Grand Revival Designs

Broken Legs Are No Fun and Some Prettiness

Well, you just never know what's gonna happen. My husband broke his leg last weekend at the beach of all places. Son number two calls me to say, in a calm but urgent way, "Mom, you have to come pick us up at the beach, Dad broke his leg and is going in an ambulance to the hospital". What?!? Huh?! I assume they are playing a joke on me, but no, he had indeed broken his leg while body surfing. Husband is doing well, considering it was a fairly serious break. Kids were a little shaken to see this happen to their Dad, but everyone is fine now. Things have come to a screeching halt here though and patterns will be delayed by another week. Keeping the giveaway from the post below going until I have actual patterns to give away.

But wanted to show you some things that have amazed and inspired me today. I can't believe how fast the makers of these gorgeous outfits are! I mean Ava Rose has just been released. It's difficult to express just how gratifying it is to see the amazingly beautiful things people make with my fabric. I feel very grateful to these talented women and just wanted to share some of their wonderful designs.

The first three pictures are from the amazing and prolific Jona. I met her at Quilt Market and she's just so lovely. Fabritopia is her shop and that fantastic ballerina twirl outfit is on Ebay now. She makes the most amazing children's clothing.

The next four pictures are from the incredibly talented designer, Linda Edson, behind Lily and Ebony and Allegro Fabrics. And the outfit is also up on Ebay. What gorgeous photography!

Finally, this incredible outfit in my one of my favorite prints from Ava Rose is by Amazing Gracie
also an Ebay auction. I just love the combination she used and the hat and the coat, I don't know, just so beautiful!!!

Be back soon.....

YEAH FOR SUMMER CAMP!!!!!! and giveaway!!!

Ok, whoever thought up the concept of summer camp is a real genius. Don't get me wrong, my kids are my world, I love them infinitely, but I haven't been able to get anything done since school ended! Seriously, almost nothing!! And I have a lot of stuff that needs doing so it's been a bit of a problem. But today the clouds opened up, the sun came out, the angels sang, there was even a rainbow, ok, not really but it just seemed like that because camp started today and I could actually get things done!! Work that can literally take a week when they're home I got done in one day today. And the cherry on top is that they actually had fun at camp. So, I had seven hours of kid free time and bonus!! it was guilt free cause they were happy!

So, I'm in a crazy good mood. What feels better then really being able to check things off your list that have been sitting there for weeks? So, yeah the patterns that I've been talking about for months, here are the covers! all ready for the printer, they should, if the stars line up right, be shipping out to shops in about two weeks. I shouldn't be so relieved cause I'm not quite there but the almost there feels too good not to celebrate sooooo I'm giving away one each of the new patterns above and one of the fatquarter stacks of the winner's choice from the post below from the Fat Quarter Shop. So, leave a comment and celebrate the beauty that is summer camp with me!!!!

***NOTE*** Thank you to you wonderful people who pointed out the spelling errors!! Corrections made...

Fat Quarter Shop!!

I just love how the Fat Quarter Shop does their graphics! And their pictures of all the fabrics they carry are so well done and accurate. They have the full Ava Rose collection up right now I'm excited to say. Stores are just starting to get it this week. Also, they have an interview with me on their blog but for anyone whose read my blog lately there's not too much new there. But go and check out the interview right before me with my friend Erin McMorris whose new collection Park Slope is causing such a buzz, if you have chance. I loved reading about her design process and inspiration. Usually, we're too busy laughing to talk about design so it was fun to read about it.

Have a wonderful, safe and very happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flickr Friends

I'm so inspired by the beautiful things people make with my fabric. Inspired and honored really. Just some of the pretties people have been nice enough to post on the Barefoot Roses Flickr group. Thank you so much for taking the time to post them!!! You can't imagine how happy it makes me to see them and how much I truly appreciate it...

Flirty Skirts

 

Been wanting to tell you about the Quilts and More summer issue featuring "Flirty Skirts". Almost the same as the ruffled skirts but I actually sized them up and down a couple of sizes to fit bigger and littler girls. I love that picture, that little cupcake on her tippy toes, sweetness. I almost forgot about the article it until I came upon this site last night. I love the idea that this girl in Finland might be making some Flirty Skirts for her little one.  Also, found this today which I also thought was cool. I don't know, seeing my stuff up on the Coats (parent company to Westminster, which is the parent company to Free Spirit, the company that manufactures my fabric) Spain site just seems exotic. And Sew Simple has an article on my "beach balls" made up in Barefoot Roses. They have a couple of super cute bag patterns in that issue as well. Back to work, finishing up patterns and working on French Hatbox strikeoffs, not easy with 3 kids at home. I can't wait for day camp to start....Happy summer all!!!

Summer Sewing

Just a little weekend sewing. I did decide to get a new machine, WHY DID I WAIT?!?! I know why, cause I'm cheap...but I am soooo happy with the new machine. No more is my thread breaking every two minutes for no apparent reason, maybe because the new thread holder thingy lies on it's side, it doesn't get caught under the spool anymore? Don't know, but I am happy as can be with my new gadget. I'm converting all Ava's outgrown jeans into skirts for summer, a totally satisfying thing for me. Save money and make something pretty, yippee. I think the little halter top I made for A came out really cute, maybe I'll put a pattern up in the next couple of weeks. Thanks all for the birthday love, I spent it sewing and watching DVD's, that's all I did all day, which couldn't have made me happier.

Wanted to answer a question I've been getting about the Ava Rose collection. I think it's supposed to start shipping in late June/early July to retailers (not 100% sure cause I just design it and the sales team at Free Spirit/Westminster handles the rest). But the best thing to do is call your local store and ask them if they've ordered it and when they're expecting it. I'll try to get a more definitive answer up in the side bar soon. And the new patterns will start to ship in about 3 weeks and I'll have a list of stores up when that happens. Sorry for more slow pokedness in answering these. Talk to ya soon....

Stuff I'm Thinkin About

I'm thinkin....

I really like that picture up there that I recently took of myself. My birthday is coming up on Friday and it dawned on me that it ain't gonna get any better from here on in so I might as well take some pictures.

I really don't like any of the pictures taken of me at Quilt Market and is it possible that the migrane I was having during the whole thing actually temporarily melted the bones in my face or did it just feel like it, and, apparently, look like it?

oatmeal and guitar make for a delicious breakfast, thanks honey.

on a related topic, seeing my girl sing an Oasis song while my husband plays guitar is a really nice sight to wake up to, thanks again honey.

maybe I take too many pictures of pillows, do I have a pillow addiction or a pillow picture addiction?

