Giveaway! Win the My Memories Suite software!

I'm super happy to be hosting my very first giveaway thanks to the lovely people over at My Memories!

Those of you who know me know I need a new hobby like I need a hole in the head but like you also know, I dabbled a little in digital scrapbooking a while back to make my new header and it was so much fun! But a bit of a hassle doing it in Photoshop... So when I was contacted by My Memories I just jumped at the chance at trying their digital scrapbooking software and also getting the chance to let one of you dear readers, have a chance of winning your very own full version of the My Memories Suite!

After having played a round with it for a little while now I can tell you, there's much fun you can do with this software, especially when it comes to fun gifts. And don't' only think printing  as that's what put me off at first, I'm not the paper photo kind of gal - think digital photo frames! Just save your album as .jpg images and you can make super fun gifts by simply buying a digital picture frame (if the recipient doesn't have one) and a cheap memory card that suits the frame with your album pages in .jpg format and you have a super fun gift (tutorial for this and a ton of other things are available on their webpage)! It's quite easy and logical to use, which is a big bonus if you like me have very limited time and don't want to spend it reading manuals.

If you're a blogger, there's a ton of fun things you can create, like fancy new blog headers:

Or just give your photos adorable frames and designs, like this one of my finances adorable niece Matilda (Or "Tilla" to use her own pronunciation) from when they where visiting us earlier last month, she'd eaten ice cream and was happily playing in the park:

And when we're on the topic of visit from the family, I just have to show you (despite how terrible I look in the photo, had been more or less ill for a month) my favourite part of the day with the kids, and it's when I get to curl up with them all in bed, one in my lap (or at times all three, but it gets a little difficult to read then) and the rest around me reading a storybook. I have such lovely memories of my mother doing that for me and my sister when we where young and storybook time was the best time of the day back then. 

Anyhow, there's a lot of fun stuff you can do with this software.  All of the above is done with what comes included with the My Memories Suite, however,  they have a number of free kits for download and unlimited ones you can buy to increace the possibilities. Ok, so yes - I do realize I sound super silly in all the above commentary but it really is fun to play with this and I'm excited about the opportunity to share it with your all. =)

HOW TO WIN

Finally, we're at the good part! =D

You can do any of the below to get one or more chances to win, please make one comment for each of your entries and make sure you're not a a no reply blogger (hop over to Sew Many Ways  if you're unsure if you are) or include your email if you're a no-reply blogger so I have a way to contact you if you win, otherwise, I'll draw a new name. The giveaway closes in one weeks time so on the 10th of December, the winner will be announced! =)

1. Comment on this post and tell me what you would want to try and make first with the My Memories Suite.

2. Become a follower of my blog, or if you already are, just state that you're a follower.

3. Blog about the giveaway and comment with a link to your post.

4. Twitter/Facebook about the giveaway comment with a link to your post

And to make sure no one feels left out, My Memories are giving all of you readers a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software for those of you who don't win and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store after purchasing the software - $20 value!

Just use this promo code at checkout: STMMMS12916 

Flurry on the way!

I've finished all the blocks for my Flurry with Flurry quilt and here's what I've got.

I've such a major crush on this quilt before it's even done and an even bigger one on this fabric line!

I also had to share with you my silly Diana who had "taken down" my Summer Squares quilt from the edge of the couch cuddled up so cutely for a grooming and napping session which I interrupted with my picture taking, hence the accusatory stare =)

Kind of a Tutorial - Fancy Folded Star Ornament

Like I said ages ago - I was going to show you how to make other things with my Moda Bakeshop Fancy Folded Star Tutorial, however work has been keeping both my hands bound lately but I managed to whip up a little ornament at least. If you haven't read or tried my Fancy Folded Star Tutorial before, I strongly suggest you read it all before you start with your ornament as I'll be referring to that tutorial a lot.

Fancy Folded Star Ornament

Simply follow the tutorial on how to make a Fancy Folded Star above, but instead of using 4 FQs  for the star we use 3, and instead if cutting (16) 3" x 4" rectangles from each FQ, we only cut (8) from each. And we replace the 10" x 10" square base from scrap fabric, with a 5" x 5", so you'll end up with this when you've drawn the lines and ironed down the fold on each of the (24) rectangles.

Then decide your layout and lay out the pieces, I placed them slightly closer together then I did for the pot holder version, but you can do as you wish there, your ornament will be smaller the tighter you place them. I wanted a fairly big one so I didn't place them too close. Pin them down, draw a link with disappearing marker and sew them down, continue all the way around for all 8 sections.

