Kid Giddy Gnome Swap

Do you love gnomes like I do? I'm so excited to finally get this Kid Giddy Gnome Swap together. I've only participated in 2 mini quilt swaps (I'll post some photos soon of the mini quilts I made) - but never hosted or ran one myself.  I have a huge love of gnomes (hence the one on the front cover of my book) and sewing, so these two things together, are quite perfect in my mind! I also love getting mail and sending mail...so it's a win win all around.

This Gnome Swap idea was actually inspired by Angie from Gnome Angel. Last year I saw some gnome fabric she had posted on IG and had to ask her what fabric it was. She offered to send me a little so of course I wanted to send something back.  It quickly became a very little one on one gnome swap. Since then things have been crazy, and as much as I wanted to get a gnome swap together, I've been working on Sizzix deadlines and many other things. No worries though, the wait is over and now we can all play together. Yay!

If you are interested in participating, please click the photo above which will take you to the Google Doc to sign up. Sign ups will be open from Feb 9th - Feb 17th and hope to have partners assigned by Feb 20th. because of the huge influx of swaps going on, we are all busy, and of course Quilt Market in May, swaps will go out by June 1st for International, and June 8th within the US. Choices for making and receiving are: Mini Quilt (No side is larger than 20"), Stuffed Doll, Tote Bag, Pouch Apron, Ornament, Toy, or anything.

I am hoping there won't be any huge hiccups, if there are - we shall cross that bridge when we get to it. I have one willing moderator as of right now (thanks Angie), so if you'd like to be one also, and help out that would be awesome. There is a place on the form to advise me, so don't be shy.

I would be so grateful if you would share the photo above on your social media outlets and use the hashtag #kidgiddygnomeswap and #gnomeswap to spread the word. (You can also visit my Kid Giddy IG account and repost my image - if that's easier.) FYI - the Gnome Image above is my gnome paper piecing pattern which can be found in my Craftsy or Etsy shop. If you are in the UK - please contact me prior to purchasing as I have not set up my VAT solutions yet. If you'd like to purchase it - I'll get on the band wagon and get it done for you. Thanks!

Thanks so much for visiting. If you are new to my blog, please be sure to click the follow button on the right, sign up for my emails (clicking the link below), and all that good stuff. Happy sewing!

The Need for Sunshine and Little Miss Lily

It is now mid-March. There is still way too much snow on the ground for my liking, and it's still freezing. Actually, my husband just advised that he started a fire in the wood stove. It's cold. I'm cold, and it's been a very long winter that seems to be lingering despite my constant prayers. It's during this time of year when I feel beyond depleted of vitamin D and sufficient sunshine to make me happy. It usually starts by late January, and ends in April. I have a ways to go. Truth be told, I found myself wanting to crawl into a hole, hibernate, and never come out most of February. Not just because of the cold, and snow, but because of people judging me, my book, family things, parenting things and then I got sick. All these things added up and it became the loneliest feeling and one I don't wish on my worst enemy. It was then that I started praying for sunshine. I certainly didn't leave out blue skies and birds chirping, but of all the things I needed....it was sunshine.

A few weeks had passed and I get an email from a dear friend, Laura Kelly. She had emailed a slew of friends/bloggers to join her rainbow blog hop. I've participated in a two of her hops, and they are always fun. Truly. But I was in that deep dark hole, and didn't want to come out. She must have sensed something, because I didn't reply right away - and posted a message for me on facebook to see. She told me to check my email - and to hurry up with a reply so I didn't miss out. I ended up emailing her and said "I was trying not to reply". I didn't want to do a fun blog hop, because I was feeling quite the opposite and was too much in a slump to think of anything fun. I didn't want to sew - was even at the point of packing up my brand new baby bernina and putting her deep into a closet. I didn't want to do anything. But she convinced me to reply, so I did....reluctantly. While that was going on - I was in the process of making a huge duck tape house. With my girls playing on occasion, and collaborating with me - I was able to stop thinking of everything that brought stress or sadness.

I continued to think about the package Laura was sending and what would I make with random green things. Yep - I thought she was sending me green. SO I had this grand idea...and when I got the package - I tore into it and saw tons of yellow. What??? Yellow - Laura? Seriously. I could've sworn she'd mail me my favorite color, but she didn't. Now what? What am I'm going to make with all this yellow.

