Peanut Blossom

Come visit my new home: www.peanutblossom.com

2009-09-09T06:59:00.005-05:00

This is my last post at this location. Peanut Blossom has officially moved:

www.peanutblossom.com

To celebrate, I'm having a big giveaway over there so you'll want to come check things out and join the fun.

Please update your bookmarks, readers, email subscription, etc. etc. I'd hate to miss chatting with you!

Cheers!
Tiffany

I've Moved!: www.peanutblossom.com

2009-09-08T13:02:00.001-05:00

Oh Happy Day! I'm thrilled to announce that Peanut Blossom has officially moved on over to it's new and permanent home:

www.peanutblossom.com

I still have a few new features up my sleeve that will be added in the coming weeks but I just couldn't wait to get the change started. I also have a fantabulous giveaway planned to celebrate the move. All the details come tomorrow so stay tuned. Go ahead and get a jumpstart on your entries by following me over at my new home and updating any subscriptions you might have to reflect my new address.

One last reminder, my "name my serger" contest is still going strong. I think I might have a winner but I'm going to leave it open until the end of the week so that the big move doesn't cause someone to miss their chance. You can still enter here

A tiny Etsy find

2009-09-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

After seeing several photos of the world's cutest little pins, I was elated when La Vie en Rosie uncovered the genius responsible. Gigi from Pinks and Needles has one of the sweetest stores on Etsy that I've come across. I placed a little order to see her handiwork in person and look what arrived: Of course I didn't want these little beauties to disappear in my sewing box, so I needed a new pin cushion to go along with them. A quick search later and I set to work on using up some of the little scraps accumulating in my studio. One thing lead to another and the pin cushions started multiplying. I guess I'm just going to have to add something sweet and tiny to my ever growing giveaway pile. . . Speaking of which, still not too late to enter my "Name my serger" contest! Leave your entries here.

The finishing touch

2009-09-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

My sister has a nickname for my kind of personality: "Small Pumpkins." That's a story for another post, but basically it infers that I obsess over little details. So it's only fitting that the thing I was most excited about including in my two quilt presents this summer was the personal quilt labels I ordered from Sweetwater. All I had to do was iron this little beauty on the back of the quilt. Voila'. The perfect finishing touch. Next time I think I'll plan ahead a little better and sew around the edge just for looks, but I'm still super pleased with how they turned out. The service was super quick and so very tailored. Once I submitted my order, the ladies over at Sweetwater gave me a couple layouts to choose from to ensure my label was set just right. I will definitely be ordering these again, I just loved them!! Now don't forget, you still have time to enter my "Name my serger" contest! Leave your entries here.

Mommy and Me Market Bags

2009-09-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

Last week was my birthday. I have to admit, I was spoiled pretty rotten by loved ones with random packages arriving on my doorstep. One such package that definitely deserves a little bragging about included these: Mommy and Me Market bags! Aren't they darling? Want to know what makes them even better? They are the First Completed Sewing project my friend Colet has ever done. Included with her sweet gift was an even more thoughtful note about how seeing my completed projects here inspired her to finish one of her own. And I'm the lucky lady to get them! She did an awesome job. I would never have known they were her first. My first completed projects are usually found hiding in closets around the house. Seriously, look at those handles! She even trimmed the fabric so the lemons would run up the handles just so. Very impressive. I've found so much inspiration from the blogs I read, it feels wonderful to be paying that feeling forward. Thanks so much, Colet! You made my day! These will be getting a workout this afternoon at our local Farmer's Market. And, a reminder to everyone else: Keep imagining up names for my serger! Leave your entries here.

My first contest! Come and get 'em!

2009-09-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

I've been hinting. I've been teasing. Now I think its time to start having a little real fun around here. Are you in the mood? What would you say if I waved this under your nose: Would you say, "Yes, please!!"?? How about if I said you had to be patient a little longer for the big payout, but that I would love to share one of these to tide you over?: It just so happens that someone around here had a birthday last week. Someone who has a mother that happily supports a hobby that has begun to clothe her granddaughter in exceptionally cute outfits. The crowning gift in said birthday celebration just happened to be one of these: Oh yes. It is my first serger. I don't have a clue where to even start with this darn thing, but I'm giddy at the prospect of learning. I mean really, look at these dials! They must hold the keys to sewing magic. I'm sure of it. So here's the deal. I think my serger needs a name. I've never been one to name my cars or computers or gadgets, but for some reason I think it is time to break that rule. My quandary is that I'm horrible at the naming game. In comes that beautiful little charm pack featured above. Let's have a contest!! The rules are insanely easy: Name my serger! I have a sewing machine, too. If you feel it needs a companion name feel free to add that in your entry. Or just name the serger, no pressure. Tell your friends, spread the word, enter as often as you like! I guarantee to leave this contest open for at least 1 week. If I haven't chosen a winner by the end of 7 days, I'll extend the contest until the right name comes up. The gifted writer that offers up the winning name will be the recipient of the charm pack. Is that easy enough? Let the christening begin!

The big reveal

2009-08-31T10:16:00.003-05:00

I spent the majority of my summer secretly working on a pair of quilts that I couldn't share with you until today! I'm so excited to finally have them finished and given to the happy recipients. Maybe you remember a certain stack of fabric that arrived in June. While we were planning for our 8th anniversary, my dear friend Michelle was spending 3 long weeks in labor with her second little boy. Yes, you read that right--3 LONG weeks in labor. I ordered enough of this fabric to make Tim's anniversary gift along with a second matching quilt for Michelle and her boys. First up was Tim's quilt to meet our July 21 celebration and with little Oliver's arrival on July 9th there was no time for resting before jumping into the second quilt. Tim requested this fabric collection, but I chose the pattern. I knew the blue, white, and red theme would be just right for Michelle since their family all has birthdays within 2 weeks of the 4th of July. It's a big time of year for them! I think this is the perfect couch blanket. Tim is tall so I extended the pattern in length and just a smidge in the width. It's perfect for sitting in his arm chair or for someone laying down on a couch. Or, for a certain mommy who has two little boys to snuggle with. Had to piece the back with Tim's favorite "red racing stripe" because I haven't quite figured out my quilt math and ordered just a few inches too little for the backing. In any case, I'm really pleased with how both quilts turned out. I'm even more pleased to be moving on to entirely different projects. I need to mix things up a little bit for my own sanity. Now I know never to do two identical projects back to back! But they were both made with tons of love.

Wear sunscreen

2009-08-27T12:17:00.004-05:00

Every graduation season brings that song back to the radio. You know the one, with the guy kind of chanting life lessons? I think it's titled "Wear Sunscreen". Anywho, there's a line in there that always sticks with me. Don't waste time worrying about big things when really its the things that blind side you on a random Tuesday that you need to watch out for. I'm having a week filled of those random Tuesdays. A little eye candy to hold you over. The short end of the story is that my mom is fine. We think. The longer end of the story involves several 3 hour round trip treks between her house and mine to help out while she visited some doctors and had some testing done. Needless to say in a situation like this, everything else gets dropped. My frivolous crafting plans for the week were thrust aside and I'm left with nothing to blog about till I get my bearings again. I'm taking a couple days off, but I'll be back next Monday with a series of FANTASTIC posts. Ok, I brag just a little and set your expectations way too high I'm sure. But I'll finally be able to share some photos I've been dying to share and get back to the business of having a little fabric fun. I can't wait.

Picture of a soul

2009-08-25T08:30:00.004-05:00

I recently read Nick Kelsh's parting column in the final issue of "Lasting Moments" magazine and I'm so sorry to see his series end. He's always shared such wonderful "pick it up and use it right now" kinds of tips for improving your photography and I feel I've learned so much from him. One quote from his article really struck home with me: "If you photograph someone in color, it's a fashion shoot. If you photograph them in black and white, it's a picture of a soul." He credits a "famous photographer" for that quote. But no matter who said it, how those words ring true. His overall article was on simplifying your photos to make them stronger. But his most important point was if nothing else try a little black and white. Today I thought I'd share one of the photos from my new wall gallery in it's before and after state. I've always enjoyed the color version, but was blown away by the change to black and white. Before: I still love the color version. My little peanut is all rosy and pink and I love the sweet angle of my "first baby's" neck as he gives the peanut a little kiss. But I notice my eye is drawn to her little pink bow on her dress or to Gino's red collar. I notice the pattern of the chair, and her pink curtains, and my eye just jumps around a lot. After: With the black and white, all I see is that sweet little kiss, a face full of innocence, and the world's gentlest dog. How I love this moment between two little souls.

Lightning strikes twice!

2009-08-24T12:26:00.006-05:00

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited! How lucky can one lady be in a month? I just found out that I won Rachel from P.S. I Quilt's giveaway celebrating the Quilt Shoppe's 2nd birthday. The peanut's 2nd birthday. Yeah, I'm cheesy like that. Thanks to these lovely ladies, I am now the proud owner of a $50 gift certificate and it is already burning a hole in my pocket! I have a little secret to share though. I've been busy gearing up for a big move from Blogger on over to a more permanent home at Typepad. To celebrate the big switch, I'm making plans for my very first giveaway. I've got some ideas on how I want to celebrate with you and this $50 gift card is really going to help that effort. So, my question is. . . What kind of giveaways are your favorites? If I were to share a special treat, what would you be most excited to win? Post a comment here for me and know that you'll be influencing my purchasing decisions for the next couple weeks. Best kind of living vicariously there is! Don't you love telling other people how to spend their money?? Then be sure to stay tuned for your chance to win it!

