Sewing Room Before : :

Oh gosh, I really hope I'm not jinxing myself with this post. We haven't even closed on the house yet, but that date is set, everything is signed, and we are all packing. So....  I'm dreaming!

Well, dreaming and pinning! I'll apologize now for just how much, if you follow me there. Sorry.
I just. can't. stop.

I thought it would be a good idea to share some before's today. The room that will be my studio is almost empty now, so I snapped a few photos yesterday to make my plans and to share. Here it is, just as you leave the kitchen and come into the dining room.



It's very open to the rest of the house, which I am not at all used to. In the last three years that I have been passionately crafting, I have always used that small awkward space, that's a little hidden from the rest of the house. That started with me using a huge closet, with a window for a little knitting room hide-away spot. Which moved to me taking claim of half of the playroom, once I began sewing. In this house we're in now, I have been lucky to have my very own room, a forth small bedroom, many steps away from the kitchen, which is where I definitely spend most of my time. It will be so nice to be able to just pop in and out of this new room.



Of course there's a little negative to it's location, as well. With it being so open, I'm going to have to be extra neat. I've already asked my husband for doors, but it will be awhile before that happens. Right now I imagine my sewing table beneath this beautiful window. What do you think? The shutters will keep me from staring out into the neighbors house, but I'll have some pretty light coming in right above be.



The carpet is likely to stay for awhile, too. Hopefully, one day, we can extend these pretty Pergo floors throughout. I love the look of them! Many things about this house are just our style, these floors are one of them!



They are in the family room, which is our very favorite room. Isn't it cozy? I can't wait to move into this room!!



And, here is my future sewing room from the outside. The first room to the right, just as you enter.



It is so exciting, I can hardly stand it! It's going to be so fun to plan and finally get in there and all set up. I really would love your advice and suggestions!! Here come the questions, ready? --

How do you feel about leaving the walls a neutral color? What do you use for fabric storage? Scrap storage? Thread storage? I won't have a closet, which scares me! But I do have my new huge cabinet, plus my current shelf space. Do you have any favorite art prints? I will finally be able to put nails in the walls, hallelujah!! I will have a desk for my machine, but I'm not sure if I should bother with a second table for my cutting, or just use the dining room table, since it will be so close?? I'll also need to find a creative way to display my quilts and all the items I make for sale. A ladder for the quilts? A shelf dedicated to sale merchandise?

It's going to be hard to wait, but so nice to have time to plan it all out!! I can't wait to read your ideas!!  
♥,  Maureen 

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An Improv Valentine Mini Quilt : :

Hooray, I finished up my mini quilt just in time for Valentine's day!



I added some black and white binding as planned, although I did mess this part up to tell the truth. I must have been thinking of bunting making while I was cutting, piecing, and pressing my binding because when I finished I had made a double folded role of binding? The type I'd use for bunting making, not quilt binding?? I decided just to work with it and I think it turned out just fine.



I hand stitched it on using some of my very favorite red & white baker's twine. I think it adds a sweet little touch and matches the baker's twine pom pom Heart Felt Garland I made for our fireplace last year.



My favorite part of this mini is definitely the pieced heart! Of course, I'll never get tired of seeing red & aqua together.



The more I look at the reverse side of my mini, the more I like this side, too! It's a little dark, but I'm happy with the way it looks like a simple sketch.



This was a fun project for sure! A nice new little Valentine's Day decoration, but not too themed that I'll need to put it away right away. I think decorating with sweet, red hearts and "love" themed projects is perfectly acceptable all year round, don't you agree? I do still have plans to make this pieced heart pillow by Anna very soon!

Making these improv blocks and mini quilts is some of the most fun I have ever had sewing and making, ever!!



Yes, I quite like these mini quilts! I actually started a new one yesterday that I can't wait to share later in the week!

Happy Monday, friends!

Colorful Christmas Dresden Pillow : :

With this last Christmas pillow, phew, I am done! And I can happily say that Christmas-y goodness can be found in nearly every corner of our house this year.



For this pillow I made a large colorful dresden using a few new fabrics, but it's actually made up mostly of the large scraps that were left from several projects I have finished and shared here these last few months.



When I look at it, my eyes wonder around each fabric piece that make up the circle and I think of all of them -- my bottled rainbow quilt blocks, my daughter's Little Red costume, the apron I made for my sister in law, the stockings I just finished, and scraps left from my other Christmas pillows.



I fussy cut the center medallion, that to me looks like a colorful, lovely snowflake and went with an aqua snowflake fabric to finish off the back.



I think the scalloped shape of the center mimics our other favorite holiday pillow quite nicely!



Tomorrow I'll be hosting a four day giveaway for some brand new gorgeous fabrics, sponsored by The Intrepid Thread! You can take a peek here at the bundle!

And with that, I want to wish everyone the Merriest of Christmas's and a wonderful holiday weekend!!!

Quilted Christmas Stockings : :

Yesterday we had such a wonderful day celebrating my little girl's birthday! Thank you for all her birthday wishes! We also spent some time together in my sewing room stitching up these quilted Christmas stockings for my brother and his fiance.



