Yay!!! It's my day on the tour! and I have a lot to share with you!! (you are going to want to make it through the whole thing because of FREE STUFF at the end!!)
First off, THE BOOK!!! Yay!
An Apple A Day: 9 Projects for the daily life of quilters, sewists, and crafters
We are so proud of this book, as you probably can guess from our blog posts! And I am super proud of Amanda's designs and her photographer, Kristen Pack of Shadetree Studios.
Now, in order to really promote this book, I wanted to share with you how it inspired my creativity!
My project in the book is this sweet mini art quilt, Apple Blessings:
(btw, didn't Mr Gorgeous do a fantastic job on the frame??? love that man!)
Friendship Star blocks inspired my design, and they continue to inspire my creativity!!
I took Amanda's fabric, Apple of my Eye, and created a table filled with fun little projects you can finish in a day♥!
I made 4 snack mats, 4 mug rugs, and a mini-centerpiece with my scraps!
Here's a quick tutorial on how to make a snack mat:
Create a friendship star block using two different fabrics. Cut 8 4" squares of your background fabric. Cut 5 4" squares for your star.
Sew 4 half-square triangles together with 4 of each of the different fabric squares.
Put your squares in three rows using the above pictures to see which way to place them and sew the rows together.
Add batting and backing (fat quarters of the Apple of my Eye fabric make perfect backings!) and quilt as you like. I love a simple stipple free motion quilting stich. Bind as you would any quilt using your scraps.
If you want more detailed instructions on how to make a friendship star block, grab our book right here!!!
After I had created the Apple Blessings quilt, I had little scraps that I wanted to make into something! So I made these little mug rugs. A mug rug is perfect for collecting all of that condensation that drips off of your glass while you are creating away (or sitting at a nice table!)
I have been having a wonderful time stamping lately, and I wanted to translate that into my sewing! So I grabbed my India Ink Black waterproof ink pad and some fun inspirational word stamps and stamped some muslin. I sewed my scraps around the middle panel, quilted, and bound the little cuties!! Here they are close up:
I used acrylic paint (mixed with fabric medium) to embellish the black ink!
I added some little jewel embellishments, too, leaving enough room on the mug rug to hold the glass! :)
I let my glass sweat all over the ink and it did not run a bit! The only thing that I would be careful with is that you cannot iron acrylic paint. It will melt it! Lesson learned! 🙂
See all the fun things you can do when inspired????
You are ready to have a picnic, aren't you???
But wait…did you see Candice's placemats that match???
Oh yeah…you need THIS BOOK!!!
____________________
But wait…I'm not done yet!! (btw, stay til the end! I've got a giveaway you'll LOVE!!)
If you've been reading the blog, you know that recently I went to my Modern Quilt Guild's monthly sew-in!
My only regret was that I didn't make Julie's Pack & Play before I went:
This is perfect for carrying your cutting tools, mat and having this awesome ironing surface to boot!!
So I decided to go ahead and make one just for me!!
And I had just the fabric to make it in! Amanda's first line with Riley Blake – Sweet Divinity!
Here's mine!! I have a smaller cutting mat in my big pocket! I cannot wait for our next sew-in! Super excited!!! {aren't my boots cute??}♥
and my tools and ironing surface?
Pure Awesomeness!!
Did I mention you have to get THIS BOOK?????
I have plans to make every project in this book! They are all so awesome!!
For example, I just got this shipment from Lecien of Cosmo Threads…
and I cannot wait to make Stephanie's Core Essentials to keep them organized! and my projects, of course!!
And on July 1st, I was organizing my Christmas projects (for Christmas in July…are you ready????? just drink more caffeine…it works for me!!!) and decided I would make Brooke's quilt with these Riley Blake fabrics!!
The perfect pattern for those fat quarters!! I'm excited!!
But wait…what about Amanda's box????? on the front cover?
I have to make it for my darling quilting daughter, Emma…
she is mid-quilt right now and could really use some organization! Don't tell her, though…it'd make the perfect birthday present!!
I'm thinking about making Johanna's Carry it All Along for my sweetie Cora to entice her to come home once and a while when she goes away to college…
Isn't that awesome??? Grab a few weekend things and come and see momma for the weekend!! (yep, i should admit that she is moving 9 miles up the freeway, but we are pretending it's to another state, so she doesn't really move to another state!! LOL!!)
I'm saving Jana's quilt for me!!
I'm thinking about doing a big rolie polie quilt for my own bed!! This is the perfect quilt for that!!
You've stuck with me and my long post!!!
You are amazing!!
As is this last project!!!
Jackie's necklace was a BIG HIT at Spring Quilt Market!! and because of it's amazing response, I get to give away a kit for YOU to make one of these, too!!!
So, I'm going to give away two prizes!!
