The Creative Juices of Ariel

Cloth Diapers...WHAT?

2011-12-16T14:00:00.002-05:00

Okay...I NEVER thought I'd do it. You know...use CLOTH DIAPERS. Read all about my 'jump' in my guest post on The Cloth Diaper Whisperer blog. And enter today's Fluffy Friday giveaway while you're there.

what did I choose?

2011-11-16T23:14:00.002-05:00

Peace To All Religious Christmas Card

Create Christmas cards for the 2011 holiday season.

View the entire collection of cards.

Thanks, Shutterfly, for making my Christmas card crazies disappear this year :) Here's the design we went with this year. Have a great Thanksgiving next week, and enjoy the Season! xo

Sew To Swap, Blog Tour

2011-11-13T07:00:00.007-05:00

It's my pleasure to announce that Sew To Swap: Quilting Projects to Exchange Online and by Mail, by Chrissie Grace, hit bookshelves last week.

What a joy it was to illustrate this project. It's my first published illustrative work, and it's exciting to see it available at Amazon and Walmart.com. The book highlights, step-by-step, how to create a quilted piece and participate in a swap as part of the newest, modern quilting community. You're maybe familiar with Flickr, home of many fabulous quilting and misc. stitched swaps. You'll be tickled to see MANY familiar quilting bloggers featured in the book, such as Allison from Cluck Cluck Sew, Kerri from Lovely Little Handmades, and John from Quilt Dad. Published by F+W Media, you can find it for a great price here. Use code SEW2SWAP for $10 off the retail price until Nov. 30th.

Here is a bitty peek at some of the images in Sew To Swap...(photo courtesy of F+W Media)

(photo courtesy of F+W Media)

Here is a list of bloggers contributing to the book, along with their blog hop dates...

November 7 Lovely Little Handmades
November 8 Stitches & Scissors
November 9 Cluck Cluck Sew
November 10 My Three Sons
November 11 Twin Fibers
November 12 Stitchy Quilt Stuff
November 13 The Creative Juices of Ariel
November 14 Texas Freckles
November 15 Quilt Dad
November 16 Artsy-Craftsy Babe
November 17 Little Miss Shabby
November 18 A Cuppa and a Catch Up
November 19 A Quilt is Nice
November 20 A Little Sweetness
November 21 House of A La Mode
November 22 I’m Just a Guy Who Quilts
November 23 Little Bit Funky
November 27 In His Grace

Robot Craft Time

2011-11-11T13:36:00.005-05:00

In my former life as an Art Teacher, I was so good about lesson planning...making sure I had all the supplies needed for a much-scheduled, and thought-out art lesson. These days, it's survival. Today, T and I squeezed in a craft while baby brother was asleep. Totally on the fly...

For the folks who want to try this at home, you'll need: -magazines (we used Car and Driver, simply because it's full of machines)
-aluminum foil
-scissors and tape
-misc. markers, optional
-items from the recycling bin (we used cardboard boxes and paper towel rolls)

Titus' robot is named KOOL. Child made that up all on his own. He's kool, if you ask me :)

Doodling with my buddy...

2011-11-10T12:34:00.002-05:00

Titus turned FOUR two weeks ago, and he's currently THE biggest space nut I know. Here's what we doodled today....

Happy Thursday!

Giveaway Winners!

2011-10-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Cheree, Jennifer, and Rachel!!! Winners of 25 FREE Shutterfly cards each! Look for an email from me with your Shutterfly codes. Enjoy!

Remember, if you're a blogger and would like 25 FREE cards from Shutterfly, go HERE to sign up before Nov. 11th.

*P.S....all former card design ideas are scrapped. Who is a chronic 'can't-make-up-her-mind-on-ANYTHING, including body wash scents and picking out her Christmas cards' silly girl? Me.

Christmas Cards - A Shutterfly Giveaway!

2011-10-16T21:22:00.009-04:00

It's almost that time. You know. Christmas. Don't dread it, friends...embrace it this year :) The Eldridges love to send Christmas cards. I especially love sending a card that reflects on the JOY of the birth of our Savior. I used to hand stamp each little card, folks. Are you kiddin' me? Before I had kiddos, it was so fun to sit and design a Christmas card by hand. Now-a-days, the 'creative juices of ariel' sometimes have to be 'hired out'. That's why I love me some Shutterfly.com.

We've been collecting 8x8" photo books since the birth of our first son, when I realized scrapbooking would not happen for awhile. I love how many designs there are to personalize our collections of photos. Shutterfly has taken it a step further and recently made their photo books so customizable, you can rearrange the text, layout, and embellishments of each page. LOVE that. Here's our latest book.

The Eldridges also love a good photo calendar. Where would I be without my Shutterfly photo calendar? Forgettin' birthdays, that's where. I know this because we decided not to get one last year, and I was a mess. Nieces and nephews were getting birthday gifts months late. Disastrous ;) I love what a great gift the calendar is in itself. We NEVER know what to give Papaw for Christmas...and I think we drew tears the year he opened his photo calendar. Perhaps we'll pick something from here for this year's gift?

Our kiddos get so excited when the Christmas cards start popping up in the mailbox. They love seeing the faces of the friends and family they recognize. What an awesome way to stay connected and teach your little folks the names and faces of those who love them. So, Shutterfly is making the Eldridge Christmas card again this year. I'm still deciding between these two designs...

So, you're not REALLY going to hand-make all your cards this year, right? ;) Want some free cards from Shutterfly? You're in luck. Shutterfly is giving 3 of my readers a set of 25 cards each. Just comment on this post for a chance to win one of the sets!

Are you a blogger? Want another chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register HERE.

I will choose 3 winners at random on Wednesday, Oct 26th.

**I did not receive monetary compensation for this blog post and am in no way affiliated with Shutterfly.com or it's company. As always, these are my genuine thoughts on the subject.

*Comments are Closed*

xo, Ariel

Oh, how He loves us...

2011-10-14T16:46:00.005-04:00

enjoy a free printable on me today!

Christmas Red

2011-09-28T14:29:00.004-04:00

I couldn't stand not doodling any longer ;) Back at the computer...this one is in the works for my pal, Kerri at Sew Deerly Loved. Perhaps to be a Christmas Red Riding Hood fabric in her shop....just a sneak peek for my sweet readers. XO

{Re:Fresh}

2011-09-26T22:11:00.005-04:00

Whoooop! Where has the time gone? Probably into the hours.and.I.do.mean.HOURS I've been spending on Pinterest and IKEA recently :) Are you on Pinterest??? Bah! You should be! It's sah-weet!

Remember me rambling about taking a break from illustrating books to allow time for my hubs to work on his MBA and for me to make sure I hold down the fort with now TWO boys running around? Welp, every bit of my creativity is welling up inside, bustin' to do something creative-like......so I've decided to redecorate the downstairs. Crazy. Yup.

The dining room is gone. Well, not literally the room, just the fact that it is no longer for dining, but for playing. We broke down and created a playroom. Best idea ever. I just kept fighting it because I was holding onto that piece of me (pre-kiddos) that LOVED to entertain guests and set a mean Martha Stewart table for Thanksgiving. Who am I kidding? I'd rather my kids get their marble run off my coffee table. Who's with me?

Long story short (cause it's been since, what? AUGUST 2nd since I posted last) I've been pinning away all the ideas I can glean from Pinterest's wealth of creativity. I've fallen in love with curtains (all of them) from Urban Outfitters. And the last 3 lines of fabric by Anna Maria Horner (I might as well upholster the whole house in it. Love.it.) Oh, and chevrons...cause they're everywhere right now, right?

Somebody stop me.

A Visit with Spoonflower...

2011-08-02T18:43:00.014-04:00

I'm freshly home from vacation in Raleigh, NC. We visited some of our best buddies for a much-needed break from flat land Indiana. While we were gone, we dipped our toes into the ocean at TopSail Beach (I wouldn't get all the way in...it was Shark Week on Discovery, y'all!), and breathed some FRESH mountain breeze in Blowing Rock, NC. I got a little suntan (little.) and a lot carsick (a. lot.)...

Here's the part that you'll be excited about too...I visited Spoonflower to see where all my fabric designs are printed. It was so fun to put a visual with the 'magical place that prints fabric'. I met Darci, who is one of Spoonflower's growing number of employees. I always look at my packing slip when I order fabric, and I know she's signed her name to many of them. Now I have a face and story to put with the signature.

(thanks, Darci!)

Spoonflower started with just a few employees, 2 tempermental printers, and one quilting cotton fabric option. They have since grown to about 30 employees, shipping their custom-printed fabrics all over the world. You can have your designs printed on organic cotton jersey knit or even a new silk to name just a few fabric options.

All that gorgeous fabric starts here...

...then is printed on one seriously large format printer, using eco-friendly inks

(they now have a room FULL of printers. Each printer has a name, face, and 'personality'...my favorite was Charlie.)

Once the fabric is printed, it's loaded onto a roll to run through a heat-setter.

Each order is then cut by hand...yardage, fat quarters, test swatches....you can see why it takes more than a day or two to ship your fabric order...but these folks get to marvel at each and every fabric design as it comes through.

the waiting area...chairs covered with several of the designs that come through Spoonflower

Many designers will make goodies out of their fabric and share...

Love these coffee cozies...

Turns out, Spoonflower folks love them some coffee. :)

The whole place was filled with gorgeous designs from independent fabric designers. The employees were so down-to-earth and it's evident that they LOVE their jobs. I can tell it's a great place to work. Now, if I lived in North Carolina, I'd so bring in my resume ;) Happy fabric lovin', y'all!

the DROID 'Charge'

2011-07-14T16:18:00.010-04:00

Another great device is available from Verizon. And, the awesome Verizon folks allowed me to spend some time with the DROID 'Charge' for a very exciting event. *This review is based solely on my personal opinion after spending a week using the device. I did not accept anything in exchange for the review and these are my genuine thoughts on the subject...

Last weekend, my home church sponsored an awesome date night experience called, the Amazing Race. It was just that...an evening of running around with my husband, competing against 150 other couples, like chickens with our heads cut off -- all in the name of LOVE ;)

When I registered for the event, I knew for a fact that my husband and I are B-A-D with directions. Our GPS device in the car is almost worse than not having a map. SO, when I had the chance to review a DROID Charge, it was a no-brainer. The device made it easy for us to Google locations as part of the Amazing Race clues, and also phone folks for help. Not to mention, there were some crazy pictures and tweets flying around from other couples as they accomplished tasks such as, diving to the bottom of a pool for dive sticks (in their street clothes), hauling a dummy through a smoke-filled trailor at the fire station, and paddling boats at lightning speed along the Indy canal. We discovered several things:

a. folks get crazy when there's a finish line involved

b. we're lost without Verizon Navigation

c. hanging out with your spouse, on adventure is flippin' sweet fun

The evening was exhausting, and we used up every last second of battery life on that DROID. But we had an amazing time :) Here are a few things I discovered about the DROID 'Charge'...

Pro's: The Droid Charge is a Samsung device, and similar to the Fascinate that I reviewed earlier in the year, it's super user-friendly. The Android apps are every bit as awesome and updated as when I reviewed last. My new favorite is HootSuite, so I can say the same thing on Facebook as Twitter...This really came in handy as we updated our status throughout the 'race'. I also loved the size of this device, and would compare it to an iPhone, but more rounded edges. It slipped easily in several of my jeans pockets, which is ESSENTIAL to how I like to roll with my cell phone :) No dragging around an extra purse just for my phone, y'all. I like me some low-maintenence with a baby on the go. The 'Charge' is also a 4G phone rather than the 3G Fascinate, meaning lighting fast speed in 4G areas.

