Breakfast for Dinner

WIP Wednesday :: 2012 Inventory

2012-01-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

I sat down the other day to write down what I'm working on this year (and what I'd like to work on, for that matter.) Turns out it's a good thing I wrote it all down, because I've got a lot going on! Let's see....

Ongoing:

Jeni's Star BOM - I used this block design for my 4x5 bee, but still need to make my own.

Mod Stitches Bee - January is Jeni's month....still need to make it

4x5 Bee - 4th quarter blocks completed and mailed! Waiting for next hive...

Farmer's Wife - Got around to 3 blocks in 2011...pulling fabrics for another burst of production

4x5 Bee blocks

Quilt Alongs:

Active Projects:

Super Secret Surprise quilt - just pulling fabrics for this special quilt....wanna go bright, probably scrappy

Commissions from friend - making shams and t-shirt quilts

Wish List:
• Greek Cross (Across the Sea Quilt Along)....finish it
• Skill Builder QA
• Summer Sampler Series
• Dream On strip quilt
• Dresden plates
• Hope Valley string quilt

• Oh My Stars QA
• something (finally!) with my Heather Ross stash

This week's stats:
Completed projects - 1
New projects - 1
Currently in progress - do I have to count???

Sew Modern Monday :: My First Bee Blocks!

2012-01-22T20:34:00.003-05:00

My first bee blocks ever!

I've always been super intimidated by bees. I mean, sewing blocks for other people with their precious fabric? What if I mess up? What if they don't like it? I didn't need this kind of pressure. But then I met Amy (aka Sukie) at Sewing Summit and she told me all about her awesome bee, the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee. I would make just 5 blocks per quarter, from my own stash, and in a block of my choosing....um, awesome!

I had a lot of fun making these blocks. The ladies in my hive had some really great color combinations, plus Jeni's block was so much fun to sew up! In case you didn't know, Jeni from In Color Order has started a super fun Half Square Triangle Block of the Month for 2012 and I couldn't be more excited to join in! After playing with all these bee blocks, though, I'm going to have a tough time deciding on what fabrics to use for my own block.

Full disclosure: I didn't read the directions all the way through and didn't trim my HSTs before sewing them together...I ended up with 14" blocks, not the 12.5" blocks I needed for my bee. I ripped them apart, trimmed, and sewed again....1 week late in mailing, but correct this time. See? We all make mistakes :)

What have you been working on? I'm linking up to:

I'm featured on Gen X Quilters!

2011-11-18T07:23:00.002-05:00

Come visit me over on Gen X Quilters today! I met the fabulous AnneMarie at Sewing Summit this year and had a great time with her. While you're over there, check out all the fab projects she's got going on!

Whirlygiggle Quilt :: Complete!

2011-10-28T06:52:00.000-04:00

I'm so pleased with how this Whirlygiggle quilt ended up turning out. It's so light, bright, and cheery and it just makes me smile. What really makes me smile about it is that it's actually my first full size quilt! Up until now I've only made a couple of baby quilts, so this was a really big deal for me.

Overall, it probably ended up taking me about 2 months to make. I know some could do this in a hard core weekend, but I've got so many other things going on, between my full-time job, my part-time business, and you know, spending quality time with my husband and all, I make time for my sewing.

What's funny about it is that I only ended up making half the amount of blocks necessary and didn't realize it until I laid it all out! I was like, hmm, this looks a bit small. Talk about a bubble burst! Here I thought all the hard work was over and I ended up having to go back and cut, sew, trim, and sew some more. Ay ay ay!

The original inspiration came from Camille, as this is her Whirlygig pattern. I was completely overcome with joy when I saw the colors and found it so visually appealling. It's also what sparked my love, ok obsession, with the Nicey Jane collection. I'm pretty sure that I bought a fat quarter bundle of it to make this quilt, and as we quilters do, fell in love with it during the creative process and ended up buying an additional half-yard bundle!!! Thank goodness for Randi at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics and her amazing sales and outstanding service!

Besides being so pleased with the outcome of the quilt itself, I'm so happy to have realized I could finally take one of those fabulous pictures of it, like other quilters do. Now, I don't have any cool barns or fences nearby, but I figured the railing at the beach would do. The secret is that my best girl Raygan is squatting behind it, making sure it doesn't flop over the front or fly away on this windy day. Thanks Ray-Ray!

I'm very excited to be entering it in the Gen X Quilters Love Nest Quilt Contest! I always see these great contests with these inspiring and outstanding quilts and never had one of my own to enter. Now I do, wahoo!

And I'm even more pleased to be doing my 3rd Blogger's Quilt Festival and showing my 3rd (and only) completed quilt that I love. I've got 3 other tops sitting here staring at me, so even more quilts to come!

Sewing Summit :: a takeaway

2011-10-10T22:54:00.002-04:00

This is precisely how I feel after attending the Sewing Summit.

I met so many wonderful people and made so many new friends. I could not have hoped for a better time, and would never have expected the sheer joy and glee I experienced all weekend.

Thanks to Amy and Erin for all their hard work!

Complete recap to come...

Sew Modern Monday :: Learn as You Go

2011-09-25T20:27:00.003-04:00

Super excited with my finishes this week, even if they did take me longer than usual. It was my first time making either, so a learning curve was definitely involved.

My new Market Tote!

I made this bright little lady to take shopping with me at Sewing Summit next week(!!!)

The pink and green were an easy choice, despite Fall just having arrived. You see, there are no seasons in South Florida, so this will do the trick year-round.

Here you can better see my first serious attempt at French Seams!

I was reading the great Back to School series over at Sew Sweetness, where Angela from Cut to Pieces did a guest post on French Seams. She made this same bag, so I went for it!

I modeled mine after Angela's and followed the styling of the Jane Market Tote, but created my own pattern to suit the type of shopping I would be doing...fabric! The base is the perfect size for a store-folded stack of fabric.

I learned a lot making this bag. I was so eager to reinforce it for heavy loads that I originally used fusible fleece on BOTH the outer and the lining. BIG mistake! That made my French seams about 2 inches wide!

So I reduced it to 1 layer of fusible and moved on. The French seams all the way around, with the fusible fleece, have made a really strong base that doesn't sag, even with a lot inside.

The back side.

The inside.

I added one large pocket for either phone or wallet.

These are a little early, but will perhaps inspire some more.

I made these for a bridal shower last weekend, where the wedding is in November, so the couple will have their first Christmas this year. It was a lot of fun to see all the holiday goodies, and believe it or not, the stores are already stocking ornaments!

I thought it would be fun to do Mr. and Mrs. instead of their actual names.

I hand embroidered these on the cuffs, using a stem stitch that I learned as I went. I seriously kept repeating the video as I went along, until I got the hang of it.

There are a ton of great embroidery guides out there, but this video really helped me. Over on Needle 'n Thread.

Mrs! These were really fun to make.

What have you been working on? Be sure to link up with Sew Modern Monday!

Strip Ironing Tutorial

2011-09-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

After having to iron both edges of a 100"+ strip, I decided there had to be an easier way than eyeballing it, especially when every 1/8" counts. So here goes! I hope you find this helpful!

(Please ignore the burned fabric. It's my desktop ironing space.)

Make sense? Helpful? I hope so!

Spotlight Featured Blogger

2011-09-10T17:26:00.003-04:00

I'm super excited to be featured in the Follower Spotlight over on Ellison Lane Quilts today!

Go check it out to learn more about me, and while you're there, check out the blog! Jennifer is a great gal and I promise you it'll be worth a look around.

And if you're visiting from Ellison Lane, WELCOME! There's nothing I love more than having company over! :)

My Sewing Room :: Updated!

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I love taking a peek into other's creative havens to check out their setup and process. It's fun to see how other people lay things out and get inspiration from it.

I recently updated my space with a couple of inspiration walls I made myself, and they have completely transformed my space. I actually featured my big sewing room update exactly a year ago, but oh how things have changed, yet again!

Come, take a walk with me...

This is the view from the hallway.

My new design wall!!!

Since I don't actually have space to install it on a wall, I've made it so it leans. There's actually another one behind it, as well. It's made from lightweight insulation "R-Mat" board you can find in the construction section at Home Depot. It's some type of foamy styrofoam, so it's really easy to move when needed, plus it also takes pins really well, in case I need to post lots of items, like the sashings you see up there now.

I've been working on that LouLouThi quilt and actually spread out both boards against one wall so I could create the layout of the quilt. Then when I'm done, they can go back to their home here. Easy as that!

That's the main work area, which has been greatly enhanced with the easy access design wall. I used to have to keep all the "in-progress" blocks over there by the window, but now the new wall saves all that space!

This little flowery board is also another new addition. I got one of those magnetic dry-erase boards from Wal-Mart for like $6, then wrapped and staple-gunned the fabric and ribbon. So easy and pretty!

Entertainment corner.

I always have on either trashy tv or a movie to keep me company. My dog, Seamus, also keeps me company. He usually hangs out over there by the window and looks out through that crack I keep open for him...I call it his "peeking spot."

(And I truly detest all those wires, but this is technically the "office" so that's where it's all set up.)

Coming right around....

The new inspiration board!!!

I was originally planning on just hanging stuff up on the wall, willy nilly, but then I didn't want all those holes in my wall. And since nobody makes what I wanted, and what I want is usually specific and detailed, I made my own!

I took a 4' x 5' sheet of brown hard-board, then topped it with 2 layers of cork, available by the foot from a big roll at Home Depot. I attached all the layers using an industrial tube of all-purpose glue from the paint department. I then wrapped it in linen, framed it in my favorite combo of pink and green grosgrain ribbon, and stapled it all to the back. To hang it, I just installed a picture-wire kit to the back. It ended up being about $60, including all materials. Not bad!

This is like my little shrine, cake stand tower.

Up there right now I've got my 1/2 yards of DS Quilts, Dream On jelly roll, and the pincushion gorgeousness from Crystal and the Urban Home Goods Swap on Flickr. Thanks Crystal!!!

The board! I keep adding things every day.

