elemental

New Blog: Keeping a Journal

2010-05-24T10:44:00.003-04:00

Blogs are like sharks... if they don't keep moving forward, they die.

While I'm not ready to completely give up on elemental - I do want to share with you my new blog, Keeping a Journal, which I hope to be a bit more expansive, covering my love for all things design, crafty, digital or otherwise. I think I feel pigeonholed here, so hopefully this move will help.

Please wander over for a visit - its still new, so there isn't much to see!

Keeping a Journal

Typography for your iPhone, or Desktop

2009-11-13T08:30:00.001-05:00

A few favorites from the nifty designs from Typenuts.

Typography

2009-09-28T15:13:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it's all about the type.

Fabiano Hikaru Higashi

Kasper

Robin Libbrecht

To each their own, right?

2009-09-18T08:10:00.003-04:00

Okay, so maybe this is a little creepy... and perhaps it gives you the heebie jeebies and whatnot... but can you deny the beauty of these steampunk insects?

Yes, they're real insects (I believe found, not killed) outfitted by Mike Libby with tiny watch, sewing machine & typewriter parts to create tiny sculptures.

I think they're quite breathtaking. You may disagree, but to each their own, right?

Hip Housewares!

2009-09-13T17:22:00.002-04:00

I don't think I've ever wanted to to do household chores quite so much! Available from Alice Supply co!

Spotted on Hostess with the Mostess!

Social Justice

2009-09-08T09:17:00.002-04:00

Well the semester is back in swing and after a few years in the real world, I'm officially a fulltime student again... oh, and I'm also employed fulltime... and this means A HECTIC semester. Never fear, I'm loving what I'm doing and that makes it all worthwhile... but it also means that my normally crafty-blog may take a quick turn towards all the Graphic Design stuff that's currently rattling around in my head. But thats okay right? Its all about shapes and colors and messages and ART. The older I get, the more my interests blur into one big mass of LOVE.

And speaking of things I love... I bring you, "Social Justice 2008" by Luba Lukova.

Scenes from the new house!

2009-08-22T17:49:00.002-04:00

The process of moving continues... and much of my life is still boxed up! But the craft room is now officially usable (some of it is, anyway), the kitchen is usable, and the dogs have made themselves at home... so I consider that a darn good start!

Please excuse the iPhone-quality photos...!

Dorm Decor: Remake Your Space with More Than 35 Projects

2009-08-19T09:23:00.002-04:00

Its back to school time, and that means books, class schedules, long lines at the financial aid office... (ugh!) but also some opportunities for crafty goodness! I'm past dorm-living at this stage in my life- but I thought "Dorm Decor" would make a great graduation gift for my cousin, who's off to her first semester of college this fall!

I don't think she's made anything from it yet (who has time, that last free summer with your high school buds?!) - but she definitely seemed excited about it! Good luck Julie!

Speaking of cute necklaces...

2009-08-19T09:13:00.002-04:00

How about this one from lisa leonard designs?

Wedding Necklace

2009-08-19T09:09:00.003-04:00

How cute is this? I'm quite convinced I need one. Especially now that we have a date!! (Our wedding is scheduled for 09/25/10!!) Unfortunately the wedding is the reason I can't afford to be buying myself necklaces! LOL.

Available and fully customizable from Dallanonna Jewelery!

Things We Forget.

2009-08-05T15:17:00.001-04:00

Moving Boxes

2009-08-05T10:09:00.003-04:00

We're officially done moving (phew!!), and our new apartment actually has space for a craft/art/design studio/room/office thing (I need to come up with a better name for it- any ideas?)...

However... since it is decidedly the least imperative of all the rooms (just SLIGHTLY below the bathroom in importance I think), it is currently the room where all of our unpacked boxes are stored. Ugh.

I'm so torn between the desire to just relax awhile and not start sorting through all that stuff I spent so much time meticulously packing just a few short weeks ago... and the desire to have my studio space all set up and ready.

Ah well, maybe we'll make a dent it in this weekend?

Chills... and a freebie!

2009-07-15T09:34:00.004-04:00

Does anyone else just get chills when they see gorgeous fabrics used in breathtaking projects... oh, I could stare at the eye candy at Sis Boom for hours!

And then they give us the gift of a free pattern??!! Be still my heart!

I need these...

2009-07-15T09:07:00.004-04:00

Seriously... we're picking up the keys to our new apartment TONIGHT and this would be perfect for our bathroom door... the only thing thats holding me back is that we haven't decided on paint colors yet!

You can choose your own paper colors/designs when special ordering from mooza's etsy shop!

Pinch of Spice...

2009-07-13T11:03:00.002-04:00

I know its more of a Fall pallette- but I just can't help it, I LOVE this quilt. The colors are just so delicious... like rolling in a pile of leaves, the epitomy of New England autumns...

Full kit available from the Fat Quarter Shop!

I just love it...

2009-07-13T08:54:00.003-04:00

Coming very shortly to Betz White's Etsy Shop, a brand new 100% organic cotton and hemp blend home dec line of 5 different prints... I think it's gotta be FATE that I'll be decorating my new apartment next month!

Porch Pots Quilt

2009-07-10T13:24:00.001-04:00

How irresistible! This is Porch Pots by "Quilt Soup", and you can win a kit by commenting on Kati Cupcake's blog. Good luck!!

i heart checkers

2009-07-08T12:35:00.002-04:00

Free pattern/instructions for this ADORABLE checkerboard available from i heart linen.
I just love everything she does- so take a few minutes to look through some of the other great stuff on her blog!

Rag Quilt Letters Tutorial

2009-07-08T08:57:00.002-04:00

Jessica from Happy Together originally came up with this project to help her daughter learn her letters... but I just can't stop seeing an amazing alpha-rag-quilt in the making... a tutorial for the letters is available here!

Cuteable Finds!

2009-07-07T10:40:00.002-04:00

Cuteable is a blog run by husband and wife team Lynsey and Matt. Matt is in charge of the technical side of the site and Lynsey is in charge of the day to day running and the fun part - finding the cute to share!

Here are some cuties I recently spotted on Cuteable!

Turtle Mary Jane Shoes from Em And Sprout's Shop... yes ladies, they ARE adult sized!

This scrappy hat from Left Leg Design's Shop... this is a children's hat, but they do seem to offer special requests, so maybe they could whip one up in an adult size?!

Brilliant, just brilliant!! This is a "drop in"... you put all your purse "stuff" into it, then when you want to swap bags, just pull it out and drop it into your new one! I have so many oversized bags that I love- but my stuff just rolls around inside... these are available from ARTE DUBAI's Shop...