Tomato Trees

2009-08-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Oh the sad state of my tomato plants. The two cherry tomatoes bit the dust a couple weeks ago but my large tomato bush was holding on by a thin thread. I had to cut away the majority of the diseased and dying branches leaving just a sad looking tree where a nice full bushy plant should have been. Despite the miserable failure of growing tomato plants on the deck this year, my lone standing plant did bear a bit of fruit. Behold, my entire tomato harvest: These three tomatoes were the juiciest, sweetest, most delicious of their kind I've ever had. It was worth killing 3 plants to get these. Next year I'm hoping for a better survival rate. I guess we'll see.

Up to no good

2009-08-20T12:59:00.004-05:00

I've been busy this week. I'm up to no good. The problem is, I just can't show you what I'm up to. Yet. But I can tease a little bit. Just a really little bit. So yes, I've been feeding you a little bit of filler lately. You'll know why soon enough. Expect more filler till then. But hopefully it will be pretty filler and you won't mind so very much.

Strawberry scented memories

2009-08-19T14:01:00.003-05:00

I recently requested storybook suggestions from my friends so I could expand the peanut's reading list. I've been overwhelmed with the response and have a wonderful list of titles to keep in my pocket for future library trips. But as I pored over the titles and filled in missing author names, one certain book popped out of nowhere into my mind after laying dormant for oh I don't know, 28 years?? One thing led to another and I find myself spending my afternoon digging up crazy images of things long forgotten from childhood days in my search to find it. Does anyone else remember this?: Oh how I loved Strawberry Shortcake. Many of these were part of my own collection once upon a time. Childhood is a crazy thing. How is it that I haven't thought of this book in almost three decades and yet once I remembered it I can still clearly see some of the pictures in my mind? There's a copy available on Ebay right now and it's taking all my willpower not to order it. I think part of me worries the reality of the book won't live up to the memory in my head. I've never felt more pressure to expose the peanut to great books than now. "Impressionable" has a whole new meaning for me this afternoon. I wonder if Miss Shortcake still smells the same, too. . .

Giveaway Time!

2009-08-17T13:17:00.003-05:00

Another chance at $50 in free fabric! This time it is Rachel from P.S. I Quilt giving away a certificate to the Quilt Shoppe. The Quilt Shoppe is celebrating their 2nd birthday with 25% off your order. Imagine just how much further your $50 gift card could go with that kind of deal! They have Fig Tree's Mill House Inn in stock and I just might have to grab some precuts. I've had my eye on that line for months!! Unless you beat me to the punch and win the card instead. Darn you.

I know summer's not over, but. . .

2009-08-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

I went to my favorite quilt store (a big pilgrimage of an hour and a half away) with the purpose of picking up fabric to try another dress for the peanut. I got sidetracked like a moth to the flame with this: I'm thinking fall. Pumpkins. Turkey. Apple cider. And one very cute table runner. What are you thinking?

Are you a baker or a cook?

2009-08-13T13:10:00.003-05:00

Quick quiz. . . You have 30 minutes to be in the kitchen, which would you prefer? A. Whipping up a batch of grandma's best cookies. B. Tossing in a bit of this or that to the tomato sauce and creating a new dish. Your answer says volumes about you in your life outside the kitchen. My choice will almost always be A. I'm a baker, in the kitchen and out. Nothing soothes my soul more than following a recipe to the T knowing that my outcome will be nearly perfect after reading the instructions. Some of my dearest friends can't bake a batch of cookies to save their life. They prefer letting their creative flag fly as they raid the pantry for random ingredients to highlight that night's dish. I always enjoy eating dinner at their table. I've been known to cry in the face of my pantry. I look at shelf after shelf of ingredients and just get stumped unless I have a good cookbook within arm's reach to gently walk me through it. And so it is with my sewing. I love to follow patterns. There's enough room for flexibility in which fabric I choose and adding little embellishments. I love the comfort of knowing that my time will be well spent and my project will turn out. It wasn't until I sent a link to Betz Green's "Sewing Green" to Zina who only responded "I think you over estimate my ability to sew and follow directions. Love the concept of reusable material though." that I finally realized how my preferences in the kitchen carry over. Zina is a cook, through and through. So which are you? Baker or cook? I'd love to hear. . .

Julie & Julia

2009-08-12T07:45:00.000-05:00

I confess, I own Julia Child's masterpiece and yet I have never cooked a single recipe from it. Blasphemy, I'm sure. The quantities of butter and cream and wine and sugar just never seem to mesh with my nutritional needs at the time. But my lack of first-hand knowledge of Julia did not keep me from running to the theater to see "Julie and Julia" when it hit the movie screens last weekend. For anyone unfamiliar with the plot, Amy Adams plays Julie Powell who decides to blog about a yearlong adventure of cooking her way through all 500+ recipes in Julia Child's tome. Interspersed with her tale is Meryl Streep brilliantly as Julia Child during the early years of her marriage and the development of her famous cookbook. If you're looking for a little inspiration on how to live life to the fullest, if you'd like a sweet romantic tale times two, and if you'd like to enjoy several wonderful chuckles, this is definitely the film for you. I think any bloggers out there especially will find plenty of entertaining bits, but really, do you need that much of an excuse to see Meryl and Stanley Tucci together on screen again?? I'm keeping my fingers crossed it hits DVD before next Valentine's Day. I think it will be just the right excuse to blow the dust off this book and finally cook my sweetie a Julia-inspired heart-stopping meal and we'll have our own home based "Dinner and a Movie" date. I can't think of a more perfect fit.

5 minute wall gallery

2009-08-11T12:57:00.002-05:00

I've had a few questions about how our final family wall gallery turned out. After much thought, I went with all black and white prints. They arrived over the weekend and within moments everything was filled and remounted on the wall. I love curling up on the couch at the end of the day with these in the room, they would definitely make my happy list today. I've always been a sucker for black and white photography but have never displayed it in my home until now. More surprising is the fact that Tim loves it, too. Funny how such a small change has completely altered the feel of our home. Next up on my redecorating list is painting our bedroom. Stay tuned. . .

I'm "It"!

2009-08-10T12:40:00.005-05:00

Carrie from Ruffled Feathers has tagged me, which means it's my turn to show you six things that make me smile. Here are the official rules: Link back to the person who tagged you. List six little things that make you happy. Tag six bloggers and let them know they’re “it”. It would be easy to cheat and list 6 very obvious things that make me smile (my husband, the peanut, etc.) but I'm choosing to believe that the point of this "exercise" is to find 6 small things that bring me happiness to give you a tiny peek into the more frivolous corners of my mind. 1. Nailpolish color names: I'm a sucker for the OPI color names in particular. In my next life I'd love to come back as an official namer of cosmetics in general. I still remember wearing "Rockapulco Red" on a trip to Vegas. 2. Audrey Hepburn in general, "Roman Holiday" in specific: This is by far her best movie, in my opinion. I've never wanted to be a princess on the run more in my life. 3. Pink things that probably shouldn't be pink: In my little pile you see my wallet, a photo brag book, my GPS, my iPod, and a water bottle. I swear pink is not my favorite color but you'd never guess by this sample of my belongings. It's the GPS and iPod that really make me smile. There's just something so sweetly fantastic about a techie gadget in baby pink. I've always had this obsession, just ask my dad. I insisted he bring home a pink radio when I was about 12. It was my first tape deck and I had to have the pink one despite there being much more "advanced" models available for the same price. But they weren't pink. Enough said. 4. Traveling in general, Italy in specific: Italy is the one place I could return to endlessly and be perfectly happy. Just digging through my albums to find this from our trip to Florence made me get that travel bug all over again. 5. Shabby chic mixed china: Someday I will have enough time on my hands to endlessly scour flea markets for mix and match "shabby" china. I love the thought of filling my dishwasher with mismatched but coordinated items in one specific color palette. 6. Zina's Happy List: No image can do this one justice. Whenever we're having a really bad or stressful day, we drop everything for two minutes to draft a "Happy List" email to one another. The point is to be short and sweet and force yourself to think of something better than what you're going through. It's brought me hope on some very dark days. A tradition you definitely might want to consider with a good pal of your own.

A most perfect twirling uniform

2009-08-06T16:10:00.004-05:00

I have wanted to try my hand at dressmaking ever since the peanut arrived. Until now, I've always been a little petrified of the curves naturally involved in such a project. The very thought of sleeves and necklines put me into a cold sweat. I took one look at Portobello Pixie's Claire dress and knew I had found the project worth trying out this adventure. Lucky lady that I am, I happened to win this pattern from a giveaway over at the Fat Quarter Shop. The timing and prize could not have been more perfect. I just managed to put the final touches on the dress this afternoon and we gave it a spin in the front yard: I love the bow in the back and that sweet little apron. The skirt is so full and made perfect for twirling. The peanut has referred to this as her "Pretty Princess Dress" and lit up the room when she was finally allowed to put it on. Now that I've finished my first dress, I can honestly say this was way easier than I ever imagined! I hit a few little stumbling blocks but managed to figure things out in the end. I can safely recommend this pattern for anyone out there interested in trying clothing that hasn't before. I'll be making other versions of this dress in the coming months, this was more of my "practice" model. Now I think I need to get my hands on the ruffle pants she offers, too! This was the perfect little mental break between quilting projects in my opinion. It was fast enough to not get me off schedule and has fantastic payoff. Can't wait to plan out another outfit soon.

