Field Trip

I'm a little late to post about this. Have you already seen these goodies at Michaels craft stores? If not, you might be able to catch the last wave of these cute journals, notebooks, pens, emery boards, and list pads that feature some of my designs from Terrain!

Pete and i finally got to take a field trip to the Michaels store just over the border in NY. We have been meaning to get there for some time now because it's always fun to see how each store displays things a little differently and in varying locations within the store. So we set off to find the tower baskets. Up and down the aisles...back and forth...until we spotted...???

We couldn't believe our eyes! Actually, still can't. This was quite a humbling moment for me — to say the least. Mary Engelbreit is someone who i have admired for so long. It's hard to remember a time when i didn't know of her through her art. I've owned mugs, calendars, tote bags and books with her illustrations on/in them and still miss her cute-filled and infinitely inspiring magazine, Home Companion. You too? Thankfully she has a blog and a Facebook page that i "like" — along with over 16,000 other fans! My deep appreciation and respect for Ms. Engelbreit is not only for her talents and work, but also that she was one of the pioneers in the art licensing industry. She used her magic markers and pencils to help color the way for the rest of us. I think she must have a set of real magic magic markers; wow, can she ever draw! Thank you to the Queen of Cute!

Here's a little Saturday fur.

Hope you're enjoying the weekend!
Whoa, almost forgot to let you know that Kristine over at the Interweave Quilting Daily blog would like to know what you love about summer. Head on over and let her know and you could win a roll of Seascapes by Deb Strain (love her!!) or maybe a roll of Cuzco! Good luck :)
Ok, that's all (for now).

xo,
kate

Winners and More Giveaway Goodies

Thanks so much for jumping in to that merry little giveaway. Dianne and Jodi are in for a treat!

If you didn't win, don't worry! Linda's super cute book is available on Amazon.com. The Sew Merry and Bright hop continues today over at Martingale.

I really admire anyone who is organized enough to get this far ahead of holiday anything. A couple years ago,  i excitedly signed up for a block of the month {that featured my fabric}...and i'm embarrassed to say that i'm still not done with it! I'm averaging one block every 6 months which means i'm on-track for a finish in 2016. Maybe some smaller projects would help to shake my snow globe of creativity?

Luckily for all of us, there are some really fun Christmas in July blog hops going on now. Turn down the A/C and hop over to don't call me betsy where Elizabeth Dackson is the hostess with the mostest. Aneela's stocking tutorial is being featured today, and it's too darned cute to miss! Not to mention...eh hem...Aneela has teamed up with Julie from my fave Intrepid Thread and they're giving away some more JOY! Thank you ladies! xx

Sew Merry and Bright Giveaway

Thanks so much for stopping by on my day on the Sew Merry and Bright book tour. Such a perfect title, wouldn't you say? Just look at this colorful cover!

This latest book by Linda Lum DeBono, is a fresh, creative celebration of festive, colorful sewing projects for the Christmas/winter holiday season. It includes 21 (twenty-one!) sewing projects, with very clearly written and illustrated instructions: from whimsical stockings, to tree skirts, pillows, placemats, table runners, an assortment of lovely tree ornaments, and several adorable quilt patterns. And, for new sewists, Linda has included a helpful “basics” page, to provide “some essential techniques and product information” for her outstanding projects.

 I was so inspired by many of Linda's creative patterns and had ambitious hopes to sew up a couple of the projects using Joy. But by the time i reached for my scissors and thread, they had already been packed and stored! Once i dig them out, i plan on making some of the "It's a Green Christmas" placemats...with a little red thrown in. Maybe something like these?

from left: tannenbaum in holly, winter garden in snow, winter garden in holly, winter garden in snow and peace in holly 

from left: peace in berry, winter garden in snow, treeline in holly, winter garden in snow and winter garden in berry 

 You could also make some matching napkins, roll them together with the placemats, tie with a ribbon and make one of Linda's fun stockings to stuff them into:

design©Linda Lum DeBono photo©Brent Kane

What a cute gift that would be!

Sew Merry and Bright is a book worth giving and a book worth keeping. Want one?! Many thanks to Linda and her publisher, Martingale, who were so generous to share the fun and have provided two signed copies to giveaway. Not only that, i'd love to give you a head start on some of the projects, so i'm also giving away a layer cake of Joy with each book! 

Just leave a comment below and i'll pick two lucky winners tomorrow.

And don't forget to keep hopping along...up tomorrow is Lee of Freshly Pieced. Merry merry early holidays to you!
*** Thanks for stopping by, alas, this giveaway is closed.***

Settling In

 Well, we made it through the first leg of our moving marathon and have finally found all the power cords to get back up-and-running. Before we did anything else, we set up the kitty tower and Franny and Lou are pretty happy with their new view. They've settled in just fine and are on "chipmunk watch" every day.

As we were gathering the few remaining belongings from our house before closing the door behind us for the last time, i snapped a picture of this sweet wall hanging that was there when we moved in. We left it for the new owner who will surely make it a happy home of her own. (Click on the image to make it bigger and easier to read)

Lots to catch up on..

First up, if you've been spending the first few weeks of July trying to find a fun Christmas sewing project, you should hop along with Linda Lum DeBono's fabulous book tour! I was thrilled when Linda asked me to be a part of it because i love her sewing style and designs. In fact, her blog has been on my reader list long before she and i ever met!