I'm not normally one for button-jewelry... but this "April Showers" necklace is enchanting... from Edith and Lulu's shop...

Ladybug Tape Measure and Leaf Scissor

2009-07-06T08:47:00.003-04:00

PDF pattern for this adorable set available from betzwhite's etsy shop!

Quilted Grocery Bag Dispenser

2009-06-30T08:13:00.000-04:00

I've seen grocery bag dispensers done a million times before... but I'm a sucker for anything quilted!

Check out the tutorial from moda bakeshop!

Warm Fuzzy Mammel Finger Puppets

2009-06-29T14:58:00.000-04:00

I know I've posted some soto softies here before, but this time... there's a tutorial!

Little iccle Creatures

2009-06-29T10:58:00.000-04:00

The button eyes get me every time... Check out these Little iccle Creatures from Abigail Brown.

She's got some more adorable stuff available on her etsy.

Super-Cute Alphabet Embroidery!

2009-06-29T08:11:00.000-04:00

Patterns on sale at penguin & fish!

Is there anything on earth cuter then baby shoes?!

2009-06-29T08:03:00.002-04:00

And these are quite possibily the cutest baby shoes I've ever seen...

A video tutorial for making your own here, or pick them up premade, at Pretty Little Etsy Shop!

How to Make Scrappy Hedgerow Blocks

2009-06-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

Everything I ever learned about quilting, I learned from my Memere and oh, fransson!

Whoa Mamma!

2009-06-27T20:25:00.000-04:00

Check out this awesome Stacking Boxes/Nesting Cubes from Sew, Mamma, Sew!! I'm having difficulty not picturing them in every single room of our new house. Oh, did I mention we're moving? My life is pretty much all about boxes these days... and they're nowhere as cute as these!

You Can Make This Tunic

2009-06-27T08:22:00.000-04:00

Most of the cutest clothing patterns I find out there are for kids... but this one is most certainly for adults, (Adult Sizes XS (0-2) through 3X (24W-26W)).

Its available for download (you print and assemble the pattern yourself) at YouCanMakeThis.

Pretty Little Birdie...

2009-06-26T11:57:00.002-04:00

A fresh new look at fanny packs from Pretty Little Things...

Melly & me... and Clucky!

2009-06-26T08:44:00.003-04:00

I cannot say enough good things about Melly & me. Their patterns are just fantastic, both in logistics and design. Whenever anyone comes into my studio space, the first thing they pick up every single time is my Mrs Perkins Giraffe. This is usually followed by them begging me to make them their very own!

My new obsession is Clucky...

And I actually did a little dance when I heard they have a new book coming out...!!!

Neglect!

2009-06-26T08:12:00.002-04:00

More then two months!!! How neglectful I am!

If its any consolation, its been about that long since I spent any quality time with my crafting... things have been crazy!!

But, recently my favorite blogs, stores and designers seemed to have noticed my absence. They've been reaching out through the internet and into my email box to notify me of new sales, projects, newsletters... and I can't ignore them anymore!!!

So here's one I had to share with you:

Instructions on how to make a reversible fabric bowl! Totally cute, AND useful!

Green and Brown Wedding

2009-04-12T20:38:00.003-04:00

I've been spending quite a bit of time making wedding plans lately. Just searching through sites for ideas, advice, locations, dresses... you name it!!

One thing we've already settled on is our colors. We're going to go with green & brown. More specifically- earthy/mossy kinds of green, and a chocolate brown.

I'm now officially on the lookout for decor items, ribbons, fabrics... anything I come across that might come in handy! So I figured I'd do one of my fun Etsy.com mosaics with a "Green & Brown" theme! Links to where you can buy items are located below- buying handmade items from Etsy is SO rewarding!

1. Brown and Green Spring Notecard 2. LuxeLetters 3. Brown Apple Deuce Beanie 4. Camera Lens Bag 5. Chandelier Pleated Bag 6. Chocolate Mint Springtime Necklace 7. Villa Pocket Wedding Invitation 8. Ring Bearer Nest with Birds 9. Moss Scarflette/Headband 10. Paper Geography Mini 11. Rusty Apple Bulky Falkland 12. The Alice in Brown Damask 13. Hand Painted Picture Frame 14. Evergreen Wood Sprite Scarf 15. Lime and Chocolate Bohemian Necklace 16. Simplicity Necklace 17. Two Skinny Leaves Wood Pendant 18. Mushroom Zipper Pouch 19. Tiny Maple Tree Pin 20. Green and Brown Tote

Quilted Baby Bibs

2009-03-29T19:47:00.002-04:00

Wow- its been awhile huh! I've been so neglectful to not only my blog- but even my craft studio! A fine layer of dust seems to have gathered on both... I'm doing my best at some spring cleaning.

In my defense, I've been quite busy the past couple months. I'm still going to school part-time for graphic design (and on the Dean's List, I may add). I'm still working fulltime... and I just recently got ENGAGED! So wedding plans are creeping into my schedule. I'm hoping to do much of our wedding DIY style- so at least the studio will get some work then!

In the meantime, my friends just seem to keep having those kids... and I've been meaning to whip up a batch of my favorite reversible quilted baby bibs. These are just so adorable, and I hope, potential family heirlooms... or at least good enough to be hand-me-downs.

I did up a batch of four little boy bibs for a woman I work with that is expecting very soon...

And their reverse sides...

And I had some bibs suitable for a baby girl almosty finished- so I went ahead and got those done too...

I promise to try and be around more often... my craft days are few and far between these days... but just so good for the soul!!

Quilty Afternoon....

2009-01-31T19:33:00.003-05:00

Working on another baby quilt... and I've officially decided that the most difficult part of making a quilt is making the decisions!

As you can see below- I'd already finished three sets of the blocks when I was trying to choose more fabrics. Normally I choose them all at once, but in this case I've already finished two other blocks- but then decided that I hated them and took them apart... now I'm trying to decide what to replace them with...

Alright, decision made...

And now we're in the "Wait and See" stage where I lay everything out on a table, and spend a couple days walking into the room, looking at the blocks and walking back out. In about 48 hours, I'll either decide I love it and move on to quilting, or I'll hate it and we'll go back to the drawing board!

This photo is awful- the lighting is bad... but I do think I'm leaning towards loving it. My quilts always take a little time to grow on me, but I've yet to finish one I haven't absolutely adored in the end... so I've got big hopes for this little guy!

