Success!

After 2 months of the Painting the Roses Red quilt sitting quietly in my etsy shop it finally sold! Which is funny considering in my last post I was lamenting the fact that it had not as of yet sold. I got an email from the etsy success team on how to stage your shop, in it were some GREAT pointers about naming your object, pricing, and photography! it was fantastic! I took some photos in my sisters garden on friday posted them on the listing and Voila! it sold. Apparently my previous photos were not good enough to draw peoples attention. :) I am super happy about it. I am working on finishing the blue and cream quilt so that I can get it posted this next week. (with awesome photos by B, hopefully) This has definitely been encouraging as far as how successful this could be for me.

My Little Cottage in the Woods...

I was on the phones today, minding my own business, busily working and day dreaming of sumptious fabrics. (i.e. Taza from TheIntrepidThread, you should head on over there for some truly awesome fabrics AND tutorials. Love em!) When I realized how much I would love to turn my attention to quilting and fabrics full time. However, I don't know how much profitability there is in it. I am going to finish up the baby quilts I have currently swirling in my brain, each of them is my own brain child and I don't know how I will part with them. But I can't hoard them, as Z keeps reminding me, since we don't have a baby. Yet. So I suppose I will just have to share them with the world! Or whoever buys them, No luck on the Painting the Roses Red quilt that is The Etsy Shoppe as yet, hopefully someone will come to love it as much I do. I also realized that I would love to do these things in a cottage covered in roses in some rural wooded area of scotland. Like I said, practical? No. Daydream worthy? HECK YES!

The Machine Chronicles: Part I

At this point, if you have been reading along, You'll know I love to quilt. This last Monday I finally cracked my machine out of storage to start on my 1001 Peeps Summer Camp projects, I was incredibly excited to break out my fabric and machine and have at it. I sewed into the first block of fabrics when suddenly, as I was trying to backstitch, my machine would no longer go forward. THE HORROR, my machine was stuck in reverse. Needless to say this resulted in frustration to begin with, anger next, and tears last. Plus, I think I bruised my hand on my VERY sturdy machine casing. (My baby not being one of those plastic things, It is an extremely brawny metal Husqvarna Viking.) It is currently in time out at my house, not being used, while I sew on my moms Selectronic. Hopefully I will get it fully up and running soon. :)

Sew. A needle pulling thread!

Ah, the smell of fresh fabric in the morning! I love fabric, all kinds of fabric. But mostly I love quilting fabric. I have taken to quilting like a child to its favorite toy, I pick it up, put it down, run around and scream a little and when someone tries to take it...well, you get the picture. With the move this last week I have hardly had time to string a full sentence together, much less break out my sewing machine and rev it up. (Have I mentioned I have a deep and abiding love for that small, but heavy, piece of machinery?) BUT the time will come this next week where I will be able to do so! I am participating in the Lizzy House 1001 Peeps Summer Camp EXTRAVAGANZA! You can see the nifty patch below.

(Did anyone else think of Troupe Beverly Hills there? Patches! We don't need no stinking PATCHES! *sigh* Love that movie). More about the summer camp...It is amazingly cool and I am super excited! I have missed several of the online projects during the move (thankfully they keep the patterns up for those of us who don't have the time to get it done on the actual schedule). Yes, it is an online summer camp! HOW COOL IS THAT?! Every week there is a project, with full instructions, hosted by a different blog. I will post the results of this summer camp as I get them finished. Wish me luck!

Peep Out! ;)

Living the good life...

One of my good friends is getting married, and I am so grateful that I can honestly say "Marriage is the best!" Today, I'm feeling all gushy and gooey inside over Zach, and our life together. It truly, honestly, is the best. We recently had our one year anniversary and I can't believe its been a year, it certainly doesn't feel like it. But, No matter how short a time it seems, in looking back over the past year I can see exactly how much we have grown as individuals and as a couple. We talk more, we certainly laugh more, and we love more. I thought, on my wedding day, that I couldn't possibly be any happier or more in love than I was right then. However, since that day, My love for Zach has grown exponentially. I am not saying that life is always easy, no way, but life is good none the less. We have learned new things about each other, new ways to approach problems, and when to walk away from an argument. Today is Zach's 23rd Birthday and I am so grateful for him and everything he has done for me, and I am looking forward to the next 60 years or so of birthdays, anniversaries and most of all Love.

Ribbons and Strings and all things Stitched

Over the last couple of months I have taken it upon myself to learn how to actually DO something. My mom (who is in my opinion the most accomplished person EVER) can sew, knit, crochet, and cook. My domestic skills are somewhat more...limited than hers...Meaning I have very few. As a project for christmas I decided I was going to learn how to crochet hair flowers, Which I am proud to say turned out quite nicely! I have also recently purchased a sewing machine, a Husqvarna Viking that may become my baby :), a Olfa Cutting Mat and Roller, and fabric enough to start a quilt top for Zach and I's bedroom. Its quite an undertaking and I don't think I have ever thought about the fact that there are so many small tasks that go into making a quilt. There is cutting the original length of fabric into small squares, matching them up into corresponding colors, marking the lines to sew on, sewing them together and then doing it again and again and again. However, It keeps me busy during my down time at work and I feel like I have definitely accomplished something at the end of the day! I will, eventually, post pics!