Giddy Up Friday: Snow People Chess Set, Crafts n' things

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When I was younger, I remember going to visit my Great-Grandmother at her house. (I was young - I thought it was her house, but many years later found out it was not her house but my mother's Aunt's house). For the sake of the memory, I still call it her house. I remember in the front room a little table, with a checker board painted right on it. It was a small round table, just big enough for the board and some chess pieces (again from memory). I've always had a love of chess since learning it, but honestly don't play it all that often. I can beat my husband any time while playing Othello, but he often check mates me in Chess! Regardless of wether I win or lose, I still love the game. I love the pieces and I love the challenge and strategies.

When I went to visit my dad in Utah one summer, I went to his office at BYU and saw some chess pieces made from steel. There they were, lined up along the top of a desk or windowsill. They struck me as simple and beautiful, and I have wanted them ever since.

I don't have a machine that can turn a bar of steel into amazing chess pieces, but I had a vision of creating a kingdom of winter chess pieces with the wooden trees and snowmen that you'd find in any hobby store. I will be the first to admit that painting and stamping is not my go to medium, but once in a while I am smitten with an idea and must tackle it head on! You can find all the information for this project in the current Feb 2012 Crafts 'n things Magazine! (You'll even see it on the front cover in the top corner!) I hope you enjoy making your own set! If you have children, invite them to help or let them make their own! Here's what you'll need!...I bought all of my own supplies and got all the wooden pieces from a place online called craftparts.com. (I was not paid to say that)! Since crafts parts is no longer selling the tiny snowmen, you can also try this other website.

T-minus 5 days until I leave for the ever fun Craft and Hobby convention. Stress is high and there's still so much to do! Thanks for visiting, and it's almost time for that Anna Griffin pattern giveaway I mentioned last week! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that post!

Have a wonderful week and come find me if you are attending CHA, I'd love to meet you! You can tweet me @kidgiddy to find me!

(PS...have you seen what my twin sister Sue, has been up to lately? Here's her latest project featured in the beginning of the same issue! - it's only a sneak peak - so you'll have to get the copy and check it out!)

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!

Busy Monday: Carter the Crab Softie - "Bits 'n Pieces by Kerry Goulder"

Hi everyone,

Get your copy while it's hot! The latest issue (July/Aug 2011) of Crafts 'n things Magazine is a very special one this month! Not only is my sweet little Carter the Crab pattern available inside, but MY SISTER's awesome Terrarium tutorial is on the FRONT COVER!!! I was so excited for her and thought it was really fun for each of us to have a project in there at the same time!

As the magazine mentioned - spending summer months with my daughter's finding hermit crabs in the Maine waters have been nothing short of fun, relaxing & awe inspiring! What they didn't have room to mention, was how I wish I could bring them back to my days as a young girl crabbing off the docks at my grandparents house (named "PrattsBottom") in Bozman, Maryland. During cold winter months, I long for summer. I have a life long love of of the beach and all things found there.

I was told my grandmother made the best crab cakes - but I couldn't stand the smell or the taste - so I was content to disagree. Eventually my dad warned me that whatever I caught I had to eat (crabbing or fishing). So I got smart! I would wrap my chicken with string, sit on the dock, lower it in and wait for a crab to grab on. As soon as I had one on my line I'd pull him up slowly and carefully, get a really good long look at him, and then quickly shake him off before my dad could see that I had one! lol! They are just so beautiful to look at. Their coloring is exquisite!

I greatly miss those days sitting on the dock in Bozman. A tiny little town, where the peace surrounds you. I made this little Carter the Crab with those memories in mind. Special memories from my youth. The great thing about these little crabs - they don't bite...and even better than that - I don't have to eat any of them! But they are fun to make, and fun to play with!

I hope you enjoy making your Carter the Crab softies with my original pattern! Please let me know if you have any questions putting yours together! Have an awesome day!

My HUGE News....Anna Griffin Sewing Patterns...by ME!

So It's Tuesday, two days after a very amazing and very long Spring Quilt Market weekend. I slept much of yesterday after dropping my girls off at school, yet it didn't seem like enough when it was time to pick them up. I'm still very sleep & family deprived after many months of working my tail off since attending the Craft & Hobby Convention in LA. I still haven't finished recapping that weekend - since I started working immediately for Anna Griffin, Inc.! But I will soon...really!

Did you read that?...that I worked with Anna Griffin? So here's the big news. I approached her booth at the CHA convention and spoke to her Communications Manager (love Lindsey!) and explained what I do and that I would love to work with Anna. I asked that she come to visit my Designer showcase table the next day if she had time and much to my surprise, found Anna approaching my table that very next day. She loved my work and we immediately began talking about some opportunities for the Spring Quilt Market.

Without providing all of the details - I made my proposal, and it was accepted and we went from there. I received loads of fabric and began whipping up samples and patterns as we discussed, writing all of the instructions and digitally drawing all of the illustrations for each of the patterns. So for all of you fine folks out there desperately waiting for your thumb covers while my shop was closed and then open but not shipping...this is what I was working on all those months! (thank you for your patience!)

It was a very intense and very rewarding opportunity to work with Anna Griffin and all of her wonderful people (like Lindsey and Holley)! This is just the beginning. I have more great stuff to tell you in the future - but again...it's all under wraps for now. You'll be there first to know (aside from my close family) when the cat is out of the next bag!

