quilting 911 - this way and that way

dream on by urban chiks for moda
i haven't had much time to work on my quilt this past week but i thought it would be fun to show you what i have had time to do.  i know i've only given you sneak peeks so far so it's fun to reveal what's hanging on the quilt wall.  i received all this lovely fabric from my parents for xmas a few years ago and at the time i had chosen a quilt design i had in my mind.  i'm happy to say that after all the time has gone by i am still liking the same design and am super excited to get all the blocks sewn up.


i decided to go with a bit of a fence rail/basketweave design.  i love the scrappiness of it and at first contemplated adding some sashing in between the rows of blocks but have decided against it.  this quilt is going to be a test for me.  it usually takes me forever to decided which pieces i want where on a quilt and i over analyze it to the point where i just leave the darn thing for months..haha.  so this time i decided to just throw caution to the wind and put them together using my instant gut reaction.  i simply picked up new pieces went "does it look good" and sewed them together based on my answer.  i didn't look at the ones i had already created, i didn't pin them all up as i went, i didn't analyze my colors, i just went with my gut.  it was soooo fun and super freeing.

 

i'm going to attempt to do the same thing when it comes time to sew those blocks together.  i'm going to just pin them up and stitch em' together.  of course i will take enough time to see if it's ugly or not...lol...but i'm really striving to go with a gut reaction and not over think the whole process.  for now though i'm still in the cutting stage and you all know how i feel about my rotary cutter...lol.  i'm getting better but i still have a love/hate relationship with the darn thing.  luckily this quilt involved cutting but not tricky cutting...lol.  i simply had to cut up my layer cakes and cut up my jelly roll.  then when the block was stitched together i trim it down to square it up.  it was pretty easy but i have to make myself do the trimming right now.  not fun in my mind.  i seem to keep finding other things to work on that are far  more fun that trimming up this mountain of blocks (shown below).



now that i have my new worktop space it's been making quilting really easy and a lot faster.  it's also nice to have a white worktop.  it's clean and makes a great backdrop to choose fabrics and colors on.  i've really been enjoying it.  when i was at ikea picking up my new furniture i could not resist this adorable teacup tray.  love it.  remember when i did "teacup month" on the blog?

so fun!  i knew this had to come home with me and guess what it's been doing?  that's right....holding all my quilty bits...lol.  it's the perfect size to keep all my in progress quilt blocks on.  who knew in ikea that i'd end up using this adorable tray for that purpose right? oh well, if it's working - stick with it.  the more organized i can keep my mess the better :)


i'm planning to do a sashing (maybe in a natural tone) around the entire quilt top when the blocks are all put together and the back is going to be done with the same light blue used in the blocks in a solid along with some patchwork.  i'm super excited about it!  as for the binding...who knows...lol.  that's one decision i'm not looking forward to.  it always seems to be the hardest one for me.  i'm going to wait until the end to decide and then just go with it.  you know....a little this way and a little that way...it's all good.  i cannot wait to sleep under this beauty and dream of all sorts of vintage goodness.  it's going to look fabulous on my bed.


i'm all pumped up to get it done sooner than later because i just recently placed a nice order from one of our sponsors - "fat quarter shop" for some fabric for another quilt that i've been designing for a few weeks now.  i've got a little plan mapped out with a diagram and it's got a fun modern vibe to it. i'm really excited to see if i can bring it to life.  i love that i'm going from scrappy vintage goodness to modern and fresh.  makes my gemini soul happy.  i've also really been enjoying the fact that all of my quilts so far have just been me going with a general idea and not following an exact pattern.  i love the freeness of it all.  the feeling of just letting your mind and your heart tell you how you envision the quilt and then making it come to life is just way too fun!

what is your process like while quilting?  are you a this way and that way or an over analyzer like me? do you have a process that helps you make decisions on your quilts a bit easier? share...i'd love to hear your thoughts.  it's raining out today and i'm in the mood to chat quilty goodness!

read more about this quilt here:
http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2012/05/quilting-911-its-never-too-late-to.html
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moments in the mommyhood - attempting to recharge


we finally got a ken doll in our house.  he's pretty rad.  he came in swim trunks and a shark tooth necklace all ready for the beach.  barbie was pretty stoked.  they got engaged pretty much that day and the girls declared that they were in need of a resort beach wedding. we of course said yes and packed us all up for a weekend getaway so barbie and ken could tie the knot in style.  j/k....muahahahaha...well sort of..lol.  barbie and ken did get engaged and they did get married and we did go away but it wasn't just for barbie and ken.  i haven't gone that kookoo yet :P


a few weeks ago the hubs surprised me with a weekend getaway about 45 mins out of town in sooke.  again...thank you m'love..xoxoxo.  we stayed at the best western prestige oceanfront resort and let me just say that this is not your average best western. wowsa! this place blew my mind.  it was gorgeous and the room we had was to die for.  i didn't want to leave the room.  i swear to god that is no exaggeration. i literally would have been happier than a clam to just hang out in that gorgeous hotel room for 3 days!  the bathroom was amazeballs and we had an ocean view, awesome beds, great modern decor...i loved it.  the whole hotel is done up in colonial style and i felt like i was in a movie...lol.  we had a lot of fun and the kiddos just loved it as did we. i didn't have to clean so i was more than happy. i'm sure you moms can relate. 

i've super busy and hadn't gotten around to showing some pics of our little getaway so i thought i'd get you all up to date today.  oh and btw...it was thanks to groupon getaways that we could afford to stay at this gorgeous hotel.  if you haven't tried booking a holiday through groupon getaways i definitely recommend it.  we even got a meal voucher to the restaurant there and got splurge on a fancy meal too! can you tell we were excited??  mack captured my sentiments exactly!!! flat screen on the wall people!!!! and one in the bathroom that had a shower that was seriously larger than our bathroom at home...no word of a lie...this bathroom was like heaven! double sinks & a separate room for the potty! i think we had more showers there than we ever have in our lives...lol.


we got to get some rest and most importantly get to have some quality time together as a little family.  i highly recommend trying a mini-vacay with your kiddos not too far from home.  we got to go somewhere we hadn't been before and it wasn't a long drive for the kids so no stress for us.  we hit up a local provincial park during our stay and chilled ocean side while harper napped, i knit and mack and daddy played in the surf.  here's some shots of our adventure....



just looking at these makes me want to go all over again :)  we're back in the middle of jer's studies and this weekend was sooooo long.  i'm pooped.  i fell asleep at 8:40 last night! i think that's a record for me since i had children..lol.  harper fell asleep at 5:00pm and slept the whole night.  if that's not popped i don't know what is..haha.  we are looking forward to next month when the hubs schedule is a bit easier on him and on us. 

