Works for Me: Audiobooks

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This is such a simple idea, but it has helped me SO much with getting housework done that I have to share. I'm in a local book club, and a couple of the girls in it have always just raved over listening to audiobooks. I had tried listening to them before, but mostly on a long trip and they would tend to put me to sleep. (Not a good thing when you're driving!)

After one book club discussion of audiobooks in particular, I decided to try it again. Now, I'm hooked. When Isaac goes down for his nap, I pop on the headphones and get busy with cooking, cleaning, sewing, laundry, you name it! I am so much more motivated to get the chores done when I have the company of a good book. {Confession: there are many, many naps where I get sucked into something not-so-productive - but I'm way more likely to get things done when I have a book to listen to.}

Any favorite audiobooks out there? I'd love some good suggestions!

Check out Works for Me Wednesday for more great ideas.

Sweet Contrary Mosaic Contest

There's another mosaic contest going on at Stitched in Color. I had a lot of fun picking out this spring-y collection of fabrics from Lark Cottons. Tangerine & aqua mixed with some green & purple just happen to be some of my favorite combos. Plus I can't help but think about my lilac bushes when I think of spring... which happen to be blooming right now!

In case you're interested, these are the fabrics I selected:

Row 1: Shelburne Falls: Sparse Floral Willow, Nicey Jane: Hop Dot Olive, Lush: Running Stitch Turquoise
Row 2: Modern Whimsy: Circles Lime, Flea Market Fancy: Posie Turquoise, Glimma: Kulla Tangerine
Row 3: Glimma: Korkek Jade, Heirloom: Paisley Amber, Heirloom: Marquis Amethyst
Row 4: Central Park: Floral Carousel Orange, Architexture: Crosshatch Plum, Perfectly Perched: Nesting Chairs Garden

I really love these fabrics and am excited to have found some new ones I haven't seen before. Don't you think those purple chairs are just so fun?? Thanks Lark Cottons for sponsoring such a fun contest!

Yikes... it's been a while.

Well, two months have come & gone since I've last made the time to post anything here! Sorry for those of you who have been checking! Although, I'm guessing that after two months there might not be anyone still interested here. :)

Between a trip to China to visit family & a baby who has decided he doesn't like to nap, the days are flying by with little time to create. But, I have plenty of ideas on my list ever-growing project list.

I really want to make this for Isaac's room with his prints:

And we have lots of family celebrations in the next month & a half... so you can bet there are a few things I want to make. It's good to be back... stop by again soon!

A Valentine's Day Treat

We don't get wrapped up in the popular idea of Valentine's Day around here, but I certainly always enjoy an excuse to celebrate or do something special. So, I surprised my husband with this A-MA-ZING candy that my aunt introduced to me last week.

Aunt Kay (who doesn't have a blog but it would be great if she did!) had this candy at a local shop, then determined that she would figure out how to make it. Apparently there are lots of versions of this recipe floating around, but here's what she came up with.

Amish Cashew Candy

2 sticks butter

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 to 1.5 c. cashews

~1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar & corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring pretty much constantly. Use a candy thermometer to bring the mixture to between 275 and 290 degrees F. This takes around 10-15 minutes.

Once it's reached the right temperature, remove from heat and stir in cashews. Transfer to a buttered cookie sheet & spread as thin as you can with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, then as the chocolate is melting, spread on top of candy.

Refrigerate until hardened, then break into pieces.

What the candy looked like before it was broken into pieces.

Javier called this dangerous. He couldn't stop talking about it. So... make this at your own risk!

Hexagons for Stocking #2

As I mentioned in this post, I'm determined that we will have Christmas stockings next Christmas. Which is why I'm working on them in January. Inspired by these lovely stockings, I decided that mine will be made of hexagons. I don't have too much of it sewn yet, but this picture shows you what I have so far.

I love all the hexagon work I'm seeing all over the place these days, and I'm coming to appreciate it even more as I've been working on them! There are about as many opinions on the best way to piece hexagons as there are people sewing hexagons, so I've read and read and settled on my technique. I'll post more on that later, but for now, my preferences are:

• cardstock for hexagon templates
• basting on the back, without sewing through the paper
• joining hexagons with a running stitch

Those seem to be the most debatable parts. If you're looking for a good comparison on hexagon options, this post at The Sometimes Crafter was extremely helpful! 

Have you jumped on the hexagon bandwagon? What's your favorite approach?

Modern Medallion Quilt: Part I

I'm finally able to start on my quilt for Handstitched class! It's been pretty challenging rounding up all the fabric & supplies in a place where all the fabric stores are a decent drive and I have an 8-month old in tow.

Here are the main prints I'll be using:



It's mostly Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow, with a little Joel Dewberry Heirloom. I'm planning to add in a few other smaller scale prints with at least a little more navy.

I managed to get to the store yesterday to get my solids... so off I go to start working! Yay!

Susanna Cate's Quilt

As I explained in this post, I haven't been sewing consistently for very long. And for quilting... I'm even more of a novice. I've finished 2 {baby} quilts, a practice quilt for my dog, and a tablerunner. That's it. But, the engineer in me really loves quilting! Why not - the more precise I am, the better the quilt turns out. So great to have a way for meticulousness to merge with creativity for a fun finished product!

One of those two finished quilts was for my newest niece, born this past November. It's featured in my header and I love it! I've had a few requests to see the whole thing... so here it is.

I used this Charming Lucy quilt pattern from A Bright Corner featuring a Tradewinds charm pack. I didn't really plan for this, but the fabric matches my sweet niece's nursery. Bonus!

I attempted free motion quilting for the first time in a loop-de-loop pattern. It definitely got better as I went.

Anyway, I'm hooked. There will certainly be more quilts to come.