The Beauty in Custom

I wanted to share some wonderful photos I received from a woman who asked me to make a custom quilt for her last year. She wanted something special for her new home; something handmade and unique just for her because she deserved it (and she does!!). Most of the time I make things and never get to see how they are being used and loved. I cherish such pictures because what I do is my passion. I feel connected to each piece; letting them go is not always easy. With custom pieces I want to know about the person I am creating for. It gives me something to think about while I am making it...I think about their story and what I know about it and I picture it in their home. I could ramble on about this but I will spare you and show you the pics of her beautiful boys and their family quilt.

I have one more thing to say about his quilt ... I NEVER would have chosen the bold coral solid fabric. I gave her options. The coral was my least favorite but it was her choice and it made the most beautiful quilt:) A shout out to you Heather for helping me to look outside the box with regards to color. It's a lesson I hope I take to my sewing room with me more and take some chances!

Fabric anyone?!

Instead of sewing lately I have been sorting through fabric...reorganizing what I love and parting with things I may still love, but cannot see myself getting to. I'm listing my destash fabrics on Etsy so someone can get some use out of them:) The rest I am lovingly moving about in part to remind myself to STOP BUYING MORE FABRIC!! There is no way that I can ever use what I do have let alone more but I am as always hopelessly addicted. It is good to go through things and be inspired/reinspired and just reminded of what there is to work with. Pics are of my messes...the stuff on the ironing board includes all the blenders and such I needed washed and ironed so they are ready for use. Then there are piles and the fabric in the cabinet that I intend to offer for sale (to make room for new:)). Do ya think I have a problem????

I've ordered more of Stephanie Brandenburg's fabrics also for sale so they will eventually be listed. I am having trouble getting Camelot to communicate with me through email at the moment so I guess I'm going to have to call them directly. I ordered bolts 3 weeks ago and have not heard anything...heavy sigh.

Anyway, thought I'd entertain you with my obsessions:)

Shop Hop Results!

We shopped and we hopped and look at all the goodies I found! The last photo is a fabric line from Makower in England based on the artist Matisse...I love it!!! The blue and red line in the first pic is actually purely for me:) I recently painted my kitchen the perfect light blue and am accenting with red here and there. This fabric will become a table runner for my buffet and a topper for my table.

The rest is miscellaneous gotta haves...a few supplies...fun stuff. I could have bought a hundred yards more but I really have to back off a bit these days and only buy what I cannot live without:)

Just wanted to share:)

Shop Hop In Iowa Today

I'm off to the local quilt shop hop today with my MIL. I'm certain I will find some wonderful things to share with you:) For anyone who does not know, a shop hop is when shops get together and set up discounts, prizes, and treats as well as extended hours for a weekend. The idea is to hit all the shops, get your card stamped at each and turn it in for a drawing for bigger prizes. The one here in the Des Moines area isn't really all that great compared to some (sorry des moines)--there are only 5 shops and you really can do it in about 4 or 5 hours. A really good shop hop in my opinion will require about 12 hours of your day and careful planning to make it all in one day (it goes on for 4 days--just more fun to do it all in one). We'll have fun anyway:)

I've been busy working on quilts since my last entry. This time of year...before graduations/weddings etc, business picks up a bit. I had to put up my quilt (I'm trying to make myself a king size for my bed...yes, this will be the first one!) temporarily but I will get back to it.

We took a trip to Florida at the end of February though to escape the cold (see pics--the dolphins were playing in the wake of our water taxi to the island). However, the cold decided to come back to get us today--it is a whopping 30 degrees right now:( Not fair! But spring is coming and I can sew with open windows and no sweater soon.

I know I am obsessed but Treasure Maps are just a short time away! We have a friend who is going to join us this year so we'll set up a huge table, treats and music and have at it! We're very excited to see how our boards come out this year. There are always some surprises:)

Business note: I am in the process of listing a pile of quilting books...I had (well, still have) so darn many and there are so many new good ones coming out that I had to purge. Anyway, I have not gotten them all listed yet AND I am going to list them in a you choose 2-3-4 combo for 12-16-21 bucks respectively including shipping. If you find such a combo you like before I get this set up tomorrow or saturday, convo me and I'll pull the books you want right away and set up a listing for you. More destash fabric coming also!!

Treasure Maps Coming Soon!

I'm sitting here looking at the loads of snow everywhere...finding it beautiful yet ready to see crocuses popping up marking the end of the cold for another year. I'm looking forward to April when we do our treasure maps for the next year. A treasure map is a visual reminder of your goals and desires; a tool to keep tuned in over the year to what you want in your life. New Year's resolutions never worked out for me...I typically forgot about them by the end of January:( Pic is of my map from last year.

This will be our 3rd year of treasure mapping. I've found that I manage to manifest the changes/sometimes minor tweaks I want in my life because of it. Whether it is the 'universe responding to my call' or simply that large brightly colored foam core board blasting off my quilt room wall triggering some response from my right brain, it works for me and I love the process. Each April, this year the 3-5, we take a day or two to make our maps. These days are the most powerful according to the astrologers. Aries is the sign associated with spring of course, but also sight. Completing your map during the Aries new moon is the most desirable time.

