Giveaway Winner!!!

I am happy to announce the giveaway winner....drum roll please

Lucky number 115 - Katie!!! Her extra entry on Facebook won her the Vintage prize pack. 

I just want to thank EVERYONE for entering. 

Giveaway Closing Tonight

LAST CHANCE....

to enter my giveaway! Giveaway closing tonight at 11:59 EST ...so 6 more hours to get in those entries. It looks like I will doing a follower giveaway soon too - YAY!!

Free French Wildflowers Embroidery Pattern

The other night I wanted to make something embroidered. There is nothing more instantly satisfying then seeing something you made completely finished. Having a new puppy, 3 children on school vacation, and 1 child starting to get a cold, finishing projects is starting to become a task all on it's own.

A simple embroidery can be done in one night and was exactly what I needed. I drew up a simple pattern to make me dream of a field in France filled with purple wildflowers. Taking out my stash of white pillowcases (thrift stores are awesome places to find plain white pillowcases) I began to embroider my template.

Something about a deep rich purple reminds me of France, not that I have ever been there - yet. I will be adding this pillowcase to my shop and if you want to take the trip to France with me feel free to download or print my embroidery pattern (just click this picture).

I would love it if you would share your finished designs with me - feel free to join the Itchin' Stitchin' Flickr Group. Great plans ahead for more patterns :)!!!

8 and a New Member of the Family

This past weekend we had Damien's 8th birthday party. The choice was his to clean his room and make sure all school work was done in order for his friends to come to his party. Unfortunately he didn't do those things and although it made me feel bad not to have his friends over, it was a good lesson for him. As a parent I knew this was the right thing to do but it does pull on your heart strings.

For awhile now Damien has been asking for a pet. I think it began the moment he could talk. Rob and I have been talking it over for a couple of years and decided that Damien was old enough for some responsibility. The day of his party I made a card saying that he could pick out the puppy of his choice.

The next day we called some ads we saw in the paper for puppies and had narrowed down the search for the perfect family friendly dog. We even took some online tests as to what breed would be perfect for us. I am not really fond of dog hair, hyper dogs, or high pitched barking - he had to fit well with our busy family. We got ready with a portable dog crate, food, dog bowls, and treats.

I talked to a wonderful woman on the phone and knew that her puppy litter would have our perfect dog. Damien, Rob, and I went to meet the litter of puppies - all 8 of them. Damien mentioned in the car how excited he was and that it was the best day ever! When we got there it was overwhelming. They all looked alike, how could he possibly choose.

Being the smart cookie that Damien is he let the dog choose him. The little puppy followed Damien around, sat staring at him, and while the others played he sat by Damien. He made one little 8 year old boy really happy. He came home with us and it feels like he has always belonged here.

Birthday boy name his puppy Buster. He has short hair, likes to cuddle up next to you, and has barked a total of 3 times since he has been home. The kids love him and he loves them back. He is the perfect dog for us - Welcome home Buster :)

My New York Bag Collection

So a couple of nights before the New York trip I decided that a new project was in order. Something that would photograph well and be perfect for an April issue of a magazine.

Bunnies, pink, flowers are all things that remind me of spring. I had the perfect vintage pillowcases to re-purpose and decided to make a happy spring bag.

With doilies in hand I began to stitch the bag. There were obstacles like trying new things (metal snaps) and staying up late but the bag was completed.

My New York bag has inspired me to make more. I have re-purposed fabric cut out waiting to be sewn into my new Collection. The original is sitting in my dear shop waiting for someone to take a piece of New York home with them.

Friday Photo Shoot and NYC

My little trip to New York City on Friday was wonderful. My mom and I took the train in from New Haven, Connecticut. We had great conversations about what this year will hold and what we want the barn shop to look like.

When we got to New York I tried using my phones map to show exactly where we needed to go for the photo shoot. Luckily I was thinking ahead and advised that it would be around noon when we would get to the photo shoot. My phone kept sending us in circles.

While walking street vendors kept trying to hand fliers to us. I would avoid them while my mom would take the flyer, adding to collection of free souvenirs. The guy by the empire state building trying to promote bus tours was tricky though - He caught me off guard and was able to give one of his fliers to me.

Even with all the circles, zig zags, and going to W 28th street number 36 instead of W36th st number 28, we still made it on time. I have to say it was fun going into an elevator and hitting the PH button for penthouse. The shoot was amazing. The loft had white shabby painted floors, whimsical touches, and a small group of other Etsians.

It was fun to see what other people made. We met a lovely lady who lived in New York who made origami, she was nice enough to suggest places we might like to visit in the city. There was a jeweler asking others for marketing advice and how to promote her shop. We even met a candy maker who shared her candy with us and it was really good.

The photographer was really nice. He kept saying things like "oh nice" "yes that is it" "love it" and it kinda made me chuckle. He took a couple of head shots and some pictures of me holding my bag (which will soon be my shop). There was also a video camera there who filmed our work.

After the shoot we went walking and found a lovely diner, just when I was about to give up looking for one. We also tried our luck on the subway a couple of times, took a trip to Brooklyn, and had a taxi driver refuse our destination. It was a long day but worth the trip.

The feature for Etsy will be in Inc Magazines April addition and online. I can't wait till it comes out. Till then I will making more New York bags for the shop .

100th Post Giveaway!!!