Fold them just like you do on the pot holder, stitch down the top two like we did on the pot holder, but don't stitch the last two in place, just pin it.

When all is pinned, replace your pins like this to allow you to draw a circle (I used a suitable small glass bowl with a 5" diameter to trace around) and stitch around it. Before I did this through I added a small button dressed in the sold fabric to the middle of the star and added batting and backing to get a little body in my ornament. Instead of backing fabric you could always add another Fancy Folded star to the back to make your ornament two sided and thereby suitable for the Christmas tree or a window.

After you've stitched all layers in place, cut out your circle with a scant 1/4" seam allowance to the seam, make bias binding and bind your little circle ornament. I added a small hanger fastened in the binding seam on the backside out of white rubber band.

Tada! You're done, your very own Fancy Folded Star Ornament!

If you make your own Fancy Folded Star ornament or any pattern of mine - I'd love if you add it to my flickr group and thereby share it with me and the world so we all can enjoy it and be inspired by it: Not Only Quilts - Share Your Creations <3

On my "design wall" - Test block for Flurry

Last night I made a test block with my cut up Flurry pieces and decided that this was a quilt I had to do and  have done before December, seriously - look how cute the block is! 

So I ordered some backing (and some bleach white Bella solid as I was nearly completely out of white, something that always make me feel a little stressed out) from a place I haven't tried before: 

JB Quilting Fabrics

They where super quick and got back to me at 23 at night on a Sunday as they had a little less of the fabric then I'd ordered so they wanted to know what I wanted to do. Seems like an excellent store and the service so far is amazing, I keep my fingers crossed everything will go as smoothly and that I'll have a new place in the EU to shop for Moda fabrics, yay! =)

Anyhow, I decided to go with Snowfall in Snowdrift for the backing: 

Home sewing is easy!

Yesterday I got an adorable packet from my mother, it contained about half a yard of this amazing fabric "Home sewing is easy" by Alexander Henry. Thanks a lot mum! <3

I really hope I will feel the same way as this lady does about making dresses when it's time for me and Tova, my "sewing student" to make clothes for her class later this month. =)

I'm thinking it will become a bag, but I'm not sure, I really want to let the cool print speak for itself... Any ideas are much appreciated =)

Other then that I've been cutting up some Flurry because I really hope I'll have time to make a Flurry Christmas Quilt before December has come and gone, namely this one:

 

Finally! A finish!

I've finally had some quality time with my beloved Horizon! Who by the way this month will be getting some much needed TLC from a guy from Janome Sweden who comes to Malta for vacation and is kind enough to take a look at my love when he's here on holiday <3 Which is very lucky as no one services Janome (or any slightly computerized machine) here and he's in much need of some help.

Anyhow, I've finally finished my "Thinking of You" pillow! The pattern for it is from Kellie over at Don't Look Now and I was lucky enough to win it earlier this year. I'm the first one to admit that it was not a good idea to attempt a for me very complicated and never before tried FMQ pattern after not having sewn anything at all for months... Despite this I'm quite happy with the result, the pattern was a lot of fun but it took a lot of time to make when you're not used to this kind of work and you only get like 20 minutes of sewing time at the time with weeks in between...

However, the satisfaction when  you're done make it worth every minute and I'll absolutely make more of the pillows in the pattern when I've gathered enough scraps. =)

The eye of the bird is my very first ever french knot BTW, this was really "a pillow of firsts" for me ^^

And while I was at it with the craziness I figured I might as well face all my fears and put in my very first invisible zipper at the back. It was super easy after reading this tutorial over at Sew4Home. Despite me only having a normal zipper foot, I'm very happy with my first try and will absolutely continue to make pillow backs this way! So quick, simple and stylish!

And when I tried to take a picture of it in its place on the couch, of course Diana had to jump in between, start rolling around to get attention and be in the photo too ^^

It feels GREAT to be back to sewing! Now however I'll be entertaining guests for 10 days, Andreas sister,  husband and 3 kids are staying with us so I'm guessing there won't be much sewing done, but you never know. =)

Miss Model of the World (Malta)

Ok, so I'll be honest, the contest I was telling you about in the last post that's been taking up all my time was Miss Model of the World (Malta). I model a little to and from for fun and when I was invited to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity I of course couldn't say no! =) I was contemplating for a long time weather or not to blog about this but in the end I decided to do it, I just hope no one will think less of me for it.

