Winner and Last Minute Idea

Sorry for the delay, I meant on Friday to post the winner of my stash...but I forgot!  Drumroll...

And follower #34 is Kwiltmaker!  Which is very exciting for us to have a true reader win, she's been with us since the beginning!  Congrats!  The other winner is announced on Quilt Story.

A couple of months ago my niece was going to take the ACT's.  We'd been texting back and forth about it and I decided to create a funny little study package for her.  The great thing about this idea is you can be totally creative about it and turn it into a gift for anyone!

Take packaging like this.

Remove labels.

Create new labels. I use photoshop. You could make them by hand with paper, online with picnik, etc.

Then you're left with a cute package like this!!

Christmas...palooza?

First, this is Heather, and let me just write a quick THANK YOU!  Everyones kind wishes and comments for my birthday were so so so appreciated.  I love that I haven't met most of you in real life yet you'll still take time to write something nice.  I had a great birthday too, by the way :)  And remember, Megan's giveaway from her own fabric stash is still going through Friday.  Check this post out to see more and to see the fabric!

Hi, it's Megan now :)  We had such a good response last time I posted with a title including palooza, so what the heck, right?  I've got some pics of my own holiday decor that I wanted to share.  Let me remind you all that I'm the budget sister...with a hubby in school and two little ones, money is tight to non-existent!

I busted out all my Christmas things and to my horror I thought, "How on earth did I decorate last year?!?  This stuff is awful!!"  To be fair, we've moved, so that always throws a wrench in things.  I finally "finished" this past week and here's what I came up with.

For starters, my stockings!!!!  My sweet sisters made these for me as my Christmas gift. I was beyond giddy when I opened them.  These were the stockings of our youth!! I have mine somewhere, in a box, but these are so nostalgic for me :)  In the toe they added the snowflake and embroidered each of our names.  Love, love, love.

I did have to tease them a little.  My girl is WHITE.  Like pure white as snow.  My hubby and boys are a nice golden, but apparently felt doesn't come in "Caucasian".

I needed some height on the ends of my mantel, but honestly almost everything was out of my budget.  I found these at Hobby Lobby.  The candle and glass were 50% off each, totaling $5 for both.  Then I picked out a golden ornament, also 50% off for $1 and tied it all together with some tulle.  For that price I'm quite pleased!

In the middle I have three different glass vases and an apothecary jar.  These are just from around my house.  I filled them with ornaments I had from the past...ones that are glass and actually break. 

fabric is Groovy by Caleb Gray for Robert Kauffman

Here is a project a friend and I made.  If you look closely it is still missing the 0's and 5's, and I have my family name to add to the bottom :)  We got the idea a Pottery Barn advent calendar, I don't know if it is sold out but I can't find it to link it, sorry.  It turned out to be quite the ordeal to make, I'll have some pretty funny memories of putting this together!  I told my little boy that an elf comes every night and leaves candy for him until Christmas.  He checks first thing every morning.  And several times throughout the day :)

 The wreath and garland are from JoAnn's.  So cheap.  They do all their Christmas and holiday things on sale pretty much immediately.  It was all at least 60% off, less than $10 for all of it.

I guess just trust me, this is a great improvement from where I started!!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Birthday Giveaway Palooza!

Today happens to be my amazingly super-talented sister Heather's Birthday!!

Now I would never reveal her age, I am way too loyal to her to do that.  I mean, seriously.

However what I will tell you is that she is much older than me.  7 1/2 years to be exact. :)

Malibu CA 2006 (?)

Sometimes I've found myself wanting to curse her for having a birthday in December.  But then I realized it isn't her fault so I took it up with my mom (or should it be my dad?  Ew.  So not going there.)

There are three sisters in our family.  Our oldest sister Amy is uber talented...especially at making babies.  She has 10.  That's why she isn't able to be in all our crafting adventures...but one day!  All three of us girls (and sometimes mommy too) talk on the phone.  All.  Day. Long.  Really.  If you're wondering, we make it happen with a blue tooth.

Daily we discover our new craft callings in life.  Today I was meant to be a machine quilter (I've officially quilted one table runner) and she an embroidery expert :)  I'll let you know about tomorrow.

I don't know how it happens.  But we always get the same crafting bug.  This time last year we were both knitting hats like nobodies business.  We haven't touched knitting needles in months.  A few years before that we were beading bracelets...making aprons...paper scrapbooking...We have problems. 

But one thing we both LOVE and never waiver.  Fabric.  Quilts.

Do you want to help make this Heather's best birthday ever?!!?

Me too.

My part...I'm giving away some of my own stash to one of YOU!!!

Now I would give that entire stack away if it weren't for shipping charges!!

