brittney

Tutorial: Seat Belt Pad

2012-01-21T14:30:00.001-06:00

My sad, old seat belt pad was looking worse for wear and I really don't think it was doing anything anymore, so it was time for a replacement.

The construction is simple: a rectangle with a pair of velcro stitched down the sides. Easy peasy, right? Here's what I did:

You'll need:

Two pieces of fabric, cut to 7.5" X 8.5" - (If you want a longer pad, increase the 8.5" length)

Padding cut to the same size (I used leftover fleece and poly batting)

8" of Velcro

1. Cut your fabric to size.

**You can also use scraps and piece them together to size.**

2. Cut your padding to size. I had some leftover fleece and poly batting that I used, but you could use virtually any kind of batting and make it as thick or thin as you want.

3. Make sure everything's nice and ironed.

4. Stack up your fabric as follows:

~Fabric- right side out

~Padding

~Fabric- right side out.

5. Serge it together around all four sides.

**If you don't have a serger or overlocker, you can use a wide zigzag stitch on your regular machine. Just cut your original pieces to 7"X8" because the serger trims down the edges.**

You should now have a cushy, rectangular pad

that's roughly 7"X8".

Make sure your velcro measures the length of your

LONGEST SIDES, around 8". Trim if necessary.

6. Sew the velcro to your pad.

Make sure you are sewing it to the long sides.

Trust me... I don't know from experience or anything...

When you get to the end of the velcro,

stop with your needle down and turn the corner.

7. Sew one side of the velcro to the top, and the other side to the bottom. This way it will wrap around your seat belt.

Make sure you are not sewing the velcro to the same side .. this photo shows one line of velcro, facing up on the left,

and you can see the stitches of the other line on the right side, velcro facing down.

Yay! You're done! Wasn't that easy?! Now make another one or three for your passengers. I made a his + hers for our car.

For the Record:

I used fun Anna Maria Horner Loulouthi fabrics for my seat belt pads.

My serger is a Brother 1034D, which I got for Christmas and already love so much.

Let me know if you make your own seat belt pads! They also make great gifts for just about anyone on your list.

2012

2012-01-01T21:12:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I hope the first days of 2012 are treating you well!

We lucked out this year and got to spend the holiday week with both our families. We were spoiled rotten by our parents, sisters, and families and have lots of goodies to unpack in the coming days.

2011 brought a very big change for me and Curt - we bought our first home in August and have been slowly moving in ever since. We hope 2012 will bring even more blessings our way! Like any good New Year's post, how about some resolutions?

**Become more green - I have grandiose plans to plant a garden this spring, start composting, make & utilize cloth napkins, eat lots of fresh food, and work on naturalizing my beauty regimen**

**Learn how to use my new serger :) :) **

**Stock up and sell in the shop**

**Work on more mini quilts as a method for trying new techniques and designs**

**With the help of my new shelf, make lots of pretty things from my fabric stash**

**Learn how to knit socks two-at-a-time, toe-up via this Christmas present**

**Keep a happy and tidy home**

**God willing, fill that empty bedroom with a screaming, pooping, demanding, bundle of joy**

**Stay in touch with friends via avenues other than Facebook**

**Start and keep a daily account of our life through something like this**

**Collect more of these**

**Hang more decorations on our blank walls**

Am I being overly ambitious? I don't think so :) What are your hopes and plans for 2012? Whatever they may be, I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year!

Hey Girl

2011-12-18T14:08:00.001-06:00

This site has been making the rounds on blogs and the twitters and it's killing me. I sent the link to Curt last week to show him how considerate Ryan is about crafting. See, Curt usually says the EXACT OPPOSITE of Ryan is "saying." Curt admitted Ryan must be the better man, so I figured he wouldn't mind if I poked a little fun at him.

SO instead of all this, I'm getting this:

Curt's never actually refused to help, but he has put up a fight:

This instead of that.

This not that.

And NEVER this, ALWAYS this:

By now you have all realized that my husband is a total hunk and a half and despite the silly captions, he is an amazing guy.

Truthfully, a lot of the time he's more like this:

I couldn't have asked for a better guy to craft away my life with (except, I guess, Ryan Gosling). He always supports and encourages me, even if he doesn't always agree with my color choices :)

Love you Curt!

(I am in so much trouble)

The Goose is Getting Fat

2011-12-14T02:15:00.001-06:00

Slowly but surely, Christmas has arrived at our house. Our tree is up, but lacks any kind of decoration. That's alright though, because we usually keep it up well into February (.. March .. April .. I was in a standoff last year and it was up for a long time) so we'll have plenty of time left to enjoy the glow when we DO finally decorate it.

I did manage to make a Christmas wreath to hang on the front door. Styrofoam wreath + wide ribbons + lightbulb ornaments = this pretty little thing on the cheap.

On Sunday we went on a double date to see The Rockettes at The Grand Ole Opry House. The girls were lovely, with their high kicks and sparkly costumes. It definitely put me a little more into the holiday spirit.

After the show we drove by Opryland to view the lights. If you are ever around Nashville during the holidays, do be sure to drive through! There's a lot more inside the resort, but these lights are free and stunning.

I've been chugging away with my handmade holiday gifts. I finished a tshirt quilt tonight, which was the biggest undertaking I had left on my list. The remainder of my to-do's includes an infinity scarf, a ruffle towel, finishing up a knit hat that required more yarn, and maybe knitting a couple dishcloths, which will likely turn into a car activity.

Then of course comes the wrapping. This year I'm aiming for brown paper packages, tied up with string... yup, you're all singing it now :)

What are your last minute Christmas plans? Is everyone on your nice list check off?

Handmade Holidays

2011-12-08T13:57:00.001-06:00

You guys, I have been so busy preparing for the holidays, you'll have to forgive my bloggy absence and just believe these photos are proof that I have been sewing and stitching my fingers to the bone lately. More details after all the Christmas/baby/friendly presents are finished, I swear!

Are you making any holiday gifts this year?

Shop Sale!

2011-11-19T15:39:00.001-06:00

In the spirit of holiday shopping and my own desire to spread handmade goodness this Christmas season, EVERYTHING in my shop has FREE shipping to the US, now through December 3. Get a head start on the holiday rush and order some goodies today!

brittneyanderson.etsy.com

Window Shopping

2011-11-18T16:42:00.001-06:00

I had the opportunity to peruse Anthropologie yesterday while Curt was at work, and dang it - now I want one of everything. It was all so sparkly and colorful and warm and cozy looking. My shopping technique is usually "just look, don't buy." Here are some of my favorites:

{twinkle tweed change purse}

{celestial coasters in every color}

{bowls in every shape and color}

{knobs just begging to be turned}

I did snag some really great clearance kitchen linens and I may have started a new collection. Plus a little Christmas gift for my sissy :)

Have you kicked off your holiday shopping? I plan to make just about everything this year, but I love to look at the Christmas displays in all the stores, it makes me excited to decorate our new house - maybe this weekend?!

Weekend via Instagram

2011-11-13T13:52:00.001-06:00

It's been a low-key weekend with lots of cleaning, recording, and knitting around here.

How is your weekend going?

Fall Sewing

2011-10-30T19:32:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a cold one in Nashville - fall has definitely arrived! All the more reason to sew a new scarf, don't you think?

I had some new Loulouthi velveteen just begging to be turned into a loopy scarf. I plucked some Loulouthi voile from my stash that was just the right blue and got sewing.

I followed the tutorial from Anna's blog, but I altered my measurements slightly to better suit my ~~short~~ petite frame. My fabric was cut somewhere in the realm of 12" X 54".

I love the chartreuse color of the velveteen - perfect for a pop of color in the cold weather. The voile and velveteen together make a very cozy, warm scarf, and the infinity aspect means no ends flailing around or getting caught in zippers. It was quick and easy to sew. (AKA you can expect me to make a few as gifts this Christmas!)

Hope everyone has a good week!

Weekend Wedding

2011-10-17T12:24:00.001-05:00

Curt and I had the privilege of attending our dear friend Matt's wedding this weekend in Indiana. It was a beautiful weekend for a wedding and I snapped a few Instagrams to share with you.

The drive up was gorgeous - the trees were all kinds of colors through Kentucky and Indiana. We don't get that autumnal changing of seasons here in Nashville - it's just kind of hot and then it's cold, so the trees don't go through "the change."

The wedding ceremony was at this sweet little covered bridge in Zionsville. They had Ball jars lining the aisle with candles and the sun was shining just right to cast a perfect afternoon glow over everything.

The men wore plaid shirts with skinny black ties and suspenders; the girls wore grey dresses with sweet bows in the back, and the bride wore a beautiful strapless dress with plenty of ruffly layers.

