Winner, Winner....Chicken Dinner!

simpatico by cloud 9 fabrics

are you all ready to find out who the winner is of the fat quarter bundle giveaway of the awesome new line simpatico by cloud 9 fabrics? our lovely sponsor fat quarter shop so generously put the fat quarter bundle up for grabs for all you simpatico lovers!  i'm so excited to see who won....here goes.......

 commenter #166 - melissa (adorable shop issa.ino handmade) 

congratulations melissa!!!! we'll be in touch soon about your prize!!!  have fun and happy sewing!!!

a big thank you to fat quarter shop for the generous and amazing prize!  you can find all things fat quarter shop here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

quilting 911 - the zig zag quilt reveal!

i finally got around to getting some shots of the zig zag quilt i finished up.  took me long enough...lol.  i never realized how tricky it can be to get shots of a finished quilt top..lol.  luckily this one isn't too big and i def will be planning out shots for future quilts way in advance.

 

since i finished this quilt for mackenzie it has been well loved and used by all of us in the family.  it's one of the best feelings in the world to see your wee one snuggled up in a quilt made with love. i've even snuggled up with this quilt more than a few times on the couch with my knitting :)

i'm so glad after weeks of humming and hawing about the bias and the backing that i decided to stick to my guns and original plan and keep the white bias and still use my fave print  balloon in aqua from children at play by sarah jane. mack loves it and so do i.

i kept the quilting simple yet fun.  i did a line following the zig zags 1/2" on either side of the seam.  i love the way it looks from the front and the effect is nice and subtle on the back :)  it's also soft and squishy.

just like harper's quilt mackenzie requested her first initial be on the quilt.  i made a patchwork "m" that i stitched on before making the quilt sandwich.  i love the effect the quilting has on it.  so fun!  i then hand embroidered her full name along the edge of the letter.  it's not perfect but i love it anyways.

our current fave place to use our zig zag quilt is curled & cuddled up on our balcony.  so cozy!

i now have quite the addiction to hst's and have 2 more quilts on the go.  i think i am definitely smitten and bit by the quilting bug. if you are looking to jump into quilting this was a fun pattern to start using hst's.  it was quick and a lot of fun to make.  i can see many more of these in my future!

and i think she loves it too.  we call the quilts i've made my girls "love blankies".  i tell them they are filled with love from momma and that no bad dreams or anything can hurt or scare them while they have them.  i tell them as long as they have their love blankie mom is always close by watching over them.  they adore it and it really has helped with bedtime and cut down on mack's nigh time issues.  mack knows and understands how long the quilt took to make and how much i enjoyed making it for her.  does a momma's heart good i tell ya :)


you can read the rest of the posts from the making of this quilt here:

1st post  |  2nd post  |  3rd post 

 4th post  | 5th pst

have you taken up quilting recently?  what is your fave quilt pattern to make for a special child in your life?  do you have a fondness for hst's too?  let's have some quilty chat ladies :)

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

makin'it in the mommyhood - fabric business card holders & treats

it was one of my besties bday recently and i couldn't resist whipping her up a special pressie i had promised her a while ago.  remember these business card holders i made for me and the gals when we went to fibers west in the fall?  while i promised mandy i would make her one too and i'm happy to say i can finally cross that bad boy off the list.  mandy is the uber-talented lady behind "sugar and candy".  she is the queen of bags.  she's awesomely talented and a super friend too.

i tried to pick fabrics that reminded me of mandy but also matched her business tones.  i pulled out more than a few fabrics and hummed and hawed and just kept finding myself coming back to an anna maria horner print.  so i bit the bullet and went with my gut and i love it.  for some reason it just screams mandy to me.  i hope she likes it.the outer print is "shattered" in punch from innocent crush by anna maria horner,  the lining inner is "dottie cream" in coral by jay-cyn for birch fabrics and the pocket inner is "maybe" in tangerine from innocent crush by anna maria horner.

i used this tutorial again from "the crafty cupboard" and this time cut my fabric to the right size.  only mod i made was to use interfacing instead of the fleece.  worked perfect on the ones before so i went that route again this time.

i'm working on another pressie for mandy as well and that will be a tutorial coming your way very soon!  you guys will hopefully love it as much as i know mandy and i will!

