Pacific and Dark Purple Blocks

More blocks done- gotta catch up the posts about them :). This time I would up with another block that has color pops- so sad that I didn't have enough of the Pacific color fabric. Guess that's a really good excuse for me to get some more blue- hehe! So on to the blocks--

The blue has a book hidden in it- it's a narrow, horizontal book. My kiddos still can't see it very well, but it was how the fabric worked best, so that's what it is! I like the color pops, even though the saturated blocks are fun. Now I have one to match my green- HA! I adore the castle peeps that is the cover of the book in this block- I had a dear friend send me some scraps, and I about passed out when I saw Castle Peeps in the box! WOW- it's my favorite print on the block!

Then the dark purple block has a flower in it- daisies are my favorite so it mimics them. I didn't have enough scraps of this color either, but I think it turned out well nonetheless :). It is so fun to watch the pile of done blocks accumulate and see the beautiful colors all together! Love it! They make me smile- I am itching to get them all done and pieced :) Then I have to figure out how to do the back- have some crazy fun ideas!!

The Ultimate Compliment

I am from the South- as in the Southern US. It is in my bones, in my heart. No matter where I am or how long I am there, I will always, ALWAYS, be a Southerner. There is something different, something special, something me, about the South. The people have serious "Southern Hospitality" and that gets to be part of you. They are also very polite and use the words "mam" and "sir" with yes, no, and everything else too :). You can walk in a grocery store and have an hour conversation with someone you have never met before. When you drive down the street, people wave. People feel connected and family is HUGE! Not that there are lots of kids in a family, necessarily, but that you are part of an extended family who cares about you and is involved in your life. Word travels fast in the South- due to that family connection :). There are lots of trees and green, which is a very wonderful thing. And life is good.

I live in the West, with my family now. I married a Western boy and we got stuck here- work and all. Life is good in the West too- just different. People are different, but they are still good. It became a quest for me to find a neighborhood where people wave as you drive by, and after almost 13 years, I found it! So we're not moving :). I love the West, the mountains, the things you can do to be a part of nature. And family is here too. Thank goodness! As wonderful a place as it is, and that I know I am suppposed to be here, I am still a Southerner.

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In church last week, we sat by a lady who had just moved to the area. We began talking with her and found out she was from Georgia- close to home :). Ah, Good memories... Anyway, when we got home, my husband said, with every bit of respect, "You could tell she was from the South; she looked like a Southern lady." I am so grateful I am part of that category. I thanked him for knowing that there was a difference, because that is what I am, a Southern lady. Plain and simple, through and through.

Red and School Bus Orange/Yellow Blocks

Ok, first off, why in the world is this Kona color called "School Bus"?? Huh?? It's orange people- and NOT the color of a school bus! Too funny- it makes me giggle every time I see it! I call it by it's offical name when I look at it- yes, I talk to my fabric, don't all "normal" people do that?! ha! So, on to the blocks, off with the tangent :)...

This Bottled Rainbows quilt is too fun! I love looking at all the beautiful blocks. They make me smile to see how many people can make so many different styles using the same idea. Sometimes I think I'm weird because mine are so different, but as I stated previously, I think outside the box and like to give things some flair. So here's my flair- a picture in every block :) And that's how I like them, so weird or not, it's me and what will mean a lot to me years down the road, when the kiddos are all grown and with their own families :).

The rich red block was easy- My littlest is obsessed with purses, so there had to be a purse somewhere, and red spoke to me! I love how this one worked out, with so many little fussy cut animals, and forest things. Another favorite!

The School Bus orange/yellow, whichever it is :), was fun too. I have a different little who loves rainbows. The quilt is right up his alley, as far as colors go, but I knew I had to throw a rainbow in for good measure, so here it is :). It was crazy cutting all these curved pieces, but oh so worth it! I love it too!

Now I have 6 done, and only 10 to go- faster, faster, faster! I wish my machine would sew double time! :) Dreaming...

Spray Paint is NOT my friend

Some people swear by spray paint. I have used it a handful of times- once or twice it has worked for me, but more often than not, this is what happens.