Somehow, someway - she must have gotten a message. A message passed down from a prayer. ANd this was my answer. I needed more sunshine in my life - and she sent me yellow. One of my most favorite and special patterns from my book is the Gnome Doll. I decided to make a yellow Gnome. A little girl that brightened my days, as I worked on her. She gave me hope. I debated her name, as did my daughters, my mom and my sister...and ended up on Lily. Little Miss Lily. I could've named her Sunshine, or Summer, or Daffodil, Lemon Drop, Lemonade....but Lily seemed like a more gentle name. Most lilies are white, but many are yellow too.

As sad as it will be to see her go, I have decided to spread the sunshine and send her off onto new adventures in a new home. In a way she saved me. She helped me to think of spring and summer, and all the beautiful good things to come in just a few short weeks. I can hold on a little longer now. If you have gotten to the end of this - thank you. If you are feeling the same way as me - I'm sorry. And yet - I'm so glad to not be alone. The sun will come out tomorrow. That is my hope. That is my wish.

So here's the deal - visit me on Instagram....I will post this giveaway image (above - the one with the extra fabric/thread and Maine candies) on Monday...follow the instructions on there for your chance to win this most special Gnome. Did I tell you - this will be the first Gnome I've given away? She can be yours - if you try your luck. Thanks for reading my long winded sob story. Thank you Laura for inviting and encouraging me to participate in your rainbow hop, and for giving me yellow! Please visit Laura's blog for a list of the other participants and to see what they made or see links below.

To find out more about my book Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love, click the book link to the right. To sign up for my newsletters, click the link below.

So sorry to Laura for leaving out the fun Rafflecopter! Enter for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

Busy Monday: The Gnome Girls made it to STUFFED

I've waited forever to share this awesome news...and then when I finally could, one thing lead to another, and I got sick for 6 weeks out of 7! I've been playing catch up ever since.

Some of you may recognize these little gnome girls from my Designer Showcase table last year at the Craft and Hobby Winter Show. And although that was their first "official" outing in public and away from their forest, their story goes much further back in time! These Gnome girls were based off of my twin sister Sue and I! She has always had a love of Fairies and I have always loved gnomes and all things small, cute, and imaginary (but real - always real).

I was so excited to submit these Gnome Girls (GNaomi and Willow) to be considered for the Winter 2012 issue of STUFFED Magazine and then almost missed the deadline thinking I could submit it via email. Nope. Not really! I frantically mailed them out over night at the last minute and they were still - miraculously - accepted for submission.

Then a couple of months later I was in the car with my family (not driving) and was checking my emails. I got an email from STUFFED and found out that my Gnome girls were going to appear in the Winter issue! I was so excited I cried. My daughters felt so bad that I was crying - until I told them why. Then they asked "well - why are you crying if you are so excited mommy"! Gotta love the things kids say! Excited just wasn't even a strong enough word for it!

Eventually I received an email with a PDF copy of the spread to proof. Again - so excited. Now it was real. No matter how many issues or publications I've seen my designs in, a new one is still so exciting and even validating. That I must be doing something right!

The other happy surprise I discovered after the publication was released on the Stampington website, was the surprise mug shot of my Gnome Girls on the Table of Contents too! These girls must have been so pumped and had so much fun at their photo shoot! lol! (they are real you know!)

I haven't decided yet if I will offer this pattern in my first sewing pattern book or online in my Etsy shop. So stay tuned! It will be available at some point! I promise.

If you want to make Gnaomi & Willow's adorable tent, click this Mini Tent link. I love giving some things for free...I thought every little kid (and adult) should make a little tent like this one for all their imaginary (real) friends! It would make a great little house for a family pet too!

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for reading all my kid giddy news! I love what I do and love sharing it with all of my readers. I leave for this years Craft and Hobby Winter Show in just 10 days! So I have to get busy! Keep checking back for more fun stuff and my Anna Griffin Fabric and Patterns giveaway! You know - these yummy (Butterfly, Sunflower, Peony, Dog Bone & Scotty Dog) patterns....that's right! I have one of each pattern to dish out, and some awesome Anna Griffin fat quarter fabric bundles to some lucky readers! You won't want to miss it!

