Time-sucking black hole...

The internet literally sucks time out of my life.

And I don't really have enough extra time to share it with the good ol' internet.

It's a giant hour-devouring black hole.

I'm pretty sure I can hear time's rapid exodus from my day

- like a big whoooosh-

and sometimes it's even a creepy screeching sound.

During the day, it's not so bad.

I usually get on for just a 'quick second' to check a recipe or something.

No biggie.

But nights are the worst.

My viable sleeping minutes just tick, tick, tick - gone.

It's terrible.

I really need to do something about it.

Don't even get me started on Pinterest...

I have a love/hate relationship with that pretty little time-sucker.

It really is so. pretty.

Despite the internet, I have gotten some sewing accomplished.

Like I said a few days ago, all my commission pieces are done and gone, and it really does make relaxing a possibility.

Well, if you call it relaxing.

I call it relaxing, so I'll stick with it.

I get to sit and think about what I want to make next.

(I know, I know- living in the moment- but I'm a work in progress, what can I say?)

My creativity part gets all buzzy and jumpy.

I even twitch a bit.

It's a good time.

I've even made a list of what I've been thinking about.

I will share said list with you later- because I just thought of a few things to add.

There's nothing worse than an incomplete list, no?

In the meantime,

how about I share a BOY nursery set with you?

It was all designed around some fave fabrics, a mobile and a print

the customer planned on using in the nursery.

I'm loving the zig-zag thing happening with this one.

Really.

I love the colors, so bright and cheery.

And boy.

And the way the chocolate brown is used to accent all the pieces and bring them together is great, too:

chocolate brown bumper ties, binding and accents in quilt, and bottom border on crib skirt.

LOVE.

I made the zig-zag quilt using the HST method, which is by far my favorite for making perfect zigs and zags.

I machine quilted,

on either side of the zig-zag seams to add emphasis,

using a light grey thread,

and then added lots of extra quilting lines in the

solid brown zig (or zag).

I love the effect it made and it might be my favorite part of the set.

The quilting looks snazzy on the back, too!

And here's the handsome quilt in all it's zig-zagged glory.

(That's a tiny helper, not a huge quilt!)

Working on this set really got me wanting to make a few more zig-zag quilts... we'll see.

But I did manage to eek out a fall-inspired HUGE pillow cover out of some scraps:

Extremely teeny tiny scraps that I can never ever just throw away!

And I got to do some

organic line quilting in bright green

for this one,

which I also love.

Yay!

I added a little strip of trees (Majestic Oak by Joel Dewberry) into the pieced envelope back.

Just for fun!

I love how this turned out, but unfortunately it doesn't match my home decor at all,

so I've decided to try and sell this cutie.

If you're interested in purchasing this 20x20" pillow cover ($28), you can using the button below:

And for those of you interested in buying a custom nursery set,

you can do that using the drop down menu at the right, towards the top.

That's about all the time I'm going to let this darn internet suck from me...

for now.

Happy Wednesday!

I can't find the USB cord...

I've got so many new projects and fun stuff I want to share!

buuuut

I can't find my little cord that's kind of important for getting the pictures

from the camera to the computer.

(It's in a box somewhere- oh, and WE MOVED! <---- fun new thing!)

And I really don't think you'd want to hear about my new stuff,

which probably isn't all that interesting to you,

without a few explanatory pictures.

Am I right?

So, instead of uploading and editing new pictures, I've been going through all the

pictures from the summer.

We had a LOT of fun this summer, and since it's almost over (sniff) I'm feeling the need to document...

And it just so happens that BOTH girls are sleeping right now which means I get to write!

I seriously don't even know where to begin... so I guess I'll start with these:

Why not, right?

We've had some amazing sunset cruises on the lake this summer.

Ah. mazing.

Thanks Captain Dave! (aka Duffman) and Roxy.

Roxy has her own life jacket.

She does.

Not even kidding.

See?

And this is how Roxy measures fun:

She's always down for a good time...

Lake Fun, of course, serves as a prequel to the sunset cruises.

Willow's first tube ride with LaLa.

And so does good food and family.

Willow's version of good food.

Papa Frank, or as Willow likes to call him, "Frankie!"

***

And then of course, there was 4th of July:

Have I ever mentioned before that I LOVE fireworks?

Like, LOVE them. So much.

I wanted them at our wedding.

They cost a lot.

We didn't have them...

I could watch fireworks every day of the year.

Especially the really big ones that you feel in your chest.

The 'Big Boomers'.

Those are the best.

And, if you happen to live in Michigan,

the only- and I mean only- way

to see fireworks is

from a boat.

Preferably a really big boat so that if it's too far out into the river and the

Coast Guard makes you move it

and then it doesn't get anchored properly and starts swinging every which way compromising all the other boats

in the immediate vicinity,

they have to move out of your way, not the other way around.