Keeping with the fall theme, the reception tables were decked out with pumpkins, twigs, and a dusting of glitter. The groom is a musician - aptly represented by the hymnals and antiqued sheet music. The reception was in the town Curt and I (and Matt) went to college, so it was fun to visit for the night.

The reception was of the dessert variety, with plenty of pies and sweets arranged on two glowing tables. The second table had grab bags to fill with all kinds of treats like M&Ms, nuts, pumpkin seeds, chocolate covered espresso beans, peanut butter cups, etc.

I opted for the raspberry cake, which tasted as delicious and pink as it looks. Curt had apple pie with a flaky crust - yum!

Matt & Charissa were very civilized in their cake cutting, aside from a tiny dollop of frosting which somehow got from Matt's finger to Charissa's forehead :)

The wedding was beautiful, the desserts were delicious, and the bride & groom were grinning all night long, so I'd consider it a pretty successful wedding weekend.

Have you been experiencing autumn where you are? We are going to carve pumpkins this week and roast the seeds. I can't wait!

Crappy Scrappy Quilt

2011-10-03T13:44:00.000-05:00

(Let me preface this post: I don't want to offend anyone. I'm going to call some fabric ugly. If you happen to find the fabric beautiful, or you designed the fabric, please do not take it personally. Personal opinions for the win!)

It all started innocently enough .. Before unpacking all my fabric, I wanted to clear out my stash of a lot of fabric I have deemed ugly (there, see, I said it). It's fabric from various projects in which said fabric worked well with other fabrics, but I was left with scraps of fabric that no longer match other fabrics in my stash. And/or I love the fabric, but didn't have anything else to match it. Also, I once bought a jelly roll that looked way cooler online, but turns out the fabrics were all pretty lame calico prints. And leftover blocks from strange projects. You following?

So everyone knows the transitive property of quilting states if you throw enough ugly fabrics together, they will merge into one glorious quilt that is so ugly it is cool. You know, like that old painting in your grandma's house.

I started sewing together random blocks, using all that fabric I didn't see myself using in other projects. And yes, a little bit of fabric I actually love to offset the ugly. There are log cabins, nine patches, flying geese, half square triangles, and lots of improvised blocks.

I laid them all out into a size I liked, adding blocks here and there where necessary.

After getting most of the spaces filled, I started sewing the blocks together into larger sections, adding sashing and extra pieces to bridge the gaps. My goal was to make the chunks random sizes so there is not an obvious block layout in the finished quilt.

When all was said and done, I had most of the quilt sewn into large chunks with the exception of two little holes (see arrows above). At that point I had to face what I'd been avoiding and sew a few Y-seams. It went surprisingly well and the finished top has the random feeling I was aiming for.

This quilt will be a picnic/concert/grassy knoll quilt because I won't feel bad about getting all those weird fabrics a little dirty.

The back is comprised of large pieces of fabric I did not purchase, but they landed in my stash anyway. A pinky calico print, a dark green calico print, a golden dyed-looking fabric, and that awful green striped fabric which is more of a seersucker with glitter stripes. Yes, glitter.

Finally, I rounded up all my 2.5" strips of less-desirable fabric and sewed them into binding. This ugly sucker is really to be quilted as soon as I can get my hands on some batting.

How about a winner for the My Memories Suite giveaway?? Congratulations to Kim! Kim, I will email you shortly with more information.

I have a problem

2011-09-28T13:49:00.000-05:00

I have a problem. Some call it being frugal or economical. Some call it being a hoarder. Blame it on my Dutch heritage - I'm cheap, I don't throw anything out. But if you ain't Dutch, you ain't much. Long story short, I found myself with an incredible supply of tiny Loulouthi scraps left from Spring Quilt Market sewing. So I collected them all and started sewing them together.

Then we moved into our new house, my sewing fell by the wayside while I painted my new workspace, and the bits and pieces were left waiting rather impatiently.

Good news folks! My sewing desk is set up, not in it's permanent area and it needs a paint touch-up, but I'm sewing again. Which means all those bits finally got picked back up and I finished the last of 25 blocks last night.

Wanna know how I did it? It's a lot of fun, and a really great project for all those tiny chunks of your favorite fabric.

I started by sorting my scraps into sizes - crumbs, chunks, and legitimate pieces.

Then I just stitched the crumbs together, two by two, until I had a bunch, which I then started sewing to each other. This is a great excuse to do some major chain piecing!

Add more pieces as your work them, trimming to get a straight edge for the next piece.

I didn't think too much about the fabrics I was adding, just tried to make sure I had a good mix of patterns & colors.

As my chunks of crumbs got bigger, I started taking pieces from the other piles to grow them into 6" square blocks.

I did this a couple ways - a round-about log cabin style of adding strips around each side, and sewing chunks together.

This sometimes meant chopping off larger sections to get a square edge - but don't fear, just sew that into another block!

There is no planning in these blocks, creating lots of crazy angles and tiny pieces. Just keep sewing everything together - it's very relaxing!

(and you will make a basketful of the prettiest trash ever.)

I ended up with 25 blocks, all 6" square. I'm not sure what kind of layout I will do with them yet. I've considered sashing them, checker boarding them, or just piecing them randomly with neutral fabric to make a hodgepodge quilt in the spirit of the blocks.

I LOVE these fabrics and would like to make this a quilt big enough to enjoy myself. If that's not possible, I might turn it into a baby quilt for a future Lil' Anderson. (Future as in, I don't know when in the future .. no, I am not pregnant .. putting that disclosure in there because I know my family will ask.) I think it would make an amazing focal point for an otherwise subdued nursery.

Either way, I am happy to say my Loulouthi scrap pile has greatly decreased. And although my hubby hates multicolored quilts, he commended me on using only scraps to construct the blocks (aka "Thanks for not buying more fabric honey.")

Go forth and use up those scraps people! But before you do, please enter my giveaway. It's a nice thing to have in your back pocket. Happy Hump Day!

My Memories Suite Giveaway!

2011-09-23T20:26:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! I am so excited to offer you all a chance to win some really cool scrapbooking software from My Memories. They gave me a copy of their My Memories Suite to try out and are giving away another copy to one lucky winner! I'll tell you more about how to win at the end of the post, but for now, let's chat about the My Memories Suite software :)

When you purchase the scrapbooking software, you have the option to download it immediately or receive a physical copy via snail mail. Once installed, you have everything you need to start digital scrapbooking, right there on your computer. The possibilities are endless: pages, entire books, calendars, cards, posters ... you can do just about anything with the My Memories Suite. Here's a little page I made:

The software comes with plenty of backgrounds and extra embellishments, but my favorite thing about My Memories is the hundreds of other kits, backgrounds, and elements they have online to download. There are free downloads, paid downloads, and tons of great stuff on sale! Check out the cute options for fall scrapbooking, adorable girlie kits, and don't forget the holidays are right around the corner! I know my family would love the camping and beach kits to document how they spent their summer :)

The kits contain literally everything you need to make whole digital scrapbooks in a quick and simple way, without cluttering your craft area with all the paper, stamps, embellishments, and forgotten photos needed for traditional scrapbooking.

For more ideas and inspiration, visit the My Memories blog and their collection of helpful video tutorials.

Alright, let's get to the good stuff, shall we? I know you all want to win your own copy. You have three ways to enter, only three entries per person, please and thank you.

1) Visit MyMemories.com and tell me what your favorite digital scrapbooking kit is and what kind of project you would make with it.

2) Follow My Memories on Twitter. Leave a comment telling me you follow them.

3) Like My Memories on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me you Liked their Facebook page.

The giveaway will be open for the next week and I will pick a winner on Friday, September 30. Be sure to include your email so I can send you your free download code!

Finally, for those of you who don't win but still want your own My Memories Suite, I have a special deal for you! You can save $10 off your My Memories Suite v2.0 download when you use this code: STMMMS2617. Copy and paste that code to receive $10 off at checkout. As a bonus, you will also receive a $10 coupon with your software for downloads!

At the risk of sounding cheesy, get on entering this giveaway and most importantly, keep on making memories :)

Disclosure: I was provided with a download of the My Memories Suite at no charge for personal review. All opinions are my own. Compensated affiliate code used in post.

Shop!

2011-09-11T19:31:00.000-05:00

Hello friends. I'm so excited to finally show you these quilts! Why you may ask? Because they could be yours!

How you may ask? Because I opened an online shop!

So whenever you may need a little something, be it a quilt, hair accessory, phone case, or just something adorable, you should think of me.

And visit my shop {brittneyanderson.etsy.com} and tell your friends!

