British Magazine Love [& A Winner Too!]

Sew Merry and Bright

Thanks for playing along the Henry Glass Naughty or Nice Holiday Party. I hope that it was a good distraction for you. It seems that Christmas just blasted me in the face. I can't believe that Christmas is going to be next week. Seems surreal. 

Sew Magazine

I wrote about my crazy busy year this past year and suddenly a few people wrote to me thinking that I hadn't done anything creative. Oh, don't get me wrong, I just didn't have my ducks in a row enough to commit the art to the outside world. It is at the top of my list for the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, I received a couple of tear sheets from magazines this week. "Sew Merry and Bright" got some British press. The first magazine was Sew Magazine and they featured a couple of my ornaments in this issue.

I love that reindeer on the cover. Must. Make. From the two covers that I have received, it seems that the turquoise blue and red combination is popular for the holidays. I love it. Do you have a favorite color combination for holiday decor? 

Credit: Sew Magazine

"Oh Nuts" made it into the magazine. I have to say that he's one of my favorites. Have you ever made an ornament? They're so easy and gratifying for that very reason. Working with real wool felt is a treat and I love to add a little "bling" when you add beads.

Before I forget, Lil' A picked the winner for a copy of my book "Sew Merry and Bright."  [He's the real boss around here.] Drum roll please ...

Judy about a week ago 

I am planning to take time to learn to free motion quilt. I have signed up for a class on Craftsy and have not had the time to really watch it yet but I am going to make time for it as soon as we get past the holidays.

Please e-mail me your details here. You have until Friday to claim your prize otherwise you will forfeit your prize and Big A will pick another name for me.

Thanks. 

Enjoy the last full week of crazy holiday preparations.

-lldb

Naughty Or Nice

Hmmm. I think that I've been naughty or at least I haven't felt really nice about some things this year. It is hard to define. I have had to fight some major battles in the past year over my kids' activities which resulted in one chaotic life. I hate to talk cryptically and I would tell you the awful details but you wouldn't believe me. I just push forward and keep fighting. Did I ever tell you that I am a very persistent person? Don't mess with me! LOL

Happy Holidays 2013

I've been doing some work behind the scenes with Henry Glass Fabrics and also trying to maintain a balanced life with a husband who travels out of country and out of state on a weekly basis. I'm not complaining. Just trying to give those who ask some perspective of my life.  I'm relatively strong but there are really up days and really crazy, crazy topsy-turvy days where I feel as though I am trying to catch 10 plates with my hands, head and foot.  Of course that lead to the delay in upgrading this ol' business of mine. 

Mark Lipinski and his crew visited my studio.

Recently, I started to write sporadically around here without telling anyone. it is like a diary of sorts. I've always done some form of journaling and I think that it has helped me keep things in check. It feels good because I've been missing the creative side a lot. 

Sew Merry and Bright [Martingale & Co.]

So now, I am happy to say that I have patterns, books and other ideas on the brain. This coming year is going to be more about me. Is that necessarily a bad thing? I don't think so. To celebrate, I will send one lucky winner a copy of my book "Sew Merry and Bright" if you comment here, on my Facebook wall if you are a friend or Facebook page [shameless begging, please like!] and tell me what you look forward to doing for yourself this coming year. Comment by Sunday, December 8, at midnight.

xo, lldb

Have Jingle Will Rock

Have Jingle Will Rock

Copyright 2012 Linda Lum DeBono

This is my favorite saying. I have made several different versions of this pillow but when Sew Mama Sew participated in my book tour for "Sew Merry and Bright" I just had to make another one because I know that they have cool customers! Drop by their site and grab this freebie. There's a tutorial on there too.

You're So Square

You're So Square

[Photo credit: Martingale & Co.]

Sew Merry and Bright

by Linda Lum DeBono

Martingale & Co., publisher of my book, Sew Merry and Bright, has my table topper, "You're So Square" pattern on their website as a free download! Get it here. Oh and you can buy my books and patterns here too!

