Post 42-Just keep swimming!

DISCLAIMER: I just realized that I forgot to publish this post last month! (It's dated May 9, 2014) I had it all written up, but I must've gotten sidetracked before I clicked on the 'Publish' button. :( So the content is outdated but I still want it on my blog!


My post title reflects so well how I've been feeling these last couple of months! I've had deadline after deadline, from quilting, moving, parenting, and everyday life activities, and I have to keep telling myself to 'just keep swimming.' I'm not complaining, because I truly feel blessed with all that I life is offering me right now. But I do look forward to a little R&R sometime in the near future.

Back in March I was able to be a chaperone to my daughter's ballroom dance team competition. We traveled to Rexburg, Idaho and I had a blast getting to cheer her team on. They even tied for first place with their cha-cha routine, which happens to be my favorite routine. I love watching Jalie shake her 'thang,' especially in her fun frilly costume!

I returned home to two quilt challenge deadlines for HMQS. I signed up for both of these challenges back in November, so you would think I wouldn't have waited til two weeks before the deadline to start them. I actually had started both quilts back in January, but I ended up not liking one of them. So it was back to the drawing board. 

I love the way my AdornIt Challenge quilt turned out. Here's a picture of the markings I started with.

And here's what I ended up with. 

And a picture of the back.

The SewBatik Challenge was much harder for me. I struggled with the challenge fabrics. They honestly just weren't my favorite. But that's one of the reason I do these challenges. It forces me out of my creative comfort zone. I ended up falling in love with a free pattern offered on the Fons and Porter website called Little Wren. I thought the feathered stars would be perfect for the challenge fabric. What didn't really phase me (but definitely should have) was the word 'challenging' on the pattern. Have you ever seen volcanos made out of feathered stars? Yes, it's possible! It took a lot of unpicking but I managed to make it look somewhat decent.

Then a week before we were scheduled to move into our new home I received an email from Demetria from RJR Fabrics. She had seen my work on Instagram. (I'm still new to IG and only had one quilt picture on at the time, so it's pretty amazing that she contacted me.) She asked me to do a few quilts for Quilt Market. I've been feverishly quilting ever since and my new house is still a mess. I'll post pics of those quilts sometime soon.

Oh, and Eric and I celebrated our 19th anniversary!! Our stay at The Little America in downtown SLC was sooo relaxing. We both needed that break and are so grateful my parents took care of our kiddos so we could disappear for a day.