Bold. Brilliant. Beautiful. YOU.

Have you ever done something so out of the box, so out of your comfort zone that it makes you a little ill? Or makes you feel so many emotions at once you could burst? I just entered my Fuck you, Lymphoma quilt into a quilt exhibition and that is how I feel right about now. The Voices in my head wanted me to just think about it for a while, but the application deadline is this Friday and I know those Voices are just trying to psyche me out. So I did it. It isn't the rejection that scares me, but what happens if my quilt is selected. I'll have to go to an event. I'll have to stand next to my quilt. I'll have to talk about it and accept compliments without curling up in a ball or walking away like an odd little weirdo.


This is part of my plan for 2014. I've joined a fabulous group of people online who are taking part in a new project. We're taking the pledge to be more Bold. More Brilliant. More Beautiful. More YOU.

What does this all mean? I don't know. You tell me. It means something different to each and every one of us. Every one has something that makes them feel awkward or overly emotional. That thing that makes us feel like we are standing naked in front of the world.

We're taking that thing and we're facing it head on. We're setting out to conquer those things and to help each other out in order to achieve those goals. Because when we help each other we establish trust and we start a grow a community. We can look around us and feel safe. And free. Free to just be ourselves. Once we can feel free to be ourselves then we can truly SHINE.

So I'd like you to join me. Join us in our plan be more Bold. Brilliant. Beautiful. You. It's not going to happen in one day, one week, one month. But you can do it. We'll do it together.
Here's what I am working on:

Bold.
I recently watched this video of Amy Pohler talking about taking risks and having courage. One of the things she said was this: "Great people do things before they are ready. They do things before they know they can do it." That has really resonated with me. So for 2014 I'm pinching my nose and jumping in to the deep end of the pool, friends. Entering my Fuck you quilt into an exhibition is an example. I've never done this before. I don't know if my quilt is good enough, but damn it, I'm doing it.

I'm also taken what I feel like is a huge risk and started a new company with some trusted, talented friends. We're really going out one a limb here in bringing something new and bold and unique to the indie pattern business. It's called Perfect Pattern Parcel. I invite you to start following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Expect to hear much much more about this in the future. You're going to like this. A lot. (I may poop my pants.)

Brilliant.
When I think of brilliance, I think of stars, diamonds, shining, and light. It's my goal for 2014 to become more involved in the sewing community both online and off. There are so many of us out here and I can't help but feel we're like buoys bobbing in the ocean. Now is the time to swim! Not only do I want to reach out a hand to those who want to learn to swim, I want to orchestrate an entire synchronized swimming ballet.

Beautiful.
A good portion of you are mothers, and a good portion of you are past your twenties. Finding yourself and truly feeling beautiful at this point is not easy. I think a lot of us think of ourselves as the older, lumpier versions of our formerly beautiful selves. It's not fair and it's not true. It's my goal to stop comparing myself to some one else's definition of beautiful. I spent my childhood wishing I had curly blond hair. My hair is brown and as straight as it comes! It is just ridiculous. Plain stupid.

In 2014 I'm going to work on being beautiful in my own skin as a thirty something wife, mother, student, maker, blogger. I'm not letting anyone else tell me what is beautiful. I say what is beautiful. While I'm on the subject, I've always thought tattoos were beautiful. And tattooed ladies. Anytime you overhear discussions about tattoos and women, you hear things like this: "But what will you look like on your wedding day/in a strapless dress?" Or: "What will you look like when you're 70?" I tell you what I'm going to look like. A seventy year old beautiful women with tattoos all over her. I've decided life is too short, and while I have not completely lost my mind, I'm expanding my tattoo collections. I'm expanding my canvas onto body parts that are more visible. Why buy art to hide it in the closet?

Feast your eyes on my latest artwork! I'm so thrilled with it. It was designed by Little Jenn Small of Charlotte, NC last weekend at the DC Tattoo Convention. I was so pleased to collaborate with and support another female maker in her art. Plus, it's totally rad!

Fake it 'til you become it:
I watched an amazing TED talk last week by Amy Cuddy. Everyone needs to watch it. I don't care how much laundry is waiting for you. No laundress ever conquered the world. Watch it. Now. It is twenty-one minutes of awesome. She will change your life forever. I want you to go watch that video today. That is your Bold.Brilliant.Beautiful.YOU homework assignment. And after you watch it, I want you to start practicing your power posing. You're going to feel like a dork at first, but it works. I'll be doing it, too. Together we're going to fake it 'til you become it.