Pretty much the whole reason I needed an inspiration wall, to pay homage to this piece de resistance, the mini quilt from Crystal and the UHG Swap. LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEEEEEE this quilt!!! She totally nailed it with the saying....I was like, my soul IS fed with needle and thread! It's safe to say it's on the short list of "if my house were on fire....."

Here you see my little clothespin doll from Liberty, a souvenir from my trip to London. I've also posted printouts of the quilt-alongs I'm currently in, minus Farmer's Wife and a couple of skill-builder ones. It helps me remember at a glance what the heck I'm up to! I also got the dog fabric b/c my baby, Seamus, is a black lab, so I'm sure I'll be making some great pins with this.

One of my first embroideries, just for fun. They look like Hansel & Gretel!

The supply closet!

This just underwent a teeny tiny organization, so it'll change, yet again, from this picture. Everything is labeled and in its place. Soooo helpful when you have this many craft supplies!

Thanks everyone for checking out my sewing space!

WIP Wednesday

2011-09-06T21:13:00.009-04:00

Another week, (hopefully) more sewing done!

I've got a lot of irons in the fire and ideas on the brain, getting ready for the Sewing Summit...in exactly 30 days!!!! Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Insanely excited....can you tell?

My first siggy block!

I've seen so many great tutes for siggy blocks and it's really so important to document the history of the quilts we work so hard on, so I'm making a concerted effort to start making siggy blocks for all my quilts, going forward. I think this one will fit well in my postage stamp quilt.

The giant quilted piece for my duffle bag. This thing is going to be huge!

Close up of the wavy quilting, echoing the fabric pattern.

The reverse side, hot pink lining! This pink will also go on the straps. So fun!

My pieces for the fabulous Across the Sea quilt along, hosted by Jennifer at Ellison Lane Quilts and Sarah at Fairy Face Designs.

I'm a week behind, due mostly to a last minute project that cropped up.

Should I match all the fabric in the crosses or mix it up?

Here is a close up of the fabrics matching...

And here's a close up of the fabrics mixed...

Which way? I'm leaning toward mixing, so it's fun and unexpected. What would you do?

Whatever I do, this will be the binding.

I fell in love with this print the moment I unwrapped my bundle of Heirloom. Love it! And I'm so excited it pops so well against my bold choice of pink for the background.

This week I've got to work hard on this duffle and at least get my crosses pieced...Fashion Week's "Fashion's Night Out" just might hinder my progress though.... :)

Mini Quilt Mondays

2011-09-04T19:08:00.002-04:00

Faith at Fresh Lemons is having a great series of Mini Quilt Mondays, all through September.

I think it's a great way to showcase a favorite technique without committing to an entire quilt. I'm also excited to get inspired by all the great mini quilts I see before we all go to Sewing Summit and take Amanda's class on Packing Mini's with Punch. So excited!

While this amazing little mini belongs to me, I definitely did not make it. I was lucky enough to receive it in the recent Urban Home Goods swap from my amazing, awesome, fantastic, thoughtful partner, Crystal.

It was meant to be, as I spied it in the Flickr pool and favorited it right away. I about had a heart attack when I opened my package and saw it was actually mine! I think she did a great job of laying out all the little squares, fussy cutting some special prints, and then adding the special quote in the center with hand embroidery. It now hangs as the showpiece in my sewing room.

Thanks Crystal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy mini-ing everyone! :)

Sew Modern Monday

2011-08-22T06:46:00.003-04:00

I'm so excited to finally have another finish so that I could join Sew Modern Mondays again!

This is my Warm/Cool HST top from Jeni's quilt along. It's a huge twin topper, measuring in at 76"x90". Something like 352 HST units make up this behemoth! It took several sessions of cutting, piecing, ironing, trimming, more piecing, some more piecing, and then it was done! I'll tell you, thank the good Lord for my 2 design walls on this one, because otherwise I could not have kept it straight!

And that's my super tall, 6'4" husband holding it up for pictures. I knew he was the only one for the job :)

I'm officially a Farmer's Wife!!! I've been dying to join this all summer, and actually bought the book way back in June! But in an effort not to have the aforementioned behemoth on my design wall til Christmas, I forced myself to finish the top before moving on. I've also been following the Summer Sampler and Skill Builder, and even though everyone has finished their Sampler, I still want to join up and make mine. So many pretty ones!

This is my first time actually cutting into and using my HR scrap stash! I missed the boat on these collections, so all I have is from her studio sale and some scrap swaps. My first block turned out great! And I even remembered to fussy cut on point!

I probably would not have been so excited to get started if it weren't for Jessica's post at Twin Fibers about paper piecing. She linked up to The Sometimes Crafter's paper piecing tute and that's what got me going. I'm still getting the hang of it, but practice makes perfect!

I couldn't stop at just 1! I kept going and tackled this Bat's Wings block. I love that little pup, although he won't be on point...I guess we'll all end up with a few of those.

My third and last one, from late last night. Pink and green!!! My favorite combination. I'm really happy with how this turned out, although the green strips remind me of a separated Nazi symbol. Does everyone see that with a block similar to this one? I can't help it.

All 3, all together! Can't wait to make more, and I better, because I need to do some serious catching up!

Everyone have a great week! I'll be down here dodging Hurricane Irene!

Sew Modern Monday

2011-07-11T07:09:00.002-04:00

I'm so happy to finally be linking up to Sew Modern Monday! I've been following everyone's updates for a couple of months now, and I haven't really had any finishes that would "count."

My uber organized stash!!!

I can't tell you how pleased I am about this one. I had everything folded much wider and randomly put into a couple of bins. This way is much better! Just last night I wanted to double check how much I had of something, and I was able to find the print so quickly in its appropriate stack. Of course this wasn't my idea.....the oh-so talented Jeni from In Color Order had a great series, The Art of Choosing, where she did a section on stash folding. Great videos!

Finished top!

I feel like I'm officially a quilter now because this is my second finished top recently, and it's now in my "quilts to be quilted" pile. I never thought I'd have a pile like that!

This is from the LouLouThi Tiles Quilt Along on Stitched in Color. I'm pleased with how it turned out, and it's definitely a monster, measuring in at 73x85! My biggest one yet!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my weekend progress! How was your weekend?

Lizzy House :: top notch!

2011-07-08T21:39:00.002-04:00

All images from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics and Lizzy House. Thank you!

In cutting my way through new stash additions these past couple of weeks, I've been using a lot of Lizzy House. It's my first experience with her fabrics and I am thrilled with them! Of course, I was initially attracted by the cute designs and great color, and equally dazzled by the illustrious Pearl Bracelet prints, but upon working with them I was inspired and driven to devote a post to their incredible quality.

They are nice and soft, but more importantly, and what I really noticed, was how nice and thick they are! Such high quality! You can't see through them at all, the colors aren't grainy (actually nice and saturated), and they have such a nice drape. Very easy to work with. I quickly ordered yardage, as per my new stashing habit, inspired by Jeni. Very impressed, Miss House!

Disclaimer: I am in no way paid, sponsored, or otherwise for this post. I'm just a great new fan! :)

52 Weeks, 52 Lists: Week 2

2011-07-07T07:26:00.000-04:00

52 Weeks, 52 Lists: Week 1

2011-06-29T21:09:00.002-04:00

Kellie at On the Brink of Something Beautiful started this great idea....52 Lists in 52 Weeks...1 per week. I came up with a cool way to do mine, since my handwriting is wretched it had to be digital. Here goes!

Ok, so technically I'm a month behind the start on this one, but here I am, catching up in earnest. I present to you, my first list.

WIP Wednesday

2011-06-29T07:01:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited to finally be participating in WIP Wednesday! I've been admiring everyone's updates for a while now and I finally got it together to make my own update.

I definitely don't have as much going on as everyone else, but am up to my eyeballs in my current projects. You see, when I start something and am super into it, plus it's actually acheivable, I pretty much get obsessed with it until I'm done. And here we go...

Jeni's Warm Cool Quilt Along immediately grabbed my attention! I absolutely adore her and her blog (plus little bunny foo foo, George, is adorable!). I've apparently gone crazy and committed to the twin size. I have a thing for quilts I can snuggle under...especially since the hubs pumps the a/c at 72 degrees! Yikes!

I've trimmed about 120 of the 352 blocks. Yeah, don't remind me.

Here's my other project, the LouLouThi Tiles Quilt Along from Stitched in Color. I cut out and labelled all my pieces, and stuck them up on my new design wall. (More on the wall another day.) I've been giving this one some attention, in between sewing, ironing, and trimming blocks for the Warm/Cool. It gives me a nice break. This one will definitely be a monster....almost queen size!

How are your WIPs?

Postage Stamp Quilt Along :: Top Finished!

2011-06-21T20:34:00.002-04:00

Here's my completed quilt top! (Finally!!)

This is just a few months behind from the Postage Stamp Quilt Along over on PS I Quilt. I let it sit for a while and finally powered through it the last couple of weekends.

Now I'm stuck! What should I do for the backing? I was thinking a solid piece from the Weekends collection, but those are pretty busy prints. Also, the binding....maybe a solid purple to frame out the stamps?

What do you think? Backing? Binding?

Warm Cool Quilt Along :: Color Stacks

2011-06-06T22:03:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited to be joining in with Jeni on her Warm Cool Quilt Along. Seeing as I'm still finishing up my blocks from the Postage Stamp Quilt Along I did in January, I seriously need to buckle down and follow along this time....it IS a "quilt along" after all.

Here are my stacks. I've got warm on the left and cool on the right. I need 22 of each. This is definitely a first pass, and I'll be giving it another look tomorrow. I think it could use some editing. Is it just me and my stash, or is there a lack of purple in the world?

So, what do you think? Any ideas/suggestions for my stacks? More or less of a certain color?

Blogger's Quilt Festival :: My First Quilt

2011-05-13T13:05:00.004-04:00

If you're here from Blogger's Quilt Festival, welcome! Thanks for stopping by!

