Monthly Archives: May 2013

Fabric Stash Additions {19.05.2013}

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I am in a fabric buying hiatus this month, while I save my pennies for my trip to New York to attend Lotta Jansdotter’s workshop. Woo-hoo!! Needless to say, I have bought lots of fabric, this year, that I have not shared as of yet. I think I am going to do this by store.

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I mentioned last month, that one of my favorite stores is Westwood Acres, an Etsy store that is run by Amanda Woodruff (her blog is A Crazy Fox).  The current bundles (they can never be just one bundle right???) I have my eye on are the “Inside voices IV – low volume bundle“,  the navy blue bundle and lastly the “Stripes that bind bundle” – these are great collections. Oh well, hopefully they will be around next month (or hint, hint, wink, wink to my husband….my birthday is in 3 weeks).

Here are some of my recent purchases from Westwood Acres:

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Now, one by one ;-), here we go:

Color Me Retro Fat Quarter Bundle by Jeni Baker for Art Gallery Fabrics

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Architextures Fat Quarter Bundle of 21 by Carolyn Friedlander 

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A Close-up of the color prints:IMG_7332

You can still get 18 of the 21 in the fat quarter bundle here at Westwood Acres.

Full Moon Lagoon Fat Quarter Bundle by Mo Bedell for Andover 

I was so delighted when I saw these prints.  For those that don’t know, my BSc and MSc are in Marine Science, so I love the featured echinoderms (sea urchins) and the sea horses in this line. I thought it was a little strange to mix these salt water creature with the flower prints – but the colors in this bundle are amazing, my favorites being the orange and lime greens.

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The echinoderms:IMG_7322

Field Study by Anna Maria Horner Linens

I ordered separate 1/2 yards for each of the feather and butterfly prints, as they were my favorite pieces of the line. I am thinking of using this line in making some bags/pouches.

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Finally the other two big bundle purchases were:

I am linking up this week with Sunday Stash which is being hosted by Sew Happily Ever After.

Meal Plan {18.05.2013}

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Wow, this week was a crazy busy at work. I did not get to work on much at home and I definitely missed some blogging. I really missed doing the finish it Friday this week….isn’t funny how breaking a routine can be so disorientating 🙂

I am hoping, leading up to Memorial day weekend though, things will calm down. I am looking forward to the long weekend and spending time at the beach in North Carolina. Until then, here is our meal plan for the week:

DAY BREAKFAST DINNER
Saturday Egg+Ham+ Hashbrown Salad; Hot dogs (my son has his first friend over for a sleepover)
Sunday Bircher Muesli Roast Chicken + Potatoes + Vegetables
Monday Rhubarb+Apples Compote + Granola+yoghurt Meatball + Spinach Pasta Bake
Tuesday English Muffin + Banana + Almond Butter Grill + Vegetable Stack
Wednesday Bircher Muesli Omelet or Frittata
Thursday English Muffin + Marmite Vegetable Stew
Friday Berry + Banana + Spirulina Smoothie Sandwiches (while traveling to the beach for Memorial Day)

We are usually spending ~$70 a week for our meals. Here is this weeks shopping list:

GROCERY LIST (NEW STOCK) IN THE CUPBOARD/FRIDGE
  • Banana (TJ)
  • Strawberries (TT)
  • Grapes (TJ)
  • Bell Pepper (TJ)
  • Tomatoes (TJ)
  • Zucchini (TJ)
  • Cucumber (TJ)
  • Hot dog Franks (TJ)
  • Ground Beef (TJ)
  • Milk (TJ)
  • Butter (TJ)
  • Juice (TJ/TT)
  • Hot dog buns (TT)
  • Whole Chicken (TT)
  • Sliced Cheese (TT)
  • Bread (TT)
  • Yoghurt (TT)
  • Can of Beans (TT)
  • Spinach (from the garden)
  • Broccoli (from the garden)
  • Potatoes (TJ)
  • Mushrooms (TJ)
  • Onions (TJ)
  • Grated Cheese (TT)
  • Eggs (TJ)
  • Gluten Free Pasta (TT)
  • Oats (BJ)
  • Chicken (BJ)
  • Sultanas (TT)
  • Rhubarb (LF)
  • Granny Smith Apples (LF)
  • English Muffins (LF)
  • Soy Milk (TJ)
  • Cereal (BJ)

NOTE: We shop majority at Trader Joe’s (TJ), Target (TT) with an occasional visit to Whole foods (WF), BJ’s , Harris Teeters (HT), Lowes Food (LF) and Fresh Market (FM).
NOTE: We do not typically use coupons mainly due to time.

Madrona Road mini quilt

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Our Modern quilt guild had the showing of our Madrona Road Challenge on Sunday. I was able to squeeze something out….though a little tight. I did managed on Saturday and Sunday to get my mini quilt top complete.

My original idea was to build out 9 blocks that were based on these cool tiles in a recent dwell magazine. I only had two blocks done when I started on Saturday….I needed a new idea, as I knew I would not have the time to finish my original idea.

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So, I was inspired by this picture, which I had pinned a while back on my design ideas board. It is of a Portuguese based tile design. I think it is of a bath…I love the low tone black and white center with the cool blue color edges with all those solids.

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This is my interpretation, incorporated in my Madrona Road Challenge as a mini quilt. This is my first mini quilt and only my second quilt top, so I am really happy with how this turned out.

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For the border,  I designed it so the middle blocks were off centered and mostly in solids (a few scraps of Madrona made it in). I had one 8 x 8″ block of the chess board block and I am so pleased I added to that block to make a 8 x 16″ block in the middle. I like the balance it brings. All the other blocks are 8 x 8″. A close-up of the Madrona Road Blocks and the borders…..

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My favorite block is one of my interpretations of one of the Dwell pictured tiles. It is similar to a X and +  block but it has a few extra details with added borders (I can’t wait to take these photos with the finished quilt so the light doesn’t come through the fabric at the top here).

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On the other side, are two more geometric basic shapes….Zig-Zaggy block (my son calls it the zig-zaggy as it’s the term used in the book, Russell the Sheep) and an improv block from scraps.

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At some stage, I would like to make a larger quilt and build on the design past the blue borders. I think that would be a good-looking quilt. For now, I am hoping to spend some time this week on this mini quilt, finishing it up by quilting and binding it for Friday.

I am linking up with Plum and June “Let’s get acquainted” and Janice @ Better of Thread “Sew Cute Tuesday”.

Plum and June  Better Off Thread

Since this is my WiP this week, hate to post again but I am, linking up with Lee @ Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday.
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced