Henry Glass Designers Holiday Project Parade - Day 1

Happy holidays! Welcome to Day 1 of the Henry Glass Designers Holiday Project Parade. I am excited to start things off with Heather Mulder Peterson and the Little Quilts ladies, Mary Ellen Von Holt, Alice Berg and Sylvia Johnson.

Heather Mulder Peterson

Little Quilts

Here's how everything works. Each day a couple of designers will post about the holidays and share an awesome free project. You can see the links on my right sidebar. At the end of the week, there will be a drawing for a grand prize giveaway on the Henry Glass Fabrics blog. How do you enter? Each designer has a special holiday word and will share it on her post. You have to collect each word and post it on the Grand Prize Giveaway post on the Henry Glass Fabrics blog between Dec. 7-9. Contest closes Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. EST. The comments will be closed on that post so please do not re-post your answers if you don't see your comment because you won't be able to see it. What is the grand prize? Henry Glass will send the lucky winner a bundle of the latest and greatest lines of fabric and each designer will send you a special little treat! How exciting, right? You will find all of this information on the Henry Glass blog. You will find a beautiful downloadable cover page for you to print out so that you can make a booklet for all of the patterns that we are offering here.

Let's have some fun!

Let me introduce myself for those who are new here. My name is Linda Lum DeBono. I am a quilt/ fabric/knitwear/scrapbooking designer and author. I also design for magazines such as American Patchwork & Quilting, Quilts & More and Mark Lipinski's Christmas 365. I have been with the wonderful folks of Henry Glass for many years. My design director and I have been collaborating together about 9 nine years now. My latest line, Hugs & Kisses, is shipping right now! I hope that you love it!

My quilt pattern accompanies the latest American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. Perfect for the holidays!

I've written a couple of books for the awesome people at Martingale & Co.

 

I've written many for terrific team at Leisure Arts too!                                                                                

                      

I'm excited to have introduce my first on-line class, Chirp! for the awesome, Donna Kato, at CraftEdu. I've just started my classroom there. I'd love you to join me there. I will post new classes and I'm going to start a lot of conversations about crafts there. It's free to join the community only.

Chirp!

My latest adventure is being an Aurifil Expert. Words are not enough to explain how much I love this thread. I'm a featured designer on their new iPhone app too! Next year, there is going to be some special things going on. Stay tuned and I'll let you know as soon as I can.

I had to think a little about my post. It's not that I have no stories to tell about the holidays. You can check out many of my stories here. I've written a lot about my holiday memories and traditions. My kids are mini-Marthas. They love to decorate and they have been known to tell the gift wrapper at the school's holiday bazaar how to wrap their presents oh so perfectly. They've knocked down my tree and they love to give me a hard time when I am trying to take their holiday photo. They also love the holidays and appreciate that I encourage them to participate to make it kid-friendly fun.

One of our traditions is to guess where we're going to sit at the dinner table. I make these silhouettes, frame them and them as place cards.

This year we've been working on making some crafts. Our first fun activity together was to make these frozen wreaths using my mini-bundt pans, cranberries and twigs. We love to hang them outside on our deck.

I can't wait to take out my two Christmas trees [Christmas trees, by the way, is my special holiday phrase so remember it for the Grand Prize Giveaway!]. I had fun making up these glamorous tree toppers for each tree. 

Through it all, it's not the gifts, the food, or the decorations that make the holidays extra special. I'm sure that you all know that. It's the special trip that my husband and I took to spend Christmas with friends on Jekyll Island and the extra bonding time that the kids, hubby and I spent while driving to Toronto when the entire New York Thruway was closed from Buffalo to Syracuse because of a huge snowstorm. Oh, then there was that road trip when my Dad and I drove from Toronto to our other home in northern Ontario. We had to stop at a hotel over night because of a blizzard.

The holidays make me feel extra thankful for all of the friends that I've met here and on Facebook and helps me remember the happy and sad, but mostly happy way, the four people whom I lost three years ago, touched my life. The holidays are also a reminder that the new lives that enter my world can fill my heart with warmth and that new memories can be made.

Let me introduce you to a new little friend of ours, Finnian, baby brother of Little A's best friend Aidan. [Oh dear, he's almost outgrown the hat that I knit for him!] We look forward to lots of new memories with our little friend, Finn. Happy first Christmas!