I am so bummed that my old sewing machine finally broke and I don't know if I should get a new one or have it fixed.

the bath I took whilst listening to Van Morrison and drinking a good German beer was possibly the nicest thing I've done for myself in 2 years.

that I might have to learn French before next summer.

that the perfect Memorial Day is sitting on the porch watching kids play in the sprinkler whilst drinking Kosher Coke (because it has sugar instead of corn syrup like it used to be when I was a kid), eating popcorn and smelling the sweet, sweet scent of jasmine in the air.

that I'm feelin very grateful and happy just about now.....

More Quilt Market!!

Well, there's just too much to recount from Quilt Market so I'm gonna try to give a very edited version as I still haven't quite caught up on sleep (can't wait for Saturday!!). Basically it was a lot of work but it was worth every minute of tiredness. Mostly because I got to see friends, childhood friends, and new friends who I love. But also because I got to meet so many people I "know" through blogs which is a weird but incredibly nice experience. It was so funny because there was a lot of worrying about being a stalker at market. People were afraid I would think they were stalking me, I was afraid people thought I was stalking them, it was really funny. I think when you kind of know someone through a blog, you know what they look like sort of, but they don't know you as a reader, it's a funny thing. Anyway, I was like, please, stalk me, I'd love the company as there were plenty of times I was just standing around in my pretty little box by myself.

I couldn't have done any of it without my mother and business partner Linda Whelan. I am so incredibly lucky to have this generous, loving and talented woman for my mother and I only hope I can be as supportive to my children in helping them achieve their goals. She's the adorable woman with the glasses on the bottom there. I also couldn't have done it with out my childhood friend and college roommate, Sonia. She saved me about 100 times during market, the girl can think on her toes. Despite her adorableness in that cowboy hat, she's not a cowgirl, she's an attorney, so if you get into trouble in Portland, let me know and I'll forward her info. And, there's the beautiful, gracious, insanely talented Jennifer Paganelli up there (her new collection, Bell Bottoms, is well GORGEOUS!! I finally got to see it in person and it just blew me away!!!), my idol and my great and true friend, it's weird to be friends with your idol but there it is. We got to spend a bunch of quality time together which was my favorite part of market, just seeing her makes me happy. I couldn't have gotten through my schoolhouse without her as she quite literally saved me when I lost the 4th page of my notes right in the middle of the thing she jumped right in, just having her there gave me the courage to actually go through with it. Also got to spend time with my great friend Erin McMorris (new collection is so, so pretty and happy, the yellows and pinks were makin me nuts), she cracks me up constantly, and I always relate to her and can't wait to talk to her to ask her if I'm being crazy about one thing or another. Verna Mosquera was so helpful to me, taking the time, and trust me the girl is busy, to give me the rundown on how exactly to have a booth at market (her new collection is coming in fall and is sure to be as beautiful her current collection). She's just a great and busy!! person.

Knew this was gonna get too long fast, boy can I go on or what? I think I'll have to break this thing into 3 parts so I'll finish up in the next post....

Quilt Market!!!

Hi all!!!!! I've been away for too long but Quilt Market sort of absorbed every bit of my being for the past few weeks. Sorry for so many repetitive pictures of the tradeshow booth but it was the first time I've done this and honestly I was pretty happy that all the sewing, planning, shipping, carrying! resulted in this booth. I'll have more to blab about my adventures at Market soon but wanted to put up the pics. Had to leave all the funiture in Portland because it just didn't pay to ship it back which made me a little sad but it went to a friend of a friend so it'll go to good use and at least I have the pictures. Be back soon....
 

Ava Rose

Ok, so here she is, well some of her anyway, my girl, Ava Rose. Not my actual girl but you know what I mean. There's more but the day went fast and I couldn't get pics of the red colorway which I'm really excited about. Just want to say some slightly corny, drippy, sentimental stuff about the inspiration for this collection.

This really was inspired one of the three loves and lights of my life. My baby who's no longer a baby, my third and probably last child, my precious, sweet, funny, happy, quirky, amazing girl child Ava Rose. I love my precious, smart, funny, quirky, talented and kind older boys just as much but, as a designer, I'm basically all girl. Luckily, they couldn't care less that I haven't named a fabric collection for them.

I named the collection for her because in a lot of ways she is my muse. At age seven she has actual style and opinions about the way things look and what she wants to wear that reflect her own mind and not popular kid culture. She chimes in often to give me actual ideas that I often use in creative projects. But what really inspired me for this collection is simply her age. She's seven, the age where she still loves me in the infinite sort of way children love their parents before they develop their independent personalities and start to see our flaws. So different from the baby way they love you because you simply are their whole world. They now know they're separate from you and now they see you as the person they want to be like when they grow up. An amazing privilege. She wants to be with me, to be my best girlfriend, to hang out, to paint our nails together and to draw with me and cuddle at night. I know, having two older children that this won't last forever, that though their love doesn't diminish, it does change and maybe, bit by bit, it becomes more realistic. This is a good and beautiful thing but of course a poignant thing for a mother as you watch the baby that was a part of you slowly become their own person.

So, I wanted to capture the innocence, loveliness, happiness, vibrancy of my girl, my sweet, sweet girl, at age seven. Every morning when I wake my kids up for school, I take a minute to just look at them, in all their sweetness as they sleep. Often, their sheets and pillow cases are half on, half off and usually the bedding is all white because I learned a long time ago that it's wonderful to just be able to bleach out the dirt of a blanket that's been dragged around the house for some game or another. But I long to see my girl slumbering peacefully in something really pretty. It's a silly thing I know, but wrapping a child in something beautiful just feels good, like a little bit of love manifest or something. Oh sooo corny, I totally know, but it's true for me. So this is collection that I will actually make bedding out of for her and though it reflects my own tastes more then hers, it is also a reflection of my love for my girl, Ava Rose at age seven.

OK, I'm grossing myself out a little with the sappiness, but hey, once in a while the occasion calls for it. So I nervously await your thoughts about the collection which, by the way, I also think will be fab for big girl aprons, bags, porch pillows, tablcloths, etc.

