My Christmas Giveaway

I want to tell you about my wonderful giveaway which will run until midnight on Christmas Eve.
I've been thinking of ways to make the prize desirable to my large cross section of readers, who are not just quilters. I think I've come up with a good solution: I am going to offer your choice of a prize drawn from the wide cross section of needle arts I pursue. For my home decor readers, how about a nice item from http://www.funkybabymine.blogspot.com/ ?

First up: a selection of twelve (12) fat quarters in your choice of either assorted quilt shop quality 19th century repro fabric or Depression Feedsack style cuties. Sorry, I tend not to go for the retro 50's and brights, so they won't be featured.

Or: a Benartex Holice Turnbow wholecloth quilt kit called "Anchors Aweigh" this quilt kit contains backing, top and binding material - just add a batt and some thread! Size 40x54, wouldn't that look great in your beach-themed room?

A complete cross stitch kit - floss, pattern material - let me select a good sized one from my collection of quilt themed or landscape and seascape patterns.

And finally: a wool applique project kit, everything included - penny rug anyone?

How To Enter:
Leave me a comment and mention if you are already a follower - if you aren't yet, then join to follow. You're in!

Now: if you'd like more entries tell your friends - keep track - as each one leaves a comment and becomes a follower, then keep track and leave me a note before I hold the draw as to how many friends have signed up. You'll get an extra entry for each one! Make sure your friends know they can do that too!
Taking my FunkyBabyMine button will win you 5 more entries, seperately from all the above - tell me if you already display the button....


I'm looking forward to all the comments I'll be reading - keep them coming!

And I'll show you pictures of your possible prizes when the weather improves enough to take some decent pictures. Also when the power stops going out - hard to post today!

HUGS from JANET

Looking for a UK blogger to do a trade with me

I have hunted everywhere, but have come up empty in my attempts to find a couple of copies of the UK version of Country Living magazine, but came upon this idea online and will give it a try......

Today I received in the mail my 2010 copy of Matthew Mead's Holiday - a big. richly illustrated magazine/book, with minimal and interesting advertising which is 144 fully packed pages of holiday ideas and some of the best cookie recipes I've seen in a long while.
http://www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com/  The publication is priced at $15 so you will be getting good value, and the ideas inside are lovely. I find these days that I simply must keep paring down my "stuff", hence my willingness to part with it as soon as I have copied some recipes and scanned a few pictures.

I propose exchanging this wonderful book/magazine for a couple of copies of UK Country Living or French Marie Claire(I read French fluently) and would love to hear from you if you are willing to part with your mags. If you would prefer, I have the 3 most recent copies of the American Country Living to exchange instead of the Mattew Mead book.

I'd love to hear from you!

And....... I will be announcing my giveaway on the weekend too - so keep your eye peeled!!

WILL YOU VOTE FOR ME?

Well, I finally got up the gumption to enter one of my quilts in Michelle's weekly themed quilt contests. This week's theme is "Star Quilts" and I had one hanging around calling - "enter me!" so I did.

Now I need you to go and vote for me! http://quiltinggallery.com/2010/12/03/vote-now-star-quilts/
Voting began today and you can vote until one minute before midnight on Sunday December 5th.

A little about "Christmas Stars": this small quilt is approximately 45x56 inches and is made entirely of 100% cotton products, batting included. It is hand appliqued and handquilted and extremely versatile - it can be used as a wall hanging (hidden and integral hanging sleeve), a snuggle quilt,. a table covering or a durable child's quilt. It is awaiting sale among my current inventory.

I've been a member of Quilting Gallery since Michelle started the site and it's a great way to see what's going on in quilting circles throughout the world. Starting with only a handful of listings in her blogroll, Michelle has grown her site to several thousand participants, runs a weekly quilt contest, hosts giveaways, a forum and lots of other grat activities! Join today!!!

 

Go to http://www.quiltinggallery.com/ and sign up, but first go to http://quiltinggallery.com/2010/12/03/vote-now-star-quilts/

and vote for "Christmas Stars" ~ I so-o-o want to win that fat eighth bundle of French General and Moda's Maison de Garance goodness!! Thanks for voting for me!

My Giveaway from Scotland for the Senses has arrived!!!

