365 in a flash - and a giveaway!

How is it possible that I've been blogging here for 1 year!? Time flies! My life has changed in SO many ways - both good and bad. My crafting, especially my quilting, has come really far and I continue to love it. Here's to another many years of craftiness and fun!

Because it's my 1 year blog-iversary TODAY, I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY! Over the past year, I've been fortunate enough to learn a lot about fabric and accumulate a pretty decent stash. Here's what you get: one ziplock bag (the big storage size) STUFFED with usable scraps from my collection. Could be some Amy Butler, Kaffe Fasset, Tina Givens, Laura Gunn, and even Heather Ross! I'm currently in the process of putting the bag together so no pictures yet. But you all like surprises anyway, right? And I guarantee, it's a yummy bunch of fabric goodness.
Here's how you enter:

1. Leave a comment - anything! Your favorite book, summer vacation plans, inventive ice cream flavor, etc.
2. Become a follower - and leave a comment letting me know you're a follower of my blog! (If you already follow my blog, you can leave a comment to let me that.)
3. Follow me on Twitter - and leave a comment here letting me know you're following me there! (If you're already following me there, you can leave a comment to let me know that too.)

So that's 3 separate chances to win! I'll keep the giveaway open through 12 pm EST next Thursday, July 1st. You have a whole week! Make sure you leave a way to contact you when you comment (email is best). I'll use Random Integer Generator and pick a winner next Thursday or Friday! :)

To celebrate with myself, here's what I'm up to: new library books (these are just a handful - you should see the stack on my desk!) iced coffee South African style (with ICE CREAM instead of ice), and awesome fruit salad. Off to do some crafting and hide from the heat (which is approaching 100 degrees - yikes!). Psyched to work on some new baby quilts (pics soon!), the present quilt, and listen to Lush Life (hurray for free downloads).

Stay cool all - and thanks to those who've become my bloggy friends in this crazy large world of internets. You rock!



Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in the magic will never find it! ~ Roald Dahl

My neck of the woods

The quilting/sewing/knitting world is buzzing about the grand (re)opening of Purl's new shop tomorrow. I myself have been a Purl fan for years, even before I lived here. I plan on going this weekend, though I don't actually have any cash to burn (I know, so masochistic, right?) but would allow myself to buy a charm pack or something small. Then, hopefully, I can reserve just a little bit more and go back NEXT weekend for the customer appreciation day! Woohoo!

Speaking of...I know a lot of you are planning the same thing. Please let me know if you're going to be there too - I would love to actually meet many of you in person, now that we seem to be acquainted in the blogosphere.

Off to take care of some real life stuff, then hopefully back to show you what I've been working on (hint: it includes pink and even my sweetie approves!)...

100

I can't believe it but this is my 100th blog post! Phew, that was fast! Since it snuck up on me, I didn't plan any sort of giveaway or special feature post. That will have to be planned for my 1 year blog-a-versary (also coming sooner than I realized!). For now, let me just say that I've enjoyed blogging and hope that you enjoy reading. I have no idea who or how many there are of you out there...

Today was glorious. This morning it started out cloudy but then the sun came out and it was actually HOT outside. I wore flip flops (which I swore I would do less and less in this dirty city). I sported my insanely huge sunglasses. I made sure to put some sunscreen on my pasty skin (it's truly embarrassingly pale). Now I'm sitting here with the windows open and thinking that ice cream would be a good appetizer for dinner.

Today was my day off from work and the main event was a job interview. FINALLY. It hasn't actually been that long since my last one but these waiting periods seem endless. We're talking agony (I'm sure many of you know what I mean). This job would be.......perfect. Seriously. I wouldn't joke about this. In fact, it's so perfect and amazing that I have to stop talking/writing/thinking about it because I'll go nuts. I should hear next week if I made it to the second round. And that will have to be all about that for now. (Gulp.)

On the crafting front, the baby quilts (4 out of 5 - the last one is half-bound) are in the wash as we speak. Expect to see them go up in my shop this weekend. I promise I'll get my butt in gear and FINALLY reopen it.

I've been working on the New Wave Quilt, the Laura Gunn version. Is it absurd that I'm doing 2 versions of the same quilt? I just love it. One goes with this quilt (I like matching things - I'm a nerd). The other one is mostly pink and girly (don't think my sweetie will be sitting under it very much). They look very different so I'm going to say it's OK.

P.S. Erin has started a website for the beloved Flickr group Quilting Bee Blocks. Check it out here!

Crafty goodness (and other nice things)

Being home with my folks is so nice. We're close - always have been - and it's just a very comforting place to be. Even if it's chilly (oh Upstate, NY).OF COURSE my mom and I have been fueling our fabric/quilting/crafting obsessions. We've been planning projects, looking at her stash, ordering a few items (really, just a few, I swear!), etc. We have plans to go to a LQS and probably Joann's today (among other, non-quilting-related errands, of course).

By the way, thanks to these noisy ones, I'm up early. Oh well.My mom sent me a bundle of Laura Gunn FQ from her new line (I love everything she does) and I'm turning them into this quilt. They're all cut up and ready for piecing. My machine is back in my apartment and even though I could use my mom's, I'll probably just wait.

My mom also bought me the original fabrics that Elizabeth used for that quilt (they were featured on Fabricworm as a bundle). So another New Wave quilt is in the works...

She also got me this:


She also has a selection of rotary cutters in different sizes. I've found it's so much easier to use the smaller ones! Will have to save up and get some for myself. Do you use smaller sizes?

Finally, I got my hair done (touched up the color and had it blown out) yesterday. Ahh, feels so good.And yes, those are flying pigs on my pajamas. :)

Happy Saturday everyone!

Bloggy stuff

Every few days, I decide I don't like the way my blog looks. I spend some time, poking around the internet and admiring other people's blogs, then I try things, but I usually end up going back to the same old thing. I definitely like a minimalist approach but I'm now thinking my layout/template is kind of dull. Hmm...

On another bloggy note, I love reading other people's crafty blogs. I've been reading blogs in general for a while but now that I'm quilting (and always learning!) blogs have been a wealth of information! On a more personal note, many of the people who blog have inspired me both in my crafts and other aspects of my life. I always find it brave when people post about "real" issues and am still figuring out how much of myself to expose here. But seriously, the only drawback is that I often find myself wishing I could sit down and have a cup of coffee with many of the bloggers! I've always loved reading in general so it's no surprise that I find myself connecting with bloggers as I read about their lives, adventures, mishaps, etc. All in all, I have many bloggy-friend crushes and hope someday to meet many of these amazing people. For now, I look forward to their next posts. :) Keep 'em coming guys and know you've always got a buddy here.

Here are just a FEW of the blogs I regularly read:
jaybird quilts (Julie)
i am. i am. i am. (Brooke)
Red Pepper Quilts (Rita)
A Friend to knit with (Leslie)
Quilt Dad (John)
you know what i love? (Ara Jane)