Fat Quarter Shop Bloggers Choice Bundle

Now if you were to know one thing about me it would be that I love pandas.

But if you were to know two things about me it would be that I love pandas AND I love fabric shopping/choosing what fabrics to use for my next projects.

One of my favorite shops to buy fabric at is the Fat Quarter Shop. Not only are they online (hello, buying fabric in my pajamas!) but they offer TONS of different fabrics from all sorts of my favorite designers. One of the best features of the shop is their Blogger's Choice Bundles. I love it because different bloggers put together a bundle of their favorite fabrics which the FQS then lets people like us sell. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I secretly really really want to contribute my own bundle to the FQS. In fact, I dare say if I get to do that it would be the highlight of my year.

So imagine my excitement when I learned that Quokka Quilts has teamed up with the Fat Quarter Shop to offer this awesome contest to design your own fabric bundle. The winner not only gets all the fabrics in their bundle BUT also gets to have it featured at the FQS. Swoon!

Of course I needed to start brainstorming ideas for what fabrics to choose.  I immediately knew I wanted to create a fun, bright quilt with a feeling of spring/summer to it. (Perhaps I'm longing for the warmer weather to get here already). Anyway. My thoughts first went to tangerine paired with a lime green. Then of course I wanted to contrast that with my favorite neutral gray. So with that in mind here's the bundle I created:

Fabric selections from top left to right:

1. Bella Solids Pistachio
2. Crazy Daisy Citron Tile
3. Bright Owl Lime Swirl
4. Yard Sale Grass Confetti Dots
5. Babysaurus Green Tiny Stripe
6. Mimosa Orange Chevron
7. Mimosa Light Orange Basketweave
8. Remix Tangerine Scatter Dots
9. Meet me at Sunset Orange Stained Glass
10. Bella Solids Amelia Orange
11. Remix Steel Argyle Plaid
12. Tuxedo Collection Gray Stripes
13. Citron Gray Dot n' Square
14. Citron Gray Quarter Dot
15. Bella Solids Etchings Slate


Now I will go cross my fingers and toes that I can win a set of these lovely fabrics in order to make a quilt out of them...otherwise I just might have to buy them and I have already used up my quilting money for the next few months...gotta love those after xmas sales! =)

Confidence in 2012

Happy New Year! Sure I'm a few days late, but I've been busy enjoying every last second my lovely husband and I had together before he had to go back to school (a lame but sadly necessary part of becoming a doctor...wouldn't want someone operating on your heart if they didn't know how your heart works I guess) Anyway I digress.


I know it seems a sort of must do for quilt bloggers to list their quilting related goals for the year. Not to be outdone here are my quilting goals for 2012 (and also because lets face it, if I am held somewhat accountable then the chance of these being accomplished increases exponentially)

* Finish wedding quilt
* Quilt & Bind cathedral window quilt (seriously it's been pieced for about six months now)
* Organize my sewing room
* Write at least 2 new patterns
* Master curves


In other sort of related but not really news, after much deliberation my family and I have finally settled on our word for the year. Yes we have a word we focus on each year. So what. Go ahead and laugh. But at the end of the year we'll see who is the one left laughing.

Anyway our word this year is *drumroll please*  Confidence. We will have confidence in our choices (school, work, and otherwise) and stop second guessing ourselves. We will have confidence while taking life-altering tests (Boards/Grad School Tests) and we will have the confidence necessary to follow our dreams and make things happen this year.

I'm excited. Do you have a word for the year? Or any quilting goals? Or perhaps both?

an unexpected year

If I were to summarize 2011 into one word, I think I'd choose unexpected.

It was unexpected that I'd face so many trials and yet come out of them for the better

It was unexpected that I'd prefer a part-time job to a full-time real-world 60 hour a week gig. (I am a known workaholic)

It was unexpected that I'd yearn to move back to the West Coast (I guess I really am a California girl at heart)

It was unexpected to go snorkeling in the Florida Keys and even more unexpected that I enjoyed it and can't wait to go again (I have an irrational fear of the deep ocean)

It was unexpected that my super-smart husband spent even more time studying (I didn't realize how easy the first year of medical school really was)

It was unexpected that I was able to travel so often (I went to almost 20 different states this year alone)

It was unexpected that I managed to finish more than half a dozen quilts for near and dear friends (I've only been quilting off and on for a few years)

It was unexpected that I received such a generous response to the stocking drive I organized for the local foster children (I was so blown away that people all over the world helped me quadruple my goal)

It was unexpected how many friends I've made because of my quilting - both online and in person. (I've never had friends that quilted before - it's quite nice!)

And it certainly was unexpected how nice and welcoming the online community has been to a new blogger like myself.

Here's hoping 2011 had a few unexpected surprises and 2012 is full of even more!

Sneak Peek!

I've been working on many secret projects that I am so excited to share with you guys...I can't wait anymore so here's a sneak peek of one...full reveal coming to a blog near you soon!! =)