Personalized Drawstring Bags : :

It's become tradition that when my niece comes to visit, Haila, Ceci, and I plan a sleepover sewing session to tackle a new little project. Last vacation it was pillows, this time we decided on a pair of Drawstring Bags, personalized with their initials, with a quilt as you go twist!



These adorable bags started with Bari J.'s new, gorgeous Joie De Vivre Joyeux Alphabet panel. We fussy cut and framed each letter, creating little log cabin style blocks using my quick quilt as you go method!





The girls each picked fabrics to pair with their letter and I love what they chose -- a Blossom Lavish print in aqua blue for Ceci & a sweet Garden Paperie print for Haila!





These drawstring bags were so much fun to make! If you're looking for a sweet, functional projects to stitch up with a young sewer in your life, I definitely suggest you add these to the list! You can find the tutorial, with just a few slight modifications, at Svetlana's blog s.o.t.a.k Handmade!





♡ Maureen  

Change of Plans : :

I used my quilting ruler to cut one triangle from each Meadow print, setting them aside, waiting for my chance to begin my new quilt. I wanted to sew just one row together before committing fully to my design plan. Then yesterday, as I finished up a few etsy orders while enjoying my daffodils, I changed my mind!





The warm, sunny yellow and bright orange flowers were too convincing, and so out went any Meadow blues darker than a clear Summer sky and in came cantaloupes & peachy creams, mint & pale aqua, more sunshine yellow & tangerine, grassy greens, and bright teals.



This bundle feels so much like Summer to me. Those shiny, carefree days I'm so ready for! An easy quilt as you go of bright stripes in varying widths of these pretty fabrics. Simple and fun!



My plan, to take my Herringbone quilt tutorial and rather than add each fabric on the diagonal, I'll be adding each strip straight, one after the other just like a patchwork stacked coin quilt. I printed out AGF's Rustic Autumn quilt pattern quite sometime ago, loving both the diagonal direction and the orange! I plan to keep it close by for a little extra inspiration!



And how about you, what are you working on these days?

♥  Maureen

Sweet Summer Dreams : :

Today is the end of the school year here and in just a few hours our Summer will begin! I'm not sure yet how my sewing time will change, I am sure it will, and I plan to adapt as quickly as I can! Yes, I've already begun my sewing plans for Summer...

When Brenda asked me to put together a custom bundle for her shop, Pink Castle Fabrics, I knew it had to be Summery, beachy, vintage-y, yet very colorful.

I've been loving the color coral again this year, so that was an obvious first color choice, but once I thought of my favorite West Elm mugs it all came together quickly. The hardest part was making those cuts, I don't think a bundle of 20 fabrics is what Brenda had in mind. I asked my facebook friends for their opinions on naming this bundle, which was really wonderful. There were so many good ones! We finally decided on Sweet Summer Dreams -- a bundle of 12 fat quarters in soft grays, blues, corals, yellows, and aquas -- available right here! I hope you like it!!



One thing we really need for this Summer is a new beach/picnic blanket. Enter Seaside, the new collection by October Afternoon for Riley Blake. Aren't these prints adorable?! I think they'll be just perfect, combined with some yellow, chevron laminate, for our blanket and my next Design Team project!



Arriving with these fabrics was a bit of happy mail for me!



A little mention of my blog in the newest issue of Where Woman Create -- woohoo!



On Monday, we all agreed that we are ready for Summer days.







and for me...some Summer sewing!

Are you looking forward to any new Summer sewing or craft projects? I'd love to hear! ♥ Maureen 

p.s. Here's a peek a tomorrow's Fabric Giveaway!

Summer's End : :

Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are.

When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

~ Lao Tzu ~

There was nothing more beautiful, or inspiring to me than watching my children this Summer. They are such free, joyful little people. Their natural connection to the earth is so strong and amazing. We spent many days "Unplugging" this Summer, some of those days I shared here. It was an honor to watch and share these days with them. I felt free and joyful and inspired and moved to be and do the same and I'm so grateful to my children for that!

This morning begins a new school year and it feels so much like Fall already. Farewell! to another beautiful and busy summer...

Holding On {and a giveaway winner} : :

In just one week from today it's back to school for my boys. It's bitter sweet. For all of us.



In an attempt to hold on to these last few unscheduled, what-do-you-feel-like-doing-days, I decided to take a little break from blogging and my etsy.



I will be back here Monday, August 29th with lots of new things to share. We have planned a busy week full of playing and crafting together!

And now...We have our fabric giveaway winner! 

From 247 entries Mr. Random says our lucky winner is comment # 38, Leila of Where the Orchids Grow!!! I hope you enjoy your new beautiful fabrics! I will be in touch shortly!

Have a great week, everyone!!!!

{this moment} : :

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

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Unplugged Sunday : :

For us, spending the day unplugged means finding water -- a stream, a pool, a pond, a lake, and hopefully at some point this Summer an ocean. We prepare and pack together. We talk, listen, read, write, watch, sing, and enjoy music while we travel. We get to our destination and we play. It's that simple. It's that wonderful!

Our Unplugged Sunday from this past weekend was full of discovery.

Mostly of the freshwater crustacean kind.


And the slow-moving amphibian variety.

And what the perfect water-to-sand ratio is to get that castle to stand properly.

But also -- How reading on a quilt several decades old, in the middle of a field, with a cool breeze fluttering your pages, feels a bit magical.

How letting go of controlling the mess allows them to do things that truly amaze you.

How many different colors a sky can be in an hours time, if you just sit and watch it.



How this is all we really need.

What is Unplugged Sunday? Simply setting aside one day a week to revel in simple activities and be together as a family or with friends, without the distraction of the internet, television, cellphones, texting, etc.

If this is something that speaks to you -- You can read more about Unplugged Sunday here and follow along here. I have also added this info to my Join In page.

Unplugged Sunday : :

This past weekend we experienced out first full "Unplugged" day together as a family of five. To sum it up quickly -- It was magical! I could write a thousand words to describe each moment or picture that I took, and maybe eventually I will, but for now I think our pictures do a wonderful job all on their own.










This picture truly does say it all!

What is Unplugged Sunday? Simply setting aside one day a week to revel in simple activities and be together as a family or with friends, without the distraction of the internet, television, cellphones, texting, etc.

If this is something that speaks to you -- You can read more about Unplugged Sunday here and follow along here. I have also added this info to my Join In page.

Wishing you all much joy as this week begins!

{this moment} : :

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

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