Journals

These journals were inspired again by Bloom.  (I'm in the middle of a Bloom obsession right now....) but I thought they would be nice for teacher's gifts for the end of the school year and piano teachers too.

I just used 5x8" notebooks that I picked up for cheap and they were pretty easy to make.  I may have to make a bunch more in the future.  Don't be surprised if you find one in your stocking.  I think I'll be more creative next time and try some other looks.

A Silly Bag

The inspiration for this cute and silly bag came from another of my favorite blogs:  Bloom.  I love her style and just reading through her blog is relaxing.  I thought this bag looked so fun.  I decided to make it a bit bigger and use it as a diaper bag.  That old black hospital issue thing is frumpy and not cute.  It was time for my diaper bag to break out of black!

Mine measures about 10.5 inches tall and about 14 inches wide with a 4 inch wide base.  

I did Bloom's faux-piped handles and I like how they turned out too. 

 I also put pockets inside.  

My favorite part though is the little ric-rac flower I made to put on the velcro clasp.

I've been toting it around some lately and I love it!

Day-In-The-Life-Project @ Peanut Blossom

One of the blogs that I enjoying getting lost in is Peanut Blossom and I love this project that she is doing.  I've said many times that photography is a hobby I would like to develop if I could .... Well, I'm going to join this project and make one step in that direction.  My camera is nothing special but I don't think it has to be for this.  I'm excited to see what I can capture during one day of my life.  Anyone want to join me??

April Book Club

For our April Book Club, we read "The Traveler's Gift" by Andy Andrews.  Wow!  What a great book!  It is packed with so many inspiring and encouraging lessons but I love the story.  What a fun story to capture our imaginations and teach us at the same time how to be successful at life.  I first read this book several years ago and I remember that it was good then too, but opening it again, at a different stage of life was like a whole new experience.  I think I might buy a copy for myself so I can read it again and again and mark it up.  I need to take some of the thoughts and post them on my mirror to read often.  Anyway, I highly recommend this one!

Twiggy Table Runner

I was so excited to get back on my sewing machine after I got it back from the spa... a.k.a. annual maintenance.  I had this project started, but while I was without my machine, I couldn't stand to let it sit so I quilted it by hand.  Then I just had to sew on the binding.  I love the way hand quilting looks though, and something small like this doesn't take too long.  It's worth it.  I think it turned out great and I love the colors.  The fabric comes from a charm pack labeled "Twiggy," I picked up on the clearance table at a local quilt shop.  Also, I have seen where others have done a splash of color on the back of their quilts and I really liked it, so I thought I'd try that too.  I took some of my extra border and binding strips and splashed it across the back.  I like it!  The inspiration for this table runner came from one on Moda Bake Shop called Sugar Cookies Table Runner.

I have always feared hexagons.  But I decided to give this one a try and I'm glad I did.  I made it simpler for me, though, by making a paper piecing pattern instead of cutting out each intricate shape.  I have used paper foundation piecing many, many times and it always works well for me.  Capt. Awesome is so smart and charming (sigh!), he made the patterns for me on the computer. I'll try to post the patterns later for anyone who wants to try them out.