Daisy Chain Baby Quilt

City Weekend Baby Quilt

Hullabaloo Baby Quilt

Hushabye Baby Quilt

More hair accessories to come -- I need to find a model or convince Curt to take photos of my head :)

I would love if you bookmark my shop and spread the word. Thanks!

Nothing

2011-09-01T21:25:00.002-05:00

I have nothing new to report, but I felt the need to post a blog because it's sitting here, so lonely.

soccer sunday

I'm still waiting for my sewing desk to find it's permanent home and I'm going absolutely crazy without it! We painted it white but ran out of paint a coat shy of completion, so we need to pick up more. Then it will get a protective coat of polyacrylic, which will have to cure for a few days, and then I will get my sewing space back. The thought of having to wait another week makes me even more anxious...

butterfly at home depot

I'm itching to make some scrappy quilts to eat up my stash. Here are some patterns I'm considering (click the pictures for links).

via

I've been thinking about these X block quilts for awhile now ... literally daydreaming about them as I go through life. So yeah, that's definitely on my list!

via

I love these scrappy bow tie quilts. They seem to be the perfect way to use up even the tiniest scraps!

via

That last one reminds me - I need to stash up on some more neutral solids for some other ideas I have!

Including a scrappy vintage quilt at my in-laws' house that I want to copy. It's a simple 9-patch with sashing and setting squares. I think they're 2.5 squares, all set on white. I rendered up a little something to jog your imagination:

Their quilt is made from what I assume to be vintage calicos and feed sacks and the result is an amazing mix of colors and patterns. I plan to start cutting my scraps into 2.5" squares to steal this look.

An AccuQuilt might make that really easy. HINT HINT to anyone who might be shopping for me in the future :)

Have a fabulous holiday weekend! Curt's family is coming to visit so we will have a busy weekend!

Ah, the Beach.

2011-08-24T12:51:00.000-05:00

Curt and I were lucky enough to make an impromptu visit to Michigan, and even more exciting, to the West coast of Michigan where my family was camping! woohoo

I grew up spending summers at the beach. (Curt would probably want me to mention here that "the beach" I am referring to is actually a lake, which for some reason, he doesn't consider a beach. However, it is a big lake - Lake friggin Michigan. The sixth largest freshwater lake IN THE WORLD. It's shores house the largest freshwater dunes in the world. You can't see across to the other side. So there. Beach.)

Anyway .. where was I? Oh yeah, I have been quite literally aching for the beach this summer. Growing up in West Michigan meant I was never more than a short drive from any number of beaches. It hurts to realize how land-locked we are here in Middle Tennessee. So when Curt said we were headed to the "coast" I was ecstatic!

There were drippy sandcastles, Pringles, walks to the rocks, chasing seagulls, and obviously, holes. Giant holes and trenches, moats, and waterways. Holes big enough to bury a person. Or even two little people.

And then make sandy boobs for them. Because what fun is burying your brother/cousin/anyone unless you can shame them with big, perky boobs made of sand?!

It was all fun and games until Andrew couldn't feel his feet.

So we had to dig them out. (Which is not nearly as fun as burying them because everyone starts to panic.)

All in all it was a wonderful little trip to the beach and exactly what I needed. It was so nice to catch up with family, feel the sand between my toes, and spend a night camping in a torrential downpour. Yes, it was that great.

How are you spending your last days of summer?

Exciting News!

2011-08-19T15:14:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a real whirlwind! Curt found out last minute that he would be playing a big festival up in Michigan so we hitched a ride up north and spent the weekend there .. while trying to finalize things on our house. Yeah .. it was a little crazy.

More on our weekend later, for now let me share the exciting news! Monday morning we closed on our first home and by Wednesday night we had all our stuff packed up and moved to our new place. Mind you, very little is unpacked at this point, but it's all there, on our property, so that's something, right!?

Isn't it cute? And it's all ours :)

I was absolutely exhausted from packing by Wednesday night, compounded by the fact that that battery in our van died and jumper cables weren't working. The van was full of stuff, as was the attached trailer. I had about five meltdowns -- it wasn't pretty! But everything worked out fine, the van finally started, and all our stuff got to where it was going.

I spent Thursday relaxing in bed, the bath, and what will soon be my crafting area. Nothing is set up yet, but I did managed to make this wreath for our new home. I think it's swell.

I figure the yarn, fabric, and felt will give people a good preview of what they are about to walk into :)

More house updates soon as we unpack and start decorating. We have plans to paint most of our existing furniture this weekend, then hopefully I can get my sewing area set up and functioning -- my fingers are itching to sew!

Woodland

2011-08-02T13:06:00.000-05:00

I could go on and on about how much I love this music, but I will save you the time and just say GET IT! Now!

The Paper Kites -- Woodland EP

Mustard

2011-07-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've got mustard on the brain. When Curt and I eventually move into our own place, I want a nice mustard room. Guest bedroom perhaps?

I'll make some pillows from mustard fabric.

I would love to paint an old dresser or side table mustard.

I love the look of this mustard couch. And check out that rug!

I like the trendy combination of mustard and grey, but I really love this unexpected combo of mustard and teal.

Are you as in love with mustard as I am? If not, maybe these shoes can convince you:

I think I might have to start feeding my piggy bank and save up for a pair of these beauties. Won't they be perfect for fall?! And also to wear in my mustard room :)

Democracy

2011-07-27T14:13:00.001-05:00

I am in need of new glasses. I usually wear contacts, but every now and then I'm stuck wearing my glasses, which happen to be about ten years old. Not only are they grossly worn out, the prescription is way off. So I turned to Warby Parker for a new pair of geek chic glasses.

And now I'm turning to you to pick your favorite. Check out the photos and please, cast your vote! And feel free to leave more opinions in the comments.

So tell me, what's your favorite?

Catching Up

2011-07-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

Things have been a little bit crazy around here and my blog has been neglected. Curt and I are trying to buy a house and just when everything started to go our way we ran into a big issue. I won't bore you with the details but I will ask that you send good thoughts our way as we try to *hopefully* finalize things on our new house. We are thinking nothing but good thoughts and hoping for the best right now!

Adding to that stress is that fact that Curt has been away playing music at camps for a few weeks. Last week he didn't have cell service and it was such a pain to communicate!

The benefit of his absence is the fact that I have all the time in the world to sew, sew, sew, and I got a lot accomplished.

I made two new tops, finished off another that needed sashing, and then quilted them along with three other tops that have been waiting for a little love.

Two of the quilts were finished completely and the other four are waiting for binding. It felt really good to turn those tops into almost-quilts and I plan on tackling the binding tomorrow. Four of them will be going into my up-coming online shop.

I also occupied my time with some good old fashioned friendship bracelets. What, you haven't heard? They're back!

There's just something so calming about tying knots in group of threads that are pinned to the knee of your jeans. I still have my embroidery floss collection from my friendship bracelets days on the playground. Hours of fun to come!

Curtis came home Saturday but he brought a nasty cold with him. Fever, chills, sore throat, snot, coughing. It's bad. It's keeping me up at night. But it's good to have him back home.

While we are under a heat advisory, he's sitting on the couch under a winter blanket, wearing a sweater and drinking hot tea. Last night he requested chili for dinner. I can't say no because he's such a pathetic sick person, but I mean, come on, chili when it's 100* outside?!

I told you things are crazy around here. Back to sewing and packing. And maybe a little more friendship bracelet-ing.

ps: we saw Harry Potter and wow, wasn't it great?! I need to go back and read the books again because gosh, they are so good! And yeah, Neville Longbottom. Hello. Where did you come from?

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T23:51:00.000-05:00

Curt & I celebrated July 4th by staying in bed late, eating hot dogs, and drinking Country Time lemonade. Perfect!

We also went down to Franklin to visit the little street fair they had set up (not the greatest, in my opinion).

What was the greatest was this old timey band wandering the streets.

(video taken with my iPhone using the 8mm app - 20's filter)

We hit up the local fro-yo place. Curt had Original Tart and I had a little combo of Pistachio and Mint. They were mmmmm.

We left just before the parade, and just before a small storm rolled through.

I spent the rest of the night at work but Curt ventured downtown to see the fireworks and he said they were spectacular. I could hear the rumbles, and they sounded pretty good from where I was listening.

Hope you had a great day celebrating!

Sandwich Time

2011-06-27T15:37:00.000-05:00

The highlight of my lunch hour? Sandwich time. And because sharing makes us happy, I'm going to share my secrets to the perfect sandwich.

1. Start with a good bread. It doesn't happen to be anything fancy, but a little more than off-brand Wonder Bread please. My pick today? Some pre-sliced asiago from the clearance cart of my grocery store (this is usually a gold mine for fresh baked goods!)

Toast that bread just enough to get it crisp. Not too much, not too little. This is key.