Con's: Battery life was lacking. It didn't hold up as well as the Fascinate, in comparison. Keep in mind that I had GPS tracking enabled most of the Amazing Race, which drains battery life significantly. It lasts a good full day with normal use (twitter, facebook, music streaming, etc.) I wasn't as impressed by the camera quality as the Fascinate. While still good 'phone quality', you just can't beat the lens clarity of the Samsung Fascinate. I wouldn't use this phone for heavy outdoor use, like camping or hiking, where you would be away from a charge source.

If you're interested in a new Verizon device, check out their website for links to simulate use of that device. Or just go play with them in the store. It's a great way to give it a 'test run' before you commit.

And, for folks who live in the Indiapolis area, and are interested in participating in the next crazy awesome couples event, visit http://www.iheartmyspouse.com/ for more info.

'Cause where else can you get the opportunity to dive to the bottom of a pool, crawl through a smokey house, dip into a pot of cash, get a tattoo, shoot baskets with toilet paper rolls, eat sushi blindfolded, build a robot, ride a mechanical bull, and renew your wedding vows...all on date night???

Fleece Diaper Soakers

2011-06-23T15:18:00.006-04:00

Let me start by saying that I love cloth-diapering folks. I wanted to do it so badly with my boys, but couldn't get my hubs to be okay with the thought of 'poop in the washer'. Geeps. ;)

So I was super excited for my friend, Lindsey, who just had her second baby, when she decided she wanted to give cloth-diapering a go. She did her research and decided on un-bleached pre-folds with Snappis and soakers. I thought, perfect....I definitely want to buy her some wool interlock soakers for her shower. THEN, I did my shopping. Whoa. I found out that I can't afford wool interlock soakers, nor can I afford or FIND wool interlock yardage to make them myself. Sooooooo, here's my story of a comprimise, that hopefully will work wonderfully for my sweet friend's new baby Lilly.

My (other) friend, Lynsey, is a super-pro on cloth diapering, so I sought out her advice. She directed me to this pattern and advised me to try fleece instead. While not as natural as wool, fleece is also breathable and can be thrown in the dryer (perfect for folks who can't afford to have Nana 'accidentally throw their $40 wool soaker in the dryer on high' and end up with an extremely expensive, tiny wool scrubbie).

They were VERY fun to make. The pattern is spot-on. Just be advised that you have to stretch the waist and leg bands as you sew them on. I had some fun making appliques for the bum side...in this case, apples, which had me humming, "...apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur..." I'm sure her daddy would not appreciate my humor here. :)

Plum Bo Peep

2011-06-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

Welp, my hubbers has officially started his MBA studies, and for the time being, I've turned down an illustration job on a new crafting book. Reaaaalllly tough decision, but family-first seems like the wiser choice right now. Friends keep giving me great advice to enjoy my babies while they're small. So, you'll find me kissin' chubba cheeks this summer and tripping to the pool and library. It also gives me a wee bit more time to SEW and illustrate for FUN....

...I mentioned the cheeks, right?

NEW! Pocketful of Pinwheels Bookplates

2011-06-11T10:35:00.003-04:00

These have been in the works for awhile....so long, that I finally said to myself 'just do this!'

Our boys LOVE reading and love books. Reading to your child is one of the most precious gifts you can give them. I'm in the process of adding new bookplate designs to the shop, and I hope you'll enjoy them! These are available in PDF format. Each file you purchase contains a sheet that fits 6 bookplates to a page. Use adhesive paper, or simply glue them into your book's cover with a glue stick or other acid-free glue. Use them over and over to print as many as you like! These would also make great gift enclosures.

What would you like to see next?

'Sew To Swap' by Chrissie Grace

2011-06-06T16:55:00.003-04:00

YAY! yay, yay, yay!

There is finally a cover design for the book that I just finished illustrating. Sew To Swap by Chrissie Grace is set to hit stores and quilt shops in October. It's also available for pre-order here.

Listen, folks...even if I hadn't been illustrator for this book, I'd STILL want you to have it. Some of my very favorite quilters have contributed to the projects laid out in the book. If you've ever been part of an online quilting/sewing swap or even swapped in your quilt guild, OR never have done either and are curious about it, check this book out. I've met so many online friends with the same love for fabric through swaps. The book is very modern and full of gorgeous ideas. Thank you, Chrissie, for suggesting me to work on this!

Wooooot! (can you hint my excitement??)

'Water for Elephants Quilt'

2011-06-04T14:18:00.006-04:00

I've been sitting on these pictures for a couple weeks, hoping I would get a chance to edit them. Alas, here they are...un-edited :)

When I saw this quilt pattern from Cluck. Cluck. Sew., I knew it was perfect for my friend, Julia's modern baby boy nursery. She has great taste and is decorating in a mod baby transportation theme.

Don't look too closely. It was my first straight line quilting attempt. Boo of a job getting even spacing and straight lines. I'm going to go ahead and say that I heart free-motion quilting far better. Who knew? This was also my very first quilt pattern to follow. I highly recommend this one. Allison is always spot-on when she shares her quilting techniques. I can't wait to try another one of her patterns. MUST finish quilting the two I have in-progress first ;) My poor hubby has been waiting forever for his quilt to be finished. If you listen closely, you can hear him sniffling behind this one as he holds it up for the picture ;)

Back in the Saddle of Sewing

2011-05-09T21:48:00.003-04:00

Whoosh! Happy Late Momma's Day, friends. Did you do something for yourself this weekend? My sewing machine and I met again like we never parted....and whipped up a quilt top for a friend's baby shower. (DON'T LOOK, JULIA!) ;)

full view later...must.keep.sewing.

Love for Mommies from Petit Collage

2011-04-27T21:37:00.002-04:00

Are you familiar with Petit Collage? This is the first place I've seen fabric wall decals, and boy are they gorgeous! I'm also a fan of their line of finger puppet board books. Head over for $30 off your order of $100 or more AND free shipping... Enter code: 'mommy' at checkout after you enter your zip code.

Looks like you can also receive a free, autographed board book by answering a survey at the bottom of the Petit Collage homepage. Definitely worth the couple minutes spent!

Happy Early mommies' day! Here's what I have my eye on :)

The Misadventures of Rory Turnip

2011-03-24T17:00:00.006-04:00

Today was the last day to enter the Project Selvage contest with Spoonflower.com, and I'm stoked to enter this print designed for a baby boy...

These are close-up views of 'Rory' and his robot friend and pup, 'Grains'. If you'd like to peek at the full design, you can see it here. Crossing all my fingers that it makes it on to the voting rounds.

And this awesome design is by my 3-year-old Titus, who L-O-V-E-S drawing rainbows. His favorite color is indigo. And he would want you to know that his favorite planet is Jupiter. And his favorite moon on Jupiter is Ganymede. :)

Still Making Quilts..."virtually"

2011-03-10T16:32:00.003-05:00

You probably think I don't even sew. I've not posted anything I have made in FOREVER. And the truth is,....I've not sewn in forever! But, don't fret...I'm still making quilts, well, virtually. I'm still illustrating away at a new book by Chrissie Mervine, set to hit shelves in October. Here's a sneeky peek at my screen this afternoon...

I'll be sure to fill you in on the selected title and exact release date soon. Happy weekending...

And the winner is...

2011-03-04T22:00:00.003-05:00

Congratulations #15 Jenny, who tweeted the fun and got an extra entry! Yay for you! Look for an email from me very soon so we can get you hooked up with your recordable copy of Goodnight Moon from Hallmark! Enjoy!

Giveaway ends Friday!

2011-03-03T14:42:00.002-05:00

Hey, y'all! It's the last day to enter the giveaway for a recordable Goodnight Moon book from the lovely folks at Hallmark!

Leave your comments on the post below, and Best of Luck!

Hallmark Recordable Storybook and Giveaway!

2011-02-27T20:49:00.007-05:00

**I recently received a recordable storybook from Hallmark to review and keep. I was not paid for this review, nor do I represent Hallmark, Inc. As always, these are my genuine thoughts on the subject...

I LOVE me some illustrated children's books. Big time. I can remember my favorite storybooks as a child, and what is most memorable is the voice who read them to me. I can still remember my Meemaw reading a story about a cat...who always got into trouble...and I'd find the cat hiding somewhere on the page. I loved the sound of her voice. She passed away very suddenly when I was 5. It's amazing how much little minds can remember...

Someone once told me that parents should add new books to their children's collection as often as they get new clothes. It's completely true when you think about it. Their little spongy minds are constantly ready for new adventures and stories. And they love hearing you read.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with some sweet, friendly people who represented Hallmark at Blissdom conference 2011. One of the things that stuck out in my mind about their company is that they sent us a recordable storybook in the mail about a week before we left to attend the conference. The premise was that we would record the storybook and leave it behind for our kiddos while we were away. *Tears*

Needless to say, Titus loved his storybook and hearing my voice before bedtime. He told the book (my voice) "I love you". It meant so much to him and especially to me, that Hallmark actually did care enough to "send the very best"... ;)

Well, Hallmark has recently expanded their recordable storybook titles to include some amazing classics. They recently sent me the newest, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. What a perfect addition. Good job, Hallmark. Other titles include Guess How Much I Love You and Counting Kisses.

The storybook is super simple to record. You actually record each page separately, and when you're satisfied with the whole recorded book, you flip a switch within the battery compartment to save the recording....even when you have to change the batteries down the road, your recording will be intact. There is also a video demo here. When you're ready to "read" the book, simply turn each page and listen to the recording. It operates by light sensors. There is a series of small holes near the spine of each page, which triggers the recording. We have noticed that it has to be pretty bright in the room for the sensor to work, so we keep the dimmer on high during the bedtime story for this book.

I can think of a million ways to give one of these as a gift, and my plan for our new book is to have my mom record the story for our boys as a keepsake. Priceless.

Well, Hallmark thought you might want to have a recordable copy of Goodnight Moon for YOUR collection! I will be giving away one copy to a lucky blog reader, which I will choose at random on Friday, March 4th.

Here is how you can have 4 chances to win: (leave a separate comment for each opportunity you choose below, and make sure I have your email address to contact you if you win)

1. Comment here with your favorite children's book title and who you would have record it (living or deceased)

2. Become a Creative Juices of Ariel blog follower and let me know you are!

3. Update your facebook status to say "I would love to WIN a Hallmark Recordable Storybook at The Creative Juices of Ariel blog! http://tinyurl.com/4sgc9c3 "

4. Follow me on Twitter @CreativeAriel and Tweet the following: " I would LOVE to win a Recordable Storybook from @CreativeAriel and @HallmarkPR http://tinyurl.com/4sgc9c3 "

Baby Shower Sweets

2011-02-21T16:31:00.009-05:00

I'm just getting to this post, but I didn't want you to miss the pictures from the baby shower that Mandy and I hosted for our friend, Jamie. She's due with a boy next month, so we enjoyed covering every surface in my house with aqua and yellow :) Here's how we celebrated her new bundle of Sweet...

printable bunting banner found here.

Mandy and Jamie with our sweet friend, Krissy

Tissue poms that Martha Stewart makes to look easy...but they weren't. I ripped them several times. I couldn't hold back my monster arm strength. Mandy will agree.

...um, y'all know how I love pinwheels...

All the food ideas came from miss Mandy. She even designed labels for the edible treats, drinks, and thank you gifts. Parties rock when you have your own personal graphic designer friend ;)

Cheesecake pops...'nough said.

Yummy. Here's where Mandy found the idea.

Adorable paper straws from Hey Yo Yo.

Thank-you lip balms from Invites by Bubbles.

Pickle soaps (you have to have pickles with your ice cream lip balm) from AJ Sweet Soap.

And, because Mandy loves my readers too, she is sharing her label designs here

to print:

"Eat Me"

"Drink Me"

"thank you"

enjoy!

A Glimpse at 'Nest Pretty Things'

2011-02-15T10:51:00.007-05:00

Nest Pretty Things...

