The Way Things Are

Wow... have I been crazy busy! I no longer live in Germany... but have moved to Kentucky. I have completed all my credits for a Bachelors degree in English. Since my last post I have been to Istanbul, Paris, Brussels, and London. But no more travels in my future... It's really hard to visit a new country over the weekend for so cheap. I am working in a new job and am constantly looking for another one (something I can afford to live on). However, despite all of this I have still found time to craft. Since I don't have all my old crafting supplies yet, I have been forced to buy more. This hasn't been hard at all considering I have a Joanns, Michaels, Hancocks, and Hobby Lobby within a ten minute drive. I really am appreciating these 50% off all beads sales and you can tell...

Here are a few things I made today:

And I may or may not have ordered some super cute business cards today... so as soon as I get my craft fair items next week I'll hopefully be listing some items in my very dusty shop.

Forgot About This One...

My niece was born in November last year and I completely forgot to show off the quilt I made her.

I used an assortment of my favorite fabrics in pinks and greens with this pattern

Look at all the little fairy tales! That's my favorite part.

I put a fuzzy minky fabric on the back like I did on her brothers. I really need to make one for me with that stuff.

I have a blog?

I have been so incredibly busy lately that I forgot all about this little bit of my life. And to bore you I'm going to let you in on all the little things I've been doing. Since January I've completed 18 credit hours worth of school, leaving me with just five measly classes before I graduate. I've been to:

Barcelona, Spain
Ibiza, Spain
Madrid, Spain
Porto, Portugal
Dublin, Ireland
Rome, Italy

I went to the Rose Parade in Cologne, Germany. and a Prime Circle, Seether, and 3 Doors Down concert in Karlsruhe, Germany (I won it on the radio, who ever would have thought I'd have the guts to call in). And I'm not even done yet, next month I'll go to Istanbul, Turkey, Paris and London, and will complete 6 more credit hours of school. I'm so tired!

So this is my excuse for not blogging or crafting. In all honesty I haven't turned on my sewing machine in a good 2 months. For shame, right? But since this is a crafty blog and not a ranting blog I'll leave you with a quilt I made last summer.



I used Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow...



and I think the pattern is out of the book "Scrap Basket Quilts", but i'm not sure.



No promises I'll be back here any time soon, but you never know!

Circa 1934

I made yet another quilt... I'm sure it's getting old by now.



I do really like this one though. It's made using Circa 1934 fabric by Cosmo Cricket. This is such an awesome line. For the pattern I used Kitchen Window from Elizabeth Hartman's book The Practical Guide to Patchwork.



For the outer sashing I used a chambray that gives an awesome pop to the inner fabrics.



On another note, school started back up today... reminding me once again why I hate it so much. Yay!

Sprocket Pillow

I've been wanting to make a sprocket pillow from this tutorial for a while now.



I love the ones popping up all over the internet that people have made. Mine however has pom pom ribbon... (add in evil laugh).



However I don't suggest doing this, it was hard. I chose to alternate pink and blue while using some of my favorite fabrics. I really wanted to make it rainbow, but I'm trying not to buy new fabrics right now and I didn't have a pretty purple. Maybe next time.



I used some Nicey Jane for the back, and I'm not all that in love with it. But it's on the back so I can live with it.



Do you like my new blog header??? I love it. I've been reading this book and it is so awesome and inspiring. Because of this book I bought a custom etsy shop, blog banner, and business cards from this awesome etsian. Within 3 days everything was finished and the communication was excellent. I'm not ready to set up a shop anytime soon, but it's still nice to have everything ready!

Only Rainbows

I made myself a little inspirational wall hanging. A few months ago I was driving home from an incredibly terrible day and Andy Grammer's "Keep Your Head Up" began playing. When it hit the lines "Only rainbows after rain, the sun will always come again" it made me realize exactly how true it all was. After any little breakdown, bad week, or hard time I hit, a rainbow will always come.



For this mini quilt I borrowed One Shabby Chicks method of letter applique. I love the style it creates, and I don't think you can tell but I quilted in little raindrops around the words.



I am so completely in love with this piece, and will hopefully wake up every morning knowing that a rainbow will eventually come.

Break Over

Breaks, over... I enjoyed two wonderful weeks visiting my family in the states. Sad as I am though, it feels really good to be home. Even if i'm suffering terrible jet lag and my new sleep schedule is from 3 AM to 1 PM. I've decided to take a break from showing you some of my crafty awesomeness in this post and show you some of my grandmothers. Whenever someone new enters our family (baby or spouse) a stocking awaits there arrival.



How on earth she is able to knit these I shall never understand. I have an extremely hard time working two sticks while tangling yarn between them, and often my attempts involve one needle shoved between my legs, and the other somehow knotting up the yarn I paid too much for on account of it being shiny.



Yet my grandmother has managed to make over 50 of these stockings in her lifetime. Each of them perfect, and a special memory for anyone lucky enough to receive one.



And my favorite part... the bells adorning the bottom of each stocking for a little Christmas Cheer!



I hope your holidays were just as warm and memorable.