Super Stashy : :

After not sewing a single stitch yesterday, once the kids were off to school this morning I dove right into a new project -- making use of all those pretty Tule Sunset scraps!



But want I really want to share today is my ironing board full of goodness! Just check out this wonderful, HUGE stack of fabric!!



I took major advantage of the 40% OFF sale happening at Sprightly Fabrics, stashing 64 different Art Gallery Fabric prints! Yes, Bijoux, Carnaby Street, Floressence, Lux in Bloom, Splendor 1920, & Reminisce is all here!



At the top of my stack sits more Art Gallery Fabrics -- Angela Walters' new Legacy collection, more Tule, and the pretty coral & cool black prints from AGF's new Minimalista!







A bundle of Cloud9's soon to be released Up, Up, and Away by Skinny laMinx. I've designed a free quilt pattern for these that will be available just as soon as this collection is!



And, I couldn't resist these Domino Dots by Violet Craft. I love the colors!



Lovely piles, aren't they?! Now my only problem is that I cannot decide which to cut into first!

How about you, have you stashed anything new lately?  ♥  Maureen

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday! 

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Today, my sponsor Sprightly Fabrics is offering a wonderful giveaway!! Their shop is full of fabrics by our favorite designers and fabric manufacturers, including Art Gallery, Riley Blake, and Free Spirit, just to name a few! They've got many of the new "must have" collections, they offer a wonderful variety of high quality felt, embellishments, twine, and so much more!! 

Be sure to visit Sprightly Fabrics here -- 

*   SHOP   *   FACEBOOK   *   BLOG   *  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

We hope you enjoy visiting their sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway Sprightly Fabrics is offering this Fat Quarter bundle of Art Gallery Fabric's new Reminisce Collection by Designer Bonnie Christine, in the Sweet Reveries colorway. That's ten different gorgeous prints!

In addition, Sprightly Fabrics is offering 35% off  all Fabrics & Twine 
and 25% all Patterns & Embroidery Hoops!!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Enter to Win!

Here's how,
 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post!  (one entry)
2. Follow Sprightly Fabrics on Facebook or join their mailing list, found at the very bottom left side HERE! 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, instagram, blog, etc... (optional extra entry)

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, July 22nd. The winner will picked at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this 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!

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
 

Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!!

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From 1,574 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

    Comment #1374 --   * Gwillekkers *  

Congratulations!!! I will be in touch shortly!    

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday! 
 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Today, my sponsor Sprightly Fabrics is offering a wonderful giveaway!! They just launched their brand new shop, full of fabrics by our favorite designers and fabric manufacturers! Including Art Gallery, Riley Blake, and Free Spirit, just to name a few! They've got many of the new "must have" collections, they offer a wonderful variety of high quality felt, embellishments, twine, and so much more!! 

Be sure to visit Sprightly Fabrics here -- 

*   SHOP   *   FACEBOOK   *   BLOG   *  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

We hope you enjoy visiting their sites!! 

For this weekend's giveaway Sprightly Fabrics is offering a 1/2 yard bundle of Riley Blake Designs new Remember Collection by Designer Carina Gardner, in the Cream colorway.  
That's six different wonderful prints!

 In addition, to celebrate their opening, Sprightly Fabric is offing  10% off your purchase 
with coupon code : WELCOME

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Enter to Win!

Here's how,
 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post!  (one entry)
2. Follow Sprightly Fabrics on Facebook or join their mailing list, found at the bottom left side HERE! 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... (optional extra entry)

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday morning, April 8th. The winner will picked at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this 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!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!! 

 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *   

  From 1,256 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

*  Comment #1,178 -- noga quilts *  

Congratulations!!! I will be in touch shortly!

Project Plans : :

Over the weekend I planned and organized all my projects for this week! I'm finally feeling like myself again, thank goodness!!

I'll be sharing a first quilt block tutorial this Wednesday, as part of Daisy Janie's New Leaf Bee Block Blog Hop! It's a gorgeous, vibrant collection made of 100% GOTS certified organic cotton.  



The backing fabric for my QAYG quilt arrived from Sprightly Fabrics, LillyBelle Henna Stripe in grey -- now I can't wait to finish this quilt!!



There's a stack of Riley Blake Cotton Dots, in a wonderful boyish color scheme, waiting to become my next Design Team project!



A pillow cover is hanging out, ready to be quilted and finished for a friend. It's made up of some Architecture and Velocity from Lark Cottons, using my tutorial here!



I received my very, first Felt orders over the weekend, which is so, SO exciting!



Right now, I'm including a little sample stack with each order. And, I decided to celebrate my first order with a little sale, you can use discount code FELT20OFF and take 20% off of any Felt order for a limited time!



Today, I have a stack of Birthday Crown orders waiting to be finished for tomorrow's mail!



It's so cold here today! And, I actually love it! The kiddos are home for the holiday, and so we have a movie marathon planned -- which means lots of popcorn and handwork for me!