Sweet Funky Vintage

How cute are these girls?!!! Wow, that's a beautiful picture, the fact that those sweet little things are decked out in those beautiful outfits made with Barefoot Roses is nice too. Missy let me know about her fantastic webstores Sweet Funky Vintage, and I Want Fabric. Fabulous stuff! I'll also have to start checking out her blog, http://www.fabricofmylife.blogspot.com
   
Ava Rose has arrived, yeah!! Leaving me a full month to make samples, very nice. I'm gonna try to take some pics today to give a sneek peak, though I must admit to being a little nervous. I mean what if you don't like it? I love it but, you know, designerly insecurity I guess. I'll try to get over myself...

Design On My Mind

These lovely pictures are courtesy of I Love Surface Design. A great new blog which is already packed full of beautiful surface design, rooms, furniture, etc. I love these rooms, simple, unpretentious but with personal style. The one on the upper left reminds me of my kitchen in the apartment we lived in in Italy when we were first married.

Anyway, been indulging in design mags and blogs recently. Needed to take a visual break from my own design work. I've been working on a fall collection called Darla. Hopefully it'll be in before the deadline but lots going on right now so I'm just  crossing my fingers that everything will fall into place. Between taxes, getting everything ready for the Quilt Market booth, finishing the new patterns, finalizing Ava Rose, working on French Hatbox, and developing this new fabric line, and oh yeah,  attempting to be a decent wife and mother, well it's a bit busy. Not as bad as I'm makin it sound though, things have been fairly well spaced and only now am I starting to panic, but just a little. It's been mostly a happy kind of busy and has forced me to be organized in ways I rarely am. I'm a "one thing at a time" kind of girl, definitely not a natural multi-tasker. I guess I'm a little bit simple minded in this respect which is why I was the world's worst waitress through high school and college. I still have nightmares when I'm stressed in my life that I just got slammed with 10 tables and forgot to bring all of their drink orders.

I'll be getting my sample yardage this week and I can't wait to see it and start sewing market samples. I'll take lots of pictures to show. Talk to you soon....

Happy Easter!!!!!

Pretty But Not Quite

Thought I'd show you some of the colorways that won't be making it into the Ava Rose collection. I think they're all pretty but they didn't quite fit into the collection in the way I wanted. Still though, maybe I'll make a reject quilt with them.

Introducing the Ava Bag

Helloooooooooo!!!!! It's been a while. It did turn out to be the flu. All five us got a visit from the flu fairy despite going through a gallon of Purell in an effort to prevent the spread. It left me feeling a bit tired and devoid of creative energy for quite a while but maybe that's a good thing. After lots of taking it easy, the creative juices started flowing again and I came up with the Ava Bag pattern. I am really loving this bag. Really easy and totally reversible which I always love and with two different handle options. This pattern will be introduced at Spring Quilt Market to coincide with the Ava Rose fabric collection. Can't wait to make this bag with Ava Rose fabrics (though I am so lovin that 2nd version made with that killer Amy Butler print from the Lotus collection). My collection won't be ready till just a couple weeks before the show which means lots of last minute sewing.

Speaking of Quilt Market, I'm gonna be doing a schoolhouse for it which is a fifteen minute talk to store owners. My topic will be about the new wave of sewing, sort of the Project Runway generation of sewers, who started sewing as adults and really look for quickish projects, especially bags, kids clothes, aprons, etc. as well as all the wonderful home sewing and design businesses, often started by moms, on etsy and ebay.

If anyone has any ideas along these lines to pass along to store owners, examples of this trend, or your own personal story I'd love to see your comment. Also, anyone who has advice about public speaking please, please share it with me, I'll be eternally grateful as, though I did it last Quilt Market, it scares me to death and I want to try to be a bit calmer, less nervous and less geeky this time though less geeky is probably asking too much, I mean I can't really change my whole personality in two months!

French Hatbox

Oh boy, craziness around here. I made a last minute decision to introduce a collection that will be released in August in addition to Ava Rose which will be released in May. So that's what I've been workin on the last couple of weeks to get it in before the deadline.

I'm excited about this collection. It's just so totally unabashedly feminine and the idea of a French hatbox was just a perfectly beautiful fit for the name.

Hope you like the little preview. The artwork's still a bit rough but I think you get the idea.

I'm actually working right now on last minute changes and I've got a sick husband and one sick child (please, don't be the flu) only one so far, fingers crossed, so I've gotta run but just wanted to show you. I cannot wait to cover some hat boxes in this fabric!!!

Country Boy & the Broken Bed

That's Alvin, owner of Country Boy my favorite antique store, attempting to find rails that fit this totally sweet bed that I've had my eye on for a while. See, the bed didn't have it's original rails but Alvin had a bunch of others in the back room so I asked him to try some of them to see if I could get an actual bed that works (I've bought a couple of others that were so pretty that I thought I could live with the fact that they didn't actually work as beds and required propping up against the wall, but I'm getting more finicky and actually want my furniture to function now). Well, to make a long story short, first the poor guy trying to find the right rails broke a rail while trying to hammer it into place. No biggy, Alvin takes this totally in stride though I'm already feeling guilty, and then while trying a different rail (apparently one size fits all wasn't the norm at the turn of the last century when I think the bed was made) the guy actually breaks the bed fitting with the hammer. OK, now I'm really, really feeling bad. So, what genius thing did I do? Of course I bought the broken bed that will never actually function as a bed cause I felt so bad about the whole thing. Alvin tried to talk me out of it but I insisted, "It's ok, I'll make it work" say I, Tim Gunn style, not wanting to leave him with a bed I caused him to break.

With my broken bed in tow, I start to drive home feeling a little sick that I'm going to have to explain to my husband why he's going to have to lug this heavy, iron, broken bed into the garage with the rest of my broken junk. I know he won't give me a hard time about it but the guilt (I have some sort of guilt complex which I'm working on) is weighing on me when lo and behold I see a bed store, you know the kind of store where you buy an actual new bed that works, which I've never done by the way. Anyway, not to drag it out, I think I've got a solution. I bought new rails that just get bolted on to the bed. I think this is going to work, just have to get the right drill bit and the right kind of bolts (the man at the bed store was very encouraging and supportive of my plan). Then I'll sand off as much of the rust and loose paint as I can and spray it white with metal paint. Hopefully, I'll have a really pretty after pic to show in the next few days. I think it will all be worth it in the end, the bed was $125.00 and the rails $30.00 and the other stuff will probably be another $20.00, I really love the bed so I think if it works out it was a really good deal, fingers crossed.

In other news, I finished revising my first round of strikeoffs in just 2 days and I have to say I'm really, really happy with this collection. Didn't even have time to take pics cause I had to get em back to the mill but I'm feeling really kind of great because I already see about 70% of the collection I dreamed about.