on the upside we went to madagascar 3 yesterday afternoon and loved it! we all went in 3d! so fun!  i attempted to be super organized and pre-bought our tix.  i picked up jer from school and we all went to the theater.  i went to pick up our tix and the silly machine wasn't working.  so we went inside and asked for help.  the girl looked at my print out and said "you're at the wrong theatre".  WHAT!!!! EMBARRASSING!!!!  wowsa! i'm never gonna live that one down with the hubs.  so hilarious! luckily the correct theatre is kitty corner and all we had to do was cross the street but still...we had almost bought our popcorn etc.  i have no excuse for myself other than i am a mother.  that pretty much sums it up.  i'm sure you can relate...right?

how was your weekend?  do you ever go on little mini vacays?  what's your favorite way to recharge when you're tired?  any embarrassing mommy moments? i'd love to hear about it.  i'm off to enjoy the sunshine with the kidlets...it's finally poked it's head out today and it feels great!  hope you all have some sun too!
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weekend wishes

to add some more pink to my wardrobe...

image src toby key via bri emery on pinterest
to wear skirts more...

Source: stylecaster.com via Bri on Pinterest

to get a shirt with this on it...lol...


to make myself one of these lovelies...


to definitely get a NAP...

letter pillows from counter couture
and to have a chance to finish the page turner i'm reading.

img src: kelsee (beauty in everything)
i love fridays. it's one of my favorite days of the week.  it's not too often i wake up grumpy on a friday.  the possibilities of the weekend seem endless.  too bad my hubs is going to be in school all weekend which means lots of driving for this momma.  we hit up the library yesterday to prepare for our trips in the car.  lots of music cd's, kids audio books and other goodies to bring in the car.  and for mom....my knitting of course :)  it's going to be a long one but i still get to go out on sat night so all is good.

last week i managed to get some time to read and boy did it sure feel good to just lose myself in a good book.  i worked in bookstores for a big part of my pre-child life and am a huge book lover.  after spending so much time working behind the scenes in bookstores and getting to order titles, read advances, head up multiple book clubs, attend author readings etc it's always a pure joy to me to snuggle up with a good book and by book i mean a real book...you know...the one with a cover and pages in it..lol.  there's something so wonderful about the smell of a real book and i love my collection of classics on my shelf that i've found in little secondhand shops all over the place that i couldn't imagine them all being replaced by a file in an e-reader.  there is a real art in book binding. now don't get me wrong...i'm not saying e-readers are bad..not at all...i'm just sayin that for me it would be a hard leap to make.  i love independent bookstores so much and can't imagine the possibilities of them not existing.  it makes my heart break a little.  anyways...i digress...lol.  bottom line...i'm reading a juicy one and cannot wait to get to the end this weekend.

what are you all up to?  any fun plans?  what are you going to be busy crafting?  i'm working on my fat quarter gang tutorial that is coming up...can't wait to show you all!  pull up a seat...your cuppa jo is already poured for ya....let's chat!
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The Downton Cowl Pattern - New Pattern Release!

you all know that i love cowls and i love me some downton abbey.  i'm so excited to tell you that i've been a busy bee working away bringing a sketch of mine to life for you all since the winter when i became hopelessly addicted to downton abbey.

Buy Now

you see during the commercial breaks they show a black screen with the illustration like image of downton and i just couldn't resist the peaks of the roof of that gorgeous castle.  i instantly got inspired to whip up a cowl that easily could have been worn by any of the ladies of the manor - whether by the help or by the ladies of the house. knit up in gloriousmadelinetosh tosh dk in glazed pecan (from urban yarns) i'm so excited to finally be able to show you all "the downton cowl".

i am hopelessly in love with the chevron lace on this cowl.  the ups and downs and peaks and valleys are so pretty.  i love the garter like effect for the border that to me symbolizes the stability of a home - the foundation and the roof.  and don't we all know how up and down love and life is in between :) i am pretty excited to have designed a new cowl and to also do one in a lace pattern in a dk weight! the downton cowl takes only (1) skein of yarn and can be made in one evening no problem. how's that for fun! i love quick projects like this that are both satisfying in design but fast in execution.

if you've been scared to try lace before this is a great beginner lace project. don't let it intimidate you. if you know how to do simple increases/decreases, knit in the round and read knitting directions you can do this! i promise :)  the pattern is easy to follow and i've given you both written directions and a lace chart.  as a knitter i like to have both to work from. i usually start with the written instructions and as i get the feel for the lace i move to the chart.

i was thrilled to find a good use for my very first skein of

madelinetosh

and i hope i did it proud.  i think the lace shows off the depth and tones of this gorgeous yarn.  my sister camille didn't hurt it either. yep, that's my baby sister modelling for me in the photoshoot.  she's pregnant with my soon to be niece/nephew and has that soon to be momma glow about her. i think she looks gorgeous and every time i photograph her i realize why i am so horribly unphotogenic...lol.  she got all the good genes..lol.

we had a lot of fun on this shoot and we took our downton cowl and both my kidlets up to one of our cities very own castles -craigdarroch castle.  it's gorgeous up there and i knew it would be the perfect place to take pictures for this pattern.

the downton cowl is a great cowl for all seasons too.  it's lightweight but has enough oomph to keep you warm when you need it and it's not too hot when you don't want the extra heat.  style it loose or stand it up for a bit more of a structural appeal.  feel the romance of downton abbey and the fun of life and remember to enjoy all those peaks and valleys in between too.  after all...where do you think downton abbey gets all it's story lines from?

a big thank you to my gorgeous sister camille and to all of you who let me slide on other knitterly duties as i worked on this cowl.  i hope you all love it as much as i do.  i cannot wait to see pics and yarn choices and all the fun goodness that comes along with releasing a new pattern from my home to yours <3

The Downton Cowl - BUY NOW

you can purchase the downton cowl onravelry now, my etsy shop here and my craftsy shop here. you can also look for it soon at magpie patterns as well! happy knitting!

what do you guys think? do you likey?  i'm really happy with it and hope you will be too.  has a tv show inspired you lately?  let's chat! coffees on...

