Coin Purse Blog Hop Winner Announced and more

Congratulations to GPC...you are the lucky winner!  Please e-mail me with your full name and address and I'll get your prize in the mail to you :)

For those of you who are wondering how those Flamingos are doing....here is today's update..."not quite live" from Perrysburg, OH...LOL

The Flamingo Flock are having a birthday for Josie.

If you have not stopped by to leave a comment to win the Beam N Read 6 Led Hands Free Light.. click HERE and leave a comment before Sunday.

I didn't mention in my post  that the Beam N Read Light has been changed a bit.  It is still the wonderful hands free light with adjustable neck strap but now you can choose to use 6 LEDs or just 3 LEDs...you decide depending on how much light you want and need. Here are some more details taken directly from the Beam N Read website so I didn't mess up describing the benefits of the light filters :)

• The only hands free light that comes with clip on filters (2) and a clip on magnifier
  • Orange filter to soften and warm the light and reduce blue light
  • Red filter to reduce ambient light for an ultra sensitive bed companion
    and to help avoid night blindness when switching between lighted and dark conditions
  • Large 4 x 5 inch, lightweight, acrylic, Fresnel magnifier for detail work
    Hinged clip allows magnifier to be adjusted in vertical or horizontal position
    The magnifier is designed for short periods of work for those with normal vision
    The magnifier is not intended as a low vision aid
• Includes adjustable reflector and elastic neck strap for optimum positioning

I think the Orange Filter is an excellent addition to the Beam N Read Hands Free Lights because there are times when the bright light is too much and the filter softens the light. 

Make sure you leave your comment on the correct post in order to be counted for the giveaway :)

Smiles,
Kelly

Beam N Read Still Rockin' at IHAN®- Pre-Holiday Giveaway!!

 Welcome to the Beam N Read Pre-Holiday Giveaway going on this week at  IHAN®.

 ( Event sponsored by Reading Light.com)

I'm still extremely pleased with my Beam N Read Light. So pleased in fact,  I take it with me frequently.   I had it with me this past weekend in PA.  The IHAN® clan went sneaking out of town on Friday to visit an ailing friend in PA..  I was naughty and didn't get my post up yesterday.  I'm really sorry about that.  I could tell you why....but....lets just say....do dah happens :)

I used my Beam N Read in the car because it gets dark around 6pm now and I wanted to keep working while Mr. McSteamy was driving.  The boys needed it to locate some things they dropped on the floor of the car.  While in PA, I used it to search my purse for a pair of nail clippers and to help the boys find their toys in the yard after dark.  Yes, I also use my Beam N Read to stitch...LOL.  I am always finding new uses for the Hands Free Beam N Read Light and it has become the "MUST HAVE" item whether I'm at home, traveling or stitching.  I took it with me to Quilt Market and used it as an extra source of light for taking my photos.....ya just never know when you may need to add a bit of light to your day!

This is a photo of Lady Eleanor and I (incognito).  You can see, I had embellished my Beam N Read with the IHAN® logo.  I thought embellishing my light was a great idea until people started wanting to buy them from me.  Quilt Market is a wholesale event and I'm not the manufacturer, yikes.  .I started to wonder if I had made a mistake.  As much as I'd like to say the Beam N Read Hands Free Lights were my invention....they are not!  I'm just the gal who loves to share all the excellent  things that I find with all my friends.  So I found myself taking those shop owners at Market over to the distributors to show them where they could purchase them for their stores.  Luckily for all of you.....you can buy a Beam N Read  from me....:)

While these are all wonderful sources of light.....they are not always convenient or available....that's why we all need a Beam N Read!  (Remember when I was telling folks about the Reliable V50 Iron?  Then Oprah Winfrey adds it to her O-List?  I'm just saying....don't wait for Oprah to tell ya when I really do know of what I speak :)

I  know all of those without power in storm that hit the East Coast would have loved having a Hands Free Beam N Read for each one of their family members affected by the power outages.  Why wait?

Share the gift of Light with a Beam N Read Hands Free Light .....perfect for any gift giving situation and just because you know it will be very useful to a loved one or friend.



DID SOMEONE SAYGIVEAWAY ?   

Yes, our sponsor, Reading Lights.com is giving one Beam N Read 6 LED Hands Free Light to one lucky person.   To be eligible to win you must be a member of one of these groups:

• IHAN® Blog Follower 
•  IHAN® Creative Group Member (special discounts on the Beam N Read lights for all IHAN® Creative Group Members)
•  IHAN®Newsletter Subscriber  (to subscribe, look on the left hand column of this blog and you will see where to enter your e-mail address)

**** Stipulation by Reading Lights.com is that the Beam N Read light will only be shipped to US and Canadian addresses.

If you belong to all three of these categories you will get 3 chances to win!!!!  One chance per group.  All you have to do for each opportunity,  is leave a separate comment for each group and identify the group below telling me who you would give the gift of a Beam N Read 6LED Hands Free Light to and how it would benefit that person or group/organization.  The prize is yours to do with as you please after you win.....we just want to know who you think would benefit and how :)

(Feel free to Bling your own Beam N Read :)

Why do you think I'm offering so many opportunities to win?  Because I sincerely believe the Beam N Read Hands Free Light is truly one of those items you don't realize you need until you have one (I know that is true of me and everyone I've given one to.).  I give them as gifts to family members and friends because I never want them to to be without lighting if their power should happen to go out.

