Hideaway Girl

Vintage Sheet Quilt (top) #5

2012-01-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

I started working on this vintage sheet quilt in September. Originally it was throw sized, but after thinking about it for a few more months, I came to the conclusion that we really don't need any more throw size quilts - especially in ultra vibrant colors that really don't match the decor of the main living areas of our home. So, I added 6 more rows and now it is large enough to work as a bed quilt - an extra wide twin. I made my oldest daughter a vintage sheet quilt for her bedroom a couple of years ago. Since then, I have added a lot more prints to my collection that would look fabulous in her room. When this new one is finished, she can alternate it with the original one in her bedroom for a little variety.

I set out to make a "Plus" quilt like many I have seen on Flickr, where all of the prints fit together like pieces in a puzzle. But, when I laid the quilt top out like that, the large prints blended together and it looked like a colorful mess. I opted instead to add one degree of separation between fabrics with Kona Ash (still a favorite) as a buffer.

The sun was not cooperating with my outdoor photo shoot. It was either casting shadows or causing too much back light. My son's soccer goal, however , proved quite helpful - especially when there were no extra hands around to help out.

I know - It is very similar to the queen size quilt I made last spring. Might have something to do with the neutral I keep choosing over and over again. Next time I play with vintage sheets, I'll try to mix it up with something other than Ash. Then again, maybe not. Why mess with a good thing?

Book Bag and Kindle Case

2012-01-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

My sewing machine hasn’t seen a lot of action the last couple of months. Zero quilting action. I am realizing it's a seasonal trend. Not a lot of play time during the busy holiday season. I did, however, make my book loving niece a book bag and kindle case for Christmas.

Front Pocket

Back Pocket

I also cut all of the squares to make a HST Christmas Quilt, but that is far as I got.

Maybe I'll have it finished by next Christmas. 11 1/2 months should be enough time...even for me.

Happy New Year!

Make it go away

2011-11-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

The view out my bedroom window this morning.

It's feeling like December now.
And, to pour salt on my wound, I woke up to Walking in a Winter Wonderland playing on the radio.
I am not mentally prepared for this.

If it wasn't so pretty, I'd be in a bad way.

Halloween Re-cap

2011-11-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

October has come and gone.

I don't know about you, but I am feeling a little bush wacked.

At our house, bush wacked means tired.

According to the on-line dictionary, it means, "to fight a guerilla in the woods".

No guerillas. No woods.

Just a lot of kids (mine, primary & school), and Halloween madness.

I am feeling the after effects.

The kind of madness that transformed this soccer crazed boy..

Into this...

TinkerBELLY.

I never want to sew with stretchy, skin colored fabric again.

Tricky stuff.

Pirate costumes were a little easier...I just made the vests and skirt.

And the blessed little witch costume. All I had to do was pull it out of the old costume box.

I whipped up some trick-or-treat bags last minute (Halloween afternoon - I tend to procrastinate).

This one is a wonky Halloween version of the birthday tote I made for my owl loving daughter.

Even though it was busy, we had a lot of fun. My husband had the day off work, which was a real treat. Sometimes mama needs a sidekick - especially when there is so much going on. We went to the costume parade at the school, helped out with two class parties, toasted pumpkin seeds, made yummy rolls and homemade chicken noodle soup. The weather was so nice - I actually volunteered to take the kids trick-or-treating with my good friend and her kids, while my husband passed out candy. Usually I stay home to keep warm, but this year we didn't even need coats. We woke up this morning to much cooler temps. and rain that turned into snow, so we lucked out. It definitely feels like November now. As long as it doesn't feel like December anytime soon, I'll be OK. I'm not ready for that kind of madness yet!

Our little witch was bush wacked too.

Bloggers Quilt Festival: French Dreams Quilt

2011-10-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have been doing some experimental quilting...scary times at the Hideaway House.

The ingredients:

3 floral print night gowns found on Clearance sale at Old Navy (size XXL for more fabric). Please, tell me I am not the only one who occasionally purchases an odd clothing item for the fabric alone!

1 polka dot sheet set found on Clearance sale at Target (you've seen it before and you'll be seeing it again)

1 Simply Shabby curtain panel (forgot to take a before picture)

A Michael Miller Eiffel Tower print that was sent to me by mistake, and I was told to keep it (Bonus!)

A few of my on hand favorite solids (Ash, Celery and another gray)

One very questionable (& rough) pattern drawn up by yours truly. Its reliability had never been proven, hence all of the pre-stated ugly step-sister fabric selections. In other words, I didn't want to risk the good stuff (me, of so little faith!)

Mix them all together...

The result, although not perfect, is better than expected for an experiment!

Next time I try this pattern, I might even risk the good stuff.

Although, I must admit, these motley fabrics are kind of growing on me.

The name, French Dreams, is in honor of its nightie origins, with a little dash of Eiffel thrown in the mix. :)

Ooh La La.

Vintage Baby

2011-10-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have a new little niece.

She came into the world early Sunday morning while the rest of us were still dreaming.

It has been a while since I have held an infant in my arms - I can't wait to meet her.

We are so happy for my brother & sister-in-law and their growing little family.

I used some of my favorite, vibrant, vintage sheets to make this little quilt for her.

I wish I knew more people expecting babies - quilts this size are a pleasure to make.

A bright and happy quilt for a little soul who has already brought happiness to so many.

Welcome to the world Ginny Kay!

Lone Star

2011-10-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I managed to cross another UFO off the list. The Lone Star is quilted, bound, washed and smelling heavenly. Pulling a crinkly new quilt out of the dryer is my favorite moment in the quilting process.

I used a mix of fabrics - mostly of the French General variety and a couple from JoAnn's, including a Denyse Schmidt (yellow). The back is from a cotton sheet set I found on clearance at Target...you'll be seeing more of it soon.

The quilting is a bit random in places (made it up as I went along), but I love how it looks on the back - like a giant, lime green, polka dot snowflake.

Now, let me tell you the story of how this little lone star came to be...

Last month, my cyber friend, Des, invited me to a quilt retreat with this group of talented (and hilarious!) ladies, none of whom I had ever met in real life. I only knew her from the internet. Scary, huh?! I had a complete out of character moment and decided to be brave and go. Shocking. I can be a bit anti-social, so this was a big step for me.

(view from the back porch)

The retreat house was in the middle of Idaho farm country with no neighbors in sight. It was beautiful...until I had to drive down the dirt road and park in the pitch black of night to get cell phone coverage, then it was just plain spooky. Country dark is a whole lot darker than suburban dark. I couldn't see a thing.

There were a lot of lone star quilts and triangle star quilts in the works, so I jumped on the bandwagon. I rarely use patterns, so following detailed directions was a little tricky for me. Fortunately, Kathy was there to help me navigate - she is a lone star super-hero.

I bet this front porch never looked so good!

They were definitely not lonely stars.

My Soul Blossoms quilt found a Soul Blossoms friend. I guess you could say they are soul mates.
(both made from jelly rolls!)

Amazingly, these quilts look even better up close. These ladies know how to work a long arm!

I had such great time!

Branching out of my stubborn comfort zone to meet new people and make new things was a good thing.

The food was good too!

And the neighborhood...

Pretty cool - as long as it was light outside.

Something Shabby

2011-10-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

One of these quilts is not like the others.
One of these quilts just doesn't belong...

It has texture: chenille, soft corduroy, linen and minky.

Rounded corners.

Ruffled edges instead of a traditional binding.

And all hand quilting.

This weekend I raided my stash of ultra feminine fabrics to make my youngest daughter a little throw quilt to go on top of her bed.
Her room decor is shabby chic so I wanted something to compliment that look.

Not my usual style, but her style.

My boys are saying I never make anything for them.

Maybe next time it will be something their style.

Catching Fire

2011-10-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

We went for a drive this morning up one of the nearby canyons - something I have been anxiously looking forward to all week. I packed up my nice camera to capture autumnal glory in high resolution, only to find I had left the memory card at home. Such a typical Natalie moment. Luckily I had my little pocket camera in my bag. Not the digital quality I was hoping for, but beautiful nonetheless. Color like this is awe inspiring, even when the clarity is less than perfect.

