As long as it’s before midnight, it still counts as Thursday, right? I don’t want this week to slide, so I’m squeaking this beauty in before the buzzer. We’ve been getting doused in rain (I hear we got 9″ yesterday!), so these poor gorgeous flowers have been beaten down into a horizontal position since these photos were taken, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bask in their beauty!!
Today’s color inspiration features Cosmos from my garden, a perfect magenta-pink against a bright blue sky. The color palette was created using Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1 and the matching solids and Aurifil thread are an awesome perk!
Corresponding solids from left to right: Bella Cobalt, Bella Amelia Blue, Kona Candy Pink, Bella Fuchsia, Bella Boysenberry, Kona Eggplant
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 1248 – Grey Blue
4140 – Wedgewood
2515 – Light Orchid
2479 – Med Orchid
4030 – Plum
1240 – V Dk Eggplant
Take a deep breath. Soak in the glorious sun (c’mon, play along with me, even if it’s nighttime). Imagine these dainty flowers peacefully bobbing together in the gentle breeze, warm sun shining down upon them. Just looking at this photo makes me feel lighter. It surely helps that I LOVE these colors together. In fact, I very well might take this palette to create my first official color inspiration quilt. I’ll need to include a pop of golden yellow, of course. Maybe?…
I’m sharing a few more photos of these flowers, sans color palette, since the palette above embodies the colors and brightness so well, but I can’t resist sharing these other angles with you. Enjoy!
Every year, friends of ours host a pot luck pig roast on their 360+ acre organic farm right up the road. It is truly one of the (if not THE) highlights of our year. With contributing family members who are musicians, a midwife, farmers, cheese makers, contractor, parents, kids, the invite list always includes a wonderful group of local folks with many smiles, more babies than you would think possible, and dear friends. The food is always amazing, the farm is gorgeous as always, the day is filled with kids running around and playing, hay rides behind their team of work horses, amazing seasonal local food, and usually a bonfire with accompanying impromptu music. North Branch Farm is such an amazing place, made so entirely by the vision, ability, hardwork, and unending determination of a wonderful family. I am truly in awe of all that they do, and so grateful to call them dear friends.
Today’s color inspiration comes from some photos I took during this year’s Pig Roast. I spent more time socializing, playing with kiddos, and eating than photographing, but this is just a little glimpse into one of our favorite events. Color palettes are made using Play Craft’s Palette Builder 2.1 and my photographs. Enjoy, and I do encourage you to visit North Branch Farm’s website to read a bit more about their awesome farm, and of course be inspired!
Corresponding solids from left to right: Bella Christmas Green, Kona Pepper, Kona Laurel, Bella Betty’s Teal, Bella French Blue, Kona Raffia
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 1158 – Med Grey
2785 – V Dk Navy
2890 – Dk Grass Green
2850 – Med Juniper
4140 – Wedgewood
2314 – Beige
This post wouldn’t be complete without a photo of their gorgeous work horses, named April and May. The resulting palette is super soothing and earthy, too. You can catch a glimpse of one of their gorgeous fields and the happy rows of giant organic veggies to the left of the horses. You can also catch a little glimpse of the haywagon filled with happy rows of friends and family. I’m pretty sure that little head hanging way over the edge on the right is my daughter. I think she rode this wagon with her friend Noah at least 20 times.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Ash, Kona Shadow, Kona Black, Bella Brick Red, Kona Garnet, Kona Plum
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 5011 – Rope Beige
2600 – Dove 2692 – Black 2245 – Red Orange 1240 – V Dk Eggplant 4030 – Plum
The tiny details are never forgotten, from these jars of garden and wild flowers on the tables, the string lights hung from the tent, or the cross-section of a tree with leaves and grapes used to plate their own aged gouda that graced the pot luck table (I wish I had gotten a photo of this display, but sadly I did not.)
Here are just a few more peeks into our fun day.
I hope the early days of autumn bring you much joy, family, friends, and fulfilling preparation for the winter to come.
