I've
had the best couple of days. I got a ton done, which has made it more
fun to have fun, if you know what I mean. Of course, my list of to-dos
is still longer than my leg, but such is life.
I purchased a little table at Goodwill
two weeks ago, but forgot to go pick it up. Today, I'm going to go see
if it's still waiting for me -- and if there's any other junk I must
have on half-price day. Perhaps I'll put on some make up & have my
kids lose the pajamas. Perhaps not. I love you, Saturday.
The blanket bling above is from Jamie of Sweet Baby Jamie. To help me feather my booth at Quilt Market, Jamie made several Nicey Jane
quilts from my sample yardage. I'm amazed by her free-motion quilting
skills. I don't know how she does it so evenly, without getting stuck
in a corner as she meanders. Wow.
Jamie patiently kept these blankets under wraps till Nicey Jane's public debut last week. Now they are all available at her Etsy store. She has a design-your-own-Nicey-Jane-quilt listing too, and her pricing is a little ridiculous, if you ask me -- ridiculously low.
Well,
Happy Saturday. Treat yourself to something fun -- a new scarf, a
candybar, a random, weird find from the thrift store, some time to
read, a quilt from Jamie. I might hunt down a new pair of flip-flops.
My last pair broke yesterday and I'm not willing to switch to winter
shoes.
I have a new 'job' at my church. I've been asked to teach the
10-12-year-old girls crafting skills, and to organize service projects
with them. Sure! I can do that. Today is our first activity. We're
making holly pins from yo-yos & felt.
Over
the next few meet-ups, I'm going to help the girls put together their
own sewing kits, teach them to crochet, develop babysitting kits, learn
emergency skills etc. I want to find a senior center we can visit as
well.
They're the sweetest group of girls. It should be big, big fun.
She's gussied up and ready for her big debut. Meet Nicey Jane™, my
new fabric collection for Free Spirit. Nicey is sassy, sweet, and ready
to sew. In other words, check your local fabric store, as Nicey Jane
arrived this week.
These new prints are available in two color palettes. We'll call the pink/olive/tangerine palette Kissing Boothand the blue/gray/gold palette Porch Swing. Along with florals, geometrics, and stripes, there are also a handful of Nicey Jane cotton solids -- which are batting their threads at me now, calling, "Sew with me, Heather. Forget that computer and run away with me."
In a couple of weeks, there will also be eight 58" wide laminated
cottons (similar to oil cloth, but light-weight and super-duper supple
-- must touch). I'm excited that the finish is light-weight enough to
be gathered. Once I finish up my stationery design work this month,
I'm going to sew up a Smarty Girl book bag with the laminated cotton and give a full report. I also have some raincoat plans and a kid's booster seat to make.
(I never did show off my birthday bicycle,
did I? Nicey is doing the job for me now. Yep, that's my
pinkity-pink-ol bike there. I never would have guessed I'd go for a
pink bike. Would have guessed orange. Or khaki. Or bright yellow. I
love it though. Wait till you see the bicycle saddlebags I'm planning
to make out of this print -- but in laminate. Oh yah.)
Back to the fabric, shall we?
The collection tells the story of small-town girl, Nicey Jane. Nicey
heads to the city on Friday nights to swing dance with her beau -- but
not before hanging the laundry to dry & enjoying an afternoon
picnic on the farm. The prints are named for Nicey's story: Hello
Roses, Hop Dot, Swing Toss, Wash-Day Ticking, Welcome Road, Picnic
Bouquet, Slim Dandy, Dream Dot, Church Flowers, Pocketbook, and Lindy
Leaf.
(The Lindy Hop is my mom's favorite dance. She tried to teach me some moves on the family room rug when I was little. Tried. The Lindy is dang-tricky.)
Now for dessert, a little Nicey Jane video. Be patient with the resolution; I uploaded this piece to YouTube instead of hosting it on my own site so it can be shared, embedded in other blogs, watched a gazillion times, etc. I have Isaac to thank for the wink -- you'll see.
For second dessert (what would a Hobbit
call a second dessert?), I believe I'm in the mood for a celebratory
giveaway. New fabric has arrrived -- and it's Christmas time -- a dangerous combination. So, three prizes! One $50 gift certificate and two $25 gift certificates to The Heather Bailey Store.
To enter, leave a comment. Tell us something fun, or interesting, or weird, or clever, or
something kind someone has done for you. Something like that. I do read all of the
comments. I'll go first (see comments).
Happy holidays, my friends. I'm off to stir some hot cocoa with a
candy cane and find myself a pair of slippers. It's cold outside.
While I'm busy finishing up a jazzy slideshow for Nicey Jane, I thought I'd pop in and share another bit of news. Who recognizes this photo above? It's from the cover of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion back in May 2008.
