Audiobook Giveaway!

 

Something new and different for you - Spotify is no longer just a place where you can listen to music or podcasts. They've expanded into audiobooks!

And because my audiobooks are wide - sold on more retail platforms than just Audible - they were automatically loaded onto Spotify for your listening pleasure.

Now here's the fun part. I've got 20 free codes for each book to give away. If you're interested in either (or both), please comment here with your email, or, if you're not comfortable with leaving your email address in public (understandable), then email me at karen @ karenheenan (dot) com and let me know which book you want. 

Whether or not you can have both will depend on the number of responses I receive. Just know that both books are well voiced - two extremely talented actors with whom I've worked for years - and even though independently done, the books passed Audible's stringent controls before being uploaded. (I may not want to sell exclusively through them, but their quality control is the bomb, and I use them as a filter before I upload anywhere else).

Audio Arrival!

So the audiobook for Songbird is finally up everywhere! It actually arrived on Audible sooner than expected. ACX, the technical name for Audible, has really high production standards and will bounce books that are accepted everywhere else. I was a little nervous, until it appeared.

Then, because things never run completely smooth, it ended up somehow categorized under literature, fiction, and erotica. While there are a few... Interesting scenes in the book, anybody who purchased it looking for erotica would be sorely disappointed, and readers not looking for that would avoid the book, so I waited to really promote the Audible listing until my publisher reached out and had Amazon correct it. We're still not sure how it happened, because I know the categories that the book is in, and since it's a book already on Amazon, the categories should have simply carried over.

Who knows? Technical glitches happen, and this one is sorted now.

All this is to say that I have free codes for the audiobook, and all you have to do - you knew there'd be a catch, right? - is to sign up for my newsletter (which is on the sidebar) and respond to the newsletter email, saying you're interested in being entered to win a copy of the audio.

If you're on Facebook, you could also like and share my author page. I didn't make that mandatory, because I know a lot of people aren't fans of Facebook these days. Truth to tell, I'm not always either, but I have to reach readers where I can find them.

Giveaway

Many of us are stuck at home right now. It's the right place to be - the right thing to do - but that doesn't meant we're not already climbing the walls just. a. little. bit.

Which means we need something to occupy our time. Once the closets are cleaned and the gardens put in order, and you've exhausted everything that Amazon and Netflix have to offer, there's always ... books.

I have a signed paperback copy of Songbird available for giveaway right now.

The rules, such as they are: please go to my writer Facebook page and like and share the pinned giveaway post. I'm trying to get a few more followers there, because followers mean sales, and sales mean I don't have to go back to cubicle-land anytime soon. (Actually, I just turned down a 4 week temp assignment in cubicle-land because Mario's working from home for at least the next 2 weeks and it seemed ridiculous - and risky - to take that much public transportation, and spend that much time with people, when my husband, who works in a much larger space, is at home because his employer has decided it's too risky). So no temping for me. Yay?

If you're not on Facebook, I understand. Like Twitter, it can be a trash fire sometimes, but if you curate what you follow, you can escape the worst of it. That being said, if you're not on FB and you want to be considered for the giveaway, leave a comment telling me that you're entering the giveaway through the blog.

And the Winner Is . . .

Melody Murdock!

Thanks for playing, everyone.  Keep an eye out for more giveaways, because I'm still cleaning out the house and who knows what other goodies I'll come up with.

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday, whatever one you do/don't celebrate.  Mario and I cooked a lovely meal on Christmas Eve and then drove to NJ to visit his family on the Day.  Home in time for the combined goodness of the Call the Midwife and Dr. Who Christmas specials, and now back to what passes for "normal" in this house -- I'm cutting out more bears and he's installing new faucets in our bathroom, a project I've had in mind for at least a decade!

Schiaparelli Paper Dolls - Random Giveaway

I've been cleaning out lately and realize I have two copies of this totally fabulous Schiaparelli Fashion Review paper doll book.

Which means . . .

one of them can be yours.

Leave a comment below and I'll pick a random winner on Christmas Eve (mainly because I'm not going back to the post office until after the holiday).

Good luck!

Common Thread Giveaway - we have a winner!

Congratulations to Barbara, you are the winner of July's Common Thread Giveaway!  Barbara's entry said that she would like to give this little lion to her 2 1/2 year old "Grand Lady."  I hope she enjoys it!

Thanks to all the Common Thread bloggers (Maria Wulf, Jane McMillan, Rachel Barlow, Jon Katz, Kim Gifford).  Check out their blogs, and remember, in August there will be another giveaway.

Common Thread Giveaway

Have you heard of the Common Thread Giveaway?   Each month, one of the regular Common Thread artists -- Maria Wulf, Jon Katz, Rachel Barlow, Jane McMillan and Kim Gifford -- chooses a piece of their work to give away on their blogs.

This month, I'm honored to be the guest artist, and I'll be giving away one of my lions, made from a felted, recycled wool sweater and fringed t-shirt jersey.

