A little journal of simple living.
Well, here is my newest creation. This confetti quilt was made for a friend who ordered a baby quilt. I loved the quilt tutorial from Lady Harvatine's blog. I had loads of fun piecing this together and I quilted it around each colored block. The backing fabric is fun blue and green circles (the baby this goes to IS a boy).
I just confirmed that Amy and I will be at Eastern Market again on August 4th. I'm thinking mini quilts...
Well folks, we did it! Amy and I had a great time today at Eastern Market. Although I didn't sell any quilts, I did sell a few of my other wares as did Amy. We are going to go back again in August for another go. Amy has so much style and her side of the stand looked way better than mine (which is part of the reason I asked her to go into it with me....she makes me look better!) Her daughter made her sign (I'm going to have to hire her) and her son did her business cards. Amazing. AND her husband dropped her off and picked her up. SO CUTE.
Thank you to everyone that came out to support us. We love you! All of the other standholders were super duper nice and supportive and had some really fantastic wares.
I'm a bit sunburned but happy and had to share this last picture. The most amazing piano music is floating upstairs while I write this and I wish I could share the sounds with you but you'll just have to do with the picture of my hubby at the piano.
Now, the next question in my head has been, "what is the purpose of Simply Sewn?" Being a Christian, I must ask myself what Christ wants from my life. My husband and I have made lots of decisions based on what we believe we have been called to do. These decisions have not always been "smart" or "fiscally responsible" if one looks at it from a worldly perspective. 
I quit my job to homeschool our children, Mike quit his corporate job because it was slowly killing him and began teaching music to children. We pay out of pocket for our health insurance because of it. I have gone to Mass and cried to God, "but what happens if..." and "This doesn't make sense, how will we pay for _____ if ____happens?" The answer that was provided to me was "Yes, you are right, it doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense in the world's eyes but it does make sense to Me." Powerful. 
I have realized that I have let my prayer and Bible study go due to this sewing business. I have dedicated myself back to my early morning "gift to God" of my time in prayer and study. Yes, it is only 7:30 am but I get up early and have already read and prayed (and drank three cups of coffee). Yesterday I read about the "ideal wife" in Proverbs to try to get a sense of how to balance my life as a wife and mother. This wife sews, she sells her wares, she gives to the poor, she works hard, she provides for her family, she watches her family's conduct to make sure it is upstanding, she is God fearing. I know I am a work in progress and I am praying that God show me what he wants me to do with all this sewing......I'll keep you posted.
While waiting for my tee-pee to wash and dry I was perusing the book The Children's Year. This has so many nice little projects. I saw a pattern for a froggy bean bag and just couldn't resist. The frogs were to be sewn then turned out but because I used fleece and the pattern was so little this was not going to happen. 
Also the eyes were to be beads but I am always afraid that a small one is going to eat the bead so I just embroidered them.
I can't exactly tell you why these little guys make me happy, but they do. I have also been singing "Froggy went a courting" all day. 
I will have these little frogs for sale on Saturday at Eastern Market. I hope they make you smile as much as me. Have a great day.
My next door neighbor ordered a baby quilt for a friend who just had a boy. I have wanted to make this quilt ever since I saw it. It was really easy and lots of fun until I got to the part where I had to fit all the pieces together. That was a little harder than making the blocks. All in all it was a very fun project and I love the way it is turning out. Time to quilt.
I have been having a ball in my "studio." Translation: sewing room. Now that I am an "artisan" translation: mom who sews, I am trying to spend a few hours (translation: every spare minute) working on my craft (sewing). It is amazing to me just how productive one can be when there are fewer distractions. Don't worry, I'm still taking Nolan to swim practice, making supper, helping Nathan earn his free Hershey Park ticket and doing the dishes.
This bonnet and bag are from a pattern my mom used when I was in Kindergarten. I'm excited that my friend Amy will be at Eastern Market with me on Saturday.
My darling husband and I set aside today as "family day" so I'm not going to post a whole lot. After Mass this morning our family went out for breakfast at this fantastic little restaurant called, Wish You Were Here. Nathan commented that "this restaurant makes the best pancakes." Yum.
We then came home and put on our hiking gear and went on what had to be the toughest hike of our lives (remember we are rather wimpy) at Susquehannock State Park. Lots of steep hills and narrow paths and rocks.
I had a few minutes between reading the newspaper with Mike and making dinner. I finished my newest quilt this morning before Mass (I get a lot of quilting done between the hours of 6:30 and 8 am.) It just came out of the dryer and I love it so much I wanted to share it with you. It will be for sale at Eastern Market on Saturday and in my Etsy shop soon. To understand how to make a disappearing nine patch check out this easy tutorial. I used 30's and 40's reproduction fabrics from Burkholder's (my favorite quilt shop to date). I just LOVE the little chicks and chickens fabric. Some of the eggs are whole and some are broken. I have some extra of this and need to make something fun out of it. I'm just not sure what yet.
After supper we are having a fire cracker extravaganza. The kids are very excited. I'm making my meal completely from food bought at Eastern Market yesterday.