Heat and humidity still run deep here in Maine, although nights are beginning to cool off. Even still, with school starting and the garden passing its peak, we are clearly headed into autumn, like it or not. Today’s color inspiration includes a couple of photographs I took while my family was visiting in early August. I’ve saved them until now, though, since they have a decidedly autumnal feel to me. Color palettes are created using Play Crafts Palette Builder 2.1 and my photographs. The matching solids and Aurifil thread are an awesome perk of using the Palette Builder; they are automatically generated for you!
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Coal, Bella Green, Kona Spring, Bella Baby Blue, Bella Plum, Bella Eggplant
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 1158 – Med Grey
5014 – Marine Water 2850 – Med Juniper 2606 – Mist 2566 – Wisteria 2568 – Mulberry
This awesome spiral ornamental plant was spotted outside one of the businesses in downtown Camden, Maine. It’s variegated, but beyond that I have no idea what species of plant it might be. I thought the combination of the unique spiral of the soft green leaf, the brick tinged veins and leaf border, and the brick step background would make a gorgeous palette. It feels like fall to me.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Pepper, Kona Chocolate, Bella Acid Green, Kona Amber, Kona Cedar, Kona Spice
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2785 – V Dk Navy
1285 – Med Bark 2120 – Canary 2145 – Yellow Orange 2390 – Cinnamon Toast 2385 – Terracotta
Wine and a bonfire. What’s not to like? While this scene was enjoyed during a hot midsummer’s night, the resulting color palette screams fall. Maybe it’s the fiery orange and yellow with the dark black/brown background that seems reminiscent of jack-o-lanterns and autumn leaves. I’d certainly love to enjoy a nice glass of wine by a bonfire, but I’ll have to wait until my month-long antibiotic Lyme-kicking regiment is finished before I imbibe. This photo will just have to suffice for now.
Taking this photo reminded me that I haven’t paired wine and fabric in a while. I think it’s high time I got back to that, since it makes for some fun creative fabric play. If you’re a wine drinker, what are some of your favorites? Perhaps I’ll try to find one and pair it up with the perfect fabric match!
My Color Inspiration posts have been less consistent this summer, but not for a lack of color. I’ve been focusing on sewing and having quality family time outside, and with an infant, it’s a lot trickier to carry a camera around with me to capture the color all around us. But it’s still there, oh–it’s there! Last week we had a full, full house with my entire family visiting (minus one brother-in-law)–my parents, two brothers, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and two cousins; it was a full house! This week I’ll be sharing some colorful flowers seen during forays into town, turned into color palettes with Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Titanium, Bella Nautical Blue, Bella Magenta, Bella Peony, Bella Petal Pink, Bella Leaf
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2606 – Mist 1310 – Med Blue Grey 2455 – Med Carmine Red 2479 – Med Orchid 2566 – Wisteria 2887 – Olive
Purple cone flower, or echinacea, is one of my favorite summer flowers. The color, the shape, the wild nature–I love it all. These were spotted along the Belfast waterfront, beautifying the view of the harbor.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Grapemist, Kona Amethyst, Kona Lavender, Kona Blueberry, Bella Sapphire, Kona Blue Jay
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2770 – V Lt Delft 2720 – Light Delft 2725 – Lt Wedgewood 2560 – Iris 2775 – Steel Blue 4140 – Wedgewood
Hydrangea. Honestly, it took me a while to fully appreciate this flower. The color of course is hard to be topped, but the giant fluffball style just isn’t my thing. When seen close up, however, the beauty of the color and the detail of each individual petal wins over the goofy fluff. My daughter, on the other hand, LOVES these flowers. The bigger the better, in her opinion. Me, I’d opt for the delicate forget-me-not over the voluptuous (yes, I just called a flower voluptuous) hydrangea any day. But I’ll take the color anywhere I can!
