a random post <3

First off, I want to say thank you sooooo much for the amazing response that I have gotton for my quilt project! I can not wait to get all of my squares in the mail so that I can start making the quilt :D I also can not wait for Friday so I can see who is going to win the quilt that I am giving away!! If you have not entered yet, and still want to, check out this post!!
Ok, onto some photos from my life these days :)
Here are some shots of the "Mystery quilt" that I was making earlier! This is a wuilt that I am making for my sister, for her wedding: (I told her about it so now I can share the pics)



These two HUGE embroidered panels will be the main focus of the quilt. She is obsessed with peacocks so I let that obsession inspire the design. I am sooooo psyched to get this finished and be able to give it to her!!!
Now onto some vinyl love:
These are what you see coming in and going out of my front door:


I love them.
And who doesn't have a tea kettle with a mustache??

This weekend I worked on finally completing the organizational center in my hallway. This little area was inspired by a class that I took at the RVA Craft weekend taught by Elsie:

Lastly, here are two little paintings that I am adding to le Etsy shop:
This sweet whale

and elephant

Alright, tonight I have adult VBS, which so far is awesome, and my house needs major cleaning!! I am off to get some of that done before my Bible Study while I watch some DVR'd Ace of Cakes episodes. Good times, good times :) Alright, remember to check out my quilt give-away below :)
I love you guys sooooo much!
xoxo
janel

monday inspirations...

another cute blog <3

Oh, Hello Friend, is always a great blog for all kinds of inspiration.
Here are some lovely pictures that I have seen over there as of late:









All of those pictures make me want to go out and try to make the world full of that kind of beauty <3
There are also great downloadable resources! This one is my favorite. I will be putting these lables on all of the packages that I ship from now on:

There are also swaps that you can join in on. I really like the idea of a "Lovely Package Swap!"

I will definitely have to get in on that one next time.
Speaking of lovely packaging...she also has an Etsy shop and is known for the lovely way she packages everything sold from her shop. The items in her shop are darling and affordable!! Here are my faves from her shop:

My suggestion is to check both her blog, and her Etsy shop!

There is so much beauty in both to really start your day with loads of inspiration!!!

As always, have a very inspiring Monday :)
***Also, please don't forget to check out the quilt give-a-way in the post below!!! I am so excited about the huge response I have had!!! The more the merrier :) Thanks***

the sound of cleaning

Here is the really really random playlist that I made for today.  Adam is super sick today :(  I wonder who he caught that from?? So, today I am cleaning, setting up an organizational wall, and disinfecting all morning.
This is what I will be listening to:

(You'll have to click to make it bigger :D)
This evening I have my sister's Jack and Jill shower for their wedding! I am really excited/nervous. I have never planned a shower before but I had all of her amazing bridemaids to help so it should be really fun :)
What are some of your favorite cleaning tunes??

The Quilt Give-a-way!!

That is right!! I am going to create a quilt to give-a-way to one lucky blog reader!! Here is the fabrics that I will be using in my quilt:




It is so gorgeous, one of my favorite fabric collections that I have right now. I am loving and appreciating all of you who are following my blog and leaving me feedback and comments and emails. You have no idea how much all of you mean to me. I am hoping that pouring my heart into this quilt will be a good way for me to show you how much you mean to me :)

In return though, I want something :) HA!! I would like to make a quilt for myself that has a little part of all of you too! Something that I can look at and be inspired by it every time. Jaime, one of my most favorite people in the world, just did something like this and I was able to participate in it for her.

**What I would like is for you to send me an 8" x8" square of any fabric (your choice). I would really really love it if you would embroider something on it too, including your name :) Those are my only specifications. You have no idea (again) how much this would mean to me. A Blogger BFF quilt !! So, if you want to do this (which I would loooooove all 125 of you followers out there to join in) please email me at janel (dot) maclean (at) gmail (dot) com, and I will send you my mailing address. Then, leave me a comment in this post if you are in!!! I am soooo excited and I am really hoping for a huge response.
(Even if you don't think that you can embroider something, I encourage you to just send a piece of fabric for the square and I can embroider your name on it. I want everyone to be part of it!!)
** You will get entered in again if you mention this give-a-way on your blog (leave another comment after you do)
** You will get another entry if you are a "follower" of my blog so leave that in your comment too!
*** Finally, tweet about this give-a-way and you will have another chance.

That is FOUR enteries that you can have in this AWESOME give-a-way. You will have 1 week to email me if you are interested and to leave your comments.

art, art, art

I am feeling like I need some inspiration for great art lessons this year. I went looking in my iPhoto albums at some of my favorite projects from last year and I thought that I would share them with you. Maybe it will take you back to the good ole days of elementary art class :)
So in my art room we:
Recycle!
This helps us to make these really cool recycled robots


and these sculptures made from old encyclopedias :)



And these awesome magazie bowls (Who needs to pay $50 for one at World Market when you can make them yourself)!


We break mirrors and glue the pieces to the wall!!

We throw birthday parties for Artists of the past!!


We have ATC swaps (we are cool like that)



We also looooove to celebrate other cultures like:
Mexico


India

Egypt


Panama

And the USA

In my class we don't paint color wheels, we eat them :)

Yay!! Ok, i can not wait to see what cool ideas we come up with for this year!! What do you think about these projects? Did you have a favorite art project that you remember from Elementary School? I would love any info or feedback please :) Happy Thursday which means it's almost Friday, which means it's almost the weekend!! Plus Project Runway starts back tonight!!! Can not stinkin wait!
xoxo