And the winner is...

The winner is Andrea York.  I sent you a message to get your address. Congrats!


Oh no deer yet but we will be trying again this afternoon!  Thanks everyone!

GIVEAWAY POST

I decided to get to the point in the title.  Hey its the most important, and I know it.  It always catches my eye on a blog for sure.  I will post details at the end so you can either scroll on down or just suffer through :).

My computer is back up and running, however the f button is sticky, and well it is the f button.  I hope to catch all missing f's but i not you know why.  I have been working my little fingers to the bone, well not really, but I have been sewing a lot. 

I have to say people really and truly do not understand my fascination with sewing and fabric.  I see it when they look at me like I am the craziest person they know (which is saying a LOT).  I really don't care though lol!  I have something I love to do, and it makes me happy.  I am however constantly asked about selling something.  I have yet to get into this realm of things.  Frankly it scares the shit out of me (sorry for the language).  I really do love the relaxation part the most and I am terrified that when it becomes work, well it will be work.  I have decided that I think I will sell bags/totes and maybe small items.  I will not take custom orders and will only sell from inventory.  I think at 1st I will sell on social media, and then a friend has a shop that she really wants me to put some bags in.  If that goes well I guess I will take it to Etsy.  I plan to really well plan this out.  I will make a few bags and time everything and document all materials used.  I am not about to do something I am not all that crazy about (charging people) and lose money right off the bat.  Hence the not selling of quilts.  I just feel it would be very difficult, in my area, to sell a quilt and not lose money on the fabric cost alone.  Anyway that is the plan and I will keep you posted.

What have I been working on:

This is the Jena Tote by sotak handmade.  I tested this pattern and LOVE this bag.  It is so roomy, and I get so many compliments on it.  As you can see I used my horded Nordika fabric by Jeni Baker for Art Gallery.  This is probably my favorite fabric if there is such a thing. 

We did a lovely kids swap of trick or treat bags this time.  Here is what my lovely made:

How stinking cute is this.  She made it lined and we just kinda make it up.  It is reversible and I would be happy to tick or treat with such a bag!  The bag she received was equally as cute and as you can see she really liked it!  

I literally just finished making these placemats for a swap.  This one is for a gentleman.  I sure hope he likes them.  I made them using scraps and crossroads denim. This stuff is Amazing I mean for real. 

The lighting is not great as it is dark, but look how wonderful the quilting looks on the denim.  

I have a quilt that I had MSQC quilt for me when I was there or the last retreat I went to.  I have had it back for some time and bound about 1/4 of it.  I have been go go go!  I really need to get that done.  

Ok so congrats on making it this far or well just scrolling down.  It is giveaway time.  I said in the last blog post it is a decent one.  Here are the pics, and I do apologize, but I can not send across the way.  Postage is crazy expensive these days.  As bad as I hate it, open to US only :(!

 This is seriously beautiful fabric and I hate to part with it.  Leave me a comment.  Anything will do and if you follow tell me how for an extra entry.  I will leave it open till Nov 7th and let my daughter pick a number between 1 and whatever the amount is.  It is the youth hunt this weekend so maybe the luck will rub off on her :)!

Thanks again for hanging in there with me!  Have a great week everyone!

Too Busy to blog

Well the trusty ole computer is down and out again.  I am not sure if this is a reflection of the operators or the quality of the product.  This will be the 3rd hard drive put in this machine so I like to think it is the product.  Alas I am on a tablet. This is probably how most people internet these days, but not this girl!  I am struggling wth a small or no keyboard and figuring out where everything is.  I am not a huge change person on daily routines anyway.  Strangely I do better when change is huge life changing not my day to day stuff.  

I plan to do a giveaway when my computer comes back and not some small one  I will make it a nice one as it has been a while and if your still with me you deserve it.  

I went to a quilt retreat and will do a whole post on it when I have my computer.  It was AMAZING.  I went to the Missouri Star Quilt Company!  That has to be a quilters paradise!!!  It was a joint retreat with Vanessa from Crafty Gemini and Jenny!  Can it be more cool than that?  I think not!!!!

I have so many projects going on right now it is silly!  I did get one phot on this contraption of one of the projects.

It is called the T block and is a tutorial from Missouri star.  I got the top done and had to put it aside for my daughter and her Halloween swap, as well as, some secret sewing.  Yall know I love pattern testing!  

I am also trying for a new job.  Well my own office really.  So please pray for good news.  It is time and I am so ready!

I have no estimate on the computer as my friends husband is working on it so you really cant put a time line on a favor.  I wish everyone a wonderful day and I hope yall are getting some of this beautiful fall weather.  We could use some rain here been a least a month if not longer!  