I've been busy sewing up projects for a couple of magazine articles that are coming up and just busy in general with some other projects--that's my excuse for not yet giving away a pattern for the Flea Market Bag to one of the members of the Barefoot Roses Flickr group, like I promised to. To make up for it, I'm going to give away 5 tomorrow and will announce the winners on Flickr. Still time to join if you're interested in the giveaway but I'll be giving these, and other patterns as they come out, on a regular basis to members of the group.

That's it for now, wish me luck on the bed. It's for Ava and I keep dreaming of her sleeping all angel like in her new old bed, cuddled up in her new Ava Rose quilt and Ava Rose pillow cases, ohh I'm gettin giddy just thinkin about it!!

Aprons On My Mind

 


Thanks everyone for the moral support on the last post...It's really good to know I'm not the only one who's not perfect!! The day got much better from there and Benji was a real hit. Ok, the 70s era acting style was pretty bizarre, even the kids thought it was pretty bad, but that incredibly cute little dog still made me go all mushy inside and the kids felt the same way.

Still workin on Stella Apron. Put her aside for a long time because of other priorities but we're gettin there. Just workin out pocket styles and sizes, and I think the proportions on the half apron may yet change a bit. Maybe, just maybe it'll be done, printed and shipped out in a month or two but I can't honestly say for sure. Tomorrow I've got strikeoffs (that's the first version of the fabric that comes back from the mill) coming and that could mean a whole lot of craziness for a while. I get, well, really really focused when strikeoffs come, obsessing on each and every color. I drag these pieces of fabric from room to room to room comparing the color in different kinds of light. I get a bit nutty in other words and there'll be a lot of take out food for the next few days so I can just concentrate on getting it done. If things are lookin pretty good I'll try to post a little sneak peak. Talk to you soon, I hope!

Bad Mommy and the Lost Shoes

Those are the sneakers that got me so very frustrated this morning. You know, that kind of frustration that makes you have to close your eyes real tight and ball up your hands in order to prevent yourself from screaming. That's the state those innocent looking sneakers got me into today. Well, really just one of them. The one none of us could find no matter how many times we looked under furniture, in closets, behind doors, on the porch, in the car, etc. The one that resulted in the kids being 35 minutes late to school. I'm not sure why, but this got me just way too wound up. I was very annoyed with the child who's shoe it was and told him so. All the children had that, lets just be quiet cause mom looks a little intense right now, look on their face. Of course we found the silly shoe, everyone got to school, all was well. But I felt not so good about having started my kids day off in that kind of environment. It's just not worth it to get so upset about a lost shoe, or being late, or anything like that. I'll make it up to them tonight by stopping whatever I'm doing and giving them my full attention when they ask me one of their one hundred and thirty two questions of the day. I'll even go right over to the computer and look up the answer with them on Wikipedia since at least 70% of the time I don't know the answer to questions like, does your estate refer to all your things or just your land and house?, what is the legal status of Taiwan and why wouldn't the US support their declaring independence from China, I mean shouldn't we support that since we declared independence from England?, is the Lochness Monster real?(ok, I know the answer to that one), did we visit the real Jamestown cause I thought it was supposed to be an island but where we visited didn't look like an island to me? Then it'll be "family movie night". We're gonna watch Benji, eat popcorn and drink soda and all will be well. I hope you have a beautiful, un-frustrated weekend everyone!

Studio Fresh Start & Blondie

Getting a fresh start, cleaning up my spaces and mind to make room for new things and projects in the coming year. I cleaned up last night with the help of The Best of Blondie for motivation and danced around like a fool while I swept. Luckily my kids are not yet embarrassed when I do this and just join in.

HGTV.com Blog & New Free Spirit Designer

Caren Baginski, HGTV.com's decorating editor recently interviewed me and asked some really fun to answer questions. It's a great blog with interesting interviews and beautiful design ideas. Don't know how I missed it until recently but HGTV.com is a great resource. Neat blogs and a really great message board community for do-it-yourselfers, crafters, quilters and more. Also, they've got a Flickr group where you can post pics of your projects and home!

I was so excited to learn last night that fellow blogger and friend Melissa Averinos is the newest addition to Free Spirit. She's totally fabulous as is her blog so I can't wait to see her collection which will debut in August. I talked her ear off last night in my excitement! Look for lots of great things to come from this girl.

That's it for now, I've got 2 sick kids to tend to...

The Romantics (who me?) & New Year Gratefulness

I haven't actually seen the February issue of Romantic Homes yet. Didn't receive my issue in the mail for some reason but my mom was kind enough to scan it and email it to me. I knew the article was coming for a while now but I must admit to being incredibly excited to actually see it, I surprised myself last night when I found myself in quite a tizzy about it. I've contributed in small ways to Romantic Homes and other magazines over the years but this felt quite different and, I must say, really, really good. Two pages devoted to pics of my stuff and my take on romance? what? who me, romantic? Not the way I think of myself (I think of myself schlepping around in sweatpants and flip flops, and if I've been cooking, usually some kind of stain on my shirt). But I guess the way I think of other stuff, houses, textiles, objects, is sort of romantic, I guess... Also, kind of honored to find myself in the company of a whole bunch of other women I respect and am a fan of as entrepreneurs and designers who are also featured in the issue.  I've been a long time reader and fan of Romantic Homes for their incredible photography and fine tuned editorial point of view. I'm always inspired by it and so, of course, am grateful and humbled that they included me in this issue.

I have to say a big thank you to Andrea Singarella who helped me style the article, both the beautiful collage vignettes in the corners are her work. She has a real gift for such things and her on-line store, One Hundred Wishes, is just exquisite, I want every single thing in it, seriously, everything! She helped me with this thing just a couple of weeks before giving birth to her second child, what can I say but thank you sincerely Andrea.

I can't wait to show Alvin, owner of Country Boy my favorite antiques store, that his card made it into the article. I love his card (I have a weird thing for beautiful business cards) and always ask him for one when I'm there cause I keep losing it. When I was there last he reluctantly gave me his last one, only after I told him it maybe, possibly, might end up in an article, so I'm glad he might think it was worth it to give me his last one.

This was a really nice way to cap off an incredibly good year. My best year yet in terms of business and career. There is just so much to be grateful for this year, one of which is this blog which I am enjoying maybe too much! and for you lovely people who come to visit me here, thank you. There are many more things to be grateful for this year, I won't bore you with them all though. The things I'm most grateful for are the health and happiness of my children and the fact that my best friend and husband still loves me, thinks I'm funny and wants to hang out with me....yeah, life is good...