This is my very first quilt, completed a little over a year ago. On a whim, I decided to take a beginner's quilt class at my LQS, and conned a friend into joining me. When I saw one of the sample quilts for another class at orientation, I just knew I had to make something from that same fabric....it was Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey and I was instantly head over heels!

I went back to the store on a quieter day to pick out my fabrics. I knew it was Nicey Jane, and if you know me at all, it had to be pink. I auditioned a number of prints, using the teacher's tip of lining up the spines of the bolts together to see how they'd come together as the rails on the rail fence design. I settled on a combination, but had to break up all the color. It took a lot of convincing, but I went with this patterned cream color they had in the shop.

I can't tell you how thrilled I was when it was finally pieced together and I saw it all laid out. I did a major clappy-clap happy dance, along with a little jumping up and down.

This is one of my favorite prints from the whole line. So pink, pretty and girly. Totally me.

This is the minor tragedy of it all...the yellow Chaco liner never washed out completely, so there it is, looming under my lime green thread. I was upset at first, but have gotten over it.
Any suggestions for colored markers that wash out? Or should I just stick with painter's tape?

Hand Embroidery and a Baby Shower

2011-03-15T21:38:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday I went to the highly anticipated baby shower for my friend, Kristin. This is her first, and she's really the first in our group to have a baby, so it's very exciting for everyone. She's a complete doll, so she's going to make an amazing mommy.

I was so inspired by my new hobby of hand embroidery that I decided her baby girl, Addison, just had to have something custom-made and hand-personalized by her Aunt Elena.

You know how you buy a fabric and it just sits around waiting for the right project? This pink swiss dot fabric was just that. I've had it for at least a year, waiting for the perfect princess to enjoy it.

Thanks to the Little Miss Shabby stitch-along, I've mastered the back stitch and french knot, as evidenced here. I was thrilled to find the perfect shade of pink floss in my stash and had such a great time stitching this out. The font is called Halo Handwritten and is free on MyFonts.com.

It's in the "handwriting" section of the script fonts and I just love those! Less fancy dancy than the real scripts, but more dressed up than the plain text.

Since the room is pink and aqua, with pink polka dots, I couldn't resist making Addison a snuggly little blankie to match her room. She can also take it with her, so she always has her stylish decor on the go.

Gift set together.

....packages tied up with string.......

Pretty cupcake, delicious cupcake. It was this ultra moist yellow cake and I loved it. YUM.

Giant diaper cake centerpieces accented each table, and they were all unique. Little Addison is going to start out with plenty of diapers and accessories!

Happy mommy, Kristin, with her new goodies.

Me and the happy mommy. Great shower, great mommy, can't wait to meet great baby.

Hexagon Charm Quilt :: Calculator

2011-03-03T21:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, Michelle at I Like Orange Too was wondering how to calculate how many hexagons she needed for her grandmother's flower garden quilt. I was more than happy to oblige, as I found the most uber amazing calculator last summer when I began my hexie obsession. You see, when I take on a new project, I have a kind of fixation that forces me to fully immerse myself and seek out any and all information about it. Sounds helpful, but sure does take up a lot of time.

Anyhow, here's the calculator. You'll love it!

Hexagon Calculator

Sewing Summit

2011-03-03T20:55:00.002-05:00

Registration opened today! And apparently I was not only one of the first 50 to sign up for discounted registration, but I was one of the first 10! Eager much? lol

I already booked my flights a few weeks ago, since I found them for a steal. Now that I'm registered, I just need to book the hotel and see who else is going. I can't wait to start meeting all my fave online friends in person! And to check out Salt Lake City and all the craftiness it has to offer. And to learn lots and lots and have so much fun at the summit! And and and!!!

Are you going? I hope so!

Thread Storage

2011-02-25T08:12:00.002-05:00

Cheryl over at Naptime Quilter has another one of her great link-ups, this time about thread storage. I'm all about the eye candy and making things pretty, but when it comes to my thread, I'd really much rather keep it dust free and readily available within reach. So all my thread is lined up by color in my desk drawer. It's literally less than an arm's length away from my chair when I'm sewing, so if I need to change colors or reach for a new bobbin, it's right there.

I've always admired those gorgeous spool racks and thread displays like the ones below, but I don't find them as practical. If I hung them on the wall, I'd have to get up from my chair and reach for them, plus they would take up precious wall space that could otherwise be used for a bulletin/planning board, inspiration gallery wall, or design wall.

My thread drawer, all lined up.

My bobbin box; lives in my thread drawer. This is a little plastic box with latching lid, available at any JoAnn's or Michael's. About $3.

Gorgeous. Via.

Vintage love. Via.

{How do you store your thread?}

Hexie Love!

2011-02-18T19:22:00.002-05:00

My final stack of hexies!!!

I have over 1500 of these babies all basted and ready to be attached to each other and become one great big hexie family! Pics of the whole fam and details to come soon...

Project 365 {30:36}

2011-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Week 5 of Project 365. Beyond gorgeous, ah-mazing display of embroidery hoops at Tiffany & Co, fabric shopping, *more* hand embroidery started (um, yeah, I'm obsessed, FYI), a beach trip to take some photos, and the most handsomest little puppy you've ever seen!

Embroidery Hoop Display

2011-02-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

So I'm strolling around the mall with my mom when I about jumped out of my flip flops and stopped dead in my tracks...embroidery hoops in the middle of the mall?! Outside the crafts store? And in the window at Tiffany & Co??!! I was stunned, to say the least.

Can you believe this gorgeousness?

I seriously thought this had to be machine made, but upon closer inspection, it really looks like someone with very meticulous hands and 20/20 vision did this by hand. So perfect. And I just adore how the thread connects from the hoop to the wooden spools.

"L" is for love at first sight....of these hoops!

Ready for the heartbreaking story?

I decided that I had to have one of these hoops, so I went inside to see what I could do. I asked the salesman what they do with them when they're done; he said "we destroy them." I laughed and said, no really, what do you do with them. Total deadpan, stone face, he repeats "we destroy them." I informed him that he had broken my heart. He stared at me.

Apparently it's a corporate identity protection thing. I think it's a travesty thing. But I have heard of other stores destroying displays for similar reasons, so I guess c'est la vie. I'll get over it.

Have you seen any amazing displays lately?

Project 365 {23:29}

2011-02-14T21:43:00.000-05:00

Week 4 of Project 365. I've started hand-stitching embroidery, made my Postage Stamp quilt along strips, loved on our pup, went out with friends, and did some shopping with mom. Another full week for this house.

No hanging chads, please!

2011-02-13T21:14:00.002-05:00

Ok, people, it's the moment of truth! This, my very first full-size quilt, is entered in the Gen X Quilters Love Nest Quilt Contest. The top 6 move on to the judging round, where the top 3 will win a fabulous array of prizes.

Head on over there, look in the right sidebar, and vote for me, #40. You'll make me a very happy girl :)

Postage Stamp Quilt Along: End of the Road, but Running Behind...

2011-02-04T06:47:00.002-05:00

Well, I know this week we were supposed to have quilt tops complete, but alas our new puppy has demanded a lot more of my time than the sewing machine. Seeing as he's a living thing, I gave in to him :)

This is what I have so far; 7 completed blocks, and what, 41 to go? Ay yay yay! So even though I can't enter the Fat Quarter Shop contest (which breaks my heart b/c I have a long wish list due to this Fabric Diet), I still enjoyed the process and am so pleased with how it is turning out. I can't wait to finish it up so I can snuggle up under all this brightness! I love Erin McMorris Weekends! Such a totally underrated line. Come on quilt shops, reorder it!

Project 365 {17:22}

2011-01-25T06:53:00.001-05:00

Week 3 of Project 365. Filled with sewing, laughs at work, karate with the nephew, and last but not least, a chewed up flip flop. Let's just say that with a new puppy, I'm definitely learning to keep a much neater home these days.

Postage Stamp Quilt Along: Strip Sets {One Thing, One Week Challenge}

2011-01-24T06:55:00.000-05:00

Well I'm running about a week behind on this quilt-along, so I decided to sign it up for Amy's One Thing, One Week Challenge. Success! Accountability to others sure gets me moving, thanks Amy!

I put together 16 5-piece strip sets and I'm really happy with how they turned out. I used a Weekends jelly roll combined with solid white strips cut from a bolt of bamboo cotton I have. The big problem was the zig-zag pinked edges of the jelly roll strips! I wasn't sure how to line them up well with the solid edges of the other strips. After several days of delay, I decided to throw caution (and, let's face it, my typically anal behavior) to the wind and just go ahead. I stitched them all up and ironed this weekend.

How do you usually sew with pinked edges???

Project 365 {1:16}

2011-01-17T22:21:00.003-05:00

Inspired by Jeni from In Color Order, I decided to start a Project 365 this year. I did get a new camera for Christmas, after all. It just seemed like such a cool way to document your days. I suspect that with my schedule I'll have much fewer crafty pictures and more "life" pictures, but it's my photo diary so that's what works. I will, however, still have lots of pics of our new furry friend, Seamus.

Urban Home Goods Swap

2011-01-16T07:00:00.003-05:00

I am over the moon to be participating in the { Urban } Home Goods Swap #3! When they did one this past Fall, I was so sad to be busy prepping my shop for the holidays. Here is my inspiration mosaic for my secret partner.

I'm really hoping for something fabulous to spruce up my sewing room. Plus, that's really the only space I get to do whatever silliness I want with. I've really been loving all the mini-quilts, pillows, and hoops I've seen from other swaps. My fellow crafters are really quite talented! I'm frequently left in awe as I go through all the latest Flickr uploads.

Our cutie-cute new puppy Seamus seems to like dangling objects, so as much as I'd looooove to brighten up the kitchen, towels, runners, mats, and aprons just won't fit into our new lifestyle around here at Casa del Roscoe.

I really can't wait to get my partner so I can start stalking and scheming colors, prints, and goodies!

Quite the little joiner, aren't we?!

2011-01-15T16:42:00.003-05:00

I'm super excited that in this new year I have all sorts of newfound time! I can finally join up in the sew alongs and swaps that are going on. I jumped on board quite a few already am pretty sure all this free time I have is getting filled up pretty fast.

