A Sponsor GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!

My sponsor Moona Fabrics is owned and operated by a mother/daughter-in-law team, both of whom are passionate about gorgeous fabric. They love to sew, and their mission is to find the most beautiful and highest quality fabric out there and share their finds with all of us! They get new fabrics in frequently, so bookmark them and visit often!

The Prize! 

Moona Fabrics is offering a fat quarter bundle of the Monaluna Circa 52 Collection, a modern group of cute, graphic prints by Birch Fabrics! That's 7 fat quarters of these colorful, adorable designs! Birch Fabrics are 100% organic cotton and are printed with low impact dyes. The fabric is a medium-weight weave, making it ideal for quilting, apparel, baby and kids’ items, as well as home accessories. The entire collection is available for sale in the Moona Fabrics shop now!

Aren't they sweet!

 

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This is my very favorite print of the bunch -- Woodland Party in Cream. Peek-a-boo foxes, adorable owls, little birdies in the trees, and colorful bunting! It really is perfection!!
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Enter to Win!
 
Here's how,
 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post. You can include what you'd make if you won. I love reading all of your ideas! (one entry)
2. Visit Moona Fabrics and sign up to receive their Newsletter (it's located on the bottom left side of their website). Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (one 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. (one entry)
 
That’s 3 possible entries! Enter now through 10 o'clock pm (EST) Sunday, February 22st. I will announce the winner this Monday morning 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!!!  Thank you and a huge thanks to Moona Fabrics!!!

Today : :

I adore this bundle! Available from Pink Castle Fabrics, the colors and prints make up the most perfect collection of fabrics for Fall sewing. And, it's on sale folks!



While perusing Pinterest, I found this gorgeous photo by Sara and immediately thought of this stack of fabrics sitting on my sewing table. Isn't it lovely!?



I really love making connections like this for inspiration. I hope you don't mind or get too tired of it! I actually don't think about inspiration very much at all. It has simply become a habit I follow regularly, because staying inspired is so important for us, isn't it? Making things, for me and for most of you, I bet, is a part of daily life that is about creativity, inspiration, and expression.




Sometimes, some days, it can be a challenge. But not today! I'll be making my Mom a new Fall pillow with these gorgeous new fabrics.

Happy Sewing, friends!

p.s. There's a new fabric giveaway (here's a peek) happening here tomorrow, so please do stop back!

Tuesday Inspiration : :

Red + Aqua

Photos via Pinterest

Red and Aqua is such a beautiful, classic color combination. I really do love it! Yesterday I spent my sewing time making a new red and aqua owl pillow. This time I left off the ear-thingies at the top. I am still deciding if they should be there or not? Here's one with. What do you think?



I am definitely keeping the little curly-q hand stitching. I think it's my favorite part of making these new owl pillows!



I'm working my way through my new Hugs and Kisses Bundle from Moona Fabrics, until I have an Owl Pillow in each color. This print is one of my new favorites from Loulouthi. I'm even planning to make a little bunting from the scraps.



If you love red and aqua, you have to stop by Allsorts. A lovely blog that's all about red and aqua all the time! She even has a  "Pinboard" dedicated just to these two colors. Adding touches of yellow with red and aqua is nice too, don't you think?



How about you? What color combinations are you loving these days?

A Sponsor {Giveaway} : :

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It's time for a Giveaway!



My sponsor Poppy Seed Fabrics has so many beautiful new collections just stocked and on the way! Some of our favorites include of course Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, Patty Young, Riley Blake, just to name a few. They carry Japanese imports including Echino Nico, Kokka, and many novelty/anime prints. You'll find patterns, trims, pre-cuts, minky, knits, flannel, and rose cuddle in their shop as well. Today, they are kindly sponsoring an amazing giveaway!



The Prize!

Poppy Seed Fabrics is generously offering their wonderful Watermelon Candy Custom Bundle. A stack of eleven 1/2 yard cuts of designer fabrics including the new Michael Miller Forest Life, Japanese import Hippos, and a bunch of other great designer prints! WOW!!! This bundle is just so full of fabrics with endless possibilities!

One lucky MCH reader will receive a 1/2 yard cut of each : :

• Hungry Hippos in pink
• Quite Contrary in pink
• Forest Life in aqua
• Stripes in blue
• Corridors in green and white
• Mini Dot in green
• Lace in chartreuse
• Forest Life in watermelon
• Hungry Hippos in orange
• Spade in pumpkin
• Full Moon in tangerine

Aren't they lovely!

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 In addition, Maureen Cracknell Handmade readers are invited to enjoy a 10% off coupon code to use in the Poppy Seed Fabrics Etsy shop during the giveaway! Redeem with code 'Maureenhandmade' at checkout.

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Enter to Win!