I'm wishing you all the best New Year ever and I hope that all the things you want and deserve to happen in your life actually do happen.

with lots of love,

Tanya

Christmas Basket

Christmas this year was one of the loveliest I can remember. Partly, I think, because I didn't focus on making everything look perfect and just tried to relax and enjoy every moment.

The tree was too dry, the tinsel was messy and clumpy, I never even got to decorate the front door with fresh roping and lights, and the freshly laundered and bleached slipcovers never made it out of the dryer. Oh and I did something I never thought I'd do, I actually bought one of those giant "bag o bows". I love to make beautiful packages (my mother is the queen of beautiful wrapping and this year made tags out of scans of my fabric which I thought was extremely sweet) but just didn't want to stay up all night wrapping this year. The kids don't give a hoot either way, obviously. It was more fun to sleep and be well rested for Christmas morning. Everyone was happy and loved being together, what more could I ask for.

My mother got Ava the sweetest vintage sewing basket filled with buttons, pin cushions, embroidery stuff...Ava loved it and I can't wait to see  her using it.

Also, saw a great movie with my husband, just the two of us which was so nice in itself, The Darjeeling Limited. It was so smart, funny and beautiful to look at like all Wes Anderson's films.

Hope your holiday was full of light and love.

Oh So Last Minute

I covered some books I bought for presents this morning with scraps of vintage and new fabrics. It was a nice non-rushy thing to do the day before Christmas Eve. I wished I had a little more time cause I was thinking it would be lovely to embroider the "To so and so, Love Tanya" and the date but not enough time. Also thought it would be nice to sew a pocket on the front, I'm not sure why I want to, but I do, but I can't, oh well. It would be nice to personalize any book this way but I'm really lovin this, this and this book this year. Too late to get from Amazon but still time to s get from the bookstore. Merry Christmas all!!!!!!

Noel, Noel

I don't know what it is with me and that silly bird. I just kinda love her though. Anyhoo, this is what I've been up to today. I love to make ornaments, the women in my family would get together before Christmas most years to make pretty, silly, sentimental ornaments. They are always the ones I love to take out of the box because they immediately make me remember one of those times. The Noel garland was fun to make. Just fabric stuck with craft spray adhesive to cardboard. I cut the letters out of felt and glued em on with just a little glue and glued on the tinsel.

Hey, thanks everyone for liking the ball pattern! Seems to have struck a chord from the traffic through here the past couple of days. I'd love to see your "Happy Balls" so please post em in the Flickr group if you have a chance. Want to say thanks to Craftzine, an amazing source of crafty inspiration, for posting a link to the ball pattern. And to Kristen, owner of Sew Mama Sew, for posting it as well. I just love Sew Mama Sew, yeah, partly because they carry my fabric and my pattern but also because they always have such a great eclectic selection of fabrics. You don't have to search through the not so good stuff there cause everything they carry is wonderful as is their blog. Happy ornament making all!

Time On My Hands?!?

Can you tell I have time on my hands after finishing my project? Thought I'd put it to good use a make a present for a friends little one. Posted the pattern on the right under Free Grand Revival Patterns.

Also, finally posted the link to the Barefoot Roses and Flea Market Bag Flickr group. I know a lot of Barefoot Roses is being sold out there in the world but I don't get to see projects made with it nearly enough. So join the group, I'm dying to see what you make with it!

Winner and Quick n Easy Girls Winter Hat Pattern

Congratulations to Smileykylie for winning the 10 half yards of Barefoot Roses! Thank you all so much for taking the time to enter and say something nice. I have to say, you girls are just all so incredibly nice!!! I'm astounded and touched every day at the lovely comments people leave on my blog and so many others. It's just such a lovely supportive place, this crafty blogging world, and I'm so glad I found it and started this thing. Every single one of your comments is like a little gift, so just thanks to you all.

I made this little cloche like hat for Ava this week. So totally easy, I swear after cutting it took about 20 minutes to put together. I made it from that minky stuff and it's fuzzy on both sides so it's super soft and warm. And I love that it doesn't require a lining which I find to be the most annoying part of making a hat. So, I posted another PDF in 2 parts, hat directions and hat pattern, all the way down on the left, the last 2 downloads under Free Patterns. All the free patterns are over there in the right column under Free Grand Revival Patterns. I want to make a hundred of these now, that's how I get when I really like something I've made (usually I just make 4 or 5, get bored, and move on to something else). Talk to you soon... 

Doneness!!!! Sort of.....

I am DONE, well for now anyway. Just have a few loose ends to tie up and my next fabric collection, Ava Rose, will be taking a trip with the Fed Ex man. Huge sighs of relief here and now I'm actually looking forward to cleaning my house and doing some laundry which is a very, very weird feeling for me to have. Got this nice treat in the mail today. Remember the whole self picture angst thing, well I got a good one finally and the Romantic Homes article about me and other "Romantic" women will be out next month, there's the preview up there. Sorry to have let this fabric give-away thing drag on so long...things have been a little nutty here, maybe I should re-think my whole procrastination philosophy. I'm going to announce the winner on Saturday so there's still a couple days left to get in on the give-away. Thank you all so much for your totally, totally lovely comments, I can't wait to pick the winner!! Lose ends are calling me and so is my bed...

Geekin out to Sam Cooke and 2nd Fabric Giveaway

 

So I was geekin out big time last night making these origami boxes while listenen to the Great Sam Cooke on iTunes. Very theraputic I must say. I'm stressin a little trying to meet a work dead-line (gee, maybe I should stop makin origami boxes so I could finish my project and therefore be less stressed. Nooo, that's way too logical).

It really is a stress reliever makin these though. You have to concentrate a bit to make the folds just right so you end up with a nice box and anything I can lose myself in a little, ya know, be "in the moment" with does help me put the other nonsense in my head aside, if only for a little while. There are a couple sneak peaks of things I'm workin on for my next fabric collection in the pics.

So, in this Zen like, origami state, I had an epiphany..."yes, another fabric giveaway would be oh so lovely in this season of thanks giving and holiday cheer". So (I say "so" way too much) just leave a comment and you could win ten half yards of the Barefoot Roses fabric of your choice.

Jewelry Giveaway? Yeah, I'm in...

