Sunday, July 29, 2012

Blog Tour and Book Giveaway--Week Two

Welcome everyone, to Week 2 of my Book Blog Tour!  Many thanks to all of you who took the time to post on Martingale's and my blogs this past week.  I was overwhelmed reading all of your kind comments.  You're just the best!  As soon as Martingale lets me know who won the draw I'll get your book in the mail.

This week we're heading clear across the country to the east coast and the beautiful state of North Carolina.
My guest blogger this week is Mary Flynn of  Quilt Hollow and it's no exaggeration to say that without her this book would not have come to be.

I've never met Mary (hope to someday!) but through the wonders of the internet, we've become friends and it's her amazing machine quilting that you'll see on almost all of the quilts in At Home with Country Quilts.  My friend, Jeanne Preto, who machine-quilted my quilts for many years, including those in Country Comforts,

was moving on to other work.  The quilt tops for my next book were piling up and I was without a machine quilter.  Fortunately, I'd previously found Mary's blog and became an instant fan, being in awe of her work.  So I thought I'd ask if she'd consider finishing my projects and whether it was even possible since we lived in different countries.  Her response was so enthusiastic and so quick, that I knew immediately she was the quilter I needed.  She suggested the quilt designs based on pictures I emailed her and I loved them all.  As she worked on them, she'd send photos to me and post tidbits on her blog.
This one is from the pattern, "How Does my Garden Grow?"  Isn't the detail wonderful?

When I got the finished quilts back, the results were even more gorgeous than I thought they would be.  And it was Mary who suggested the idea of a Book Blog Hop to me.  Thanks, Mary!

So here's a second chance for you to win a copy of At Home with Country Quilts. 
If you're not already, just sign up to become a follower of my blog, then just hop over to Mary's blog and leave a comment sometime this week.  She'll draw the winner's name at the end of the week.  Good luck to all and don't forget to check back next Sunday to find out where the third stop on the blog tour will be!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Book Blog Tour and Giveaway-Week One

Welcome to the first stop on my first ever Book Blog Tour!  I'm so excited to have you join me for this fun event!  Each week you'll meet some of my wonderful friends who'll talk a little bit about my latest book, At Home with Country Quilts.
 And each week you'll have a chance to win a copy!  You just need to be a follower of my blog and make a comment on the guest host's blog during the week for a chance to win.  At the end of the week the winner's name will be drawn, the mailing info sent to me, and a book will be sent to the lucky person.  So here we go!

Our first stop on the tour is in Bothell, Washington in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, about 2 hours south of where I live in Abbotsford, BC, Canada.  You can see my hometown right on the Canada/USA border.

This is the home of Martingale, the publishers of my book.  They are the best people to work with!  If you're ever in the area, make sure to stop in at their offices and say hi.  If you call ahead of time, you may be able to arrange a tour!
If you can't make it to their offices, the next best thing is to follow their blog, http://blog.shopmartingale.com/ for the latest news in quilting, knitting, and other creative endeavors.  This week I'm privileged to be the guest blogger on their site!  So if you're one of my followers, go to their blog, leave a comment, and you'll be in the running to win a copy of my latest book!  And make sure to check back here next Sunday where I'll reveal the next location on the blog tour, with another chance to win.  Good luck to all!

Monday, July 2, 2012

Book Giveaway in France

I've met the most wonderful people since I started quilting.  A couple of years ago I received an email from Martine, a lady I'd never met, who lives in France.  She belongs to a group of quilters who travel to shows all over the world (sounds like heaven to me!) and blog about their travels on www.quiltinusa.blogspot.ca.  That year, they were attending the Sisters Quilt Show in Oregon and she emailed me to see if they could drop in at my place to see my quilts.  Yes, yes! Quilters are always welcome here!
It was a magical afternoon for me, meeting these ladies from so far away and making new friends.
!
Much too soon, they waved goodbye and were off to explore other quilting destinations.
A few months later, my husband and I were able to visit Martine when we traveled to France.
I love how quilting brings people together from all over the world!
All this by way of introduction...Martine is offering a giveaway on her blog www.quiltinusa.blogspot.com, of a signed copy of my latest book, At Home with Country Quilts.
Don't worry if the blog is written in French--just use the Translate button to get the details.  The draw is on July 17 so check it out soon!
And soon I'll be launching a book blog tour right here!  Several of my quilting buddies will take turns reviewing my book and offering a signed copy as a giveaway.  Each week, I'll announce who the next blogger will be.  You'll have a chance to win each week, if you're a follower of my blog and go to that week's site and leave a comment.  So stay tuned--it's happening very soon!