From Kitchen Dreams to Quilt Journals – A Month of Making

It’s been a full and busy month here on the home front! Our kitchen renovation is really taking shape—cabinets are going in, and the double oven is now installed (a dream come true). Soon we’ll be able to measure for countertops. Outside, the new roof is finished—an old-fashioned standing ridge metal roof that feels just right for our place. Now we’re just waiting for the guttering crew to complete the job.

I had the privilege of attending the 20th anniversary celebration of the Virginia Quilt Museum in nearby Dayton, VA. The exhibits were amazing, and the highlight for me was the behind-the-scenes tour of the conservation, storage, and curating areas where these treasured quilts are carefully preserved. Adding to the joy of the day was live music from the Shenandoah Valley Ukulele Band—such a charming touch!

Creatively, I’ve been busy too. I’m working on a kitchen wallpaper design to coordinate with my backsplash accent tile, which has been such a fun way to bring my home life and design work together. I also submitted a “Cozy Cottage” pattern for a design contest—combining the timeless postage stamp style with soft blues, pinks, tans, and mossy greens. To make it even more personal, I wove in handwritten notes from my grandmother’s quilt journals. I’m excited to be expanding this idea into a full collection.

I’m loving the shift in the air as cooler weather drifts in—the prelude to a splendid autumn here in the Shenandoah Valley. I hope you’re soaking up the last golden days of summer

July Notes from the She Shed & Homefront

July has been a whirlwind here on the home front—and not just because of the summer storms! We’re knee-deep in our kitchen renovation, and things are finally taking shape. My husband (a true wiring wizard) tackled the electrical like a pro. We’ve got insulation in, old linoleum torn out, and the floors leveled smooth. I’m extra thankful we ordered the appliances early—two arrived damaged and had to be sent back, but we’re back on track. The backsplash tile and countertops are picked, the wall paint color is chosen, and drywall is going up this week. Cabinets arrive next week—paintbrushes at the ready!

Of course, summer in the mountains wouldn’t be complete without a few booming thunderstorms. I love the rain, but we had some not-so-lovely surprises when our basement took on water—twice! We’ve lived here a long time, but the runoff from the hill behind us seems to have found a new route: straight to our back door. We ended up stacking block walls to guide the water around the house. It’s not picture-perfect, but it’s keeping the basement dry—for now, that’s all that matters.

Over in the she shed, things are blooming creatively. I finished piecing my Patriotic Eagle quilt (the one I mentioned last month), and I can’t wait to start quilting it—red, white, and beautifully bold. I’ve also been playing with a new neutral colorway for my “Giraffish” fabric collection. This version tones things down from the playful pinks, offering a softer, more earthy palette. I’m refining the matching baby quilt pattern and getting it ready for print. Even more exciting—I submitted this collection, plus two others, to a fabric company this month. Fingers crossed!

And speaking of exciting… my Etsy shop had its first international custom order! A sweet bride-to-be reached out for a small, embroidered rope bowl to carry the rings at her wedding. We worked together to choose just the right design in her colors—sage green, cream, and gold. It turned out beautifully, and I can’t wait to see how it looks in her wedding photos. Such a joy to be part of her special day from across the globe.

Thanks for following along with all the adventures—from muddy hillsides to fabric dreams. I’m grateful for every step of the journey.

June Reflections: Renovations, Quilts, and Sweet Summer Moments

I can hardly believe the year is already half over—how did we get here so fast? June felt like it flew by, especially with all the house projects going on. The big news is that the kitchen re-framing is finally finished! We had help from one of our sons, and after four long, hot days (we’re talking upper 90s every day), we managed to get it roofed in.

We’re still tearing out one of the interior walls, which means lots of plaster-lathe dust and mess everywhere. But I keep telling myself—it’ll all be worth it in the end. We’re reminding ourselves that there’s no strict deadline; we’re taking it one day at a time to keep the stress down.