I hadn't originally planned to publish a pattern for this book bag.
However, after hundreds of requests for it, I finally got a clue and
did the work. The Smarty Girl book bag mini pattern arrives at the studio on Monday and will start shipping out on Tuesday.
I
use my Smarty Girl to carry a sketchbook and pencils. Charlotte has a
Smarty Girl for her coloring and activity books. It's a simple sew,
perfect for holiday gifts and birthday presents. You could make one for
your child for Christmas and fill it with activity books. With a
coordinating baby quilt folded up inside, it makes a great shower gift.
Then, of course, you could do a sketchbook & pencils -- my personal
favorite.
(Pattern cover features my new collection, Nicey Jane!)
I'm so ready for Christmas songs, twinkle lights, gingerbread
cookies -- the whole shbang. I have looked forward to the holidays all
year. Our last Christmas
was pretty hectic and tiring with Isaac in the hospital and whatnot.
This year we are all drinking an appropriate amount of water, to say
the least.
I've been working my tail off to wrap up my first stationery release
(Inviting Company, Jan 2009), to get new patterns to the printer, and
to prepare for my new fabric collection, Nicey Jane™.
I'm so thankful these projects hit in November and not in precious,
chilly December. Despite the hubbub, I channeled some of my holiday
excitement into designing a fun stack of holiday gift tags as a present for our customers this year. A set of these tags will be sent out with every order placed in the month of December. And they are DANG
cute. My favorite is perhaps the holly berry design at the bottom-left
of the photo above, or the reindeer. There are other great holiday discounts and freebies right now at HeatherBaileyStore.com as well. Click here to take a look.
Part of my holiday plan is to blog more. My goodness, where have I
been? That's right, under a heavy stack of deadlines. With new
patterns on the horizon and plenty of holiday projects in the works, I
have lots to share, including several sewing projects that have had to
stay under wraps the last two months. Ah, what a relief.
First up is Miss Nicey Jane (next post) -- can - not - wait!
I'm heading out to dinner in a bit with a gaggle of girlfriends, then over to the movie theater for an 8pm showing of New Moon. It's a special-screening of
some sort. I haven't read the book yet, but I do love to go to
dinner & a movie with friends. And it's for a good cause.
Till then, it's clean the studio, play with my nephews, and design, design.
This weekend, I relaxed at a cabin in Pinetop with six girlfriends and
one agreeable little baby. All
we did was talk and eat sweets. My new quilt & I claimed the fat,
fuzzy recliner. (Ugly never was so beautiful; I need a recliner now.) I
also learned that I'm not the only one who isn't too cool for
flip-flops-with-socks (Renee, you're awesome). It was
wonderfully-freezing outside.
It's been a busy few weeks. I've been immersed in many great
projects, and have been dealing with a few difficult things too --
hence the blogging slow-down.
After leaping from event to event
this Fall, I am thrilled to stay in one place for a while. Carpools,
family dinners, piano lessons, I'm loving them all.
On the work front, I'm designing my debut stationery collection with Inviting Company, prepping for the release of my next fabric collection, and motoring-along on new sewing patterns and finished goods.
At home, I'm getting my house put back together, including happy,
new petunias and roses out front, and I'm enjoying time with my kids.
(I like them.) Charlotte and I are playing with her new Knifty-Knitter Flower-Loom. We're considering crochet next. Is four too young for crochet?
Elijah
and I seek every opportunity for a bike ride. Even Isaac can be seen
riding my new, pink bike around -- usually when it's dark outside, for
obvious reasons -- it's that fun to ride. It's time to get that man a
blue cruiser already.
Arizona neighbors! You will seriously miss out if you don't make your way to downtown Mesa, AZ this weekend for Blissfest 2009, presented by my ever-fabulous friends at Domestic Bliss, Kristin & Dan Alber. Stephanie Nielson and her husband, Christian, will be there. Tara Frey will be doing a book signing with her new book, Blogging for Bliss. Jaimee Rose is coming too. There will be music, dancing, dozens of artists' booths, a stagecoach -- I mean, come on, a stagecoach!
I'll be at the Blogging Lounge on Saturday afternoon and the HB crew will be there too, with our own version of a general store: Trash Ties, fabric, felt, patterns, kits, chit chat, perhaps some chocolate to snack on. So, AZ folks, put your cotton-pickin'
boots on and mosey on down to Friday night's 'Grand Fandango' and
Saturday's Blissfest Market. Details on the flyer above or visit the Blissfest blog.
Happy Fall. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but, here, the weather is gorgeous. Finally.
See you there!
(Felt supply all fat & re-stocked by the way -- if you've been waiting.)
