march of the elephants

OK, so, this fabric is pretty great, right? And it’s perfect for two people who *one* are having a baby, *two* love animals, and *three* happen to be vets, yeah?

And it looks pretty darn wonderful draped on this sweet, unknowing one-year-old… ¿sí?

Well, here’s the kicker. I am finding it a tad challenging to match up all those crazy colors to make your usual, sweet little baby quilt. So Upstate Vets, here is your warning. This quilt will not be typical, but I think this is a good thing, because you are a singular pair. (If a pair can be singular, that is. Hmmm.) I take comfort in the fact that Upstate Vet Mama is the kinda gal who knows her way around a seam-ripper. She is also the type that never throws out a perfectly good earring just because she has lost one of a set. She simply wears ‘em mismatched. It’s art in action–you should see it. Her Hawaiian Hubby isn’t what you’d call cookie-cutter either, so I believe a not-so-babyish baby quilt will suit them just fine. Congrats you guys–can’t wait for that little girl to arrive!

Oh, and Grandpa’s birthday present has evolved into the coolest darn beer/jaw-harp holder you have ever seen. Probably because you have never seen one before. Seriously though, it is super cute, so I will show that after Grandpa gets his loot. HAPPY BIRTHDAY G.P.D! We love you, your Saturday morning visits, your choice words during playoff season and everything else!!!!!

three little birds quilt

I really love how this quilt came out so bear with me here. The top and bottom birds on the quilt front are made with fabric from a great shop called the Hungry Palette. They carry their own line of brilliant hand-screened fabric. I bought a few bags of scraps when I worked a summer job at this lovely spot a good while ago. Of course, now I really wish I had purchased more. The middle bird and binding is Kaffe Fassett. The quilt is mostly machine pieced, appliqued and quilted except for the hand-quilting of a few falling leaves, which don’t show well in these photos.

Here is that troublemaker I wrote about in an earlier post. I thought he ended up looking kind of sweet just hanging out that way, so I left him as is.

This was my first attempt at quilting “woodgrain.” Inspiration for the woodgrain came from this talented crafter. The stitches are fairly uneven, but if you don’t put your face right up to the fabric, I think it looks pretty good.

When I was finishing the top, I got a little nervous that it was just too darn brown for a baby quilt. So I grabbed more of those Hungry Palette scraps and pieced this little strip of color on the back. I kept thinking of it as a little ray of sunshine; my tribute to the Island Baby’s home, Hawaii.

Here is a little more detail of the back. If you click on the photo, you can see the fabric in better detail. You’ll also have a better view of the imperfections on the woodgrain quilting. That doesn’t bother me, though. And I know it won’t bother the baby! It just makes it look more homemade. That’s sort of the point, right?

I hope Island Auntie and Uncle like the quilt as much as I do. I had so much fun thinking about about them and their little girl-to-be as I was making it.

handsome

We did a bunch of stuff this weekend, but the highlight was building a snowman with the kiddo for the first time. How lucky am I to be the wife and mom of these handsome guys?

disco (grand) daddy

More on this once it’s finished.  Though I will say that this little gem won’t be gifted–it’s staying with us!

little bit o’ city. little bit o’ country.

Contrary to what I thought would be the case, now that we have a kiddo, we actually get into the city more often than we did when we were a free-wheeling couple with lesser responsibilities. It’s amazing how much spare time you gain on a weekend when you are forced to wake up at six a.m. So, after breakfast (another activity in which we would rarely partake before the little guy) we sometimes hop in the car and head to the big city.  We will go to the outdoor food market, or just walk around a random neighborhood. Some days we check out some shops and have lunch, maybe hit the Children’s Museum. During our last jaunt, we came across this urban graveyard. There is something about those simple grave markers that I really like. (I know, that’s random, but I think it’s nice when something semi-creepy like a graveyard looks pretty.)

By the end of the day, we are ready to head back home where we are occasionally greeted by these little darlings. (I wish I remembered their names, but I don’t.) These sweet ladies belong to our neighbors. It is always a nice surprise to find them a-peckin’ in our yard. Pretty girls, aren’t they?

Ahhh. Another slice of our exciting life!

In other news, Island Auntie called last night and sounds great. There has been lots of crafting going on around here, so maybe I will take a few pictures of that stuff soon. Also, a certain Grandpa has a birthday coming up, so there’s something in the works for him.

exciting news

No, I’m not joining the ranks of my sisters and getting preggo….

Cadbury Mini Eggs are on the shelf! AMEN! I am enjoying a little bag now-delicious.

HA HA…. Have a good day!

This post has been adapted from an email message sent by my youngest sister, Redhead Auntie. Funny girl. She’s right, though. This is exciting news.

any day now

My little sister is not so little these days, but she is more beautiful than ever.  If everyone looked this good as they approached their ninth month of pregnancy, we would all be having a lot more children. Cowgirl Auntie’s due date is in early March, but she is dreaming of a late February birthday for her sweet pea. Doesn’t she look fantastic?

What’s her stay-in-shape-while-preggo secret? She is an expert downhill skier and has been hitting the slopes regularly. In fact, she only just hung up her skis a couple of weeks ago. This is one of my favorite photos. Now, that’s one hot pair of ski pants!

Here’s what Dad’s closet is looking like these days. Is this considered a wardrobe upgrade? I think so. Very sweet!

Thanks very much for sending us the photos, Cowgirl Auntie. I am so excited to become an Auntie for the first time and can’t wait to meet your baby girl.

february flashback

We spent the weekend skiing and didn’t get around to taking any photos, so above are a few shots from the same trip last February.  In the bottom photo, the little guy is watching an excellent film with two of his step aunties and a friend of theirs.  He tends to just stare at them in amazement.  They are very pretty girls!

one little birdy

Island Baby’s quilt is ready to be shipped.  I’ll post a photo of the whole shebang after Island Auntie and Uncle have received the package, but for now, this is a preview.  The Upstate Vets are next.  The theme that has been rolling around my head is “Elephants on a Tightrope.”  Anything is possible on a quilt, right?

have a super valentine’s day!

Hope everyone has a great Valentine’s Day, filled with superheros, sweet kisses and good chocolate. The little guy will be spending the day with one of his favorite valentines, Grandmama. And then we are off for a ski weekend with Papa, his girls and Redhead Auntie. Have a good one!

P.S. If you need a last minute valentine and don’t have time to run out to the store, grab a pair of scissors and check out this precious site. And that little doggie on the cape came from here.