The experts have said local mountain fall foliage is at its apex right now, and I concur - the color is amazing. However, snow in the higher elevations is coming later this week - hard to believe when we are still experiencing temps in the 80's. If you live around here (Utah), you better go quickly. By the time autumn really hits the valleys, the canyons are done, and this is one show you don't want to miss!

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."

~ Emily Bronte

Catch Up: Cliff Notes Version

2011-09-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

I know I am not the most consistent blogger. I am so grateful and humbled by the fact that you still stop by, even when my posts are few and far between. Thank you. As I write this post, I realize I am, again, woefully behind and overwhelmed by all I want to share. I have been juggling more than one project the last few weeks - I have 4 new quilts in the works (thanks to a quilt retreat I went to - more to come on that), all in various stages of completion. My sewing room looks like a bomb went off, but it's the kind of mess that makes me happy.

Here's a little peak at what I am working on (ignore the wrinkles):

Lone Star

Vintage Sheets and Kona Ash (again)

More vintage sheets

Arcadia

And because I am a nerd who loves pretty places as much as pretty fabric, here are some favorite scenic pictures of our recent adventures:

Grand Mesa, Colorado

Colorado River

Somewhere in the middle of Utah

Idaho, North of Bear Lake

Bear Lake

Tony Grove Lake

Oh, how I love this beautiful world we live in. I have so much to do, but what I really want to do is go for a drive. The foothills look like they are on fire with fall color and I am chomping at the bit to check it out.

I'll be back soon with details. The question is, will they be about quilt progress or fall foliage? I am so easily distracted.

Quilted Soul Blossoms

2011-09-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

Last week I finally quilted the Soul Blossoms quilt.

Here's the finished (what a nice word) version:

The back is Kona Celery with a little scrappy stripe to dress up the seam.

The quilting mimics the overall pattern of the quilt, only on an angle.
This was this first time I've used an erasable fabric marker to to mark my quilting lines.
It was kind of tedious - took longer than the basting - but totally worth it.
My straight line quilting tends to be on the wonky end of the spectrum without assistance.
After quilting and washing, it measures 62" square.

I love the combination of the Kona Celery and the purplish/pink binding fabric.

On a different note:

For the first time since being initiated into motherood more than 12 years ago,

I actually have the house to myself for a few hours each week.

All of my offspring are in school right now. (pre-school to middle school)

Things are kind of quiet around here.
It's weird.
But kind of nice, especially after our chaotic summer.

In small doses.

Summerland

2011-08-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Summer is friends, beaches, swimming pools, raspberries, sunshine, thunderstorms,

scout camp, snails, flowers, road trips, soccer, quiet moments and family.

It is beautiful busyness.

It is playing all day and falling into our beds at night.

It is almost over.

Summer in the Sawtooths

2011-08-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

We recently returned home from a camping trip to Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. Camping (in a tent!) is always so much work, I wasn't sure if it would be worth it. Amazingly, it was. On day 5, when it came time to pack up camp, I was sad. I wished we were staying 2 more nights like some of the others in our big group. Crazy! I don't know who was more surprised by this, my husband or myself. I think the fact that we don't have a baby anymore - all of our kids are potty trained and sleep through the night - was a big part of it. Having flush toilets and showers nearby was a bonus. Being with my favorite people, surrounded by beautiful scenery was the cherry on top.

This outlet river was located about 100 yards behind our campsite - it provided us nightly with the perfect Rocky Mountain lullaby.

And, the beach...

one of my all time favorites.

The view might have something to do with that.

Read more about the Sawtooth Mountains here.

Rural Jardin Quilt

2011-07-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

I finished the Rural Jardin quilt.
It is nothing fancy - just 5" squares cut from the same layer cake as the American Flag pillow, but simplicity is what I wanted (& needed).

I love these prints and the colors are perfect in my home.

I also picked up a couple of heavenly, woven fat quarters from the same line for some toss pillows.

Wish I could find more of this woven in yardage!

American Flag Pillow

2011-07-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

A crazy thing happened this week...I actually found a few spare minutes to dust off my sewing machine and crank out a little project or two. What a busy month it has been! Today is the last day of school for our kids and we are more than ready for our summer break to begin. Since we are kicking off summer with 4th of July celebrations, I was feeling a little patriotic. I had a Rural Jardin layer cake that was just begging to be played with - the perfect colors for Americana quilting.

I cut the 10 inch layer cake squares into 5 inch squares and, setting aside 9 red, 7 white/beige and 5 blue squares, sewed this charm squares quilt top.

I am still waiting for the binding fabric to come in the mail. Rural Jardin is getting hard to find, even on eBay and Etsy.

As for the pillow, I cut the 21 squares I had set aside into 2 1/2" squares to make the flag. I framed the flag and backed the pillow in denim.

Now I have some good ol' Americana pillow action going on,

As well as British love.

Hmmm...which flag will be next?

I am off to enjoy my kids and celebrate freedom (from school)!

Happy Independence Day!

FYI: If you need Kona Solids, I found them here for $4.89 a yard, and basic shipping was fast - I ordered on a Tuesday and package arrived Thursday!

California Vacation 2011

2011-05-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

We've been away.

We surprised our kids with a trip to California. They were off track from school (year round), our oldest son for the last time before starting middle school this fall and going on a traditional school schedule. This was our last chance to do Disney off-season (less crowded) without skipping school, so we jumped on it.

(view from the soccer field - the starting point)

We started out with a loaded mini-van and four clueless kiddos at an early morning soccer game, the Wasatch Mountains in the background (I love the mountains). We hit the road right after the game. 10 + hours later, with more the 700 miles under our belts, we were taking an evening stroll along the beach, the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean lapping at our feet (I also love the beach). It makes me think of America the Beautiful - we went (by auto) from purple mountains majesty to the shining sea, all in one day.

The kids thought we were headed to St. George for the weekend, but when we got to St. George, we faked a phone call and pretended all of the hotels were booked...but there might be some rooms further down in Mesquite. We kept on driving and passed Mesquite. Finally, we stopped at a Travel Stop just before Vegas, whipped out the video camera and told the kids, "We have already gone more than 400 miles, we can stop here or we can go just another 300 miles and spend the week in California at....DISNEYLAND." It was a no brainer - such happy little travelers they were.

We spent three days at Disneyland and California Adventure. Amusement parks are not my favorite way to spend time, but I actually like Disneyland. My favorite ride: Soaring Over California - it even smells good. I'll spare you all the photos of our cheesy mugs at Disney - I didn't take my big camera, so the pictures aren't the best. Mostly crazy action shots.

Although, this one is too classic not to share. This is what Disneyland does to active kids.

We also spent a day at the San Diego Zoo.

Loved the monkey riding the hippo. They seemed quite comfortable with each other.

We visited some beautiful beaches in the San Diego area including Coronado Beach (number three on the list of best beaches in the United States).

One of the best things about Coronado Beach - Hotel Del Coronado.

So pretty.

We also stopped La Jolla Cove just north of San Diego, one of my favorite spots from our last California vacation:

We spent another day exploring some of the beaches of Orange County.

Crystal Cove (north of Laguna, south of Newport):

This was a rustic beach (a preservation area and state park) with BIG waves and brave surfers.

The beach was littered with sea plants...our kids called them poppers, because they pop when you step on them (nature's bubble wrap).

Doheny Beach (Dana Point):

This was a wide and level (no hiking down a cliff) beach.

Perfect for watching surfers (they kind of looked like sharks swarming off shore).

Building sand castles.

And burying your brother in the sand.

And my favorite, Salt Creek Beach, within walking distance of where we were staying:

It was the best of everything. There was a park with a lawn for kicking balls and climbing trees.

The Ritz Carlton high up on the south end.

Gorgeous homes to the north.

And the softest sand. The perfect spot to watch the sun set.

Now we're back to real life. It is always hard to make that transition.

On the Go Organization

2011-05-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

I've been sewing pockets...so many I am going cross eyed, but I have a good reason: organization. I need some. We have places to go and a whole lot of stuff to keep track of.

