HELLOmynameisHeather

Square Deal

Some of you may remember this pattern from last summer.  I wrote up the directions for one of Better Homes & Gardens' magazines.  Well, today I have it all formatted for you as a free pattern download.  If you downloaded it from BHG's site before, please replace your copy with this new one as their pdf was sizing the pattern pieces all funky from what I heard. 

Come to think of it, I reformatted a couple of the other free patterns in my sidebar long about last January.  I don't believe I mentioned it back then.  Many of you already have the new versions, but if you downloaded the headband pattern or the Freshcut quilt pattern when they were first posted, you might want to download them again for a spruced up version.

...just a fun lil' somefin'.

Every sewer should have a cute pincushion -- or several cute pincushions if you ask me.  Follow this link to download the Square Deal pincushion pattern, or click on the photo below.

Been having sweet times with the kids lately.  With summer break just about over here, Elijah & I are trying to wrap up Inkheart, which we've been reading off & on since summer began.  It's well-written & interesting, but slow-to-action.  True, that could be somewhat due to our intermittent reading schedule. We've also purchased The Deathly Hallows on cd.  Isaac's mid-way through loading the cds into iTunes, but we've caught up to him and are content with the immediacy of listening by cd for now. - - - Wow, that JK Rowling.  What can I say?   She really gets it, every nuance.  Friendship, temptation, imperfection, heroism, humor, struggle, tragedy, triumph, loyalty, love, purpose, and human nature.  She is truly inspired.

On the book front, I also had the pleasure of meeting J.S. Lewis a couple of months back at a writer's conference I attended with my mother (my mom's a talented writer -- I'll have to sneak one her poems or stories onto my blog sometime so you can see).  He is a quippy, sarcastic, funny guy (best presentation there).  Elijah whipped right through Revenge of the Shadow King and is hoping to get the other volumes soon.  J.S. sketched out a gargoyle for Elijah on the inside cover. Now how cool is that.

Charlotte's still in princess mode and she has become a champion knot-tyer.  Every day she re-decorates the banisters with interlaced ribbon in preparation for The Royal Birthday Party.  I've lost track of just how old I am now that I've celebrated several birthdays a day for weeks.  Presents wrapped in fabric, party hats, cake (the ribbon loop is the candle we must blow out & each ring is a slice we must pretend to eat).  It's very involved. 

We're having a good time.

I always dread the start of the school year though, when our family schedule tightens up and our son is gone all day.  We love Elijah's school, but why can't the school day be 4 or 5 hours long, max? Someone should start a charter school with more sane hours, so kids can spend more time with their families during the week.  Has anyone heard of such a thing?  Home-schooling isn't the best match for Elijah.  He thrives on daily interaction with other kids (and teachers) and we haven't ended up with enough kids in our family to satisfy that social thing.  Where's the happy medium?   Volunteering at school has always helped.

You know, that's it -- I'm doing more of that this year.  Before Charlotte was born, I was helping at the school every week.  Elijah just loved it & I miss it.  So there we are.

Pop! Into Your Shop

So, guys!  It sounds like Pop Garden & Bijoux are starting to hit stores.  Several shops have emailed me about how their phones are ringing off the hook with calls from you blog-readers -- just pacing for these fabrics.  Nadine, from Material Girls Quilting in Utah, emailed me with news that many of my fabrics were delivered today and that before she even had them unpacked, one customer purchased 28 yards of Pop Garden alone. Nadine says she's been receiving several calls a day in anticipation of my new collections.  I think I might just have to make my way up there & meet these girls sometime.  Sounds like there's some wild-sewing taking place in South Jordan, Utah.

I can't say how important it is to support your neighbor- hood fabric shops, like Nadine's.  They are your best source for technical help, for fabric & supplies, and for the cheerleading we all need to get through our projects sometimes.  Fabric and quilt shops are a great hub for finding comradery with women who share the same interests as you, and can help provide the community that we, as women, thrive on.

I've started a list of shops that will be carrying my new fabric collections.  Free Spirit doesn't have an easy way to deliver store info until after orders have been shipped, so it will likely be another week or two before we receive the full list of stores.  If you have a local shop that's expecting my fabrics, please drop us a note with their name, address, phone #, etc., so we can add them to the list.  (The link is in my sidebar.)  Who knows, perhaps you'll discover a new shop in your area. I just recently found a quilt shop near me that I had no idea was there.

