Blogger's Quilt Festival: Christmas Forest

It's that time of year we come to blog on Fresh Poppy Design again! :)  Our intentions are good but with all we do on Quilt Story we find little extra time to work on our home design and decor, let alone post about it!!  Hopefully you can bare with us and enjoy our posts from time to time :)

When I saw Moda's new line from Kate Spain, Joy, I was so excited!! I was feeling Christmas in May that's for sure!  The colors are fabulous and still Christmas, I love how she works the aqua in.  I can rarely turn down a blue/green combo anyway :)  When I got the collection a pattern started flowing into my head immediately!

A simple strip quilt paired with modern trees.  I really am loving the finish!

Check out those zig zag's and snowflake prints...and the green tree print...fabulous.  A great mix of modern and tradition, a lot like what I tried to incorporate in the pattern.

Christmas Forest is one of our latest pattern finishes that can be found in our shop.

Here are all of the patterns we've released so far this year, also available in our shop.

And I've got another quilt to share in this festival! :)  Head over to Quilt Story to see a little more about Kenna's Blooms.

Thanks to Amy for the fabulous event she puts together twice a year!!  Head on over, link up your own quilt and check out some amazing finishes!  Thanks for stopping by!! :)

-Heather

Birthday Giveaway Palooza!

Today happens to be my amazingly super-talented sister Heather's Birthday!!

Now I would never reveal her age, I am way too loyal to her to do that.  I mean, seriously.

However what I will tell you is that she is much older than me.  7 1/2 years to be exact. :)

Malibu CA 2006 (?)

Sometimes I've found myself wanting to curse her for having a birthday in December.  But then I realized it isn't her fault so I took it up with my mom (or should it be my dad?  Ew.  So not going there.)

There are three sisters in our family.  Our oldest sister Amy is uber talented...especially at making babies.  She has 10.  That's why she isn't able to be in all our crafting adventures...but one day!  All three of us girls (and sometimes mommy too) talk on the phone.  All.  Day. Long.  Really.  If you're wondering, we make it happen with a blue tooth.

Daily we discover our new craft callings in life.  Today I was meant to be a machine quilter (I've officially quilted one table runner) and she an embroidery expert :)  I'll let you know about tomorrow.

I don't know how it happens.  But we always get the same crafting bug.  This time last year we were both knitting hats like nobodies business.  We haven't touched knitting needles in months.  A few years before that we were beading bracelets...making aprons...paper scrapbooking...We have problems. 

But one thing we both LOVE and never waiver.  Fabric.  Quilts.

Do you want to help make this Heather's best birthday ever?!!?

Me too.

My part...I'm giving away some of my own stash to one of YOU!!!

Now I would give that entire stack away if it weren't for shipping charges!!

I am giving away about 2 yards from the fabrics above (if you have a fave let me know I'll be sure to include it) to one of our followers.  So if you already FOLLOW...you're already entered :)

This is a great way to bulk up your stash...for FREE!

So...if you aren't already FOLLOW us!  I've said it before, but our self-esteem is greatly related to our follower #.  Seriously.  We both get really giddy when we have a jump.

But wait...there's more! :)

I am giving away another 2 yards to a FOLLOWer on our blog QuiltStory...so hop on over :)

Thank you all soooooo much for making our blogs so much fun to do. 

We love and appreciate all of you for your comments, participation, support, creativity, you are all amazing!!

and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HEATHER

Love you sister.

I'll also be linking up to some of these parties.

Edited to add this giveaway will run for 1 week thru next Thursday December 16th and I will announce the winner Friday December 17th.  Thanks :)

Heather's fall mantle...

 Heather's Fall Mantle

I guess I best be showing you my fall mantle. Being that I almost have to switch it out for Christmas. I am just behind on life over here, give a girl a break!

What I like is the fact that I didn't change much from spring (I never got to summer), just switched out a few things. I really didn't want to start from scratch, and my daughter really wanted to do it. We knocked it out in like 20  minutes.

I love how it turned out. Just nice and simple. I think I like it better than last years...

Have a happy Thanksgiving this week! 

NURSERY REVEAL FINALLY!!!

Okay, he is only 15 months old,

 but his nursery is finally finished...

let Little Dude take you on a personal tour...

These were an easy fix. Just bought Ikea white panels, and added the cute Amy Butler fabric to the bottoms. I plan to add a tutorial to the blog. Super easy...

My Husband did the board and batten (is that how you say it?) Walls. Well, he did the woodwork. I did all the painting and caulking. NOT FUN! However, I am in LOVE with how it turned out. I want it all over my house. But easily over 20 hours on that project alone...

Seriously! How cute is he sitting up there? There is the cute elephant painting my Mommy dear made for him. Also the quilts are from me and my aunt. I don't have all his baby quilts here. There are 5 of them. (If you count Megan's. And should we? I mean she still hasn't finished it!)

My Father in law built me this book case years ago for my girls. I repainted in this pale aqua. I need to give my Mom a little time to get her life back in order from her vacation, then I plan on putting her to work. I want gray fabric liners for the baskets. Pretty please Mama?

I found this vintage window frame at a little craft fair about 5 years ago. It has never looked so cute! I put some cute Rylee Blake fabric to back it, and I love how it turned out. Then I just added some little cup hooks to hang his hats. Cute?