You know what?  Each one of them have thanked me several times for introducing them to the Beam N Read because they didn't know how great they are.  If you don't have one, you don't know, YET, just how great they are.  I believe there isn't a person on your gift giving list that would not be grateful to have one and I'll even back that up with a 100% refund guarantee ...shipping too...if you or you or the recipient is not 100% satisfied.  That is a huge think for a peanut size business like IHAN®!


OK then....Get to commenting and I'll select a winner on Sunday, November 18, 2012.  You have three opportunities and if you have any questions at all, please e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com

Here are other Pre-Holiday opportunities to win a Beam N Read Hands Free Light:

• Nov 12 to 19:  During Quiet Time (Blog)  - http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/
• Nov 17 to 24:  Quilting Gallery (Blog)  - http://quiltinggallery.com/

Smiles,
Kelly
PS: Please note that in order to have three opportunities to win you must leave three comments...example:
I'm an IHAN® blog follower and I'd give it to X because of Y.
I'm an IHAN®  Newsletter Subscriber and I'd give it to X because of Y.
I'm a IHAN® Creative Group Member and I'd give it to X because of Y
There are three opportunities :)  I will be removing all other non-qualifying comments in order to have the correct total count of comments.

Beam N Read Pre Holiday Giveaway

Don't worry, you have not lost your mind.  It is true...I am hosting a Beam N Read Pre-Holiday Giveaway this entire week!  As a matter of fact, I'm going to extend it through the weekend too.

As you all know.....Do Dah Happens!

The post will be up soon with all the details so check back for your chance to win one of my very favorite things, a Beam N Read Hands Free Light.

Smiles,
Kelly 

A Few Reminders and Quilt Market News

I'm sure by now, all of the IHAN® blog readers know about SewCalGal's Fall Machine Embroidery Blog Hop.  There are giveaways going on so make sure you visit all of the participating blogs.

 Monday, November 5th-Marjorie's Quilting Bee
Tuesday, November 6th-All Things Crafty
Wednesday, November 7th-SewCalGal
Thursday, November 8th-I Have A Notion
Friday, November 9th-Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio & Cheeky Cognoscenti

The UR Priceless Blog Hop going on from November 5th through November 13.  To see my blog post and giveaway  for this hop, click HERE.  To view the entire schedule, click HERE.

Ok...now on to Quilt Market in Houston 2012.  I want to share this video from Creative Bug because I really enjoyed their video.  I have photos of the same people and fabrics...but somehow...the video brings it all alive and makes the experience so much fun!



Creativebug Field Report: Quilt Market 2012 from Creativebug on Vimeo.


I have been sorting the thousands of photos I took while in Houston and I'll be posting those soon.

Smiles,
Kelly

Fall Machine Embroidery Blog Hop and Giveaway

 

NOTE:  Even if you are not into Machine Embroidery....you may want to scroll down and see the amazing little Turtles below.  The giveaway is open to everyone who is an IHAN ® blog follower....I'll have two winners...one for Marjorie's Machine Embroidery Designs and one for 5 Spools of Floriani Embroidery Thread.

Today is my day to share what I made for the Fall Machine Embroidery Blog Hop!  Marjorie, Trish and SewCalGal are extremely hard acts to follow.

Before I began this post, I have to share with you that  I did not make the project.  I had intended on making it when I returned from Quilt Market but you all know what happened there!  Thank God for friends!  My dear friend Karin did the Machine Embroidery for me and I sooooo appreciate her help!!

Those of us whoare participating  in this blog hop,  were able to select the design we wanted to make from "Shop.B-Quilts.com". Marjorie, the owner, digitizes tons of the applique shapes that are made by the modern day fabric cutting machines (Slice Fabrique,Silhouette, Big Shot Pro (Sizzix) and AccuQuilt)  I chose Marjorie's Turtle because I thought it was adorable and I just knew my boys would like it too.  My intentions were to make a mug rug for each boy to keep their water on next to their beds.  After Karin agreed to help me....the project morphed into 7 Turtles!  Funny how those things happen.

i

Starting with Floriani Embroidery Thread and some beautiful batik fabric....how can you go wrong?

