Fabric Therapy

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling down right "icky" (as my 2 year old would say).  Just as my family got over all of our sickness, I managed to pick it up for another go round.   I stayed in bed most of the morning, but by the afternoon I was feeling super down and needed a major pick me up.  And what better to pick me up then some good ol fabric therapy.   So I made my way down to the sewing room and pulled out these two lovelies.

A beautiful layer cake of  Vintage Verona by Emily Taylor Design for Riley Blake.

 And a second beautiful layer cake of  Valencia by Lisa Tueller Designs for Riley Blake

Now I don't normally open pre-cuts without a plan to use them right then, but desperate times call for desperate measures :)  So I untied the string and laid out all of these gorgeous prints!!!  Oh, how they make me smile ;)  Look at those beautiful rich Navy's, Reds, and Greens.  And oh, that plaid print, eeekkk!

I pulled out my sketch pad and started drafting some ideas.  I often find that just looking at fabrics can bring inspiration for designs.  And those dots and echoed bead prints got the creative juices flowing.  So fun!!!  And who doesn't love a great strip??  I just love sketching while ogling over gorgeous fabrics.

And after an hour of playing and petting I really did feel better.  I mean, I still felt sick, but I didn't feel down in the dumps sick.  Ahh, what a good bit of fabric therapy can't do :)

And I am happy to report that I am starting to feel better in a not so sick kind of way this morning.  I am hoping it was just one of those 24 hour things ;)  Yippee, not not only can I pet fabric, but hopefully I will have the energy to sew some ;)

Hope you are having a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day

*** Giveaway is now closed - The winner is Angelia Lanouette!!

It's Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!!!  I love this day!!!  Now I know you have lots of places to visit so lets get right to it :)

Up for grabs is a Fat Quarter Bundle of True Colors by Jenean Morrison which is being generously sponsored by Julie of The Intrepid Thread.  Yes, that is 20 Fat Quarters!!!  Don't you just love these prints!!!  Oh my goodness, I am just head over heals for this rainbow of goodness!!!

So what do you have to do for your chance to win???

Leave a comment here of your favorite Fat Quarter Bundle Julie carries in her shop, The Intrepid Thread

That's it.  Up to 1 entry per person.  Giveaway is open to international entries.  It will close on Friday, December 13th at 5p.m. and a winner will be selected randomly and announced shortly after.

Oh, and by the Way . . . If you are stopping by for the first time, Welcome!!   I am so glad you visited and hope you will come back often.  I have so much fun sharing my passion for quilting here.  If you would like, you can follow Happy Quilting (over there on the right) and ensure that you catch all of the Quilty Goodness :)  I promise, I will make it worth your time with tutorials, giveaways, fabric eye candy, and lots of smiles :)

Winner and Giveaway Day

It's time to choose one lucky winner for the Southern Fabric Gift Certificate.   The lucky winner is . . .

Who happens to be . . . Lori!!!!   Congrats Lori, I have sent you an email :)

And if you didn't win today, don't worry, you still have a chance to win next week because Monday is the Bi-Annual Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day.   So be sure to check back Monday, trust me, you won't want to miss this one!!!!

Finish It Up Friday - Holiday Edition

NOTE - If you are looking for the Southern Fabric Gift Certificate Giveaway you will find it here :)

Today's finish isn't a fabric one, but I am certainly excited it.  As of last night, my Holiday shopping is done, wrapped, and ready for Christmas!!!  Yippee!!!  I always do my shopping earlier, but I tend to procrastinate the whole wrapping part of it.  I am so thrilled to know it is finished.

And with the house all decorated, (and my December Bee Blocks made and mailed )  I think I can pretty much "sit back" and enjoy all of the holiday festivities at this point.  Whoo Hoo!!!  But before you start thinking "wow, that Melissa is sure on top of it this year" (tee hee hee) , I will point out 2 little things below that I conveniently nixed off this year's Christmas to do list :)

See that family picture, yes, it is missing a child and I was supposed to schedule Christmas pictures with the photographer, whoops ;) And even though I have had making Christmas Stockings on my list all year, there are still mismatched store bought ones hanging on the mantle this year, what ya gonna do :)

But, after a lot of mental debate, I have finally decided on an idea for the stockings.  (I think, well it's down to 2 ideas at least, I keep going back and forth )  So that is a step in the right direction :)  I even printed out this stocking pattern from Katie's Simply Sewing book and pinned it by my ironing board so that every time I press I will be reminded of this project that will go back on the "to do" list on January 1 ;)

Have a Happy Quilting, Happy Holiday Season Weekend!!!

Linking this finish to Sarah's and Amanda's :)

December brings Dresden's and Scrappy Strips

Well, it is December 5th and you will never guess . . . I have my December bee blocks finished!!!  Yippee Skippee!!!  I knew that this month was going to be crazy busy and so I set out to get these done the minute the fabric arrived :)  

First up, for the Bees Knees group we were asked by the amazing Lori Holt  (yes, it is a little intimidating sewing for Lori Holt) to make up two Easy Dresden Blocks.  Lori used her awesome Thimble Ruler and Circle Ruler to cut all of the pieces from her adorable Bake Sale line.  And I have to admit, it is super fun to just open the mail and go straight to sewing, completely skipping the cutting step :)  

Lori has a fantastic tutorial on how to make these Simple Dresden blocks here.  Aren't they just adorable!!!  I think I might have to make some more of these.  I love how fun and squatty the blades are :)

And for the Beejeebers group, it was on to busting some scrappy strips.  Charlotte asked us to make a super fun improv block using this tutorial from the Modern Quilt Guild.   I had so much fun putting this one together.  It was the fastest I think I have ever cut scraps because you are specifically asked to eyeball everything and not use rulers.  I love that improv piecing always allows me to step outside my little box and "break the rules".  So fun!!!!

And now I am off to make a Birthday Cake because unbeknownst to me, this little guy of mine grew up this year and turned 7!!!  Goodness, how my little boy has turned into a big boy!!!