And the Winner Is...

It was so much fun to read your comments on the Crafted Applique blog hop and giveaway post!  The Crafted Applique method seems to have generated "New Possibilities" in the minds of many of you already!

Today is the day to pick the winner of the book so graciously provided by Lara Buccella for this giveaway.  I asked my husband, with his eyes closed, to draw one comment from the pile on the kitchen table (talk about low tech!).

And the winner is...BARBARA WOODS!

Congratulations, Barbara!  Your book will be sent to you directly by Lara, so look forward to that! 

Once again, thank you all so much for visiting and taking the time to comment.  There are a couple other giveaways still happening, including Lara's own for an adorably appliqued Zippy Seahorse Bag she created!  You can find all the details at BuzzinBumble.

Crafted Applique Blog Hop and Giveaway

Hello all!  I'm excited to be part of the blog hop today for Lara Buccella's new book, "Crafted Applique...New Possibilities."

Lara blogs at BuzzinBumble, and we met via the comments section of our blogs a couple years ago and became friends. She is a genuinely sweet, kind person, and I was honored when she asked me if I would review her book and be part of her book tour blog hop.  

I'm also happy to be able to give away a copy of the Crafted Applique book to one lucky person, so keep reading and leave a comment below for your chance to win!

Applique is something with which I have some experience on a small scale— mostly wall hangings and such—with mixed results.  I've done a bit of needle-turn applique and a few projects using fusibles.  I got a little fed up with fusibles at one point and tried some raw edge applique by just pinning things in place and edge-stitching.  A bit tricky, as you might imagine, and I dread it fraying or coming apart in the wash.  So I was really interested in learning about a new and different technique in Crafted Applique.  

Makes fabric fusible yet flexible?  Non-fraying even after washing, and won't gum up your needle?  Okay, I'm in!

There are some absolutely gorgeous projects in Lara's book.  The one featured on the book cover is my favorite!  The really cool thing is that once you know how it's done, the sky's the limit, and I predict you'll be off and running with your own ideas in no time!  Gotta love a book that not only has wonderful step-by-step instructions and projects but inspires and enables you to create your own right off the bat.

Let's try some simple shapes, for starters, I thought.  I'm often inspired by nature, and this year we've got an interesting thing happening in our backyard—some crows have decided to nest in the tall ash tree next to the deck.  They've been fascinating to watch!  I say "they" because crows are very social and cooperative birds, and taking care of the nest, and the crow mama sitting on it, is a family affair.

So with our resident crows in mind, I found a silhouette to use as a pattern for this mini-quilt, which finished at 10.5 inches square.

I love how it turned out!  It was very easy to prep the fabric, cut out the shape, adhere, edge-stitch, and quilt.  And it's reassuring to know that the sharp details of the feathers and beak won't fray.
 

For my next project, staying with the simple shapes theme, I thought about the effigy mounds that populate the landscape here in southern Wisconsin. Effigy mounds are large raised piles of earth stylized in the shapes of animals, symbols, or other figures.  

The mounds in this area were constructed by an ancient Native American culture known as the Late Woodland, or Effigy Mound Builders, between 800 AD and 1200 AD, likely the pre-Columbian ancestors of the Ho-Chunk Nation.
  

"It is believed that most effigy mounds fall into three classes corresponding to the three natural realms - air, earth and water. The cosmology of many Midwest Native American tribes consider these realms in terms of the upper world (air) and lower world (earth and water). Some of the prominent shapes in this particular grouping include turtles, panthers, canines, buffalo (bear), deer and birds. Long-tailed effigies, such as turtle and panther mounds are believed to be representations of powerful (lower world) water spirit-beings. Often times they are oriented toward a spring or water source."  (Source) 

Represented in my wall hanging is a bird effigy, top left, and then clockwise from there is a fox effigy, turtle effigy, and buffalo effigy.  The wall hanging measures 25.5 inches square.

I quilted this piece in a multicolored thread in a spiral pattern, leaving the appliqued shapes unquilted (thus more mound-like).

Of course in real life, effigy mounds are not as easy to see as a bright batik fabric.  You could walk by or around or over them and not notice unless it was pointed out.  In fact, the back of the piece more accurately represents how they tend to blend into the landscape. Thankfully, many effigy mounds or mound groupings have been preserved and marked, although innumerable sites were destroyed in the early days of agriculture and housing and industrial development.  