First up, I made four new back of the car seat organizers. I made some a couple of years ago and we used them so much they wore out. The new versions have more pockets, some with pleats and elastic. The idea orginally came from here, but I have made some modifications.

We needed more storage on our umbrella stroller. It has a basket underneath,but it is really small. I went digging through my fabric and made this big stroller tote. It really is BIG.

I added ties to the bottom to help secure it to the stroller:

Lastly, I made a new tote bag for me. Something to put all my books and goodies in (because I don't have access to my own, personal, back of the seat organizer). I picked up this fabric a few weeks ago at JoAnn's when I went to scope out the new Denyse Schmidt fabrics. It's tree hugger fabric - I heart trees. I was going to have it finished in time for Earth Day, but you know how that goes. I referenced this great tutorial, but

made some modifications to size (mine is 2 inches longer), as well as added additional storage options.

Big stretchy pocket on back (or front...haven't decided which is which):

And more inside:

We have been experiencing such perfect weather, it has been hard to stay inside and finish up these projects.

It certainly feels like spring in the valley, but the surrounding mountains are still dressed for winter. I don't mind the white stuff so much when it's warm enough to wear shorts and flip-flops.

“Sweet May hath come to love us, Flowers, trees, their blossoms don; And through the blue heavens above us The very clouds move on.”

~ Heinrich Heine

Blogger's Quilt Festival

2011-05-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

For Blogger's Quilt Festival, I've decided to share the vintage sheet quilt I finished in April (sorry for the repetition if you read my earlier post about this quilt). This quilt is the product of two years of diligently searching for and collecting beautiful, vibrant linens from yester-year. This is my 3rd vintage sheet quilt (first here, second here). Since this one was for my bedroom, I was very discriminating - only my favorite sheets made the final cut. Some of them are the same ones my sweet grandmother used in her home (blues and greens) and I think of her when I see them.

I started working on it last fall and it was on my sewing table for quite a while. At queen size, it is the largest quilt I have made. Machine quilting it on my domestic machine was a bit challenging - I am sure my lines are a little more wonky than straight in places, but I was wrestling with mountains of fabric and bulk (or so it seemed). The design is one I sketched up one day. I used Kona Ash for the solid.

It has been on my bed for almost 2 months, and it still makes me happy.

Country Living

2011-05-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have been a subscriber of Country Living magazine for years. I save my favorites copies. Recently I came across an oldie - September 2004. I flipped through it for a second and came to the above 2 page spread of residential bliss. A total dream house. Seriously. It meets so many requirements on my wish list and particularly nails location. I don't dream about McMansions, I dream about farmhouses...in idyllic settings.

I also like looking at house plans (it's genetic) . If you, too, like to dream about houses with porches, Stephen Fuller Designs is a fun site full of possibilities.
This one has always been a favorite of mine.

The May 2011 edition of Country Living (the most recent) had an article on vintage Pyrex.

I happen to have some of the same designs as the ones photographed in the article!

A couple of items came from thrifting, but most came from family (stuff they were throwing out). I am always on the lookout for more. The people at Pyrex really need to find a way to bring back the folksy color!

A few years ago, there was an article featuring a red dresser. I still remember the story - a lady found it on the side of the road and brought it home with her. It was quirky, colorful and an example of how you don't need to spend big money to furnish your home with character.

We recently refinished one of our old master bedroom dressers for our 5 year old son. We used spray paint this time. I wanted to antique it, but my hubby wasn't on board. I think he is tiring of the old look. It doesn't have as much aged character as the one from the magazine but it's a another item to check off the to-do-list. Sometimes, just finishing something feels like an accomplishment.

The denim quilts I made about 5 (or 6?!) years ago are still hanging in there. One of these days I'll get around to sewing something new for my boys! :)

Have a happy Mother's Day weekend!

Bliss Quilt

2011-05-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

During the past week I managed to sneak in a few quilting hours - sometimes finding the time is the hardest part. I finished the Bliss quilt I started a little while back. Originally I thought I would do some hand quilting on this one, but in the end I changed my mind.

For the back I alternated strips of Kona Tarragon and Aqua.

I am very pleased with the way it turned out - very soft and pliable. One of the pro's of straight line quilting vs. stippling.

We enjoyed a nice Spring Break and Easter Weekend. We surprised our kids with a trampoline (we put it together after they went to bed) and it has been a huge hit. I have so many childhood memories of time spent on a trampoline - sleep outs where we would all end up in a big pile in the middle by morning, jumping with the sprinklers underneath, and all the hours spent trying to master the back flip.

We are also in the middle of a busy soccer season. It's a 4 day a week commitment (for me), and sometimes we are double booked with our two boys, but it is something we really love. My oldest son had an away game in Northern Utah this past week and we were able to visit some of our old stomping grounds in Cache Valley.

More of the same this week, with lots of yard work thrown in just for fun (I am weird that way). We are supposed to have temps in the mid 70's by the end of the week.

It's about time!

Soulful

2011-04-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

I must still be on a color craving kick, because my latest project has bucketloads.

This quilt top is made from a jelly roll of Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms, a handful of fat quarters

from the same line (the prints missing from the jelly roll), with Kona Coal cut into 1 1/2" strips for the solid.

As for the pattern - it is the same concept I used on the Love quilt I made last fall,

only instead of halving the jelly roll strips, I cut them into thirds. I mixed it up by adding

9 blocks instead of 1. Unquilted, it measures 65" square - pretty decent sized.

You may think it a little busy (I have thought it myself a time or two), but really, it just has soul.

A whole lotta soul.

I am also loving color on a softer scale.

Our nectarine tree is in bloom. It is my favorite flowering tree of the fruity variety.

And, this was the vista from my son's soccer game this week.

Beautiful.

It finally feels like spring, and that is good for the soul.

Happy Easter!

Spring Time in the Desert 2011

2011-04-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Every Spring we vacation in Southern Utah - it is one of our favorite traditions. It signifies the end of one season and the beginning of another. The end of winter and the busy season at work for my husband, and the reawakening of life. Winter is tough on our family. We are not our our true selves unless we are running free in the wide open, with the sunshine bouncing off our shoulders, exploring the beautiful world we live in. It felt so good to be free again. Since I love looking at travel pictures (always looking for new ideas), and those of scenic beauty, I thought I would share a few. All of the pictures below were taken at Pioneer Park above St. George, or in Snow Canyon.

(sis in-law feeling brave)

Of course, one of our favorite things to do is play in the sand dunes. This sand is some of the softest ever - felt like heaven to walk on bare foot.

Can you see my nephew's head in the picture below?

The boys made it to the other side of this slot canyon. Makes me feel a little queasy just thinking about it.

The people look like ants in this one:

Bring on the next road trip!

And, while we are on the subject of vacations, this is where we found our next home away from home.
I am completely sold on vacation rentals, especially when traveling with little ones.

(to see last year's version of Spring Time in the Desert, go here - we visited Zion's National Park & the scenery was amazing)

Happy Little Projects

2011-04-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

My oldest daughter just celebrated her 9th birthday (cannot believe how fast it goes by!). For some reason, her birthday tends to bring out the sewist in me. Last year, I went all out. This year I managed a little more moderation. Instead of a quilt, I made a festive little bunting out of my growing pile of vintage sheet scraps.

The girl loves to read. I like to think it is a trait she inherited from me. :) She also adores all things pertaining to owls, wolves, dragons, Harry Potter...I could go on. Just depends on what she's reading. I was inspired by this beach tote, and decided to make her a personalized book bag for road trips.

On her birthday, I checked her out of school and we went out to lunch and to Barnes and Noble to pick out a few new literary treasures. Is there anything better than a book store?!

Here's the back:

I also found the cutest art print on Etsy. Too perfect to pass up.

As for bigger projects, I haven't forgotten about the Bliss quilt. I want to throw a bit of hand quilting into the mix, and just haven't had the time to hunker down with it.

Plus, I've been a little distracted by something new. Maybe someday I'll learn to finish one project before starting another.

But, probably not.