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Polkadaisy Jewelry Giveaway!!


i've got a new lovely and you can have one too!  you likey? me lovey!  the talented michelle of polkadaisy wrote to me recently about the possibility of me hosting a giveaway for you all and i of course said - "heck yah"! you know i love me some gorgeous handmade jewelry and i know you all do too!  now that harper is getting older i feel like i can finally start wearing a few pieces here and there again without that mommy fear of them getting ripped off, broken or chewed on..lol.  polkadaisy's jewelry does not disappoint either!  i adore my new set!


i love that they have my precious girls names on them and also their birthstones.  how pretty is that?  one of my favorite parts of this necklace is that i know michelle made it herself. it's not from a factory - it's made with love.  i also love, love, love the chain!  the fact that it isn't super dainty and fragile is a big plus in my book!  it's not heavy but i'm not scared it will break after a gentle tug from my kidlets because they love it as much as i do.  they get so happy seeing their names on mommas necklace and are constantly looking at it when i'm wearing it which is ALWAYS..lol.


i love the story behind michelle's business as well.  so touching.  click here to read all about how she got started and her emotional journey.  each piece of handcrafted jewelry is designed & created with a personal touch. 
polkadaisy uses sterling silver and swarovski crystals to create pieces that are touching and also special to the wearer.  from funny sayings to heartwarming thoughts the fun thing about polkadaisy jewelry is that you get to decide what you would like it to look like.  polkadaisy sells necklaces, bracelets and key chains all ready for you to customize or you can purchase the style that michelle shows on the website. talk about flexibility! i love options :)  michelle hand stamps each and every letter herself making each piece a true original!

bonus is michelle is offering all mommyhood readers 15% off your purchase with the code MOMMYHOOD!!!! wahoo!!!  who says you can't treat yourself some jewerly for father's day...lol!  ready to find out what the prize is and how to enter?  yay! here ya go....








- one lucky winner will receive their very own Katie necklace (shown above) that they can personalize with whatever shapes/birthstone they would like!!! awesome prize!!!! thanks michelle!
  • Sterling silver tags
  • Swarovski birthstone rivets
  • An 18 inch sterling silver chain






- simply enter your info in our google doc form (link shown below) along with what your favorite piece of jewelry is from polkadaisy. when you enter your info you are designated a number by google doc based on when you enter.  this will be the number i use to correlate to your name when the winner is chosen.  make sense?  if you have any questions just ask me below in the comments.  click below to enter the giveaway:








- giveaway is open until june 11th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

thanks so much for the giveaway michelle and good luck to all of you who enter :)  you can find all things polkadaisy here:

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moments in the mommyhood - sewing blooms

mackenzie's two cups she's growing grass and other wonderous things in
now that i've changed where i'm sitting while sewing/working i've got a lovely view of our deck and it's yummy contents.  it struck me on the weekend how closely the projects i'm working on reflect the colors we chose to plant this year.  i've found myself hopelessly in love with our new outdoor carpet.  for reals.  i'm feeling it.  i want to plaster my house in this color palette and i can totally see a quilt or some other wondrous item working it's way into our home in these yummy colors.


here's a shot of about 1/4 of the stack that i madly sewed up on friday night.  yep...i rock out on friday's...lol.  the hubs was at work, the kidlets went to bed early and i got to fit in some exercise, knitting and some serious sewing.  i went full force on my quilt.  i'm almost done all my blocks...yee haw and it's queen size so i'm happy with my progress so far.  i just have to trim up a giant mountain of them and then i get to plan where they go (the hardest part for me).  i'll show you a bit more later this week :).  but back to colors...don't these look just like my balcony..minus the grey of course?


purdy right?  i'm still on the hunt for just the right outdoor fabric to redo our pillows and bench seat out there and then hopefully i can give you all a good looksie :)  it's been harder than i thought to find the right color at an affordable price for our budget.  yum! speaking of budget...don't you all love saving money having to buy herbs and veggies from the market during the summer  just look at our tomatoes growing away...they usually get as tall as our railing each year and we love growing them.  our cilantro is another standby that seems super happy this spring.


i also got pretty much finished a new dress for mackenzie that i made as part of a blog tour this month for a lovely friend of mine!  you'll have to stay tuned to find out and see more :)


all in all it was a very productive and creative weekend for me.  jer took the kids all day saturday and i worked like a woman on a mission.  i'm just about ready to release my new knitting pattern and it's killing me to not do it asap! i'm so excited about it.  i also have the sweetheart dress pattern 90% ready to start pattern testing so look for announcements on that on facebook hopefully this week!  all i can say is having a clean and organized work space is life changing folks.  it seriously has lifted a huge amount of stress off of me and i feel so creative and a lot happier.  it was worth the scrounging of every penny it cost.  i hope to get pics up to show you all soon.


i was also able to spend so much more time sewing during the week that i actually got to read a book!!! yes...a non-sewing/knitting book!!! i felt like i could actually unplug and just curl up with a book and i did just that.  it was glorious & guilt free!!!  so thank you ikea!  maybe what they say in their commercials is true??? lol.

how was your weekend?  have you gotten to indulge in anything lately that you haven't had time for in ages?  are you working on re-organizing your creative space?  i'd love to hear all about it!
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weekend wishes

to indulge in some yummy coffee...

with enough coffee anything is possible print from caroline evans
to get time to work on my quilt....

Yellow & Grey Lady of the Lake Quilt by During Quiet Time
to decide which sweater to make for our next knit along...


that the darn sun would come out so i can bask in it...


to get all of our boxes unpacked & assembled...

Source: picklebums.com via Erin on Pinterest

and to miraculously wake up with my nails lookin' as awesome as these!

image from refinery 29
it's friday! yahoo!!!!!  it feels like this week dragged on and on. the weather has been gloomy and rainy here and it sure doesn't feel like summer.  i'm missing the sunshine.  we've been stuck inside living in our bad episode of hoarders...lol.  geez.....seriously....i need more time in my day so the hubs and i can get the energy to actually just finish our spring cleaning & get the rest of my new sewing wall revamp done. for now though there are laundry bombs everywhere, furniture askew, multiple desks floating around, partnered with lots and lots of stray craft supplies. only thing that is clean is our bathrooms (which i cleaned last night - bah) and our kitchen (kind of).  those are my safe zones...lol.  do any of you have safe zones?  my house can be a total disaster and i'll remain calm if i have a safe zone - meaning one room in the house that is clean where i can go gather my wits..lol.  

i'm looking forward to knit night tomorrow with my girls. i've missed the last 2 weekends so i am super happy to go this sat.  i'm in desperate need of 4+hours of straight knitting.  i've been sewing so much that my knitting has been sadly neglected.  in fact, it's been so untouched it's pretty pissed at me.  i can't even get to my shelf with the yarn right now so those lovely skeins are all whisper yelling at me "shannon...we know you know we are here....come and play with us....".  ok, wait...did i just type my yarn is talking to me here?  oh my....i think i may need more coffee/sleep too...lol.  