I am giving away about 2 yards from the fabrics above (if you have a fave let me know I'll be sure to include it) to one of our followers.  So if you already FOLLOW...you're already entered :)

This is a great way to bulk up your stash...for FREE!

So...if you aren't already FOLLOW us!  I've said it before, but our self-esteem is greatly related to our follower #.  Seriously.  We both get really giddy when we have a jump.

But wait...there's more! :)

I am giving away another 2 yards to a FOLLOWer on our blog QuiltStory...so hop on over :)

Thank you all soooooo much for making our blogs so much fun to do. 

We love and appreciate all of you for your comments, participation, support, creativity, you are all amazing!!

and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HEATHER

Love you sister.

I'll also be linking up to some of these parties.

Edited to add this giveaway will run for 1 week thru next Thursday December 16th and I will announce the winner Friday December 17th.  Thanks :)

Introducing Douglas McSheeperton!

Welcome my new friend

DOUGLAS MCSHEEPERTON

Isn't he just precious?

I made him over thanksgiving weekend. 

He seriously makes me smile, that sweet face!

I was drawing with my daughters a few weeks ago. I tried to draw a deer. It turned into a sheep. Instead of starting over, I was so happy with my sheep I kept at it.

 made this mini wall hanging yesterday. Late into the night. I found some perfect fabrics in my stash if I do say so myself. 

Much to my surprise the children are not fighting over him, I think I will hang him in my room...would that be weird? 

He is cold, even though is has a big wool coat, he needed a cute hat and scarf to keep really snug.

Anyhow, Douglas McSheeperton embroidery pattern is in our etsy shop. You can make your very own Mr. McSheeperton! It is a PDF pattern, meaning we will send you over email the pattern and you can get started on him immediately. Instant gratification!



Hope you love him as much as I do. Stitching was fun, I have already started a new project (to be revealed in a couple weeks!)

Heather's fall mantle...

 Heather's Fall Mantle

I guess I best be showing you my fall mantle. Being that I almost have to switch it out for Christmas. I am just behind on life over here, give a girl a break!

What I like is the fact that I didn't change much from spring (I never got to summer), just switched out a few things. I really didn't want to start from scratch, and my daughter really wanted to do it. We knocked it out in like 20  minutes.

I love how it turned out. Just nice and simple. I think I like it better than last years...

Have a happy Thanksgiving this week! 

A Turkey Tutorial

If you are visiting from Sew Much Ado, welcome!  Stay a while!

Do you all know the fabulous Abby of Sew Much Ado?  Well...you should :)  Last week she had a Copycat Challenge where readers submitted their copycat work in three categories, accessories, home decor and clothing.  Right now they are voting on the finalists, so you can check out the best and vote for yourself.

Abby asked Heather and I if we would be guest bloggers during this challenge.  Um...YES!  I set out to make a home decor copycat, and here's what I came up with!

First, the inspiration:

these darling headbands from Pottery Barn Kids

...and although I thought for 12 seconds of making these for my boys, I decided on something that would get a little more use...

My interpretation:

I just am loving embroidery hoop art lately

Want to know how to make this also?

Okay.

The tutorial is just below, but I wanted to introduce you to Little Christmas House.

The pattern for this little cutie is available in our shop, you could also purchase a kit!

Embroidery Hoop Turkey Art Tutorial

Materials:

• 9 inch embroidery hoop
• Muslin (enough for a 11" circle)
• Fusible web (like Heat n Bond)
• 10 or so felt varieties
• matching embroidery floss
• needle

Step 1: Using the embroidery hoop as your guide, cut about an 11' circle from your muslin.
*Note: works best with a Dora pencil

Step 2: Using this pattern, trace each piece individually onto the paper side of the fusible web.  (For the feathers make sure to go a little longer "into" the turkey body).  Cut roughly around each piece, lay the shiny side paper onto the back of each felt piece and iron.  TAKE YOUR TIME.  Start out with a low heat and have another fabric in between the iron and the felt.  Some felt could burn and be altered through ironing. **Be wise and refer to the directions on your fusible web packaging**

Step 3: Peel the paper off of the felt.  This should leave a nice shine on the back of the felt.  Using the same method for ironing felt as in step 2, place all of your pieces onto your circle of muslin, and iron into place.

Step 4: You're ready to stitch.  But first we need to separate your embroidery floss.  Embroidery floss has 6 strands of thread in each piece.  I used only 3 strands for stitching everything except I only used 2 strands to stitch the words.

Step 5: Stitch!  I used a back stitch for everything.