I buy every pattern this woman makes...

2009-01-30T13:49:00.003-05:00

Because they are gorgeous... and so well written. Also, she emails them to you, so there's the instant gratification factor. Did I mention they're gorgeous?!

Mix Tape Quilt Pattern, available from OhFransson.

Ira Glass & This American Life

2009-01-29T10:38:00.005-05:00

Sometimes things just fall into place... like last night my boyfriend and I popped in our brand-spankin new copy of the This American Life television show (season #2!), then this morning he sent me a link for an interview with Ira Glass (the host of both the radio & TV versions of TAL), and then to complete the trifecta, I stumbled across a link in Something's Hiding in Here Blog to make your own Ira Glass's glasses.

Well now that I have a crafty tie-in, I figure the message is that I need to share with you my love for This American Life.

TAL is originally a radio show, broadcast on NPR out of Chicago. If you're a public radio junkie like me, you've likely heard it weekends on whatever your personal NPR station of choice, between Weekend Edition and Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me! (both of which I highly recommend!)

However, if you're less into NPR and more into your iTunes, don't worry, there's a free podcast weekly.

The basic premise is that every week (since 1995!), Ira shares a short story that intoduces a theme for the hour-long program. The rest of the hour is a collection of 1-4 different stories told by real people, about things that have happened in their lives based around that theme. The stories are almost always riveting. You laugh, you cry, you see a new perspective on things you once thought you understood. Sometimes they do specials- like a couple done recently on the economic crisis, where they interviewed people involved directly on Wall Street, and those effected directly on Main Street. I learned more in those two hour-long segments then I have in 6 months of trying to desperately follow and understand the news from a myriad of sources.

I find myself constantly sharing these stories with friends and family. My boyfriend and I listen to the podcasts in the car on the weekend- sometimes more then once they're so good.

And then a couple years ago the show made the leap to television. They continued the radio show- much to my relief, because they understand that TV isn't necessarily better, its just different. Some stories lend themselves to being seen- and Ira & the producers on TAL have really figured out the formula in season 2.

So grab some scissors, make yourself a pair of uber-nerdy Ira Glass glasses, and download a podcast or two. I promise, you'll be hooked.

Snow Kisses

2009-01-18T08:57:00.002-05:00

It just keeps coming down around here... the two-legged family members are tired of the cold and snow... but for the four-legged furballs, it just never seems to get old.

Here is Zack giving Kaya some brotherly kisses... I think it was about 3 seconds before he tackled her and stole her toy. Gotta love big brothers!

Fabric Shop Recommendation

2009-01-17T08:45:00.007-05:00

With everything going on in the economy, plus some personal finance stuff, I've been trying to cut way back on my fabric shopping habits. It would probably be less painful for me to cut back on nonessentials- like food, air and water, because there is nothing I love more then getting the new lines in-hand as soon as they're released. I could spend an entire day washing, pressing and organizing my new editions... and then of course it takes forever to get the strength to actually cut into them! I know, I'm a little crazy, but I just love fabric. I blame my Memere (French-Canadian word for Grandmother), she's got a serious fabric problem that she instilled upon at a young age!

Well anyway, I'm starting to feel a little bad that during these lean times I'm leaving my absolute favorite fabric shop, fabricworm, out to dry... so I wanted to take a minute to recommend them to you! If you are looking for the latest, greatest, and most reasonably priced fabrics by Heather Ross, Heather Bailey, Alexander Henry, Amy Butler, Erin McMorris, Jay McCarroll... or patterns by Sandi Henderson... or tons of others, then fabricworm is the place for you.

Cynthia, the shopkeeper, is a stay-at-home mother that is using etsy to make a living (how many of us dream of that!). She puts together the most amazing collections of quarter, half or full yard fabric pieces, sometimes covering an entire line and sometimes combining lines in ways that you can always trust will look amazing when they arrive in the mail (don't you just hate when fabrics look like they will match online, but in-hand look awful together?!).

And perhaps the best thing about her, is that she is always more then happy to make a change to an order or fulfill special requests. When the new Amy Butler home-dec line came out- she even sold me 4x4inch swatches of every single fabric in it, so I could play with the designs on my furniture and decide which ones I wanted to use!

Oh, and right now she's selling Amy Butler's Daisy Chain at $7 a yard, while supplies last. That's the line I'm using to make this quilt...
Happy shopping!

Good Folks - by Anna Maria Horner

2009-01-16T20:12:00.002-05:00

The newest line from Anna Maria Horner, Good Folks, is an excellent followup to the gorgeous Garden Party line, and would be a fantastic collection to use while exploring her recent book, Seams to Me. I love everything this woman does!

In her words: Good Folks was inspired by various sets of things, but all of the notions in my mind had kindness involved. Odd? Perhaps. But can't think of how else to say it. Old European linens. Family. Hand-loomed wool bedspreads. Meals. Fields. Embroidery. Needlepoint kits that I spent summers in Greece as a child occupied with. The icons of the village churches. Layer upon layer of mismatched bed linens piled on top of my floor palette in the upper room of my Yiayia's house to keep me warm even though it was the middle of the summer. Tablecloths drying in the sun. Memories of what my cousin's dowry of linens looked like. All the details. All the work. All the warmth. All the good wishes. Weddings. Wine. Love. Goodness.

Coraline

2009-01-14T12:35:00.002-05:00

I am so very excited!

Jay McCarroll - Garden Friends

2009-01-12T11:01:00.004-05:00

Wow, its been awhile huh?!! The holidays around here have been crazy… in between the normal family get-togethers, shopping, cooking, etc… we also had to plan a 5-day trip to Boston for a conference the day after Christmas, the repeated issues with my car (you wouldn’t believe the story if I told you!), and then finally, an absolutely horrible head cold/sinus infection for me. Right now my craft room has been turned into the “room where I stash things I don’t have time to deal with, like wrapping paper and extra boxes from Christmas”, and little else.

But I’m not going to stress about it. I have a list of “need to finish” projects looming over my head, Christmas gifts that were given in DIY IOU style… but they will wait patiently until I’m not longer under the weather, and possibly more importantly, until we’ve had time to even take our Christmas tree down!

So in lieu of any projects, finished or otherwise, I want to talk about Jay McCarroll.

To be quite honest with you, I live under a cable rock. Our staples are Law & Order SVU, House, and whatever special is on History International or National Geographic at the time. When we do get into a prime time show, its invariably after the buzz has died down and we can watch the season on DVD through Netflix. Maybe we’re just perpetually one step behind, or maybe it’s because we just can’t be tied down to a weekly TV schedule, but either way… I have never seen a single episode of Project Runway, a show in which (I'm told, and Google has confirmed) Jay McCarroll was a winner.

