Serendipity Handmade Blogoversary Give-Away

My Pal, Collette, writes the cutest blog,  
Serendipity Handmade.

Today is her 3rd Blogoversary.

Collette honored me with an interview about Sew In Stitches.

I answer all those questions that I am so sure you have wanted to ask but were afraid to do so. ;)

AND [sound the trumpet fanfare!]

we are sponsoring a joint Give-Away!!

 How would you like to have this fabulous, handmade,
rockabilly-inspired, full-size  

"That's Alright Mama" Apron 

(in homage to my [Grand]Mama, and the late Elvis Presley):

Collette came up with the name! 

I need her to name all my creations, yes?

And Collette is throwing in a $15 gift certificate to
Serendipity Vintage,
her fab online pattern shop,
for those of you who love to sew!

She has lots and lots of patterns - vintage and hard to find.

$15 Gift Certificate

All you have to do to enter is be a follower of Collette's blog (new or old!) and enter through the Rafflecopter widget on her blog.  

It's easy. 

Go visit Serendipity Handmade!

Show her some love.

Share the love too.

  

 If you have read this far then 

I have one more surprise for you! 

Shop my etsy shop, Sew In Stitches, and use the coupon code

SERENDIPITYVINTAGE25 

to receive 25% off your purchase.

Sew, Mama, Sew GiveAway Winner!

We have Winner!!!

Congratulations Kristin! who wrote:

My favorite grill food would have to be chicken wrapped around fresh basil and tomato and marinated in fresh garlic and virgin olive oil. Ohhhh I ready for some grillin!

Thank you for the chance to win. This would make the perfect father's day gift, along with some grilling tools (toys as he calls them).

Do not be sad if you didn't win. 

I am offering free shipping in my etsy shop, Sew In Stitches, 

now through June 15th. 

Just in time for Dad's Day, Graduations, Weddings and Summer Cook-out Fun. 

Just use coupon code SMS2011.

And keep your eyes on your e-mails for another coupon.

I will be adding more aprons soon along with other goodies.

I am happy to discuss custom orders too!

Machine embroidered monograms or first names are available.

Just $5! 

That's cheaper than the famous catalogues and most stores!

Back to the sewing machine for me.

Again Thanks to all who dropped by during Sew, Mama, Sew's GiveAway!

Sew, Mama, Sew Give-Away

Woohoo!!

It GiveAways galore round these parts!

Today begins Sew, Mama, Sew's annual GiveAway!

This is my 3rd year participating and let me tell ya - it is amazing! Over 500 crafty folks are giving stuff away! Everything from Supplies to finished handcrafted goods. 

This apron could be yours!

Perfect for a Gal

Or a Guy 

Father's Day is just a few weeks away ya know.

Extra long ties to tie a bow in back or

in front.

Big pockets there too.

And an adjustable neck strap.

What must you do to win you ask?

Simply answer this question -

What is your favorite picnic/cookout food/drink?

I can only ship within the United States.

This Giveaway is open until Noon EST this Wednesday, May 25th.
After attempting to view the gazillion GiveAway blogs myself I have decided to extend the deadline  to midnight EST tonight!

Random Number Generator will determine 

the winner. 

I'll announce as soon as I know.

For additional entries you may:

Please leave a separate comment for each of these.

- write (or link to) the recipe for your favorite food or drink

- Become a Follower of my blog

-Check out my etsy shop, Sew In Stitches, and leave a comment on which is your favorite apron.

- "Like" my Sew In Stitches Facebook page and let me know here.

There ya go. 

5 chances to win a new apron.

Make sure I can reach you by e-mail. 

If you are a "No Reply Poster" then the Random Number Generator will draw another name!

After you finish here be sure to check out all the other giveaways at Sew, Mama, Sew.

Good Luck!

PS - Check out the other Giveaway I am participating in over at Just Jingle. 

It ends this Wednesday too.

Planning and planting - It's Garden time!

Bill and I recently finished fencing in a "new" garden area. Looks huge but it really isn't.

View from the house end. We had to fill dirt cause the builders put soooooo much gravel (12" deep) when they built it as a rental 15  or so years ago. We are the first owners to even attempt any "landscaping."

Here are the Irises getting ready to blossom.

And do we have rosemary!! That plant has been there for 5 years and just keeps going.

Chives are sprouting in between.

These darlings are Lily of the Valley that are transplanted from the ones my [Grand]Mama planted at my childhood home. I started with 4 (I think) plants last year and look at the multiplication!!

This end needs the most work. We have a forsythia (on your left) that sprouted from one my [Grand]Mama planted. A couple more forsythia from our friend Nancy.

I put my roses back there too. They started out there 5 years ago - may have lost one tho.

This is where I plan to plant the maters, cukes, peppers and more cutting flowers.

Might string up some green beans too.

I hope I'll be using my Gathering Apron lots and lots this summer and fall.

Don't you need one too?

 

 You can have one or two!

Skip over to my etsy shop, 

Sew In Stitches.

