Here's a quilt. A fun quilt. A rainbow quilt. I started making this one to go on my daughter's bed over a year ago. It was supposed to be part of the Rainbow Birthday, but things got away from me and I didn't get it finished in time. So I put it on hold for a while but then pulled it back out and got it done. And wouldn't you know - on the day I finished the top I had a brilliant stroke of genius that made this quilt...unnecessary? Extra? Superfluous? What I am trying to say is that I had a better idea for a very similar quilt that I just had to make for my daughter instead. So although I had finished the top, I knew this quilt would not be living on her bed. And it's totally OK because the other idea is WAY better. You'll see. Eventually...

So bright, fun, random loops seemed like a good idea at the time. And looking at it now, it's sort of a nod to the fact that I can't quilt uniform loops (hehehe). I was really trying to make a different design work...but I just couldn't wait long enough for the right inspiration to strike 'cause I was on a birthday deadline. So I just whipped this design out lickety-split. I got out my bamboo tablet and pen and started doodling! Soooo much fun! Of course I used inkscape to design this. Should I just stop saying that and we'll all assume that every quilt I make is designed in inkscape unless otherwise noted? Hmmm...that would be a good idea...except those new to the blog are going to be so confused. OK. I'll just keep saying it. I love inkscape! :)

What I didn't love were the 50+ pages of loop sections I had to print out and tape together so I could trace each row of loops onto fusible web. Oh, the sacrifices I make for quilting. :) Anyway, once I had all the loops traced on the fusible web, I ironed them to the fabric and cut them out. After all that was done, I laid the loops on the white background fabric, positioned them and ironed them on. At one point while doing this I found a baby bark scorpion (and when I say baby, I mean the size of my pinky fingernail) crawling amongst the loops. Yikes. Luckily, no one was killed. Oh, except for the scorpion. I made my husband catch and dispose of it because those little buggers give me the heebie-jeebies! And once all the scorpion drama was over, I stitched all around the edges of the loops with a blanket stitch in matching thread. :)

For the quilting, I decided to do straight lines in the background. I contemplated stitching right over the top of the loops but I knew it would make the loops pop more if I left them un-quilted, so it would be worth it in the end! I had to keep reminding myself of that fact because of course this took FOR-EV-ER since I had to stop and start every time I hit a loop. Quilting like this is so simple and repetitive though... I can totally watch/listen to tv shows while I do it...so this quilt will forever remind me of Veronica Mars...love love love that show!

I bound this in white and backed it with bright pink minky as requested by my daughter. This quilt will most likely end up at a raffle. It's rare that I make a quilt with no purpose in mind, or that doesn't somehow get given away shortly after its creation. But when I do...raffles eventually happen to them. I briefly considered selling it, but it is kind of a weird size...I made it specifically to fit on my daughter's captain's bed without covering the drawers so it is not a twin size -  it's more like 55" x 82". 

My cute friend Christine went with me to take some quilt pictures at this sweet building in downtown Las Vegas 2 days before I moved. Nothing like an impromptu quilt picture adventure when you should be packing and cleaning! :) Yeah, the quilt is so small you can hardly see it...but this building is so cool...I couldn't resist! So fun! 

And this is totally not a home decorating blog so this is kind of random, but I just decorated my mantel a couple days ago and I love it so much I had to post some pictures! 

My mother-in-law was in town for a few days and we shopped like crazy...you know the kind...where you scope it all out the first day and make a big list. Then you go back the next day and buy one or two of everything, bring it all home...arrange it on the mantel...rearrange it...rearrange it again...then take most of it back. Then you buy more stuff, take it home and tweak it all 'til you like it. So so fun! And I'm sure the mantel decorating experts will have a thing or two to say about visual weight and grouping and all that stuff but I so don't care...it is amazing in person and so fun to look at! 

The straight on picture doesn't show the depth very well so here is another shot. I got most of the stuff from Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx and Ross. And let's just say my husband was not on board with this little venture...luckily I had his mom in my corner! He vetoed lots of the stuff we brought home the first time and hated the color of green...but now that it's all done, his protests have ceased...I think he secretly likes it. :) Yay for decorating! Now all I need is a matching throw quilt to drape over the back of the couch... 

Oh...and I almost forgot...this is my Blogger's Quilt Festival entry! :)