~ Solid Evidence ~

Prints are charming, let's face it.

However ...

.... there is something to be said for solids.

Actually, they speak very well for themselves, thank you very much.

Lately I have felt the need to have more solid fabrics in my stash.
This new direction may or may not have started when I purchased these file folders.

They spoke to me.  And what they said was --
"Buy some solid fabrics for the stash."
So I did.

Then I found myself pairing some of them up with some two-tone graphic prints to accentuate the bright colors.
  

Now they are part of my "project basket" which sits on the cutting table and tries to keep things organized.

This particular project makes me feel giddy.

What is your feeling on solid colored fabrics?
Are you feelin' the need?

EEK!  My Shore Thing pillows were featured over here. Woo. Hoo.

~ words of wisdom ~

I have a board on Pinterest with quotes and sayings. (Um ... who doesn't have that board?)
Words.
I love words.

I've noticed that they tend to fall into two different categories:

First ... Work. Working hard.  Inspiration to just get to work .

I keep wondering if there is something I'm not getting to that I feel guilty about.

The second category is just about being Happy ... in the moment ... the way things are.


Now.

I'll work.  It just might not have the perfect result I had originally pictured.

And that's OK.

~ Sea Pillows ~

When we last spoke I was working on this little number, seen above.

My third quick project in the form of a pillow slipcover.

Ummm ... make that two (count 'em 2!) pillow slipcovers.
Each a mirror image of the other.
Each stuffed with cushy down/feathers.

I am in the process of making the pattern for these (very simple) beauties. I used some non-traditional methods for my madness (and my applique) which I will pass on.

But ... I am selling these very pillows ... not just the pattern ... on my Etsy Shop.
Here.
No sewing machine required. Instant fluff.

This is an absolutely one-of-a-kind duo.  Even if I made them again, I would not be using the same fabrics.

The pattern for this one has been up for a couple of weeks.  This one-of-a-kind pillow is also on sale now.
Here.

Ditto for the Dots ... here.

The pattern for the "Shore Thing" pillow slips at the top will be available as a free download with the purchase of any other pattern. Convo/email me to let me know you are expecting it.

The Summer Sand and Sea can be with you year 'round.
Even if you don't ... Sew.

Really. It's a shore thing.

~ Peachy Keen ~

I hope that your Fourth of July celebration was just swell.
Or at least as peachy as mine.
I began the day by making a peach pie.  I made one last year for the Fourth so this is clearly an annual tradition.

I'm not much of a baker, but I do like making pies.  This stems from a moment barely 3 months into married life where I took a pumpkin pie to my family's Thanksgiving celebration ... with a 1/4" thick crust.  Picture it this way ... it's as if the pumpkin filling was sitting on a layer of Lorna Doones.
I vowed on that day that I would learn how to make a decent pie crust ... and I did.

Years later, after I had perfected my crust ... but before I had a graphics program on my computer ... I passed out this recipe at a Church get together.  By way of explaination:
Shortening = Crisco's Butter Flavored Shortening
Putting the prepared/unbaked crust filled pie plate into the freezer first, sucks some of the moisture out of it (that's what a "self-defrosting" freezer does) and thereby makes it flakier.

Here is my completed peach pie.  I got the filling recipe from Cooks.com. 

Flaky ... and Patriotic.
A winning combo, indeed.

I saw these Sailboat Deviled Eggs at Completely Coastal  and made them for our celebration. I think deviled eggs are always nummy.
These were Nummy ... and Nautical.

Here's my latest project on the design wall. Stay Tuned.

Did I mention that we watched the fireworks here in SoCal with sweatshirts on?  I actually saw a woman walk by in a down coat.  That was not necessary ... but it was chilly.
I watched with a five-year old on my lap and felt warm and cozy. Since the majority of the firework's shows I have attended were in 100+ degree temps, I am not complaining at all.

Do tell ... how was your celebration??

~ Color Day: Red, White, Blue ~

Truth be told ... I really don't have any red in my home, other than at Christmas.  But I revel in red whenever I see it ... and I love to see it in the summer!

This picture above was taken last weekend at Balboa Island in Newport Beach. Just a fun little beach house along my walk that wanted to stand up and salute.
There are also umpteen fun little shops on Balboa and I saluted almost every single one.

This piece of patriotic happiness is from a trip to San Franciso two summers ago.
Taken on Pier 39 (duh) ... on a clear and sunny day.

This is actually wallpaper from a friend's beach house.
I hung out in that bathroom probably longer than I should have ... just to inhale it's beauty.

OK ... so this letter "S" is in my studio.
It stands for ... Studio.
Or Sewing. Or Sea
Or Sand or Sun.

This small quilt ... I want to say I made it around 2007 ... is from a Jo Morton pattern.
With my own embellishments.
It's almost impossible for me to follow someone else's pattern exactly, which I find highly annoying.

This boat with it's own red, white and blue flag is from my Permanent Wave quilt.
You can find that pattern here.

These fireworks are from 2008 in Tempe AZ.

I suspect that at the moment I took this picture the temperature was still topping 100 degrees.

That made no difference, whatsoever.

Because I love fireworks.

Happy Birthday America.

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!

~ Anchored in Years ~

My latest project is here. You can find the pattern here.

I've called it Anchored in Happy.
It makes me happy.
And you?

I have been wanting to sew anchors for some time now, but they just had to wait their turn on "the list".

Red, Blue, Stripes, Dots ... what's not to be happy about?

In other anchor news ... yesterday was my birthday.  I don't think any of my children were privy to the fact that I spent part of the last week sewing an anchor ... and yet ...
D#2 gave me these precious anchor note cards to add to my collection and ...

D#3 gave me this fabulous necklace featuring ... guess what?
I felt the love (and way too many gifts) from each child + some other generous relatives and friends.

Please don't try to guess how old I am.

However ... this may or may not be a hint.

~ Inspiration ~

I went to the beach over the weekend.

I walked on the Sand.

I inhaled the Surf.

I gazed at the Sky.

Then I came home and gathered together this pile of nautical goodness.

I'm sewing my brains out while still high on that ocean inspiration.

How about you?  What inspired you this weekend?