I have recently fallen in love with Nest Pretty Things on etsy...keep reading and you'll see why. It isn't easy to decide on only one favorite design from Designer and Owner, Tamar Schechner's repertoire.

Several years ago, Tamar left the big city life and moved with her husband and 3 teen sons to the country in Vermont. With a background in Design Editing, Photo Styling, and acting as Creative Director for women's magazines, Tamar's fresh and pretty style has made for a successful business designing modern accessories with a vintage touch.

Tamar has recently launched her children's line, Nest Pretty Things Kids...

Make sure to peek at her blog, where she journals her adventures in design. You can also find her on Twitter, and if you 'like' Nest Pretty Things on Facebook today, there is still time to comment on her necklace giveaway!

Now, which one of her designs should I request from the hubs for my birthday?? :)

***Are you wondering who won the $20 giveaway from Dayspring??

Congratulations, Meg! Look for an email from me soon with your gift code :)

Photography Fun with Photoshop Actions

2011-02-13T21:45:00.006-05:00

Sometimes I can be really slow about noticing some awesome trends in technology...I think that's part of being a stay-at-homer. I've really got to dig deep to keep up with what's new. That's one of the reasons I love all you bloggies out there. You teach me so much!

Check this out... Have you played around with Photoshop actions?

Here's the BEFORE.

Here's the AFTER.

You really need to check these two blogs out...

First, Mandy made me peek at Pioneer Woman. She is a hoot to read. Ree cracks my stuff up. I'm not going to lie...there's burpin' going on over at that blog...I don't know how she manages to completely dialogue with her readers, but it's an awesome, informative read. Ree is very informative and step-by-step. Check her out.

Second, I heard about Paint the Moon from a friend on facebook. Annie has several free downloads and then some even more awesome action sets for purchase. I love all the drippingly sweet retro camera affects she has made so simple...once you download her actions, you just click a button and voila...instant picture overhaul. LOVE it.

I'm Bananas for You and a FREE Printable

2011-02-11T12:25:00.008-05:00

Have I told you lately that I'm bananas for you? Thanks for reading my blog and for sticking it out while I've been away, focusing on being "mommy" to my sweet boys for the last few months. Here's how T is celebrating Valentine's Day with his little buddies at preschool...

And a little printable for you and your little "monkeys".

(click on the graphic below for the pdf file)

*fold in half and staple to the top of a cellophane baggie. Monkey favors pictured above were found at my local JoAnn Fabric store.

Don't forget to comment here for a chance to win $20 to spend at http://www.dayspring.com

Dayspring Giveaway

2011-02-10T14:05:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite companies to meet at Blissdom was Dayspring. If you're familiar with their line of quality greeting cards at your local Christian bookstore, you're going to love their collection of (in)spired gifts and decor items. Simply a stunning way to decorate your home and give gifts with meaning. I walked into the Dayspring suite at Blissdom and was in "pretties" heaven with all the beautiful ways they have used scripture to give meaning to everyday objects.

I was thrilled when Dayspring asked me to try out one of their products and share my experience. *Again, I did not receive any monetary reward for this review. These are my genuine thoughts on the subject. I do get to keep the necklace I am reviewing. AND there's a giveaway, so read on!

For the last 3 days, I've been wearing the God's Heart for You necklace from the (in)spired line. Let me first say that it goes with EVERYTHING. I wear a lot of silver jewelry, so I popped in some simple earrings and wore this necklace with lots of colors. It comes in rhodim-plated and sterling.

The necklace is 4-sided and shows the words: Celebrated, Created, Cherished, Chosen

My favorite part is the tiny dangle at the clasp that says, Psalm 139:14.

It arrived in a cream velvet envelope, with an enclosure card that says:

In God's heart, you are...

CREATED

I praise you because

I am fearfully and

wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14

CHOSEN

The LORD has chosen

you to be His treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 14:2

CELEBRATED

He will take great delight

in you...He will rejoice over

you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

CHERISHED

I have loved you with

an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with loving-kindness

Jeremiah 31:3

Beautiful. Want one too? Well, I have a $20 gift code for ONE lucky winner. Will it be YOU?

Here are THREE chances to enter:

-Leave a comment about your favorite valentine's gift (given or received)

-Tweet the following phrase: I wanna win some Valentine love from @CreativeAriel and @Dayspringcards http://tinyurl.com/4vn5f28and leave a comment here that you did.

-Facebook status the following phrase: I wanna win some Valentine love from The Creative Juices of Ariel and Dayspring Cards http://tinyurl.com/4vn5f28

and leave a comment here that you did.

*I will pick a winner at random on Tuesday 2/15. Make sure I have an email address to contact you. The winner will receive a $20 gift code to use in the Dayspring.com store. Shipping charges do apply. BEST OF LUCK!

Juniper Jellyshoes.

2011-02-09T23:23:00.003-05:00

That's what I'm calling her. Juniper Jellyshoes.

She's a little miffed, don't you think? Maybe that's my face right now too. :)

A little stinker-y, all the while, sporting some jellies.

Samsung, Double-Fisted

2011-02-08T16:06:00.007-05:00

I recently "double-fisted" two Verizon Wireless devices to review during my trip to Blissdom (see THIS post). I did not receive payment for this review, nor do I get to keep the devices. As always, these are my genuine thoughts on the subject. Why the review? Cause the folks at Verizon are just super nice and it was REALLY fun having a phone in each hand ;)

This is the Samsung Galaxy Tab. I would compare it to the size of a Kindle. It operates just as a smart phone, only a nice BIG screen. Bluetooth capable, rear and forward cameras, it's kind of an all-in-one...and quite the eye-catcher. I lost count how many folks asked what we were using when out to eat, etc. Quite a few conversations started by this device.

As you can see above, there are MANY apps to choose from in the Android 'store'. You already know my love for the "Retro Camera" app, which I used to take the above photos. My only hope is that the Android apps will catch up to this technology and resize their picture to fill the Tab's large screen. Some of the more popular apps have already caught on, so I played Angry Birds in full-size :)

Here's the Tab, using the Amazon Kindle app (it's free!). The screen is backlit and very easy to read. You can also adjust the screen tone in this app to reduce glare, etc. While the screen on the Tab is glossy, it didn't seem to make a difference while I read. I also used this device to tether my netbook at the conference when I didn't want to hop on the hotel's public wifi. While I didn't carry this one quite as much as the next device I want to show you, it does appeal to the e-reader wannabe in me, who wants a Kindle-type device that can do more than just display books.

Here is the Samsung Fascinate. I'm going to be completely honest here and say this is my favorite of the devices I have reviewed to-date with Verizon. You may recall my post about the Droid X. I'm liking the Fascinate even more. Here's why. The size is sleek and it is easier to get my girly hand around to hang on to. I can warm up to the price of this one more. This device does pretty much everything the Droid and Tab can do, but it's pocket-sized. The camera is a smaller pixel quality than the Droid X, but the lens is better and it takes remarkably GOOD photos, which is a biggie for me. It has 7 (count that...SEVEN!) screens to store your favorite apps, load social network updates, and run your blog feeds. I carried this phone everywhere at Blissdom and used it as my main camera. It didn't disappoint. It holds a good charge. I used it very often (blogging, camera, twitter, etc.) for about a day and a half between charges. I'm going to miss this little fella ;)

Did you hear? Verizon is getting the iPhone. I'd be interested in trying it out and seeing if the Fascinate can still hold the torch for my fav phone.

Here are a few of my favorite photos to leave you with, as I say farewell to these devices and pack them back up...

Blissdom 2011

2011-02-06T14:35:00.008-05:00

I've been home from the Blissdom 2011 bloggers' conference for over a week, and I hadn't been out of the house until Friday evening (that's a total of 5 days couped up, folks!) You'd think I'd be better at blogging some posts up, right?

Here we go. It was a whirlwind adventure to Nashville, TN with one of my favorite gals, Cherie, from the Queen of Free. We networked with other lady bloggers, some really great companies, and squeezed in some extra fun stuff too. We saw Mat Kearney in concert (a first for me...he's super talented and very down-to-earth-funny), walked the red carpet, drank purple punch, and saw Dave Ramsey in-person. We even witnessed a flash mob of dancers. Very exciting.

This is my Blissdom experience in wireless phone pictures, all thanks to Verizon, who sent me with a couple sweet devices that I'll review for you in my next post.

the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville...BEAUTIFUL.

Dave Ramsey, LIVE in his studio at Financial Peace Plaza

"Sharing my Breakfast" at the Kellogg's booth (photo courtesy of Kellogg's) p.s...go HERE to learn more about this great cause

A little Nashville stars love. I *heart* Minnie Pearl.

Remember the Dukes of Hazard?? So great.
Daisy Duke's jeep was parked inside.

The trip was awesome. I learned quite a bit about how to improve my blog. I had a chance to pet live catfish...which I declined. xo, Ariel

Angry Birds Get all Artsy

2011-02-01T10:52:00.008-05:00

So, after I realized how addicting this little game was, I wondered just how many cutie-pie handmade items are available featuring those crazy little birds. Look what I found...

Little felt Desk Buddies by Myook Plushies

Crochet patterns by The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Cupcake toppers by Scrapbooking Stuff

...and beanie hats by Pink Homicide

Angry Birds my birthday cake?

2011-01-31T12:01:00.003-05:00

If anyone asks....my birthday is March 27th and I want an Angry Birds birthday cake! HA!

Have you seen this on etsy? These cuties were created by Artisan Cake Company on etsy out of colored fondant. TOOO cute!

Photography Apps

2011-01-25T22:52:00.003-05:00

I'm a little obsessed with the two new photography apps I downloaded today on the Samsung Fascinate and Galaxy Tab. Verizon is sending these two awesome gadgets with me to Blissdom 2011 for some review time.

Photography is a huge love of mine, and I'm completely stoked that my friend, Mandy, shared these apps with me. Try them out on your iPod Touch, etc... It's completely fabulous to be able to leave the Nikon at home this trip and just take a sleek little phone, without sacrificing too much picture quality...especially since I'll be taking baby Clayton...and everything but the kitchen sink. (But I packed dish soap and a scrubber...am I nuts?)

Check out Retro Camera and Vignette for options to make your photos look like they were taken 40 years ago.

Lunch....Getting the Creative "Juice" Going

2011-01-11T19:58:00.006-05:00

I've been meaning to share one of my new favorite blogs with you, called Another Lunch. I love the adorable creativity this blogger comes up with on a daily basis to make her kiddos a healthy and FUN lunch on the go.

Awhile back, the Queen of Free posted a deal from GiltGroupe.com that allowed me to score a Goodbyn lunchbox for $2.95, shipped. (I know, right? Gotta love that Queen!) I had been eyeing that lunchbox because I had so many cute ideas of how to use it after reading Another Lunch. It's also a New Year's goal for me to spend less eating out, especially for lunch.

I love that the box itself reduces the amount of waste because there are no sandwich baggies, etc. There are no tiny parts to keep track of, just one lid that seals around each compartment, keeping them from spilling over. There's also a drink bottle that comes with the box and fits perfectly. The Goodbyn comes with two sheets of waterproof stickers to decorate your box...Titus and I had a lot of fun with that part....here's our Goodbyn in use this afternoon...

I was able to fit both my lunch, and my 3 year old's lunch in the same box :) (Making for one very happy momma with only 2 hands to get out the door, AND saving us from driving through Wendy's...again...) Pictured above: (top compartment) 1/2 peanut butter sandwich and a whole turkey sandwich cut in half, (middle) 1 wedge of Laughing Cow creamy swiss chesse with a Flintstone vitamin and water bottle, (bottom L to R) Reduced Fat Wheat Thin crackers, 5 oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (to eat and some to share!), a yogurt container, and organic snap pea crisps. That's a lot, right?!

We also packed this baby full of a quick lunch for our whole family on the way to Grandma's, Christmas Day...very convenient! We just had the box and extra drinks.

