Little Red for My Girl : :

Today I'm working with a stack of super cute Little Red Riding Hood fabrics, the new collection by Tasha Noel for Riley Blake! Aren't they adorable?



I had the best weekend! We were all healthy and happy. All four of my brothers and two of my sisters made it home for a special celebration for our Dad. It was so wonderful!! The only downside is that I got absolutely no sewing in, making this another busy week. And now sadly once again this Monday morning my little girl woke up and is home with the tummy flu, poor thing!

She's in love these fabrics and made a pretty sweet Little Red a couple Halloween's ago herself...



I'm really excited about the project I have panned for these, which will be my next RBD Design Team tutorial. I'm really hoping to get it finished and that it might cheer up my girl!

Wish me luck!!  ♥,  Maureen 

Welcome, to my Sewing Room : :

Today I'm ready to share a little tour of my new space, well our space actually -- we decided to fit as much of the kids craft supplies in here, as well. And, we're all loving that so far! I can't say that it's 'finished', just that it's all unpacked and we're using it!

Come on in!



This room is attached to the dining room, which I LOVE! Having the large table for big projects, craft days, and even just to dream of hosting a "sewing club," is a beautiful thing! I thought I would really want some doors to close it off from the other rooms, but so far I don't and the kids have already decided this is their favorite room in the house. Yes!

Going around the room, I have lots of pieces of furniture! Most of which I stole from other rooms in our last house, with just a few pieces you'll find familiar. It's an eclectic mix of things, that's for sure, which I love! Old furniture just suits us better, it feels more warm and homey to me than anything I could ever buy new. The first piece to my left, and most favorite, is our first, old bedroom dresser -- used now for felt and fabric scrap storage (until I can finish the rest of my color totes). We bought this from a local antique dealer, I love the color and style of it, and am excited I found a reason to use it in here!



On top of the dresser sits my packaging supplies, boxes of floss, and some of the kids craft supplies.



My flower hooks (from here or here) hold all my hoops. And, these wool felt boxes keep my business cards and stickers nicely organized.



Next up is a little desk, the one I made my Innocent Crush/linen desk mat for, that's in major need of knobs!





Then we have my Monster Fabric Shelf -- overflowing with fabric LOVE and handmade goodness!







For the kids, company, afternoon naps for Lily, and a place to put all my pillow makings -- we decided to put our extra sofa in here. In front of that is the kids very used and loved craft/activity table, and a place to hold my cutting mats.



The other side of the room holds a little less -- a shelf for my wips and the kids projects, my sewing table, and one last shelf of fabric and more supplies.





After Martha's suggestion the other day (thank you!), I decided the perfect thing for this empty space would be an inspiration board. It's on my wishlist!!

I'm so excited and so very grateful to have a permanent room like this! I have MANY more pictures here! Even though there is still so much I want & need to do, it feels really good already. I know that this work & play space of ours IS going to get cluttered with all the making that's certain to happen, but I'm up for the challenge of making it work.

And now after a very busy long weekend of orders, I do believe it's time for me to get to work in here!! ♥,  Maureen

Show & Tell : :

Staring at pretty new fabric and dreaming about what they might become is one of those simple things that just makes me feel better. I'm sure the same goes for you! So today, I thought I'd have a little show and tell of the lovely, new fabric stacks that have me doing just that!

Have you seen Floressence?



This collection by Art Gallery Fabrics comes in two colorways -- Luminescent Palette and Magnificent Palette. Both are full of colorful blues and pinks, which is how I have them divided in my own photos.



I am usually not a "bright pink girl" but these I love, love, love! They're gorgeous!!



I just stashed a few of the new Art Gallery Voile, as well. I think that these combined with some cozy off-white flannel will make the perfect new Winter Scarf for ME!



Splendor 1920 by Bari J. is another new, beautiful collection full of amazing colors and prints. I used a little of them on a new set of Pillow Shams recently, and am definitely saving the English Garden Floral prints to make something for my Mom.



I just received this fun stack of Riley Blake Cotton Dots yesterday for my next Design Team project. Something for my boys perhaps?!



I still have quite a few orders to catch up on before I can finish my new tutorial. Writing them out sometimes takes me forever and I just haven't found the time with so much going on right now. I'm really hoping this cold leaves me quickly and I have my energy back! If it were possible to overdose on Gypsy Cold Care and Lemon Mint Sugar Free Ricola, I definitely would have! :)

I hope you enjoy my little fabric show and tell today!! Take care! ♥,  Maureen
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A Fabric Giveaway : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!

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My sponsor Cotton Blossom Farm Fabrics is a real working family farm where the fabric business is a family business that grew out of a love for beautiful, fun designer fabrics. They started their little venture on Etsy, where they still maintain their shop, and have now grown to their own website, as well. Their fabric family -- Cathy, Robin, and Heath, enjoy picking out beautiful, new collections each season, including basics, solids and fun fabrics like chenille, flannel and fleece. The goal of Cotton Blossom Farm is to provide the highest quality fabric, the most pleasant shopping experience, and the best customer service on the web!