2. Slice yourself some cheese and melt it on top of one slice of bread. I nuke it for 20 seconds in the microwave. Don't be cheap with your slices - get nice thick ones. This is no time for thin cheese. After the melting, pick up that slice of bread and get some air circulating under it - we don't want our toasted bread going soggy on us now, do we?

3. Add some meat. My preference is a smoked turkey from the deli, but I'll take what I can get (on sale). Bacon would be a welcome addition to this step.

4. Cut three thin slices of cucumber (or enough to cover your sandwich). This will give you a nice fresh crunch in every bite. Tomatoes are an added bonus.

5. The Pièce de résistance: avocado* Don't be stingy.

6. Smash those halves together and enjoy your sandwich time.

*I love avocado, but I hate how fast it can go bad. To enjoy avocado on my sandwiches all week long, here's what I do: Start by cutting off a couple inches from the top for your sandwich. Immediately wrap it tightly in some tin foil and stick it in the fridge. The next day, cut of another ring of avocado, minding the pit in the middle. Wrap it and stick it back in the fridge. You can make an avocado last for days by just cutting off as much as you need and storing it well. Yum!

Happy Saturday

2011-06-18T09:44:00.000-05:00

Hope you are all having a good start to your weekend! Curt's family came down to visit us this past week so we have been doing all kinds of fun stuff with them. Tonight my family shows up and we will do all kinds of different fun stuff with them next week :)

On top of that I've been up to my ears in cakes at work and working very hard. I'll be very happy when I get tomorrow off to rest and relax with my family!

I tried to post this video earlier this week but YouTube was being weird, so you get this fine Saturday morning treat. Another gem from our Aussie friends, The Paper Kites, this video is too sweet to miss.

A big storm is arriving so I am going to hunker down with a cup of tea and my sweetie. Then over to a send-off breakfast with Curt's family. Hope your Saturday is just as cozy!

ps - Curt & I made an offer on a house early this morning so any positive thoughts and prayers sent our way would be much appreciated :)

Bits

2011-06-09T20:22:00.000-05:00

I had this jar full of Loulouthi bits that I've been slowly sewing into little chunks.

And the little chunks into bigger blocks.

No planning, no patterns, just taking the bits as they are and sewing them together. It's freeing and fun and I am looking forward to a stack of scrappy squares to make a quilt or something.

obsessing

2011-05-31T08:37:00.003-05:00

My post from the weekend still has my head reeling about the colors in this print ..

So obviously I need to get my colors rounded up so I can get to the quilt as soon as time and budget allow ..

Kona: lake, mango, straw, white, daffodil, ash, asparagus

I'm a little obsessed with this right now. Wouldn't it make the most peaceful quilt?

inspiring me this weekend

2011-05-29T18:44:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pictures inspiring me this weekend, pulled from my Pinterest boards.

First, this sunny bathroom:

source

It looks like a small bathroom but you'd never know with all that happiness floating around in there. On my list: adding small plants to the bathroom and making a t-shirt rug.

The hot weather seems like it is here to stay in Nashville, causing me to wear my hair up all the time!

source

These braids are way cuter than a regular old ponytail, right?

Don't you love this breezy color scheme?

source

I would love to make a quilt along those lines.

This tray would also make an amazing quilt:

source

I love the colors!

Speaking of quilts ...

source

I'm dying to make this quilt with Anna Maria's new Loulouthi line! I need to get my hands on some fat quarters :)

And I've had a quilt like this in my mind for quite some time now:

source

Except the bowties in the corners of the blocks instead of in the middle. It would be a great scrap buster! I like the use of different color neutrals in this one versus just one solid background color.

Hope you can also find some inspiration on this long weekend. Curt & I are off to see a movie at the dollar (+fifty cents) theater and then grill some hot dogs for dinner :)

Happy Memorial Day!

Tempting

2011-05-21T15:40:00.005-05:00

My hair is the longest it's ever been, and I love it, but this haircut makes me want to chop it all off, just in time for a hot southern summer.

Thoughts?

Hey You Guys...

2011-05-20T16:04:00.000-05:00

Anna Maria's new line, Loulouthi, is making it's way to stores! I've seen it pop up a couple places online. It should be fully available in the next couple weeks. {link} {link} {link}

You are going to want this entire collection, no doubt.

The colors are fabulous and perfect for this time of year.

There are quilting cottons, voiles, and laminates, and you will need them all.

Because who wouldn't want a quilt this cheerful?!

Lined with some new yummy voile.

The prints are magical - organic floral prints and trusty geometric shapes and everything in between.

This, the Juliana palette, is by far my favorite. There's unexpected neon colors mixed in with luxurious jewel tones, and the combination will blow your mind.

Are you excited? I had the privilege to stitch up some of these samples for Anna and working with these fabrics was such a dream. I can't wait to get my hands on more and make some goodies for myself :)

Have a great weekend!

Bloggers' Quilt Festival!

2011-05-15T15:16:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited I finished this quilt just in time for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival! It's so fun and inspiring to look through all the other quilts, hopefully you will enjoy mine too!

The pattern is based on the cover quilt of Modern Log Cabin Quilting. My quilt finished around 52x68 and is perfect for snuggling on the couch.

This quilt it made of all Anna Maria Horner fabric and Kona solid (Bone, Ash, or Sand, I can't remember - eek!). It started as a fat quarter bundle of Innocent Crush I won, and I added some Loulouthi into the mix, and oh boy, do they play nicely together! The binding is from Loulouthi. The back is a voile from Innocent Crush, which worked out perfectly because I didn't have to piece the back. I think I might have to use a voile backing on all my quilts from now on!

Not only was the wide backing convenient, but the voile is oh so soft and preserved even more by tying the quilt. I've never tied a quilt before, and I was happy to learn a new method and love the results. I used a variegated Pearl Cotton (4120) to tie in the center of each cross.

(excuse that little binding thread there)

Another new-to-me aspect of this quilt was the batting - a soy blend which is anti-bacterial and very soft. I haven't washed my finished quilt yet, so I can't say how it shrinks, but I like the feel so far.

(it's really nice to have my quilt-holding husband back)

You can find more pictures of this quilt in-process over at this post.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my quilt! Don't forget to visit all the other blogs and sponsors for some amazing inspiration!

Happy Day!

2011-05-09T11:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day & my sister's college graduation with a beautiful day in Michigan!

There were graduates..

And mothers...

And what do you know?! - Husbands back from traveling the world!

I made myself a Flirting the Issue skirt just for the occasion, made with AMH's Innocent Crush voile.

Getting her diploma

So proud of you Bri!

My gaga with the corsage I made her - doesn't it match her outfit perfectly?!

The graduates never actually threw their caps, so I made Brianna do it a few times so I could catch the moment :)

It turned out to be a sunny day and we all have the sunburnt noses to prove it. We are so proud of Bri, who worked hard to graduate with a teaching degree so she can help students with learning disabilities.

She is going to be an amazing, patient, caring teacher, so if you know of any schools looking for a teacher like that, let me know! Any school would be lucky to have her, as we are lucky to have her in our family!

Collection

2011-05-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

I've amassed a pretty impressive (I think) collection of old pennies. Really old pennies. Like, really, really old.

Don't believe me?

...

1907, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1950

The 1907 amazes me - it's over 100 years old, think of all it's seen! Even the other coins are more than twice as old as me, still doing their job, circulating around. Well, not anymore, because I am keeping them all to myself :)

I love the history in them.

What do you collect?

Bacon Wrapped Pepper Poppers

2011-05-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Anna Maria served these to us at our last Rainbow Around the Block gathering and I've been hooked ever since. I don't know her recipe exactly, but here's how I did it:

Cut a variety of bell peppers into boat shapes. Don't skimp, cut fat boats - they have to hold in the goods.

Fill each boat with cream cheese (don't skimp there either, these are the goods) and wrap with half a piece of bacon.

Line then up on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes at 400 until the bacon is nice and crispy.

Enjoy! These are great finger foods for gatherings or just to snack on at home :)

Anatomy of a Quilt

2011-05-01T18:49:00.000-05:00

216 pieces

24 pieces per block

72 sections ironed

36 quarters

18 halves

8 corners per block, 9 blocks

3 rows, 3 columns

224 seams total

One quilt top.

A Random Inspirational Tuesday

2011-04-26T22:49:00.000-05:00

Because I feel like posting but I really don't have anything to share. Well, I have things to share, just not the pictures. So I'll intersperse my thoughts with pictures from my Pinterest boards that are inspiring me. (Click on the pictures for links)

bedifferentactnormal.com

I need a new hair brush. A grown up brush. Recommendations? Check this out.

sweetopia.net

I started watching The Voice tonight. I wasn't going to, but then nothing else was on so I got sucked into it. I don't really understand it though.

snowybliss.blogspot.com

Curt comes home in a week! I'm so excited to have him back.