I found this little shadow box at TJMaxx. It is so hit an miss there, but sometimes  you can find the perfect little gems. Inside are the hats I knit for him when he was a newborn. Heart pang...sparkly tears...  We want to freeze him in time and it isn't working!

My Mother in law made me the CUTEST baby blessing sailor outfit ever! It fit him for the 2 seconds he was blessed, then off it went. How were we to know he would be so huge? But I knew it would make for darling decor. The dandelions are made with vinyl on one of those cricuts I don't have but want desperately! I had a super nice friend make them for me :) 

I have a tutorial for this too. This cute fabric chandelier. It is from Ikea. I just remade the shade. Super easy, super custom, super cheap! ($13 bucks)

These frames above his bed are from Ikea too.  I took the photos inside. He was only 2 weeks old...man what is this salty discharge coming from my eyes???


The bedding I made with my Mother in Law. She is the best to craft with. I just cute and measure and she sews like a crazy woman in a labor camp. I let her have breaks occasionally, but not much. We had fun making them together. We didn't finish, so  naturally I send the crib skirt fabric back with her with detailed instructions and a deadline of when I would like it shipped back. She was several days early!

The children cracked me up goofing around in the corner (especially Sophie's face).

Okay, now that this post took me as long to complete as the room did...I am OFFICIALLY finished with his room and ready to move to another.

I am so happy with how this turned out. I kind of want to kick him out and move in myself. I had such a hard time with a boys room. No flowers or pink or ruffles. It took me a while to work it out in my head. 

What I love the most is that almost everything in that room is made by me or someone in my family. It is totally unique and custom.  The only problem with going this route, is that your baby may be 15 months old before it is complete.

I hope you all love it as much as me. Linking to these parties...

The End

The last teaser I promise...

This is the last sneak peak of the nursery before the big reveal. This whole room has taken way too long. And sometimes I need to go to the store and just buy something instead of having to make everything. It is super cute, and super custom and I can't wait to show it off...

I am trying to paint the book shelf, it I do get it done, or I don't get it done, I will post it next monday promise.

I think everyone will like it. It makes my heart skip a beat each time I walk by...

Another sneak peak. Mod Podge Star...

MOD PODGE STAR TUTORIAL

Okay, here is what you do. First buy one of those giant metal stars. Spray paint it black.

Make a pattern out of card stock the size of each of the angles. It will always be the same shape, you just have to flip it over for every other angle of the star. You know the drill. Mod Podge. I got all my pieces down, then did 1 coat over the whole star.

Next you are going to do a wash on the angles. Alternately, you can "ink" the edges of each paper before you mod podge. I like to do a wash. Just acrylic paint with water.

Get an angled brush and dip the edge in the watery paint. Go along all the edges of the shapes. This is very forgiving. Just to make sure you do it on top of the mod podge layer, otherwise you would be painting raw paper and it wouldn't be forgiving.

FINISHED!

You have your star...

We'll be linking to some fun and crafty parties here, check them out!

Pottery Barn Tray project...

I didn't want to post this because in the end I am not super happy with it, but I thought I could get advice from you all?

I got this pottery barn tray just like this at a outlet type sale. It was $5. I imagined all the grand things I could do with it. First spray paint it all...

Second, tried unsuccessfully to line up some cute scrapbook papers...

Slapped it together...Don't like the seams....don't like the glare...

Love the pretty tray table and all of it's potential...

Sprayed the cute birdie too...and found the darling vase at DI.

Now, what to do?

Wallpaper?

Fabric???

Tile???

ANY ADVICE PLEASE???

Cute Photo Block tutorial...

1. Buy a block...(in Utah Woodworks sells a little kit with the block, bulldog clip and plastic slide thingy) Otherwise it is about 3.5 x 3.5 square block. Sanded, and edges are rounded a bit.

I just did a wash in black along the edges since they will be showing.

2. All the supplies you need are here.

3. Photos I ordered from Costco in smallish sizes. Cute scrapbook papers and a few embellishments. (roberts)

4. Invite Jeff Lewis along. (flipping out, bravo, funny!)

5. Cut papers just smaller than the square, about 3 and a quarter. Mod Podge down, add pics and mod podge on top of those too...

6. When it is all dry, glue on brads, ribbons, flowers etc. Mine is for my baby boy Weston. So no girly stuff.


7) Chipboard accents like the "W" are fun. Just mod podge cute papers on, and cut out with exacto knife. I did this to the checkers chipboard frame too...

Finished. Cute in a stack of three if I ever get to the other two.

I mounted the photo on chipboard for the bulldog clip. This is also fun to switch out the photo.

Finished! Hope you like.

Quilt finished! Hooray!

The pretty purple quilt is finished! That was a quick quilt for me. I am proud :)

If you want more pics and details...go check me out at QUILTSTORY today...

Burp in Style!

I made up a few gerber diaper burp clothes...super fun, easy and cute!  Just a little heat and bond, I did a straight stitch right close to the edge...

If your machine has the capability, play with the embroidery stitches. Makes is personal and a little extra cuteness doesn't hurt anything!

I used my funny little animal prints. Love how they turned out...

And if you think your baby only needs burp clothes for the first few months, I have been using these on my 3 year old girl. Yucky noses, faces etc. I think I will need them around for quite a while!

Hope you like! linking at amylouwho