Gwenny Penny

It's My Party Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Sat, 26 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who entered last week's It's My Party and I'll Craft if I Want To giveaway.

The winner is...

Darcy from Modern Cozy who said...

Congratulations, Darcy! Thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes. It was so fun to read everyone's favorite crafting tools and fabrics. And thanks again to Riley Blake for the fat quarter bundle! I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!

Point of View and Summer/Vacation Link Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to this month's Point of View reveal! The theme for May is "Summer/Vacation". Take a look at the great ideas the members of Point of View have come up with this month...

Tone from Bless by Tone (Our guest this month... thanks for joining us, Tone!)
Amy from Ameroonie Designs
Jonie from Just Between Friends
Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy
Gwen from Gwenny Penny (Click HERE to read more about my ditty bag)
Leanne from Organize and Decorate Everything

As always, you can check out each of the projects by visiting each of the blogs listed above.

I chose to go the "vacation" route for my project this month. One of the things I love about Point of View is that I've been using it to motivate myself to complete some of the projects on my to-do list. I've been promising to make toiletry bags for my girls since last fall, and I just hadn't gotten around to it. I had even bought some really cute Japanese linen printed with laundry hanging on the line to use for the bags. After finding the Michelle Patterns ditty bag pattern a few weeks ago, I decided to give it a try. I also started seeing the new Monaluna Next Stop collection from Birch Fabrics and had to change my fabric choice :)

This bag turned out really cute, and it definitely beats the plastic bags my girls have been using when we go on vacation or visit our family in Vermont. Click HERE to read more about my project.

Now it's your turn. Do you have a Summer/Vacation project that you would like to share? We would like to invite you to join the Point of View Summer/Vacation Link Party! It doesn't have to be a new project... If you have a Summer or Vacation-themed project in your archives, link it up! We want to see what you've created. You can link up to the Point of View link party on any member's blog and your link will show up in the party on all five blogs! Add the Point of View button to your post so that others can join the party. And remember, by linking up you have the chance to be featured by one of the members of Point of View next week!

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Ditty Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:57:00 +0000

Whenever we go on vacation or head up to Vermont to visit the family for a weekend, we throw the girls' hairbrushes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hair accessories in plastic ziploc bags. I've been promising to make them little toiletry bags since last fall. I even bought some really cute Japanese linen printed with laundry hanging on the line to use for their bags, but the fabric has been sitting there for months. This month's Point of View theme "Summer/Vacation" was a great opportunity to get myself going on these bags (OK, just one of them, but they can share until I get motivated again :)

I used the Michelle Patterns ditty bag pattern. And as you can see, I didn't use the Japanese linen I'd been saving. As soon as I saw the new Monaluna Next Stop collection from Birch Fabrics, I knew I had to use it for these bags... It's too perfect!

This is so much better than the plastic bags my girls have been using for their stuff.

The ditty bag PDF pattern comes with instructions for three different sizes. This is the largest and measures approximately 9" x 8" and is about 2.25" deep. The smallest size (5" x 4" x 1.5") is supposed to be more difficult, just because it's so small, but I really want to try it because it's just so cute! I really like this pattern and definitely recommend it. Everything came together nicely.

This was my first time sewing covered zipper ends, and it was so easy! I don't know why I waited so long. And I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of the inside! Doh! The bag is fully lined with a solid coral colored cotton that matches the coral colored suitcases on the exterior fabric.

So glad to get this one partially crossed off my list. I should probably get the other one done while the pattern is still fresh in my mind. We'll see...

Now it's your turn... Check out this month's Point of View collage and link up your past or present Summer/Vacation projects at the Point of View Link Party! We want to see what you've been up to!

A Giveaway! - It's My Party Day 5 (CLOSED)

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:20:00 +0000

This giveaway is now CLOSED.

It's the last day of birthday week, and it's time to break out the presents! Today Amy and I are each hosting a giveaway on our blogs as part of our week long It's My Party and I'll Craft if I Want To event. And one of you is going to walk away with an amazing gift.

I had a great time this week sewing projects for myself and sharing some of my favorite things. I shared my dumpling pouch, my favorite everyday things, my sewing machine cozy, and my favorite crafty things. Now it's time to give a gift to one of you! I'm so jealous of the goodies up for grabs. Ready?

First of all, Riley Blake is very generously offering up a fat quarter bundle of Apple of My Eye! Can you believe this?!?

Image Source: Riley Blake

Love it! Thanks so much to Riley Blake for the opportunity to include this gorgeous fabric in today's giveaway. But wait... there's more :)

Remember one of my favorite crafty things, SMASH books? Want one?

I even included a SMASH accessory... Check out the black and white SMASH band to hold your book together.