Wow I can't believe this is my 100th post! I have been getting together a really great giveaway, so sorry for my absence.

I want everyone to have a chance to enter my 100th post giveaway so there is a couple of ways to enter. There are 2 different prize packs. Prize pack A is for crafting and prize pack B will be a little bit of vintage decorating .

Prize pack A includes:
3 Vanna's Choice skeins of yarn (dusty green, olive, taupe)
4 fat quarters (2 matching)
11 embroidery floss (all different colors)
3 salt dough rose brooches (you can paint them)
4 Creative memories items (snorkel cove paper, aloha paper with stickers, tiki paper with stickers, pacific treasures mini albums with stickers)
5 cabs for jewelry (2 cameos, 1 foil, 1 silver roses, 1 pink with roses)
Beads - including amber and peridot
Orange carrot bias tape
Vintage white lace binding
Vintage white lace runner (you can use to re-purpose)
and all of these will be packed in an old sewing tin

So this is prize pack A - a little bit of everything for any crafty person.
Now for prize pack B some vintage decorating goodies.

I know some of you dear readers don't craft but love my vintage goodies. What fun would a giveaway be if you didn't want any of the prizes? So this prize pack is for you.

This prize pack includes:

1 vintage bird dish towel (still has old linen sticker tag on it)
4 milk glass tea cups with saucers
3 salt dough rose brooches (they look great as curtain tie backs)
1 vintage lace runner
1 vintage embroidered runner with orange flowers
1 clear ball mason jar
1 vintage oval frame with glass
1 Bunny wall hanging
and 1 cast iron bee hook (looks great to hang your gardening tools on)

So here is how you can enter and the rules:
Please leave a separate comment for each entry and a way for me to contact you (either linked to a profile that has an email attached or enter your email address) Giveaway is open to anyone anywhere.

1. Leave a comment telling me which prize pack you want either A (crafting) or B (vintage decorating) tell me what you love in the prize pack and what you think you will do with it.
2. If you are a follower of my blog (thru google friend connect) I think you should get an extra entry -leave another comment letting me know you follow - Please only follow my blog if you truly love my blog and want to follow it.
3. If you blog about this giveaway (feel free to use my pictures) please leave a comment with the link.
4. You can tweet or facebook about this giveaway once a day till the end of the giveaway - please leave a link (showing me the tweet or facebook post) and comment for each entry.

So that is it! All entries must be entered by 11:59pm EST Feb 27th. I will pick one lucky winner on Feb 28th. Good luck everyone!!!!

***FORGOT TO ADD BUNNY WALL HANGING IN PICTURE IN PRIZE PACK B THERE IS A PICTURE OF IT HERE ***
***Linking with White Wednesday - go check out all the other white vintage items :) ***

What I Am Working On

Right now I am working on a new bag for Fridays trip. A white crisp doily, happy little bunny, and a fabric chain handle all on one bag. How great is that?! I can't wait to show the finished product. These bags are great for spring time. It gives me something to work on this weekend, after all I think it is time for some fresh new items in the shop.

I've also been working on some Easter bunny items. This little wall hanging is not quiet right yet. Is it the bunny  size? The stitching on the fabric bunny? I'm not sure yet but when I find out what is wrong I will be putting one in my 100th post giveaway ... which will be my next post! I can't believe I have blabbed this much to everyone already. 

Also running through my mind is quilt ideas. I participated in The Chronic Seamstress' charm swap and have been receiving the most beautiful fabric in the mail. So far I got great little bicycles, kites, birds, florals, geometric shapes, and even a cute fabric fish! All the colors are wonderful. The best part is I think I will have enough charm squares to make two quilts.Wouldn't that make a great birthday gift for someone special. If you want to see what everyone is making with the charm squares they are getting - there is a flickr group. 

So what have you been making? 

Random Thoughts

• I am thinking of adding a vintage section to my little online shop
• Doing some research online - New York trip might include some thrift store shopping
• A 100 posts giveaway is coming up
• What should I giveaway?
• I have great ideas before I fall asleep
• Need to keep notebook by the bed so I can remember great ideas
• New bag, necklace, and Easter items are coming soon

• Aries likes lemon tea
• Tonight the kids are going to start making Valentines for school
• Damien's birthday is coming up - retro toy theme
• How do you get kids to stop, the fake crying thing?
• Rob and I are dieting making a food change ~ lost 3 pounds
• 2 more days till New York :)

Someone Heard Me

(Someday really soon my retail shop)

Icicles are hanging everywhere and you can barely see around street corners. The snow in our state has reached an all time high and it hasn't stopped. Just the other day I was saying  that I needed a vacation.

The children have been getting a nice vacation. If I count the days I think they have gone to school 6 days in 3 weeks. Remember snow days? Those were great. 

Call it cabin fever or children overload, the need for a vacation this week has made me less than chipper at times. So when getting an email on Etsy about a photo shoot in NYC and being featured in a magazine I jumped on it. 

I know I promised myself that I would never visit New York City in the winter ever again but that was dragging a 4 year old around and carrying a 1 year old all bundled up. So next Friday I will be traveling on a train, kid free, into the big apple to be part of a photo shoot for Inc Magazine.

So you see, the sun can come out and melt the icicles. Someone somewhere heard me and I am thankful for that. Now what should I wear? What things from my shop should I bring? Should I make new stuff just for the shoot?