Simplify

Welcome back! A little house update.

Last month marked 7 years since we bought the maybe house. And no, I can't believe it either. I've had so (!) many requests for a house update but I've been hesitant because aside from one big remodeling project (adding a loft over the living room) that we started in the fall, you can see it hasn't changed a whole lot! Mainly because we haven't forgotten how much work it was, even seven years later, but also because we really are happy with most of the changes we made to the house when we moved in.

We still have the same floors, same paint colors, and a lot of the same furniture (though I would LOVE a new sectional!) as when we moved in. Over the years we've added some trim and character plus a few new things, mainly rugs and accessories. I tried to list most the sources, so click on a photo if you want to know where something is from. But usually it's Target. Target clearance, to be exact. ;-)

I tend to shift back and forth between a colorful and neutral palette, and I would say right now I'm in more of a neutral phase (gray, navy, and white) but with spring on the way I'm starting to crave more color. I have a big colorful quilt hanging on the wall in my office and it makes me so happy! (Why didn't I get a picture of that? Oh yeah, my office is a wreck this week!). But to clarify, when I say color, I don't mean yellow. It took way too much effort to get rid of the yellow over here!

A photo from day 1. Look at those little tiny boys!

A few disclaimers: I am definitely not a professional house photographer and today was darker than I typically like for photos. BUT the house was clean and I had 20 minutes until the first kid got home (and made a mess) so they will have to do! Also, I know remodeling/home dec isn't everyone's cup of tea so I promise I'll be back to quilting in my next post! Home dec is such a fun hobby for me and I have so enjoyed working on this house and gathering things that I love over the years. If you want to see where we started check out the house the day we bought it in this post, then some before and afters and 6 months down the road. We think it's come a long way!

Uggh. Not sure why these pictures aren't formatted right on my phone (and possibly the RSS feed if you are seeing this in your email. They were formatted perfectly on my computer! Anyway, back to it...

Entry:

You might remember that there were two niches that were made of drywall (below) in the entry, but I've been dreaming of turning them into built-ins for years! We removed the shelf in the middle and trimmed them out making bookshelves and adding wainscoting. The walkway above the shelving is new too, and goes to the new loft above the living room (more on that further down).

Before adding trim and a walkway to loft

After- new walkway

I love the built-ins so SO much. It added so much character to our very builder grade 90's southwestern style home. This is the drawing I gave my contractor and he did a wonderful job bringing it to life.

Here's another view of how it connects to the living room. 

The trim around the opening is new and I love it too, but the most exciting part is definitely that brand new ceiling in the living room! The living room was two stories tall before (so much wasted space!) and it was always dark since we couldn't have any ceiling lights and were stuck with just a lamp or two to light the space. Four can lights AND a large light in the center make it so much brighter now! The room above that ceiling was just a bonus.

These were my drawings for the trim around the opening. It was kind of a spur of the moment idea when we were halfway through  so I drew right over the in progress photos and I'm SO glad we went with it! Didn't Bruce do a great job?

Living Room

I love how much cozier this space is now, especially at night, and I love how much light the new transom windows bring in. (I apologize for saying the word love 800 times in this post.)

My oldest son has played this piano thousands of hours since we got it a few years ago. It has been worth every penny!

Still so in love with this Sweet Escape pillow- I can't wait to show you the matching quilt I'm working on!

Dining Room-

The living room leads into the dining room which is pretty much the same as before (I think) except one thing. I decided to switch things up late one night and switched the gray bookshelf from the upstairs hallway and my aqua hutch. And in the spirit of full disclosure, my husband and I moved both of them to SEVERAL different rooms (upstairs and down) before I decided on this setup. Ha ha... poor Jarom. He's a good sport. At least it was free, right? Moving things from one room to another is my favorite way to redecorate!

Family Room- 

I think this one is the same, just different pillows, rug and a few new accessories here and there. I would love to replace that sectional in the next few years, but this one is doing pretty well for being seven years old and used a TON. There was a teenager sleeping on it approximately 4 minutes after I took this photo.

I still love this fireplace and mantel so much. We finally used the fireplace this winter and it has made this room so cozy when we watch movies at night. 

Kitchen-

The biggest changes in here were swapping out the white appliances (one at a time as they broke), making the countertop one level, adding the trim to the island and windows, and new countertops and backsplash. I would love new cabinets someday, but for now we are still making the painted cabinets work. The paint is wearing off in a few spots but I just keep touching it up and crossing my fingers!

Downstairs bathroom:

The biggest change in here was that I hand painted every inch of the white grout gray and will never (ever!) use white grout on a floor again. It was such a pain and always looked dirty even when it had just been cleaned. We are still using the measuring tape growth chart and it's one of my favorite things I bought for this house 7 years ago for sure. 

