Lillian + Oliver 5: Finished!

I know I just finished a Lillian + Oliver quilt, but this pattern is just perfect for babies!  I made this quilt for one of my great friends from college.  She came to me some time after she found out that she was pregnant and I was so honored to make this quilt for her first baby!

My friend had the colors for the nursery picked out, so I did my best to follow suit - checking in with her on every decision!

Some of the fabric is from my stash and the rest of it I found after scouring the quilt shop for what felt like hours!

The back of the quilt is a flannel from Bonnie and Camille.  It is so nice and soft!  It was a great choice for the back and I just love it!

The binding is the silver and grey print from the Cotton + Steel basics line.  The grey matched the other greys perfectly and I think that the binding is just the cherry on top.  It was a great way to finish up this little quilt!

I don't currently have another Lillian + Oliver on the books, but I'm sure that I'll make another at some point!  If you're in need of a baby quilt pattern, this one is a great one!  It's quick and versatile!  Check out my other four quilts!  One, Two, Three, and Four!

Currently Listening to: Miss You by the Holdup

Recents >>

One of the things that I wanted to do for my Project Life this year is to actually have an opening page.  For my first album, I just sort of started.  The second album started with the birth of Berlin.  This is the first time that I'm starting the album with the beginning of the year, so I wanted to get some photos of the family.  Yesterday was the day!  No one was sick, there was plenty of sun, and we were all getting dressed up for church anyway.

Berlin was pretty good during the photo shoot.  I didn't get any photos of her smiling, but she wasn't crying or throwing a fit, so that's good enough!

These photos are printed up and I am super excited to get started on my opening pages of the album!

I have also completed the January installment of the Story Time Sampler!!  The frames and the title are coming along slowly, and I am in no rush to get it all done.  I just want to stay caught up month-by-month.

More recents >>
loving > double chocolate muffins
excited for > Studio Calico reveal tomorrow!
planning > the opening 2015 Project Life lay out
reading > Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
current temperature > 45°

Currently Listening to: Make Light by Passion Pit

Project Life 2015: Week Two

Here is the second week of Project Life!  As I get better (I can't believe I'm still sick!), I intend to spend more time on my spreads and make them more intricate.  Being sick, I wanted to do something, but I didn't quite have the attention span to do anything fancy!

Big moment that week: Berlin learned how to go down the stairs! It's the cutest thing ever.

I'm glad to be staying relatively caught up!  

Currently Listening to: Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Project Life 2015: Week One

Last week I became SO SICK.  Usually, when I get sick, it's for about 24-48 hours and I'm good to go again.  Today is day #6.  I am feeling better, but I am still sick and I hate it!

I did manage to make it down to the studio to work on my 2015 Project Life!  I have plans for a great opening 2015 page, but I haven't taken the photos for it yet because it's been one thing after another.  Hopefully I'll get those photos taken this week so I can get that going!

Anyways, here's the first page I have done!

I never shared any of my Project Life spreads last year, but since we had Berlin I have been documenting her growth week by week.  It's been a lot of fun, but also so much work!  After she turns one, I plan on still keeping up with her, but only taking these deliberate photos once a month instead of every week!  B is always going to be a huge part of my Project Life, but I really want to strive to document the other things that happen around here, too.  Such as those amazing cookies that I made!

So, I'm happy to have gotten a start and I can't wait to get back down to the studio to do more!

Currently listening to: Anna Sun by Walk the Moon

Get Ready to Stitch!

While I was blogging in 2013, I occasionally posted about the Woodland Sampler  cross stitch that I was working on.  Well, I finished that year long stitch-along (SAL) at the end of that year and here is the finished product (still not framed...)!

After finishing that sampler, I immediately purchased the 2014 sampler to keep stitching along with everyone.  That sampler is the Once Upon a Time Sampler and it was so fun!  Here is this one finished, also!

This year's sampler is the Story Time Sampler, which starts on Thursday.  These SALs are SO MUCH FUN and I absolutely love doing them.  This year long project is perfect for just biting off a bit at a time, since each month's section is delivered to your inbox at the beginning of each month.  It's easy for me to stay current and excited for the next installment!

You can join any of these samplers at any time, although for the previous samplers, you will get the whole pattern at once instead of a month at a time.  I hope you'll consider stitching along with me and following the hashtag #storytimesampler on Instagram!

Currently Listening to: You Are All I See by Active Child

All About 2015

First, I know this is a week late, but when do we really stop celebrating the New Year, anyway?

Second, I am SO EXCITED for this year!! Last year was a really difficult year and life just started turning a bright corner as the year was coming to a close, so I just know this year is going to be fantastic!!

Third, I want to share my goals for this year, but I want to preface the list by saying that I purposefully did not set any lofty goals this year.  In November I listened to the audiobook version of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown and while I don't agree with everything he said, some of it did hit home for me.  One of those things was to do less, better and another was to say no more than you say yes.  He said it this way, and I'm paraphrasing, "if it's not an overwhelmingly clear yes to you, it should probably be a no".  Now, I enjoy serving and I love making things for people I know, but I am now working on doing only those things that are absolutely essential or that I really, truly want to do.  So, that's where I'm at!  I'm not in competition to accomplish the most or to work late nights when I don't have to.  I want my goals to be attainable and enjoyable.