we've got a bday party, carnival, baseball, cuddles, and cleaning planned for this weekend and we are sure hoping the sun comes out for it all.  i'm planning on getting a ton of catch up work done this sat to make up for all the luv my new quilt has been getting.  thank goodness there is lots of yellow in the quilt to make up for the lack of sunshine :)  it is june now after all sun...you can come out now :)

what are your weekend plans? wishes?  any of you working on some projects to brighten up your days?  i've got a new keurig....want a cup?? come chat...ya know you wanna...<3
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Quilting 911 - It's never too late to dream...

dream on by urban chiks for moda
ohhhh yeah baby....don't you just get all excited when you see the loveliness of a fresh jelly roll!  i seriously never want to untie them they just look so gorgeous and inspiring! i am more than happy to just set that bad boy on a shelf and stare at it's yumminess all day. love! throw in a layer cake too and wowsa - you've got one happy momma!


now before you ask me...why yes this is "dream on" by urban chiks for moda and yes this came out eons ago...but hey...i think it's never too late to dream right? lol! seriously though my lovely parents bought these for me for xmas of 2011 (thx again mom/dad)!!! that's how long i've been waiting to quilt with these babies!  i knew i had to get harper's and mackenzie's quilts done first before i could work on mine and i'm finally at that point!  life's gotten in the way but i'm so excited to finally dive in.  you all know how much i love vintage sheets so in my opinion this line of fabrics will never get old in our household :)


i'm on a tight fabric budget in my household so i like to use up what i've got before i re-order and when i order fabrics i usually have projects in mind for them ahead of time.  when i asked santa for this line i knew what i wanted the quilt to look like.  i'm so excited that after all this time has gone by my original idea still excites me and i'm seriously obsessed at the moment.

i'm behind on a gazillion other deadlines/projects because i can't. stop. working. on. it!!!!! i think this is going to be my favorite quilt yet!!!!  can i just say that i looooove pre-cuts! honestly.  i cut them up but i love that it wasn't hard cutting.  it did take me a very long time though.  i had to cut up my layer cakes and my jelly rolls but i'm getting much better with my rotary cutter skills.  must be all that time i've spent hangin' with my fat quarter gang cohorts...lol!


it could also be a defense mechanism against the fact that my condo currently looks like an episode of craft hoarders...lol.  the hubs has been working away like crazy assembling all of my ikea goodies to revamp my sewing wall...it's awesome. he's awesome.  but in the meantime all my craft stuff is everywhere!!! in between boxes and our other bouts of spring cleaning it's a gong show in here. the only area that is soothing to the eye is my worktop space....it's lovely. if i could love a worktop it's this one. i can't wait to do the big reveal to show you all what i came up with for maximizing our limited condo space.  this momma's got a real office zone now and i'm loving every minute of it. in fact the hubs loves it almost as much as i do and has been studying at "my desk" every night now.  so all in all it's been worth the work and all the months of me saving my pennies to buy it all.

one issue i am having now that i'm doing a momma sized quilt is my poor quilt wall is too small! i will def need to re-access this.  i'm hopelessly addicted to hanging my quilts on the wall as i plan and arrange.  i love staring at it throughout the day and being able to make changes whenever i like.  it's fun but i never thought about what i'd do when i made a larger one. i may have to go around our wall - it sort of juts out on an angle and just go with it..lol. you all remember that cheap fleece like blanket from ikea that i use to hang my blocks off of that magically holds the fabric with no pins? too small for this quilt! wahhh! it's going to be worth the work though, this one is for our bed and i cannot wait to snuggle up with it at night. so excited!



i'm not going to reveal what the quilt looks like yet but i will next post i promise.  for now you'll have to settle with a sneak peek and i'll be back with questions because you guys rock and i love hearing your quilty thoughts on all of my projects. it's fun learning with you all! and all cheesiness aside it seriously is never too late to dream.....so sketch those projects and then bring them to life! you won't regret a minute of it i promise!

what quilty goodness are you working on right now? do you have a fabric line you are hoarding and have put off using cause you love it so much? which line will you never get sick of in your house? spill the beans...i'm up for a chat!
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Petite Kids Boutique Pattern Giveaway Winners!

we've got some winners for our petite kids boutique giveaway!!! wanna know who won?  here ya go...

each of the following winners will receive (1) pattern of their choice from "petite kids boutique"! yay!

winner #1 - jessica miller
winner #2 - doreen borck
winner #3 - kymberly maw

congrats everyone! we'll be in touch soon!!!
thanks for the giveaway wong! you can find petite kids boutique on facebook here and their etsy shop here.
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Tanks, Tops & Tees Knit Along - Starring you!!!!

capricious from celtic cast on
can i just say wow! honestly! wow! you guys blow my mind! this top, tanks & tee's knit along has been awesome!!!!! so much fun! and how talented are you ladies? you all know how i love doing the starring you post right?  can't end our kal without a post showcasing all of your hard work!  so many beautiful projects! my queue definitely grew during this kal!  it's been so much fun that i'm sad to see it end.
1) spring garden tee from three pumpkins little 2) spring garden tee from rambling roses 
there was so many fun convos going on in our ravelry group. the banter was so busy i could hardly keep up!  it was a dream come true seeing you all chat amongst yourselves and having so much fun!  we all learned some new techniques, averted some knitting crises, used some new yarns and now have some fun tops to sport this summer!  so check it out everyone...here's some of the ladies of our tops, tanks & tees knit along!
1) sophia from qtiepieknitter  2) gemini from austen 3) gemini from yoTX
1) gemini from rollymags 2) gemini from wordsandstitches 3)  spring garden tee from mootastic1 4) gemini from schnettatstl 5) spring garden tee from tmr714 6) gemini from hotcheese 7) make up your mind tank from culabrat
hine from aliloknits
1) francis from urbanizer 2) spring garden tee from lou1981 3) spring garden tee for baby from rnmama 4) cowl shell from knerdy 5) roxborough dolman from little black duck
1) plain tunic from lilpixie124 2) castle pullover from justrunknit 3) petrie from anowlis 4) coachella from morelikejune
summertime tunic by gardenknittr
1) cherry from nursenikkiknits 2) julia's jacket from fionafae 3)buttercup from truly myrtle
1) gemini from kpbailey 2) gemini from yarnella 3) groove park tank from yarnella 4) leisl from janabella
1) indigo by knitinmountains
2) kira by sneezerville 3) folded from justrunknit 4) vodka lemonade from nittyneedlednana 5) quinn from bmg140 6) summer waves cardi from qtpieknitter 7) jewel from neoknitter77 8) make up your mind tank from marigold's loft 9) lillian from marigold's loft 10) gemini from nendy 11) summertime tunic from tnavis
amazing right!!! i wish we could all get together and have one big ol' knit night!!! but since we can't we had a rockin' giveaway for you all to enter!  who were the lucky winners?  was it you?  here ya go.........

