The EM Quilt

Besides the binding, this quilt was actually finished awhile back, but I just have not had the time to get it posted.  Story of a quilter's life, right?

The more I am quilting, the more I am noticing my style and theme.  I gravitate towards clean lines, graphic designs, bold prints, and the color white!  I do have plans to break these molds though, but right now, I am just enjoying the journey.  I just love, love, love this quilt, and I will be forever jealous of the person that gets to take this home.   There will be more in the future!  Right now, the EM quilt is available in red, and I will soon have this available in black!  This is a larger quilt measuring 53" x 54."  Great for a child or used as a lap quilt for an adult.  

I have a very specific reason for naming this quilt EM.  EM is short for Emily and is an up-and-coming interior designer who I follow on a regular basis.  The design was inspired by a previous living room of hers.  I love how unique the quilt is, even though plus quilts are nothing new.  With the use of scale and stripes, this is a different take on the popular design, and I am so happy to introduce this design to my shop!

This quilt is now listed in my shop.  

I hope you had a great weekend.  My quilt making will be slowing down here shortly, so I can focus on a few other things.  I'm just itching to do a home project, but after these few years of blogging, I am still struggling to find balance.  Trying to prioritize the things I need and want to do is so hard and frustrating.  Ha!  When Anna Griffin came to speak to us at Cricut in UT, I asked her was how she found balance in life.  She laughed and told me that didn't exist.  And when I asked Candice Olson last October how she balanced family, work, and life, she laughed too and told me that didn't exist.  Awesome.   My Cricut Explore should be here in a little over a week, and I am excited to try it out.  The few hours I had to use it in UT was not long enough!  Later next month, I am participating in Ellison Lane's Crafty Traveler Series.   It's a month long series that starts next week, so maybe you might want to join us.  

What do you have going on?  How do you find balance in your life? Working on any home or sewing projects?  Let me know and include a link, so I can check it out.  

xx nancy

One year ago:   A new addition the family
Two years ago:   Etsy || Absence

A quick trip to UT || Cricut Explore

I say quick, but it was actually a week long trip!  Awhile back, Cricut contacted me to see if I wanted to come out to UT for the reveal of their newest product.   I said heck yeah!  I flew out with about a hundred other bloggers and businesses to see the new Cricut Explore in person.  I feel blessed and honored beyond measure that I was able to be part of it.  It was really exciting!

Now, it may seem like I have ulterior motives while I spit stuff out trying to get you pumped for this new product from Cricut.  Yeah, they flew me out and took really good care of me, but there's something you need to know.  Cricut worked their tails off to provide a new product for the DIY community.  They have extensively researched how they could make this a product that people really want to use.  Not just to sit on a shelf and one day use, but actually use it.  The company focused on three key words, which is the summation of the Cricut Explore.

EASY. PRECISE. VERSATILE.

Y'all.  It's easy to use.  Very little buttons.  There's a few steps to getting around on the computer portion, but it's really not that difficult.  They tried really hard to make things easier for the user because who wants to craft when it's hard?  Seriously.  Um, four buttons and one dial.  Simple.

It's precise.  You can get fine tips, delicate curves, and cut as small as a 1/4".

It's versatile.  It works with your old Cricut, meaning you can download all your cartridge images onto the new Cricut!  It's wireless, so you have the ability to work on it from you iPad.  It's quiet.  Like you can craft next to your sleeping baby quiet.  You can use the same cutting blade for all sorts of mediums.  What can be used on silk can then be used on cork board.  They also include a storage tote, which is never mentioned on the package!  It's a nice a little surprise.

So here's a little info:

-Individual images- starting at .99 cents.
-No commitment; cancel anytime; monthly or yearly subscriptions
-Access to 25,000 images and 200 fonts - $99.99
-There's free access to play around, so you are not committed to buying something you think you may like.
-If you create a project using their images but then cancel, you still keep your project!
-You can design your own images to cut!
-SVG files are supported
-The machine can score, cut, and ink at the same time!

This machine will be available mid-March and retails for $299.  You will find Cricut Explore at Amazon, Jo-Ann, Michael's, and Walmart.com.

Interested in seeing what people are doing with this machine?

