Our living room is my favorite part of the house, and I’ve been making a few new projects for it lately. Pearl and I had a terrarium-fest on the picnic table the other week and whipped up seven new terrariums (me – 5, her – 2, and I have to say hers are really awesome) so I wanted to come up with a new place for them all. I had a group of them on the dining room table for awhile, but then I moved them to the fireplace mantel in front of the big mirror there, and that seemed like the spot they really deserved.

We mixed in some plants in pots, little dishes of pebbles and shells, and three vintage deer that usually go on my Christmas mantel, and I love how they all hang out together. Pearl is also a fan, and I feel like it really brings the room something new and simple but beautiful (to me, anyway). There are five more terrariums we made, two big ones and three tiny ones, in the kitchen too. I’ve never been that good with houseplants but I love succulents and moss, and making little worlds inside glass is pretty much the best thing ever. Also, my vegetable garden is right out the window, so it’s kind of a nice feeling to look over and see everything growing there too.

I’ve also been on a mission to make some new pillows for our favorite couch, a 60s office sofa we found at Hawthorne Vintage that looks like it came straight out of Don Draper’s reception area. So I started playing around with a symmetrical cross pattern pieced from two super-soft Pendleton wool flannels. I tried a huge-scale cross that dominated the front from edge to edge, and one that was more tightly pieced (which broke up the plaid too much, I think), but then I settled on this simple framed cross version that really appeals to me. I love efficient patterns that don’t take up too much fabric but pack a visual punch (probably why I adore Log Cabin quilting so much), and I like the contrast of the bright plaid with the softer background.

The back is a piece of the striking Pendleton San Miguel blanket fabric (which I love too, and keep flipping around to the front so it shows). I think they really harmonize together. So, I’m really excited that I’ll be teaching this Cross Pillow class at The Woolen Mill Store, Saturday, August 20 from 12-2. The class is $45 and includes all the materials to make your own pillow – a 16″ pillow form, zipper, and three wool fabrics (there’s also another colorway for the front you can choose, a softer light brown and blue plaid with a cream background). Just bring a sewing machine with an invisible zipper foot, or rent one of theirs, and you’ll leave with a pillow for your couch that afternoon!

Speaking of classes, I also wanted to mention that PNCA has generously offered one $50 gift certificate for a blog reader to be used towards my Log Cabin Quilting class (July 16 + 17 from 10-4, regularly $195 before the discount). If you are free next weekend, and want to treat yourself to two days of piecing, quilting and designing, I’d really love to have you in the class. The first person to comment or email me will get the code which can be used for registration on the phone or online (I’m also posting this on my Facebook page). Thanks so much to everyone else who has signed up already, I think it will be really fun!

See you when I get back from Sisters…