Two Giveaway Alerts

There's a great fabric giveaway over at Happiest When Crafting. I love to publicize newer blogs especially, because I am still at that level too, and we all stick together! It's Sandy's first giveaway - you can enter here by tomorrow.

Also, over at Leona's Quilting Adventure, Leona is giving away fabric, greeting cards, and a new book from Kathy Davis Studios. You have until March 6, and you can enter here!

Have a great Sunday night! I'll be working, and then finishing a paper. Such is college. =P

Wedding Inspiration - Flowers!

I saw this at Hallmark today, and it made me laugh!

Tee-hee. Getting married in a year and a half is starting to make me craaaazy - in a good way! Of course, it's all about the marriage, not the wedding - but I really want to craft as much as I can for this. I'm going to take advantage of having 75-100 people around that day.

Need to start thinking about all the crafty things I'm going to make... well, I have started... :)

I definitely want to have some real flowers because I love them so much. However... I think these would be fun...

I really love these ribbon flowers from Hope Studios.

This is also a great idea from Stay at Home Artist. Those flowers aren't even real, and they work so well!

And I love these fabric boutonnieres from Design Mom. I wouldn't even have to buy supplies - I have all of these things (especially the fabric) already!

Does anyone know how to make one of those collages that are all over blogland? Let me know if you do, please!

P.S. If you haven't seen Disney's "Tangled" yet, you have to. I saw it today for the first time - it's fabulous.

P.S.S. I've started working on a fabric magnet tutorial! Look out for it!

Fabric Magnets

Edit: Thanks, Natasha, for becoming my third person for Pay it Forward 2011!

My friend is hosting a craft sale through the Women's Center on campus to raise funds for charity. She asked me to make some fabric magnets. How could I say no? I hadn't tried making them, and it couldn't be too hard... and I was going to be home for two days.

I just wish I had made more, but I got super busy with all the stuff I had to do while there. I can tell you, though, I have a great idea for Christmas this year... can you say themed magnets for the people I love? They won't be getting those from anyone else :)

Apparently these magnets were selling fast - within the first hour of the stand being open, there were only two left! I think they sold them for $.50 or a dollar. I have to find out.

I haven't done a tutorial yet on my blog. Maybe I should do one, even though it's a relatively easy project? I'm sure there's already one out there. It's very simpled, and it's a great way to use scraps of not only fabric, but batting. What do you think, should I attempt a tutorial?

I'm linking up to amylouwho's Sew and Tell today!

I'm also linking up to Sarah's (at Confessions of A Fabric Addict) Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop? for the first time!

And... speaking of...

Sarah is having a giveaway! One way to win is linking up to her linky party by Saturday night, and you can win some FABULOUS fabric - more details here.

Also, Hilachas is celebrating her birthday with a fabulous giveaway - an array of quilty things! Check it out here.

AND, here's a picture of my red and green Dresden plates, all ready to be sewn together! I'll be home for spring break, for an entire week, in a week, and I can't wait!

... so, can I get a whoop, whoop?! SPRING BREAK, YEAH!

Pay It Forward 2011!

I'm participating in Pay It Forward this year! I'm very excited - I've seen this around blogland for a while and always wanted to participate.

I signed up over with Shannon at Nunu's Quilt World. And now I need three people to send things to! -who will then send things to three people - etc.

This is how it works (copied from Shannon):

I need three people that would like a gift from me.

I send each of them a gift sometime in the next year.

In turn, you send three other people gifts.

I don't think this is too hard a task, considering we have a whole year!

No need to be big and fancy, just kind and considerate.

I love the idea of making gifts for people, and you making gifts for people, etc.!

Let's pay it forward!

I'll take the first three people who want to commit. I hope someone does!

Scrappy Sunday - Finally the Red!

Thanks to the very generous Kathy from Cottage Garden Quilter, I have a red Dresden in the works for my wedding quilt!!!

Kathy emailed me after I mentioned offhand that I lacked reds in my stash - it's not one of my favorite colors, and I've only been quilting for almost a year, so my stash is not complete (well, is it ever?!). Anyway, I was absolutely floored when she offered to send me some of her red scraps. Look what I received in the mail today! SO many scraps, and chocolates, too! Thank you so much, Kathy!

So, I got right to work, and here's my Dresden plate, all ready to sew. I can't wait.

I also have the green one in the works but I'm going to save that finishing for March... because I feel like green might be the next color... :)

Meanwhile, check out the "special" red Dresden I'm putting in - one for each plate - I love this traveling gnome. I knew buying a half yard of this Michael Miller fabric would come in handy at some point, and this is my first time using it...

...and I thought I would have less scraps after all this! But, I'm not complaining. I love to make scrappy things. There's always that little piece you put away that you'll never think you'll use, and then, VOILA, you find a use for it one day - it's like magic :)

Giveaways:

Over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Sarah is giving away two patterns to two lucky winners - from Rebecca of Chasing Cottons. I read both of these blogs regularly - they are wonderful! - and the patterns are simply gorgeous.