Winner #1
 louise adkin! aka - lou1981 you won:
 - a copy of rose becks new e-collection "archi-textural collection"! Gorgeous!
- you will get to choose 3 knitting patterns of your choice from magpie patterns!!!
*please note: if you choose a printed pattern you have to pay shipping.
- a $15 gift certificate to janerichmond.com! yay!
- you get to choose (2) skeins of your choice from "by annie claire" yarns from her spring 2012 collection! wowsa! these are organic naturally dyed yarns!
- a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of your choice.
Winner #2
megan williams! aka - justrunknit you won:
- a copy of  bud "by annnie claire". her adorable new hat pattern!
- a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of your choice.
Winner #3
natalie buchmann!! aka nataliebknits you won: 
- a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of your choice.

congrats ladies! you'll be contacted in the next few days with your prizes!!!! so excited for you all! and a giant, huge, enormous thank you to our awesome sponsors for the great prizes and their support! thanks ladies!!!!!  be sure to show them some luv k <3


you can find all of our past knit alongs and posts here and be sure to stay tuned...our now ANNUAL SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG will be starting very soon! yippee! this kal is huge peeps so don't miss out! the sponsors this time round are going to be ahhhmmazing!!! get browsing those patterns ladies!! oh and i'll show you all my gemini top next week :) i ran out of room!

thank you for knitting with me!  i heart you guys!!!!  happy knitting!
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The Fat Quarter Gang & Art Gallery Fabrics!

so excited for today's post everyone! i've been keeping some fun and exciting news and it's been soooo hard to not share all the deets with you!  are you all ready to hear about it? yay!!!!  now before you look at the pic below and laugh your butt off or think i've gone off the deep end hear me out...lol!  you see i'm a huge fan of art gallery fabrics.  i love pat bravo, bari j and all the art gallery fabric lines!  it's pretty hard to make solids look amazing and boy do their fabrics rock!  i am lovin' the pima cotton folks! so when i got asked by them to be part of a new project i of course said "HECK YEAH"!!!!
my fat quarter gang name: Shannon "Scrappucino" Cook!!!
what 's the new project? well they put together a group of some of their favorite bloggers and decided to create what's now called a "fat quarter gang"!  throughout the year some very talented bloggers and i will be sharing a new tutorial each week for a year all using fat quarters from art gallery fabrics!  yeeesssss!  and guess what?  there's lots of fabric up for grabs for you all to win too!  weekly giveaways....peekaboos at new lines coming out, flickr groups, chances for you to post a tutorial of yoru own and the best part of all...new tutes!!! you know i love me a good tutorial!  so in honor of our new obsession with gangsta slang, poses, rap music and more we put together some funny pics and the gals over at art gallery have a great post filling you in on all the deets & introducing the member of our fat quarter gang...so pop on over....and join in!  it seriously is so much fun and we've been having such a blast!
 
 wait...what's that? you want to know about my name?  hahaha...well....you all know how much i love starbucks right?  well i've also got a thing for scraps so when you put scraps and fraps together you got scrappucino!  think of it as my gin & juice..lol! you also wouldn't want to run into my "gangsta" alter ego in a fabric shop during a wicked discount sale either...LMAO!!!  she's gotta temper when it comes to her crafty wares..lol! her pincushion ring is her custom brass knuckle...hahaha! oh my....this is all just way too much fun...it's like halloween times ten..for reals folks!  just wait till you see my fellow gang members.  get ready to bust a gut.  we've had such a riot getting everything ready for you all to see!  and for the record...rachel is seriously the master of gangsta slang...that girl can throw down y'all!


watch for my first tutorial coming up at the end of june brah!  you can find all things art gallery fabrics here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  |  youtube

be sure to follow art gallery fabrics on facebook & twitter to stay up to date with all things fat quarter gang!

whatcha think? fun! fun! fun! don't you just love my pincushion ring instead of brass knuckles? lol! hope you all had an awesome long weekend. grab a coffee & let's chat!
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weekend wishes


keeping it short & sweet today.  it's super sunny out today and i've got a frappucino by my side along with my little harper.  we're heading outside to soak up the rays.  i'm so excited for this weekend. i'm heading to vancouver tomorrow to hit up ikea to get my sewing area goodies! yee haw!!! and you can bet i'll be knitting my butt off to get my top done.  i'm soooo close!  then on sunday i've got sewing group.  can we say fun!!!!  in between all that i'm going to finish up my quilt and snuggle my little fam :)

wishing you all a sunshine filled, coffee sipping, sewing & knitting, big laughs, lazy beach kinda weekend!  have a super long weekend to those of you in the US as well.  i may take monday off here to work on some design work so i'll most likely see you all on tuesday! 


what are your weekend plans?  any special weekend wishes for the long weekend?  any trips?  what are you crafting up this weekend? share, share, share....i wanna know :)

p.s. don't forget to enter our "petite kids pattern giveaway" and get your name in the entry form for our tops, tanks & tees kal if you particapted for our giveaway day!
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quilting 911 - blissful decisions


i bit the bullet!  i finally made the long drawn out decision on what to do with the zig zag quilt.  after weeks...ok, months of humming and hawing about it i finally just went with my gut.  i decided to just leave the size as is.  i just couldn't get my head around a border - i love it too much without it.  once i made up my mind it was like falling in love all over again.  i had been seething at this quilt in indecision for so long that i had forgotten how much i loved it when i started.  i'm so hooked at the moment that i had an entirely different post planned for today but couldn't resist talking about the quilt cause i'm going to be picking it up right after i'm done writing this to finish hand sewing the binding on.



needless to say i'm crushing.  smitten with the quilt and with my new found friend - the thimble. yes, a thimble.  i know...i'm late to the game...lol.  santa put one in my stocking and let me tell you what a difference it's made in binding my quilt!!!! wowsa!  can we say way speedier and way easier? i like it!  is it weird that i want to wear a few?  lol. i can think of at least one other finger i'd like to have one on while i'm hand stitching that bad boy on.