Fabric stash: Fact or fiction?

2009-08-05T08:49:00.001-05:00

My fabric buffet, originally uploaded by *jenny b allsorts.

One thing that continues to perplex me as I read through all my favorite quilting blogs is this infamous and somehow mysterious "stash" everyone is always talking about. I'll be the first to admit that I am a type A control freak in most areas of my life. Quilting appeals to me because of the symmetry of the patterns, the balance of colors, and the ability to have something beautiful come out of a distinct set of precise instructions.

Every project I've made so far was entered into with purpose. A specific color pattern was chosen, a design selected, and materials purchased thusly. The few scraps I have in my studio are remnants from previous projects. I definitely don't have enough scraps to create something fresh and new out of the leftovers, yet. I suppose that will change over time.

But blogger after blogger refers to the ever-growing stash of fabric in her collection. I'm stumped! Are you actually buying fabric for the sake of buying fabric with no purposeful intent?! If so, how do you decide what to collect? Do you stick to general color palettes? Do you have future projects in mind? How much yardage do you allow yourself to purchase of any given piece?

This is a completely unsettling train of thought for me. I'm imagining my next trip to my favorite quilting store. Aisle after aisle of cottony goodness. I have enough trouble narrowing down selections when I have a purpose, what on earth would I do with free reign?? I'd be worse than a kid in a candy shop. I'd have the fabric equivalent of the most horrendous gut ache of all time.

I'd love some feedback here. How would you describe your fabric shopping habits? I'm thinking I need to be going at this an entirely different way and would love a little hand holding. Teach me, oh wise ones.

Reader or Rockstar?

2009-08-04T12:16:00.003-05:00

Last week I mentioned I made Diary of a Quilter's diaper clutch from her handy tutorial. The other fantastic tutorial I've gleaned from her site is for an adorable peanut-sized messenger bag. With the very best of intentions, I sewed up a library book toting version for the peanut. Comes complete with its own library card pocket right on the front: But as you can see, my peanut had other ideas of what to store within her tote bag. Seems it is just the right size to carry her new guitar: Maybe we'll put the bookworm fantasies aside for today and play rockstar instead. Don't all musicians need coordinated tote bags for their instruments?!

Wall galleries for the design impaired

2009-08-03T12:27:00.005-05:00

I pour over design blogs, I love Better Homes and Gardens magazine, I watch HGTV when given the chance. Despite trying to absorb the numerous tips and tricks that these fantastic resources hold, I am practically inept at designing anything for my own home. I love how things look in the pictures, but I can never seem to execute it for myself. For the 3 years we've lived in our house I've been stumped as to how to decorate the space above our fireplace. Because of the layout of our house, it is the first thing you see as you come into our home. I've tried a handful of different arrangements of pictures but nothing felt right for the space. First we had art that was too small. Then I copied a Pottery Barn mantle but bought frames that were forever hanging off kilter. I've rotated countless decorative objects but it always felt cluttered and mismatched. This weekend I discovered the 5 Second Frame and I'm a total convert. I'm guessing that the design superstars reading this are shaking their heads in pity, but this could quite possibly be the best photo invention I've come across, ever. Look at how perfectly straight they are hanging! Notice the nice even spaces between frames?! This would have been a nearly impossible feat for me without the awesome hanging templates these frames come with. I can't believe I'm devoting an entire blog post to picture frames but this has seriously been the deepest source of aggravation for me design-wise for so many years! I totally covet those wall galleries found in Pottery Barn catalogs and I was finally able to hang one single-handedly within minutes. Now the big question is which photos to put in the frames. I'm debating all color, all black and white, or some kind of mix. Knowing me, this is the step where I'll screw it up. If only I could find my own personal designer to follow me around. . .

The siren song of stitching

2009-07-30T13:35:00.004-05:00

There are other things I'm supposed to be doing right now but I just can't ignore the calling from this pile of fabric any longer. I've washed it. I've ironed it. I've smoothed out all the nasty wrinkles. I assured myself it was just to save time later. Today is for cleaning. For cooking. For bill paying. Alas, that's just not going to happen. I'm worried for my family. Once I dig in to this project, there's no telling when I might surface. Please send pizza or they may starve tonight.

Free Fabric, a dream come true

2009-07-29T18:26:00.002-05:00

Oh to win this one. Rachel from P.S. I Quilt is giving away a $50 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop. I can think of a million ways I'd spend that card, what would you do with it? You'll never know unless you enter. . .

The Cat in the Hat does diaper duty

2009-07-28T14:35:00.005-05:00

I'm finally making headway on my projects again. First up was this adorable diaper clutch for my friend Renee from book club. Renee's friend recently had a baby boy and outfitted the little guy's nursery in a Dr. Seuss theme. To make her gift more personal, Renee hunted down this awesome Seuss fabric to match the decor, isn't that sweet? I've made a couple of these clutches now, and they were an absolute cinch with help from the tutorial from Amy at Diary of a Quilter. She has a handful of tutorials that are so easy and completely addictive. I credit her with sparking my renewed interest in sewing this last spring. Finding her helpful step-by-step photo tutorials gave me the courage to try something other than quilting with my machine. Thanks, Amy!

Sharpening my ax

2009-07-28T12:11:00.003-05:00

I've got so many things I want to show you, but I need to keep them under wraps for now. All I can say is that my to-do list is mounting and mounting and most of it is of the everyday household kind that's not any fun to write about. On the other hand, some of it is very fun like the projects behind this pile here: But I can't seem to get to this stash fast enough these days. This morning I found the most perfect quote on Twitter: "If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I would spend six hours sharpening my ax." - Abraham Lincoln Those words could not be more true for me today. I need to spend some time honing my skills and making plans before I cut into some of the fabric above. My husband's famous: "Measure twice, cut once." also comes to mind. Maybe it's just a good day for quotes. Or for ax sharpening. Or for popping open a Diet Coke and thinking about ax sharpening. Yeah, that's it.

Ode to Cherries

2009-07-26T14:33:00.004-05:00

My husband's Uncle Tim owns a fantastic fruit orchard in Oregon. Every July, he generously disseminates a portion of his cherry harvest amongst the family far and wide. We were the lucky recipients of an extremely large offering of cherries a few days ago. Pictured here is just about half of the care package: My Tim has such sweet memories of helping Uncle Tim during harvest season when he was a young boy. Those days eating the ripe fruit straight from the tree has left him one of the more discerning cherry tasters I've ever known. It becomes quite the challenge to use our bounty in a way that does justice to Tim's favorite fruit. I think this year I finally hit on the winner. After years of trial and error, I'm going out on a limb to say that this is likely the best Cherry Crisp recipe you will find. It comes from testing out recipes from dozens of recipe sites and gathering the bits and pieces we like the best from each. I'm dubbing it after our fabulous cherry benefactor: ------------- Uncle Tim's Cherry Crisp Ingredients: Filling: 6 cups fresh pitted Bing cherries, sliced in half 1 1/4 cup sugar 3 tbsp tapioca 1 tsp almond extract Topping: 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour 3/4 granulated sugar 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 cup oatmeal 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter healthy sprinkle cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Toss to coat and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Pour filling into a 9x13 pan and spread topping evenly over the cherries. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream. If you can get your hands on this, all the better. (And yes, it would be worth the shipping.) -------------- I think maybe once my crisp has cooled enough, we'll be enjoying our treat during a family picnic on the peanut's blanket. This last spring I snatched up some "Oh Cherry Oh" fabric from Moda and made a denim-backed blanket for her birthday gift. Today seems like the perfect occasion to serve up its inaugural meal.

I won! I won!

2009-07-24T12:59:00.004-05:00

Oh my gosh, I'm doing cartwheels over here. I just found out I won my very first giveaway through blogging and I can't contain my excitement! The Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber blog was giving away the Claire dress design pattern by Portobellopixie. I've had my eye on this particular pattern for a couple months but have been nervous about trying my first clothing project. Now there are no excuses!! I guess I'll just have to go fabric shopping for the peanut's new dress! Thanks everyone at FQS!

It's not my kitchen, it's not my kitchen.

2009-07-23T10:09:00.005-05:00

My sister is in the process of moving into her first house. It's a huge step for her to be taking on her own and I'm so impressed with the leap of faith it takes to buy your own home. I'm living a little vicariously through her as she redecorates the place to her own tastes. I love my own home, but the thought of that blank palette and not worrying about anyone else's preferences just sounds so liberating right now! Of course as the big sister, I can't help but chime in a little bit. Her kitchen is being gutted as I write this. If it were MY kitchen (which of course it isn't) I'd be going with the beautiful homey color palette from French General: I guess it was the post by Decor8 about Petite Details' French-inspired decor that inspired me. I'm in love with her creamy white dishes and those sweet red accents. I keep drooling over her Flickr photostream and wishing I had time to scour French flea markets for the kind of vintage finds she seems to have in abundance. But since my kitchen has no need for a redecorating project and the kitchen being gutted is not mine, guess I'll have to be content with maybe enjoying a croissant and a day dream. Alas.

Is she "Quilt Worthy"?