Step 6:  I used a little trick for the words.  I tried to use a pencil to trace the words onto the felt but it would not work.  What I ended up doing was traced the words onto wax paper, pinned it into place on the banner and stitched through the wax paper onto the felt/muslin.  It worked fabulously.

Step 7: Pull the muslin on all sides to tighten the fabric.  Once in place, trim sides to about 1". 

Step 8: Hot glue the edge to the inside of the hoop.

TA-DA!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Megan's Quilt Finish

Hi to everyone new who may be visiting our blog...welcome and take a look around! :) Friday is a few short hours away and it's the start of Blogger's Quilt Festival from Amy's Creative Side. My sister Heather and I have been anxiously awaiting this event for a while and we hope you like our quilts!

A while back I purchased some of Joel Dewberry's fabric line Deer Valley. I wanted to re-do my bedroom in aqua's and gray's with a little bit of orange in there. It took me a long time to decide what kind of quilt I wanted for the end of my bed...so I used some traditional piecing and a modern layout, and I present my quilt

And my pieced back (I just can't resist piecing the backs these days!)

Scrappy binding just fit perfect with this quilt and all the colors.

A closer look at the blocks.

Do you remember my not-so-ready-for-a-reveal bedroom post?

Well I had a list of things I still had left to do.

Among them, a cute pieced blanket for the end of my bed :)

And I've decided to sell this quilt pattern!

For the next week starting NOW thru Thursday November 4th Heather and I are putting all of our patterns on SALE.

That's right.

click on the image to head straight to our shop!

You don't have to read that twice, buy one get one FREE.

Okay you can read it again, it's a cute image afterall.

So please head on over to our Etsy shop and take a look around.

While you're at it, you can pre-order Gaggle of Geese!

Just sayin'.

Don't forget to see my sister Heather's quilt finish!

NURSERY REVEAL FINALLY!!!

Okay, he is only 15 months old,

 but his nursery is finally finished...

let Little Dude take you on a personal tour...

These were an easy fix. Just bought Ikea white panels, and added the cute Amy Butler fabric to the bottoms. I plan to add a tutorial to the blog. Super easy...

My Husband did the board and batten (is that how you say it?) Walls. Well, he did the woodwork. I did all the painting and caulking. NOT FUN! However, I am in LOVE with how it turned out. I want it all over my house. But easily over 20 hours on that project alone...

Seriously! How cute is he sitting up there? There is the cute elephant painting my Mommy dear made for him. Also the quilts are from me and my aunt. I don't have all his baby quilts here. There are 5 of them. (If you count Megan's. And should we? I mean she still hasn't finished it!)

My Father in law built me this book case years ago for my girls. I repainted in this pale aqua. I need to give my Mom a little time to get her life back in order from her vacation, then I plan on putting her to work. I want gray fabric liners for the baskets. Pretty please Mama?

I found this vintage window frame at a little craft fair about 5 years ago. It has never looked so cute! I put some cute Rylee Blake fabric to back it, and I love how it turned out. Then I just added some little cup hooks to hang his hats. Cute?

I found this little shadow box at TJMaxx. It is so hit an miss there, but sometimes  you can find the perfect little gems. Inside are the hats I knit for him when he was a newborn. Heart pang...sparkly tears...  We want to freeze him in time and it isn't working!

My Mother in law made me the CUTEST baby blessing sailor outfit ever! It fit him for the 2 seconds he was blessed, then off it went. How were we to know he would be so huge? But I knew it would make for darling decor. The dandelions are made with vinyl on one of those cricuts I don't have but want desperately! I had a super nice friend make them for me :) 

I have a tutorial for this too. This cute fabric chandelier. It is from Ikea. I just remade the shade. Super easy, super custom, super cheap! ($13 bucks)

These frames above his bed are from Ikea too.  I took the photos inside. He was only 2 weeks old...man what is this salty discharge coming from my eyes???


The bedding I made with my Mother in Law. She is the best to craft with. I just cute and measure and she sews like a crazy woman in a labor camp. I let her have breaks occasionally, but not much. We had fun making them together. We didn't finish, so  naturally I send the crib skirt fabric back with her with detailed instructions and a deadline of when I would like it shipped back. She was several days early!

The children cracked me up goofing around in the corner (especially Sophie's face).

Okay, now that this post took me as long to complete as the room did...I am OFFICIALLY finished with his room and ready to move to another.

I am so happy with how this turned out. I kind of want to kick him out and move in myself. I had such a hard time with a boys room. No flowers or pink or ruffles. It took me a while to work it out in my head. 

What I love the most is that almost everything in that room is made by me or someone in my family. It is totally unique and custom.  The only problem with going this route, is that your baby may be 15 months old before it is complete.

I hope you all love it as much as me. Linking to these parties...

The End