spring cleaning

I have been blank on finding anything to post lately. Work has been so busy and I have been dealing with some draining personal stuff so it is not surprising that I can't seem to find a cool new blog to post about! Anyway, I am sure I will get out of this little phase soon, so in the meantime I am just relaxing and enjoying the shift in the seasons. I have been spring cleaning and am happy to get rid of some of the clutter that not only takes up space in a closet but in one's life. I have no problem putting dumpy sweaters into storage and replacing them with new spring clothes. I am excited to have some dear friends moving here soon, and to be reconnecting with others I have missed. And really, I am just happy to not be too worried with my to do lists right now, and more concerned with the smaller things. Like how great it feels to have my sweet pit bull sleeping on me while I type this! Off to enjoy the night, but first, here are a few little pics I have snapped today with my new photo app!

beautiful weekend in MS

I went to Oxford, Mississippi to visit some friends this weekend. It is always good to be back in my home state. Good food, friends, beautiful weather and no plans made for a great weekend of relaxing and wandering around.

my first baby quilt

I featured the sweetest fabric I have ever seen in my life a few weeks ago, and mentioned that I would post more photos. Well, here is the final quilt! I was really excited to hear my dear friends were having a baby, and knew immediately I wanted to do this for them. This book features a really simple concept for making a great quilt, as well as, the fantastic way to make the personalized patch. But it was when I came across the fabrics that I knew I had to do it! I was very happy with how it turned out, and really had a lot of fun working on something that I hope will get lots of use!

lola the star

This pup is goin' places!

A few months ago we entered Lola into a "Beautiful Bullies" contest in a local pet magazine called Nashville Paws. She was featured in the newest issue as a runner-up!! She also made it into the table of contents so that was pretty cool too. Love my Lola!

charley harper memory game

I have been eyeing this Charley Harper memory game for some time now here, so I was excited to come across it while wandering around Anthropologie last weekend! Memory games have always been my favorite. I was never very good at board games as a kid...I always lost interest and preferred to just play with the pieces. But, I could rock a memory game!

This version is just beautiful...there are so many pieces, and the illustrations are so vivid. I have already played with it quite a few times!

first day of the year

I read that whatever you spend the first day of the year doing, you will do more of in the new year...so I grabbed my camera and headed outside!

I don't really make resolutions, so this is about as close as I get. But, I realized recently how much I missed taking photographs...and that I have too much to learn to not keep my camera with me more.

Over the summer my grandmother passed on to me, a quilt that had been made by her Aunt Cora—but was never finished. It is so amazing...tiny little swatches of vintage fabric that make up a larger flower pattern. And not only is the honeycomb pattern intimidating enough, but the fact that is was all done by hand...well, that just put me over the edge!

I plan to finish it one day. I want to spend some time finding the appropriate fabrics for the back and binding; as well as, have a little more experience under my belt. But, what a special thing to receive!

(Aunt Cora is featured in the last picture)

There is a series on PBS right now called Craft in America.
It is really great and would encourage anyone to try and catch an episode or two, or watch them online.

I think people sometimes associate the word "craft" with hobbies that can be easily picked up at a local chain store. This is absolutely not true. I have found myself waking up to what this world really is, and finding that I am slowly moving straight towards it. It is about making something handmade, unique, inspirational, but also useful. Pottery, printing, textiles, building instruments, making baskets, furniture making...it is all around us. It is worth taking a second look and really understanding the importance of this in our world today.

Recently, E and I were digging through the attic trying to find a hat that he had of his dad's, when we came across an old chest that had been left by the previous owner's of our house. We know very little about the couple that lived there, only that he was part of the Underwater Demolition team during WWII, and that she lived there by herself for many years as a widow and had taken really good care of the house. Somehow this chest got left behind by their family. It wasn't filled with too much, but there were old letters and cards, some of his medals, and then a box of photographs and postcards. These were my favorite...

I love fruits and vegetables, not only because they taste so good (especially when they are fresh!) but because the colors always amaze me. I found these little tiny peppers and tomatoes recently and loved the natural theme of green, yellow, red and purple in both!

there are such beautiful colors in food...it is one of the reasons I love to cook. I have spent a lot of time at the farmer's market this summer and always leave there inspired. It is satisfying to know where your food is coming from and to find jewels like this; but mainly I like to spend a little time looking at all the shapes and colors that are coming from nature.

Key Lime Cheesecake made from scratch...yum...