You can score a Goodbyn on GiltGroupe.com right now for $15 once you create a free account. Shipping is also FREE if you invite 10 friends by email. (Retail value is approx. $24.95)

Here's to being more creative with how we save on lunch this year...cheers!

"DROID...."

2011-01-02T16:06:00.009-05:00

"DROID..." a little sound I've grown accustomed to in the past two months as I've enjoyed reviewing Verizon's DROID X mobile phone by Motorola. Remember my post about Verizon's Hap-appy Holidays event hosted by Indy's Queen of Free? Here's what I've grown to love and love some more about this fun device. (Please know that I did not receive any money for this review, and these are my genuine thoughts on the subject...)

I wouldn't call myself a tech-savvy gal by any measure. I mentioned before that I don't even text on my personal cell phone plan...mostly to cut corners and save $. I have, however, found that it's extremely easy to become quite the "techie" in the first few minutes of hanging out with this phone. Here are some of my favorite uses...

1. I can tether my new netbook to the DROID's 3G mobile hotspot....anytime, ANYWHERE. Seriously, folks...I used this puppy all the way from Indianapolis to Raleigh, NC. I was in the hills, mountains, and valleys...with a signal :)

2. the Swype feature is seriously intuitive and much speedier for me to text and update my facebook status with just the drag of my finger on a touchscreen.

3. The Android apps are endless. A few of my favorites have been Google Sky Map, Slice It! (for those of you who wish to work your brain), any of the preschooler games from Five Pumpkins, such as their interactive alphabet flashcards, the infamous Angry Birds, and I would literally be lost without Verizon's VZ Navigator.

4. The phone's camera is 8 mega-pixels awesome. I was able to leave the Nikon at home on quick trips with the kiddos, and it was very handy to snag HD video of my boys, like when my 4 month-old rolled from back to belly and over again for the first time!

*here's a little shot of my cutie eating his first cereal, taken with the DROID X

5. Browsing stores online during Black Friday and after Christmas was much easier with Android apps. Amazon.com, American Eagle Outfitters, and Etsy are several sites who have set up their navigation to be tailored to this phone. I could even manage my etsy shop from the Etsy for Android app.

6. the DROID X comes with a charger cable that includes a USB plug within ...making it easier to keep track of only one cable to charge the phone AND upload pics to my PC.

The DROID X is definitely the networking device. While I love the ability to stay connected from virtually anywhere, I found the phone itself to be awkward. Because the DROID X has such a large touch screen (4.3 inches), it's not as comfortable to hold up to your ear for an old-fashioned phone call. The speaker phone option is very good, or if you're a blue tooth kind of talker, these are quick fixes. The large screen makes it difficult to operate the device one-handed, and a DEFINITE no-no to operate while driving (...so Oprah got one thing right...)

Overall, I would fully recommend the DROID X. I've really enjoyed using it and will have to gracefully battle withdrawl for a bit once I pack her up to ship back :) BUT, stay tuned...The Queen of Free and I are traveling to Blissdom 2011 at the end of the month, and I will have lots to report! You can now follow me on Twitter @CreativeAriel

Happy New Year!

Handmade Memories

2010-12-10T15:43:00.003-05:00

I try not to worry too much about holiday traditions each year, and whether or not we can squeeze them ALLLLL in. There are a few traditions that are simple and always make me smile. This year is the first year we will have 4 Christmas stockings hanging at our fireplace. Clayton James is officially part of the family :)

While being completely busy with a 3 year old and a 4 month old, I miss quilting and sewing AND anything artsy at this point. I so wanted to make Christmas stockings for our boys, but knew I couldn't find the time. So, this is my comprimise. I embroidered their names by hand on store-bought stockings. AGH! store-bought stockings! But, it's okay...because the holidays are all about "rollin' with it". And this year, I'm just going to adjust to the fun of being a stay-at-home-momma of two boys under 3 years old.

Here's why I love Christmas stockings...

My parents still have their stockings from when they were little. In fact, one fell apart and my aunt mended it for my mother because she made that stocking for her back in 1950something :) And, my brother & I still have ours from childhood...of course, we keep them at our parents house because they still fill 'em! ;)

The year my husband and I got married, I didn't own a sewing machine. So, I made a little pattern for myself and sewed them by hand. I don't have the heart to replace them with "nicer" ones, because it's all about the memories for stockings.

It's not about the gifts and the treasures placed inside the stockings...it's not even about the stockings to be truthful. So this year, try something new with me and don't fuss about the traditions...make some memories even if they can't be HANDMADE.

Hap-appy Holidays from Verizon and Queen of Free

2010-11-18T10:53:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I've gotten to go out on the town with the gals for something even close to professional. Last night, the Queen of Free and Verizon Wireless hosted a women's blogger event at the Creation Cafe in Indianapolis. What an AWESOME evening.

Over the next month or so, I'll be reviewing a DROID X from Verizon (for FREE!). I'm already impressed by the way we were treated and pampered last evening! I love the touch screen of this phone and the infinate number of apps available. Very Cool.

Thanks, Queen of Free for your invitation and for always keeping us up-to-date on AWESOME ways we can get things for free. Thanks to the Queen and Verizon's sponsorship, I'll be attending Blissdom 2011 in Nashville, TN! WOOT!

In the meantime, here's a goof-shot of me with my new toy...ahem, phone.

and...this is my friend, Mandy...aka "Awesome Designer of my Blog" :)

IF you live in the Indy area and have never visited the Creation Cafe, it's DIVINE. We met the pastry chef and his creations are incredible...would make a perfect date night or evening with the girls... GO GO GO for a visit soon!

Christmas Cards from Shutterfly

2010-11-12T23:21:00.004-05:00

Shutterfly.com is pulling out all the stops this year for Christmas! As an "already pleased Shutterfly customer", I'm super stoked to share with you that they are giving me my Christmas cards for FREE this year!

Everyone LOVES a photo card, right? I agree that "hallmark" cards with sweet sayings and lovely illustrations are great, but I find myself holding on to the photo cards we receive each year from our loved ones. They're also great tools for reminding my toddler the names of our HUGE extended family.

One of the reasons I love to use Shutterfly is that I can keep my photos uploaded to my account and they are there just-in-case something happens to our home computer. I also love that my Christmas card isn't necessarily going to look just like our neighbor's because they have an ENORMOUS selection of holiday card designs...seriously, folks...I've not even viewed the whole selection yet because there are so many. BUT, here are a few of the designs I love so far...

The 3rd design seems like a great way for our family to introduce our newest little guy, Clayton, and also share that Titus turned 3 years old this fall. I love the layouts that give you options of using mulitple pictures. Some of the folded cards even have options to add more photos inside, with lots of space to write a summary of the year or captions for photos of family vacations, etc.

You've probably seen Shutterfly's photobooks too....I ordered my first photobook to summarize Titus' first year. It's gorgeous. And, I love that my Titus loves looking at it to see what he looked like as a baby. And the calendars! We have an Eldridge tradition of having a photo calendar every year with pictures on the dates of birthdays and anniversaries. What a perfect gift.
Well, you'd probably like having Shutterfly give you your Christmas cards for FREE too, right? Go HERE to participate...and ENJOY the upcoming holidays!

xo,
Ariel

A New Fabric Collection

2010-10-16T00:38:00.004-04:00

Hello, blogger friends! Isn't autumn beautiful?? I'm loving the Indiana weather right now!...Aside from the five-minute hail storm this week that chipped my windshield while I sat helplessly at a stop light...ahem....

But the trees are gorgeous this time of year! I love doing leaf-rubbings with my 3 year old and talking about the colors.

Can I share something new that I've been working on? This little collection has taken over a year to put together and ended up not being used for another project. I'd love to make it available at Pocketful of Pinwheels, but I'm curious what you think? I could see lots of adorable holiday gifts made with these fabrics...

I'm a little slow these days at accomplishing tasks outside of changing a diaper or the TV channel... :) So, my thought is that I would sell these as fat quarter bundles. Any thoughts from my quilter friends?

Have a fabulous weekend!

A Calendar Winner!

2010-10-11T15:03:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Teresa "Weatherbee ;)" of A Needle Pulling Thread! She is the lucky winner of the new 2011 Sewing Calendar from Accord Publishing.

Enjoy all your new projects, Teresa!

2011 Sewing Calendar GIVEAWAY

2010-10-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited to be featured in the 2011 Sewing Calendar by Accord Publishing. I have one just waiting to be snatched up by a lucky winner. Want it to come to your house? Here's how to enter:

* Leave a comment here with a link to your favorite craft tutorial (sewing, scrapbooking, photography, you-name-it)

WANT A SECOND ENTRY???

* Blog about the giveaway and leave a comment here with your link.

And if you're just interested in the calendar, you can purchase it HERE. I'll leave comments open until Sunday 10/10/10.

I'm Baaaaack...!

2010-10-01T16:02:00.007-04:00

Did you miss me? I'm loving mommyhood and kissing baby chubba cheeks all day everyday :)

I've been meaning to show you some of the handmade goodies we received as gifts for Clayton's nursery...

My sweet friend, Tricia, is also an Art Teacher-turned Stay-at-home-Mommy. A gal after my own heart, she also gets a little giddy when they start putting out school supplies at Target... Isn't this a cute idea to use crayons? I love shadow boxes. Tricia is so full of cute ideas.

These little guys are just a few of the sweeties my brother's girlfriend, Crysta, crocheted for my boys. The lion is actually a rattle and he has the cutest little tail on his back end. (And, yes, I did have to dust the rocker before I could snap a picture...it's the life of having a newborn)

And here's a little something else I've been meaning to share. I was published for my very first time :) This is the 2011 Sewing Calendar by Accord Publishing. It folds out and is F-U-L-L of cute sewing projects that take a few hours or less to complete. My feature is the summer roadtrip pillow tutorial in my sidebar -->

The cool news, is that I'm going to give one of these calendars away on Monday, so come back and enter, okay? Have a great weekend! I'm off to squish some more kissable cheeks.

Brothers

2010-08-10T10:56:00.002-04:00

Keeping pretty busy around here, as my husband has gone back to work and I'm ALONE to fend for myself as the mom of two boys for the first time ;) The first day was hairy, but I'm getting better at wrangling two! Besides, they're just so sweet....

He's Here!!!

2010-07-26T13:46:00.001-04:00

He's Here!!!, originally uploaded by pocketful of pinwheels.

Baby "Clayton James" was born Friday, July 23rd.

8lbs. 2oz. 20.5 inches long

Knit Treasures

2010-07-16T15:51:00.004-04:00

Look at this hand-knit loveliness... These are treasures that I received in the mail this week from my dear friend, Lynsey. I've never learned to knit and am just amazed at the craftsmanship! That Lynsey is a crafty gal...she actually JUST gave birth to her baby boy about 3 weeks ago, and SOMEHOW found time to make/send these to me!

I can't wait to put them on a little newborn punkin' head and pair of tootsies. Won't these make for sweet newborn photos?

They're made with 100% baby Alpaca wool, and are they ever soft! I told Lynsey that if all baby alpacas are that soft, I want one for my backyard.... ;)

So, "D-Day" is quickly approaching, as we are discussing induction with the doctor for next week, just 'cause I'm ready and we make some big baby boys around here :) If you don't hear from me for awhile, please know that it's not you,....it's me. :) Not that we're breaking up....I'll get some photos of our new little bug up here before you know it. In the meantime, ......Titus and I are lazying around....

xoxo,

Ariel

Carve your own Rubber Stamps...HOW-TO

2010-07-06T11:57:00.009-04:00

I've been sittin', waiting, wishing.....