And 1 Choice 4 Quilting is celebrating their grand opening with a huuuuuuge Sunkissed giveaway! Seriously, go check it out, and their inventory - everything is 20% off!

That's it for now :) But I'm very excited for more sewing tomorrow.

My Favorite Quilt

My favorite quilt that I have made so far? "Beach Bums."

I've posted about it before, but I wanted to post again to link to Lily's Quilts.

To anyone who is visiting, please feel free to take a look around my blog, ask me any questions, follow, etc!

This quilt was made last summer, for my friend Kristina, who loves the beach. It was my first time using applique, and it took about three weeks to finish. It was a lot of logistical work because I didn't know what Dresdens were at the time - and I'm seriously thinking of making a reproduction of this quilt for someone else. I've improved so much since then and I really think it would look quite different.

I didn't know a lot about basting, either. So it's a little rumpled. But I guess it adds to its charm :)

And... nevertheless, I absolutely love it.

Especially the waves.

See the flip flops (light yellow) to the left, next to the beach chair (purple)? And the beach ball? And I love how the palm trees came out. I wouldn't change that at all.

~*Giveaways*~

Sewsara is giving away a yard of gorgeous heart fabric - and she's announcing the winner today - so go enter NOW!

Over at Lilac Lane, Melissa Anne is giving away 6 fat quarters of beautiful Keri Beyer fabric!

At Handmade by Plushka, they are celebrating 300 facebook "likes" with a cute giveaway.

At Craftaholics Anonymous, there's a great giveaway for 4 yards of Central Park and Sunkissed.

Lynne from Lily's Quilts is giving away a layer cake of that drool-worthy Sherbet Pips! She's also celebrating her Moda Bake Shop Recipe, Hexagon Park. It's gorgeous, go check it out. You have until the 27th for the giveaway.

Fabric Flowers for Valentine's Day

I tried my hand at fabric flowers today. It was so much easier than I though it would be! I'm slowly gaining confidence in my sewing skills.

I used this tutorial, over at Little Birdie Secrets.

I plan on making a LOT of these, to attach to purses, clothes, headbands for my future nieces, etc. They are so easy to make! All you need is a strip of fabric 20 inches long and 4 inches wide (I made mine a little smaller than 4 inches). Then, you fold it in half, sew a loose stitch and pull to make it slightly crumpled, then roll it up and stitch through the layers of the bottom several times.

This is what the backs look like. You can easily glue them to a headband, purse, etc (or sew them).

Also fixed my Dresden plates (added one extra to each). Here's the pink one, much flatter.

Future Mr. Quilty Habit and I exchanged Valentine's gifts yesterday because we won't see each other tomorrow - I'm leaving for my internship at 6 am and I have to go back to college afterwards. Instead of wooing me with the usual flowers and chocolates (or a bamboo plant, like last year!), he got me this shirt, and I love it :)

We have this thing in our house where 1) Oreos have to be in the freezer and 2) they must be dipped in milk. At least, for that second part, that's my rule. So this shirt is perfect. And it makes me laugh every time I see it. Hopefully we can have a Valentine's dinner soon. We did watch the Princess bride last night, a movie that we both love.

What did I get him? Milky Ways, Hersheys, and a ukulele. With replacement strings. Yes, really. He loves it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Fabric = the best kind of mail

You know it is!

First, I broke my fabric diet by buying from the destash over at Hollyhock Quilts. To quote Gene, another blogger I read regularly, my stash smiled.

There are some yards in there, lots of FQs and plenty of purple for the two quilts I'll be working on soon. The prices were too good that I could not resist. She also included pins and a quilt pattern. Thanks, Glenna! :)

I also recently won a giveaway from IHAN (I Have a Notion) - SCRABBLE FABRICS!!! I can't wait to make something for my dad and uncle... I don't know what yet though... ideas? They are obsessed with the game. I've been known to be pretty good as well.

This FQ says triple, double letter scores... sorry for the blurry photo. Thanks Kelly :)

And, I'm only home until Monday, but I'm going to be working on fixing my Dresden plates. I figured out the reason why they crumple up - I need one more Dresden in each one to make 21. I started taking it apart already... a date with my seam ripper is not my favorite thing.

Giveaways!

There's a great giveaway for 6 FQs of a new fabric line, Delilah, at Stash Resolution!

Samelia's Mom is giving away a Fresh Cottons charm pack!

Deena Rutter is giving away 1 or 2 FQ bundles of Penny Lane!

And finally, over at Stray Stitches, you could win 5 yards of gorgeous spring fabric!

I'm joining my first swap!

Have you heard about Leona's Mug Rug Swap Adventure yet?

