cozynotions

The one where things didn't go quite as planned.

Summer happened!  What is it about summer in the blogging world?  Things slow down, take a breather, even if they don't mean to.  It's an unexpected mental vacation.  I love summer this year, a distinct departure from years past.  Certainly, having central air plays a huge roll!  The (cozy) apartment was on the 3rd floor and the heat was heavy and had the ability to wilt me.  This year, the sun is shining in the windows, our house is lit up and I feel great!  No closed up tomb for me! 

This year, having a dog really shook up my routine!  It's a welcome change and I love having a walking buddy.  There are many parks and trails around here to putter around on, but I always felt kind of bored/dumb/creepy-why-is-that-girl-walking alone?....  With the dog, I feel slightly more normal and definitely more engaged.   Little details stand out that I might have missed otherwise; a heron hidden in the reeds, an owl perched on a branch, a neighborhood cat strolling home.  And with a dog, esp a mostly black dog, you get to sit down during walks to keep him cool...which I wouldn't have done before.  Sitting in the woods, JUST for the purpose of relaxing, is a luxury I never took advantage of pre-Hennessy. 

Some things went by the wayside this summer, including the quilt-blocks-of-doom.  I donated money instead.  Time to sew is short here, with a full time job, a full time dog and all the other little things that make up a life.   I really identify with The Selfish Seamstress, whose blog I began reading this year (thanks, Em!)!  Her blog tag line is, "Because I only want to sew stuff if it's for me".   While I do enjoy sewing in general, who ARE these people who sew gifts for their family members?  Who bust out embroidered dish towels weekly?  Who make jam and pickles and then decorate the jars adorably and distribute them to their neighbors?  Gak!  HOW do they do it??? 

Anyway, fall is coming!  The sun is starting to slant.  I've started cutting up fabric for a couple of quilts.  5.5" squares... cute little patchwork squares with chickens and apples and little flowers!   A little Alexander Henry Farmdale quilt, for cool fall mornings with coffee in the kitchen....siiigh that is the BEST.  And maybe sometime I'll update my blog banner to reflect the season change!  I just noticed it says "spring 2010"!  HA!  Summer, you do take over! 

just one thing

Got this fabric from a lovely little Etsy shop in Japan, I can't stop staring at it, the details, the colors, the cuteness!  Every time I buy fabric online, when it comes in the mail it's like opening a present.  Wait...is that why I buy fabric online?  hm. 

Rainbow Around The Block Pt 1

I mentioned this project in a prior post and started on it last week.  With all of the comings and goings of the newest member of the pack, my 'make one quilt square per week' idea went to the dogs out the window.  I'm a bit behind, but I do plan on making enough quilt squares so that there's one for each week.  I started this past week, with 2 squares:

I went with a Disappearing 9 Patch square that I've been wanting to try for a while.  It went together pretty easily, though is very ironing intensive.  Not bad for my first quilt block!  I put another one together and sewed away, feeling quite happy with the process. 

Recently I read this blog entry about documenting the process of quilting.  I get that.  There are quilts in antique stores, thrift stores, etc that I would LOVE to know the story behind!  The story behind these blocks is that while I don't have the money to donate to this cause, I do have the time, and the fabric.  Also, I wanted to challenge myself, could I actually make a block?  Would it bore me to tears?  Would I burn my fingers ironing those fiddly quarter inch seams?  Could I make it look cohesive?  Would it look too 1970's Granny?  The process is the fun part for me, which is probably why I finish so few projects. 

So, in the spirit of showing the process, I give  you this:

Apparently part of this process is math.   Math and I?  Not best friends.  This block (and the other, not pictured block) is about 1 inch too short on all sides.  Gah!  I think I'm going to have to do a sash of some kind around the blocks to make them the correct 12.5" size.  Love the process...love the process...love the process.

in the garden with Hennessey

Things are settling down over here at Casa de Cozy Notions.  The kitties are getting used to the pooch, how he jumps up suddenly (um, suddenly for THEM, as they pre-think their movements half an hour in advance) and his happy tail fwapping them in the face.  In the meantime, I've been reading Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs.  A great read, full of things I've never considered!  Of course, 3 weeks ago I wasn't even considering a DOG! 

and now he comes with me everywhere.  Upstairs, downstairs, to work, out on the porch...

and I LOVE it!  He's so good, so snuggly, so sweet!  We're so lucky!!!  He even helps out with the gardening...

which is a change for me!  Because I took the following picture a little bit later...

which I thought was pretty, until closer inspection revealed...