  

And what's a garden with out a Guardian Fairy in a "modern art" Fairy Hut?

Gotta go sort some seeds and 

plot the summer harvest!

Hoppy Easter!!

WWe have had a crazy week here. 

I shall not bore you with the details but instead will share my Easter Bunny cake. 

It's super easy.

Really it is.

I've had the recipe since Jordan was a toddler, so for at least 24 years.

Believe it or not, I still have the page I tore from the magazine all those years ago! It's in a photo album that I used to store recipes. Go here to Pillsbury's website to find the recipe and directions.

Here are the pics from my adventure to help you:

Yellow cake Bunny with chocolate icing

 I'm digging the retro designed bag o' coconut!

First round of coconut

Pink dyed coconut added

Finished Bunny cake!

Yum!

In other news - Check out this great giveaway sponsored by Lark Crafts for the new stitching book - Sewn By Hand.  It's a really fun Blog Tour with a stop today at Mummysam's blog.

One last place I'd love for you to take a peek - 

My etsy shop, Sew In Stitches.

I have added new aprons!

 Hoppy Easter!!!!

Christmas and Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway

Click here to see all the participating blogs! 
The rest of the giveaways will be listed by 9:00am Monday the 13th.
I posted early in case I sleep late get busy sewing!

I just realized that my last post was #100!!

WooHoo! Party time!!!

Anniversaries and Birthdays and Holidays just seem to sneak up on me faster as I get older!

To celebrate my 100th post and Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway Day I am going to have not one but TWO giveaways!

Since Christmas is uponst us I will select 2 winners from all the comments.

Each winner may choose one prize.

A Holiday Apron

OR

A holiday Hostess set with dishtowel, and 2 hot pads

OR

A Holiday Baby bib and burp cloth set.

So treat yourself or some one else.

All you have to do is leave a comment. That's it.

If there are 100+ comments I will choose a 3rd winner! 

So spread the word and I'll spread the love.

Sorry, no International shipping for this one.

Comments will be open until11:59pm Eastern time 

on Friday, December 17th.

I will utilize the handy dandy 

Random Number Generator to choose the winners.

Be sure to go to Sew, Mama, Sew! blog for the lists of 

all the participating blogs.

Lots and lots of goodies out there to be won!

Click here to see all the participating blogs!

Winner!!! Congratulations!

[drum roll please]

The good all Random Number Generator has chosen comment 8 as the winner of my red, white and blue poppy apron.

Congratulations Christel!!!

Scrappin' Sista said... Ditto...No for real. You are blessed to have found and still have such treasures. I don't have a lot from my Dad. Mom has a few things but not much. I do hope I win your prize. I would wear the apron with pride. TFS.

Christel
Blog Hop Sista

I don't know who "pride" is but I bet y'all will look good together when you were your new apron.

Okay, I'm kidding you.

I'm emailing you for your address and whether you prefer a full or half apron.

Thank you to Karel for organizing this fab blog hop.

Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who blogged, shared their stories and prizes.

Thank you to all you blog hoppers.  We love having visitors.

Hope you'll come back again.

Most of all - thank you to those who serve and 

those who keep the home fires burning! 

Land of The Free Because of The Brave Veteran’s Day Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog and the 

Land of The Free Because of The Brave 

Veteran’s Day Blog Hop

1.  KarelJ at One By One The Flamingos Are Stealing My Sanity  http://karelj.blogspot.com 
2.   Celeste at Touched By a Butterfly  http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com 
3.    Deb at Tidbit’s Place    http://tidbitsplace.blogspot.com
4. Michelle at Peanut Butter and Jelly Designs   http://peanutbutterandjellydesigns.blogspot.com
5. Jennifer at Young’s Scrapping    http://youngsscrapping.blogspot.com
6. Diane at Crafting This Moment    http://craftingthismoment.blogspot.com
7.   Judy at Be Present Be Real    http://bepresentbereal.blogspot.com
8. Marianne at Life From Marianne’s Table    http://number1aunt.blogspot.com
9. Deb at If It’s Groovy    http://ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com
10. Christel at One Scrappin’ Sista   http://onescrappinsista.blogspot.com
11. Belinda at Queen Bee’s Musings       http://queenbeesmusings.blogspot.com
12. Colleen at Col’s Creative Corner     http://scrappycol.blogspot.com
13. Summer and Jennifer at Cricut Diaries  http://cricutdiaries.blogspot.com
14. Rachel at Suburban Crafter     http://www.rachelstampshappy.blogspot.com/
15. Gina at Gina Thornton Stamping  http://ginathorntonstamping.blogspot.com
16. YOU Are Here!     Becky at  Sew in Stitches   http://sewinstitches.blogspot.com 
17. Rebecca at Creations With Becca  www.creationswithbecka.blogspot.com
18. Bobbi Jo at Sweet Sassy  Diva  http://sweetsassydiva.blogspot.com
19. Angie at Gypsy  Paperie  http://gypsypaperie.blogspot.com
20. Linda at The Tulip Collector  http://thetulipcollector.blogspot.com

Edit to let you know that 17. Rebecca and 18. Bobbi Jo had some sort of misfires so you can skip their blogs and still WIN!!