for those of you who know how long i was wondering about what color to use for my binding i decided to go with white...haha.  i know...not what i had originally planned on but once i got my sandwich made i just loved it.  it pops on the back and keeps the front clean allowing the zig zags to steal the show!  any other tone just made them seem like background dancers :) i also have found that machine sewing the first side of the bias tape on and then hand stitching the other side works best for me.  i've tried other combos but they always result in me being unhappy and ripping it all out again.  i was more than happy to curl up on the couch last night to watch the american idol finale (go phillip phillips) and sew on my pretty little quilt. you can find a fun little "how to sew quilt binding roundup" here that i did last fall too!


i also decided to stay with my original vision and quilt 1/4" on either side of the seam line that forms the zig zags.  it went super fast and i love the result.  i started in the middle of the quilt and worked my way across all the rows alternating from the side i started with and if i was above or below the center one i started with.  i like quilting like this.  it keeps the quilt from moving too much or slanting.  i also highly recommend using quilting pins when you baste your sandwich.  awesome.  they ain't cheap but they are super helpful to use.  i'm still learning things as i go and figuring out what techniques and methods work best for me cause i'm a newbie folks...but i'm loving it!


also as per the request of my daughter i added the "m" to the back of her quilt.  i put a patchwork "h" on harper's quilt so she demanded ever so nicely that her quilt must have an "m" on it.  it's on the bottom left corner of the back and i love the effect the zig zags make on it after quilting! so fun!  i decided to quilt on it instead of appliqueing it on afterwards.  i did that on harpers and loved the result.  it feels more of a part of the quilt if that makes sense. 


i went with white thread on both the front and the back.  i'm feeling it.  at first i thought i may use a color on the back but i love that balloon print so much i didn't want to take away from showcasing the fabric plus it's busy enough i think without me adding some more color to it.

this quilt was the first time i got to use my sewing machine for quilting and it was a dream!  i had my pfaff quilting needle, an extension table and i was all set!  eeek! that's right i said extension table!  momma got an early bday pressie a few weeks ago!  i got some new goodies for my pfaff and i'll be telling you all about them as well as a 1 year bday review of my pfaff ambition 1.0 coming up next month. so for all of you who  have written to me about how i've been liking my machine...it's a coming!  a big shout out though in advance to sawyers sewing center who has been so awesome to me!!! their customer service is ahhhmazing! i'll also be telling you a bit more about how awesome they are in my review as well.

wind flowers in stainless from gypsy caravan by amy butler (from www.stitchsimple.com)
i've also been working away on a little project for me.  selfish sewing time :)  but you'll have to wait a bit longer to see it!  i've got one more thing to make and then i will show you all the full deal :) anyone want to guess what it is???  i think i might have given it away with this shot actually.

you can read the other posts about this quilt's process here:


what are you crushing on this week?  any new quilts you are working on that you can't put down?  any selfish sewing being fit into your busy schedule?  i've got starbucks brewing and a mug with your name on it...come visit!

fabrics used for quilt:
prints: oliver + s city weekend
solid: organic white by harmony arts (from www.stitchsimple.com)
backing: balloon in aqua - children at play by sarah jane
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Tops, Tanks & Tees Knit Along - Giveaway Day!


it's our tops, tanks & tee's knit along giveaway day today ladies!!!!  yahoo!!!! you guys all did so awesome that i'm waiting to do your "starring you" post till next week so you have time to block and photograph your lovely new tops :)  and to tell you the truth...i need a few more days to finish mine...haha. i'm so close - yet a few days away.  i worked on it like a mad woman all during our little vacay but sleep won over knitting for me every time - darn comfy hotel beds...lol. so i'll spare you the current wip pics this week and get to the yummy prizes!  aren't our kal sponsors awesome!!!!

|  ROSE BECK  |

1. stacked columns wrap/shawl 2. lattice  3. parquet tiles 4. stucco
-first place will win a copy of rose becks new e-collection "archi-textural collection"! Gorgeous!

|  MAGPIE PATTERNS  |

knitting patterns available at magpie patterns
- first place winner will get to choose 3 patterns of their choice from magpie patterns!!!
*please note: if you choose a printed pattern you have to pay shipping.

|  JANE RICHMOND  |

jane richmond patterns
 - first place wins a $15 gift certificate to janerichmond.com! yay!

|  BY ANNIE CLAIRE  |

organic naturally dyed yarn - 3 ply worsted weight, 250yds, 100% organic californian wool from byannieclaire
 - first place will get to choose (2) skeins of their choice from "by annie claire" yarns from her spring 2012 collection! wowsa! these are organic naturally dyed yarns!
- second place will receive a copy of her adorable new hat pattern - bud (shown below).


|  A STITCH IN LIME  |


- first place will receive a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of their choice
- second place will receive a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of their choice.
- third place will also receive a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of thier choice.

|  HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY  |
- you MUST be signed up for the tops, tanks & tees knit along and have started your project.  if you haven't already signed up you can here:

|  RULES OF THE GIVEAWAY  |
- you MAY only enter your name once.
- you MUST have at least started your project.
- you MUST have a valid email address.

a huge thank you to all of our sponsors - you guys rock!  and good luck to all of you! i'll be using the number that google doc assigns you when you entered the kal as the draw number when i use random.org. the winner will be announced next week :)  how's your project going? are you almost done or done?  how did you like the kal?

happy knitting & hopefully photo taking this week! i can't wait to see all the kal projects being added to our ravelry group! you can enter your pics to this thread here or to our flickr group. thanks everyone!!! best kal evah!
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petite kids boutique pattern giveaway

johannah romper
you ladies in the mood for some adorable sewing patterns?  our sponsor "petite kids boutique" has awesomely offered up some lovely patterns for you all today!  wong's patterns are classic and perfect for showcasing your fave fabrics for that special little girl in your life!

1. maia dress 2. tiffany dress 3. anga dress
from dresses, skirts, tunics and fun rompers petite kids boutique has it all! most of petite kids boutique patterns come in sizes 12mths all the way up to 6 or 8yrs!!! wowsa!   i'm loving the "johannah romper" in the first pic above! how fun is that! and the izzy bubble tunic below - so cute!!!!!

izzy bubble tunic
wong's patterns are great for the beginner sewer and also still fun for advanced sewers too! 

1) colette dress 2) sasha dress 3) macy dress
are you all ready to get sewing?  do you want win a new pattern perfect for the summer?  and if you want to start sewing right now wong has sweetly given me a code for you all to save 15% off till the end of the giveaway! use the code "LUVIN2012" for your discount.

 yahoo!!!  find all the deets for the giveaway below!

lucky skirt






- 3 lucky winners will each win 1 pattern of their choice from petite kids boutique!  yay!