He’s recently come out with a fabulous new fabric line, which I HAVE heard of, and which I’m utterly enchanted by.

It’s called Garden Friends and its full of crazy little characters that will have you laughing in some cases, and if you’re like me, scratching your head in others!

Here are a few of my favorites, together:

I love this little guy... I've dubbed his look "Kitschy Steampunk".

Some fantastic "Doodle Birds"...

And the head-scratcher... an LSD Bunny print? I love it. I think.

Snowpuppies!

2008-12-20T10:15:00.003-05:00

Winter doesn't officially start until tomorrow...
But after having 11+ inches dumped on our house, I'm willing to greet our great cold season a day early. And so are our little snowpuppies!

This is our first big storm since Kaya came to live with us. I was excited to see how she might react- and I was not disappointed!

Like I did as a child, she sees the snow as one huge excuse to romp and play... sticking her nose into the snow and tossing it upward with a swing of her head. She even got me & her big brother Zack to join in the fun. Usually he & I both prefer to stay inside where its warm and dry... enjoying the beauty of the snow- without all the cold...

But who can resist this face?!

Sunflower Bag

2008-12-19T17:36:00.002-05:00

Quite awhile go a friend of mine asked me to make her a bag... the catch? She wanted me to use an old family cross-stitch project as the center of the bag. Eeep.

It took me forever to work up the courage to start on the project- and even throughout, I was terrified of accidentally cutting into the cross-stitch (which is beautifully done, btw!). I even managed to do the whole thing in such a way that if they happen at any point to want to free the cross-stitch from the bag, they could without damaging it. That was important to me, just in case!

It also took me forever to figure out the right way to do the project... I didn't want to simply make a bag and sew the sunflower to the front... so I made a sort of quilt block out of the sunflower piece, and four pieces of fabric framing it. Corduroy, to be specific. I felt like the cross-stitch needed a heavier, more textured fabric for its frame.

I even branched out and used strap buckles for the first time... once I started the whole bag sort of designed itself in my mind, and then went off without a hitch. I am so pleased with the result!!

Coping...

2008-12-15T17:14:00.005-05:00

Things are always hardest around the holidays, I find. Its like taking all of the stress in your everyday life and turning it up a notch.

And then turning it up another notch.

I saw this photo today, and fell in love... its by Robert Socha Photography. Available on etsy, here.
The title says it all, I think...

"Coping"

An early gift...

2008-12-11T22:35:00.005-05:00

The holiday season is alive and well in our house tonight... egg nog, Christmas shows...

And a puppy just begging for an early gift...

Luckily I was prepared, and pulled out a little stuffy with "Naughty" on one side, "Nice" on the other. Guess which side Kaya preferred?

But doesn't she look appreciative? What a smile!

But she spent all day playing in doggy daycamp- and care barely muster the energy to play with her new toy...

Good thing it functions as a pillow too...

Sweet dreams!

Felted Gnome

2008-12-09T22:19:00.003-05:00

Kate over at two little banshees felted this little dude recently...

I'm just head over heels for him... I'm also half-convinced I could head out into the woods of my backyard and find one of these guys hiding among the mosses... anyone up for a hike?

Brick Path Quilt

2008-12-07T19:23:00.005-05:00

Today was the first significant snowfall of the year... the this is the view from my craft studio window...

The perfect afternoon for some quilting... which I haven't had time to do since I finished my "Apples and Pears" baby quilt last weekend (which the recipient seemed to adore, btw)...

This quilt is going to be a Christmas gift, if I can get it done in time... the finished size will be around 6 feet square... my largest project so far, by far!

Its a collection of Amy Butler's Daisy Chain fabrics... using her free Brick Path Quilt pattern.

I've been waiting to try this one out for awhile now... but man, it is large... I finished all of the cutting and about half of the piecing today... the countdown to Christmas has begun!!

FINISHED!!!! (with pattern link & review)

2008-12-01T10:27:00.007-05:00

I've finished it!!! The baby quilt I started on November 16th (two weeks is a record time for me, btw, nothing like quilting on a tight schedule!)... is officially done!

In case you haven't been following from the beginning, it is the quilt pattern from oh fransson that I first introduced here. I just love how it turned out, and I recommend it to anyone (especially since at the "download and print it yourself" price, its a steal!).

The piecing was very forgiving- the pattern actually calls for 1/2 an inch to be cut from each side of each block after its been stitched together- and I found this completely negated any little issues I had with matching up my pieces exactly. I may even try to work this trick into any future quilts I make...

The binding is the best I've ever done- but it was the one part of the quilt I didn't enjoy doing- as I had to finish it by hand. Terrible on the fingers- but it just looks so professional and gorgeous- I can't come up with a better way!

Oh... and one significant change I made to the instructions was the back. The original calls for you to quilt the top to just the batting, and then add a super-soft minky backing to the quilt when you add the binding. Since I've recently gained access to a long-arm quilting machine that requires a three-part sandwich (and won't let me just quilt the top to the batting), I decided to do mine in the more traditional style. I'm sure the minky back would have been great though. I also skipped the applique because I didn't want to either quilt over the design- or stitch it on after I quilted and have the stitches show through to the back. This issue doesn't come up if you use the originally minky-backed pattern!

The one change I might consider for future quilts is adding 1/4 inch to the sides of the blocks that end up on the edges of the quilt. I know its such a little thing that would add SO much confusion to the cutting and piecing stages- but I don't love that the blocks around the outer edge end up with one side thinner then the others... am I just being WAY too picky?

My next project...

2008-11-30T22:09:00.002-05:00

Only an hour or two from finishing my current quilt... and I'm already prepping my fabric for the next one...

This one will be based on Alexander Henry's "2D Zoo"... such a cute & fun fabric!

Binding...

2008-11-30T22:05:00.002-05:00

Man do I hate sewing by hand...

But the results on my binding are just so very worth it...

Much better then I could have done by machine... so my fingers will pay the price- ouch!

Crafternoon!

2008-11-30T09:32:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I was lucky enough to have three fabulous & crafty ladies over for an afternoon of food, fun, and of course, crafts!

Tracy, Nici (of ArtShapedWorld) and I made faux-quilted holiday ornaments from scrap fabric & styrofoam balls...