But their blogs are still cool to read!!!

Hope y'all are having fun!
 
We all hope you will have a chance to read the stories we share of friends, family and others who served our country in times of war and times of peace.

Check each blog in the list and read of the courage, love, bravery and people.

There are some awesome bloggie gifts around too!  

More on that in a bit.

My BillHubby is sort of obsessed with all things World War II. 

His Dad served proudly, as did mine.

Imagine our delight upon finding a treasure trove of WWII history in an old box that belonged to my Great Uncle!

My Maternal Grand Daddy, his younger brother and their brother-in-law all served in the Navy during WWII.  Grand Daddy was the Naval Post Master in Morocco!  I wish he has lived long enough to answer all the questions I have had.  Seems like such an exotic assignment doesn't it?

But not nearly as exotic were the assignments served by my Great Uncle Sam (really, Uncle Sam!) and Great Uncle Henry.

Both were stationed aboard ships in the South Pacific.

Uncle Sam was a Torpedo man and Uncle Henry was a Machinist.

When Uncle Henry returned to his North Carolina home the Navy sent his belongings along in a wooden box.  I have that wooden box!

In it we found pictures, stationery, and some communications that we believe maybe should have been destroyed!  

Here's a newspaper - December 11, 1943

 Here's  the cutest cocktail napkin!

 Souveniers from Hawaii

A Naval Training sheet on Japanese words the sailor might need.

I am proud to be related to so many brave folk who fought for all of our freedoms!

Thank you one and all.

Now for bloggie fun and giveaways.

There are two big Blog Hop Big Prizes!

The rules for entering are the same for both prizes: 

Hop along our path and leave a comment AND a way to contact you on each and every stop. 

Please leave contact information in a safe manner 

(i.e. written out like beckysews [at]hotmail [dot] com)

On Friday, November 12, KarelJ will use random.org to first select a blog number (1-20) and then a comment number from that blog for each prize. 

She will post the winner’s name on her blog and notify the bloggers, so they can also post the winner. KarelJ will contact the winner, using the information left in the comment. 

If there is no information available, she will choose another winner from the same blog. 

It is up to the winner to contact KarelJ at ksjennings(at)gmail(dot)com. 

If she has not been contacted by Monday, November 15, another winner will be chosen. 

Our first prize is a wonderful Pink Scrap’Ntote to store your Cricut Cartridges in! It comes to us from Marlo, at ContainYaCrafts. You can see the wonderful way this binder system keeps all your carts together, and ready to go in a flash on this link: http://www.cricutcartridgestorage.com/index.htm They are simply flying out of stock! We got one of the final donations for the year, and are so grateful to Marlo! 

Our second terrific prize is a set of Spellbinders Nesties in the Crown Circle Shape. It comes to us via the generosity of Anne, whose family has an incredibly strong military heritage. You can read more about Anne and her husband on Linda and Gina’s Blogs. You can also check out paper Patch Crafts here, to see what other incredible things Anne has to sell! http://stores.ebay.com/Paper-Patch-Crafts?_rdc=1

And I am offering your choice of a full or half apron made from these darling red, white and blue fabrics!   Sort of reminds me of the Poppies the Veterans sell today! There will be more goodies tossed in too!

Simply leave a comment here.

I'll use random.org to pick a winner on Friday too.

And please take time today to Thank a Veteran.

Now go, shoo, Blog Hop already!

Pink and Orange Go Together

A super secret Color Challenge from Tami at Fiskars!  

I love a challenge so I volunteered.  

Ooooh, make something using the colors Orange and Pink.  

I love this combination!  

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month you say?  

Heavens! This is one of the few charities to which we contribute!  

Yes, Yes! Tami, I am so very happy to be chosen to help broaden awareness.  

Please dash over to Fiskars to see the video of all the creations.  

You will be inspired and amazed!

Encourage all your pals - male and female - to do a self breast exam every month.

Get your boobies smushed at least once a year when your Doctor advises it's time to start having mammograms.

Take Tylenol before ya go - it really doesn't hurt so much.

I went to JoAnn Fabrics with Orange and Pink on my mind.  

I know they carry Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness 

fabrics so I picked one of those first.  

Then I found a co-ordinating pink with sparkles.  

Sparkles make people smile.  I want my apron to cause smiles too.

THEN, there it was! 

The perfect match - pink and orange flowers all over a white background.

At home I placed all the fabrics on my cutting table and put on my thinking cap.  I grabbed my apron patterns and inspiration pictures - drew a sketch - changed my mind - twice - started cutting. 

First I stitched up the pockets, attached those, did the gathering into the waistband, attached the ties and stitched up the waistband.

  
Here tis all finished!

I am gonna sell my apron in my etsy shop.  

All the proceeds will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

 I will include a few extra surprises in your package.

Check out the links for more info on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, what you can do for yourself and others as we search for the cure!