one shabby chick

Almost sewing

I did cut out and pin the body of this bag yesterday. But no sewing yet.

Hoping to get it quilted tonight after soccer.

And I haven't mentioned it yet but check this out.

I'm going to be on Pat Sloan's radio show - and yep, I'm super nervous! I'm just a mom who likes to sew....what could I possibly have to talk about?! So if you want to tune in, it's on Sept. 7th.

Here's what my sewing table looks like at the moment. Stacks of fabrics!

I love this new line by Heather Bailey - I cannot wait to make those canvas prints into some word tote bags!

And this line is just super gorgeous...need to get some yardage of my favorite prints.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway here for a fat quarter set from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics!

OK - Off to get my hair cut :-)

Sewing withdrawals and a great sponsor

My sewing machine is getting lonely.

Life has come in full force this week but I am hoping for a tiny bit of sewing time today after our first co-op meeting (and before soccer).

I'm so nervous - I'm teaching Spanish to a group of high schoolers! Hope it goes ok!

So to keep you all excited while I finally try and sew something today, I'd love to have you meet my latest sponsor.

Randi from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics.

I've read Randi's blog for a long time now. She's such a great writer and so real on her blog - I love that. And she has a great mix of sewing, gardening, family life, and fabric.

And today she's sponsoring an amazing giveaway here.

Secret Garden by Sandi Henderson!

Who doesn't love Sandi's designs - they are always gorgeous and cheery!

This giveaway is a fat quarter bundle of the Sunset Garden colorway - 14 fat quarters (which is 3 1/2 yards)!!

So pretty - I already ordered some from Randi and it's in the mail to me now - cannot wait to get it!

Go visit Randi's shop and come back and tell me your favorite print from Sandi's new line (or just your favorite fabric that Randi has in her shop) and leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.

I'll draw a name next Monday, Sept. 5th. Good luck!

** Comments are now closed - winner will be announced soon!

hmmmmm

Ok it's been a little while......

I might turn into a broken record but soccer is seriously taking over. Today we had opening day and I thought I'd come home and have some sewing time but...yeah, that didn't happen.

I have finished two quilts that I will show as soon as I take some pictures of them.

And I sewed this quilt back:

so I could send this top:

to this amazing quilter. I cannot wait!

And I have a couple blocks for my nephew's quilt:

Praying all you East Coasters are safe!!

All she wants is clay

Today is Bela's birthday.

My sweet girl is turning 11. {sigh} She really is such a sweetie and such a big help to me. I'm hoping she stays like this forever.

And all she wanted for her birthday was clay - I know - such a funny request. So I have a few different kinds coming from here and hopefully she'll be happy with what I picked!

So happy birthday my sweet girl - we love you so much and are so blessed to have you as our daughter.

Saturday

First up was soccer pictures.

Our team name is the Flying Unicorns - I had to be very diplomatic to get five 5 year old girls to decide on a name together.

Someone got a haircut this morning too.

Then I spent the rest of the day sewing.

Trying to ignore the dirty house {and piles of clean laundry}.

Made up a makeup bag and purse for a friend's birthday:

Sewed up some quilt backs:

And quilted this little one:

I also started on a couple blocks for the nephew quilt too but I'll have to take pictures tomorrow - it's too dark now.

So much fun

So now I have two new toys to play with.

My new lens..

and a Silhouette machine.

I went with the cheaper lens (as opposed to the f1.4) so I could get the machine too and ever since it arrived yesterday, we (the kids and I) have been playing with it.

It took me a few trys to get the fabric cutting right - turns out the interfacing I was using just wasn't working. So I switched to Heat and Bond and it works great!

Some little hearts and a onesie for the new nephew (yep, she's having a boy)...

Today we got a couple of the kits in the mail (yes, I have spent all my birthday money and then some).

The wall vinyl is very fun - we cut out some designs for the girls' bedroom door.

But my absolute favorite is the iron-on vinyl. The kids made shirts with our church's initials on them.

I want to stay and play around with it some more but I am being forced to take the kids to the beach...what a life right?!

Oh and more more thing...saw this cute bag on Flickr and had to make one - fun way to use up those selvedges.

And I really do want to make a tutorial for the stroller handle - I'm hoping for some free time tomorrow!

Back in session

We are back to school again...which means a lot less sewing time. That plus soccer = hardly any at all!

I got a new sewing chair for my birthday - it is soooo comfy.

I'm going to try and test it out with some sewing before Baby Girl's soccer practice.

This came in the mail today - a birthday toy. Can't wait to try it out more.

I fooled around with it for a few minutes....

The birthday weekend was great - Hubby's team made it to the soccer stadium but then had a bad loss. But I still had fun yelling :-)

I sold my Bob jogging stroller to a friend and it had a few rips in the foam on the handlebars. I was thinking of what to do about it and then an idea hit me...make a little wrap-around cover.

So that's what I did...

I was pretty excited about it.

I also sewed up this little quilt last week. Now I have quite a few to baste and quilt.

And my sister-in-law found out it's a boy - she wants an animal theme so I have some fabrics coming for a quilt for him too.

And finally - the winner of my birthday giveaway is...

#90 - Jen B.

I still haven't finished the binding but I will get it done soon and then in the mail to you!

Birthday Goodies

First of all - the winner of the For the Love Designs giveaway is.....

Lucky #13 - Torm

Congrats!

Yesterday I spent the day doing a bit of shopping, got a pedicure and had breakfast with a great group of girlfriends...pre-birthday celebrations.

Today Hubby has a soccer game (he's in a tournament and this is the third day) and then we are heading here for dinner. I love going to Hubby's games (I'm a big yeller cheerer) and his team is great so that will be fun.

I also have some birthday gifts to share with you! I love having giveaways on my birthday - I don't know why but it's just fun.

So I didn't get the little mini quilt I was working on completely finished yet...

But all I have to do is sew the binding so it won't take long.

So here's the birthday loot from me to you:

A mini quilt...

Some great patterns...

a charm pack of Jessica Levett's new line Kingdom (from Windham fabrics)...

and a quilting magazine and an AB book...

So leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on Monday!

Comments are now closed - I'll announce a winner tomorrow!

Take some action

I've been on a major cleaning spurt here so no sewing is getting done.

I have gotten some fun mail that I'm itching to cut into.

Storyboek:

and Riley Blake's Farm Fresh:

But I wanted to post today to let you all know about a wonderful way to give back and share some of the blessings we have been given.

Alissa has organized this wonderful fundraiser again (she did it last year).

Such an easy way to help out with a wonderful cause. Action Kivu is a non-profit that helps women who are victims of the conflict in Eastern Congo by teaching them to sew.

I cannot even imagine the struggle these women go through on a daily basis. To be able to help out in such a small way feels like the least I can do.

And she has even gathered some amazing prizes you can win.

So head on over and take a look - and help a fellow quilter/sewer on the other side of the world.

Introducing....

Lulu from For the Love Designs.

I stumbled onto Lulu's blog a while back...and was smitten.

She designs her own patterns, her quilts are beautiful and she takes the most gorgeous photos. Oh, and she's also a mom of 5!!

And hello...check out her beautiful family! 

I'm totally embarrassing her! 

I just love her blog {and had even thought of doing a little feature here so more people would find her} so I was thrilled when she wanted to be one of my sponsors.

She's offering one lucky person a chance to win all 5 of her patterns! So head on over to her shop and let me know your favorite one.

Leave one comment here and I'll pick a winner on Friday, August 12th.

Giveaway is now closed - I will pick a winner shortly!