Anyone Can Quilt

Oh la la!

Hello friends!  I love the feeling of finishing something that turned out just as I had it pictured in my mind.  I've got lots of these swimming around in my brain.

Here is the first.

I adore my french press.  The only problem of course is that coffee tends to cool all too quickly when left in a naked press.  So a cozy is a necessity for my french press.  This one has a pretty pennant banner of some fabulous 1930's reproductions.   

Can you get over the charcoal gray wool?   Apparently my mom has had a few yards of this folded away in her sewing room, for years.  When we were in Montana last September visiting she and I spent some time going through boxes of goodies in her sewing room.  It was so fun!  She even gave the gray wool  to me willingly so I didn't have to steal from my mother.  Isn't she wonderful?  

I'm also in love with this floral fabric I used for the binding.  I bought a 1/2 yard piece a few months ago and searched the quilt shop for more.  It was the last 1/2 yard.  It was a sad sad day. 

Look!  The dish is running away with the spoon!  I wonder where they're going.  Maybe they're off to look for some of that floral binding fabric.  They're so nice. 

I love fishing through my button jars for pretty old buttons.  That little red one gives me heart palpitations... in a good way.  But of course I have them in a bad way too, all the time, as in all day every day due to my irregular heartbeat.  Which isn't fun.  And which is also why I'm supposed to drink decaffeinated coffee but don't always because I'm bad.  Now I'm rambling, sorry.  Moving on.

If you're thinking of making your own french press cozy be sure to get some InsulBrite insulated batting.  It is fabulous and when layered with some nice cotton batting it makes for the perfect cozy! 

So here's the kicker.  As much as I love this cozy, I have listed it in my Etsy store.  But that's ok because I plan on making lots more!  I also want to make matching pot holders and tea cozys.  I'm sure the list will grow as my little brain get's a churnin'. 

I hope your week is off to a great start, and that you get to create something that you love!  x

Spring Break and coffee.

Happy spring to you all!  We're on the second day of our spring break and it feels so good to sleep in and not have schoolwork to do, or dance classes to go to.  We can just stay home and do whatever the french toast we want to do!  On the list for me is to clean up the yard.  Pruning, pulling weeds, planting some flowers.  I'm also getting some spring sewing done for my little shop.  It's been quite neglected lately.  Sorry little shop.  But I did finish some cute little springtime coffee cozies.  They're made out of some of my prized vintage sheets and vintage buttons.  I have lots more to make but this is as start! 

I love searching through my button jar for the perfect button. 

 

Want to know how weird I am?  Most of the time when I have my coffee in the morning I have it in one of these 'to go' cups with one of my coffee cozies.  Even though I'm only 'going' from the kitchen to somewhere else in my house.   I use these all the time because I love how warm and cozy they feel in my hands.  I stock up on these cups and lids at my local bulk foods store and they last me forever.  And they're recyclable!  Perfect.  Now I'm off to make myself a nice cup of coffee and plop down on the couch with my girls.  Just to do nothing for awhile.  x

p.s.  My dear sweet friend and fellow home schooling mama Juanita just started a fabulous new blog!  Please visit her and send her some bloggy love.  She's off to a great start! 

~www.barefootsurfboutique.blogspot.com

Teacup pin cushion.

Months ago I spotted this little tea cup at Goodwill.  I snatched it up right away as it reminded me of my dear friend who is a horse lover.  I knew I wanted to add it to her birthday gifts, but also knew I wanted to make it into something extra special, snazz it up a little.

In a sudden burst of inspiration I grabbed some wool felt and my jar of vintage ric-rac and got to work.  I quickly finished the pretty pin cushion and topped it with pearly pink pins.

There's something about a pretty pincushion that makes me smile.  I love making the every day utilitarian object beautiful.  If you're like me, pincushions are one of those every day things.  I have and need lots of them.  One next to each sewing machine, one next to my cutting mat, and one on my ironing board.  Now I'm thinking I need one to keep on my coffee table for hand sewing projects!    

Just the excuse I needed to ignore my messy house and rummage through my cupboards for a sweet tea cup.  I'm off to do just that.  Have a wonderful weekend!  x

Random updates... or me easily sidetracked.

I just finished these.  My new favorite pair of socks.  Love them.  And they are made out of washable wool.  A-thank you. 

I've also started this:

Which means I have all sorts of these lying around:

Which makes it difficult to finish this:

What is wrong with me?  I keep skipping from project to project and not much is getting finished.  I'm easily sidetracked... Which I am really upset about...

Hey look at this!

 

I found a few yards of this vintage fabric at a thrift store recently. 

Hey do you want to see my scary wild animal about to bite your face off?

Roar!  He's wild and scary.  And cute, which is a good thing because he has this annoying habit of eating off the ends of the broom and barfing it up on the floor in the middle of the night.  We give him plenty of nice grass to munch on, he still seeks out the broom. 

Weirdo. 

Now I must get back to my random day.  Lots of running around to do.  I do enjoy my little walk from my front door to the car lately though.  There's a pretty path just for the girls and me.  I refuse to rake this up until it get's all brown and mushy.

 

Here's to all things random and not getting a thing done. 

Happy day to you all. x

Grounds for divorce....

Or at least a trial separation.  My sweet husband did some laundry.  When I saw the shriveled little thing fall out of the clean laundry pile fresh from the dryer I almost cried.  I think if I wash the other one little sis can wear them as slippers. 

Notes to self:

*Don't leave your hand knit wool socks on the floor next to the bed, next to a pile of dirty laundry.

*Knit socks with washable wool yarn, not regular wool yarn just because you like the color so much and you tell yourself at the yarn store, "It's o.k. because I'll be sure to wash them by hand and they'll never see a washing machine anyway."  

*Stop gently and sadly touching the shrunken sock that is on the piano every time your husband walks by to see him hang his head and apologize again just because it makes you laugh. 

*Stop leaving your laptop open to the post about your new hand knit socks for your husband to see, blah blah blah... for same reason as above.   

*Give husband extra kisses because he is sweet and feels really really bad. (And it was really my fault for leaving my socks anywhere that they could get mixed in with the laundry, shhhh)

p.s.  Thank you for all of the sweet birthday wishes!! x