This week showcases the results of what may be my favorite summer scavenger hunt yet. We mixed it up a bit this time and instead of searching for flowers and objects in the yard of a particular color, we collected one of each different lily that grows in our gardens. It’s amazing that one genus of flower can have such a vast variety of size, shape, color, and intricacy. According to wikipedia there are more than 35,000 daylily cultivars alone. We only have a very tiny sampling. Color palettes are made using my photographs and Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Gold, Kona Grellow, Bella Key Lime, Kona Baby Blue, Bella Plum, Bella Deep Burgundy
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2155 – Cinnamon
2975 – Brass 5015 – Gold Yellow 2710 – Lt Robins Egg 2566 – Wisteria 2568 – Mulberry
An aerial view of our full collection, this photo shows the range of size, shape, and color. You can see that one of these things is not like the other; one of the lilies is a double or maybe triple, meaning instead of one rosette of petals, there are multiples. I cannot take credit for planting any of these, but I’m again grateful that the woman who first created our gardens had a deep love for anything that flowers.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Cinnamon, Bella Kansas Red, Bella Cheddar, Kona Cheddar, Bella Peach, Bella Periwinkle
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2355 – Rust
2350 – Copper 2214 – Golden Honey 6010 – Toast 2320 – Lt Toast 4140 – Wedgewood
Here’s a more detailed view of the odd lily out. The petals on this species are wild and swirly, reminding me of the gorgeous magnolia blooms that kick off spring. The range from peach to orange paired with the grey blue of the wood make such a gorgeous palette! It’s also kind of fun that the “Cheddar” color from both Kona solids and Moda Bella solids fabric lines appear in this palette.
Max selected his favorite flower, which happened to be the biggest and brightest of them all:
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Yarrow, Bella Tawny Olive, Kona Grellow, Bella Grape, Bella Graphite, Bella Deep Burgundy
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2920 – Lt Brass
2975 – Brass 2132 – Tarnished Gold 2630 – Pewter 2610 – Lt Blue Grey 2345 – Raisin
The largest lily of them all shines like the sun. I love the delicate curl of the pistil and stamen, which reach up toward the light.
Here are a couple more photos of these gorgeous lilies for your viewing pleasure.
We all have busy lives. Whether it’s work, family, hobbies, friends, or chores that fill your days, there’s always something that needs to be done. As a full time mom with a newborn, I know that there is an endless list of chores–laundry, dishes, cooking, vacuuming, gardening, cleaning up after two busy toddlers, did I mention laundry?–on top of keeping my kids alive and of course loved and engaged in fun activities that easily fills my days and nights. I’ve been asked a few times how I find time to sew with three kiddos include a newborn. My answer is simple: I make time.
Life is full, but you can still make time to do the things you love.
At first I felt guilty taking time to sew and quilt when there was always a long list of chores that could be done. But over the past few years, I’ve learned that I need to make time for myself in order to keep my sanity. Taking time regularly to create something beautiful (since that’s always what we’re doing when we quilt, right?) helps me to recenter and rejuvenate. “Me time” is a necessary part of my existence as a happy full time mom and wife. I know that now.
So how to “make time” in an otherwise jam packed schedule?
1. Set small attainable goals
For me, setting small attainable goals has the most success in helping me find regular sewing time while staying motivated and enjoying the process. As a yoga teacher, students often struggled with maintaining a personal practice at home. The best advice I heard during one of my teacher trainings was to set your bar LOW: make it your goal to roll out your mat and stand on it each day. That’s it. Roll out your mat. Stand on it. Goal accomplished! Once you are standing on your mat, it’s so easy to take a deep breath and do yoga. Rolling out the mat is the hardest part.
The same applies for sewing. Set your bar low. Make it your goal to step into your sewing space each day. Set a timer for 20 minutes and aim to create for 20 minutes per day. If the 20 minutes passes and you’re still going strong (and don’t have any crying kids or impending business meetings), go ahead and take 20 more!
2. Just do it!
Nike was on to something. Take it from me, if you spend the entire day thinking you will take your 20 minute sew break later, there’s a good chance you will be too tired when “later” finally comes. Regardless of whether your goal is to go for a run, clean the bathroom, write a letter to your best friend, or sew for 20 minutes, it’s best to accomplish it sooner than later. Besides, who doesn’t want to start their day with a “win”? Get the hard stuff out of the way early in the day, and you will be surprised how much lighter and more motivated you feel. Who knows–maybe you’ll be inspired to find time to take 20 more later that day!
