Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Annual Time Capsules

It's the end of one year, and the start of the next. What will you remember most?


During our year long renovations last year, we found quite a few ways to leave "our mark" upon the house that we have called our home for 12 years already. As they tore down walls and built new walls, I decided to pull together a slew of items that if ever found, would give the new owners a sense of who lived here before them, and all the changes the house had been through.


I would have loved to find a time capsule in one of the torn down walls, but we didn't. Who knows - maybe there is still one in a different wall we didn't tear down? If there is, now there are two. We packed up all the things in the (picture up above) and watched Darold nail them in, and watched Steve seal it and paint over the seams. This is all the proof I have that it's there. Hoping that I live long enough to never see it again, but know that its here, hiding, waiting to be found.


We started making these other "Annual Time Capsules" earlier in the year, and put them in our ViewTainers. I only have a few things from my childhood to look back on endearingly, and have to search the web for things that happened, that I just might remember. I thought it would be a great opportunity to capture some of the items/toys and other things that my girls would want to remember and see in 10 or 20 years from now. I love the Viewtainers because they are not made of breakable glass, making them very kid friendly. You can seal them up at the end of the year with duct tape, silicone, or packed in a box and locked up, not to be opened for another 10 or 20 years, you decide.

Not sure what to include?

Here's what we put in some of the time capsules: Silly Banz for the 2011 container, because just two years ago, my girls were among the masses that wore quite a few on each wrist, and traded them on the playground (and now for 2013 it's the Rainbow Loom bracelets). A Twinkie (because everyone knows they last 20 years, and when they went bankrupt, I bought a few boxes too. It was all the rage). The duck tape craze and now washi tape madness that has swept the nation for the past couple of years, has reserved a place in one of these capsules too, among many other squinkies, trinkets and movie characters from cereal boxes.

I have also included a short list of facts from the past few years, things we will remember, or want to remember: Movies we saw, tragedies we witnessed, and triumphs in and around the world, etc. The ideas are endless, and the capsules can be personalized as well to include birthdays, celebrations, milestones, etc. The Project Life cards are perfect for this, and can even capture favorite family recipes and so much more. Write it down. Record it. Treasure it.

I hope you all have an absolutely amazing 2014, filled with joy, laughter, charity, hope and love. Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for being a part of my life and journey. If you want to be in the know of all the fun things to come this year...click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters. I have yet to send one out, so please know I won't spam you like crazy and send you an email every day or week! Happy New Year everyone!






Monday, December 30, 2013

Banners of Hope

For those of you that don't know about the Banners of Hope project, you can visit the Craft and Hobby website to find out all the details or click on the Banners of Hope link above. It's such a great idea and I knew months ago I wanted to make one...maybe a bunch....and show my support to those in need of "hope" among other things.


I have come up with a few ideas, and am already working on a second banner, but wanted to share the first one with you all.

This one came from a couple of different areas of inspiration. I grew up in Texas and moved to NY when I was about 8 1/2. Everywhere I went, I saw the I (heart) NY logo on t-shirts, billboards, and bumper stickers. It still remains a strong reminder and symbol of my childhood. There is also the pop art "LOVE" design by Robert Indiana, that will be available on special license plates in the state of Maine to "show your love for the arts", through the Maine Crafts Association.

The final inspiration came from my sewing studio and all the little bits and pieces. It made me think of the word hope and what the word really means. I thought of "hope" as a "notion" of being. It's that something that some people have a hard time grasping in times of trial, grief, or affliction. It requires and action. It requires us to do something, to believe even, that there is something beautiful waiting for us, that can come from all the little pieces. This is my banner of hope. Hope is a powerful word. You just have to believe in it.

Click the link below to sign up for my newsletters. I HOPE you have a great day.




Monday, December 9, 2013

It's a Sewing Tales Giveaway Day - Who Wants to WIN?

It's giveaway day on Sew Mama Sew - and I decided to participate in a BIG way...not just 1 person will win, not just 2 people, but 4 people will win the following giveaway package. Isn't that so exciting?

