Give Thanks December, Week 2

December 8:
     I am so thankful for a new sewing machine that helps me bust out a ton of new products, and items to sell, give as gifts, or just to try.

December 9:
     Thankful that these paper piecing patterns I made of birds, are working out perfectly and the fabric and colors are looking amazing together.

December 10:
     I am so thankful to hangout with one of my best friends and see her pregnant belly and wonderful and amazingly adorable kids. Thanks Kim for making time for us, I am so blessed to have you as a friend.

December 11:
     Thankful and amazed at what wonderful people I have in my life. One of my friends sent me a TULA and not just any tula, a toddler one in the fabric that I have been eye balling for weeks! I cried when I opened it and I can not thank her enough. THANK YOU SARAH!!!! (yes, she has the same name as me).

December 12:
     I am so thankful that I have two adorable nieces to spoil, I mean, come on, how do you not love that face?

December 13:
      I love sewing, and when friends or family members ask for my help I am so honored and thankful that they ask me. I love to show my brothers, girlfriend, Tiffany, anything and everything I can while I am here.

December 14:
     I love trying new sewing items, and thankful that my friend Erin thought of me when she needed a set of garters for a friend who is getting married soon. They turned out great.

Give Thanks,
Sarah

A Thank You Quilt

My wonderful neighbors have done so much for us in the one year that we have been neighbors. They have let us come over, have dinner, drink wine, let the kids play, give us stuff, and even watched our cat while on vacation. They are just wonderful amazing neighbors. I am so thankful for everything they have done for us. I wanted to take some time to make them a thank you quilt. I pulled a bunch of fabric out, and finally came across this pile of green, blue, and purples. I have been saving it for no particular reason, just haven't found anything to use it for. When I came across it, I thought this will be perfect.

The colors and patterns have feminine and masculine colors and designs. The pieces of fabric came in squares, so I just paired them together (as randomly as I could), and then stitched down the left and right of the center. I then cut the squares down that center and ironed them open.

Once I had a ton of squares with two different fabric on either side, I laid out a front and a back.

Front laid out.

The front all sewn together.

The back all sewn together.

I added some higher loft batting. I did not use my usual cotton batting as I wanted them to be able to use it as a blanket/quilt.

Batting added, and pinned.

Once it was quilted up and the binding was on, I had to make sure I placed a label on it, and it was done!

Had to add a label.

Front all done.

The quilting was mostly geometric shapes. I did triangles, circles, lines, trapezoid, and curved lines.

Quilting.

Quilting.

Quilting.

Quilting.

The back, finished.

The colors are so vibrant, these photos don't do justice! The purple is a dark purple with a black floral pattern. The green is more of a lime green, and the blue is a nice teal and light blue.

Front.

Back.

They loved the quilt, and I am just glad I could give them something handmade and special.

Don't forget to give thanks to those you care about.

Give Thanks,
Sarah

July Give Thanks, Week 4

July 22:
     Thankful today for the connection I never expect to have. I never thought this one person I would ever have a connection with, and today proved I was so wrong. Its great to realize we are wrong and that friendships can come from anywhere.

July 23:
     Thankful that my 1 year old still wants to take a nap on my chest. As a mother, those are the best moments ever.

July 24:
     Attempted making my own labels and sewing them on to my projects today. SOOO Thankful they worked! Best feeling ever.

July 25:
      Thankful for a wonderful neighbor who can bring her kids over and let them play, while we have some grown up conversation. I am thankful for the "normal" conversation.

July 26:
      Thankful for a wonderful husband who watched the kids all day, while letting me sew a quilt together! Happy quilting mommy.

July 27:
      Thankful for the chocolate chips that are currently being made by my husband, and being consumed by the rest of us. YUM!

July 28:
      Simply thankful for a great appointment that went a lot better then I ever could have expected.

Give Thanks,
Sarah

Shadow Box Project

When I had my first son, a wonderful friend of mine made a really cute shadow box for his room. It had all sorts of cute pictures, scrap paper, stickers, and so much work had gone in to it. I cried when I opened it. It was so perfect and such a thoughtful gift. I loved it from day one and still love it.


 This is what it looks like, and still hangs in their room today.

Then a year and some change later I found out I was pregnant with our second child. I knew instantly I wanted to make another one of the shadow boxes to keep the theme going. I purchased the same exact shadow box, and collected stickers, pictures, and everything else I could find.

I busted out my old scrapbooking tools, and started working on the shadow box. I measured a hundred times, and still managed to chop some of the stickers off, but it still is super cute! I made this around my sons 9 month or 10 months, and honestly wanted just pregnancy, delivery and baby photos.

I am so thankful for such an amazing friend who put such love and thought into the gift, because it gave me a way to capture those precious moments that go by so fast.

Heres my attempt at it:

The first one is a lot better then mine, but I love them both!

Scrapbook Away,
Sarah