What else can a fully-preggers momma do in the heat of the summer and no physical energy? Why not carve some stamps? I took some printmaking classes during my time at Purdue, and have been dying to try these handmade rubber stamps. Want to try it too? Here's some help:

You'll need:

- Mastercarve block

- blank scrap paper

- soft-lead pencil

- Speedball hand-carving tool with tips sizes #1 and #2

- stamp pad and/or markers

Start with a Mastercarve carving block in your size of choice. I found mine (approx. 1.5" square) at United Art and Education stores.

Trace the outline of your carving block onto a piece of paper, to give you an idea of how large your design can be. Using a soft-lead pencil, draw your stamp design within the outline.

When you've rubbed the back of the drawing on top of your carving block, it should transfer like this...(any words will now be in mirror image)

The next step takes some practice...Use your carving tool to outline the design and carve away the excess rubber.

Try stamping it a few times to see which areas need to be carved further...

Did you also know that you can color the stamp by hand with markers?What's the next step? Make some handmade cards or use fabric ink to hand-stamp some linen!

Enjoy!

Pillow {Talk} Swap...Received!

2010-06-29T16:10:00.001-04:00

Pillow {Talk} Swap...Received!, originally uploaded by ariel quilts.

I received the most amazing pillow from the Pillow Talk {Swap} on Flickr a few weeks ago, but I'm just now placing it in our newly-painted nursery!

This awesome piece of work came from "Little Miss Shabby"! I love the color scheme and hexagon choices...her embroidery is to die for!

Go ahead and be jealous of this cutie pillow! ;) xoxo

More from the World of Illustration

2010-06-22T15:48:00.005-04:00

I've been hurrying to complete projects as my due date quickly approaches for baby boy #2.

While there has been a lot of sewing going on, I've also been up to my eyeballs in some illustration projects. I wish I could share more, but for right now, I'll give you a hint that one project involves fabric design for someone else and another is some possible book illustration...I couldn't be more excited about these opportunities!

I CAN share what Kerri and I have been up to lately as she is getting ready to set up a new website for her fabric shop, Sew Deerly Loved. Kerri has had all kinds of positive words to offer as I joined the quilting/sewing community, so when she asked me to design some graphics for her new site, I was more than excited.

Here is the latest "Little Red" illustration that Kerri asked for. (In the appropriate colors of red, pink, and aqua, of course!). She will be offering this design (minus my shameless plug text) on fabric very soon...you can visit her blog for a glimpse.

I would love to make some additions to my etsy shop, Pocketful of Pinwheels, in the near future. Would you like to see something specific? I've been tossing around the idea of fine art prints and notecards for awhile...what would you like to see??

Fabric Giveaway!!!

2010-06-15T22:17:00.003-04:00

Miss Kerri is giving away TWO fat quarters of the "Sew Deerly Loved" fabric I illustrated for her! Don't miss it! GO HERE to enter! xoxo

Kerri has so many CUTE red and aqua fabrics in her online shop! Don't you love her picture above with the little suitcases?? adorable.

Pillow Front

2010-06-11T21:01:00.004-04:00

Okay, my super awesome partner has received HIS pillow from the Pillow {Talk} Swap on Flickr...here's a peek at the front. I had the coolest partner, John of Quilt Dad, so I wanted to think of something "manly and fun"...

I whipped up a swatch of Spoonflower fabric that features John's new family pup, "Tula". She turned out to be just the right size for little hexie sewing. Now you know why I was so reluctant to show the front ;) Little Tula would have given away the surprise!

We're off to see "Gordon" from Sesame Street in-person tomorrow at our PBS Kids in the Park day....Titus is super stoked to "meet" Super Why! (If you have a toddler, you probably understand this completely, right?) Happy weekend, all!

Pillow Talk Swap

2010-06-05T11:35:00.002-04:00

My pillow is finished for the Pillow {Talk} Swap....someone tried to claim it as his own...silly carebear...

I'm going to have to wait to show you a good shot of the pillow front, because it might give away my partner's identity...so I'll share after they receive it :)

Our garage sale was rained out today....I guess I needed to be doing other things anyway!

Happy Saturday! xo

the Color of Summer

2010-05-27T15:48:00.004-04:00

When I think of summer, I think of these colors....

Here's to a hexagon-sewing, little people-playin', garage sale-in' SUMMER! xo, Ariel

Modern Improv Quilt

2010-05-21T16:19:00.003-04:00

Okey dokey! My first-ever "improv" quilt is pieced and ready to sandwich! MAAAAAN, this quilt should have been faster, but I took a break from it for awhile to get some other things done (like, morning sickness and laying around...) :)

I used Kona solids with Anna Maria Horner's "Good Folks" line (adriatic colorway). It's sashed in my favorite Robert Kauffman white...so soft.

I'm at a loss on the best way to quilt it...should I stipple again? Should I do some sort of grid? What do you think???

OH! And my good friend, Kerri is featuring some of my new illustrations on her blog today...check it out HERE.

Mother's Day

2010-05-12T16:05:00.004-04:00

I'm all bummed because I should be getting a 3D ultrasound right now, but the ultrasound tech called in sick today....the earliest they can get me in is next week. I was so excited to see baby's chubba cheeks today :)

So, I'll blog about Mother's Day and fill you in on the fun here. I hope you had a marvelous Mother's Day...if you're not a mother, hopefully you were able to have a moment to honor your mommy, even if she's gone.

I'm terrible about remembering gifts until the last minute, but this year, I got a head start :)

Exhibit A: the dusty Kitchen Aid stand mixer that always has to be cleaned BEFORE you can use it because the bowl collects dust and splatters from the everyday.

Exhibit B: The ingenious mixer cover that allows you to clean your mixer once and not again until after you use it again....(I'm not the ingenious one to invent it, of course, but I will try to get a tutorial up for you soon...) I ended up making one for my mother-in-law and for my two sisters-in-law that visited this weekend.

And, this purty stack came from my hubby, who said, "I was going to just let you pick something out for Mother's Day..." Sounds good to me ;)

Orange and Aqua Spiderweb Quilt - FINISHED!

2010-05-03T14:06:00.005-04:00

Woo Hoo! Woot woot! Remember all the pictures of blocks as I planned this spiderweb quilt? It's finally finished! The spiderweb block was my block for the Sew Kid at Heart Quilting Bee on Flickr. At first, when there were no plans for a new baby, I thought I'd just make this a lap quilt for myself and the couch, but I'm so excited to plan the nursery around it now that we're expecting...

I love the look of a soft, crinkly quilt, but decided that stippling this one would not highlight the beauty of the octagons. I decided to go with 1/4" straight lines on each side of the blocks' seams and it made for a very geometrical look.

It's backed in my favorite Katie Jump Rope print by Denyse Schmidt...the basket weave in blue/aqua. Her KJR line is so very soft, so this was perfect for a baby.

Thanks to all the flickr friends who participated in this quilt by sending their finished blocks! I love that if you look really closely, you can see the Heather Ross gnomes that Kerri added, as well as the bits of fabric others added as well. I will cherish this quilt for years and years!

Wanna peek at something else that is way cooler than my quilt? My hubs is an engineer by day and wood-worker by night. He's been busy designing and building Titus' "big boy bed". Here is his progress. He has both the headboard and foot board built and has the side railings and removable toddler rails (for our extreme "roller" boy) in the works. In the words of Titus, "Daddy, you're the man...."

Little Hexies, Orange and Aqua Style

2010-04-30T11:44:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Heather of A La Mode Fabric, I had hexies on the brain last night as I continue to bust out baby outfits... Look what she M-A-D-E me do:

I haven't appliqued the patch to the little shirt yet...any tips for applique with Hexies?? I found some really helpful templates for several hexagon sizes HERE.

New fabric from Sew Deerly Loved arrived yesterday too, sparking my motivation even more :) It's amazing how fast nap time goes by when you're having fun....Now, it's off to Neena and Papaw's house for some weekend fun...a finished quilt to show you hopefully Monday! xo

Pillow Talk Swap 3

2010-04-28T15:41:00.004-04:00

It's time again for the Pillow Talk Swap on Flickr!!!

There's a little time left to get your entry in by following the instructions HERE.

I've thrown together a few favorites for my secret partner...I'd love to have a new handmade pillow for baby's room!

(click on mosaic above to be directed to my flickr page, where individual links are listed)

I missed out on round 2 because of feeling so yucky, but round 1 was AWESOME! Check out the pillow I made for Amy, and also the pillow I received from Amber.

Thank You, Heather and Kerri for hosting this swap!! xo

Little Camper Bib

2010-04-26T14:33:00.003-04:00

Just listed in the SHOP...

Little Boy

2010-04-22T15:08:00.005-04:00

...snails and puppy dog tails...that's what little boys are made of, right?? I've sure been having fun with my little buddy in his last few months as an only child. Today, we went to the mall, just to ride the "up and downs" (elevators and escalators). He will be an amazing big brother...and quite the entertainment....

Yesterday was a good mail day, too....I was a winner on Ryan's blog, "I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts". IF you hurry, you might get in on the final week's prize too! I believe this week he's giving away a $50 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop! I won a really nice hooded towel from Dwell Studio for the new baby during week 2's giveaway! ;)

Thanks, Ryan for the awesome prize and also for the cute elephant card! It's just the right colors for baby's room, so I think I'll put it in a little frame...

"Sewing Up" more for BABY

2010-04-19T15:29:00.004-04:00

What a good weekend....it was a whirlwind for us, but a good weekend. We hosted our women's retreat at church on Saturday, with the theme, "Awaken". There's no better season to talk about being awakened to God's love, than spring. I led worship for the first time, "growing" me out of my comfort zone....but I had wonderful friends and a sweet hubby who plays guitar and drums help lead with me and that brought all the comfort in the world. God is good...and he gave us Spring to prove it, huh?

So, I've "sprung" into sewing, now that I feel so much better and am only a few months away from little man's arrival. I mentioned using up some Heather Ross scraps that were graciously sent to me by my buddy, Kerri. Without all those generous scraps, I probably wouldn't have been so excited to whip out all these baby goodies. Here's what I've been working on today:

The pieced top of a lovey for my little buddy, with an appliqued kimono-style Gerber top to match. (don't you love those side snap shirts in the beginning when you're going through a package of diapers every day??)

Another pieced quilt top for a lovey and some cutie-pie pants for my friend's baby girl, due in June....I still need to run out and get some elastic to finish the waist and some minkee to back these lovies.

Aside from all the sewing fun today, I keep stepping in wet spots on the floor because we're doing some potty training "boot camp" with Titus today....so far, lots of accidents to clean up, but he's going to be a pro by the end of the week, I believe! ;)

Homecoming Outfit for Baby

2010-04-13T15:37:00.005-04:00

Ever since we discovered that we were expecting another boy, I had all kinds of projects on the brain that would use up some of my favorite Heather Ross scraps. I knew I wanted to try some comfy crib shoes after seeing all the cuteness Kerri had in her old etsy shop. Then, it turned into a whole outfit for my little guy's homecoming...

(the pants in this photo are made from the "Kimono PJ" set in Amy Butler's Little Stitches book. However, the crotch is extremely shallow, so I'll either have to modify it or find a different pattern...)

...then I made a couple pairs of crib shoes for upcoming baby showers

A HUGE thanks to Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew for trying and recommending Joanna's Crib Shoe Pattern, found HERE. (And, thanks Allison for giving me the idea to use some Katie Jump Rope with my Heather Ross scraps :) Joanna also has a cool pattern for a bean bag on her blog that I'd love to check out!

....And, now my sewing machine looks like this...and the hubs is once again mourning the loss of his "nice, clean, dining room table"....ooowah ah ah!

Embroidery Hoop Silhoutte

2010-04-07T15:31:00.008-04:00

I love silhouettes. And silhouettes are all the rage right now, it seems. I wanted to try something new to create keepsakes of my little guy as he grows, and came up with this inexpensive embroidery hoop option.