I've really enjoyed reading and working with "Crafted Applique: New Possibilities" as a guide and inspiration.  I can't wait to see what YOU will do! 

* * * * Giveaway! * * * *

What might you want to do for your next applique project?  What have you enjoyed or been challenged by in your experiences with applique?

Leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win a copy of the book, "Crafted Applique...New Possibilities"!   I will draw a winner from the comments on Monday, June 6, at noon Central Time.  Please be sure you are not a no-reply blogger, or leave your email address in your comment if you're not sure, so I can contact you if you win!

Thanks for visiting - and good luck!

And please explore any or all of the blog hop stops to see the way others have been inspired by Crafted Applique.  Here's the schedule:

Crafted Appliqué: New Possibilities Blog Hop - May 1st to June 5th

Sunday, May 1 - Introduce the Hop and post the schedule on BuzzinBumble
Monday, May 2 - Valerie Smith - Pumpkin Patch Quilter
Tuesday, May 3 - Dana Gaffney - Stormy Days
Wednesday, May 4 - Lorna McMahon - Sew Fresh Quilts 
Thursday, May 5 - Mary S. - Needled Mom
Friday, May 6 - Heidi Kuntz - Red Letter Quilts
Saturday, May 7 - Alycia Carmin - Alycia Quilts
Sunday, May 8 - Amy DeCesare - Amy Made That
Monday, May 9 - Sherri McConnell - A Quilting Life
Tuesday, May 10 - Lara Buccella - Sew Mama Sew 

Wednesday, May 11 - Christina Cameli - A Few Scraps
Thursday, May 12 - Melissa Corry -  Happy Quilting
Friday, May 13 - Sarah Craig - Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Saturday, May 14 - Soma Acharya - Whims and Fancies 
Sunday, May 15 - Val Reynolds -  Val's Quilting Studio

Monday, May 16 - Angela Pingel - Cut to Pieces

Tuesday, May 17 - Sandra Walker - Musings of a Menopausal Melon
Wednesday, May 18 - Cheryl Brickey - Meadow Mist Designs
Thursday, May 19 - Judy Murphy - Quilt Paradigm
Friday, May 20 - Yvonne Fuchs - Quilting Jetgirl
Saturday, May 21 - Cindy Pieters - Stitchin' at Home
Sunday, May 22 - Susie Zlogar - Susie's Sunroom
Monday, May 23 - Connie Kresin-Campbell - Freemotion by the River
Tuesday, May 24 - Ruth Bourke - Charly & Ben's Crafty Corner
Wednesday, May 25 - Kaja Zieslar - Sew Slowly
Thursday, May 26 - Ann Brooks - Fret Not Yourself
Friday, May 27 - Cynthia Brunz - Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Saturday, May 28 - Monday, May 30 ... Memorial Day Weekend in the U.S.
Tuesday, May 31 - Jenn Trott-Zisserson - Quarter Inch From the Edge
Wednesday, June 1 - Paulette Horn - The Way I Sew It
Thursday, June 2 - Sandra Jansen - Studio Sew of Course
Friday, June 3 - Christine Sherman - Triangles and Squares
Saturday, June 4 - Darlene Simmons - Quilt Shop Gal
Sunday, June 5 - Announce BuzzinBumble Giveaway Winners - Lara Buccella

Winner Time!

It's a few minutes before noon as I start this.  In about 20 minutes, I'll have my trusty assistant—that would be my hubby—draw the winner of (and from) the vintage sugar bowl and mini giveaway.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a photo of the baby quilt I made a couple months ago for my friend Kathy's daughter, who is expecting a baby girl in about a month.  Amy, the mom-to-be, has the new baby's room all decorated and ready to go, and she used my quilt as an inspiration piece for the colors of the baby's room.  Isn't that cool?!

"Some day I'll be a Super Hero," says the wall art.  I love it.

The wall color reads blue in the photo above, but it is actually turquoise or aqua, as can be seen in the crib photo. 

I love the raspberry and green accents.  And check out this shelf, which one of their friends made, and the cat was exploring.  Incredibly cool.

Okay, 12:01 says my clock...time for Norm to pick the winner (and me to snap and upload some pics of the process).  One moment please...

And the winner is....

Texas Jenny Wren!  Congratulations Jenny!  I will send you an email shortly!

Thank you all for for the lovely comments.  I wish I could make a mini for each of you.  Now I am off to listen to some live music on this lovely summer day.  Hope you are all enjoying a great weekend too!