And how about a handmade dumpling pouch that I put together using the Michelle Patterns tutorial?

The exterior is one of my favorite fabrics... Lizzy House Pearl Bracelet in red. The interior is the same fabric I used to line my sewing machine cozy.

We're not done! Also included in this giveaway is a beautiful handmade button from Pizzazz Pottery...

Some polka dot pencils...

And finally this pack of cute die-cut button stickers...

Lots of great stuff up for grabs. The Apple of My Eye fat quarter bundle plus all of this...

Winner takes all! Here's the lowdown on entering...

This giveaway is now CLOSED.

One entry per person: Leave one comment on this post telling me your favorite crafting tool or fabric.

Please note: US and Canadian addresses only. Sorry!

~~Odds of winning are based on number of entries.~~
~~You must be a 18 years or older and live in the United States or Canada to be eligible to win this prize.~~
~~Leave an email address in your comment if your email is not attached to your Blogger profile.~~
~~This giveaway will be open until Friday, May 25th at 10:00pm (EST).~~
~~Winner will be chosen using a random number generator.~~
~~Fabric will be shipped by Riley Blake. The remainder of the prize will be shipped by me.~~

Good luck everyone!

_____________________________________________________

After you enter my giveaway, go check out the fabulous goods Amy is giving away today. In addition to these goodies...

... Amy is giving away another Apple of My Eye fat quarter bundle from Riley Blake!

_____________________________________________________

Thanks so much for celebrating my birthday with me all week long. Thank you to Amy for putting this whole week together with me again. Meeting you in person last month was one of the best presents I've ever gotten :) This week was a lot of fun, and I'm betting you'll see our 3rd annual party next year!

My Favorite Crafty Things - It's My Party Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the fourth day of It’s My Party and I’ll Craft if I Want To! In case you're just joining us, Amy (from Ameroonie Designs) and I are celebrating our birthdays all week by sharing projects that we made just for us and some of our favorite things. Monday I shared my dumpling pouch and quilt color choices, Tuesday my favorite everyday things, and yesterday my sewing machine cozy. Today I’m sharing my favorite crafty things.

Let's start with fabric. This sounds totally boring, but I love solids. I recently got my hands on a Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids Color Card, and I don't know how I lived this long without it. Pure heaven.

Image Source: Fat Quarter Shop

As far as prints, my current favorite is pretty much any shade of Lizzy House Pearl Bracelet.

Image Source: Hawthorne Threads

I also have a thing for the Running Stitch print from Patty Young's Lush line.

Source: fatquartershop.com via Gwen on Pinterest

And I love this amazing Riley Blake Chevron fat quarter bundle that I (sort of) won at SNAP (thanks, Amy ;) This is one of those fabrics that I'm going to be afraid to cut into. I'll just look at it for a while :)

And pretty much anything polka dot makes me happy, too :)

One of my favorite sewing tools is my quarter inch piecing foot for my sewing machine. It has a guide on the right side that helps you sew a nearly perfect 1/4" seam every time. I use it all the time.

Image Source: Sewing Machines Plus

My bias tape maker is another sewing item I can't do without. I have a 25mm (1"), and this size has worked for every project I've ever needed bias tape for.

Image Source: Nancy's Notions

Now for something non-sewing related... Have you heard of SMASH books? I was introduced to them last year when I won one in a giveaway from Malia (of Yesterday on Tuesday). It took me a while to open it up and start using it, but I love it! And my four (almost five!) year old loved it so much that we got her one for Christmas. A SMASH book is kind of like a lazy man's scrapbook. It can be anything you want it to be. It's a pre-embellished journal and comes with a half-pen/half-gluestick attached. Genius! They just started selling SMASH books at Michaels and Target, so keep your eyes open for the books and really cute accessories.

Image Source: Amazon

Now for a tough question... what's my favorite project I've ever made? I think it's a toss up between my Little People tote bags...

and the Sherbet Pips quilts I made for my girls...

I chose the tote bags because they turned out exactly how I pictured them in my head and because of the nostalgic feelings they evoke. I can't tell you how many "when I was little" stories I've heard from people because of these bags. And the quilts because I felt such a sense of accomplishment when I finished them and I got to see my girls curl up under them in the living room all winter long.

It was fun to open up my sewing closet and pick out my favorite things to share with you. Make sure you click over to Ameroonie Designs to check out Amy's favorite crafty things post today. And come back tomorrow for the birthday week wrap up giveaway. I'm so jealous you guys... You won’t want to miss it!