As Nici demonstrates here, the first step is to use a sharpie to divide your ball into 8 wedges... then you use an exacto knife to make deep cuts on those lines...

Then you take your leaf-shaped piece of fabric and using the back of your knife, press it into the cuts you've made...

Tracy is showing us that here on her gorgeous ornament... I just loved this one, so retro-modern! The fabric she's using are all Chez Moi by Moda... and they match her shirt pretty well too!

When you're crafting, even a mess can look beautiful & inspiring!

Here are two of the ornaments that I made...

And the very talented Nici's collection! She's so great with embellishments!

Sarah was working on some crocheted Christmas gifts...

Some very lucky recipients if you ask me... can you believe she only picked up her first hook this past summer?

How I spent "Black Friday"...

2008-11-28T16:32:00.002-05:00

Almost finished now... just the binding to go.

I'm thankful for these cookies...

2008-11-27T19:24:00.001-05:00

Sure, they’re delicious. They’re soft and moist and oh-so-chocolately. But that’s not why they make me so very thankful.

These cookies are a (secret) family recipe- specifically my boyfriend’s mother’s recipe. And I’m thankful because my wonderful boyfriend (of just over two years) has come into my life, cookie recipe in hand, and made it better. In fact, he’s made it amazing, wonderful & perfect.

And so these cookies, once served only at his own family’s holidays, have now started making appearances at my family celebrations. My father, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmother- they all enjoy these delicious treats, and as they do, our families are brought together. My family becomes his, and his becomes mine. We all become connected.

Just another way my life is sweeter since he came along.

Thank you so much!!!

2008-11-25T21:15:00.003-05:00

Thank you all for encouraging me to move forward with this quilt... after a couple days of soul searching, I decided that so many experienced crafters can't be wrong! Besides, I really do love this quilt, and I'm now quite sure that its my love for it that is making me second and third guess myself...

Nonetheless- I went ahead tonight and sewed those blocks together and now it is looking just gorgeous!!

So thank you all for your support, opinions and comments. I appreciate them all so much!

Oh, and when is blogger going to come up with a fix and make it easier to actually reply personally to all the great comments I get?

Need Your Opinion! Please?

2008-11-23T22:02:00.002-05:00

So here is where my "Simple Modern Baby Quilt" is right now... the "wait and see" stage. Thats the point that I've finished all my piecing, and I lay the quilt out with the squares in the proper order. Then I come back periodically over the course of a couple days or a week and decide how I feel about it. I find that directly after spending hours and hours cutting and piecing, my view is different then it will be after I wait a bit and come back to it.

Unfortunately, I never get to see it through the eyes of someone who isn't me... which is where you come in... I need an honest opinion before I commit these squares to my quilt. Its meant as a gift- so I want it to be a nice as possible. The thing I'm having trouble with tonight is the light pink blocks I have around the main "Apples & Pears" fabric. Is it the wrong shade of pink? Do I need to go darker? Pinker? As long as the comments are constructive, I'm happy to accept some criticism.

Please share your thoughts!! Thank you!!!

My First Quilting Lesson!!!

2008-11-22T18:23:00.011-05:00

Today I headed out to my neighborhood quilting shop- Jigglestitch, where I had scheduled a lesson on their giant sewing machine, the HQ Sixteen. Talk about intimidating- compared to this thing, my little home Janome is teeny tiny.

The lesson started with about an hour of cleaning the machine, threading the machine, and setting up the three layers of my quilt. I know it was all necessary- but imagine the anticipation, by the time we turned it on, I was really chomping at the bit!!

Its different then normal machines in that you lay your quilt material out, and then move the actual sewing machine around it, instead of vice versa. Its steered using two handles (an upper or lower set, depending on what kind of design you're doing). The whole thing just sort of floats along, and its kind of disconcerting at first- but I got it after a short while. You can set up a laser-pointer on top of the machine and use it to trace out designs, or you can use a special set of plates and a kind of stylus that moves within grooves in the plates. I also know the computer part mounted on top of the machine can do a number of automatic things- but they weren't covered in my lesson.

I was concerned at first that all the real "hands on" things I love about sewing would be too automated with this machine. For that reason- I sort of really dislike the plate & computer methods. I like to work directly on my quilt- not on plates, or worse, let the computer do everything for me. So unsurprisingly, I really took to the free motion quilting. It was very similar to quilting on my home machine. Just much, much easier.

My first attempts at free motion quilting were all about getting a feel for the weight and movement of the machine.

My doodling skills were put to great use here...

I couldn't get over how much freedom of movement I had!!

I took to meandering (or stippling) really quickly... and it was my favorite thing to do, both in practice and results. It was sort of zen, just doodling around and around, making loops and lines... and I think it really looks great! I can't wait to try it on a real quilt.

This was some more random practice- trying to make some really tiny designs using the lower handles on the machine.

And here is my full finished practice quilt (five hours of work!). I'm feeling pretty proud of myself, I may even give this monstrosity a binding and hang it up on my wall for the sake of posterity. Besides, it sort of makes me giggle!

Adorable Drawstring Pouch w/Carrying Strap

2008-11-19T15:41:00.002-05:00

Here is a cute little bag tutorial for you, created by orange flower... I haven't tried it yet, but the instructions look super-easy to follow (lots of great photos!), and as you can see below, the bag is just adorable!!!

Du nähst wirklich wunderschöne Sachen!!!

2008-11-17T08:16:00.003-05:00

A comment left on my blog recently, translating from German into the English "You sew really beautiful things!!!".

I never really thought about how crafting overcomes language barriers... but I've seen enough gorgous fabrics from across the world to know that whether its schön, όμορφος, bello, 美しい, bonito, hermoso or beau... this stuff is beautiful in any language.

I know that "Elemental" has some pretty dedicated fans in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, New Zealand, Brazil, Spain, Oman, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Malaysia, Greece, Singapore, Bulgaria, Argentina, Turkey, Isreal, Finland & Mexico... and I just wanted to give a big "Hello!" to everyone out there that is visiting, linking and commenting. I'm so glad to have you as my guests!

Simple Modern Baby Quilt Weekend...

2008-11-16T20:58:00.003-05:00

Well, I didn't lock myself in the craftroom ALL weekend (just a good chunk of it)... and I didn't quite FINISH the Simple Modern Baby Quilt (just a good chunk of it). Two of the main colors are pink and green... you can see some of my cut squares here waiting to be stitched together.

I really need to learn to read instructions more carefully before I begin- I wasted a couple hours cutting 12 of each square, when I only needed 6. Oh well, maybe I'll make a second quilt with them someday!

