A Felt SALE : :

This time every year I get the itch for handwork, projects that can easily be taken on the go for those longer road trips or just to have to work on while outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather. In the past for me that's either meant a simple knitting project or some kind of embroidery hoop work that I never seem to finish. Well, this year I'm planning ahead and I'm putting together a portable basket of my wool blend felt and embroidery floss with supplies for making all the beautiful felt flowers!



I recently restocked my Etsy shop with my favorite wool blend felt colors, adding a few new options to the mix that I'm really excited about! So today I thought I'd share a sale with those of you who might be looking for something new, portable, and fun to do, as well!!





Now through the end of May use Coupon Code: SUMMERLOVE for 20% OFF any Wool Blend Felt order in my Maureen Cracknell Handmade shop! I went ahead and added a few easy felt flower tutorials to my "Just For Felt" Pinterest Board to help you get started!

Thanks in advance to those of who support my little shop, I really appreciate you! Happy hand-working!!

♡ Maureen

Felt Work : :

Over the weekend I finally received my big restock order of wool blend felt and spent what little sewing time I had catching up on Etsy orders. With all the quilt work that's been happening lately it was a welcomed change to push the fabrics aside and work with felt for a couple of days. It's such a different kind of sewing for me. It's my time for handwork on the couch, to replace the rotary cutter with scissors for a little while, to create little pictures and characters and something small but so personalized, unique, and special.







New custom order requests so often have me picking a new crown favorite, like yesterday's Pirate Crown!



As this little hobby-turned-business changes for me and new opportunities come my way, continuing to make these crowns and sell this felt that I do love so much, is something I'm always thinking over. I have to ask myself often, overall is it enjoyable work or do the days spent feeling like an assembly line drain me too much creativity? Well, certainly those days do happen, but not too often. Do those rare, dreadful customers that try to steal time, money, and energy make me want to check out from time to time? Ohhh yeah! It's amazing how one stranger can make you want to completely give up. But thankfully the wonderful still largely outweighs those occasions. Then there's the biggest question of all -- Will my Etsy shop always take the time that could be spent working on more quilts and a quilt pattern line? Offering quilt patterns is a big goal of mine, and yes, the time spent making Etsy orders is the time I'd need for this new venture. The reality is, not having my Etsy income would be a huge adjustment for us and as long as I find joy in this kind of work, I know I'll continue to talk myself out of making the change. Can you relate, do you have similar struggles of your own with trying to find some semblance of a balance between doing what you love and running a business?

Thanks in advance to those of you willing to share your thoughts with me! ♡ Maureen

Fox Pillow Making : :

This morning I have three fox pillow orders to finish to ship out later today. I really do love making these applique pillows, you can always find them made to order in my little etsy shop!



While the pale aqua and orange fox pillow combo is by far the most popular, I love it when a customer requests a different color combo or a little extra added embellishment like this dapper tie!



Or a sweet lady fox with a purple bow!





After finishing up each felt pillow front, I audition fabrics for my pillow backings. This time I was able to use up some large, quilted patchwork scraps for one, and settled on my Folk Plaid print for Mr. Fox and a cute polka-dot from my stash for the missus.





These fun pillows make such a nice break from all the quilt work and birthday crown making!



Now my busy week of sewing is finally off to a good start! How about you, what are you working on this week?
  
♡ Maureen   

Crowns of Flowers : :

Making all of these hand-rolled and cut flowers is definitely my new favorite non-quilty thing to do! It was a pretty rough week last week, all three of my kiddos had the flu and I've been having a tough time with some health issues of my own. Making these was the perfect curl up under a quilt on the couch project to keep me still feeling productive! Aren't they so pretty?!







It's been a lot of fun, but my supplies have run out. I only have enough of the beautiful, recycled silk twine that I've been using as my tiebacks to make just two more. Any type of ribbon will work just as well, but I had professed from the beginning that once I ran out, I would be done with these for now!

If you would like to make some of your own, I'm a having a felt sale for 20% off with coupon code: FELT20OFF in my etsy shop! Many of you have asked for me to share a tutorial for the flowers I've been making, I wish I could but I just don't have the time right now. If you follow this link to Pinterest you can find so many already available!



Have a great day!  ♥  Maureen

Weekend News : :

What a wonderful weekend! Kevin and I took a little road trip down to Harrisburg for him to run the marathon. He had trained all Summer for the Erie Marathon back in September, but unfortunately tore a calf muscle during a long run just a few weeks before. He worked so hard to rehab and thankfully felt strong enough to run. Since he started running a few years ago he made qualifying for Boston his goal, and he did it!! It was amazing to see and we are all sooo proud! I shared lots of snapshots of our trip on my Instagram, which I especially love for special moments like this one!



Today, Haila is home with a cold, keeping me company while I play catch-up! Right now I'm having two sales -- A Wool Blend Felt sale with Coupon Code: FELT20OFF and if you mention with your order that you love scraps, I'll include a generous designer fabric scrap bundle with your order!



And, a Fox Pillow flash sale that ends tonight, with Coupon Code: SAVE5 for $5 off any Fox Pillow Cover and you'll receive a FREE pillow insert, too!! 

 
I wish you all a great start to your week!  ♥  Maureen 

This Week : :

Yesterday I shipped out lots of crowns orders, including my new favorite design and color scheme, these cute little Fox & Bunting Crowns!





I'll be listing it in my etsy shop today and then I plan to share a little Giveaway for one on my Facebook Page right HERE!