Website * Etsy Shop * Facebook * Twitter

 

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 We hope you enjoy visiting their sites!! 

For this weekend's giveaway Cotton Blossom Farm Fabrics is offering this super pretty half yard bundle including TEN prints of Pretty Little Things by Dena Designs for Freespirit!

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Enter to Win!

Here's how,
 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! (one entry)
2. Follow Cotton Blossom Farm Fabrics on Facebook. Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)

3. Followers of Maureen Cracknell Handmade get an additional entry, too! Whether you follow me here, in your reader, or on Facebook, just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (one optional entry) 

4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (one optional entry)

Please, enter now through Monday morning, October 1st. Mr. Random will pick the winner and I will announce their name in a new post here on the blog. I usually try to have that up by 9 am EST!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or an anonymous commenter, remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you, should you win! Please check to make sure you can be contacted!

Wishing a wonderful weekend to all!!!

* * * * *  UPDATE  * * * * *

Thank you to all who entered this past weekend's Giveaway!! 

 

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  From 1,469 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment #14 -- Deb (Two Cheeky Monkeys), who said...

Oh my, that fabric bundle is GORGEOUS!

Congratulations Deb!!! I will be in touch shortly!

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A Gifted Quilt : :

Yesterday was a very tough day for me, a very tough day. All three of my kiddos had their first day of school, my youngest started Kindergarten, and although I tried so hard to prepare myself, I wasn't. I'm not sure what I expected. Taking all three of them in for their first day of school, walking out without any of them. I couldn't have possibly imagined how it would make me feel.

There were several times this Summer when my kids were so wound up and noisy, that vacuuming was my only retreat to having just a little stretch of time to think clearly. I remember one particular day while I was vacuuming when I daydreamed about life with all of them in school. I would read books again, go for long walks alone, sew all day without interruption, go on coffee dates with friends and day trips with my husband when he had a weekday off. We could get kayaks? Kayaks would be fun!
I imagined that it would be peaceful. That I would feel like I could breathe easier. And then the day came.

I came home, a complete mess of emotions. Feeling the weight of realizing that this new chapter was here whether I was ready or not, that my baby days were officially over, feeling complete disbelief that this time was here so soon. It was hard to breathe. How were we here? It just didn't seem possible.

Kevin, who is home recovering from a surgery he had this past Friday, was completely sweet trying to make me feel not crazy. We drank coffee, while I unloaded. I shared the pictures I took of the kids. I felt better, so he went to lay down. It was silent. And, instead of doing any of the things I had dreamed about. I vacuumed. This time to escape the silence.

I worked my way up to my sewing room, which was nearly abandoned this last month. How could I sew without my brood. Without my little girl who was on my lap the very first time I turned my sewing machine on. I couldn't begin to tell you what a huge part of all of this she has been. My anything but silent partner in this sewing adventure. The decider of unsure fabric selections and so many of my daily projects. I could make something for them and cry the whole time. I could work on a number of different projects that needed to be made.

And there it was. Someone to sew for. An unexpected gift, just at the right time! A follower and friend of this blog knew.. somehow ..exactly what I needed. And I am so grateful!









This quilt was gifted to me from Jodi. It traveled all the way from Australia and arrived perfectly, with a card so sweet and wonderful, I can't even begin to tell you. From the little bit I have shared here about my struggles, Jodi has kept me in her thoughts and added me to her prayers. Out of pure kindness, she decided that this beautiful quilt should be for me.

How could she possibly know how much I would need it? And, then I read her post and I was even more amazed. She really did.

And, so I knew just what to do. I would start a new quilt for Jodi. A friendship quilt full of our favorite Anna Maria Horner fabrics, love, and appreciation for giving me a great project to start off sewing solo and so much more.





Thank you so much Jodi! And thank you ALL for the well wishes you left me here and for all the facebook messages and emails you have sent me throughout these last few weeks!

While we all adjust, I am so happy to have and to be back in this space with all of you! ♥,  Maureen 

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A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday Thursday!

Today, my sponsor Pat Bravo is offering a wonderful giveaway!! Pat Bravo is the Creative Director behind Art Gallery Fabrics and Co-founder, along with her husband Walter. In 2004, Art Gallery Fabrics was born out of a desire to bring creative, chic, and modern fabrics to the quilting industry. Art Gallery fabrics are not only gorgeous and sophisticated in design, but the quality of their exceptional fabrics in like nothing else on the market! Be sure to visit Pat here -- 

FABRIC COLLECTIONS  *  BLOG  *  PINTEREST  *  FACEBOOK  *  TWITTER 

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We hope you enjoy visiting Pat Bravo's sites!! 

For this weekend's giveaway Pat is offering a Fat Quarter 
bundle of her new collection Indie in one colorway, plus two coordinating solids! If you visit my blog often, you know that I am a HUGE fan of Indie, Pat Bravo, and Art Gallery Fabrics! I am so very excited to be able to share these gorgeous fabrics here with all of you, and to be able to offer this special Fabric Giveaway today! 
 