Bedroom:

This room got a new upholstered bed, a light (finally!) and some window trim. My quilt ladder has a few of my favorite quilts on it and they get used every night. Especially the double sided lawn quilts in the summer. They are my favorite!

Loft- 

This is the room we added above the living room, and you can see the progress of that (very messy) project below.

From the top of the stairs (note the weird decorative beams):

So this is all bonus space, which was quickly snatched up by the teenagers. They love to have friends over to play video games in here. It's not a huge room but again, totally a bonus.

And I love this room because I now have two big closets to store my sample quilts and extra fabric!! They were stored in a corner of our guest room before this so these shelves were such a treat! Now, painting the shelves and the doors? Not as much of a treat. Totally worth it though.

This is the view from the new walkway to the existing hallway. I can't remember what it was like before we added this on. Fun fact, I spent 8 million hours sanding, staining, and painting this banister in December.

And last but not least (my favorite room) the sewing room-

The happiest room in my house, hands down! The biggest changes in here were the mini wall, and many more B&C fabric collections. A post with more pictures and info about this room is on my blog list for later. I love it in here. So much.

That pretty much sums it up! Which changes were your favorite? Would it be weird if the living room ceiling was mine? Yes? That's okay. I love this house and am so proud of how much work we've put into it over the past 7 years. It really has been such a fun project.  A fun project I really REALLY hope we never have to do again! ;-)

 

All grown up - the family update

Those of you that followed my blog years ago know that the last time I posted about them, my boys were just little guys. 

And since then? They have grown into big guys. (Yes, Aiden is taller than me now!)

Aiden is 15, in high school (!), and is counting down the days until he can drive. Canon turns 14 in a few months, still loves everything BYU and is SO ready to start high school in the fall. Nicholas is now 8 years old and was baptized in January. He absolutely loves reading and pestering his older brothers nonstop. Seriously, nonstop. 

We are still in the home we started remodeling back in 2012 and we've made a lot of changes and updates to it (including a big one late last year) over the past few years to make it our own. I'll be sure to include some house updates here over the next little while in between the fabric and quilts and all the other stuff.

But first I'll have to dust off my now 9 year old DSLR (is that even right??). Time flies.

 

The one where I talk about my sewing machines

Stitched with Love mini quilts in Little Snippets and B&C Solids (plus a corner of Lighthearted!)

Of all the questions I am asked, the one I get most often is how I hang mini quilts on my wall. That one is easy. Plain old clear push pins from Target. Simple! But the next question, which sewing machine I use/recommend is a much more complicated question. And it just so happens to be the subject of my blog post today. So lets talk sewing machines. Ready?

Disclaimer: I really I am not a sewing machine collector and my machines have been purchased over 12 years. That being said, I really am not justifying having 4 sewing machines. It's silly, I know. But I love them all for different reasons. Please don't judge. I also only know what I have used and am very hesitant to recommend a machine unless I've sewn on it for an extended period of time. So while I'm sure there are wonderful Babylocks, Brothers, other Bernina models, etc, I don't know them well enough to advise one way or the other. This post is based on my experience only. I would love it if you would chime in below if you have a machine you love. Maybe that will help someone who is looking? Okay, end of disclaimer. Oh wait, this post is kind of long and I definitely ramble a bit. Sorry, that's the real end of the disclaimer.

My Bernina 430- binding Swoon Sixteen in Hello Darling

As many of you know, I sewed for many years on my Bernina 430. It was/is a wonderful machine which I have sewn millions of stitches on. It has lots of stitch options, and was especially helpful when I was doing more applique because it has a beautiful blanket stitch. I love machine quilting on it too. For so many years it was reliable, it worked hard, and it was the only machine I needed. It was a wonderful machine. A few years ago it started having trouble starting up when it was plugged in. I talked to my local shop about it and they knew just what it was but I still haven't taken it in, as it is an expensive repair and I haven't needed this machine as often as I'm usually on my Juki. It is on my list though. This issue aside, I have nothing but good things to say about the 430. 

A Bernina 880 on loan from Bernina a few years ago making Vintage Tulips

I tried other new Berninas here and there through the Bernina Ambassador program a few years ago and if I am being completely honest they just weren't a great fit for me. I'm not a bells and whistles girl, I like simplicity. I didn't use the fancy features and I was often frustrated. That being said, while they weren't a great fit for me, I know a lot of people who love sewing with them and make really wonderful things. I guess what I'm trying to say is find a machine that fits your needs! 

