Spiders

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This month, I participated in Ros's Sweet Pouch Swap over at her blog. My swap partner lives in Australia and said that she wanted something with a pink/black/white combo. I pulled out my scraps and made these adorable star blocks.


I can't get enough of the scrappy look lately. I've been using it a lot with my projects lately. I love the combination of scrappy patchwork and straight line quilting.






I hope she enjoys this little pouch along with all the Mexican candy I sent her. I'll be back later this week for the Love Day Swap features!

Love Day Swap Sign Up

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Happy New Year! I decided to go on hiatus for awhile but now I'm back. It was a much needed bloggy break and I enjoyed every minute with my beautiful family. I hope you enjoyed the holidays with your loved ones! I am starting this year the same way I ended the last, with another handmade swap.


Once again, this swap will not be anonymous. You will be in constant contact with your partner throughout the entire process. You are also required to have a Flickr account before signing up. If you are interested in joining the fun, please email me at greenletterday at yahoo dot com with the subject line: Love Day Swap. Include ALL of the following information in the EXACT FORMAT. I will be copying and pasting this info to your assigned partner so please make sure it is accurate.

Full Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Email Address

Flickr Username

Any additional links you want to include (Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Blog, etc)

And if you are willing to ship internationally. This is very important so please do not forget to answer this question.

I will be leaving this sign up open until Tuesday, Jan. 8 at midnight. I will then be assigning partners the next day and you will have three weeks to complete and mail out your packages.

Please spread the word to anyone you know who might be interested in participating. Thanks to all the faithful ladies who have participated in the past Pink Stitches swaps! Seeing all your beautiful creations and hearing about all the friendships that have been established through these swaps are the reasons I keep hosting! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Christmas Swap Sign Up

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With Halloween behind us, it's time to start planning our Christmas Swap!


This swap will not be anonymous (mostly because it's too much work for me) and you will be required to have a Flickr account. If you are interested in signing up, email me at greenletterday at yahoo dot com with the subject line: CHRISTMAS SWAP. Include the following information in the EXACT FORMAT. I will be copying and pasting your information to your partner so make sure it is accurate!

Full Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Email address

Flickr Username

Any additional links (blog, FB, Pinterest) you'd like to include

And if you are willing to ship internationally

I will leave sign up open for about a week. Please spread the word to others who might be interested in participating. Once the sign up is closed, I will be assigning partners and you will then have about a month to send out your packages. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Halloween Swap Features & Winners

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I had soooo much fun hosting the Halloween Swap this month. Everyone did such an amazing job, it was so hard to pick just a few to feature out of over 100 photos! Here are some highlights from our Flickr Group:



1. "Ghastlie" apron ready for swap partner!, 2. Halloween Coaster, 3. Finally ready to ship, 4. Notepad & Pen, 5. Halloween Swap 003, 6. To hold goodies!, 7. Skull Apron, 8. Ready to ship in the morning!, 9. I made polymer clay "sewing pins" to go with theme!, 10. Untitled, 11. Halloween Swap, 12. halloween swap, 13. Halloween Banner (3), 14. for my Halloween swap!, 15. Swap mini bag, 16. Teacup Pin Cushion with Handmade Clay Pins from Ruth(Thread of Hearts)

These were such a fun group of ladies. I was blown away by all the creativity I saw in the Flickr Group and looked forward to checking it every week! You can check out what I received from my partner, Katie, on her blog Craptastic. She is the best!! I wanted to thank all the participants by having a little giveaway. The winner of this fun little goodie bag is...


Amy Kendrick... Congrats! I'll be mailing it out to you this week :)

And the winner of the Halloween Giveaway is...

ThreadofHearts... Congratulations! I'll be emailing you later today for your snail mail addy :)

Thanks to everyone who participated in both the swap and the giveaway! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Halloween Swap Sent

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As you now, I'm hosting a Halloween Swap this month to start off my favorite season (I'm a hardcore fall freak). I'm sure you've heard me speak of Katie many times before on this blog. She's one of the first bloggy friends I ever met. She won my very first giveaway! We've been friends for almost two years and have been swapping almost as long. Katie and I arranged a private swap for Halloween/Fall and she received her package today! So now I can share what I sent.




