Kindle cover

I recently bought a Kindle.  I always wanted one.  I had been waiting for them to drop under $100 which they did.  I decided to upgrade to the Fire version.  I didn't want non-buyers remorse by buying the black and white version when there was a color one available!

I looked at the store for some cover and didn't really like any of them and they were about $30 for the cheapest.  They didn't have a screen cover at all so off to my fabric stash I went.

 I took almost all of my fabric home to KC so I could focus on the stuff I already made.  I knew it wouldn't work but I gave it a try.  I kept all of my solids because I was still working on the all solids quilt.

 I kept up with the all solids idea after finding that most of my scraps were going to be a little short.  I cut a piece of paper to the size I wanted and folded it to create the pattern.  I suppose it was bit a paper piecing without the sewing on the paper.

 The front and back cover looks pretty good! 

After some mistakes with the size of the elastic I will have to redo part of the interior which means ripping apart almost all of it to fit the elastic that I messed up the first time!  

It's a learning process but I'm getting better at all these crafting things.  Keeps me busy and out of trouble.

- Bryn 

T-shirt quilt

Another project I started while at home was a t shirt quilt.  I've had quite a few shirts in the basement just waiting to be chopped into bits.

 I brought them all out and started though one stack of the four.  I separated them into elementary through high school, diving, college and Disney.

I had already started a long time ago with some high school diving shirts.  I didn't cut them with a rotary cutter so I had to re-cut them all.  Kept me busy for sure! 

One stack of new quilting fabric and one huge stack of left over cut of shirts.  Wow, those stacks look a little different.

 I left all my shirts at home in KC.  That will be a good project when I come back home.  It will be nice to get rid of that giant bag of shirts!

- Bryn

Valentine's pillow finished

 From the base work of the one fabric I was able to fill in the other colors as well.  At first I wasn't sure about the lightness of the pillow, usually it is not a enough contrast for my taste, but I went with it to see how it would end up.

 After starting to sew together the squares I realized that I was missing a row.  I planned it to be 8 rows by 8 rows and I only had 7.  Oh no!  Just a little bit more time with my rotary blade and a couple fabrics and I was back on track.

And the finished product, at least the front.  I looked much better after it was all put together.  

After another trip to the fabric store for some fabric for the back and borders and the pillow was complete!

I loved the pillow once it was done.  Again sorry about the lousy pictures, crafting at night will do that to ya.

And this time I remembered my craft tag!  Score one for Bryn.

Crafting has been a good distraction of late.  Although time usually passes by quickly when I am working on my computer or crafts but lately it seems to trickle by.  Hopefully this is a temporary thing.  I know things will get better soon.

- Bryn

Valentines day pillow

The day after breaking off the relationship I couldn't just sit around.  I had to do something.  And something that comes naturally to me is working on crafts. 

Valentine's day is around the corner so it would be the easiest crafts to make.  After breaking up hearts are not quite the items you want to be working with but I did it anyways.

I found a piece in my parents house that inspired me to make a patchwork pillow for Valentine's day.

 Blogger decided to change all my pictures sideways, oh well.  I went to my fabric stash after buying some fabric from one of my favorite fabric shop in Lawrence, KS, Sarah's and starting cutting the ever popular 2 1/2 in squares. 

 I started to draw out some different patterns.  I originally planned to use diamonds as a pattern for the pillow but the different angles of the heart precluded that idea.  I decided to go pretty simple and go from there.

I took a good amount of time laying out the initial shape of the heart with one fabric of the four that I had chosen.  

To continue tomorrow.  Crafting make the heart grow stronger!

- Bryn

2012 already interesting...

I'm currently home in KC visiting and things in my life have changed again.
After almost 6 years of togetherness, my fiance Sean and I decided to call things off.  It was a very tough decision, and it was mostly my doing, but we came to a consensus that we need to take a step back.  When people say that distance relationships are hard, believe them.  We were together for three years in Kansas and almost three years of distance.  Those last three years saw many changes and some of them we didn't necessary share together.  It seemed that we were going through the paces of a relationship but didn't always fell them.
We shall see what the future brings and whatever it is I welcome it.
Also I suppose I could officially break the news to those who don't already know.  I will be moving back to Kansas City at the beginning of April.  Originally it was to move to be together with Sean, which it still might be.  But now it is a total refresh from what my life is currently with a new job, new place to live but with friends already in toe.
New adventures are in my future.  Now I truly have no idea what the future brings but it will be a good challenge and I'm looking forward to it.

