30by30: 8.) Quilt Tags

I decided to make embroidered quilt tags for the quilts I've previously made.

30by30: 8.) Hawaiian inspired batik quilt throw

I took a three session beginning quilting class at a local quilting shop thanks to a GroupOn discount I purchased. Here is the finished product! I was so excited to learn so many new tips and techniques. This is definitely something you can't only learn from a book. I chose batik print because it reminded me of my husband and I's trip to Hawaii this year. I still need to hand-turn under the binding to finish it, but I plan on giving it to him as a birthday gift this year. What fun!

30by30: 18.) Blue inspiration flower arrangement

30by30: 8.) Sewed my own kobukusa

A kobukusa is a ceremonial cloth that is used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony to hand people warm tea. It is always carried in a hostess and guests fukusa basami and is generally one of the many fabric motifs that are famous in Japan. Today, one of my sempai Kate showed me and other students how to create these clothes. Kate provided practice fabric in this soft green with a beautiful chrysanthemum motif on it. Though only appropriate to use in the miziya, this cloth will be folded in half and tucked away for future use.

30by30: 18.) Flower arrangement

The canvas behind the arrangement was taken by my husband Kevin.

30by30: 26.) Repair, furnish and decorate backroom, update

Kevin's friend finally got around to installing the round window overlooking the Japanese Garden space. It looks so much better from the original window.

Before - October 2011

After - August 2012

30by30: 2.) Lasagna :)

My parents used to make lasagna from scratch all the time and I decided I would try my hand at it. This is from the original Joy of Cooking book. I subbed 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 sweet Italian sausage instead of including any veal.

30by30: 27.) Learn how to play 30 songs on 30 instruments of my choice, clarification

I felt that I needed to clarify something on the musical inspired #27 of my 30 by 30 checklist. When I wrote this, I had originally planned on learning 30 songs on my favorite instruments and then playing them flawlessly. But after much self-reflection I realized that was not what this goal symbolized for me.

In essence, what I want to do is play a song so passionately, with so much emotion that it jars an emotional response from me. Whether that be a serene feeling (thus the picture of the beach), a sad feeling (where I begin to cry as I play) or a feeling of such happiness and joy that I smile and laugh as I play. When I have my head in the piano, this comes very naturally for me. That instrument feels like it was made for my body. I just let my brain go and play. I was trained to play flute for several years and I struggle more on that then my piano. I usually don't tie myself too much to the music, as I do for what playing the music correctly gives me. I'm not a stickler for perfection in this part of my life, it seems. This is surprising to me. I also hope to learn a few folk songs on mom's guitar so I can see if it is mindlessly beautiful like the piano for me, or if it's more like the flute where I have to think and concentrate the whole time.

I hope I was able to clarify this one. Remember, it's not in the flawless execution of a piece but rather it's creating that emotional response from myself. Where I move myself so completely that the piece becomes part of my body and I forget myself.

30by30: 22.) Finish mom's Jungle Quilt and Duck Embroidery - ALTERNATIVE COMPLETED

Before the quilting

I randomly found the following cross-stitched squares in mom's stash of embroidery items. I liked them so much, that I decided to turn them into a quilt. Though my original 30 by 30 goal was to complete mom's Jungle Quilt and her Duck Embroidery, the point of this one was to complete a sewing project that mom had started and never completed. Though I can't be 100% sure that mom had intended for these pieces to be turned into a quilt, I believe that she would be satisfied by the result. The backing has a tree ring print that matches the tan of the cover. The front really reminds me of mom's sense of design and the back is a fun and flamboyant print, which is totally me. I think it's a good combination of both mother and daughter in this quilt. In a twist, the cross-stich squares still have the hand-quilting dots on them, so I plan to hand-quilt it myself. Eek! Never done that before. :) I'm glad I was able to give these squares a new life versus them just sitting in a bag somewhere, hidden away and forgotten because they are really quite lovely. It will make me think of mom every time I look at it. I will make sure to note all those important notes on the quilt tag also.

Completed quilt, after hand-quilting and binding