i also knew that since mandy's bday was coming up i wanted to try out this new website i had been hearing about called Treat.  they have the cutest birthday cards and it's "where cards get personal". it's soooo fun!  i'm one of those gals who loves me a card.  i like mail.  snail mail folks. you know...the real kind :)  Treat allows you to go in and custom make any card you want!  they give you great layouts/sayings and you can customize to your hearts content! change the wording, design, phrasing - all of it!  best thing is they are fun, fresh & modern and it's lots of fun to put together.  then you choose to either mail the card direct to them or to yourself (to redirect) and you can top it off with a gift card!!! can you say one stop shopping?!!!!! LOVE!!!!!  i spent many a hour fiddling in there whipping up cards for mandy.  here's a few of my faves:

in the end this was the card i would have chosen.  Treat is available for all you lovely folks in the US and will hopefully be open for canadian peeps like me sometime this year! i can't wait!

if you love cards this site is for you.  go Treat yourself...wink wink :)   for first time customers you get YOUR FIRST CARD FREE using code: FREETREAT.  click here for more details.  you can find all things Treat here:

website  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  | blog

i hope you had a wonderful bday mandy & you love your pressie! it will be here waiting for you when you get back! i luv ya long time...lol...and hope you had a wonderful, special and fabric filled bday!!! hugs!!!!

have you made your own business card holder?  what fabric would you make yours out of? do you have a soft spot for "real" cards too? coffee's on...come chat <3

Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway - Simpatico by Cloud 9!!! Fabrics

image src: cloud 9 fabrics

i recently bought some of one of my favorite fabric lines of the year - simpatico by cloud 9 fabrics and am so in love with it!  i know you all have heard me ranting and raving about the awesomeness of this lovely 100% organic line so i thought it would be perfect to have a giveaway from our fabulous sponsor fat quarter shop so you can all share in the simpatico love! 

i've only been able to get the minty colorway so far and these lovelies are going to be a duvet cover my sister's baby that is due in september.  we don't know if it's a boy or a girl but i do know that these prints would be lovely in any bedroom - including my own!  i'd love a duvet cover in simpatico!!!

simpatico comes in 4 yummy colorways and each colorway has 3 prints.  i adore them all.  i think i'm going to be digging into my piggy bank and ordering the rest of the line to treat myself.  i cannot resist the lure of simpatico any longer...lol.   what about you guys? are you loving cloud 9 fabric's newest line as much as i do?  wanna win some???  it's your lucky day!  here's the prize....

- (1) lucky winner will a FAT QUARTER BUNDLE of simpatico by cloud 9 fabrics!!!!! woooweeee!!!!!! i'm so excited about this prize and i can't even win!!!  thanks fat quarter shop!!!

 - simply leave a comment below stating which colorway is your fave and what you would love to make with your fat quarter bundle! (our numbered comments are back! yippee!)
*bonus entry - like fat quarter shop and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and leave another comment letting us know you did that too :)

- you must have a valid email address or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until july 30th, 2012, midnight (pacific standard time).

image src: cloud 9 fabrics

good luck everyone and happy sewing!!!!! a big thank you to fat quarter shop for the awesome giveaway and for having such a wonderful & inspiring shop! head on over to the fat quarter shop and show them some love ladies!  you can find all things fat quarter shop here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

ps...what do you guys think of the new blog layout?  i was up till the wee hours of the night on the weekend drowning in html and boy do i think it was worth it.  i'm loving the new layout and all the new things i'll be able to do on the blog again.  thanks for your patience over the weekend while we looked not so hot 'round here.  please remember it's a work in progress and i'm still tweaking things.  it will prolly be the end of the weekend when it's complete so bear with me :) i hope you all like it <3

whatcha working on?

simpatico in colorway minty by cloud 9 fabrics

fabric goodness going on around here today.  i haven't been able to sew in a few weeks now due to my back and boy has it been torturous!  all these new fabric goodies have been showing up and all i have been able to do is drool, pet and profess my love for them.  soon my lovelies, soon i will sew you.  it's going to be hard to cut in to all the goodness but i. cannot. wait.  see that pic above? in case you haven't seen it already that is simpatico by cloud 9 fabrics.  obsessed.  i'm totally obsessed. i want to cover myself and the whole house in this line.  i can't get enough of it. i love it in all the colorways but i ordered minty this time round.  now that's it here i'm kicking myself for not ordering way more.

