Another year closes

Seen as it's New Year's Eve I thought I'd pop by and do a quick round up of 2012. It only seems right to do that doesn't it?

2012 has been a very hectic and giving year round these parts. We've had a new addition to the family in the guise of the very gorgeous baby Hunter and I've taken on a new business Simply Solids which thus far is doing well.


Here are a few snaps, in no particular order, of the highlights of 2012 for me.

Purse made for a swap

John (QuiltDad) with Hunter FQR 2012

Little robin embroidery FQR 2012

Bestie meeting baby for 1st time

This snap was a huge internet success!

My pre-Hunter family

Girl on a Swing Quilt

Voile & Flannel blanket for Hunter-it's his fave!

Hunters first smile with his daddy

At Kitchen Guild with LJ & Mandy

Just arrived at Fat Quarterly Retreat London 2012

My amazing Tula Pink Tattoo

Postcards from Paris pillow

Holly and her Nan having lunch out!

Hama bead love made by Max

Waiting to see the Olympic Torch Parade

Amitie Gypsy Wife Bom #1

Cute table runner I made

Cross Stitchery gift for my sewing bestie LJ

The start of Spring Carnival

The best photo I've taken this year!

Merry Christmas from my VIP's

Pretty Pretty Girl

Eeep! I bought a shop!

Fairytale quilt for my niece

Looking back through my photo's I realise I've had quite a productive year even though I was initially thinking I was going to moan about lack of productivity when I started this post!!

For me 2013 is going to be about scheduling time to sew. I do feel other things are always taking priority and it's leaving me feeling angst just now, spinning so many plates means I really must get my time management sorted! I have lots of nearly finished WIPs that I want to bust so I'm hoping for lots more to show here on the blog!

I hope you all have a fabulous New Year whatever your plans, me I'm working a night shift on the Neo-Natal unit making sure the tinies behave themselves whilst the hubs has a NYE party at home with the kiddos!!!

See you on the other side and thanks so much for all your amazing support and encouragement over the past year XXXX

Collaborating

I've been working away on a collaboration with fellow blogger Sue of Just Sew Sue for a few weeks now!

The finished product? An amazing Houndstooth Quilt Kit for Simply Solids - Yay!!

Head over to Sue's great blog to see more of her lovely work and of course to Simply Solids to check out the kit which is available now in a multitude of sizes!! 

What's that? It's a great Christmas gift - just what we thought too!!

Sew Solids Crew Stash Club!

Big news from Simply Solids this weekend - that's right I've launched a monthly Stash Club starting in December!

The club will follow the colours as shown in the chart above and you can choose your level of subscription between 3 or 6 FQs/Half Meters per month - cool or what?? You can either pay upfront or monthly too - simples!

December starts with yummy purples and if you choose the stack of 6 you'll get these: 

Hibiscus, Dk Violet, Amethyst, Cerise, Orchid & Lavender.

If however you choose the stack of 3 you'll get these:

Dk Violet, Amethyst & Orchid.

To find out more please head over to the Sew Solids Crew page on the Simply Solids website!

Looking forward to having you in the club!!!!

Giving Thanks

So this weekend is Thanksgiving in the USA and as I have met lots of friends stateside through blogging, tweeting and IG, I do feel it appropriate to have a little celebration here too!

Not forgetting what Thanksgiving is all about my sewing bestie Katy has written an awesome post on been thankful.

Right now I'm thankful that my parents have taken baby Hunter out for the day so I can have a computer day to catch up with things for Simply Solids and to blog! I'm thankful that the aforementioned Katy collected a quilt from the long arm quilter for me yesterday and is machine sewing the front of the binding down for me today. I'm also thankful that blogging brought us together with the rest of the Kitchen Guild gang who quite frankly keep me sane!!

Here's a picture of the quilt Katy collected for me:

It's the bow-tie quilt done in Heather Ross Far Far Away and Essex Linen, for a lovely friend I might add!

I'm also working on another quilt right now:

This will be the Orange Soda quilt in Tufted Tweets and is heading my brothers way!

