Hard Work

Wow! I must say that coming up with three interesting, inspiring, thoughtful and useful surprise packages was harder than I could have imagined. I created pile after pile based off my three winners interests and styles. I edited, rearrange, re-thunk, walked away, slept on it, then edited some more. In the end I am pleased with the outcome and hope more than anything my winners will be very pleased too.

I wanted each package to contain some inspiring reading. So I culled through my library and picked books or magazines that I thought had loads of creative eye candy in them. Projects and pictures that these crafty gals could add their own personality to. I also wanted to send at least a yard of nice fabric that the recipient hopefully doesn't already own. Finally, I wanted to send notions that complimented the fabric and allowed each winner to make something without having to buy a bunch of stuff.


Package One:  Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross, 1 Yard of Far Far Away Double Gauze, Orange Vintage Buttons, Vintage Orange Bias Tape, Gutermann Elastic Thread

Package Two:  Cotton Time, Cotton Friend and Cotton & Paint japanese craft magazines, Japanese Goldfish Linen and a coordinating print fabric, Vintage rick rack and seam binding, Blue buttons and Gutermann Thread.

Package Three:  Zakka Sewing Book, 1 yard Michael Miller Pear Fabric, Vintage Cotton Bias trim and Rick Rack, 3 Gorgeous Large Vintage Wood buttons and Gutermann Thread.

These packages will be in the post on Monday!

Surprise after Surprise!

Well several surprises really. First off I am surprised by the number of people that took the time to enter my surprise giveaway. 396! That is so many more people than I what  was expecting.  I have spent the last few days visiting everyone that left a comment around cyberspace. I learned so much about all you people. I now know that lot's of you like Orange! Orange? I was so surprised. And that I might very well be that last person on earth not quilting. This next year I am going to save all my fabric scraps from sewing clothes and give them away. I will make a quilter very happy. Surprise! The last big shocker for me is that if you ask people what they like many of them will actually tell you. I mean really tell you in a meaningful way.  Answers chock full of excitement, hope, humor and color.  Thank you to everyone who shared. It has been so nice getting to know you :)  I found some new blogs to follow and still have many that I want to go back and explore.  I will give a blog goodness recap on my findings later this week.


On to the Giveaway! Because there were so many entries I decided to give away more than one surprise package.  Random.org picked the first winner and it was:

abcgirl
said...
intriguing hook.... you got me!
i currently love to sew quilts. my favorite color is that shade of yellow-y green that could be either yellow or green, depending on what's next to it. and i have a terrible habit of collecting fancy ribbons and not using them because they're too pretty.


Then I picked two more! First I randomly picked someone who has choosen to follow my blog.  It makes me feel so good that people think what I am making is worth coming back to look at:

Simply EC
said...
OK, I'm game! What fun. (And I love your blog, you make really interesting stuff, and your oilcloth cover tutorial is JUST what I've been looking for as we need to keep the table that was my husband's grandmother's mess and scratch free!)
I like making bags, jewelry, useful little things. I love to sew, I love making clothes and embellished clothing for my son, myself and my friends' children. I love buttons and trims. I love making toys. And I love vintage patterns. LOVE them. I've also discovered patchwork recently and love doing that as well.
My screenname just about everywhere is "arimethia: (flickr, craftster, twitter, etc.) and other links are on my blog. Thanks for the giveaway!

Then I picked someone, based on their comment, that I thought could use a little pick me up surprise in the mail. It is almost Christmas after all. The perfect time to pass on a little goodness to:

Mama24Monkeys
said...
I adore surprises and sadly I rarely ever get one so I hope I win jst for the surprise.
OK, about me...I don't have a blog to help, so I'll do my best. Mostly sew for kids. I have 4 boys under 5 and tend to sew more for boys(wonder why?) I love making baby blankets and have just discovered quilting this year. I love flannel fabric in fun prints and minky. I have a bad case of stash envy. I have a very pathetic stash (at the moment I have 6 fat quarters) I tend to buy just what I need and haven't brought myself to just buy fabric because I like it. I have to have purpose before I buy. My new year resolution is to let myself buy fabric just because I like it and not because I have a planned use for it. I rarely use patterns, but when I do my projects always come out better with more ease then without. My favorite color combos are blues, greens, greys - reds, pinks, oranges - purple, green, gold. I knit, crochet and crosstitch but want to learn how to aplique this coming year. I think you now know more about me then my hubby. Thanks for the chance to win.

I will be contacting all the winners today.  I will post photo's of the surprise packages next week after I know the winners have received them (can't spoil the surprise).

SEW MAMA SEW GIVEAWAY DAY

I am giving away a surprise.

Kills you doesn't it?