Have an awesome day and a wonderful week everyone!

Giddy up Friday: Gnome Sweet Gnomes!

My daughter's and I just returned home from watching the awesome and adorable Gnomeo and Juliet movie! We've been waiting so long to see it and since Daddy is on a business trip - I planned to take them to do a fun thing to keep them from getting too sad...this was the PERFECT pick me up!

As soon as we got in the car, we began chatting about our favorite scenes! We then moved right onto:
"When we get home....I'm going to draw a picture of my OWN gnomes!" exclaimed Elephant!
"Yeah, and I'm going to draw some too", replied Monkey! and she continued with "Ph and Mommy, can we play with the clay and make some clay Gnomes?"
To which I most certianly replied with, "well....YEAH!!!, totally!"

So we bust out the sculpey and made these....They were so much fun and are sure to come to life when we leave the house! If you make some - drop me a link, I'd love to see your Gnomes - I'm obsessed! Have a great weekend!

Busy Monday: Gnome Costume

My youngest daughter is not "obsessed" with Gnomes, but really enjoys going to Grandma's house to search for a little kitchen Gnome that wakes up every night and travels around the kitchen getting into things and making messes. She loves finding him in the morning and tries to determine exactly what he was up to while she was sleeping!

After having our landscaping done by "Gnome Landscaping" we got a Gnome (named Forest) left on our doorstep for our garden! He doesn't travel at all because he's "too old" but does a great job watching the deer eat all of the tomatoes, peppers and everything else we planted this year! He's not much of a "guardian" garden gnome because those deer got away with everything!

 

Naturally amongst all this - she wanted to be a Gnome Girl for Halloween this year. She wanted to be a Gnome last year, but the thought of making it then was too daunting for me! This year I knew I couldn't get away with buying another princess costume, so I pretty much had no other option but to make it!

So here's the costume and brief descriptions how I made it....We'll start off first with the "vision" drawing...

Here's the Jacket:

 

Start with 3 pieces: 2 front sides that are the same, and one back piece that is the same size as the 2 fronts.

 

After sewing the side seams and the top shoulder seams, turn right side out.

 

Cut sleeves to desired length and sew to arm hole and then sew the length.

 

Attach Ruffle to edge (I rounded the corners as I went!) and to the sleeves (see the skirt).

 

Add the Fabric Covered buttons for decoration.

 

Cute fabric covered buttons of Gnome Girls is from Michael Miller Gnoming Around Yellow Fabric.

Here's the Skirt:

Cut out 2 pieces of a skirt. I used Pattern Ease for making a rough pattern. When in doubt add a few inches to sides and length! I also cut the fleece with the stretch going from side to side!

Turn down seam and stitch leaving a small opening for the elastic.

I used 4" width ruffles. Fold in half & hand or machine stitch a basting stitch and then pin your ends and center in place.

Keep finding the center points and pinning them, so it's easier to know the ruffle will be consistent!

Sew on the Ruffles and turn skirt right side out.

 

Here's the Hat:

Who doesn't want a cute pointy polka dot hat with a matching fleece flower. 

Here's the Apron:

I added ric-rac to the apron for cuteness factor!

Cut 4 straps for the neck and waist ties. The ties will be facing inway and wouldn't be seen technically - but I showed them so you know to make them! This is the Michael Miller "Gnomeville" Red Border fabric panel! Way cute!

After sewing all around the edge (leaving a couple inches open), turn right side out and top stitch all the way around! I'd use a more rounded inside corner up by the waist straps (where the top meets the bottom).

All of the pieces were made without use of a pattern. These are Kid Giddy Original patterns and therefore cannot be created for resale purposes. I am sharing this tutorial out of the kindness of my heart to satisfy all the Gnome loving children out there. You can use this tutorial to make a costume for yourself or your child. PLEASE do not copy this and sell it for your own use! Likewise, please do not copy the tutorial by retaking all of your own photos and posting it on your blog as your own. I've seen it happen - so please give credit where credit is due. Thanks!