a granny easter

This last week we've enjoyed having lots of family gatherings. With Easter and a baby shower I kept quite busy. I did get a couple more granny squares done in between, and a little trip to the beach!! It was also beautiful spring weather so I couldn't have had a lovelier week!!  Did you have a lovely Easter?

Here are my new granny additions.  I only have two more to make and then I can put the top together.  Yay!!

A lovely little stack!

A little bird told me block!

a granny Easter block with a sweet little bunny and chick!

I hope you don't mind some pictures of the kiddos!  They had such a fun Easter with seeing lots of cousins, and of course LOTS of candy.  :)

It was quite the task to get them all to look and smile at the camera at the same time!!  Does anyone have any secrets on taking pictures of all their kids together?
 

Maya

Savannah

Ashton

We enjoyed part of Easter with my Aunt and Uncle and my cousins little ones.   Most my family lives out of state, so it was great being able to spend part of the day with some of my family.

Xander the egg hunter

Later in the day we had an Easter gathering with my hubby's family and who wouldn't have a ton of fun with so many little peeps!!  :)    Aren't they such a cute group of kiddos.  You can tell there is lots of excitement!

 Sweet little Ava and Ashton...they are quite the little buddies!!  

Now that Easter is all over, hopefully I can finish the top of the granny squares quilt this week.  I can do it...yes, I can!! 

surgery + recovery time = hand stitching

This last week after having surgery, I've spent quite a bit of time on the couch.  I have to confess, I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to pain.  I know, can you believe it?!?  The mama with 6 kiddos is a complete wimp.  Ha!!  Too funny, I know.... but this last week having something to keep my mind occupied...pretty fabrics and a new English paper piecing set to work on has sure helped!   I have to say my dear hubby has been the biggest help too.  I don't know what I would do without him!

The new English paper piecing set I've worked on is using Jewels, 1 inch hexagons and then 2 inch diamonds.  My dear friend Heather made a lovely pillow for the Pillow Talk Swap out of these, and I'd been itching to try my hand at it ever since!!   I'm thinking of making a nice size wall hanging out of them.

Don't they look pretty with all the new spring blossoms!!  Spring is one of my favorite times of year just because of all the lovely scented spring blossoms!!

 

Most the fabrics are from Leciens Old New collection that will be coming out this month.  I can't wait to see it on the bolt!! It will truly be like Christmas opening those boxes from Lecien!!  :)

After staying inside for an entire week, I had a bit of cabin fever.  So I had to get one ready to take to the pool to work on while I watched the kiddos swim.   It was sure nice getting out of the house!

Today I'll be taking it easy again so I don't over due it.  I seem to do that too.   The joys of getting stir crazy.  :)

ticker tape spring pillows!

This week-end I had a lovely time working on a couple matching spring pillows.   I used Amy's sweet templates she designed for making a cute bunting.   I printed the bunny and chick out to fit a full page so they would be large enough for a pillow.  Like Amy, I also did a ticker tape design...and just LOVE it!!

 Don't they look so sweet together!!  I love how simple but cute they are. 

Sweet little bunny!

a cute little chick-a-dee!!

I had gotten in some yellow pom pom trim a little while back and this was the perfect project to use it on.

I mainly used my left over scraps from my granny squares along with a couple new ones that I just added to my stash.  The strips are each 1/2 inch wide.

A little tip on adding pom pom trim...I stitch it on the pillow top before I stitch the back on so it doesn't move about and cause a headache.  :)

And here they are keeping the other pillows company!  They sure add that perfect spring touch to the home!! 

THANKS Amy, for creating the cutest little templates!!   They were so fun to work with!!

i ♥ pillows!!

Last Friday I received the loveliest pillow in the mail!!  Tamiko/Strawberrylicious made such a perfectly A M A Z I N G pillow just for me!  I love the stars and pretty patches in between.  The fabrics couldn't be more perfect either.  Isn't it just spectacular!!  THANKS Tamiko!!

I've always adored Leciens Flower Sugar, and she even included a couple Lecien strawberry fabrics. YUM!

I really love how Tamiko did the back with including a zipper!!  I need to learn this trick on a future pillow.

And, here it is on the couch!!  Even my little guy is as happy as can be with our new addition!  :)

 

Also, last week I got a lovely convo from Amanda/A Crafty Fox asking me about those extra squares left over from the pillow I made.  She wondered if I'd be interested in a side swap.  I had actually already sewn them together and stippled the top.   I added the backing and binding to finish it off and it will be winging it's way to Amanda today!!   THANKS for asking to do a side swap, Amanda!!  Such a fun bonus.  :)

I really love how this one is so much different from the last one I made.  Adding a white border, and stippling it sure made it just as original.  I'm not sure if I could pick a favorite from the two. 

I used some seed cataloluge in black for the binding that I had just gotten in last week!  It is already going fast in the shop!!  I also have the white with black text. 

Doesn't it make a fun print for the binding!!

So, as you can see I've had lots of fun with pillows lately!!  They sure are addicting!!  Fast, fun and adds such a wonderful touch to the home.  I really do ♥ ♥ ♥   pillows!!  :) 

kiss me...

as i am irish!! :)

 vintage postcard from my pinterest

Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friends!!

apple cores...wip!

Today has been a work in progress day. I had started cutting some apple cores a little while back but they got set aside. I always have too many projects I want to do at one time!!  I pulled them out today, cut some more and did a little stitching. I'd never done curves so it was fun to work with these. Hopefully I'll get better as I do more!!

I'm thinking of making a quilt with these, so it will probably be a long wip.  But hey, even if I get them done little by little, at least it will be a lovely quilt in the end...right!?!

They looks so yummy in the breakfast bowl, I could eat them up!!  ;)

 

And of course LOTS of my favorites fabrics!!  I just can't get enough of them!!  :) 

I used an apple core template I had gotten at Joanns and it was pretty easy to cut them! 

Have you ever done curves or apple cores?  Is there any secrets, tips or tricks you know that makes it a bit easier??

 I think I may go sew a few more together now.  :)  See you next week!

a vintage quilt & japanese + and x pillow

This week-end I went to a few antique shops in the area with my hubby as a little birthday treat!!  It was my birthday on Sunday, so we celebrated it a little early with some shopping on Saturday!!  I found such a lovely hand pieced and tied vintage quilt that I couldn't leave sitting there on the shelf.  I don't know why, I seem to get a little emotional thinking of the love and work that goes into these vintage items, that end up being forgotten.  I guess it is just a part of life, but it makes me feel a little better that it can be loved again.  :)

I've always loved diamonds and it is so pretty as a star!! The white background sure makes them pop!!  All the fabrics are simply delightful too.

I also got all nine blocks sewn together this week-end for my Japanese x and + pillow for the Pillow Talk Swap!  I then sewed it all together, and it turned out to be 22 inches!!  Yikes!! 

For some reason I was thinking it was going to be 20 inches which is already a really large pillow, but 22 inches was just too big!!  I spent some time seam ripping all the blocks apart and then sewed 4 back together and added a simple border.  I was worried it wouldn't be scrappy enough, but I really like how it turned out.

I love how bright, cheery and retro it looks!!  It was really fun to sew something I normally wouldn't.  That is one of the best things about swaps.

Doesn't it look lovely with the vintage quilt!!

I pieced one of the extra blocks to the back since I have some extra.  :)

It is now flying it's way to ????  I sure hope my partner loves it.  It was such a pleasure to make!!

Hope you have a lovely week!!