Here's how,

1. Simply add a comment to this post. (one entry) you can include what you'd make if you won.
2. Follow the Poppy Seed Fabrics blog -- you'll be glad you did! Just let me know that you follow their blog by making a separate comment to record that entry.(one entry)
3. Followers of my blog get an additional chance! Just let me know that you follow my blog by making a separate comment to record that entry.(one entry)

That’s 3 possible entries! Enter now through 10 o'clock pm (EST) Sunday, September 11th. I will announce the winner this Monday morning in a new post here on the blog.

* Note * This giveaway is open to domestic followers only. If you're a "no reply" commenter, remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you should you win!

Good Luck!!!

Thank you and a huge thanks to Poppy Seed Fabrics!!!

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Tuesday Inspiration : :

Purple + Yellow + Grey

Photos via Pinterest

This is what I'm working with today!

How about you? What color combinations are you loving these days?

A Sponsor {Giveaway} : :

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It's time for a Giveaway! 

My sponsor Moona Fabrics has so many beautiful new collections just stocked and on the way! Some of our favorites include of course Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi, Sara Jane's Children at Play, Joel Dewberry's Heirloom, and arriving any day -- more Grand Bazaar by Patty Young and Catkin by Julie Paschkis. For this giveaway, Moona Fabrics and I, decided on Joel Dewberry's newest fabric collection Heirloom.

The Prize!

Moona Fabrics is generously offering a Quilting Cotton fat quarter set of Joel Dewberry's newest collection Heirloom in the Ruby Palette from their shop. That's Thirteen fat quarters to one lucky winner! WOW!!!


Enter to Win!

To enter, simply add your comment to this post, you can include what you'd make if you won. My followers get a second chance, just let me know that you follow my blog by making a separate comment to record that entry. If you're a "no reply" commenter, remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you should you win! Enter now through 10 o'clock pm (EST) Sunday, July 24. I will announce the winner next Monday morning here on the blog.


Thank you and a huge thanks to my sponsors Moona Fabrics!!!

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What's new -- In the Studio : :

A new King Fox Pillow -- it has certainly been a while since I've made one of these!

Some new Polka-dot fabrics -- they're beginning to take over!

A new sewing basket, in a fabric that I just LOVE -- usually I am only drawn to vintage or wooden ones.

Some more sweet birdie prints -- just for fun!

A matching, super cute, super handy pin cushion -- I already started filling it with those special owly eye buttons.

Some special fabrics for tea towel making -- I have big plans for these!

Lots of new pins -- that my oldest kindly color-coated for me.

More fabrics -- all with a pretty coral color that I just cannot seem to get enough of!

I've already added a little of these in a polka-dot patchwork boarder to my owl applique -- I have some plans for those scraps, as well!

Thanks so much for all the help with the buttons! I'm use to getting most my feedback from those 8 and under!

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for a very special Giveaway!  ~ Maureen

Studio Update : :

Late last week I had mentioned how messy my studio was becoming and added a few pictures of the clutter here. I ended up spending a good part of that day making some changes -- I took some new photos yesterday, and thought today that I should share.

So, once again, come on in...



That door straight ahead really needs some curtains, doesn't it? I decided to make my main shelf here just for my fabrics.



I made a little space dedicated to just the new fabrics... they deserve their own spot, don't they?



Where I use to have my home decs wasn't working, so I added them to the fabric shelf as well and turned that drying rack into a make-shift shelf for my buttons, sewing and knitting books, and the hoops that my boys had made last year.



Here is what it all looks like from my sewing desk... Much nicer than this, I think.



Across the room, I rehung the project piping clothes line and made room for my bottled rainbows atop my yarn shelf.



You can see all the photos I took of my room here, these are a few of my favorites...











During all of the picture taking I could hear someone little rustling under my desk, trying not to giggle, waiting for just the right moment to frighten his mama...



He thinks he's scary? c'mon



Yes, there is always something happening in this room of mine -- lots of messes will continue to be made and that makes me very happy!

Bottling Rainbows : :

I decided this morning that I am going to join in on the Bottled Rainbows Quilt-Along. This project will give me a chance to learn more about quilting, and to use up and go through the insane amount of fabric scraps I have -- Love that!



I decided to go literal with the "Bottled" rainbow idea of this quilt-along and turn the first step, the organizing of the scraps, into a fun game that little Miss Haila and I could do together.



Putting some of my collection of vintage Ball jars to use, I tied on scrap pieces of yarn in the coordinating colors of this quilt color scheme. I picked out the scrap, pressed it if needed, squared it up, and Haila found just the right jar for each piece.



Some of the busy, colorful prints were a little tricky...even for me. It ended up being a great lesson for both of us! She learned more about colors, matching, and organizing -- I learned that almost all of my fabric scraps are from Good Folks, what colors I tend to favor, and that I really do not need to keep every little scrap!



The jars are slowly filling up...



And, WE think this is going to be fun!