This is probably kind of dopey of me cause when I tell you this I will obviously be reducing my chances of winning but I can't help it, this girl's jewelry is really pretty and she's giving it away. I just had to share it, so leave her a comment and you could win one of these pretties...

That Was Fast!

How organized and talented is this girl?!? She made it already! I LOVE that embroidery and I love that she stuffed it with fabric and the pom, pom, oh boy is that perfect. Very cool! I love her take on the pattern. If anyone else makes the stocking I'd love to see a picture!! It's inspiring to see lots of interpretations of a basic pattern, dontcha think?

Saint Nick's Stocking

I know, I know, it's only November, so what's with the Christmas stuff? Well, it's nice to start thinking about it so it doesn't get too crazy at the last minute, not that I ever start thinking about it early. But, just in case you are that sort of organized person I thought I'd post a pattern for these stockings.

My mom made these for us a few years ago. Two are missing, just couldn't find em in my mess of an attic today. I drew the shape I wanted cause I couldn't find any elfy shaped stockings at the time, and she designed em with all those beautiful details that she's a genius with. Seeing them hanging empty for a week or so before Christmas and then watching the kids tear through em Christmas morning is so lovely, especially knowing the love and care my mom put into them. I sometimes make these stockings for girlfriends and stuff them with girly stuff because I think women, especially mothers think about others before themselves and though they may have made or bought special stockings for their kids, if they don't still have their childhood stocking, probably don't have a nice one for themselves.

I would love to make some this year from some of Joel Dewberry's (who I spoke with this week and is seriously an incredibly nice and generous guy, not to mention a design genius) red damask pattern or Amy Butler's fantastic Nigella damasks. Then again, Anna Maria's (did you hear, she's gonna be on MARTHA STEWART, yeah baby, gooo ANNA!) madras print would make a fabulous preppy punk rock stocking. And of course, anything by Jennifer Paganelli would be fantastic but I'd love to do one in her new basics black and white Casey Scroll, LOVE that one.

The pattern is down on the left, all the way down and I do apologize. You'll have to click on each link separately to get the instructions and each pattern piece cause I don't know how to make a proper PDF file. I'm sure my mother will correct this as soon as she sees this post and says "did you really put it up that way?". Merry November everyone!Sure enough, my mom took care of it and the pattern is over in the right column under Free Grand Revival Patterns.

Procrastination

 

Procrastination, procrastin-a-a-tion is makin me late (I'm singing this to the Carly Simon Anticipation tune). I should be doing work that really, really, really needs to get finished. I should be doing laundry that really, really, really needs to be done. I should be out buying pumpkins to carve for Halloween, cause my kids will really, really, really be disappointed if I don't. But, what the heck, it was more fun to spend this morning taking these silly photos. I've come to accept procrastination as part of my creative process. I wish I could just sit down with a project, start it and work right on through to the finish but I just can't. I've always been this way and I know I'll always be. It's ok though, it always works out in the end and now I have these sweet pics to look at. Hope you're having a beautiful day and if you're procrastinating like me today, don't feel guilty, just sit back, embrace it and do something that makes you happy (and then work like crazy tomorrow to catch up. That's my plan).

Tales From the Dark Side

School Halloween party last night, anyone else notice how Halloween seems to have become a month long event? When I was little we had Halloween, that's it, and it was great. Oh well, the kids had fun despite Ava's expression in these pics. For once the dreaded red eye works really well in a picture. I was so relieved when Ava changed her mind and decided to be a vampire princess instead of a mermaid, this was much easier. Last year's fairy costume is a favorite of mine.

For both of these costumes I bought the basic costume and then made the other elements. I used to make the whole thing but costumes are so cute these days and time so short it doesn't seem worth it but I still like to add personal touches. For the vampire I bought the dress for about $9.00 from Walmart. I had an old dollar store crown lying around but it was silver with pink jewels so I spray painted it black, glittered it like crazy with spray adhesive and green glitter and added the red and gold pin and attached this cool spider web lacy fabric to it, also from Walmart. A "crystal" necklace from Target completes the scary ensemble. Same deal with the fairy. Costume from Target and my mother made that beautiful crown (she is seriously the queen of fairy crowns) and bought some of those gold glittered twisty vine thingys from the flower dept. and tied them up with gold ribbon.

Ich Liebe Das Waffel Haus

Why do foods that you could easily cook at home for free taste so much better at the Waffle House? I sure don't know, but it's true. I'd never heard of the Waffle House before I met my husband but was a fan since the first time he took me to one. For me there's something really soulful about the Waffle House, it's just this old fashioned, honest kind of place that's very American. It reminds me somehow of that famous Edward Hopper painting Nighthawks .The Waffle House is comforting because it never tries to be hip, it's not ironic, and it never changes. It doesn't offer healthy salads, just patty melts, hash browns, eggs and bacon, waffles of course,  24 hours a day...heaven. Now I actually like and really couldn't live without irony, salads and change (hipness, not so much) but I just get happy when I drive by the Waffle House, it's dependable, you know, like an old friend.

   

One itsy bitsy complaint, they are trying to jump on the good coffee band wagon and claim that their coffee is some special "Arabica" blend. But really they're coffee is the same coffee you got everywhere before Starbucks came along, in other words it's pretty bad despite the fancy newish coffee logo they put on their cups. But that's really ok with me, if their coffee was actually good it might make me worry a

little that some Gen  Xer was running the company and was gonna mess with the perfection that is the Waffle House.

We ended up there Saturday after getting lost trying to find this pumpkin patch which sadly seems to have gone out of business. Anyway, we were starving when we got there so everything tasted that much better...

Ruffled Skirt Tutorial!

Finally!! got this tutorial up. Just look right over there at the sidebar where it says Ruffled Skirt Tutorial. Easy and fun!!! The first, second and fourth skirt were made from Barefoot Roses (what can I say, I have a lot of it lying around). The 3rd one which I love is one of Amy Butler's (the dot is Barefoot Roses) from her Lotus collection. Hope you give these pretty skirts a try...

