taking a break...

to order some solids swaps, bee blocks, etc.

They won't be used together...



But wouldn't they make a tremendous quilt?

Maybe for my month over here...

Off to design a scavenger hunt.

a breather

It's April in Chicago, but this photo is from August in Vegas.

Why? one might wonder.

Because it's crazybusy around here (fundraiser--basement remodel--bee blocks--swap project--raffle quilt) and I think I might just rather be sitting by the pool, gazing at a blue sky, frozen bellini in hand.  Or maybe flying far, far away in one of those helicopters.

It'll all get done, I know.  It'll just be pretty quiet in this spot in the meantime.

See you on May 2nd.

camera dump

Also known as Christmas gifts in April.  But such is what happens when you leave your camera at a far(ish)-away friend's house, and having an extra to use in the meantime (thanks Mom!) means you have no incentive to rush to retrieve it.

The far(ish)-away friend is also mama to my Godson, and though we don't exchange anything huge at Christmastime, I wanted to give them a little something (their gift to us? The puzzle cheese cutters!):

A Dr. Seuss book and matching FP-stenciled shirt for the littler guy--
















And this bag, my first project on my new machine (had to try out the overcast stitches and the letters--kinda small, no?) for his big brother--









 






which held this random assortment for printing:
















We've got our own sunprint kit around here too, just waiting for the right collection of treasures and the perfect bright, lazy day.

autumn in the spring

Theresa's great-niece is named Autumn, so even though it was March, she wanted fallish blocks for her month of ASB.

Her color choices were so thoughtful, and though I tend to choose brighter colors when I buy fabrics, between what she sent and some scraps I'd gotten in a swap a year or so ago, I had a pretty good selection.




















As usual, the less I thought and analyzed, the better they looked.

I couldn't resist cutting into a thrift store shirt for the mulberry plaid,
















and adding in some scraps of AMH
















from this project.  Not quite fall colors, but close.

Easter

Wishing everyone a bright and wonderful day.

little things

Sheets for a swap, fresh from the dryer, ready to cut.  Top, bottom, and 2 cases, all for three bucks.

A partner for another swap.  And wondering: who has me?

the coolest birthday gift of All Time

A great friend, who was first a freshman-year-in-college next-door-neighbor, then sorority sister and next-door-neighbor-again, then after-college-roommate, then bridesmaid, then bride-who-had-me-as-a-bridesmaid,

(let me interrupt here to say that I was never a bridesmaid until after my own wedding--not sure what if anything this says about me)

has a daughter who's turning four.

We brought her this.
















Filled with these.

To use with this book, to make really delightful thumbprint creatures.  Ed Emberley is some kind of genius.

The awesome idea of pairing do-a-dots EE's book belongs to Amy from Let's Explore--she has some links to do-a-dot printables in her post--throw in a Sharpie and you're golden.  Do you ever get a pop-in-your-head idea, though, that you just can't let go?  I had one at about 7 o'clock last night...
















The pouch (clutch? bag?  not sure what to call it) is just fabric & batting sandwiched HouseonHillRoadCoffeeCozy-style, quilted TallgrassPrairieStudioUrbanGarden-style then sewn up the sides.  I tacked the flaps down, because they were flipping up like a part time job.

The exterior is a fat quarter from Connecting Threads (not so crazy about the quality of these fabrics in the long-term sense--anyone else have thoughts?), and the lining is almost the last piece of my all-time favorite thrift store shirt (which also made an appearance here).
















Kind of Hope Valley with the violet, don't you think?  It even coordinated with the Tinkerbell wrapping paper.

I don't kid myself that the do-a-dots will stay inside permanently, but I'm sure she'll be able to think of plenty of four-year-old-type things to put inside.

Please feel free to copy this idea (it's not mine, after all--my m.o. of late), unless you're planning to be invited to any parties-in-common with me.