Let me know about your favorite online stores as well!  Have you seen the collections for pre-sale anywhere else?  With Freshcut, there were a number of online stores allowing pre-orders.

Pop Garden & Bijoux are currently Free Spirit's best-selling collections -- yes!  As such, these fabrics shouldn't be too hard to track down here soon.  Not like Freshcut -- which is growing more & more scarce now that it's no longer in production.

As soon as we're able to photograph some fat-quarter packs and designer doses for the HB store, we're going to move the individual fabric swatches of Pop Garden & Bijoux to a free-standing page for project-planning and whatnot.  Maybe I can get Jenny B to teach me how to code the page so you can move the swatches around -- wouldn't that be too cool?  At that point, we'll only be selling Freshcut by the yard and select combinations of Pop Garden & Bijoux.  I expect we should have those fat-quarter stacks in place by the end of next week.

Anyhow.  I'm hoping a comprehensive store list will help address those of you who have emailed about having a hard time finding what you need.  Please let us know who we're missing.  Email [email protected]. We can always wait for the info from Free Spirit, but would love to get the store list fleshed out sooner, if possible, so you'll know which stores will have the collections here soon.

Chirp, Chirp

Thank you for all of your feedback on little bug-a-boos & whatnot.  For some reason, US First Class mail wasn't showing up as an option yesterday, when it should have (on orders less than 13oz. in weight).  Only Priority Mail and FedEx options were showing up on those lighter-weight orders.

We've got it all worked out now!  If you want to order only one or two sewing patterns and not a whole box of goodies just yet, then First Class Mail should now show up as an option.  This will work for a box or two of Trash Ties, or an order of scrapbook embellishments totalling less than 13 oz. in weight, etc.  Have a look.  I believe we're all set now.  The option will only show up if your order meets the weight requirements (less than 13oz.)

Now shipping can be something like $3.50 to $4 or so on those smaller packages instead of $7. If you're ordering more items, then Priority mail is definitely the best bargain.  FedEx is available if you want your order to have a tracking #.  Just a little update. 

Thanks!

Early Bird Launch!

We have been busy, busy behind the scenes.  Though we've set the date for the Grand Opening of our new online store for August 12th (my birthday), we've worked extra hard the last number of weeks to get everything in place for an Early Bird Launch.  Our goal was today -- and well, here we are, it's Monday and we did it -- the store is up!  I wanted you guys to have the first look at our new shop before any press releases go out or whatnot.  And it's your first chance to see my new scrapbook collection in its entirety.  It's really pretty crazy how all of these projects are popping at once.

Why "popping?" (I've used that term a lot this year.)  I was thinking about that last night as I lay in bed.  And I think my internal metaphor hearkens back to the electrical popcorn machine I had in college my freshman year.  I lived in the dorms, and the cafeteria closed well before I was ready to eat dinner.  So I ate a lot of late-night popcorn that year. 

You know how it is, you wait & wait for that first kernel to pop, watching them swirl & swirl around.  It seems like it's taking forever.  But, then.  Well, once it starts, there's no stopping -- it's just pop, pop, pop... pop-pop-pop. 

So, with no flouncy build-up (we've been too busy getting things ready for you), our Early Bird Launch is Today -- with over 200 different items for sale.  Yep, 200+.  I just did the count.  And, what I now realize is that half of the skus represent much of my design work over the last year.  And two of the main four categories are filled with designs I haven't even revealed on my blog yet.

In short, I've got a whole lot of revealing to do.  I hope you have nothing else going on today, as there are pages and pages of new HB designs:  gobs of Freshcut fabric (now no longer in production), paper, stickers, stamps, rub-ons, ribbons, etc.  And we have new Trash Ties colors, new Trash Ties prices(!), inspiration pages, coupons, discounts -- oh my. 

One post certainly won't cover my excitement for all of these bits and baubles.  I have lots of fun projects in the works.  Two new free patterns too (including these greeting cards -- I'm excited to show you this new, tricky card closure I came up with.)