Sewing Machine Cozy - It's My Party Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:03:00 +0000

Welcome to the third day of It’s My Party and I’ll Craft if I Want To! Amy (from Ameroonie Designs) and I are celebrating our birthdays all week by sharing our favorite things and projects that we made just for us. Monday I shared my dumpling pouch and quilt color choices. Yesterday I shared my favorite everyday things. Today I’m sharing a project, my new sewing machine cozy...

Love this! I'm so happy with how it turned out. I followed Ellen Luckett Baker's (the long thread) free pattern. And lucky for me, the dimensions in the pattern were a perfect fit for my machine. I made an unintentional modification, though. The original pattern called for the three string-pieced sections to be of equal width. I accidentally shortchanged the first piece on my first cut, so I improvised and made the first and third pieces skinnier than the center piece. (And you probably never would have known if I hadn't said anything :)

The lining is fabric that was left over from the crib skirt my mother-in-law sewed for me before my oldest was born. I had a ton of it left over and wasn't sure what I'd end up using it for someday. This seemed like a good time to cut into it...

I was a little nervous about sewing canvas, but I broke out my denim needle, and I had no trouble at all. I assumed that this project was going to be long and involved and would take me forever, but it really went pretty quickly. I'm glad I went for it... I keep peeking in my sewing closet to get a look at it :)

Make sure you check out Amy’s sewing machine cover today over on Ameroonie Designs. I love seeing her take on a similar project…

Stay tuned for a crafty/sewing themed favorites post tomorrow and the awesome giveaways on both blogs Friday!

A Few of My Favorite Things - It's My Party Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the second day of It’s My Party and I’ll Craft if I Want To! All week Amy (from Ameroonie Designs) and I are celebrating our birthdays by making things just for us, just for fun and sharing some of our favorite things. Yesterday I shared my dumpling pouch and quilt color choices. Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite everyday things.

Music: I am currently loving the Ryan Montbleau Band. They play a free concert on the beach near us every summer, and I'm really excited to see them again when they play in a few weeks. Some of my favorite songs of theirs: Carry, Stretch, 75 and Sunny, and Eggs. You can check out some of their songs HERE.

Image Source: Ryan Montbleau

I'm also a big fan of Keith Urban. My favorite song of his is Stupid Boy. I've had the opportunity to see him perform a few times, and he puts on an awesome show.

Image Source: Keith Urban

Color: Gray and purple... Pretty much every day I am wearing some combination of the two. I wear a plum purple Swatch, too.

Image Source: Timeshop4You

Food: I love bread. My favorite breads are super crusty and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I'm also a big fan of cheese. I love Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar. My favorite comfort food is my mom's beef stroganoff recipe. I should probably share that sometime.

Image Source: Cabot Cheese

Junk Food: I am a junk food junkie. I hate to admit it, but I am. I always have a Lindt Dark Chocolate with a Touch of Sea Salt bar in my cupboard. I love dark chocolate. And Nutella. I also love Jax, but I only have those once in a while because they don't last very long when I'm around. Above all else in the junk food department, however, is Pepsi. I drink a lot of it. Way more than I care to admit on here :)

Image Source: Lindt

Movie: My new-found guilty pleasure is the Footloose remake. Oh how I love this movie. It has definitely been updated, but I still think it's very true to the original. My all-time favorite movie, though, is The Sound of Music. The Harry Potter movies rank right up there, too.

Image Source: fanpop!

TV: I actually don't watch a whole lot of television. I spend a lot of my evenings on the computer. But I do love The New Girl, How I Met Your Mother, and The Big Bang Theory.

Book: I have to be honest... I don't read much. And what I do read is non-fiction. I know, I know. Shame on me. Maybe someday I'll make it a higher priority, but right now it's not. I will share my favorite book from my childhood, and guess what? It's non-fiction :) It's called Good Cents: Every Kid's Guide to Making Money. I cannot tell you how many times I checked this out at the library, but it was at my house a lot. And I think I'm the only kid who ever checked it out. About six years ago I found a used copy of this book, and it sits on the bookshelf in my sewing closet. I've wanted my own business for as long as I can remember, and I used to read this book over and over again in hopes of making that dream a reality. Now it's a reminder that maybe one day it will be.

Image Source: Amazon

So those are some of my favorite things in a nutshell :) Hopefully you learned something new about me, and maybe you discovered something new that you want to check out. Make sure you click over to Ameroonie Designs to check out Amy's favorite things post today. And make sure you stick around all week for more projects and the giveaway on both of our blogs on Friday!

Pouch and a Quilt Question - It's My Party Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:20:00 +0000

Welcome to the first day of our 2nd annual It’s My Party and I’ll Craft if I Want To!

All week Amy (from Ameroonie Designs) and I will be celebrating our birthdays by sharing our favorite things and some projects that we are making just for us. I'm so excited for this week because I get to do some guilt-free selfish sewing and especially because I get to collaborate with Amy! Let's get this party started!