Karin stitched  the outline of the design.so she would have proper placement of those wonderful little feet and head.

She used Floriani Heat N Stay Fusible Tearaway on the body, head and feet to prevent puckers (you will notice below...there is not one pucker in the design :).    Both Sizzix and AccuQuilt offer circle fabric cutting dies to cut the parts of the Turtle and body.  Karin does not have a need for a fabric cutting machine so she traced the design on the Floriani Heat N Stay Fusible Tearaway Stabilizer and cut them out by hand.  You may want to keep that in mind.  You don't need the dies to make your own Machine Embroidery Applique Shapes....Marjorie provides the template so you can cut them out by hand.    I would have used my Sizzix Vagabond to cut the circles had I been the one to make the Turtles.  

Each Turtle has one 3  inch circular body, four 1 inch circular feet and one 2 inch circular head.  Don't add caramel...it gums up the machine needle.  Just eat it before you do your Machine Embroidery...and having some coffee with the caramel provides a great sugar buzz (all this talk of Turtles just takes my brain to places it shouldn't be going...sorry!).

Karin is a saint...who hand cuts out all these little circles for a friend?  I guess she must know I'd do the same for her....after my hand heals :)

In the hoop, Karin used Floriani Perfect Stick.  I would have used the very same thing.  Why?  I absolutely love Floriani Perfect Stick because all I have to do is press my fabric down and go....so very simple.  I also prefer it over other products that do the same thing because it does not gum up my needle.  I've used others and I have to change the needle frequently because the adhesive sticks to the needle and pulls up my stitches.

I was going to make mug rugs....Karin decided to use one of "those purple kitchen towels" (her comment to me was, "who uses purple in the kitchen?"  I wonder?)  She marked the places where she wanted the turtles...you can see the white marks.

The outline of the applique shape stitches out so you know where to place the fabric.

Here is a screen shot of Karin's embroidery machine.  I'm not exactly why she took this photo...but hey...I'm using it :)  My guess is she wanted everyone to see all the different stitches this beautiful design offers....but who really knows?  I'm guessing she is asleep and I'm not about to wake her just to inquire....just go with it :)

She placed the head, tail and feet first and then the body as you can see in this photo.

The design tacks down the fabric and then.....

the tacking stitches are covered by the beautiful satin stitching.  Karin is using the Floriani Embroidery Thread.  The thread never once broke and the sheen is absolutely beautiful. 

Marjorie's Machine Embroidery Designs provide options of the type of edge stitching you like so you can change up the look of each Turtle/design.  Her designs are digitized for various machines so you don't need any special software to convert the files....you just transfer the one your machine requires.  How is that for easy? 

Now you can see why I choose the Turtle....how sweet is this Turtle?  (I know....would be sweeter with caramel!)

Even the back looks nice :)

She repeated the process 4 more times.....before taking an afternoon break.

 Karin's design idea was to put 6 Turtles heading up the towel and one headed down the towel and it would read, "Follow your heart."  I just love that....isn't that a great idea?

You can see the variety of stitch options Marjorie offers for her designs.  Each Turtle is unique :)

Then what happened?  You know...it happens to all of us.  LIFE!  Karin's husband had kidney stones so she spent the next few days taking care of him and the project didn't get finished....Yet!  Isn't that the way things go sometimes?  It is so important to be flexible and just go with what "IS" because there isn't any changing it.

My Machine Embroidery Tips:

• Use the best stabilizers and thread you can afford....it does seem to me to make a big difference in reduction of frustration and the lasting beauty of your finished product.  I began using Floriani Machine Embroidery products because two friends (over 30 years of ME experience combined) told me about Floriani and showed me the difference....again...Thank God for friends!
• Keep a list of every one of your Machine Embroidery Friends next to your Embroidery Machine.  Why?  Because it is often faster to ask a friend a question or problem solve than it is  to search through those manuals (Babylock are the only manuals I know of that are written by users.  I only use my Bernina manual as an absolute last resort.)  Besides, it is more fun to stitch with friends....even if only by phone...than to stitch alone...in my opinion :)
• Bookmark your favorite Machine Embroidery Design websites as they seem to have some of the best tips.
• Join a Machine Embroidery Chat Group.
• Don't agree to participate in a Blog Hop and then break your hand.....from personal experience...LOL.

The GIVEAWAY....oh yeah baby!

There are two prizes being given away.  The first is only for those with an Embroidery Machine or a friend with one.  The winner will be chosen at random and they will win a design of their choice from Marjorie's website: Shop.B-Quilts.com

The second prize....5 spools of Floriani Embroidery Thread of the winners choice.  The Floriani Embroidery Thread is not exclusively used for Machine Embroidery.  It is absolutely beautiful used in other projects as well. 