And if all of this isn't enough...

Today marks the blog debut of my sewing patterns.  Four new sewing patterns to reveal -- pop, pop, pop, pop!  We'll have even more new patterns to release at Quilt Market in October, but you've already waited long enough for these ones.  I won't say how long -- and don't look it up.  I get absolutely a ton of emails about sewing patterns (which I love -- thank you so much).  My fingers are tightly-crossed that we're printing enough copies on this first print-run.  If you've been waiting & waiting on my fruit pincushions pattern or le sexy-hubba-hubba halter apron or must have either or both of my other new patterns (wait till you see these!) -- well you know what they say about early birds.

All four sewing patterns are stocked in the new store, so go reserve your copies today.  I'll preview each of the patterns here soon.  I could have easily let this post become a small book, but I'll resist.

I'm sure you're anxious to go check out the store, the scrapbook collection & the patterns. Before you go, make sure to read over our current discounts and promotions so you don't miss out on your chance at free Trash Ties and a special discount on your first order.  Cute coupons too -- a cute store warrants cute coupons, don't you think?

Well then.  With no further ado...

Let us know if you run into any kinks.  There's a customer service email over at the store ([email protected]).  Thanks so much.  Yay!!

xo--Heather

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UPDATES:

• INTL. FLAT RATE: Some international customers have requested Intl. Priority Flat Rate Envelopes as a shipping option.  We are happy to now offer this option, but please note that we cannot fit scrapbook paper and albums into these envelopes (the envelopes are only 9"x12").

• All other issues that have been pointed out, such a mis-linked buttons and whatnot, have been fixed.
(Thanks for emailing us your suggestions. We appreciate your feedback!)

Oh Yes, The Class...

Before things get even crazier around here, I must report that the pincushion class was fantastic fun.  Everyone received a bag full of goodies, including kits for a red strawberry & a velvety, pink one.  There were laminated recipe cards, strawberry-shaped needlebooks, and fruit pincushion patterns to boot. Two students even flew in from across the country to take my class. With less than a week's notice, they were signed up and on their ways from Pittsburgh & Fort Worth!  Now that's spontaneous -- and entirely flattering.  Hi Katri & Ruth!

To see more photos and read my post on the class, click here.

Fabric-Covered Brads

Such a great idea. 

Laura just posted a photo tutorial on how to make these.  And there's a giveaway.  In fact, I think she's doing something like five different giveaways this month -- Have a good idea for how to use fabric brads?  Someone suggested belt decor.

And I totally missed the boat on this next one.  Stephanie did these amazing Trash Ties hair dos.  Amazing.  Have you ever seen a blog that's all about creative hair-dos for girls?  She had a Trash Ties giveaway.  And I forgot to tell you.  But you should see these hairstyles!  (All of them.  Not just the Trash Ties ones.)  Stephanie definitely gets it.  You really can do anything with them. 

My computer's still acting up.  I think we might have fixed it today, but man, was I discombobulated for a few days there.  I'm ping-ponging between a dozen projects that are all about 95% done.  Hand-written lists are everywhere.  Getting very close.

Glad to be back on my own computer again.  We have other, faster, more-powerful computers, but I still like mine best. 

Are You Ready, Are You Ready for This?

I've been accumulating.  I've been accumulating good things for giving.  And it's time to pick some numbers!

∆   ∆   ∆ 

Out of 2000 comments (oh my, oh my), all the luck and the goodies go to...

#1057:  Jill -- "Great giveaway! Congratulations on everything new going on - how exciting!"

#156:  Jenny -- "what great fabric! i love it!"

#1306:  elliebelle -- "I love the new layout of the blog - it looks great!  The colors of your new lines of fabric are so fun and fresh. Great job!"

-- chosen at random --

So, Jill, Jenny, & elliebelle, email me with your addresses & we'll get your packages shipped this week.  And, don't forget to tell me which color/style of Trash Ties you'd like!

∆   ∆   ∆ 

This time the pear photo is no taunt -- no longer a forbidden fruit.  I'm kicking off my sewing patterns this month.  Our ducks are just about lined up & ready to quack.  I couldn't be more excited to wrap up these first patterns and this is the week.  Then it's just a little wait for the printers to do their thing.