I had never made stockings before, but I found it really quick and fun. I even made a felt pattern to tuck away for any matching stockings they may need made in the future. :)



The fronts are quilted, with a layer of soft, cotton batting and the insides are lined. That was definitely the trickiest part for me. I had to think carefully of how I would need to do that... Yes, the lining needs to be inside out on the outside, right sides facing, with an opening for turning... It gets confusing for me. How about you?



The backs are both finished in the Cheery Circles Dots prints by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake. I picked up both from my sponsor Pink Castle Fabrics -- they're still available right here for a great price!



The fronts are made up in a simple scrappy patchwork with some polka dot prints, some of my favorite Little Apples prints (on sale here :) and a little of my new favorite, Sundae in Ruby!



I think two more may have to be made before Christmas -- one for Kevin and one for me!!!

Christmas Bunting Garland : :

Come on in... Yes, crafty folks live here!



Well, at least I hope this newest new bunting/garland hanging strand of colorful, Christmas-y goodness explains that well, just as you first enter this house.



To make this one, we used some adorable store bought felt, fabrics, yarn and sweater ornaments, bias tape, and Christmas fabrics.



I recently picked up a triangle template at Joann, which made making up these triangle bunting pieces so quick and easy!



I think this marks the end of garland making for me for the rest of the year! I might have to do a little re-cap, but I do believe that there is a different garland hanging in all but the kitchen, the bathrooms, and our bedroom. This last one, Haila and I made together! Sort of...



And, now it hangs happily in our hallway.



Haila asked if this little angel could be her's or her or both? Of course, I said yes!



After all, today she turns FIVE, you know!!



We're off to continue the Christmas crafting today and to celebrate our little girl, who suddenly seams much too big!

Glittered Snowflake Mobile : :

When I first saw this snowflake mobile on Posie Gets Cozy, I had to have it! And then I heard that little whisper, "Maureen, don't do it. You can make something similar. Don't spend the money, it's not even free shipping...." So... I convinced myself that I could whip something up, with some things that I had on hand. And, then I decided it should be sparkly, too!



I had originally set out to make this a simple tutorial of sorts, laying everything out for careful picture taking and instruction writing. But oh was this project anything but simple! If you've ever attempting to make a mobile like this, then you know! I actually have made something similar and had completely forgotten what a pain it is to get a mobile balanced. So therefor, a tutorial just wouldn't be right. For such a simple idea, it was so challenging and I won't be making another ANY time soon!



In case any of you are still interested, after that uplifting intro :) -- For the basic how-to, you'll need a variety of wooden embroidery hoop sizes (you'll only use the center circle of each hoop), string, scissors, and lots of sparkly or paper snowflakes. I pretty much tied on every snowflake ornament I had. I do love the sparkle!!!



The only thing left to add now is some handmade paper snowflakes of our very own and I think it will be perfect!



A pain in the butt to make, but still pretty!!!

This Weekend : :

This Weekend was exactly what I needed!

- I worked on last weeks orders, spending all of Saturday, enjoying the Harry Potter marathon with lots of popcorn, cocoa and my favorite little people.

- My little photographer took pictures of me, taking pictures of him. It went on way too long and now my memory card (all 16gb of it) is full! :)

- We got our tree!!!

-  I got to play dj, with the sounds of Christmas being sung by my favorites -- Elle Fitzgerald, Ingrid Michaelson, Bing Crosby, KT Tungstall, Pricsilla Ahn... while Kevin and Haila worked their magic with the Christmas lights.

- My boys danced and entertained us all afternoon with their usual goofy antics. ♥ 

- We got a visit from our little piggy friend, Abner!

- We all felt the spirit of Christmas. Yes, it's here!!

- I have no doubt now that real friends are made through this blogging thing we all do and love! I thank you for showing me your support by visiting me here and by leaving me your sweet words that make me feel wonderful and special and keep me creating day after day. Thank you, friends!

Today, I'm wishing you all a beautiful start to your own week!!

It's Beginning : :

We're finally beginning to get out the Christmas decorations. How about you? You're probably already all done! I usually am, but our trip has me behind on everything -- gift making, gift buying, birthday planning, orders, the decorating, the laundry... And so, the plans I had, again this year, for our Advent Calender just didn't happen. I actually bought one, I had to!



We've been experiencing some strange weather here in North Western Pa and for the fist time that I can ever remember, I am missing the snow! If you follow me on Pinterest, you might have suspected this already by my recent pinning. Well, we've decided to bring on the snow in forms of garland, paper and glittery snowflakes, icy blue ornaments, candles, and vintage milk glass.



We're just beginning, but we have big plans!



Is there anything better than Winter candle light? I don't think so!



How funny is it that just a couple of months ago this same pillow felt like the beginning of Fall to me?



I just finished this second one and now this same same stack of fabrics is feeling so very holiday-ish!?



The red...



The green...



Yes, yes...it's beginning!