- Bryn

Alice Ornament

 Another day, another ornament.  This time it's Alice, the animated Disney version of course.

I used this image as inspiration.  I didn't have a the same color for the tag so I interpreted.  It worked out pretty well if I don't say so myself.

I free handed the letters onto the felt with a marker and stitched over it.  I'm happy with the result.  I used two threads of embroidery floss in brown.

Two ornaments down, many more to go.  I think that I need to make 14-16 total.  It depends on how many tables we will have for the wedding

Alice and Rapunzel together.  More will join them soon!

 - Bryn

Over Half way done

Wow, this quilt is so different than most that I have made lately.  So dark!  But I love it, graphic colors and patterns are what I love the most.  

Two halves about about to become one!  Just like Sean and I later this year (haha... barf!)

The end result.  Awesome.  

The easy part for me is now done.  I always make the tops of quilts very quickly but finishing one is a different story.

This quilt is going to have a home at the home I'm living at now.  I've been living with my grandfather in California for two and a half years and he has always been easygoing with my crafts taking over the house.  He seemed to like this quilt far more than the others, so it will stay here with him as a thank you gift for everything that he has done for me.  It's probably not even enough for all that he has done but at least it is a start.  

Love you G-pa!

- Bryn

Needing a little bit of Disney

As always I counldn't finish one project without starting another.  I had an idea for my wedding that I can re-purpose later to ornaments.

I couldn't have my wedding, and Sean's too I guess, without a little Disney in it.  I thought it would be cute at each table to have a little ornament hanging off a mason jar.  And if I decide that I don't want to do Disney at the wedding, not all my time is lost.

 I started with the Kingdom flag from Tangled.  I had the colors of felt already.  There were two shapes seven time and arrange them around a circle.  I glued the pieces down onto the felt and stitched them from behind, as to not see the stitches too much.

I stuffed it with some leftover quilt batting and did a blanket stitch around the edges.  For good measure I added my crafting signature and the year.  All that is left is a ornament hanger.

The first ornament turned out great.  Only 12-15 more to go!  The plan is about half Disney and Disneyland and half Sean's interests.  Plus a lot of crossover of things we both like.  I suppose we have to like some of the same things!

-Bryn

Ending the year 2011

This post might be a couple days late but better late than never!  2011 was a great year at work and in life for me.  It's amazing to me to think of all the things that happened in 2011.  

I started off my year on a trip with my mom to Hawaii.  We spent ten days on the Big Island, drank Kona coffee, ate lots of fish, bought Hawaiian fabric, watched the Packers win the Superbowl and explored the land and the sea.

Hawaiian Quilt

Our view

A wall of Kona Coffee Bags

My next adventure was down to Florida to visit Walt Disney World.  I took my parents and boyfriend there with my Disney Discounts(!).  We had a great time seeing parks we had never been to before.  Sean and I are planning another visit soon.

Ms. Bunny

Lotso

Space Ranger?

Ariel and Eric

Rapunzel and Flynn

On a trip to KC my mom and I decided to venture into Missouri to visit Walt's home town of Marceline.  One check off my Disney bucket list.

Walt's original barn

Another check off my Disney bucket list happened at D23, the Disney fan expo.  I got a chance to see Dick Van Dyke live!  He was amazing.  Disney also brought out some great items from the past and gave us some looks into the future films and park projects.

Another trip to KC included a wedding!  My brother finally got married to Sara.  I love both of them so much and was pleased to be a part of their special day. 

And finally the year ended with more time at Disneyland.  I'm there so often, it's like I work there!

Next year looks good.  Not only good, but great.  To a great 2012!

- Bryn