Hosting a Shabby Apple Giveaway

 This give away is now closed! 
Winner is:

MillieJuly 31, 2013 at 9:26 AM

I love all the dresses, but my fav dress is blue eyes, the blue dress with white dots.

 Look for an email from me  Millie so I can send your info on to the kind folks at Shabby Apple!

Thank you to all who entered and checked out Shabby Apple!! 

Now back to sewing and fabric loving!

 

The folks at Shabby Apple have given me the opportunity to gift myself or one of my readers with something from their vintage clothing line !

 So I decided to give one of my readers the chance with a giveaway!

Could be for yourself or someone you would love to gift one too.

Soon all the holidays will be here what fun to have a new dress to wear out!

 If you are a Mad Men fan you will love some of these pretty dresses! 

I think some of the designs are just classic, retro or not!

So  click on over and check out their vintage clothing !

To enter:

1      1.Go check out the vintage clothing  and make a comment here on which one you liked.

2      2.Share this give away on your blog and leave a separate comment with the link for a second entry.

          3.Comment you are a follower of this blog for a bonus entry!

       So you have three (3) chances! Good luck and my best wishes!

 

Will close giveaway on Sunday Aug 4, 2013 at noon EST and draw a name.

I will contact the winner, gather your info and send on to the folks at Shabby Apple.

If you do not have a blog profile id with email link please  post one with your comments.

If I cannot contact you will choose another name.

Will give the name chosen 24 hrs to get back to me, so if I do not hear from you will pick another name.

I am sorry but Shabby Apple will only offer this giveaway to a USA address at this time.

Pennsylvania Blocks

 I had found this block on the free website, Quilter's Cache.
Was looking around for a 12 inch block using 2.5 inch strips.
Well turns out Terry has set up a SEW ALONG for a top using this block too!

I am using some Jo Morton fabrics with my blocks.  Colors are blacks and dark reds. Adding some gold/cheddar with sashing(if I do) and binding. I plan for this quilt to be on  our bed.
It is a full size antique oak bed.

Not sure if will do sashing or no but the above pic and this one are the candidates.
This one also has a bitty red bud on it.

Using these two blocks, alternating.

Bought these wonderful fabrics at AC Moore in Newport News. Good deal!

This is the center square focus fabric for my blocks.
I have cut out enough for 12 blocks. Hope to get them sewn up so I can decide how I wish to proceed with the top.

Had to add a baby pic! Sweet baby taking a nap on stool cushion!

Joy's Giveaway

Joy of Days Filled With Joy has a wonderful give away going.



Will be two winners, one for each book!
Sandi Blackwell's Square-agonals 12 Easy Pieces or Simply Sensational Square-agonals Quilts.

So click on along and check it out!

Hot machine and a whine or two or three...

Yes! I had the sewing machine cranking yesterday!
Finished this sweet lovely top for me!

 Call this fabric my mu-mu dress fabric!;-)
 It is a nice light weight fabric for summer.
Need to find a pair of white capris or bermudas to go with it.

 Close up of the pleats on front and back.

Here is the dress pattern I used here and this top pattern. Made my top in the longer length. Easy and fast really. You just have to match up your measurements and make whatever simple adjustments needed.
I am no expert seamstress so if I can do it pretty much anyone can!

Now both of these patterns cost me 99 cent each on sale. Plus there is several options on each pattern.
I have used them both two times..2 dresses and 2 tops!
Pretty sure some of you will be saying this is apples and oranges..big companies and small ones... but on I  go!

The pattern I received yesterday cost me $9.00 plus $2.00 shipping!
Was the lowest price I found online.
A craft pattern (instructions only).
Inside was two (2) pages of printed pc paper.
Surprise!!

Yes was my choice to order I know but come on!
I have been burned a couple times buying used so try to buy new if I can.
I am familiar with wholesale lot costs on these patterns.
The mark up on them can be rather high once they hit retail!
Unless the designer is selling it themselves at this price they will not make a lot off this one pattern.

This is why I normally only buy books (on sale mostly and with no need to enlarge anything ..yet another peeve) or magazines.
The mags are still a darn good deal on patterns plus you get all those pretty pics too!
I did check books online and this one item was not in them.

Now this is just my own whine, on my own blog and not a slam on all the wonderful designers out there or retail outlets!
I also have a problem with buying a pattern online and it costing same as having one mailed to me and a Kindle book costing same as a 'real book',  but that is yet another whine!;-)

So yes I will be making some gifts with the pattern/instructions for Christmas gifts, mumbling as I go!;-)

Just had to add a pic of our baby Wiggles, laying still in her sewing room basket for a bit, napping! This does not last long!!

Some sewing....

..on more started projects. Had this simple day/house dress, as my Mama and MIL used to call them, cut out. So decided to just finish it up.

