The flea market fancy pillow of my dreams and a New Year's sewing resolution

This is what I received from Amisha. By far this is my favorite holiday gift. All my favorite fabrics sewn together by hand and with all the white space, the fabrics just shine. Thanks so much Amisha, I LOVE IT!

Sometimes I think to push the envelope and really have fun, we all strive to come up with very elaborate pillows, quilts, etc. I marvel at the construction and work that go into all these fantastic pillows. They are works of art! Swaps have been a wonderful way to have a WOW piece come into the house. I am not sure I would take the time to make myself such a showcase piece like the Flea Market Fancy Cathedral Window Pillow Amisha made for me.

As I often struggle to come up with new ideas for gifts or when making something for us, I realized recently that a few simple pieces allow the few WOW pieces to really stand out! Simple allows me to actually make something, and when I get too crazy I tend not to finish what I start. (unless it is for a swap with a deadline!) The wonderful fabrics that I obsess over tend to stand out more when they are featured in a simple design.

So I have decided to embrace simple for a few months and actually make some things for us. Every time I finish a swap, Steve or the kids always ask why I rarely make things for us. That is going to change this year. I am going to set more realistic project goals for the items I make for home.

Yesterday I actually put this new approach into action. I cast some stitches around mid-day, quilted and felted during naptime and sewed it all together after everyone went to bed. It was a few hours worth of work in total.

I challenged myself to take a fabric I love and pair it with some texture. Varying the fabric for me adds depth and layers to a project, it gives it life. First I took out the knitting needles and created a striped square with a wool/mohair blend. Then I felted the wool and blocked the "fabric". I quilted the Echino bus fabric with two layers of batting in a simple line pattern with contracting thread. Cut the felted fabric and sewed the two pieces together. A little topstitching to hold the two together, a simple envelope backing, using the pattern of the fabric to make an interesting back.

And Viola, a new, fun pillow! I LOVE the combination of the felted wool and the canvas print.

I must admit I was feeling a bit homesick for Seattle last night as we watched the Seahawks beat the Saints. The game was fun to watch and the shots of the city, as predictable as they were . . . throwing fish at Pike's Place, a barista at the original Starbucks in the market, a shot across the water looking at downtown from West Seattle and then looking down on the city from the crest of Queen Anne. It looked like a great day and scenes of Seattle always make me miss home!

Ellie is still in the New Year's spirit. She loves the tiara my sister got her in NYC and has worn it for the last week straight. She is also still trying on new outfits with glee. This is a little number that Grandma Sue had under the tree for her, minus the sunglasses, tiara and hot pink shoes.

I am off to clean the pink nail polish off the floor, chair, etc from the pedicure Ellie gave Sam this am. I tried to take the polish off of Sam's toes (really his whole foot) but he insists on keeping it on!

Happy New Years and a little meltdown!

I was just about to write a lovely post with photos of all the wonderful traditions and fun things we did. But to be honest . . . I am just too tired! We did have a WONDERFUL holiday. My mom, sister, brother-in-law and my niece joined us from Seattle and my Steve's brother and mom spent as much time with us as they could. It was great! I made three gingerbread houses that we decorated Christmas Eve. Wonderful meals were made. We had a little snow storm with just enough snow. We drank so much wine that my friend at the recycling center asked how many parties we had . . . The kids loved being with family and just hanging out! On New Year's Eve we had a great family time . . . and celebrated Steve's birthday which happens to be the 31st!

The last 48 hours however have been a disaster. The stomach flu came to our house and has not been pleasant. If not sick myself . . . I have been holding, cleaning or caring for a sick child. We have ran out of sheets, towels and plastic bags. Then just now when I was starting to claw my way out of the laundry mess . . . disaster struck.

We have an upstairs laundry . . . which is really a bad idea. I found a blanket that I didn't realize had been violated by last nights sick kids and I brought it up for a good soak in the utility sink. I started the water and walked away. My mom called to tell me they arrived in Seattle safely. We started to talk . . . soon Steve started to yell and yes . . . water was overflowing from the sink and going into the kitchen below.