3. Be gentle with yourself
This is the most important rule, in my opinion. We are our own worst critics, and it’s easy to fall into the pit of “I can’t” or “I should have”. I wish I could remember who told me: “Don’t should on yourself.” (say it out loud–get it?). Should is such a helpless word. The past has passed; there’s no changing it and no use in thinking about what you should have done. Think instead of what you will do now.
Try to create new habits with a gentle heart. If you currently are not consistently sewing at all, maybe make your goal to #sewtake20 four out of seven days this week. (Remember tip #2, though–getting those days under your belt early in the week will keep you feeling pumped and motivated). Once you get into the rhythm of MAKING time for yourself, even if it’s only 20 minutes at a time, up the ante for your goal and try taking time for yourself five days a week. Before you know it, you’ll be taking those 20 minutes daily, feeling efficient, and seeing progress on your formerly stagnant sewing projects.
My friends Stephanie at Late Night Quilter and Mandy at Mandalei Quilts and I are trying a new project to help us make time for ourselves. We’re using hashtag #sewtake20 on social media to help track our progress, and create a support network for those of you who want to join us. We invite you to post your progress, your challenges, and your quilting eye candy so that we can all help encourage and inspire each other.
Are you feeling overwhelmed at your mountainous to do list? #sewtake20
Feeling like there’s just no way you can accomplish your goal? #sewtake20
Want to find a way to make more time for yourself?
#sewtake20
The wise Lau Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Taking 20 minute sewing escapes daily WILL result in a finished project. And you just might be a happier, more relaxed mom, wife, friend, or coworker to boot. I know I am.
This weekend was the annual Maine Quilts quilt show hosted by the Pine Tree Quilt Guild, and I went on Sunday to see all of the gorgeous quilts. While there, I not only got to soak in the quilty goodness that comes with strolling around a quilt show, but also got to meet some of you quilty friends from blogland!
Sue and Sharon next to their quilts. It was so great to meet you two!
Much of the quilt show consisted of traditionally pieced quilts, but the modern quilt movement is clearly taking hold in Maine. Here are photos of some of the quilts that grabbed my attention in the show, both traditional and modern.
“Still Have Scraps Left!” by Diana Wells Rauch
I think the names of the quilts cracked me up more at this show than any other I’ve been to… okay, I’ve only ever been to QuiltCon. But still, some of the quilt names were great! Postage stamp quilts, or quilts made entirely from 1″ squares always amaze me. This one was no exception. AMAZING. And she still has scraps.
“Ayah My Deeya Sistah’s Wicked Wahm Kwilt” by Allyson J. Korsiak
You know you’re in Maine when…. quilts have names like this! This one made me laugh out loud and I just couldn’t pass by without taking a photo. For those of you who need a translation, this says, “My Dear Sister’s Extremely Warm Quilt” in Maine-speak.
“Convergence” by Beth Maitland
This was one of my favorite quilts in the show. I’m sure you have no idea why (rainbows, anyone?).
“Icy Waters” by Betsy Cannan – Pattern by Amy Garro“Texting While Sewing Version 2.0” by Nadine Villani – Pattern by Lee Heinrich
It was fun to see some familiar patterns sewn up by local quilters. I saw the original Icy Waters by Amy Garro at QuiltCon, and spotted this one by Betsy Cannan from across the room. The Supernova quilt by Nadine was another eye-catcher, and I know how much work goes into each of those blocks! Gorgeous!
“Northern Wilderness” by Lynn Davis
This gorgeous quilt was one of the Viewer’s Choice winners. I loved the intricate detail and combination of quintessential Maine icons with quilt blocks.
“Spirit” by Georgia Spaulding PierceSometimes, asking the white gloves to show you a quilt back is almost more inspiring than seeing the front!
The quilting on this quilt was absolutely stunning. It makes me want to practice my free motion quilting skills and densely quilt everything!
