Shades of Blue

I have been wearing a ton of blues and greys this summer.  Seriously, half my summer wardrobe is either grey, dusty blue, white or navy (or some combination of those).  But I have found myself short of matching jewelry.

No longer.

I made these... a bauble and button set - bracelet and earrings.  I just used a length of chain for the base, a pile of jump rings and a bunch of buttons and findings.  And a clasp and ear-wires, of course.

Then I indulged in what might arguably be my favorite part of blogging - setting up some ridiculous scene of inanimate objects and taking four thousand photos of them.  All on the macro setting.  Because, seriously. What jewelry of yours just spends time hanging out with a pair of wine glasses?  Yeah, that's what I thought.

For real.  My entire wardrobe right now is in these colors.  It's like I just showed you the inside of my closet.

Now I am going to go put them on and maybe I'll take them off in the fall.

Hey!  There's still time to enter my QUILT GIVEAWAY (oddly enough, in a remarkably familiar color scheme)... just click on the button below!

 

Linking up to Met Monday and all the awesome parties in my Link Parties tab - check 'em out!

A Little Progress

Okay, so maybe I went to a quilt store and picked up a bunch of new batiks and thread for my as-of-yet-untitled art quilt and maybe I started cutting out pieces of those fabrics and arranging them on my quilt wall.

Nothing is sewn down yet, the pieces are just clinging to the fabric.  The non-existent branches for some of those leaves will eventually be sewn in with thread.  And I think that darker blue sky swish in the upper left corner will probably get edited out because I think it is a little too blue. 

I think my next step will be to cut out the pieces for my little stone wall and then I might start spray basting some of those pieces down.  I think I'll stitch some of the bigger pieces down straight onto the fabric and then put on a border, put the layers together, and then do a bunch of quilting over the top, including stitching down the leaves and eventual birds and stuff.  But don't hold me to any of that because I am totally winging it. 

Work and an Idea

I've been working on Urban Utility II this week.  I wanted to quilt it differently than Urban Utility I, but my attempts involved a lot of seam ripping.  It will be a little different, but not much.

Seems it may be time to clean my machine.

Did I mention I love my new walking foot?

And then there is this...

I am going to attempt to turn this drawing I did last night, or a version of it, into a wall quilt.  Totally not sure how I am going to make it happen, but I feel like I need to branch out a bit with my quilting and try my hand at an art quilt.  I am absolutely going to make it up as I go. Wish me luck! 

And don't forget, my quilt giveaway is still going on.  Click HERE to enter.

Bunnies and the Handmade Gift Exchange

While playing outside with my son the other day, we came across a nest of bunnies.

 But he was a little preoccupied with his latest fort.

Apparently, that quilt just can't stay away from trees.  There's no hope for it.

And yesterday I signed myself up for Craftaholics Anonymous' Biannual Handmade Gift Exchange.  I am so excited!  I've meant to do this the last couple times it came around and either just missed the deadline or was swamped with school.  This time I get to play - Hooray!

The 2nd Craftopotamus Quiltaway!

One year ago today... 

I started a blog named Craftopotamus.

Time sure does fly.

Over 41,000 pageviews, over 400 followers, a couple dozen features, 3 Blogger's Quilt Festivals, and 2 semesters of grad school later, I'm still in it and loving it.

In celebration of creating, blogging, and all of the wonderful people I have met along the way, I am giving away another quilt.

This one, in fact.  It's called Urban Utility I.  That's partly because it was based off of the City Tracks pattern in Cherri House's City Quilts book and partly because some of the colors and quilting remind me of those utility blankets that are used for moving furniture.  And the "I" is because I am working on "II" as we speak, but I'll be keeping that one for myself.  :)

This quilt is my first foray into solids and I have to say, I am hooked.  I bought myself a Kona solids card and haven't looked back. 

It's also the first time I've done any straight line quilting that wasn't done by hand.  It is crazy to me that I have been quilting for almost 6 years, I've done tons of meandering quilting and designs, but have only just now bought myself a walking foot with a guide.  It's almost embarassing!  The finished quilt measures roughly 58" by 75" and is made with all cotton fabrics and batting.

I tell you, I just love this creative journey and having such a great way to share it.  Every day I am amazed by the warm and genuine bloggers I have found on my journey and am continually inspired by YOUR work.  The talent you all have is amazing.  And thank you for following along with me, even when grad school gets the better of my time.

So, are you ready to hear the Quiltaway rules?  They're pretty simple.

You have 5 chances to enter.  Each comment is considered an entry (no more than five per person):

1. Leave a comment about this quilt or what you might do with it if you win it or about what blogging has meant to you.

2. Become a follower.  Just leave a comment, whether you're a new follower or old, just saying that you are one.

3. "Like" Craftopotamus on Facebook and leave me a comment here to let me know you did (or that you already have).  Follow the button for a quick link...

4. Share this post or the Craftopotamus link to this post on your Facebook page (and then come back here and leave me a comment saying you did.

5. Blog about this quiltaway or post one of my buttons (located in my sidebar) on your blog.  Let me know which you did and post the link in the comment.


Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you by email!  This quiltaway will run from now through Thursday, June 9th at 9:00pm.  The winner will be drawn by random number generator and announced Friday, June 10th at 9:00am.

I'll be linking this quilt up to lots of my favorite link parties including Amy's Sew & Tell and Met Monday... be sure to check out my newly remodeled Link Parties tab and all the awesome inspiration you can find at all of these parties - you won't regret it!

GOOD LUCK!!  I hope YOU win!

Fresh Out of the Dryer

There is little better in life than pulling a fresh quilt out of the dryer.

The second Craftopotamus Quilt Giveaway is just around the corner.  Are you ready?

Craftopotamus is on Facebook and Another Quiltaway!

Craftopotamus now has a Facebook page!  Click on the button below and "like" the page to follow via FB!

Meanwhile, it is pouring here today!




Good thing I have some binding to work on for the quilt I am giving away on Friday...

Oh, did I forget to mention that I am giving away another quilt on Friday?  Opps!  Silly me.