Wow!

Ok, so people really DO read this blog! Or maybe I just need to get myself out there a little more often :)

After participating in Park City Girl's 0online quilt festival (fabulous idea, btw!) my number of visitors went up... and so did my comments! Just look at all those pretty little words :)



I feel like a proud mama :) Thanks, friends! And be sure to stop by (and comment ;)) again!

*I think I'm addicted :^)*

Happy Etsy Day!

I've heard rumors throughout the blogosphere that today has been declared Etsy Day by none other than... Etsy :) I actually heard about it in the twittersphere (you can find me at @candidcrafts)... not the blogosphere... but decided to play along none-the-less.

Therefore, here are a few of my favorite Etsy items... some sold out, some still for sale... but just a few of the beautiful things I have found over the last few months.


Hello Stranger, by dkim


Small Beaded Clay Journal, from Bibliosophy (Bley also runs the Bibliosophy Books blog, which hosted the Cozy Domesticity swap -- pictures about that later!)


LivvieLee doesn't have anything for me right now... but what little girl wouldn't love this Blue & Brown Apron? She always has adorable things in her shop.


and lastly... these prints (this one is called "Baby Rain" by the poppy tree are just too sweet. check out the others... she's got some serious talent!

one of these days i hope to have an Etsy shop of my own... what are some of your favorite Etsy spots for inspiration?

under construction...

a bit of redesign happening today (and possibly throughout the week)...

just an fyi in case links are broken, etc. :) feel free to let me know what's wrong with the page!

In Honor of the First Online Quilt Festival...

I'm revisiting my first quilting adventure due to the first ever online quilt festival, hosted by Park City Girl (which is a fabulous idea, btw!).

My dad's sister started quilting about a decade ago (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!) and her creations are breathtaking. Filled with vibrant colors, innumerable swirls and pinwheels and colors for every season, she has handquilted (almost) all of her quilts and is just now learning how to machine quilt, which, I might add, she is equally talented at. I've always loved looking at her quilts and visiting quilts shops with her.



With this inspiration under my belt, I decided in late high school that I too would make a quilt. Starting with a huge pile of scraps from my mom's fabric bag, I measured & cut 5"x5" blocks with a paper pattern (which led to a few 4.5" blocks as well as other wonky shapes & sizes). I then laid out all the blocks on my parent's living room floor, which was quickly covered... and then proceeded to arrange them... and rearrange them... and arrange them yet again, until I was told that the living room floor must be returned to normal. Needless to say, it was a sad day. ;)



The stacks of blocks sat for quite some time after that, until during a Christmas break two years later I decided it had to be either a) finished or b) ditched. I came up with a pattern I liked... found the perfect backing (a "flower power" sheet that my mom no longer wanted or needed)... and figured out the best alternative to quilting (sewing vintage buttons on all of the navy blue corduroy squares that alternated with prints across the quilt).



Even though the patched strips aren't exactly straight and the blocks don't line up due to the different types of fabric (note to self: knits, denim, and old sheets don't stretch the same way...), it was a HUGE accomplishment for me. I found a way to cram it into my already-full suitcase, and dragged it across the country back to school, sleeping under it most nights in the dorm.

Now, it's losing buttons periodically, but it's still on the back of the couch in our small apartment, ready for cuddling on cold nights.

Sunday Stash: WhizBang Fabrics

yes, yes... I've been gone for weeks -- again. so much for the new years resolution! oh well... i guess if you've been following along these last few months, you know how busy it's been. things have been (and will continue to be, i'm sure, sporadic). moving right along... :)

a few months back, i received word that a diamond in the rough fabric store in San Francisco, WhizBang Fabrics was closing. i immediately started pleading for a day trip to the city... for valentine's day... to show our new puppy around town... and simply because we hadn't been there for a while. :) ryan said yes, and off we went on our adventure -- with a promise that i a) wouldn't spend too much time in the shop and b) wouldn't spend too much money. *ahem*

moving on... here are a few of the gorgeous pieces i came away from the store with... :)





my wonderful hubby actually picked these one out. we were about ready to check out and he says "did you see these ones?" two of the most wonderful pieces of japanese fabric for a little boy's room. not that we have a little boy, or even a little boy's room, or a little boy in the relative future... but... that's the whole point of a stash, right? :)



a gorgeous silky piece that i'm not sure what i'll use for... but it was half price and gorgeous... and again, that's the whole point of the stash ;)





an oilcloth piece that has an asian flair to it. thinking of using it for a reusable lunch bag or a cosmetics/travel bag. thoughts?



wouldn't this amazing corduroy be perfect for a little girl's jumper? granted... no little girl in our house and none in the near future, but we do know quite a few little girls... one in particular who happens to be my favorite -- maybe i could figure out something for her :)



and last but not least... the button stash :) they had all sorts of amazing buttons to sort through... and after i saw that ryan was getting bored, i finally agreed it was time to go ;) i think i could have spent all day there!

that's all for now... gotta go get some stuff done around the house. here's to more updates in the near future! :)