I will tell you that it will be a fun box of vintage sewing supplies (trims & buttons) and modern fabric (from the best of today’s designers) all culled from my vast collection. If you sew for children there may be patterns. If you love Japanese craft magazines I will stick one in your goodie package. Vintage Patterns?  I have boxes of them and love to share.  You get the idea.

All you have to do is tell me what you love to sew, your favorite color & if there is a sewing item that you particularly love to collect (buttons, fabric, patterns, antique lace) so that I make a custom goody score just for you. The winner will be chosen randomly. After I pick the winner I will assemble a special box of goodies just for you. I will be looking at your blog, shop or flickr photo's to learn more about you ;) so share that info too. The more I know the more special the box will be!

It's a Giveaway!

I do not do that many giveaway's and I have never had one on my own blog (nothings changed). This giveaway is like a PBS TV kinda thing. You know, your kids watch PBS for years and you never donate during drive time. Well, not you exactly, me. I will admit that I have never donated to PBS (guilt ridden).
However, sometimes something so amazingly Momma altering comes along that I feel a need to participate. This is one such example. I read The Crafty Crow Blog religiously. Incredibly inspiring blog if your a mom of little ones. And after a few visits you will find Cassi's ability to hunt down everything she posts pretty inspiring too! There are days that I visit more than once looking for projects to do with the kiddos. Sanity saving projects for when three Lilliput people are hanging on you all at once, moaning with despair and boredom. So I am doing a little giveaway over on this amazing blog right now! I can't imagine that there is anyone in blog land who has never heard of The Crafty Crow. If there is, and you are reading this right now, then I just did my first PSA (Public Service Announcement). Go bookmark The Crafty Crow right now! Your Momma of the year badge may well depend on it. Thank you Cassi for all that you do!

On the way to me........

Well, I made out big time in the Sew Mama Sew May giveaway. I made out twice actually. That sounds a little naughty doesn't it? Just a sec........let me wipe the silly grin off my face.

First, on the way to me is one lovely custom tunic similar to this.

It's actually on the way to Soren of course. It would have been too selfish to get it for myself. Even if the lovely Heather was willing to sew it in any size and color. I think this will make an amazing swim cover up now and then a darling top for school in the fall. Heather is the owner HeathertyFeatherty on Etsy which is a very charming little shop if you would like to order one of these numbers for yourself (that wouldn't be selfish).

Since the giveaway gods were apparently smiling on me I will also be receiving this super cute bundle of goodies from the very talented Melody ! Melody's Etsy shop TheWillowTree has sweet softies and the most amazing sock monkeys. Look in her sold items to see her Sock Monkeys because there are not any in her shop at the moment but it's worth a gander (I love the punk one). I have wanted to make a sock monkey forever and now I will get to because the socks come with the directions . As for the baby shoes and taggie I have the perfect baby to gift them to.
Thank you to Heather and Melody for the very generous giveaways!

And the Winner Is......

Sew Funky from New Zealand is the winner of my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway! Love the random number generator :)
I had so much fun reading comments and visiting other blogs and shops. Thank you to everyone for participating in my giveaway and hosting your own. My butt hurts....how about yours?

Give Away Day!

Here is my give away for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!


Whimsical at a minimum, saturated with color...these make me happy. They make me smile every time one of my girls walks into a room wearing them. Fuchsia denim with a scalloped aqua paisley print side border. Scalloped fabric edges are raw and will fray slightly when washed which adds fabulous depth to these jeans. Bottom of pant legs are serged for a neat appearance. Elastic waist for comfort. All seams are professionally finished and I pre-shrink my fabric so there are no surprises when you wash them :) 100% cotton . Both of my girls have this exact pair. And my oldest has a blue jean pair too! This pair is about an 18 months to 2T!
Post a comment with the last handmade item you purchased to enter the giveaway and I will use the Random Number Generator to select the winner at Noon Minnesota time on Sunday may 31st . Willing to ship them anywhere in the world :) Please leave a way for me to contact you. Some folks have blogging profiles that are closed so I can only post the winner on my blog. Leave an email address if you are unsure!
Will post more pictures as soon as my camera battery recharges!

I Won Something Fabulous

It's true. I can hardly believe it myself. The amazing Sew, Mama, Sew blog held a contest for the creative use of fabric flowers in honor of the incredibly talented designer Jennifer Paganelli new Flower Power Fabric range. I entered my flower pocket skirt. I was certain I wouldn't win (what are the odds, right?)after they featured the skirt during a reminder post for the contest on their blog. Not to mention there were some pretty amazing entries in the flickr pool. Rose Hips crochet flower pillows seriously made me green with envy for her talent (grand prize winner). Go check out the Flickr Flower Power Pool for your daily dose of creative mojo.

Yep, I did a whole bunch of happy dancing and grining and chating with crafty pals. And yes, On the way to me is that lovely 12 fat quarters pictured above (or some other combo possibly). You can get one for yourself (no I am not sharing) here. Woo-hoo!