Summin' up a year of projects...

It didn't feel like I got much done this past year, but here is the sewing version of my year's worth...

Not to bad :)  I'm happy with it!

And the big project of the year, that was mostly non-sewing related (however, quite a bit involved sewing now that I think about it)...

...it's definitely the most fun too!  Thinking of doing it again, to an Airstream this time!  That'll keep me busy for a few months ;).  On to 2013 and lots more fun!!!

Defined...

I love old books- seriously, I have no reason, I just LOVE them. I love the stories they tell- especially children's book, and I love thinking about who read them when they were new. Thrifting is a great way for me to find these fun treasures. I found a wonderful book a bit ago and thought I would share it. It's a children's dictionary, and the definitions and illustrations are wonderful!

The word "lazy" sold me- I guess some days I'd like to be lazy, but I can't remember the last time I had a chance to be :).

Then there was "sewing" - so sweet.

It's full of charm and delightful words like these :)

Happy Mail Day :)

I love it when I have a great reason to do the happy dance at the mailbox!! It was one of those days a couple of days ago---I got my Farmer's Wife Sampler book and my Material Obsessions 2 book! I will be making the Gypsy Kisses out of MO2 and will be working (probably forever) on the FWQAL :) It is way over my head, but I like to push myself, so there you go :) I am just having the darndest time picking out fabrics on the internet- gotta get to a LQS soon!Leila's Sampler quilt we are doing over at http://sewnbyleila.blogspot.com as a quilt along has been teaching me a lot- for instance, when I think a print is not "too busy" , it usually IS!! hehe! So it is good I am doing it before and as I will be going along on the Farmer's wife too- every little bit helps me :) Here's block 3 from this week! Even though it's busy, I still like it tons! I wanted a pink-a-lious quilt for a little girl, and I'll be getting one :) Love it!

Happy a sunny day and a 4th full of sunshine inside!!

Handmade...

When I think about all things Handmade, I think of pride in your workmanship, I think of good quality, I think of feeling good about helping others in this big boxed world, and I think about inspiration. Where does inspiration come from?? All around, of course! And more importantly, from within. That's the best place to find it- we can all see, hear, touch, or feel the same thing, but we all take something different away from it. That's what is beautiful about life. Here are some things that have inspired my handmade thoughts this week...

This sign, in my sewing/crafting/living room is the first thing. It applies to so much in my life, but to me, creating handmade things is a journey- one that we can find joy in along the way!

The next is my bead boxes- I have them on a shelf in my closet and everytime I walk in, the colors and shapes and sparkles make me smile. I make jewelry as a hobby, this is where my inspiration for that begins- just seeing it all together...

Children are wonderful places to find inspiration- their heads are full of amazing, limitless ideas and every one is GOOD! To them, everything they make is a work of art, and I love that! I know a little boy that loves to make BOOKS! He writes about all sorts of ideas he gets, illustrates them, folds and staples them, and then you have the most glorious collection of books around! I am so happy to be able to have personally been told these stories by the author himself!

And lastly, I LOVE pinwheels, big time! I just designed and am selling what I call the Fly Away with Me necklace. It's oh so simple, but it reminds me to keep life that way too. And when I look at it, I'm inspired to create more things!

Handmade is a journey, full of joy, and always expanding! What a great thing to be part of!

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!!