A couple weeks ago I shared some dumpling pouches that I made for my SNAP roommates using a tutorial from Michelle Patterns. I really wanted one for myself, and this birthday celebration was a great excuse to go ahead and get it done...

I also used this week as an excuse to finally decide on a color combination and pattern for the quilt I've been wanting to make for my bed. Now I can't make any excuses about why I can't get started on it (Well, I'm sure I'll come up with excuses, but they won't be good ones :) I decided to go with Allison's new Spin Cycle pattern. And, inspired by some sheets and blankets that were piled up on my dining room table, I've decided to go with this color scheme...

Fabric swatch images from Robert Kaufman.

So here's my question: is this too bright for an adult bedroom? Do you think I should use more toned down shades of these colors? I love the way these colors look together, but I'm just afraid it's going to be too much. I'm planning on going with a white background. It may just be the yellow that's freaking me out. Any thoughts? Or am I just making more excuses ;)

Make sure you hop on over to visit Amy at Ameroonie Designs to check out this fun skirt she made...

And don’t forget to stick around all week for some projects and a fantastic giveaway on both blogs on Friday... you won't want to miss it!

My Business Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:01:00 +0000

So I couldn't attend SNAP without some business cards to hand out, right? Apparently that's what you do at these conferences... trade business cards with everyone you meet. It was a lot of fun to see what designs and clever ideas people came up with, and they were a great conversation starter. My favorite card had to be Cindy's from Skip to my Lou. Her business card is a mini sewing kit in a matchbook! Love it!

I really wanted to put the picture of the spools of thread from my blog header on my card, but I just couldn't make it work, so I decided to go with a picture of one of my projects. Well, then I couldn't decide which project to choose, so I ended up going with four different business cards, and people kind of liked getting to choose which card they got, and it also gave me a chance to show a few of the things I've made.

I squealed when they arrived in the mail. I felt so official :) (By the way, the turkey and the Little People tote bag were the most popular card choices at SNAP.)

I got these cards through moo.com, and the quality is unbelievable. The paper is so thick and feels so nice in your hand. And if I wanted to, I could have chosen 50 different pictures to put on my cards! Highly recommend moo. They're a little pricier than some of the discount printers, but the quality is well worth it. Now to figure out what to do with the 100 cards I have left over...

It's Back... It's My Party and I'll Craft if I Want To!

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:01:00 +0000

I'm so excited to announce that all next week Amy (from Ameroonie Designs) and I will be celebrating our birthdays by co-hosting our 2nd annual It's My Party and I'll Craft if I Want To!

For one week Amy and I will be sharing our favorite things, projects that we are making just for us, and a big giveaway for you at the end of the week! Make sure you stick around and see what we have in store...

Point of View Feature and Theme for May

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:48:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who linked up their Teacher Appreciation/End of School projects at the Point of View Link Party last Friday. There were some really cute ideas linked up, so if you're still looking for an end of year teacher gift, take a minute to pop over and check them out.

This month I am featuring this beverage dispenser teacher appreciation gift idea from Heather over at Our Life in a Click...

Heather took a cute plastic beverage dispenser and added a variety of lemonade and tea mixes. What a great way for a teacher to enjoy their gift all summer long!

This is such a simple and clever idea, and I'm definitely going to be using this in the future.

The Point of View theme for May is Summer/Vacation. I can't believe summer is right around the corner! Yippee! The next reveal and link party will be Friday, May 25th. Hope to see you there! We can't wait to see what you come up with :)

Dumpling Pouches

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:01:00 +0000

I wanted to make a little handmade gift for each of my SNAP roommates, and the Michelle Patterns dumpling pouch tutorial fit the bill perfectly...

(By the way... did you know that Keyka Lou Patterns recently changed to Michelle Patterns? Just found that out while writing this post). This is a free tutorial that includes patterns for two different size pouches. I went with the easier (larger) pouch. It was pretty simple to put together, and by the third one I felt like I had gotten into a rhythm. I shouldn't have stopped at three because now I'd really like one for myself.

These go together fairly quickly and really make a great little gift for someone.

I highly recommend this tutorial. I've never tried one of Michelle's patterns, but if they are as well written as this tutorial, I'm sold. I'm eyeing her Ditty Bag pattern and her Padded Camera Pouch pattern.

Point of View and End of School Link Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:03:00 +0000

Welcome to this month's Point of View reveal! The theme for April is "Teacher Appreciation/End of School". This month's theme was just the motivation I needed to get my daughter's preschool teacher gifts done early... woohoo! Take a look at the great ideas the members of Point of View have come up with this month...

