Stylish Blogger Award

I was surprised and honored the other day when I saw my name mentioned in this Sew Kind of Wonderful blog post! Jenny found me on flickr and commented on the 2nd preemie quilt I made for the RK sponsored Kona charm pack challenge we're doing in the NOVA Modern Quilt Guild. I have been an avid reader ever since! It's no wonder someone nominated her for a stylish blogger award because she seriously has style and a talent! I have been drooling over the pictures she's been sharing of her in progress family room makeover. I LOVE the colors she's selected but I have no idea how's she's found the time to do it all and run a long-arm quilting business! Jenny, I am honored! Thank you and congrats to you as well!

I was doubly honored when my blog was also nominated by Hollie in this Undercover Crafter blog post.  I can't remember exactly how we found each other but I'm glad we did. Hollie and I have done several swaps together on flickr (I made Freddy and Flor for her in the Scrappy Pin Cushion swap) and we are in 2 charity bees together (do.Good Stitches and A Dozen Quilters). I love Hollie's sense of adventure and style. She and her husband recently eloped and the pictures from their weddings are just stunning! She always responds when you comment on her blog or flickr photos (which is something I'm still working on doing in a timely manner) and she has been kind enough to give me several shout outs on her blog for which I am extremely grateful for. Hollie, you're awesome. Thank you for the nomination and congratulations on your own!

With the receipt of this award you are asked to do several things:
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself. 
3. Pass the award along to 6 newly discovered bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers to let them know they have been nominated as Stylish Bloggers.

7 things about myself:  I guess I should double these since I was nominated twice. Hmm...what haven't I told  you before....?
 

1. The polish on my toes is O.P.I Dutch Tulips. I decided to spend my extra money on fabric last month and painted them myself instead. I am in bad need of a pedicure still but I am trying to hold out as long as possible for a real pedicure to keep my funds free for whatever fabrics I will need to buy for all the charity projects I am working on.

2. I am very accident prone. A bit of a goober really. I even fell (completely sober I swear) the night before my wedding down several brick stairs which left me with 2 huge scraps on my leg. I spent a good part of the day of our wedding unsticking the tulle of my slip from my leg.  This is just one of the scrapes (the other was on my knee):

 

3.While we are on the subject of wedding, I will admit I didn't actually wear a garter. I made it myself and didn't have time to sew in the elastic. There are some things that just don't work out, right? Matt totally had the garter in his pocket before this photo:

Since there was no elastic, Matt had to throw it and it landed at my brother's feet. My mama proceeded to put it on my brother's head. I guess he's next right? 

4. Also, I made the dress my flower girl wore and her hair bows: 

She really liked spinning in it!

5.  I can never pick just one favorite color. Just when I think I don't like a color, I see it used in something I love and have to retract my earlier opinion.

6. I have never successfully sewn a zipper. I know there are all sorts of tutorials out there but I haven't worked up the courage to try. Well, that's not exactly true. I did try to sew one when my step-mom asked if I could make a wrist wallet for all the kids in our family but my attempt was such an abysmal failure that I haven't tried since.

10. I read every night before I go to bed. Right now I am working my way through the Carpathian Dark Series by Christine Feehan for the second time. Next on my list is the George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones books.

11. I make quilted book covers for the paperback books I read otherwise they would be utterly mutilated by the time I finished reading them.

12. I have decided I don't like tomatoes on my sandwiches or burgers. They make everything wet and therefore drippy. I like them in other things though. I don't like onions if I can feel them but I do enjoy the way they smell cooking.

13. I almost always forget something wherever I travel. Recently it was a whole outfit but my dad was sweet enough to ship it to me.

14. My favorite drink is White Grape juice but I prefer it watered down. My favorite big girl drink is rum and coke.

6 Newly discovered bloggers: I might have more trouble doubling this but I will try! In no particular order...

1. All of the Ladies of A Dozen Quilters (not all of them have blogs of their own but we blog together). I am a member but have to give the other ladies a shout out for all that they do. This blog is entirely devoted to quilting and sewing for the service of others in our local and global communities. So far I have helped to make stockings for St. Pj's Children's Home in San Antonio, bibs for an orphanage in China, Comfort Pillows, cross blocks for an AIDS memorial quilt, and courthouse steps blocks for Threading Hope.We are making Pillowcase dresses this month which I am super excited about!

Photo by Patty

2. It's not really a blog per say (and again I am a member) but do. Good Stitches {A Charity Bee} also deserves a shout out (not all of the members have a blog but we share photos and discuss together on flickr). I am AMAZED at the quality of work and fabulous designs the ladies and gentlemen of this flickr group make. Right now there are 8 circles of quilters and stitchers each working on a different quilt every month. I am proud to be a quilter in the Hope group benefiting Threading Hope.

