decorating, pillows and a future quilt

Hi again everyone! I hope that you had a really wonderful holiday (all of my US friends, that is!) Thursday, we hosted at our house as we usually do, and it was just so nice. I love this time of year.

Friday was spent decorating the house for Christmas. This has been a tradition since I was a little girl, and I am so happy to carry it on. The boys and I spent the morning putting up decorations, and then Weston and I put up the tree during the afternoon. And we listened to Elvis Christmas Carols, which is my absolute favorite. Finley layed on the floor, looking cute. I'm sure next year she will be too, I mean more, involved. :) Isn't she looking so big, by the way? Almost 5 months!

I started some new Christmas pillows this past weekend. Actually, I made one, put in on the pillow, and decided that I hated it. So I started two more and I like them a lot better.



First I made this wonky star block and framed it in with 2 in squares from my favorite red and green fabrics. I've been wanting to use these Uptown birds for so long, and the red looks very Christmas-y to me.

Next I made this square block. I still have another border of the 2in squares to add, but I ran out of time (read- the baby woke up), so I'll have to do that tomorrow.

As I was laying these out, I realized that these blocks would make an awesome Christmas quilt! Check out this mosaic of them together:

Fun, right?I love how they look together! I will definitely be making this quilt for next year. I won't use the linen that is in the squares block, only the Kona snow. Hopefully I'll be ahead of the game and start it in the spring.

Okay, off to watch Elf with the family.

xoxo, Angela

Cyber Monday SALE 2010

Good morning friends! Just wanted to pop in to let you know that I am having a little sale in my Etsy shop: 20% off all orders! Simply enter this coupon code, CYBERMONDAY10, during checkout. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me! Be back later with my latest sewing project. :)

xoxo, Angela

Happy Thanksgiving

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Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving. :)

xoxo, Angela and family

crocheting flowers

This time of year my fingers start itching to crochet. Right now, these flowers, or stars maybe, are the only thing I want to make.

My inspiration is here and here, and this is where you can find this very simple pattern. The pink and aqua ones are ready to be sent to two new friends. Now I am starting a couple for me, using some favorite colors.

I also made an oatmeal one for my partner in the mug rug swap I mentioned earlier on in the week.

Alrighty, I'm off to crochet me some stars.

xoxo, A

sewing this week

Hi friends! Sewing this week has been a little sporadic, but I was able to get a couple really fun projects knocked off of the to-do list.

First off is a mug rug (i.e. oversized quilted coaster) I made for a swap I am participating in over on Flickr. I decided use some of my favorite green fabrics scraps along with natural linen to create this tree mini quilt. Those paired with a little wonky red star, straight line quilting, and Lush woodgrain binding (of course), and there ya go, my contribution to the swap. Oh, and the backing is Full Moon polka dots from Amy Butler in red. It is an 8" square.

It is funny, I told myself that I would not sign up for anymore swaps before Christmas. However, when it came to the last couple of hours to sign up for the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap, I freaked out and decided I couldn't bear to miss out on all of the fun. I am weak. :) Anyways, in case you haven't seen it yet, here was my mug rug for the last round.

The other project I finished this week is a custom order doll quilt for a lovely customer at the shop. She and her husband, the wonderful supporters they are, and have ordered quilts, crochet cloths, bookmarks, and clutches in the past. When she requested a doll quilt for a gift for her little one, I was more than happy to oblige!

Alrighty, that is it for now. I'm off to peruse JCrew while brainstorming ways to convince my husband to fund a little shopping spree. Any brilliant ideas? Wish me luck. :)

xoxo, Ang

pillow #3

Well, I finished pillow #3 on Saturday, and I am now just getting around to sharing. You know how it goes.

That unbelievably cute owl block is from Christina, wasn't that so sweet of her to send me? She sells these lovely block prints (plus more!) in her etsy shop.

I used this wonderful tutorial by my good friend Jessica of Twin Fibers to make a sunrays block to frame for the owl. It was such a fun block to make, and her directions were really clear and easy to follow.

