Is it bad to have apple pie for breakfast?

image: Martha Stewart

Because I did.

This Martha Stewart Apple Crumb Pie.

Minus the raisins (ew).

It was delicious.

(Thanks mom and dad for the bucket of apples :)

Hope you all have a great day!

P.S.  Come back tomorrow for another Tuesday Tips.

Holly Berry Table Topper Tutorial

In case some of you didn't get a chance to stop by the Quilt Story blog last week, I thought I would post the tutorial for my Holly Berry Table Topper here, as well.  In my opinion, there is nothing better than a handmade gift for the holidays and this little project is perfect for those who want to make a quick project on a budget!

Finished size: 20" x 26"

Here's what you'll need:
(20) 2-1/2" x 4" scraps of assorted green fabrics
(15) 1-1/2" squares of assorted red fabrics for berries
1/3 yd. beige fabric for background
1/4 yd. red fabric for sashing
6 yds. green 5/8" wide ric rac
3/8 yd. red fabric for bias binding
2/3 yd. backing
3/8 yd. light weight fusible web (17" wide) such as Heat n Bond
batting, 24" x 30"

Let's get started!
First you will need to trace the leaf template (20 times) and a U.S. nickle (15 times) onto the paper side of fusible web.  The leaf should measure 1 3/4" x 3 1/2" and the circle should measure 7/8" in diameter. 

Click HERE for the leaf template.  Right click on the image.  Copy and then paste the image into a word document. You may need to enlarge the image a little.  I can't seem to upload the file without it changing the size so you may have to adjust that on your own computer.

Roughly cut out each shape.  Iron (paper side up) to the wrong side of the appropriate colored fabric scraps.  Cut out each shape on the traced line (leaving the paper on at this point).



Next, from your beige colored fabric, cut three 3-1/2" x width of fabric strips.  Sub cut these strips into five 3-1/2" x 20" strips. 

Fold one strip in half and press with a warm iron to mark the center.  Then fold in each end to the center point and press again.  Peel of the paper back of three berries.  Center one berry on each fold mark (the edge of each berry should be 1-1/4" away from the edge of the beige strip).  Press with a warm iron to adhere.

Peel off the paper back of four leaves and center on either side of each berry (edge of leaf should be 3/4" away from the edge of beige strip).  Press with a warm iron to adhere.

Repeat this process for the other four strips of leaves and berries.

Once all of the leaves and berries are adhered, machine applique around each one using a small zig zag stitch and coordinating thread.

* I marked each of my strips with a number so I could keep them in order :) 

Set leaf/berry strips aside. 

From your red fabric, cut three 2-1/2" x width of fabric strips.  Sub cut these into six 2-1/2" x 20" strips.  You will also need to cut ten 21" strips of ric rac.

Sew one piece of ric rac to either side of each red strip of fabric (using an 1/8" seam allowance).  The ric rac tends to fray so don't trim it until right before quilting.

Sew the strips together using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Alternate colors, beginning and ending with the red.  **Don't mind this picture, it was taken before all the leaves and berries were adhered and before the ric rac was sewn on - but it shows you the layout of the strips :)

Quilt as desired and bind with 2-1/4" bias strips.  You can check out my "Sweet Bias Binding Tutorial" on my blog for some tips!

I hope you enjoyed this project and tutorial but if you're still itchin' for some more red and green quilty goodness, check out my new Pretty Peppermints quilt pattern HERE. 

Happy Holidays to everyone

(and may there be lots of handmade goodies coming your way! :)

~ Amber

Tuesday Tips {from Pleasant Home}

I'm so excited to be hosting my first {ever} guest blogger today!  Jodi Nelson, from the blog Pleasant Home is here to share a little part of her creative space as part of my new Tuesday Tips series.  I'm on an organizing "kick" right now.  I can't wait to pick up some new tips and ideas from other bloggers and designers through this series.  I hope you'll like it too.  Now over to you, Jodi!

Hi Everyone!

It's me Jodi from Pleasant Home!

And can I first say... I {heart} Amber's blog and check in often for oodles and oodles of inspiration...

I was thrilled when Amber announced she'd be doing a Tuesday Tips series on her blog. And equally thrilled to be the guest post today!


Amber asked me to share a couple pics from my 'Creating Space' and tell you a little about them. So here we go.... Here is one of my most favorite parts of my 'Creating Space'...


My Work Table. My hubby built and put it together for me. It was inspired by a work station I saw in a Pottery Barn catalog. It was a great design idea and I see it out in blog land often now.

I have two Target cubbies on each end with a large plywood top. It gives me plenty of room for a Cutting Board on one side and an Ironing Board on the other. And it's just the right height for me.

On one end of the work table I keep my scraps. I {LOVE} sewing with scraps! Having them organized by color in my cute little wire bins, really helps! Anything less than a fat quarter goes into these bins. {pssst... i clean them out regularly Give them Away! and sell scrap bags in my Etsy Shop}

I don't know how I'd function without this work table. I truly feel blessed to not only have a hubby who can help me with projects like this... But also a room in my home that I can call my own. Thanks Amber for inviting me to share a bit of my space with your readers!

