July 20, 2016

Giveaway Winners Announced! And See You At Christie's on Saturday!

Thank you to those of you who participated in the Christmas in July giveaway!

I am so impressed by your creative and thoughtful plans to make quilts, runners, stockings, and other delightful holiday items for others. Sharing your gifts with your family and friends and community, without expectation, is endlessly rewarding.

When you can, please send me photos of your projects to info@katespain.com Maybe I'll share some of your projects and some of mine between now and Christmas. 

This Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM, I'll be at Christie's Quilting Boutique in nearby Norwalk Connecticut for the THIRD ANNUAL CHRISTMAS IN JULY SEW-ALONG! If you're in the area, please stop by or attend! I'd be pleased to meet you.

By random selection, here are the 3 lucky winners:

1. A "Felicity" quilt pattern goes to: ANNELIES MCGAW.
2. A Bigelow Tea tin including an assortment of 120 individually wrapped tea bags goes to: MS. LO.
3. A fat quarter bundle of "North Woods" Fabric goes to: KIMBERLY (misskim139@).
Wishing you all a very merry rest of July! 

Cheers!
Kate

July 11, 2016


Peace and Good Tidings to You from Quilt Beach! A "Christmas in July" Giveaway Too!

It's Christmas/Winter Holiday quilting time here in Connecticut. It's feeling breezy and tropical. 

I can’t say “Christmas in July” without giggling, can you?

Swim suits, high SPF sunscreen, heat rising off the street, you know it’s time to reach for that [enter the name of your favorite icy cold beverage here] ... and to get to work on some great ideas for Christmas/winter holiday quilts, stockings, ornaments ... or whatever your inner elf desires. 

I had the happy surprise of receiving this quilt in the mail last week.
It was made, quilted, and sent to me by the extremely talented Christina Egner, whom you probably know, because I’ve highlighted Tina here before. She used the "Felicity" quilt pattern and the "Northwoods" collection, which I designed for Moda Fabrics.

Tina completely surprised me by giving me this quilt. Thanks so much, Tina. I hope things are going swimmingly for you and your family down by the Jersey Shore. 

Tina is the prolific talent behind Emily Ann’s Kloset site. Her instagram is @emilyannskloset.

This afternoon, at the urging of our Sudden Activities Committee (headed by Roscoe), we left the studio a little early to show Felicity our neighborhood beach. The southwesterly breeze had its way with us.
(Here's Pete's head popping out from behind the quilt, to see if laughing and smiling might help the breeze die down. It didn't.)
At the urging of the Giveaways and Prizes Committee (headed by Lou), we are celebrating "Christmas in July" by giving away 3 prizes to 3 lucky winners: 

A limited edition Bigelow® tea tin, which I designed, full of delicious teas for you to make iced (or hot) tea. I don’t want you getting parched while you're creating. 



A Fat Quarter Bundle of “Northwoods” -- my latest Christmas fabric collection for Moda Fabrics -- including this project panel for creating a Scandinavian-inspired table topper and ornaments.
If you'd like to enter, please leave a comment here on this post by midnight (Eastern U.S. time) on July 18th. Please, just 1 comment per person. In your comment, be sure to include: 
1. Your e-mail address
2. A brief description of the Christmas/winter holiday project -- or any creative act -- you’re dreaming up and/or you've got going

If you do that, I promise that you’ll be entered into the random drawings (overseen by Franny).

The three winners will be posted on my Instagram feed @katespain on July 20th. 

Happy, colorful creating.

Kate

P.S. I want to share with you this summertime passage from Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"In this refulgent summer, it has been a luxury to draw the breath of life. The grass grows, the buds burst, the meadow is spotted with fire and gold in the tint of flowers. The air is full of birds, and sweet with the breath of the pine, the balm-of-Gilead, and the new hay. Night brings no gloom to the heart with its welcome shade. Through the transparent darkness the stars pour their almost spiritual rays."
Shade border, July 11, 2016
 Drumstick allium showing off again in the Winterthur Viburnum bed. The rose in the back is the David Austin rose called "Lark Ascending." Here's a closer look,
And you can't have a fair-colored, luminous rose without a pink one too. Here's the David Austin rose called "Boscobel."
 Enjoy the flowers in your midst. Happy summer. Happy creating.