Inspired by a 6 year old

Last week our family from WI came out to visit us. We had a week filled with fun and love. At one point my 6 year old niece called out to me. "Auntie Kat...come look at me." I turned around but didn't see her. When I asked her where she was she replied that she was in the tree.

My giggling niece high up in the tree.

L had climbed rather high, in a nearby tree all by herself.  To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I can't recall a moment in my life where I wanted to climb a tree. I'm not so much afraid of heights as I am afraid of falling and getting hurt.

She loved posing for photos in the tree. I adore her.

I asked her, "Why are you climbing the tree?" Her smiling response was "If my brother can do it, why can't I?" That was when I realized, she never once thought about falling, she didn't think about getting hurt, she only thought about climbing for fun. Nothing was going to hold her back. Wow. I was just taught a life lesson by a 6 year old. I can use a lot less fear in my life, a lot less "what if's" and a whole lot more courage to just go for it.

I doubt she realized how much of an impact her statement had on me. Hopefully it's a lesson I'll remember for a long time. Thanks L, for being so inspiring, I can't wait to see what great amazing things you are going to accomplish as you grow up.

Crayons and Fabric

I belong to the Central Oregon chapter of The Modern Quilt Guild (it's a fabulous quild....the Modern Quilt Guild has chapters all over, check them out on their website) and our quild has decided that we should have name tags that have our logo on them. That way, when we are at events together everyone will know that we all belong to the same quild.

We were given a white piece of fabric with our logo printed on it and told to decorate it anyway we wanted.  My immediate thought was colorful and sparkly.  So I dug out my crayons. Yes crayons.

 Using the technique in Terrie Linn Kygar's book I colored in my name tag (my Mom and I saw watched Terrie demo this technique at a quilt show last year and I'd been itching to try it out).

Then I fused it to tim tex, fused on some backing, and sewed a sparkly ribbon around the edges.

Next I wrote my name out in hot fix crystals.

Then I applied the crystals (and glued a pin onto the back)

Perfect. I'm sew excited with how it turned out and I can't wait to show the girls at our next meeting.


Happy Sewing everyone!

- Kat  :)

Applique Embroidery Designs Tutorial

Watch this tutorial to learn just how fun and easy it is to stitch out applique embroidery designs.