Singer Featherweight at home on my favorite shelf

My second machine is a Singer Featherweight and I know at some point I knew what year it was made and more info about it but I can't seem to locate the info right now. If I'm being honest, I bought it because it is beautiful. I saw one like it on Ebay and couldn't stop thinking about it for months. Eventually I found this one and the price was right so I caved and it came to live in my sewing room. I had it serviced locally when it arrived and it does work and has a beautiful stitch, but I mainly stick to my modern machines. For now. 

My favorite machine- Juki TL 2000i

A few years ago when several friends of mine were getting Jukis, I didn't think I needed one. I was happy with my Bernina 430 and wasn't really looking. Until late one night at a sewing night with friends (Three years ago this week actually!). I tried one for the first time and it was love at first stitch. It. Was. SO. FAST. It felt like it was twice as fast as my machine. VERY late that night/the next morning I ordered one on Amazon and my Juki TL 2000i came two days later.

I absolutely love this machine. What do I love about it? The stitch, the thread cutter on the pedal, the throat space, the height it sits on my table, how reliable it is, and most of all, how simple it is to use. I turn it on and it just works. Every time. Note that it is a straight stitch only machine, so it is ideal for piecing, but this might be a deal breaker for some. I ordered a 1/4" foot for it off of Ebay that night, but honestly it is terrible and falls apart regularly. A replacement foot has been on my list for forever but I haven't found one yet. Juki owners, let me know if you have one you love!

The first time I watched Gilmore Girls. Those were the days...

I chose the 2000 over the 2010 because it was less expensive and the big difference between the two is speed control. Since I like to sew full speed that wasn't a selling point for me so I stuck with the less expensive model. No regrets there, it is perfect for me! But if you would like a speed regulator, maybe go with the 2010. 

When I got my Juki I was thinking I could take it with me when I traveled to retreats. I was very wrong. This thing is solid and heavy (!) and is definitly not fitting in my carry on! Enter, Bernina 215.

My travel machine- Bernina 215 Simply Red edition. 

My local shop Quiltique talked me into this one (it wasn't hard- I mean, it's red!) for retreats and it is a great little machine. Nice and solid, not too fancy, and stands up perfectly in the bottom of my rolling carry on.

Action shot at a retreat last month. Hi Nicole!! (Mat also made by Nicole, isn't it darling?)

Things I love about this machine? The size, the stitch, the 1/4" foot (can you beat the quality of Bernina feet, really?), and it sews over everything. I prefer piecing minis on this machine over my Juki because it tends to handle small pieces better. I also prefer this machine for straight line quilting, even through there isn't a ton of throat space, mainly because the Bernina walking foot is better than the one that came with the Juki. 

Straight line quilting the Sweet Escape pillow I made last week with my 215

Hmm... what else? I think that's pretty much it. Did I cover everything? Hopefully so! Hopefully this helps some of you who have asked. Oh! And feel free to chime in below if you have a machine you love. There are so many amazing machines out there! 

 

Sweet Escape on a snow day

How do you sum up 4 years of quilting, fabric, raising kids, and life? Yeah, I haven't quite figured that out yet. So for now I'll just start here! Good heavens I am rusty and this writing thing. It will get easier right?

I think there's something about snow and this quilt. I can't quite figure it out. See, I was at a snowy quilt retreat up in Utah with some of my favorite people a few weeks ago and my friend Samantha bought fabric to make a Sweet Escape quilt out of Little Snippets. Seeing her test blocks got me thinking about making another one but I couldn't decide if I wanted to go with Little Snippets or an all scrappy version.

(This is the original quilt in Smitten that I made last year)

Yesterday we woke up to inches of snow here in the desert (which never happens!) and after I sent my last grumpy kid out the door (they were really hoping for a snow day), I sat down with my computer in front of the fireplace and and started testing out fabrics in Illustrator. After trying a few scrappy combos I liked but didn't LOVE, I drew up a navy and gray version and knew it was the one. I mean-

Right? Although I still haven't committed to the white background or the gray background, I just can't choose!

I couldn't wait to get started on it, so last night I moved the scrappy nine patches I've been working on aside and whipped up a few half size blocks to make one star for a pillow for my living room. Well, technically the plan was to make one test block and just cut out the rest, but turns out I have no self control and I stayed up making all sixteen blocks much later than I should have.

Which worked out just fine because today we had our first ever SNOW DAY. Which is kind of funny because the school district called everyone in the valley yesterday afternoon to cancel school and today we woke up to blue skies, dry roads and not a snowflake in sight. But we aren't worried about that, its a snow day nonetheless. 