1. pearl bracelet by lizzy house in turquoise 2. & 3. simpatico in colorway minty by cloud 9 fabrics

the yards that did make it to my house are going to be a special pressie.  my youngest sister camille is pregnant with her first baby...eeeee! i'm so excited!  she doesnt' know what she's having so boy has it been hard for this crafter.  i'm dying to make boy or girl goodies and have to control myself.  i've decided to hold off on a lot of little things i would make and do them after the wee one is born so i can just go crazy with the prints.  but in the meantime the big pressie is in the works.  the center print and the right print from simpatico are going to be a duvet cover for the babies crib (lucky baby hey!) and the left print "pearl bracelet" by lizzy house is going to be her booby pillow.  nice!  i cannot wait to get whipping these up! so excited to give them to her!  the colors are going to match her nursery perfectly that has lots of coastal shades of greys, neutrals and some turquoise.

quilt blocks by ellen luckett baker in mostly colorway shade as well as bella moda solids from fat quarter shop

and see this stack...mmmmmm....yummy!  this is mostly all from the lovely ellen luckett baker's (the long thread) new line "quilt blocks".  i chose mostly the prints from the shade colorway as well as all the grey prints and 1 mustard print.  i also have some matching grey and mustard bella solids from moda in there as well.  i purchased all of these lovely prints from our awesome sponsor fat quarter shop.  what will they be you ask?  it's my next quilt!!! yay!!!  i've been waiting and waiting to get my hands on this line since it came out but i had to save up my pennies to get all the prints in yardage to cut the design i had in mind.  can't show you what it is yet because i first have to finish up my vintage sheet quilt. so for now i just stare lovingly at these.  my fave print is the top one.

i'm also super excited to get my hands on the lovely pat bravo's new line "indie" from art gallery fabrics.  i've been dreaming about my next fat quarter gang project already.  those sunlight bazaar colorways are haunting me.....so purdy!  i cannot wait!!! come to mama!

riley blake chevrons in yellow, pink & grey from fabricworm and deco dot from gypsy caravan by amy butler in astor from stitch simple

this stack of goodies are all commuter cowls waiting to be finished up.  i'm going to be selling some handmade goodies at a local event in august here in victoria so if you'd love a handmade luvinthemommyhood item or pattern i'll be selling at "fibrations" - come by and say hi! i'd love to see ya!

sooooo....whatcha all working on?  what are your sewing or knitting this week?  any new fabrics you are obsessed with lately? share m'dears. i want to see pics too!  sit....and sip.  grab that coffee and let's chat!

Art Gallery Fabrics Giveaway Winner!!!!

 

better late than never right...lol...here's the winner for the fat quarter gang giveaway from art gallery fabrics!!!  was it you?  the winner of the summerlove fat quarter bundle was.......

commenter #21 - audrey dautenhahn from hot pink quilts!!

congratulations audrey!  i'll be in touch with you soon!  happy sewing!!! and a huge thank you to art gallery fabrics for the awesome giveaway!  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!

The Cottage Mama Ruby Ruffle Dress - Pattern Review & Giveaway!

someone in our house is sure excited to get a new dress and this mama is sure excited to see her daughter wear it!  i can't tell you how hard it is to get my daughter to wear handmade clothes. she is extremely picky when it comes to what's on her body and let me tell you...it drives me bonkers...lol.  she's always picking out fabrics for outfits for me to make her but only a rare few actually get made for her and even then, she will wear it once or twice and never again. it kills me. luckily harper is much easier going and will no doubt love all mack's hand me down frocks.  but in the meantime mackenzie is head over heels in love with her "ruby ruffle dress" from my lovely friend lindsay of the "the cottage home". 

i've known linds since she first started blogging and let me tell you what a sheer joy it has been to watch her bloom and grow.  it's been amazing and i'm so thrilled and proud of her!  when she asked me to be part of her "cottage mama pattern tour" i of course said you bet!
 
i chose to whip up the adorable ruby ruffle dress.  i knew it was right up mackenzie's alley and the bow and ruffles would win her little heart :)  and sure enough when i showed the pattern to her she went right to picking out her fabrics.  and yes, my wee one loves amy butler just as much as i do.  i used "deco dots in astor" for the front panel and "cutting garden in linen" for the main body both from the gypsy caravan line by amy butler supplied by our sponsor stitchsimple.com (all my fabrics come pre-washed & pressed!!!).

i found lindsay's instructions really easy to follow with clear instructions and lots of photographs.  the dress was quick to sew up with lots of finishing details.  only mods i made were to topstitch the neckline and armholes and also the tie.  i know...i have an obsession with topstitching..lol.  oh well...lol...could be worse things right?  i made mackenzie the size 4.  she is 5 years old but very small for her age and seriously her chest size would have fit a 2 but i decided to go with the 4 and give her room to grow into it and extend it's wear.

i love lindsay's little special touches she adds to patterns.  it's fun to put your own spin on things and to also have the ability to choose from different finishes or techniques used in the pattern.  i love that with the ruby dress i could make mack's with ruffles and a bow but if i want to i could easily just do the a-line version for her or for harper.  the patterns cover a huge age range and are high quality.