From My House to Yours

Back when I worked in a cubicle, I didn't like Mondays.  These days, although I may complain about working on the weekend, Mondays are all right by me.  They're usually my slow day, until evening.  An anything goes kind of day, time to catch up on housework, reading, paying bills, errands, shopping Goodwill's 50% off sales, and, yes, sewing.

I finished this mini today, inspired by the vintage covered sugar bowl I found about a week ago at the thrift store.

Me and Juki Jane became reacquainted when it came time to quilting.  It was awkward at first.  I should have made a peace offering of some kind, blew the dust off her or at least given her a squirt of lube after all this time, but no. The P. did not stand for patience today.

It's no wonder she fussed and made big eyelashes on the back side on the first attempt at little curlicues.  She complained about the thread.  There was not enough tension, then too much.  And as for my part, I could not seem to settle into a rhythm with stitch length or speed.

(Flip side)

Still, we got the job done, compromising on a meander with standard thread.  I only sewed my Supreme Slider onto it once.  Nothing a seam ripper and a little Scotch tape (on the slider) couldn't fix.

Binding was uneventful, I am happy to report.  Nearly plum perfect, in fact.

Ah, home sweet home.  Where the heart is, the house, and the hedges, not to mention the horse, prancing up on the sugar bowl there.

You might not want to use it for sugar, but I'm thinking you could put almost anything in this little covered dish—jellybeans, buttons, jewelry, pocket change, love notes.  Maybe a little votive candle.  A hearth for the home.

You know, life is sweet.  I've been on the receiving end of much generosity and goodwill this past year, and I so appreciate the creative community, even though I've been somewhat sidelined and sidetracked lately with other things.  So with a case of the warm fuzzies (and I'm not talking about my mouth, which is a wee bit better lately, thanks), and as a small way to pay it forward...

I'd like to give this set away!   [Edited to add: Giveaway is now closed.]

That means the mini, which measures roughly 10 inches square, and the covered sugar bowl.  Simply leave a comment, telling me what you might put in this little dish, or any other sweet nothing you might want to say.  I will draw a winner on Saturday 8/25 at noon Central Time.

If you don't want to enter the giveaway but would like to leave a comment, just mention "no thanks" or "pass" or something so I know.

Please make sure your email address is linked to your comment profile, or type it out in your comment.  I need to be able to contact the winner by reply email or I will re-draw.

Thank you, and good luck!

The Envelope Please...

With the help of Random.org, we have a winner!  And the winner of my Leap Day Giveaway is...

#80 - DeAnna S

Congratulations, DeAnna!!! 

I've sent you an email requesting your mailing address.  Let me know and I'll get these off to you pronto.

It was fun reading all of your comments and visiting many of the blogs in the Leap Day Giveaway!  Thanks to Elizabeth for hosting such a fun blog hop, and thank all of you who entered yesterday.  Welcome new followers!  I look forward to getting to know you a little better! 

Leap Day Giveaway!

Happy Leap Day!  Elizabeth at Such a Sew and Sew is hosting a Leap Day Giveaway blog hop in celebration, and I am linking up!


I'm also celebrating two years of blogging!  It was in February of 2010 that I dove into the blogosphere, and I've been having a great time ever since!

So what does all this mean?  Well, I am having a little giveaway today, as are many others who have linked up with the Leap Day Giveaway.  This is what I'm giving away here.

A little square mug rug/mini-quilt, along with three fat quarters of fabric featuring birds, and a mug to go with it!

I love spring, especially when the songbirds migrate back through this area from their wintering grounds.  That's a few weeks away yet for us in the Upper Midwest, but these little bird print fabrics put me in the mood.

From left to right, the fabrics are Legacy Studios Fresh Fusion Blue Birds, Lantern Bloom Hanging Cages by Laura Gunn for Michael Miller, and Woodcut Garden by Paula Prass for Michael Miller.  All have been prewashed and pressed, because that's how I roll.

(Back of mug rug/mini shown)

The mug rug/mini was made by me last fall.  The groovy flower mug is thrifted, naturally.  I dithered about including the mug, so I will give you the option to decline it, if you're the winner and so choose.  I like it and think it works, but if groovy thrifted flower mugs aren't your thing, that's cool too.

This giveaway is open today, February 29, only and will end at midnight Central Time.  I will select a winner at random on Thursday, March 1.

To enter, simply leave a comment.  Maybe tell me what you like (or don't) about spring!  

