Arrivederci!

My blog will be in "holiday mode" for the next week or two, while the hubby and I spend some time relaxing and romancing here:

Italy, here we come! Arrivederci, everyone! I'm sure I will be bubbling over with pictures and stories when I return :-) Talk to you then!

Amy Butler camera case

A couple weeks late for the Amy Butler-themed Sew and Tell...but here she is!

There are about a million things that I need to be doing before leaving on our trip, but this is something that I just wanted to do. So to heck with pre-cooked meals for the kids or laundry! I had 2 requirements for this camera case:

1. cute (check!)
2. PADDED (also check!)

A couple weeks ago I dropped our camera onto the cement driveway. Did not bode well. When I tried to turn it on it actually sounded like it was screaming in pain. So, new camera for me! But I had to promise the hubby that I would be MORE CAREFUL. Since I rarely use our existing case (not cute enough), I thought the solution was clear- I needed to make a case that I was excited to use, and had lots of padding!

I really love how this turned out. I didn't use any pattern- actually, I started this at 10 p.m., with a head cold, half asleep, and didn't even sketch out a plan or measure stuff first. Crazy, I know! I am usually a planner, but not this time- I literally just cut one piece at a time, added it to the bag, then cut another to fit in. Not a method I plan to use again, as I spent some quality time with my seam ripper, but somehow I got it done and looking pretty decent. I kept it compact (I want to be able to throw it in my purse), and made it 3 dimensional to add width to accommodate the camera. I used a zippered closure to ensure that the camera would stay securely inside. A swivel hook was added to the wrist band, so that it can be hooked onto a backpack if need be. My favorite is the front pocket for the charger. I ran an elastic along the top to help prevent the charger from falling out. This made gathers, so I did some gathers/pleats across the top flap as well. I love the texture this added.
A general rule in my life is: if you can add a button, DO! Love 'em. I was excited to find the perfect home for this cute vintage button I found thrifting this spring. The loop tab is another "error"- I realized I forgot to add one in the flap seam, then layered the grey and dot squares on the flap to attach it. In the end this is one of my favorite details! The lining....well, it got pretty messed up, but who sees it anyway?? I was also excited to pull out these lovely Amy Butler Lotus fabrics that I have been sitting on forever (I think these were my FIRST fabric purchase, actually!). I love to buy fabrics, but have a hard time cutting into them. This was so worth it.

Can't wait to strut this bag around Italy next week!

I will be sharing with some of the great blogs on my side bar :-)

Does this work?

I should know better than to doubt myself at the "one block" stage....but what do you think?

I am calling it a "Mixed Sushi Block," after its "Bento Box" cousin! Just a hint: the "cousins" may star together in "Twin Boy Quilts 2." :-)

Winners!

Thanks so much for all who participated in the It's A Small World giveaway! I had so much fun learning about the places you live, and enjoyed chatting with you!

Unfortunately, I could only pick 2 winners, but here is who Random.org came up with:

Winner of the Pink Panda Fabrics $30 gift certificate is....

.....my fellow Manitoban, Steph! She said:
I have lived in Manitoba all my life. Although I sometimes dream of living somewhere where there is slightly (please insert sarcastic tone) less snow in the winter I do love the summers and the great fall time we can sometimes have, such as this year. We also have some great festivals that we can enjoy as a family. I have also travelled to so many great places within Canada and look forward to seeing so many more!

I couldn't agree more! And thanks so much to Cheryl at Pink Panda for the awesome gift certificate! She also has a great blog, and just happens to be featuring my fabric necklace tutorial at the moment :-)

Our second winner, of the linen pouch filled with an assortment of Canadian goodies, is......
......Megan, from one of my favorite blogs, Lucy and Norman!

Megan said:
Thanks so much for sending me over here! I'm following you now! As for me, I'm from Seattle and a PNW girl through and through. I love our cloudy days! I am absolutely loving your little pouches and I love tea too so count me in for you sweet giveaway!

Thanks, Megan! Hope this brightens your day.

Quilting, Vegas style

I am loving all the little tidbits you guys have told me for the "It's a Small World" giveaway! If you haven't entered yet, today is the last day!

One last story from last weekend's reunion, then I promise I am done with it!

While in Calgary, Sam and I also hit a quilt store on our shopping extravaganza. FUN!!

