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    Giveaway Day 19 — Stella

    Day19_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    At Quilt Market last May, I met Nathan and Stacy Wiedenmann who were
    there introducing a new product to the world. And it was no elementary,
    homespun product either, but a multi-function task light of all things.
    Now how do you get that made?

    The inventor in me can't resist new gadgets. The business owner in me
    thrills to see someone tackle manufacturing with success. Isaac has two
    pet lighting inventions he wants to patent and market one day, so
    meeting small business owners in the lighting trade is extra fun.

    Day19_StellaLamp_Logo4

    Now, I'm going to butcher the Stella Lighting
    story, but as I understand it, Nathan was at a meeting at Starbucks
    where he and an associate were discussing a prototype of this lamp when a
    quilter approached them to find out more about it. After a
    demonstration, she insisted that she needed the lamp and she needed it
    now. And that other quilters and crafters needed it too. The punchline
    is: this godsend matchmaker hooked up a great little lamp with an eager
    audience and it was true love.

    StellaBlackRightSo
    what makes this light different? The Stella task lamp is stocked with
    21 little LED light bulbs, all rated to last for 50,000+ hours—we'll
    call that a lifetime of use. You never have to change the bulbs. With
    efficient LED technology, the lamp uses 10% of the electricity of a
    comparably bright incandescent light. And the light stays cool, so you
    can work right under it very comfortably. It is available as a desk lamp or floor lamp.

    It also has five brightness levels, so it can be adjusted to the task at hand. You can choose from three different light temperatures, including a warm light (very similar to incandescent light), a very cool light, and a bright, daylight-balanced light.

    For me and my purposes, the
    daylight-balanced setting is where it's at. Much of my work involves
    reviewing colors for accuracy. And having a Stella on hand allows me to
    work later into the day, after the sun has set—perfect for evaluating
    fabric strike-offs, painting new artwork, or choosing thread colors.

    The light is even and bright and the neck of the lamp can be bent in almost any direction. It's streamline shape allows it to peek in quietly over your work or move aside as needed.

    Day19_StellaLamp_Logo4

    Check in with Stella on Twitter and Instagram. Visit StellaLighting.com
    for a video introduction and more information about the product and the
    company. Art stores, quilt stores, needlework stores and more are all
    starting to carry this new light, so watch for the Stella at your local
    shop.

    Stella Lighting is generously donating one white Stella task lamp for today's giveaway. A $220 value.


     Comment to enter. One entry per household. U.S. shipping only on this one. 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 noon PST on Tuesday 8/20/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within a few days at the bottom
    of the post.

    For the backstory on my August HELLO Giveaway project, click here. Please
    share the word. And check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 19 — Stella”

  • Lucky Number

    My son is 13 today.  Thirteen!  What in the world?  I was such a little grown-up at thirteen.  At least, I thought I was. 

    BoxShot470WT Things
    have been extra busy this month.  Isaac has built a wall to divide the
    main floor of my new office, allowing pattern storage to be neatly
    hidden away — and allowing the main work area to be cute-ified. I
    don't know when I'll get around to that cute-ification, but it now has
    the potential, which is a start.

    I have successfully ignored the
    move in order to wrap up some pressing projects.  A serious feat.  It
    looks like I have one more week to go.  Next time I make my way up
    there, I'll snap a photo of the new wall.  It was a lot of work and is
    just about finished.  There is a lot more work to do, but it will have
    to be gradual. With Nicey Jane new on the market and several new
    patterns popping, we're extra busy behind the scenes.

    Box470

    On a
    personal note, I purchased some cool, mid-century modern chairs today. 
    They need refinishing and new upholstery, but I can do that.  If it
    weren't for birthday dinner & birthday baking, I'd be out sanding
    them this evening.  Perhaps tomorrow.

    OpenBox470My camera is back too,
    which means more blogging. I can't seem to get comfortable posting
    without including photos. Case in point, the photos in this post. They
    don't relate to what I'm saying at all, but isn't this a fun vintage
    box? I gave it to Lindsay for Christmas, along with some other fun bits
    & baubs.  It's probably a stationery box from the 60s or 70s.  All
    it needed was a good cleaning and a refreshed interior. I used one of
    Amy Butler's scrapbook papers from a while back.  Don't they say that the best
    presents are those you have a hard time giving away? 
    Something like that. I love funky kitsch like this.