Last night I worked a little more on my Making Rows Quilt in progress, adding in my Stacked Windmill block from Modern Bee and lots of pluses & flying geese!



I'm completely hooked on making geese these days! I recently designed a geese quilt using Cloud9 Fabric's soon to be released Up, Up, & Away collection. My quilt will be displayed in their booth at Market this weekend, and then we plan to share that free pattern sometime next month! I just can't stop making them, they're so much fun!!



After last night's sewing session I have a few more rows finished, with just a couple more to go before this quilt top is completely done, I can't wait!

How about you, what are you working on this week?

A Thank You GIVEAWAY : :

I can't even begin to write on how wonderful reading yesterday's comments were! Once I began stitching on each of the free flying butterflies I had started to second guess myself a little. When I shared my sketch and the photo of my pieced quilt top in the window, I had left off the appliqued butterflies as the unexpected surprise for when I shared the finished quilt. Throughout those few days I had it hanging in the window, that corner of negative space had really grown on me and I almost changed my mind. After reading through all your sweet comment, I'm really glad I didn't! To have so many of you appreciating my creativity is really something, thank you so much!



Today I'm working on etsy orders -- pillows, crowns, and packaging of felt bundles. Then I'm hoping to start a new quilt or two.. I have a niece Josie who's requested that her quilt be a "Princess Quilt," I'll be working from my stash with many prints from the Once Upon A Time fabric collection for this one, with a castle quilt pattern in mind, hmn? The second is for my niece Sylvia who's two, lives in Hawaii, and loves Koi fish. Her mama and I agreed on the beautiful, new Koi collection by Rashida for Cloud9 Fabrics for Sylvia! I love this fabric collection so much!!





Keeping with the rainbow of color I shared in my new quilt yesterday, inspired by the sight of an order I received for one of each of the felt colors I carry all bundled up, and to offer something different than my usual weekly Fabric Giveaway -- I thought today I'd have my very own for a rainbow bundle of felt!

All Fifty-Two colors of the high quality wool blend felt I sell in my etsy shop, all packaged up for one of you! You can see all the colors I have available right HERE!



I'm also continuing my 20% OFF Felt Sale using coupon code : FELT20OFF along with your choice of either a designer fabric scrap or felt scrap stack included in each order, throughout the duration of this Giveaway!

Enter to win! 

Here's how,

1. Simply add a comment to this post! If you'd like, you can share with me what you'd stitch up with all this wool blend felt? (one entry) 
2. Followers of Maureen Cracknell Handmade get an additional entry, too! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (one optional entry) 

3. 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 instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (one optional entry)

Please enter now thru Monday, September 9th. Mr. Random will pick the winner 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 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!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!!

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

From 1,180 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

    Comment #592 --   * Darcy *   

Congratulations!!! I will be in touch shortly!  

Felty Things : :

There's something about the imminent Fall weather that makes sewing with felt so soothing to me. I love it! Each year around this time, I feel this strong pull shifting my crafty mind to sewing projects of all kinds using colorful, cozy wool blend fiber. See!











Handmade goodness galore, there is just so much to make with felt! Plus you know I'm always busy making my Birthday Crowns!

SO, I thought I'd have a little felt sale in my etsy shop now that the kids are back in school in case you have some felty-sewing-crafty ideas of your own! Just use coupon code "FELT20OFF" to receive the 20% discount on any felt purchase!


Here's a look at the colors I carry!





I will also be including your choice of either a fabric scrap pack or felt scrap pack with each order!! Just specify which you'd prefer in the comment section when you order!





And, be sure to check out my Pinterest board "Just For Felt," which includes many of my own felt projects and a growing list of great felt-y inspiration!!   ♥  Maureen

Just Because : :

The morning I took the photos of my newest pillow, the sun was shining bright, so I also took lots of the kiddos, and of Lily. Her pretty blue eyes are amazing! She's definitely comfortable here in our new home, and has become so lazy and rather large in the belly, especially these last few months. She cries as soon as her food dish is empty, and even wakes me up if that happens in the middle of night. It's completely ridiculous and a bit out of control! I'll need to approach this carefully, I don't want to hurt any feelings! So, although this has nothing to do with sewing, if you happen to have any tips on kitty diets, please do share!!

Well, you know you've made a lot of things when you see a glimpse of something on Pinterest and don't realize until several moments later that you're the person who made it? That happened to me yesterday, with this forgotten pillow from May 2011!



For as much as I love making these stitch-y applique pillows, I don't do it very often? I've decided to make some new ones, in new colors, in this same design, just as soon as I can!



This week, I'll mostly be working on and packaging up crown orders. These are a couple of new Garden Princess Crowns. I love seeing these Spring colors!



I took some time to update my felt inventory with new color card photos. Making one for all the Wool Blend Felt colors I have available, forty-five colorful shades!



And, one for the dozen of the Neutral color options I have, as well.



I'm hoping these make choosing felt for both crown orders and crafting/sewing projects easy! If your looking for ideas for using felt to incorporate into your own sewing/crafting, I have a Pinterest board "Just For Felt," which includes many of my own felt projects and a growing list of great felt-y inspiration!!

I'll be running a little Etsy Shop sale for 20% off any purchase of felt with coupon code : FELT20OFF beginning now! Last time I ran right out of some colors, so I can't specify how many days I can have the sale. But, if you happen to order and are interested in receiving some fabric scraps, please let me know that "You love scraps!" in the comment section of your order, and I'll be so happy to share!

Happy Sewing!!   ♥,  Maureen