An Easter Present for Everyone - Bunny Garden Tutorial

Hello, Friends, and Happy Easter!

Bear Creek Quilting Company has just published

my guest post on their blog,

for a Bunny Garden Table Topper tutorial!

{Be sure to scroll down to the

end of the Bear Creek Quilting Company guest post,

because there's an awesome giveaway going on, too!}

There's a super cool template set that I used

to make this table topper, and I gave it four bunny feet up,

in my review. 

Made by Creative Grids,

the Scrap Crazy 6-Inch Template Set is a winner!

Any quilter would enjoy this tool,

novice or experienced. It made this project so quick and easy.

I couldn't resist giving a sneak peek of this fun project,

on my Spring Primroses post.

The fabrics that I used are from a new-to-me designer

called Lewis and Irene. 

This line is called Bunny Garden,

and I am enchanted by the soft tones and

whimsical artwork of these prints.

Bunny Garden is perfect for springtime and beyond...

wouldn't these fabrics be lovely for a baby's nursery,

children's clothing, or a baby gift?

My sister Susie at Susie's Sunroom

 has created the most charming baby gift set,

made up of a soft toy, a pillow and a book.

{I am definitely going to steal copy this idea! I am admitting it now.}

Photo from Susie's Sunroom blog

Hop on over to my guest post now,

to learn how to make your own table topper

and to register to win a $50 gift certificate to

Bear Creek Quilting Company!

{Giveaway runs through Sunday, April 3, 2016.}

Happy Easter, everyone!

My Pixie Basket

Have you see it the Pixie Baskets

making their way into blogs and

Instagrams and every quilter's heart?

Here's my contribution to this teeny trend.

Heidi Staple of Fabric Mutt

has generously provided a free tutorial,

so that anyone can make a Pixie Basket.

They require very little fabric and time...

and you get a whole bunch of cuteness in the end.

I used some scraps of Simply Color

by V and Co for Moda, for my basket.

I like the navy blue interior and the lime accent band

against a lighter outside fabric.

This little basket aren't destined to get very dirty, after all.

It will be kept on a pedestal and will only be asked to stay cute.

And speaking of cute...

can you barely stand the sweet buttons inside the basket?

They are a treasured gift from my dearest friend,

and I recognized those button cards right away.

There is a free printable button card file here,

by the incomparable Amy Sinibaldi of nanacompany.

You can print them and attach your own favorite buttons.

Trust me...they make an awesome present.

{Mother's Day is just around the corner, here in the USA...}

Just sayin'...

Spring Primroses

Every year, I look forward to seeing

primroses for sale in my local grocery store.

Look at this wave of color!

Who can resist bringing home one of these

signs of springtime sweetness?

Then, every spring, I get my little flower home...

and it looks kind of...lonely...in that plastic pot.

Oh.My. Kind of sad.

:0(

I had planned to use the primrose as a prop

for my latest blog photos.

So...I took 5 minutes and a few supplies

that I had on hand,

and I gave my little primrose pot a makeover.

Do you have 5 minutes?

Here's a fun way to spend it.

{Note: This pot has no drainage holes. If yours has holes,

you'll need to place some plastic around the pot,

to keep the paper dry.}

All you need is a bowl and a piece of coordinating tissue wrapping paper.

Choose a bowl that is slightly larger than the flower pot.

My bowl is an unlikely candidate, with that Pittsburgh Pirates logo!

However...on the other sides,

it's a lovely plain white, with a slim black line around the rim.

It's perfect for my blog photos

and the logo doesn't show from most angles.

Next prepare the tissue wrap.

All you need is one piece, and it can be slightly wrinkled.

Cut 8 to 10 rectangles from the tissue paper,

each measuring about 6" x 10". 

Hold each one in the center, and shape it into a tuft,

as shown in the photo.

Place the flower pot into the bowl,

and tuck the tissue tufts in between the two containers,

until you are pleased with the fluffy layer.

That's a lot better!

My primrose has a pretty tutu for her blog debut.

I hope you'll find a way to brighten your spring days, too!

{Stop by again soon to see more of that table topper!}

Mr. Sunshine Mini Quilt Pattern - Supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

A brighter future lies ahead...

Someday we will wake up to a world

where the words, "You have cancer"

do not send people into a panic.

I'd like to do what I can to help

make leukemia and lymphoma treatable,

by supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

My husband is an only child,

but he's had a best friend, Dan Chianese,

for over 50 years. They are like brothers.

"Dan the Man" was diagnosed with leukemia

two years ago.

Dan is fighting back as a candidate for the

Man of the Year with LLS Suncoast.

One dollar equals one vote, from now until May 7, 2016.

The Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign is a spirited fundraising competition in communities across the U.S. in which participants build fundraising teams to compete for the title of Man or Woman of the Year. They raise funds for LLS blood cancer research in honor of local children who are blood cancer survivors, the Boy & Girl of the Year. The titles are awarded to the man and woman in each community who raises the most funds during the ten-week campaign; the top local fundraisers in the country also win the national titles. You can support their efforts by donating to or joining their campaigns, because everyone wins when cancer loses!

In Dan's honor,

I designed the Mr. Sunshine mini quilt.

Dan lives in Florida now,

so I decided to put some sunglasses onto

a sunburst design.

You can buy this pattern on Craftsy for only $3.00.

I will donate all of the sales of this pattern from now

through May 7, 2016 to Dan The Man's campaign for Man of the Year.

You can also make a direct donation here.

The future is so bright that

even the SUN needs sunglasses!

Linking up to Bits N Bobs Design Board Monday!