Want some extra support? Join the Bold. Brilliant. Beautiful. YOU. group on Facebook. It is a closed group so we can chat among ourselves without fear. I'd love to see you there. I want to see your power posing pictures, too! Use Instagram and tag them #boldbrilliantbeautiful & #powerposing. You'll feel so strong and awesome.

Together we're going to kick some major ass.

Bold. Brilliant. Beautiful. YOU.

Moxie Mondays are here!

I am so excited to announce that I am starting a new weekly event called Moxie Mondays! Moxie Mondays are a fun 24 hours of awesome flash giveaways on Instagram. It's easy to enter and you get to meet a new community of friends to add some creativity and spice to your Instagram feed. Plus, hello, the chance to win handmade prizes, crafting supplies and gift certificates. You don't need a blog to play, just Instagram on your phone!

Here's how to play:

1. Follow this week's hosts on Instagram:
@monkeypie
@bailjane
@casakelley
@thatmoxiegirl

2. Leave a comment on each host's giveaway image. (Tag a friend for an extra entry!)

3. Repost this week's Moxie Monday graphic on your Instagram with the hastag #moxiemondays and tag @thatmoxiegirl to enter the Mystery Moxie Giveaway.

On Tuesday morning, your hosts will randomly select winners and tag them in a comment.

It's that easy. Mondays just got so much more awesome, no?


Interested in cohosting a Moxie Monday? Shoot an email to Jill at thatmoxiegirl@gmail.com

Take *that* Mondays!

My Meridian Cardi Hoodie

Every once in a while the stars align and magic happens.


A few days after Christmas we went to the Natural History Smithsonian with my brother and his family. While wondering about the dinosaurs my eye was drawn to a woman wearing a brightly colored Southwestern pattern cardigan. I probably stared at her a bit too long like a nutter, but I really liked the look of her sweater and found it especially odd because I normally dislike Southwestern patterns. In any case, she was lost into the crowds within a few seconds and my attention turned else where.

I was perusing my Instagram feed later that week when I wasn't sleeping well and lo, and behold, there was that sweater again! Thanks to the commenters I found it online at LuLus.com. When I showed it to my husband he thought I had lost my mind. A) He thought it was ugly, and B) he was surprised I was in love with it. To be honest, I was still surprised I was in love with it, but who am I to argue with love at first sight?

I continued contemplating dropping fifty dollars on the "ugly" sweater until the fateful day arrived. I had spent the afternoon taping together my copy of the Meridian {for women} cardi pattern. As I was browsing through my knit fabrics for inspiration, lightening struck! There, on buried under newer fabrics, was the most fabulous Southwestern patterned fabric that I had bought as part of a Girl Charlee Bargain Lot. Not only was it the same bright rusts and teals, but the most perfect aqua thermal knit was stacked right with it.

Fast forward a few hours of sewing (with kids) and I present to you my Meridian:


I made some very slight edits to the pattern for style sake only. I squared out the top corners of the Meridian to mimic the original cardi that I loved. I cut my thermal sleeve lining a few inches longer so I could roll them up for contrast. I drafted a quick hood because I love hoodies. To add a hood, assemble the hood and lining, sew them together along the font face seam, turn them right sides facing and pin it in place before you do the final sewing around the outside edge of your Meridian.


The Meridian cardi for women is a great pattern to use if you are new to knits, or a pro. While it does require a good amount of fabric yardage, it is yardage well used. Who doesn't like to be swaddled in soft and lovely knits? The pattern fits well and make a garment that is quite versatile. Throw it on over jeans and a tshirt. Wear it to dress up a basic shift dress for work. You could shorten it up to just under the bust for an adorable shrug, too. Make a basic black one and wear it with just about everything. I'm thinking my next Meridian will be unlined with sweatshirt knit.



I am completely in love with my Meridian. I may wear it often, and by often I mean almost every day. I really need to get going on a second one so I can wash this one. Ha!

How would you make your Meridian?

Now through the end of the month, you can get 20% off all imagine gnats patterns using the code "januarytour". Rachael has also graciously offered to giveaway one imagine gnats PDF pattern of the winner's choice. Make sure you enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. And, as always, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.


a Rafflecopter giveaway