One is THE BOOK!!
One is THE BOOK and THE NECKLACE KIT!!
Yay!!!! All you have to do is comment here on this post!!
If you want to have an extra entry, pop on over to my FACEBOOK page and "like" me!!! ("they like me, they really like me!!!") Be sure and leave a separate comment for your FB like!
ETA: You have until Monday night, July 9th at midnight CST to enter the giveaway!!! Hurry!!!
Can't wait to see if you win???
GO HERE to PURCHASE this fantastic BOOK!!!
And thanks so much for sticking with me!! Tomorrow, while letting all of that BBQ digest, you can hop on over to Candice's Blog!! Yipeee!!
Here's the whole list so you can get inspired by all of us!! ♥♥♥
Sunday, July 1st: Amanda's Blog & Jana's Blog
Monday, July 2nd: Julie's Blog
Tuesday, July 3rd: Sally's Blog <<<—–you are HERE!
Wednesday, July 4th: Candice's Blog
Thursday, July 5th: Stephanie's Blog
Friday, July 6th: Johanna's Blog
Saturday, July 7th: Jackie's Blog
Sunday, July 8th: Brooke's Blog
…and don't forget, an apple a day brings blessings YOUR way!!
Am I the first??? WOW! What cute things you make – so inspiring. Thanks!
Looks like some fun projects. thanks
Wow I love the table placemats. They are SO summery and pretty. Great job. And the book looks awesome!! Thanks!
You are full of energy, I love it! The snack pads and mug rugs are great ideas with the little extras and the stamps. Your art picture makes me want to attempt a mini block again! Thank you for sharing your creative gift!
I would love to get my hands on this book. I totally want to make the box on the cover!
The book looks great, but I really love your snack mats, mug rugs and centerpiece.
This book is clearly inspirational and I could use some more inspiration.
What a lot of gorgeous creations! I am so inspired to go and sew right now! I’d love a copy of the book – thanks for the giveaway
I’m also a facebook liker! thanks
Some cute projects; thanks for chance to win!
I love your mini art quilt! All the projects you shared look great! Thanks for the giveaway!
Love all the colors and ideas!
SWEET!! Looks like fun!
I “Like” you on FB. Sweet cover photo.
I love your mug rugs..I’m going to have to make some of them. I was surfing your blog and went to the story of your little girl’s birth. What a moving and precious story of God’s goodness. She is a beauty.
You’ve inspired me to sew up some mug rugs and placemats to brighten up my kitchen and share a couple with my mom. Beautiful work!
I love all of the projects. Can’t wait to make the placemats!!
I LIKE you on Facebook. Thanks for posting about this great book and your sewing projects so I could be introduced to you. Now I’m off to check out your blog and FB and drool over your other sewing/quilting projects.
It certainly looks like some great projects. I’d love the book!
WOW! You must have caffeine running through your veins! So productive and energetic! I love it!! I think I might need to make a pack and play 😉 first off since I will be going away for two weeks in August and want to take quilting projects with me. I love your snack mats and mug rugs. The inked quotes you put in the centers – so cute! I’d love to win this book.
I ‘liked’ you on FB. 😀 Btw – thanks for the pic of the pack & play 😀 I had no idea it was THAT big!
I would love to win a copy of this great book – thanks for the chance!
i would love to win thanks
I am really loving all the projects in this book. I would be over the moon if I could win.
I like you on Facebook, I really, really do!
Thanks for a really good review of the book. And for your awesome giveaways.
I’d love to have the book. I cannot wait to see it in my local store or maybe I’m lucky enough to win one!
The book has a bunch of wonderful projects. Thanks for showing all of them!
I “liked” you on FAcebook under Angie Hofmann. Thanks!
First off, I love that you love the Lord! I actually read your sweet daughters birth story and all of the Miracles that He has done for her. Isn’t He SO Good?!! Then I started reading your blog…I read backwards. Oh my! The photos are stunning! I love the colors. Not sure why, but this post made me cry. Not a few tears, but a deep, soul-cleansing, sobbing cry. I am always in awe of the Gifts that we each have, but I am especially touched by those who Create lovely things with fabric and thread. I really like fabric and I have a LOT. But, I can’t sew very well. I learned last week that I am losing my eyesight. Tumors on my brain stem have grown and are pressing on my optic nerves. No more treatments. Only He holds my Healing. I am praying and Believing that I will continue to be able to see beauty.
Now..I am going to go read some more of your blog…backwards!
You have a beautiful family and I am So SO happy that I found your blog today!
Love in Him, Our Sweet Jesus ~ Jo
P.S. I also like you on facebook! : )
There are just so many lovely things to make in this book. I don’t know which one I would make first!
