-pillow talk swap 9 complete!-

The past couple of weeks have been so tiring (the time change- it messes with everything!) and busy with halloween, soccer, and birthday stuff.  It just going to get busier- I know.  I am contemplating taking next week off of school to catch up on some projects around the house and to prep for Christmas.  One advantage of homeschooling...

 I haven't had much time to sew.  However, this past weekend I finished up my pillow for the Pillow Talk Swap.  I quilted it with swirls- they are a little "organic".  I hope my partner doesn't mind!  However, I do like the look and will try it again in the future.

I am happy to cross this project off the list, and I am looking forward to getting something in my mailbox in the next week or so!

For the back I used this gray text print.  My partner likes text prints, and I kind of felt bad for not using any on the front! ;0)

You can find my previous post on this pillow here!

Happy November and happy sewing!!  Time to get the Christmas crafty groove going!

-manual mode monday 2/52

I got started on my pillow for The Pillow Talk swap this weekend.  I have finished all my blocks using this pattern.  This is a fun little block to piece.  I decided to go with a bright, rainbowy mix of colors, and I am using varying shades of white and notebook type fabrics for the background.

 I was inspired by this color combo, and then decided to add a pop of orange to round it out a little more.  I think these kind of colors are to my partner's taste (at least, I hope they are!).   

Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II 

F 2.2 1/60 ISO 800

I shot these all in manual!  Yay!  I found that I liked the overexposed look for these photos, as they made the rainbow really pop against the white.  However, as much as I like the blur, I felt like there was too much blur.  I tried fooling around with it to open the lens a bit more, but eh...  I would appreciate any tips if you have any thoughts!

-crafty fun-

1. Blackbird Fly by Poppyprint, 2. Hangin' With My Gnomie PTS8, 3. patchwork tote, 4. Scraparadise, 5. Triple dresden on Kona raisin, 6. glamour shot, 7. Spool Pillow, 8. Nicey Jane hexies, 9. SG quilt progress report, 10. IMG_6091, 11. Elephants on Parade, 12. hexagon pillow 2, 13. Pillow Talk Swap (ready to send), 14. My Pillow Talk Swap from Little Miss Shabby, 15. Pillow swap - finished!, 16. 100th post prize cushion

The baby is finally sleeping a little better.  She even sometimes naps at the same time as the two year old in the afternoon.  Bliss!  We are starting week five of school and getting a good rhythm.  So, I am excited to have a little more crafty time. 

I am joining in the Pillow Talk Swap this round!  This is my fourth time, and it is such a fun swap.  The pillows that come out of this swap are almost all swoon worthy!  So excited for a fun challenge.  I believe there are still a few spots left open currently if you have been wanting to join in on the fun of this one.

(image from Alicia Paulson at http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/)

Ginny over at Small Things is also hosting a stitch along for Alicia Paulson's Winterwoods ABCs cross stitch sampler.  I love the slow pace of stitching this throughout the fall to have ready for winter.  I like more yarny and handstitch projects in the fall and winter.  There is something so cozy about curling under a quilt and stitching.  Not that we are really anywhere close to really needing quilts right now, but a girl can dream. ;0)  

Kids Clothes Week is coming up in October!  Yay!  I really want to make a few things for the fall.   Some skirts for the girls and maybe some pants and a vest for the little man? 

 Do you have any fun crafty plans?  

-dresden making-

So I have my Fussy Cut Bee quilt top all finished and a backing ready.  Now I am just waiting for the inspiration to baste!  I am not the biggest fan of basting (who is really?!).  Plus, this quilt is meant for a full bed, and my house is just not set up with a whole lot of floor space in any of the rooms, so it is going to be a little squishy. ;0)

This week started off busy, but then one of the kids got sick on Tuesday and now as she is feeling better, another one is down for the count.  So I have a feeling it going to go down the line, and we will be spending some quality time at home.  My kids are catching up on all the TV watching that I usually don't let them have.  Gotta have some sort of perk when they are sick, right?

So yesterday I decided to work on my pillow for The Pillow Talk Swap.  This really is one of the most amazing swaps.  I think it has only gotten better over the past couple of years.  This is my third time joining in, and I am feeling the pressure to make something super fabulous.  My partner has a love for warm colors and text fabrics.  I had an idea in my head, but then I found this dresden while browsing and fell in love.  I have never been that big of a dresden fan, but this took it to the next level.  The rainbow isn't really my partner's thing, so I made my main dresden in reds, oranges, and yellows, and the second dresden with some neutrals.  

I was playing around with background fabrics, and I found this one.  However, I only had a 14.5" piece, and I tried playing around with borders.  It just wasn't hitting the right note for me though.      

So I went digging again, and I came up with this text fabric.  I like that it is smaller and a little less busy, while still being different from a solid background.  The plan today is to work on this a little more while the sickies watch La La Loopsy!

The Little Girl Hoop

Here is my little girl embroidery for the Scrappy Hoops swap.  I think she turned out simple and sweet, and I hope my partner likes her too.  This girl belongs to this little trio. My partner has a very distinctive style.  I am always impressed with people who have such distinct styles.  I feel that I am attracted to such a mish mash of things.  I had something else stitched up, and I really liked it but it just felt too cutesy.  I have other plans for it though that I will be showing you soon.

Last week was busy with Halloween activities and sickness (and more sickness this week...poor kiddos,)  Juliana went as a beautiful bride.  She loves weddings ever since she was a flower girl in two weddings last summer.  She already has her whole future figured out.  She is definitely a "planner".  Felicity was Nemo, and she declared herself "adorable!".  Nemo was definitely the hit.  The fin on top of her head squeaked.  She called it her "squisky".  The baby, of course, went as our little monkey.  The little monkey wants to eat the bride's flowers, I think. ;0p