I am definitely going to submit a quilt (or more) next year, and am newly inspired to get some finishes completed!
It’s time to share another color scavenger hunt! Today’s inspiration comes from the findings of the red-orange-yellow scavenger hunt around our July gardens and fields in rural Maine. Color palettes are made using Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1 and my photographs. Flowers were found by my five and three year old kiddos.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Bella Lead, Bella Cayenne, Bella Clementine, Kona Grellow, Bella Acid Green, Kona Mint
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 1158 – Med Grey
2395 Pumpkin Spice 2390 – Cinnamon Toast 2975 – Brass 2120 – Canary 2886 – Lt Avocado
This was a very fun scavenger hunt, since the yellow flowers just kept multiplying. It was great to look at each new flower and try to decide whether it was one we already had, or if it was a different species. The environmental scientist in me was thrilled to see my daughter reason through similarities and differences in the flowers, and of course the quilter in me was thrilled to play with flower arranging layout once we retreated to the cool porch.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Steel, Kona Sunflower, Bella Sunflower, Kona Citrus, Bella Orange, Kona Gold
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2625 – Arctic Ice
2125 – Wheat 1135 – Pale Yellow 2120 – Canary 2975 – Brass 2155 – Cinnamon
Oh, these yellows! I will never cease to be amazed by the varied textures within flowers. It’s like a whole new world within the center of this tiny, dime-sized flower. Want to explore? Me, too!
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Pewter, Kona Nectarine, Kona Cayenne, Bella Clementine, Kona Persimmon, Bella Golden Wheat
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2620 – Stainless Steel
2215 – Peach 2395 – Pumpkin Spice 2350 – Copper 2150 – Pumpkin 6010 – Toast
The woman who originally planted our gardens LOVED lillies. There are such a wide variety of colors and species of lily, it’s impossible to capture them all. We chose two different flowers as a sampling, and this vibrant orange daylily is like a fiery volcano (you can thank my three year old son for that comparison; he’s all about hot lava these days). So gorgeous!
Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking an entire day for quilty crafty inspiration. I didn’t even touch a sewing machine, yet I spent the day immersed in color inspiration of one kind or another. With five week old Finn snug in my Ergo and the big kids excited about a Daddy day, I began the day at Fiddlehead Artisan Supply, my gorgeous local quilt shop, where Amy Butler, Heather Jones, Samantha Lindgren from A Gathering of Stitches, and the rest of the Quilter’s Color Weekend retreaters were having a visit.
Heather Jones and Amy Butler browse the gorgeous displays at Fiddlehead Artisan Supply.
Walking into a quilt shop as gorgeous as Fiddlehead is inspiring in and of itself; walking into a quilt shop as gorgeous as Fiddlehead and packed with fabric, color, quilt-loving women made my heart happy and my inspiration cup runneth over. It was fun to see Heather again (we first met at QuiltCon), and meet Amy. I also got to meet Kerry Goulder from Kid Giddy, another Maine sewist with whom I’ve communicated via Instagram but had never met in person. There were snacks, book signings, chatting, and of course fabric buying!
After all of the retreaters swarmed back onto their bus to head back to their retreat haven, I spent some time catching up with Abby from Fiddlehead and selecting a new fabric bundle (stay tuned–you’ll hopefully see it later this week!). Of course, snuggling, nursing, and changing Finn peppered the day.
Next, we stopped in for a visit at the Quilter’s Color Weekend Retreat at Point Lookout in coastal Northport, Maine, only another 15 minutes from Fiddlehead. The weekend quilting retreat was one of the first of its kind in Maine, organized by Sam at A Gathering of Stitches, and it happened practically in my backyard (sooo exciting)! The location was stunning, and situated on the top of a mountain, it was peaceful as well as having amazing views. I have never been to a quilt retreat before, but even spending an hour in that room with a bunch of happily sewing, newly inspired, and eagerly learning women was enough to convince me that quilting retreats are where it’s at. I definitely absorb positive energy by being around excited, inspired, colorful quilters, and living in rural Maine, my chances at surrounding myself with such people are rare. This day was a treat for sure!