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Enter to Win!

 
Here's how,
 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post. We'd love to know what your most favorite print is in the beautiful Indie Collection?  (one entry)
2. Follow Pat Bravo on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! Whether you follow me here, in your reader, or on Facebook. Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (one optional entry)

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday morning, August 27th. Mr. Random will pick the winner and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog, I always try to have that up by 9 am EST!
 
* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you should you win!

Good luck everyone!!! Have a great weekend! 

* * * * *  UPDATE  * * * * *

Thank you to all who entered this past weekend's Giveaway!! 

 

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  From 1,742 ((WOW!!)) entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment #953 -- Rebecca, who said...

Oooh I just LOVE this line of fabrics...right up my alley, definitely! I particularly like the Royal Nature Mist.

Congratulations Rebecca!!! I will be in touch shortly!

Finished and Waiting : :

This weekend I finally finished up my Bottled Rainbows Quilt! I can hardly believe it myself!! I started this quilt just as most people were finishing theirs as part of Rachel's Quilt Along, with my very first block being made just before last July.

A whole year, almost! And, now I'm waiting for it to stop raining so I can take some good photos.



I couldn't decide on how to finish this quilt -- at all! I can't tell you how many times I changed my mind. I finally pulled the colorful stack of Riley Blake Chevrons from my shelf late Friday and just went for it! It was a chance for me to add a little black, like I really wanted. And since this quilt is another very special project made up of all those scraps from the last two years, I thought that finishing it with something from Riley Blake would make it even more so. Just another way for me to remember being a part of their team this year!



Our pile of quilts is looking pretty colorful!





I definitely plan to get myself some more of these chevrons. I'm pretty sure most shops are restocking. Oh, and have you seen the new tonals they have coming out in August?? I'm excited!

I picked RBD chevrons for my last Design Team project and again last week for the RBD Pin Cushion Club on the Cutting Corners Blog -- please do check that out!! I didn't get a chance to share it here because of my weekend giveaway. Yup, I definitely love these chevrons!



After finishing up this second, rather large quilt in just a little more than a weeks time, I realized two things --

1. I really need to make smaller quilts, but not toddler size or minis. My Scrappy Quilt measured larger than a queen, this one larger than a twin. I would prefer to make a few on the smaller scale before tackling another large quilt. What is your favorite size quilt to make?? 

2. I need to buy more yardage! I have been stashing fabrics with a passion for a good year now, usually picking up 1/2 yd cuts most often. When it came to deciding on a quilt back for each of these, piecing together something I was happy with felt like more of a challenge than the quilt top. Do you typically buy 1 yard cuts or larger, to have on hand just for your quilt backs?? 

I have a few fabrics that are several yard cuts (for curtains)...



And, just a few more that are one yard cuts...



I think most of you have seen pictures of my sewing room -- I have quite a bit of fabric and clearly need to change the way I shop!!  

I look forward to hearing your ideas!! ♥ Maureen 

p.s. If you're looking for my Sew Mama Sew! May Giveaway -- click HERE!!

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!

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My sponsor The Intrepid Thread is a family owned and run business. In their shop you'll find Fat Quarters, Half Yards, Yards, and Yardage, as well as patterns and embellishments. Their designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Art Gallery Fabrics, Anna Maria Horner, and Riley Blake Designs just to name a few! The owners work extremely hard everyday to bring their customers the best fabrics,
at the best prices, with high quality customer service!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting their sites!! 

For this weekend's giveaway The Intrepid Thread is offering a custom bundle including 10 Fat Quarters of Art Gallery Oval Element and Pure Element fabrics! This particular bundle was designed by me, which is always such a treat!! This stack of golden yellows, spring greens, aqua blues, and shades of gray is one of my most favorite color combinations! I've already ordered a bundle for myself. 
One of you is going to be very lucky!!

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The winner will receive one Utterly Inspired by Maureen Part 2 bundle (Julie really knows how to make a girl feel special :), including 10 fat quarters for you to use to create something beautiful! I know you will!!
 
You can find the bundle available in both fat quarters and half yards in The Intrepid Thread shop, and right now there just so happens to be a HUGE sale going on!!

In celebration of Market The Intrepid Thread is offering 20% off using Coupon Code  : :  MARKET20 : :
-- beginning today and running throughout Sunday. There are a few rules, so be sure to read those here!

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Enter to Win!

Here's how,
 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post. I'd love to know what your own favorite color combination is right now? (one entry)
2. Follow The Intrepid Thread on facebook, blog, or sign up to receive their Newsletter. Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! Whether you follow me here or on Facebook, just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
 
That’s 3 possible entries! Enter now through Monday morning, May 14th. Mr. Random will pick the winner and I will announce their name in a new post here on the blog.
 
* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you should you win!
                                        

Good Luck everyone!!! Have a great weekend! And, Happy Mother's Day to all you wondering Mama's out there!!