Christmas gifts for mothers day

Its done! It only took me about 6 months to make... And I loved every bit of working on it. I bought the pattern from Amy Smart (flickr name: "another amy") and in my opinion it's one of the more sophisticated scrap quilt patterns out there. I just love how this turned out...
I think it's between a twin and full size quilt, and I get to give it to my parents as an extra Mother's Day gift this weekend... Since I didn't make Easter...

My swap goodies!

My swappy partner made me these adorable items for the LAMQG home goods swap! Jamie is known for making great log cabin drawstring project bags and composition book covers, so I feel quite privileged to be the recipient of both... Then she made me a scrappy scrap bucket for my scrappy self.... I love it and the kids oooooh'd and aaaaaah'd all over it. (something I HAVEN'T made before!)
I took the pic of all these so that Jamie could see how well they fit into my world of color... Big thanks, Jamie!

LAMQG swap

IMG_2080, a photo by n.ramirez on Flickr.

Another funny pic from the LAMQG meeting. I meant to get a photo of this pillow before I gave it to my partner Patsy, but I didn't, so fortunately, Nicole got a pic of me giving it to Patsy when we had our home goods swap last night. It was a color scheme that was a real stretch for me and yet I had fun with it. I made a ticker tape pillow for her, mostly because I love making ticker tape stuff and there's simply never enough opportunities to do it.... I also added in a little quilted pouch (as I am prone to do) and a mod podged candle that matched the set.
I'll post what I got in the swap later.
woot! (mine came in the mail today!)

Hoops for Japan update

Well, Z did it! He had his Hoops for Japan event with 8 family members and friends watching and he shot 145 baskets on his 7.5ft hoop in one hour!
Once we did our math, we realized that this preschooler was able to raise close to $2500 for Japan all of his own accord!

If you would like to donate, here's the information that J sent out last week:

Zane was feeling it during his shoot-a-thon for Japan and made 145 shots in 60 mins - it was awesome! Here is the information for where to give. We contacted them and they are very excited about Zane - they have created a special fund, so when you send money, write that it is for "Hoops for Japan"-and tell a friend
Give2Asia
P.O. Box 193223
San Francisco, CA 94119-3223
Here are the pics
http://tinyurl.com/43p3nfy

Apr 29 at 10:47am

Christmas in May

Well. At least it looks like Mom and Dad will get last years Christmas gift for Mothers' Day this year. Only 5 months later. Tonight (while listening to breaking news on the tv), I'm putting the final quilting stitches into the quilt, and then all that's left is the binding and hooray! (it took long enough!)
What a joy this quilt has been to make. Outdoor full pics when I finish later this week.
It's officially May. For some reason, I love sewing myself new skirts and dresses every May. (made 2 skirts yesterday without a pattern, pics to come)

Mother's Day is coming

Easter, Spring Break, Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week.  They are ALL jammed together this year! And to be honest, those are not relaxing days, though they seem like they might be.

Here's what I want this year.
One of my favorite places to volunteer around here is a home for homeless pregnant women in Venice Beach called HARVEST HOME. Truth be told, since we've had the baby around, I don't get over there much - fostering adds about 12-16 hours of "other" stuff into your week besides the mama stuff, so my time is highly precious.

If I had more time, I'd be over at Harvest Home, doing what I've done in the past... hosting craft nights, teaching classes on how to wear your baby in a sling, having get togethers - I love doing that for moms and my heart goes out to the moms who are on their own in such a hard place as Los Angeles.

This year I haven't been over there. but I just got an email from HH that shows a way I can help, even across the city.  They've made their sweet logo into a pendant that is a mother/child heart pendant in sterling silver. Though we all know that I'm not short on pendants, I love jewelry and I love Harvest Home and for a donation, we all can have this precious heart as a memory of their sweet moms and babies and our own journeys as moms as well.

Here's where you too can get one. (click the link)

My neighbor models a new skirt pattern

Oh this skirt is so pretty, but the large print is a little heavyweight- even for me, so I'm not sure it's going to make it as one of my regulars... Still I have 2 mediums whipped up. (lemme know if you want one of them, I may keep the other) My adorable friend, Chrissy, who lives across the street, modeled it in my living room today while our kids played. The dark brown scrolly design is especially nice and needs to find a permanent partner, don't you think? (what do you think?)
... I think it's getting to be skirt weather and I always end up sewing new clothes in May... Yippee! I'm in the mood...

Finding new art to love at Bergamot Station

Bergamot Station is one of my favorite places to spend an hour alone in LA. It always ends with a trip to the cafe for the BEST mint lemonade on the planet and starts with a short jaunt through 5 or 6 galleries. When the kids were really little, I remember taking them in their double stroller into 1 or 2 of the galleries and just trying to see a little tiny bit of art for myself.
Today I decided I'd go through galleries until I found something that was upbeat that really made me happy. I finally found it at the Ruth Bachofner Gallery in Michel Alexis pieces. Oh how I loved these! They are breathtaking... The quilter in me loves the patchwork choppiness and pieced nature... The fine artist in me was loving the fabric and paint, cut paper and hand drawn portions... The poet in me loved reading that the artist started these based on a poetic text that is now all but missing and only hinted at by the huge cursive style swoops of enlarged text traipsing through the enormous canvases.
These are also gritty and aged feeling, something I also treasure. I love that yellowed tint.
I could definitely see these influencing some of my own ideas someday.

Spring Day in Santa Monica Sunshine

I had a dr appt this am. Which meant I had a reason to be in Santa Monica without kids. I've desperately needed a mental health day, life's been inordinately stressful lately and even sewing has become exhausting. Most of my evenings have been spent curled up with books on my couch under my orange quilt as I try to use a little escapism.
But today is gorgeous. And i am wearing a new skirt made by a fellow LA skirt designer (whom I haven't met yet) - check her out at "Made with Love by Hannah".... I can't not be happy wearing this skirt! My two favorite colors and polka dots AND funny little mushrooms!
All designer skirts should make people feel this good. I often hear my skirts do the same for people and that makes me so happy.
So do sunshine and silence.
Wishing you some of the same....
Xoxo--- libby

Beanbag SALE

Just in time for Mother's Day... I've decided to have a sale on my beanbag doorstops. A few years ago these were the Mother's Day gifts for all the mommas in our family.... and they're still in use in every home.

They're inexpensive, cute and perfectly useful.... So here's the sale.
If you buy 3, you get one free.
Just buy them in my Etsy shop and after the 3 you've bought, in the comments section, tell me which one you want for free. If you buy 3 and forget, I'll assume you wanted one for free and will contact you....
This sale will go from today, April 25-May 1... so don't forget!