Gwen from Gwenny Penny (Click HERE to read more about my Covered Button Magnets)
Leanne from Organize and Decorate Everything
Amy from Ameroonie Designs
Jonie from Just Between Friends

Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy

As always, you can check out each of the projects by visiting each of the blogs listed above.

In case you missed my SNAP conference recap post this week, guess what?!? All five members of Point of View were at the conference! It was so great to spend a little time getting to know these ladies better.

Back (L to R): Ashlee, Leanne, Jonie, Gwen; Front: Amy

OK, let's get to it... My project this month is cute, quick, and simple. Both of my girls were able to help with this project. Check out these fabric covered button magnet sets...

Aren't they adorable? And they are so easy to put together. My four year old had the best time picking out fabric to use for each of these magnet sets. She can't wait to give them to her preschool teachers at the end of the school year. Click HERE to read the details of my project.

Now it's your turn. Do you have a Teacher Appreciation/End of School project that you would like to share? We would like to invite you to join the Point of View Link Party! It doesn't have to be a new project... If you have a Teacher Appreciation or End of School project in your archives, link it up! We want to see what you've created. You can link up to the Point of View link party on any member's blog and your link will show up in the party on all five blogs! Add the Point of View button to your post so that others can join the party. And remember, by linking up you have the chance to be featured by one of the members of Point of View next week!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.gwennypenny.com" title="Gwenny Penny - Point of View"><img src="http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae14/gwennypennyblog/SummerPoVButtonB-1.jpg" alt="Gwenny Penny - Point of View" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Covered Button Magnets (A Mini Tutorial)

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today I'm sharing a really cute, quick, and simple gift idea.

This month's Point of View theme is "Teacher Appreciation/End of School". We have eight (yes, I said eight) people to give to at my daughter's preschool. It can get pretty expensive when it comes to holiday and end of school year gifts for eight teachers, so I wanted to come up with something inexpensive that my daughter could help me make. I decided to go with fabric covered button magnet sets for each teacher. These are so easy; anyone can make them. Seriously, no excuses... my two year old was helping us. I'm not going to go into a full tutorial on these because they are pretty self-explanatory and the directions for covering the buttons come right on the package of the cover button kit. But I will tell you what you need and what sizes I used.

Materials:

7/8" (size 36) cover button kit (I used this one)
fabric scraps with images no larger than 7/8"
0.625" round magnets
glue (I used E6000)
scissors
cardstock (optional)

Instructions:

My cover button kit came with a round plastic template to trace onto my fabric for each magnet, but some kits have a circle template that you cut out from the cardboard backing of the package. Look over your fabric and choose which images you want to display on your magnets. Center your template over each image, trace around the template, and cut each traced circle from your fabric.

Now it's time to cover your buttons. The directions will be on the back of your cover button kit, or you can check out the very first tutorial I ever wrote on this blog for more details on covering buttons... scroll about halfway down that post to the title Part II: Making and Adding the Fabric Covered Button.

After your buttons are covered, glue a magnet onto the back of each button. Test your magnets first. Some magnets only stick on one side, so make sure that the "sticky" side that sticks to your fridge is not the side you glue to the back of your button.

I wanted a cute way to display the buttons, so I used my Sizzix Big Kick die cutter to cut out some extra large tag shapes from cardstock. My daughter signed her name on the back of each tag, then I used a little piece of double sided tape to stick the magnets to the front of the tags. Easy-peasy and ready for gifting!

These are not only a great teacher appreciation gift, but they are also a great little gift to keep on hand for unexpected (or forgotten :) occasions. And I think it was nice that my daughter was able to help out with this one, too.

Now it's your turn... Check out this month's Point of View collage and link up your past or present Teacher Appreciation/End of School projects at the Point of View Link Party! We want to see what you've been up to!

I'm linking up...

SNAP Conference Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:01:00 +0000

I don't even know where to begin. If you ever have the opportunity to attend a blog conference, I highly recommend it. It is an awesome experience. Spending time with other creative bloggers who "get it" is a wonderful thing. And all of my nervousness before I left was, of course, absolutely unnecessary :)

I flew into Salt Lake City on Wednesday night, and Amy (Ameroonie Designs) picked me up at the airport. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that Amy and I have become good friends since blogging brought us together a year and a half ago. And from the minute we found each other at the baggage carousel at the airport it was like we had known each other forever. If you had told me a year and a half ago that one of my best friends was going to be someone who lives on the other side of the country who I met over the internet, I would have told you that you were crazy. And I would have been very wrong.

Me and Amy

OK, so Wednesday night Amy and I met up with Lorene (i am just Lu) for dinner. Lorene wasn't attending the conference, so I was so excited that I got a chance to meet her while I was out there. She is so adorable! We chatted for several hours and were at the restaurant well past closing time. Luckily the employees didn't mind us hanging out while they cleaned up.