The end of summer

Where did summer go?  Have yall seen it?  I mean it was like a streak that just blew through here for a second!  School is starting back on Monday.  I have a 7th grader.  I just can't even talk about it, I mean really though.  I have news.  I am going to a Missouri Star Quilt Retreat.  EEEEEKKKKK!  I can not believe it.  It will be week after next and I will meet Jenny and Vanessa from Crafty Gemini
If that wasn't just the most coolest thing ever, a dear friend from high school is going to meet me there.  That just wraps the whole thing right up in a bow!  I will try to remember to take lots of pictures and post when I get back!

In other news.  I have done several swaps and pattern tests lately.  By several I mean one pattern test and like 3 swaps lol.  I have been trying to get ready for the retreat and I have actually forgotten to take photos of some of them but here is what I got!

This was the lined drawstring swap that Jeni Baker.  This is what I made for my lovely partner.  She has received it. 

The pattern I tested and that has now been released. Is the Helen Bag by sotak handmade.  I do love this bag and have another that I am ready to cut out this weekend hopefully. 

 I think this is the perfect bag for day to day and it really can be made with so many fabric options.  LOVE!

Well apparently that is all I managed to get pictures of.  I really need to take a breath before I box stuff up and mail it off!   


I sure hope everyone had a wonderful summer and got some fabulous family time in.  I also hope that the school year is nice to you and your kiddos.  I must admit I never much liked school (you can't tell since I went so long for a Masters) and I still feel the same way.  I hide it so my daughter doesn't think its ok to not do good.  She excels at most things but does get really board in classes that don't challenge her.  This was the same for me.  I never studied or anything and made good grades.  I also got in trouble for horsing around and talking alot.  Same and Same.  College was much better, after I figured out how to study.  I never did before, and grad school really was good for me.  It challenged my antithetical brain and I did really good there, even as a broke single mother of a 14 mth old!   Any who have a great beginning of the school year!

Stephanie

Summer time

Well we just had a wonderful day on the creek behind our house wade fishing.  Of course in such an event you do not bring a phone or camera.  We caught a ton of little sunfish and it was just a fun time.  Shelby caught the 1st fish so she was beside herself for the rest of the trip.  Such a good family time and wow what a workout!

We also cleaned out the garage.  In doing so an old sewing table that I had from a few moves that was in an old house I had is getting cleaned up and moved into the sewing room.  I also have some peg board that needs installed.  I will take some sewing room make over pictures.  I love having a sewing room even if it is a tiny little space it is all my space!

So new things I have been doing.  Wait for it, wait for it..... I sewed a dress!  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?  I can not.  I have never even attempted garment sewing and really am not that great at sewing a button on.  I have a good friend I met at sew south  and was my roommate and she was all about garments and in particular sew caroline  patterns.  We all actually got one in our fabulous swag bag at sew south.  I ordered the tank dress  pattern and I actually did it, and it turned out ok, and I actually wore it to church.  The hubs took pictures, and well I wish either my arms were not as chubby as the are or that angle is not good.  Yeah it is the angle!  (more wade fishing workouts)

So there it is, and there I am!  I have to say this was not at all bad and I really got a lot of compliments on it at church, and they couldn't believe I made it.  I made it out of Lawn fabric and I am pretty sure the fabric is London Calling Falling Leaves in Black.  I really like it and it was easy to work with.  Very soft feel also.

I also made this cute little bag.

It is the Seneca Creek Bag by betz white.  It was the May bag in the bag of the month club which has ended now.  I have to say I love this bag it is the cutest, and that is wild and free fabric.

Well I am off to polish a sewing table and paint a peg board.  I hope everyone is having a great summer and keeping cool! 

Summer is here!

Well today is the 1st time this year to hit 90 in Arkansas!  It is about 92ish right now and while I am in here soaking up a little air and talking to yall, my whole family is out working on our shop, so I need to hurry this along lol! 

Projects:

This is my 1st real attempt at any paper piecing.  This is one of the items I did for the post sew south swap.  I have done other projects, but do not have any pictures to show here.  They are all on my instagram.  My phone memory was full and I had to cull some.  I thought I could save the images off my instagram but I am not that smart lol. 

I will be attending SEW SOUTH again woooo hoooo!  This time in March for a small group girls weekend.  I am so excited!  I cant till you how much I loved it last time.  Also next month is my retreat with Jenny Doan and Vanessa Wilson at the Missouri Star Quilt Co.  I can not wait!!!!

We had some terrible news this past week that a beloved friend and well family to us was taken in a terrible accident.  It has been a long and stressful week on us, but the memories that were shared and relived through tears and laughter were priceless.  EG will be missed and a hole will be left where his love for life and laughter can not be filled! Till we meet again my friend!

Well that about catches me up.  I hope you will check out my instagram to see more pictures.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sew South

I am back to reality, and I must say I am not to sure I like it lol!  This was my very 1st retreat and I absolutely loved it.  This will be a very picture heavy post, just to warn you!