Finished Spring Vintage Sheet Quilt

2011-04-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Remember my ambitious plan - a different master bedroom quilt for every season of the year? Well, I can check spring off the list. This is the largest quilt I have made - I definitely felt more like a tortoise than a hare during every step of the process, but in the end it was worth it because I truly love it. It is bright and colorful and perhaps a little crazy for a master bedroom, but exactly what I am craving right now.

I used yellow floral for the binding and I love the outlined in sunshine effect.

For the back, I used strips of vintage sheets in various widths. It's a little wild, but perfect in flipped over increments. Here's a little peak...

After waking up yesterday morning to depressingly find ourselves in a white and wintery realm once again, this quilt is color therapy!

Vintage Master Bedroom

2011-03-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

We have new (to us) furniture in our master bedroom.

Last year I inherited a chest of drawers and a nightstand and ever since then I have been watching the online classifieds for the matching pieces to pop up. In January we scored and were able to get the nine drawer dresser, mirror and additional night stand for $80. I also found a matching lingerie chest at a thrift store (I think it was $40). Finally, it has been warm enough for me to spend some serious time in the garage working these over.

This is the only before picture I took, although I do have a before picture of the chest posted here.

Here's what it all looked like mid-makeover, somewhere between primer and paint. There were 24 drawers total - it was a lengthy three day process.

Below is the headboard we have been using forever. This will give you a pretty good idea of what our bedroom looked like before the changes. Since we didn't have a headboard to match the vintage furniture, I just decided to paint this one...for now.

24 newly spray painted vintage drawer handles.

They are one of the reasons why I like the "old stuff."

Here is how it all turned out:

(This tall lingerie chest is the perfect spot for our old school TV, but we didn't want to scratch the paint, hence the towel...just in case you notice the small details, like my mom, and were wondering)

I picked up a white Ofelia Duvet set at IKEA and, for now, we are using a quilt set I bought at TJ Maxx a while back (no new quilt progress to report).

Our 11 year old son came into our bedroom and said, "Dad's new dresser is not very manly." He has a point - it is on the feminine side, but it's the same dresser my grandpa used for as long as I can remember... minus the gold accents.

I happen to love the details that make it not so "manly", and my husband...well, he likes the new white look and loves the price. I almost have him talked into spending the money we saved on new bedroom furniture on white slip covered sofas for the living room. :)

Now it's time for something new on the wall. I have been collecting picture frames and plan on enlarging favorite vacation photos...such as this one from the Oregon Coast.

And Bear Lake...

I kind of like the beach. Bet you never would have guessed.

Next up: we are thinking about refinishing our old bedroom furniture (at least the big dresser) for our 5 year old...

It's my never ending story.

Bliss Half Square Triangles

2011-03-04T15:46:00.000-08:00

The lure of pretty fabric snared me again and I started something new...although I really shouldn't have. The fabric I need to finish the vintage sheet quilt is probably sitting in my mailbox right now. But, after piecing this new quilt top, I am struggling to find the motivation to even go and look and see if it's here. I think I have met my sewing quota for the week.

The good news is I crossed another item off my de-stashing list - I used up a couple of Bliss charm square packs. I have seen some amazing quilts on Flickr using this HST pattern, and I thought I'd give it a try.

It came together quickly and I am mostly pleased with it. However, there is a small part of me that keeps wondering what it would have looked like sashed in Kona Ash. There is just something about that particular solid that has me hooked.

There will be NO weekend sewing happening at this house - the sun is calling my name.

(crossing my fingers that tomorrow it will still be shining)

Vintage Sheet Quilt Progress

2011-03-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

First of all, can I just say how happy I am that today is March 1st? The sun is shining and I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I've been inching along with my latest vintage sheet quilt. The top would probably be finished, if it weren't for the fact that I ran out of Kona Ash. I had a 50% off coupon, so I headed to Joann's to stock up and they were completely sold out. Bummer. I ended up buying some on Etsy and now I am just waiting for the package to come. The hard thing about buying online is you miss out on instant gratification. But, I sure do like the shopping hours.

I wanted to show you the progress I've made, but trying to find a place to display a queen sized quilt proved difficult. First I tried the bed...

Next I draped it from the china cabinet in the living room...

Finally, I just hung it from a wall in my sewing room...

(the pattern is one I sketched up a few months ago - you can see it here)

I still need to add the top and bottom rows. By the time it is finished, it will have outgrown the wall. I am already feeling a little intimidated just thinking about the effort the actual quilting will require.

We are in the process of refinishing furniture for our master bedroom. Everything will be white. I plan on having all white linens as well - comforter, bed skirt etc. To mix it up a bit, my goal is to make a different quilt for each season, and this vintage sheet quilt is what I have in mind for spring. After the cold, gray winter, I am ready for color. Flowers too.

The question is, can I get it all done (quilt & furniture) by the time Spring officially arrives?

Love at Home

2011-02-16T09:24:00.000-08:00

My kids are on a school break right now which means things are crazy (but fun) in our neck of the woods. On Valentine's Day, my two oldest woke up early and surprised me with breakfast in bed - sausage, eggs, pancakes and orange juice. They were so quiet, I didn't suspect a thing. I sure do love my little peeps! They had their class Valentine parties before they tracked off, so we spent the day making & eating sugar cookies. We celebrated that evening as a family (my husband and I went out on Saturday) with Chick-Fil-A and Twister - we're not as limber as we used to be!

Pretty romantic, eh? We did watch a Redbox movie after the kids went to bed. :)

This one probably needs an explanation. My nickname has always been Nat. When I was young, the Gnat was my icon - I would draw a little bug instead of writing my name when I would write notes to my friends. I made this little gnat in a junior high pottery class a long, LONG time ago.

Happy belated Valentine's Day!

Finished Zig Zag Quilt

2011-02-05T16:37:00.000-08:00

The jelly roll zig zag quilt is finished!

I hand stitched the binding down this morning in bed (feeling a little under the weather),

washed it, and gave it to my happy parents this afternoon.

It feels good to check something off the list - especially a belated Christmas gift.

As a bonus for completing a project, this arrived in the mail today...

I think I know what I am working on next.

On to the next Stage

2011-02-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

My youngest turned 3 this weekend. It seems like just yesterday she was a warm little bundle in my arms, and today she is playing dress-up with her cousin - their plastic heels clicking on the floors as they run around (she is the princess in pink). I thought it would be hard to leave the baby years behind, but I love this new stage so much. And, I am blessed with many good memories to sustain me when I am missing the days gone by.

Although...I am counting on new little nieces and nephews joining our flock, because there might be moments in the future when I will need to "borrow" a newborn.

Is it weird that a 3 year old can walk in heels better than I can?

Rouenneries Valentine Quilt

2011-01-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

Right now I am on a "use what I have kick".

I have a tendency to buy fabric just because I like it, even if I don't have a particular project in mind.

For example, at least a year ago, I bought a rouenneries charm pack, and immediately after,

it was buried & forgotten.

Last week I was digging around in one of my fabric drawers and it was rediscovered.

I still liked the fabric, but what do you do with just one charm pack?

Based on the color palette of this fabric line, and my complete lack of any Valentine's decorations

for our home, a little light bulb came on.

I cut all of the charm squares into quarters to make the heart and borders.

I didn't have any fabric for the binding. Since I am in the process of "de-stashing",

I used decorator weight ticking. I wasn't sure how it would wash up, but it worked perfectly.

And, since this is just a wall quilt, the stiffer fabric won't be a comfort issue.

It's a little cheesy, but for Valentine's Day, I think it works.

(Finished product measures 28.5 x 33)

Sunset Basketball

2011-01-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

It was warm enough today to shoot hoops outside.

But not actually warm by "normal" standards.

Only warm to energetic 6th graders.

My son was out with some buddies and he came running inside yelling, "Mom, come quick!"

I jumped up thinking, Oh, no.

Then he said, "Bring your camera...the sky is prettier than ever."

He was right - so very pretty.

I miss sunsets. I miss a lot of things.

When you get excited about temperatures in the 40's, you know you've been inside for too long.