Freebird Ovals by Momo is the backing with a revealed selvedge instead of a hem. The binding is Lush Woodgrain by Erin Michaels.

I've had many comments and emails asking how I put the binding on my pillows, so I will try to post a tutorial later on in the week or early next to show you exactly how I do it.

So there you have, my three pillows for the pillow challenge week! :)

xoxo, Angela

PS - I have pillows on the brain... I am already coming up with designs for Christmas ones...

pillow #2

Here is my second pillow for the week

I really love all of the "plus" quilts that have been popping up all of the net, so I thought I'd try a smaller version. This is another 18inch pillow cover.

I used lots of my favorite fabrics in this one. There is a little Flea Market Fancy, American Jane MonPez, Happy Campers, Flutterby Ladybugs, Alexander Henry Farmdale, etc.

The back is Farmdale Curios, and the binding is Freebird Ovals. Rather than making a normal hem, I used the Farmdale selvedge... Love selvedges!!

One of my favorite things about the pillow is the quilting. It took a little while, but was definitely worth it. I think it adds a lot of character.

And here are the two together in their new home. Pillow #3 is almost done, I have to hand sew the binding and it will be finished. More on that soon. :)

xoxo, Ang

wordless wednesday - pillow # 2

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo, Angela

Pillow #1

My goal for this week is make three pillows for my living room couches. I finished up pillow #1 this morning.

This was such a quick pillow to make. I followed a super easy tutorial from Allison, and it came together very simply. The front in natural linen plus some of my favorite fabrics. The tree is Lush woodgrain, and the leaves are a mix of Denyse Schmidt, American Jane, Amy Butler, and a couple that I don't remember!

The back is Ovals in red from Momo's Freebird (I think!) and the binding is from the Happy Campers line by American Jane.

And it is in its new home, waiting to be joined by pillows 2 and 3. :)

I'll see ya tomorrow with a sneak peak of pillow #2.

xoxo, A

a little Christmas sewing

Good morning! I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend. Ours really was, they just go so fast, don't they? I made these two blocks last week for the Bee-autiful Quilting that I am participating in. Tiffany requested trees, log cabins, and/or stars in this beautiful Figgy Pudding fabric by Moda. I ended up with this tree in a log cabin and a scrappy tree.

It has definitely got me in the mood for some Christmas sewing! After I finish up my pillows this week, I think I am going to be ready to start working on some more Christmas gifts. I'm thinking bags and gathered clutches are on the list for the girls and women in our family.

Speaking of pillows, yesterday I started my first pillow on the list to be completed for pillow week. Hopefully by tomorrow I will have a finished pillow to show you.

Have a great Monday.

xoxo, Angela

a week of pillows.

Any of you read house on hill road? Next week she is having a Pillow Challenge Week, and I'm totally in! I have three throw pillows on my two black leather couches, and they are in severe need of a makeover. I am totally the girl who likes to decorate for each season, so I'm thinking that some fall-ish pillows are on my list. I just hope baby girl takes some good naps so that I can get some sewing done!

So what do you think? Anyone want to sew up some pillows with me?

xoxo, A

girl on a swing

I made this Girl on a Swing for the Scrappy Hoop Swap on Flickr. For the first time, I was truly sad to send my swap item to its new home.

I mean really, doesn't she look so cute hanging on my aqua-y gray dining room wall below? I guess I'll just have to make another one.

I really enjoyed making this hoop. I used my friend Aneela's amazing tutorial, which was so fun and easy. I made the entire thing, start to finish, in only one afternoon.

It is a 8" hoop, so it was a little hard to make. The girl's features and details are so tiny! I used linen for the background along with some bits and pieces of my favorite fabrics. The tree is Lush woodgrain from Erin Michael's, and her cute little dress is from Anna Maria Horner's latest line, Innocent Crush. Doesn't the fabric make such a fun dress? I want one in my size. :)

Of course I had to send a couple extra goodies for my partner. Hope she loves hexies and bookmarks!

This little girl has to travel far, and I'm hoping that she arrives safely at her new home.

xoxo, Angela