SUMMER dreamin' - my tutorial is live :)

If you subscribe to the newsletter at my fabric online fabric store, The Intrepid Thread, you would have received the newsletter today!  My project "SUMMER dreamin' " wall hanging is in this issue :)  I am so excited to have the chance to do this- it was so fun designing an entire project!!  I will definitely be doing more of this!!  Head on over to sign up for the newsletter if you don't already receive it- there is a nice coupon code too for Miss Julie's shop too- just saying-  more fabric is always a good thing :)!!

Here's my project!

Sneaky Peeky...

I LOVE this- my total design- 100% me and my style!!!  The full tutorial coming soon.  It would be a good idea for you to sign up for the newsletter at http://intrepidthread.com- just sayin' :). 

A Special Treat

I have been busy working on a special treat for the next newsletter for  The Intrepid Thread.  Miss Julie is amazing and has wonderful contributors with projects for each newsletter.  Along with an awesome coupon each month :).  I was able to be one of the lucky people who gets to design a project and use her yummy fabric to make it a reality!  I am getting close to having it done and in process of working on the tutorial.  Just a few hints:  piecing, embroidery, appliqué, and cuteness!  I'll get some sneak peeks to you soon....  EEPPPP!   So fun!

IT'S GIVEAWAY DAY!!!! YIPEE SKIPEE!!!

In honor of my Cutting Corners Course, Riley Blake told me I could give EVERYTHING I didn't use AWAY to Y-O-U!!!! And let me tell you, I wish I could win!!! :) There's a bunch of goodies here! I could hardly believe it when I opened the box! Here's the deets:

Some darling, and I mean DARLING, crochet strawberries- I'm tempted to keep these, but I will remain strong :) And some cherry red scalloped buttons!

Then some trims- beautiful grosgrain ribbon with green flowers on them, velvety ric-rac in the perfect aqua color! And precious green pom poms- the littler ones that are just too cute in any project!

And lastly, the FAT QUARTER SET of **DELIGHTED**!!!!! There is one FQ missing that I used for the front of the blanket set, and a few 6.5" pieces I used for the back and pillow, but other than that, it's all there!

I just can't contain myself! The colors in this line are dreamy perfect and the prints are more than wonderful! It makes me smile to just see it! I hope it will really make someone's day!

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment!!

Extra entries can be earned from:

1-following my blog (or telling me you already are a follower) and

2-getting the word out via twitter, blog, fb, what have you!

So 3 entries possible- yay!!!

Mr.Random Number Generator Man will draw us a number a week from today, on Wednesday the 23rd! Now wouldn't that be a fun Thanksgiving surprise??! Good luck and talk soon :)

Cutting Corners!!!!

I'm over at Riley Blake Cutting Corners today! I have a darling and lovely Doll Blanket and Pillow Set tutorial for you! My next post, tomorrow, will be the GIVEAWAY from the amazing Quilted Fish's Delighted fabric!! Get ready and hop on over to see the cuteness :) I LOVE it!!

It's NOT mine- sort of :)

See this pile of goodies???? Oh, it just makes me giggle! This came to my door from the amazing people at Riley Blake last week! I have been ooouuuuuu-ing and aaaahhhhh-ing over it the past few days. But it's not mine, well sort of... Let me explain.

Those great afore-mentioned people at Riley Blake have a part of their website that is called Cutting Corners. The fun thing about it is that every so often they have a new teacher, or Course Instructor, give a handmade tutorial using their products. Their fabrics are my favorite! I would sooooo open a shop with their lines, if I only had about $30,000 to buy just part of the bolts I wanted for my shop :) hehe! Seriously, I would love to sell their amazing products- those crochet flowers up there are at the top of my accessories list too- eepppp! Sorry, tangent! Anyway...

I get to be a Course Instructor for the Cutting Corner in November. What I am making will include some of each of the items in the photo above- they wanted me to have a good selection of Delighted, so they sent me the entire line!! W-O-W!! I am just giddy! This is gonna be the cutest __________ and _________ ever!!! You will have to wait til November to see what it is!

Then I also get to go to the Launch Party for Delighted in October and meet the incredible Amanda herself- I am just star struck!! I keep pinching myself!! Wow! For real!!

The BEST PART about the whole thing is that once I use my little bit of things from this lovely, amazing, gorgeous, fun stack, the rest will be a GIVEAWAY on this here cozy blog of mine!!!! Yes, that's what I said- most of that above loveliness will be some lucky person's! I am so excited for the project I'm doing and for the GIVEAWAY!!! Hip, hip, horray for a GIVEAWAY!! So be watching in the next couple of months for a wonderful treat!

My new "can" :)

I have been looking for the perfect marker holder for my sewing room- I LOVE Sharpie markers (I make my quilt tags/labels with them) and the huge colorful pack at Costco jumped out into my cart months ago. I just had to have them at hands reach, but wanted something cute for them to stand in :). I seach the thrift stores each time I go in, but I was getting flustered that I could not find the "perfect" thing. I found the yellow container there, but it was perfect for my rotary cutters! So, as I was looking through the blogs I follow last week, Miss Lori's tute about covering jars with fabric over at http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/ popped out at me. I knew I found my answer.

Say goodbye to a can of yams, and voila! The perfect pen jar!! I sewed some lovely scraps together that made me smile and sprayed on some glue. It dried in no time flat, and there sit my rainbow of Sharpies :). They make me smile each time I walk in!

Hoppy Day :) -Mini Bunny Tutorial

With Easter around the corner, I thought I would love to share my Mini Bunny tutorial so those of you that sew can make some bunnies for your sweet ones for the holiday. The pattern is easy, very easy- perfect for a half hour project or new beginner! The finished bunny is about 5" tall, not including his floppy ears :). Have fun and I'd love to see your finished pictures on Flickr!

Print out the pattern pieces. **Still working on getting my pdf file of the pattern pieces on my blog- feel free to email me if you need them sooner and I will email the file to you!** Cut them out and pin them onto your fabric choices. I use felt for the ears to make them quicker and more stiff than cotton. Cut out your pieces and remove the pattern pieces.

Take the ears, one by one, and fold them over themselves in the middle, to make a "Z". Pin in place.

Stitch both ears so the "Z" stays in place- this is the ear crease.

Zip zag stitch your ears onto the front of the bunny body. I sew mine on at the "11:00" and "1:00" positions :).

Put the body pieces right side together and pin all the way around.

Sew around the body, leaving an opening at the bottom about 1.5" inches.

Turn the bunny right side out. Iron it nice and pretty. Then you are ready to stuff :)

Stuff the bunny. Super complicated, but he/she's starting to look really cute about now :)

Hand stitch the bottom opening closed.

Draw the face details with a pencil and embroider the face on. I like to pull my floss through the back and catch it with the front material when I begin with a color so the end thread is not sticking out.

Almost done! Add any little embellishements to give it personality- I added a bow :) to this cute girl bunny!

Sew or hot glue a pom pom to make the bunny's cotton-ball tail.Then, ta-da!, your cute creation is ready to get some hugs!

Mini bunny is copyright 2011 by me :) Thanks!