2009-07-20T11:58:00.003-05:00

Zina and I have had many discussions about which events and types of people are the most "quilt worthy". We understand how much time and effort goes into making these gifts and want to be sure they find the right homes. Our general criteria include: - Will the quilt be put to use and not just stored as a keepsake in a closet? - Does the recipient appreciate something handmade vs. store bought? - Will the recipient be bombarded by other similar gifts or will this be something that stands out? My most recent gift quilt definitely went to a most quilt worthy home. How do I know? Because I recently received this as a thank you for my efforts: The blankie being put to use by a little peanut with a huge grin. I couldn't be happier with the outcome!

Cutting cosmos

2009-07-19T13:46:00.004-05:00

So veggies may not be my strong suit, but today's happy thought comes from my cutting garden experiment. I'm blown away by how my little seedlings have exploded in the last couple months: I was finally able to cut my first real bouquet. The last round was only big enough for a bud vase, but these were tall enough for the real deal: Maybe next year I'll skip the tomatoes and just clear a huge section for my cosmos. So much better for my soul than salsa.

My pathetic victory garden

2009-07-19T13:24:00.003-05:00

At the outset of summer I was filled with grandiose ideas of being able to cook meals out of what I could grow on my deck. I was filled with hope, energy and a vow to grow some veggies and herbs and shop at the local farmer's market to fill in the rest. We have an utterly waterlogged yard, so I was limited to what would thrive in pots but that was no deterrent for me. I spent days at the local garden centers picking out a nice array of things to try. My jalapeno is finally growing and my only 2 red tomatoes: And then "summer" happened. Why is it that I forget EVERY DANG YEAR that summer in these parts consists of cooler-than-expected weather and long bouts of horribly rainy overcast days?! It's just not right I tell you. We're blasted with horrible winters, we should get some balancing out from June - August. Instead we are teased with the occasional traditional summer day, but in general this is just not prime veggie garden zoning in my opinion. Then this last week, my poor yellow spotted leaf garden got its final blow--the beetles descended. Thankfully they waited till I was able to harvest the last of the strawberries. The plant quickly made its departure from my deck and I'm keeping a watchful eye on what's left, which I'm sad to say isn't much. Just when I'm ready to toss in the towel, I stumbled across this totally inspiring couple who are living my dream. What gives me the most encouragement is they admit they've had their share of plant failures in their own victory garden. I love their directory of what has worked for them along with recipes to use their bounty. So maybe I just need to adjust my dream. I do have 2 tomatoes and a baby jalapeno, maybe I can make a tot-sized serving of salsa. That would at least be something.

Gepetto's new look

2009-07-18T13:55:00.007-05:00

Yesterday I was all about the big fancy store, today I'm looking at independent toy creators on Etsy for special items to add to our collection. We have a new found obsession with building towers in the living room, so blocks were first on my list. How adorable are the following sets? How will I ever choose?! My peanut has an extreme fondness for all things animal. I loved finding these fantastical ocean creatures in wooden form from You're Inspired: These eye-popping beauties from Lissa would be sure to create magical towers for future fairy princesses to live within: On a simpler scale, these adorable alphabet blocks would make such a cute toy or a room decoration if I had gone with the primary color scheme I originally had in mind. Lilly & Lou are even offering them for a discount right now, might want to jump on them before I do: But at the end of the day, I think I'm probably going to have to keep it simple with a natural classic set like the one from Four Corners Toys. You just really can't go wrong with the all natural look and I love that it keeps things open for imagination: I'm still hunting for just the right doll stroller (we destroyed our first one with love) and a puzzle set. I would love to hear where you're finding great toy options lately, let me know in the comments!

Christmas in July

2009-07-17T14:16:00.004-05:00

Growing up, my parents decided to spread the giving around throughout the year vs. having enormously generous holidays. As we grew and needed more challenging toys, they were provided to us on random days throughout the seasons. We've taken on a similar philosophy with our little peanut in her first 2 years. I think it gives us time to figure out what her preferences are and then find just the right thing at the right time. Yesterday I spent a good hour absolutely clearing the living room of all the outdated toys littering the floor. This morning was a bit of Christmas in July as peanut and I made a big pilgrimage to the local Land of Nod outlet and store. If you aren't lucky enough to have a store near you, be sure to check out their web site and catalog. They have some of the best copywriting I've ever seen and carry such a phenomenal collection of quality items. I couldn't be more ecstatic about my finds: First off is the crowning glory of today's hunt: A $5 guitar found at the outlet!! It's missing a string which I assume can be easily replaced. Next to it you see a $5 wooden recorder. We took a Kindermusik class this spring and peanut fell in love with all the teacher's instruments. Now we'll start up our own band at home. At the store, I practically fell over when I laid eyes on this: I remember having a nearly identical tool kit complete with tin carrying case and rubber saw. It brought back so many of my own memories, I had to get it. I can't tell which I love more, the little saw or that little drawing of the girl on the metal case. Where do you even see metal toys these days?! So excited they didn't make it plastic! And finally, I picked up several card games to give us something more specific to play together other than our pretend games. I absolutely loved "Memory" as a kid but these sets won me over with their darling illustrations and bright colors. I admit this is the part of parenting I find the most exciting and fun--sharing the childhood memories I cherish most with my own little one. These are just some of my kiddie fave's, what classic toys do you remember as a kid? Have you been able to find them to share with your own children?

Our Vegas Vacation

2009-07-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Phew, what a whirlwind week! After lots of frustrating conversations about the timing of our annual vacation, Tim took matters into his own hands last week Tuesday and up and surprised me with an extremely last-minute trip to Vegas. We've been to Vegas before despite the perplexed looks upon our family's faces. Tim and I are not gamblers, we don't party all night, what could we possibly find appealing in this town? Plenty! Guaranteed sunshine and nice weather, a fantastic pool to read beside, and mouth watering restaurants a plenty, what more could I ask for?! We were lucky enough to fly and stay for free at the JW Marriott off the Strip thanks to Tim's frequent flier/hotel miles. Adding a rented car to the mix, we were able to experience a totally different vacation than our last trip to Sin City. First stop: Red Rock Canyon. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it. Once we got past the 105 degree heat, the canyon was simply awesome. We're already vowing to hit the Grand Canyon on our next trip out. I can only imagine! You might wonder why on earth I'm wearing a dress in the canyon photo. . . No, I don't dress up for hiking. That shot was taken our last night in town after having been out for dinner. We stopped back at the canyon to hopefully see the sunset. Not as glorious as we had imagined (I think we hit it at the wrong time) but definitely still beautiful in it's own way. The perfect complement to all that dry heat and dessert sand and sun was our lush hotel and visits downtown. I'm such a sucker for palm trees and waterfalls! We were lucky enough to score half-price tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show "Love". I think our expectations were set just a tad too high and we were just bound to be a little disappointed. Still an amazing show but I think next time we'll hit a standard Broadway musical. However, we stopped at a rum bar before the show and I savored the most delicious minty mojito ever. Couldn't help but wonder if the mint was grown by magic fairies or something. It is Vegas, weirder things must have happened. After all the chaos our unplanned trip brought, I'm happy to be settling back into the routine of things. Thanks so much to Zina for helping me out the last couple days--those photos of the girls and their art are absolutely priceless! Now back to the sewing machine. . .

Involve the Peanut

2009-07-14T08:19:00.002-05:00

Children love to create art. I have tried to slowly get my daughter Nya interested in the art of quilting. We often look at the material together and discuss which patterns and colors we like or dislike. My daughter might be the only four year old in Wisconsin who knows the meaning of the word monochromatic. On occasion she has also decided to “help” by handing me a strip of material mid process:
I happily consider the gift as an added design challenge. How does one work blue floral in with black flaming skeleton heads? See yesterday’s posting! We also often discuss what colors complement one another. This chat has carried over to a summer painting project our two girls have been working. We started with two solid 6x3 foot canvases and a diverse collection of acrylic paint. The results of many random layers and messy adventures are below:
Lola Rose
Nya Quinn See a photo documentary of the progression here: Tiffany and I have discussed how nice it would be if our young daughters grow up to enjoy quilting. The slow pace of completing a quilting would allow unforced time for many important adolescence conversations. It would be absolutely wonderful to share a common (and possibly collaborative) passion. Thank you for having me this week! Your regular "blog host" Tiffany will be back tomorrow. Same bat time, same bat channel. Zina

Say “Thank You” with me…

2009-07-13T10:17:00.002-05:00

I encourage you to stop this morning and think about your creative support network. The day after we got married my husband wore this shirt:
I knew I had the right guy. Take a moment today to thank the people who inspire you ... whether it be friends, family or the lady with purple glasses at the local fabric store. Also, if you have a certain company, website or blog that inspires you please share their url with us! We are always looking for online resources. Until tomorrow, Zina

Why Quilt?