My sudden increase in fat quarter bundles, combined with my seemingly endless list of planned (and unmade) quilts has led me to believe that I'm best suited for a different kind of New Year's diet...a fabric diet. Angela over at Cut to Pieces is hosting a great one, with a weekly check-in to keep you accountable. Best part is that at the end, you have a chance to win some fabric! 2 weeks in and so far, so good! I almost succumbed to a Weekends FQ bundle this week, but resisted, knowing I'd have to fess up about it. Thanks Angela!

I've always wanted to do a postage stamp quilt, and I've been wanting to do a quilt along, so this was perfect! Rachel over at P.S. I Quilt is hosting and I'm super excited. I'll be using my Weekends design roll with some white cotton/bamboo I have a bolt of.

This is a feel-good quilting bee hosted by the sweet girls over at Sew Fresh Fabrics. They have a bunch of extra scraps lying around from trimming and end of bolts, so they're going to send them to participants, we make 12.5" square blocks, send them back, and then they sew them up to benefit Project Linus and Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS.

Christmas Puppy Announcement!

2010-12-14T19:09:00.004-05:00

We are so excited to be adding this little guy to our family this Christmas! We picked him up on Sunday and couldn't be happier with him. His name is Seamus and he's such a good boy and is so much fun. Our extra fun surprise is that at 8 weeks old he's already 20 pounds! The vet says he's going to grow up to be a moose! Not what mommy was expecting, but that's ok.

I figured he deserves the proper puppy announcement, and since it is Christmas, I thought he would be the star of our Christmas cards, and I'm going to use Shutterfly to do it. They have so many great card layouts to choose from, I'm not sure which one to go with. Here are a few of my favorites...

I really love this one because red is Seamus' color and it is so festive and perfectly him. Plus I love the frame in the middle like a little gift tag. I think this may be one of the front-runners.

This one is super cute because it would really allow him to stand out and make his grand debut. We really want everyone to see him and love him. Such a good boy!

I think this one might just be indulging my inner "artiste" because I absolutely adore the scalloped border. Such a pretty frame for any picture. Plus the holly around the greeting is really nice.

Definitely be sure to check out Shutterfly for your Christmas cards if you haven't done so already. Given the time constraints, you may even consider doing Happy New Year cards! Then you know at least yours will stand out!

Silhouette giveaway!

2010-11-23T07:28:00.001-05:00

Forgive me, people, but it's the holidays and the giveaways are looming! And this is by far the best I've seen! Don't miss your chance! Head over to Tatertots and Jello.

Bloggers Quilt Festival :: Willow Baby Quilt :: { Finished! }

2010-10-29T07:36:00.007-04:00

It's finally done! Well, technically it was done almost 2 months ago, but let's not get bogged down with semantics.

I made this quilt for my sister-in-law, Katie, who was having her first baby, a boy...now named Simon. I sent her over to Hawthorne Threads and she made me a long list of her favorite fabrics. Willow by Alexander Henry was on there, so I ordered a fat quarter bundle to simplify things. Then I popped over to All People Quilt and looked up some patterns. I ended up settling on the Fresh 4 Patch Table Topper. The quilt ends up at about 50" square, which is a great size for his crib or just hanging around the house. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and so was mom.

Here it is! A big thanks to my mom and her weary arms for holding this up while I played photographer.

Close up! That upper left square is just my favorite in the entire thing! It's like a little path leading into the quilt, inviting you into a cute little cottage.

My first pieced backing! I've made a couple of smaller baby quilts before, so this was my first time having to create a larger backing. I thought it would be fun to include a sampling of prints from the front.
You can also see all the straight-line quilting really well here. I outlined each square and border with 1/4" seams on either side. It's the most detailed quilting I've done and took a few hours, but it was worth it.

I love how this strip turned out!

I got one of those fancy dancy fabric pens and made this my signature block. I've been very bad about not doing those, so this was a nice and easy way to do it. Now that we're sure about his name, I have to go back and fill it in.

Here's mom at the shower! She was so pleased and surprised by the fabric I chose and what I did with it. She said it will make the perfect crib blanket for him because she didn't like any other bedding she has seen. I won't lie, I always enjoy the whole "wait, no way, you made that?!" chatter that ensues after someone opens my handmade gifts. I'm surrounded by creatives, but absolutely none of them sew. The additional praise suits me just fine :)

Check me out!

2010-10-28T12:25:00.002-04:00

Jackie over at Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle is doing a Vanity Week featuring fabulous vanity displays and today she featured little old me! Run, don't walk, to go check it out!

Giveaway :: Win a { Raygan Wristlet Clutch }

2010-10-27T14:59:00.003-04:00

Hello fans and friends! Jemma Coleman Photography, a Palm Beach Wedding Photographer is offering a week of prizes and giveaways on her brand spankin' new blog and website!

The awesome giveaways are going on RIGHT NOW and today you have the opportunity to win one of my Raygan Wristlet clutches! How cool is that? Better hurry on over and make a comment for your chance to win! You have until 3pm Thursday to enter.

Heather Ross :: Giveaway Winner!

2010-10-27T07:32:00.006-04:00

Let's start with the most important thing here: I love Aneela Hoey and she now officially has a special place in my heart. She had a fun Heather Ross scraps giveaway on her super cute blog Comfort Stitching and I won! Of all things to win, this would be it...except maybe a Go! Cutter, but I digress.

Look at all this amazing loot! This is way better than buying yardage because I ended up with some uber rare prints that I've only ever dreamed about! Gnomes and bicycles and mermaids, oh my!

I tore into the package immediately and didn't even wait to get back to the house. As I flipped through the pile, each one got better and better. The best part was, the elusive little gnomes I've been eyeing were right on the very top. I may have squealed and I definitely jumped up and down with delight.

Just look at all the bicycles! My heart exploded when I saw so many of them.

And oddly enough, even with all the Heather Ross goodness, this was one of my fave scraps in the whole pile. So cute and whimsical and right up my alley. I think I might frame it for the sewing room. Cute story to go along with it: I had all these scraps as a shrine/display on our dresser. One morning my hubs walks by, glances at the stack and says "I like this giraffe one." So cute!

Any idea where/what this print is???

So here's the question for all you professionals: what the heck do I do with all these scraps???
I'm thinking Heather Ross tribute quilt, but what style.......

Willow Quilt :: Major Progress!

2010-08-31T06:58:00.002-04:00

Well my theory has been proven correct, once again. When I'm held accountable to others, I'm really quite productive! Amy over at Amy's Creative Side is at it again with her awesome One Thing, One Week Challenge. I signed up and listed the one thing I wanted to get done within my one week; my sister-in-law's baby quilt. Her super cute (I'm figuring he will be) little boo-boo is due in October, and her shower is in less than 2 weeks. (I'm super confident she doesn't read the blog, so I'm safe to post pics.)

I had cut the pieces out last week. I'm using a great fat quarter pattern from All People Quilt. I ordered a fat quarter bundle from my peeps over at Hawthorne Threads and it was the perfect number, with 13 fat quarters, plus some yardage for borders and binding. It's really a great pattern that has come together quite quickly.

Here came the hard part: designing the layout! Since it was such a colorful collection, it was a challenge laying it all out. My rules were that each 4-patch block would have 2 large and 2 small scale prints, no 2 colors would touch, and no 2 identical prints would touch. I think that really helped me put together a great design where all the prints and colors are spread out well and are balanced.

I laid it all out on a piece of batting and brought it downstairs so I could design while watching an American Pickers marathon with the hubs. He pretended to help by saying ooh and ahh when asked about my progress.

Done!!! It came together really well, and I was able to get it all together on Sunday. I'm really happy with how it came out.

Here's the obligatory macro shot! Love that macro button! :)

My fave little block in the whole quilt. I really adore this section of this print.

Right side up! Walk down the little path, into the little house, look at the little flowers....

I had to wait for the hubs to get home to get a shot of it standing up...those are his super toned legs. :) That little munchkin sure is going to have lots to look at when he's having tummy time on this beauty!

Now this week I'm onto basting and quilting. I'm thinking straight-line quilting, on either side of each seam. I've been wanting to try straight-line, plus that way I have less marking to do. :)

How was your week? Did you meet your goals?

Another giveaway....GO!

2010-08-29T20:51:00.002-04:00

That's right, people! It's a GO! Cutter giveaway! Definitely not here on my blog...I'm still waiting for that phone call ;) Head on over to Sweet P Quilting and Creations and enter before Tuesday. You've got a couple of days, so get moving!

Giveaway!

2010-08-29T20:24:00.002-04:00

If you haven't been over to Comfort Stitching yet, now is the perfect time! Aneela is having an amazing scrap giveaway that is not one to be missed. Head on over and enter before next Monday, September 6. She is very talented both with machine stitching and hand stitching. I'm over the moon for her hand embroidery. She's definitely made me want to learn! Thanks Aneela!

Hexagons :: Centering Tutorial

2010-08-22T21:07:00.004-04:00

Ok, hexie addicts, here's a tutorial just for you! Do you have any super cute prints that you'd like to appear centered and straight in your final quilt? Thanks to some recent swaps, I've acquired some amazing Japanese prints that are begging to be featured in my hexie quilt, and I want to make sure to do it right.

Please forgive me if this technique has been obvious to anyone else. I figured it out this week and couldn't wait to share. After making 700 or so, I'm really getting the hang of it! lol Nevermind that I was also excited to figure something out that could make for a good tutorial, so out came the camera phone and the step-by-step...

First, start off with your fabric square and paper hexie. This happy little hippo is perfect for this.

Normally, I center the paper hexie with one of the straight sides facing the corner of the fabric.

Unfortunately, this only works with a random print. What you'll end up with is a crooked hippo. This does not make hippo happy.

So here's what I figured out. You want to place your paper hexie over the image, with the point of your paper facing down.

I like to lift up the top point to make sure that the image is centered between the two straight sides, on left and right. Also check to make sure it's not too far up or down between the top and bottom points.