Rainy Day Quilting

2008-11-15T20:56:00.001-05:00

Spent part of this rainy day in my craft studio... quilting up some adorable baby bibs. They're not quite finished yet- but I do hope to have them up on etsy soon!

Heather Mulder Peterson Patterns

2008-11-14T18:47:00.001-05:00

Here is someone I just happened up on in a post at Craftgossip... her name is Heather Mulder Peterson, and apparently she just came out with some new patterns. Well, I wasn't even aware of her old patterns, until now. Oh Heather- where have you been all my life?! I love these!!! You can pick them up here. She also has an excellent blog that I'll be sure to add to my lists...

Free Quilt Pattern!

2008-11-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

From Chickpea Sewing Studio... its made with 56 four-inch squares... and of course some white!

oh fransson quilt pattern- finally!!

2008-11-14T08:10:00.002-05:00

All week, Elizabeth from oh fransson has been tempting and teasing us with sneak peaks of her new quilt pattern, a Simple Modern Baby Quilt. I can honestly tell you- I've never awaited a pattern with so much excitment. I actually woke up this morning and thought, first thing, "Oh yay!!! Its quilt pattern day!!!". Thank goodness she's an early riser and the pattern is already up at her etsy shop!!

It is a 33-page pdf tutorial that includes full color, step-by-step instructions for simple patchwork quilts with luxurious chenille or microfiber fleece backs and adorable animal appliqués. Finished quilts are approximately 40” square – the perfect size to take along in a car seat or stroller!

Would it be terribly rude for me to cancel all of my plans this weekend in order to lock myself into my studio and try out this pattern?!

Free Amy Butler Holiday Patterns!

2008-11-13T18:37:00.001-05:00

Some gorgeous new patterns available from Amy Butler just in time for the holidays. Best of all- they're FREE!

Tula Pink - Neptune!

2008-11-13T12:53:00.002-05:00

The much awaited Neptune collection from Tula Pink has finally arrived!! Much to my excitement- its similar to Flutterby in that it has tiny little creatures peaking out from the designs... just look at those adorable sea turtles!!

"Boy oh Boy" Baby Quilt

2008-11-06T22:17:00.002-05:00

A woman I work with commissioned me to make a quilt for her grandson (who is on the way soon!). I used "Boy oh Boy" by Lakehouse. Some of the fabrics have a really great shimmer to them... I really enjoyed working with them!

It's a tie-quilt... I'm still working on my free motion quilting technique, and I wasn't ready to take on a full quilt.

It's got a pretty high loft- she wanted it to be "really fluffy & thick". The binding gave me some trouble- but ultimately, I think it ended up pretty cozy!!

They really loved it, and have already commissioned a second one!!

The Most Important American Election of our Generation

2008-11-04T18:56:00.006-05:00

Some of my favorite crafty websites have a message I wanted to share with you...

i heart linen

Just Something I Made

Plush-a-holic

feeling stitchy

(Inside a Black Apple)

Tula Pink - Neptune

2008-10-30T10:10:00.004-04:00

Tula Pink is very quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite designers... she's the brilliant mind behind Flutterby, Full Moon Forest & Nest...

And her newest line, Neptune, is so close I can almost taste it...

Speaking of tasty- how delicious is this Neptune quilt she created for the Houston Quilt Market?

Shame on me...

2008-10-29T11:28:00.000-04:00

I've been procrastinating for way too long on the Spare a Square Scrap Challenge I joined awhile back... the problem is, the more I look at the amazing things my fellow challengers are coming up with- the less willing I am to finally cut into my own scraps! I worry about screwing up!

I know, I know... how badly can you screw up scraps? Thats what I need to keep telling myself... the worse that can happen is I'll end up with more scraps!

Here are some of the gorgeous things created in the challenge so far...

1. Scrap Challenge, 2. My take on the Ugly Fish, 3. Scrap Challenge Pin, 4. Scrap Challenge - Home Pillow, 5. the shirt, 6. ::scrap challenge:: group 6, 7. snug as a grub in a rug - group 4, 8. Spare a Square Scrap Challenge Results 002, 9. Owl 1, 10. spare a square scrap challenge, 11. scrap challenge wall hanging - close up, 12. Scrap Challenge brooches

The reason I love my job...

2008-10-28T14:45:00.003-04:00

... is because this little devil gets to come in and hang out with me while I work...

Her brother Zack, much prefers to hang out with the other dogs in Doggy Daycamp... but Kaya would rather be with me...

And today, a 5 month old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog named Ginger is here and up for a game of "Tug"...

This is the view I get from my desk... they just play, and play, and play....

Its nearly impossible for any of us to have a REALLY bad day...

Awww... look at all that puppy love!!!

Graphic Design Project - Type "Face"

2008-10-28T08:39:00.003-04:00

Basically this assignment was to use letters to create a face. There were a number of specific rules to follow for each face, such as using "san serif, capital letters for hair". I won't go into those, because I'm sure your not interested!!

But then we did have to write a little "story" to give each face a personality & character. I'd like you to meet Jacques & Eve.

The secrets of fusible interfacing revealed!!

2008-10-28T07:54:00.006-04:00

Kathy of Pink Chalk Studio takes us step-by-step through her interfacing methods...

I particularly love the advice "Enjoy the zen of fusible interfacing while watching the birds outside and listening to a book on tape". Personally I tend to "Enjoy the zen of fusible interfacing while watching Gilmore Girls episodes on DVD". How do you pass the time while crafting?

And speaking of interfacing... for those interested, the demise & rebirth of TimTex! (Unfortunately, I hear Amy Butler has already gone through the trouble of rewriting all her patterns with alternate interfacing options... she's the Timtex queen!)

Want some bats in your belfry?

2008-10-27T22:07:00.003-04:00

Free pattern & instructions for making this batty little guy available at Soto Softies!

Amy Butler Preview: Midwest Modern II

2008-10-21T21:37:00.002-04:00

I just found this fantastic tidbit at True Up... Amy Butler's upcoming line, Midwest Modern II!!

The Fall 2008 Hancock’s of Paducah catalog contains a preview of Amy Butler’s next line, Midwest Modern II. It is a mixture of new and reworked/recolored prints from earlier lines. I'm sure we're going to hear more from the Houston Quilt Market!

In Black and White by Faye Burgos

2008-10-20T10:06:00.005-04:00

In Black and White is a fabulous new fabric line that shows just how ornate and interesting patterns can be when just using two solid colors...