I started by taking a photo of my son in profile, in front of a lit window. I printed the photo as an 8x10" on cardstock, so that his head was close to life-size. With my scissors, I cut around as many details as possible from the neck up.

Using a large embroidery hoop from JoAnn's, I cut my fabric large enough to fill the hoop and inserted it. It's also helpful to put some Elmer's glue around the inside of the hoop, to lock your fabric in place and keep it from getting loose. When it was tight like a drum head, I placed my cardstock cutout on the fabric and traced it in pen.

I already had some basic black acrylic craft paint...a small bottle will be plenty. It helped to have a small detail paintbrush for the outline and also a large craft sponge/brush to quickly fill the empty space with paint.

To help me remember how old he was in this silhouette, I'm thinking I'll attach a small hang tag from the brass top that says, "18 mos." Wouldn't it be cute to have a wall of these in the nursery of all different sizes, fabrics, and stages of growth?

For some professional silhouette keepsakes, head over to Vana's site, Le Papier Studio.

My favorites are her lockets (have one, love it!) and new vinyl wall decals.

Giveaway Month!

2010-04-03T17:37:00.002-04:00

WHO does not love a good blog giveaway?? Okay, how about giveaways for the whole month of April??

One of my favorite quilting guy pals is hosting a giveaway month on his blog: "I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts". If you haven't seen Ryan's work, head over and peek...I dare you! And, make sure to enter this week's giveaway for a Melissa and Doug stacker....very cool. Thanks, Ryan!

What's New?

2010-03-24T16:34:00.004-04:00

Okay, I've been lazy....REALLY lazy. But, we have some friends coming to stay with us this weekend from out of state, and I need to Spring clean something fierce. Have you been slacking so that you can sew too?

I made these blocks to catch up in the Sew Kid at Heart Bee.

And, made these little notecards for Solidia with scraps from her block above.

I guess that doesn't really LOOK lazy, but the next photo will tell the truth about my week...

I just finished off this little box while talking to you...don't tell Titus...they were really his cookies :(

Snails and Puppy Dog Tails!

2010-03-17T13:46:00.004-04:00

That's what little boys are made of.....and it looks like we'll be having another BOY!

Our ultrasound confirmed yesterday that baby is in fact going to add to the Eldridge basketball team that my husband would no-doubt love matching jerseys for :) I'm so excited that Titus will have a little brother. And, don't worry, I was just lazy enough to not make any little dresses for myself, so I'm definitely not sitting and sniffling about the frilly bloomers that "could have been" :) hee hee!

What this does mean, is that my whole nursery idea for a boy just took effect and I'm ready to get my spiderweb quilt work-in-progress ready-to-quilt. I just need a great paint color for the walls...hmmm....

Little Dresses

2010-03-04T13:52:00.003-05:00

Well, I won't lie...I have little bitty dresses on the brain. And I figured it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and make a few, since there's another baby boom in our friends and family...so far ALL girls :)

I saw Amy Butler's "Little Stitches for Little Ones" when I was on a date with my hubby at Barnes & Noble recently. This book is FULL of adorable handmade baby ideas that are numbered 1-4 for difficulty. It also comes with a pocket full of patterns.

My first attempt is going to be the "Easy Empire-waist Top" on p.75

Have any of YOU used this pattern/book? Any tips??

I'm going to start with Heather Bailey's new "Nicey Jane" fabrics in aqua and yellow...LOVE 'em. I'll let you know how it all comes out!

A little Ramble

2010-02-22T11:22:00.003-05:00

(quilt block above created for the Sew Kid At Heart bee)

Y'all, I had the worst haircut this weekend. Okay, it's the second worst...and I was pregnant the last time too. For some reason, I can't seem to find a hairstylist to love and adore, or visit more than once. I just want someone to understand that "shoulder length with simple layers" does not equal "mullet". Here's to a ponytail for the next few weeks.

And sheesh, while I'm in the nesting mood too, go take a gander at Allison's nursery she has ready for her bebee boy arriving in mere weeks. LOVE.

Ahhh....Much Better :)

2010-02-18T14:20:00.007-05:00

What sweet bloggy friends I have, who would wait for me to finish throwing up my guts for a few months before I post this long-overdue update ;) Thanks to all who offered their well-wishes as I battled some major preggy-sickness. I'm so happy to say that I'm feeling much better. I'm almost 18 weeks pregnant, and we'll find out in the next couple weeks whether we're having a boy or a girl :)

It finally feels good to think about sewing again too. My "wheels" are turning with ideas for the new baby's room, especially ideas for a girl. So, entertain me for a post and allow me to share some of the adorable things I've been eyeing on etsy...

Sarah Jane's newest bookplates at Sarah Jane Studios.

This perfect little reversable pinafore and ruffle bloomers by Leave You In Stitches.

"Nicey Jane" fabrics by Heather Bailey....available in Kerri's shop, Sew Deerly Loved.

New Year's News

2010-01-04T19:11:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year, Friends!

I'm terribly sorry for abandoning the blog for a bit. Seems we have a new addition to prepare for, a new baby to arrive in late July!

Unfortunately, I've been sicker than sick with this pregnancy...not morning sickness...more like morning, noon, and night sickness... Thanks for the well-wishes and encouragement I've received so far from my sweet bloggy-buds!

Hugs to you, and I hope to be back with energy soon! xo

Gift Idea: Quilted Pillow

2009-11-30T14:30:00.003-05:00

Quilted pillows are such a GREAT gift! They can be so quick and simple to make, depending on the amount of piecing. Here is a quickie that I put together for the Pillow Talk {Swap} that is taking place on flickr....

For this pillow, I used varied-width strips of fabric (different prints) and cut them all to 5 inches in length. When I stitched them side-by-side, it made a simple patchwork strip that off-set the pillow front. I then quilted the front piece to a piece of batting, using dark chocolate brown thread in the shape of wood grain...super simple and I was able to use my regular piecing foot instead of a darning foot on the machine.

I then added a little deer silhouette and used my darning foot to applique it to the pillow top. The back of the pillow is a simple envelope closure. I was a little worried that it didn't overlap enough to hold in a thick pillow form, so I added some ties to the back, just-in-case. The sleeve fits an 18" x 18" pillow form, found at your local craft store.

I'm planning some more pillows for Christmas gifts...I'm thinking a "string quilt" pattern will look really nice! More to come!.......happy sewing!

Pre-Holiday SPECIAL at Pocketful of Pinwheels

2009-11-14T11:43:00.004-05:00

A little savings for your pocket from Pocketful of Pinwheels....

Get two fat quarters for $18....Offer good on special order and in-stock fabrics purchased this week only!

Head on over to the SHOP for some original fabric love! Makes a very special gift for the sewist/quilter in your life :)

Mention "FATQSPECIAL" in the notes to seller during checkout for a partial refund of the sale difference to your Paypal account. *or, feel free to convo me for a custom listing.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

Fall Fall Fall!

2009-11-05T22:08:00.004-05:00

It's a pretty awesome time here in Indiana......aside from the 70-degrees-one-day and 40 degree dip the next, lots of awesome happenin's this fall.

First, I'd like to welcome my new baby nephew, Logan Bruce...weighing in at 10 lbs. 7 oz.!!! He was born yesterday morning and mommy and baby are happy and healthy!

Titus' birthday was a blast (of cold air!) We had a fun party at the park with friends and family as he turned the big TWO...

And feeling breezy here in Indiana gave me the nudge to create a fall-inspired fabric, called "Jeremy Raccoon"...available in two colorways and for sale in the shop!

I'm loaded with projects and gifts to make in time for Christmas, so I'm keeping it short and sweet! Enjoy the fresh chill in the air....unless you're one of my coastal pals who is still livin' it up in shorts weather ;) xoxo

I love Crayons

2009-10-24T15:39:00.005-04:00

I love crayons. Love the smell of opening a brand new box....the combination of the crisp paper wrappings, cardboard, and new crayon smell. Maybe I'm just a weirdo. :) But I know that crayons will be a hit at Titus' birthday party next weekend.

In lieu of store-bought trinkets and candy, I decided to try those handy crayon rolls that I've seen in some of my favorite shops on etsy.

Thanks to a super simple tutorial found HERE, I was able to make these rather inexpensively, with fabric I already have in my stash. I substituted wide braided elastic in place of the ribbons that hold the roll in place. Hopefully, I can whip up a few extra to give in Christmas stockings this year...

Speaking of Crayons, if you love crayons like I do, please check out Sarah Costa's work here. She has an incredible etsy shop that I love to stare at. Sarah is a very talented photographer and sewer, so deck your walls with some of her artwork this season!

Happy Saturday to you....I'm off to finish scraping the cereal treat/marshmallow goo from the bottom of the pan after making a batch for a fall party this evening....and yes, I scoop the leftover goo out with my hands and shovel it into my mouth....'cause that's how I roll.

Papercraft PARTY Hat Tutorial

2009-10-21T16:27:00.006-04:00

Boy, have I been racking my brain lately to pull off a "cute" Robot-themed birthday party for my soon-to-be TWO little guy. I could not find robot party stuff to save my life, so I decided to make my own. Here is a super easy tutorial to make your own, customized party hats....using basic scrapbooking supplies! ENJOY!

(You will also need: tape, a large dinner plate, and a slit or hole punch)

Craft Night Success

2009-10-11T22:53:00.002-04:00

pincushions, originally uploaded by ariel quilts.

This weekend was great fun! Friday evening was our Ladies Fall "Fun-due" fondue night at church. I serve on the committee and was given the task of coming up with the evening's craft.

I stewed for awhile on what would be crafty fun, yet "grown up" enough for ladies to enjoy. I had some good suggestions from friends and family, but decided on an easy felt flower brooch pattern from mmmcrafts, thanks to an inspiring blog post by Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. My friend Jamie then suggested we encorporate Allison's teacup pincushions at each table as giveaways.

The evening was so fun...full of chocolate, cheese, goodies, and great fellowship. It's so good for women to enjoy each other's company and grow spiritually together! (and eat, laugh, and create at the same time!!)

So, take my advice and make some time to get together with the girls this month. Whether you shop, watch a movie, or just have a play date with the kiddos, good friendship is great for the soul.

xo

Polly Pinwheels

2009-10-08T23:54:00.001-04:00

Polly Pinwheels, originally uploaded by ariel quilts.

Dear Wacom Tablet,

You are like artist's heaven with a technological twist. I love you. You make illustrating on the computer a giddy experience. You can stick around as long as you wish....or until my friend Mandy wants you back....

xo,
Ariel

P.S. Here is a peek at how we've been spending our time together late at night after my little guy is in bed...

Robots on the Brain

2009-10-07T01:11:00.004-04:00

1. build a ROBOT cupcakes!, 2. emmett's robot, 3. Robot Lovers, 4. robot needlebook and pincushion, 5. robots_01, 6. I Robot, 7. Kokka Trefle Large robots, 8. Robots Crayon Roll, 9. 3rd grade portrait, 10. Robot Love Valentine Card, 11. I'm Awesome!!!, 12. Robot Red-Rover, 13. Robot Party 414. Not available15. Not available16. Not available

There's a sweet little guy at our house, about to turn 2! Guess what theme we're going with for his birthday party.....

CONGRATS to a Winner and Runner-UP!

2009-09-28T14:07:00.006-04:00

Weeeelllll, I'm a little late posting the winners of the giveaway because I was, ahem, hunched over my new sewing machine :)

Thank you to all my creative bloggy friends who came up with super cute names for miss Janome 6500. It was so tough to choose one, so I picked TWO!

The first winner suggested the name that I plan to use...Angie suggested, "Matilda". I like it. I think I'll call her "Tilde" for short :)

The second winner cracked my stuff up with his suggestion. Thanks, John for the clever name, "Ja-Gnome". Makes me think my machine is a rapper gnome from da hood...okay....you're right...I'm just a goofy white girl with a sewing machine, but I loved his idea.

