Summer days

Summer days are the best, and it’s in full swing here.  I’m spending more time outside than I am in the sewing room.  Which explains why I haven’t blogged in a while!  I’ve also been busy getting prepared for my upcoming lecture and workshop in Tennessee, plus a new pattern is in the works.

My vegetable garden is exploding with cherry tomatoes right now.  I accidentally planted two of the same kind – Sun Gold (my favorite).  They are SO sweet!

 

I love shopping the farmer’s market in the summer.  The peaches and nectarines are at their peak!  And the blueberries are still going strong.  My favorite breakfast is a bowl of plain yogurt topped with fruit, granola, almonds and a little maple syrup drizzled on top.  Heaven!

 

I found a recipe for the perfect margarita.  I never knew how simple they are to  make from scratch.  Mr. Crafty Quilter likes them, too.

 

Sunflowers and purple statice compliment each other so well and they bring summer right inside your home!

 

 

I have this pillow on my front porch.  I made it two years ago for the Desire to Inspire challenge at Henry Glass Studios.  It’s getting a little faded from all of the sun, but I want to keep it there through the month of July.

 

Here’s a sneak peak of the new pattern I’m working on.  It’s made with big blocks of red and white fabric.  I need to make a few changes to the pattern now that I’ve received all of the feedback from my pattern testers (who are awesome).

 

I’m just about finished with my first block of Jacquelynne Steves’ upcoming free block of the month, I Love Home.  There’s still plenty of time to sign up!  I’ll be posting the full details of mine on August 7, but here’s a little preview:

 

It’s hard to imagine that the year is half way over!  I’ve been looking at Christmas ideas already – Christmas in July is a thing, you know.  I’ve got plenty of them on my blog here, and I’ll be adding more Christmas tutorials in the months ahead.

For now, I’m enjoying the long summer days.  We’re taking a trip to Texas in a week to visit my oldest daughter and her family.  We get to babysit our granddaughter, Amelia, for a few days!  Then I’m off to Franklin, Tennessee.  I won’t be as active on my blog as I’d like to be for the next few weeks, but I have lots planned for you later in August and the remainder of the year.

Happy Summer!

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15 Comments

  1. I like be your house. Machine appliqué is my favorite method of appliqué, I think it’s very relaxing to do. This is my first visited to your blog, and I like what I see!

  2. Hi Julie,
    I LOVE everything in today’s blog ( of course). I especially love the way you and Mr. Crafty Crafter were enjoying your margaritas, kicked back, feet up! Now that’s a good picture of summer. I too, love cherry tomatoes. I bought a super 100 plant about five years ago ( they are so delicious) and I haven’t had to plant one since then. They just keep coming back up every year as volunteers. Which is remarkable for MN.
    Anyway, safe travels. Treasure your time with Amelia as you always do.

  3. Our tomatoes are coming in too, our cauliflower is really late. The heads are only about 4 inches across.
    Enjoy yourself and that grandbaby. Hope Tenn. is fun too. I’m so looking forward to the BOM with Jacquelynne.

  4. Hey, Julie,
    When and where are you going to be in Franklin, Tn? I live nearby and would like to meet you.

    Diane Sanford

  5. Julie, We are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in August when you visit Cumberland Valley Quilters in Franklin, TN. We are going to have “sew” much fun.

  6. I do enjoy your writing, your tutorials and the pictures of your beautiful quilts. happy summer to you and yours.

  7. Everything looks perfect! Glad you’re enjoying your summer! Have a fun trip to Tx and then on to TN. Your new quilt looks fun, btw.

  8. Yummy Margarita! I like the look of your new quilt and can’t wait for the pattern to be out……..enjoy the rest of the summer ☀️

  9. Julie, if you like Sun Gold you will love Sun Sugar. They are even sweeter if you can believe it! (May be the next generation.) They are a little harder to find, and I haven’t yet found any seed company that offers it. Orchard Supply started carrying the plants this year.

  10. Interested in the red & white quilt you show here; will the sizes & quilt be on your blog? It would be perfect for my son-in-law (Ohio State grad).

  11. Thank you for sharing, love the new big block design. Hope the pattern will be available on your site. Enjoying the lovely pictures of your garden. Will definitely try the margarita recipe. Being a grandma is the best ever, have fun. Let us know how your workshop in Tennessee goes, am sure it will be wonderful.

  12. The margarita looks wonderful & I think I have all of the ingredients! Love the sunflowers & statice and your pillow!

  13. I’m a big fan of fruit-yogurt-granola for breakfast too, and I like to make my own granola. I use this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/12/04/triple-chocolate-crunch-granola/
    I find that mine burns at her temperature of 350 degrees, so I bake mine at 250 degrees for about 25 minutes. On the most recent batch, I added a bit more oats (heaping cups instead of level cups) and I found that it baked better and was just the right crunchiness for me. I don’t add the chocolate covered raisins (I like them, but not in my granola).

  14. I always enjoy your writings. You should enjoy the summer and not worry about the number of blog posts-life gets too busy with obligations and you should just go with the flow. I sound like a lecturing mother. LOL.

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