I actually look forward to our trips to the dump to get rid of the old materials. It gives me a good excuse to enjoy a peaceful drive through the countryside—windows down, warm breeze, and the gorgeous rolling hills and mountains in the distance. I love passing by blooming gardens, grazing calves and baby goats, lush cornfields, charming old barns and churches, and rolling over Dry River (which isn’t so dry right now!).

Another big change this month: we had a new gas furnace and central air installed! After 35 years of living with window units, we can’t believe we waited so long—what a game changer.

We also got to enjoy some family time earlier in the month when we visited one of our son’s families for an important milestone celebration for one of the grandkids. And last week, while the guys were busy with the kitchen construction, our 7-year-old granddaughter attended "Fiddle Camp" here in the Shenandoah Valley. She did such a wonderful job at the concert—so proud of her!

On the business side of things, I’ve been busy finishing up some embroidered baby quilts and designing a new patriotic quilt pattern using a stunning eagle panel I bought last year. The panel is called "American Spirit" by Dan Morris, in those rich reds, blues, creams, and golds—just beautiful.

I’ve also been working on refining some of my fabric collections to submit to a well-known fabric company for possible licensing. Fingers crossed!

With summer in full bloom, I’ve been snapping lots of photos to use for inspiration later in the year. I even managed to get a few good shots of the little bunny who visits outside my she shed every evening. There were also two baby skunks playing out there - adorable from afar, but I wasn’t quite brave enough to get up close for that photo!

I hope you’re soaking in all the joys of summer too—whether that means time in the garden, traveling, or just enjoying the little everyday moments.

Late Spring Reflections: Blooms, Bugs & Building Projects

Late spring always brings with it a bit of a gardening gamble—do we plant or wait? Around here, we nearly always get a surprise late frost, and as I mentioned in my last post, our poor peach trees usually pay the price.

Well, I walked out to the garage one morning and—poof—they were gone. My husband had cut them down without a word. I know they rarely produced fruit, but they were so beautiful in bloom that I genuinely cried. That soft blush of pink each spring brought me so much joy. Thankfully, in his gentle way, he’s since planted a new variety that’s supposed to be more cold-hardy. Here’s hoping we’ll see fruit and blossoms in seasons to come.

Business Buzz
I recently took a mini-class from Jenna Kutcher on improving your Pinterest strategy. It’s amazing how consistent pinning can act like free advertising! I’m still working on setting up a more regular schedule, but progress is progress, right?

I also jumped into the “Bugs In Bloom 2025” May art challenge. It’s been so fun to stretch my creativity and draw inspiration from the beauty of nature.

·       Week 1: Honeybees & lavender

·       Week 2: Ladybug & daisy

·       Week 3: Moth & honeysuckle

·       Week 4: Dragonfly & coneflower

Big thanks to the hosts:
@heathermeullerdesign, @jillian.nichole.illustration, @kim_ko_design, @palindromeart, @megpieprint, and @shellypenko.

Stitching & Sewing
Lately, I’ve been piecing together a Christmas quilt using the Winter in the Pines collection by Jackie Robinson for Benartex. It features elegant deer blocks framed with alternating log cabin blocks in deep reds, greens, golds, and warm black and cream backgrounds. It’s already feeling festive in the sewing shed—even if it’s May!

On the Home Front
Our long-awaited kitchen project is officially underway! Our kitchen, tacked onto the back of our 115-year-old home decades ago, was in dire need of an overhaul. Once we pulled up the flooring, we found that some of the joists were nearly rotted through. Now it’s torn down to the foundation—and what a foundation it is! The original lumber was massive. We’re salvaging as much wood as we can for future projects. (My husband and sons are excellent with wood—one of those “handed-down” family skills.) I can’t wait to see it all rebuilt, stronger and more beautiful than ever.

Thanks for following along with this season of change and creativity—both in the garden and at home. There’s something truly hopeful about building new things, isn’t there?