Happy Blogiversary! And a Giveaway!!!

Friends, can you believe that it has been a year since this little blog claimed it place in the blogosphere?  In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday, and in others I can't help but have that feeling of, "Has it really only been a year?"

Instead of recapping all my makes and sharing blog analytics (which have already surpassed anything I would have been hoping for), I want the theme of this post to be gratitude.

So, here are a few of the things that I am thankful for (in no certain order):

1.  My supportive family.  These two fellas make my sewing habit an easy one.  My little guy is happy to sit in the sewing room and do homework while I am sewing away.  He is always complimentary of my makes.  Nothing melts my heart more than when he pretends to wolf whistle and tells me how pretty an item makes me look.

My sweet husband never complains about the piles of fabric that have taken over what used to be the office in our home.  He is always more than happy to take photos for the blog, and he genuinely likes the clothes that I sew.  I can't remember ever making something that he said he didn't like.  He affords me the ability to stay home, pursue my passions, and live the life I want to live without any guilt or resentment, just total support.  I love this man more than I ever imagined was possible.

2.  Finally having clothes that fit.  The main reason that I started to sew again was because I was tired of t-shirts that clung to my hips yet had shoulders intended to fit the broadest of linebackers.  My wardrobe is still a work in progress (but then won't it always be?).  It has been very empowering to sew not only clothes that fit, but clothes that inspire me.  It is amazing to not be held to the restraints of a boxy version of whatever is trending.

3.  Other sewing bloggers.  The very first blog that I started to follow was Diary of a Sewing Fanatic.  I am inspired not only by the clothes that Carolyn makes, but also by her back story.  She is easy to relate to.  I have found a Sew Sister in Andie of Sew Pretty in Pink.  There are so many things we have in common both in sewing and in our back stories.  I have to admit that I am quite jealous of the improv group she and her husband have.  I need that kind of creative outlet in my life!  Oonabaloona always amazes me with her wit and humor.  Her makes are absolutely fabulous, and I wonder if one day we might see the likes of House of Oona.  Last but not least, the ladies of the Curvy Sewing Collective, both on the collective and their respective blogs, are a constant source of inspiration and comradery.  Sometimes I think people don't realize that these ladies aren't just a bunch of pretty dresses.  They have real pedigrees, are well educated, and are so much more than the fabric running through their machines.

4.  The Etta James station on Pandora.  I know this may seem a little strange, but this is what I listen to when I am creating.  Right now Whatever Lola Wants by Sarah Vaughan is playing.  The music on this station is bluesy, sensual, at times seductive.  It is just the thing to get me in the mood...to sew that is.

5.  Then of course there is you all.  You have no idea how grateful I am to have reached so many other members of the creative community.  I am thankful for each and every comment you post.  I am thankful for every Instagram like.  There are days when those little hellos from the blogosphere and social media are what get me through some otherwise stressful situations.  Thank you, thank you.  Friends, really and truly a million times thank you.

Because I think that you all are so absolutely wonderful, I wanted to celebrate the Blogiversary with a little giveaway.  That's right, it's swag time.  In celebration of a year of blogging adventure, I have a great little prize package for you.  What's up for grabs?  A few little somethings to help you prepare for the Style Arc Misty Jeans Sewalong.

Pic from Stylearc.com.au

First, a download of the Style Arc Misty Pull On Jeans pattern (Thank you to Style Arc for providing this gratis).

Pic from Moodfabrics.com

Second, a $50 Mood Fabrics gift card so you can get your stretch denim fabric on (or whatever your heart desires).

Pic from Joann.com

Third, an assortment of Gutermann Specialty Thread for jean sewing.  This stuff is amazing for sewing jeans.  The color match with these variegated threads are phenomenal.

Pic from schmetzneedles.com

Last, an assortment of Schmetz Needles for all your sewing projects.  There are universal needles, a twin needle, stretch needles, and jeans needles.  That's everything you need in one convenient pack!


To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite color denim is.  This giveaway is open to anyone anywhere.  Winner will be chosen on Monday, September 14th by random number generator.  If you don't leave an email to contact you or there isn't contact information in your profile, be sure to check back on Monday to see if you are the winner.  You will have two days to get back in touch with me.  If I haven't heard from you by 9:00 a.m. EDT a new winner will be drawn.  Good luck!!!