- simply enter your info in the following google doc form. when you enter your info you are designated a number by google doc based on when you enter.  this will be the number i use to correlate to your name when the winner is chosen.  make sense?  if you have any questions just ask me below in the comments.  click below to enter the giveaway:


*bonus giveaway - "like" petite kids boutique and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and enter the google doc form again this time leaving a comment saying you liked us :)







- giveaway is open until may 27th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

thanks for the giveaway wong and good luck to everyone! you can find petite kids boutique on facebook here and their etsy shop here.

which pattern would you choose if you won?  are you a fan of petite kids boutique?  what fabrics would you use?  let's chat!
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weekend wishes

to go on a road trip...


to always remember this...

Source: mikepins.tk via Carrie on Pinterest

to decide whether to keep it long or chop it off...


to have at least one nap...


to smell the ocean...

ebb and flow by my little pixels
and to make sure this is the year i finally get myself a yarn bowl.

yarn bowl from new moon studio
yes, the yarn bowl is back. i'm obsessing lately. i keep looking and looking for the perfect one but haven't come across it yet.  i'm waiting for it to find me but i'm getting antsy.  i need one.  i'm sick and tired of my yarn rolling around at home.  i'm trying to find something modern and clean and would rather just find it then have to order it online.  any of you recommend a shop where you got yours?

we've been chatting in the facebook group lately about me hitting my mid thirties next month...eeek! 35 here i come...bah!  i always have a hard time with the mid's.  i hated 25 and now i dread 35.  so now i've been hearing the hairdresser in me saying "get a change...freshen it up...you'll feel younger"! damn you inner hairdresser.  plus i'm a gemini so i like mix it up with my hair.  i blame it on starting to work in a salon when i was 14.  lots and lots of years of hairdressing has engraved itself into my soul.  i cannot stick with one style for too long :)  unfortunately my absolute fave hairdresser is on a sabbatical so i'm trying out a coworker of hers.  my hairdresser has helped me grow my hair quite long which is a feat in itself since i have very fine hair that i like to say is bald.  so it's a miracle i haven't chopped it off earlier.  but i'm feeling the summer heat and thinking i would love to be able to wash and wear again.  longing for shoulder length.........what about you guys? anyone else contemplating a new change?  a shout out to rachael from imagine gnats who bit the bullet and chopper hers off after our fb convo! she looks fab!

i've also got naps and ocean breezes on the mind.  i need a break.  a mini holiday of sorts.  thankfully it's a long weekend here in canada so i most likely will be taking monday off to spend some much needed time with the fam. so i'm wishing you all blue skies, ocean breezes, sleepy daydreams, crafting galore and good times with family/friends!  see you all next week!

what are your weekend wishes?  any plans?  crafty projects you wish to accomplish?  hair cuts to get done...lol?  come chat! there's a latte here and it's yours if you want it <3
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it's time for a change...


it's time for a change.  a change is a gonna come to..........the ironing board monster!  that's right!  be gone you horrid creature!!!  i'm revamping my sewing wall ladies!!!!!! wahoo!!! seriously...i'm jumping up and down with excitement just writing about it..lol. you see i work in a state of chaos everyday.  piles of chaos.  sometimes i can't find myself...LMAO!  i swear that ironing board monster is trying so hard to just gobble up my soul.  every time i get it cleared off i turn around and BAM - it's grown twice it's size again.  i think it's safe to admit i've outgrown my one ikea shelf.  i also have stuff hidden away in our bedroom on another shelf and in my closet.  the pictures you see below are on good days and bad days.  be warned though the top of my shelf is a hazard and looks worse than what i showed you...lol.  yes. worse.  it's time...i'm donning my battle gear....saving all my pennies...and hijacking the ferry to get over to vancouver to head to ikea to save my sanity. 

the hazard on the top of the shelf.  there are books all behind that fabric too!
a good day
our poor kitchen table that is always in a state of changing chaos
the ironing board monster!
i've got plans that i've drawn out to reorganize this space and actually give me a real desk to work on and another desk to sew on.  with my back injury i need to have a chair to sit in and my couch just isn't gonna cut it anymore.  i'm also going to expand a wee bit into our living room..uh oh..lol...but i promised the hubs that's as far as i would go.  let's hope i can stick to it.  i'm going to go up to the ceiling with storage and take every inch i can to organize, organize, organize.  i cannot wait!

i also have a dress form but i can't show you her...tee hee..and i use that hanger on the wall to store all my finished products or works in progress.  i'm thinking about getting another one...looks like i need it..lol.
it's going to be so nice to sit down and sew or design without spending half an hour to clear a space. i will only need my ironing board when i need to iron!!! what?!! miracle!  i banish it from a worktop.  done.  i'm sick of staring at it all ugly and overflowing everyday.  ever since christmas i've been saving every single extra penny i could to afford to go and buy some new storage solutions.  i can't wait to show you all what i'm thinking of doing and to hear what you think!  i'll have my new space by the end of the month! yeehaw!!!!! because just looking at these pictures makes me feel stressed..lol.

do you have a sewing wall or room?  what do you do to keep it organized?  do you have a favorite ikea or other product that you use to keep things under control? tips?  share, share, share! i'd love to see pics and posts on your sewing areas too!  i need all the inspiration i can get! c'mon...show us ladies...show us!
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tops, tanks & tees knit along - binding off

pattern: gemini by jane richmond yarn: knit picks cotlin in colorway clementine

we've got sleeves! finally - yay! i felt like i wasn't going to get there but i pushed through and managed to get the sleeves separated at knit night on the weekend.  i've gotten a bit more done since then and am planning on knitting my brains out on this bad boy over the long weekend.  i've got some serious mileage to still put in on this top and i'm dying to wear it!

i'm happy to say it fits too!  i got to try it on after i separated the sleeves and even though i was really scared it was going to be giant (the thing looks huge before you separate) it fits great and i'm hoping it won't grow too big if i carefully block it.


i'm really looking forward to the ability of wearing the lacework in the front or in the back.  it's going to be my fave go to summer top and i can't stop envisioning it with a white tank and my fave jeans! and that yummy clementine color always makes me smile.

i've been looking forward to our upcoming posts starring all of your awesome tops! i'm completely amazed at all of your handiwork and your talents. it's been super inspiring and so fun to watch what you all are making.  i know a lot of you have reached the point of being done or getting near binding off (casting off) your projects so i thought i would round up a few links that are super helpful for choosing which kind of bind off suits the project you are working on.

better bind off from the purl bee
HELPFUL BINDING OFF/CASTING OFF LINKS:

