favorite things | wedding quilt

When we got married, I wanted to add a lot of homemade touches to our wedding. I crocheted a heart for everyone at the wedding.  I made placecards in the shape of pennants with paper flowers my mother painstakingly quilled.  I bought a ridiculous amount of Heather Bailey fabric which my friends helped me sew into pennants and napkins. 

After the wedding (which was all I could have hoped for and more), we were left with over 100 napkins and yards of leftover fabric.  A novice seamstress at best, I had no idea what to do with the fabric.  My best friend asked for it and I gave it to her.  On our first wedding anniversary, she delivered this amazing wedding quilt, created by my talented friend Missy at blustitch.

The pictures do not do it justice.  The colors are so vibrant and the stitching is impeccable.  It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever owned - and all the more special knowing it came from a part of the most important day of my life. 

affordable gifts | for the kiddos

the holiday shopping that's the most fun has to be for the kiddos in your life, because you know the reaction you get when they open their presents will be priceless.  there are a ton of fantastic products out there for kids - here are some good options (all $25 or less) for the special little ones in your life.

crochet crown :: bunch / toy seahorses :: brika / building blocks wagon :: ikea / up up up print :: lovemaki / elephant bank :: urban outfitters / wood drum :: grasshopper / miniature trailer :: greenleaf dollhouses / confetti ukelele :: grasshopper / owl pillow :: gingiber / 20-piece train set :: ikea

affordable gifts | for your bestie

the hubs and i are on a pretty tight budget this year, so i've been scouring the internet to find quality, stylish gifts that won't break the bank.  i was surprised to find a lot of great options!  over the next couple of weeks, i'll share what i find here with you.

first up, some modern, colorful options for your best gals:

 
dip-dye pendant :: snug studio / mossimo satchel :: target / owl mug :: west elm / striped cowl :: fournier /  foldover clutch :: this loves that / dipped wood box :: urban outfitters / pyramid studs :: stella & dot / monogram pendant :: anthropologie / kitty wallet :: alison rose

recent projects

some recent projects i've finished...

a wool chevron for my friend james' little girl, margot

a fun multi-thread v-stitch for my friend tisha's little girl, nala

a big cozy blanket for me (i'm always cold) based on this pattern on purl bee

neon roundup

i am a fan of the "things dipped in neon" trend that's spreading all over the internet.  here are some of the favorite ways i've seen to add a little bit of brightness to everyday objects:

diy terra cotta pot via dellie

diy coat rack via mosey

diy dipped shoes via babble

diy coasters via poppytalk

wind & willow bowls via poppytalk handmade

emma's birthday crown (part 2)

last week, i shared a photo of a birthday crown i made for my friend's daughter, emma.  she turned 5 this past weekend and from what i hear, she loves her crown. here's a photo of her wearing it - perhaps after a birthday sugar binge?

a nursery for an elephant

internet, meet howard. 

howard, believe it or not, is 30+ years old.  he looks good for his age, doesn't he?  my aunt bern made howard for me when i was a little girl and he's grown up with me.  someday, when i have a little boy or girl, howard is going to be the inspiration for his/her nursery.

so, does it surprise anyone that the same girl who started reading wedding blogs 2 years before she was engaged already has an inspiration board for a nursery?  it should not.  and no internet, i am not pregnant.

still, i give you howard's nursery:

emma's birthday crown

a friend's little girl is turning 5 this weekend and i made her a crown for her party.  her mom picked out the yarn, i just did the dirty work.  it is modeled here by a canadian moose, but i'll post pictures of emma sporting her crown next week.

weekend update

SATURDAY

went to music together class with little miss junie:

 

did some plant shopping with nicci:

made some cards with the girls (many materials courtesy of amber):

SUNDAY

found an air plant for this bad boy

made some cookies from mariandy's recipe

 

 downton abbey marathon with my hubs

junie james' nursery

one of my besties is featured on apartment therapy today!  the nursery she created for her sweet daughter, junie james, is featured in their family section.  have a look!

friday favorites | from pinterest

here are some of my favorite pins from this week!

to make:

t-shirt headband










rope welcome mat


























heart cozy




























to wear:

Bottega Veneta shoes



wool coat from FM



Land's End Scarf (also in red)



























To eat:

French Onion Grilled Cheese








Zucchini Fritters (via smitten kitchen)



Arugula Sandwich (via eat-drink-garden)

















to buy:

geometrical throw



modern credenza





















susyjack 2012 calendar



loving | olive manna

sporting homey textiles and supplies with a vintage bent, olive manna provides pretty things that serve a purpose.  and you can feel good about shopping there - a percent of the sales goes to Samaritan's Purse. i can't wait to order some things for crafting.


vintage fabric ribbon spool $22 - 30


















vintage office accessories $28 - 74



wooden buttons 10 for $8



hand-dyed jute twine $6 (on sale)

















wire basket $24


















gray quilted throw $119

















vintage calico fabric $12-20



checking in on resolutions

every year i make quite a few new year resolutions.  but like most of the world, i'm not good at sticking to all of them.  this year, i made several resolutions - many of which were related to crafting.  one of those was to finish all of my started crochet projects before buying new yarn or starting another project.  this has proved challenging, especially each time i enter a hobby store that sells yarn.  but so far, i haven't broken my resolution.  and as a result, i'm well on my way to some very pretty finished projects.  here's a peek at what i've been working on:

this green v-stitch was started a couple of years ago and has just been sitting in a basket patiently waiting to be finished.  i love the light, airy feel of it.  i started it without a pattern and as a result, it's so wide that when it's finished, it will likely cover our queen bed.  the enormity of the project is what's kept me from working on it.  but knowing i can't start anything new until i finish it will hopefully get it done soon!

my very first completed granny square blanket makes me pretty happy.  all that's left is weaving in those pesky ends. 

the project i can't wait to finish is this fantastic green granny square blanket.  i fell in love with the variegated yarn and built a granny square around it.  this was postponed for a while because the variegated went out of stock and it waited so long i couldn't remember what yarn i was using for the solid purple!  i think i've got everything figured out now and am so excited to pick this one up again and complete it.

and then of course, there's the most tedious (but likely the most rewarding) project - 130 little red hearts for our wedding in june.  i've got about 30 done - just 100 more to go!

the upside of this resolution is that i'm feeling very motivated to get these done, and as a result, i've produced more finished projects in a short amount of time than usual.  i'll keep you updated on my progress! 

loving | love it a lot

supercute valentine's decor from love it a lot's blog.

rosettes from lovestitched

if you like statement jewelry, you should definitely check out the sweet, feminine (and affordable!) options from lovestitched on etsy.  her rosette rings would be a great addition to any outfit!