Bella Dia

Thoughtful Friday 9

He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
- Edwin Markham

Tiny Yarn Animals

Isn't my little hippo sweet?!  I made him from a pattern in Tiny Yarn Animals by Tamie Snow.  I've never really done this kind of amigurumi before but it was very simple and easy to put together and because of its small size it travels well too.  My kids and niece and nephews were quite taken with this little fellow and now I have a whole queue of tiny animals that have to be made!  Next up is the turtle, then the penguin, the lemur, the fox...

The beginning of the book has step-by-step photos of all the basic crochet stitches so even someone new to crochet has everything they need to get started.  For more inspiration and some free patterns visit Tamie's website too!

Sentimental Jewelry

Isn't this pretty?! It's my new necklace from Lisa Leonard Designs! I rarely get things for myself, especially jewelry, so this was a real treat. I'm very fond of the circle shape, the simplicity, and the pearl which is my favorite "gemstone." She hand-stamped it for me with three special words: inspiration, sunshine, laughter.  Each word is associated with one of my children: inspiration is for my daughter, my first born, for giving me the gift of seeing things with new eyes. Sunshine is for my middle child; my son that warms a room just with his quiet and calming presence. Laughter is for my youngest son, always there with a hug and a smile so that no day goes by without love and laughter. I always tell my children that they are my treasures and they truly are.

Sentimental jewelry is the best and Lisa is such a sweetheart to work with and quick too! Please visit her shop to see her other gorgeous designs and treat yourself as well! She's got an amazing new bird necklace that you can see on her blog that I'm in love with too.

Vintage Quilts

Not too long ago I had a first at a thrift store: I found
two old quilts! This never happens to me! The older
one pictured above was just $14 and in pretty good
condition with only a few repairs. The back is cream
colored flannel which is perfect for me. 

My favorite thing about scrappy quilts is that I love
looking at all the different fabrics used in the making
and deciding which is my favorite. There are some
real jewels hidden in there so here are some close-ups
of  a few of my favorites. You can click on the
pictures to see them larger.

red, white, and blue baby blocks and bears

It wasn't until I put this picture into the computer that
I noticed that the red, yellow, and turquoise
"flowers" were really dancers!

What can I say? Windmills, tulips, sailors!

I think this one is a bit of an optical illusion. Can you
see the ladies with parasols and hoop skirts on the
black background pieces? There's also a gentleman
with a cane and top hat.

This is the front of the second quilt I got and for
just $10! We'll be using this for a picnic blanket. 

This is the back - yep, it's patch work too. Here's
some closeups of my favorites from this quilt:

Both of these remind me of feedsack prints but
I don't know if they are or not.

I love this print - I always have a hard time
finding good gray prints.

My kingdom for a fat quarter of any of these fabrics!

Thoughtful Friday 8

I long, as does every human being,
to be at home wherever I find myself.

~Maya Angelou