A (signed) copy of my book Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love (don't want to wait for it? I don't blame you - you can get a copy of Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love on Amazon right now in time for Christmas)

8 awesome goodies from Dritz Sewing

1 Bag of PolyFil from Fairfield

1 Yard of Create-A-Pattern paper from Bosal Foam

What do you have to do to win?

Share a story about a favorite toy you were given when younger (handmade or otherwise).

Enter your name in the Rafflecopter form below. It's the easiest way for me to track and notify a winner. You will have until Dec 13th 8pm EST. I will email the winners and the winners will also be mentioned on the Rafflecopter board. Due to cost of shipping, I will open up the giveaway for just 1 international winner. So international friends, please enter also, as I will pick 1 giveaway package to ship internationally. Yeah!

Good Luck and thanks for stopping by! Click the link below to sign up for my newsletters. Have a great day.






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, November 8, 2013

Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop: Day 5 and A Turkey Bunny Cover-Up

Good Morning everyone.

Today is the last day of the Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop, someone pass me the tissues. It's been so much fun seeing all the projects others have made and their stories; the why or who they have made it  for, and the memories it sparked.

Later today I will take a much needed nap, and make chicken noodle soup in the hopes of curing this cold that is just now running through our house. I will probably go back through the week of posts and enjoy reading them again and all the comments - and you should to. Why? Because some of them are giving away some of the goodies. Until then, let's read the bloggers posts for today:


I was working last night on the final bonus project but it wasn't shaping up as I hoped it would. I'm going to rework it today and post it when it's ready. In the meantime, you can enjoy those blog posts up above, and come up with a funny caption for my trial and error photo shoot from last night, before I decided that going to bed would be my best defense against this nasty cold. Isn't she so funny?! She was having a giggle fest in her little get up and couldn't help herself and finally fell over laughing!

Ok - off to reworked this outfit, and then get some thumbcovers shipped, then a nap while soup simmers on the stove.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I hope you have entered for your chance to win a copy of my book and a goodie box the size of Texas to go with it on my giveaway post!

If you haven't already, please click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters. Have a great day.


Thursday, November 7, 2013

Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop: Day 4 and All the Little Extras

It's the second to last day of the Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop and I don't know about you, but I am having a blast! I really hope you are too, esp with all the free bonus projects. Have you made one yet? If you have, I'd love to see it. You can tag me on social media (I'm @kidgiddy everything), and you can use the hashtag #SewingTalesBookBonus too. Then I can see what you made.

In the meantime, please go have a looksy at what these 4 bloggers made from my book:


"All the Little Extras" are here. Many years ago when I first created the mouse pattern that is in my book, I also made it into a Kitty, Puppy and Bunny. Check out today's free bonus project sheet, so you can convert the mouse pattern - into a Kitty, Puppy or Bunny instead.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6St72bEbLYhMGN3LTJQUXRMWWs/edit?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6St72bEbLYhMGN3LTJQUXRMWWs/edit?usp=sharing
Thanks so much for coming by and for supporting the blog hop and my book. Make sure you stop in tomorrow for final 4 bloggers and the final Sewing Tales Book Bonus project, I'll try not to cry if you won't! It's been so much fun, I hate to see the hoppin' party end. If you haven't already, please click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters, to find out when other fun things are happening. Have a great Thursday.

Enter for your chance to win a copy of my book and a goodie box the size of Texas to go with it on my giveaway post! Giveaway ends November 14th. 





Thank you again to the Sewing Tales Blog hop sponsors. You can click on this image below and find out more information about each sponsor. Thank you Fairfield, Dritz, Fiskars, Bosal & FreeSpirit.
http://kidgiddy.blogspot.com/2013/11/sewing-tales-book-blog-hop-sponors.html


A Gift For YOU: Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love Book Blog Hop Giveaway #1

Good morning giddy folks.

So by now you know all about the Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop, the "20 Bloggers in 5 days talking about 1 book" - right?

And you know all the awesome Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop Sponsors then too, right?...how they provided all the necessary tools and fabric for the bloggers participating in the hop - you know - that "goodie box", right?.