2009-07-12T18:21:00.007-05:00

Guest writer Zina here. I just returned from a long weekend up in northern Wisconsin; to my surprise there was no internet access. Thank you for your patience with my delayed postings. Read on! ........................................................................... Did you pull out your first and last quilt and compare them last week? When I looked at my blankets below I suddenly realized what I enjoy most about quilting, the puzzle. It all began with a community material bin. My first quilting class required each student to purchase 20 fat quarters and slice the material into strips. Half the material was put into a community bin for sharing. I fell in love with the different patterns, textures and colors people had selected. The result of the chaos is below:
To me quilting is the equivalent of doing an art puzzle: How does one create visual balance? Which partner material makes a certain pattern pop? How many different ways can you recreate a log cabin square with different effects? A decade later I am still fascinated by these questions. My last project was a baby gift for a friend and fellow graphic designer who is in a metal rock band. My brain started working the puzzle: How do I design something if I don’t know the gender of the child? How do I make it retro to keep it in line with his taste? What type of material will work best? You can see the results to these questions below: Over the years Tiffany and I have formed an unusual friendship based on the agreement to disagree. Our quilting patterns and preferences are another example of this unique relationship. She loves the structure of a pattern; I find happiness in sewing giant uneven log cabin squares. Her material choices are very floral and lighthearted; my material is crazy and colorful. She quilts in quite solitude while I listen to music, l-o-u-d. Yet somehow we are utterly inspired by one another's work. What aspects of quilting do you enjoy most? Do you love the feel of the material, the math, the pattern, the therapeutic solitude? Why do you quilt? Please share. We would both love to hear your story.

Kati Cupcake, the perfect vacation find

2009-07-11T12:01:00.004-05:00

Yes, I'm still on vacation (through Monday thank you very much.) Vegas is worlds of fun and the best place to be with my sweetie for a few days. I've been keeping in touch with my handy dandy iPhone but sometimes there's just nothing like a laptop to get the job done. The thing that sent me running to the nearest Starbucks to log on with a full keyboard was the giveaway going on over at Kati Cupcake. How sweet is this quilt kit?? I'm so excited to have stumbled on her blog, her quilt parade photos make me utterly envious. I love all the shades of pink in her different projects and I would absolutely love to get my hands on her giveaway. If you decide to enter yourself, go ahead and tell her I sent you. As for my guest writer Zina, we've hit some technical difficulties. Guess that's what happens when you literally drop everything and jet off on vacation with less than 6 hours notice! We're working out some bugs and stay tuned for more.

We interrupt this blog . . .

2009-07-07T12:09:00.003-05:00

I just got a phone call from my husband telling me to pack my bag, we're flying to Vegas for a few days. We've had trouble getting the dates to work out for a vacation this summer and he decided there was no time like the present. Surprise! I'm giddy with excitement and running around like a crazy lady tossing random things into my suitcase. Thankfully I knew a vacation was looming on the horizon and I hooked up a fantastic guest to keep you entertained while I'm gone. My partner and dear friend Zina is going to take the reins for a few days. She's got some great thoughts on quilting and art that she wants to share, but I'll let her get to that. Meanwhile, I'll be humming along with good ole Frank here: Chat with you next week! Be sure to leave Zina some love while I'm gone!

My second quilt

2009-07-06T12:29:00.005-05:00

Camille from Simplify and Carrie from La Vie en Rosie came up with the fantastic idea to share photos of your first quilt project alongside photos of your most recent work. What a fun comparison! This suggestion sent me running to the ottoman where our blankets are stored to dig up my earliest quilt. My very first quilt ever is actually under ownership by my sister. She won me over with compliments about how soft and snuggly it was, so it's been hers since she went off to college. She's in the middle of a big move right now, so asking her to send photos would just be a little thoughtless. Instead, I decided to pull out the blanket I mentioned is my husband's favorite, the second quilt I ever made. I constructed this quilt the summer before I moved into the sorority house in college 14 years ago. Yikes! Our colors were silver, gold, and blue and I was so excited to be a part of it all. This blanket served as my bed spread. As you can see, I hadn't started actual "quilting" yet, this is one of my hand-tied projects. I love the way the yarn ages over time making the whole thing feel so snuggly. It may not be a perfect specimen, but I'm still pretty proud of how it turned out. My most recent project is the reading blankie I wrote about a few weeks ago. I've washed it since then and it has definitely become my most favorite quilt ever. Night and day difference between non-washed and washed. I'm absolutely addicted to the puffy wrinkles the dryer gives a blanket. I love the fraying edges on it, too. The whole thing is just so touchable. Camille and Carrie have said they plan to list everyone who participates in this comparison next Monday. I can't wait to see some of the "before and afters" that other people post! After a long break inbetween sewing spurts, I'm just now really starting to polish my skills. I can only imagine the differences in quilting for those who have been working at it much harder and longer than I have. Thanks for the great idea, ladies!

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T18:05:00.003-05:00

Though we aren't experiencing the ideal holiday weather today, we braved the rainy mist to attend a local festival to eat our share of the barbecue fare. The threatening thunderstorms are just a minor inconvenience compared to the efforts our armed forces put forth day after day to ensure we have the opportunity to wave our flags and watch our fireworks in peace. Thank you so much to each of you out there doing what it takes to keep us safe. Happy 4th of July!

In the gardens

2009-07-03T14:18:00.003-05:00

Today was a rare treat. We made the pilgrimage over to the Chicago Botanic Gardens--my true happy place. I take the peanut there frequently to let her run around and burn off some energy, but trying to take pictures while keeping an eye on her is a total challenge. Today we went as a complete family so I was able to do my thing knowing that Tim would wrangle the wee one. I'm just simply not good enough of a writer to explain in words what this place means to me. All I can say is that it is my own personal slice of heaven, breathtaking views at every angle. Guess I'll let the photos do the talking. It was a perfect morning:

A little Thursday tragedy

2009-07-02T17:24:00.001-05:00

It's Thursday. It's 5:15 p.m. Frustration Mounts:

Trash Ties

2009-07-01T11:53:00.004-05:00

Expected delivery #1 arrived today. I'm so excited to try Heather Bailey's Trash Ties out on the peanut. Her hair is so fine and slippery, we've been using these relatively painful tiny latex bands to keep her hair out of her eyes. I was worried the Trash Ties wouldn't wind tightly enough around her piggy tails to hold them, but sure enough they worked! So excited to have found a cuter option than clear latex rubber bands! I put these in her hair in about two seconds. Now I need to go back and read through the pamphlet to see other suggested styles for them. I can't wait till her hair grows out just a pinch longer for full blown pig tails! Soon enough, I know.

Why handmade matters to me

2009-06-30T14:23:00.005-05:00

One thing I can absolutely promise about this blog is that it will not turn political. I'm not here to stand on any soap boxes or try to sway you one way or another on any set of beliefs. Now that that is out there, I do want to say that I have chosen to not participate in this recession. Over a year ago, my husband and I started working really hard to follow Dave Ramsey's financial plan. We've paid off a lot of our debt but still have a long way to go. Despite the challenges we've faced and the ones I know have yet to rear their ugly heads, we still have hope that we are taking charge of our futures. You won't often hear me discussing finances here, but it is something I discuss frequently offline with close friends along for the financial overhaul ride. In one of my recent conversations, a good friend quoted some article about how every dollar we spend is like a vote. And yes, people are still spending their dollars even if at a much slower pace than before. This only leads to the thought that each dollar you spend carries with it an even more important vote than before. In the last 2 days, I've personally "voted" for 2 fantastic handmade products that I am breathless with excitement for delivery. I'm consistently astounded by the creativity and resourcefulness I've discovered throughout the many blogs, web sites, and Etsy stores I've perused lately. There are some fantastic people doing amazing things--taking charge of their own lives and pursuing their creative dreams. I'm impressed, I'm inspired. These are the kind of people I'd like to be supporting with my financial votes. I hope you'll take a second glance at the list of links I've shared on the right. I'll continue to add to it as I find more sources for inspirational creations. Maybe next time you're in the market for a purchase, you'll consider supporting someone who will truly appreciate your vote. "Thinking green":

My secret ingredients

2009-06-27T12:36:00.004-05:00

I've spent far too much time in the kitchen this week, but my freezer is all the happier for it. I am not the best baker by any means; definitely had my share of culinary disasters. On the other hand, however boastful this may sound, my hits are usually home runs. The key to my best recipes are my two secret ingredients. Hold on tight, I decided to share them with you. I'm a huge fan of Penzeys Spices. I'm lucky enough to live within distance of their store where I can gleefully spend hours wandering up and down the rows. But if I were forced to go live on island with only 2 spices it would be their Mexican Vanilla Extract and Chinese Cassia Cinnamon. Not sure what I'd be making on an island with those particular spices, but they are the two I find myself constantly restocking. This particular vanilla is harder to find, they don't always stock it. Guess that provides a little side of hunting satisfaction. It comes with a huge vanilla bean in the jar that I plan to use for making vanilla sugar once I finish the extract. The cinnamon is just the perfect spicy and improves just about anything I use it in. Now excuse me while I head back to the kitchen to lick my spatula.

The last strawberry post

2009-06-26T17:33:00.004-05:00

So I've been obsessing about my fruit this week. I had no idea how far 2 baskets of strawberries would end up stretching. I feel like I've been cooking with them for days and I still have the better part of a basket left! I thought perhaps you might be interested in the recipes I went with after all the teasing: 2 cups became strawberry topping for ice cream the first night. No recipe here, just mash with fork and sprinkle sugar and let marinate a few minutes. 4 cups went to a delicious strawberry pie that I totally screwed up. It wasn't the recipe's fault, it was me. Let's just say at the final crucial moment before entering the oven, the pie was whisked quickly back to the counter and re-opened. Don't ever try to lift a pie crust top off and then replace it. Trust me. I'm so sorry to dishonor you, "Joy of Cooking". Next time I'll watch what I'm doing. 2 cups went to 3 loaves of strawberry bread. Fresh out of the oven as I'm typing this. Haven't tasted it yet but it smells heavenly. 2 cups went to my first batch of freezer jam. I think I've eaten half a container on sourdough this afternoon. Oh. My. Goodness. Definitely a keeper and it may be where the rest of the berries end up. Another 2 cups or so have just been eaten fresh between meals. I definitely underestimated the capacity of these baskets. My third supply trip to the grocery store is in my near future. Honestly, I'm still not berried out. Guess that's a good thing since I'm definitely stocked for a while. Happily, my cutting garden is also coming along. I was able to cut my first "bouquet" this afternoon. The cosmos are much smaller than I had imagined, but I have these sweet little bud vases just waiting to be filled all around the house. Between the sweet berries and cute little cosmos, it was a fantastic way to end out the week. Happy weekend to you!