If I selected your name, email me at ariel_eldridge@hotmail.com to claim your prize!

Wanna see what I've been working on?

I was just itching to use my red, aqua, and pink fabric from Sew Deerly Loved! It's time for something really girly for a change, and it gave me an excuse to use some of my Lollies and Hedgies, Storybook Mushrooms, and Willard Gnome fabrics.

It's HERE, let's celebrate!

2009-09-22T16:16:00.005-04:00

Cue the music! At long last, my new sewing machine has arrived! What a relief! Today was the last possible day that it could have arrived before I would have had a meltdown of worry. I'm always a little leary of purchasing large items on ebay, but I spoke with the seller on the phone and she is a fellow quilter and teacher. Always a soft spot for you gals who are quilters AND teachers....how do you find the time?? Anyhoo....at long last, here she is...

I've obviously not had a chance to get acquainted with her yet, and she doesn't even have a name. This is my first computerized sewing machine, so it'll take me a minute or two to read the manual and get her up and running ;)

In honor of my new friend, let's have a little contest, shall we???

*Leave me a comment with your best name idea for my Janome 6500. I will select my favorite comment by Sunday evening 9/27.

* The winner will receive a generous fabric remnant from one of my new fabric designs, "Storybook Mushrooms" and the bragging rights of being the most creative name-giver ever...

BEST OF LUCK! xo, Ariel

Playing catch-up

2009-09-17T14:29:00.004-04:00

So many things to show you, yet so little time! We're heading out of town for the weekend and it will be great to spend some quality time together as a family. We didn't really take a summer vacation this year, so we're thrilled to get away for a few days.

You may have noticed that I've closed up the shop while I'm gone. You can expect it to re-open on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Hallow-eenies, my newest fabric design in celebration of Halloween and time to hunt for the best costume, is being featured in the Spoonflower Fabric of the Week contest! Go HERE to vote for your favorites. There are some AMAZING designs this round!

And I just have to show you the BEAUTIFUL swap I received in the mail today. I've been watching the mailbox like a hawk recently, in anticipation of my Doll Quilt Swap surprise mini quilt's arrival. No quilt yet, but I had almost forgotten that I was expecting some fabric from Austria that I swapped with the lovely artist, Sardana of Sardana's Creations.

I was only expecting 3 fat quarters, and she sent all kinds of lovely, heart-felt goodies. Included in my parcel were also a darling hand-made zipper pouch, red/aqua/blue flowered trim, a mini note pad, and a beautifully hand-written note. Thank you for your kindness, Sardana! I look forward to keeping in touch and watching you create! You all can visit her flickr gallery for photos of all the hand-crafted lovliness Sardana is up to. She carves stamps, sews, quilts, embroiders.......you must see!

Good friends

2009-09-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have a friend named Lynsey. We grew up together in small town Indiana....okay, TINY town Indiana, in the middle of cornfields, where our dads knew the art of mastering an awesome hayride-done-right.

One thing I've always loved about Lynsey is her creativity. She always had a sketchbook of some sort and one of her favorite things to doodle was trendy gals, dressed in ball gowns, with trendy names like, "Annabel". Well, my fun friend grew up (as did I) and had a beautiful blonde baby girl and named her Annabel :)

I have to take a moment to brag on Lynsey's talent, because I feel like it's the people we grow up with who shape us into the people we are today. I'm a little bit more adventureous and creative having known Lynsey :) And, here is her first finished quilt. It doesn't even look like a "first quilt" to me! I love it so much and the colors are darling. I just had to share it with you!

CONGRATULATIONS on your first quilt, Lynsey!!! (First of many, I hope!)

Hard at work!

2009-09-07T22:15:00.004-04:00

The Hubs was in Germany all last week, so I didn't appear online so much...I got a little taste of what it's like to run this circus as a "single" parent for seven days. All you mommas and papas out there raising kiddos alone, you have my utmost respect.

We were so excited to have him home this weekend, and I was able to do some "designing" while T had some much-needed rough and tumble "daddy time". I still feel a little foolish when I say "designing" fabric or call myself a "designer"....I feel like a gal who loves to illustrate and just realized how fun it is to put my draw'rings on fabric!! woot! Anyhooooo....here are the latest designs I'll be adding to the shop...

"Hallow-eenies" was a super-quickie that I came up with so I could enter Spoonflower's Fabric of the Week contest this week. The winner receives 5 yards of fabric FREE and their design is made available for purchse (at Spoonflower cost!!) in the Spoonflower etsy shop for one week! Here's to crossing fingers ;)

And, my sweet blogging/quilting/fabric lovin' friend, Kerri, requested some Humpty Dumpty fabric appearance after she purchased the Humpty Dumpty illustration from my etsy shop. No surprise here, folks....red and aqua make me happy ;) This one is called, "Hedgies and Humpty" and is available for pre-order in the shop!

Finally, I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch because it's not physically here yet, but I have a lovely Janome 6500 on its way to mi casa!!! I found a very good deal from a retired teacher on eBay. After speaking to her on the phone, I'm very excited to get this machine. We'll have to name her, you know. I'll take pictures when she arrives ;) (the machine, not the lady on eBay, you sillies.)

Hope you've done some relaxing this weekend, now GO and be creative! xo

FINALLY, a Quilting Finish!

2009-09-03T21:15:00.004-04:00

I've really missed sewing. It's so good to clear my head and thoughts as I watch the mind-numbing repetition of needle up, needle down.

I managed to finish my quiltie for the Doll Quilt Swap 7 today! Woot! I'm crossing my fingers that it will be greatly loved by my partner!

This pretty fabric print on the backing is one of my absolute favorites from Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks line. The color just "grabs" you and I'm really fond of the block-print look of the flowers. I even threw in a little hand-quilting because it's easy to do while watching TV and quiet while my kiddo is napping.

Speaking of Kiddo....Look at the determination during our craft time today! Sometimes he fools me into thinking I'm looking at a tiny replica of my husband :)

FABRIC GIVEAWAY!!! You know you want some :)

2009-08-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Want some Willard the Gnome fabric for FREE???

A darling fellow quilter and fabric lover, Amber, a.k.a. "One Shabby Chick" is hosting a giveaway for a fat quarter of our beloved "Willard". Head over and get yourself in on the contest! While you're there, check out the gobs of other beautiful handmade goodness that Amber is up to. I guess inspiration is easy to come by when you live in sunny Hawaii :)

Giveaway comments are open until Monday, August 31st. Good Luck!

SALE in the shop...

2009-08-26T15:54:00.005-04:00

Some of you may know from previous posts that I've been saving for a new sewing machine. My current basic Janome machine and I have a love-hate relationship that makes me think we should just stay friends and I could fall in love with a new Janome Memory Craft ;)

The new fabric design sales are helping fund this idea, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to start moving some items in the shop that are just sitting and not being loved-on. SOOOO, I have added a "SALE" section to the shop, where you'll find several of my "Modern Quilter" sewing machine drawings and a couple of aprons. If you've been watching any of these items for awhile, I hope you'll get the chance to snatch them up while they're on sale! Great gifts for Christmas!

In the meantime, I've been quilting my doll quilt for DQS7 today...the deadline is drawing near!!

And there are several new fabric designs in the shop for pre-order as well!

Inspiration

2009-08-20T20:10:00.004-04:00

I love to see what other quilters do with the same fabrics. Everyone has such a unique creative process and it's fun to watch. If you're not already hanging out with us on Flickr.com, you need to head over and set up an account and join us! There are fabric swaps, quilting bees, mini quilt swaps, and stunning photography.

I've met so many sweet people with many of the same interests in fabrics and quilts through Flickr. It has also been a great networking tool for my etsy shop and beyond. Two of my flickr friends have purchased some of my fabric designs lately and they are among the very first to sew with them. ( I have not had much time at the sewing machine lately!) Take a look at their beautiful works in progress:

Amber of One ShaBby ChiCk is finishing up this cutie doll quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap 7. I love gnomes and mushrooms and she was so sweet to feature little Willard in two of the circles...right next to the infamous Heather Ross gnomies! So sweet! Stay tuned to Amber's blog, because she is planning a Willard Gnomes fabric giveaway very soon ;)

little red flea market fancy and lightning bugs, originally uploaded by green.littlewillow.

You would never know that this quilt block is one of the very first-ever quilt blocks made by Amy of Tiptoe Through the Woods. I love her color choices and can't wait to see more! She is creating a log cabin quilt of all kinds of Little Red Riding Hood fabrics! How honored I was to see Miss Lily Red in the center of this cute block!

I'm feeling pretty homesick for some sewing lately. I have spent much of my time designing and handling the etsy stuff, so I'll live vicariously through you! Tell me, what are YOU working on??

xo, Ariel

How to Applique a Cover-Up

2009-08-12T15:38:00.010-04:00

At our house, we have an ongoing pile of T-shirts with permanent stains...fit for my husband to use as rags in his woodshop. I don't mind tossing my hubby's old undershirts in the pile when they are past their prime, but when it's a shirt of mine, that is also fairly new, it gets me pretty irritated. Here's a plain white tee that I love because the length is "just riiiight"...a few days ago I removed it from the dryer to find a big ugly rust stain on the front of it. No idea where it came from...So here's my plan for covering it up...

Select a shape you'd like to use as the applique/cover-up patch. I drew this barn swallow, but you can print some clip art or even do a silhouette of your kiddo...random circles might be cool too...endless possibilities here.

Select a fabric print that would look nice with your silhouette. You can tell what it will look like by holding it up to the light and letting the fabric design shine through your template. I decided these Pop Garden flowers were too big and random to use for this project, so I chose a good "all-over" print from Moda's Arcadia instead...

I like to trace my template on the back of the fabric with a washable pen or pencil. Make sure you decide ahead of time which way you want your applique to face on the shirt and use the correct side of your template to trace.

Next, I like to roughly cut 1/4" around my tracing, to save my scraps for something else.

Using some fabric Heat n' Bond or iron-on webbing, I place my shape on the webbing paper, "sticky" side up (follow the directions on your product package).

To avoid getting the webbing "goo" on your iron, place a piece of wax paper or butcher paper on top, iron according to your webbing directions (I press for about 3 seconds, making sure to press all areas). Peel the butcher paper off.

When you flip it over, you can still see the lines of your tracing. Cut out your shape.

Peel off the backing paper carefully...

Iron the applique to the shirt, covering up the ugly spot. In my case, I should have chosen darker fabric because my rust stain got even uglier from the iron heat and shows through the cover up... just a little.

Set your sewing machine to a zig zag stitch, with the stitch length being close together (I set mine to a little less than 1, because I wanted my fabric to show through the thread a little.)

Lastly, make sure to take a goofy picture, so we all can see your handiwork! Enjoy your "NEW" shirt!

New Fabric Designs

2009-08-08T20:05:00.007-04:00

**UPDATE...I am sold out of my most current Spoonflower order. I am taking reservations for Willard Gnome, Lily Red Riding Hood, and Millie Miss Muffet for my next order. Email or send an etsy convo. to reserve your fat quarters or yardage. Thanks so much for your support and kind words!!! xo

I've been working on a few new fabric designs lately to complement little Willard Gnome. One is ready and available in the shop...

Meet "Lily Red Riding Hood"...inspired by gnomes and the storybook...and my little red riding hood obsession :)

I've also been working on a "Millie Miss Muffet" design. I have ordered a swatch of her and am not sure I'm quite happy with the design yet. I think she might be too small and the light pink background looks really washed out...hmmm...

A little "plug" for Spoonflower.com....this coming Thursday is free swatch day at Spoonflower. If you create an account and upload your design, you can order up to 2 swatches of your fabric FREE! Very cool for all you cool cats out there who'd love to give it a try!

happy weekending :) xo

Sew Kid At Heart

2009-08-04T14:34:00.003-04:00

What's been going on in the Sew Kid at Heart Quilting bee??? Here are some updates on the fun we're having, creating quilts for our kids...

