Eighteen months and thirteen years

'Eighteen months and thirteen years of what?', you may be asking.  Well, I'll tell you!  It's exactly eighteen months since I started this blog and Archie celebrated his thirteenth (ish) birthday a couple of weeks ago.  ('Ish' because he's a rescue dog so his exact date of birth is a mystery.)  I realise that most people celebrate their bloggy birthdays at yearly intervals but I like being a little different.  Or contrary.

I had planned this for last August but I was too tired to be able to promise to make the prize so I delayed it.  And delayed it.  And delayed it.  I've been counting down the days until my eighteen month bloggy birthday and decided to let Archie in on the fun (he's going to choose the winner!) to mark his birthday!  I'm so glad I started my blog (after a bit of a push from Nicky!) - I was already reading and commenting on lots of blogs (but not as many as I do now!) but there's nothing like a blog to help make you an integral part of this wonderful community.  I had a fabulous welcome to the bloggy world and the friendship, fun and support has continued!  This post is a little thank you to you all but I'm afraid there's only going to be one winner...

Right, that's enough of that, let's get down to business.  I'm sure that you want to know what you could win, don't you?  Well, don't get too excited...

You could win:

An EPP pin cushion (similar in style and size to this, this and this) made from a selection of Japanese import fabrics:

Shout if there are any fabrics you definitely want including...or excluding!

Or a Liberty thread catcher (like these but not necessarily with the same buttons/ribbons!) made with your choice of three fabrics:

The one on the left is my favourite print, I'd like a dress in it!

Or your choice of either a Union flag thread catcher or pin cushion, made with this flag:

Or the culled hexies, to do with what you will:

Anyone for darts?

Or the leftovers from my 'Leftovers/Turkey Sandwiches' quilt:

There's just under 9oz of fabric here.

Or the biscornu pin cushion I made last year:

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me which option you'd prefer.  If you'd like a second chance to win then I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to work for it...please give me ideas about what I should do with this (3.5" x 3.5") piece of embellished felt:

Ideas needed!

I made it last year and I only have a limited supply of the same type of felt, as you can see in this photo:

Any ideas are welcome, they don't even have to be sensible but it would be nice if I could turn it into something rather than having it sit in a paper bag in my sewing room.  Just one piece of information, though:  I don't wear brooches (on me or my bags) so I'm afraid a fairly obvious solution won't work!  (And yes, I want to keep it for myself so I'm not going to turn it into a brooch and give it to someone who would wear it!)


I'll be back with a catch-up post next week, probably for Fresh Sewing Day!  I've been busy joining hexies, embroidering Summersville and making a bag, but more of that next week!

I've also had a little trip to Ikea and bought one thing.  Well, two things but they go together to make a new bed for Archie!

Mine.

I think he likes it!

I like it - one bed for my head and one for my behind.

It's destined for the conservatory as his bed in there is a little, well, lacking in style, but it's too cold for him to be in the conservatory at the moment (although he has managed a few hours in there in the last week as it's been sunny and mild) so it's going to stay in the front room (or under my sewing table) for the next few weeks until it can be transferred.


Don't forget:

Leave a comment telling me which prize you'd like if Archie picks your number.

For an extra chance leave me a second comment suggesting a use for the felt thing.


If you think you may be a no-reply blogger then please put your email address in your comment - if I can't contact the winner then I'll get Archie to pick again.  I'm also allowing anonymous comments for this post, for the duration of the giveaway, to give people without any sort of blog account to enter - if you're leaving an anonymous comment then you definitely need to leave me your email address!  Spammers, this does not apply to you!

I'll close the giveaway a week today (Thursday 28th February) on Saturday 2nd March at 7pm (GMT) and I'm going to make you wait to find out whether you've won until after I've made the prize.  In fact, if I already have your address I'll probably post it before I announce the winner.   Hmmm...'Announce' sounds grander than I'd intended but I think 'proclaim', 'declare' and 'promulgate' are equally as grand, if not more so, and 'reveal' sounds a little, well, odd.  As though I'm going to pull back a curtain and find you standing in the nuddy.  Or maybe that's just me...

Good luck, I'm off to continue negotiations with Archie about how he's going to choose the winner - he wants a piece of paper for each number and the matching number of biscuits in front of it.  I've tried to explain that 1) that's not fair to the people who comment first, and 2) there's no way he's eating that many biscuits, but he's not having any of it!  I may be some time...


P.S.  I may not be able to reply to all your comments, it depends how many people enter!  Although I usually reply to all my comments, I'm not going to be replying to any of the comments on this post as there are too many and, quite frankly, I'm shattered!  I'm going to save my energy for the number choosing saga and for making the prize - I'm sure you all understand!

Comments are now closed - Archie will be picking a winner tomorrow and I'll start making the prize.  Thanks for entering and good luck!