This summer is almost half over, but it has already been beautiful and rich with tiny joys. (Minus the lost of our sweet doggie Skully to old age and a horrible flu/cold/hacking cough I just can't shake.) But let me focus on the many positives.

How is your summer going? Are you enjoying heavenly weather where you are as we are here in Boise? Any fun summer projects you've accomplished? Let me know in the comments below!

I'm so excited to show you my very first quilt. I have been wanting to try my hand at quilting for years. And I have also been looking for projects to showcase my vintage sheets collection, so this was the way to go.

I started by selecting 12 of my favorite fat quarters of the vintage fabric (I used to sell fat quarters of vintage sheets, so I have a box full of ready cut fat quarters), and arranging them in sort of rainbow order. I ended up cutting the fat quarters into quarters, and then constructing (what I later discovered is called) a modified disappearing 9 patch sort of arrangement.

The top came together in one afternoon. Then it was time for the quilting. I happen to have a hand quilting hoop frame that has been collecting dust in the back of my closet for years since my mom gave it to me, so I thought I'd try my hand at hand quilting. After my fingers developed slight calluses, I enjoyed it very much!

Then I added the binding, which was probably my favorite step.

Voila! Done in about a week and a half!

It's throw blanket sized, at 60" x 68".

I had so much fun making it that I've already started on a queen sized one for our bed!

I recently got the most fun order from a fellow who wanted to order some Jane Austen Art Dolls for his wife for their wedding anniversary. Their favorite Jane Austen book/movie is Persuasion, the 1995 version with Amanda Root as Anne Elliot and Ciaran Hinds as Captain Fredrick Wentworth. This is my favorite version, too! It is always really fun to work with people who have the same level of enthusiasm that I do for a particular subject.

I've made Jane Austen lady character dolls before, but not a Regency era gentleman, so I was a little nervous. But I had done an Edgar Allan Poe doll before, and I knew that would be a good starting point.

When I told my sister about the order (she is a huge Jane Austen fan as well), she insisted that I make Captain Wentworth's cool hat. I knew I had to attempt it, but I wasn't quite sure how to pull it off. But after a great success with the jacket, I had the confidence I needed to try my hand at millinery once more. I was pleased with the results.

Here are some in-progress shots of the process.

I used a vintage hankie for Anne's shawl. Also some of the trim I used for Wentworth's coat was antique trim that I bought at an estate sale.

Thanks for taking a look! What favorite book or movie character would you love to receive in doll form as a special gift?

This time of year is so pretty in my backyard. I can't help snapping several pictures a day. Here are some of the latest and best.

This morning I was enjoying the pretty slant of light in my yard, and decided to get my iPhone macro lens out (made by Photojojo), and capture some of that light on the spring blossoms emerging all over my yard. Here are a few of the results .

And here is a bonus photo of my little guy before his spring school concert last night.So handsome!