Link Love: Penchant for Stitched Pendants

[If you missed the original post, don't forget to sign up to participate in the Friendship Bracelet Swap! You have until May 25th to sign up. Click here for more info!]
 
I've noticed an uptick in the number of people, including some of my favorite people, doing needlework on pendants. In addition to thinking that these would be downright lovely worn all summer, I also think that they could make quite striking wall adornments. Here are some of my current favs.

These first two are from Corrinne of September House. She makes all sorts of lovely embroidery and I just love the linen backing with the one tone thread on these.

This next one is from Janick of neawear and I'm really enjoying this leaf-on-wood motif that she has going on here.

And these last two are from the Pin Pals, a shop that is filled with items I covet (check out these barrettes!). First is the Filigree See-Through Folk Locket, combining a detailed item of jewelry with an awesome and somewhat more traditional pattern of stitching.

This one, the Bluebell Heart Cross Stitch Pendant, is just so darling I can hardly stand it—happiness on a chain, for sure.

Rhubarb Cake for Breakfast

[If you missed the original post, don't forget to sign up to participate in the Friendship Bracelet Swap! You have until May 25th to sign up. Click here for more info!]

As I mentioned on Monday, I made a delicious rhubarb cake over the weekend using part of a huge bundle we were gifted with. There are few food things I love more than having cake or crisp for breakfast (made with healthy, whole grains so that it's at least mostly a responsible start to my day) and I decided that the rhubarb needed to be put to that use.


I found the recipe for the Unfussy Apple Cake on 101cookbooks.com a long time ago and thought that it might make a good base for my rhubarb. All I did was swap the rhubarb in for the apples and made the rest according to the recipe. We've been eating it for breakfast with Greek yogurt—which today was also topped with a rhubarb strawberry sauce (I filled a small sauce pot with diced rhubarb, added a bit of water, let it cook down, then stirred in a few spoonfuls of sugar, sliced strawberries and a tablespoon or so of cornstarch and let it cook just a few minutes more as I didn't want to overcook the berries). It is super tasty and also nice and tangy.


Click here to see the full recipe.

Friendship Bracelet Swap: Sign Up Now!

 [Image from Syd and Goose]

I have been thinking about hosting a friendship bracelet swap for months now—particularly after I found a stash of old supplies hidden in my parents attic. I made bracelets All The Time. I had a purple lap desk and a plastic fishing tackle box that held my supplies and I could set up my knotting and braiding shop wherever we went (I spent hours making them in our maroon Dodge Caravan).

[Image from Folksy]

I gave some to friends and I kept some for myself, and I definitely equate them with long days at the beach and flip flops.


Since the opportunities to connect with our online communities offline seem to be few and far between, I hope this will provide a moment to bridge that gap.


Here's how to participate:
1. Email me at thingswemake [at] gmail [dot] com (be sure to let me know your name) by May 25 in order to sign up. I will reply with details by May 28.  I've realized that having a deadline on this wasn't necessary, so if you want to join in, just make sure you can send your bracelet in by the due date!
2. Make one bracelet and mail it me to arrive no later than June 20. Please include a note saying who you are, your email/website/etsy/twitter info so that the person who receives your bracelet will know who their friend is. I will pair you up with someone so that you get a bracelet from the person who receives yours.
3. Optional: donate some extra bracelet making supplies and I'll bundle them to give to my local Boys & Girls Club so that younger girls can have the pleasure of making each other bracelets this summer.

[Image via Wendylouise on flickr]

Notes:
-I am leaving the type of bracelet you make completely open, so use gimp, embroidery thread, fabric, whatever you feel moved to use. (Channel your inspiration from when you went to summer camp!)
-Since the is my first swap, I'm collecting the bracelets and mailing them out to ensure that anyone who makes one gets on in return.
-Please be sure that you are able to commit to finishing and sending your bracelet when you sign up.

Let me know if you have any questions and I hope you'll join in the fun!

Weekend Highlights: Flowers and Rhubarb

Amazingly, this weekend didn't involve any major house projects, which was a first since we moved in three weeks ago (though I admit that I did spend about two hours hanging pictures, but that was nothing compared to painting the kitchen!). Which meant I had a little more time to sew, cook, and admire the flowers in our yard. Like these.