Color stories created by one of the retreat-goers.Kerry snuggled Finn for a while so that I could walk around to see the inspiring creating taking place.Sewing and chatting and laughing and creating and soaking it in.Heather Jones and Sam Lindgren, sharing their wisdom.Amy Butler and a retreat-goer talk quilting.Even Finn had a good time! (Kerry shows off her progress while Finn happily wiggles).The gorgeous view from the dining room at the retreat. Bliss!
After getting my quiltspiration fill for the day, Finn and I headed home and met the rest of our family in Belfast for a quilt photo shoot (you’ll have to wait until September to see those photos, though!). It was a busy but inspiring and refreshing quilt-fabric-color-filled day!
With a little babe and an extended family visit overlap, I sadly cannot attend the entire retreat, as much as I would LOVE to. I am hoping to find a way to go for at least a day, though. This summer, especially with a newborn, I’ve been very much embracing the slow stitching idea, learning embroidery, playing with EPP, and taking the time to do hand quilting. It’s no secret how much I love Carolyn Friedlander’s work, and to get the chance to explore, learn, and share techniques and ideas not only with her, but also Chawne and Sam sounds amazing. I can only imagine how blissfully serene it would be to spend four unplugged days stitching, relaxing, and enjoying the Maine woods in the best of company. If you go, will you send some of your slow stitching bliss my way!? Thank you!
This is the time of year when colors pop up all over our gardens and the surrounding fields. We spend much of our days outside, either swimming at the lake or staying around home, where Finn and I relax in the shade while the big kids play in the kiddie pool and jump through the sprinkler, snuggle chickens, or just explore like curious kids do.
Earlier in the week, when I started thinking about my color inspiration post this week, I decided that I really would love to get some color sans green. Don’t get me wrong–I love green! But sometimes, the gorgeous colors of the flowers beg to be the star without the background sea of green. This thought led to a fun, family-involved activity: color scavenger hunts. So far we’ve completed two color scavenger hunts, where my big kids and I walk around the yard, finding and collecting colors from a specific color family. Then, we head to the shady porch to lay out our finds and arrange them in a fun way.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Bella Lead, Bella Plum, Bella Berrylicious, Kona Violet, Kona Mulberry, Bella Baby Blue
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 1246 – Grey
2566 – Wisteria 2535 – Magenta 2479 – Med Orchid 4225 – Eggplant 2562 – Lilac
Here’s our fun collection of pink and purple flowers both cultivated and wild found in rural midcoast Maine in July. I’ll be sharing our results from different color scavenger hunts over the next few weeks, with the full palette and then some closer detail shots purely for the fun of seeing the tiny variations in floral anatomy and color.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Medium Grey, Kona Ash, Bella Peony, Bella Orchid, Bella Berrylicious, Kona Sunny
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2625 – Arctic Ice 2600 – Dove 2479 – Med Orchid 1103 – Burgundy 2535 – Magenta 2214 – Golden Honey
Such gorgeous details jump out at you when you get really close. The sunny little flower bursts dancing around the center of a zinnia is my favorite part of the flower.
Corresponding solids from left to right: Kona Pewter, Bella Lead, Bella Plum, Bella Magenta, Bella Petal Pink, Bella Barn Door
Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right: 2606 – Mist 1246 – Grey 2566 – Wisteria 2455 – Med Carmine Red 2562 – Lilac 1103 – Burgundy
If you have young children and are looking for a fun activity to help them explore and notice details in the environment around them, I definitely would recommend going on a color scavenger hunt. Finds don’t need to include only flowers; yesterday at the lake, my daughter found a tiny blue jay feather and some berries from a Blue Bead Lily and the colors matched beautifully. Sadly, I didn’t get a photo, but at least the idea of finding colors in nature stuck with her. If you have older children, they can each conduct their own hunt and displays can get even more intricate–think mandalas and imaginary scenes! I’d love to see what colors you find!
Okay, back outside we go! Enjoy your day and enjoy the color!
Corresponding solids from left to right:
Night Quilter 