 

are you crushing on the ruby ruffle dress too?  well you're in luck - i'm giving away a copy of this gorgeous pattern for part of the cottage mama sewing patterns blog tour.  would you like to win one?  simply clink on the link below and enter your info! easy peasy!  good luck!

CLICK BELOW TO ENTER TO WIN:

the cottage mama ruby ruffle dress pattern 

giveaway entry form

- giveaway is open until july 2nd, 2012 (midnight PST).
- you must have a valid email address or you will be disqualified.

thanks for letting me make one of your awesome patterns lindsay and for having me be a part of  your blog tour!  i had a great time making this dress and see many more in my future :)

you can find all things the cottage mama here:

blog  |  shop  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

and make sure to check out the rest of the tour:

Week 1: 
Stef from Girl. Inspired (Charlotte Pattern)
Jessica from Me Sew Crazy (Ruby Pattern)
Christina from 2LittleHooligans (Run Around Pattern)
Jess from Craftiness is not Optional (Ruby Pattern)

Week 2:
Maureen from Maureen Cracknell Handmade (Charlotte Pattern)
Liz and Elizabeth from Simple Simon (Run Around Pattern)
Andrea from The Train to Crazy (Ruby Pattern)
Destri from The Mother Huddle (Ruby Pattern)
Beverly from Flamingo Toes (Charlotte Pattern)

Week 3:
Shannon from Luvinthemommyhood (Ruby Pattern)
Mama Reita / Amy from Positively Splendid (Charlotte Pattern)
Susan from Living with Punks (Ruby Pattern)

the wellen tank tutorial & a giveaway!

so excited for today everyone!!!!  it's my first tutorial for art gallery fabrics for the "fat quarter gang"! i decided to go with pat bravo's gorgeous line "summerlove" for my new "wellen tank tutorial".  you can find the whole tutorial for the wellen tank here on the art gallery fabrics blog.



a few months ago i got inspired while sitting on one of our gorgeous west coast beaches to create a tank for the kidlets that looked like waves.  that little idea stewed and stewed while i sketched and drew until i finally realized how to put it all together.  this tutorial is the result.  wellen is german for waves and i sure hope you will all love this special little tank as much as i do.  i think it's one of my fave projects so far.

it's a great little project to jump into trying out sewing curves too! i'm hopelessly addicted now!  the tank itself is a simple a-line shape with a wide neck that's easy in construction so you can show off all your sewing and fabric handiwork.....and there's topstitching..weeee...i love topstitching :)

so come pop over to the art gallery fabrics blog and read the whole post :)  you know you wanna....lol.  i also know you'll want to win some of this ahhhhmazing fabric too.  art gallery fabrics are made from 100% pima cotton and let me tell you...they are so soft!  the drape is so nice to work with and you really can feel the difference from other quilting cottons.  needless to say i'm a big fan..lol.

would you like a chance to win the same yummy fat quarter bundle i got?  simply click on the link below and fill out the form to enter for your chance to win a fat quarter bundle of summerlove by pat bravo!  that's it! easy peasy! 

Fat Quarter Gang - Art Gallery Fabrics Giveaway Entry Form

but wait...it get's better! you can enter over on art gallery fabric too!  here's how:

art gallery's rules:
- follow them on pinterest
- like them on facebook
- subscribe to the AGF blog and leave a comment there letting them know you did.

giveaway will be open until sunday, july 1st, midnight PST.  all entries welcome.

are you a big art gallery fabrics fan? what is your favorite line from AGF?  have you been following along with our fat quarter gang?  so fun!  happy sewing everyone!

goodies galore - yarn & more!