Now if this was the first time that this had happened . . . I wouldn't be quite as upset, but you see I have gone down this road now THREE times in the last five years. It always happens when I am so tired I can't take it anymore . . . So instead of a wonderful, meaningful post . . . my new year's resolution might be a simple one - either move the laundry room or not use the sink. Enjoy the random assortment of New Year's/Steve's birthday shots and who knows I might get around to a holiday wrap-up or 2010 wrap up sometime in February. For the time being I will be replacing drywall on our kitchen ceiling or maybe just finishing off the bottle of champagne!

Does anyone know a good handyman that also happens to be a plumber?

Sister Karyn and Max ringing in the New Year

Ellie enjoying her favorite gift, a princess dress and the tea party set

Little outside fun in the park on New Year's Eve

Ellie blinged out and cuddling with Uncle Eric on New Years

(just before she got sick)

Fun in the park

Uncle Tony, Steve, Max and Uncle Eric at mid-night

Happy Birthday Steve

Living room on New Year's Eve

Ellie dressing Fancy . . . Aunt Karyn gave her the tiara and she put the rest together.

She loves metallics this season!

My sister Karyn, Mom and I at midnight and after many a cocktail

This elf is running out of pixie dust . . .

I love it when this . . . .

turns into something like this . . . Ellie's "A Big Girl Bed Needs a Big Girl Quilt" quilt is quilted, bound, washed and crinkled to perfection. It is wrapped and ready to go under the tree. My only mishap was this cute label . . . is now almost a complete washout. I will have to recreate it and sew over the top of the old one.

I also have finished this one for my mom, I was in such a rush to get it under the tree I didn't even take a photo . . . it is big squares of Figgy Pudding from last year and this year with a scrappy binding and fun pieced back, sashed in medium grey kona. I really thought I took a photo, but sadly did not!

Another small quilt for a new baby on our street, that was such a rush, I failed to photograph it as well . . .

The fourth and final quilt made since Thanksgiving, is one I am still working on. I joined Cara in her awesome Urban Lattice Quilt-a-long. It was the perfect quilt to tackle as time on my quilting for x-mas time was fading away. Check out all the great ones made in the quilt-along here.

Here it is before it was quilted. It is now quilted and needs to be squared up, bound and washed. I am just not feeling up to it . . . I think maybe a glass of wine and my flannel pj's and cozy slippers might help me find my mojo. Or at least put me to sleep and I can stop worrying about it.

Here is the front-

and this is the back

I am going to bind it in the solid sage green. I can't wait to get this one done!

Like all little elves this time of year . . . the list is long. For sure I need to make finish (start) four more pillows to go with the two I have already sent to Seattle. All the Meyer/Ott cousins will have matching pillows made by mom/aunt kirsten under the tree! Here are the two for my brother's girls: (okay it looks like I didn't take photos of the two I sent, just this one photo which shows most of the Rosie pillow . . .)

So the question I ask myself every December when the holiday burn-out begins and I am not even half-way through my to do list is, why don't I start this madness months earlier?

Okay off to get busy in the workshop now that the little people in the house are fast asleep!

Starting the Preparations!

December 5th and we decided to turn on the holiday in our house. We are a bit slow at pulling the full Christmas decor rip cord . . . but we started with a few basics today. Outside lights, the kitchen and placing of the general christmas chatskies! We are waiting until next week to trek to VT for a tree, we are expecting some snow next week to make it a little more special.

Holiday cards get me a little nutty. This year I was going to be better. I ordered them ages ago and of course haven't started to write notes or address them. I so wish I took the time to catch up with dear friends with personal letters. Oh well, I guess there is always next year and now at least there is facebook! I do love the cards this year . . .

Here is a little holiday eye candy for you! We were lucky enough to be a vendor sharing a side with the very talented papier moon primitives at the Saratoga City Center Craft show. After sneaking peeks all day, I had to pick up a few . . . doesn't this look lovely on the kitchen shelf?

and then of course an aqua santa could not be overlooked!

Although primitive is not my usual cup of tea . . . I really am loving these and the work she puts into them is amazing! It was lots of fun to get to know the artist and learn all the work and talent she puts into each piece. She recently opened an ETSY shop and I have a feeling it is going to be a big success!