You should join. Maybe we'll be partners :)

I've read a lot about swaps but up until now I was hesitant to join them for two reasons.

1. Not knowing how to bind (but I taught myself and have been slowly mastering it, I think)

2. Not being with my sewing machine

Luckily, I know I have an entire week of spring break in March to make this mug rug (and a little bit here and there on the weekends surrounding it). I'm confident that I'll be able to do this.

I'm really excited to make something for someone... and receive something made for me! I also like how, in this swap, you can communicate with your partner throughout!

Sign up by 2/28!

You can find out more details by clicking the button above or on my sidebar.

You can guess what color I'm going to request if it's possible... :)

What do you like in a blog?

As I'm at school for the next two months, I'll be home for a few weekends here and there.

What do you want to see in between my project posts? Is there anything? I'm taking suggestions :) Please, please suggest!

Today is a pretty normal day of undergraduate reading/writing/working/sleepiness, but I'm looking forward to spending time in NYC tomorrow and the weekend with my family.

~*Giveaways*~

Over at Snippets of a Quilter, Wendy is giving away a tablerunner, charm pack, and a kit to make an owl bag to celebrate her blog makeover.

Melissa at Lilac Lane is giving away prizes for Valentine's Day, and in honor of her Love is in the Air: A Week of Valentine's Day Tutorials! You can enter by commenting on her posts for the week.

To celebrate their grand opening, 1 Choice 4 Quilting is giving away a butterfly quilt kit.

You should definitely check out their shop. I'm eyeing the Hoopla and Sunkissed...

Finally, House of Bad Cats is giving away a prize that most likely involves hexagons/hexies to celebrate 100 posts!

Please don't forget to give me blog suggestions!

100 Wishes

I wanted to draw everyone's attention to something I stumbled upon: "100 wishes and prayers for our baby girl." Kendra and her husband are adopting a baby girl from China, and she would like quilters from all over the world to send her a 5" by 5" charm square of fabric.

From the Flickr group: "To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation."

This is something so beautiful and precious to do. She would also like you to include a card with a swatch of the fabric from the same fabric as the charm square, so that her future daughter can look up who sent her that charm square in a scrapbook. For more information and pictures of those squares and messages already sent, visit the Flickr group.

I can't wait to go through my stash this weekend and find the perfect piece of fabric for this lucky and loved little girl!

*-Giveaways-*

Over at Alderwood Quilts, there's a great giveaway for a pattern and some beautiful flower fabric!

Johanna at Jona&Lili is giving away a gorgeous, springy purse. Go check it out!

There's a giveaway of Anna Griffin fabric from Simply Solids over at Very Berry Handmade!

And finally, there is a sponsored giveaway from Pink Chalk Fabrics at Jaybird Quilts. There's a pile of beautiful Heather Ross fabrics up for grabs!

P.S. That tree at the top is my MOST FAVORITE tree on my New Jersey campus (there are a lot of beautiful trees) - but because it feels like spring today and the snow is melting, it felt appropriate :).

A Confession on a S(crappy) Saturday in February

It's still icy and cold out there. At least when I was in NYC yesterday, it was sunny! Freezing rain is falling right now (not ideal for living at least a ten minute walk from food or civilization on campus)... guess I'll go to the library for the day with my friends and try to get some work done.

Okay, so here's my confession: When I was home, I thought I would be cheeky and try to guess February's color. I honestly thought, "maybe Angela won't pick red, because that's so typical of February. Maybe it will be PINK." I said this also to comfort myself over the fact that I do not have many red scraps at all.

So, I made this last week - the second Dresden plate for my wedding quilt. The cows, again, are something I put in to make future Mr. Quilty Habit laugh, because pink is not necessarily his favorite color :)

I think I'm going to try to put in a "funny" print, or a novelty print, or something different into each plate. Just to give it flavor. As a couple, we like to laugh. A lot. We're just a couple of dorks.

I'm really happy with the way it came out - it was so much faster to make it than the blue one (which was my first ever). However, I'm still experimenting with the middles. Maybe in my haste I sewed too quickly, which makes this plate have trouble laying flat. Oh well, I can fix it when I go home next weekend. I'm also going to *try* to make a red Dresden plate with *all* of the reds I currently have =P

I'm almost embarrassed to post this picture... it needs to be flat. I'm definitely going to fix it.

So even though it's not red, this was my scrappy pick for the week!

*~Giveaways~*

Over at Lucky Duck Dreams, Colleen (who won MY giveaway a week ago!) is giving away pinks and reds for Valentine's day (which apparently I really need to win!) as well as a beautiful Egyptian print (which I could also use in my Dresden plate!). I would really like to win this one, haha! My stash needs it!

Then, over at Simply Solids, Mandy is celebrating 400 followers by giving away a FQ bundle of Swoon! Whoever wins that is very lucky indeed.

Stay warm/dry/happy, wherever you are in the world!