I want this tunic, but it's dry clean only so of course I just have to make one myself. What fabric and what pattern? Suggestions please! I tried it on in the store and it was adorable on me.

Lastly, my inchworm.

Music: "I'm Gonna Make it Better" by She & Him

Okay, I'm going to eat something quickly and then take cover, we have a nasty storm with a possibly rain-wrapped-tornado heading our way. I could watch live weather coverage all night long, but hopefully not too late, I'm sleepy!

There's an App for That

2011-04-25T14:11:00.000-05:00

I am an avid iPhone user. I didn't think I'd like it at first, but now I can't be without it. Ever. My sister got an iPhone this weekend and I told her I would send her a list of my favorite apps, but then I thought - why not share it with the list of you too?! So let's jump right in:

Twitter: I'm addicted. I especially like to use it to keep up with my crafting tweeps and it's my main source of news. There are a lot of fun people to meet on Twitter and there's always something new to read. Follow me @bdanderson.

Angry Birds: I have all three purchased versions because I can't get enough. The levels are updated, I never run out of pigs to smash, and you can play it anytime, anywhere. Definitely worth the $0.99!

Instagram: This is a photo taking/editing/sharing app that makes really beautiful photos. In my opinion the interface is really simple and there's no need to pay for other photo editing apps. The added bonus of Instagram is that it can upload your images to your profiles on Flickr, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and more! You can find me on Instagram as bdanderson.

Pocket Frogs: This is a really silly game where you breed frogs to unlock new species as you level up. I know it sounds kind of lame, but it's pretty entertaining plus you can trade frogs with friends and there are different goals and collections to reach. Find my frogs under my Plus+ ID - inaudiblefall and my friend Moriah at mjcoxen.

Words with Friends: a virtual twist on the classic Scrabble game, play with friends, play with strangers, play with the person sitting next to you who doesn't have an iPhone. Challenge me - bdanderson.

Yelp: Also a very valuable website, the Yelp app is a lifesaver when you aren't sure what you want for dinner and no one seems to have any ideas. I love using it to review not only restaurants, but dentists, mechanics, nail salons - just about anything. I don't know my username but maybe you can find me as Brittney A. On a side note, I also have Four Square but I find myself using Yelp way more because the reviews are significantly better.

IMDb: I use this app multiple times a day. You know when you're watching TV and you can't figure out who that girl is or what she's from? Fret no more - the answer is just an app away. You can also watch previews, read entertainment news, check out reviews .. it's a great little app.

Wikipanion: I think Wikipedia has it's own app, but I've been using Wikipanion for a long time now and I love it for the same reason as the app above. Can't remember what year the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup (it's been too long!), who was the president in 1931 (Hoover), or what was the story line of the fourth Harry Potter movie (Triwizard Tournament, duh)? Wikipanion will give you your answer.

8mm: This one is not free, but it's worth the dollar or two it costs. 8mm takes old fashioned video from your iPhone to make fun, nostalgic videos. It's simple to use and has a handful of different filters and effects. Here are two videos I shot with 8mm: Spring and Inchworm

iHome + Sleep: This is an alarm clock app intended to work with iHome's alarm clock speaker sets, but you don't need the speakers to use the app. Curt has the speakers and they work seamlessly together, but I just use the app on my iPhone only and it works great. You can wake and sleep to your iPod library, plus it tracks your sleeping habits, which is pretty cool. A little tip for use: make sure your iPhone is plugged in and keep the app open when you go to sleep so there's no scrambling in the morning to hit the snooze. Also, there seems to be a bit of a glitch when you update your phone, so after you do that, be sure to reset your alarm songs otherwise you might sleep through a silent alarm. Not sure why they haven't fixed that yet, but the great thing about apps is that they evolve on a regular basis.

I have many more apps than these, but I guess you could call these my desert island apps. Other highlights include Facebook, The Weather Channel, E! Online, and Pandora. I prefer the Weather Channel app over the Weather app that comes preloaded because it has tons more forecast information plus severe weather updates.

I have a few craft apps, but I never use them and they aren't very helpful. That's not true- one of them is a stitch counter for knitting and crocheting, and I do use that when I'm working on a project.

What about you? What are your favorite apps? Any great ones that I missed?

Bandwagon

2011-04-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

I did it. I jumped on the bandwagon and bought some of the DS Quilt Collection at Joann Fabrics.

It wasn't actually on display yet but the sweet young lady helping me recognized my desire and offered to get it from the back for me. I got eight different prints and they will definitely be making their way into a quilt that I might have to keep because, come on, it's Denyse Schmidt. And I had a gift card, which sort of means I have to keep it. Right?

Exhibit A

2011-04-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

{exhibit A}

I've been sewing SO much, scraps are following me around. I woke up to find this little guy and I seriously have no clue where he came from. It was almost as nice as waking up to my long lost husband ... who returns in two weeks! (And then, I fear, the sewing will take a backseat for a bit)

A Quilt for Me

2011-04-19T21:50:00.002-05:00

I've been sewing a ton lately - mostly for other people. So this weekend I had a few hours for myself and threw together this quilt!

It was a lot of chain piecing.

Then a little organization.

Then *boom* a quilt!

It's from the cover of Modern Log Cabin Quilting - so genius!

I've been wanting a cross quilt for quite some time and this was the ticket.

The fabrics are AMH's Innocent Crush (a bundle I won) and a few prints from her new line, Loulouthi. They blend together beautifully and you guys are going to LOVE the new fabrics!

My plan is to simply tie the quilt in the center of the crosses and probably but voile on the back. Can't wait to see it finished!

I'm Still Here

2011-04-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

I know my little blog has been sitting silent for some time now, but I swear I've been really busy sewing. I just can't show you. But here are a couple shots from my phone as a bit of proof ...

When Amy Met Vera

2011-04-04T08:43:00.001-05:00

My sister requested a Vera Bradley Mailbag-style bag with a minor sizing modification. We picked out this gorgeous Amy Butler fabric from her Soul Blossoms line, in a home dec weight. I made the pattern up myself.

The bag features a boxed bottom and a flap with a handy zipper pocket. I think it finished around 9"x11".

Adjustable straps made with hardware from another bag because I can never seem to find them when I go shopping. Any recommendations for online purse hardware?

Under the flap is a full zipper top, because I hate when purses have that little opening at the sides - it's the perfect hole for lipstick and change to slip through.

Tricky flap zipper. Found a tutorial somewhere, but the website is escaping me now.

I made a matching key fob just because. Attached the straps on the outside, nothing fancy but hopefully sturdy.

The flap closes with a magnetic snap to the front of the bag.

Not pictured are two inside pockets, you'll have to take my word for it.

My sister loves her new purse and is using it, which tells me she really does like it. I forgot to take a picture of her wearing it when she stopped through town this weekend on her way to spring break, but it looks very cute on her too :)

Out Like a Lion

2011-03-30T16:04:00.000-05:00

How is it the end of March already?! The weather here has been so terrible, it's really got me down in the dumps, what with all the rain and cold weather. We had a really nice tease a couple weeks ago when it was in the 80's for a week, but then bam!, freezing cold again. I had to borrow my housemate's heater for under my sewing desk - the only warm spot in the house!

Something that has me on the ups? Finishing a nursery full of sweet little baby things for a friend. This past weekend I finished the curtains and crib skirt, today I finished the quilt. Also checked off the list? Diaper stacker, changing pad covers, and pillows. All I have left is a little table runner.

I also finished my Doll Quilt Swap 10 mini and mailed it off yesterday. No full photos yet though, because the end result is somewhat of a surprise.

I also mailed two baby quilts for my dad to gift to co-workers:

That's about all I have time for now. I've also been working on something secret, not sure what I can share at this point, but definitely in a couple months! Off to work, lots of cakes to decorate tonight!

Spring Has Sprung!

2011-03-22T11:38:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of my family and friends are still dealing with the remnants of a snowy winter, but spring has sprung here in Nashville!

And if my allergies aren't proof enough, here's a video I shot with my iPhone using the 8mm app:

Spring from Brittney Anderson on Vimeo.

Music: "The Happiest Day" by David Mead

Wishing you sunny days where ever you may be! xoxo

DQS10

2011-03-14T16:32:00.000-05:00

I've been contemplating how to approach my Doll Quilt Swap 10 mini quilt for quite some time now. I knew I wanted to incorporate Red Riding Hood of some sort, so I finally decided to jump right in a see what happens.

I pulled my favorite Red picture from Google, which happens to be from famed author Roald Dahl.