It is a lovely looking book
Already Like you on FB
Thank you for the lovely giveaway. I especially like your projects with words, and appreciate the dos and don’t hints too.
p.s. We had a power failure so my pc crashed while attempting to post earlier. I couldn’t find the first comment so apologies if this is a duplicate.
I love those patterns
I liked you on FB
What a cute idea for placemat/mug rugs..I have to make a couple. Love your blog.
Nice post Sally. Love a chance to win that kit and book. Too cute!
I liked your FB!
I like your blog. This was a great post for the book tour!
I love the quilts and the other projects in this book. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
I already like you on Facebook. 🙂
OK- the more I see of your book the more I want it!! I am in love with the friendship star blocks you made!
So many great projects, and I agree that the necklace is fabulous! Would love to win!
This book looks fantastic!
Deborah
homemakerhoney @gmail .com
I “like” you on FB.
Deborah
homemakerhoney@ gmail .com
Love the tour through the book! I really love that big quilt too! Thanks for a chance to win! 🙂
I liked you on fb! 🙂 Carla Geates
Very cute projects. I’d love to win the book!
The book and projects look fabulous!!!
I REALLY love your mug rugs with the stamping in the centers: what a fun way to join to wonderful hobbies!! thanks for the inspiration 🙂
There are so many lovely projects in the book. Thanks for the giveaway.
This is a fabulous book and is on my must have list. I love the idea that it has quick and long projects too. I am planning on making some tablemats this summer so it would be great to follow the ones here too. There are so many things for inspiration. Thank you for a great giveway.
I have liked you on facebook too.
The more I read and see the more I really want that book. Fantastic projects.
This book looks like lots of fun! Thanks for sharing.
I like you on Facebook too.
The projects in this book are fabulous! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this one. Thanks for the chance to win one.
I really like these placements and the box on the book cover!
You did a great job showcasing all the projects. Now I want to make them all!
I’d love to have this book! THANKS for the chance!
ourbusylittlebunch(at)hotmail(dot)com
I ‘like’ on FB (Rebecca Marie)
I love these projects!
Liked you on FB!
Nancy Rothschild Bird
Wow, that’s a lot of fun projects!
This book is fabulous. I love that a lot of the items can be made as gifts. Just in time for Christmas.
This looks like such a fun book-love the projects in it.
I like you on FB
The projects in that book look incredible! Thanks for the chance to win!
This looks like a wonderful book!! So many projects that I just want to make!! Really, really would love to win this!!!!! It would just
make me soooo happy…..give me something new to work on while staying
in avoiding this 100+ degree heat! Thank you so much for the chance to win!!!!
wigglypup2(at)yahoo(dot)com
I already like you on FB. Thanks for the chance to win!
I knew that I loved this book and wanted a copy but now I am really saving up for it. I love your bag to carry everything in and all your plans for the projects in the book. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on the book. (Although, my bank account is not pleased!!)
Pretty, Pretty, Pretty!!! Love your placemats! I need to make some of those for my table! 🙂 Thank you for the chance to win! 🙂
I do like you on Facebook! Thank you for the extra chance to enter! 🙂
Wow, I want this book. It has a summer’s worth of sewing project within its covers. great gifts ideas!
All of the projects are so nice and the colors of the fabric line look really pretty and not garish or clashing.
I hope to win something!
I woul;d love to win the book! (Just the book please)!
I already “like” you on FB! Thanks!
LOVE the book! Would love to be the winner so I can make the great projects!
I already LIKED you on FB!
I’ve liked you forever on facebook- well maybe not that long- thanks for the giveaway chance.
I sew love your placemats and mug rugs- love the aqua and red together. Thank you for a chance to win!
The book has so many great projects to make. Especially love the snack mats.
I love your post. Thanks for sharing large pictures of the projects included in the book.
I am absolutely smitten over this book! I just found your site and your fb page via The Quilted Fish site. Amanda is so lucky to have all of you working together with her! I can’t wait to get my hands on this book and get busy!!!
Thanks!
P.S. LOVE the boots!
Looks a great book!
I love the fabric necklace!
I love all your crafty goodness on your blog! You are one busy crafting bee!
Liked you on fb.
Thanks for the gorgeous pictures of the projects in the book. I’d love to win now! Thanks for the chance. I like your wall art project, so different. Well done
I love everything you made – so cheerful and refreshing!!! Thanks for the chance!
I just love all of the projects. I have been thinking about making some new placemats. These would be perfect!
Thank you
sandyb720 at gmail dot com
I follow you on facebook.
Thank you
sandyb720 at gmail dot com
What gorgeous, but very “doable” projects. Thanks for the chance at this terrific giveaway!
I already like you on Facebook- thanks for a wonderful giveaway!
Very beautifull your designs…i am brazilian and not speak english god!