 

Ruffle Mania

I can't stop making ruffled skirts!!! Inspired by Beata's beautiful skirt, I decided to make some for Ava for the new school year. I used a skirt my mother had made for her a few months ago as a sample for Quilt Market for the first try but ended up modifying it a bit. I'm going to put up a tutorial to make these skirts soon cause they are sooooo fun to make and you don't need a pattern since the skirt just consists of a bunch of rectangles, totally easy! I'm workin on one using some Amy Butler fabric to go with her winter boots that she's constantly begging to wear even though it hasn't gotten below 70 degrees here yet. Can't wait to make her one out of wool for winter in a little tartan pattern, ohh or maybe dupioni silk for the holidays. I'm having fun just thinking about it....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, I'm a Kitty Pincushion

Ava made this almost entirely on her own this weekend. The stitching and the design are completely hers though I think my mother helped her cut the pieces. She's been making pincushions here and there since I went on my kick a few weeks ago. It was so very cool to see her sewing and it was a good parenting experience for me too. First because I had to be patient and sit with her while she worked on the first one, and second because it allowed me to really teach her something as opposed to just encouraging her in her artwork or something.

On her first cushion I just told her how beautiful it was cause I was so proud that she actually finished it all by herself. But on the second one, when she asked me how she was doing I hesitated and then told her she was doing great but that to make it even better she should try her best to make her stitches as small as she could. This was kind of hard to say to her. With anything creative I usually just tell her how wonderful it is and how much I love it but I felt like it was my job to teach her this skill of sewing and that in the end she would learn more and get more of a feeling of accomplishment if I told her it was great but that she could make it better by trying. We both learned something I think.

Self Portrait

That's me, with the silly "I'm taking a picture of myself but trying to look casual but just looking weird" look on my face. A magazine contacted me this week and wants a picture for a small feature they're doing about me and some other designery type women, of course who knows if I'll actually make it into the mag. But still, pretty cool, only problem is they want a picture. I don't know about you all but I HATE my picture (anyone else have this problem?). It's not a self hate thing, just a self picture hate thing. I mean, if someone tomorrow said they could wave a magic wand and give me so and so's perfect face I'd say no thanks. Afterall, this is the face that my husband decided to hang out with 13 years ago and is still hangin out with and the face my kids love (and sometimes really, really don't like, I'm sure).It's my face and it's been good to me. It's very good at making ridiculous overly expressive expressions at inappropriate times (I could never be a poker player). But I don't like the way I look in pictures for some reason though I'm kinda diggin these altered Photoshop images. I like the purple hair, which I had a brush with (just a little piece of hair) at age 14 before my Dad drove me straight to the salon to have it bleached out. I kinda like the Frenchy look too, very sophisticated I think. Unfortunately, the magazine isn't called Dorks Who Alter Their Image in Photoshop magazine so I'll have to have my husband attempt to take some of me. This is also a problem because he gets very bored after about the 4th picture. I guess I'll just get over myself and send a perfectly fine picture....

Rosehip!

I love what Beata over at RoseHip did with the dark pink Barefoot Roses fabric. I love the way she mixed it in with less romantic prints for an eclectic, fresh and modern look. Her blog is also gorgeous as are her photographs. Makes me think I need to take some pictures outside my white studio once in a while!

Stella Apron and Apple Crisp

Here's what I've been workin on that I mentioned in the post below, scroll down and you'll see a yummy apple crisp and get to find out who else is makin delicious deserts. Introducing the Stella Apron, it goes perfectly with apple crisp and with Stanley Kowalski. It's cute and super flattering and even a little sexy. Designed by my mother and business partner Linda Whelan this apron pattern will be available through retailers in the next couple of weeks. Hope you like it....

A Dazzling Dozen Delicious Deserts

Maybe you've been wondering what that cute button over there to the left is, yeah that one, the cute one with the cupcake. Well, it's the great idea of my friend Holly Holderman over at Lake House Dry Goods. Every day for 12 days she's introducing one of her bloggy friends and their favorite deserts so check out Holly's site to see who's next. Just click on that cupcake.

This is what me and my brood are gettin ready to devour right now! I'm supposed to show what I'm workin on in the design arena too but the light was so bad today for pictures that I'll have to add it to the post tomorrow. Let me tell you, it's not so easy to make apple crisp look good in a photo, but this really, really is delicious and has never let me down every time I've made it. So here it is, a desert to keep you warm and sugared up this fall......

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, All rights reserved

5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

Jolly Jabber!

The Fat Quarter Shop has recently started a blog (the Jolly Jabber) and I'm so excited about it! Ok, partly cause they've got an interview with me up right now. But I've just been a fan of Fat Quarter Shop since they came on the scene. They do such great graphics to go along with each collection and they make everyone's collections look their very best. They've also recently interviewed my Free Spirit/Westminster colleagues, the amazing Joel Dewberry about his divine collections and the lovely Verna Mosquera of the Vintage Spool who has a beautiful collection debuting this fall! Can't wait to see who they interview next...

Sick Girl Makes an Apron

It's been such a crazy couple of weeks getting back into the swing of school. Schedule adjustments, getting up at 6AM, homework, I kinda forgot that the school year has it's own challenges. Right when things with the kids were getting under control I got sick. Nothing major, just a little fever and nausea. Not bad enough to give an excuse to actually take to my bed, just bad enough to make everything a chore. But then something amazing happened....I made an apron and was healed! I don't know if one had to do with the other but I like to think an easy, satisfying sewing project is good for your health.

I love the apron and it didn't take long either. I love the long ties that tie in front, much more flattering for some reason though I think looking at the pic I should cut them a little shorter. Speaking of aprons, Suzy over at Georgia Peachez made the most adorable apron from Barefoot Roses. Way more creative then mine, it uses like 3 or 4 fabrics.

More magic healing came in the mail today. My friend Jennifer Paganelli sent me this incredibly gorgeous bag. I couldn't believe just how beautiful it was when I saw it. I mean, could it be any more perfect,the shape alone is so wonderful and chic, those amazing lush colors on that fantastic floral pattern from her new line Mod Girls and that green button! I can't stand it, even the tag makes me happy. Jennifer's fantastic new logo with that fuschia pink ribbon. She has the most sophisticated and fun take on colors and patterns. I just love everything she does, simple as that. Thank you, thank you, thank you my friend...

She's recently posted some really important information about Lyme disease which is still such a mystery and effects so very many people including Jennifer's own daughter.  Please check it out when you have a chance.

I have so much more to share but I'll have to wait till the next post, those darn dinner dishes are waiting for me....

Pattern Making

Yeah!! I roughly finished one version of this little clutch that I'm making a pattern for. The little bugger took like 4 hours somehow, but I am a slowpoke. Also, working from an idea and trying to figure out the exact shape something should be from an image in my mind takes time, still, I'm slow as molasses at most things, washing dishes, cleaning, whatever. It take me about 2 hours to clean the kitchen and takes my husband 15 minutes. I like to think it's because I'm more thorough but I think it's just that I'm slow.

