obsessing

My post from the weekend still has my head reeling about the colors in this print ..

So obviously I need to get my colors rounded up so I can get to the quilt as soon as time and budget allow ..

Kona: lake, mango, straw, white, daffodil, ash, asparagus

I'm a little obsessed with this right now. Wouldn't it make the most peaceful quilt? 

inspiring me this weekend

Here are a few pictures inspiring me this weekend, pulled from my Pinterest boards.

First, this sunny bathroom:

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It looks like a small bathroom but you'd never know with all that happiness floating around in there. On my list: adding small plants to the bathroom and making a t-shirt rug.

The hot weather seems like it is here to stay in Nashville, causing me to wear my hair up all the time!

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These braids are way cuter than a regular old ponytail, right?

Don't you love this breezy color scheme?

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I would love to make a quilt along those lines.

This tray would also make an amazing quilt:

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I love the colors!

Speaking of quilts ...

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I'm dying to make this quilt with Anna Maria's new Loulouthi line! I need to get my hands on some fat quarters :)

And I've had a quilt like this in my mind for quite some time now:

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Except the bowties in the corners of the blocks instead of in the middle. It would be a great scrap buster! I like the use of different color neutrals in this one versus just one solid background color. 

Hope you can also find some inspiration on this long weekend. Curt & I are off to see a movie at the dollar (+fifty cents) theater and then grill some hot dogs for dinner :)

Happy Memorial Day!

Tempting

My hair is the longest it's ever been, and I love it, but this haircut makes me want to chop it all off, just in time for a hot southern summer.

Thoughts?

Hey You Guys...

Anna Maria's new line, Loulouthi, is making it's way to stores! I've seen it pop up a couple places online. It should be fully available in the next couple weeks. {link} {link} {link}

You are going to want this entire collection, no doubt.

The colors are fabulous and perfect for this time of year.

There are quilting cottons, voiles, and laminates, and you will need them all.

Because who wouldn't want a quilt this cheerful?!

Lined with some new yummy voile.

The prints are magical - organic floral prints and trusty geometric shapes and everything in between. 

This, the Juliana palette, is by far my favorite. There's unexpected neon colors mixed in with luxurious jewel tones, and the combination will blow your mind. 

Are you excited? I had the privilege to stitch up some of these samples for Anna and working with these fabrics was such a dream. I can't wait to get my hands on more and make some goodies for myself :) 

Have a great weekend!

Bloggers' Quilt Festival!

I'm so excited I finished this quilt just in time for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival! It's so fun and inspiring to look through all the other quilts, hopefully you will enjoy mine too!

The pattern is based on the cover quilt of Modern Log Cabin Quilting. My quilt finished around 52x68 and is perfect for snuggling on the couch.

This quilt it made of all Anna Maria Horner fabric and Kona solid (Bone, Ash, or Sand, I can't remember - eek!). It started as a fat quarter bundle of Innocent Crush I won, and I added some Loulouthi into the mix, and oh boy, do they play nicely together! The binding is from Loulouthi. The back is a voile from Innocent Crush, which worked out perfectly because I didn't have to piece the back. I think I might have to use a voile backing on all my quilts from now on!

Not only was the wide backing convenient, but the voile is oh so soft and preserved even more by tying the quilt. I've never tied a quilt before, and I was happy to learn a  new method and love the results. I used a variegated Pearl Cotton (4120) to tie in the center of each cross.

(excuse that little binding thread there)

Another new-to-me aspect of this quilt was the batting - a soy blend which is anti-bacterial and very soft. I haven't washed my finished quilt yet, so I can't say how it shrinks, but I like the feel so far.

(it's really nice to have my quilt-holding husband back)

You can find more pictures of this quilt in-process over at this post.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my quilt! Don't forget to visit all the other blogs and sponsors for some amazing inspiration!

Happy Day!

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day & my sister's college graduation with a beautiful day in Michigan!

There were graduates.. 

And mothers...

And what do you know?! - Husbands back from traveling the world!

I made myself a Flirting the Issue skirt just for the occasion, made with AMH's Innocent Crush voile.

Getting her diploma

So proud of you Bri!

My gaga with the corsage I made her - doesn't it match her outfit perfectly?!

The graduates never actually threw their caps, so I made Brianna do it a few times so I could catch the moment :)

It turned out to be a sunny day and we all have the sunburnt noses to prove it. We are so proud of Bri, who worked hard to graduate with a teaching degree so she can help students with learning disabilities. 

She is going to be an amazing, patient, caring teacher, so if you know of any schools looking for a teacher like that, let me know! Any school would be lucky to have her, as we are lucky to have her in our family!

Collection

I've amassed a pretty impressive (I think) collection of old pennies. Really old pennies. Like, really, really old.

Don't believe me? 

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1907, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1950

The 1907 amazes me - it's over 100 years old, think of all it's seen! Even the other coins are more than twice as old as me, still doing their job, circulating around. Well, not anymore, because I am keeping them all to myself :)

I love the history in them.

What do you collect?

Bacon Wrapped Pepper Poppers

Anna Maria served these to us at our last Rainbow Around the Block gathering and I've been hooked ever since. I don't know her recipe exactly, but here's how I did it:

Cut a variety of bell peppers into boat shapes. Don't skimp, cut fat boats - they have to hold in the goods.

Fill each boat with cream cheese (don't skimp there either, these are the goods) and wrap with half a piece of bacon.

Line then up on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes at 400 until the bacon is nice and crispy. 

Enjoy! These are great finger foods for gatherings or just to snack on at home :)