Happy, Happy New Year

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Image Credit Lucy Snow Photography


New beginnings.

This year I will....

...love more: loving my family & friends of course, but even myself and even those who don't love me back

...think bigger: i tend to confine myself. many times i think, 'oh, i could never...' but i need to remind myself that i gave birth to a child. i've moved to another state all alone. i taught high school special education to at-risk students. i started this little business thing. from now on, 'oh, i can.'

...breathe deeper: multi-tasking was my best asset as a teacher. i walk fast & won't sit through televisions commercials. it probably answers everyone's question- where do you find the time? but sometimes i forget to breathe. literally. i find myself holding my breath. and that's just not the way to go about life now is it?


Cheers to a lovely & bright new year!

Winter Wonderland

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

So I had planned on sharing a preview of Valentine's Day lovelies but this little snowstorm came through & gave us an unexpected happy diversion to our day...so I just have to share! Please note- if you're from back East or anywhere else that gets regular amounts of snow, please don't laugh at our teensy amount of powder :) Trust me, I know serious snowfall- we spent two years in Boston! But now with a curious toddler even a little bit seems a lot more magical!

Looking out our backyard

I love this bend in the road

Our front walkway. I think this one looks like those black & white photos where they edit in some color.



Truck Ornament Tutorial

Monday, December 28, 2009

So I decided to start a little tradition of making Jack an ornament every Christmas. Of course, this was only his second holiday so I'm not sure that's really a tradition..yet. But, in any case, here's what I whipped up for him! It's a "dumper" (Jack's really classy word for dump truck), it is blue & orange (his favorite colors) and it has his name on it. You'd think he'd love it, right? Well- sadly this little truck couldn't live up to the appeal & excitement of Legos....but maybe he'll love it someday.

I, however, am quite pleased with the results & realized the ' technique' I used could work for many different shapes (butterflies, owls, bugs.....) & could have a variety of uses (party favors, gift tags....) . So here's a brief description of how I put it all together:



{first off, here's the sentimental, mushy-mom back side}



Found an image online (image top left - as if it's not obvious) . Using that image as a reference (though I should be really good at drawing trucks by now!) sketched out the basic outline/elements of the truck (see drawing to the right). Traced the outline of that image with a 1/4" allowance (see drawing to bottom left).

Cut out background color using the outline I had created.

Cut apart felt shapes from my initial sketch to create 'pieces' to overlay on top of the background piece. Some pieces needed trimming to fit just right.

Embroidered Jack's name on main part of the dump truck. Fitted all pieces together, leaving approximately equal gaps between all shapes.


Top-stitched all pieces onto the back side using matching colored- thread.

*Steps not shown in photos: Cut out another background piece. Put the "front" on top of the "back" (which I had embroidered with the year) and top-stitched around the edge. I also included a loop of ribbon to hang ornament from. (Batting could also have been included in between for a more three dimensional shape).
Ta da!



Did anyone else make ornaments this year? If so, I'd love to see or hear about them!



Christmas Joy

Sunday, December 27, 2009

So I just can't resist posting a few Christmas photos. Seemed like it was a bit harder snapping pics this year- difficult to keep up with a very rambunctious almost-two-year-old! Here's a few moments from this year....


Preparing for Santa: "Dear Santa, Thank you for coming to my house. Please say hello to Frosty & Rudolph. Love, Jack." Plus, crayon artwork to really win the big guy over....

This picture sort of sums up our relationship. "Jack, I love you to pieces. Smooch. Smooch. Smooch." "Mom, you're a little nuts."


Lelo Fire Truck!


Again. "Mom, you're sort of smothering me."

Discovery: The Slinky.

Somehow this moment feels like it belongs in the Christmas Story movie.

Very Merry!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Wishing everyone a holiday brimming with love & cheer!



Mr. Quiltish drew this charming portrait of our little family! Isn't he wonderfully talented?! It's so lovely we turned it into our Christmas card this year!

Stocking for Mr. Quiltish

Wednesday, December 23, 2009


Shhh, top secret post here:

Just completed a Christmas stocking for my hubby, who, up until now has been using random stockings each year ( a travesty, I know). So I whipped up this felty one for him- nice & simple & traditional - I do hope he likes it! {{Wondering why it's on the Christmas tree? It's the only place in the house with natural light at 4pm! We're in Oregon....}}

Merry Eve of Christmas Eve!



The Palatino Linotype font used to create "dad" is one of my faves.....


Need more last minute ideas? Check out yesterday's post, "Wait a Minute"


Wait A Minute!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Now that all my holiday orders are sewn, packaged & shipped off to their destinations I'm full speed ahead on crafting a few items for our home & family... Of course, it is a little last minute (but when is it not?!) and you know what they say about lateness & neverness. Here's a few last minute projects & gifts...

Jack & I raided my sewing basket to create this little tree- he enjoyed choosing the fun little bits & smooshing them on to the gluey spots.

Just finished this little crayon roll to tuck inside Jack's stocking - blue & orange, of course. {Two great crayon cozy tutorials : from Chocolate on My Brain and Skip to My Lou}

Used extra bits of eco-felt from my Christmas birds to make these little garlands. Cut gobs of felt circles & sewed them together leaving about an inch gap in between.

A round-up of free printable pdfs from Going Home to Roost - tons of last minute gift ideas!