Have nice scraps left to add to scrap bins too.

Here it is all done! I enjoy simple dresses in summer. To me they are cooler than even shorts.
Lets in the breeze ya know....;-)
My next finish up projects are hanging behind door!

I have been branded by our angel kitty!!! Yes she leaps across a room on to me!
Heavens to Betsy!  Wish I could get all her craziness on film but they happen rather quickly.
Like her finding how to get into the sewing room trash can but not out. Getting acquainted with the washing machine. Climbing the drapery...... on and on.

Wiggles is settling in okay but boy does she get up to some high jinx! A rare still moment. Nap time has to be spent on a human!

We are so very hot and humid here, no breeze even. Heat index into the 100's. Summer is here!
Staying inside trying to stay cool without having AC on it's lowest setting!
Next electric bill will be bad enough!

I need to be doing more sewing but sort of in a slump. Hope this quick finish will pull me out!
Hard to believe will be August soon!! Gee the year is already half over.
What happened to all those sewing plans I had back in January!!!!
Melted away in the heat me thinks!;-)

Okay on to next project and maybe get some more things done for 'me' before time to sew for birthday and Christmas gifts again!!!

Meet Wiggles

Here is the new baby in our house. She is a wee bundle of energy!
Most times a blur so hard to get good pics!
Wiggles all over in your lap!
We have to keep our eye out when walking so we do not step on her!
Has a long tail and big paws.

She will play till she can not stay awake. Then it is  "pick me up,  hold me while I cat nap"...;-)
Yes already spoiled.

Can you tell there is a toddler here???
She stopped a second to watch some TV. A fishing show!
Was sound of the reel not the fish on the hook!

Cocoa is still not happy she is here. Hope they will work it out.
Wiggles really does not bother Cocoa.
She has other things to get up too!
We laugh and enjoy watching her antics.
Cause we know kitten-hood really does not last that long!

So reckon we are not meant to have a doggy or at least not just yet!

July Finishes

Think I am done with the red, white and blue projects for now!
I had this small stitchery runner all ready to quilt. So got it done and finished it up!
Thought had a pic of it on table but here it is on ironing board when done!;-)

I added these stars to a towel for my niece. Did on same day as runner.

I had two small star blocks left over from the runner I made here.
So decided to use some leftover bits of vintage bark cloth and create a couple small hangers!

Here is one on fireplace. Other is in dining room hanging on pie safe.
Have a baby kitty in there sleeping in crate now so can not get a pic.
Yes we have a new baby!

Found her hungry and crying on our carport next day after Lucy the dog went home!!!
So tiny and skinny! Very loving, though was scared at first!
Had to clean her up a bit and flea comb, etc.
We are using the crate for Wiggles ( think it is a she) so she and old Cocoa Kitty can become used to each other and train to litter box.
Reckon the powers that be figured we needed a kitty more than a new pup!

Blue Eyed Girl

We have a visitor. This older pretty girl showed up Friday .
So far no one has come looking for her and no one around here knows her!

May have been dropped off Thursday night.
We seem to be dumped animal magnets!
This is what our neighbors across road think!
We are the local soft touch!

A neighbor brought us a goodie bag to get us through till we could go to town for some dog food.
Not sure if she is going to stay or not.
Have to make calls around to local vets and animal control Monday .
Someone may have alerted them she is missing.
May also check with Aussie Shepard Rescue, see if one in this area.
She seems to be right at home here but for one thing...she has run off our old outside cat!
Hope to find her soon.
I am calling her Lucy.
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds...girl with kaleidoscope eyes...hahaha..Beatles tune.

Lucy does not appear to have been an inside pup.
Not sure if we can accommodate an outside dog.
No fence ( will NOT chain up a dog ) and no dog house, etc.
(We have a fella on the corner who prefers no animals come calling in his yard!)
I brushed her coat which she loved. Looks so much better now.
Lucy did not want any parts of a bath.
She does love to get in the tub with cool water just do not add shampoo!

Seems to be a happy dog and loves attention.
Would make for a lovely family pet with no cats.
Lucy is older though and may have some health issues.
Sad that some one either threw her away or she somehow became lost from her family!

So now we have to make sad and hard choices because of someone else is poor ones!


UPDATE: 'Lucy' seems to have  'wandered off'' from her home quite a few miles from us. So owners coming to get her sometime today. All we know . This after all my phone calls this AM.
As many times as folks from that area pass our home you would have thought they had come looking for her up here or seen her in yard or fields!

Happy 4th of July!

 Wishing all my USA neighbors a wonderful 4th of July!
We will be celebrating the day at a family get together!

 

I made small wall quilt back in 2010 and still love it!
Click on pic to go to blog post of how I worked it up.
Enjoy!