Modern Magnolia Refreshed

Modern Magnolia Studios underwent a lot of changes these past few years.  In my personal life, I went from the craze of single parenthood, to dating, engaged, getting married, and adding a third bundle of love to our now family of 5!  It's no less crazy but I am slowly finding a new routine. 

With my newest addition turning 5 months old, I've decided that with my recent step back in hours at the hospital (I went PRN shortly after returning from maternity leave), it's time I find my sew-jo again and reboot Modern Magnolia.  My studio also changed locations within the house to make room for the extra bundle of joy and now has more space that ever before!

This week, my husband helped me start a project to help make my quilting a little more user-friendly and organized and I'm so excited to show it to you later this weekend.  I'm hoping to steal a few of his precious hours tomorrow before he goes to bed since I'm short and could use the extra hand!  Once we get it up, I'll be posting the reveal for you!

I'm excited to invest in myself, my dreams, and my family all while doing something I really enjoy which is quilting and sewing.  

  

1 Year Wedding Anniversary

Today is our first wedding anniversary!  Although we are unable to celebrate it today or even this week due to our work schedules, it doesn't make it any less exciting. Today marks one year full of love, happiness, growth, and friendship since we said our vows!  

I hope everyone has the chance to marry their best friend.  

Happy Anniversary to my handsome husband! Here's to many, many more years together!

Adventure Begins Pillow

Wedding season truly never ends as love is always in the air.  Here is my newest pillowcase for a completely custom and personalized wedding gift:

Matching the brides living room décor or wedding colors and adding the couples names and special date make these one-of-a-kind.

Link to purchase from my Etsy here. 

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2017! 

I don't know about you but I was ready to kiss 2016 good bye.  It was not my greatest year by any means but they say "the best is yet to come" and I am truly trying to find faith in that saying!

I have so much brewing in my mind for this year and am hoping to make it even more successful than 2016, which overall was not bad for my little Modern Magnolia in-home studio.  Huge thank you to all my customers who have helped keep pushing me along.  I will try much harder to stay on top of sharing pictures and posts and having more of an internet profile than before.  I'm very excited about a couple items on my craft table this very moment.

I have a short list of WIPs to complete before I can truly focus on brand new items for 2017 but I will use them as practice to share on here and keep posting regularly.

Here are two custom T shirt quilts that were finished summer of 2016:

 My customer had a very specific idea to break her shirts in half and do one as a "traveling quilt" featuring shirts from her many adventures:

The second quilt for "Life Events" such as school and places/events near and dear to her.  She also had very detailed instructions for a custom block that features what remained of a long lost best friends shirt so she could immortalize her in some way, that specific shirt being the "12" in the center.

This was a fun challenge to make them all fit and stay cohesive and I'm always so honored to help preserve precious memories for others.

I am currently not accepting any custom quilt orders at this time.  As I make room for more custom work, I will be sure to announce that here.  Currently it appears it will be March 2017 before I will have any openings.  If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out through email (ModernMagnoliaStudio@hotmail.com) or my Etsy shop.

Wishing you a happy new year,

Hannah

#DisneyQuiltSwap2016

I participated in the IG #DisneyQuiltSwap again this year.  I always have so much fun creating something Disney just for my partner.  This year I had the host herself as my partner so I was fairly intimidated but I did enjoy making an Alice in Wonderland themed mini for her!  I love Alice and it reminds me of one of my longest and dearest friends in it. 

There were so many elements and inspirations for this quilt as it all slowly came together.  I saw an image somewhere on the internet with the tree branches looming overhead and loved it.  My partner said "the darker, the better" so I headed towards the gloomy trees.  I placed Alice in and knew it needed more.  Then came the Queen of Hearts Castle, followed by the tea cups and keys in the trees... yet it felt empty and needed more... then I added the topiaries, as "Painting the roses red" is one of my favorite parts in the movie.  This just kept evolving and being added to until I had it completed.

First, I drew out the branches on fusible web, cut out the branches and applied them across the top.   

I drew my grass and hill out on fusible web, and after getting them cut out out, I laid them out how I wanted on the mini, marked where I wanted the castle, and then machine embroidered the castle in place.  Once it was finished, I carefully replaced my hill and grass, ironed them in place, and sewed along the edges to keep them down.

I pieced Alice completely separate.  She is appliqued onto a piece of linen and then I used fusible web to add her.    I stitched her down along the edges after ironing her in place. She was actually the VERY FIRST piece I made for this mini, but unfortunately, I needed the background before I could actually put her in.

Then I knew it needed more.  I ran to the craft store and bought a bunch of key charms, the beads and leaf charms spoke to me while there, and as a side note, I figured I'd grab the red ribbon roses... initially I considered putting them in the branches.

 I used some vintage floral scraps I had in my closet to create the china, again, simple fusible web, iron down, stitch around edges. In hindsight, I wish I'd thought to do a thicker edging in a coordinating color to make them stand out more and give more definition. I hand sewed the keys, beads and leaves in place, trying to evenly distribute everything.

Last but not least, for the big empty spaces on the sides, I added in the topiaries. I was so glad I decided to go ahead and buy the ribbon roses, as they worked perfectly. 

My partner seemed thrilled to receive this mini along with her Alice and sewing themed goodies.

See more from this years swap on IG, using hashtag #DisneyQuiltSwap.

What is your favorite Disney movie?

Anne of Green Gables

As promised, I'm slowly backtracking through tons of older photos and editing finished project photos to share. 

Here is the Anne of Green Gable's inspired doll I made for my son's best friend's 6th birthday:

I used a DADD pattern and was surprised at how easy she was to make.  She was made mostly on the embroidery machine, in the hoop.  Of course I used red felt for her hair and loved this lace my friend and I found at an estate sale last year, so I had to incorporate it somehow.  The body went together smoothly and I am so glad I decided to fight with the lace and make it go down her bodice.

The skirt was easy, peasy.  I added the lace along the hem, nothing fancy. 

And since the birthday girl is a fan of Anne and loves to read, I was sure to get her the entire collection.  I LOVED the Anne books growing up.  I have them all around here somewhere... I cannot wait for my Little Critter to get a bit bigger, as we will surely read these stories together before bedtime. Meanwhile, our younger book collection will suffice just fine.

Did you have a favorite book/character growing up?

First Day of School

Hello All,

Its the first day of school here and my handsome Man Cub has started school!  He was very nervous this morning but made it to his classroom in one piece.  Hopefully once his day gets started he will be able to calm down.  Don't you remember those first day jitters?  Do they ever really go away?  Starting a new job or phase in life is just as nerve-racking.

Meanwhile, I FINALLY sat down and uploaded the thousand or so pics off my camera to sort, edit and post for you.  I am turning over a new leaf these days and staying on top of photography is part of it.   New goals for documenting, sharing, and scrapbooking are in order.  I also added a camera to my Christmas list (I'm technically borrowing the one I'm using since mine kicked the bucket last year).  Maybe Santa will consider me as nice and bring me one!

Although I haven't gotten everything ready to share right this moment, I will leave you with this handsome guy :)

Have a great week!