In the genes.

Quilting, the love of it, the ability to do it, is in my genes..  I am sure.

I grew up helping and watching (mostly) my mom and grandma, my great aunts even, while they quilted.  Laying underneath the quilt on the frames, watching how fast they would work, learning how to roll it, and get a good, tight roll.  From that point on, I have loved doing it. 

I made my first quilt when I was twelve years old.  I used a pile of scraps that my grandma gave me.  They consisted of everything from polyester knits to 100% cottons.  Quite the mix for a pieced quilt.

I pieced it together using a re-furbished old Singer that had issues with it’s tension.  I didn’t use it much after, out of frustration mostly.  I think it’s still in my parents crawl space, but I really want to conquer it.  Like, bad.

I bound my funky little pieced quilt by hand as I sat with my grandma, and as my mom and brothers shoveled snow off of her roof.  It was an exciting winter.  I am sure, if I tried, I could find that picture..

If I really wanted to, I could dig in my cedar chest, waaay down to the bottom and un-earth that first little quilt of mine.  Then you could see just how far I have come.

I have made many quilt since then.  I like to think of it as our storage of warmth in case we lose power for an extended period of time.  I have no blanket shortage here.

Here’s the latest:

   

I have to admit, I have had this material for more than two years.  I bought it when I heard that my sister-in-law was having a girl.  I saw it, and fell in love with it, thought it would make a darling quilt for a baby girl.  Then, she posted her nursery on her blog, and there was the same fabric.  Needless to say, since she is also an amazing quilter, I gave up on that.  So it has sat.  Then I decided to do something about it and just do it!

(Maybe if I have another baby girl..  someday.)

(Or maybe I will just hold on to it for a grandbaby..)

(Do you know my husband?)

I got really giddy about making my own bias tape.  Grandma left behind her own little pattern for making the fun stuff, but I also found helps on the internet.  There are great resources out there.  My favorite one for pictorial help is here and the technical one is here.

(I am not so proficient in math, but that technical one is awesome, I found the most help there.)

It was fun making it.  I am not going to lie, I got a bit geeked-out about it.  But it matches my quilt perfectly and I love it!

I already have another one in the works, ready and waiting..  if the weather stays the way it has, slightly warm, rainy, snowy, warmer, windy, snowy..  it will be perfect weather to be snuggled-up inside working on another one. 

Thinking Summertime..

Even though the weather forecast is talking rain, and threatening snow, Carina Gardner has me thinking summer.

(Click on image for list of full credits.)

All this lovely floral is from Carina’s newest release, “Fresh Picked – Summer”.

I love the gentle feel of it, but there are some fun vibrant colors!  Perfect to showcase this pic of Ashley.  (One of my favs.)

I’ve been hunting around for Carina’s fabrics and patterns too.  She is certainly a woman who inspires!

Paper Kiwi

I recently got a book printed with Paper Kiwi.  They are local (to me), just a couple of hours down the road. 

Let me tell you a little about my experience:

I created my book in Photoshop Elements, saved the files as jpegs and uploaded them into their software (that you must download) dragging them into place (super easy).  You can create your book using their software too.

I loved how you were able to select your style of book, how it let you preview exactly how it would look while you were building it (to see how pages would merge together and such), and I loved how easy it was to add pages! 

The final step was to proof just how the book would look, catch any mistakes before you click on that final submit button.

I ordered my book late Tuesday night and had it, in my hands on Saturday afternoon. (!!)  Can you say fast?

I chose a hard-bound cover, in color, and was amazed at what I saw.  It is gorgeous!  The colors were a little darker than I saw on my monitor, but my monitor isn’t calibrated either.  That would be one detail I would have to remember for next time, to amp that up a little bit.

The first two pages were perfect, great weight of paper, colors vibrant (but still a little dark), and then the pages were sideways. 

I had to giggle.

Then I notified customer service via e-mail, and they responded later that evening.

(Fantastic customer service!!)

They informed me that they would begin re-printing my book first thing Monday.  And they did.

(Awesome customer service!)

A week later, my corrected book arrived, all things in their proper order!