You know, if that sort of thing were to ever happen.

This boat had a live band on the back rockin' out a dance party. It's what some people like to call 'awesome'.

Sometimes I look around and say, "Really?"

We are some lucky, lucky people...

And if you have friends that are more like family

and invite you to their shindig year after year, where they all fight each other to hold your babies,

you pretty much have it made.

I would know.

Especially when they love your kids and treat them to a mani-pedi complete with snacks and a drink as soon as we arrive.

And what 4th of July is complete without sparklers?

Or grown men doing stupid things involving sparklers in front of small children?

I mean, that's what really makes it a holiday, right?

Basically, I don't want summer to end.

They're just not long enough in Michigan.

Maybe all the gorgeous lakes and pretty sunsets and boat rides are a trade-off for the

few months of warm weather.

Maybe.

Or maybe the trade-off is capturing this face on camera.

Either way, I'm going to be so sad to see Summer go.

Really, very sad.

***

Now for some sewing news, I've been busy.

My two latest nursery sets:

Can you spot the differences?

I am very serious about making my things one-of-a-kind.

But I'm learning that the

more and more the word gets out and the more people I make things for,

the whole 'one-of-a-kind' thing

gets harder and harder.

Remember this nursery set?

Well, ever since then I've had lots of mommas wanting one

(which is awesome!)

To keep to my promise of only making one-of-a-kind bedding,

I've been making little changes here and there on each set.

I want the overall look that people are

originally drawn to

to be the same, while still making sure everything is

original.

So far, so good.

Patchwork is almost always one-of-a-kind,

but I still like to

switch up the quilt backs and bindings

to set them apart from each other just that much more.

So thanks to everybody out there who keeps my little tiny business going...

I love what I do!

I think that's all I have for today...

I Don't Know Jack.

It's true.

I don't.

Neither do you.

Nobody does.

And that's because he isn't due until August :)

That's right... I get another nephew in August!

And his name will be Jack.

I know, I know, you're jealous of all the sweet little babies I get to hold, right?

You should be.

I'm lucky.

And babies are cute.

I've been pumping out some custom crib sets over here in my neck of the woods...

and the latest one just happened to be for my sister-in-law Emily and her hubby John.

Yay!

So, Em decided on her

beachy/nautical

color scheme and sent me some pics of fabrics she liked and I went to work:

I think it turned out great!

And I think Jack will be nice and cozy... don't you?

Here are the fabrics used:

bumper: Anna Maria Horner Woodcut in DayDream (home decor weight)

Amy Butler Sunspots in Midnight (home decor weight)

bumper ties: Joel Dewberry Nap Sack in Sunset

crib skirt: Amy Butler Sunspots in Tangerine with a border of Nap Sack in Lake

crib sheet: Leaves in Blue

And for the quilt (40x60") I used all the above fabric

(except for the Leaves in Blue)

and added in a little Amy Butler fabric from my stash.

The binding is a grey/aqua stripe Lacoste flat sheet that I found at TJ Maxx

that matched perfectly.

It is machine quilted, machine stitched binding, and made with LOTS of love :)

front and back of quilt

And here's Emily opening her new bedding (while Willow and Peyton help) at the shower:

Congrats to Emily and John!

They will be amazing parents and I can't wait to meet (read: hold) Baby Jack.

And for those of you who are curious, Jack makes the fourth new nephew in the last 11 months.

It's Babypalooza.

P.S. You can score your own custom bedding set over on the top right-hand side drop down menu!

Newest Completion...

I love this latest nursery set.

Love. Love. Love.

It kind of makes we want a little boy.

Kinda.

Let's see.

There's mostly Anna Maria Horner Garden Party and Good Folks, some Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow...

... and a little bit of Amy Butler and Laura Gunn in the quilt.

Just a simple patchwork design with a larger outside border.

And then a bright orange binding (JD Nap sack in sunset) to accent everything.

The back of the quilt is also one of my favorites:

I just love those trees.

This back just makes me want to make a quilt front like this!

And here's the hand-stitched label:

Isn't that a cute quote?

The momma picked that one out.

I had a little bit of fun with the colors...

And a quilt roll for good measure!

Quilt stats:

40x50"

machine quilted 1/4" from either side of seams

I used a grey Gutermann thread for the quilting

machine stitched binding

pieced back

So, there you go!

Alli, I hope you love it.

(And if you want to send me a pic with your little man all wrapped up in it when he finally gets here, that would be fantastic.)

If anyone is interested in their own WillowBean Creations Custom Nursery Set

(for boys or girls or surprises)

please check out the nursery set listings in my Etsy Store!

Or email me directly at willowbeanmama@gmail.com.

Happy Friday!