So, with that said, here is my goal list for this year!

• Make a quilt for Berlin (I feel so guilty that I haven't done this already!)
• Complete the Story Time Sampler
• Read the books that go along with the Sampler
• Make two quilts for my family reunion auction
• Finish all unfinished quilts (I have four)
• Learn how to use Illustrator
• Document the year with Project Life
• Keep designing stamps and grow the shop

It's not a super long list, but I think it's doable and each item on my list has value to me.  

I also want to share my One Little Word for this year.  I haven't done this previously, and I'm not really interested in being affiliated with the organization, but I love the idea of having one word to focus on for an entire year.

The word I chose is WIN.  This word is also influenced by Greg McKeown's book.  Greg told a story about a football coach that has a very successful high school football team.  When the coach is asked how they're so successful, the coach says, "We win".  While the coach has the stats to back up his statement, he is using the word 'win' as an acronym for "what's important now".  He has taught his players to continually evaluate the game and do whatever is important RIGHT now.  

I definitely want to win this year.  I want to be better than I was last year.  I want to accomplish more of what I really want.  But I also really want to focus on what's important now.  I tried reminding myself of the concept during the last few weeks of last year and it really helped me prioritize my day in each moment.  Do I really need to do the dishes right now, or can I spend some time with Berlin? The dishes got done, but I also actually spent more time playing with B instead of just trying to get things checked off of my to-do list.  Does the list govern me or is the list assisting me in my day?  

Food for thought.  I recommend McKeown's book.  There are some great values and principles in it, even if you don't agree with everything.

Currently Listening to:  Alienation by Morning Parade

Another Lillian + Oliver

I didn't realize, until just now, that this is my fourth Lillian + Oliver quilt!  I had forgotten all about the first one I had made.  This pattern is just so good.  I am in the process of making another and I'm sure there are plenty more in my future.

This quilt is quite literally going to be the sister to this Lillian + Oliver I made in 2013.  That same best friend is having another baby and when I found out I said, "Okay, if you have a girl, I'm going to make her a quilt with the same pattern I used before.  If you have another boy, I'll do something different!"  She was down with the plan, so when the gender was announced, I knew just what to do!

I walked the quilt shop for what seemed like hours trying to find fabric that I wanted to use.  I picked up one fat quarter, then another... it was a slow process.  Eventually, though, it all came together!

This quilt is way more pastel and no where near as bright as her brother's quilt, but you know, I think that's just fine!  My friend has already received the quilt and she loves it, so I feel good about my choices!

I regret that I'm not certain what all of the fabrics are.  There are two pinks from Into the Woods, several Timeless Treasures cross hatches, a couple confetti dots, and I believe the chevron is Riley Blake.  The back, however, is Best Fort Ever by Sarah Jane.  I just love this little print!  I quilted the quilt with a very light pink and I think it turned out great.

This was my only quilt finish of 2014... I finally started that Modern Maples quilt I had been threatening for awhile, but it is probably only a quarter quilted.  Now I have a few other priorities going on, so I'm not sure when I'll get around to finishing that, but it's on my goal list for this year.  (Which, it just occurred to me, I should share!  Maybe tomorrow?)

Until then, have a great day!

Currently Listening to:  The House You're Building by Audrey Assaud

Oh, Hello Again...!

Oh my goodness, friends...  I have taken a big long break from blogging.  After having our baby girl, Berlin, last February, my whole world was turned upside down and I sacrificed a lot of things as I figured out my life again.  One of the things I sacrificed was this blog.  Well, it's a new year and we have new opportunities to start fresh (and keep blogging!).

As an update...
Berlin is 10 months old.  HOLY COW.  That was fast.

B is an absolute doll and we love her so, so much.  She is currently loving old cell phones, board books, and ripping up paper.  She also just figured out how to walk with her baby walker yesterday!   I'm sure there will be more to come about her here.

Other than having a baby, the second big thing I did last year was starting to design my own photopolymer (clear) stamps!  I opened an Etsy shop and I've really been enjoying the process.  I plan on posting more about my stamps and process this week.

But wait!  Stamps?  I thought this was a quilting blog... Okay, you're right.  I love, love quilting and I'm not going to stop! I have a bunch of quilts to start and finish on my goal list this year, but I do more than just quilt, so I am also going to be including my other crafty adventures here too, including my stamps and the Project Life spreads that I make.  (I believe I've touched on my PL spreads previously, but I intend to be more in depth about it this year)

I am really looking forward to this year and also looking forward to sharing all the aspects of the year here, with you!

I'll be back tomorrow with a quilt that I finished last month!

Currently Listening to: The A Team by Ed Sheeran