Well - guess what?! They gave me more, and it's time to party. I've had a couple of giveaways on other social media sites, before and during Quilt Market, but now I'm hosting one here. This is a big one - this is the same goodie box the bloggers got but with 2 extra Fat Quarters of Heather Bailey's new Lottie Da fabric!
http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Tales-Stitch-Love-Storytelling/dp/1440235198/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371677509&sr=8-1&keywords=kerry+goulder

So in the box - you will get: A copy of my book Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love (of course)

  1. Fiskars: RazorEdge Fabric Shears (9”) because no one should cut tons of fabric without a really great pair of fabric shears, and my all time favorite Easy Action MicroTip Scissors so you don't have arthritic painful hands after clipping and notching all of your edges.
  2. Dritz Tools: The Quick Turn Tool set that I can't make fun stuff without, a Bodkin (I call these fabric tweezers), an ever loving Seam Ripper we wish we never needed, a package of 5 various sized Doll Needles, a little package of 25 Assorted Craft Needles, a (reusable) box of Straight Ball Pins, a blue water soluble Fabric Marking Pen, and a Bamboo Point Turner (I also use this for pressing seams or creasing center marks instead of a little iron).
  3. Fairfield World: 1 Bag of Supreme Polyester Poly-Fil
  4. Bosal Foam: 1 Yard of their Create-A-Pattern paper to trace a lot of your pattern pieces on.
  5. Free Spirit Fabrics: 6 gorgeous Fat Quarters of Heather Bailey's new Lottie Da fabric
So how does that sound? Great - right?! Now the question is - what do you have to do to win it. Enter your name into the rafflecopter giveaway link below, tap your shoes together and say ten times "I think I can win, add more giddy to my life". Ok - not really, but it was funny anyway..
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks so much for all the book love, sponsor love, blog hop love and I now wish you good luck.
If you haven't already, please click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters. Have a great day.




Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop: Day 3 and a Tiny Canoe

Hi everyone, It's Day 3 of the Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop and the fun is still going strong! Here are today's bloggers:

Whew, the canoe is done. This pattern can be printed at the regular size and fit two little mice inside. You can also shrink the pattern and make it a cute personalized, tiny ornament for your holiday tree.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6St72bEbLYhWEw2S2ExZjRidzA/edit?usp=sharing

Today I will also be posting an awesome giveaway you won't want to miss so keep your blog eyes open...and think winning thoughts.

Thanks so much for coming by and for supporting the blog hop and my book. Make sure you stop in tomorrow for 4 of the final 8 bloggers and another fun Sewing Tales Book Bonus project! If you haven't already, please click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters. Have a great Wednesday.

Enter for your chance to win a copy of my book and a goodie box the size of Texas to go with it on my giveaway post! Giveaway ends November 14th. 





Thank you again to the Sewing Tales Blog hop sponsors. You can click on this image below and find out more information about each sponsor. Thank you Fairfield, Dritz, Fiskars, Bosal & FreeSpirit. Thank you also to National Nonwovens for providing the wool felt for this project.


http://kidgiddy.blogspot.com/2013/11/sewing-tales-book-blog-hop-sponors.html


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop: Day 2 and Gnome Cape with Satchel

It's Day 2 of the Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop and despite the mornings getting colder and colder up here in Maine, things are heating up in here in the kid giddy studio. It's not snowing yet outside, but my daughters are asking for it already. So on this chilly morning, I have 4 new bloggers to book hop along with, and another Sewing Tales Book Bonus Project to keep you warm.