I am ready to defrost. Oh, so ready.

Zig Zag

2011-01-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago I made this quilt:

My mom has always liked this fabric line (Peace on Earth). Last time she was over, she mentioned it again. So, I finally decided it was time to use that extra jelly roll I've been hanging on to:

Most of the zig zag quilts I have seen use half square triangles. I was happy to find a tutorial that used strips instead.

Mom, this one's for you.

Didn't quite finish it time for Christmas, but I'm thinking a quilted valentine might be a good possibility!
(just waiting for the yardage I ordered on eBay)

Washington Part II

2011-01-07T21:18:00.000-08:00

(Quinalt Lake)

I am trying to catch up. I already showed you pictures of the beautiful beaches on theWashington Coast, so now I'll share the rest.

We stayed at Seabrook, a sister community to the place where we stayed in Oregon. However, we didn't really spend much time at Seabrook - there were too many interesting places to see up north in Olympic National Park.

We fell in love with Quinalt Lake and nearby waterfalls and hikes:

This is what a lake house looks like in the Rain Forest:

We also loved the Hoh Rain Forest area:

(the massive, moss covered maple trees were absolutely amazing!)

And, since we were in the area...

(view of the Puget sound from Alki Beach/West Seattle)

Four days wasn't nearly enough time to see everything. It is such a beautiful part of our country, we would love to go back someday.

* I am starting to see why I ran out of photo storage space :)

Winter Greetings

2011-01-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

(our frozen valley)

It's been a while since I've been here, and I have rather poor excuses to offer. We've been busy, but so has everyone else. Doesn't it always seem like busy is the one consistent word we all use to describe the holiday season? I wish it wasn't so. I would trade it for peaceful. Although, years from now when our children are grown and enveloped in busy lives of their own, I will probably remember with fondness these chaotic years with little ones.

When things finally calmed down enough to post again, I was informed I had used up all my photo storage space with blogger, so I couldn't post pictures (I guess updating our family blog sucked up the last bit of memory). Posting seemed kind of pointless. Especially when considering it was with a promise of more pictures to come that I last signed off. So I stayed away even longer, and have been hibernating instead. Laying low for a bit is how I best recover from the holidays.
Besides, it has been too cold to go anywhere!

However, I think I have finally fixed my picture posting problem, so I'll be back again soon, with pictures as promised. Meanwhile, I hope you all are staying warm!

November on the Washington Coast

2010-11-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

We were curious.

We wanted to know if the Washington Coast was as beautiful as the Oregon Coast.

We have a big anniversary coming up next month,

but since it is almost impossible leave 4 kids the week of Christmas and New Year's,
we decided to celebrate early.

And set off (with raincoats and muck boots) to find out for ourselves.

Question answered.

Just as BEAUTIFUL...

In a wilder sort of way.
And completely solitary.
If you want the coastline to yourself,
go in November.

Plus, all the wonders of Olympic National Park and the rain forest were just around the riverbend.

More pictures to come...when things aren't so crazy around here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Vintage Block a Day

2010-11-10T10:32:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share the progress on my latest quilt. My five year old helped me draw up the pattern for this queen sized (more like crib sized right now) quilt. We were just tinkering around drawing "stairs" on graph paper, and we played around with it until it morphed into the following, dog eared, pattern.

I am using all of my favorite vintage sheets with Kona Ash (again) for the sashing - I loved the soft neutrality it gave to the jelly roll quilt amidst all those colorful fabrics. With this one, it lets both the fabrics with white backgrounds, and those with colored, stand out.

The goal has been to finish at least one block a day, but I'll admit I've skipped a few days here and there. Only 8 out of the 30 blocks are finished.

I need to get cracking - holiday craziness is rapidly approaching! Just to prove it...Snow is falling out my window as I type this, Christmas music is playing on the radio (not a CD), every store I've been to this week is all decked out in holiday finery, my kids have decorated our refrigerator with their wish lists, and according to eBay, only 45 shopping days left! Yikes! Are you ready for this?

And to show you more craziness, this was taken when a freak snow storm blew in a few days before Halloween...

(my daughter was completely oblivious to the fact she was wearing a boy's snowsuit - wonder how long that will last?)

Judging by the huge flakes coming down right now, we could be back on the hill this afternoon!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

2010-11-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

I was hoping to have a current project finished in time for the Blogger’s Quilt Festival, but it's not gonna happen (motherhood happened). So instead, I’m sharing a recent favorite: The scrappy LOVE jelly roll quilt.

In the beginning, I set out to make a bright and fun picnic-ish sort of quilt we could take to soccer games - a funky little travel quilt. but I ended up loving the bright colors and cheerfulness so much, it has become a permanent fixture on the red sofa in our family room. My 2 year old has a security blanket she calls her “Nin”. She calls this quilt “Mommy’s Nin”. I love that she recognizes the contentedness this quilt brings to me. Color makes me happy.

To make this one, I cut the LOVE jelly roll strips in half and sewed into one long strip. I alternated the LOVE strips with 1 ½ inch strips of Kona Ash. I started with one rectangle in the center and around and around I went. Not exactly rocket science, but that's how I (jelly) roll. :)

To see a whole smorgasbord of fabulous quilting inspiration, check out the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.

Fall Hike

2010-10-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

What do overly ambitious moms do when their kids are off school for fall recess?

We hit the trail.

On Friday morning my sister-in-laws and I decided to take our offspring on a jaunt through the colorful woods for a dip in the hot spring pools. It seemed like a good idea...we had a great time on the same hike last year (except for the little snake incident).

However, this year there were a few kinks. We didn't realize how much of a help the men really were last year. When you are carrying a backpack with lunch and drinks for 5, plus swimsuits and towels, as well as a small child who is too tired to walk anymore, fun is no longer part of the equation. It was a long hike up to the pools (UP being the key word) .

When we reached our destination, it felt so good to sit in a shady spot, eat our lunches and watch

the kids splash in the pools.

We were having a nice break, until the hornets arrived.

Two of our kids, my oldest and my nephew, were stung, and the stinging wouldn't stop. They were miserable, so we decided to pack it up and head back down.

My two year old was walking slowly so we fell behind the rest of the group. I was holding her hand when I tripped over a rock and we both went flying (I'm kind of klutzy). She hit her mouth and was bleeding, my legs and hand were beat up and we were still probably a mile from the parking lot. Ugh. I ended up carrying her (& my back pack) the rest of the painful way down. I have never been so happy to see our minivan. Even the kids were grateful to see this adventure come to an end. They all completely crashed on the way home.

Not exactly one of our finer moments, but it was a beautiful day! :)

Note to Self: As much as you love the fall foliage, next year consider the pumpkin patch.

Too Much of a Good Thing

2010-10-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

We have a few Cosmos in our yard.

A few too many.

I let them grow, because they are beautiful.

And lovely things usually get their way.

But enough is enough.

I know what spring will bring if I let all of those abundant seeds hit the dirt.

Our green recycle bin will be filled to the brim for the next few weeks, but I am a girl on a mission.

And, I am trying to psych myself up for something big. Queen sized.

Because I have too many stacks of the following cluttering up my sewing room.

Again, too much of a good thing.
If I can reclaim my flower beds, I can reclaim my sewing room.

From the Field

2010-10-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken from the sidelines of my son's soccer game last night.
Watching the evolution of the cloud cover over the surrounding mountains made for a pretty good show.

The presence of the mountains alone, even without clouds hovering over their nooks and crannies,

is awe inspiring (when we're not taking them for granted).

The game was pretty good too.

Sunday Drive

2010-10-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

The autumn Sunday drive has become an annual tradition for us.

This morning we headed up one of the local canyons, and this is what we found.

I didn't have my fancy camera, just my point and shoot, but I think it did all right.

Love this time of year. Oh, how I LOVE it.

(Utah...in case you were wondering)

LOVE Quilt

2010-09-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

The scrappy LOVE jelly roll quilt is finished.

The aqua colored sheet from Target worked like a charm - puckered up nicely after washing

just like the fabric on the top. The most challenging part? Trying to get a good picture of

the finished product. This was the best we could do.

