HELLO Giveaways!

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    Giveaway Day 28 — There Will Be Fabric

    ByHeather Bailey

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    There are strike-offs everywhere at the studio today, looking better
    than ever. They tend to show up with only a moment's notice and require a
    fast turn around. Reviewing fabric samples takes daylight though—and
    therefore a reshuffling of the day's top projects. If it can be done in
    the dark, it gets bumped.

    Over my years designing fabric, I've learned that the sooner I hand in
    my color notes, the sooner I get finished fabric in hand. When
    strike-offs arrive, our little ant hill stirs into a frenzy to get the
    job done and set the world straight again.

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    All stirred up and settled back down again. Daylight has faded, but
    the job is done. Even better, we don't have to wait till this collection
    is ready for production before… there… will… be… fabric.

    In fact, we don't have to wait long at all. There is a tower of boxes a
    few feet behind me—just delivered today—that house a brand-new fabric
    collection. The only thing holding me back from tearing into the
    shipment is getting today's giveaway posted while it's still the 28th!

    ZZ-GFT03_050-2_300So,
    let's hop to it. You enter the giveaway, I'll open the boxes. And as
    soon as daylight rolls back in, we'll take some pictures, sew up a few
    little ditties and set the pretties before you within the week.

    With a new fabric collection close at hand, I figure a $50 gift certificate to the HeatherBaileyStore.com would make someone's day.

    Comment to enter. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    in the comment form so we can contact you if you win.

    Today's giveaway will close at 11:59pm PST on Thursday 8/29/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather 

    Read More “Giveaway Day 28 — There Will Be Fabric”

  • Giveaway Day 27

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Who is ready for more retail therapy?

    Today's prize is a $50 gift certificate to ShopRuche.com, a gorgeous and varied online retailer, carrying everything from women's apparel, shoes and accessories to children's clothing, home decor and books. Ruche even has a bridal section. And you can shop a selection of stylish 'curvy plus' items as well. Explore their online store for luscious photos and fantastic finds.

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    Founded in 2008 by husband and wife team, Mai and Josh Olivo,
    Ruche is a vintage-inspired boutique with a modern perspective. In
    short, they describe Ruche's aesthetic as "feminine, flirty, clever and
    cute, yet subtly sophisticated "

    Like any happening company these days, Ruche can be found all over the social media world. Follow Ruche on facebook, twitter, tumblr, pinterest and instagram. And don't miss their gorgeous videos on you tube.

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    Comment to enter today's giveaway. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form.

    ShopRucheImage300LToday's
    giveaway will close at 11:59pm PST on Weds 8/28/13    —which means it
    will overlap with Day 26's giveaway
    which ends tonight and Day 28's giveaway which will go up tomorrow, so
    don't miss those. We want you to have plenty of time to enter. Watch for
    the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 27”

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    Giveaway Day 26

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I'm am all about art supplies. I love nothing more than to sit at my
    drafting table with a fiesta of colorful paints, markers and tools
    within reach. It's also handy to have a few supplies that are easy to
    pack up and take with me for long family functions, for travel, or even
    for a trip to the park with the kids.

    Day26_WatercolorA_300bOne of my all-time-favorite, easy-to-pack art supplies is my compact set of Winsor Newton watercolor
    half-pans (the official name for these little dried cubes of paint). I
    love to work with pan paints on the go. And each half-pan can be replaced
    as it is used—without having to get a whole new set of colors. In fact,
    you can swap the colors around, add new ones, remove a few, and make
    your own custom palette to paint with.

    The teensy-tiny box opens up to reveal plenty of palette surface for mixing colors. There is even a little water tray for plein-air
    painting. (I don't use the water tray myself. I'm happy to bring a
    larger cup along.) Also included is a small, round paintbrush which is
    stored inside the compact.

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    These pan paints don't offer the same pigment depth as top-of-the-line
    tube paint, but they are a good quality for a traveling set. And this
    little box of watercolors has remained one of my favorite art supplies
    over many years. You might recall my March of the Tools post on these from a few years back.

    WinsorNewtonWatercolorSetTraveller300Today's lucky winner will receive a new Winsor Newton compact watercolor set to call her own, the same traveling kit that I use. A $38 value.

    Comment to enter today's giveaway. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form.

    Today's giveaway will close at 11:59pm PST on Tuesday 8/27/13—which means it will overlap with Day 25's giveaway and Day 27th's giveaway, so don't miss those. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 26”

  • Giveaway Day 25

    ByHeather Bailey

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    In honor of Evan's birthday on the 25th, our Day 25 HELLO Giveaway is one of our favorite children's toys, Theo the cat, an 18" knit doll. A $56 value. Theo is chartreuse for heaven's sake. It doesn't get better than chartreuse.

