nanaCompany

2013 Holiday Tag-A-Long | Week 3

It is the most wonderful time of the year.  I feel myself slooowing down, getting ready to simply: enjoy.  But we've still got so much to do.  Shopping and wrapping, and baking... so there can be more movie-watching, more uninterrupted snuggling, more sugar cookie-eating, and family game time.

I want to wish you all a bright and merry Christmas ~ full of blessings big and small.

Thank you ~ so much ~ for being a blessing in my life.  I don't know if I've said it before, but do you know my favorite email (hands-down) is a notification that one of you has left a comment on my blog?  I delete so much of what comes into my inbox, but comments from you are always read and always bring a smile to my face.  Thank you.  Merry Christmas!

Round 3 of our Holiday Tag-A-Long snuck up on me and I didn't have time to embroider the embellishments as I'd hoped ~ so I added printed elements that can be easily removed (I used just a few stitches to attach them), making the tags totally reusable.

I poked myself through the finger so many times while attaching birdy's beads and sequins ~ all the while telling myself, it's worth it, it's worth it... they sparkle!  And in person, they really are so much nicer and sparkly.

You've probably already visited Kristyne's blog, Pretty by Hand, to check out her tags, right?  She put a lot of love into those beauties.  Show us what you've made ~ add your pics to the Tag-A-Long flickr group.  And most importantly, enjoy every moment of this holiday season ~ crafting, eating, chilling~ ya know, whatever makes you happy!

xo amy

:: In the nick of time

{ a berry for you. }

{ an attempt to get a pic of Nicholas during his birthday week celebration. }

{ finally decorated. }

{ that's Livi, front and center }

{ a bit of Christmas high up on the bookcase. }

All four of my kids are home.  Winter break has at last begun!  We went and saw "Frozen" twice ~ loved the movie that much.  We're baking sugar cookies tonight and we'll finally break into those gingerbread house kits I bought weeks ago.  But I'm still not finished with my Christmas shopping and I am ~ behind the scenes ~ working on a quilt pattern that I can't show you yet.  I'm kinda ready to shut off my computer and toss it in the closet for a week while I sink into a deep and lovely Christmas revel with my family.  But there are two things I need to do before I sign off.  One, I've got a winner for the Pam Kitty Picnic fat quarter giveaway...

Congratulations to Heidi, who wrote: "I love having gifts in the stockings in the morning. Such a fun way to start the day. Then, before opening the gifts under the tree, we read a few meaningful Christmas stories :)"

(Heidi, please send me your shipping address asap... and if you live in the US you might just get it in time for Christmas!)  Thank you to Shay of Simply Sweet Fabric for generously supplying this fabric from her shop.

The last thing I've got to do?  I've got one more round of Holiday tags to share with you on Monday.  See you then!

1. 332, 2. Liberty Napping Quilt, 3. Day 238-#gatheringstyle Somehow my son got the vintage glass clusters and jingle bells mixed up. Oh well., 4. DUDQS recieved from Gina (happygolizzie), 5. 175, 6. my finished Penny Patch, 7. gingerbread houses, 8. Gift Tag Idea for Merry Makings Magazine, 9. Star Bright Quilt from Vintage Quilt Revival, 10. for my December Child..., 11. My paper pieced popsicle block for the SummerSeriesSewAlong wtih EllisonLaneQuilts, 12. The other side of bag, 13. Mila's tag

xo amy

2013 Holiday Tag-A-Long | Week 2

Ready for another round?

These little tags are so fun to make.  I used a lot of felt this round.  Mia's tag took forever but it came out just like the vision in my head.  Do any of you recognize the ribbon that I used?  If you shop at Anthropologie, you'll get some for free (it's the handle on their shopping bags.)

As always, check out Kristyne's blog, Pretty by Hand, for more taggy inspiration.  Have you made any of your own tags yet?  Add your pics to the Tag-A-Long flickr group. 

Blare the holiday tunes, make some cocoa... it's almost time.  Can you believe there are only 9 more days 'til Christmas?!

xo amy

... Not even a mouse | and a Simply Sweet giveaway

The "... Not Even a Mouse!" pattern is now available in the shop.  Also, a few cookie kits will be going in shortly.

In the meantime, our poor sweet mouse is all alone at the top of the tree ~ a tree that is waiting to be decorated.  It's been busy around here with my sister in town and Nicholas 8th birthday being celebrated all week (that lucky duck).  Tonight we're going to see the lights at Candy Cane Lane ~ one of my fave Christmastime traditions.

Now... I've got a Simply Sweet giveaway for you, dear readers.

This little bundle of Pam Kitty Picnic fat quarters is going to make a nice surprise Christmas gift for one of you.  It comes courtesy of Shay of Simply Sweet Fabric just in time for the holidays!  Shay's adding new cute fabrics to her shop all the time and it's awesome to watch her small business grow.  Psst... somebody tell my husband I'd love to see this in my stocking this Christmas!

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite holiday tradition.  Open to all.  Comments will close Monday, December 16th.  Good luck!

xo amy

Holiday Tag-A-Long 2013

Hello!  It's that time of year again.  It's 2013 Holiday Tag-a-long time!

Because they're fun.  Because they're fast.  And because then my friend Kristyne, of Pretty by Hand, and I have another reason to be partners in crime during the holidays and have some fun together!

This poinsettia tag is my fave this round.  Fusing fabric onto felt makes such a great impact and I love the way it looks.  The "Special Delivery" tag was simple and easy to make because I fused the linen onto felt and then cut it into shape (it has raw edges.)  Want more inspiration?

Check out Kristyne's tags over at Pretty by Hand... love love love.  (Especially the bicycle!)  Just lovely.

Then, if you're interested in making some tags like these, download the Holiday Tag-a-Long templates here.  There's a fab step-by-step tutorial on how to make them over at Kristyne's blog.  But don't feel like you have to make them our way... make your tags any shape and style you like.  Then, add photos of your tags to the Tag-a-Long flickr group.   We want to see what you create!

Cheers!  xo amy

Not a creature was stirring...

Not even a mouse.

I caught this little guy.  Lured him in with a fine slice of swiss cheese.  Then I discovered he's a softy with a sweet tooth, like me ~ so I gave him the bear and the candy cane.

He's quite snug now.  He'll be going up on our Christmas tree this weekend.

I'll be selling the mouse embroidery pattern in my shop (along with a few other items) really soon.  Like, Monday-soon, I hope.

Have a great weekend!

xo amy

thanksgiving | and time to catch a mouse!

If your Thanksgiving was like mine, you ate far too much pie and it all went by too fast.  We celebrated out in Las Vegas with my husband's family ~ always a blast.  One afternoon we took a trip up to Mt. Charleston to see the snow... 

Us city kids weren't really prepared for the cold... Nicholas' favorite part was going into the Lodge for hot chocolate by the fire.  I loved the pretty snowy drive up the mountain best.

And, of course, a road trip means hexagon-time.  I had a vision of a little mouse wrapped in a hexie quilt ~ to be hung on the Christmas tree.  So, now that I've made the tiny quilt, I just need to catch a mouse...

Hope he's cute as this one!

xo amy