I cut out all the pieces from scraps and the tiny bit of red I have in my stash.

(On a side note, I need to start buying red fabric so fill in my stash - any suggestions?)

I ended up changing her hand because I'm over-analytical and decided the first hand was anatomically incorrect with the thumb and stuff. But now I like it better the first way and I'm decided whether it's worth it to tear it apart and fix.

Next on my list is attaching a patchwork border to finish it off. I'm thinking a nice assortment of red with teal/blues and black & whites.

(On another side note, I'm also seriously lacking black & white fabrics, which can be very helpful in creating a nice contrast with other fabrics. Suggestions?)

I'm looking forward to sending this quilt off to my partner, I think she will love it! And I'm as excited to receive a quilt in exchange. I've been skimming the Flickr group, but I have no idea which one could be for me!

Bitty Sewing

2011-03-10T00:44:00.000-06:00

I have a few small sewing things to knock out before I get to work on a full nursery and I was happy to accomplish a good bit today before work.

First, a baby quilt for my dad's co-worker. The family is from India but their upcoming daughter will be an American citizen, making it easier for the rest of the family to become citizens as well. To signify that, my dad requested a bit of red, white & blue, but I couldn't help but go all out and do the whole quilt in that color scheme, with a lot of pink thrown in for good girly measure. And of course, that cute little flag block.

The quilt top is finished, I need to get more batting and maybe backing before I quilt it.

My friend Leann asked me to sew some things for a friend who is having a baby boy. Today I worked on shoes, tomorrow it will be bibs and burpers.

I love these fabrics for little boys, they are so fun like a circus.

I got distracted by my music selection today and accidentally sewed in the wrong lining, so they are a little mismatched, but I think it works for these shoes.

Tomorrow I hope to make a Joann's run and then spend the day sewing. I have a long list of to-do's, but I feel like I'll be able to crank them out!

Trying the Simpler Life

2011-03-06T16:35:00.000-06:00

The past few months I've been thinking about how to make our lives a little more natural, a little more environmentally friendly, and a little easier on our bank account. In other words, a little more like the good old days, when things were simpler. The trouble with the simple way is, it's a little more work, but in the end, I know it's worth the effort.

At this point, I've taken two steps to "simplify" our life. First, homemade laundry detergent. There are a million recipes out there, but they are all pretty much the same: Borax, Washing Soda, and a bar of soap.

These are all readily available items, and they are all pretty darn cheap. I was able to find all three at my local Kroger, and paid less than $7 for all of them. I will be able to make numerous batches from this initial purchase. You can do the math, but trust me, others have, and it's cheaper than buying laundry detergent. Plus, there's no weird chemicals going into your closet or your water table.

First step: grate a bar of soap. I used my fine cheese grater. It wasn't hard to do and took just a couple minutes. Mind your fingers when you get to the last little bit.

I ended up with a pile of fluffy white soap. It was like fake snow but smelled better.

Next step: add your Borax and washing soda. I did a cup of each. That's where the recipes vary a little, but trial and error means you can find your preferred blend.

Lastly: Mix it all together until you have a nice powder. You can also make a liquid version, but that takes more effort. I'm going to try this detergent for the first time today, but internet consensus confirms it works just as well, if not better, than your average laundry detergent.

The second step I'm taking to visit my natural roots (quite literally!) is weaning off shampoo. Again, there's plenty of literature out there on the interwebs so I won't go into details, but the gist is this: Shampoo strips your hair of it's nice natural oils, so your hair has to work overtime to make up for it, which makes your hair greasy. If you never start shampooing, your hair would be able to naturally balance the oil situation, making the need for shampoo obsolete. Now, I'm not saying I'm not washing my hair - there are still yucky things in the air that mess up your hair. But, instead of buying shampoo, I'm opting for a Baking Soda wash with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse, which cheaper and more natural than shampoo.

Basic recipe is: one tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of hot water, stir to dissolve. I pour a bit over the front part of my head, scrub the roots, flip my hair over, pour & scrub there, then do it in the middle and everywhere else in between; rinse well. Then combine one tablespoon of ACV with one cup hot water. I sick my pony tail in the cup, let it sit, then pour the whole thing over my head. Let it sit for a bit, then rinse well again.

I do this about once a week, which has been a good balance for my hair. Before I shower, I get two plastic cups, fill one with baking soda and the other with ACV. I add the hot water in the shower. On the days I don't wash, I either just rinse with water or put my hair in a pony tail and keep it dry while I shower. My hair is thick and coarse, so once a week works for me. If my hair does get a little greasy (usually just my bangs) I brush in a little baby powder to absorb the extra oil. My hair is definitely more moisturized and shiny, less frizzy, and I don't need to use conditioner anymore.

And because I know you'll ask: no, my hair doesn't smell like vinegar. That goes away after rinsing. On the other hand, it also doesn't smell like Tahiti Coconut; it just smells like hair. A little bit of essential oil in the mix or lotion on your ends can spiff up the smell, but I don't have a problem with it. Yes, somedays I miss the lather of shampoo, but the appeal of this method is more enticing to me.

That was a bit of a long-winded post, kudos to you if you made it all the way to the end. Let me know if you try either of these methods, or if you have any other tips for me! Hope you have a great week :)

Warning: Chain Piecing May Lead to Quilts

2011-02-23T10:00:00.002-06:00

There's nothing I love more than charm packs ...

... and scraps ...

... stitched into rows ...

... combined with other rows ...

... until suddenly you have three new quilt tops that took virtually no time at all!

Two of these (top) will be for sale online while the other one (bottom) is for my dad's co-worker. But I kind of love that one so much I might recreate it to sell. Thoughts?

I still have to figure out how I want to quilt these, I basted them all with backing so now they are just waiting around. I'm debating between random diagonal lines or straight echo lines, but not stippling. Or maybe straight diagonal lines corner to corner. Stippling is always so much quicker, but I like the fluffiness created by straight lines. Or maybe I'll try something different on each one. Thoughts? :)

Have a good day!

Yumberry

2011-02-22T10:00:00.000-06:00

A new Pinkberry opened in town and they were giving away free frozen yogurt as part of their grand opening. Curt & I love sweets, especially when they are free, plus we had never tried Pinkberry before, so we made sure to check it out.

This is the second location in the Nashville area, but there are dozens of other frozen yogurt places in town. We've only been to one other, but we both agreed Pinkberry is heaps better.

They have lots of toppings like granola, organic gummy bears, nuts, and even fruity pebbles!

And don't forget about all the fresh fruit - even blood orange, mango, and kiwi. Yum!

Curt went for pomegranate & mango yogurts with raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.

He really enjoyed the yogurt. And the decor - very cool, right?

I opted for blood orange & mango yogurts with kiwi, mango, and gummy bears.

It was really good; really, really good. The gummy bears were different - more like gumdrops. Both the yogurts were delicious, and the fruit was all perfectly ripe.

It left us craving more, and while we don't go out for treats like this very often, Pinkberry will be at the top of our list over the other yogurt joints in town, no question! It's probably healthier, the atmosphere is cool, and the prices around here are comparable to other high end frozen dessert places. Either it's really good stuff or they put some kind of addictive ingredient in the yogurt, because I haven't been able to stop thinking of it since :)

The Hubs

2011-02-21T14:15:00.000-06:00

I know this is a week late, but how about a little Valentine update?

Curt & I are super cheap dates, so we opted for Qdoba, where they were offering buy one entree get one free. The only catch? You had to smooch at the register to claim your free dinner. Duh! Of course I'll kiss for free food.

Who wouldn't want to kiss those fat lips?!

After dinner (he had a burrito, I had tacos & gumbo) we walked over to Target to see if Curt could find a new pair of pants before he leaves on tour. Curt needed a slick pair of skinny jeans, so he tried on about 6 different kinds.

Low and behold he found a pair of black skinny jeans that look great on him! Happy Valentine's Day to him. (I'm considering the jeans my gift to him, that's fair right?) In case you were wondering, Curt got me raspberry chocolate truffles and a card that says he is a nut about my butt :)

A few days later we ventured out to find him a jacket of sorts - he wanted a look like Zach Efron in 17 Again (?!) but didn't know if he wanted a leather jacket or something else. Forever21 had just the ticket - a slightly shiny bomber-type jacket with all the right zippers and pockets.

I love shopping with Curt, but he always takes way too long in the dressing rooms - now I know why - he spends 10 minutes looking at every possible angle. I'm more of a "throw it on, if it's not perfect take it off and move on to the next thing" kind of gal - in & out, lickity split.

So I was happy when he quickly settled on this jacket, I really liked it and he did too. It will be the perfect look for onstage, and as it happens, is a very nice weight for spring.

