summer update.

i admit, i haven't really done a lot of sewing so far this summer. i've been meaning to... there are piles of fabric ready to be cut, piles of blocks already cut waiting to be sewn, quilt tops that are partially sewn and ready to be finished... luckily it seems when i am least motivated to sew, i am snapped out of it by the potential for a couple of custom orders. i hope to finalize those plans soon, so that i can once again feel the undeniable happiness of successfully finishing a project.

mostly this summer has seen us out to brunch and basking in the sun (when it hasn't rained, thank goodness it has stopped raining! it rained for weeks and weeks...); we've taken up tennis, spent time at the small beach just a few blocks away from our apartment, slathered on the sunblock with high spf (for the boyfriend) and endured/enjoyed slight sunburns (on me).

we've been slowly but surely accumulating clearance/on sale summerwear to take on our cruise this november! bathing suits, shorts, strapless sundresses, sunglasses... we also purchased our first set of luggage together. (well, he paid for the cruise, i paid for the luggage!) i've started collecting travel size, travel safe, travel approved toiletries -- i can't even explain to you my love of tiny toiletry items, its weird how much i love the mini shampoos and toothpastes. we still need to get our passport, but we'll be doing that in a week or two! and then, we wait. 18 weekends to go until we're carribean bound!

okay, okay, back to sewing related things.. this coming saturday i'll be going to an awesome quilt show, and can't wait! i've gone the past couple of years and am always left feeling inspired and ready to tackle a new project. all of the vendors selling designer fabrics, though, is really my secret reason for going. last year i ended up with a new stash that lasted me until just recently! i'll be sure to get photos to share of all of the amazing work.

also, i've been getting good feedback on the mini quilts i posted to my etsy shop last week. i figured a few smaller projects were better than no projects at all, and i LOVE the wonderland collection of fabrics! the mini quilts are perfect to hang as wall art, to use as a doll quilt (or if you have a newborn preemie baby!), of even as a tabletopper.

i've been swapping hard to find and out of print designer fabrics in an online group, and have managed to collect some fabrics i'd been unable to find up til now! so exciting... its been fun to see what other people have in their stashes, and i can't imagine parting with some of the things they're swapping! my problem is that i collect these fabrics and then don't want to use them because they are so hard to come by! i just love staring at the gorgeous pile all stacked up! XD

so, in short, summer has been great so far -- hard to believe it is already half over, as it feels like we've just started! its been wonderful to share the sunshine with the boyfriend, friends, and family -- the first summer in recent memory that has felt so relaxed. here's to hoping the next month and a half is more of the same!