Hello again!

Hi there friends,

I am going to try and catch up here! 

Summer has been busy and a bit sickly (got a really bad type of summer virus/flu - worst than any winter one I ever had! Go figure...), so I need to catch up with some photos and life and some great news I simply have to share! (although if you follow my Instagram or Facebook page, you know already :) )

First and most important news is that we are waiting (any day now!) for a grand daughter #2 and our precious Juliana will be a big sister!! I simply can't wait and also have to get into a super-gear mode to finish that baby quilt!! This is a set of fabrics that mom-to-be picked for her second princess - arent they just so dreamy and fresh and gentle? I LOVE it.

In case you are curious, this is a Lavishmint collection by Jackie McFee, for Camelot Fabrics. It is just so pretty and happy!

The quilt itself will be similar in style and theme to the Big Sister's quilt I made, but of course with its original flair... I can't wait to show you!! I can't wait for this little girl to arrive too!! :)

In the meantime, babies are being born all around and youngest son's good childhood friend became a daddy recently, so another baby quilt was in order. Their baby shower theme was yellow and gray and elephants - so, yeah you guessed it, yet another version of my elephant baby quilt was in the making!

Made Daddy and mommy elephants

Lots of yellow and gray half-square triangles...

Time for some applique...

And then finally quilting. Baby quilts are just so much fun to make!!

Yellow, gently variegated Aurifil 50wt was just perfect for quilting, with a touch of some gray.

I even tried writing baby's name and it turned out OK!

Isla - what a beautiful name!

A birdie landed on daddy elephant's back... :)

And I even had a perfect spot for few more photos!

As long as we are in sunny yellow mode - do you know about yellow sweet cherries? Do you use them? I was thrilled to finally find this cherished staple of my childhood in a local orchard!! Yellow sweet cherries are just so yummy and so beautiful, yet, I find somewhat forgotten? My Nana loved them and made this amazing sweet preserve from them, so whenever I see these, a flood of memories of my beloved Nana comes to my heart... 

Needles to say, we got A LOT of them and I tried to make my Nana proud by making it...

It looks beautiful, it is not quite like hers, but it will be better next time! :)

Our little miss Sunshine, Juliana is growing, talking and being more and more sweet every day! I am slightly obsessed with making all kinds of cute skirts and dresses for her, like this one:

Or this twirly skirt,

...with a pocket that was such a hit - she had to show it to her Grandpa, in detail! Ha ha!

I really, really LOVE all of the Art Gallery Fabrics KNITS - they are just so soft and yet easy to work with. They are just dreamy...

OK, now for my big news!!

I am not sure what possessed me to get enough courage and send few of my quilt designs as pattern proposals to one of my favorite quilting magazines.... But I did!! Sometime this spring I sent 4 designs to McCalls Quilting  thinking - hey, I tried... :) First, I immediately got an email back saying that they received them and will consider them in future meetings - I soooo appreciated that!! I heard stories from other designers about not hearing from a magazine for months and months...or ever, and regardless of the outcome, this was such a nice way to respond and acknowledge the proposal!

You can imagine my astonishment, excitment and ...delirium of happiness (?) when several weeks later I got an email informing me that not one, but TWO of my designs are accepted for publication!!! WOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

This, my friends, is as close to a bucket list as I come!! 

I can write pages and pages how I feel and how excited I am, but no need to bore you with that. Long story short - for the first design, I am using these lovelies from Lavish fabric collection, by my talented friend Katarina Roccella - I JUST LOVE THEM!

As much as I am DYING to show you more and...everything, of course I can't, so here are just some sneaks...

This one has simple blocks...

Mitered borders (4 of them!)

And that "faux piping" binding that I really love

Oh and backing fabric is so beautiful too!

I am happy to say that quilt is finished and being shipped tomorrow to McCalls Quilting!! YAY!! 

Now on the the next one, that will actually be in sister publication - Quiltmaker. 

Here is a lovely pallett from which I will try to make some flowers bloom...

I am just so excited!!! (as if you can't tell already? haha!)

Forgot to say that both of the designs will be in January/February issues - CAN'T WAIT!!!!

        You know, as I sit here and reflect on all this, I can't help but think about timing of this, about how things do happen for a reason, at the time when they happen . For probably past year (or more), I have been feeling how my creative life is somehow stagnant... Yes, I have been making things, teaching, enjoying some garment sewing... But not nearly as much DESIGNING, having new ideas, and also communicating and interacting with all of you. Blog has been quiet, I struggled to keep it going, I tried and failed so many times to push it and get in gear... And maybe there are some specific reasons for it, like lack of time, more commitments at work, etc. ...but we all know that if you WANT something, you make it happen, right? 

        At the end, I am not really sure why it all happened like that, but what I do know is how much this opportunity and in a way, acknowledgement of all I CAN do, has given me a push, a spark of joy, enthusiasm and energy to get back into it all! I am just so excited and full of plans, dreams and most importantly - determination to do so much more. 

So my friends, I am rolling my sleeves up and can't wait to share! 

Talk to you soon and wishing you all joy,

Love, 

Marija