- stretchier bind off from knitting daily
great run down on various bind off techniques from knitty (recommended by
on ravelry).
- bind offs with videos on one of my faves - knittinghelp.com
- a better bind off from the purl bee
- jeny's suprisingly stretchy bind off on knitty
- stretchy bind off comparison over on stitch diva studios
- interlock bind off  also on knitty
- invisible bind off tutorial via crankygrrrrrl

 you can follow along with all things tops, tanks & tees kal here:

what is your fave way to bind off?  do you have a link or tip to share?  add it to the comments below and i'll put your link into the mini-roundup.  how's your project doing?  let's see pics ladies!!! i love WIP and FO shots!!  and don't forget to link up your knit along blog post in our linky party below.  happy knitting!

also, check out our awesome KAL sponsors! thanks guys!

join our linky party by linking up your "tops, tanks & tees knit along" blog post!
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a little indulgence & quilting 911

amy butler gypsy caravan in print 1) cat eye - windflower and 2) cat eye - stainless from stitchsimple.com
i spent a nice chunk of time last night taping this bad boy together.  i decided it was time to spoil myself and make 2 new items for my closet.  i'm excited to get tracing and to finally get sewing!  i'm also excited to show you guys the process over the next few weeks :)  i do have to sadly admit this part of the process is why i don't sew from patterns very often.  i find it so tedious to do these steps that i would almost rather draft it myself or drape a garment.  but for these 2 items i'm willing to suffer through it ;)


i also just finished up what i hope will be my next knitting pattern.  i got to use this delicious madeline tosh dk in colorway glazed pecan from one of my fave brick/mortar yarn shops - urban yarns (seriously if you are in vancouver it's a must visit)....YUM! look for the pattern coming soon!

madeline tosh dk in colorway glazed pecan from urban yarns
i've also been working on a new tutorial that will be coming out next month over on kojo designs for "color your summer 2".  delia creates and kojo designs have this super fun blog event where we all get to make a project revolving around color.  last year's was awesome and i'm thrilled to be a part of it this year.  mine is pretty colorful and i can't wait to show you all what i've been working on.

i'm also still working on a full pattern for the sweetheart dress for you guys.  i've been working on doing the grading myself but would prefer to hire that part out as i have more designs in the works that i would like to sell.  problem is i am having a super hard time finding a pattern grader or a business who does this.  i would love to keep it local (British Columbia) or at least in Canada but am open to having it done in the US as well.  do any of you know anyone who does this or do any of you do this?  thanks in advance for all of your help with this :)

the pink is for the backing for me to applique the letter "M".
now for the question of the day...i've been banging my head against the wall over mackenzie's zig zag quilt.  i am really struggling with whether or not to put a border on it or to just leave it a smaller size and bind it.  what would you use to bind with?  white? color? backing print?  i could use your help :)  i'm dying to get this thing done so i can move on to the next one :)


this is the portion of the quilt i'm having the hardest time matching up tones with.  the cooler pinks keep clashing with the tones i would pick to bind/border with for the upper half of the quilt.  honestly, i've asked so many people and i just keep going back and forth...lol.  at this point i'm really leaning towards just binding off.  i really don't want to add a border and if i do i think i'm leaning towards a wide border of white and then a smaller border of the orange print below.


but then i also have this yellow print.  the pic doesn't show it very well.  it's softer and more of a darker version of the yellow in the quilt but i don't like it with the backing.  so if i bind with it i don't think i'll be happy with it against the backing fabric.


here's the whole front below...bear with my bad pics...there's not a lot of good light where my quilt is hanging at the moment.


ok so....thoughts?  should i:

a) bind off and leave it the size it is?  and if so what color would you bind off with?
b) add a border?  and if so what color/size would you border it with?  do you agree with white and then a smaller of orange?  the orange looks bad right up against the quilt due to it clashing with the pink tones on the bottom of the quilt.

you can read the other posts about this quilt's process here:

i would love any of your thoughts.  i love that you all have helped me with this whole quilt.  it's so fun!!!  it's definitely a learning process and when you are winging things sometimes another eye is a good thing. i've stared at it everyday for months now and just can't seem to make up my mind.

what are you all working on?  any exciting projects in the works?  i'd love to hear about them!

p.s. thank you for all your wonderful bday wishes yesterday for my baby girl. was so sweet of you all!
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moments in the mommyhood - time for twos


my little baby girl is 2 today.  i can't believe my curly haired angel isn't going to be a wee baby anymore.  i'll prolly be crying sporadically all throughout the day today knowing that the hubs and i are closing the chapter of babydom in our home.  no more breastfeeding, late night wake ups, new baby smells, constant diaper changes and first smiles.  but there will be more firsts and more fun changes during our adventure in parenthood but i'm still sad to leave all things baby behind.



i fought to keep harper (i was on bed rest with her when i first got pregnant) and i fought to give birth to her (to this day i don't fully talk about my birth story) and i will fight to always hold her close to my heart forever.  this little girl is and will always be "my baby".  her little smile and laugh will forever warm my heart and brighten my day...she is my little sidekick and i'm trying so hard to freeze frame all of these moments and to hold onto what little baby i have left in her as she is very quickly developing quite a confident and strong willed personality...she has to in order to survive in a household with her big sister :P


we had a great mother's day weekend and i got spoiled with a sleep in, very yummy breakfast, and some handmade pressies from the kiddos and the hubby cleaned! gotta love that! we got some family time together and that's what mattered to me most.  the sun was shining and i had a lot of coffee and my loved ones nearby :)


the hubs took the kidlets out on saturday so this momma could get some work done and i found some pictures on the camera....you all know what that means.....moments in the daddyhood!  lol!  they got a new golfing toy and some big bouncy balls and they set out to hit the grassy areas of town.


i got a wee bit nervous when i saw the shot below...


she sure means business with that ball..haha.  harper's face is priceless in this shot.  she's pretty darn mad at that ball.  i always wonder exactly what goes on with they are out adventuring with daddy and i know i will never know nor will a part of me want to.  i'm just too much of a "mom".  too worried about them getting hurt or dirty..lol. 


all in all we had a great weekend and we hope to have a great day today for our baby girl's 2nd birthday.  we asked her what she wanted for her birthday and all she would say is cake. over and over again..lol. she also became very attached to a little mini grocery cart at the toy store on the weekend and we surprised her with that too.  it's great for me...now she cleans up everything on the floor by putting it all in her grocery cart. out of sight out of mind right? muahaha - i'll take it :)

how was your weekend?  did you have a good mother's day?  do you have a hard time when your youngest is no longer a baby and you know you aren't having anymore kids?  let's chat! coffees on!
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