Scrapalicious Doll Quilt

If you have a little girl, you've got to make this before Christmas. I made up the cutest little doll quilt and pillows with cases. The tutorial for the quilt will be on the website this week. This is all for an 18" doll, like the American Girls. So, I'll tell you how to make the little pillows here.

I just took a little scrap of fabric, 4 1/2" x 11", folded it in half and sewed down each side. Then stuffed the pillows with a little batting and sewed them closed. The fabric is vintage sheets. They look like real, miniature pillows!

Then I made the cases with three pieces of fabric: 9" x 10", 1 1/2" x 10" and 4" x 10". Press the two smaller pieces in half lengthwise and then layer them with the first piece right side up and then the small strip and the bigger strip on top, with the raw edges of the two folded strips even with the larger strip. Sew across these three pieces and finish the seam and then fold the pillowcase in half, right sides facing. Sew the two raw edges to finish the pillowcase.

I was going to make this bed but when I found the beautiful Melissa and Doug one at my friend Patty's store, Granma's Treasures, in Wray, Colorado, I thought, boy that was easy.

Oh I SO hope you'll make this. It was fast, fast and fun. Plus, when the pattern goes up on my website, I'm giving away two complete sets of blocks -- already cut! so you can make it even faster.

Love,
xoxo

The Winners!

This was a very small contest, hopefully due to the holiday and not that not too many of you are reading! However, I was so pleased with the ones who did enter . . . people I comment back and forth with all the time. It's so nice to hear from you over and over again.

Without further ado, the winners are:
#19 Jenny said...

melissa they are just fabulous. can't wait to see the fabrics.
November 26, 2010 2:35 PM

#15 gill said...

Good luck in your new venture Melissa! I think that spreading the word via blogland would be a great place to start!!
Love Gill x
November 25, 2010 4:32 AM

Gill I need your address. And I have Jenny's because of a Dozen Quilters, which she is a part of.

Now, for all of you who NEED these cards . . . :)
The 25% off with the code honeysweet is still good through the end of today!

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes, Isaiah 61:1-3
Love,

xoxo

Last Day to Sign up for the Drawing!

It's the last full day to sign up for Honeysweet notecards on this post. I will draw the two winners tomorrow, so hurry!

Here is a picture of our pumpkin pie. I put a chocolate ganache on top. Was it good? Let's see . . .

Oh yes, it was.

Love,

xoxo

Small Business Saturday

In honor of small business Saturday through cyber Monday, you can take 25% off of my notecards by using the promotion code "honeysweet". Enjoy at melissastramel.com!

Love,

xoxo

Facebook

A very nice friend told me that Facebook is a good way to get the word out about my business. Now I've always thought that you need to be really successful to merit a Facebook fan page, but nevertheless, I have started one. I think. That is if I did it right. Anyway, I hate the part where it says, Melissa Stramel has 0 friends! I'll just put little snippets on it from time to time, so if you'd like to follow along and enjoy facebook, I'd appreciate it!

Love,

xoxo

Shopping Day and Giveaway

If you're out and about today in Colby, make sure to stop by Creations Gallery for our last Christmas season. And if you're not in Colby, be sure to check out my last post for my current giveaway -- two sets of notecards designed by me!

Love,

xoxo

Well, here goes nothing . . .

The drawing is closed. Keep checking back for new drawings and contests.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The store is up at MelissaStramel.com!!! And my first item for sale is notecards. They are the signature print (actually called HoneySweet) from the HoneySweet fabric line. Well, they are a small part of the print anyway.

 I am selling the set of ten cards for $12, including shipping. But if you'll help me out and use these pictures to advertise MelissaStramel.com, I'll send you a discount code for 25% off, so that you can buy them for $9, including shipping.

 If you have a shop and would like to sell them, you can contact me for wholesale prices as well.

I have stacks and stacks of these cards, so I'm praying that they will sell. You have to invest so much just to try something out, you know? If they sell well, I will make more with different prints. We'll just see . . .

But to sweeten the deal, I'm also giving away 2 sets of the cards, just for leaving me a comment here. You will have them for a great Christmas gift or just keep them for yourself. Please help me spread the word! I'll draw for the winner on Monday, November 29. And if you know any great (cheap) advertising I can do, please let me know as well. Thank you all for all the support you've always given me, and have a great Thanksgiving.

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Psalms 7:17
Love,

xoxo

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

 We woke up to 14 degrees this morning. This is not snow, but heavy frost covering everything. Good morning, cows.

