Dear Urban Home Goods Swap Partner . . .

I've been slacking. Badly. I just created an inspiration mosaic this morning. I haven't updated my Flickr pool. I haven't been blogging. Life has been busy and I'm just finally seeing the other side of the huge stack of work on my desk. But I am grateful that it's just in time. Just in time for this swap. I tried to be thorough in my letter to Heather so you'd have plenty of options—but I've been thinking . . . maybe too many options means you'll have a hard time choosing what you'd like to do. Just know this: Whatever you create—whatever you dream up—I will love it. And that's the bottom line.

But, just in case you want some more descriptions or pictures or inspiration or a sense of what exactly would be on my wish list, this is for you.

Color Inspiration

I was always a pink girl. But when I got married and had to pick the paint color for our first apartment, I suddenly fell in love with the very light teal that coats the walls of our entire lower level. We have a very retro kitchen—green counter tops and refrigerator and an ugly brown veneered set of cabinets. We quickly began adding color to our little kitchen and somewhere in between the addition of a baby pink blender, raspberry Kitchenaid mixer, aqua and lemongrass Fiestaware, and our green coffee maker, a palette very close to this one emerged for our whole home.

Fabric Style

My first fabric purchase was some of Amy Butler's Lotus collection in the greens and a piece of the bubble dots and dotted leaves in pink from Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy. This says a lot about my style still today. I like updated vintage looks. This allows me to merge my love of modern (Crate & Barrel-ish) with my love of vintage. I am all about mid century modern (I'm currently lusting after a dining room table and chair set that scream Danish modern). On the other side of it, I love the bohemian feel of Anna Maria Horner's prints and those have become a more recent love. Of course, as I've been following this amazing quilting/sewing community, I've really become a fan of most Westminster and Freespirit designers and would list Heather Ross, Heather Bailey, and Joel Dewberry among my other favorites. And Orla Keily . . . I love her style.

Wish List

I sent a pretty long list in my email when I signed up for the swap. Looking back, I can't really say that there's one thing I've been wanting to make for myself more than another. So, I hope you find something fun in there that sparks your imagination. This is the "If I were making it . . . " version of the list you received about me in your swap email. Really, please do know, though, that whatever you create will be cherished for many years to come.


• Sewing Machine Cover: I'm partial to the more boxy ones than the ones that tie on the side. I think it's because I have this idea that it will protect from dust better and will keep my spool of thread in place better when I lug it around. My sewing machine lives in our living room and so if I were going to make one for myself, I'd probably choose Amy Butler's Gray Modern Love or her Nigela Primrose in Aqua. But I'd be torn between something like that and a more patchworky style. Oh the options.

• Coupon Clutch: I would have no idea where to start. I would need to find something with lots and lots of slots to cover or I'd need to figure out a way to pattern this and create something with many slots. I'd need to make sure it closes securely so it could be tossed in my bag and not worry about everything falling out.

• King Sized Pillowcases: Right now our bedroom has a plain white down comforter and some really lovely green Euro pillows covered in shams from Pottery Barn. I'm hoping to finish up the first quilt I ever started to set at the foot of the bed . . . soon. So, something in those types of colors would be great for our big king sized pillows that we sleep with. We actually have both king sized and standard sized pillows on our bed so either would be OK.

• Large Home Dec Pillow: We have this ginormous red/faded burgundy comfy chair in our living room that is a hand-me-down from my husband's parents. The color doesn't really suit our living room but it really is such a warm, comfy, cuddly chair that we can't bare to get rid of it. Someday (after we buy a house and are more settled) I hope to have it refinished and reupholstered, but for now we could use a bandaid: a nice big pillow that will tie it in with the rest of our living room which is in the teal color family with a tan/neutral couch (IKEA). We have touches of green and pink throughout the living room too. I've been dreaming of making one of those Anthropology-inspired pillows (#19 in the mosaic) for the chair for a while but haven't gotten around to it yet. Of course, I really love the other pillow in the mosaic, too! See why I haven't gotten around to doing this yet . . . too many ideas!

• Picnic Blanket: We celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary this year and this year's theme was wood. Chris gave me a wonderful picnic basket and I have dreams of taking it on romantic getaways to the park or the beach . . . but I need a pretty, romantic picnic blanket to make those dreams a reality. For now, we'll just lug along one we don't really have any attachment to but we would love something that will make us feel like we are picnicking in style. If I were to set out to make one, it'd need to be pretty simple (so I wouldn't feel bad if it got dirty) and would need to have a busy-ish back so that I wouldn't worry about the ground staining it. Hmm.

• Small Throw Blanket: Just something to throw over while curling up with a good book or cup of tea. Something easy enough to toss in my suitcase or duffle for a weekend getaway.

• Rotary Cutting Mat bag: This is just a whim. I've always dreamed of having a nice bag to toss my rulers and cutting mat in so that they are easier to transport. Something with a good-sized handle so that I can throw it over one shoulder while a bag of quilting/sewing goodies are slung over the other while one hand is occupied by my sewing machine and the other can be used for opening/closing/locking the house door and the car door. If I were making this . . . well, I wouldn't know where to start. That's why I'm giving you the idea!

• Sidewalk Satchel: I just love it. If I were making it, I'd probably use something from Little Folks.

• Garment Bag: Well, this is something that's been on my list for ages. We drive from Chicago to Des Moines quite often to spend times with friends and family. And, I must admit, I always over pack. And I always bring hanging clothes. That's just how I am. I'd rather not have to iron at my mother-in-laws house so I try to get it all done before we leave town for the weekend. I tend to throw a hair rubberband around the hangers to hold them together but, wow, what I wouldn't give for a nice garment bag that can hold several hangers and some longer clothes. I just realized last night that there was a pattern in Anna Maria's Seams To Me . . . and the one in my mosaic is sweet too!

• Coasters or Pot Holders: Let's just say this—I've been dying to make the coasters from Kayte Terry's Applique Your Way. I have loved them since the moment I saw them.

OK, partner. I hope this helps and doesn't confuse you even further. Feel free to dream something entirely different up if you so choose. Peruse my favs on Flickr. Read my blog. You'll get a pretty good sense of what I like. These are just things on my "to make someday" list. 

Happy sewing!