The big reveal

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.

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

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.

My husband, the quilter

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.

Peas and Carrots and Peanuts

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.