 Since November started with temps in the 70s, it finally feels like Thanksgiving. Winter. It just feels right.

Can I go outside, Mom?

Love,

xoxo

Launch Party

It's a fun day for me!!!! Go check it out . . . MelissaStramel.com

Lots more coming to the site . . . including a store this week . . . with a surprise item for sale!

Love,

xoxo

On the Wall

 If you're like me, you never want to take old pictures down from the wall. I have one wall devoted to my kids, ages newborn, 3 months, 6 months, one year, two years and three years. Now where to put 4, 5 and 6?

 See this girl above and the one below? The one above is Emilie now and the one below is me at age 3. Funny, huh?

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.- Psalm 119:18

Love,

xoxo

Vote!

If you get the chance, click this link http://now.sprint.com/e?-02nqhb7uRg It will take you to a you tube site that has a video contest. One of the people in the contest is my boss, the Fine Lines fabric company's, son-in-law. Evidently there have been quite a bit of shenanigans and people are falsely generating computer votes. That's not fair! Plus it really is a good movie and he has a chance to get a great job if he's in the top 10. (I believe he was firmly in the top ten before above mentioned shenanigans, and now he is 13.)

Love,

xoxo

Stockings for a Cause

Here's one of things I've been working on lately. There seems to be so much these days I can't show, but with time, more and more will be revealed. In fact, I'm hoping to reveal a secret project right around Thanksgiving!

Anyway, let me put in a good work for a Dozen Quilters. If you'll hop over to our blog, you will see our latest project, which is Christmas stockings for little ones in need in the San Antonio area. Wouldn't you like to donate one? All the details are on our website.
Love,

xoxo

the Loot

What market report would be complete without showing what all I bought?

 I bought three books: Amy Butler's Style Stitches, Sew Serendipity by Kay Whitt, and Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions. Of course, the authors autographed them for me!

 Two fat quarter bundles: Barbara Jones new line and one from Hokkoh.

I also bought a vintage feed sack and received several freebies: a Vintage Notions sack, a key fob from the Fabric 2.0 party and a few other things. Everywhere you go, they hand out free sacks. I think I came home with four or five new ones, from Hokkoh, American Patchwork and Quilting, Accuquilt Go Baby and it seems like another. They make nice grocery sacks when you come home.

I guess that's it for the market report. I hope you enjoyed it with me! I didn't get any pictures of Sample Spree (I forgot!). Oh and if you get a second, can you comment to me whether or not my photos are generally light or dark. They always looks great on my computer, but I've seen them on others and they sometimes look dark -- computers are all so different! But if they are generally dark, I will start lightening them. Thanks!

Love,

xoxo

Schoolhouse Series

Schoolhouse is a series of workshops that take place the day before market opens. They are about half an hour and everyone from fabric designers to pattern designers to thread and gadget companies give them. You choose a talk and go to it and then choose another. It's pretty fun and very informative. Here are a few we attended.

Eleanor Burns talked about her "Strip Tease" program for shops. She had beautiful quilts and is really a hoot if you can tell from the picture.

Valori Wells talked about her new fabric line "Jeanaveave" which is printed on a linen/cotton blend.

Chelsea Anderson talked about her new fabric line and also an accessories pattern she has published.

Barbara Jones of QuiltSoup talked about applique. She is so talented that I can only dream of being able to do the things she does.

Anna Maria Horner talked about her new fabric line, some of which is printed on voile and velvet.

Still have one more market post to go!
Love,
xoxo

Star Gazing

My goodness! I'm back from market and have some spectacular pictures to share with you! Thanks so much to my mom and sister Christy for going with me. It made the trip so special. This will take several days of posts, so here is the first, mostly of the "stars."

Here's the George R. Brown Covention Center and the park across from it.

Ty Pennington now has his own fabric line. Do you think a carpenter can design fabric? He was actually there for a little bit, but it was a mob around him and I didn't get his picture.

Here's Jeanean Morrison.

Anna Maria Horner.

Amy Butler with my sister Christy and I.

My friends Anne and Val of Pillow & Maxfield.

My good friend Keri Beyer and her beautiful new line.

Chelsea Anderson of Pink Fig patterns and her new fabric.

Kate Spain.

Leisl of Oliver and S.

Tina Givens. Love her!

Patty Young of ModKid Boutique.

A little glimpse of Pokey Bolton from Quilting Arts.

Lila Tueller and her new line.


Love, xoxo