seven days, seven posts

So, the sporadic posting continues.

This past month has really been a crazy one for us. What, with living in a hotel for about 3 weeks, doing the job hunt thing, finally moving into our apartment, Jeff taking another CPA exam...whew! However, we are finally getting settled, and I have set an ambitious goal for myself: I am going to try to do a post a day for the next week. We'll see how this goes...

As for today, enjoy this lovely picture of the Capitol building, which I see everyday on my way home from work. Yes, I have a job folks! More to come on that tomorrow.

happy pioneer day!

pretty pink paisley

we're here!

After a lot of craziness and scrambling, Jeff and I have finally made it to our new city, Boise. I can't exactly say we are settled, but we are here and that in and of itself is a big feat! Thank you for your patience with my sporadic posting and for still occasionally popping in to see what's new. Give me a few weeks and I PROMISE I will have a more fun posts for your perusal. I have some big crafting plans in the works...

Temples

One of the blessings of living in Utah for the past few years is the proximity to so many temples. Jeff and I have enjoyed going to the different temples and seeing how beautiful they are, inside and out. I was able to go to the Jordan River Temple just a few weeks ago, and it was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed the peace and spirit I felt there, as well as the time to think about the blessings the Lord has blessed me with. I also love how pretty the temple grounds are; they help reflect the beauty that is inside the temple walls.

she's crafty :: quilting

Hooray! I'm back to blogging! The past little while has been crazy. What, with Jeff's start date moving up, scrambling to find housing, getting a car...yes, this has all happened within the past few weeks. We are busily trying to get everything ready to move on July 3 - aah! One of the things on my to-do list is to have another fabulous *she's crafty* activity! Here's the scoop.

What: Machine Quilting - hosted by Tenille

When: Thursday, June 26 (sorry for the short notice - we just decided today)

Where: Tenille's apartment (e-mail me for directions karlaehlers[at]yahoo[dot]com- it has changed in the last month or two)

What you need to bring: fabric, batting, pattern, etc. OR you can just come and learn - Tenille will have some materials for us to practice on

Tenille is going to teach us some basics for making quilts, including how to piece them together and how do the actual quilting on a regular sewing machine. She will show also be showing us some of her own beautiful quilts for examples and ideas. We are leaving it open and pretty casual, so come ready with questions.I've included a couple of pictures above to show you how cool, modern, and hip quilts can be. I'm so excited to learn more about quilting from Tenille - she really is a wealth of knowledge!

image from amy butler

happy june!

thank you, may

for bringing me pretty flowers

Idaho in May

Jeff and I made it to Idaho 3 different times this month. I absolutely LOVE Idaho in May! Here are some favorite people, places, and sounds from our visits.

Brian getting ready to head out to Brazil

the Capitol in Boise

my dad playing the piano



the wonderful sound of frogs in the evening

may day studio

I meant to post about this sooner, but May has been quite the crazy month! My crafty friend Kristen has opened her own Etsy shop, may day studio! Her designs are beautiful and you can tell that each item is crafted with skill and care. I especially love her flower hair clips (as pictured above). You can also visit her studio blog here. Way to go, Kristen!

kittens

Jeff's family has 2 cats that just had kittens - They are SO cute! Let me know if you're in the market for a cat - I know where to find about 9 of them. :)

she's crafty!

We did it! Angela, Megan, Shalayne, and Tenille came over on Wednesday and we held our first She's Crafty night (Angela suggested the name)! Although Megan and I were the only ones who made pillows, a good time was had by all. Megan made the bright floral pillow and I made the little gray one.

For those who didn't make it, I am going to see if I can find some easy directions online to post so you can make a cute pillow cover yourself. And stay tuned - Tenille volunteered to teach machine quilting next month - yeah!

craft night :: pillow talk

Okay - I think we have a plan! Here are the details for our first craft night (still debating on the name):

What: Pillow Talk - How to Make a Simple Pillow Cover
When: Wednesday, May 14 @ 7:00
Where: My Apartment (let me know if you need directions)

What you need to bring:

1 square pillow form or pillow to cover (18" or smaller)
1/2 yard of fabric
thread to match your fabric
embelishments, i.e. flowers, ribbon, buttons, etc. (optional)
fabric scissors (if you have them)

Where to Buy:

Pillow forms/pillows: Joann's, Hancock, or Ikea
Fabric: Joann's, Hancock, or WalMart. You can also try a specialty quilting shops - The Cotton Shop in Provo, Corn Barrel Crafts in Springville, and The Stitching Corner in Orem.
Thread: Joann's, Hancock, WalMart, or quilt shops
Embellishments: Any craft or quilting shop

Other Information:

• THESE ARE EASY! You can make one, even if you don't sew!
• You can get a basic idea of how we'll be making the covers here.
• The smaller the pillow, the less fabric you will need. 1/2 yard is for an 18" pillow. I can help you figure out ratios if you are concerned about buying too much fabric.
• Look online for embelishment ideas - Martha has some fun ideas here.
• Please let me know if you are willing to bring your sewing machine for others to use.
• Let me know if you have questions.

RSVP

Please either leave a comment on this post or send me an e-mail to let me know you're planning to attend.

I'm excited! Are you?

image from anthropologie.com

drumroll please

Thank you all for the comments! The winner of the little May pacakage is...

No, just kidding (even though Jeff actually DID make a comment). The real winner is...

Congratulations, Elsha! Be sure to e-mail me your address so I can send these little goodies on their way (karlaehlers [at] yahoo [dot] com).

As for those of you who didn't win, don't fret! I'm planning to giveaway some more little joys in the future, so stay tuned. Thanks, again, for all your kind comments. :)

may, birthday, and giveaway!

May 1st! A great day for many reasons:

*I love May! It is one of my favorite months of the year! I love the flowers, the birds, the trees...so many things to enjoy in May.

*My blog has turned one year old! In celebration I'm doing...

*a giveaway! The day you've been waiting for! Here are the handmade goods up for grabs:

One of my handy, little wallets. Perfect for drivers liscence, business cards, etc.

Flower notecards with sky blue envelopes -reminiscent of the flowers popping up everywhere.

A little hand-bound journal made with my lovely Amy Butler paper. Great to stick in your purse for jotting down quick notes and ideas.

I'll also throw in a print of this pretty, pink flower. :)

How do I win these little goodies, you ask? Just leave a comment on this post before 10:00pm on Monday, May 5. I will randomly select a winner and announce it soon thereafter. You don't need a blog to comment - just make sure include your name so I have an identifier. Thank you for reading and leaving your comments - they really are some of my little joys. :)