Here's the line-up:

July 18 - Carrie Nelson (don't miss out on her giveaway! ends at midnight tonight!)

July 19 - Sew Mama Sew

July 20 - Pat Sloan

July 21 - The Long Thread

July 22 - ME!

July 23 - Freshly Pieced

July 24 - Martingale & Co.

July 25 - Henry Glass Fabrics

July 26 - Fat Quarterly

July 27 - Aurifil

July 28 - Fat Quarter Shop

July 29 - Mark Lipinski

There will be giveaways, tutorials, interviews and more so be sure to visit everyone! Hope to see you back here on Sunday.

xo, kate

Unplugging

Thank you all so much for your well-wishes and for sharing your moving woes and adventures with me! You really helped brighten the past few days. I mean it. And i'm especially thankful to everyone for offering your "help" in giving this fabric a home! I knew i could count on you *wink*. Maggie, Kasey and Denise, if you could please email me your mailing addresses (kate(at)katespain(dot)com), i'll send your packages off!

Otherwise, we're almost done packing (as in sitting on top of the boxes and taping the bulging cardboard shut). The movers come tomorrow morning so we're down to those last few odd items that have somehow ended up in one box together; laundry detergent, hair elastics, lamps, socks, chapstick, and screwdrivers. So much for being organized! The last thing i need to pack is my computer.

So this is it. Our last night here. Yes, i'm a little sad about it. Funny thing, though...it echoes just as it did on the day we moved in — which seems like yesterday.

xo,

kate

(unplugging for now...be back soon!)

Mania

Wow, so many thanks to all of you who chimed in on helping me identify that Singer sewing machine! I'm so happy to know a little more about it. It is indeed a powerhouse of a machine and when i first sewed on it two years ago, i could not believe how many layers of fabric it would go through...without a snarl or missed stitch. Amazing! Needless to say i feel fortunate to be its caretaker for now.

This morning, i was surprised, delighted, ecstatic, and honored to discover that my lil' ol' quilt called Pond Garden made it onto the cover of Quiltmania magazine's special summer edition!

I designed and made this quilt for Market last fall using a jelly roll and some yardage from Good Fortune. Now you can make it too! If you don't speak French, you can find the english version of the magazine here.

In my last post, i mentioned that we're moving. After we put our house on the market, to our shock and disbelief, it sold in two weeks. We didn't expect that to happen so quickly, and we certainly didn't have time to find another place to live in order to line everything up for a smooth transition from one house to the next. If only! Moving once is hard enough, but we'll have the misfortune of moving twice. Calgon, take me away!

Needless to say, life has been a bit of a blur lately — except for the screechy scratchy sound of packing tape and the obstacle course of cardboard boxes around here. We've been packing non-stop for the past two weeks, but just last night, while i was taking the curtains down in our living room, i started to think about all that has happened in the 8 years that we've lived here. Best of all...marrying Pete! Otherwise, way too many things to list and so many life changes. I'm sure the same is true for you, too. After all, our homes are where our lives happen — the good parts, bad parts, and everything in between.

I also started my business here. And by "here" i mean right where i'm sitting as i type this now. I designed my first fabric collection, mug, paper plate, greeting card, dishtowel etc. from this chair, in this room, in this house, looking out this window at the same maple tree across the street that i've watched change over the years and from season to season. I've learned and grown so much here, and am grateful for every moment of it. Though these items can't be packed in a suitcase, i will take them with me wherever we go.

Another wonderful thing that happened during our time here has been getting to know so many of you! Thank you always for your comments, support and friendships. Btw, there are a few things that we just couldn't squeeze into our moving boxes, so i was wondering if anyone could possibly help us out by giving a home to one of these?

Anyone? Please toss a comment into the box and i'll pick three lucky winners. Thanks for your "help" *wink*

*****Comments are closed for this, but come back soon! Another giveaway coming up soon*****


The upside of moving is that Franny and Lou are loving all these boxes!


Have a great weekend.
xo,
kate

This Kitchen Has Always Wanted To Be Yellow

Over the winter, we finally made the decision that it was time to move. It took a while to for me to accept the idea of leaving this house, our first home. But even more difficult was getting used to the idea of leaving our garden (i'm still not there yet) — i wish we could just lift it up and take it with us.

In preparation for putting our house on the market, we thought it would be a good idea to re-do our tiny kitchen. Why we didn't do this when we first moved in is a question i've asked myself over and over (and over)! So Pete and i set to work and tore out all the cabinets and countertops. We could not believe our eyes when we pulled the base cabinets away from the wall and discovered that this kitchen has always wanted to be yellow. Not just any yellow, this yellow. Crisp Ginger Ale.

The color above the tiles is what i painted two years ago. The color below is a perfect match, but painted many years ago...perhaps even as long ago as the 40's. I've probably painted the kitchen 6 or 7 times since we moved in. It's been white, two shades of orange, blue, pea green, and olive oil green. None of them felt quite right and didn't last very long. But then i finally settled on this particular yellow that was warm and buttery and it glowed in the morning sun which made me happy. I guess it made the previous owner happy too?

Which brings me to another funny thing about this house. It obviously had some plans in store for us because when we moved in, the only thing that was left in the basement was this:

(cue Twilight Zone theme song) Does anyone know what era this is from? Model? It sews like a dream!

Ok, back to packing (ugh).

xo