Simplify

Still here

Stock(ing) photo from last year at this time-ish.  Get it, stock photo.... okay, maybe I need some sleep...

Well, hello there!  Sorry I've been missing.  Again.  Lots going on over here.  New fabric coming in a week or two (yay!), new patterns to proof, there was a day to be Thankful in there, stockings to be made with friends, photography classes to be crazy behind on, Christmas trees to put up, and (can't believe I'm saying this) baby boys that are this close to turning 1 year old.  I haven't forgotten you, just wanted to let you know.  Be back soon.

Also, I ate two Reeses bars tonight.  Oops.

 

Two or three things

Thing one: A few days ago I received an absolutely delightful delivery.  Moda had found a few skinny bolts of Bliss and I quickly snatched them up.  This morning I cut a few fat quarter bundles from it, and had a lovely time putting them together.  They are in my shop now, if you'd like one.  

Thing two: If you see this box at your local grocery store, Target or Sams RUN in the opposite direction.  

Trust me.  Whatever you do, do not buy a box.  Because then you'll have to buy another.  And another. And then you'll hunt them down in bulk at Sam's so you'll have to get a Sam's membership.  And you'll argue with your husband about who gets the last one.  And then you'll run out and have to go to the grocery store in the middle of the night.  True story.

Thing 3:  The winner of the Scrap Lab baby block is Diana who said "I love love love Karter, Logan, and Brysen."  Congrats Diana!  Email me and I'll get that right out to you.  

Happy Thursday!

Mini Monday

I'm have mixed feelings about Mondays.  On one hand, the kids are back in school, I can clean up from the weekend, and get caught up.  (Okay, that's not true.  I can't even remember the last time I was actually caught up...) But on the other hand, it is Monday.  

The last few Mondays have actually been rather lovely, thanks to Kristyne.  I know, you are probably getting tired of me talking about how great she is.  But just one more time.  She's so great!  You might remember how she sewed her way through my book, Simplify a while back. Well, when she finished that, she started a series called Mini Series Monday where she shows mini versions of all the quilts in the book, after making all the regular sized versions.  As in, teeny tiny little mini quilts.  With teeny tiny little pieces.  I die a little bit every Monday.  Just makes my whole morning.  Here they are, all in a row...

and then, an even smaller one...

and my favorite:

and then my favorite favorite:

Which one is your favorite?

Surely I'm not the only one who now wants to  remake every single quilt I've ever made in mini size and hang them on my wall, am I?  

Amazing, isn't she?  Yes, I think so.  

Thanks again, Kristyne.  For making my Mondays less... Monday.  

Oh!  One more thing that made my mini monday? Thelma's baby swoon.  As in 6-3/4".  OH MY GOODNESS.  Adorable.

 

Scrap Lab Winter 2011

 

Yep, it's about that time again!  

Quilts and More just released their Winter 2011 issue, and the Scrap Lab feature inside is out of Ruby this time!  Hooray!

This was such a fun project for me, and I may have been slightly influenced by the 6 month old baby who was currently chewing on every tag in the house.  The boy loves tags and loves texture.  And toys.  So this simple little baby block was born.  

Each side is quilted a little bit differently, adding lots of different textures, and you can add as many or as few ribbons and loops as you'd like.  I dug into my ric rac and ribbon stash, and was surprised how many little pieces of ribbon I had on hand.  

As usual, Joanna was my partner in Scrap Lab crime, and she made darling placemats out of her kit.  

(photo stolen from Joanna, since she stole one or two from me.  We're even!  ;-)

My cute friend Heather (of Anka's Treasures fame) also joined in this time, and made an adorable throw pillow. 

The instructions for Heather's pillow can be found on the Quilts and More site and instructions for Joanna's placemats and my baby blocks are in the magazine.  I was also in charge of kitting this one, so those kits are available over in my shop.  You can make three blocks from one kit, or two placemats, or one pillow, or 1 block and 1 placemat... etc.  You know.

Now, just a few more pictures of the little man with his block.  Remember when he was this small, didn't crawl, sat still for photos, and didn't get into trouble?  

Yeah, neither do I. 

 Stinker.

Oh, one more thing.  I have two extra baby blocks, one more boyish colors, and one in girly colors. Both were photographed for the magazine.  If you would like to win one of them, leave me a comment here with your favorite baby name and which block you would like.  I'll draw a winner next week sometime.  

A big thanks to Quilts and More for featuring Ruby this issue. Grandma Ruby would be so pleased.

Edit- one more thing.  Just found out this morning that the online projects feature is live over at All People Quilt.  Yay!  It's a good day.  Maybe I should get dressed?

11 months

It is probably a good thing that we only have one more month of monthly photos of the boy.  Why?  Well, have you ever tried to get a 11 month old to lay flat on his back for more than a tenth of a second?  Tricky, to say the least.

Taking photos today didn't go well.  I got these two before he decided he wanted to play with my camera.  This is how it played out:

Followed by this:

See those crocodile tears?  Yes, they break my heart every time.

 

Don't worry, nothing that a couple of Lucky Charms couldn't fix.  Although pictures were pretty much done at that point.  Good thing we took a few on the stairs earlier today.  Yes, I have a problem.  Someone take away my camera.

 

This milestone was bittersweet for me.  Don't get me wrong, it is so wonderful to see Nicholas grow and learn, and become more and more... Nicholas, for lack of a better word.  However, knowing I only have one more month before he turns one makes me want to cry a little bit...

You know.

 

This month was all about speed.  This little stinker is FAST.  He's just a blur, tearing through the house like a tornado and exploring everything.  There is always a trail of stuff leading to him, which usually ends with him crying on the other side of a closed laundry room door.  

You may have noticed that his combover got a little trim.  I think I like it better long.  The bed bead hasn't been nearly as interesting lately.  Also, he looks too old now...

His "mum" and "da" have been joined by "oh." As in, he gets in trouble for getting into something and he frowns and says in a looowww voice  "oooohhhh...." It is hilarious, and we have such a hard time not grinning at him.  This child... Oh, and he grew four teeth.  Including two giant ones on top with a big gap between them.  Love.  it.

This morning he was up super early, and a few hours later he snuggled up on my lap and fell asleep.  That never happens, he is just too busy to snuggle.  It was such a sweet moment, and for a minute or two I felt like I was holding a sweet tiny little version of this giant kid.  

A big giant kid that I absolutely love to pieces.  

Even more than last month.

*quilt is by Heather Peterson of Anka's Treasures and was featured in the October 2008 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting, fabric is Shangri La by 3 Sisters for Moda