Titus received a softie monster from Viv...all the way from New Zealand. We named him "Zealand" appropriately :) Titus gave him a good squeeze while he brushed his teeth last night and daddy read him a book at bedtime.

Zealand also got tucked in.

I've been receiving my blocks for the orange and aqua spiderweb quilt I decided to make. It's really fun to have a block from each member of the group.

I need to get crackin' on some more blocks for others. Up next, monsters, butterflies, princesses, oh my!

Time Flies...

2009-08-03T12:22:00.005-04:00

...When you're having fun!

Where has this summer gone?? It's August already??? This is the time, where if I were still teaching, I would start to get a churning in my tummy at the thought of having to get up early and go to work again ;) But that's because I'm lazy ;) Seriously, I loved teaching and love staying home with Titus even more.

What's new with you? Here's what I'm working on during nap time today...

Reading the manual so I can fire up this bad boy postal scale :) I was getting tired of paying more for shipping at the post office than online. But, the catch is that I need a scale to purchase accurate postage online....This one came from Wally world....hope it works ;)

Doll Quilt Swap 7 sneaky-peeky for ya! It's coming along and needs a really cute, pieced back and binding idea...

I finally upgraded from the baby wipes cardboard box to plastic storage bins for my fabric stash! Now I have lids and moisture protection...but if you're in a pinch, diaper and wipes boxes are great for storing fabric! And, you can call yourself "green"!

And, something pretty to look at. Thanks to Heather and many other swappy friends, my Flea Market Fancy stash is growing! I REALLY want to use Denyse Schmidt's "Single Girl" pattern to make a quilt for my bed. Jeremy is getting a "Katie Jumprope" quilt, so we should have Denyse "his and hers" quilts.......eventually.....ha!

And, finally, if you're still holding on for some Willard the Gnome fabric, bless your heart! I have a couple more orders from Spoonflower on the way, hopefully by next week. Thanks for all your support! xo

Works in Progress

2009-07-27T13:09:00.006-04:00

I'm completely overwhelmed and so excited at all the positive feedback you all gave me on my Willard the Gnome fabric. I ordered a yard of cotton/linen blend to sell in the shop as fat quarters ($10 per fq). It hasn't arrived yet, but I'll post when it has. If you would like me to reserve a fat quarter for you, email me at ariel_eldridge@hotmail.com. I am happy to order more yardage if I get a good response! I believe that Spoonflower has just discontinued the linen blend, so I may have to order quilters cotton instead. The cotton would be a white background, and slightly lighter weight and softer drape.

****All of my first order of this fabric has been spoken for...stay tuned for more soon!****

I haven't sewn as much as I would like in the past week, but I've made a little progress on my works-in-progress....

More improv. blocks for my Good Folks Improv quilt.

I have started on my Doll Quilt Swap 7 quilt. Here is a sneak peek...

I will be using the scraps from my improv quilt above. The plan is to do a mini triangle quilt about 16"x 18"....inspiration HERE. My partner loves color and modern-looking traditional patterns. I was dying to try some embroidery, so I'll be adding a hand-embroidered block of a sewing machine....hopefully I can make it look like it's "sewing" a mini quilt block, similar to my Modern Quilter series. I'll also be using 100% linen for the "negative space" on the squares. I love the look and feel of natural linen....especially when it's paired with such vibrant color.

Willard the Gnome Fabric

2009-07-22T14:18:00.005-04:00

Have you all heard of the website, Spoonflower.com? GREAT site that allows you to upload your designs and order printed fabric! I just received my first sample swatch of some gnome and mushroom fabric I illustrated. What do you think?? I'm thinking of ordering some yardage to have available in the shop.

The photos don't capture the true colors exactly...it's rainy and dull here today, so my lighting is all off. I would say the gnome's jacket is a pretty, medium shade of aqua, and the design is printed on a creamy pale yellow cotton/linen blend!

xo, Ariel

Improv Quilt for Elliott

2009-07-16T13:36:00.003-04:00

It's my first fully-improvosational quilt. This one is for my younger brother's birthday. He's pretty trendy and cool (but don't tell him I said so). What better kind of quilt for a modern kind of guy?

I'm using Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks collection in the Adriatic colorway. I also added some solids in deep blue, light grey, and olive green. The plan is to sash each crazy block with white to make them 12.5" square, then piece them together 4 blocks by 6 blocks. I don't know how I'll quilt it...this is totally on the fly and I love it! I don't even know which way is up for these blocks...

It does create quite the mess, though ;)

Doll Quilt Swap 7

2009-07-15T16:50:00.004-04:00

I've just signed up to be part of the Doll Quilt Swap number 7! This is an open flickr group for anyone who wants to join the swap. Deadline to sign up is this Friday or the first 200 people. From what I've seen in the flickr pool, this is a GREAT swap to be part of. Head over to take a look and find out more about joining.

I spoke with Kerri yesterday and she recommended updating my flickr favorites for my mystery partner to know exactly what I like and dislike in a quilt. I'm so excited to also find out who I'll be making a quilt for. I think it will be so fun to see what they like/dislike, so that I can create a work of art just for them!

Here is a little insight to my quilting taste...aren't these so beautiful??

1. Block Party - Quilted, 2. In the shop, 3. Pinwheel Quilt Top, 4. Red Riding Hood Papercut :), 5. Petunia Goes to Town, 6. Spider Web Quilt in Progress, 7. close up of mushroom girls, 8. Placemat Swap, 9. Doll quilt, 10. sis boom 2, 11. corsage clutch, 12. "Red Cross", 13. DQS6 top done, 14. DBJ blocks, 15. hedgie~ the double hourglass quilt, 16. Flying on Aqua, 17. spiderweb quilt in tan, 18. Bridget's Pinwheel Quilt, 19. Mysteries at the Market Quilt, 20. Close-up Pinwheel Quilt, 21. single girl, 22. Single Girl Quilt, 23. Log Cabin Quilt Blocks, 24. Dresden Plate from colorful wall hanging, 25. red/aqua#7C

Some other helpful info for my mystery partner....

-I'm a little crazy about Little Red Riding Hood and the colors red/aqua

-my absolute dream quilt pattern is "single girl" by Denyse Schmidt

-Hand quilting and hand-embroidered illustrations are awesome!

-I'm not a big fan of batiks, novelty, country/primitive, or shiny fabrics

-I love asymmetry...a little modern wonkiness never hurt a quilt!

Thanks for letting me share, folks! I'll look forward to sharing the quilt I'll be making for my partner as well....now, I need to get back to sewing before naptime is up!

Photoshop Blues

2009-07-14T00:42:00.006-04:00

You know when you have your heart set on something you would really love to do, and no matter how many attempts you give, it still won't work!?

I took one class in Photoshop during my undergraduate years at Purdue, and I've forgotten EVERYTHING. I mean...it's ALL gone. It's been a dream of mine for awhile to illustrate a children's book. I would be thrilled to learn how to digitally color my sketches, but I'm going to have to re-learn how to manuver Photoshop. Maaaannnn.

Last night, I sat down and spent three hours digitally coloring the only way I know how...with the paintbrush/mouse. It was tedious. Like writing with your other hand. But I'm getting better....slowwwwwly.

So, today I took a break from drawing to work on a quilt block for Tacha, as part of our quilting bee. She asked for a 12.5" block made up of 4 smaller wonky stars. She also asked that we put an animal in the center of each star. This was a really fun block. But, then I needed a break from my "break"....but naptime was over. :)

Illustrating Makes Me Happy

2009-07-11T23:38:00.004-04:00

Fabric takes me to my happy place, but have I shared how much I'm "in the zone" when I get to draw? It's like releasing all the frustrations of the week from my shoulders down to the pencil and on to the paper. Ahhh.

I've started a commissioned project for Heather of A La Mode Fabric. She started the Designer Fabric Swappy-Poo group on Flickr here. I've enjoyed getting to know her a little better through our quilting bee and swap group. There is such a great community of modern quilters out there that I'm getting to know and loving it!

One of Heather's favorite movies is The Life Aquatic. She and her husband must have a crazy-dry sense of humor, because I rented the movie last night and it was nuts! I enjoyed it, but realized it takes a special area of your brain to follow all the dryness ;)

She has requested a set of three illustrations with an aquatic theme for their master bedroom. I got started today and here's the beginning piece... I hope she enjoys them as much as I'm enjoying the artistic process!

Something new...Sketchy Applique

2009-07-09T21:56:00.004-04:00

Sketchy Applique...never heard of it until Kerri made my little mini quilt and used this technique to applique some gnomes and hedgies in the middle of the quilt blocks. After seeing it, I love it!

I've mentioned in an earlier post that I'm participating in a quilting bee specifically for kid's quilts. Each member mails out fabric to make a block or two for their quilt. I had the opportunity to try out this sketchy applique technique with Kris' bug blocks. I'm not quite finished going around each shape, but you'll get the idea from the wings...

Here's my recommendation for trying this technique...

-Iron your fabric cutout pieces to a piece of heat n' bond, by following the instructions on the package (Some people cut out their shapes after the fabric has been adhered to the fusing sheet, but I feel like I waste less when I cut the shapes first and lay them on the sheet like a puzzle...you can also put a piece of butcher paper on top to keep the "goo" from getting on your iron)

-Trim the excess heat n' bond off your shapes, peel the backing, and arrange them on your fabric block.

-Iron the pieces in place

-Using your darning foot, free-motion stitch around the inside border of each shape. I like to go around twice or more to give it a really "sketchy" look.

Pretty simple stuff! Unless you have a machine who has to be baby'ed every time you want to free-motion....I am still on the hunt for a new quilting machine ;)

Bloggin' Mommas

2009-07-07T16:25:00.003-04:00

I've just hung up the phone from speaking with a reporter from our local newspaper. He is doing an article on moms who blog and how they use the blog world as an outlet to inspire and be inspired. My good friend, Cherie, from The Queen of Free passed my name along and I'm so grateful for that opportunity.

This got me thinking about how much you all have inspired me in the past 6 months. I'm grateful for a fun "outlet" to share some artistic expression since leaving the classroom in 2007. Thanks for putting a spring in my step and for giving me motivation to create everyday.

With that being said, I thought I'd take a moment to share some "mom blogs" out there who have inspired me to blog and love it...THANK YOU!

Cherie from The Queen of Free is a friend from the same small town where I grew up. We never knew each other growing up, but met at church after we both married and moved to where we are now. Cherie blogs daily with the inside scoop on free and nearly free promotions from everything, including the Melting Pot to Wal-Mart! She's one savvy momma who knows how to get the most for her buck and doesn't mind sharing the news...

Allison from Cluck Cluck Sew is a fellow quilter, whom I've admired for awhile now. I tried to get her to make a quilt for me one time and she talked me into doing it myself. And here I am...making quilts like a banshee. I love her style and humor. Her blog is full of tutorials for the modern seamstress.

Kerri from Lovely Little Handmades is full of life, which is hard to imagine for a momma of 6 kiddos! She has a fun, modern style and is an awesome quilter. I'm so proud of her for opening a new etsy fabric shop, Sew Deerly Loved. She is a great encourager and loves sharing tips. She also has a little obsession with storybook mushrooms and gnomes, which I think is super fun!

Barbara from WilliamGeorge Co. is a new friend that I "met" through my Heather Ross fabric giveaway. She won the prize and I got to discover her blog. Barbara hails from Canada, which has a sweet place in my heart for the three years I lived in Brampton, Ontario. I've loved "chatting" with Barbara about being a mom and a quilter. She makes beautiful quilts, decorates amazing cakes, and is working on a sewing pattern.

There are a billion more that I'll let you discover on your own. If you're a momma who blogs, kuddos to you today and keep up the fun!

xo, Ariel