Let's Celebrate 2011 With A Giveaway!!

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

 ~Oprah Winfrey

Tomorrow a new year will be here!  Are you ready to start writing 2011?  It was only in the last couple of months that I finally quit writing 2009 on everything - and now I have to start all over again.  I would like to welcome 2011 in with open arms but my eyes will be closed and will have to wait until the morning for a 'how-do-you-do' from me.  Another year gone - done, expired, slipped away - I hope I used it wisely.  This is the year I started blogging and made so many great new friends.  I hope you all have a stupendous 2011!!!

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Mabry Mill

This mill was built about 1910 by Edwin B. Mabry, a jack of all trades who had been a chairmaker, a miner, a coal company blacksmith, and a farmer.  He and his wife, Mintoria Lizzie Mabry, operated the mill until 1936, grinding corn and sawing lumber for their Meadows of Dan neighbors.  In 1945, the National Park Service restored and landscaped the mill.  Today, it is the most photographed feature on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  And my DH added to that statistic a couple of springs ago.

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I did get a little sewing done yesterday.  I am working on the reusable shopping bag for my hairdresser.  I didn't get as far along as I had hoped but will have a picture of it to share with you on Monday.

Instead of something I made, I will share what my wonderful DH gave me for Christmas.....

Exactly what I asked for on my Christmas list.  On the left is the Finishing Kit for the Designer Mystery BOM.  And on the right is the Backing set.  Both came from the Fat Quarter Shop (like you couldn't see the .  stickers - lol) So, after receiving all of the blocks (some time in May), I will be able to produce my very first Christmas quilt!  Something new for next Christmas.

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I recently signed up to participate in the Birdie Stitches BOM.  You can see the little button on my right sidebar.  This is being put on by Little Miss Shabby and will start tomorrow!  I can hardly wait. 

I decided to go with Urban Chicks Dream On for my stitchery to be based on for color.  I will use the Grass Moda for the sashing and the White Bleached Bella Solid for the block center where the stitchery will go.  The other fabric is for the border.  I have all but one of the colors of floss I need and hope to pick that up next time I'm out.

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300 FOLLOWERS AND MORE FOR 2011 - THANK YOU!! GIVEAWAY

I know....... you are thinking yada-yada-yada, gab-gab-gab.........GET ON WITH THE GIVEAWAY!  Are you sure you really want to know what I'm giving away?  But wait!  First you have to know why I'm having this giveaway.  I want to thank each and everyone of my followers for helping me reach over 300 followers.  This happened awhile back but I was in the middle of another giveaway and I wanted to have a special giveaway to celebrate.  Plus, I want to start of 2011 the RIGHT way!   You are going to help me destash by entering to win this...........

This is a full color pattern call Flying Colors designed by Georgette Dell'Orco.  Isn't it beautiful.  The finished quilt measures approximately 64" X 64".

BUT WAIT!

THERE'S MORE!

Along with the pattern you will also receive.........

25 fat quarters and 5/8 of a yard of black fabric.  That makes for a total of 7 1/8 yards of fabric (if my brain did the math correctly).  Each color bundle (green, yellow, blue, pink, and purple) contains 5 fat quarters in shades from light to dark.  Only the backing is not included which requires four yards.

Now how do you enter you ask.  First of all, you do not need to be a follower but it sure would be nice (and make me happy) since this is a thank you for reaching 300 followers.  Just follow the steps below:

1.  Leave me a comment telling me what hobbies you do besides quilting.

My comment would be - I crochet blankets for Project Linus, enjoy doing counted cross-stitch, read and am looking forward to renewing my love of embroidery.

2.  Blog about this giveaway - then come back and leave me another comment telling me you did so and make sure to include a link to your blog where you posted about it (I will be checking).  This must be a separate entry - if you combine #1 and #2 it will only count as one entry.

That's it.  Easy enough don't you think?  By the way, any one may enter - international welcome!  I will leave this giveaway open until Sunday, January 9, 2011, at 8:00 PM PST.  I will be using random.org to select the winner and make the big announcement in my post on the following Monday.  I will do my best to respond to each and every one of your comment/entries.  If I don't respond, please know that I have read and enjoyed each and every one of your comments.

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OTHER GIVEAWAYS

(I could only find one new one :(    )

The Pickledish Patch (previously Tozz's Corner) is having giveaway #3.  There is a whole assortment of great things to be won here.  You must enter by January 7, 2011.

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FINAL THOUGHT

As you rush off to celebrate the New Year, please take care - I want to see you back in 2011!  So many of you have become good friends to me, even if it is only through comments and emails.  It has been fun and I hope to continue sharing and complaining, wishing and hoping, creating and ripping with you all throughout the next year. 

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!