Comissioned Work

I love moms (and I'm not bias because I am one or that this post centers around my own mom)...

I love moms because even when their children are in their mid thirties, they still find reasons to brag about their children's many accomplishments to those around them.

The above bag is an almost duplicate to one I gave my mother last fall when my dad was going into surgery.  I thought she would like the soft colors in Fig Tree Quilt's California Girl fabric line and that she could use something cheerful when we were both a bit on the worried side.

I made quite a few bags like this one with various scraps following Jera's (from Quilting in the Rain) quilted make-up bag tutorial for Christmas gifts last fall but of course never took any photos. A side note of this bag - is is a great scrap buster and can be modified to the size you want.

Now back to bragging mothers.  While on a weekend adventure with high school friends my mother must have showed off my gift to her.  It just so happened one of her friends loved the fabrics and the idea of the bag that size and asked if I would make one "just like it" for her.  As luck would have it - I cut out two sets of pieces for my mother's bag and stored the extra set in my scraps. Now the commissioned bag is finished and delivered to the middle man (or in this case, my mom).

A Special Quilt for a Special Girl

One of our favorite babysitters has graduated high school and is off to college in the next few weeks. 

As a special gift, I created this quilt just for her - starting with the awesome fabric line "Bella" by Lotta Jansdotter (I love the colors in this fabric line - they are perfect for a young adult).

  I used a layer cake from Missouri Star Quilt Company (have to love their daily deals) and some extra yardage for the border and binding.  The colors and prints were so fun to work with. 

And you have to love the back - I used the extra blocks to create a strip down the side.

So Cede - we wish you the very best as you venture away from the neighborhood and off to follow your own path.  Love you!

I linked this post to Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday - it is so fun (not to mention inspiritational) to see all the possibilities and creativity out on the web.

That Darn Aunt Mable...

My Favorite Square - at least for today

Let me tell you about our newest family addition... Aunt Mable.  From the rumors going around my house, she is a force to reckon with.

According to a very reliable source (Monkey 3) Aunt Mable lives in a pink house (there have been several house spottings as we have driven around town and even a very firm acknowledgement that "there's Aunt Mable's!" while at an Iowa Wedding - this woman gets around).  Aunt Mable has pink hair, a pink cat, a pink stove and even a pink washer and dryer ("Mom, why didn't you buy a pink washing machine like my Aunt Mable has?).  And of course, to throw everything for a loop - the woman has a purple dog - just when you thought you had things figured out.  When visiting Aunt Mable's, one must color her hair pink and of course wear - you guessed it - a pink dress.  (By the way - Aunt Mable's is strictly a "girls only" kind of place.)

Monkey 3 is a frequent visitor at Aunt Mable's and has grand adventures while there.  Recently, Aunt Mable added her own new addition to the family - Aunt Cindy, a little baby girl. Monkey 3 tells me that Aunt Cindy is a perfect baby who never cries, steals toys or has stinky diapers like Monkey 4.

While I want to believe I am above competing with imaginary family members, sometimes it is too hard to resist.  When I finally finished my twin stars quilt from Jelly Roll Quilts (a quilt that while pushing me beyond my sewing skills cheered me on with its reds, pinks, and aquas), apparently Bonnie and Camille's Ruby fabric was just too tempting. I barely had the binding sewn on before Monkey 3 declared the quilt to be "Aunt Mable's".

So Aunt Mable, I hope you enjoy your new quilt - and thank you for sharing it with the rest of us.

Meet Lucy

  

There's a new doll around the house. 

Purple pigtails and a happy little grin. 

 
 She's about as cute as can be (makes turning and stuffing those tiny little limbs worth the extra effort). Monkey 3 chose everything from the hair to the skirt and even the very fitting name - she has pretty good taste.





 

Oh wait! What fun is life without a best friend? So of course we had to make Andi.

Both dolls were made using the Little Sister pattern by Dolls and Daydreams. 

She has so many great doll and softie patterns.

One More Collection...

I couldn't help myself - really it was just too much fun. 







Introducing Winter's Chill.  Inspiration is the snow on Monday that reminded us Minnesotans what is headed our way.

 The colors in this collection reflect the colors of winter - greens from the pines, greys from the rocks, the bright blue of the sky, and of course soft white for the snow.  Nothing beats snuggling/sharing a blanket with a loved one (especially a little loved one) on a cold winters night - and wouldn't this fabric combination make a festive quilt to take us into the new year.

Thank you Linda and Chrissy for organizing this fun contest!

Something Festive

Thank you Grandma Lily for the old chair - we miss you 

My kitchen table needed an update for the current season.



A few months ago I bookmarked this table runner pattern created by Rebecca Silbaugh from Ruby Blue Quilting Studio for Moda Bake Shop.


 
 Originally I thought a Christmas themed charm pack would be perfect, but when I saw Fig Tree's new line Tapestry I knew a fall table runner was in order.











I love this new line and am very tempted to purchase some fat quarters to turn into a lap sized version of the Yellow Brick Road pattern for the living room upstairs.

So here is my new table runner occupying center stage until something Christmasy is made (or perhaps unpacked).

The pumpkin faces were too cute to pack up - even though Halloween was long past...

Tossing my hat in the ring...

While browsing some of my favorite quilt/craft related blog sites I came across this contest:

  

 Now I have to admit that I already am a big fan of this fabric shop and love that they offer the option of purchasing fat quarters of every print they carry.  Now the shop is offering the chance to create your own personal collection of 8 prints as part of the Guest Curator Contest.

Here is "Elephant Parade" (perhaps this is too close to my own home - elephants stampeding throughout my house in the forms of a 1, 3, 7, and 9 year-old).

Perhaps it is my four children's obsession with all things cuddly that made the Elephant print from Tim and Beck's Jungle Bungle collection seem like the perfect starting fabric.  Wouldn't this print make a fun make-up bag?  I can already envision this bag lined with either of the red prints. Also these prints would make great fabric boxes for a toy room or child's closet. Or (okay, I'll go with the obvious) these prints would make a great baby set of bibs and burp cloths for an upcoming baby shower. 

Thank you Sew Lux for the fun contest - I think a second entry is in the making...