The handmade goodies were so fun to make. I mostly used Lizzy House fabrics with the exception of the Chicopee dots on the strap of the boxy pouch. I had originally made a patchwork version for Katie but I loved the pumpkin one so much, I had to send it to her! I made her a patchwork coffee cozy using Jeni's fab tutorial. And I used this pattern for the star crocheted trivet.




I went a little crazy adding extra treats- I couldn't stop myself! Target is evil. I almost died when I saw those mini spatulas. I know Katie loves to bake so those were a must. I also sent her a ton of candy (I filled the boxy pouch with a lot more!) including some of my favorite Mexican candy called Pulparindos. Sooo good!

I hope this package helped put Katie in the Halloween spirit. It was so much fun putting it together! I've got a little surprise giveaway for you tomorrow so don't forget to stop by! In the meantime, you can check out some of the other cute projects from the Halloween Swap in our Flickr Group.

Halloween Goodies

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I've been working on some fun goodies for the Halloween Swap. I really enjoyed making the jack-o-lantern boxy pouch awhile back and I wanted to see how it would look in a patchwork version. I love them both! I also made another crocheted flower trivet in Halloween colors. So fun! Have you started any Halloween or Fall projects?

Anyone up for a Halloween giveaway? What would you like to win??

Star Pincushion

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My dear friend, Amy has the cutest tutorial for a star pincushionon her blog. I've been wanting to try it since she first posted it so I made one a couple of weeks ago to send to a friend. I had so much fun digging through all my teeny tiny scraps to make the mini star block. I'm glad it's going to a good home (along with a lobster Bella Pouch)!

Tote & Book Swap Features

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Last month, I hosted a swap on here with a tote & book theme. It was so much fun, I got to meet a lot of great gals. Here are some highlights from our Flickr group.


1. tote & book swap, 2. peachlined1, 3. I made her a bookmark for her books!, 4. Untitled, 5. Library tote swap, 6. The extra goodies!, 7. Closer look..., 8. book tote and mug rug, 9. Untitled, 10. IMG_3257, 11. extra goodies sent!, 12. Untitled, 13. Peach 241Tote -- Outside, 14. I was so lucky...my swap partner sent me two tote bags! She is so sweet..., 15. DSC02127, 16. Tote & Book Swap

And here are the goodies I received from my swap partners, Holly and Tara! I am so fortunate to have met these two lovely ladies. I have a feeling this won't be our last swap!



Have a wonderful weekend! I'll probably be cheating on Blogger with Instagram like I've been doing lately. Find me @greenletterday!

Tote & Book Swap Sent: Pt. 2

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My second partner Holly received her goodies a couple of days ago so now I can share more pictures from the Tote & Book Swap. After looking through Holly's Pinterest boards, I knew I wanted to use quilt blocks like I did with Tara's tote. With this tote, I started off with these colorful blocks using HSTs in contrasting dark and light fabrics to create a diamond shape.



Then I added 3 inches of Essex linen in Natural to the bottom to make it into more of a rectangular shape. The tote is huge and durable, perfect for family trips to the library. The book I sent is a timeless classic, Pride & Prejudice. It's one of my favorite books! I am totally in love with Mr. Darcy.



I also sent her some other goodies like washi tape, a stamp/ink pad, and a really cute notebook. I've already received Holly's package and I'll be sharing what I received from her and from Tara very soon! You can follow along on Instagram (@greenletterday) to see more daily photos. Have a great week!

Tote & Book Swap Sent- Pt. 1

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I organized a swap this month with a tote and book theme and, as we had an odd amount of people sign up, I got two partners. I dedicated the first part of the month to Tara. I stalked her Flickr favorites to get an understanding of what she liked and settled on a plus block pattern.


