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You'll get your giveaway results -- but first you must read my post! BWA HA HA HA!

I've decided to sell custom iPad sleeve in my Etsy shop. I'm thinking about phasing out the baby stuff (the diapers and wipes cases for sure), and this iPad cover has been one of the most popular things I've ever made. The idea of custom appeals to me -- that way I don't have to keep a lot of stock in my shop!

I made a Half-Life sleeve for a friend at work, and I wanted to get a shot of both of them together. Unfortunately I don't have two iPads, so I attempted to take the photos at work after I delivered the sleeve. Lighting in our building is HIDEOUS.

The funeral parlor look...

...or the dirty radiator look.

Neither really appeals. *sigh*

But I have fabric to cheer me up! I won a Sew, Mama, Sew! gift certificate a few weeks back, and when I saw the anniversary discount code I jumped on some deals. After I applied the gift certificate, I spent $1.50 on...

Not pictured: this cute pattern!
And a close up of the doggies so you can see them in all their glory!


OK, you've suffered enough! The winners of the giveaway are...

SMS Giveaway:


Which corresponds to:


Appreciation Giveaway:


Which corresponds to:



I'll be emailing you both! Thanks to everyone for entering!

"Mothers are all slightly insane."

(Quote from J.D. Salinger)

Looking for the SMS Giveaway post? Look here. But you should read this post first, it's pretty okay. Are you a regular reader and want to win something? Look here.

My insanity was rewarded this Mother's Day with some lovely gifts including....

...an adorable apron from SIL Chris...


...and a bouquet from SIL Kathleen.

I don't usually have fresh flowers in the house because the cat becomes OBSESSED, so I have been keeping these in the sewing room with the door closed. It makes me happy whenever I walk into the room!
Charlie got me the entire set of video game quilt patterns from Carolina Patchworks...


...and Jaxon (via daddy) got me this sweet print by Jellybeans.


I had a gift card left from my birthday and I decided to buy a little giftie for myself, only I couldn't decide so I ended up with two new pairs of shoes...


...unfortunately my ankle isn't quite well enough to tempt the fates with heels, so these are living in the boxes for now. And I will obviously wear the matching pair once I am able!

But it hasn't been all generous gifts-to-Beth around here. I completed Courtney's block for Quilt Around the World, inspired by a tree in her inspiration fabric.


Happy Holidays!

SMS Giveaway Day

Thanks for entering, the giveaway is now closed!

Welcome SMS guests to my giveaway post!

I am giving away a reversible tote, made of Amy Butler home dec fabric, containing a few surprises of the fabric/sewing variety.

Here you see both reversible sides of the tote in question. I'm tricky like that. Or I just made two.
Rules? Leave a comment with a way to contact you. No Reply Commenters who don't leave an email address will be disqualified.

Oh, and if you have been here before and left a comment on any non-giveaway post during the last six months, enter this one, too!

Appreciation Day

Thanks for entering, the giveaway is now closed!

Monday is SMS Giveaway Day, and I am doing a giveaway here, open to anyone. But I also wanted to thank those of you who take the time out of your day to regularly visit my blog. I hit 200 posts in April but haven't had a chance to celebrate.

I am giving away an identical gift to my SMS giveaway -- a reversible tote, made of Amy Butler home dec fabric, containing a few surprises of the fabric/sewing variety. BUT, this giveaway is only open to those of you who have commented on a non-giveaway post in the last six months. Yes, you can enter both giveaways, you just can't WIN both. Details, details.


So, this one is only for my regular bloggy friends!! Good luck!

Am I always behind??

I have recovered from what became a horrible cough and sinus infection AND my sprained ankle...but missing three days of work means I am playing catch up, and the way things are going I am not going to get caught up before the end of the quarter.

Awhile ago I started the next round of the Old Red Barn Co Quilt Along. I haven't participated since the first one, and this time it's hexagons which I haven't done before.

I diligently followed along the first week, and came up with this:


Uh oh. Those six triangle should make a hexagon. Apparently not all 60 degree triangles are created equally.

So it took me a bit, but I got a new ruler, cut the triangles down so they were truly 60 degrees, and added a strip of fabric to the bottoms so the triangles are the right height.


And now I am only three weeks behind!

But to cheer me up, this came in the mail!


Isn't it GORGEOUS?!?! This was the pay it forward from Lynz!! I had admired this pillow when she posted it with no idea it would show up at my house! Thanks, Lynz!!

And I'll post again soon to share our Mother's Day, but I will preview that post by showing you these Dahlia brooches I made.


I started with this tutorial, but instead of gluing all the petals I hand sewed them. I think it was much faster than waiting for all that glue to dry!

"Your arm is dead, it needs a nap."

I think I'll start using quotes from Jaxon as my title. The above was said today while he was pretending to be the doctor. Not The Doctor, just a doctor. Speaking of The Doctor, I am officially addicted. I have two episodes of Flash Forward and two episodes of Fringe to catch up on, but I keep watching Doctor Who on Netflix.

Anywho....thanks for the well wishes. My ankle is healing well, I'm barely hobbling at all, but I've developed a horrible keep-you-up-all-night cough.

Despite this, I made a great big delivery to the post office yesterday. I sent off the invitations to a baby shower I'm hosting and a blanket for a good friend to give to a good friend...

Don't worry, it didn't snow this week -- this is an old picture!

...as well as my April blocks for the Quilting Sisters Bee.


I also sent out my very last Hoop Up embroidery for Jessica's "under the sea" theme...


Although I was a bit under the gun there at the end, I really enjoyed this swap. I'm looking forward to seeing all my Ed Emberley–inspired embroideries on the sewing room wall.

But there's always another beginning, and I've joined the Quilts Around the World Christmas edition. Each member selects a block or theme and the other members add a block until you have a quilt. I sent this one out yesterday:


My theme is Whimsical North Pole. Members can choose to make this block, or another inspired by the North Pole.

So it looks like I can make good progress when I have to stay off my feet! Gotta go call my mom -- it's her birthday!

"Bring up the gimp."

Thursday night was our undergraduate awards banquet, and as I walked to my car I stepped in a low spot and turned my ankle. I felt something pop and promptly sat on the curb for a couple of minutes. Realizing that at 9:00 at night there was probably no one coming by to save me, I hobbled to the car and drove myself forty minutes to our house. It's my left foot -- not great when you have to work the clutch!

I got up early Friday so I could get it x-rayed on my way into work. Diagnosis: I *might* have broken the tip of my fibula. It's apparently hard to tell. Either way, I'm supposed to treat it like a sprain and stay of my feet.

To add insult to (literal) injury:

• Charlie has a cold (and generally is allergic to housework) so the house looks like a bomb went off -- of course, besides a runny nose, Jaxon feels fine.
  
• I have a sore throat, cough, and laryngitis, so I sound lovely.
  
• I still had to go to work for our faculty meeting on Friday.
  

But I did come home in the early afternoon Friday and spent the rest of the day like this:


Finishing my second-to-last Hoop Up! and watching Dr. Who on Netflix.
I was able to finish Corinne's embroidery last night, and started my last one this morning. Looks like I might be on time!


I also tried to get a better photo of Jennie's circles, but life wasn't cooperating....


If you're looking for me I'm camped out on the couch!