Something for Julie

I have a very artistic sister.  My whole life, she's been to the one to paint, or draw, or now, create intricate mosaics.

I am lucky, because she generously shares her talents.  This is the mural she painted 13 years ago on the walls of SweetP's nursery a few weeks after his birth.  

When I was pregnant, I knew I wanted our baby's room to be sea themed, and Julie offered to paint a mural.  (This was before the Navy started moving us around.)  She poured so much love into creating this vibrant space for my baby!    

It is from the children's book, The Runaway Whale, written by Keith Faulkner and illustrated by Jonathan Lambert.  I immediately fell in love, not only with the story, but the colors and whimsical underwater illustrations that long ago day in the thrift store.  

Every time we travel back to Virginia, I make a point of taking a picture of BigP and BabyBird with his mural.  

When I began sewing again several years ago, I fell in love with batiks because of the color and movement.  Mainly, because I CAN'T draw.  Or paint, unless walls & rooms count.  But playing with fabric and colorful batiks fueled my creative desires.

Julie admired these blocks from the start.  She even claimed them for her own before I was sure I wanted to give them up.  She suggested I make a GIANT duvet cover for her down comforter.  Um, I'm not quite up to that.  

Like so many things, I've put this project away.  Then, two weeks ago, terrible news came from my sister regarding her niece Holly.  She had passed away unexpectedly while sleeping.  A horror I can't begin to imagine.  Understandably, Julie was devastated.  

As soon as I heard, I knew I had to pull this project out of the WiP basket. Julie needed something bright and colorful.  She needed something made with love.  

I'm still not sure how this will look when it's finished.  As it is with all sewing I do for others, Julie has constantly been in my thoughts while I stitch and contemplate design.  I've always said sewing with intention, with thoughtfulness, with mindfulness, is a moving meditation.  I hope Julie will feel my love when this finally arrives on her doorstep.

Modern Trees QAL

My friend Kira put me up to this.  A lovely little QAL from Christa Quilts! 

Not like I don't have enough to finish up, without starting something new.  

But, improv trees are something I've wanted to do.  I love improv anyway, and Christmas trees like these could be fun.

So (or sew, really)....

I'm already a little behind schedule, but hey, that's the way it always is for me.  If I do nothing else the week we head to the east coast for a little change of scenery, I will bring my scraps and my trusty mint green Hello Kitty Janome and piece this little quilt.

QAYG Inspiration

I fell in love with this pillow the first time I saw it.

Newtown Auction Pillow by letseatgrandpa

Pinned it.  Knew I wanted to make one like it.  Just didn't know when.

Our school's Silent Auction and Gala is in two weeks.  The theme this year is Sand, Sea, and Sky.  Perfect.  I'll make something.  What?  Hmmm...  Something small, because, as I said, Gala is in two weeks.  Let's be honest here, no way would I have a completed quilt within a week, even if I wanted to.  So, how about a really cool pillow?

A perusing of Pinterest, my pins and boards, as well as everyone else's, ALWAYS provides inspiration overload.  At any rate, I kept coming back to this pillow.  My style - scrappy, modern, wonky, improv, and best of all, QAYG!  

I haven't tried QAYG, but have wanted to since last October when several of the Scrappy Stash Quilt Along girls did so.

I was just going to wing it - my normal modus operandi - when I happened to check Cori's blog, Let's Eat Grandpa!, the creative one who designed and that pillow.  Lo and behold, she has a tutorial posted.  Ka-ching!  Thank you Cori!

Sea Pillow WiP

Sea Pillow WiP ready to make into a pillow