Happy Monday, friends!  ♥,  Maureen 

A Pretty Pink Tote Bag : :

I can't believe it has already been a couple weeks since the night I started this tote bag! Which will explain all the dark photos, yikes! One thing I do plan to do in this new, glorious year is lots and lots of more applique projects. I do love applique!! And, I'm excited to finally share this pretty pink bag today, yet another handmade gift for the holiday!



This particular applique was so simple and completely inspired by one of the Joel Dewberry Notting Hill fabrics I recently stashed from Sprightly Fabrics, Primrose in Magenta.



Mimicking the simple, modern flower, made up of stacked circle shapes in Mr. Dewberry's lovely design, plus a couple fussy-cut leaves from a Stockholm print, just as I did on this pillow -- this applique came together super quickly with some Heat'n Bond Lite and a little zig zag stitching with black thread.



The night I finished up this bag front I was so tempted to continue sewing this into a colorful quilt top! I had to hang it up to snap a quick photo and stare at it just a little while before I could move on with my tote bag making. What do you think about a quilt made up of these blocks?



The rest of the bag is made up of a few more Notting Hill fabrics, some pretty pink Pure Element solids, and a little coral pink polka-dot!



It came together using very similar instructions to the Quilted Tote Bag Tutorial that I put together for Riley Blake. I love the soft, sturdiness the batting and quilted stitches add, while leaving it very washer friendly!



I've made a few other bags in a new style that I'll be sharing soon! How about you, what have you been stitching up? I'm loving all the Scrappy Trip Along photos I've been seeing everywhere!!

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Today, my sponsor Sprightly Fabrics is offering a wonderful giveaway!! Sprightly Fabrics is an online etsy fabric shop, full of fabrics by our favorite designers and fabric manufacturers! Including Art Gallery, Riley Blake, and Free Spirit, just to name a few! They've got many of the new "must have" collections just in, like RBD's new Chevrons & Dots and Lotta's new Bella Collection. And, they have a great clearance section, too! 
Be sure to visit Sprightly Fabrics here -- 

*   SHOP   *   FACEBOOK   *   BLOG   *  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

We hope you enjoy visiting their sites!! 

For this weekend's giveaway Sprightly Fabrics is offering a 1/2 yard bundle of  Valorie Wells Cocoon Collection in the Sapphire colorway.  That's six different gorgeous prints in beautiful shades of blue! I have really enjoyed working with this collection these past few day!!

 In addition, Sprightly Fabric is marking down every fabric in their shop 20% off for the weekend. No coupon code necessary!!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

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 Cocoon Collection?  (one entry)
2. Follow Sprightly Fabrics on Facebook! 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... (optional extra entry)

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday morning, September 3rd. 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 wonderful Labor Day weekend! 

* * * * *  UPDATE  * * * * *

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

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *   

  From 1,074 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment #1036 -- Mary W Quilts, who said...

Liv in Sapphire! Thanks Mary

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

Cocoon Sketching : :

Just as soon as the rest of my fabric arrives, I plan a fabric parade post! Hooray!! The only reason I asked about sharing it is because I went a bit over-board this last month, yes I'm feeling a tad guilty and even a little embarrassed about how much. Retail therapy at it's finest! 

Well, my gorgeous bundle of Valori Wells Cocoon has been patiently waiting for some action for a while now. Aren't they pretty?! 



When I placed my order with Sprightly Fabrics, I had this very specific idea in mind for a fussy cut mini quilt. Well, last night I finally got out my pencils and sketchbook, sat down, and sketched it out. Oh boy, it felt really, really good, to just sit and draw.

I had to look back through my archives to see when or if I ever shared a drawing here, and all I found was this post from March of 2010! How funny that the next post was the first time I started sewing, which of course explains why that was the one and only drawing shared!



Drawing was my whole life before I had kids. Since I was a small child I wanted to be an illustrator. For Disney when I was really little, then for Top Cow when I was a young teenager, and then for myself when I was a bit older. For the last couple of years before I had Kaiden, I was really into portrait work. Then I become a Mama and I just stopped. For the most part, all the drawing I have done since has been for my kiddos and their cousins and their friends.



I knew the day would come when I would just feel like drawing again. Honestly, I was sure it would be when my littles were all in school. I was right!



I'm a little rusty, but boy did it feel good! I've had this idea since I hung that swatch from Julie up on my wall.  Finally getting it out on paper felt really good, too. It's such a meaningful drawing for me right now, with what I'm going through. Drawing brought such comfort, just as it always did before.



I stashed a little more of my favorite Cocoon print from the Intrepid Thread, and have plans to turn this idea into something sewn today. Well, just as soon as I fix my botched tote bag from yesterday! Yes, I ended up going with a tote after all. I decided on something I could finish and hopefully sell. Then I messed up the lining at the very end. In my scatter-brained state, I must have measured wrong and so I need to re-do it. So much for a quick finish, right?!



As for my Cocoon sketch, I plan to finish it when my drawing partner is home and ready, but this is how I left it for now. I'm excited to begin to share this side of myself here and to see what happens when I start combining my love for sewing with my drawing. I hope you'll enjoy it, too!



Today I'll leave you with a sweet and fitting quote from Hans Christian Andersen -- "Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  

And wish a happy Thursday to all!!  ♥  Maureen 

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