This is important:  Make sure you include an email address to contact you.  If you are a no-reply commenter, I won't be able to reply and let you know you've won. You can be a no-reply and not even know it, so please check that and fix your settings before you comment, or leave your email address within the text of your comment.  This giveaway is open to U.S. and international entries.

Thanks for stopping by today, and to those who read this blog from time to time or regularly, whether from the beginning two years ago or more recently, I sincerely appreciate it!  Good luck to all on the giveaway!

Giveaway Day Winner!

How awesome was Giveaway Day?!  I didn't get around to nearly as many places as I'd like to have, but it sure was fun watching the comments come in here and reading about what you might do to change how you celebrate the holidays.  

Many of the responses came down to having family together and spending more time with family.  There were also a lot of people wishing they'd started their Christmas projects sooner, as well as some who would like to have a more handmade Christmas.  Others would focus more on charity.  All very good things!

I feel a bit shallow in the fact that I was wishing I could hire someone to decorate for me (and un-decorate when it's over).  Oh well...keeping it real!
The winner of the vintage fabric and "Pieces of Time" 2012 calendar is......

#21 - Kirie, who blogs at Shape Moth!

Congratulations, Kirie!  Look for an email from me, and please respond with your mailing address, so I can send your sweet package to you right away!

I visited Kirie's blog, and there are oh-so-many pretty things there!  She even sells her own paper piecing patterns, like this one:

Shape Moth Fawn Deer PP Pattern

Isn't that just the cutest thing?  I love it!

Thank you ALL so much for entering my little giveaway.  I hope you had fun!  I know I did, and I look forward to visiting many of your blogs in the weeks to come!

Giveaway Day!

Have you seen all the wonderful giveaways going on over at Sew, Mama, Sew?  It's pretty exciting to see so much generosity and handcrafting talent in one place!

I'd been meaning to do a giveaway here before Christmas, so it made sense to link up.  Welcome faithful friends and visitors alike!

As much as I love to sew, I also love thrifting and finding interesting vintage items.  So my giveaway today is for six half-yard cuts of vintage fabrics from my treasure hunting, along with "Pieces of Time," a 2012 Calendar featuring vintage fabric illustrations by Erin Ink Design. Click the link to see more views of this cute 6x9 inch calendar in her Etsy shop.  

Erin also sells fabulous Pyrex inspired note cards and other beautifully illustrated items.  (Yes, I have Pyrexia too!)

The fabrics are all 100% cotton and there is one-half yard of each.  Note that because these are vintage, they measure approximately 34-35 inches wide from selvage to selvage, instead of the modern day 40-42 inches wide.  All have been prewashed and pressed.

Here are the giveaway details:

* This giveaway is open until December 16, 2011 at 7:00 CST.  I will ship internationally.

* Winner will be selected at random and notified by email.

* To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:  If you could change one thing about how you celebrate the holidays, what would it be?  (Shop less?  Eat more?  Do more for charity?  Forget the snow and fly to Mexico?)

* Please include your email address in your comment, or make sure your reply contact setting is not set to "no reply."

That's it!  Thanks for visiting, and come back again sometime!

Good luck, and have fun exploring the other giveaways at Sew, Mama, Sew!

Winner-Winner Chicken Dinner!

Thanks for the lovely comments on the giveaway post, and welcome to the newest followers!  No matter how long you've been reading here, I thank each one of you for that.  Please feel free to comment anytime.  It really is a day brightener!

Without further ado, here is the winner of the mini Pyrex and mug rug, as chosen by Random.org.

It's Tabatha of Bending Pins!  Congratulations!!  Tabatha is a kindred spirit in terms of her luscious fabric choices and style.  She is not afraid of color and a little drama.  I can relate to that!

Here is a peek at what I've been working on for the past few days.  I'm getting close to the finish line!

I just had one of those heart-sinking moments before I stopped working on this about an hour ago.  I had run out of bobbin thread and when I slid the quilt out of the throat of the machine, my Supreme Slider was missing!

Oh, no! I gasped (or words to that effect, anyway, but I'm trying to keep it a G rating today).  I looked behind the machine.  No slider.  That could only mean one thing, I thought:  I had quilted it to the back of the quilt!  (Not like that's ever happened before...yeah, right.)  More exasperated words ensued.  I felt through the layers of quilt.  Nothing usual.  I quickly flipped the quilt over.  Nothing there!  Nothing was on my lap.  It couldn't have just disappeared!