A little skiwampus, but I love those feet! Can you tell we were on our way to a soccer

game? In fact, the quilt went with us. It was bound, washed and broken in all on the same

day. 3 games this week and 4 more next week. That doesn't include all of the practices.

We are insane.

And (changing subjects here), I've learned something about myself this week:

Evidently men aren't the only ones who struggle with multi-tasking.

The following is what happened when I attempted to bake cookies while quilting:

The recipe clearly states bake for 8-10 minutes, not bake until your 5 year old comes and

tells you to stop the beeping noise. Also states, until barely brown. Oops.

This really is the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! It has been my go-to-recipe for

years, and I always get rave reviews (well, almost always). If you're feeling a little

sceptical after viewing the crispy specimens above, you can see these cookies on a better day HERE.

Bargains & Projects

2010-09-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been lucky to find a few bargains, and now my creative wheels are spinning again.

Most people in my real life don’t get the vintage linen thing, some days I cannot even pinpoint why I like them so much – I just do. Recently, I added a few new lovely prints to my collection. Some of you out there "get it", right? My grandparents had sheets in the print below. Is it weird that I totally remember fabrics from when I really young?

I purchased some Amy Butler Love fabric for the binding on the jelly roll quilt top I made not long ago, but I still wasn’t sure what to do for the backing. I was at Target on Saturday and they had 100% cotton sheets on clearance sale. There was a flat sheet in the perfect shade of aqua for this quilt! It will be a plain Jane backing, but easy (no piecing) sounds pretty good right now. There were other cool colors as well – I’m half tempted to go back and stock up!

Target also had window panels on clearance sale. We finished our basement a couple of years ago and still haven’t hung window treatments in our family room. This room is decorated in earth tones with a cherry wood fireplace and furniture. I found some window panels that will be perfect for the 2 windows in this room.

Absolutely cannot beat the price! (still selling for a lot more on the Target website) Such a good deal, I even grabbed an extra panel for fabric to make some coordinating toss pillows.

We have been contemplating moving our 2 year old to “big girl bed” - meaning some redecorating will be needed. Last year I picked up a twin sized Simply Shabby Hydrangea duvet (large print below) at the Salvation Army for $2.00 – Target gives a lot of their unsold surplus to the Salvation Army (around here anyway). I didn’t have a matching pillow sham, but I just found some coordinating window treatments on clearance sale at Target.

Almost 4 yards of fabric between the two shades – plenty for a sham and bedskirt to match!

And I know it has been a long time, but another furniture makeover is on the agenda. The following dresser (which was given to me) and matching nightstand.

Bargains make me happy....Target makes me happy.

Belated Oregon Part 2

2010-09-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

Things have been a little chaotic lately with church stuff, school stuff, and running kids around for all the extra stuff. I haven't had time to work on anything new. Most days I'm just trying to stay afloat. But I thought it was time to post something, just to prove I haven't completely abandoned ship. I was looking through our Oregon vacation pictures again, and I found a few more favorites. Since there hasn't been a whole lot of camera action lately (of the non soccer game variety), I thought I would share. Hope you don't mind reminiscing with me.

The sun rising somewhere over Idaho (we left home at 4 am - the kids slept until Boise).

Multnomah Falls just outside of Portland, on the Columbia River Gorge.
Our first real stop after driving all day long. Felt so good to stretch those legs!

We spent the first night in Portland. The next day we visited
the International Rose Test Gardens. Beautiful & free to boot.

I was hoping to convince all of my traveling companions to visit the Japanese Gardens across
the street, but there were no takers. Just another excuse to visit again.

A few drive-by shots of Portland.

Our last stop before heading to the coast was the Portland Temple.
My grandfather did much of the carpentry work on this temple when it was being built.

We looked down and saw that our youngest had taken off her shoes and pants

and was about to go for a swim in one of the fountains at the temple.

Somewhere between Portland and Lincoln City.

I love taking pictures out the front window while we're driving.
All I can say about this one is we're definitely not in the desert anymore.

These pictures were taken inside the model home in the community where we were staying.
I think they nailed the beach house look.

More of the beach.

We had a few crabby adventures:

She loved the shore crabs at the Yaquina Head tide pools.

The tinier the better.

We were all in awe of this enormous Japanese spider crab at the aquarium in Newport. Holy huge!

Menfolk trying to figure out how to catch some crabs for dinner.

We were given a raw chicken drumstick for bait. Gross.

Proof that the sun does occasionally shine on the coast.

Tillamook High School - they are the "Cheesemakers" complete with cows grazing in the
field behind the bleachers.

Local tide pools at sunset.

And lastly, the nerdy family picture. Love that while we are all acting like total dorks,
our two year old is checking out the view.

Hopefully things will calm down soon and I can start posting in real time again.

Every new beginning...

2010-08-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Comes from some other beginning's end.

I'm not necessarily a believer in the old English Proverb, "All good things must come to an end". I think there are exceptions of an eternal nature. However when the subject is summer, the words ring true.

This past weekend was our last scheduled summer event. A reunion at one of our favorite lakes. It was wonderful to be with family and the view, as always, was beauteous, but the air felt different - subtle changes dancing in the atmosphere.

Some not so subtle ones as well. When sand started flying in our faces with stinging ferocity, lightning flashing in the sky, I knew those last carefree hours of relaxing in the sun, while the kids played on the beach, I had envisioned, would not be coming to pass. I felt robbed of an annual rite of passage.

The next day, as we were driving through the canyon, making the long journey back home, I noticed leaves already changing color on the scrub oak. Sure, we had comforted ourselves as we were leaving, saying we'd try to make it back one more time, so we could still have that last day with the sunshine bouncing off our heads, toes luxuriating in soft, warm sand, but it was just talk. Deep down we knew the truth - we wouldn't be coming back. Not this year.

Along the way, we passed by our Alma Mater. Evidence of fall semester was everywhere. The dorm parking lots were full, and new college students were roaming around campus gettting their bearings straight. For a moment I was transported back again, filled with the excitement of newly found independence and the unknown. That fresh, away from home for the first time, feeling. Completely enveloped in possibility. I wanted to stop and tarry for a while, absorb that energy, but we kept on driving.

As we drove along, talking, our plans started to evolve. We were no longer devising a way to capture one last day at the beach, but rather contemplating an upcoming weekend in our favorite college town. A fall football game. In my mind I could already picture us walking around campus, colorful tree canopies overhead, leaves crunching underfoot, visiting all of our favorite haunts of yesterday, our future still ripe upon the horizon.

And, for me, in that moment of shifting focus, summer gracefully surrendered.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

A week on the Oregon Coast

2010-08-19T22:11:00.000-07:00

(looking north from the tide pools on the beach where we stayed)

Last year my husband and I discovered Oregon. We were so smitten with the beauty of this state, we decided to return this year with our kids and my sister-in-law and her family. We found a cute little house online & booked it for a week in August. Finally, that week came, & what an AMAZING week it was. The couple of days we spent driving weren't too bad either - the kids were troopers.

The house we rented was in an idyllic master planned community south of Lincoln City. It could not have been more charming! I kind of have a thing for houses with big front porches, so with every house in the entire neighborhood looking like this...

I was in beach house heaven!

There was a central park with a playground, volleyball-pit, & fire-pit for roasting marshmallows. We did it all.

We took many walks and my husband went jogging up these hills every morning. It was just too beautiful to stay inside.

Now, let me show you our favorite thing about this neighborhood. See that staircase on the left, in the picture below?
Come with me, up those stairs, to the top of the cliff...

And then down this staircase...to the beach!
(in real life we're land locked folk, so having access to the ocean was exciting)

Check out that view. We came to the beach at least once a day, sometimes twice. We counted - it was 170 stairs each way (both sets of stairs). 340 round trip. Our leg muscles were sore, but we didn't care.

Those rocks in the distance (above) were tide pools.

They were full of all sorts of fascinating creatures. The kids checked the tide schedules regularly so we could be down when the tide was low.

They were also very dedicated beachcombers. Here they are sorting through their loot on the first day we were there.