I mean, can you say drama? I am somewhat impressed by these flowers, which I believe to be irises but I'm not sure of the variety, since they resemble an orchid and have been threatening to burst open for over a week now. I don't expect that they will last all that long since they are rather delicate, but I do love the spectacle of them by our driveway.

This one has just one other like it and I have no idea of the type of flower (again, they came with the house) but how I adore the little purple burst!

The rest of the weekend included quilting, baking a rhubarb cake (I'll share that later this week), and some strawberry rhubarb sauce to go with vanilla coconut ice cream that I'm planning to have for dessert tonight with friends. We were lucky enough to get a big bag full from one of Josh's coworkers, which officially has me plotting to get our own plant...and figure out what other fruit we can grow in our backyard.

Mini Print of the Month: Spring Blossoms from Shartreuse

Yesterday afternoon, the deep gray sky finally started giving way to the sun. It seemed unsure at first—the clouds were holding steady in the sky only letting a sliver of blue peak out at a time. But by the time I'd gotten home in the evening, the sun was shining brightly and it felt as if I had no choice but to take a walk to soak some of it in.


I go through phases where access to sunlight impacts me more than others, and most of the time, I'd say that I hardly notice the difference. But this week—when I was adjusting to a new workspace where I'd lost my previously lovely view of the sky—I felt like I was dragging. And the rainy days certainly weren't helping. Thankfully, yesterday's break in the weather came at just the right time. I needed that sun and while it took the whole evening to pull myself out of the funky mood that I'd picked up throughout the day (which was 99% induced by the DMV), I know the sun helped me get back to feeling like me. Today, the sun is out again, I had breakfast with some of my favorite people here, and there's a garden outside of the office where I can sit and eat my lunch. All of which seems like a perfect thing to do on a Friday.


As is staring at this image, which reminds me of the yard around the house where I grew up. We had these flowers near our back door in various shades of pinks and purples and I always loved having them around in the summer. I'm glad that's May's mini print of the month—this is called Spring Blossoms V from Shartreuse on etsy, who had another print on the etsy home page today—that will always remind me of that door and that house, where I started to become who I am today.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Link Love: Bright and Cheery Fabrics

Whenever I start a new quilting project, I am much more aware of fabric combinations and collections. I find myself with a new urge to start multiple projects at once—in part because of these fabrics. How could I not want to work with them all?!

Above are the Feather and Bird fabric and the Bicycle fabric from Aunt June on etsy. She designed the fabric and prints it via Spoonflower and I am loving the rainbow of colors—even more so this week since it feels like we're under a perpetually gray sky that just keeps dumping buckets and buckets of rain.

These fabrics are from a different part of the color wheel, sure, but together they make a ridiculously  gorgeous palette (which I am just realizing is very similar to the colors that we used in our house). This is the new collection from Cloud9 Fabrics, which is a line of organic cotton designed by Michelle E Bencsko that is just heavenly. It's called "Beyond the Sea" and I'm hoping to eventually make my parents something for their shore house from some of the options.

And finally, via True Up (one of my new favorite blogs with a header that inspires some serious jealousy), there is Amy Butler's coming-in-fall line of fabrics for Westminster, Soul Blossoms. I love the combination of graphic and floral patterns and the colorway (pink!). I'm looking forward to seeing this one in my local quilting shop come fall.

Cross Stitching by Mim of Muddle + Flow

I came across the cross stitching by Mim of Muddle + Flow a little over a week ago and I was eager to learn more about how she learned to do what she does. Her designs are so fun and I am particularly taken with the duck and owl brooches. Here's a bit from Mim about what she makes.

I can't remember exactly when I learned to cross stitch, but I can remember my mum teaching me needlepoint when I was quite little. I was raised in a very creative environment, so I have virtually learned to sew, stitch, dart, knit, pleat and fold by osmosis. My tools at that time were a piece of plastic mesh, some wool, and a huge plastic needle! I loved it even then!

I have chosen to cross stitch my pieces, because am keenly aware that many of the needle crafts that where widely taught in previous generations are gradually being forgotten. I wanted to set myself a challenge to 're-use'/'re-style' a technique that is often perceived to have 'had it's day' in a more contemporary form.

I find inspiration for my work everywhere. I do seem particularly interested in depicting birds, but I also love designing patterns inspired by faraway places, like Morocco. By day, I work at a desk job, so this is my creative outlet... when i get the time!