My experience was amazing. 

I had read other reviews about slow software, but I didn’t experience any of that as I didn’t use their software to create my book. 

Comparing it to my Shutterfly book, I would have to give Paper Kiwi the upper hand.  The cover is thicker, more substantial, the pages seem to be a little thicker to me.

I definitely plan on using their services in the future. 

(Did I mention that their customer service was incredible?)

Love my book!

**My review and opinion of this company and it’s services were compensated with a free 8x8 printed book.  Just sayin’.*

Welcoming a new designer.

Jodie Lee is a new designer to Jessica Sprague.  

Her creations are amazing!  I was lucky enough to get to play with some of her designs in the last class I took, and fell in love.

Today is her debut.  She has some shabby, amazing, gorgeous products out today.  Go check them out!

These are her Vintage Paper Textures, perfect for this layout.

(Click on layout for full credits.)

hello spring!!!

well, at least i think it is…

i had to make myself a reminder of what season it is supposed to be, last week, while it was snowing.

it has done it’s job sufficiently, for those who are literate in this house.

pretty cheerful, eh?

i used crystal wilkerson’s june 2009 papers to make this, along with my trimmer, scoring board (freaking love that thing), twine, gluedots, scissors, my scalloped border punch, and some ribbon.

as for the fonts:  lobster on the banner, bebas on the little “hello” banner.

as for the pom-pom garland…

that was some inspiration gained from watching studio 5 (a local lifestyle show) and a segment from diy dish. 

styrofoam, fun yarn, twine, and a yarn needle, and there you have it!

candy, candy!

this week’s layout comes courtesy of cosmo cricket’s latest line of “garden variety”.  my layout features paper and elements (aka “candy” to the cosmos).

love the fresh-picked feel it has to it, makes me want to go live on a farm.

(i tell merrill that is the plan if something were ever to happen to him.  pack up the girls and head to the rural i tell you..)

tangent:  i realize, as i post this, that i took this picture on our anniversary..  kind of funny to see just what has happened in 11 years..

(click on layout for full list of credits.)

Terrific Tuesday!

(I am trying hard to crank out creative post titles and sucking adequately at it.)
Today is not only “Template Tuesday” but it is also my 11th wedding anniversary.
Not only that..  but I finally had time to complete templates from not only LAST Tuesday, but today as well..
(For full credits, please click on the layout.)


And the fun news doesn’t end there my friends!!
Nope.
I was featured at CK’s blog.  Pretty close to that place I have been dreaming of being featured at for years….
Pretty terrific for this Tuesday if I do say so myself.

(Title Goes Here.)

How many variations of a Monday greeting can one possibly come up with?  This is a new list I can start, I guess.

But anywhooo..

Here’s a few new layouts for your enjoyment. 

(Click on layout for full credits.)

First up, decorative bookplates – set 2 from Splendid Fiins:

Then there’s these GORGEOUS butterflies from Kitschy Digitals.

I had a moment..  while I was finishing up this first layout, I had another idea come to my mind for another layout…  I can’t decide which one I love more.

 

And then there’s some good old fun, just for fun’s sake from Creativity by Crystal…

I know that my week will have a fabulous start, hope yours does too!

A “duh” moment, from yours truly.

I have had this wonderful friend since second grade.

I begged her to take me to Hawaii, in her suitcase, at the end of that year.  Her family was going, and heck, I wanted to be there too.

(She did bring me home some fun souvenirs and tasty macadamias..  they mostly made up for not taking me.)

I have so many great memories of those days!  We had a lot of fun.

We still keep in contact, and I love the creative soul she is.

Today, after reading up on everyone on Facebook (good old Facebook…) I realized, she has a blog promoting her Etsy store!!!

DUH!

(I have these moments all too often.  I will blame it on the three placentas that have been attached to my uterus and have subsequently sucked out most of the functioning brain cells that used to help me along.)

She has wonderful tutorials, such cute ideas, and then there’s the goodies she sells.

They make me want to bake!

(Or have another baby…)

My favorite pot holders:

Go check out her blog here.

And her store here.