I'm also very grateful for the Hoop I received today in the Hoop-La swap on Flickr. I was stalked very well by it's maker don't you think? It's just perfect!!

Finally to celebrate Thanksgiving I'm offereing 15% off everything in Simply Solids from Friday 23rd - Mon 26th November 2012 with code: turkey. Enjoy!

busy busy busy

So it's been a while. Again. I'm sorry!

Hectic will be the best word to describe my life from here on in, I went back to nursing after my maternity leave yesterday - what a shock to the system that was! Enjoyed it though, so I'll keep going!

I got a mahoosive delivery for Simply Solids today that included some pre-cuts of the amazing Cosmo Crickets line Odds & Ends. This line is a sure fire sell out, there's been lots of buzz about it for a while so I'm really pleased I managed to get a hold of some.

I also added these cuties to the shop, Moda Scrap Bags.

At just £12 they're a great treat, or Christmas present lets face it! For yourself or any sewing enthusiast you know. I'd be very happy to find one of these in my stocking on Christmas morning!!

I've also added to the ever expanding stock range with these beauties:

Yes that's right they're Moda Cross Weaves in grey and natural. Thankfully Moda have reprinted them as they went out of stock for a while. 

I've got lots more new lines planned for the shop so please keep an eye out on the 'Coming Soon' section.

No time at all....

As if I wasn't busy enough pre buying Simply Solids! Ha!

It appears I get no time at all for sewing, or blog reading, or running, or anything actually, well except baby and business of course!

Fortunately the weekend has been steady away with sales which I've got all packed up and ready to go to the post office in the morning.

I also managed a cheeky evening of sewing during the week. I wanted a quick project so that I felt that lovely sense of completion so I stitched up a Christmas Stocking for Hunter!!

Its very cute isn't it?? I've just got one to make for myself and the hubby and we're all set for the big man's visit!

During this next week I'm planning on finishing a quilt top that's been a WIP for a while and getting it to the long arm for quilting.

What are your plans for the week? I'd love to hear.

Simply Solids Flash Sale

Seen as I'm in a great mood and was super giddy to receive more srummy yummy fabric today I've decided to have a flash sale over in my shop Simply Solids.

Starting NOW until midnight Sunday 30th Sept 2012 there will be 15%, that's right a whole 15% off Pre-Cuts.....

That's right the sale includes the extremely coveted lines Oh Deer! and Sew Stitchy........

Now fly my lovelies before I'm all sold out!

www.simplysolids.co.uk

and the winner is.....

Yay it's time to announce the winner of the fabulous advent calendar from the lovely Karen of Blueberry Park!

And it was comment number 65:

Kelli said:

65 

Kelli said...

Read about your giveaway on Twitter--thought I was following your blog before, but ALAS! I am now following for real. :)

I have already been in touch with Kelli for her address and her prize will be winging its way to her shortly!!

Now don't despair if you didn't win this time because the lovely Laura over at Needles, Pins and Baking Tins is holding another giveaway to win the self same advent calendar!! Hop over there now and enter again!

Good Luck!

A right busy weekend

Well after my big announcement on Friday night I've spent the weekend up to my neck it in it!!!

Saturday saw me, the hubs and 'Master M' drive the van down to Derbyshire to the lovely Mandy's to collect my new business venture 'Simply Solids' - Yikes!

Once we got home the real fun began - sorting and stacking fabric into the sewing room - woo hoo!

Sunday was all about the cutting and packing of orders and getting to grips with the behind the scenes of the website, lets just say I spent a long time on the phone with Mandy!

Today I've been speaking with various suppliers and will be doing a mini stock take this evening. Scratch that I've run out of time, poor baby Hunter is having mahoosive teething problems just now so I've just spent all evening cuddling him as he struggles with it. Poor thing.

That's after I've tidied up. This is waiting until tomorrow too now!


This is what busy looks like! Not that I'm complaining.....

PS: Leave me a comment if there are any specific Kona colours you want me to stock and I'll try my best to please you.