Spring Pillows on a Fall Day (or) Pushing all the Right Buttons

Do you have any idea how easy making your own covered buttons is? And they look so great! I have a great big urge now to buy a gross of covered button supplies and start using up all that awesome vintage fabric I have on hand. Is the market to full on Etsy for one more vintagey button maker?

These buttons made their debut on a recent afternoon pillow project I tackled. The replica handkerchiefs were a gift from my Aunt Sue. I had fun experimenting with freehand quilting on my mother's machine (without a quilting foot, I might add). The future intent for these cuties is to lounge on my teal, vintage couch when I finally find that perfect cozy apartment. For now, they are modeling in the great outdoors.

After taking these pictures, I noticed a similarity to portraits for high school seniors. What do you think? Is one of these pillows the homecoming queen? Class clown?

The Beginning of MY "Wedding Season" - 2010

All at once, it seemed, in the summer of 2010, my friends from college and the life beyond began to get hitched. I had experienced a similar rush directly out of college of Kentucky friends from childhood. That, however, I could explain as a regional fluke. But my liberal college friends? I was certain they wouldn't beat me to the "altar". (as if it were a race!)

Both brides of the summer of 2010 were old roommates of mine. For Alison, I made a quilted table runner featuring paper umbrellas like the one that we had hanging in the dining room of our 5th street apartment. We spent many nights having family-style dinners in that room, candles lit, bottle of wine between us. I hope the runner makes appearances during such - and more romantically inclined- dinners throughout her marriage.
Sam and Jon's summer feast wasn't a wedding per se, but I couldn't miss the chance to embroider these dish towels with leaping lambs. I imagine these towels will clean up some of the tastiest messes in the world.

Inspired, in part by my mother's habit of crocheting a blanket as wedding gift, I began my own tradition. I started embroidering and sewing gifts for my friends and family. Call it cost-saving, call it off the registry. I call it personalized. I hope that the things I make end up being around for years, and not in a drawer but covered in stains from overuse.