Friday, April 18, 2014

Spring? Where?

Blog News Bulletin!  I have somehow lost my google friends followers :(   I've tried to get them back, but blogger is having an issue.  also, if you follow me on Bloglovin, you may have to "re-follow" as I had 2 domain URLs and there were followers on both.  I now have 1 domain URL and lost the other followers. - sorry for the inconvenience, hopefully you'll still find me.

This week I needed a little thank you gift, so I decided to make a composition notebook cover.

Here is the front.   I just love this fish.  It is the only thing I planned, the rest is random.


And here is where you write all your brilliant thoughts and ideas.


The inside, where the notebook covers slip into the quilted cover.


The back.

I use the direction on this blog.  I reduce the overall width to 26" to 26 1/2" inches depending on the notebook.  You can measure yours first for a good fit.

Here are some of the steps:

Layout a rectangle of strips, blocks, strings or whatever piecing you like.  Or you can use a beautiful whole piece of fabric like I did for Christmas 2010.  See those covers HERE.


Piece or choose a lining fabric.  It doesn't have to be fancy or pretty, but I happen to like fancy and pretty for most things.  cut a piece of batting roughly the same as the back.


Machine quilt the three layers like a little quilt.  I use 2 quilt halo when I free motion quilt.  You can check them out here.


The rest you can find on the link above.  Although it takes a little time it is easy.

Can I just say, no wonder I make mistakes at the machine!  Look at all these distractions!  Watching the Good Wife, while checking the on-line instructions and sewing.......


I decorated the window sill above my kitchen sink again.  I used to have 2 mantels to decorate, so I'm using this space in the same way.  It is super hard to photo graph anything near a window.


Do you see spring outside this window?  I don't!  A few bunnies on the front hall table with my carrot tree.


Despite the snow and ice on Wednesday, the Pansies out front look great :)


I wish you all a Blessed Easter, Joyous Passover or just a Happy Spring Weekend.

28 comments:

Janet O. said...

Wow--what lovely notebook covers!
I love your fun decorations for the season. Nice alternative to decorating a mantel. Works for me! : )

Rachaeldaisy said...

Happy Easter to you too!! It would be fun playing spot the bunny at your house. The carrot tree is extra cute! I love your notebook cover, gourgeous rich fabrics and fun quilting! I noticed I have 2 pages on Bloglovin too. I couldn't figure out how to delete one, maybe I should try again.

Miriam said...

A Blessed Easter to you and your family too, Barb!

Anonymous said...

What a great gift idea! Thanks...now can I just remember

Jan said...

That covered notebook is a great idea ~ thanks for the tips!
I did get an email from Bloglines regarding their cleaning out of duplicate listings and the possibility that some of my blogs would need to be added back in. But they didn't say which and I follow a lot of blogs! So I just ignored it. Now I know what they were talking about. Yours still shows up for me, though.
Have a lovely holiday weekend!

Pinkadot Quilts said...

Great book cover, I have always wanted to make one but haven't yet.
At least you have spring inside your home, the decorations are so cute.
Happy Easter to you and your family.

Pinkadot Quilts said...

OOPS----I have been having issues with blogger too. I will publish a post and sometimes it is over 24 hrs before it shows up. Other times it is right away....

Sue said...

I've still got you on bloglovin . Nice bright notebook cover Barb,
Happy Easter to you and your family.

Nancy said...

You showed up on my reader list okay. Love the Kaffe Fassett prints in your notebook cover. Very pretty! And your home decorations look spring-like even if you have snow outside. Happy Easter to you.

Anonymous said...

Love your notebook cover! I think this would be a great way to use up my machine quilting samples. I have made these in the past but had rather forgotten about them. I like using the composition notebooks so you can refill them.

Julierose said...

Happiest of Easters to you and yours, Barb--love the notebook cover--really nice...hugs, Julierose

Pat said...

Love your decorated window! I am weary of looking out at solid white since November. There is a new spring garland to put up on our mantel - maybe next week when we start to warm up?

Great notebook cover - adds a nice touch to notekeeping or journal thoughts.

Kyle said...

You're on my blog list. Have a lovely spring and Easter weekend.

Janet said...

What a fun journal cover! Your Easter decorating is fun too - Happy Easter!

andsewon said...

You are still on my blog list. Great gift and nice cover! Cute decorations.
Happy Ester.
Lola

barbara woods said...

I still get you on gfc

Diane said...

Pretty journal covers...and Happy Easter to you and yours!

Nifty Quilts said...

Pretty notebook cover. A small project like that looks very appealing. Happy Easter. I love your decorations for each holiday.

Beth said...

Love the notebook cover. And your window looks so great.
Happy Easter.

Lori said...

Blessings to you dear friend. Happy Easter.

Dawn said...

Happy Spring to you too! I always love all of your seasonal decorating, so festive.
Great notebook cover. What a wonderful nest you have for a sewing space.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

I was thinking of a little gift too - a notebook cover is a great idea. I just might use that one.

Aunt 'Reen said...

What a wonderful notebook cover! Your Easter decorations are lovely too!
Sorry to hear you are having follower issues - very frustrating!
I'm pleased to say that I'm still receiving your posts!

Happy Easter!

Ginger Scott said...

Awesome fish!...and the random fabrics do it justice. Love it.

Ginger Scott said...

Awesome fish!...and the random fabrics do it justice. Love it.

Thimbleanna said...

What a great notebook cover! I've been meaning to make some of those for years and they're still on the list LOL. Surely spring arrived in your neighborhood this past weekend -- I'll bet your cute spring decorations helped it arrived! Happy Belated Easter!

Sujata Shah said...

I love that book cover and the decorations over the window! Yes, finally spring is here! I am home to actually enjoy it! While in Canada, I was thinking my winter lasted longer than you all here but sounds like it was cold out here too.
I am ready for some digging and planting!

libbyquilter said...

your notebook cover is so full of fun energy and color and i love your fish~!!
a carrot tree is such a fun idea~!
and what a beautiful window so sweetly laid out with Easter/spring surprises.

:-)
libbyQ