30
Jan

Alt Design Summit Recap

I'm going to start this post off by saying, that for those of you who don't blog or don't care about the business behind it all, might find this post extremely boring (and very wordy). And if so, that's fine.......just skip this one. Also, I don't usually talk about how I view and run my business, so I feel like I am revealing a little more of myself than normal. But I guess that's pare for the course of stepping outside of my comfort zone. It's hard to know where to start explaining all that was experienced during my three days at Alt Design Summit.....but I will … continue reading

28
Jan

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone ~ Alt

So I just returned from Salt Lake City late Saturday night where I attended Alt Design Summit. I am so happy to be back home with my family, but I cannot stop thinking about what I have just experienced.You may have never heard of this conference and wonder why did I choose to attend Alt Design Summit? Well, that's a really good question. I read about Alt last year and it sounded like such an amazing gathering of talented, creative people that I really wanted to have that experience myself. To be completely honest, Alt was definitely outside my comfort zone. The … continue reading

24
Jan

Clorox Healthy Home and $1000 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

So has the news been scaring you a little with all this talk of flu? Well, it has certainly made me nervous, that's for sure. It seems like everyone has been sick so much lately. We love to do playdates with our friends, but it's like once one family is on the mend, another one goes down. Which has definitely led to some disappointment for my girls when they aren't getting to play with their buddies as often as they would like. Luckily, knock on wood, we have only been sick once this cold / flu season. The kids got a pretty bad cold before the holidays. They had … continue reading

22
Jan

Sweetheart Dress Pattern

How sweet is the back of this dress? I am kind of in love with the little heart cut out. I just think this could not be more perfect for Valentine's Day. This is the Sweetheart Dress pattern by Shannon Cook from Luvinthemommyhood. She has several blogger's sewing up her adorable pattern for a mini-pattern tour that she is doing and she invited me to join along. So fun! The Sweetheart Dress pattern comes in size 2T - 6. This pattern came together really quickly. It is a pdf pattern, but thankfully there are no paper pattern pieces to tape together. You … continue reading

18
Jan

Washi Dress ~ Women’s Dress Pattern Review

I am in love with this pattern! I mean, seriously. When Rae (Made by Rae) released her Washi Dress pattern I knew I must have it. I could just tell that it would work on my body and I actually saw Rae in person at spring quilt market last year wearing her own version of the dress and she looked adorable. The beauty of this pattern, is that you can really fit the dress to your bust measurement and the rest is pretty forgiving whether you are straight-figured or curvy in the hips. I went with a size medium, even though my bust was on the upper end of the measurement … continue reading

17
Jan

Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe

My brother, Ben, recently posted a Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe that he created as a special at the restaurant where he works. The soup looked soooooooo good. While I didn't ask Ben for his recipe, since I figure he needs to keep those for the restaurant, I came up with my own that tastes pretty darn good. This soup is more of a Cream of Broccoli, but you can definitely add some cheese at the end if you want to make it more cheesy. Serve it with a loaf of crusty french bread and your family will love it. Even my husband, who thinks Broccoli is the worst … continue reading

15
Jan

Totally Tubular Stacked Block Quilt & Tula Pink Book Giveaway

Grandma Jane is back again with another wonderful quilt tutorial and a fabulous giveaway.......take it away, Mom......... I had been searching for the perfect quilt to make for my son (men are sew hard to sew for) and finally found my inspiration in the book, Quilts from the House of Tula Pink! Tula Pink, a talented fabric designer and self-taught modern quilter, shares a peek into her whimsical, creative world in this fun book. I absolutely love the beautiful, romantic photography style, the hand-sketched illustrations, and her no rules required approach … continue reading

15
Jan

Southern Fabric Giveaway Winner

And the winner of the Southern Fabric Amy Butler 'Love' jelly roll is........Congratulations, April! If you could please email me at thecottagemama[at]gmail[dot]com with your contact information, we will get you your prize as soon as possible. Thanks so much to everyone who entered and check back with Southern Fabric for more new fabric lines and great sales! … continue reading

11
Jan

On the Cutting Table: It’s Back!

It feels so good to return to the 'On the Cutting Table' post series. For the past seven months I really haven't been able to show you much of anything that was really on my cutting table since it's highly top secret. You may not have noticed or cared, but I did. I love sharing with you guys and it was so hard keeping project after project from you. And while those projects are still under wraps until my book releases in October.......on the upside the book manuscript is completed and turned in and now we can return to our regularly scheduled program here!I have a … continue reading

10
Jan

Ham, Onion and Cheese Quiche Recipe

I love a quiche. Always have and always will and have a delicious Ham, Onion and Cheese Quiche Recipe to share with you today. What's more comforting than warm eggs and melted cheese baking in a buttery, delicious pie crust? Not much. Oh wait, it's January? We are supposed to be eating healthy now, right? I know, I know, but I just had to share this recipe with you right now! You can save it for later if you are trying to be good right now, but you should try it.....you're going to love it. When I was in high school there was a special occasion dress shop that my … continue reading