I am going through the preparation phase of this right now and purging, organizing, and cleaning my home (and my mind in the process! You all know how good it feels to get rid of things and have a clean space). I have a friend who recently lost her job who is helping me with this ... she is an amazing power cleaner and I feel like I have a wife!!! It's awesome. I work on a room ... truly cleaning it down to the corners and under the couch cushions and when I get done there are 2 rooms done as she's been working in another:) We have a match made in heaven...she needs work, and I need help. Hopefully she will find a job soon, but in the meantime I'm happy to have her around here:)

For anyone who wants more information I'm including last years' blogpost from Tracey's Cook's astrosalon. You can also find information if you Google Law of Attraction/Treasure Mapping. I'm sure that Tracey will post info this year as the time approaches. If you choose to do this, have a great time and enjoy!

At the risk of overstating something that I consider totally obvious---The Aries New Moon is THE most important lunar month in the entire year. Yeah, I guess that is quite a statement but I stand by my opinion. After all, it is this New Moon that launches the rest of the twelve signs. We can’t get to them ---without being here first. Aries is the gate keeper and it is the catapult. It is the sign associated with spring and it is sign associated with sight. We start here to get there. All of us have desires and goals but in order to manifest those dreams we have got to SEE them. And so on Aries New Moon we build our Treasure Maps. Like I said, Aries is an important New Moon.

I am guessing if you check in on my New Moons with any kind of regularity you are already familiar with Treasure Maps. God knows I have been talking about them for years. But if you don’t know anything then you can start HERE for background information.

In a nutshell, in order to make a Treasure Map, you need to clear your brain from fear and judgment and open it up to what you really want. Not “sort of want” but what you really want. A great way to get an idea what you want is to sit down with a bunch of magazines and start looking at photos and captions, look for sentences, words, anything that catches your attention. There will be some images that really beckon you and I would encourage you to cut them out and consider putting them on your map. Or maybe you go to a store and pick out greeting cards. Perhaps there is a “Congratulations on your Wedding” card that has THE MOST perfect image for exactly what you want this year. Or maybe you see a travel brochure with images of fabulous vacation spots. Or you decide to go online and look for images of exercise because you want a full year of better health. And of course you can draw and paint what you want and type up affirmations. “I am happy and grateful that I am abundant.” Whatever images and affirmations that you land upon and they call to you--- put it on a poster board. This is your Treasure Map. This is your life that you want. Please make your Map on the New Moon which is between April 14 8:28am EDT and April 18 1:40am EDT. If you cannot make your map in those 3.5 days then you do have the whole waxing moon (between April 14 and April 28) but be forewarned on the 18th Mercury is going retrograde and I do not feel that is the most optimal time for a Treasure Mapping. But perhaps some of you will need that cuckoo energy to find your map. Go with what works best for you.

My favorite things:)

This is a quilt I just completed for a man in Oklahoma...the top is one started by his mother I believe and the last of 3 he had me complete for his girls. These quilts come to me anything but laying flat; imperfect seams and rather randomly sewn together, but as you can see my motto stands: "It will quilt out!" It consistently amazes me what imperfections will disappear once a quilt is quilted into submission:)

Now on to our new family member Mocha! We finally added another kitten to our zoo. She's fitting in well as her personality is not one of confrontation but rather she goes with the flow and doesn't dive into another animal's space until it's okay. She met Bella early on and wanted to play as long as she had high ground:) Now she's actually playing with our 4 year old buttercup (as of today). Kittens are so much fun!

And finally (will I ever remember to put my pics in reverse order on here?) Meg and her friend had their american girls out playing in the snow...just had to share this one:)

Just wanted to share a few of my favorite things:)

Where is the time going?

Wow...time is flying by and I'm just getting carried along with it! I'm working ... really I am, but I don't seem to be keeping up by any stretch...heavy sigh. Anybody else still have their Christmas tree up?! Mine is becoming a fire hazard and it isn't coming down today either. We took a road trip this weekend to meet my husband on an overnight in Minneapolis. That entailed a trip to the American Girl store as well as Ikea. The trip to Ikea has created more work as I purchased a cabinet to contain my daughter's American Girl things and someone has to put it together! Of course she thinks that has to be today somewhere between working on a custom quilt and doing housework. And I'm dying to get the new Evo phone that just came out so that gets added to the list of things to do...like I have the time to learn to use it right now anyway!

I'm not really complaining...I just really need to clone myself to get everything done. I read about all those focused and organized Etsians getting new things made every single day and I keep thinking I'm doing something wrong in my life that I can't keep up...I imagine I'll figure it out and if not, well, I'll just keep on living and loving my life anyway:)

The photos above are of a custom quilt I recently shipped made from tshirts, baby blankets, and an old quilt that was falling apart. This was a challenge and quite fun to make. The woman was thrilled with the final result and wrote:

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Theresa, the quilt totally exceeded my expectations. It is absolutely wonderful. Steve is thrilled!!!!!!!!!! And it feels like it will only get better with time. I am so appreciative. I can't even believe how each square is so uniquely quilted with a different stitch. Thank you so much. How do I give you a 5-star rating on your site? Once again -- thank you so much.

It's so gratifying to get feedback from people. I love being a part of preserving such precious memories:)

Well, I must get to making this other quilt...all from the Cherrywood fabrics I ordered. I had planned to get it done this weekend but the trip to MN delayed my progress. But then what is life if you can't take the occasional road trip on the spur of the moment? I can't always be responsible!