Their stash just kept on growing. Most of their treasures came home with us in gallon sized zip-loc bags so they could show their friends.
(when they opened the bags up it was so stinky - I'm not a fan of eau-de-rotten-crab!)

We played on the beach, went crabbing - & then bought crab at the local crab stand when we didn't catch anything (still fun), we had famous clam chowder from Mo's, met some of our cute cousins for ice-cream & cheese at Tillamook, visited the Sea Lion Caves, and went to the aquarium in Newport, spotting whales swimming off the coast along the drive. Every night we sat in the hot tub and showered in the outdoor shower - very condusive to good night's sleep.

And we loved watching the sun set over the ocean.

Are you ready to see more of the coast?
(I know - this post is already huge, but I just can't help myself)

We went on little excursions almost everyday. The following are just a few of the gorgeous places we saw.

South of the Sea Lion Caves near Florence.

Haceta Head just north of the Sea Lion Caves.

Devil's Churn.

South of Devil's Churn.

My husband took this picture at Cape Kiwandis. So pretty - one of my favorites from this trip.

Looking south from Cape Meares.

Looking north from Cape Meares.

This one's a drive-by shot of the view from Oceanside.

North Depoe Bay.

We saw three light houses.

Yaquina Head in Newport.

Haceta Head down by the Sea Lions Caves near Florence.

And Cape Meares (just a little guy).

But of all the places we went, the beach where we were staying was my favorite.

Can you see why?

Did I mention the sunsets?

*UPDATED * Since so many people have asked where we stayed in Lincoln City, I

thought I would share that information:

Olivia Beach

If you end up going, tell them I referred you...maybe they'll give us some kind of referral

discount on a future stay. :)

We would LOVE to go back!!!

Scrappy LOVE Jelly Roll Quilt

2010-08-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

It has taken me a lot longer to finish this quilt top than I thought it would - not because it was a hard quilt to piece, I've just been experiencing a major shortage of free time. Once I resorted to early morning quilting (the uninterrupted, before kids wake up kind) I was able to get her done.

I used a jelly roll of Amy Butler's Love fabric line with one Sis Boom print thrown in (see if you can figure out which one doesn't belong). The neutral strips are Kona Ash. This is a pattern I kind of made up as I went along. I cut the jellyroll strips in half so they were about 22" long and just randomly sewed them together into one long strip. I cut the Kona Ash strips 1 1/2" wide. And round & round I went, starting each new printed row where I left off. Kind of a pathetic explanation, but it was pretty simple.

See the orange fabric below? That's the one Sis Boom print. I didn't quite have enough of the Love fabric to finish that last row, and I was too impatient (& cheap) to order some more, so I went foraging through my stash. I think it works - blends in with all the other busy prints.

I think it will make a fun travel/picnic quilt. Plus, I spend a lot of time sitting on the sidelines at soccer games, it would be nice to have something colorful to sit on. That will be my new goal - to have it quilted before soccer season begins.

My little guy starts kindergarten today - so exciting! I'm off to get him ready.

Oh, the places we've been

2010-07-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

Another reason that quilt is not getting worked on...we haven't been home.

We've spent time at our favorite little cabin.

Up past Park City, this pretty reservoir (Jordanelle) and a few mountain towns.

On the banks of the now calm Provo River.

And across a dusty lane from this even calmer one.

Where it snows in July - flakes of cotton that make our eyes itch and daddy sneeze.

We hug trees, because we feel like it.

Play with our brothers & sisters without fighting and screaming (such a happy little captive).

Catch tadpoles with cousins - the best company.

Go on lovely walks and talk, and talk, which makes them all the lovelier (and humor mom by letting her take our picture).

But mostly we run wild because the air, which smells of willow and pine and all good things, is clean and intoxicating and the path ahead wide open.

We run until the sun sets, the thirsty geeters begin feasting, and the lone owl awakes and watches from above.

We'll be back for more this weekend.

***

We've also been to our favorite lake, spur-of-the-moment.

Sunday, after church and meetings, we just decided to load up our tent and supplies and head out - my husband had the next couple of days off for a scout camp he no longer needed to attend. So, crossing our fingers, hoping we would be able to find an available campground, we headed north. We passed through some our favorite places from the past.

Sardine Canyon

Wellsville (I would live here in a heart beat).

Logan and Logan Canyon

The stars were aligned - we found the perfect camp site in the campground that was number one on our list.

We set up camp in time to catch a gorgeous sunset over Bear Lake.

And then of course could not resist driving down to the lake to see the sunset over the mountains.

Such an unforgettably beautiful evening. We took the boardwalk down to the beach and stayed there until the pink skies turn dark.

Then it was back to the campground for roasted marshmallows, stars galore and cozy sleeping quarters. Everyone slept so well.

The next morning we awoke to the chorus of the forest, ate breakfast and headed back down to the lake.

Mondays are awesome days for the beach - it wasn't too crowded.

We played until the winds became too gusty and then we hit our favorite little drive-in for shakes and fries and a little drive around the lake to look for the perfect, in our dreams, cabin spot.

Spot found.

Then it was time to pack up. On the way home we made a few stops, including Tony Grove in Logan Canyon. One of our favorite fishing holes from our college days.

Such a peaceful mountain lake.

Then it was back through Cache Valley where we stopped for pizza at our favorite little dive of a pizza joint and a visit with my husbands grandparents who are 87 & 90 years old and going strong - 2 of our favorite people.

It was the pefect little getaway. I think more spontaneous camping trips are in our future.

***

Lastly, yesterday morning my sister-in-law called and asked if we (me & the kids) wanted to go hiking with her and her boys. My oldest daughter had been running a fever the day before and was feeling better, just kind of zapped so I left her and my youngest with my awesome mom and headed up to a local hike (Bells Canyon) with my 2 boys.

The hike was supposed to be easy, and probably would have been if it hadn't been straight up-hill, in full sun when it was 90+ degrees outside. For a while there, I wondered if my little guy (& myself - let's be honest) would make it, but finally we were up and over the final ridge and this is what we found.

How is it possible that this is right here, so close to home and I have never been here before?

The first thing we all did was shed our socks and shoes and put our hot feet in the cool water. Felt amazing! It wasn't long before the boys shed everything else but their boxers and dove in. Those pictures are the best but my son would kill me if I posted them.

They had to quickly hide behind a tree when a group of hikers (girls!) came our way.

Their shorts came back on after that.

Next time I will bring a swim suit. I was half tempted to jump in fully clothed.

Loved spending time with my boys!

***

Here's one more I found on my son's camera from a little boating trip he and his dad went on with some friends. Guess they jump off cliffs when mom's not around.

Are you sick of seeing Utah yet? There have been more outings, but this post is a beast, and there are dishes to do and laundry to fold. Must work today because tomorrow it is play, play, play.

Quilt in Queue

2010-07-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

I started a new quilt last week. I was able to get about halfway done with the piecing before the sirens of summer became too tempting to resist.

In other words, I find 4 kiddos (& usually a few strays) bouncing off the walls to be a little distracting when I'm trying to cut fabric and sew straight lines.

My husband says this one's a little wild - fitting for this time of the year.
More to come when summer break is over - only a week and a half to go.
So sad.

Chasing Summer

2010-07-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

Summer is upon us in full force and we are in pursuit of capturing as many fleeting moments of this magical time of year as possible. The last day of school was Friday, July 2nd and the kids go back to school on July 26th. Not exactly a true summer vacation - not even close. This is when year round school seems like cruel & unusual punishment. But we will try and make the most of these three short weeks.

This past weekend we headed back up to Idaho, this time to Boise, for my niece’s baptism. Here are some of my favorite out the window shots from this little trip.

The journey looked a little ominous in the beginning. (can you believe that sky!?!)

But the gloomy clouds above (reminded me of a hovering mothership) gave way to harmonious skies & we had a wonderful weekend.

Boise is a charming little city. This is the view from the train depot.

Found another dreamy car, appropriately decked out for Independence Day to boot.

We survived 10 hours of driving in 2 days and after a having a fun time grilling, pool partying and

watching contraband fireworks with a bunch of crazy Idahoan pyros, we are home again.