You can see more pics of my 'Creating Space' and more details, on Flickr HERE....

Thanks so much for sharing that with us, Jodi!  That table is cool!  I think we're all going to be bugging our husbands to make us one now :)  I hope you'll all come back again next week for more Tuesday Tips.  Nicole from Our Cozy Nest will be here sharing some tips from her creative space.

Have a great day!  ~ Amber

Holiday Gift Tutorial from me to you!

Heather and Megan {from Quilt Story} are hosting a Holiday Gift Tutorial series on their blog right now.  Fun little projects will be posted every Monday through December.  These girls are super fun {and so is their blog}!  I met them at Market and we've gotten to know each other a bit from sewing nights, fabric launch parties and blogging!

So guess what fun little table topper tutorial is posting today?!?

My Holly Berry Table Topper.  A quick project that's perfect for using up scraps {yay}.   I hope you'll stop by.

P.S.  Come back here tomorrow for a post by my first ever guest blogger, the super talented Jodi Nelson from Pleasant Home!  She'll be sharing some Tuesday Tips from her creative space with us!  

Be sure to pick up this Tuesday Tips button for your blog :) 



the link



So stay tuned.  It's gonna be fun :)

Mod Medallions - Daydream

Before Spring Quilt Market 2011, I made a new version of one of my first patterns ~ Mod Medallions.  After Market it was whisked off to the Riley Blake warehouse so I never got to share any pictures with you!  Well, she's back now so I thought I'd share.

I enjoyed remaking Mod Medallions (which is rare because I usually hate making the same quilt more than once!)  But I LOVED the fabrics and I loved making these cute little medallions all over again.  I had actually gotten a lot better at ironing over those edges compared to the first go-around :)

The fabric line is called Daydream by Stitch Studios for Riley Blake Designs.

Kinda sweet huh?

Binding and backing:

These medallions are perfect for showcasing some fun custom quilting!

For the next week you can enjoy free shipping if you order this pattern from my shop.  Just enter the coupon code: MODMEDALLIONSRB.

I hope you all have a great weekend! 

I'm hoping to get some sewing time in on a new design I've been toying with.  What about you???

Tuesday Tips - A New Series

Did you all have sweet dreams last night?  I know I did.  I skipped dinner and ate about 8 fun size candy bars (AND DIDN'T FEEL THE LEAST BIT BAD ABOUT IT.)  It's the only night a year that we can justify that right?

So do you remember about 6 weeks ago when I posted pictures (HERE) of my disastrous sewing room???  Well, talk about a good kick in the pants.  Since then, I've really been motivated to get my sewing room in working order.  If you follow me on Pinterest, you know I've been collecting pictures of different ways to organize and decorate my sewing room.  I've been so inspired by all of the wonderful ideas on Pinterest lately that I've just about finished a complete sewing room makeover and have decided to start a new series on my blog called, Tuesday Tips.  I'll be sharing some ideas that I've implemented into my new creative space that are sure to keep things cute, organized and efficient.  The best thing about Tuesday Tips is that I've asked other well-known bloggers and designers to share bits of their creative spaces with you too ~ right here on my blog!

So today, I want to be the first to share one little corner of my creative space.  Let me first tell you though, that during my makeover, I found inspiration from two places.  First, my color scheme was inspired by a piece of Moda fabric that I picked up about 6 months ago and second, my "statement piece" was inspired by this picture I found on Pinterest:

   [image found on weheartit.com]  Isn't she dreamy???

So first, I painted my walls "Peppermint Patty" by Ace Hardware.  Then I went on a hunt for a double wide dresser.  I was on a mission.  I had one hour to shop before my kids got home from school.  I first hit a couple of stores where they sell cute (painted) furniture with lots of character, but quickly realized that they would want about $300 dollars more than I had to spend.  So I cruised around the corner to a local thrift store instead.  There, I found it. 

She was a total piece of junk.  Some little kid really did a number on her. 

She was missing a piece of hardware

 and part of a leg.

It was nothing that a little sanding, wood glue and a few new knobs couldn't fix though.

This ugly duckling went from drab to fab for less than $50!

Here's the breakdown: 

$45 - dresser

$16 - four glass knobs

$30 - paint and rollers

$96 - total for new storage unit

I desperately needed some style and function in this room.  Now, there's a place for everything and everything in it's place!  Notice my inspiration fabric in my rose framed message board (I got the frame from the Good Will for $9.99!  I'm all about the deals baby!) 

So this is just one aspect of my new sewing room.  I love the form and function this piece offers.  I can beautifully display my scraps and threads on top, while storing away more fabric and tools inside.  This was definitely a much needed piece of furniture in this room!

I'll share some more photos from my sewing room makeover with you in the following weeks, but I do hope you'll come back next week for "Tuesday Tips" where Jodi from the blog, Pleasant Home will share with us a little piece of her creative space!  I can't wait to see it!!!