And there you have it! A well-centered hexie, ready to join his friends.

There he is, happy to be around all his other well-placed friends. I think this ends up making for a very nice detail that will add something special to a very detailed and special hexagon charm quilt.

I hope you find this tutorial helpful and it enhances your hexies as it has mine. How are your hexies coming along?

What's the deal?!

2010-08-19T06:59:00.002-04:00

Ok, so let's start off by saying that I've been anticipating the release of Heather Ross' Far Far Away II as much as everyone else. Unfortunately for me, I hopped on board the Heather Ross train a bit late and missed out on the whimsical cute gorgeousness that is the Lightning Bugs collection. I'll deal. So I was super excited to get in on her latest collection on the front end and not pay $40 for a fat quarter on Etsy.

I went to my fave couple over at Hawthorne Threads to stock up with a 1/2 yard of each print, with plans to make the uber cute Sand Castles pattern and then have some left over for something else, as I'm totally scared of this collection running out, which it is already. No joke, as I'm filling up my cart, the above print went from multiple yards in stock to 0! They're currently sold out of just 3 prints, but they're all the little moons or the roses. What's the deal? What's the fixation on those? I would have thought the princess castle prints would have gone faster.

So here's my "what's the deal?": How do you go about picking and ordering fabrics and certain prints? What's your fabric shopping style? Why are people getting the small printed roses from FFA and not the more elaborate prints? Hmm...

The Sand Castles pattern. The quilt that ignited my need to pull the trigger on the FFA purchase. What are you waiting for? Go buy the pattern and get cracking! :)

Fabric Friday :: Fave Store Edition

2010-08-13T07:13:00.000-04:00

If you haven't been over to Lanie Jane Fabrics yet, you are doing yourself a great disservice. JoAnne is absolutely the sweetest, most darling lady and has an extremely well-curated shop. She's got a wide array of bright gorgeous fabric, and has a great selection of pre-made charm packs as well as ones she's created herself. Just take a look at what I've gotten from her fab shop:

Gorgeous! Amazing charm packs, full of the bright colors I love and adore. Exactly what my hexagon charm quilt needs.

Happy stacks of squares! Who could ask for anything more?

Obligatory macro shot. :)

A big giant pile of super fabulousness! I love love love it!

Have you been to see Lanie Jane yet? No? Then you better get a move on and head over there!

Hexagons :: Swap Time!

2010-08-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

I had a fantastic time doing the hexagon swap over on Flickr. The girls were all amazing, and here's what I received to prove it! Thanks Kelly!

There's nothing I love more than a fab package in the mail, especially one wrapped up so nice! On the other side of the card it says real small "made for you by Kelly" and then space for a note. So cute! Where did you get these, girl?

And this is what I found when I opened it! Gorgeous! I was so excited to receive one of the cutie-cute pieces I had commented on in the photostream.

I absolutely adore the hand-embroidery. It totally makes this little bag, nevermind the super cute surprise lining. It immediately jumped into my bag where it houses my new knockoff aviators from NYC. My hubs calls them my Officer Poncharello sunglasses. I just love them.

Cute hexies! A few of these I recognize, but I love that I don't know what most of these are. Fun surprises to mix up my charm quilt.

The obligatory macro shot. :)

The whole kit and kaboodle. The best!

Have you started making hexies yet? You should. It's addicting. And join a swap. Those are addicting, too.

Hexagons :: Swap Time!

2010-08-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

A big thanks to our girls, Heather and Kerri, who run the { Handsome } Hexies - THE SWAP group over at Flickr! I had the opportunity to participate in my very first completed hexie swap and I had a ball doing it! From the moment I found out who my partner was, I was checking out her Flickr favorites and putting together some fabulous prints to "hexagonize" for her. It was a lot of fun, so thanks ladies for organizing everything!

Just like Frauline Maria, I love packages tied up with strings, especially pink ones. So I made sure to send a cute little package out to my partner.

Here are all the lovelies, all laid out with their coordinating pouch where they'll live during the journey all the way across the USA to my partner. I figure they like to stay warm and cozy.

I always have to throw in an artsy shot, just for my creative sensibilities. If you haven't figured out by now, once I figured out my macro button I sure started to take advantage of it!

How did your swap go? Go check out the group and see all the fabulousness that was created!

Field Trip :: Ikea!

2010-08-09T21:27:00.002-04:00

So my girl Raygan and I have both been curious about the Ikea phenomenon, especially since we got our very own store....well, a good 45 minutes away, but nevertheless it's "ours." Let's take a peek at the chronicles of our adventures:

I wasn't there but 5 minutes and I was already testing out chairs. This one definitely passed the lounge test, and at only $250, what a steal!

What a pretty dresser, just waiting to be accessorized and jazzed up with a colorful family of sewn goodies!

Gorgeous lady in a gorgeous kitchen! I simply adore the white cabinets, and I will have it be known that a white kitchen is my dream. It's the perfect backdrop for colorful Heather Bailey dishtowels, aprons, oven mitts, and more! My head is spinning with future possibilities.

Cute gallery idea! I love the repeat of the same print, a la Andy Warhol, but it certainly has potential for a great multi-image gallery. Perhaps a showcase of favorite completed quilts or other projects? Maybe my hexie ladies could make some 12" hexies to fill up those frames?!!! Did I just blow your mind with that suggestion, because I know I'm thinking about it!

Hmm, just me being childish with a toilet brush. I like me some potty jokes. My nephews pretty much love me.

What IS with the bathroom people being so stiff and outliney? We decided to liven them up a bit.

Ok, now am I the only one who glanced at this and saw a mom being told to throw her child on the ground? No? Just me? Did I misinterpret the illustrated instructions? Oh well.

My lady Raygan was very pleased with Ikea's tree-hugging mentality. Those Swedes...first they invent Swedish Fish candy and now this. I knew I liked them.

Seriously?! All the shopping carts have those directional wheelies on all 4 wheels!!! The stupid thing kept going diagonally! Check it out. Lots of fun.

Au revoir, Ikea...or, well, Hej da, as the case may be. We had a great time, followed all your directive arrows, and each picked up some much needed accessories. As soon as I find the elusively perfect shelves for my new jar display, I shall share with all.

Thanks for touring with us! How do you like Ikea?

Pretty Pile of Rubbish

2010-08-09T20:18:00.002-04:00

Aw, isn't she the prettiest pile of rubbish you've ever seen?! Nothing like some quilt trimmings to gussy up an otherwise uneventful can of garbage.

the "it" list

2010-07-30T06:53:00.000-04:00

Hooray for Friday! The "it" list is back with a great round up of all sorts of goodies on the web... be sure to visit all these lovelies blogs for tons of inspiration this weekend!

sweetie pie pumpkin noodle visits some of THE most fabulous boutiques and shops in Mill Valley and takes us along for the ride. She also hunts down amazing chandeliers along her way. Don't miss this goodness!
merci blah blah rounds up tons of gorgeous drape-style dresses from all over the interwebs. And not just once... but twice. Um, I'll take one of each!
good life for less gives us the highlights of her recent trip to Forever 21... these shoes were definitely a great find!
a spot of whimsy forks over a delicious dose of Mad Men style and photos. I swoon, just swoon for that show!
penguins gift is giving away a Stella & Dot bracelet for the little ladies in your life. So cute!
style your life puts together a casual outfit featuring an unexpected item - a pencil skirt. I just love this look - so chic!
spry on the wall gives us a practical and affordable version of this amazing outfit from Isaac Mizrahi's Spring 2010 line.
the hillside home just bought a new house and is planning, planning, planning. SO FUN! Join her as they start picking out colors, finishes, etc. I just love the adventure of a new house!
john's journal outlines a simple but fantastic looking diy roman shade project. You will absolutely want to try this. It turned out amazing!
elena's custom designs makes a custom pillow out of a scarf/handkerchief. I just LOVE this idea!
really cute stuff is featuring their "family style" notecards... a great gift for friends or teachers or just to have for yourself for thank you notes or notes to teachers. I love these ideas!
good look for less is offering wardrobe consults at half price through the end of today... hurry and snag yours before they go back to full price for fall!

Have a great weekend... interested in learning more about the "it" list? Email goodlifeforless @ gmail.com !

Whirlygiggle Quilt :: Started!

2010-07-25T21:21:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Amy over on Amy's Creative Side and her One Thing One Week Challenge, I got the motivation I needed to finally get started on my Whirlygiggle quilt! The Challenge instilled a sort of "homework" attitude in me, so when I woke up on Sunday morning, I knew I had a deadline I had to meet. Otherwise, I probably would have kept browsing the movies On Demand.

This is my stack of pieces I cut out way back in March when I was originally inspired to make this quilt. These have sat very lonely in my "in progress" drawer since then.

And here is the first one I laid out after I had cut all the pieces, as I was so excited I couldn't wait to see how they'd look. How I went from excited to waiting 4 months to start I'll never know.

My first sewn stack! It was lots of sew, open, press. Repeat. As apparently quilting tends to be.

My first stack pressed open! This is when I can honestly say I knew I wouldn't be able to stop, and powered through the rest of the afternoon.

Pretty pile of scraps from the first trim.

Itty bitty, teeny weeny scraps from the second trim.

Fun! A little chain-pieced garland! I suddenly see why those little bunting garlands are so popular.

This is when I get artsy and start using the macro feature on my camera.

My blocks are all DONE!!! I'm so excited, I can't believe I actually made it this far in just one afternoon! Funny thing: I went back to our bedroom and announced to my hubs that my squares were all done....he said, "ok, that's nice. What does that mean?" So cute.

All in all, I can honestly say that were it not for this challenge, I really don't know how long these pieces would have sat in a drawer. I'm so pleased with how much I was able to get done and with how well it all turned out. I met my goal for the week and already know my new goal for this week: finish piecing this quilt top! Woohoo for productive weekends!!!

