The Cottage Mama Home Tour

So the time has come to sell The Cottage Home. Brett and I purchased this home one month after we got married, a little more than 10 years ago. When we bought this house, it needed major work, but it's what we could afford at the time. I fell in love with the character and charm and overlooked some of the major problems as well as the amount of work that was needed on the interior. I wish I had some before pictures to share with you........all I can say was that there was orange shag carpet on the stairs, linoleum flooring in some of the bedrooms, baseboards that … continue reading

The Cottage Mama Sample Sale

I just wanted to let you know that I will be holding The Cottage Mama Sample Sale on December 31, 2014 at 9:00AM (CST) over in The Cottage Mama Etsy shop. We are getting ready to list our home for sale, so I'm selling off quite a few pieces from the sample garment rack. The picture above represents a sampling of the pieces included in the sale. There are things for girls as well as a few things for baby and boys. Many of the pieces included took me hours of work to create and I'm excited that they will go to homes where little ones can enjoy wearing them. I've … continue reading

Merry Christmas from The Cottage Mama

Just a quick post to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. I wish I could send each and every one of you a Christmas card, I thought I would share our card from this year right here on the blog. Thank you all so much for your love and support this year. Merry Christmas! … continue reading

ePottingShed Giveaway

Today I have another fantastic holiday giveaway for you! I'd like to introduce one of the newest sponsors here on The Cottage Mama, ePottingShed (EPS). EPS is a mail order plant and flower company, but they aren't just like any ole florist you might order from online.........they are unique and different. When you receive a delivery from EPS, it's definitely feels like a special occasion. Let me share a little more....... … continue reading

Artisan Caramels Book Review and Giveaway

Today I'm excited to introduce you to the book, Artisan Caramels by Sandy Arevalo. Not only is this an incredible book on how to make the most delicious caramels you have ever tasted, but the author lives in the next town over. And on top of that, my very good friend, Danica of Flora Danica Photography, photographed the entire book! I want to share a little about this book and then Sandy will be giving away an autographed copy as well as 1 pound of her handmade salted caramels (see below). … continue reading

Black Friday Sale Going on Now!

The Cottage Mama Black Friday Sale is going on now over in The Cottage Mama Etsy Shop! The discount code doesn't apply here on the main website. A 30% off sale only happens once a year, so grab those patterns you've had your eye on lately........now is the time! Click HERE to shop in The Cottage Mama Etsy Shop. … continue reading

Introducing Miss Josephine Mae Wilkes

 Josephine Mae Wilkes I'm pleased to introduce Miss Josephine Mae Wilkes born October 12, 2014 at 12:24AM weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long. It has been a busy last four weeks around here! So busy, in fact, that I didn't get a chance to pop on the blog and let you know that our sweet, precious baby girl had arrived! I figure most of you follow along on Facebook or Instagram (@thecottagemama), so you probably saw my announcement over there and the million baby photos I've been posting over the last month. But we are just beyond smitten with this new … continue reading

Fat Eighth Frenzy Pattern

Today's post is brought to you by my mom, Grandma Jane......... The Fat Quarter Shop has just released a new Shortcut Quilt Pattern called the Fat Eighth Frenzy Pattern! I love the name of this pattern as I am frequently in a “frenzy” trying to make a quilt for a gift at the last moment. There is also a Bonus project pattern included for a smaller quilt using the scraps from the bigger quilt! Brilliant! … continue reading

Create the Perfect Fit Book Review and Giveaway

Today I'm excited to introduce a new book to you all, Create the Perfect Fit by my friend, Joi Mahon! I met Joi several years ago when we were both 1st time teachers at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion. I was teaching children's garment construction and Joi was teaching an incredible draping class. Everyone who took Joi's class raved about it and everything in her classroom looked straight out of Project Runway (I'm pretty sure if she were on that show, she would win).........she is the real deal. Anyway, fast forward and now Joi has released her first book … continue reading

Indoor Photography Shooting Guide

So today I wanted to take a minute to let you know about a fantastic new downloadable e-book, the 'Indoor Shooting Guide' from my book photographer, Amy Tripple, and a fellow photography colleague of hers, Heidi Peters. I absolutely adore Amy's work. There was no one else I would have rather photographed all the adorable little girls and clothing in my book, 'Sew Classic Clothes for Girls'. Amy's work is fresh, inspiring and just.....well........stunning. Amy doesn't live far from me and here in the Midwest, we are forced to take many of our photos indoors during … continue reading