Yarn: Sparrow by Quince and Co. in colorway 204 - Blue Spruce, 100% Organic Linen

it's been a great mail week for me!  so many little goodies, orders and parcels coming my way!  i love it when that happens!  of course i can't not show you some of the new lovelies that have made there way into my home :)  i got the most amazing surprise in the mail from one of my dear online buds hannah (from ummashin).  can you believe she sent me 2 skeins of "sparrow" from my fave quince and co.? seriously! drool worthy 100% organic linen in the most gorgeous colorway - blue spruce! thank you so much hannah! you are such a doll! luv ya!

 i also got some lovely new fabric goodies in the mail from an order i place for an upcoming project.  purdy...purdy...purdy....

1. shade grey stars 2. shade grey ringlets - both from quilt blocks by ellen luckett baker

1. slate kona cotton 2. shade flying geese  by ellen luckett baker

1. outfoxed circles yellow by lizzy house 2. mustard kona cotton

1. denim blue essex linen from michael kaufmann 2. yellow kona cotton

and to top it off my lovely and dear friend jane (janerichmond.com) made me my very own sock knitting project bag and gifted me 2 gorgeous skeins of my absolute fave colorway from knitpicks felici yarn - afternoon.

knitpicks felici fingering self striping sock yarn in colorway afternoon

i swear those colors just scream shannon! i'm obsessed with them! love them! thanks again sweet jane...luvs!


i also could not resist picking up this ombre dot journal from the martha stewart office line at staples. ummm...can we say yum!  i stood in that aisle for a long time and it was very, very hard to walk away with only one! i love it!  i also picked up a new graph paper pad for an upcoming knitting pattern i'm working on.  need those graph sheets for doodling out some new lace designs - fun!

and here she is......my ironing board monster...clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  she's even sporting a fresh new ironing board cover!  and no, i didn't make it...weeee!  i didn't have time..lol.  so thank you debbie travis for making a nice one for me and selling it at canadian tire so i could bring it home. i love it!  and man does it feel AMAZING to fold up the darn thing! seriously...it's been almost 3 years since i could fold up my ironing board!  it's fabulous!!!!  let's hope it stays that way...muahahaha....

i hope you all dont' mind the lack of weekend wishes today.  it just way too hard to keep all these goodies to myself!  and i cannot wait to show you my fat quarter gang project for monday!  it seriously has been a daydream that has come to life.  it's so fun to doodle and dream up a project for months and then finally see it become real!  i hope you all love it as much as i do so stay tuned!

also, thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart for your loving bday wishes. you guys rock!!!! it so made my day :)  and to my lovely pals who surprised me on my bday for a fun get together complete with gluten free chocolate cupcakes, whip cream and strawberries - i love you guys!!!  wishing you all a wonderful yummy fabric, scrumptious yarn and creative goodies kind of weekend.  fill it with laughs and family and i'll see you all monday! <3

what are your weekend wishes?  what are you making this weekend?  any new goodies you've spoiled yourself with in the last few weeks? chat m'dears :)

the dottie skirt tutorial - color your summer 2012!

when kirstin of "kojo designs" asked me to join in on her and delia of "delia creates" summer series called color your summer i was thrilled! last years was ahhhhmazing and i'm super excited to get to be a part of this years series.  i was even more excited to choose the color "rainbow"!  you all know i'm not afraid of color when it comes to my kiddos clothes and i'm working really hard on adding pops of color to even my own wardrobe so i jumped at the chance to use rainbow as my inspiration starting point.

i knew right off the bat i wanted something that had lots of yummy colors that to me represented the feeling of summer.  yummy sherberts, sunny weather, ice cream cones and balloons in a blue sky.  i immediately went right to my stash pile and grabbed one of my fave prints - sweet nothings collection (dots cream) by zoe pearn for riley blake designs.  it screams color and rainbow to me without being too cutesy and overly colorful.  i think it's playful and the colors are right up my alley.  i love the mix of turquoise, orange and chartreuse  - so fun!



when deciding what to make i realized i've made skirts for my girls before but have never done a skirt tutorial on the blog before so i figured it was about time to whip one up!  i decided i wanted something that had a fun twist to it!  a high waisted skirt that had a fun belt attachment that was easy to construct and fun to wear with a bit of a vintage flair to it!  the belt is made on it's own and simply stitched onto the back center of the skirt only.  the belt is decorative and the elastic waist of the skirt is what holds the skirt up!  i love the scalloped end of the belt and how it plays up the dots of the fabric.  i can see many more of these in our future in all sorts of color combos!