My husband, the quilter

2009-06-25T13:46:00.002-05:00

Let it be known right now that there is a little gray-haired lady that lives inside my husband. When I'm stuck at a design decision on a project, he has offered up some of my favorite solutions. He can take credit for the absolutely inspired decision to back my favorite picnic quilt in denim as well as what he loves to call my "signature racing stripe" on the back of many of my latest projects. Must be one hip and swinging gray-haired lady in there. Tim insists he married me for my quilts. I have no recollection of this incident, but he insists that he asked me to keep one of my blankets in the very early days of our courtship. Apparently I was horrified and told him "no". He decided the only way to get his hands on it permanently was to marry me. It is now one of his favorite afternoon sleeping companions. With all of my sewing frenzy this spring, he finally blurted out "How long do we have to be married before I am quilt worthy?! When do I get my own?" Shame on me for forgetting about my biggest fan. We'll celebrate 8 years of marital bliss at the end of July. I think that is just long enough, he must surely be quilt worthy by now. I told him I was just waiting for the perfect fabric collection, one that screams "Tim!" to me before I'd start. Leave it to him to beat me to the punch and pick out a color palette that fits just right. I was a little skeptical but figured it was a blanket all for him, he deserves his pick. The fabric arrived this afternoon and I'm absolutely dying to get this project in motion. The gray-haired lady strikes again.

Strawberry fields

2009-06-24T13:13:00.003-05:00

I'm the proud owner of about 20 pounds of handpicked strawberries as of this morning. We braved the 90 degree heat wave and went on our first berry picking adventure ever. Next time I'll pick a cooler day following a dry spell. Standing ankle-deep in mud and straw was not exactly what I had envisioned for this trip but I'm convinced the effort will pay off. I'm spending this afternoon scouring cookbooks and web sites for the perfect pie recipe and other ideas to ensure that this bounty does not go to waste. I'd love suggestions!

Summer in Six

2009-06-23T13:49:00.004-05:00

Saw a great tweet by DesignMom this afternoon about describing summer in 6 words or less. The posted suggestions were too fun and I can't resist following suit here. How about: Save my seat at the pool. What would your six words be?

My girlies

2009-06-22T12:16:00.005-05:00

I was lucky enough to get away to Madison this weekend to spend some time with college friends. It's been ages since my last visit and I had forgotten just how much I love that town. I imagined posting a fantastic photo post today chronicling our adventures at the Farmer's Market and around the Capitol Square but I was just too busy having fun to grab my camera. The only photo I managed to capture happened before the rest of the girls arrived. Oddly enough, I think it kind of sums up the whole visit anyways. Madison is just the kind of place where you might see something like this. It makes me want to run out to my nearest nursery and stock up on the supplies needed to hook my own bike up with some summertime bling: There are new babies on the way, new houses to admire, work accomplishments and stresses to commiserate over, and plenty of fantastic food to fuel the conversation. I was there for less than 24 hours and am already counting the minutes until I can visit again. I'll leave you with one final nugget from my fantastic weekend. This chicken salad recipe is To Die For. Everyone went back for seconds and I promptly went out to buy the ingredients to make it for myself this week. I'm completely addicted to Epicurious.com now. If you haven't already, be sure to check it out.

Chain stitching for beginners

2009-06-19T13:23:00.006-05:00

I am in piecing purgatory this week. A couple months ago, I took one look at Camille's "Pint-Sized Wild Thing" pattern and I just HAD to try it. I've only ever made one other pinwheel type quilt in my life and I always swore it would be the last one. Triangles and triangle type shapes and I have just never gotten along well. Then I saw her adorable little whirligigs and I threw caution out the window. Somehow I never paused to think about the fact that these pint-sized pinwheels would be the smallest piecing shapes I've ever worked with. To make up an entire blanket of them, it requires many many tiny little squares. I've been cutting and trimming and stitching all week and I'm still not even half-way there. All I can say is, thank God for chain stitching! For those of you who think you would never have the patience to try a patchwork quilt, you need to be introduced to this time saving trick. I line up my tiny pieces in a neat assembly line in front of my machine. Pair by pair, I grab the next set in line and without snipping the sewing threads I sew them into one long banner. It saves all the stopping and starting and backstitching normally involved with sewing a row. And you end up with this cute chain of pairs. Once the assembly line is done, I snip the sets, open and press, and start the next assembly line. For a pattern like this where it is important that pairs are kept together, it has helped me to keep organized despite the short sessions I've been sneaking in during naps and breaks. For experienced quilters, this may be an obvious method but I remember it being like a huge lightbulb going on for me. I'm hoping you just might find it useful enough that you'll try a project that has intimidated you. Back to the ironing board for me, I have my zillionth little whirligig to press. It's a good thing I still think this pattern is so cute.

Answered prayers

2009-06-17T18:49:00.004-05:00

I have been hunting around for labels to attach to the back of my quilts and other assorted projects. I've stumbled across a few of them at some of the local big box stores but nothing fit the image I had in my mind. Until now. I'm So excited to have just come across the personalized labels from Sweetwater! Not only are these labels exactly what I've been searching for, but they're hosting a giveaway on their blog. I hate to even share this news for fear of decreasing my own chances, but if you're in the market for labels, I highly recommend you rush on over there right now and leave a comment. I've got my eye on design L101, but honestly any of the designs would be just right.

Impending doom

2009-06-16T13:09:00.005-05:00

Perhaps my flair for the dramatic is a little over the top today, but that is how I feel. The dang weatherman has decided we're in for another 5 straight days of thunderstorms and overcast skies. I'm going batty with this ugly "summer" weather. Coming home from our morning errands, I stopped and noticed my blooming flowers at the end of our front walk. I know in theory that overcast skies are perfect photography weather, but usually I just remember the bad weather the day the photo was shot. Oddly enough, this morning my flowers just seemed a little brighter than normal so I went and grabbed the camera before the torrential rains arrive. I thought having a reminder of the flowers in the yard over the next few days might brighten my spirits.

I just made this photo my desktop and I plan on staring at those bright pink petals till my eyes go numb. Maybe then I'll have a shot at not realizing what it's doing outside on days we should be spending at a pool. Anyone else have tips for surviving a very wet summer?

Teeny tomatoes

2009-06-15T12:45:00.009-05:00

I picked up a copy of Fig Tree Quilts' "Fresh Vintage Sewing" over the weekend and I have not been able to stop thinking about the adorable little produce pin cushions. This book is so inspiring to me. I love Joanna's thoughts on choosing a color palette for your project and the photos of her gorgeous studio. There are so many projects within the book that I want to make I don't even know where to start. But since I can't get a particular little tomato out of my head, I'm thinking I'll start there. Not only would any of the patterns make a fantastic pin cushion, but how about play food for the peanut's kitchen?! The book was worth every penny and I highly recommend you find a copy for yourself.

Labor of Love

2009-06-14T18:34:00.011-05:00

An impromptu game of quilt wrestling just exploded in my living room. As my playful husband chased the peanut around the coffee table with my fresh-out-of-the-dryer quilt and wrapped her up for some tickle tackling, it occurred to me that this is why I take the time to quilt. Seeing my tiny girl all wrapped up from head to toe in a blankie that I labored over with her face all lit up with delight was enough to make my heart swell. These blankets are going to be the background of her childhood and will still be with us when she's grown far too big for me to even imagine right now. I can't wait for the arm chair games to come.

Back to the drawing board

2009-06-14T14:58:00.005-05:00

I'm starting on a new project this afternoon using leftover fabric from a recent project but a totally different pattern. I have no idea how it is going to turn out but I'm loving chopping up my material into little pieces knowing that it will all come together again in a totally different form. The organizational freak in me is rejoicing at the neat little stack of squares growing on my cutting board.

I also made the executive decision that since I'm spending so much time sewing these days, my desk should be filled with inspirational and beautiful things. It's a little tempting to go crazy with plastic storage from The Container Store (did I mention the organizational freak in me?) but I'm going to resist and take my time finding vessels for my tools that are a little more engaging. With my chance at some precious free time out and about yesterday afternoon, I found this pretty little leaf bowl that's just the right size for my safety pins. Beats the previous Ziploc baggie by a long shot.

My new reading blankie

2009-06-12T08:18:00.007-05:00

I finished my first applique' quilt late last night. I experimented with my first attempt at a soft-edge technique that is supposed to fray and get softer with use and washings. True enough to it's description, I've been plucking threads for the last 24 hours but it is shaping up to be one of my favorite blankets. It is so cuddly! I tried out several new skills on this blanket so I knew from the get-go it was something I'd be keeping for myself to hide away my mistakes. Oddly enough there weren't many mishaps, I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Maybe it's when you assume you're going to screw up that the sewing gods smile down on you.