Follow hashtags  #ExploreCricut and #OfficialCricut

It's going to BLOW your mind.

So what do you think?  Are you excited to get your hands on this machine?

xx nancy

Find me elsewhere:  Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Bloglovin', and Etsy.

*I was not compensated for this post, but I am receiving an Explore.  I just want to share with you a new product that I think you will enjoy as much as I do.  All opinions are mine.

Triangle "Fish" Quilt Finish

Do you ever see quilts that just make you happy?  This is one of those for me.  I love this quilt so much, and it will be really hard to part with.  I actually had this finished (minus the binding) July of 2013, but I ran into a personal hiccup that would only annoy me and no other person who would admire this quilt.  I will definitely be making more of these in the future.  It makes me THAT happy.

 xx nancy

Psst -This quilt is listed in my Etsy shop.  Take $15 off if you purchase directly through me (email) and not through Etsy.

*My Instagram is private (just request to follow), but are you able to see my IG links that I sometimes provide in posts, even if you are not a follower or member of IG?  Just curious.

Etsy Find || Thistle and Fox

I came across Thistle and Fox  on Etsy a while back, and I immediately fell in love.  If you like products that have a vintage, feminine, or woodsy feel, this is the shop for you.

*All photos belong to Thistle and Fox.

Fabric

This pillow reminds me of my horse couch that I stamped last year.

Horse Pillow

Dress

Fabric

Brass Fern Pins

Butterfly Fabric

Tote Bag

Fabric

Pillow

Pouches

Isn't this shop adorable?  I definitely want to add a few things to my fabric stash.  She offers a lot other things as well, so make sure to check the shop out if you like what you see.  Two things I want to share with you real quick.  I finished a quilt earlier this week, but the lighting around here hasn't been great enough for picture taking.  I'm hoping to share photos on Monday, if this dreary weather clears up, but here is a snippet that I took for Instagram.  I'm pretty active on Instagram, so you should follow along, if you like.

And lastly, I have been waiting and waiting for this light to get finished.  I took this picture for Instagram as well.  Matt actually finished wiring it for me, but the wires were a little too short in one spot.  That left it with no current.  He had to break down the light, and I am hoping it will be put back together again this weekend.  It will not stay brass, although I really, really like it as is.   It's going to go in my kitchen, and the brass will clash with my green countertop.

I hope you have a great weekend.  I just celebrated my birthday (yesterday), and I might convince the husband that we need to celebrate all weekend.  :)

xx nancy

A Schoolhouse Electric Inspired Bed

The bed is DONE.   I bought the bed off Craigslist back in October, and it was in rough condition with rust and chipped paint.  A little elbow grease and I turned my find into a Schoolhouse Electric style bed.   I originally did not choose black for the color, but it only seems natural to have it now that I look at it.  I asked my 3 year old what color he wanted his bed, and I was willing to paint it any color he chose.  He said black, and I asked him if he was sure about that.  He said yes, and I said heck yeah!!!

Yep, I went there.  I wrapped fabric around his metal headboard.  I will definitely go there again, if the opportunity ever arises.

Do you remember when I bought this bed?  I blogged about it here along with sharing some inspirational photos.  Although I was a fan of the chipped paint look, it tested positive for lead, so I sanded it.  I used some black paint I had on hand, which was interior house paint and then applied Polyacrylic over it.  I used a cheap brush from Lowe's, which seemed to do just fine for this bed.

And do you want to know the biggest bonus of having this bed besides the ability to sleep guests?

STORAGE.

Something our small home lacks.

And we all like before and afters, right?  Although, the before was really nice too.  :)

There's something about that zebra in the picture above that makes me smile.  I think it's the way it has collapsed over from exhaustion and is smiling.

Thank goodness Owen loves his new bed.  Now if I can only get him to sleep in it the entire night ...
xx nancy



Bedding is from Ikea and Target.  Cloud pillows made by me.  Zebra from Pier 1.  Woven basket Nate Berkus for Target.

Related posts:

Paint color options for the bed
Owen's room with a source list

One year ago:
Catalog Quilt finish
Two years ago:
Kitchen Tile


My quilting book released Sept. 24, 2015 and is on Amazon.  Check it out!