Hennessey fur!  HA!  This picture makes me giggle.  In just 2.5 weeks, he's infiltrated every part of our lives!  Good boy. 

how does my garden grow?

well, given the ridiculous amount of rain we've had (record breaking, actually), on a scale of 'Fab!' to 'Let's just pave this and call it good', I'd give it a decided...'Meh.'  

There's the good, the bad and the ugly.

Ugly:

Bad:

Good!:

Really good.

Really, really good.

yum.  can it be summer now, please? 

well, well, well.

Just what do we have here?

Meet the newest member of the Cozy Notions family!  This is Hennessey!

What's that?  A dog in a 3 cat house? 

Things seem to be going ok so far.

We're still settling in, might be light on the posts this week. 

Because all this lounging about is quite taxing.

scraptastic!

ok, so I HAVE to know.  WHAT do you do with all of your fabric scraps?  I have mine in a big bin.  It's the only thing I could think of that didn't have me tweaking out in an organizational fit.  I could spend HOURS sorting them by size or color or designer or theme...for now they're in a heap.

Help is on the way!  The amazing Anna Maria Horner has started a project to help those in need after recent flooding devastated parts of Tennessee.  It's called "Rainbow Around The Block" and you can find more details here.  Basically, the premise is that while people may have the money/aid to get back on their feet, many of the sentimental items from their lives are lost forever.  This is a much more personal way to reach out.  

They're asking for 12.5" by 12.5 inch quilt blocks of single colorways and the blocks will be sewn into quilts for families in need.  I LOVE this idea and am going to attempt to sew at least 1 block/week until the submission dates are over.   I think that's reasonable...we'll have to see, though!  I mean, I guess I do have a job and all....but this seems so much more worthwhile!  ;-) 

Really though, outside of the project, how DO you keep your scraps?  And how do you decide what stays and what goes?  How small is too small?  How big is too big to be in the bin?  Is there a method to the madness???

before & after

This little ottoman from Ikea was desperate for a new look.  It's the perfect size, so no need to trade it in, but the cover has seen better days!  They don't make this one anymore, so I couldn't buy a new cover...

Tooled around and found a slipcover tutorial that seemed FAR too simple to actually work.  It's at dummies.com, from the folks who brought us the For Dummies books!  I never would have thought to look there, thanks Google!  

It totally worked!  It was SO easy, I kept reading the directions over and over thinking there was something I was missing.  

It feels really great to have actually finished a project.  I've been waiting to use that Grandiflora fabric from Amy Butler's Nigella line for ages, this was the perfect spot for it!

woah, impromptu vacation!

Wow, that was unexpected!  I didn't anticipate leaving this space for 6 days straight!  Just finishing up 5 days off from work, which, despite the weather, was *very* refreshing!  For the first 3 days, I convalesced as I was sick with the same sniffles it seems all of Oregon has!  The past two days, though, have been wonderful.  I almost forgot I even have a day job!  I spent a lot of time in this spot:

Did a lot of thinking...planning...daydreaming....... it was a great mini vacation.

April Showers Quilt

April showers bring.....uh....June flowers?  I started this quilt a little while ago, intending to have it done by May.  Eh, life happens, right? 

The design is a version of the Easy Lap Quilt in Bend the Rules Sewing.  I just kind of made it up as I went along, which was totally fun!  The fabrics are all from Amy Butler, Midwest Modern 1 and 2.  I LOVE these colors together!  The quilt top is finished.  Haven't decided what the back will look like, but I love the huge Optic Blossom print and will probably include that. 

The size of this quilt is not standard, since I improvised most of it.  I don't know if that's a good or bad thing yet, but I like the size.  If I wanted it bigger, I think I'd add a large border of the gray around the whole thing.   It's about 70 by 70 right now.  

While I'm deciding what to do for the back, I think I need a smaller project that I can just bust out really quickly.  Sometimes getting involved in a huge project consumes me and it helps to shift focus for a little while.  I got the book One Yard Wonders recently and will pick something from there to review for you all!  The book looks AWESOME and I have so many random yards of fabric to use!

Though, Iris would prefer that my focus remain on her.  Cats.  So demanding.