Summer Adventures, New Designs, and Creative Beginnings

May and June seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye! Before I knew it, June had come and gone, and I completely missed sharing a blog post. So, here's a little catch-up on what has been keeping me busy.

One of the highlights of the past couple of months was a trip to Charleston to visit family. While we were there, we were treated to an incredible air show over the harbor featuring the Blue Angels. What an amazing sight! We also packed our new bicycles and spent a beautiful afternoon riding the trails around Historic Charlestowne Landing. It was the perfect combination of family time, fresh air, and exploring one of our favorite places.

Back in the studio, something wonderful has continued to grow from conversations I had with customers during last year's craft shows. Several people suggested adapting my baby sensory tag toys into larger sensory mats for individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Those conversations inspired me to begin creating lap mats filled with engaging elements such as zippers, buttons, beads, ribbons, and a variety of fabrics offering different textures to explore.

More recently, a customer asked if I could create a custom sensory lap mat for one of her autistic clients using silk neckties. I loved the opportunity to design something specifically tailored to his needs. And on a fun side note, another customer purchased one of my baby tag toys—not for a baby—but for her cat! She tells me it's become one of her favorite toys and keeps her entertained for hours. I certainly never expected that!

I've also been doing a lot of thinking about craft shows. As much as I truly enjoy meeting new people and chatting with customers face-to-face, I've come to realize that setting up and tearing down a booth has become quite a challenge to do by myself. While I may slow down a bit, I'm not quite ready to give them up completely. First Fridays Farmers Market at Rebecca's Well in Bridgewater is one of my favorite events because it's so easy to set up, so you'll probably still find me there several times this year.

Meanwhile, I've been putting together several of my handmade items into coordinated gift bundles, making it even easier to find thoughtful gifts for baby showers, birthdays, and special occasions. Be sure to stop by my Etsy shop to see what's new.

On the design side of my business, these past two months have been especially productive. I reworked and completed four new fabric collections and submitted them to two different fabric companies for review.

The quilt featured this month showcases my Flower Whimsies collection in a brand-new colorway that I'm especially excited about. I also completed Yuletide Cheer, a cheerful holiday collection filled with happy snowmen and festive seasonal prints.

The remaining two collections were created for a children's apparel design brief celebrating fall. Think pumpkins, gourds, woodland animals, playful turkeys, and all the cozy charm that makes autumn such a wonderful season. I can't wait to share them with you soon in my website portfolio.

As I look ahead to July, I'm excited to welcome family for a visit and enjoy making more summer memories together. I'm also looking forward to celebrating our nation's 250th birthday in the coming year—a wonderful reminder of our rich history and the many blessings we enjoy.

I hope your summer has been filled with special moments, beautiful memories, and plenty of inspiration. Thank you, as always, for following along on this creative journey. I look forward to sharing more projects, designs, and adventures with you in the months ahead!