in shops now...

...ADORNit's new Bugaboo fabric collection!

What a fun surprise to open an email newsletter from a neat quilt shop in Raleigh, North Carolina called "Wish Upon a Quilt" and scroll down and see the new bug fabric from ADORNit on their website.

This is such a cute line of fabric, and, in fact, we (meaning the company I work for as editor), just finished and sent to press the project book that goes with this line. So I've been up to my ears in Bugaboo! The pattern book has quilts, aprons, bags, stuffed toys - all made with the Bugaboo collection. I made several projects for the book, as well as doing the writing and editing. I had so much fun with the bug prints and so did everyone else who contributed projects. These fabrics would make the cutest quilt for a little pre-schooler who loves bugs. The colors are bright and the bug designs are adorable. AND the fabric is absolutely yummy as far as the feel and quality. I spend too much time thinking about all the projects I want to make and stashing fabric on my desk for future use. I'm so thrilled to be working with fabric as well as paper at Carolee's company.

My friend Tammy Andersen, graphic designer and artist at ADORNit drew the bugs by hand then created fabric designs with her bug art. (Take a minute and look at the cute little faces on those bugs.) It's an amazing process that I get to observe every day at work. The fabric shops that carry the fabric will also sell the coordinating Bugaboo project book...so I'm hoping we'll all see it in our quilt shops soon.

Additional items in this category

Bug A Boo by AdornIt	Bug A Boo by AdornIt	Bug A Boo by AdornIt
Bug A Boo by AdornIt	Bug A Boo by AdornIt	Bug A Boo by AdornIt
Bug A Boo by AdornIt Bug A Boo by AdornIt Bug A Boo by AdornIt Bug A Boo by AdornIt	Bug A Boo by AdornIt	Bug A Boo by AdornIt

* JuLy four decor *

I'm ready to put the star decor away. Just a little too much stuff to look at and dust for me. And so many people have been disappointed after trying to eat my fake (Mary Englebreit) cherries...I just can't keep putting them through that.

I took a hint from our Cut the Crazy Out of Chistmas advice (see blog post from our Cut the Crazy blog here) and took photos of all my 4th of July decor.

I'll print the photos and put them in my "Independence Day Decorations" box, so next year when I have one hour to decorate the house, I'll just look at my photos and plop the stuff down where it goes without having to think or make any decisions.

Hmmmm...looking at these pictures is making me change my mind.

Maybe I'll just keep the stuff out through July. I can't part with my cute Williraye figurines quite yet.

This is my dining room table with the navy and gold silk tablerunner that Gary and Lesa gave me from Japan.

This is the window sill above my kitchen sink with a view out to the front yard's beautiful trees. I love that Bath and Body Blueberry Pancake soap. Sometimes I squirt it in my sink and rub it around and leave it just so the kitchen will smell yummy.

[ a midsummer eve ]

It was one of those perfect summer evenings...

and it seemed that half of Cache Valley was on the streets of downtown Logan.

Some were there for the annual sidewalk sale, some for the Gallery Walk, and some just to be outside in a happy crowd.

Scott and I went to see the exhibit by artist Michael Bingham. Scott and I both seem to prefer realistic landscapes over abstract art - though the modern stuff is fun to look at.

Scott and Michael showing two of our favorite paintings in the show. I know this photo is awful, but I was trying to be quick because the artist had some people waiting to talk with him. We bid on these paintings and will see if we won them.

He paints in both oils and watercolors and also makes collage art and "recycled" sculptures.

After seeing that exhibit, we went to the Thatcher mansion to see a showing of miniature paintings by the Utah Watercolor Society.

There was also a display of beautiful nature-themed ceramics - plates, bowls, and vases which could be seen through the front window.

I loved the old-fashioned garden in the front yard with amazing mounds of lavender.

= Fourth of July =

I loved the extra-long Fourth of July weekend this year. We were thrilled to have family here and went from one fun event to another over the past four days. My photos here are in no particular order.

We tended Emmett over the weekend which only added to the fun. He's a cute little twenty month old. He's a climber, so he loved going to the park and scrambling up the steps and ladders.

At the park some college kids had rigged a slackline between two trees. They let everyone in our group try the tight-rope type walking on the slackline. This is Aaron's friend Pat balancing on the nylon webbing.

My dad volunteered to help flip pancakes at the Boy Scout Breakfast this morning so we all went to eat a good breakfast and support the scouts. Dad ended up cooking the scrambled eggs. This is funny because if there's one thing in the world my dad has never liked to eat, it's eggs. He said, "When I walked up to the volunteer sign-in table, I had a premonition I was going to be assigned to the eggs...and sure enough they said they needed help with cooking eggs." Just look at that big pan of runny eggs. He's smiling in spite of it.

We went to the Cache Valley Cruise-In - a parade of restored antique cars.

We had Sunday dinner and "marble cake" for dessert made by Brookelyn and Bailee. If you have kids, you have to let them make marble cake. It's a delight to watch them figure out how it works. Here are the girls with their cute great-grandmother, my mom.



This is the legendary Fudge Marble cake mix. And btw, you can half the oil that is called for in the cake instructions.

Scott, Aaron, and Pat took the kids to Logan Canyon for a hike. The Logan River is very full and fast moving right now. They took one look and decided to go to an area away from the river. Three-year-old Carter said, "The river is mad."

They found a trail away from the river and hiked a trail surrounded by green grass and wild flowers.

We got to swim at my brother's pool. Scott was in heaven with his no-sunburn shirt and dark glasses and floatie.

There was the traditional Hyrum 4th of July parade this afternoon. The kids got lots of candy. At one point Carter said, "I got enough dad."

Aaron and Becky both ended up in purple for this patriotic holiday.

...and fresh limeade

"The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."

quote by Allan Chalmers :: illustration by Susan Branch