A close up of the softly fraying edges of the applique' strips:

I'm dreaming of a Moda Christmas

2009-06-11T18:22:00.006-05:00

Didn't I just announce the start of summer yesterday? I'm a little chagrined to admit that I just ordered a boat load of yardage of Three Sister's Glace' for multiple Christmas projects I have planned. I've always wanted sentimental holiday decorations because it reminds me of growing up in my mom's beautifully decorated home. Every corner of the house was decked out with her own personal touches and to emulate that experience for my own little peanut, I've started adding to our own holiday collection.

Last year I made a fantastic Advent calendar that I'm pretty pleased with. This year's plan is to start earlier and shoot for a Peppermint Posies quilt and throw pillow, a tree skirt, and a table runner. I've had my very first fat quarter bundle sitting on my desk for over a month now just waiting for the yardage to become available. Having learned my lesson from a few disappointing late orders, I'm jumping on the yardage that just went on sale today so that I have all the materials I need to complete these projects. I'm hoping I ordered enough extra to be able to make a few gifts with my leftovers but I won't know till I really dig in.

I guess it is quite possible I'll be humming a few Bing Crosby tunes come July. All I know is I'm already excited to see how things look with our tree.

Summer is here

2009-06-10T16:02:00.007-05:00

The weather is just too unreliable to determine the seasons around here so we have to look for other markers. Today I realized it must be summer because the local Farmer's Market opened this afternoon. Perfect timing compared to my very low stock of produce in the house and a day the peanut chose to skip her nap. Is it the blue moon, too?!

Last year we had to navigate the market with a stroller. Today I decided to chance it by letting her run around on her own. Generally positive results but eventually realized we were somehow repeatedly running into the same golden retriever. Guess the peanut was more interested in puppies than produce.

Now I'm off to wash up some of the sweetest strawberries. Summer, heaven, whichever.

Attempting applique'

2009-06-08T15:46:00.003-05:00

Applique' quilts have always had a bad rap in my book. I respect the skill it takes to create such a thing, but Sunbonnet Sue really has no place in my home. I had no interest in even attempting to learn this process and had basically written it off as too old-fashioned for my taste until I stumbled upon Camille Roskelley's patterns over at Thimble Blossoms. I instantly fell in love with her whimsical style, I can't say I've ever seen such playful applique patterns before.

I ordered up Sweet Cheeks because it seemed like the perfect starting project--just the right size with a simple enough top so I'm not bogged down in piecing only to screw up the final step. I finished the quilt top weeks ago but finally got the chance to attempt the applique yesterday afternoon. Thanks to some pointers from Carrie at Ruffled Feathers, I'm pleased to share my first try. I can see how this could become completely addictive but I need to really work on my final stitching.

A Tale of Two Quilts, Part 2

2009-06-06T13:53:00.008-05:00

In all my years of quilting, I have never used the same pattern twice. Generally I make a quilt for a very specific purpose so there's never been an opportunity to repeat myself. Earlier this spring, in an attempt to try my hand at actual quilting (vs. the hand-tying finish I usually use) I made a small baby quilt for a gift. I should have known better than to experiment on a gift since during the process I made many newbie mistakes. I would never feel right giving away my "flawed" little quilt. Despite the mistakes, this quilt turned into one of my all-time favorite blankets so I decided to start over with new materials but used the same pattern. I'm astounded what swapping up the fabric can do even when the pattern is the same.

Now that both quilts are finally bound and finished, I thought it would be fun to post side-by-side comparisons. The first quilt used Wonderland by Momo. The second is constructed from Snippets by American Jane. I used an accent strip on the back of each with a shade of yellow fabric that coordinated with the front.

Quilt 1:

To finish the quilt, I used an all-over stipple pattern. I definitely need more practice at this!

Side-by-side comparisons:

Quilt 2:

When I finished this quilt, I decided to try the stipple effect just in the cream borders. I am really pleased with how it makes the colored rows pop.

The stipple pattern made a really fun effect on the back with rows of "puffier" blankie. I think this will end up being the perfect baby gift. I am so glad I experimented with this finishing style!

Binding Corners

2009-06-05T14:35:00.006-05:00

I finally finished the quilting on my baby gift and am this close to having the binding done, thank goodness! I just recently attempted my first binding project and I love the finished edge it gives a quilt. I could never have done it without tons of help from online tutorials. Amy from Diary of a Quilter has the best overall Binding Tutorial I've seen. The only step in the process that I found to be completely confusing was how to attack the corners. This is a super photo-heavy post, but I wanted to clearly illustrate the corner step since they are such a big deal in the final product. Hope this helps! Step 1: As you are sewing up to your first corner, stop and back stitch a few stitches.

Step 2: Turn the quilt direction so the next edge is prepped for sewing.

Step 3: Fold the binding upwards and away from you so that the raw edges are are still in line.

Step 4: Fold the binding back down towards you, leaving a little "pocket" of material underneath your finger. The raw edges of the binding and the quilt should again be touching.

Another view of Step 4:

Step 5: Continue sewing down the raw edges, back stitch to reinforce your starting stitches.

Final product: This is what your corner will look like on the front side of the quilt before you turn over the binding.

And this is what the corner will look like on the front side when you turn the binding over to attach the back:

Now I'm off to finish the sewing on the underside of the quilt. I hope to be back on Monday with the final photos of this project. Have a great weekend.

Speed bumps

2009-06-04T15:14:00.004-05:00

This quilt is going to be the end of me. I've been on the quilting phase of this baby gift for well over a week--a stage that shouldn't take more than an afternoon or two--and have ripped out dozens upon dozens of stitches. Something's going on with my machine, perhaps I've angered the sewing gods, or maybe it's just that I'm too distracted by the sunshine we're finally getting to properly concentrate. In any case, I can't wait to get over this step and finish the darn thing! The good news is that despite all the speed bumps it is turning out even better than I expected and I can't wait to share pictures of the final product. But since I'm heading outside with the peanut for the rest of the afternoon, guess we'll all just have to be patient just a little bit longer.

Cutting Garden Project

2009-06-02T13:03:00.008-05:00

Every year I am bombarded with the worst case of Spring Fever. Living in the Midwest, I know I'm not alone in this particular affliction but I swear I get it worst than most. To take the sting out of the last snowy days of "spring" the peanut and I decided to get a jump on the planting season by starting our own cutting garden project indoors at the beginning of April. Within days we had glorious lime green sprouts filling our windowsill container. It was completely addictive to check how many had appeared every morning. Final count was around 72.

After a few weeks of outdoor weatherization, our little seedlings finally made their way into the garden plot over the weekend. Thank goodness for a very willing husband able to till the ground. This was previously the ugliest little weed patch in the neighborhood and now we are waiting patiently for pink and white cosmos, bells of Ireland, and purple zinnia.

Some of the seedlings didn't survive the outdoor transfer. We had to restart the bells and zinnia from seed so I'm crossing my fingers they'll work better being planted straight into the ground. And now that we are facing yet another drizzly and overcast week, I have visions of hand-tied homegrown floral bouquets dancing in my head to tide me over until the real start of summer.

Strawberry Surprises

2009-05-29T17:02:00.004-05:00

After a week of nothing but overcast skies and drizzle, we finally got a peek at the sunshine this afternoon. I had some leftover planting to finish off with a freshly bought package of potting soil. To my overwhelming delight, I discovered that in the last week our strawberry plant has started to bloom and the fruits are at last turning red! What a perfect way to start off the weekend. This must be a sign of good things to come.

A season for photo ops

2009-05-28T14:49:00.006-05:00

With Memorial Day officially behind us, we are now right smack dab in the middle of prime photo op season. There are so many events coming up over the next few months: graduations, weddings, showers, family reunions, vacations, I could go on and on. Documenting these special occasions should be easier than it seems to be for most people.

A few years ago, I read a couple books by Nick Kelsh that totally changed the way I use my camera. "How to Photograph Your Baby" and "How to Photograph Your Life" have some of the best user-friendly photography tips I've ever seen. They are practical and so easy to pick up and start using right away. "Your Life" has better tips for those tricky group shots at various big events and holidays, and "Your Baby" makes an excellent shower gift for that expecting mom in your life. I can honestly say that without Mr. Kelsh, some of my favorite photos of the peanut would just not exist.

Giveaway Madness

2009-05-27T12:42:00.009-05:00

There must be something in the air today, there are free gifts for the winning all over the web! A few of my favorites that I've stumbled upon:

Camille at Simplify is giving away two of her gorgeous Simple Abundance honeybuns to two very lucky readers who post a comment about their favorite Moda designer and which pattern is a current fave from their site. The full rules for participation as well as the roll call of designers can be found here. I'm really hoping I can snag one of these, but if not I have my calendar marked for September when the full line of Simple Abundance should be available. I can't wait!

Carrie at Ruffled Feathers is celebrating her 300th post today. Wow, now there's something for me to shoot for! Come up with a great creative suggestion for her giveaway and you just might win it! I love the open-endedness of her giveaway, how fun.

Vanessa from V&Co. and Jodi from Simply this, that, and the other... are teaming up to give away an adorable table topper! You'll need to visit both ladies and post comments for your chance to win but their blogs are totally worth the while! Full instructions are posted by Jodi here.

Vanessa is obviously a very busy lady and happens to have also teamed up with Little Birdie Secrets to give away an Aviary honeybun once you've checked out her Uptown Jane shop. I absolutely loved working with my Aviary layer cake, you'll be seeing a finished project with that in the next few weeks. This giveaway makes me drool!