As Halloween is upon us, it's time to announce the winners from Monday's giveaway.
The following four commenters will have their pick of of sock doll
kits. If you are one of the ladies listed below, please email us your
address so we can send your kit right out -- email emily@heatherbailey.com.
Congrats & Happy Halloween!
Reminder: Through October 31, 2009, get a FREE Betty Boo Kit with coupon code "BatBatThing" on $35+ purchase at the HB Store. See details at the bottom of Monday's post.
Giveaway Winners
1. Christie Sproul, who wrote, "hi heather!! betty is so cute.....just starting on my 6 yr old daughter's costume...I am making Autumn the Woodland Fairy costume with no tutu as per her orders!! lol!"
2. Maribeth, who wrote, "too cute!! at our house, my little girl loves the nursery rhyme, three little ghostesses, it gives her a little bit of halloween without all the scary just yet."
3. Cathy P., who wrote, "So cute! love the girly bat. My 4-year-old daughter is going as a flower - I made the costume using an oversized green tee and some craft felt. I also knit a headband and added some more felt petals to it. My first time making a costume....but my daughter loves it!
And my 4-month-old daughter is going as a bee (her sister's hand-me-down costume from BabyStyle)."
4. Kay Prince, who wrote,
"Here's a poem for you:
There once was a girl named Heather She couldn't decide which was better: Christmas or Halloween On both she was quite keen In the end it was decided by the weather.
Okay, it's not great, but at least I tried! I would love to win a little Betty Boo Sock Doll kit! So cute!"
Welcome
to Trick-Or-Eat at HELLOmynameisHeather.com. Today, nine favorite food,
craft & lifestyle bloggers await behind nine haunted houses -- with
an array of holiday tricks and treats to greet you. At the end of this
post, you will find two mystery houses. Join in the fun by clicking on
one of the next homes on the block. Discover all of the Trick-Or-Eat
contributors and find direct links to their posts at
www.Trick-Or-Eat.com.
Velcome, my vriends, to the Ghostly Garden Cottage, where even the flowers can't be trusted. Who says scary can't be cute?
To
prove the point, meet Betty Boo. Some might say she's a spoiled bat,
but I think she's rather sweet, as far as vampires go. Betty is
not too cross to wear flowers -- but she's not too kind to sock-you-one
either -- so, stay on her good side.
Come on inside -- no tricks here, only treats. Don't mind the carnivorous plants creeping out the windows.
Today I'm handing out a NEW, FREE PATTERN--
fun-to-make & easy-on-the-thighs. Click here to download my free
pattern for a snappy little sock doll. Make your own mischief from one
unassuming sock, wool-blend felt, and a few other bits & baubles from your crafting scraps.
Don't
go batty picking materials. If you want some help, I've dug up all
sorts of spooky socks and supplies for a handful of kits at The Heather Bailey Store (while supplies last).
Win a free Betty Boo Sock Doll Kit. Four winners will be picked at random. (If you're not a gambler, see the Freebie Code at bottom of post.) Leave a comment; make up a Halloween poem, share a Halloween story -- or just say 'Hi'.
Now, vahtch your step. And Happy Halloween!
Whooo’s Next? Head to the next house on the street -- or run, run, run, with your candy-bag wide-open.
See what the other Trick-Or-Eat hosts and ghostesses have cooked up for
you today; Click on one of the haunted dwellings below:
**Freebie Code** Happy Halloween! Treat yourself a FREE Betty Boo Sock Doll Kit, by entering the
code "BatBatThing" (on a purchase of $35 or more) at The Heather Bailey Store.
While supplies last -- first come, first serve. (When you're ready to
check out, add your selected bat doll Kit to your cart, then enter the
coupon code where indicated. The price of one kit ($9.95) will be
removed from your total. Code expires 10-31-09.)
Halloween is coming right up. Charlotte will flit around as a 'Bat Fairy' and Elijah is ready to skip the costume this year -- he's in junior high now. I'm sure he'll help eat the candy though.
In celebration, on Monday, the 26th, I'm decking the halls with HoWls of fOlly
for a Halloween Block Party with eight of the web's best food &
lifestyle bloggers. Nine virtual haunted houses of culinary,
craftiverous surprises await. Which of your favorite bloggers lurks at
each haunted dwelling? What have the hosts and ghostesses prepared?
Hi! I'm Heather Bailey, a fabric and lifestyle designer, an inventor, and a mother of two amazing kids. I love to create. Need to create. And I'm spreading the word on how fulfilling and necessary creativity is to the human soul. Love & nurture your family, be true & honest with your friends and make good stuff -- three necessary ingredients for a happy & beautiful life.
This, here, is my personal blog.