I like the idea of using quilt blocks for totes. It's like hauling a mini quilt around- it just looks comforting. Tara expressed that she liked citrus-y colors like yellow, orange and lime. I pulled out some bright fabrics in those colors and added some pink and turquoise, as well as some text prints, to ensure that no two prints of the same color were ever touching. I used this technique for the piecing, which is absolutely brilliant! Made my job a lot easier and the final result was perfection.


I also made her a little pencil pouch with the leftover cuts and threw in some goodies like highlighters, stamps, ink pad and some adorable washi tape. The book I sent was book one (City of Bones) from one of my favorite series, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. From what I knew about the books Tara had read, I knew she would enjoy this one. They are casting for the movie right now and it will be out next year. I'm so excited!



Cassandra Clare also has another series, also about Shadowhunters, called The Infernal Devices. This series is set in Victorian London and I just fell in love with it. I really recommend both series. If you liked Twilight and The Hunger Games, you'll love these books!


I have finished the tote for my second partner and it is going in the mail first thing tomorrow. As soon as she receives it, I will be sharing pictures with you!

On a side note- I hit 700 followers today! Yay!! I think a giveway is in order. What would you like to have a chance at winning??

Tote & Book Swap Sign Up

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**Sign up is now closed**
It's time for another swap!! This swap idea was given to me by Meig during my birthday giveaway. I asked that you tell me your favorite book or suggest a good read. I'm amazed at how many of you love to read as much as I do. So here it is, the Tote & Book Swap.


For this swap, you will be responsible for sending a handmade tote and a book to your swap partner (extra goodies are always welcome!!). Doesn't matter how big the tote is or what method you use to make it, as long as it can hold some books. I recommend you start up a Pinterest board to share your likes with your partner.

If you're interested in signing up, email me at greenletterday (at) yahoo (dot) com with the subject: Tote & Book Swap. Include your name, address, email address and blog link, if applicable. Keep in mind that the package you send out might be a little heavy depending on what book you send out so please let me know if you're open to ship internationally. I'll leave the sign up open until next Saturday (June 30th) and then assign partners the following day. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Easter Swap Sent

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Lizette and Mabel recieved my Easter Swap package yesterday so now I can show you what I sent them! I had so much fun making these little pouches for two girls (momma and daughter). I have a little boy so I really enjoyed digging into all my pinks and little girl prints that I wish I could work more with. Who am I kidding? I use pink all the time! haha


Lizette's favorite color is pink, which makes us soul mates. I made an adorable log cabin block using all kinds of pink fabrics around a cute little forrest animal scene. Then I turned it into a ten inch zipper bag (my favorite size of bags- perfect to use for anything) and filled it with goodies like notecards, pink paper clips, Easter stickers, mini Sharpies, hand sanitizer, and a gorgeous spring necklace from JessicaNDesigns.






For Mabel, I pulled out one of my favorite prints of these sweet little owls and made one of Jeni's drawstring bags. I used some pink chevron twill ribbon from Amy's shop for the pull strings. I knew Mabel loved LaLaLoopsy so I was thrilled to find a little Easter edition that was the perfect size for the bag. I also added lots of candy and some Lip Smackers.






I really hope Lizette and Mabel enjoyed receiving their goodie bags. And a huge thank you to everyone else who participated in the Easter Swap!! I hope you all had fun including your little munchkins this time around. More swaps to come! Have a wonderful Easter!!

ETA: Read more about our swap on Lizette's blog.
I love seeing the pictures of Mabel opening her package. I'm kicking myself now for not taking any of AJ! Lol Oh well, now I know for next time!

Easter Swap Sign Up

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It's almost Springtime! And with that comes Easter, one of my favorite holidays. In celebration, I'm hosting a little swap.


This time, I'm doing things a little differently though. I want to include our kids because it's one of the few holidays that is as much fun for them as it is for us! If you are not comfortable including your kids, that's totally understandable. I'll be hosting more swaps in the future.

You will be responsible for making one handmade goodie bag, pouch, or basket (see below for options) for each mommy and child you are assigned to.