{Aren't the Forever21 dressing rooms way cooler than Target?!}

We had a lot of fun shopping together, Curt especially because now that he's lost weight (19 lbs so far!) he feels more comfortable in lots of different clothing options. It's good to see him reaping the benefits of his hard work.

We also happened to find a couple spotlights that night. Don't you always wonder where they are coming from? I know I do. So when we found them, I made Curt run up and pose for a picture:

Curt's leaving next week, so in addition to a few wardrobe enhancers, he needed new band merchandise. I spent a couple nights creating shirts and buttons. Here's a preview of one - grey & orange on a charcoal shirt. I can't wait to see how everything turns out! I love new merch because it means I have three or four new shirts to add to my closet :)

That's about it for now - I spent the better part of this weekend sick in bed. I don't know where it came from, but a nasty bug invaded my system, leaving me with a high fever, sore throat, runny nose, and terrible headaches. I feel like I'm breaking the fever today, which hopefully means I'll be done with this soon. In the meantime, I'm spending the day in bed, writing up a few more posts, ordering fabric for a nursery, and drifting in & out of consciousness. It should be noted, if there are any typos in this post, kindly disregard them as my disillusionment. Thank you.

More Rainbowing

2011-02-18T02:40:00.000-06:00

Wednesday us stitchers of the greater-Nashville area gathered once again to work on Anna Maria Horner's Rainbow Around the Block. This time we met at Anna's (beautiful!) home, where the fabric was flowing and the sun was shining.

Check out that stack of finished quilts lounging in the sunshine.

I spent most of the day sewing binding on a lot of those quilts. They all got the AMH treatment with Innocent Crush binding (samples from her fabric company, and hopefully a new product with her next line ((sneak peak on that desk above!)) coming in a couple months).

Did I mention her house is beautiful?! I mean, just the studio alone is a work of art - sewn samples, fabric stacked to the ceiling, a giant cutting table (my dream)... We were lucky to have wonderful weather so we enjoyed open windows and a refreshing breeze all day. Her home is exactly the comfy-cozy aesthetic I would decorate with if Curt wasn't such a contemporary minimalist.

She let us snoop through the strike-offs from her new line, and let me tell you - it's really, really cool. As in, start stuffing your piggy bank now because you're going to want it all. How can I convince Curt that I need to buy every piece?

Mmmm .. quilts. A number have already been delivered to flood-relief organizations; these will join them, and then we will have to get together again to finish more quilts returning from the long-armers. I said it once and I'll say it again, these sewing days have been such fun for me - we get to chat, design, and snack, all while being productive. Anna said she's taking photos of the finished quilts before handing them over and I can't wait to see them all. I hope the families who receive them appreciate the love and care that went into making the quilts.

I took home three more tops to finish, two made from just blocks and one that will be another puzzle. I am still trying to figure out that purse for my sister, so they may have to wait a couple days. Brianna's been waiting since Christmas (I'm a terrible sister) so she gets priority.

Bedtime for now; I'm going to try not to sleep in too late tomorrow so I can get some of this work done. Ta ta for now!

Is It February 15 Yet?

2011-02-13T01:46:00.000-06:00

Actually, I'm more interested in getting to February 16. After I make sure all the people who don't care enough to plan ahead get their heart cakes on February 14 (aka VDay), I have to do clean-up on February 15 and get everything back to normal; then on February 16 I can sit down.

Not that I'm complaining, I love my job. I just don't like the people who call last minute and expect us to answer "How high?" when they say "Jump."

Or the people who don't understand what it means to consume an ice cream cake. In case you were wondering:

~Yes, you DO have to keep it in the freezer. It is ice cream, it will melt if you don't.

~Set it out a couple minutes before you are ready to eat it, get a big knife and run it under hot water. Slice that baby up to your liking, and then {this is the key part} stick the remainder back in the freezer. Because, yes, if you leave it out, it will eventually melt.

~That said, it WILL BE OKAY for the 4 minutes it takes you to cut and serve. And no, you don't have to cut the entire cake at once. After you return it to the freezer, you can repeat the whole process until the cake is gone.

~And finally, no, I will not cut the cake for you before you come to pick it up. That's just sad.

Special shout-out to the lady I spent 7 minutes with on the phone explaining all this and more. Also apparently up for discussion: While the heart cake doesn't fit the "round" description, it will qualify for that $3 off coupon. I recommend a plain, non-serrated knife. It will only take you 20 minutes to get from here to Antioch, but if it makes you feel better, I'll put it in the deep freezer. The point of taking a phone number is so I can contact you in case of a weird emergency, so please don't give me a number and then tell me not to call it because the cake is a surprise. And no, I probably won't be there when you pick it up, so you'll have to bother someone else with all your questions. Ten bucks says this lady forgets the coupon when she comes to pick up the cake, but still wants her $3 off.

So yeah, I'm ready for no more Valentine's nonsense.

Nashville got hit with a 'blizzard' - did you hear? Curt got stuck in traffic for over 5 hours on his way home from work. It usually takes him about 20 minutes.

The roommates and I decided to suit up and take a walk in the snow to see what traffic looked like. It was chaos, to say the least.

The main road to our neighborhood has one big hill that turns into a disaster with even a little snow. Cars (and the people driving them) don't know how to make it up the hill.

Once they get up, they have to get down, but by this point they are so desperate that they've driven in all five lanes and there is no 'right way' anymore. Nothing but squealing tires, fishtailing cars, and mass confusion.

Lots of people had to give up and abandon their cars on the road and walk the rest of the way, even in our neighborhood.

This was the scene the next morning - I counted 40 deserted cars within a mile down the road. Oh yeah, did I mention this was all because of 1.5 inches of snow? One and a half inches.

I had a video, but I can't get it to upload, boo :(

I'll try to figure it out and post it when I do.

How about a little crafting? I had one last quilt top to finish up for Anna Maria Horner's Rainbow Around the Block.

It came in the forms of a small quilt (the middle part in the black) and a stack of blocks that seemed to mesh well enough.

It worked well - I cut about half an inch off each side of the already-assembled top, then added the nine-patch border by deconstructing the corner blocks so they would fit in the mix. The result is a little wonky - the corners are a nice checker pattern while the middle sections are more elongated, but overall I think it was effective.

Last week, Katherine asked how I blogged from my bathtub - here you go Kat. Laptop + upside-down laundry basket = bathside office.

Which brings me to another exciting response: a winner to my little giveaway last week!

Ann said...

Love the heart garland- so cute! I hope I win the amazeballs crochet dishclothes:)

Congrats Ann! I'll send you an email and you can claim your prize :)

As for the rest of you, thanks for trying, I'll be sure to do another giveaway soon!

I'll leave you with this little snapshot: my sweet husband wearing a shirt he hasn't been able to wear for YEARS. Curt has been working very hard to lose weight this year and I couldn't believe how skinny he looked, so I had to take his picture.

The One Where I Blog Whatever Comes to Mind

2011-02-05T03:08:00.000-06:00

Presently blogging from my oversized bathtub, full of Midnight Pomegranate bubbles, while eating mint ice cream with Oreos and marshmallows. I told Curt I would eat the whole thing, but I fear I will not be able to finish, thus forcing me to go back downstairs to put it in the freezer before I can go to bed. Phooey.

Okay, so here we go - random stream of conscious blogging. I hope you stay along for the whole ride, I'm sure it's going to be good.

- I want to try this.

- My sister has requested this bag, but stitched by me instead of who knows who Vera has doing her dirty work. She wants it a little smaller and all the bells and whistles aren't necessary, but I'm going to try anyway.

- I'm going to use some Amy to make said bag.

- Curt has to help teach CPR tomorrow, what a superhero. I wanted to snuggle with him all morning, but I guess I'll have to sleep in alone. As usual.

- I've turned into a one woman assembly-line at work, pumping out heart cakes like it's Valentine's Day or something.

- Speaking of VDay, I cut out a bunch of hearts today and strung them all together. Hung one string on the mantle and another on the back door. They look ridiculous next to the Christmas tree, but tomorrow I think I'll take down the green & blue bulbs and replace them with more hearts.

- Yeah, I did just say our Christmas tree is still up. I'm in a stand-off with a couple people and I have a good feeling I'm going to win. Soon it will be a Valentine tree and you won't be able to judge me anymore.

- We have a new roommate moving in this weekend, yay! She's from Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain. I dare you not to think that when you hear Oklahoma.

{where the wind comes sweeping down the plain}

- I've been doing lots of late night crocheting. Dishcloths mainly. Three for my Aunt Dianne because she requested them and supplied the yarn, so how could I say no? I think I like crocheted dishcloths better than knit ones because they are thicker, scrubbier, and heartier.

