2012 Year Review +WIPs for the Home + Sewing || Last post before the New Year

Seriously long title don't ya think?   It has been a great year!  I feel like I have done a lot, and after looking at these photos, I have done a lot!  I hope to accomplish more in the year 2013, and I hope you will follow along with me on my journey.


HOME PROJECTS

Blogged here:  1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9. // 10. // 11. //


SEWING/CRAFT PROJECTS

^^ Blogged here:  1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9. // 10. // 11.

^^ Blogged here:  12. // 13. // 14. // 15. // 16. // 17. // 18. // 19. // 20. // 21. // 22.

WIP for the HOME

We made some Christmas cookies, but unfortunately, most of the dough ended up in Owen's mouth.

 

• We are centering our kitchen light over the island during Matt's school break.  

• We'll also be adding a few can lights in our living room.  That space seriously needs them!  Just look how lonely that lamp is!  

• Started this little art project for the carport entry area.  I am debating to leave it as is.  This is just a snippet of it.

• I am still thinking about what art to put above my buffet.  Should I make something or should I find cheap art online?  Nothing I do is speaking to me.  (To see it updated, click here.)

WIP - SEWING

• Quilt top #5 complete, but I can't quilt it until January.

• Quilt top #6 complete.  I'm excited to show you the concept of this one!

• Remember this?  This is finally pieced together.  This will turn into a table runner, but it got pushed aside due to #5 and #6.

My plans for 2013 include redoing my living room and terribly lame bedroom, make a few more quilts, and anything else I fancy.  :)

This is my last post for the year.  Matt does not work next week, and I thought I would just take some time off from the blog, and hopefully, the internet in general.  I need to unplug.  (If I don't respond to emails right away or don't stop by your blog and say hello, that is why.   It's not because I don't love you.  :)

Thank you all for your continuous support and love!  As a way of thanks, I am offering 15% off in my Etsy shop with the code CHRISTMAS15.  Sale ends Jan 1, 2013.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  See you in 2013!

so scraptastic! || part 2 - 29 pieces!

WOW.   Just wow.  I am completely shocked at how well the majority of them turned out!  If you missed my first post of so scraptastic!, it is a must read, especially if you are going to critique my blocks.  ;)  All of these blocks are made from my scrap bin, and they do include projects that I started but never finished or didn't like, which ended up in the scrap bin too!  (Psst- Don't ever throw away pieced work, even if it is ugly!)  So if some blocks look designed, I promise I didn't do it!!  You're just seeing an old project.  :)

My blocks are listed in no particular order.  (If you are seeing wrinkles, it's because I didn't pin any of my pieces for this particular project.)


#1

#2

My Mini Command Center

Awhile back, I blogged about working on a mini command center for my kitchen and shared with you a picture that was my inspiration.  I was really inspired by all the organization pins on Pinterest, and I figured it was time to tackle our little corner of a mess.  I also mentioned in this post my opinions of magnets, so this was a great way for me to reduce those as well.


I'm sure many of you can relate to placing lots of papers on the fridge.  I chose the fridge area for my command center because that is where Matt and I go to on a daily basis, so it is easy to check there often.   Now, I can store all my papers in one place instead of covering up the fridge.


I purchased Martha Stewart's Pockets in white at Staples and a dry erase board from Target.  I used Command Strips to hold everything up.

Let's take a look at the hot mess that I got to look at.  (Oh, and I decided it was time to clean that mess above the fridge too. :)

so scraptastic! || part 1

or craptastic depending on how you feel about this project today.  :)

It was time to conquer this . . .

This is a compilation of three gallon size Ziplocs and one fish bowl full of scraps.  These scraps have accumulated over the course of the year.

One thing I noticed right away is that my idea of a "scrap" is totally different from most.  If I can make a zipper pouch from it, it is considered scrap for me.  There's something so annoying about folding small pieces of fabric, so the lazy self in me tosses these pieces into my scrap bin.

Well, I challenged myself to get rid of the scraps.

4 hours into sewing . . .

7 hours into sewing . . .

And I feel like the pile is not getting any smaller.   (And yes, I am fully aware that my mature self is as messy as a toddler or 16 year old when sewing.)

So here's my challenge . . .

A Father & Son Christmas Tree

DIY Polka Dot Schoolhouse Light

Flickr + SMS/Sew Fresh Winners

I started a Flickr account in order to host the "owen's olivia inspiration group."  This group is for anyone who has made anything from my tutorials or was inspired by anything I have done on my blog. I would love for you to join me and share what you have done!

You can visit my Flickr group by clicking the banner on the left hand side of this blog or by clicking here.


Onto the winners!  Thank you for all who participated in my two giveaways.

SMS winner of the Journal Cover goes to . . .

emedoodle

Sew Fresh Fabrics $20 gift certificate goes to . . .

M-R

Congratulations!

WIP for the HOME + SEWING

Wow.  I posted every day this week.  Pat on my back.  I feel pretty, freaking awesome.  It's been a busy week to say the least with two giveaways going on and Christmas quickly approaching.  Before the weekend starts, I thought I should catch you guys up to date on what's going on around here.

Owen was sick for the first time in his life.  (He'll be 3 in April.)  I had a little more time on my hands to get things done since that little booger didn't want much cuddling.  Now, I normally wouldn't wish sickness upon my son, but if all sicknesses were like this one, I would probably wish upon a star.  This little boy went from running/talking/eating/what's this?, what's that? to sleeping/dazed/zombie.  He just laid there and was content doing almost nothing, though he did want to watch his comfort TV shows.  It was heaven!  I can't be the only mom out there who can relate to this.

