Blog Spring Cleaning?

It all started with a need for a card to hand out to people who ask me about my blog in person. *gasp* What do you mean I can't just send them a link? This little exercise led to me dragging out some of my old design books. Here's what I came up with.

Which led to a new banner for the blog,

and a new favicon,

and a new about picture.

Is this blog spring cleaning? I think so! And there might be more where that came from. Now to write that about page. Why is so challenging to write about yourself?

Also, do any of you have a printing service you use and recommend? I'm looking for nice but not too expensive business cards.

Confession Time

I'm today's guest and making confessions over on Randi's blog, I have to say.

Thanks so much for having me over Randi!!  : )

-Adrianne

In Progress: A Quilt for Me

I found the cure to the week of funk... Sew Night with my guild!! I forgot all about my crazy week after seeing my friends, surrounded by whirring machines, cheerful quilting banter, pretty fabric and awesome projects.

Before the night was over I turned this...

Fabric stack for my quilt

into this. Rows and rows of pretty fabric. I think I have enough rows for a nap quilt. Yay!

Rows of pretty fabric

THE PLAN

This started as a BAMQG challenge to make something for myself. I picked some of my very favorite colors and fabrics that make me smile (elephants and dandelions? yes) and just went for it. I was very much inspired by this quilt by Lotta Jansdotter and this quilt by Fiona Dalton of Hop Skip Jump.  

In her book, Lotta Jansdotter's Handmade Living, Lotta says she just cut and sewed pieces together. I wasn't quite that free with my plan (read - ruler, measurements, deliberate fabric placement...Ruth, stop laughing), I cut everything to be the same height and then varying widths. Then I arranged the pieces into rows. I really like it. It has kind of a modern patchwork thing going on.

Echo by Lotta Jansdotter

THE FABRIC

I started with a stack of Echo by Lotta Jansdotter. I picked out the teal, warm grays, navy and orangey-yellow prints. Then I shopped my stash, adding some birds (Ink & Spindle), gray stripes (Lecien), Modern Meadow by Joel Dewberry (Free Spirit), Tailor Made by Cosmo Cricket (Andover), Domestic Diva by Emily Taylor (Riley Blake), Elephants (Japanese), Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt (Free Spirit), City Weekend by Liesl Gibson (Moda), Wishing Flowers (Riley Blake), Free Spirit Solids, and a couple others I can't think of the names of.  Whew. An eclectic mix for sure, but I think it works. My friend called it Alison called it "so happy". That made me smile. It is pretty happy.

Thank Goodness It's Friday

Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt

"This is Chloe" by Heather Ross

Pretty mini rose blossom

This has not been my best week.  Life is a balancing act and I'm feeling seriously unbalanced.  I think I've been chasing my own tail since Monday and I am dizzy! So today, right now, I'm happy it's Friday.  The sun is shinning and here are five things that are making me smile...

1. Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt has arrived at my house. Yay!
2. DH just reloaded my Starbucks card. Just because...
3. My new print from Heather Ross
4. Sweetwater announced their newest line, Mamma Says Sew, and it's gorgeous! Authentic-like newsprint anyone?
5. The color of my new mini rose. Thanks Mom.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend peeps!!  

xxAdrianne

Zakka Style Sew Along

Come and sew along with me!!  Lindsey of LR Stitched and Amy of Don't you Know Who I Am have put together a really great sew along based on the book Zakka Style by Rashida Coleman-Hale.  This book is full of fun, small projects to sew for you and your home.  Some of my favorites are the zig zag tote, patchwork pot holders and the zakka pincushion.


They have gathered 24 bloggers to sew through all of the projects in the book and you are invited to sew along with us! Come on over and join the flickr group.


There will be lots of sharing, tips, inspiration and prizes.  It doesn't start until April 2nd so you have time to get the book if you don't already have it.  I bought mine through Amazon and Rashida has signed copies on her site.


I'll see you on May 7th with my version of Itty Bitty Quilt Block Magnets!  I have loved these since Nova first posted them and now I get to learn how to make my own... and maybe a couple for gifts.  Yay!


DETAILS: 
The sew along starts Monday April 2nd with the first project in the book and will continue through Monday September 10th with a new project  introduced each Monday. Each blogger will sew a different project and will be sharing their finished project and inspiration with you.

• April 2nd :: Zig Zag Tote with Sew Fantastic
• April 9th :: The House Pouch with During Quiet Time
• April 16th :: Zakka Pincushion with Pink Penguin
• April 23rd :: Sewing Kit with Monkey Do
• April 30th :: Patchwork Pencil Case with VeryKerryBerry
• May 7th :: Itty Bitty Quilt Block Magnets with Little Bluebell

• May 14th :: Raincloud Mug Rug with Quilt Dad
• May 21st :: Zakka Block Quilt with I like Orange
• May 28th :: Stem Messenger Bag with Sew Sweetness
• June 4th :: Zip Organizer with Spotted Stone
• June 11th :: Orchard Path Tweed Pouch with Don’t Call Me Betsy
• June 18th :: Happy Couple Handwarmers with A Cuppa and a Catchup

• June 25th :: Patchwork Potholder with Sew Take a Hike
• July 2nd :: Water Bottle Holder with One Shabby Chick
• July 9th :: Elephant Bookmark with Cut to Pieces
• July 16th :: Patchwork Ribbon with {House} of A la Mode
• July 23rd :: Delightful Linen Bag with Sukie
• July 30th :: Bread Basket with Patchwork Notes

• August 6th :: Sweet Sugar Cookie Sack with BettyCrockerAss
• August 13th :: Little Pocket Pillowcase with Freshly Pieced
• August 2oth :: Sweet Memories Photo Frame with Noodlehead
• August 27th :: Pleated Coin Purse with Shape Moth
• September 3rd :: Happy Garland Message Board with Maureen Cracknell Handmade
• September 10th :: Nesting Boxes with From the Blue Chair

There will be some lovely prizes offered each week and we are so thankful to have the support of Stash Books, Aurifil, Zipit, Robert Kaufman and Timeless Treasures.