We've even been listening to Christmas songs already *gasp* and I can't help myself and want to call this bonus project the "baby it's cold outside cape and satchel". As soon as the weather turns cold - we get the Christmas fever. I think it's hereditary?! You should play some holiday music while making this project. It will make it all the more fun. Click on the Bonus project image below to take you to the PDF Google Doc to print out.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6St72bEbLYhaWNHclVLUjdwRGc/edit?usp=sharing


Underneath the base of this triangle is where you want to place your elastic. I bought this Clear Dritz Elastic myself a long time ago thinking it would be useful someday. I was right. I love the fact that you can use it and won't see the elastic as you would if it were white, on this tan sherpa material. It works perfectly and I love sharing good things!
Any elastic will work really well if you stretch it as far as you can while you are sewing it down. You can add frog closures or ribbons on the two ends of the elastic for the cape if play will be involved, but I preferred not to on this one.  It was nice and snug and stayed on the gnome without falling off. I wasn't playing with it though - so use anything you have laying around.
Thanks so much for coming by and for supporting the blog hop and my book. I can't wait to see your Gnomes all dressed up for the winter weather. You can shrink/enlarge and re-size the measurements to make capes for the mice too or any other doll or animal (This is the same way I made the teeny tiny cape for the Queens in the Snow People Chess Set)! Make sure you stop in tomorrow for 4 new bloggers and another fun Sewing Tales Book Bonus project! If you haven't already, please click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters. Have a great Tuesday.

Enter for your chance to win a copy of my book and a goodie box the size of Texas to go with it on my giveaway post! Giveaway ends November 14th.  







Thank you again to the Sewing Tales Blog hop sponsors. You can click on this image below and find out more information about each sponsor. Thank you Fairfield, Dritz, Fiskars, Bosal & FreeSpirit.
http://kidgiddy.blogspot.com/2013/11/sewing-tales-book-blog-hop-sponors.html

Monday, November 4, 2013

Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop: Day 1 and A Baby Gnome

Good morning everyone.

I'm so excited to start off this Sewing Tales Book Blog Hop that will be going on all week long. Each day this week, I will post a link of the 4 bloggers participating in that days hop, so you can see what they made. I will also be giving my readers a bonus project each day to make, that didn't fit in the book because it was already jam packed with goodness (today's "baby" project is below).

I sought out 20 awesome bloggers from the world wide web to get a peek into my book, create a project and maybe even write a story (as was done in the book), or just simply have fun with it. We have 18 folks from the United States, 2 from the UK and 2 from Australia. Some of the bloggers have chosen to offer a giveaway as part of their post, be sure to check them all out. Today's bloggers include:


I also sought out some amazing product to send these folks, because I had no way of knowing what tools they would have and what they wouldn't have. I wanted to make sure that each person would have the tools they needed to make their project most successful. If you come into my studio or catch me off at Quilt Market - you'll find many of these tools on my tables or with me in my little pouch. I rarely leave home without them (unless they are too big, in which case they have to stay home alone). Please see the sponsors and their links by clicking the graphic below which will take you to my post from Saturday - these really are just a few of my favorite things.

http://kidgiddy.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-fun-begins-next-week.html
Speaking of Quilt Market {again}...if you were there, you just might have seen me toting around a little Baby Gnome (in pic above) on my quilt market ID lanyard. In true baby fashion - this little one got lots of "oohs and aahs". Make your own baby gnome, or twin gnomes, maybe even triplets with today's Sewing Tales Book Bonus project.

It is very small and can be tricky with it's tiny seam allowance, but it's oh so cute for that young gnome that can't wait to be a mommy or daddy some day. You could even tie a loop to the top and hang it on the tree for baby's first Christmas?! This pattern is for home and personal use only. Please do not copy, alter or otherwise distribute. Click on the image below to get to the PDF on google docs.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6St72bEbLYhZ3FpSHdxQWNOSFU/edit?usp=sharing




Thank you to the bloggers and sponsors for all of your love and support.

Thank you for coming by today, and for your love and support as well. Make sure you stop in tomorrow for 4 new bloggers and another fun Sewing Tales Book Bonus project! If you haven't already, please click that link below and sign up to receive my newsletters. Have a great Monday.

Enter for your chance to win a copy of my book and a goodie box the size of Texas to go with it on my giveaway post! Giveaway ends November 14th.  




http://kidgiddy.us2.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=9ea4c419178a2e61b529af8aa&id=975aef860e