I'm so happy with how this turned out. Have a couple other versions to work out for the pattern but this is the fun part, seeing the idea come to life.

My husband has been the best husband eva this weekend. Taking full charge of kiddies so I can really concentrate on my patterns. Got another prototype done too. A great big hobo tote, totally practical and hip, and will hopefully finish one more prototype before the week ends and school starts. Back to work....

Dressing Zelda

I love my mannequin, I call her Zelda for some strange reason. She's not a real sewing form and is really useless for actually making a dress as her boobs are way bigger then mine but she is so fun to work out ideas on. I got her on ebay for about $50.00 and I just love her. Also, she's really nice and never judges me....

I would really like to actually make this dress and wear it with peekaboo 40's style red heels, of course I'll probably never actually get around to it.

This one is so 50's like like she should be holding a highball glass (if she had arms that is).

Anyhoo, I lost the post listing stores that have gotten their Barefoot Roses shipments so here they are

www.sewmamasew.com

www.hancocks-paducah.com

www.fatquartershop.com

www.suzieqquilts.com

www.virginiaquilter.com

www.quiltfabricdelights.com

Day Trippin....

Every Friday evening at our house is the same. I turn to my husband and ask "what should we do with them tomorrow?", he replies "I don't know, what do you think we should do with them tomorrow?" The implied meaning in this conversation is that we MUST get them out of the house on Saturday. As much as we would love to sleep late, drink coffee, read the paper, watch a Netflix movie and be generally sloth like, anyone who has kids knows this is all but impossible.

We've long since given up doing strictly kid activities. My tolerance for Chuck E Cheese, etc. ran out when my first one was about 3. I don't like the chaos and loudness and  was always afraid of losing a child in one of those giant plastic ball bins.

These days we like to just jump in the car and drive to random destinations. Often it's some old town that my husband has found on the internet where he knows I'll enjoy the old buildings and houses. Though the places we end up aren't always so exciting it is really wonderful to be able to just really talk to the kids with out the distraction of technology.

Got some pictures of this beautiful example of Art Deco theatre architecture in a little town that was being revitalized. And this fabulous car was in front.

These visual treats alone made the trip worthwhile for me but then we happened upon this historic site. I got almost giddy when we saw it. I had read about it one of my favorite books, "A Field Guide to American Houses" and couldn't believe we just happened to drive by it. I won't go into all the geeky reasons I love this house (I have my husband to bore with such things and I frequently do, he's a saint really) but it is a very special house. Built in 1665, Bacon's Castle, is one of only 3 examples of Jacobean architecture in the Western hemisphere. You can just see looking at it how different it is from American colonial architecture and how much more European it feels. The kids even loved the tour and I love that they have the visual memories from our Random Drive Saturday.

Hope everyone did something they enjoyed this Saturday, that's what it's for, right? The laundry can wait till Monday, or Tuesday, or Wendnesday....

Vintage Bag Rehab

This was my little Barefoot Roses project this week. I bought this bag for 10 bucks at Country Boy. I think it's maybe from the 1960's and it's pretty unimpressive but I liked the shape and it had a sturdy frame so I thought I'd try to sort of re-upholster it. It worked out really well. I thought it would involve some sewing but as it turned out spray adhesive and hot glue did the trick.

This was a really satisfying project because it worked first of all, it was easy and it was cheap meeting all my criteria for a fun craft project...I think I'll have to do it again. You can find so many 60's, 70's era handbags at Good Will or other thrift stores, probably on Ebay too, for around $5.00 to $10.00. I'm not sure but I think buying the frame new might cost more. Anyway, I love to re-use old things....

I've been indulging myself in Barefoot Roses projects the past couple of weeks...Really didn't have much time to play with my fabrics after Quilt Market.

Pretty as a Pincushion

So I've been goin a little crazy with pincushions this weekend. It all started innocently enough when I decided to rehab a 40s/50s era suitcase and make it into my sewing box (you know those little hard suitcases that you see in flea markets and antiques shops, I'm always attracted to em but didn't know what I'd actually do with one).

I thought a pretty sewing box deserved some pretty pincushions. Of course I'm not that happy with the way the suitcase is turning out and the project is turning into a bit of drag but the pincushions are one of those happy creative accidents. I've really been indulging in preciousness here but they are so fun to make and a great way to use up scraps, vintage jewelry and bits of ribbon and ric rac. I think I'm on a kick here and will probably make a whole bunch to give as Christmas presents. It's funny because I used to think pin cushions were kinda dumb, I mean why not just keep pins in that little box they come in. But after spilling those little boxes about a hundred times and stabbing myself countless times trying to get a pin, I began to see the logic. I'm a little slow on the up-take sometimes.

I also indulged myself with some sunflowers for our Sunday dinner. Fat, happy sunflowers, cheap red wine, husband made chicken Teriaki and Hawaiian sticky rice, Peter Tosh playing on the stereo, and 3 crazy children making me laugh.....oh yes, life can be so sweet.

And the Winner is.....

                                                                                               

WOW!! I have to say I am completely over whelmed by the response to the give- away. Now I know everyone likes free stuff, but I also know that everyone these days is ridiculously busy. So the fact that so many people took the time not only to comment but to say something extremely kind, is really, well, I don't know how to say this without being too sappy but, I just consider it a really amazing gift. So thank you all for taking the time to boost a girl's ego, really, thank you! The only problem is that I went to everyone's site who left a link and, sadly for my ever growing pile of laundry, I now have many more places I know I'll be visiting on a regular basis.

I also have to thank Jennifer Paganelli for pointing so many of you in my direction. Her design work is so beautiful, innovative, elegant and happy and she is an incredibly warm, generous and authentic person (I keep telling her I want to be president of her fan club, I really do.) Also have to thank the very sweet Sarah at Quilt Fabric Delights for asking to interview me and then actually posting it. And Gina "the dynamo" Halladay of Quilters Buzz and the fabulous Threaded Pear Studio for pointing yet more of you over here and for quilting my quilt for Quilt Market (she may well be the busiest person I know).

Alright, enough with the thanks already, and the winner according to the random number generator is

Kathy Woods

and because you all were so sweet I'm sending the pattern to the following 5 people, again, according to the magic random number generator

Pam
Nancy
Angie
Sue
Betsy

Just send me your shipping info. to [email protected]

Thanks again everyone! This was so fun that I'm gonna have to do it again soon!