Quilts and Brush Embroidery Cupcakes...

Been a little MIA here, huh?  Oh well.  Not many reasons why other than I have plenty of things going to to keep me away from the computer.  I FINALLY {sorry, Asha} finished up the quilt I started over the summer.  Not because it took me forever, but mostly because I ended up taking it apart 3 times.  But now it is done and baby Asha gets to cuddle away in it!

After that one, I did one for my niece Kiera.  This one only took me a day to piece and a day to quilt and bind.  I love binding quilts by hand.  It is so relaxing to me and I get to be all cuddled up in a chair under a warm quilt :)  This is a One Block Wonder pattern.  I decided to go small just in case it didn't work out.  When I decided I liked it and wanted to make it a quilt, I just added the white to fill up the space.  Used a couple old sheets and the back is a piece of fleece I had.  No batting.  I made this pillow for her using my Silhouette and some spray paint!

I quilted this free motion.  It was pretty difficult to do, even with this crib size quilt.  I kept the side in the throat rolled up on a yard stick, but it still proved to be a little difficult with the throat depth on my tiny Singer.  The quilting itself was fun & I loved it, it's just that my machine is too small.  And I want a quilt machine.  Now, obviously that is not in the budget so...I found some plans to make one online!  I'll keep you posted.  I bought them and now I am going to start collecting the wood & parts I need to make it.  Also, I have to keep an eye out for a good machine to use that has a decent throat depth. 

I also made this tiny quilt for Piper's baby doll.  It is based on this tutorial but I only used one fabric and white.  It's basically just a basket weave rather than piecing all the squares together.  When you are done you end up with raw edges.  I machine binded this one, although its definitely faster, it surely doesn't look as nice :)

I made some cupcakes for a couple baby showers this weekend and was SO HAPPY at how this brush embroidery technique turned out!!  I made a practice round of cupcakes earlier and I am glad I did, it was easier the 2nd time.  I think I just felt more confident I wouldn't screw them up too bad!  I watched this video to help!

These are vanilla with white chocolate ganache tinted purple, brush embroidery on top.

I started on a couple bigger quilt projects a couple weeks ago.  One for Zoey will have a mermaid center that will be a lot of embroidery and applique.  I am excited about all the detail and hand work that this one will have.  The one for Jake I am piecing together from a sheet set from Target.  It is a 'Shaun White' sheet set and I am just cutting up the flat sheet.  The fitted sheet and pillow case are on his bed!  btw...Shaun White is his favorite snowboarder/skateboarder!

And lastly, I did get a new toy for Christmas, check her out there in the middle :)  My new serger.  So fun!