Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Gift Card Wallets

I have a new project to share with you!
I made these cute little gift card wallets earlier this year & they are now featured in a magazine.


Quilting Arts Gifts is a special issue of Quilting Arts Magazine & is on newsstands now.  It features more than 20 seasonal projects that would make terrific gifts including my gift card wallets.

A Gift Card Wallet is a great addition when giving someone a gift card.
You can fill one slot... or purchase a few small gift cards to places like iTunes & Starbucks and fill all the slots before giving it.
...and then the recipient can use it to keep all their gift cards organized & easy to find so that they don't forget to spend them!
...you can also use them to store business cards & store bonus cards.
 

They are easy & fast to make.


If you make one I'd love to see it!
{that goes for anything from my patterns and& are tutorials}

enjoy!



© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Monday, September 12, 2011

The truth

Hopefully I'll be back to regular blogging soon... for now here is an update.
Thanks for sticking with me. Really... thank you.


Moving is hard.
really really hard.

I'm not naive.  I knew this wasn't all fun and games.  At the same time there have been some days where it has taken all of my strength to remind myself that this will all be worth it.

Living in transit isn't easy... especially when you are a super organized person like I have become.  I wasn't always this way... I remember being a kid and my parents pleading with me to clean my room.... but somewhere along the way I changed.  I consider my label maker to be one of the best tools in my office.  {I'm not kidding.}

I'm currently functioning without my personal computer, my work computer, my sewing machine, my bed and 95% of my belongings.  On one hand I've discovered that I can survive like this... on the other I've realized how much I'm looking forward to simple small things.
1. Filing paperwork in the proper folder in my desk drawer.
2. Hopping in a shower and finding the right shampoo already there.
3. Having my sewing machine, cutting mat & iron all out at the same time and leaving them in my studio.
4. Internet, a bed, television, a fridge, a washer & dryer all in the same place.

--

There are a few things that have made things a bit easier.  The first is my eagle creek travel packs.  If you haven't seen these before... you need to.

here they are... so I'm only partially living out of a suitcase.

for example this one has my t-shirts.

they come in all kinds of sizes & colors...
and have made keeping my clothes organized while moving around a heck of a lot easier.

The second is my pillows. Yes these are my pillows... I've been putting these pillowcases on my pillows for a few years now when I travel so that my pillows never get mixed up at hotels.  Having my own pillows with me has slightly made up for the fact that I haven't slept in my own bed for over a month. 

I've been pretty strong throughout all of this.  But I may or may not have had a good cry in Target last night when purchasing the next item.  Standing there... explaining to my brother how I needed a place for paperwork... a place to file things instead of the messy piles in my backpack, laptop case etc...

I've passed this tote & similar versions of it... in the office isle at target for at least 5 years... wanting to buy it but not really needing it.  I'd pick it up and then hear my mom in the back of my head... "Is it a need or a want?" ...and each time I'd know it was only a want and that I really had no need or use for it.  But last night when I saw it... I picked it up and didn't think twice.  
I need it.
I needed to organized my paperwork.
I needed to create some sense of normal officeness for myself.
So I bought it... and some colored folders... and today I know where everything is.

Yes... a place to file paperwork and a trip to the container store is what it takes for me to feel a bit better.

--

On top of my life being upside down... I miss my blog & my quilting community.  I want to go to a quilt shop, find some fabric and sit down and sew to just sew.  I want to spend a lazy Saturday sewing away with Candi and Tricia.  I wish I could show you some fun photos of fabric... or a new quilt... but I have nothing to show.  I don't know when I will... and when I'll be back to blogging regularly.  Working without my computer... and without an Internet connection most of the time has been a challenge.

...but like I said this has all taught me that I can survive. Survive without my things... so far from my friends and my parents.  Having my brother so close has made things much easier... and knowing that in less than 50 days my parents will be here... and we will all be together makes the hard days a bit brighter.

Besides the freak power outage in all of San Diego on Thursday night last week... all is well.  The weather has been great... the sky has been blue... and there have been no hurricane warnings.



© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Happy Birthday Brad!


I'm in Cali but far from settled.... Thank you for your patience in the delay of getting to e-mail.
Cali is great.... moving isn't so much fun... but it'll all be worth it in the end!

--

Today is a BIG DAY!

Happy Birthday BRAD!!!


I'm SO SO SO excited to be able to celebrate your birthday IN PERSON with you today!! It's the first time since 1996 that I get to see you on your birthday... eek!!

I'm also excited to spend some more everyday moments with you.
....In addition to all the "event" moments.

Your wedding

Your wedding weekend

Disneyland

Our last time spending time together in our childhood home... small tear.

Hanging out at LAX

Happy Birthday to the most amazing brother ever.
I couldn't have asked for a better one :-)



© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/