- I got a new desktop wallpaper for my computer. For the month of February. I lurve it.

- Get yours here. I get a new one every month to keep things fresh. But I might keep this without the calendar for a long time because it's uh.maze.ing.

- I also got a new vday wallpaper for my iPhone from here.

It took my iPhone from this:

To this:

- In case you were wondering, the old one is Anna Maria, naturally. And I will switch it back when THE DAY is over, but maybe to something new.

- Anything else I simply must share? I'm out of photos and links, so probably not.

- I made a new pillow cover for the couch. I need one more pillow insert.

- My bubble bath is slowly cooling and my ice cream is quickly melting.

- I think I'm developing a gallbladder problem. Current symptoms include pain in my upper, right abdomen, just under my rib cage, dull followed by a sharp burst of pain, like a running cramp when your gym teacher tells you to walk it off. Except I couldn't walk it off today at work, it just made to curl into a sideways ball like a potato bug. Also, pain in the right arm and back. WebMD says I'm on to something, but I'm hoping it's just a bad case of you-know-what.

{Gas, in case you don't-know-what}

- In case you thought all these photos look like we are living in a romance novel, you're not crazy. Picnik has a new filter that makes them look that way, I thought it fit with the Valentine's theme I have going here.

- Whew, did you make it to the end? To reward you, I will offer a prize. Leave a comment on this post and I will randomly draw a name to receive something handmade by yours truly.

{it will probably be a crochet dishcloth, but they are amazeballs}

- You have the weekend to enter, spread the news.

Listen, Watch, Repeat

2011-01-24T15:04:00.000-06:00

I feel like poop and have to go to work in a bit, so just a quick little music Monday post for your listening and viewing pleasure:

Two songs I can't get enough of right now, and the stunning videos to accompany them.

First, The Paper Kites: These folks are from our home away from home, Australia, and we had the pleasure of getting to know a couple of them two years ago. They are wonderful people and their music is infectious. So as the Aussies say, give it a go - and then do it again and again and again, because you won't be able to stop listening.

Worth another mention - the video was directed by Pete Seamons, another Aussie acquaintance we've gotten to know over the last couple years. It's really beautiful, isn't it?

{---------------}

Second, The Civil Wars: this duo resides in our current home of Nashville and they are freakin amazing! This video has been out for some time, but I can't stop listening. I'm very excited for their new album to come out in February, it will be a must buy! Plus, you may have seen them kill it on Jay Leno a couple weeks ago. Betcha can't listen just once.

The female half of The Civil Wars is Joy Williams, who achieved considerable success playing Christian music years ago. It just so happens that Curt & I danced to one of her songs as our first dance at our wedding :)

That's all for now, hope you enjoyed the tunes. And I hope you are all feeling better than I am so you can have a fantastic start to the week!

New Shoes! (or, oh Happy Days!)

2011-01-23T18:46:00.000-06:00

Not really, I already had the shoes, but they needed an upgrade, so in stepped a black Sharpie and some fabric paint and I have some newly minted old fashioned saddle shoes!

Want the SUPER EASY how-to? Three steps:

1. Buy a plain ole white pair of canvas shoes. I got these at Target for a whopping $9.

2. Use your Sharpie to outline the section you'll be painting black.

3. Fill in the rest with black fabric paint. I suppose you could do the whole thing with a Sharpie, but that would take longer and you might faint from the fumes.

Enjoy your new saddle shoes! These would also be cute in little tiny baby or kid shoes, and you could do another color too. Take black and white photos and pretend you are living in an episode of Happy Days. Preferably the one where The Fonz jumps the shark.

As for my shoes, I'm going to wear them to work and pretend I'm working at an old fashioned soda shop. I'll be rocking them with my newly skinny-fied black pants, which were atrocious before but are now quite stylin.

Another easy how-to: Skinny Your Pants

1. Take you old pants, lay them flat. Lay a pair of skinny jeans you like on top and line up the double seams on each leg.

2. Draw a line along the old pair on the new pair. Sew up that line, easing your new line into the old line somewhere up the leg near the crotch.

3. Try them on inside-out and make sure they are okay, adjust as needed, then cut the excess fabric, I zig zag the seam, turn then right-side out, and rock what you got!

(ignore the fact that I'm wearing black and brown, and please excuse the terrible quality of these photos - they were taken late last night with my phone)

So quick - go out and re-do your wardrobe. Both these projects are super fast and the results are always pretty darn sufficient.

iPad Sleeve

2011-01-22T23:03:00.000-06:00

Curt's mom got an iPad for Christmas, that lucky lady! So of course I had to make her a stylish sleeve to go with it.

A simple sleeve, with a pocket across the front, lined with fleece.

Velcro closure, which Curt thought was useless, but I proved was actually quite strong.

She really likes blues & greens, so I hope she will like this sleeve, I know I do.

The flap is double-secured, no iPad slippage here!

Now we just have to send it off so she can make use of it!

Both the fabrics are from Jo-Ann's, but I don't know what they are. I love the prints and colors and I've been using them in all kinds of projects lately.

As for the project specs - It's my own pattern: two sleeves (liner and outside w/pocket) sewn together at the top inside out and backwards all that jazz, left an opening at the flap's location for turning, then put the flap in place and topstitched it all closed. It worked really well and made for a quick project. I would definitely make it again when the need arises .. aka I get an iPad. Hey, a girl can dream and my 25th birthday is only two months away :)

this moment

2011-01-22T22:49:00.000-06:00

{this moment} - A weekend 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.

A Recipe

2011-01-15T21:21:00.000-06:00

I'm not much of a cook, but every now and then I come up with something delicious. This is one of my favorite meals; it's easy to make, tastes yummy, and is relatively healthy. Curt has been counting calories lately, and I'm happy to say the fajita ingredients themselves were pretty low-cal, but the chips and tortillas are chock full, so be warned :)

So here's the recipe: Cilantro Lime Fajitas!

You'll need:

Chicken

Lime

Cilantro

Green Pepper

Red Onion

Garlic

Cut your chicken, peppers, and onions in like-size strips or chunks, whichever you prefer.

Cook your chicken in some oil until no longer pink, add in the onion and a clove or so of minced garlic.

Mmm .. starting to smell good!

Go ahead and throw in some chopped cilantro at this point too, I like to add some throughout the cooking process.

Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the skillet. Save the other half for serving later.

I save the peppers for last so they stay al dente. Add a little more chopped cilantro - you can't have too much of that stuff!

Voila! Your fajitas are done, easy right?!

Serve them up with some shredded cheese, lime juice, more cilantro, sour cream, tomatoes, whatever you want .. my favorite topping? - homemade guacamole!

Want a recipe? Okay!

Easy peasy, and you already have almost all the ingredients from the fajitas:

Avocado

1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped

Handful of Cilantro, coarsely chopped

Juice from half a Lime

A pinch of salt

Now put it all in a bowl and mash it together!

I like to chop my onions and cilantro ahead of time, throw them in the bowl, add the lime juice and salt, and then wait until just before dinner is served to add the avocado so it doesn't turn brown (eww!)

Serve with chips or on your fajitas. Or just eat it with a spoon like ice cream if you're like me. I'm kidding! {kind of}

We tried whole wheat tortillas this time around, and besides the added healthiness, they were darn tasty! Might as well get a little extra whole wheat where you don't necessarily notice it. Sound good? Let me know if you try it, I hope you'll like it!

this moment

2011-01-10T02:30:00.000-06:00

{this moment} - My weekend 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.

Pinteresting

2011-01-06T15:25:00.000-06:00

Have you joined Pinterest yet? Everyone's doing it. What are you waiting for? You'll only be cool if you join.

Did I peer pressure you into joining? Seriously thought, it's a lot of fun. And a disastrous waste of time waiting. But it can be very helpful, too.

Now, instead of dragging photos onto my desktop to throw into iPhoto for inspiration later, I can just "Pin It" and keep a beautiful collection of inspiration right on my page. And the people who follow my pins can see them too, and they can repin them and share them with their followers, and it's one giant orgy of inspiration. They have a handy button you can throw on your internet browser so your collections are only a click away.

Quilts, fashion, recipes, photos, colors, home decor .. there's a board for everything. Think of it as your virtual inspiration board - no more clipping magazines, ripping newspapers, or poking yourself with those darn thumbtacks. Unless of course, you like that kind of thing. Then carry on and ignore me.

Here's part of my "taste the rainbow" board. Because I have a thing for color in an organized order.

Gorgeous interface, right? All that white space, the photos just organize themselves, you can scroll all the way down the page to find infinite inspiration...

Give it a try, and if you like it, add me to your list.