***

We basically live outside this time of year, especially now that our trees are filling in and the backyard finally has some shady spots to hide under.

Some of my favorite flowers are currently in bloom. Lavender is heavenly scented and easy on the eyes.

This one particular plant is at least 5 feet across. This whole section of the yard smells like paradise.

The daylilies are out in droves, doing their flashy thing.

Speaking of pursuit, I spend the bulk of my day chasing after one thing in particular.

She wears me out, but I love being front and center as she discovers the world.

Despite the shortness of the summer break and the chaos of kids running wild,

high on freedom, I'll do my best to not complain. I'll embrace it.

Embrace this curious little girl & her 3 older, energetic sidekicks.

In summer, the song sings itself. ~ James Russell Lowell

Farewell Journey

2010-06-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend we said goodbye to Grandpa Mont. The funeral was in Salt Lake, after which we piled into cars and headed north to Heyburn, Idaho, his final earthly destination.

As we were driving along I found the journey to be beautiful, beginning with a cloudy sky and old red barn in Northern Utah. More pictures ensued, most of them taken out the window as we sped by, so be kind and forgive the blurry edges.

We were lucky to have my brother along for the ride. Dental students strapped for cash don't often fly home for visits. We loved seeing him. The kids fought over the prized seat beside him. We only wish his wife and sweet girls could have come with him.

My brother lives in Virginia where speed limits are not quite as generous. He plans on sending the below image to his governor in hopes of inspiring speedy enlightenment.

The place from whence we all came (our little clan anyway).

For those who make this journey often and complain of lack of beauty, I beg to differ. This shot was taken out my husband's window. Leaning over someone while they are driving can be risky, but it was a risk worth taking. Undeniably beautiful.

When we would visit my grandparents when I was young, these giant rolling sprinklers were fascinating to me. We just don't see them in our neck of the suburbs.

Serene little river.

Mighty Snake river.

Rivers of this proportion are not something we are used to. My daughter called it Snake Lake.

Cousins & brothers carrying our beloved grandfather, hero.

Full military funeral service was provided for his service in World War II. Shots were fired & the flag folded and presented to my father. It was such a beautiful, profound moment.

After the graveside service my dad's generous cousin invited us (ALL of us) to his nearby home for root beer floats. This was his back yard.

(& I thought I was immune to car envy)

Younger cousins played while older cousins visited.

My youngest losing her hair ribbons along the way.

Then we headed to a little park across from the cemetery on the banks of the Snake River. We shed those restrictive dress clothes and shoes and put our tired feet in the cool waters.

Such a pretty, peaceful spot.

If sense of belonging is a genetic trait, then I must have inherited some sense of belonging here. A recessive gene shining forth. The green mountains, fields & farmland, majestic river….it felt like home. Last night my dad shared stories of his time spent here in his youth and it only compounded that sense of belonging. This place is a part of us, of those who have gone before. I love knowing my grandparents' final resting place is in this beautiful spot where memories and pastoral tranquility collide.

We loaded back up for the return journey.

We passed fertile potato fields (lucky spuds).

Rolling green hills.

Scenic farms & pastures.

Back to the Wasatch Front.

To the mountains we know and our home beyond.

Until we meet again.

Together Forever

2010-06-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about Mont.

He was the lucky sailor who married Grace, a brown eyed beauty (both my daughters have her brown eyes).

He was the father of 4 sons, including my own dad, beloved grandfather of 16, and great grandfather of 21 (at last count). The great majority of whom bear some resemblance to him. There are a lot of us cousins who look enough alike to be siblings. I inherited his (their) dark hair & skinny legs - those genes in particular are very dominant.

(my dad & me - we both have chicken legs)

He had blue eyes that were often mischievous, and during his last few years often teary with emotion. He loved his family, and was especially proud of his boys. He was a builder, sun worshipper, Speedo wearer, sports lover & horse shoe champion. He was also a carpenter, fisherman, wonderful example & man of great faith. He was a lot of fun. He was handsome, and well aware of it. The raspberry bushes in our yard are from starts he gave us - he liked knowing they were growing well & we were eating & loving our berries. He was an amazing caregiver for my sweet grandmother as she battled Alzheimer's. It was a battle she lost 3 years ago. He missed her so much.

My kids loved him. When my 5 year old prayed for him he referred to him as our bestest, bestest, bestest grandpa. He was in our prayers a lot recently.

Not last Sunday, but the Sunday before, our little family went and visited him. The kids stuck to him like glue. He was taken with our youngest and tried to get her to laugh.

On Monday morning I visited with him again, my two youngest in tow. He was no longer able to play & joke or sit up and talk at all, so I sat by his side and held his hand & told him I loved him. He squeezed my hand back - I'd like to think it was his way of responding and not just an involuntary reflex. His medical aides told us the he had been conversing with unseen visitors recently - when asked who he was talking to, he said it was his brother (who passed away not long ago) and "he was on the other side of the river". Apparently my grandmother has been there a lot as well.

After sitting with him for a bit, we left to go meet my husband downtown for lunch (it was his birthday). As I was driving home from lunch I received a phone call from my dad. Grandpa had passed away. Less than two hours after I left his side.

I am so grateful I was able to say goodbye. I am grateful that this lively and loving man was a part of my life and my children were able to know him.
And I am grateful Mont and Grace, my grandparents, are now together again - I truly believe that they are.

Vintage Sheet Quilt in Blues (greens & purples too)

2010-06-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

I told myself I couldn't start a new quilt until I finished this one. So, my cool toned vintage sheet quilt is finally done.

Here is the front...

And the back, which I have to say is my favorite side...

When I was growing up, we would often go visit my grandparents in Idaho. Two of the guest bedrooms in their home were called the "Green Room" and & "Blue Room", and they were filled with the "retro" (although not so retro at the time) floral linens from the 70's. Those rooms looked the exact same my whole life - their generation was not obsessed with re-decorating the way ours seems to be. This quilt reminds me of those rooms & more particularly of my grandmother, Grace.

And, because I am entranced with the sky of late, I thought I would share a little piece of yesterday with you...

Things that make me Happy

2010-06-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Fabric on Sale (all on-line)

Last year I really fell for the Arcadia fabric line. But I wasn't on the ball, and by the time I wanted to purchase some, it was hard to find. Recently I found some bargain honey-buns online. I was thinking the colors would make a great quilt for my oldest son, but he didn't like my selection - said it was "too girly." Seriously. Maybe his younger brother won't care? :)

Love - Not only how I feel about this Amy Butler fabric line, But the actual name of it. Hancocks of Paducah had Love Jelly Rolls on sale a few weeks ago for 14.98 (now only 9.98 - I just checked).

These prints and colors are fun & bright..

This Nicey Jane was also on sale at Hancocks. Such a pretty fabric line!

Vintage Sheets

Still crushing on linens from yester-year.

A few weeks ago when Sew Mama Sew was having their big May Giveaway Day, I was gearing up to give away 72 6" charms squares of my favorite vintage sheet finds - 2 each of 36 different prints. There was just a lot going on that week and I wasn't able to get it all pulled together in time.

Now I have this stack of squares and I am kind of glad they're still hanging around.
I am just itching to play with them.

Flowers

I spotted these massive pink beauties in my neighbor's yard a few houses down. From a distance, I had no idea what they were, but I was coveting. After closer inspection I realized they were peonies - but not your typical grandmother's (double flowered) peonies. Or at least not my grandmother's. I think they are my next garden must have.

And my absolute favorite flowering tree is in bloom...the Purple Robe Locust. We have two, although if we had more land (like I dream of) I would plant more. They grow fast, which in new-ish suburbia, is a trait I appreciate.

It's cousin, the Honey Locust, is also in bloom. The flowers are not much to look at, but it smells heavenly. We have one on the walk leading up to our front door.

Lately, if mom has gone missing, they can find me sitting on the front porch just inhaling the fragrance. Especially at night - kind of therapeutic.

So many friends making their apperance.

I am having a hard time focusing on house work - I just want to be outside.
Oh, how I want to be.