Houston

I have arrived in Houston and am excited to see my friends. I'm looking forward to seeing the beautiful quilts and to get a feeling of the buzz in the industry. Of course there's the good food! Oh my. Eddie V's was terrific last night.

Schoolhouse is on today. Can't wait. From Henry Glass fabrics, Kim Diehl and Dana Brooks will each have one. I hope to see you there!

xo, lldb

Retail Therapy: The Cloth Shop, Granville Island

The Cloth Shop, Granville Island

We visited Granville Island and it was so beautiful. I wanted to move there and be a cool art student at Emily Carr University! There are a few stores on Granville Island that are oh so beautiful. I believe that you have to apply in order to be allowed to open up shop there.  

The Cloth Shop is a quilt shop that is on Granville Island. The store had been in another location for many years and had offered classes but in its new location it is just a quilt/fabric shop. The shop is physically small but the owners have carefully curated some gorgeous fabrics that are current [Barbara, one of the owners and I had determined that "current" is a better word than "modern"] and inspiring.

What a beautiful shop.  

x, lldb

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A Beautiful Gem

Finn Slough, BC

Vancouver is definitely a beautiful city. It's a great walking town and there's lots to see and do. Funny enough though, one of my favorite parts of my trip out west was a little place called Finn Slough in Richmond, BC. It's a small fishing community along the Fraser River comprising of wooden houses that float or are built on stilts. Finn Slough was inhabited by Finnish settlers and the area lacks zoning [therefore lacks property tax] so naturally it is a place of controversy. Many artists, photographers have been there to take in its natural beauty. Apparently Godzilla [2014] was filmed there recently.

Right now it's residents are facing a battle because a land developer wants this community removed so that it can be replaced with condos and a park.  

Finn Slough

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What a beautiful gem. 

x, lldb

The Beauty Of Simple Things

I just got back from beautiful Vancouver. I had forgotten how relaxing and inspiring a real vacation can be. Many times I travel for my business or my husband's business. This time the phones were turned off for the most part and it was bliss. Simple silhouettes were fun to capture on our cameras. We loved walking along the beautiful beaches and sea walls of Vancouver. My boys really enjoyed hanging out, walking and talking with my brother. 

View from Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel. Downtown Vancouver.

I sure didn't want to come back home especially since we woke up to this view every morning. Can you blame us? Gotta unpack and will be back soon! 

x, lldb

Frequency

I have been trying to get some "making" back into my life. This recent purchase has me designing a case for my iPad and a notions holder [though I haven't figured this one out yet.] I am trying to increase the frequency of the creative encounters.

How often do you try to make something each week?

 x, lldb

For The Thrill Of It

The Process

When I start a new project, it often takes me a really long time before the project takes off. I have certain mental requirements when the idea is brewing in my brain. If you've ever heard me talk at a guild, you know that my ideas sit up there in that noggin of mine until it is ready to be hatched. Books are written in my mind before it gets written down on paper. This new website went through the same developmental process. It is still going through the channels towards becoming an inspiring place where one can come and visit. 

I have had this same website on the same host site for a decade but it needed to evolve.  I had asked myself what I wanted to achieve. The answers are still formulating but one thing that I want to do is re-fresh. I often find that just designing quilts has been a very limiting thing for me. After all, I designed handmade greeting cards way before Hallmark added to their mass-produced lines. By making changes, I have opened the channels. There are more things to do, to make, to create and to accomplish.

I think that "juggling" is a word that can best describe what I've been through for the past year. What got me committed to seeing this project through was a comment from my good friend from high school last month. He told me that was how he kept up with me and my business. Oops. 

Where does one start?  For the good part of the last few years, I have gone through the questions that one has when she's at a crossroad. The design business in the old sense didn't thrill me anymore and my husband started commuting to another state and to country each week.

I am enjoying my original roots of designing purely because I want to and because I enjoy it. Books, fabric and other work are still the main part of the business though I'm not sure how everything else will evolve. That's the true thrill of it don't you think?

 x, lldb