for Marti

Here is the finished sampler and swap package that I sent to Marti. I mailed it early, so she could be surprised. I think the only thing that I added from the layout post is that I hand sewed the image to the fabric using the blanket stitch.

This will be the last post for July. See you August 1st!

wednesday wow...with the hows

Such a simple and fun sampler. And a great way to use favorite snippets that you can't bear to throw away. Done on a 4 x 6" scale, the scrap pieces would be so small and cute! These pretty inspiration pieces originated, and the pattern/instructions can be found here.

my mini fabric sampler garland ... at halftime!

Here it is in all its glory! The one in the very center is the sample that I made as a swap badge and sample. (I actually made it a few years ago ) I meant to hang them all in monthly order, but I realize I placed March after January and before February. Oh well. These are not the best pictures, I apologize. I'm going to try to get some better ones... but I was anxious to share!

January- from Jan
February- from Pam
March- from Elizabeth
Middle- A Swap For All Seasons banner
April- from Heidi
May- from Bev
June- from May

I love them all.

summertime saturday

Follow this link to see the rest of the ideas, and to download the popsicles. What a great activity to do with a friend / child / your family on your own this summer. Hang a popsicle on the garland each time you complete the act of kindness! Such a fun and meaningful summertime project.

wednesday wow...from may

This is the wonderful June sampler that I received from May. Want to see the fab fabric she sent to go along with it? Check out my blog!

on the edge

Here is a great tutorial for how to do these great variations of the blanket stitch. It's such a handy stitch for finishing off edges or for attaching an element to a piece of fabric.

vintage image saturday

summertime fashion!

Special Delivery

I received a package in the mail yesterday filled with beautiful prayer flags! I am so very touched. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and well wishes! And a very special thank you to Elizabeth for organizing it! I had weight loss surgery on June 17th. Everything went well and I haven't had any complications, so I'm very grateful. The recovery and dietary adjustments take some time, so that's why I've had to slow down a bit. So far so good! I know that the thoughts and prayers of my dear friends and family have made all the difference, so thank you!

Here are some pictures of the beautiful flags. In the order in which they appear, they are from Linda, May, Elizabeth, Patty, Sally, Debbie and Sherry. I have them hanging on my mantle to inspire me and to remind me how very blessed I am. I love each one of them (and each one of you) dearly!

wednesday wow

This is one of my all time favorites. This one is actually a small brooch, but it is very easy to imagine it as a much larger piece as well. I absolutely love the colors, the cup and the sentiment. Perfection! Made by...wait for it... Constanza!

my July sampler layout...summer fun

Once I saw this image, I knew it was the one. It really captures the essence of summer fun! Just a couple more details...

vintage image Saturday...Happy Birthday, America

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy these Yankee Doodle Dandies!

July

We are halfway through our year long swap adventure! For the next 6 months of the swap I will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

I have so much going on in my life right now! I'm still recovering from some surgery that I had in June, so I need to pace myself over these next few months. (No worries, I am totally fine!) And on a happy note, I am planning a baby shower for my sister Susie's first grandbaby who is due in October!

I LOVE our swap this year, and I have so much fun working on the blog posts. I just need to make it a bit more manageable for the busy months ahead.

So let's get started! I am making my mini fabric sampler for Marti this month. Take a peek at what I pulled out of my project box. More summery sweetness, this time with patriotic flair!