So here are some Anna Griffin, Inc Sewing Patterns that will be available in a quilt shop near you (designed by me) come mid to late June....The Scotty Dog with his cute little cape, The Bone Pillow, The Peony Pillow, the Sunflower Pillow and the Butterfly Pillow!

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What's even more awesome than all of this...is that when they come out - you can come back here for a chance to win a pattern for yourself! Anna has given me permission to give some to my readers! And I just might have to throw in some of her gorgeous fabric that I have remaining! So what do you think? Do you have a favorite? Please do tell! Thanks for stopping by - thanks for reading Kid Giddy and sharing in my joy and accomplishments!

Have a splendid day!

Busy Monday: "Bits 'n Pieces by Kerry Goulder" - Sammy the Seahorse Softie Photo Tutorial

Hello crafty friends,

It's that time again to bring you the next softie in my "Bits 'n Pieces" series from Crafts 'n things Magazine. This series started off with a very fun little "Hedgehog Softie" and the adorable "Tufty Family" which will be available soon in my Etsy shop!

Please be sure to get your copy of the May/June 2011 issue of Crafts 'n Things Magazine so you can get the pattern and written instructions, as they will not all be included here.
 

If you have any questions at all - please do not hesitate to drop me a comment here to let me know! If you'd like to share your Sammy the Seahorse creations - you can visit my Kid Giddy Facebook page and upload a picture of your cute little seahorses and all the fun places they are hanging out! Thanks for purchasing a copy of Crafts 'n Things magazine and supporting crafters like me! Have fun sewing!

Please note these photos are for home and personal use only, as is the pattern. All are copyright protected 2010-2011. Due to copyright and contractual agreements, these tutorial photos will only be up while the magazine is on the newsstands through mid to late June 2011.

Busy Monday: "Bits 'n Pieces by Kerry Goulder" - Tufty Family Photo Tutorial

Hello crafty friends,

As you may well know by now, I've teamed up with Crafts 'n Things Magazine to bring you my new series "Bits 'n Pieces" during 2011. This series started off with a very fun little "Hedgehog Softie", and now just in time for spring, comes the adorable "Tufty Family". This photo tutorial will help you put your little bird family together along with their cozy nest. Gather your scraps and lets get to work!

Please be sure to get your copy of the March/April issue of Crafts 'n Things Magazine so you can get the pattern and written instructions, as they will not all be included here.

Each photo has a Step # on it. That Step # correlates with the ones in the magazine (I really try to make crafting easy!).

If you have any questions at all - please do not hesitate to drop me a comment here to let me know! If you'd like to share your Tufty Family creations - you can visit my Kid Giddy Facebook page and upload a picture of your cute little families and all the fun places they are hanging out! Thanks for purchasing a copy of Crafts 'n Things magazine and supporting crafters like me! Have fun sewing!

Please note these photos are for home and personal use only, as is the pattern. All are copyright protected 2010-2011. These photos will only be up while the magazine is on the newsstands through mid to late April 2011.

Busy Monday: "Bits 'n Pieces by Kerry Goulder" - Hedgehog Softie Photo Tutorial

Hi everyone,

I'm teaming up again with Crafts 'n Things Magazine to bring you my new series "Bits 'n Pieces" during 2011. The series starts off with this little cutie, the "Hedgehog Softie"! Here is the photo tutorial to help you put your Hedgehog friend together.

Please be sure to get your copy of the Jan/Feb issue of Crafts 'n Things Magazine so you can get the pattern and written instructions, as they will not all be included here.

Due to contractual copyright agreements, this tutorial is no longer available on my blog. To get the Hedgehog pattern and instructions, please visit my Etsy shop.


If you have any questions at all - please do not hesitate to drop me a comment here to let me know! If you'd like to share your Hedgehog creation - you can visit my Kid Giddy Facebook page and upload a picture of your cute little Hedgehogs and all the fun places they are hiding in! Thanks for purchasing a copy of Crafts 'n Things magazine and supporting crafters like me! Have fun sewing!

Please note these photos are for home and personal use only, as is the pattern. All are copyright protected 2010-2011. These photos will only be up while the magazine is on the newsstands through mid to late February 2011.

Busy Monday: Scrappy Owl Photo Tutorial

Hi everyone,

I'm so excited and speechless to have this opportunity to be teaming up with Crafts 'n Things Magazine to bring you a photo tutorial to help you put your Scrappy Owl Ornament Sachet together.

Please be sure to get your copy of the Sept/Oct issue of Crafts 'n Things Magazine so you can get the pattern and written instructions, as they will not all be included here.

Each photo has a Step # on it. That Step # correlates with the ones in the magazine (I really try to make crafting easy!)

I do not have photos of Steps 1 is tracing the pattern and cutting it out. I have not included that step. Let me know if you need it! Since Step 2 was requested, I am adding that now (today is now Oct 6, 2010 - took me long enough!)

So here goes:

A= 1/4" Seam Allowance, B= Trim rounded edges, C= Turn inside out (see photo below), D= Top Stitch

If you have any questions at all - please do not hesitate to drop me a comment here to let me know! If you'd like to share your Scrappy Owl creation - you can visit Crafts 'n Things Facebook page and upload a picture of your cute little owls and all the fun they are getting into! Thanks for purchasing a copy of Crafts 'n Things magazine and supporting crafters like me! Have fun sewing!

Please note these photos are for home and personal use only, as is the pattern. All are copyright protected 2010.