What did you get done this weekend? Lots? Nothing, but relaxed? Share! :)

the "it" list

2010-07-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

The "it" list blazes on... don't you love Fridays? Take some time today or this weekend to check out the best of the web here!

merci blah blah is talking fall... her fall wish list to be exact. I love each and every one of her picks. I can feel the leaves crunching under feet already...
the hillside home puts together a lovely summer/garden/cottage inspiration montage. It's just dreamy...
style your life puts together a casual summer look for the guys. Ladies, raise your hand if shopping for your husband falls under your duties. It does in my household!
spry on the wall puts together her take on Nina Ricci's Resort 2011 collection. This is pure genius!
john's journal gathers beach chic inspiration from planet blue and then puts together outfits that are much more affordable. Love these!
a spot of whimsy gives some food for thought for the women that want to do it all (this would be me...). I loved this quiet moment.
penguin's gift has a great stationary giveaway. Check it out... you have a few days to enter still!
elena's custom designs offers a great grab-and-go baby shower gift, check this out!
one hundred inspirations lays out this Olivia Palermo outfit for less than $100. I love this!
good life for less is participating in the 30/30 Challenge... that is 30 wardrobe pieces mixed and matched for 30 days. See how she does it!
sweetie pie pumpkin noodle features her top 10 picks for earrings... it's impossible to choose a favorite, they are all so lovely!

Happy Weekend!

~~~

Interested in learning more about the "it" list? Email goodlifeforless @ gmail.com!

Hexagons + Beach = Bliss

2010-07-13T06:59:00.002-04:00

Ahhh...hexagons. A beautiful long weekend in Siesta Key, full of hexagons, sand and surf.

A big shout out to Courteney over on Flickr for swapping me such fabulous scraps! A dream come true full of Heather Ross, cutie-patootie elephants, and more.

Here's my little beach kit. A nice deep Tupperware container, as windproof as possible. I had a little hexie blow away on me, but I found him over near some sand castles.

What a beautiful weekend, filled with beautiful sights, feelings, people, and activities.

My Threads

2010-07-11T17:07:00.002-04:00

Sew Mama Sew is having a super fun "Show us your Stash" for something that is sometimes overlooked as a final detail in our sewing...thread! Here is a peek into my thread drawer.

How did you select colors for your personal thread collection? I've chosen threads for each project as I've gone along. At this point I have threads that match or coordinate with most of my fabrics. I restock when there's a good sale.
Do you always match the color perfectly to your project? No, I sometimes just coordinate a complementary color that picks up an accent in the fabric.
Do you ever use contrasting thread? Only if it picks up another accent color in the fabric.
Do you use the same color in the bobbin as the upper thread? Always. It bothers me to see that little bit that can sometimes pull through when you use a different color.
What if a fabric has big areas of very different colors? I use the dominant color.
Do you have any tips or suggestions about choosing thread? Go with your gut on the color choice.
Can you show us a picture(s) of your thread collection? Look up!
Do you ever buy thread because you fall in love with the color (without a particular project in mind)? I try not to. Just because I like the color thread doesn't mean I'll find a fabric to use it with.
Do you “invest” in thread? No, not really.
What types of thread do you have? (elastic, quilting, all-purpose, wool, etc.) I tend to buy Coats & Clark Dual Duty for all my projects. I'll get quilter's cotton or hand quilting thread for a quilt or hexagon project.

You know you're a quilter when...

2010-07-09T21:52:00.000-04:00

You see a Kona cornhole game at the bar and instantly think of fabric.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sewing Room Redo: the Big Reveal!

2010-07-09T00:01:00.010-04:00

Here it is, the big reveal! Hopefully after looking at all the beautiful spaces I've featured all week mine won't pale in comparison. I had some family visit recently, so that was the true motivation behind the reorganization. In true "gung ho" form, I was up to my knees in bins and supplies before I thought to take a before picture--I'm so crazy that I almost put everything back in its previously messy state just to take a picture! But I trudged forward and have ended up with a well-organized room that makes me smile. I hope you enjoy the tour!

Here we are at the doorway. It's just down the hall from our bedroom, so it's conveniently located and I'm never too far away from the hubs.

This is the right-side wall. I have the stationary bike in there, since I exercise and watch tv on it at night.

Moving to the left, we find the armoire and cutting table.

Here is the cutting table on its own. I bought it at the JoAnn's Black Friday sale last year and I will say that my visits to the chiropractor have definitely gone way down! Working at the proper height is a real back-saver.

The sports pictures can be explained by simply telling you that I put them up for my husband. Although the room is very technically 95% girly sewing stuff, the pictures on the wall allow me room in the argument that I took over an entire room and that he has nothing in the whole house that is his. It is my saving grace in that once-in-a-blue-moon "discussion." I'll put up a supply pegboard and some cute sewing prints in the next house.

This is my sewing corner where I end up spending most of my time once things are prepped. I've decorated it super girly, so I love looking at it whenever I'm over there.

This is my Stila paint can/palette collection. I started wearing Stila makeup in college and began collecting these. Each can is from a different store opening or is a special edition for an event or holiday. I even have a few things up there acquired from limited edition Australian & Japanese releases. I got them all by either buying my makeup or swapping with other collectors.

(Incidentally, the little string dolls at the bottom right are ones I made when I was little. I found them at my mom's the other night. I would glue toothpicks together into a body shape and wrap them with embroidery floss to dress them up. I treasure them.)

This is my baby. My Baby Lock Ellegante sewing/embroidery machine. It happened to be in the dealer's shop when I went by to check out machines one day last summer. I had been in several times and was looking at another Baby Lock several notches down from this one. It had come in that day on a trade-in and I happened to have had perfect timing. I very nervously signed the papers and financed it. I won't say how much it was, as my husband might have a heart attack, so let's just say it was less than half of retail and a very good deal. :)

I am now officially spoiled and could never again live without the automatic thread-cutting button, among other things.

Where it all happens! All my options tucked into pages and pages of touch-screen buttons.

My bulletin board that I made myself. I ripped up an old Lilly Pulitzer euro sham, wrapped it around foam board, added the layered ribbons, inserted into loose white-washed frame, backed with pressed wood, and voila!

I have my orders on the top, with inspiration photos and pretty views elsewhere.

I've gotta have some background noise, so trashy reality tv is usually playing while I work.

The real reveal!!!

This is my labor of love! I desperately needed to reorganize and categorize. I had way too many fabric cuts, notions, and more that were lost in corners and therefore useless. Anyone else have that problem?

I put my everyday fabrics in bins, but so I could see them. If I need to take any of them with me, I just grab the bin and go. Easy peasy. I bought a few more bins and lots of drawers, and labelled everything. I have stash drawers, "special" stash drawers, notions and supplies, scrap drawers and more. Organization abounds! Click through to the Flickr pic to see all the notes and find out which bin is which.

Another view, peeking into the corner of the closet.

Thanks for stopping by and for taking the tour of my big sewing room redo!

Leave a comment so I know you were here and let me know what you think.

What are your favorite organization tips?

Sewing Room Redo: Famous Studios

2010-07-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

These are some really cute sewing studios. The first is unmistakably Heather Bailey's room. Such a gorgeous space to create in...just look at those gorgeous and colorful stacks of fabric! She is definitely in my top 3 of fave designers, as she certainly speaks to my craving for bright colors.

The next room isn't from a big designer, but is more famous on Flickr. It is from *jenny b allsorts and is fabulous! Red and aqua and total eye candy. She has a great big cutting table with excellent storage underneath. The major gorgeousness is in the fabric buffet. Great big stacks and stacks of colorful fabric, buckets of bundles, and more. It's definitely my aspiration to have a studio this big in my next house. Nice work!

1. Wide Shot, 2. My Studio!, 3. My creative space, 4. New studio redo,

5. My creative space, 6. My fabric buffet

I think I'm sick...with Hexagon fever!

2010-07-07T19:53:00.002-04:00

It's official...I've caught hexagon fever! It is darn contagious!

After just a couple of minutes on Melanie's blog, Texas Freckles, I was hooked! She makes it seem so simple, that the daunting task of creating 1200 of these little guys somehow goes into denial.

So I quickly put together a little kit and churned out 22 of the little guys yesterday. Here they are, in all their macro shot, stacked up glory. Ah, so pretty.

Ooh, a shot using depth of field! These hexies are fancy! lol

Here's my little kit. Can you tell I used to sell Tupperware?!

I cut up all of my stash, and even created my own charm packs to cut and swap...all before I even made 1 little hex!

While I know this is a stashbusting project, I may or may not have ordered half a dozen charm packs just so I would have something to swap with the girls on Flickr. I like joining in!

I have 26 as of today...where is your hexie count?

Sewing Room Redo: Supply Walls

2010-07-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

There's nothing like using vertical space to maximize storage! Most of these favorites take advantage of that great pegboard system available at Home Depot. I haven't taken my own room to that level just yet, but as I continue to amass quilting rulers, scissors, and rotary cutters, I definitely see it in my future.

1. peg board, 2. My Scrap Desk, 3. Whose room is this???, 4. Thread Rack and Lace Rack - Northern Wall, 5. Craft Room Closet, 6. DSC06385.JPG, 7. pegboard with sewing tools and notions, 8. sewing desk/counter, 9. Craft Room Closet, 10. Craft Room 2, 11. IMG_6597, 12. my studio

Living Room: Before & After

2010-07-06T17:53:00.002-04:00

Per my bestie, Raygan's, insistence, I'm posting a before & after of my living room. And in the spirit of this week's room reveal, I figured it was good timing.

Before

After!

I think the only major difference you can see is that I added the rug and drapes. I'm loving the serene blue of it all. I lusted after that Pottery Barn rug for a long long time. I waited for a sale, and then it sold out, then a year later it magically appeared on sale again. The drapes were a steal at $60 for the pair on Overstock. Love that site!

For all my sewing peeps out there, any suggestions for fabric to make new pillows?

Sewing Room Redo: Closets

2010-07-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

These are really and truly the inspiration behind my sewing room redo, especially the top two with all the bins. As soon as I saw these, I was immediately drooling. I mean, talk about a place for everything and everything in its place! It's a great way to organize all your supplies and stash, and to protect them from dust and other yuckies.

1. Sewing Room, 2. into the closet, 3. fabric storage!, 4. Fabric Closet

Sewing Room Redo: Shelving

2010-07-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

So if you haven't already figured it out, I'm an organization nerd. But as I am with most things, I'm an interesting hybrid; I'm very organized, but I'm also very lazy. So things don't always stay as organized as one might hope. I always take those personality tests and decor style quizzes and I always always always come up right in between 2 different results. I suppose it's my wretched flexibility!

Below are some of my favorite shelving options from my Flickr favorites. You might notice that many of them have that fabulous Ikea Expedit shelving. So handy! I love how there are so many options for your own room configuration, and apparently they sell modular baskets and containers that fit perfectly in each cubby. Alas, my room has no space for that right now, so maybe in my next house. I also snuck in a couple of pics from actual shops...that's not really sewing room shelving, but hey, a little fabric eye candy never hurt anybody.

1. fat quarter storage, 2. My studio, 3. Sewing Room 05-30-10,

4. spring fabrics and yarns, 5. My Craft Room, 6. Scrap Corner,

7. IMG_6595, 8. my sewing/ computer workstation, 9. My Studio,

10. Fabric and patten boxes on shelf

Sewing Room Redo: Tables

2010-07-04T17:42:00.004-04:00

I just finished reorganizing my sewing room and couldn't be happier. New storage bins, labels, and I love it all! All this week I'll be featuring some of my favorite sewing rooms from Flickr, with a final reveal of my own room at the end of the week. I can't wait!

I'll start off by featuring some of my favorite cutting/work tables. I know that my life (and my back!) haven't been the same since I got mine.

1. Art Studio/ Work space, 2. my new work space!, 3. New piece of furniture,

4. Cutting table, 5. bookcase end sewing table, 6. DSC01667_0951.JPG

the "it" list

2010-06-18T06:54:00.000-04:00

Hooray for Friday... that can only mean one thing: the "it" list is back! This week's list has a decidedly summery feel to it. Let's dig right in!

do.think.wear.see.love.dream. tries to convince us to buy statement necklaces and shows us her favorites. I'm sold.
merci blah blah mixes nautical stripes and some fabulous layers of accessories for a summer get-up that I am swooning over.
karina, ink. makes a homemade brew of all-purpose cleaner that looks good enough to eat. (but don't! but you'll be tempted!)
good life for less asks for you to chime in on tube tops... you know, giving you sumthin' to talk about. Where do you stand on the top?
where is the me in mommy? challenges mothers (and parents in general) on letting our children live out their dreams. Very thought provoking.
a spot of whimsy celebrates Flag Day and gets us in the mood for Fourth of July. FUN!
sweetie pie pumpkin noodle whips up the fixins' for a super rad summer style patio. Um, yes, please!
style your life incorporates this amazing jacket into an outfit in a way I never would have thought of and I am instantly in love!
one hundred inspirations gets you a great french-chic look a la Alessandra Ambrosio on the cheap!
the pretty bee has updated her etsy shop with fun summer necklaces... I'd take one of each! They are perfect for summer.
i am loving the raygan clutch from elena's custom designs - I have one and love it! It's the perfect size for the essentials!
if you have a special occasion in your future (wedding, shower, birth), check out the special occasion offerings from really cute stuff. the texas themed cards give me a hankering for a big steak!

There you have it folks... the best of the web this week! Take some time to check out each of these fun posts and amazing blogs!