I stood up out of my chair and it wheeled away a few inches.  There was the slider on the floor beneath!  Whew!  I felt like I'd dodged a bullet.

Who says quilting isn't an adrenaline-filled rush?

Give It Away Now!

It's time!  The follow-dometer rolled over to 150, thanks to newest follower Sandra, so let's have a giveaway!  

How about this red and green mug rug paired with an 8-oz Pyrex mini in lime green?  Even if you're not that into Pyrex (what?!), surely you'll find a use for this cutie.  Sewing notions, paperclips, nuts, Halloween candy, M&Ms, or just eye candy...so much potential.

Besides, I am a good enabler.  Your collection—the one you didn't even know you were contemplating—may just need a little kick-start.

The mug rug measures 7.5 x 9.75 inches.  Here is the back:

The rules are few but important:  Leave a comment on this post.  Tell me a little something, or a sweet nothing.  Make sure you leave a contact email if your status is set to "no reply" for commenting (or fix that).  I'm not making you jump through hoops and I won't either when it's time to notify the winner, 'kay?  I'll let Random Number Generator select the lucky one on Friday at noon Central time.

Good luck!

We Have a Winner!

Thank you all for your sweet comments on my one year blog anniversary earlier this week!  I'm so glad you enjoy visiting this little spot in blog land.

And now, it is my pleasure to announce the winner of the $25 Hawthorne Threads Gift Certificate giveaway. 

I counted 24 comments as entries (Kit asked to be left out of the giveaway; I double-checked with her to be sure).  

Random Number Generator picked #15, which is Janice, who blogs at Prayers, Patchwork & Pop-Ups.  

Congratulations, Janice!  Your gift certificate is on its way.  I hope you find some great stuff to blow your fabric diet at Hawthorne Threads!  Happy shopping!

Kicking Off Year Two!

Tomorrow, February 8, is my one-year blog anniversary.  I know I said yesterday that it was today, but what can I say, I flaked.  Probably addled by all the Super Bowl hoopla (and a Packers win!) that I didn't double-check.  Yeah, that's my story, mm-hmm.  Anyway, it doesn't matter; close enough for rock and roll, as they say.  You're here, I'm here, so let's get the party started!

My first year of blogging has passed faster than Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings.  Sorry, I couldn't resist a little football metaphor there. 

I posted twice on my first day (here and here).  I was a bit nervous and excited about starting a blog, as most of us probably were.  I'm so glad I took the plunge, though, because I've met some wonderful people and learned so much!

Thank you all for reading, commenting, encouraging, sharing, and inspiring.  You are a talented, generous, and clever lot!  Some of you make me laugh on a regular basis, and I especially heart you for that.

So I thought I'd have a little giveaway to celebrate the past year, as well as kick off year two.  How about a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Hawthorne Threads? 

I recently bought this stack of half-yard cuts from Hawthorne Threads and couldn't have been happier.  Total cost was just under $25.  What a great deal!  They have a great selection, fast service, low shipping costs, and responded to an email question very promptly.  Click the link and explore what they have to offer, and be sure to check the sales!  (I am not affiliated with them in any way, just letting you know about my experience.)

All you need to do to be eligible to win is leave a comment on this post.  That's it!  If you'd like, you can tell me what fabric you might buy if you win.  Just be sure to leave a contact email, if it's not visible in your profile.  I'll draw the winner on Friday, February 11 at noon Central Time.

Thanks again for helping to make my first year of blogging so awesome!  Come back again soon, and good luck!

P.S. - Elizabeth at Such a Sew and Sew is also having some giveaways this week, sponsored by Abbey Lane Quilts.  Be sure to check it out!

We Have a Winner!

Thank you all for participating in the CSN giveaway!  I had a lot of fun visiting many new blogs and will continue to do so for the new few days.

The winner of the CSN $40 gift code is...

Number 47, julstew!

 

Congratulations, Julie!  An email with all the details will be on its way to you shortly.  

By the way, if you want to see a cute little puppy, check out Julie's half miniature dachshund, half yorkie (a "Dorkie," Julie says).  She is just adorable, and her name is LuLu!

Thanks again to all who stopped by and entered the giveaway this week.  I hope you come back soon!  And to all, I wish you a safe and Happy New Year!

(Note: I removed the first comment from the entries, since my friend Shay lives in Australia and therefore had to sit this one out, in case anyone was wondering why Random Number Generator shows only 86 entries when there were 87 comments.)