Fabric shopping online is sooo much cheaper, especially for us Canadians, but there is something magical being in a quilt shop, surrounded by pretty things that you can touch and fondle and take home RIGHT NOW, especially when with a friend that gets as giddy as yourself. Had the BEST time, and picked up an assortment of fat quarters, mostly Riley Blake Rainy Days and Sundays, for no particular project, just because it made me happy. And, fabric has no expiration date, so the more the merrier, right? And then...we were told something VERY EXCITING.

The lovely lady cutting our fabric mentioned that she and her girlfriends had recently returned from Vegas, where they went on a day long "Quilt Shop TOUR!" Picked up at their hotel, then taken to 5-6 different quilt shops all day long, surrounded by decadent fabric...said they had the best day of their lives. I WANT IN!!!

http://www.quilttoursoflasvegas.com/

Vegas, anyone???

The Kite Runners

After school craft of choice the other day was "kites". Lots of love and concentration went into these babies. Big G's has the look of a spiderweb block, doesn't it? That's my boy! The Middle Child's has jewels on it, of course... ....and Last But Not Least put hers together with a roll of adhesive postage stamps, thinking they were stickers....it was about $10 later when I intercepted! Tears!
Next, came the flying trials. Running like mad through the yard to get some loft....

Little one too slow. More tears! Time for bed :-)

It's my Dad's birthday today...he and my mom are off somewhere in China! If you are checking in on me, Dad, hope you are having a great one! Love you!

"It's a small world" giveaway

Sorry, friends, this giveaway is now closed!

Do you know I am Canadian? Proudly so :-) There are probably lots of things you know about Canada. We boast some beautiful mountains, lakes, wilderness and wildlife such as beavers, moose, loons and polar bears. Our national police are called Mounties, though they only wear the red uniforms and ride horses for ceremonies! We say "eh" and are super polite. We are friendly, if a bit reserved. We apologize all the time. Oh, and hockey. We are pretty passionate about that. Good thing we are so awesome at it (Olympic double gold, Baby!! Sorry, U.S.A.).

Some other things you may not know. We are pretty smart, I think (sorry if that sounds like bragging). Did you know it was a Canadian who discovered that diabetes could be treated with insulin? Canadians can also be credited with the invention of the light bulb, the telephone, pacemakers, zippers, the sport of basketball, and the Blackberry. Not bad, eh?

What I love about the blogosphere is that it makes this great world of ours so much more smaller and accessible. I have a live traffic feed on my sidebar, and I love to see the visitors from all over! I have made some awesome new international blogging buddies!

I have been lucky enough to have done a good deal of travelling, and as you may recall, my hubby and I are headed to Italy (!!!) this fall for a short trip to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. One Italian lady, a massage therapist we booked with, went above the call of duty recommending hotels, restaurants, sending me train schedules and the like. I was moved by her kindness, and thought I would make her a little present in thanks.
I made these pouches as a nod to Canadiana, using our national colors of red and white on a chocolate brown linen. One style is the gathered clutch, with a couple vintage wooden buttons that I found thrifting, and for the other I modified the gathering design, and embellished it with a few yo-yo flowers. Inside, I have stashed a variety of Canadian goodies :-) Some organic tea made from local herbs, some maple sugar fudge and more.
So, I thought I would do a giveaway, where everyone would get a chance to do a shout-out for the places they call home.

Here is how you enter:
Leave a comment, in which you say where you live, and something you love about your country, city or town. Or, tell me an interesting fact about where you are from. Be proud! Brag a bit!

The prizes! TWO winners!
Pink Panda Fabrics, which I have often mentioned as my FAVORITE online Canadian designer fabric store (plus free and FAST shipping in Canada, whoo hooo!), has offered a $30 gift certificate to her shop, for one of my Canadian resident readers. Awesome! Thanks, Cheryl!

Not to leave anyone out, I will send one of the above pouches (winner's choice), filled with Canadian goodies, to one of my "non-Canuck" readers!

AND... Pink Panda is also offering a 3 % discount on purchased fabric to my readers until October 31, 2010. Just enter the coupon code "CRAFTER."

So go ahead, leave me a comment and tell me something special about your little corner of the world! Giveaway closes on Tuesday, October 5 at noon Central Standard Time.


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