Photo by Krista of Spotted Stones Studio

3. Lindsay of Eileen Josephine. I randomly met Lindsay at the Hampton Quilt Festival this year when I saw her husband who went to school with my brother (such a small world) and we all had a nice chat. I LOVE the outfits she dresses herself and her daughter in. She's starting a long arm quilting business in SWVA so if you are in that area make sure to check her out. She also has an Etsy shop with adorable screen printed fabrics.

Photo by Lindsay

4.Cindy of Hyacinth Quilt Designs blog and Hyacinth Quilt Designs website. I LOVE Cindy's creative use of traditional and modern. These two quilts definitely stand out for me:

Photo by Cindy

Photo by Cindy

I seriously want to make the gray and yellow quilt. I need to work on my gray and yellow stash first though. She has some great tutorials on her blog and website for the quilts above and more so check her out!

**5-10. I have to give a shout out to all the NOVA Modern Quilt Guild bloggers. I'm so proud of the ladies of this guild not only for their skills in quilting but also for their passion for sharing their talent with the rest of the online quilting community. **

5. Tif of Halu-Halo. I love her recent mini quilt created for the RK Kona Solid sponsored guild challenge:

Photo by Tif

I am always amazed at how multi-talented she is. I have no idea how she gets so much done with four little ones. I got to meet her kiddos in person a few days ago when Tif dropped off her quilt to me. They were so polite and adorable!

6. Mandy of Fabric Paper Glue. Mandy is also incredibly crafty and quite the party planner! I love the way she has decorated her home and I love her Etsy shop. If Matt and I hadn't already tied the knot I would be buying these from Mandy (and probably some of her adorable clutches for bridesmaid gifts too):

Photo by Mandy

7. Kristy of Little Blue Birdie. Kristy recently moved from Minneapolis to the Northern Virginia area and we are definitely better for it. She has a great eye for color and design. She she's a very talented illustrator as well and you can see some of her fabric designs on Spoonflower! She designed this mini quilt for the RK Kona Solid sponsored guild challenge and I've been trying to convince her to do a tutorial

photo by Kristy

8. Nancy of the Patchwork Penquin. I love that Nancy has organized UFO challenges through her blog. I wish I was motivated enough to finish mine but for now I am content to let them chill out in my sewing room. Nancy was the first member to join the NOVA Modern Quilt Guild and I remember exactly where I was when I got the notification she joined (sitting outside Nathan's ice cream in Manassas eating a big cone with my hubby and his aunt and uncle: Ginny and Jim). This photo inspired me to do a batting scrap challenge (which was a bust but oh well!):

9. Rebecca of Drop Dead Cute. Rebecca is so multi talented as well. I enjoyed a lovely lunch at Rebecca's over the weekend and she inspired me to try my hand at growing some veggies in my back yard (which I will probably never do but will always wish I had time for). I love reading her blog because she shares wholesome recipes that are kid/man friendly. Rebecca is a member of the do. Good Stitches Joy circle. One of my favorite items she has made is her preemie quilt for our guild challenge but I also love this neat travel activity kit she made for her eldest:

Photo by Rebecca

10. Linda of the Twisted Cow. Linda has such a vibrant, fun personality. In just a few minutes of talking to her or reading her blog you'll be laughing and feeling like you've been friends for years. I met Linda at the Falling for Handmade craft show in Gaithersburg, MD, last year and she joined NOVA Modern Quit Guild soon after that. Linda mostly makes dog collars and leashes at the moment but she did  make a quilt for a friend recently that cracked me up because, by request, she included photos of Luther Vandross along with other photos of her friend:

Photo by Linda

11. Jeni of In Color Order: Jeni is very well known in the quilting and flickr community for her amazing sewn/quilted items, fabric stacks, pyrex collections, and her George bunny. As far as I can tell from her blog she hasn't been nominated but I think she deserves it! Jeni is one of the nicest people I have met through flickr. She and I are both members of the Hope Circle of do. Good Stitches and I have had the honor of swapping fabric with her. One of my favorite things Jeni has done is her series on the Art of Choosing which has been a huge inspiration for organizing fabrics and selecting fabrics from my stash to build on favorites from a collection.

Photo by Jeni

I have found a lot of new contacts on flickr and blogs to follow by checking out Jeni's Friday favorites.

12. Krista of Spotted Stone Studios. Krista and I are also in the do. Good Stitches Hope Circle together and I started reading her blog as a result of that interaction. Her banner picture is proof that batiks can be modern! I really love this little pouch she made for a recent flickr swap:

She recently de-stashed to raise money for a  Team in Training benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and I was all too happy to help her out.

I hope you enjoy checking out these awesome bloggers and hopefully find a few you want to add to your reader! Thanks again to Jenny and Hollie for nominating me!

Happy Quilting!