~~~

If you are interested in being featured on the "it" list (bloggers and small business owners are welcome!) check out all of the details here... then email goodlifeforless @ gmail.com!

Fabric Friday

2010-06-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

Cosmo Cricket, Swimclass in Blue.

Sooo cute!!! I'm dying to make a new beach bag just so I have an excuse to order some!

Quilt Crush

2010-06-10T19:51:00.003-04:00

Original by Film in the Fridge

I have to start by saying that I've been a longtime admirer of Film in the Fridge and her fabulous quilts, not to mention great blog. What a great way to feature all of your favorite fabrics in such a special way! And it seems like a happily straightforward quilt, which is just what this newbie needs :)

Original by Film in the Fridge

And here she does it again! She reversed the lattice grid concept for a simple, but bold, quilt. I love how this one lets the white shine by featuring it and quilting it very nicely. This would be a good way to use up any scrap strips you have lying around.

Sew Spoiled Sew Along: All Done!

2010-06-06T17:55:00.003-04:00

Wahoo!!!!!!!! All done, and I LOVE it! Pink and green and fabulous! It's super roomy inside with 2 gigundo pockets, plus it's quite light so once I fill it with all my stuff it won't be toooo heavy :)

Here is Raygan's bag, in all it's bamboo-handled fabulousness! The handles are even attached with coordinating grosgrain ribbon. So cute!

See how nice they look?! This was a much better idea than attached with fabric tabs, like one would usually.

Here are the 2 girls together!

Here I am modeling my fave new bag! So exciting! (And you'll have to pardon my makeup-less, hairbrush-less, simple Sunday look. Sunday is my day off from primping.)

Here is my Raygan! She is a proud little bag mama! Good job, lady!

Sew Spoiled Sew Along: Making Progress!

2010-06-06T16:43:00.003-04:00

Here she is, all sewn up and ready for cutting!

Here is the pleat template, ready to cut off all the excess. It sure seemed like a lot, and after all that work I was pretty scared to cut it, but the other participants said to just go for it!

All done. Both sides cut.

Here's the big scary pile of all the cut pieces. Now what to make with all of these?!

The straps are ready to baste, thereby reducing any shifting during later sewing.

Straps AND border attached. This is really starting to look like a real bag!

Attached and topstitched! Woo hoo!

Raygan's Bag

This is Raygan's bag. Remember, she doesn't have a blog, so I'll be posting for her. Doesn't this look so fab and springy?

Here we go! Borders are attached.

Borders attached, topstitched, and cut! Can't wait to see this come together!

Sew Spoiled Sew Along: Pieces Cut!

2010-06-06T16:17:00.003-04:00

Here are all my pieces, ironed, laid together and ready to go! Next step is to piece it all together.

This is the pocket on the lining, which will end up making 2 very large slip pockets. I'll be putting my iPhone, iPod, earbuds and all essential entertainment gear in these.

the "it" list

2010-06-04T05:00:00.001-04:00

elena's custom designs shows off the perfect beach bag for summer: the kimmi!
sweetie pie pumpkin noodle is coveting some lovely lime green... and I can't stop swooning myself, especially over the pantone mugs!
merci blah blah has discovered a dark horse in the online shopping realm... it's love at first site, er, sight no doubt!
karina, ink delves deep into hard work and determination and finds the beauty beneath it all - what an inspiring image!
only demi moore could make navy and black look this good, 100 inspirations gets you the look... on the cheap!
a spot of whimsy reminds us, it's not how we fall... but how we get back up. And being a Michigan gal myself I not only love this post - but that pillow! Cute!
really cute stuff has sophisticated note cards. My favorites? The purple and red cards, such a fun and unexpected color combination!
do.think.wear.see.love.dream. shows off this adorable yellow dress... if you look close I think she successfully pulls off not one, not two but three different iterations of one dress, all in just a day! Hello, fashionista!
good life for less is loving rompers this season... and while it may be a toss-up - you can't deny these styles are cute!

Interested in being featured on the "it" list? Small businesses, retailers and bloggers alike are welcome to join this weekly publication! email goodlifeforless (at) gmail.com for info!

Needle types

2010-05-20T19:30:00.000-04:00

{original}

One of my fave bloggers, Nichole from Nichole in Real Life, posted the other day about sewing needles. It drew a lot of educational comments, including one from Leah about a needles co-op she uses on Yahoo. You can get a pack of 100 Organ needles for around $10! I felt I definitely had to share about the co-op -- they're taking orders through May 30, so hurry over and place your order.

On to the real reason for this post: what type of needles do you use? I had one person comment that she uses 80/12 needles for absolutely everything. I make everything from bags to quilts to baby gifts, so I use an 11 for light piecing to a 16 for topstitching and piecing heavy layers. Should I get a pack of 80/12's only and use them for everything? Decisions decisions!

What do you use and why?

Giveaway

2010-05-13T00:04:00.002-04:00

Be sure to go check out my girl Jill at The Good Life for Less and help her celebrate her 1 year blogiversary! She puts together the most amazing outfits with that effortless quality about them. She's giving away one of these great wardrobe consults, so don't forget to enter!

Quilt Crush

2010-05-06T21:09:00.002-04:00

Half Square Triangles Quilt

Originally uploaded by Red Pepper Quilts

This is the quilt that made me want to learn half-square triangles. Um, not that I have yet or anything, but it's on my to-do list. I just love how perfectly symmetrical they all are and how the blues and reds just dance with each other.

This quilt comes from none other than Rita over at Red Pepper Quilts. I can easily say that at least 75% of my fave quilts on Flickr come from her photostream. She's quite the talent and is truly a quilty inspiration. Go pay her a visit and help her celebrate her 1 year blog anniversary.

Before & After: Ironing Board

2010-05-05T11:06:00.000-04:00

I am super excited about this little remodel. I couldn't stand the sight of this yucky old cover any longer and decided to do something about it.

Here is the before of the standard-issue and horribly scorched original cover. I confess I added the piles of Nicey Jane to the picture to make it seem just a touch less yucky...did it work?

And here is the fabulous after! I love it! It's so fresh and bright...quite an improvement. I lined it with muslin and installed a drawstring to make it nice and tight. Now I think the only thing missing is a layer of cotton batting and some Insul-Bright for the heat to upgrade the padding.

This is how it will look most of the time propped up in the closet when it's not in use. So much better!

love SewLoveFabrics

2010-05-04T11:03:00.000-04:00

You'd think I was getting paid for these, but I promise I'm not. I just like to give credit where credit is due. I loved my order from SewLoveFabrics. It arrived in a protective plastic bag, with its little bundle tied with a fabric string and a couple of super cute charm squares thrown in. Nothing like a surprise freebie with an order to make a girl smile. Thanks Ruth! :)

Sunday Workday

2010-05-02T00:01:00.003-04:00

Inspired to start on my Spring to Finish list for the Tallgrass Prairie Studio challenge, I sat down last Sunday to work on some pretty new bags that have been shooting me guilt-inducing looks since I started them last August(!). I had 4 of them that were about halfway done, so it was a nice way to dip my toe into the pool, so to speak.