The most exciting thing about this line is the "Strip It" the fabric that is actually a print of all the other fabrics in the line, in strips across the yardage.

Marcus Fabrics shares some great ideas on how to use this fabric to its highest potential...

But I'm sure the possibilities are endless....!

Selvedge...

2008-10-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

Jodie over at Ric-Rac is the selvedge queen. She's been collecting pieces for a "big project", and making a couple little ones along the way...

A simple little square-selvedge purse...

A fantastic scarf I'm completely wishing I could get my hands on...

And the pièce de résistance... a gorgeous selvedge dress...

How will any of us ever throw that little "scrap" away again?!!

An Etsy Halloween...

2008-10-19T00:49:00.005-04:00

Some great finds from our favorite handmade destination!

1. Mr Owls Haunted Castle 2. Ouija Board Necklace 3. Changeable Halloween Pendant set 4. Little Witch 5. Penny the Zombie Girl 6. Knit Spookies Toy Pattern 7. Mummy Doll Pattern 8. Pumpkin Party Girl With Black Cat Treat Pail 9. Bat Pendant Necklace

Halloween Extravaganza!

2008-10-18T23:40:00.001-04:00

Over at A Fanciful Twist!! Be sure to check out the festivities!

...and puppy dog tails!!

2008-10-18T09:23:00.002-04:00

Its a snail kinda day!!

And we have this adorable guy from My Paper Crane (love that bow tie!!)...

This modern-style shell-dweller, from Soto Softies... (anyone else craving soft-served ice cream?!)

And last but not least, this cozy critter, from Ric Rac (tutorial included on her site!!!)...

And I just love the various ways these ladies interpreted the same tiny bugger... so much creativity!

Modern-Style Baby Dreamcatcher

2008-10-17T08:59:00.004-04:00

Every now and then someone comes up with an entirely new idea, by building on a very old one. This dreamcatcher by Lulu Carter is the perfect example- I'd be willing to bet you've never seen one quite like this.

I just love how it incorporates scraps and flowers and other small pieces- the way an actual bird does when building its nest. And the bird? Just adorable!!!

Before & After Shoji Screen

2008-10-16T10:18:00.002-04:00

Dawn from The Gahan Girls came upon this very boring & plain screen at a local craft store. Noticing it was damaged, she made an offer and took it home for a fraction of the original price...

And then she did a full-on crafter upgrade on it...

And came up with this gorgeous piece... I'm speechless, really.

More details available on her blog...

Linen Coasters for Halloween

2008-10-16T10:03:00.000-04:00

There is just something about linen. It feels so soft and natural. So pure and clean somehow...

These are some fantastic linen coasters by Green Jello. I love them in their simplicity. And that little ghost's socks!!!

She is good enough to share her embroidery designs here. I'd love to make my own, but I'm not sure I could ever allow myself to put a wet drink on them!

Witch's Legs Halloween Card

2008-10-15T10:10:00.002-04:00

Scrapbooking is one of those arts I love, but seem to have very little talent at. Or, it could be that I see amazing things like this Halloween card by Mish at Mish Mash, and I'm so intimidated by the immense talent that I don't even know where to start.

Of course she gives so many tips & pointers, I really have no excuse... ah well, maybe for Christmas!

Amy Butler's Daisy Chain - Official Release

2008-10-14T08:35:00.002-04:00

I know I've already posted about AB's newest line, Daisy Chain, but now that its officially been released, I wanted to share the full collection with you. Amy tells us that "Daisy Chain is embellished with artistic flourishes that give a nod to our free-spirited past. The line is filled with earthy chic prints with a modern folk feel that harmonize in four zen-like color palettes. These romantic prints are perfect for fashion, home decor and quilting projects."

Win this Quilt!

2008-10-13T22:53:00.003-04:00

Elizabeth over at Pigtails and Snails created a special quilt for the Houston Quilt Market, and she's giving away the prototype.

You can enter the contest by visiting her site here... first place winner gets, of course, the quilt... but second and third place receive the pattern so they can make their own! The contest entries will go until 7pm MST on Friday Oct 17th... so hurry on over!!

Spare a Square Scrap Challenge going strong...

2008-10-13T18:29:00.003-04:00

Back in September I signed up for the Spare a Square Scrap Challenge... and last week I rec'd a big envelope full of scraps!

The challenge organizer, JC Handmade has been excellent, and some of the participants are already finished!!!

Here is what we have in the gallery thus far...

1. Scrap Challenge Brainstorming 2, 2. Scrapy kitchen towel, 3. Scrap Challange Group 7, 4. mini quilt - group 7,
5. scrappy tin can, 6. Close Up Scrap Project Pillow - Group Two

As for my scraps? Their still sitting on my cutting table, staring at me, enticing me... I've got some thoughts for them... I'm expecting to have something finished this weekend... stay tuned!!

Sew Now, Sew Wow!

2008-10-13T16:30:00.002-04:00

How did I miss this until just now? I must be sleeping on the job because this fabric was enough to make me jump out of my seat in excitement!! (Maybe I need to get out more, but thats beside the point...)

A new Alexander Henry design, in his "Black and White" collection...

Just look at that sewing machine... and the scissors... and the zipper... and... !!!

Available right now through FabricWorm on etsy... !

Mary Poppins at My Paper Crane

2008-10-13T09:57:00.000-04:00

Heidi Kenney from My Paper Crane has started a fictional heroines series... and not only do I love that idea, I am absolutely head over heels in love with her first creation- Mary Poppins!

Keep an eye out... Pippi Longstocking is next!

Anna Maria Horner's "Seams to Me"

2008-10-12T21:52:00.000-04:00

Its not available yet... but it will be soon, and I just cannot wait! In fact, I spent about 10 minutes leaning into my screen, trying to read the text in the blurry photos Anna Maria Horner posted on her blog... to no avail!

I'll definitely be keeping you updated!

Craft Apple's Chemisette Handbag

2008-10-11T21:45:00.000-04:00

Loving this handbag pattern from Craft Apple... and the fabrics they used for this one are just luscious!!

I'm thinking about using Alexander Henry's Apples & Pears fabric... what do you think?

New Freespirit Fabric Lines...!

2008-10-10T20:27:00.002-04:00

The International Quilt Market will be held in Houston Texas, and I wanted to share with you the FreeSpirit designers that will be presenting their new fabrics at market.

First off is David Walker with his two new collections, Robots and Spring Fling. Robots is a "Charming collection of stars, rockets, robots and fun". His Spring Fling collection is a contrast to the Robots collections consisting of sweet characters such as butterflies, ducks, bees and bears.