So I get there and and 1st thing I see is a huge swag bag!  There everyone is busy setting up their stations and the fun begins!

There is my little station :)  Oh I just loved it!!

 

Some of the projects we did.  The top was a lovely bracelet.   Then to the left a wonderful mini that Amy Gibson showed us called the Apple Blossom!  Then our table actually won a jelly roll race for making charity quilts!!

 

We made this great wallet! I absolutely love it!  Now to some swag from my roomie, secret sister, and the lovely sponsors!

These are the wonderful items I got from my secret sister.  Before the retreat, we signed up to be a secret sister and you surprised your sister with gifts throughout the weekend.  Wow I was lucky!

My roommate and new best friend made me this great bag.  How freakin cute is that!  It is huge also and great for retreats.  I just love her!

These are the contents of that wonderful bag!  So much greatness!

I actually won a couple things.  I won the block raffle.  I got these great 19 blocks to make a quilt.  I really need to get on that.  I also won that lovely bundle of Alison Glass fabric! 

This great stack are my purchases from the LQS there in town.  Yeah I went out of control lol!

This is the quilt top I brought to work on.  I didn't finish it there, but dd when I got home.  Don't even get me started on this pattern it is not one I would ever recommend to anyone lets just say that! 

I will leave you with more random pictures to drool over lol!  If you ever get a chance to go to a retreat do it!  You will not regret it!

Wait I almost forgot!  Look what I got when I got home...

I AM IN LOVE!!!!

 

Traveling handmade

Well as you know I am going to Sew South.  I don't have words to describe how excited I am.  I just recently got a roommate for the event and we have been chatty cathy's which makes me feel really good about rooming with a stranger lol!  Are any of us quilty people really strangers?  I think not!  We are going to do a little roommate swap with I am overly excited about.  I think that will be great fun. 

You may have seen from my last post that I have been working on bags to travel handmade.  I made another Aeroplane bag in the regular size.  It matches well with my other one. 

Terrible picture but we have had no sun in weeks it seems like.  Why it is blurry well that is probably me lol. 

I do really loves this pattern.  It is not hard and not super time consuming at all.  Love that I have both these bags to carry! 

We are doing a secret sister swap as well at sew south.  I have made a couple of things a rounded up several goodies for my partner. 

A zippy pouch filled with goodies. 

A wine tote that will be filled with Arkansas wine.  On the bio wine was a favorite (woman after my own heart!). 

I also received a wonderful pouch for the Quilt Club swap in Feb.  How cute is this thing?

Well it maybe a little while before I have anymore projects to share.  I am busy cutting for our projects at sew south.  I am however going to try and recover my ironing board, and will share that if it happens.  I wish you all a wonderful spring season!  I am planting potatoes and onions today! 

Still snowing and sewing

My once a week didn't make it, but I have been busy making things so lets get to it.  Have I mentioned I am going to Sew South which the lovely Jennifer at Ellison Lane puts on.  Words can not even begin to describe how excited and happy I am.  I literally screamed when I was emailed that my name came up on the waiting list.  I have been sewing my fingers off making bags and tote's to carry all my stuff.  You know you can't roll up there with regular luggage.  So here is what I have been making . 

1st up the big ol tote.  This lovely has 5 outside pockets and will be wonderful for carrying sewing notions and rulers etc.  This was our Feb project in the quilt club that I have been raving about; you can find info on that here

This next one is an Improv quilt as you go tote, which I carry everyday now and get so many complements on it.   I love this tote.  It was a project between Jenny Done and Vanessa Wilson and can be found here.  It is a two part video tutorial. 

Then comes the real stuff.  The luggage.  I have to say I have never made a bag this big, but I love the size.  This is the long version of the Aeroplane Bag, and I have the regular size all cut out and will be making it also.  This pattern can be found here.  It is by sew sweetness.  I am a member of the bag of the month club by her and like her pattern writing style. 

  

I made a noodlehead zipper pouch for the feb swap we had at the quilt club.

As part of getting ready for sew south we are having fun swaps.  One is this cute little bucket swap.  This is not my swap one, but one that I practiced on and will be keeping.  I think it is cute and the tutorial is here.

 Also remember the kids swap I started for my kiddo.  We have around 12 kids.  This month we have 10 last month 11 but I have 12 on the list.  You know same as usual swaps.  Well for the 1st month we did bookmarks and here are the ones my sweety did.  She did two since it was odd numbers, and her idea lol. This month pillow case.  This has been just a great thing. 

 Busy yes, loving it yes.  I don't think since I got into this quilt thing I have produced more things or enjoyed it more.  I think when you get to a point you are confident you sort of know what your doing, it is all good! 

I leave you with this.  What I hope to be the last snowman of this winter.  It is a super cute one with a super cute snowman maker :)!  I hope everyone is warm and safe.