Pre May for Me Winners!

Congratulations to the Winners!

The three winners for the Pre May for Me Giveaway are: 

Val's Quilting Studio said...
I'm looking forward to doing this once again in May!

  
 Rosemary B❤️ said...
What a great plan. I just self taught myself the hexie flower thing, I made a tiny one to put on a little purse I made for Janet Wecker Frisch with her fabric. She had a Valentines challenge and I ... I can't believe it, but I won. There were so many incredible ones, they were just... all of them really great.
I think this idea is good.
It is so fun to spend time with friends and made things. One day I want to start a sewing club at my house.... so many of my daughters friends (both daughters) want to learn to sew.
I love what you made, you are always an inspiration.



 OhioLori said...
What a cool thing you do each May! Love the pattern in this pre-giveaway! 

I have been learning to do hand applique...am pretty slow...but do love how it looks! Want to learn to make Hexie's too! :) Minutes for Me are just what I need! giggle...

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I will be emailing all 3 of them the Easy to Sew Quilt Pattern - PDF Downloadable Pattern!
Visit Marcia Wachuta - Crafty Sewing and Quilting's Craftsy Pattern Store »




The next May for Me Giveaway starts soon!

Enjoying May, One day at a time...

Marcia

It is the Eve of May for Me!

Tomorrow is May 1st and the May for Me Celebration starts.  
It's all about taking time for yourself --- exactly what it says: May for Me!

This is the 5th year of the Celebration of May for Me!  It all started with an email conversation between two quilt bloggers...  In March, Tonya (Hillbilly Quilt Shop) and I emailed back and forth talking about how we never find any time for ourselves.  I suggested that we set aside time for ourselves and blog about it. Tonya said I can't do it in April.  So we chose to take time for ourselves in May, thus resulting in the May for Me Celebration!  So I made a  photo logo and we started thinking differently about our me time!  We decided, we would take time for ourselves, even if it is only a few minutes.

I also started the Minutes for Me idea! I think that happened in the second year.

The first year, we posted about taking time for ourselves and invited others to post about that too. It was pretty simple.  We posted whenever and worked on our UFOs and found a few minutes to just enjoy the day!

The second year, Tonya hosted a Mystery Quilt and we all made a quilt. I started the quilt! Here is a link to my finished quilt.  I finished it a year later. Click Here.

I have it proudly displayed on a quilt rack in my bedroom!  I LOVE it for 2 main reasons: Wonderful memories of the May for Me Celebration -- Reminding me to take time for me -- And it is OK to do that! And I have family in the Netherlands --- You know --- my daughter and her husband and my grandson!

The third year, we invited 2 other bloggers to help us with a Bingo Game.  It was fantastic!  But it tied up all of our time with calling items each day.... kind of defeated the purpose of the May for Me Celebration, but it sure was fun!

The fourth year, was last year and it was a low key event. I hosted Giveaways and posted about what I was doing to find time to take Minutes for Me each day.  I really enjoyed it, because I found time for me.  A few bloggers joined in on the fun and linked up their blog and posted a post or two about taking time for themselves.


This is the fifth year for the May for Me Celebration! Here's what I have planned:

1. The May for Me Page ---  I invite you to link up your blog or flicker site or website on the May for Me Celebration Page as long as you share ONE post during May and share the May for Me Logo in your post and link back to me. http://marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/
That's simple!

2. I will be hosting Giveaways each week!  I plan to giveaway several of my Quilting and Sewing Downloadable Patterns that I have for sale in my Craftsy Store at Craftsy.com
Visit Marcia Wachuta - Crafty Sewing and Quilting's Craftsy Pattern Store »




3. Guest Posting --- I have invited several bloggers to share their story about their small businesses and links to their stores and shops.  How they started?  How they make it work with family and business?  How they find time for themselves?  
I posted about this a couple weeks ago.... If you missed it and want to post about yourself and your business and how you make it happen, let me know --- Marcia@craftysewing.com  YES --- I can fit you in! My schedule is going to be very flexible in May!  Just ask me! And YES ---- You can share all your links to everywhere that you share!

4. I plan to finish some of my UFOs and share them. I am hopeful to finish all of them!  LOL, but I am going to try.  I am a multitasker and it is not unusual for me to be working on 2 to 6 quilts at the same time. Yesterday, I was quilting a customer's quilt and it was very intense with detailed quilting, so I took a few breaks and stitched some little squares together. I also cut some strips and squares for a mystery quilt that I am participating in on facebook. And at the end of the day, I came upstairs and I stitched all the 4 patches together for the mystery quilt, while I was baking potatoes and doing wash! Oh and probably listening to a tv show too!

What am I doing right now???

I am participating and sponsoring prizes for the Project Quilting Off Season Challenges - Focus through the Prism. The challenges are a whole month during the off season!  Click on the link and check it out. I will be sharing my projects.  You can click on the links in my sidebar to my past projects. If you are mobile, you can click --- see blog in web version and find my sidebar links that way.

I am participating in a McQuilts Mystery Quilt on facebook hosted by Kristin McCoy. I will share my progress soon.

I am participating in Pat Sloan's Block of the Month Mystery Vacation Time Quilt. Click here for my posts about the blocks so far and you will find links to Pat's Blog too.

5. I plan to share about me.  Remember when I did the FAQ on Fridays?  I told you a little about me and my business and what I was doing.  What do you want to know about me?
I will tell you "my story" of how I started my business and how I make it work and how I stay happy!

Check out the May for Me Celebration Page and link up your Blog now and grab the LOGO and share a post sometime in May! Join in on the fun!