It is hosted by Vouge Model Management Malta and it's a major event. We spent weeks preparing for this one night and it's been taking up all of my quilting time. However, luckily it was worth the time invested, with 18 other gorgeous finalist girls competing with me, I didn't think I had a chance to end up even in the top 7, but imagine my surprise when it turns out I came second place and on top of that was awarded the award "Most Promising Female Model"!

Here's some photos from the event, it will be aired on TV in a few weeks.

The three winners, me on the left in lilac ^^

Opening number

The amazing dancers

Bikini event

Don't remember anything of this walk, I was so nervous I just blanked...

Evening gown event

Hairshow

Waiting for the results

The winning males

Other then that I've also been travelling lately, both to Amsterdam to meet up with some friends and we also attended two of our moderators wedding in Colchester, England, it was great - but we where sick the entire trip, so not fun!

I hope that now things will go back to normal (know I've said that before so please keep your fingers crossed for me - I so badly want to sew!), I've got a big box of secrets here at home from Moda that needs me to cut into it's loveliness and have me start baking.  =)

I'm still alive!

I just wanted to pop in and let you all know I'm still alive! 

I've just got so much going on right now, the release of our new game OviPets, running our "old" game PonyIsland, I what free time I have has been spent preparing for a big contest here in Malta (rehearsals every day now) and diving with my friends to make use of these last few days of warm ocean before winter. So this is what I've been up to lately (my poor Horizon is so neglected).

Me, my fiance and our friends going on a boat dive to Gozo:

Crocodile rock with Azure window in the background, had a lovely dive here. 

Beautiful Moray Eel who got more then a little upset with me for trying to get a good photo of him ^^

It's me! ^^

Andreas relaxing.

This Painted Comber was very sure of his camo.

Boating with friends

We're engaging in some acrobatic play in the crystal clear waters of the blue lagoon.

Hopefully things will slow down in a week or two, but I don't dare to make any promises this time XD

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I've also received a picture of a beautiful folded star I just had to show you all, it's made by Cindy Murphy and it's just gorgeous!

Warm & White VS Warm & Natural Batting

Since my progress is really slow as of late I thought I'd show you something that is quite important when choosing batting and something I wish I'd known when making my first quilts. Maybe I'm the only one who didn't know this but I figured  if I could save one person from making my mistake, it'd be a good thing =)

I use the Warm Company's batting because I love the way fabric clings to it, it's 100% cotton, easy to work with, not too heavy and can be quilted so far apart (10"). Warm & Natural, which also is the batting I used for my first quilts (which I now regret but back then I didn't know any better) versus the Warm & White batting which is the only one I use nowadays really except for when making trapunto as that's when I use up my leftover Warm & Natural. =)

The Warm & Natural is a fantastic batting, please don't get me wrong but I didn't know that it "gives an antique look" which is somthing I really  don't want for my quilts. So my first quilts I made now have a yellowish tint to all the white parts that I don't like... :(

Anyhow, so I thought I'd show you the difference between the Warm & White and the Warm & Natural as it shows on the back of my pillow, and this is "fresh" (don't have a better word for it) Warm & Natural, I have other pieces which have become much, much more yellow:

So I guess what I'm saying is, if you don't want the "antique" look, make sure you choose Warm & White =)

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Fancy Folded Star - Machine Wash Me! ^^

On another note, some people have expressed worry about using their Fancy Folded Star Potholders in the kitchen, I just wanted to assure you that they can be machine washed without any loss of shape as long as they have been properly sewn down like I showed in the tutorial. 

I made this set 2008, like you can see from the photos date info and the extremely nice binding (please note the sarcasm), this is when it was newly made ^^

And here it is today in all it's currently very dirty state (which will be fixed by a machine wash today ^^) as I still use it. Please note that enlarging the photo below is done "at your own risk" as I dug it out from the laundry basket for this photo, which Diana uses as her personal daybed, hence all the cat hair, I don't have all that hair in my kitchen I promise =)

It's a Fancy Folded Star! =)

Got an email today fromElaine over at Dashasel Sews who's made her own, absolutely gorgeous version of the Fancy Folded Star! I think it's made with Joel Dewberry's beautiful Aviary 2. Thank you so very much for sharing this beauty with me Elaine! =)

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I've also finally decided on the fabrics for my Thinking Of You pillow, and this is the final layout, it's all ironed down. Now all I need to do is brush up my FMQ skills a little and get down to business when I have some spare time =) I can't wait, feels like I haven't quilted anything ages.