This was yesterday. Today looks nothing like this. (Thanks for the picture Carla!)

So today, on probably the only snow day that has ever or will ever happen here (and in between 8 million interruptions from my kids and the neighbor kids), I am going to dig into my navy stash and start cutting my blocks and maybe (hopefully) put a few together. I'll keep you posted! But really, I will. This blogging thing is kinda fun. 

Happy snow day!

 

Update: Pillow complete! Now on to the quilt because good heavens I'm in love with this one.

Hello again!

 

(tap tap)

Hello! Is anybody still here? I've been looking through this old neglected blog today and thinking it might be time to bring it back to life with lots of updates and new stuff. Honestly? I miss it! I miss all of you! Maybe it's time?

Camille

 

New Hello Darling patterns

Hello again! Well, I finished up my new set of Hello Darling patterns a few weeks ago, and although you have probably seen them on Instagram, Facebook, or in my shop, I still wanted to introduce them here. Every pattern I've ever designed has been introduced here, so I should keep that up, don't you think?

I have 6 new patterns this time around, 4 quilts and 2 mini quilts. First up is Lollies!

Lollies is a layer cake pattern, and is a really fun and easy quilt to piece. I named it Lollies because when I was in Australia last year teaching I loved that they called their candy or treats "lollies." 

When I made this quilt it looked like little candies to me, so Lollies it is. It is a great lap size quilt- 64" x 74" and the stars in the border might be my favorite part. My friend Abby Latimer quilted it in swirls and did a wonderful job! Thanks Abby!

Next up is Vintage Tulips.

I have always loved flower quilts and have made many, but when I saw a vintage quilt a few months ago with the most darling tulips, I decided I had to make one of my own. It was made on point and was a lot trickier to piece, but mine is simplified, strip pieced and made from Jelly Roll strips. 

Abby quilted this one too in one of my favorite long arm loop patterns. It measures 64" x 80" and I just realized I really need to get more pictures of it! 

So after I finished all of the new quilts I had everyone vote on Instagram which ones should be made into mini patterns. Well, the clear favorite was a Vintage Tulips mini, and boy am I glad you picked this one because, well, this is my favorite mini yet.

It's a little one, at 11" x 16" and is made from a charm pack, a fat quarter of backing and a little bit of binding. Here it is on my mini wall- I'll get to that other new mini here in a just a minute. :-)

 

 

Piccadilly Circus

  

This one is probably my favorite of the bunch this time, partly because I had so much fun piecing it, and partly because I love any quilt that is made of two lines mixed together. This is made from two Jelly Rolls, one Hello Darling and one Daysail. I LOVE them together!

 

It is a pieced dresden quilt (you know how much I love dresdens) so there are no y seams or anything difficult to piece, and since it is strip pieced it comes together really easily. It measures 75" x 75". I absolutely loved piecing this one, and love the custom quilting that Nicole Christoffersen did on it just as much! Thanks Nicole!

 

The binding is my favorite stripe from April Showers. I hadn't planned to use it, and had a scrappy binding already made, but then I couldn't help it. It was too perfect!

But don't worry, I used the scrappy binding on this mini version of Piccadilly Circus instead:

It was meant to be. This came in second in the vote, and is a charm pack pattern too, but would be perfect out of any scraps or leftover precuts. It is 12.5" finished, and the cutest little thing. 

 

And last but not least, after being asked many (!) times for a mid size Swoon, I am so excited to introduce you to Swoon Sixteen. 

It is a 74" quilt and is made up of sixteen 16" blocks made from sixteen fat quarters. Pretty fun right? Also, I simplified the piecing so there are less seams and added some cheery sashing (the aqua dot from Hello Darling). 

Do I dare say I like it even more than the original 24" Swoon? No? Okay, I like them both exactly the same. ;-)

 

This was pieced by my angel friend Riann after I caught a cold/flu that nearly took me out (bless you Riann!) and quilted by Abby in an orange peel design. I couldn't have done it without these two. Thank you both!

And a few things just in case you were wondering:

*I used Moda Bella bleached white 97 for Swoon Sixteen, Lollies and Piccadilly Circus, but used the cream dot from Hello Darling for the background on Vintage Tulips.

*All the new patterns are in full glossy color and are available as paper patterns or instant PDF downloads in my shop, Thimble Blossoms.

 

*Hello Darling will be available in quilt shops this August, so let your favorite shops know now if you want some.

*I need a nap. ;-)

So what do you think? Do you have a favorite?

 

Also, If you made it through all this, give yourself a pat on the back! Thanks for stopping by to see what I'm up to, and for cheering me on. You are the best!

Camille