Oooooooo I’m super excited to share with you my journey through creating with Amanda Herring’s new fabric line, Desert Bloom! What a thrill it is to be part of her blog tour. Go HERE to see all of the other posts that highlight this fabulous fabric.

Here she is, my gorgeous friend, Amanda at her sweet booth at spring quilt market.

{pic credit: from @amandaherringdesigns on IG!}

After seeing Amanda’s booth and her giant sized Delicate Arch made from her fabrics, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the landscape in Utah. Cora and I traveled home from market in SLC and visited a bunch of landmarks including Amanda’s favorite national park, Zion. There, we hiked a short hike (about a half mile one way) to this spot called Canyon Overlook Point:

On the hike, we saw blooms that inspired Amanda’s fabric line, the cactus bloom:

And it was this picture that inspired my mini quilt!

I asked Cora to write out “Let’s go on an adventure” for me to embroider…and here is the result:

Several things I love about this quilt…

Of course, the fabrics…I love the birdies and the text print. And I made the hexies with the blooms off just a little bit to show them off!

The cactus embroidery…and the flower…and…

…all of the embroidery! (Check out Cora’s lettering adventures on her page here) I also used Aurifil 40wt ice blue thread to meander above the mountain embroidery. The contrast is subtle, but I love it! But really, the buttons and lace make it for me. They really sweeten up this little cutie. Don’t be afraid to embellish your minis!

So, I thought for this blog post, I would shake things up a little bit. We are still traveling across the South, and because of that, Let’s Go on an Adventure!!!!

Here’s the quilt (with Mom) at Belmont University in Nashville. (My son’s new home starting in August!)

And in downtown Nashville! It’s liking it’s adventure (as am I!!).

Then on the road back to Texas (we should be home tonight!), we thought we’d give the mini a chance to honor all of the Armed Forces like Tennessee does on the Blue Highway!

You can’t really drive through Memphis without seeing Elvis…

So the mini got to see Graceland!!! (It was my first time, too!!)

Here’s a quick pic of it on Elvis’s wall around his house. I think Elvis has left the building…

This sweet little mini has had a great trip, stays rolled up well, has driven through three states, been through college orientation, and inspires me to remember to have adventures all the time.

Stay tuned for the pattern which will be posted on Tuesday for my Tuesday Tutorial. It’s a pretty fast sew and an even sweeter inspirational piece.

As we go through this new ‘college out-of-state’ adventure, I’m reminded that we all need adventure in our lives. Even if that adventure means using buttons or lace or doing an hour glass block differently than someone else! Thank you for joining me on this adventure. Stick with me here through all of my adventures on the site.  It’s super fun…for sure!!

Don’t forget to check out all of Amanda’s other blog hop stops!

Blessings!