You might have gathered from the above video that I have good news. You would be correct.
I am now a professional blogger! No, I have no plans to quit my day job, but I will be posting a few tutorials for Havel's Sewing. Don't know Havel's? They make great lightweight scissors and cutting tools.
My first tutorial is for my pineapple quilt from a few months ago. You remember, this one:
Check out
my tutorial at Havel's, and if pineapples aren't your thing, you can adapt this technique, as I did for this peacock mug rug:

Just follow steps 12 - 22 using peacock-inspired fabrics for the "petals."
Download this pdf to applique the peacock's body to his feathers (feel free to
email me for more in depth instructions). To complete, just add a strip of background fabric to the bottom of the peacock and back, quilt and bind. Done!
Don't feel like making a peacock? Today's *someone's* lucky day! Enter the giveaway to win the peacock mug rug AND my favorite Havel's product:
Dura Snips! I wear these around my neck whenever I'm sewing – they are great for snipping threads and I always know where they are!

Want to win?? Leave a comment here telling me what you would like to see as a tutorial. Also, blog or tweet (using @modernjax in your tweet) for an additional entry (come back here and add a comment to let me know you've posted). Don't forget, I need a way to contact you if you win -- no email address means no entry! You have until Friday July 8 at 5:00 EST to enter.
Also, feel free to comment on my tutorial at Havel's letting them know you like what you see (if, of course, you like what you see!). Thanks, friends!
PS I love how the peacock finished -- I added hanging corners and used
Anne Marie's all machine binding technique. Easy Peasy!

PPS Happy 4th of July! We are avoiding the crowds and planning on watching the festivities from our backyard with a campfire and s'mores! Yum!