    A brand-new Theo made his way to our studio from LaylaGrayce.com, an incredibly diverse and inspirational online store, carrying everything from chandeliers and designer sofas to apparel, gifts and toys.
    I urge you to go take a look. Their taste is impeccable. Whether you're
    redecorating or just picking out a few gifts here and there, you will
    find so many great options on their site.

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    Thank you, LaylaGrayce.com for generously donating today's prize and for offering such a wide variety of these adorable Blabla Kids knit dolls,
    including raccoons, foxes, bunnies, bears, wolves, mermaids, monkeys
    and elephants, to name a few. They are soft and squishy and alltogether
    cool.

    Look at how many of these dolls work for boys as well as girls. I love that.

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    For decorating inspiration and first news on new products, follow Layla Grayce on twitter, facebook, instagram, pinterest, and on their inspirational blog.

    Read More “Giveaway Day 25”

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    Babies Don’t Keep

    ByHeather Bailey

    My giveaway plans were derailed today by a very important little person and his very own 2nd birthday. Little Evan
    is two years old today! When I giddily plucked him from his crib this
    morning, we snuggled up on Charlotte's bed while I sang him a Happy
    Birthday song. At the end of every phrase, Evan chimed in with "cake!" 

    Happy Birthday to you…cake!…Happy Birthday to you…cake!… Happy Birthday dear Evan…cake!…Happy Birthday to you…cake!

    He knows what's important.

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    It took us till eveningtime to finally make good on the promise of
    cake with a small family birthday party. Boisterous cousins followed
    Evan about, patting his head and picking him up in turn. By the time
    cake was served, Evan couldn't care less about the stir of children
    throughout our home. Cake, at last—what a birthday is all about.

    I wanted to write Evan a little love note today to enumerate his
    sweet particularities at this age, count the many ways in which I love
    him. But, Sundays are my busiest days—even without a birthday to
    celebrate. As such, the love note didn't happen. And today's giveaway
    post didn't happen either. When it came down to it, I had to choose
    between photographing and writing a giveaway post and giving my little
    son his birthday dues—time, attention and cake. I chose the baby.

    I could prep and post today's giveaway
    now, but it's getting too late in the night to do our awesome Day 25
    prize justice. Instead, I'm going to go for a double header tomorrow and
    put up two separate giveaways in two separate posts. Hang tight and
    watch for those tomorrow. I'll make sure the deadlines are generous so
    you won't miss your chance.

    Happy, Happy Birthday to my darling boy. From our early morning
    cake-song to my late-night blog update, today, I'm reminded of this
    lovely poem by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton—though it could use a new stanza about the internet, the computer and the smart phone:

    Song for a Fifth Child

    Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
    Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
    Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
    Sew on a button and make up a bed.
    Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
    She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

    Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
    (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
    Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
    (Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
    The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
    And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
    But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
    Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
    (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

    The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
    For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
    So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
    I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

  • Giveaway Day 24 — Mary!

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I have been a long-time fan of Mary Engelbreit.
    When I was a kid, there was a sticker and stationery store at the
    nearby mall. It was my favorite stop. The one day I was allowed to
    choose any sticker from the sticker wall, I went home with a 2.5" circle
    sticker designed by Mary. It featured a girl in a wide straw hat with
    glasses and bobbed hair, the classic Mary character. It was signed "ME"
    at the bottom.

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    I didn't know who "ME" was at the time. But as I discovered "ME" on
    more and more products, I connected the dots, asked around, and learned
    that "ME" was the delightful, talented and prolific Mary Engelbreit.

    MaryEngelbreitPortrait300jpgHer perspective and aesthetic have withstood the test of time. For decades now,
    Mary's
    artwork has adorned millions of greeting cards and everything from
    calendars and best-selling children's books to gifts, crafts and home
    accents.

    About six years ago, I had the privilege to work with Mary's team at Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine on the cover-story for the April/May 2008 issue. Such a great magazine.

    In fact, Mary unknowingly connected me with one of my good friends.
    When I put a general call out for help on the Home Companion photoshoot,
    Jona
    volunteered. This is how we first met. I later learned that she was an
    uber Mary-Engelbreit fan and had counted her lucky stars for the
    opportunity to come to the shoot. She had collected every single issue
    of Mary's magazine, except for the first issue.

    MaryatQuiltMarketThrough
    the magazine's editors, Barbara and Kathy, I was able to set Jona up
    with a signed copy of that first issue—to complete her collection.

    I have yet to meet Mary in person. She was at Quilt Market a year or so
    ago, but I couldn't get free to wait in the enormous line of fans eager
    to shake her hand. This woman is popular! I have been delighted to get to know her through Instagram though, of all places. And I look forward meeting her one day.