And the Winner Is....

Friends, sorry I am running a few hours late getting this posted.  There is just a whole lot of life happening here.

Without further ado, the winner as generated by random.org (there were 24 original commenters) is:

Congratulations to Commenter #8, mlhummy!

Mlhummy, since your profile was not connected to an email address, you have until Wednesday at 12:00 pm EST to contact me at pandorasews at gmail dot com with your mailing address.  If I don't hear from you by then another poster with be selected!

Do You Sew It All? Plus A Giveaway!!

When I am not sewing (which clearly I am not) I am usually reading.  A lot of that reading is about sewing...imagine that!  While perusing the aisles of the local big box fabric store today, I came across Sew It All magazine.  I know that I have seen and even picked up this magazine before, but I haven't ever purchased it.  It is a little too artsy craftsy for me.  Not that I don't love an occasional fat quarter project, but a quilter I really am not, nor do I have any ambitions to be one.  Above the title of the magazine in VERY small letters it says, "McCall's Quilting presents," and that let me know right away that this magazine was not for me.

Moving forward to today, I picked the Sew It All magazine up because there was a cute grey and pink pocketed tote bag on the front.

Photo Source:  http://www.sewitallmag.com/

***Sorry for the crappy grainy pic, it was the only one I could find online and I was feeling too lazy for a photo shoot just to get a pic of a magazine cover.***

The tote bag looked really useful you are a really useful tote bag Thomas, and I am thinking about Mother's Day gifts as well, and that is all that I will say about that for now.

The real surprise came as I started flipping through the magazine.  It had an article on fast fixes for things like button breaks, sticky zippers, and mending a hole in fabric along with a whole host of other fast fixes.  Did you know that rubbing a graphite pencil on a metal tooth zipper will make it slide more easily?  Neither did I!!  There was information about Men's patterns, and sewing tools, pattern making, adding seam pockets, working with wool...the list goes on and on.

I guess the point here is no longer is this magazine all about artsy craftsy quilty kinds of things.  Don't get me wrong, there are no couture sewing techniques here, but there were 10 garment sewing ideas at the back of this issue that ranged from drafting your own patterns, to remaking t-shirts into other garments, and other ways to restyle clothing.  I am impressed with what I saw in this issue.  If I pick up the next issue and it has more of the same, I will probably subscribe.  Can I tell you...I think that it may have even given me some inspiration to get in the sewing room and have a go at a bit of sewing!

So Friends, I have got to ask are any of you familiar with this magazine?

Since it has been quite a while since I have had a giveaway on here, how bout I offer up a copy of the magazine (which is BTW $9.99 at the store), just leave me a comment below on if you are more of a crafty sewist, or more of a fashion sewist.  Open to only US and Canada mailing addresses (sorry friends everywhere else, I will get you on the next giveaway).  I will pick a winner by random number generator on Monday, March 2nd at 9:00 a.m. EST.  Make sure that if your profile isn't linked to an email address that you leave me a way to contact you, and Good Luck!!!

****Just a little note to let you know that I am not an affiliate of any company or product nor do I have any sponsors, so when I rave about or boo a product you know that is truly my opinion and not some random rambling that I am getting paid for****

Friday Funday - Great Giftcard Giveaway

Ladies, I feel like I have been drug through the murky depths of Hell over the last few days.  What started out as a classic cold turned in to a really awful case of bronchitis.  I won't go too much in to details, but I do have some steroids and an inhaler that are helping me along and some awesome cough syrup that makes me a little bit loopy loco.

Since I missed last week's giveaway due to said illness, I thought that I would make this week's giveaway extra special.  What could be more special than a mystery gift card for a great online fabric retailer.  I am not going to say exactly which retailer it is, but I will tell you that if I won a $50 gift card for this retailer it would make me very happy!  I wouldn't be sad.  I wouldn't be mad.  I would just be very happy!

So ladies, to enter just leave a comment about how you will feel if you had a $50 fabric retailer gift certificate, and the winner will be chosen next Friday, Oct. 31st using a random number generator.  As always this is open to anyone anywhere, even past winners.