you ready to make one too?  pop on over to kojo designs for "color your summer 2012" for the full tutorial! i hope you have lots of fun with it! happy sewing ladies!!

makin'it in the mommyhood - pressies!

it was my lovely pal jane richmond's bday the other week and seeing as she is one of my besties i had to whip her up a little pressie.  jane is a knitter but she is also learning how to sew.  i knew she desperately needed some new pins and didn't have a fabric marker so since i LOVE buying sewing/knitting notions i had to get her a few to add to her kit.  she needs her sewing ammo...lol.  and seriously, to all of you out there just learning how to sew - ditch those tiny little rusty pins from the dollar store and invest in some good pins.  it's worth it. trust me :)

i knew that i couldn't just give her the pins/marker though. nope, you know me.....they need something to go in.  i had been hoarding a particular fabric print that a dear friend gave me (wink wink anna) and knew it would be perfect for jane.  she looooves to garden and grows all her veggies from seedlings so how great is this fabric for her! awesome!  so i whipped her up a cute little rectangular pin cushion for her new pins and a cute project tote for her to hopefully carry her soon to be en masse of sewing projects in :)  i didn't use a tutorial for the tote, just went with the flow in a size i'd like.  tote's are a great, quick and yet stylish gift to make that allows you to show off that fave fabric which i always love doing.

why a rectangular pin cushion? well, i like things the way i like em'...that's how i roll and my handmade pincushion that was square always bugged me. there was never enough room.  i like that this is long and i can stab them in all over the place..lol.  i used the basic idea from this tutorial but never cut up 4 squares per side.  the fabric already looked like blocks joined so i simply made 2 rectangles and sewed them together per side.  i then topstiched along that seam and then down the center to give it a tiny bit of a look of 4 pieces but it's really not.  this kind of pincushion is easy, quick and functional :)
 

i also got a surprise in the mail for me yesterday!  i had to hold it in till now and not even tell the sender i received it as i wanted to thank her and surprise her with posting it on the blog.  the lovely buffy (of passionate design) so sweetly sent me the awesomest pressie!  turning 35 won't be so hard with lovelies like these!  thank you soooooooooooo much buffy!  i know how much time and thought went into this pressie and it really means a lot to me.  i. have. not. taken off those bed socks!!!!  seriously! i LOVE them!!!!!!  they rock! and the mug....people.....amazing!!!! i heart you buffy!!!!

buffy made me the cutest pair of sleep socks from the pattern "turkish bed socks"from churchmouse yarns & teas.  are they not just so cute! they also fit like a glove and are so comfy to wear! super soft and very light.  i can only imagine the time that went into these - buffy you are such a sweetheart!

she sent all my goodies boxed up and wrapped in hand drawn wrapping paper people! i'd show you but my kiddos ripped it up before we realized she had handwritten all over it!!! great idea buffy - i'm going to have to use that one :)  she had all my goodies inside the biggest and best yellow mug i have ever seen!!!!  she then handpainted one of my fave sayings on the mug that i believe she remembered me lusting after a few months ago...so sweet!!!  this will def be my new fave go to mug buffy! only wish i could sip coffee alongside you with it.

accompanying the mug were the best turquoise colored pins i have seen! i have turquoise ones but not like this! the best color ever!  *edited to add: just found out that buffy made the pins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  what?!!!!!! omg!  the pins were nestled amongst some pretty co-ordinating fabric.  honestly, this made my whole month.  the friendships i've made through blogging continue to amaze me.  i have never met buffy in person (though i hope to one day) yet she is a special friend who has read my blog for years and always been a constant supporter and encourager of mine.  she's wise beyond her years and has a giant sized heart.  so sweet you are dear buffy.  thank you for making me smile.  this pressie warms the soul and helps make turning 35 so much easier. sending you gigantic sized hugs!!!!!

what projects have you guys been working on? do you have a fave go to item you love to make for friends gifts?  a great tutorial you follow?  anyone else turning an age that's freaking them out?  i'd love to hear about it!  coffee's a brewin'...come sip with me!

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?

 
*tea cup crafts
*tea cup pincushion roundup
*big teacup cozy roundup

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

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!

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!

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.

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!

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:

1st post  |  2nd post  |  3rd post  |

 4th post

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

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:

petite kids boutique pattern 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!

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!

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:

1st post  |  2nd post  |  3rd post

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!