Preppy In Pink

Hello all! I mentioned in my last post that I'm easily distracted and here is the proof. I'm the type of person who has to have multiple projects going on at once - a few applique projects, a few embroidery projects, a few clothing projects, a few pieced quilt projects.....well..... you get the idea. I am definitely NOT the type of person who finishes one project before starting the next. So, once I get bored looking at the black and oranges of my Halloween project I can jump back to the preppy pinks and greens of my Hooterville Quilt that I started a few months ago. Here's what the pattern cover looks like.....
I thought this quilt would look adorable in all pinks and greens. So, I began eyeing this bucket of fabrics on my bookshelf. I'd been hoarding this fabric for years.....just waiting for the perfect project.....
I finally dove into the bucket and started cutting and planning and prepping applique pieces. And of course I had to grab a few new fabrics from the shop! (I use the freezer paper and starch applique method, by the way. Should I write a tutorial on that???)
And here is where I'm currently at with my Hooterville quilt. The owl bodies are done. And the wings are almost done. Next up, those owls need some eyes, beaks and feet....
I love my preppy pink and green color palette. I think it's kind of drool worthy. And if you love those colors as much as I do check out this new "Preppy In Pink Fat Quarter Bundle." I put it together for all of my fellow pink-a-holics.
Aaaahhhh.....it's total pink and green heaven.....
And guess what happens tomorrow??? I pick the winner of June's Giveaway, list the fabric winners and post a new Giveaway!

Hopefully I'll have a finished quilt to show you sometime very soon....hopefully....

Until then.....Happy Sewing,
Jenny

What I've Been Up To....

Hello all! It may be summer outside but it's definitely looking a lot like Halloween in here. As I've been working on some major and exciting and huge changes to the website (all will be revealed soon) I've been taking what I call "Stitching Sanity Breaks." Every so often I just need to get away from the computer and do something crafty for just a few short minutes. And I was just itching to get to work on the Vintage Trick or Treat Quilt by Crabapple Hill that I first mentioned on this blog post - "Another Soon To Be Unfinished Project." And I have to say - this picture of the whole quilt does not do it justice. I saw it in person many Quilt Markets ago and it was take your breath away, stop you in your tracks, jaw dropping stunning.
And maybe.....just maybe.....I'll get it done in time for Halloween this year. That is if I can ever get all those French knots done. Yup - that whole mouth is going to be full of French knots. It's a good thing I love to do French knots! Anyway, I wanted to show you a few other new Halloween patterns by Crabapple Hill that I'm thinking about adding to the shop. This is "Which Witch's Boot." I love the little flowers that look like Candy Corn! Isn't it adorable????
And this is Calendula Pattendrip's Cottage. I love the way it has a sepia toned photograph look to it. And the immense amount of detail on this quilt is amazing.....
But, I'm easily distracted and I'm worried I might get bored if I start a huge, monotone project. So, when I finally get around to making this I think I'll just do the upper left part of the quilt and turn it into a wall hanging that will look something like this cropped version.....
I'd love to hear what you think about these patterns. I know not everyone loves Halloween as much as I do. And my intense love of Halloween only seemed to appear after I left Ohio and moved to Florida. Florida is great but there is nothing better than a mid-western autumn - the amazing red-orange-yellow leaves, the chill in the air, the pumpkins, plaid wool blankets, caramel apples and bon fires. Aaaaahhhh.....heavenly.

Oh...and before I sign off and take another "Stitching Sanity Break" I wanted to tell you about a new blog that is sure to be amazing. The talented fabric and pattern designer, Bari J is starting a new blog called We Love French Knots. She's just getting it ramped up now and the big launch will be on July 25. So, if you love embroidery you'll definitely want to take a look.

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

The Passport

Hello all! This may seem like a strange post after I haven't really been around the blog lately (except to post Giveaways of course!) but it's where my mind is right now so I'm going with it. I have to mail this away tomorrow because it's about to expire and I need to get a new one. It's kind of a bittersweet moment.
I realized I had to look at all the stamps I have before I send it away. So.....of course a flood of memories started coming back. John and I had been together for less than a year when he took me to the passport office during a hot July in Miami 10 years ago. At the time, I had no idea what was in store for me in the decade ahead.

The first stamp I got in the passport was at the Narita (Tokyo) airport. We had to go through Japan to get to our vacation in Hawaii. Yes. You read that correctly. We went to Hawaii via Japan. It's a long story which I'll save for another day.
There are stamps for Stansted and Frankfurt, Germany - we ended up all over Europe on those trips - Belgium (very cool place - we had great Mussels in Brussels - seriously!), Holland (oh my goodness - the flowers! The Flowers!), Italy (Venice! Need I say more? It was Venice!) and Cinque Terre (amazing cluster of 5 towns along the Italian Riviera).

There's a stamp for London Heathrow......and unfortunately I left my purse on the plane when we arrived in London! Eeeek! Thank goodness I was able to retrieve it the next day and nothing was missing.

I've flown to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris twice but oddly there are no stamps for that in my book. Why doesn't Paris do stamps??? I want a Paris stamp! The second time I flew to Paris I was alone. John had to catch an earlier flight than me. My flight ended up making an emergency landing in Gander, Newfoundland (someone had a medical emergency on the plane but it ended up being a false alarm. She was promptly removed from the plane). I saw a gorgeous sunrise in Gander and then it was off to Paris. Where I promptly got lost on their subway system when I was trying to meet up with John. Then I became the woman who was crying hysterically and begging a cab driver to take me to the hotel where John was but I had no cash so would he please take me to an ATM first. Not my finest moment.

The first time I flew to Paris was much better. John and I were only in Paris briefly as we were actually on our way to somewhere else (but I don't remember where!). We did a whirlwind tour of Paris and then fell asleep on the grass under the Eiffel tower on a beautiful spring day. What a great way to recover from jet lag!

Then there are several stamps for Mexico. Three stamps in one year alone actually. And there should be a 4th stamp but I can't find it! We've been to Cancun and Mexico City and some icky place John wanted to go for surfing near Acalpulco and Cabo San Lucas. Ahhhh.....Cabo......John rode the Baja 1000 with a group of friends for one of the guy's 40th birthdays. It took a week for them to ride from California down to Cabo. The girls all met the guys at a resort in Baja for a week long vacation after their ride. They all showed up broken and bruised and battered but very happy. One guy broke his arm. One guy got a concussion. And John was full of cuts and bruises after he was flung off his motorcycle and landed in a cactus. Yes. A cactus.

And I can't forget the Bahamas - there are a few of those stamps in there too!

And then my favorite stamp.....Pisa, Italy......

We went to Tuscany on that trip. Best. Trip. Ever. We stayed in a 15th century castle and visited all the little towns dotting the hills of Tuscany. Everything about Tuscany is amazing and perfect - The wine. The cheese. The truffle ravioli. The flowers. The castles. The cypress trees. I want to go back. Now.

So, tomorrow I'll say goodbye to my first Passport. And hopefully the next one will go on just as many adventures with me. Australia? Switzerland? Tahiti? Italy again (yes, please!). Paris maybe.....I need to ask them about that stamp thing! And from now on I'm taking this with me.....
I have such vague memories of so many of our trips. When did we go there? Why were we there? What were we doing? Soooo.....from now on I'm going to record all of these details.

If anyone is still reading this who isn't John or my Mom I commend your dedication. And I promise that my next post will be soon. And it will be about sewing.

Happy Sewing. And Happy Traveling,
Jenny

P.S. I've recently heard a rumor that you get your old passport back when you get your new one. I sure hope it's true! I'll let you know. Either way....it still seems like the end of an era and the start of a fresh new one!