The holidays are also a wonderful time for sharing. For many reasons, giving and sharing are much more important than ever. So, you've come to the right place! Let's get started with my project of the day!

This year, I am totally into pillows. I don't know why but maybe it's the need to cuddle and hug. My boys asked for some new pillows on their beds. As I was designing this pillow, I thought about how I could inject some personality into a normally boring pillow. Words on quilts have always been my signature. So why not a cute little saying to brighten up your room? My friend, Barbara Jones of QuiltSoup sent me some of her totally fun fabrics to play with. Thanks, Barbara! You can download the pattern here. Enjoy!

I made a another pillow for the folks at Aurifil. Go over to their site for the free pattern because the pillow is so darned cute and so easy to make, don't you think? GOOD NEWS! The pattern is up on the Aurifil site now! Yippee!

Alex and his team at Aurifil gave me some thread to give away as a holiday gift to you. [Colors may differ from the photo.] All of the rules will be listed below.

I  also "met" Mary Covington, of Cue Cosmetics, through another friend on Facebook. She makes these beautiful soaps. Yes, they are soap and definitely not edible! She's generously offering to send one of you a little box of soapy treats. She makes these beautiful chocolate soaps. Same rules apply as below.

Oh, I have some generous friends. Martingale & Co. has generously given me some books to give away.  Even my personal pal, Mark Lipinski, has given me a copy of his latest issue of Christmas 365 to give away to one lucky winner.

Martingale & Co.

Leisure Arts has given me a couple of books too.  Ooooh, do you recognize that name? Why, that's Miss Carrie Nelson!

Leisure Arts

Leave your name here and you get a chance to win. Follow this blog, join my CraftEdu classroom or be my friend on Facebook and you'll get another chance [only counts as one more chance no matter how many of these that you do]. Just let me know in the comments that you've done that extra thing. I don't know how I'll split up the prizes but it will be random. Please be clear with your contact information. If I can't figure it out, I will offer it to the next one in line.

Finally, remember to read each and every designers' blog, collect the special holiday words and post all of the words in the Grand Prize Giveaway post at the end of the Henry Glass Project Parade on the Henry Glass Designers Holiday Project Parade.

Happy holidays. 

xo, L

Aurifil Event Coming Soon

Let's Get Techie With Apple And Rightcliq

I am a simple girl. I don't expect my husband to buy me jewels or clothes. I didn't mind it when he bought me something that I could plug into the wall to charge for my anniversary. No, it was not a blender although I could use that for blending paper pulp for making fancy paper! It was an iPad. I love it! Some readers and friends on Facebook asked me for my opinion of the iPad. I love it! It doesn't replace my laptop or desktop but it sure has its purpose for me beyond watching movies on it. I use it to keep projects and things organized, jot notes down and maybe even sketch a bit here and there, but there are other ways that I use it as a visual communicator.

Most important, I keep my portfolio on it. It was really useful having it along my trip to Quilt Market recently. I keep press items on hand. This was the interview by American Patchwork & Quilting.

 I keep images from all of my publications here too.

Images from my blog are handy when trying to show someone my own style. Did I ever tell you how much I love to photograph Aurifil threads for my blog?

 I keep my downloaded craft patterns here so that I can refer to it as I am working on a project.

I read books on it too although I would say that this is one of the areas where the iPad is weak. You have to be careful of eyestrain because it is an LCD screen and not an e-ink screen like the one on my husband's nook.

Most of all, I live for the apps. The kids and I love playing games and learning things on it. However, as a quilter, it is interesting to see how the world of quilting is starting to embrace the iPad/Touch/iPhone technology. My friend, Alex Veronelli, of Aurifil has developed this amazing app, Aurifil, for you and it is FREE!

It includes, general Aurifil contents like product and how-to-use information, videos and designer information. There is also a store locator that includes shop information and a rating system for the shops.

You will be able to see shop specials too. Awesome, right? Don't worry, Droid users. I believe that he's developing an app for that one too!

So, in a nutshell, I love the iPad. There are many more ways that I use the iPad but these are some of reasons in my craft life.

Another new tech related cool thing was introduced to me a few weeks back but because I was in the middle of Quilt Market stuff, I didn't look at it again until I was contacted again.

Rightcliq of Visa contacted me recently and wanted me to share an interesting new way to shop for you. I am not paid for this but I thought this would be a fun way to shop for my yarns, fabrics, and other craft supplies.  I haven't had a chance to try it yet but let me know what you think!