Lorene and I

Thursday morning we headed to the conference facility, Thanksgiving Point. What a beautiful place! When we registered we were given an amazing swag bag. I can't even begin to list all the awesome free stuff we got, but I will say that when I left the conference on Sunday morning, half of my giant suitcase was swag, and I am in no way exaggerating. Very cool.

The view from our hotel room... snow-covered mountains.

My roommates for the weekend were Amy, Leanne (Organize and Decorate Everything), and Kara (Creations by Kara). We had such a great time together and were up until 2am on Friday night chatting and eating junk food. I think Amy was expecting an entire herd of bloggers to stay in our room with us because we didn't even begin to put a dent in the snacks that she brought :)

Riley Blake booth. Standing in the center is Paige Hill from Riley Blake... awesome lady!

I started looking for Tasha (Creation Corner) as soon as we arrived at the conference, and I eventually found her at dinner on Thursday night. We had a few opportunities to chat throughout the conference, and she is so sweet! I was so happy that I had the opportunity to meet her and discuss blogging and real life for a bit.

Me and Tasha

One of the coolest things about the SNAP conference is that all five members of Point of View were there! We got to meet, hang out, and spend a little time talking shop. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to meet these women that I get to work with every month!

The ladies of Point of View! Back row (L to R): Ashlee, Leanne, Jonie, Me; Front: Amy

Meeting people was definitely the best part of SNAP. I mean, I actually got to talk face-to-face with bloggers I love. I met Amy from Diary of a Quilter (super nice, down-to-earth lady... love her!), Jess from Craftiness is not Optional, Kirstin from kojodesigns. I spent some time with Kari and Becky from Ucreate, had a nice conversation with Amy from The Idea Room, talked with Michelle from Someday Crafts. One of my favorite memories is a quick conversation with Ashley from Lil Blue Boo (that woman is incredible).

Amy, Kari, Becky, and Me

I need to write another post on what I took away from the conference. I'm not sure what I want to say at this point, so give me a little time to collect my thoughts, and I'll get back to you :) Overall, amazing experience, the SNAP team did a fantastic job putting this conference together, super glad that I went, and I miss Amy already!

P.S. Reminder... Point of View is this Friday. The theme for April is "Teacher Appreciation/End of School". Get those projects ready to link up!

I'm Off to SNAP!

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:01:00 +0000

I'm hopping on a plane this afternoon and flying out to Utah for the SNAP! creative blog conference!

I am feeling more emotions at one time than I have in a very long time. I have never left my children for more than two nights. I'm freaking out a little bit. I am super excited to be on my own with like-minded creative bloggers for the next three days, but honestly even that scares me a little. Meeting some of my blog friends for the first time in real life has me a bit nervous. I know I just need to get there and stop worrying, but my mind is racing with a million "what ifs" right now. Wish me luck, and I'll be back with all the details next week!

How to Organize Link Party Buttons in a Post

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:05:00 +0000

Today I'm over at Kristin's blog, A Simply Klassic Home, as a mentor in her Beginner Bloggers Club series. I'm sharing a little how-to on organizing link party buttons into a nice, neat table using HTML code.

The Beginner Bloggers Club (BBC) is a really great series that Kristin is hosting. All month long there are posts featuring new bloggers as well as posts by "mentors" giving advice and sharing tips with new bloggers. I wish the BBC had been around when I first started out! You can check out my post on building a table in HTML here and find links to the other BBC posts here. Great info for new and seasoned bloggers alike!

Yet Another Birth Announcement Hoop

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:01:00 +0000

Its been about nine months since there have been any new babies in my life, but you might remember this hoop and this hoop from last summer. My cousin and his wife welcomed a baby girl last Wednesday, so I quickly whipped up another hoop so I'd have it done to bring to Vermont with us for Easter weekend...

See that little cow on the left?

I really wanted to put a cow on this hoop because my grandparents were dairy farmers, and my cousin and I spent a lot of time together on my grandparents' farm growing up. I lucked out and found that little cow on (of all things) some Hello Kitty fabric I had. And the colors of the bunting perfectly match the colors in the nursery... a happy coincidence.

I got to see the baby while we were up in Vermont, and she's beautiful. You forget how small they are when they're that new :)

Commuter Cowl

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:01:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, Shannon from luvinthemommyhood came out with her first sewing pattern The Commuter Cowl. I finally sat down and sewed one up yesterday afternoon...

I cut up a scarf that I bought at Target a few months ago. I didn't like the tassels on the ends of the scarf, but I did like the print, so I decided to use it to try out this pattern. The fabric is very thin – like a cotton lawn – so this version ended up being less structured. It's more of the necklace look. It's such a neat design, with two knots and lots of options for changing the look of it.