I got this cute little bookshelf for the littlest's room. It was red- I thought it would look so cute with light pink polka dots on it. So I snagged some spray paint- cause it's supposed to be so easy, ya know?! hehe! I made a stencil so the circles would be the same, and waited for a nice day. Well, the spray, after 4 or 5 coats still didn't look right, it was oversprayed in parts, and just didn't "do" it for me. So I got the brillian idea to spray the whole inside to see if that looked better. I got three-fourths of the way through the inside and the paint ran out! HA! For real?! Go figure- now spray paint is not cheap, and I obviously do NOT know how to use it correctly. If I did, it would have turned out lovely, right?!

So I decided to go the old stnadby route and just paint the darn thing with a can! WOO-HOO! Now this I can do :)! So I grabbed some ballet pink and some red for dots and off I went, paint brush in hand! It turned out much better this time, and I am happy. And I can now stand for other people to see it too ;) hehe!

I think with small things, spray paint works for me, but with bigger stuff, uh, N-O! :) I am so much more a can person!

Dark Blue and Tangerine Blocks...

I have been working like a mad woman to get these Bottled Rainbow blocks done- I really push for 2 a day because I know life will get in the way :). Sor far, I'm doing pretty ok, though. Here's the latest two...

The dark royal blue color- we are big mountain and skiing fans at our house, so it was destined to have some mountain ranges on it :) There are two ranges- it makes me smile to just look at them. I won't even ride a ski lift- too scared of heights :) but those that live in my house would stay at the resort 24 hours a day! Love it! So the mountains are perfect!

Another thing we are crazy about around here is biking- I even have a pink beach comber bike that I love to ride :) It is great to be together and be outside! And feel the wind in your helmet :) So the tangerine had to have a bike in it! Ta-da!

It's fun to figure out how to make a design and how to work around it. I really like how the blocks are turning out and think it will give it more of a "our family" feel. That's a good thing- just like sunshine, rainbows remind me of the joy during the rain :) LOVE!

And so begins another Vintage Love...

I thought I had my vintage love when I started collecting Pyrex several months ago. Then I kept seeing these marvelous vintage sheet quilts popping up all over Pinterest and blogland, and man, if I didn't fall again :)! I love the reuse, or do without saying, so finding and using vintage sheets is a wonderful idea to me. I have been looking when I go thrifting recently, and found these two- my first vintage sheets- yesterday!

I actually squealed over the pink and green strawberry sheet (then looked around to make sure no one heard me ;) )- it is just gorgeous in real life! I may wind up putting some fat quarters in my shop (http://lightningbugz.etsy.com/ ) when I find some really pretty ones :). I also found this flowery aqua, lime, and yellow sheet. The design doesn't fill the sheet as much as I'd want usually, but the colors and print was too pretty to pass up!
This quilt:

is the main reason I caved! The lovely ladies over at Quilt Taffy (http://www.quilttaffy.blogspot.com/) are amazing and this vintage beauty, with some hot pink Henna Garden running through it, put me over the edge a few days ago. That was all it took to convince me that vintage sheets are now a definite MUST :)!

And the hunt is such fun :)---

Cutting through Butter!

One of the things that really urks me is my rotary cutter. The blade seems to be plenty sharp, but for some reason, no matter how hard I press down, the silly thing will not cut well. Even if I go over the fabric two or three times, I still wind up cutting parts with my scissors that just didn't get cut through all the way. URGH!! So my lovely mother- you should meet this lady, she is a saint!, I want to be like her when I grow up- gave me a NEW GINGHER rotary cutter for Mother's Day! Oh my heaven-ness :)! I adore my gingher scissors and have been debating about a new rotary cutter, but they just cost so much I have been holding off. So this was the best present that I could have gotten!

I got my first chance to use it yesterday and I just stood there in amazement after taking that first cut. I was speechless! I was giddy! I was just dumbfounded that for over a year I have been using my terrible, cheap, frustrating, time consuming cutter, and that after one single cut, I knew I was a new woman :) hehe! Not even one single thread needed a cut and it looked perfect. It seriously felt like a knife going through room temperature butter! Seriously, something so simple could have fixed all my stress and mutterings under my breath for the past how long?? ;) I really just stood there a moment, letting it soak in, and then just sighed and smiled a wonderful smile. I walked over, picked up my old cutter, and it found a lovely new home in the circular file :)! Such a delicious moment! I am never going back- yay for Gingher! And more yay for my mama!! I luv ya!! And now I love cutting fabric too ;)