    Though I am sure she has weathered every storm and sunny day an
    art-licensing business brings with it, Mary has maintained a joyful and
    engaging point of view—a sweet, humorous and uplifting spirit that
    continues to win fans worldwide.

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    I'm honored to announce that Mary herself is offering today's giveaway prize—a big box of Mary Engelbreit calendars for 2014. Calendars of every shape and size. A $90 value. 

    Keep up with Mary on her EngelBlog—and on facebook, instagram and pinterest as well. Shop her amazing variety of products online at MaryEngelbreit.com or at retailers virtually everywhere.

    Read More “Giveaway Day 24 — Mary!”

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    Giveaway Day 23

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Tweedle-dee-and-tweedle-dum_post2I
    was up all night altering my son's band uniform. The only pair of pants
    they had on hand for a 6'4" kid were equally as big around—serious
    Tweedle-Dee pants.

    In the end, I removed 15 total inches from the girth of the pants,
    taking out 1" to 6" on five different seams: inseams, outseams, and
    center back. And I added two darts in the front to bring the suspenders
    closer together.

    I deserve a sewing badge for extreme alteration. That was some WiLd
    sewing. I've never modified a garment so drastically before. I'm
    stocking up on mama points this week. Going to cash them in for
    babysitting—starting tonight. Hooray for the weekend!

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    Today's giveaway is a collection of Heather Bailey paper-crafting supplies, including
    a variety of clear stamps, ribbons, die-cut felt trim, stickers, ink
    pads—all sorts of bright happy supplies. A $43 value.


    Read More “Giveaway Day 23”

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    Giveaway Day 21

    ByHeather Bailey

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    For today's prize, how about a little Christmas in the summertime?
    This way, at least one of us will be prepared when December comes along
    sooner than we expect it!

    Winner receives a party pack of Heather Bailey holiday supplies, including dinner plates, dessert plates, napkins, party cups—and lo! matching invitations. Everything you need to be polished and prepared for some holiday fun this year. A $54 value.

    We loaded our holiday invitations, photo cards and picnicware into
    the shop today. Please note that we're limited to supply on hand though,
    so snatch up these holiday items
    while they last. There's a part of me that wants to hoard the entire
    timeless supply for my own future use, but I'm talking myself through
    it. I'll design more. I'll design more. I can share.

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    Speaking of sharing…

    Comment to enter. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form; I can access it from behind the scenes.

    Today's giveaway will close at 11:59pm PST on Wednesday 8/21/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 21”

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    Giveaway Day 20

    ByHeather Bailey

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    My day has gone to school meetings. Elijah switched high schools this
    year and we're working to get him established at a school one mile from
    our home. We were driving him 25 minutes away each day, back and forth
    for the last two years, often several times a day and this really put a
    pinch on our time at home as a family.

    This year, Elijah volunteered to change schools. He and his dad both
    seem okay with it. I'm still resolving my own feelings. He not only has
    no friends there yet, but the school is in a different school district
    and runs quite differently from what he is used to. And he had to leave
    behind one of the state's top marching band programs (the reason he had
    insisted on that school in the first place).

    Day20_Pig-Doll_300I
    hate that he's switching halfway through high school. Ug. I wish I
    would have pushed more strongly for this close-by school two years ago.
    I'm working to feel at peace with the mid-stream change. Today's
    meetings helped with that quite a bit. We brought in a list of things we
    felt would help Elijah transition well and the response was, "This is
    what we, here, call good teaching. This will be no problem at all." Just
    what we needed to hear! I liked his last school a lot, but the
    administration at the new school made a great first impression today.
    I'm one step closer to parental peace.

    Additionally, with the high school only one mile away now, I can get
    more involved and still keep my other two children on track. I'm
    hopeful, but I'm still holding my breath nonetheless.

    Day20_apronNeedless
    to say, my giveaway to-do list hasn't shed any pounds today while I've
    been out parenting. It's approaching evening time and I still have this
    giveaway to post and a number of winners to select. So, on with the
    show!

    With a $35 value, today's prize
    is a set of THREE Heather Bailey sewing patterns—Claira & Clancy Pig Dolls, Full Bloom Roses and the Daily Spice Apron—a variety of projects you can make for yourself or as gifts. Get an early start on the holidays. Or give the patterns as gifts.

    For more information on my piggie doll pattern (my personal favorite of the patterns we've published), click here. For my first preview of the Daily Spice apron pattern, head back seven years to this post. (It sounds like driving Elijah around was a part-time job even back then. Boy, how long have I been blogging now?) As for Full Bloom Roses, we may have only announced that pattern by newsletter originally, so get the details here.

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    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form. One entry per household.

    Today's giveaway will close at noon PST on Wednesday 8/21/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my big ol' August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 20”