Oh, and there are other things.  Other fun, fun things.  But, I'm not saying a word for one more week or so -- which is not such a long wait anymore, as I've been keeping some of these things to myself for almost a year now.  Can't wait to show you!

∆   ∆   ∆ 

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

I've been thinking about this statement a lot lately.  Who was this Emerson, to speak such a truth?  "To have sung with exultation (whether a good singer or not, it is no matter -- it's the singing) ...to find the best in others ...to endure the betrayal of false friends";  the comfort of gardening and the blessing of a healthy child.  Simple truths, but so powerful.  When you boil this life down to its essence, it's where your heart is at that matters.  Love is the thing. 

I think it's that old unpublished Gettysburg- Address-post in me trying to sneak its way out again. Perhaps it's wisdom to just let Emerson do the speaking, but I've had a tender heart these last few months.  My understanding of the human experience has come into greater focus this year & I'm just aching to wax philosophical. 

It was along this line of thinking, that I had originally wished to become a doctor.  In my teenage mind, being a doctor was perhaps the best way to be of service to humanity.  And though I'm grateful for modern medicine & the blessings it brings so many of us, I now know that there are opportunities in all walks of life to strengthen the world around us. And it all starts with kindness & goodness within -- bulletproof kindness.

I've just been thinking.  And I could so go on here.

Of course, Emerson died over 100 years ago.  If he were still around, he'd certainly amend his list to include  "to dance a mad-dance to Another One Bites the Dust" -- my own universal truth.  (Emerson might not approve of the lyrics, but he'd agree with the dancing.)  Queen is so fabulously all-over-the-place.

Hmmm, kinda like this post.

Dog Days

Well, this is new -- a surprise guest post by Isaac.  He must have noticed that I hadn't posted our puppies' names yet -- I was getting used to them first. So, he took the puppies outside for some photos & wrote this below.  Of course, we've been having all together too much fun the last couple of days, so I'm only now dropping it into my blog.

Here's Isaac:

It’s blasted hot here.  I know it’s not the hottest place on Earth.  I think the troops in Iraq have it a bit worse (God bless them).  But my friend said his thermometer read 118° yesterday.

Elijah and I had Boy Scouts last night and his scoutmaster arranged for two police officers to come speak to the boys about integrity and being a good citizen. They were bike officers.  That means spandex and kevlar -- quite the combo.

We finally made our dogs' names official.  The boy's name is Pixel, short for Raster Pixel Spooly - fun to say.  And the girl is Bobbin.  Her pedigree name is likely going to be Agnes Bobbin Fluff (Aggy Bobbin, Bobbin Fluff, Bobs, etc.)

 

They have completely distinct (from each other) personalities.  Pixel is flopsy, goofy, dense, unflappable, courageous and grumbly.  Bobbin is sweet, mild, sometimes-feisty, sometimes-timid, nimble, bright and eager-to-please.  Like most females she embodies some contradictory traits, and is a complex character. Both puppies are lovable to the Nth degree.

In Phoenix, you're lucky to get a half hour of outside time before the sun goes down, when it’s almost bearable.  The dogs run up and down, flop in the grass, pant, chase Elijah and Charlotte, sniff, wrestle, and come say “hi.”  How do they seem to know that I am home base?  Because I’m alpha, or just because I’m stationary?

Pixel is crazy about treats and, let’s face it, a little on the chubby side.  I think I might need to feed the two of them separately.  Bobbin is super trim.  Pixel is my little piggy.  We never had dogs when I was growing up.  Having these guys around brings out the kid in me.

Happy Fourth of July.  This country isn’t perfect, but I am extremely grateful to be an American.  If you want to read a fantastic book that sums up the meaning of America, pick up a copy of John Adams by David McCullough.  Great book.

Tomorrow, we are going to swim with family then BBQ with friends.  Can’t wait for a much needed day off.

-- Isaac

(H: Yep, we went to the movies - twice - and to a friend of a friend's house for a BBQ - amazing salsa! - stayed up late, chatted it up, made new friends, set up play dates, watched fireworks, tanked up on sugar soda, etc.  Great weekend.)