Spring!

Spring is definitely here in Arkansas. My most favorite part of Spring is seeing the daffodils spring up, almost overnight. I'm so happy that at my new house we have lots of them in the flower beds.

I can't believe it's already mid March. I have been wanting to plant a vegetable garden for about four years now but have never quite gotten around to it. This is the year that changes! I've already got someone lined up to build me a few raised beds, and I've still got my seed packets from a few years ago. A friend of mine also has the hookup with some potent compost tea and compost so I'm really excited about that. I plan on using the square foot gardening technique that I learned in my organic gardening class at UCA.

I think I'll also try to do some canning this year. Punk Domestics has some great recipes and canning ideas throughout the year. And thanks to the ridiculous amount of cabinets I have in the kitchen at this new house, I have plenty of room to store canned goodies.

This week Lex was at home with a nasty cough that we're trying to finally cure so I made myself useful and cleaned up my desk and craft area.

 What with all the pregnancy, holidays and new baby, It had gotten pretty messy.

I've been feeling the need to purge myself of all the junk I've been holding onto (I get a little sentimental about it), so this was a good start. Now I just have to do my closet and bedroom...

I really do love spring. And I love that I have a great yard with great flowering plants throughout it. It just makes me smile. I can't wait until Lex and I can chill out in the yard. :)

Quilting

So, I'm kind of afraid to say this out loud, but I really want to make a quilt. I have wanted to make one for a long time. In fact, it's on my bucket list (dorky, I know).Thinking about actually starting it--actually buying the fabric and everything--is scary.

I guess I see it as a really big undertaking, but I suppose it doesn't really have to be. And now since I have a baby, it's a perfect opportunity to try my hand with a baby quilt. I poked around the Internet a little and found a couple of patterns that might work. Nothing too fancy--I just want a basic patchwork quilt for him, really. Here's what I found:

Rail Fence Quilt. The colors on this example are a bit too hokey (and girly) for me, but I like that it is a simple pattern.  It also looks kind of like chevrons, which are really in right now.

I love everything over at Red Pepper Quilts, especially the Alice pattern.

I keep seeing Oh, Fransson! mentioned whenever I read about modern quilting, and her stuff is just lovely. I also stumbled across the Modern Quilting Guild site and I love all the inspiration there. If I get into quilting, I would love to start a guild here in Central Arkansas.

I also really like the Family Picnic Blanket by Erin at Decor Allure. It would be an easy first project and I would get a nice big quilt out of it.

I may just go for a simple patchwork quilt of simply different squares of fabric.

 My memaw gave me this great vintage quilt top that is hand sewn. I want to finish it up and make it into a real quilt. I haven't decided on how to affix the top to the backing. I'm thinking about securing it with vintage buttons.

Most likely I'll finish this quilt and then start on one of my own. Who knows, though. As much as I hate sewing granny squares together, I'm not sure if I'll really enjoy it. We'll just have to see.