So my WIPs are things that have been done for awhile mixed with what's really going on now but just haven't blogged about them yet.



WIPs FOR THE HOME

• A small (and inexpensive) command center in my kitchen.  This photo was my inspiration.

• LIGHT FAIL! but will try, try again in the near future.  I blogged about DIYing this light here, which you can also see what it is really supposed to look like.  What I really need is an extra pair of hands to help me with the reed, and I am positive my husband has zero interest in helping.  

          This is just a hot mess.

• Testing out polka dots.  What do you think this is?

WIPs FOR SEWING

• #3 quilt DONE!  :)  I just haven't had time to blog about it yet, but it is in my Etsy shop.  Here's a little teaser shot.  You can see my other two quilts here.

• #4 quilt top COMPLETE. 

• Remember the fabric pull I showed you earlier this week?  Here's the progress.  My inspiration for this project is 110% from Little Bluebell's Rebel Amish quilt.  It's one of the most beautiful quilts I've ever seen, and I am so happy she participated in the Deck the Hall series or else I may have not known about it.  The color inspiration came from a few Target gift tags that I have.   So 80's.

Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping in!

Coastal Waters Bundle on Sale!

*This post contains affiliate links to Sew Lux Fabric.

Awhile back, I participated in a bundle contest with Sew Lux Fabric, which I wrote about here and has pictures of my original bundle.  Well, I won it!

The bundle showed up at my door yesterday.  Let me just say it's a beauty.  Take a look for yourself. (The Zebra print, which was in the original collection, is out of stock, so it was replaced with Simply Color's Ikat Diamonds in Mustard.

The Coastal Waters bundle is currently 15% off through December 15th or while supplies last.  

Here are a few close ups.

The fabrics featured in this bundle include

Cuzco Orchid Stone
Riley Blake Medium Chevron Aqua
Simply Color Leafy Stripe Mustard
Simply Color Dotty Ombre White Graphite Grey
Pezzy Prints Tonal Sky
Simply Color Ikat Diamonds Mustard
Simply Color Leafy Stripe Grey
Millie's Closet Tweed Coat Blue

Thanks again to Chrissy and Linda for hosting a fabulous contest!

Deck the Halls Series || Stocking Tutorial

Today is my turn to share my Christmas sewing tutorial with Jennifer's Deck the Halls series.  I've never been asked to be part of a sewing series, so I was thrilled!  I knew I wanted to make another stocking since I loved last year's stocking so much.  I changed it up a little by making it scrappy and adding a metal zipper.  I just love metal zippers, don't you?

Well, if you are interested in making this stocking, please head on over to Ellison Lane Quilts for the tutorial.

Here's the schedule run down in case you missed a day.

11/26: S.O.T.A.K. Handmade / Giveaway from Sew Me a Song

11/27: Live A Colorful Life / Giveaway from Zipit!

11/28: Petit Lyons /Giveaway from Zipit!

11/29: Little Bluebell / Giveaway from Mountain of the Dragon

12/3: Between Quilts / Giveaway from Six Munchkins Stitching

12/4: Jednoiglec / Giveaway from Sew Fresh Fabric

12/5: Owen's Olivia / Giveaway from Sew Fresh Fabric

12/6: Stitchery Dickory Dock / Giveaway from Pink Castle Fabric

12/7: Ellison Lane Quilts / Giveaway from Contemporary Cloth

Today's giveaway is sponsored by Sew Fresh Fabrics.

One lucky reader will win a $20 gift certificate from Sew Fresh Fabrics.  Um, can I enter this giveaway please?

Just leave me one comment with the words "I am awesome because . . ." and fill in the blank.

Giveaway is open to all and will end on Dec. 9, 11:59pm EST.  I will contact the winner via email. 

Have a great week! (And thanks again to Jennifer and many thanks to Sew Fresh!)

black friday buys

My Black Friday was spent in a town I knew nothing about, which left my Friday shopping to be done online.  That may have been wiser, but there's only so much time I can spend on the internet hunting for deals before my eyeballs burn.

It saddens me that I didn't find any exceptionally good home decorating deals.  Rugs USA did have an awesome sale, but I figured that sale will come again.   What about you?  Did you score any great deals?  I guess I wasn't really on the hunt for deals because I didn't have anything in particular I was needing or looking for.

I did score one great deal with fabric, and I have to say I wasn't super impressed with the sales online.  They were the typical 20% off, which I am not sure why I still bought fabric.  :/  I think I have a disease.

Here's what I bought.

I already owned these Geocentric prints, but I needed more yardage for a larger project.  (Does anyone else hate buying prints they already own?)

I wanted Simpatico for a long time.  I even blogged about it here.  I finally got two prints.  I still want the mint colored ones too.

When I saw this African Butterfly fabric by Alexander Henry I immediately imagined this framed and placed on Jenny Komenda's (of Little Green Notebook) gallery wall.  I figured for $7 it was worth it.

See???  How cool would that be?

Or maybe even hanging out in her children's room.

This buy was completely out of my comfort zone, but I had a vision and bought it.  A burning bush told me to.  I do admit that this Party Parade by Michael Miller is cute in person.  I bought Sarah Jane's Out to Sea because 1. I love chevrons  2. It's water markings looked cool.

Pink Chalk Fabrics had Nursery Versery for 50% off. (!!!)  WHY DID I NOT BUY MORE OF THIS CRAP????!!!!!

And here is my fabric pull for my next project.  Totally 80's I know.   I'm challenging myself with this one.