Jenean Morrison is presenting her Moondance collection that chock full of fun patterns, perfect for quilting!!

Jay McCarroll with his upcoming collections Woodland Wonderland and Garden Friends.

And of course there is Melissa Averinos with her Sugar Snap collection that I posted about some time ago... I've been waiting a long time for this one!!!

Where have I been?

2008-10-02T09:26:00.005-04:00

Wow- its been over a week since I’ve last posted… and I’m sort of surprised to suddenly realize that. The days have been moving past in a blur- between work right now (with a HUGE conference coming up) and my class revving up to a speed that seems to increase exponentially each week… I’ve just been busy as heck! To be completely honest, there have been some really amazing quality times spent with my family in there too… I refuse to give that up- no matter how much else I have going on!

But since I haven’t had much time for combing the internet for interesting projects- or for working on any craft projects of my own… I thought I might share one of the design projects I’ve been working diligently on for school.

Step one of this project was to use black ink to hand-trace & embellish six different leaves (we were given four options for the tracings, and could choose any combination for our six). Three of the leaves had to be “realistic” and three had to be “whimsical & creative”. We couldn’t go outside the area of the given leaf, but inside, we could do anything we wished.

These are the six that I came up with.

The next step of the project is where we are now (due Monday!). We had to scan these six leaves into Adobe Illustrator and use them to illustrate nine design principles and concepts. They are; balance, unity & variety, emphasis & subordination, contrast, rhythm, minimal design, cluttered/random design, orderly design & playful design.

The difficulty comes in when we were told that for the first five principles I listed, we can’t use color… only black and various transparency levels (meaning grays). In the last four concepts we can use color- but each leaf can only be one color. We cannot change the size of the leaves. We cannot take the leaves apart into separate pieces. We cannot use any elements outside of the leaves.

This is more difficult then you might imagine! :)

I’ve “finished” five so far. I use the quotes because while I technically have something I could hand in for each- chances are I’m going to second-guess myself at least a few more times, change a couple small things, possibly change a couple of big things, and then panic that I maybe shouldn’t have changed anything at all… all the way up until about at hour before its due, at which point I will say “eh, what’s done is done” and finally let it go! :)

Amy Butler Mikasa Dinnerware

2008-09-24T13:17:00.003-04:00

"Amy's first dinnerware collection is decidedly modern shapes with vintage colors and familiar motifs lending old-world charm. Like her fabrics, it's all about layering colors, shapes and patterns for both casual and elegant entertaining."

Gorgeous, for sure... but at $139.99 for this one serving bowl... I gotta tell you, they're not going to be appearing in my house anytime soon!!

Available now through Mikasa; click here if you'd like to see the full collection.

WIP Baby Blanket

2008-09-23T16:03:00.003-04:00

I was comissioned to create a quilt for a coworker's grandson (on his way, but not here yet!).

I'm using Boy oh Boy by Lakehouse, and a disappearing nine patch pattern. The binding is giving me a bit of trouble, because I made the quilt extra-thick. I'm thinking I may have to baste before I give it another try...

Ambitions...

2008-09-23T10:07:00.003-04:00

About 3 months ago I showed up to a local Stitch & Bitch meeting with a hook, a ball of yarn, and a dream. A wonderfully nice woman spent about 30 minutes patiently showing me how to start my first crochet row, and then to doublestitch. Since that day, I've been doublestitching like crazy... and I'm very close to finishing my first project ever, a scarf! (Don't worry, once I'm done there will be more then enough photos!)

With fall coming, I'll like to amp up my skills a bit and try something new. After much "ohhing & ahhing" over the adorable fingerless gloves I've seen on Etsy, I've found a pattern that seems simple enough to try.

The free pattern is available over at Creativeyarn... and she says that "maybe it's the best pattern for people who wants to start crocheting!".

Now I just need to figure out what all those stitches are... eep! Wish me luck!

Christine's Fabulous Finds

2008-09-23T08:09:00.003-04:00

My boyfriend's sister, Christine, is a craft-junkie. I'm not sure if this is a new thing, or if its been dormant in her all along... but having her brother date someone like me has either been incredibly good for her, or possibly bad, depending on how you look at it. You see, I've gotten her addicted to Etsy.

I know, I know, all you crafters out there think this is a GREAT thing... another person perusing our projects, another potential handmade gift-giver... but considering the struggle I know I have, tearing myself away from Etsy & other craft sites (like this one!) to do mundane, boring things likes work, and school... well, I'm sure she's having her own issues with this now.

Sorry Christine! LOL!

But instead of encourage her to get back to work, I've decided to feed the addiction and share with you some of the awesome (and in some cases, a bit odd) things she's stumbled across this week. Enjoy!!

Reusable reversible coffee sleeve from the doe and the mouse

In celebration of Talk Like a Pirate Day... This Is A Painting Of Garnet The Outspoken Pirate, by the dreamy giraffe collection

A Pastel Multi-Colored Crochet Cotton Bath Puff from Earthtone's Bath

Leap40 30x30inch original oil painting by RozArt

And my personal favorite... a Tofu for Obama Plush by ChrisCreatures!!

Amy Butler - Daisy Chain

2008-09-22T19:22:00.001-04:00

A few choice cuts from Amy Butler's newest line, Daisy Chain. Its supposedly not available until October, but I've seen it a couple of places... like here, and here. Enjoy!!

Autumn comes but once a year...

2008-09-22T14:36:00.003-04:00

Autumn is, hands down, my favorite time of year. Maybe its the colors, after all, I do live in New England. Perhaps it is the cozy nights, curled up under a comfy quilt... or it could be the clothes, hoodies, scarves, jeans, boots... all the comfort of the winter, but without the frigid cold.

Its a fleeting season, to me seeming shorter each year.... so I'm going to surround myself with, and celebrate it as much as possible while its here.

As of 11:44am today, welcome Fall!!

And Hello Fall, a collection "of quilts and cozy goods" is now available from JC handmade. Enjoy!

Paintbox Quilt

2008-09-22T08:04:00.003-04:00

I've been eagerly watching the progress of Elizabeth Hartman's (of Oh Fransson) Paintbox Quilt... I'm loving her experiments with colors, the offset boxes, the strong use of white space... but then yesterday she posted photos of the back side of the quilt, which include large black applique letters, and swatches of each solid fabric she used on the front... and fell so hard for this quilt that its beyond words.

Check out her site for posts at various steps in the making...