Here's the Wishspace. You can put all of the things that you desire into categories and store them so that you don't have to go hunting around for it again.

Your Dashboard.

Here's the place where you can get advice from your friends.

Oh, and here's where I can keep everything organized and track your purchases.

[Photo credits: RightCliq by Visa]

They have created a craft bundle to show you what it can do! This may change the way that you shop! Rightcliq lets you visually centralize all of the items you want to buy on a place called Wishspace. This awesome place lets you organize all of the things that you are drooling over your keyboard for but it also offers a way to let your friends and readers connect with you by asking for their advice. You can send your Wishspace collection to your readers on request. Double awesome! This video explains Rightcliq. There's another video too. Looks cool, right? 

Let me know what you think about Alex's app and Rightcliq. I would love to hear! Do you use computers and other electronic devices in your everyday crafting life? 

xo, L

Ahoy, Maties!

I know that you are enjoying the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour! Too busy to miss me, I'm sure. I have been swamped with deadlines and planning but I have been around. I am planning a seriously awesome event with all of the Henry Glass Designers that will happen from December 1-7. There's a hint of it on the top of my sidebar at the top. Please join us then, won't you? You won't be disappointed!

Talk about serious business. I didn't forget about selecting winners for my giveaway. Well, it turns out that there are a couple of winners because I'd forgotten that Quiltmaker is giving away a copy of the magazine too!

The winner of a copy of the magazine plus a fat quarter pack of Hugs & Kisses is:

Hugs & Kisses is just perfect for a little girl's quilt! Love the fabric line :) By Penny on Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour - Day One Of Fun... on 11/8/10

The winner of a copy of the magazine to be sent by Quiltmaker is:

What a fun block -love your fabric! I have been having my son (5) help me with block layouts -he loves it!!!

By Regina on Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour - Day One Of Fun... on 11/8/10

Please e-mail me your information. Thanks!

Some of you wrote to me asking about my kids' machine. I bought this Hello Kitty Janome machine a few years ago at Quilt Market. I love it for good basic sewing. My kids love to use it. I let them use my two Bernina machines but I have to be in control of that situation!

xo, L

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour - Day One Of Fun!

Welcome! Today is the first day of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour! Make sure that you pop over to Quiltmaker's site to join in all of the fun, meet other designers, and enter the planned and the sometimes surprise giveaways! Otherwise, run out and buy this awesome issue. It hits the newsstands on November 16, 2010. Please check out my block #139, Hugs & Kisses, on page 40. I had just received some sample pieces from my latest fabric line, Hugs & Kisses and I had fun putting it together for this volume of the magazine!

For those who are first-time visitors, my name is Linda Lum DeBono. I am the designer behind block #139, Hugs & Kisses, on page 40 of the magazine. I had just received some sample pieces from my latest fabric line, Hugs & Kisses and I had fun putting it together for this volume of the magazine!

I am an author and fabric designer. I have designed for Henry Glass Fabrics for 11 years now. I write for Martingale and Leisure Arts and have written books on quilting, sewing, scrapbooking and knitting.

I am also an Aurifil Expert and I teach on-line at CraftEdu.com. I love designing bright, happy quilts and patterns. My latest class, Chirp! is totally cute, if I must say so myself! You can preview it here and join my classroom!

Here's a sneak peak at the next class. Can you see some Hugs & Kisses fabrics?

I am totally inspired by my boys who love to quilt. They are more "serious" than I am when it comes to the placement of the fabrics!

They just started quilting recently and they love it. Here's Little A with the quilt that he made for his stuffie penguin.

Big A's quilt was supposed to be 5 squares across and 7 squares down but he quickly expanded it and now it fits a twin sized bed.

I love to be inspired by all things related to kids. I love the style of their clothes, the styling of kid's books and most of all I love their personalities. It's all so totally happy, innocent, and fun! When I designed the block, I added the yo-yo center for a touch of whimsy. When you are working on a project, try to add a little dash of personality. It makes the difference between something that's different and inspiring and something that's just everyday.

Thanks for visiting. Please leave a comment and I'll pick a winner of a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Magazine and few fat quarters of Hugs & Kisses. Then, hop over to the Quiltmaker site. I've donated a book for their giveaway and they're going to have lots of fun for the rest of the week. Good luck!

xo, L