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New quilters, new stash and more gardening

My youngest daughter, Sara (on the right), and her good friend, Sara, recently took my beginning quilt class and finished their first quilt.  We have two new quilters, people!  I love how they chose the same color palette, but one is soft and the other is vibrant.  I love them both (quilts and people).

New quilters, Sara H. and Sara C.

 

It’s been so nice having Sara living at home since graduating from college.  She works full time and loves to hang out in the city (San Francisco) on the weekends, so I don’t see her as often as you might think.  It’s a good balance for her and keeps us all at peace with each other.  I’m the crazy mom that would love to have her children live with her forever – the door is always open I say!

 

I took advantage of Fat Quarter Shop’s recent sale and I purchased a few things that I’ve had my eye on.

 

I finally own a Ruler Pal and it’s already paying for its keep.  It’s a great way to keep rulers that you’re using at hand, but out of the way of your cutting surface.  They come in two different sizes and lots of fun colors.

These three fabrics are from Charleston by Amy Sinibaldi for Art Gallery Fabrics.  The half-yard bundle behind it is Les Petites also by Amy Sinibaldi and it coordinates perfectly with Charleston.  No plans for these yet, beyond holding and petting.

 

I’m starting a collection of Aurifloss and I love this box of colors inspired by Lori Holt.  Beautiful embroidery, here I come!

 

I’ve been putting in my time doing gardening. The first half of the week was beautiful and I knew there were a couple of storms lined up (that have since brought lots of wind and rain), so I went to town preparing the vegetable garden with chicken manure and planting lots of flowers in pots.  I’ve got seeds that still need to go in and a few more vegetables to plant, but we are off to a good start.

 

Picking out flower combinations is a lot like picking out fabric combinations and I love the challenge.  This beautiful ceramic bowl is my favorite.

Beautiful potted flowers by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

Gerbera daisies are just the happiest looking flower and I always include a few in the mix.

Beautiful potted flowers by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

And who could resist this sweet bunch of purple violas.

Beautiful potted flowers by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

On the front porch, you’re greeted with a riot of color.  Don’t you love the blue accent from that flower pot?

Beautiful potted flowers by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

And this pot was made for me by two of my nephews and it’s one of my personal favorites.  This would make a great mother’s day project!

Beautiful potted flowers by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

The Spring SALE has sprung at Craftsy! All of their top classes will be under $20 this weekend. Skip the spring cleaning. Enjoy some spring crafting – starts today!

That’s my week in a nutshell!  A little bit of sewing here and there, but mostly gardening and organizing my new office desk.  Hopefully this weekend I’ll get to play in my sewing room.  I hope you do too!

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19 Comments

  1. Seeing your Gerbera Daisies reminded me we have one we have had at least 4 years. We put out planters every summer on our front porch. Then, come cold weather they are hauled into the garage and seem to really love it there all winter long. Lots ever bloom through the winter – no, the garage is not heated. It is always interesting to see what lives life well in the garage each winter.

  2. The two Saras learned from one of the best, so, of course, their quilts came out beautiful! It’s not quite spring here, but I am inspired by your gardening pics. Love your new fabric! You always pick out the best! Enjoy your week! XO

  3. Hi Julie,

    I really enjoyed this post. So many pretty things to look at. The quilts, the flowers, the fabric but my favorite is the picture of you and your daughter. I’d frame that one. Hugs and blessings!

  4. What an uplifting, positive, inspiring and happy post … filled with lots of color, smiles, successes and energy … I think I need to eat what you are eating please I love your posts Julie.

  5. Ok, you spurred me on. I’ve been thinking about stopping to buy some pansies to pot and enjoy and your springy pots have done the trick. I suppose the garden centers are crazy today as it’s a Saturday and it’s an absolutely gorgeous day!

  6. I love your site. You have so many wonderful projects and ideas. I especially like the quilts that the girls made. My daughter and I quilt together when she visits and by FaceTime as we live a distance apart. I would like to sew the girls quilt with her…where could I find the pattern? I always look forward to your emails.

  7. Love the quilts the ladies made and the quilting. Looking forward to planting my flowers after seeing yours.

  8. I love your daughter’s quilt and, my, she looks like you! I can only image how you enjoy having her close by. Your flower pots are lovely and inspiring. I love Gerber Daisy’s as well but they get white flies here. I hate white flies! Off to my sewing room shortly. Thanks for all you do for us quilters!

  9. Morning Julie, Beautiful girls and quilts. you must be very proud. So far no one interested in quilting here but me.
    Nice garden beds. We are just getting started with seedlings. Yea, it’s a little late. But Don is usually a little late in everything he does. 😎 I think he is finally rubbing off on me. Gotta do something about that. Enjoy your day.

  10. Wow! Happy new quilters! Congratulations to the students as well as the teacher! I just returned from vacationing in Charlestown, SC with the very same “Charlestown” fabrics only in larger sizes. Love, love love you gorgeous spring flowers!!

  11. What was beginner quilting class your daughter and her friend took with you? The quilts look really nice and maybe easy enough I might be able to do it.

  12. Thank you Julie for sharing all these! I know how a “crazy” mom is as I behave the same with my 19 year old boy 🙂 Your flowers are so pretty, I’ll have to make some time to do some work in my garden as well. Have a pleasant sewing weekend!

  13. I love the pictures of your gardening, my daddy has been a gardener forever and is in bed with end stage NET cancer, so he has been drawing pictures of flowers and mapping out beds. I wanted to do a lovely flower quilt for him and I broke two ribs, somehow, I have lupus so who knows what happened and I can’t afford the material right now between the cost of two ER bills and my treatments but this post my heart and brought me joy. Loved seeing the smiling faces of proud quilting!

  14. Awhhh, so sweet and to see the happy smiles on both Sara’s, too precious.
    The flowers are so pretty. Glad you enjoyed yourself.
    I’m heading to Bass Lake and Yosemite…..yeah.
    I sewed 8 napkins as a gift. Fiesta type fabric. Looks good….hope they like them.

  15. They are two very talented quilters. Of coirse they have an excellent teacher. It is so enjoyable to teach some one how to sew/quilt and discover that they love it as much as you do.

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