New name, same great adventure!

I changed the name of my blog! I totally feel like it is way overdue.
The old name was great, but I want to talk about so much more and this new name will create a space for me to do just that.
First, I want to talk about my beautiful little girl and about being a new mom. My baby girl is now 10 months old, how time flies!
 I am planning her first birthday party which will be Yo Gabba Gabba themed, a show on Nick Jr.  I went to Beverly's craft store and picked up some Gabba Gabba fabric today to use for some part of her birthday outfit.

I love this fabric!

Not sure why she can't wear it now!

As always I have many craft projects going on which will still be the main focus of my blog. I love to quilt, sew and crochet, but now I have a little girl to make these things for!

Finally, I want to talk about my health and how it impacts my life. That is what I like about my new title. It allows me to show you all the things This Mommy has made, but also that I made it to this point in my life despite all the challenges I have because of my heart condition!

Well, this is all that two episodes of 'Yo Gabba Gabba' will buy me for today! See you soon and thanks for sticking with me, or looking at this blog for the first time!

One more quilt and some fabric

The other day my b.f.'s sister asked me how many quilts I am working on. Great question! With the addition of this colorful flying geese pattern quilt, I think the count comes to 8 all together. WOW! It think it's fun to start them, and I like to work on a few at once, but maybe I got a little carried away! 

Part of the blame can go to my sister, she let's me work on quilts she doesn't have time to finish, which makes me a very lucky girl! I love what my sister picks out and then I get to spend time making the quilt all my own, such fun!

most recent quilt added to my collection of projects

My sister is also very generous with fabric, often giving me amazing scraps all the way to yards of fabric! Awesome. 

I squeeled with joy when I saw this collection of Liberty of London prints! AHHHH! 

I also love this Alexander Henry Lake Lawn Regent Peacock Jewel. Love, pure love.

 Do you have fabric you just drool over and dream about? This collection is so dreamy!

Mini quilting retreat.

While my b.f. stayed home and played video games I went to my sister Katie's house. I brought my new sewing machine, some quilts and other projects I am working on and of course my camera. I like to have lots of options in case I get restless with what I am working on. I spent a nice, lazy Saturday afternoon sewing, laughing and chatting with my sister and her partner in their cute little art studio behind their even cuter house.

a small bit of my sister's fabric stash

My sister got this book as a birthday gift, Material Obsession 2 by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke. I have the first one, but I can't wait to get this next one too! My sister decided to make the quilt on the cover! I am excited to see the end result!

strips of fabric for the Material Obsession 2 quilt

baby quilt my sister is working on

My sewing space. I was running around taking pictures, that's why it's such a mess!

my sister, look closely in between the curtains, hi!

My sister-in-law, Jenn Shifflett, painting. She is working on paintings for her upcoming show at the S.F. MOMA artists gallery in January. This picture does not do her work justice!

little Bohdi Snow, showing me his toys

Talking about quilts. Always good to get a different perspective!

Sewing space!

I am interrupting this weeks focus on fabric to show off my make-shift sewing space! I am sooo excited! Yeah!! This is a little nook we have in our kitchen that we haven't quite figured out exactly what we were going to do with it (right honey?).
I just moved our cookbooks and our only plant I have managed to keep alive miraculously for the last few years. Doesn't my sewing machine fit perfectly there? It has only been a week since we moved but that seems forever in time spent away from quilting!


Of course this post would not be complete without a little picture of my constant companion, Mason. He isn't feeling very well today, but he is always curious to see what I do next!

My sister's quilts

My sister is an amazing quilter. I wanted to show off two of the quilts she is currently working on. She tends to tackle more challenging quilts than I do with stunning results. I love how she is able to show me the ropes when it comes to quilting, and am inspired by her talent. She is a pattern following quilter, and I tend to make it up as I go along. I cannot wait to see these two quilts when they are finished.

Collection of quilts.

I want to highlight various quilts that other people have given me. I didn't realize I had so many! This first one I want to show off is a lap quilt my sister made for me a few years ago. I love pink and cherry blossoms, so this quilt was a nice surprise.

There is a book series I am reading called the Elm Creek Quilt novels by Jennifer Chiaverini. Her website is elmcreek.net. This series brings you into a world of women who love all things quilting. Along the way they not only learn about themselves but about past generations of women and how important quilts were.

In some ways quilting is a forgotten art form. You can buy mass produced quilts at many chain stores, which I admit I have a white and blue one I use from time to time! (pics to come soon!) One thing I love about quilting is that there are so many layers of meaning and symbolism within the quilt blocks themselves. The different placement of triangles, squares and circles can tell a wide range of stories. Personally I am at the very beginning in my understanding!

In the weeks to come I will begin exploring various blocks, their meanings and how they fit into the modern quilt movement.

Below is the quilt I just finished. This picture was taken a few days ago when I was doing the last bit of quilting. Soon I will have some current pictures of the whole quilt.

The quilt that started it all.

About a year and a half ago I was at a pretty hard place in my life. I had been struggling with problems with my health. There wasn't anything new about this, I have had this health "challenge" my whole life. What became more and more apparent was that I could no longer pursue my chosen career and maintain my health at the same time.

I had moved to California about 6 or 7 years before to pursue my Masters degree in Psychology. I wanted to become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As anyone who has gone on this path knows, it can take a long time and be a ton of work to become a licensed therapist!
I finished my Masters in 2006 and began working towards my license. I loved the work, it was amazing! My health suffered though, I was constantly in and out of the hospital.

It came to a point where I had to decide, do I continue on this path or do I stop and take care of my failing health. I knew the decision I had to make, but it was devastating. I was heartbroken. I had worked so hard up to this point, I couldn't imagine making this sacrifice.

One morning I woke up and knew that I needed to make a "sad" quilt. Many times I had suggested to my clients to create some piece of art to help them heal. I absolutely believe that part of what is amazing about creating is that healing that can happen. My "Sad Quilt" was going to be dark black, blue and gray and I was going to put one "happy" square in the mix. I talked to my sister about this quilt, who is a very accomplished quilter, and she helped me bring life to this quilt. My "happy" square actually became a very vibrant back piece of the quilt!

I worked on it for a few months and I began to feel a sense of aliveness again. This is it, I will create! I had always drawn, painted, crafted, taken art classes, been "arty". This quilt though was something that covered me when I was sad and comforted me. It seems so basic, a blanket. But knowing that I made this blanket, this quilt, that brought healing to me, I felt a lifting of my sadness and was instead surrounded by its warmth.

Mason helps me quilt.

Even though it's a little harder to quilt with a puppy in the way, can't resist my puppy Mason's love of quilting!