How to win?  Just leave a comment below telling us that you have a friend who would be there to help you if you needed them or that you are the type of friend who would cut out 42 circles for another stitching friend.  You can also just leave any comment you feel is appropriate : )

Please, please, please go visit the other ladies in the Fall Machine Embroidery Blog Hop....you'll be glad you did.  Here is the line up:

Monday, November 5th 

Marjorie's Quilting Bee

Tuesday, November 6th 

All Things Crafty
Wednesday, November 7th 

SewCalGal 

Thursday, November 8th 

I Have A Notion
Friday, November 9th 

Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio 

Cheeky Cognoscenti

 

Smiles and Giggles,

Kelly

PS...keep in mind I have a Blog Disclaimer at the bottom of my post.....more giggles.

Nov. 7th- A Wonderful Day

November 7th  will always be a wonderful day, because 18 years ago today Nicholas Anthony was born.  He's my sisters youngest son.  I helped deliver him and cut the cord.  I will never forget the joy on his brother's face when he came into the hospital room to see his new little brother.  Aaron was the same way when Zachary was born.  I would like to know why now all they do is fight! 


I wish I could have posted yesterday but I was in so much pain and found it difficult to type.  The cast on my right hand was digging into my wrist.  By 8:00 last night, I could take no more, so I cut into the cast around my wrist to relieve the pressure.  I wrapped my wrist in pink fleece just  at the wrist.  Now my dilemma is, what to embroider on the fleece before a visit the Dr. again.  I was thinking it should say something like, "I don't know anything about this- talk to the monkey."  After all, I don't want to get in trouble and I felt like a little kid being naughty when I did it.  Would you think it should say? 

If I had posted yesterday, you would have  seen these pictures.

I absolutely love the little top hats on the flamingos. 

Yesterday the  Toledo Blade had an article about  "our" flamingos.  Click HERE to see the article. It is nice to see that other people appreciate the flamingo family too.

I hope all of you have been following the"Fall Theme Machine Embroidery Blog Hop" hosted by SewCalGal. . This particular blog hop features both machine embroidery  and applique made from fabric die cutting machines.  Tomorrow is my day to post, you know I'll be up late tonight writing!

I've been doing my best to use as voice activated typing devise and I'm telling you, it is so much easier to type with my hands. For a really humorous post, I should just let the voice dictation interpret what I'm saying and leave the typing, as  is,  for all of you to see what this computer thinks  I'm saying.

Smiles,
Kelly

Coin Purse Blog Hop and Giveaway

Today is November 5th......which brings the start of the UR Priceless coin purse blog hop and IHAN® is also doing a giveaway.  I had not planned on breaking my hand and being on painkillers when I wrote this post....but that is my reality today.   I'm going to show the some coin purses I made and some that  friends helped me make as well. 

 These were made using the pattern we were provided for this hop.  The one in front is a re-purposed Brighton jewelry bag.  

 I really like the fabric used in this bag so I saved it thinking I would use them to make some of MJ's Bag Tags.  Instead I decided to make a coin purse.  

When the coin purse is opened there is a little message for the person I'm giving this one to;

 a little note inside :)

 I found a tutorial that taught me how to make coin purses in any shape I wanted HERE.  I then made the coin purses below:

 "Coin purses are not just for girls" according to my co-workers...LOL.  I made one that would attach to their backpacks.

Creepy ay?

Bugs on the inside too....yuck!

Naturally I made a hexagon shaped coin purse....I love this fabric too.

Flowers inside too.

This was made from upholstery fabric.

I didn't get as far as putting a frame on this one yet and I really like the fabric for this one too.

The next coin purses were a collaboration with  Textile Artists, Ruth Chandler , Jean Overmeyer and myself.  Ruth sketched the pattern and Jean made them come to life.

Phillip Jacobs Chrysanthemum fabric....oh you know I love this fabric.

Didn't Jean do a wonderful job of making these coin purses?  Yes...she fussy cut my  fabric and it is a good thing I love her...LOL.

Giveaway....oh yeah!  

Hoffman Batiks are beautiful and these will make more than a few coin purse.  Also included are these two coin purse frames.  Just be a follower of the IHAN® blog and leave a comment on this post for your chance to win.  A winner will be drawn at random on November 13th, the last day of the blog hop.

If you would like to make some coin purses too....IHAN® has a nice inventory ready to ship :)

Make sure you visit the other blogs who are participating in the blog hop:

Quiltin' Jenny
Hill Valley Quilter
Loopy Lou's Adventures Into Handicrafts
Just Let Me Quilt
Lixie Makes It
Beaquilter
Sunshine, Handmade
Buzzing and Bumbling
ANNIEOFBLUEGABLES
Needled Mom
The Slow Quilter
A Quilting Sheep
Quilt-n-Queen

To see the entire blog hop schedule, visit Katherine at Sew Me Something Good blog.

Smiles,
Kelly