HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

A house of cards in the shape of the United States of America
(built from memory) by Ed

photos by E. Moniz

HAPPY WEDNESDAY (and a post)!

Yes. It's true.

I'm the worst blogger EVER!

I have tried and tried to sit and post about the goings on in my life but unfortunately, that life has taken control. Pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee -- it's quite a story.

As if the kids going back to school and my reinstatement at Gap weren't enough to keep me busy, I still have this wee little sewing business which sometimes demands more of my attention than I'm prepared for. Somehow, I always make it work.

My good friends at the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation keep me very busy. And this September was no exception -- an order for 600 herbal therapy eye pillows. That's right. SIX HUNDRED! And since I'm always an "I can do that" kind of gal, I jumped right in.

I think it took me about 5 or 6 weeks total to fill this order. I used about 45 yards of fabric which I cut using this amazing template my very talented hubby made for me from an old ruler.




I just rolled around it with my rotary cutter and VOILA - I was able to cut about 4 pillows at once with this baby. Here they all are cut, sewn, turned and pressed.



Luckily, I found a place online which had flax seed for an amazing price! Five of these babies showed up at my door one afternoon and it took me all of 8 hours to empty each and every one!



Then came the most grueling, miserable, horrible part -- hand sewing them all closed.


YUP! UGH!!

It took me exactly one week to get them all done. I did 120 of them in one day alone. It was totally gross. I took these things with me EVERYWHERE.


I sewed them in bed, on the couch, at soccer practice,



in the car pool lane,




I even sewed some on my break at work!


But then... they were done!! and I had a BIG bowl of soy ice cream to celebrate! :)



Now while I was making these little babies, my friend Maria also ordered about a half dozen quilts for the Cotton Candy Boutique (the Foundation's non-profit store front). She also offered me table space at their annual Flames of Hope WaterFire event which, very unfortunately, I could not afford. So I offered to volunteer at the event instead - GREAT! A few weeks went by and when Maria saw the quilts in progress and then found out I was volunteering, she offered me a small space for FREE.

AMAZING!! This event draws about 150,000 people each year!! I was dumbfounded!

But then this also meant that I had about 10 days to finish 6 quilts. And wouldn't you know that in those 10 days, just about everything that could go wrong, went wrong. From Ava coming down with bronchitis to my cracking a tooth and clipping threads twenty minutes before I ran out the door!

It was all worth it though and I was able to get 4 quilts completely finished for the event which turned out to be more than enough (I sold 2!!). It was an incredible, all-day event which I was totally proud to be a part of!

pic from here

And then I actually slept! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

And so, HAPPY WEDNESDAY!


PS I will upload pics of my pink quilts to my Flickr photostream this afternoon!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Yours truly received a HUGE round of applause at last night's Rhode Island Sewing Network meeting for my work in redesigning the group's website (not actually for anything I've sewn this time). It was a thrill nonetheless -- especially since it was while being introduced as a member of the Executive Board. Yup, I'm in with the IN crowd. I'd jump up and down if I weren't so exhausted!

It was also a thrill to get a big hug from Ann Steeves of Gorgeous Fabrics who spoke at our meeting last night regarding fabric forecasts for the upcoming seasons. She's the best! Ann is so confident and knowledgeable and I often feel like a little groupie while in her company. So I was pretty stoked that she remembered me from other sewing events and seemed happy to see me. Awww, thanks, Ann!

Happy Wednesday!

PS You can check out my mad web design skills here.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Happiness is....

winning awesome stuff!

I recently entered the Nature's Best Quilt Contest hosted by Quilting Gallery. I thought the beachy quilt I made for Heidi passed as a nature type of quilt so I entered! There are TONS of fabulous prizes and you know me... I'll never pass up an opportunity for free goodies!

So, VOTE FOR ME!!

Visit the contest website here and click on VOTE NOW!

My quilt is called "a day at the beach" and is located under the Large Quilt section of the contest. I already have 7 votes - woo hoo!

Then, cross your fingers! Maybe this will be the happiest Wednesday yet!

for me?

One of my all time favorite blogs to visit is the always interesting, oh-so-wonderful Colour by Number. Cindy is constantly stitching up something fantastic and I love reading about her latest sewing project, her beautiful kids and seeing what fabulous fabric she's found at Vogue (Lucky girl!)

Cindy recently received a Kreativ Blogger award which she has kindly passed on to her faithful readers. Hooray - an award! In order to properly receive this award though, I must list seven interesting facts about myself. Most of you already know this stuff but here goes...

ONE:
To start at the beginning, and for those of you who don't know, I was adopted. This stuns most people since I am constantly told that I look like my mother -- the greatest compliment, by the way. And, that I have a baby brother to boot. Those 1970s doctors didn't know WHAT they were doing! Lucky me since I have the BESTEST family ever!

TWO:
I graduated 10th in my class from High School and a whole 1/2 year early, as a double major, from college. In short, I'm a geek. As if you couldn't have guessed that from my LOTR obsession and my inability to stay up past 8 o'clock.

THREE:
I've flown completely around the world - twice. YES, I stopped along the way but both trips made complete circles around the globe. PHEW!

FOUR:
I went to the same High School as Eddie Mekka who played Carmine "The Big Ragoo" Ragusa on Laverne & Shirley. Obviously, we attended at different times.

FIVE:
I met my husband in a tattoo studio. He was the tattooer and I was the tattooee. I walked out of the building with my brother and said "I just met the man I'm gonna marry." My husband does not believe in fate.

SIX:
I do EVERYTHING and always tell my kids that they can do anything -- the ol' "there's nothing you can't do" schpeal. If you want to do it - DO IT! In the past few years I've painted rooms, installed ceiling fans, replaced all of the electric outlets, planted flowers, baked breads, sewn countless garments and quilts, power washed my house, played mommy, wife, secretary, delivery boy and CEO. Do NOT tell me that you can't do something. That's bull#@#*!

SEVEN:
I HATE to be late! I'm one of the most punctual people you will ever meet. If I'm late, it's John's fault.

THE END!

WOW! That was fun. I hope I didn't scare anyone. Thanks to Cindy for getting me going!

I know I haven't been the best blogger these days. I'm finding it hard to get in front of the computer lately but check back! More to come soon - I promise.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Shellie-

Thank you so much for sending in the photo of your beautiful dress! Your daughter is gorgeous and I have no doubt that she was the most fashionable first grader on her first day of school, great work! I have added it to our Flickr page, click HERE to see it along with the other entries.

Thanks again!

-Mallory

Mallory Theiss
Promotions Specialist
Amy Butler Design