Shannon's directions are really clear and detailed. This came together super quick, and for me to say that – as slow a sewist as I am – that's saying something. I highly recommend this pattern, and next time I'm going to try a more structured look with a heavier weight fabric. Can't wait!

Easter Bunny Embroidery Hoop Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:01:00 +0000

Easter is only a week away, and I'm on an applique kick! Today I'm sharing a tutorial for a cute, simple, and quick Easter bunny embroidery hoop...

This project uses fabric scraps and can be put together so quickly that you definitely can find time to get this done before this weekend.

This hoop was inspired by some cookies I found on Etsy. You never know where inspiration will come from :) Ready to put one together? Here's the how-to...

Materials:

background fabric (approximately 11" square)
scraps for bunny (I used gray and pink.)
fusible web (I used Heat n Bond Lite.)
7" embroidery hoop
fabric paint or embroidery floss for eyes
iron
glue gun
thread

Instructions:

Step 1: Print out this template at 100% (no scaling, do not "fit to page")...

Step 2: Following the manufacturer's directions, apply fusible web to the back of all of your fabric scraps that you are going to use for the bunny pieces.

Using the template from Step 1, cut out the ears*, inner ears*, head, and nose from your fusible web backed fabric scraps. *Important: add about ¼" to the bottom of each ear and inner ear. This is so you can overlap the bottom edge of the ears with the head piece.

Step 3: Place your background fabric right side up. Lay your embroidery hoop in the center of your background fabric. Remove the fusible web paper from the back of each of your bunny pieces and arrange the pieces inside the embroidery hoop.

Once you have them arranged to your liking, start pressing each piece in place, following the manufacturer's directions. Start with the ears, then the inner ears.

Next, overlap the head over the bottom edge of the ears. I placed my embroidery hoop back on top to see exactly where I wanted to press the head in place.

Then press the nose in place.

Step 4: Time to sew around the edges of each piece. I used Maureen's technique for my applique – a straight stitch, using black thread, that leaves the edges raw – but you could use a zigzag or satin stitch with coordinating thread, depending on what look you prefer.

Step 5: Time to add your bunny's eyes. Again, this one is up to your personal preference. You can embroider the eyes, or I painted mine on with fabric paint (because my embroidered circles never quite turn out to be circles).

Step 6: Almost done. Stretch your completed bunny square inside of your embroidery hoop. Make sure to align the bottom of the bunny's head with the bottom curve of the hoop. Trim the excess fabric to 3/4" from the edges of the back of the embroidery hoop. Use your glue gun to glue the edges of the fabric to the inside of the back of the hoop. Cover the back with felt if desired.

And you're done!

So glad I was able to squeeze this project in before Easter. If you find time to make one, add a picture to the Gwenny Penny Flickr group. I'd love to see it!

I'm linking up:

A Bear-y Cute Lunch

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:01:00 +0000

Sorry... couldn't resist the title :) I decided to surprise the girls with a little fun on their lunch plates yesterday...

How cute is that?!? I saw the idea on Pinterest (from Mini-eco, originally from KidsSoup). The original uses banana slices for the ears and muzzle, but my oldest has a sensitivity to bananas – something she inherited from my husband – so I used crackers covered with strawberry jelly instead. The original idea also uses cinnamon and sugar on toast, but I used peanut butter on bread. And I added some mini chocolate chips for the mouth.

The girls went crazy when I set these on the table. They wouldn't eat them until they were sure that I had taken pictures of each bear. Want to put a smile on your kids' faces this weekend? This one is a winner :)

Point of View Feature and Theme for April

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who linked up their Pinterest projects at the Point of View Pinterest Link Party last Friday. If you haven't taken a few minutes to check out all of the great projects that were linked up, be sure to go take a look.

This month's feature is these adorable Paper Daffodil Straws from Melissa of Bless This Mess...

So cute! Melissa's Pinterest inspiration was a Martha Stewart tutorial for daffodil candy cups. Melissa thought they would make great straw embellishments in a smaller size (and she was absolutely right :) These would look great on any springtime table.

Make sure you check them out!

We have announced themes for the next two months of Point of View. The theme for April is Teacher Appreciation/End of School. Hard to believe that school will be over before we know it! The next reveal and link party will be Friday, April 27th. Hope to see you there! And to get a head start on things, the theme for May is Summer/Vacation. Point of View is all about your interpretation of the theme. We can't wait to see what you come up with.