Sign ups are limited to (3) three people. Mommy + children. If you have more than two kids, you can exclude yourself and sign up (3) kids. You will be assigned the same number of people as you sign up. ((For example: If you sign up yourself and only one child, you will be assigned another mommy with one child))

Fill the goodie bags with either handmade or store bought items. You can use pencils, stickers, candies, etc. for the kids and fabric scraps, sewing tools, chocolate, etc. for the mommies. These are only examples. The sky's the limit!

You have these three options to make and fill with goodies.
You are free to vary them any way you'd like.


1. Zipper Pouch (great tutorial here)


2. Drawstring Bag (great tutorial here)


3. Fabric Basket (great tutorial here)

I know my son LOVES receiving packages in the mail and he's 3! I want to make this special for them. If you feel like you're up for the challenge and are interested in signing up, email me at greenletterday (at) yahoo (dot) com with the following information:

Your name, number of children, children's gender and age (& name if you're comfortable with it), and mailing address
Please write the words EASTER SWAP in the subject line. I'll leave this sign up open until Thursday (March 8th) and then assign partners the following day. I assure you, nobody will see your information except myself and your partner. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Holidays are Approaching!!

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How was your Halloween?? We had a great time at my sister's house giving out candy and eating some delicious wings. I mentioned on my last post that AJ had decided to dress as an airplane this year. I had planned a huge photoshoot in my mind with cute little poses and great close up shots but ofcourse, I forgot my camera! I did manage to get a picture of him with my phone though.


Oh, he just melts my heart! He had so much fun in that costume. You should've seen how he acted when he met "Bumblebee" from Transformers. He chatted up a storm. He was convinced it was really him. So cute!

Well, October is behind us now and my favorite time of the year is approaching! Are you as excited as I am about Christmas??! I know Thanksgiving comes first but Christmas is always on my mind. I have to finish up making things for the Christmas Market, start making Christmas presents annnnd also start brainstorming for the Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange!


I was determined not to miss it this time around. I was so bummed when I missed it in the spring. Sign ups are all this week so go fill out your forms! I will not be hosting a swap this Christmas because I'm joining this one. So if you were planning on participating in that, I really recommend this swap. There are hundreds of participants (U.S. or international)! You don't wanna miss it.

Alright, gotta get back to sewing! Enjoy your week :-)

Happy Mail

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I received part 2 of my swap with Katie and I love everything! She made me a gorgeous houndstooth/rosette pillow, a birdie t-shirt and a pear mug rug. She's so sneaky. She had posted a picture of the pillow on her facebook, saying it was hers and ofcourse, I drooled all over it. Can you imagine my surprise when it came in the mail for ME??





Yeah, I stole all these pictures from Katie's blog. I haven't taken any of my own pics. I've really been dragging in that department. Do you notice all the handstitched goodness that she added? Those details always make me smile. I'm so happy to have met Katie 6 months ago when she won my very first giveaway. We've become great friends since then and I'm a happier person having her in my life! Thanks for all the goodies Katie!

And now I can finally post about the things I sent to Nicke a couple of weeks ago. I pretty much passed the swap deadline by like a month! I'm so bad! But I hope she liked all the goodies I sent her. I know she's a Hope Valley addict like me so that was my main focus.


Whoa, Bonnie! Is that Hope Valley stationary?? Why, yes it is!! I was totally oblivious of the fact that Denyse Schmidt made paper goods too. And now that I know, I'm obsessed! I got a set for Nicke and a set for myself.


The ruffle pouch is lined with Hope Valley scraps and is made with osnaburg (love!).


And the Hope Valley patchwork pouch has got to be my absolute favorite item ever! It has a magnetic closure and is lined with the same Kona Coal that I used on my Hope Valley quilt.


I also threw in some Joel Dewberry "Heirloom" FQ's. She had mentioned in one of her posts that this was her favorite colorway so I couldn't resist.


These swaps have been very enjoyable and have added so much delight to my days. I enjoy making things for my partners and I just love receiving packages in the mail. It makes ordinary days feel like Christmas! Speaking of which, are you looking forward to a Christmas swap??!