Recently, Sophie at Scotland for the Senses  http://scotland4thesenses.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-11-07T20%3A03%3A00Z&max-results=5 offered a giveaway of two cards courtesy of Keli Clark, an artist who sells her prints and greeting cards, and I was lucky to be one of five bloggers who each were invited to choose their favourite two cards to receive. Keli's site is here: http://www.keliclarkdesigns.com/ and I must say I was really hard-pressed to choose - a wealth of visual riches and very reasonably priced they are too!
Thank you Keli and thank you Sophie for making this great gift possible - I will treasure them!!

EXCITING GIVEAWAYS!!!

Today I want to give you a heads up for some giveaways I've noticed.
LINDA HUBBARD is giving away a lovingly handstitched and embellished Santa ornament on her blog ~ you can choose one of the three lovely Santas pictured here:

 For a chance to win, go to http://linda-hubbard.blogspot.com/2010/11/time-for-giveaway.html , read the instructions and enter - cross your fingers - they are delicious aren't they?

And don't forget my giveaway at my sister site:

http://funkybabymine.blogspot.com/2010/10/pre-christmas-giveaway.html

You can choose to win either a $25 or a $50 gift certicate and if you grab my button and display it on your blog you get an extra 5 chances to win the draw!

Check back here in the next day or two as I am in the process of looking for a few more giveaways on blogs I read - they seem to be cropping up lately!

BACK TO BASICS IN QUILTING

As winter starts to close in on me and more time is spent in working on my quiltmaking commissions I seem to let my mind wander in so many different directions while I stitch away and listen to music.
I've been thinking a lot about what frees creativity and I've come to the conclusion that having all the skills and information at your fingertips has a lot to do with confidence in following your heart and your creative urges.
I find too that the less you rely on gizmos and short cuts and notions, on complicated rulers, glue sticks, machine sewing and quilting processes,  the more your mind and hands are free to follow your inclinations.
Most of the time, I rely only on thread, pins, needle, a ruler and pencil and of course, the very best 100% fabrics that money can buy.
One tool that I have had on hand since beginning to makes quilts almost twenty years ago has been a book that I consider among the best in teaching the basic skills necessary to make exciting quilts:

This is Marianne Fons and Liz Porter's Quilter's Complete Guide, published in 1993 by Oxmoor House. I had this constantly open as I made my first successful quilt so many years ago and it has not left my sewing table since. It contains all the information you will ever need to make quilts from the beginning level right up to the most complicated; and I have recommended this book and used it in teaching over the years. I am fortunate to have a few copies to spare and will consider selling those off - contact me if interested.
You will never be disappointed in this text and if after absorbing all the info you decide to use today's labour saving tips and tools you will do so knowing you have learned all the basics and also that there are all sorts of measurement tables inside that you must have at your figertips!

How's Your Christmas Coming Along?

                         Are you planning on a homemade and recycled Christmas? 

 I've bought a sweet small feather tree and will put it up in a few weeks time using a "Starry Christmas" quilt I completed not too long ago as my tree skirt. I had been planning to buy a vintage putz fence and a few mica covered vintage houses but felt I really couldn't justify the expense and so will settle for the festive tree skirt and a couple of vintage crocks to enhance my tree instead. (I have a very quiet Christmas as my only child lives in Europe with her family.) I may or may not roast a turkey as I usually go to friends for Christmas dinner, but it is nice to have leftovers and hot turkey sandwiches at home.
For my tree, I have a nice assortment of cranberry red wooden bead garland and brightly painted wooden ornaments dating back to the 70's, so will have nice vintage looking decoration without extravagant spending and without enlarging my carbon footprint by having to ship stuff in to me.
Using what you have is certainly the way to go these days.

                        view before the rain washed away the leaves

You may have heard how wet it has been here in Nova Scotia for the last week - I am fortunate to live in an area where there is little or no risk of flooding - my house is built high above the road and above a brook which forms my southern boundary and then crosses under the road to join the larger Hall's Harbour Brook further downstream and thence to the harbour.
It's colder now and not raining and the wind is gradually dropping after a very rocky start with my woodstove backdrafting and the house filling up with smoke - yuck!! Warm cosy and all aired out now!

I want to remind you of the great GIVEAWAY at http://funkybabymine.blogspot.com/2010/10/pre-christmas-giveaway.html in case you hadn't heard or had forgotten. This is my sister site which is selling all sorts of vintage treasures, including carefully selected vintage and antique home linens and other decorative items. Pop on over and have a look ~ I'm adding items daily and have a promotion including free shipping in North America ~ gift certificates are available too!
For now I'll say goodbye as I need to go out later to check the mail and gas up.
Cheers and ~ STAY WARM and DRY!!!!