Little People Applique Tote Bag #2

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:01:00 +0000

If you saw my post on Friday, you know that I had to make another Little People applique tote bag because my youngest was so smitten with her older sister's bag that I made. I didn't want it to look exactly the same, so I changed the hairstyle...

Pretty cute, huh?

I think it's a pretty good representation of this Little People girl...

image source

What do you think? Did I get it right?

So here are both bags side-by-side...

Still in love with this project :) If you want a few more details on the bags, check out my post on the first bag. I've already got my next applique project planned out. It's an Easter project. I have a few more projects in the works right now that need to get done first. Hopefully I can squeeze it in before Easter gets here!

Point of View and Pinterest Link Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to this month's Point of View reveal! The theme for March is "Pinterest". This month's theme gave everyone a chance to make that project that they pinned months ago or create something inspired by one of their pins. Take a look at the awesome projects the members of Point of View have come up with this month...

Jonie from Just Between Friends

Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy

Amy from Ameroonie Designs

Gwen from Gwenny Penny (Click HERE to read more about my Little People Applique Tote Bag)

Lorene from I am Just Lu (Our guest this month... Thanks for joining us, Lorene!)

Leanne from Organize and Decorate Everything

As always, you can check out each of the projects by visiting each of the blogs listed above.

My project is a Little People Applique Tote Bag...

I mentioned last week that my Point of View project for this month is one of my top five favorite things I've ever made. This bag turned out better than I ever could have imagined. I adore it, my oldest daughter loves it, and my youngest was so jealous of her sister's bag that I had to make another one (and I changed up the hair on the second applique. I'll share the second bag next week). The applique was inspired by two Pinterest pins... a painting of a Fisher-Price Little People girl and this cute applique how-to. The tote bag itself is just a larger version of my Reusable Snack Bag with French Seams tutorial. Click HERE to read more about my tote bag.

Today we would also like to announce Point of View theme's for April and May. April's theme will be "teacher appreciation/end of school year". May's theme will be "summer/vacation". Get your thinking caps on... we want to see what great ideas you come up with!

Now it's your turn. Do you have a Pinterest project that you would like to share? We would like to invite you to join the Point of View Pinterest Link Party! It doesn't have to be a new project... If you have a Pinterest project in your archives, link it up! We want to see what you've created. Something new this month... you can link up to the Point of View link party on any member's blog and your link will show up in the party on all of our blogs! Add the Point of View button to your post so that others can join the party. And remember, by linking up you have the chance to be featured by one of the members of Point of View next week!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.gwennypenny.com" title="Gwenny Penny - Point of View"><img src="http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae14/gwennypennyblog/SummerPoVButtonB-1.jpg" alt="Gwenny Penny - Point of View" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Little People Applique Tote Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Gwen @ Gwenny Penny) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:55:00 +0000

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I have a thing for Fisher-Price Little People (they've shown up here and here). I've been planning some sort of Little People project for a while. I wasn't sure what medium it was going to be, and I've had several ideas floating around in my head, so there may be more projects to come :) My oldest just started taking an intro to ballet and jazz class through our town rec program, and she needed a little bag to carry her ballet slippers to and from class. Add to that the fact that I've been dying to try Maureen's applique tutorial. And on top of that, this month's Point of View theme is "Pinterest". All of these things started coming together, and the Little People Applique Tote Bag was born...

This project was inspired by two Pinterest pins. The applique image itself was inspired by this painting from Escape Adulthood...

Source: kimandjason.com via Gwen on Pinterest

The applique how-to came from Maureen of Maureen Cracknell Handmade...

Source: maureencracknellhandmade.blogspot.com via Gwen on Pinterest

I love this bag. It is seriously in the top five favorite things I have ever made. I had no idea that the image of the finished project in my head was actually going to work on fabric. And, of course, my youngest really wanted a bag after she saw her sister's, so I'll be sharing another one of these next week (with a different hairstyle :)

For the tote bag itself, I used home dec weight fabric and followed my Reusable Snack Bag with French Seams tutorial (minus the hook and loop tape, plus two straps, and enlarging the bag itself). The finished bag is about 9" wide and 10" tall (not including the straps).

The applique pieces are cotton with two layers of interfacing on each piece. I used fabric paint to create the eyes, nose, and mouth. I also added a 2" x 3" rectangle to the back of the bag with my daughter's name embroidered on it.

I absolutely love this project, and I plan on doing more applique in the future. It's so much fun. It's like putting a puzzle together. And the outlining with the black thread just makes everything pop. I love that you can use the stitching to add details like the bangs. This adds a whole new element to my sewing projects, one that I'm going to be using a lot!

Now it's your turn... Check out this month's Point of View collage and link up your past or present Pinterest projects at the Point of View Pinterest Link Party! We want to see what you've been up to!

I'm linking up...