stay warm and I can still do some sewing (and of course, so I can still use my computer).  

I hope you're all snuggled up in your warm house and getting plenty of sewing time.  I loved seeing your creations at last week's party.  Check out this awesome quilt top by Linda at kokaquilts-

I am loving the progress on this quilt by Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room.  I can't wait to see more!

And this gorgeous ombre quilt by Sew Preeti Quilts seems perfect for the weather right now!

Okay friends!  It's time to get our party going.  Let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)