And finally, there's a whole list over at Sew Mama Sew of bloggers participating in her May Giveaway Day. Plenty of free things all over the web, as long as you know where to look!! Good luck to you on any of the ones you try to win!

Soothing to the soul

2009-05-26T15:11:00.005-05:00

As with any project, there are varying stages of building a quilt. When I first started years ago, my favorite step was creating the top--seeing the tiny bits and pieces come together to form something soft and smooth and colorful--the rest was just tedious necessity.

A lot has changed in my life since I first began quilting and I have a newfound appreciation for the entire process. I'm still toiling away at the baby quilt I mentioned last week; the holiday weekend slowed me down. I was stalling at what is still my least favorite step, measuring and cutting the batting. After an especially stressful early afternoon, I found myself smoothing the quilt top over the batting sandwich, pinning everything into place and finally found the upside to this dreaded step.

There is just something so soothing to the soul to run your hands over a baby-soft quilt top, ensuring there are no unnecessary bumps or folds and placing the safety pins ever so neatly in continuous rows. Feeling that decorative top become something so much more substantial as it finally begins to resemble the cozy blankie it will become with just a little more effort gives me such a sense of satisfaction. At the end of the day, my life might be filled with the chaos that having a 2 year old peanut in the house involves but at least I can say I made progress on one small piece of comfort.

Feeding the Fabric Obsession

2009-05-22T21:17:00.005-05:00

Oooh, here's another one. This makes me want to run down to my basement and dig up some old Target lamps I know are collecting dust down there. Rachel from P.S. I Quilt is brilliant. A long time ago I decided I would never again attempt sewing anything that required a curved angle. This adorable lamp shade makes me want to pitch that promise aside and grab the nearest Moda honeybun. I think I could easily find a spot for some Patisserie inspired lighting in my house.

Random bits of inspiration

2009-05-21T19:53:00.002-05:00

While I wouldn't go so far to say that this is a "quilting blog", quilting has become a revitalized obsession with me as of late. I'm totally late to the Moda party and I keep uncovering layer after layer of amazing women involved in contemporary quilting. I'm astounded by the creativity I've seen and have been completely inspired to take my own skills to a whole new level. Last week's quilt market in Pittsburgh has been covered by several bloggers I've come to love. Their photos make me writhe in jealousy at the opportunity they had to gather together. I stumbled upon Fig Tree Quilt's blog this afternoon and am awed by the empire she seems to have created. Found myself downloading a few tunes she has streaming there as well. I don't have too much more of a point than to say that as I discover these fantastic finds, I'm hoping to share them here. Inspiration is a funny thing: whether you're a quilter or not, surrounding yourself with other creative people can only lead to something great.

A Tale of Two Quilts, Part 1

2009-05-20T21:55:00.004-05:00

I'm working on a very overdue baby gift at a frantic pace this week. My first attempt at this gift was fraught with too many beginner's mistakes for me to feel comfortable giving it away as a memento. Having learned from these stumbles, take 2 involves a replica of the pattern using a different collection of fabric. It is still a work in progress, but I'm amazed at the difference in appearance by just swapping the fabric. When I've put the final touches on it, I want to post a side-by-side comparison. Till then, here's a little sneak peek.

Peas and Carrots and Peanuts

2009-05-18T14:58:00.004-05:00

I've been completely absent from here for too long because Peanut Blossom's "better half" came for an extended visit last week. My great friend and partner, Zina, brought her own little peanut so that our girls could hang out and bond for the first time ever. We saw each other through our pregnancies but life took our families in opposite directions before the girls really got to meet. This visit with our babies was something we've always chatted about and finally got the opportunity to follow up on.

Zina is definitely my "peas and carrots" friend. You couldn't find two more opposite ladies but we connect and complement one another on every point that counts. She is my creative inspiration and personal design director. You can thank her for the lovely header at the top of this blog. We filled our visit with plenty of pent-up chatting, a fantastic visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens, playtime for the girls, and blueberry mojitos for the moms. I couldn't have wished for a better way to end out the week.

Don't be shy

2009-05-12T20:29:00.006-05:00

I posted my photo blog project this morning and I'm rather pleased with how it ended up turning out. I look back at yesterday taking all those photos. By 11 a.m. I was ready to toss my camera out the window, nothing was turning out the way I wanted it to. Something changed in the afternoon and I started to enjoy the photos I was taking just a little bit more. By the time I imported them onto the computer last night, I could see the project coming together and I woke up this morning excited to share them.

With my project out of the way, I'm now just waiting for everyone else's postings to appear in Facebook. My co-conspirator Zina posted hers this evening and I'm blown away at just how beautiful everyday photos really can be. I consider Zina to be one of the best photographers I've met and while her album is gorgeous, I was just as entertained by a friend of a friend's project--a woman from Colorado whom I've never met. I think it is fascinating to take a peek into someone's opinion of what is important and meaningful from their day. Such a personal expression left out to be shared with anyone interested. I hope I see plenty more of my friends sharing their days with me in the week to come. It would be such a shame to let something as silly as camera shyness get in the way of such a wonderful project.

A day in the life of Peanut Blossom

2009-05-11T19:18:00.003-05:00

Today is my "Day in the Life Of" Photo Blog day. I've been carrying around my camera since approximately 7:30 this morning in an attempt to document a typical day. The point of the project is to take notice and appreciate the small moments that make up our lives and find beauty in the everyday. My project definitely got off to a slow start and finding a unique way to present eating breakfast and our morning rituals was more challenging than I remember from the 2008 project. I found that documenting these moments actually made my day drag on far longer than it normally feels. I guess it's exhausting taking time to stop, smell, and photograph all those roses! I just loaded all the photos I've taken thus far onto my computer. Seeing them collectively on the big screen has made me excited to cull out my favorites for sharing. But, the day isn't over so I need to go load up some more batteries and get about my evening business. Here's just an appetizer for the final presentation:

Preferring PVC to pearls

2009-05-10T18:27:00.007-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! This was the first time I've celebrated Mother's Day with just my little family since my own mom is on vacation and mom-in-law is in another state. It was a very relaxing day filled with plenty of time to work on my own hobbies with the help of my darling hubby. After an hour at Lowe's, Tim devised a way to bring easy access to water to our second story deck so I can handily water my new garden, fill the peanut's paddling pool, or hose down the dirty dog before letting him back in the house. This will spare me endless trips back and forth to our kitchen sink in the coming summer months. I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day gift this year! Here's to PVC plumbing and a handy husband.

She's got skills

2009-05-09T19:49:00.003-05:00

Speaking of learning new skills, I've attempted my first ever machine quilting on my latest project. I normally hand-tie my quilts, but wanted to try out the more traditional finishing style. I just prefer more casual looking blankets, so the straight-line quilting never really appealed to me. Then I found this stippling tutorial (PDF) from Camille over at Simplify and I was completely inspired. I love the whimsical patterns over such an old fashioned art form. Little did I know how difficult this would be! I literally tensed up from head to toe and broke out in a sweat during every sewing session but I finished it this evening and am super pleased with the end result. It just makes me all the more envious of Camille's seemingly effortless lines and nearly perfect balance. Thank goodness I tried it on a smaller project!

Sounds dirty, but it isn't

2009-05-08T15:45:00.004-05:00

I recently heard someone describe how they feel the urge to "pet the fabric" at quilting stores and that sentiment set off bells in my ears. That is exactly how I feel about the experience but never considered that explanation for it. It's been a few years since I last made a quilt and for some reason I've been literally overcome with the urge to start creating them again. I'm utterly addicted to the gorgeous Moda fabrics over at Fat Quarter Shop and when a fresh order is delivered to my doorstep, the petting is all that more exciting because it is the first time I've seen the fabric in person. I'm starting a project next week that will have me testing out new skills and I can't wait for the learning to begin.

Planting season

2009-05-07T19:16:00.004-05:00

The first year the peanut was here, I was too overwhelmed with her tininess to even consider dealing with growing plants. Last year, her main goal in being outside was to run away from me as fast as possible so I was too busy chasing to find time to water flowers. This year, we've finally reached a stage where I knew she'd love being outside and tending to a garden together. We spent this week scouring stores for herbs, veggies, and flowers that will work on our deck. There's more work to be done, but this afternoon proved every ounce of effort will have been worth it.

My first baby

2009-05-06T19:31:00.005-05:00

Wispy thin, 13 pounds, and remarkably under-appreciated since the arrival of the peanut, my first baby has consistently shocked me with his never ending patience. God bless Target and their puppy stickers, today's shopping adventure scored us two of them. In her spirit of sharing, the peanut decided to adorn little Gino with one of her precious stickers. He is indeed the most tolerant puppy on the planet.

"A Day in the Life Of" Photo Blog

2009-05-05T21:39:00.005-05:00

Next week I'm participating in the second annual "Day in the Life Of" photo blog project. While trying to organize this event on a grander scale with my friend and partner Zina, I looked through last year's project to find my best sample to attach to the instructions. It took my breath away to compare the difference in my little peanut over the last 12 months. I found a photo of her clinging to the open dryer door for stability and now she's simply running circles around me. I'm so excited to participate in this year's event and see all the fantastic submissions from the other photographers. But I'm mostly looking forward to documenting another set of everyday moments to look back on next year.