Merry Monday

Monday, December 21, 2009


Absolutely magical.









{{Photo taken by German photographer Tanja Askani - whose website is in German, but her photos transcend language. Also interesting to note her amazing work with wolves }}

Oh, Happy Friday!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Hello, happy friday to ya!

Here's a few bits of my happiness so far today:

Last night Mr. Quiltish brought me a sweet little gift - feeding my addiction to caffeine but with a personalized touch....a Starbucks gift card with a little love note on it and with my custom drink :) Very impressed by this. Went out & used it first thing today!




Found my holiday pillow in Etsy's Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide- for Procrastinators. I guess they know I am one! (p.s. Thank you Etsy!)




Finished up a lovely little bag for a custom order...I love how it turned out. My buyer had fabulous ideas!


And this one too! Gorgeous. If I do say so myself ;)


And, of course, no entry is complete without a Little Jack sighting! Here he is after opening one of his first Christmas gifts - "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" from one of my besty friends, Jen (hi, Jenny- I know you're reading this!) Anyhow, Jack loved the book until he realized the moose had fallen. This really worried him, as you can see by the utter dismay on his face. Oh, my little muffin!


Hope everyone has a lovely weekend & enjoys the countdown to Christmas!

Eat. Sew. Play. Sleep.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

repeat.

Wow! Thanks to everyone for such an amazing December! I am so thankful to my lovely buyers...and I love hearing their stories! I've had many buyers return to purchase their second, third, fourth & even sixth Quiltish item....one buyer finally purchasing something for herself- to celebrate her new baby boy. New buyers who found my shop through gift guides and word of mouth. Even a few husbands contacting me to create an item for their wives (well, each husband had one wife, not 'wives'...) anyhow - I absolutely love hearing where my items will end up & enjoy thinking how many of my creations will be an actual gift someone opens on Christmas! What a fun, happy, & lucky privelege.....here's a few:


A buyer's husband contacted me to create something for his wife. What a thoughtful hubby! After a few conversations, this is the pouch we came up with for her- hope she loves it!

These pouches were created for the friend of one of my all-time-bestest & loyalest customers ever! Love the prints she chose!

Sets for another loyal & lovely return customer...great taste ;)

Another pouch order....

.....and another...being wrapped up for shipment. Notice any trends here???

All packaged up & ready to go! My darling Jack loves lining the packages up by the door. We drop them off as we go out & about :)

Hooray, Hooray!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Oh. Wow. How did this happen? So happy to discover I am included in the Dooce Infant Guide! What an amazing ( and mild heart attack inducing) surprise! Eeeks.

There it is ----> My bib set next to a couple other cutie items. You must visit the whole awesome gift guide, because even if it there's not a baby in your life, who doesn't love looking at items for wee ones? Anyhow, many thanks to the maven at Dooce for choosing something from my little bitty humble shop!



In other news: Feels like I fell off the face of the (blog) world. Where the heck have I been? Madly, madly sewing & stitching inside my little cozy studio, that's where! I keep waiting for elves to help, but none have shown up. I know though, that I am so super lucky & blessed to be busy with this amount of orders!

And when I'm not holed away making pouches (top seller this season) and baby sets, I'm enjoying Little Jack singing his rendition of "Frosty the Snowman," driving around our neighborhood in search of orange lights (his favorite color) and otherwise celebrating the season by making gingerbread houses, cookies, & presents.

Cheers!!

Christmas Goodies & Freebies

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Here's a festive bundle of Christmasy freebies, downloads, tutorials, & patterns - Make & spread some holiday cheer!

Christmas Tutorial Round Up from Designs By Vanessa



Free Downloadable Gift Tags from Two Brunettes

Holiday Tag Templates by House & Home
"Stitchmas Tags" from Sublime Stitching

Printable Greeting Cards by Eat Drink Chic



Snowflake Embroidery Design by Needle N Thread

Newsworthy

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Oh, my little man.

{{ I feel like a north pole elf over here- crafting & sewing late at night and the wee hours of the morning...busily preparing orders & hoping to also make a few gifts & decorations for our home. Check out my lovely gift guides though for Christmas gift ideas! }}}

Gift wrap available in my shop with this gorgeous twine & handmade gift tags!

Christmas Tree Forest Pillow

Sunday, December 06, 2009

{{updated: 12/10/2012 - from here to Better Homes & Gardens, to Modern Wall Hanging, check out the journey of this pillow:  http://quiltish.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-journey-of-my-tree-pillow.html }}

I've grown very fond of my Christmas tree pillows.... They've become my holiday best seller & have been included in Etsy's holiday home decor gift guide (thanks Etsy!). Some holiday seasons I love golden stars. Sometimes shimmery snowflakes. This year, I'm all about the mossy, foresty, olivey greens found in evergreens. Lucky for me, I live in gorgeous Oregon & no doubt our lovely neighborhood inspired these pillows & my matchy ornaments. Here's a few glimpses of the pillow experience.....

Lookin' out my front door. Tall + strong + magical.


allisa jacobs original designTa Da!


Finding a new home with my in-laws in Carlsbad, California...Obviously a cozy place for little Pshon (a kitty we rescued from railroad tracks & delivered to California to be showered with love!)

My little place in the gift guide. Looking up to those gorgeous trees from one of my favorite shops, Middleburg!