Here are the 2 handbags that were waiting for lining, pockets, and straps.

Here they are all pinned up and almost ready for their hand-baggy lives!

And here is the happy little handbag family! Mommy and Daddy tote bags in the back, with brother and sister down in front. Don't they look so happy?!

What have you been working on?

See you Sunday

2010-04-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

This will be my view for the next few days. I'll see you back here on Sunday.

(And yes, those are my knees, and this is my true view when I lay out. Ahhhh.)

Weekender Tote: other options

2010-04-28T11:04:00.002-04:00

Here are some other fabric options for the Weekender Tote Sew Along. Since I'm obsessed with pink, I'm going with that combination for the first one. I love the style of the tote, so I'll probably make more, and these are some other combo's I've been playing with.

Citrusy! I love this green print from Nicey Jane. The entire combination makes me want to drink a tall, cool glass of lemonade! Mmm!

I'm still not 100% on this combination, but I think the blues are nice and really tone down the tangerine of the main print.

What do you think?

Thank you: Before & After Edition

2010-04-27T19:16:00.004-04:00

A big shout out to my friend Ken, who came by with his fabulous wife Amanda yesterday to cut down some drawer pulls for me. Without him, this transformation would not have been possible ;)

A further shout out to my best girl, Jill, who gave me the armoire in the first place. She was redecorating (she does that a lot, so if I were you I'd go hang out near her trash pile) and generously passed it along to me. In doing so, she made the childhood princess in me very happy...I always wanted one of these.

Before

After!

How cool are these knobs?! Just another painted set from Anthropologie you say? The thrifty girl in me will have nothing of their overpriced wares! I got all of these for just $2 each from a booth at the Brooklyn Flea Market! I take an annual NYC trip with my dad and I insisted we cross the bridge to check this place out, and boy am I glad I did.

Sew Spoiled Sew Along: Fabrics

2010-04-27T07:20:00.003-04:00

These are my fabrics for the Sew Spoiled Weekender Tote Sew Along. Let's just say I'm more than a bit smitten with Nicey Jane and Material Girl Shoppe was having a sale. I did my best to steer away from my standard pink picks, but I just couldn't resist. I have a couple more options that may turn into future bags, though, and I'll post those this week.

These are my friend Raygan's fabrics. She doesn't have a blog, so I'll be posting her updates. Double the fun on this sew along! She very cleverly opted to replace the standard straps for bamboo handles. I can't wait to see how this turns out! I'm already in love with it!

A man after my own heart

2010-04-22T22:40:00.003-04:00

Ryan over at I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts is after my own heart for that very reason...a guy who quilts! You should pop over to say hi and check out his awesome blog. I did and I'm glad because he makes some really pretty stuff and has a lot to say. Make sure to enter his April giveaway month...we're just a few days away!

Quilt Crush

2010-04-21T10:45:00.004-04:00

Wild Thing - Nicey Jane

by Camille Roskelley

I've been fixated on this gorgeous quilt for weeks! It's what caused me to place that insanely large fabric order recently. I may or may not already be working on it, and it may also be on my Spring to Finish list for the Tallgrass Prairie Studio challenge. I got both the inspiration and pattern from Camille over at Thimble Blossoms. Thanks lady!

Sew Along!

2010-04-19T19:13:00.002-04:00

Leah over on Sew Spoiled designed this beyond amazing bag that was featured in Sew News and now she's hosting a sew along! I'm so excited to participate and get cracking on making this bag. Nothing like being accountable to deadlines to really get a girl to work! I have 2 weeks to choose my fabrics...decisions, decisions...

Any suggestions?

Shout out.

2010-04-19T18:44:00.002-04:00

A big shout out to Jackie over at Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle for having such an awesome giveaway...and then picking my name as the winner! I won this uber chic custom stationery from Pretty Smitten. Elizabeth was a total doll throughout the design and selection process and got it out to me super fast, and even included a sweet note. It looks and feels even better in person. I love it too much to hoard it, so I've already sent out a couple of notes with some gifts I shipped to family.

Thank you Jackie and Elizabeth!

Elation overboard.

2010-04-14T18:42:00.006-04:00

Elated is the only emotion I can describe when I received this beautiful box of bountiful fabric. I admittedly went more than a little overboard, but Fresh Squeezed Fabrics was having a 20% off sale and I'm not the type of girl to walk away from a great bargain. A special congratulations to Randi for somehow packing all of this fabric so perfectly into this box! :)

The view from both sides of the stacks was a view to behold.

And the pic that stole my heart and inspired my refreshed and revamped blog header, who wouldn't love those stacks of fresh cut fabric?

Look at it. Look. At. It. Is there anything more gorgeous than this? A big fat stack of the new (and new to me) Nicey Jane collection from Heather Bailey. I've made two (soon to be posted) baby quilts from it and am head over heels. So I panicked and ordered a half-yard stack of the whole collection, plus a quilt backing and a couple of borders.

I also got a fat quarter stack of most of the Simply Sweet collection from Quilt Soup. I discovered it on a couple of other quilt blogs and it was love at first sight. I must say, though, it is quite the slippery sucker to track down! All of about 3 Etsy sellers carry it, so I'm still tracking down a few prints. I think it will definitely turn into a pinwheel quilt in the near future.

Wake up!

2010-04-14T18:20:00.002-04:00

So let's just say this blog has taken a little nap, so to speak. Well it's time to wake up! I'm revamping a bit and turning it into a fabulous documentation of my passion...sewing! I also apply that passion to my custom sewing business, Elena's Custom Designs. I can't promise that I won't veer off course every once in a while; I mean, a girl needs some interior design and maybe some reality show trash sometimes.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you stay to enjoy!

Sharpie decor.

2009-07-06T12:56:00.004-04:00

Talk about patience and talent! This guy decorated his entire basement using only $10 worth of Sharpie markers! Unbelievable. And to think, I have enough trouble picking out a paint sample. For shame.

Look Love.

2009-07-02T09:37:00.004-04:00

Apparently, this amazingly fabulous dress is being used as a beach cover-up here. So pretty and feminine and I just adore girly ruffly stuff!

{via Sartorialist}

Crafty time!

2009-07-01T15:54:00.002-04:00

You know, sometimes it just feels like a girl can't win! I had this fabulous idea a few months back to take those gorgeous knobs at Anthropologie and install them on a wall as hooks. I would use them to hang all my fave bag creations. Then today my girl Raygan and I were admiring said knobs and I told her to put them on a piece of wood and hang them in her kitchen. Now I'm catching up on my Google Reader and here it is on Design Sponge--idea all written up and photographed. Ah well, less work for me to figure it out now!

Look love.

2009-07-01T10:15:00.004-04:00

I love yellow! Almost as much as I love pink. I love seeing it here featured as a main part of the look. Let's call it "the bumblebee."
{via Sartorialist}

Cool stop motion film.

2009-06-29T10:04:00.003-04:00

Super cool stop motion film I saw over on The Hotness. I love these stop motion movies and this one really takes the cake. I'd love to know how long it took him to do this!

Look Love

2009-06-29T09:49:00.005-04:00

Completely effortless, comfortable, and stylish. Love it.

{via Sartorialist}

You can't touch this!

2009-06-23T20:42:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Mindi over on Word to Your Mother for posting this little gem. I think it's an appropriate way to ring in a Friday. Have a great weekend everybody!

I'm a man, I'm 40!

2009-06-23T20:41:00.004-04:00

A clip of this was on ESPN a couple nights ago. It just makes me giggle.

Utter hilarity.

2009-05-20T15:43:00.004-04:00

A huge thanks to my fave lady over at Scented Glossy Magazines for originally posting this amazing find. Her RHNYC recaps have kept me in stitches all season. Make sure to click through to the creator's YouTube page...there are several more awesome videos, more of which I hope are to come.

How excited are we for the trashiness that is sure to be the RH New Jersey? Ah, the "opulence" of them all.

I am the winner!!!

2009-05-18T11:13:00.002-04:00

YAY! I am the winner! Thanks to EmilyStyle for having a super awesome Pirate's Booty contest. My hubby and I love Pirate's Booty, especially the Tings. This contest victory makes me feel inspired to start posting on here again. Now let's see what I can find for you...

My life has only just begun.

2009-03-06T15:16:00.005-05:00

(image via Flickr)

Let me start this off by saying that I must be a total tard for not having figured this out sooner. Why are my close-up pictures blurry? Why can't I ever capture any detail? Stumped. Until I finally did the wise thing and actually asked someone on Flickr why their pics were so much clearer than mine. The lovely Katie simply pointed out that I should try using my macro setting. Then I said, well, duh! Why didn't I think of that. Apparently that's what that stupid little flower on my camera dial is for. So now my pics will (soon) look ab fab for all to enjoy. The more you know, people. The more you know.

Big fat ego, much?

2009-03-06T15:07:00.003-05:00

I would like to preempt this post by stating that I do, of course, realize that by talking about this subject at all that I am promoting something I do not support....big fat egos.

Ok, so what is the deal with everything being preceded by "Tyler Perry's"? Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Tyler Perry's Madea does something else silly. Seriously? I get it. It was your idea, you produced it, you're the mastermind behind the genius that is humor and silliness. Are you really that insecure that your name has to be plastered all over everything? In my very mature way, I have decided to boycott because I see no reason for the name-plasterfication. That's right. It's a word and I made it up.

I guess I should just take this as a lesson: promote yourself and your all-important being at all times, no matter what. I'll change this blog to Elena's Breakfast for Dinner. My desk at work will be Elena's Desk in the Marketing Department. I may even post a little sign on my headboard that says Elena's Side of the Bed; you know, just in case hubby forgets.