Happy 2012!

Just wishing you all a blessed, healthy and happy New Year!  We hope that 2012 (can you even believe that? - 2012????) is filled with wishes granted for each of you!

After the busy-i-ness

Have things settled down for all of you?  It seems we are still busy doing lots of things with family and friends and that's good - it's fun and enjoyable to see everyone and I really like that the "season" is extended to just more than one day!  Anyway I did the drawing for the third give away - the $50 gift card - and the winner is Heather!  Congratulations, Heather.  Let me know if you want to pick up your gift card or if you would like me to mail it to you - whatever works for you.

Thank you everyone for participating in our give aways and signing up on our blog.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to try to make the blog more fun - more informative for everyone so let's see how I do!

The shop is closed today - we are in the middle of moving some "stuff" around. So we will be at the shop but still trying to make things fit into place - we had some fabric upstairs at the shop that we decided to move downstairs where I could see it and actually be more aware of what we have.  The stairs at the shop are narrow and steep and I did not venture up there very often - it was more Mike's domain so when we put fabric up there it was kind of like out of sight out of mind and now it is all in our classroom and we will be busy for a bit putting it in order.  Wish us luck!

Third Give Away.....

Well time is getting away from me and I still don't have a picture of our give away - so I am just going to tell you what it is ...a $50.00 gift certificate for Hearts To Holly.  So get your comments in (one chance) and get your friends to join our blog (second chance) to double your chance to win.

This year has been such a great year for us here at Hearts - you all have been so supportive while we have been growing and learning - Thank You!  It has been such a treat to continue to meet new people, to laugh with our customers - both new and old - and to see such wonderful, beautiful and creative quilts and projects.  You people have so much talent - thank you for sharing!

So our wish for each of you for 2012 - health, happiness, peace, joy and lots and lots of fun and smiles! 

New title - new year

Forget to mentin in my last comment that I changed the title of our blog from just Hearts To Holly to Heart Strings..  Our Moda salesperson visited last week and asked what our blog was called. When I told him Hearts To Holly he said "oh - you need to name it something catchy" Being new to blogging, I had not thought about naming the blog something other than Hearts To Holly but since Mark's comments, I have been thinking about a name.  I don't know if Heart Strings is catchy or not but after I was finished sewing yesterday I was covered in strings so thought that's it - Heart Strings.   Our quilts are all made with love and we always have strings of fabric covering us - I am always picking them off of my clothes - even at Church - so to me it makes sense - catchy or not. 

For our third give away, rules are changing a little bit - 1.  post a comment to Heart Strings and you will be entered into the drawing and 2.  if you get a friend to join the blog and post a comment, you will be entered into the drawing a second time.  Just have the friend state that they joined at your invitation in their comment.  So then they will be entered into the drawing and you get your second entry.

Our third give away is - oh that's right I have to take a picture - will post it soon ----

Another Winner

Good morning!  We have another winner - yea!  This is so much fun.  I love reading the comments and hope that you all have as much fun as I do here at Hearts.

The winner of the Holly Bunch and pattern is "Lenore".  Lenore if you can let me know if you will be stopping in to pick up your winnings or if we need to get it in the mail that would be great!

Our third give away will take place this Saturday, December 24.  I need to take a picture - so will post tomorrow - trust me though it will be a good one!

Congratulations, Lenore!

Week #2 H2H Blog Give Away

The weather is mild - no snow on the roads and it is predicted to stay like this for the next few days so it makes a perfect time to get out there and finish your Christmas shopping.  I've got some sewing to finsih but things are looking good!  Hearts To Holly has lots of great gift ideas - some ready to wrap and others that require some sewing but either way they would make great stocking stuffers or a nice hostess gift.  So put on your Santa hat, sing your favorite carols, and enjoy the sights, sounds and scents of the season!

This is week #2 for Hearts To Holly's Blog Give Away and this week we will be giving a Holly Bunch (12 corrdinated fat quarters) and a Holly Bunch pattern.  Holly Bunch patterns are patterns that have been designed specifically for Hearts To Holly by Valerie (our oldest daughter) and use 12 fat quarters - all cut the same way - for the quilt top.  You can then add borders if you want - and it makes a nice lap size quilt.  We currently have 7 Holly Bunch patterns and I hear that there might be some more in the near future.

Rules are the same - sign on as a follower of our blog and post a comment. Or if you have already signed on as a follower - just post a comment and you will be entered into the drawing for Saturday, December 17.

Have an absolutely wonderful week - Happy Quilting!

First Winner

Our first blog winner is "Nettie".  Nettie wins the Snap Sack kit which makes the beautiful Christmas wall hanging.  Congratulations, Nettie!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Today starts the beginning of the 2nd contest.  Rules are the same - join the blog and post a comment (make sure you post a comment) and your name will be entered into our drawing for next Saturday, December 17.

I need to take a picture of this week's prize so stay tuned - will post it tomorrow!

Countdown to Christmas

One of our customers told us about a great block - the disappearing four patch.  It is a fun and easy block that looks really great! 

We started with charm squares and made a four patch using two lights and two dark charms. After sewing them together to get the four patch, press and lay on a cutting mat that you will be able to turn.  Measure from the center seam - we measured 1 1/2 inches from the center - you can measure any increment that you want - and cut, then turn the mat (don't move the block once you start cutting), measure from the center seam - same distance - and cut.  Continue until you have made four cuts from the center seam - one on each side.

You now have nine squares that you can arrange in any format you would like and sew together.  This is what we did with ours -

 Isn't it a great looking block? Think of all the possibilities!

Christmas is just a few weeks away and in the spirit of giving, we will have three give aways - one on  December 10, December 17 and December 24.  Just post a comment during the week before the give away date and you will be entered into our drawing.  Our prize for December 10 will be a snap sack kit for the wall quilt pictured above.  The snap sacks are complete - everything you need to finish this project is included.  So don't delay - post your comment today! 

Better and Better

We (Hearts To Holly, Delphine's Quilt Shop and Cousin's Quilt Shop) are currently hosting our first Demo Daze and it has been really well received.  We are giving some great demos - some really fun, easy and quick gift ideas that can be sewn up well before Christmas. 

Some of the things we are showing are the Ten Minute Tablerunner - we actually call it the 15 Minute Tablerunner because we have added a small strip to each side to perk it up a little bit, the 20 Minute Pillowcase, East Mitered Placemats, Napkins that fold into a beautiful tree shape - really pretty - and coasters.  You can make a beautiful tablescape with all of these items (20 Minute Pillowcase shortened and used as a chair cover) - what great ideas!

So we have been busy and are enjoying seeing our quilters while they are out shopping and enjoying the festive Holiday atmosphere.  Mother Nature has even blessed us with great weather to be out and about. It has been good!

Next week we have some more goodies planned so be sure to stay tuned and if you don't get our newsletter, you can subscribe at http://www.heartstoholly.com/

Have a great weekend!