Enjoying May one day at a time!

Marcia

More BLUE Fabric!!!

I purchased more batik fabric for the Vacation Time Block of the Month Quilt.  It is a beautiful blue batik fabric from Pat Sloan's line of Moda Fabric -- One for You, One for Me Batiks.

I took a photo with the other fabrics and the quilt blocks.

It is going to be perfect with the other blues!

I ordered one yard, but I hit the "End of the Bolt Jackpot"! I received 1 1/4 yards!  Super cool!

I washed and pressed it. I put it into the container with the other fabrics and quilt blocks.  It will be ready when Pat Sloan shares the next quilt block at the beginning of May.

Here are the links to my posts about my Quilt Blocks from January to April.  I am really enjoying this Mystery Block of the Month!  Thanks Pat Sloan for sharing!

Quilt Block 1 - Down by the Boardwalk
Quilt Block 2 - Toes in the Sand
Quilt Block 3 - Surfs Up
Quilt Block 4 - Penny Arcade

Pat Sloan shares a new Quilt Block each month for the Vacation Time Quilt. Here is the Link.

It's not too late to get started on your quilt.  I am making two quilts!

Enjoy!

Marcia

Skype Calls with My Grandson Improved with Holly Craft Original Appliques!

We have found a way to improve our Skype calls! 

My grandson is almost 2 years old and he is busy and on the go all the time, but he does sit down for a good book.  I have tried reading books on skype, but it was not successful. It was hard to hold the book and read it and keep it on the camera.  

When I was cutting out the 5 inch squares for my  "I Spy" Quilt, we had fun with those on skype, but they were kind of hard to see. I will share photos of my I Spy Quilt soon.  It is quilted and waiting for me to bind it!

We used the Melissa and David animal and character magnets for a while too.  But they were hard to see on skype too.

Anyway... you get the idea.  I wanted to find something that was easy to see and identify for a busy toddler. I also wanted it to be things that related to our lives and our relationships to keep the long distance relationship going.

I found it!  Holly Craft Originals!  I ordered 25 of them!  I selected things that mean something to us!

When I received them, I displayed them out on the table and I took a photo.  Super super cool!  I LOVE them!

My husband says I am like a "walking commercial" --- If I like or love something, I can't stop talking about it! 

Well.... I love these! Holly hand stitches each one and adds embellishments.  I love all the details and the vibrant colors!

I was going to quilt some squares and make a soft book, but then I remembered 10 years ago I took a recipe/scrapbooking class.  I purchased a couple binders, because I was going to make one for me and one for a gift. I never finished them!  They were the perfect size and the plastic sleeves worked excellent for slipping the appliques into each one. I used some double stick tape on the back of the appliques, so they don't slide to the bottom of the sleeve. If you think it looks like some did slide, they didn't.  I taped them off center, because I like things off center. Also, I could add another one in there as there is room.  Example:  I ordered a lemon and I may add it to the orange.

I had fun selecting the colorful scrapbook papers for the backgrounds.

It made a pretty full binder, but that is Ok.

I requested a couple special orders from Holly.  A nine patch quilt block and a sewing machine. Of course, I asked for a BLUE Sewing machine. I added all the triangles to look like I am sewing like crazee!

A motorcycle for Grandpapa and a bicycle for my grandson as they ride bikes in Europe.

And a fishing boat for Grandpapa, but I guess I don't know what kind of boat he has, as I requested a Bass Tracker and he has a Lund. I guarantee he does not know if I have a Janome or an Elna Sewing Machine or that I have both! He knows I have more than one sewing machine.

And then there is Toby and Rogue! Toby is our dog and Rogue is my son's dog --- My Grand Dogger!

The binder works great for the skype calls.  I stand it up and sit behind it so my grandson can see the book and me!

I plan to use this book with my Grandson for years.  We can make up stories about each item.  This is our book!

My favorite applique is the Kiwi!  Holly's stitching is beautiful!

Really makes the Skype calls fun!

After I had it all together, I realized I needed more!  I just ordered a lemon, an apple, a turtle and an elephant.  With a binder and the plastic sleeves, I can order more anytime and add to it. 

I think need to order a green tractor! and a heart and a ....

Thanks Holly for doing all the hand stitching! I LOVE them!

Enjoy!

Marcia

Links to Holly
Holly's website: http://hollycraftoriginals.com/
Holly's Etsy Shop: 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HollyCraftOriginals
Holly's Facebook Page: 
https://www.facebook.com/HollyCraftOriginals
Holly's Email:
hollycraftoriginals@hotmail.com

Wordless Wednesday - A Little Drawstring Bag!

This is supposed to be wordless, but I needed to add a few words.

Pictures are from last week Friday's "Minutes for Me Crafting Get Together" at Timberlane Coffee Shop in Boscobel, Wisconsin. We meet about once a month usually on Friday. Want to join us?  Send me an email at Marcia@craftysewing.com. Next month we are making "Paper Quilt" Greeting Cards.

I pre stitched the 9 1/2 inch squares and pressed them.  We hand sewed the rest. I stitched my backwards! I must have been chatting and not following the instructions.  LOL!!! When I came home, I stitched another one on my sewing machine.  Hand sewing is not for me!

I think this cute little drawstring bag would be perfect for a gift bag.  Fill it with a few homemade chocolates or any little gift that needs a special wrapping.

Enjoy the photos....

We enjoyed lunch together and then dessert!

What is the May for Me Celebration?

Enjoy your day!

Marcia

Here is the Pre-Giveaway! Still time to enter to win!