For those who've ended up here via the other blogs, a little about me:  I work mostly in recycled fabrics, partly because I hate waste and also because it's a good way to keep material costs down; lots of people would like to buy handmade, but sometimes the price can be prohibitive (because time and talent takes money, right?).  This way, I can keep a lot of fabric out of the landfill, keep myself out of a cubicle and still make things that most people can afford to take home.

If you'd like to enter the drawing for my little lion, please leave a comment on the blog. After you've done that, you might want to meander over to some of the other blogs involved in this monthly giveaway -- there are some wonderful artists participating, and I'm flattered to be a part of them this month.

I'll pick a winner on Thursday and post the announcement here. Good luck!

EDITED TO ADD:  If you comment as "Anonymous," you have to leave your real name and an email in the comments.  I have two comments so far from Anonymous and I don't want you left out of the giveaway.  Also, for the commenter who wanted to know where she could buy a lion if she doesn't win, here's the link.

Bad Blogger, Good Giveaway

Somehow I've ended up with two copies of this fabulous sewing reference.

As an apology for my spotty attendance here at the blog, and because I'm trying to keep my rubble under reasonable control, I'm offering my second copy (previously owned by the Chester High School Home Economics Department) for giveaway.

No rules, you don't have to tell me the reason why you want it (though stories are always welcome because they make good reading) - just leave a comment by July 3rd and I'll pick a random entry on the 4th and let the lucky winner know after that.

Keep cool, everyone.

*** Edited to add that, due to budgetary constraints and the price of international postage, the giveaway is U.S. only; if you're outside the U.S. and willing to pay postage, please leave a comment to that effect.

Sewing Vintage Modern - Book Review and Giveaway

So, a copy of Sewing Vintage Modern made its way onto my bookshelf recently.  Have you seen it yet?

The back of the book reads:  "Vintage Looks Meet Modern Fashion," which is pretty accurate.  The book gives a nice overview of fashion history from the to the 1980s (God, the 80s are vintage already; I'm old!), with notes on influential designers and fashion trends, and great drawings of clothes and accessories.

The book includes 5 master patterns (printed on double-sided, trace-your-own-and-add-seam-allowance Burda sheets.  There's a lot on each sheet, but it's not like the newer magazines; you can actually see what you want to trace.

The master patterns are then turned into 19 different looks, as follows:

Pattern #1, a dress, is used for both the 1920s drop-waisted dress and the 1960s Jackie-inspired sheath.

Pattern #2, a man's shirt, is a 1940s button-down shirt with chest pockets, a 1960s tuxedo shirt with ruffles and hidden buttons, and a 1960s jacket.

Pattern #3, another dress, is used for a multitude of looks: a 1950s full-skirted dress, a 1980s bustier dres, a bodice for another dress, and 5 different tops.

Pattern #4, a shift dress, is also the bones for a 1970s bell-sleeved top and a pussy-bow blouse.

The last pattern, #5, is for pants - everything from stirrups to pajama bottoms to bell-bottoms.

The most valuable part of the book, to me, is that it's more or less a mini course on adapting a master pattern to suit your needs.  Each look from a master pattern is broken down completely - how to re-draw each pattern piece, with instructions on measurements and truing up the pieces, is fully explained and illustrated.

If you don't know how to turn a one-piece, darted bodice into a princess-seamed bodice, you will.

The patterns run from sizes 0 - 14, or European sizes 32 - 46.   I wish the size range had been a little more generous, or that there had been instructions on how to adapt patterns to your size, not just to the specific look.  (The largest size measures 41 x 34 x 43, and face it, there's a lot of 34" waists out there on women who don't fall into a full plus-size category; I'm built more or less on the lines of a fire hydrant myself, so I know of what I speak).

The book also says that vintage looks are "modernized and reinterpreted for today’s sewing enthusiasts."  Therein lies the other rub for me.

I like vintage.  I like real vintage.  The things I like about real vintage are the details, the complicated sewing, the weird pattern pieces (gussets, anybody?) - the things that you don't find in most modern patterns.  These patterns allude to the original, but they are definitely directed to a younger sewist who isn't into true vintage.  Or at least not yet.

And there's nothing wrong with that.  This is a very good book with a target audience who unfortunately  is not me.  The things that hvae been left out of these "reinterpreted" patterns are the things I like best about vintage.

This would be a great book for someone not too new to sewing, but who hasn't experimented much with reworking patterns.  The book has a conversational tone and the directions on how to adapt patterns aren't intimidating at all - everything is explained well, and in a manner that's much more user-friendly than textbook.  

All that being said, I still give this book a pretty high rating, but I think it'll do better out there in the world with one of you than remaining on my shelves.

Please leave a comment telling me why you deserve this book, and you'll be entered to win my copy.  I'll do a random drawing next Sunday, January 6th, and announce the winner here on the blog.  U.S. only, please.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season and getting some sewing done; I'm certainly trying to, though I keep getting distracted.

Happy new year, everyone!

And the winner is . . .

Lily the Sewing Room Cat has spoken. 

And no one, but no one - especially me - argues with Lily.  She's tiny but mighty.  And somewhat cranky.  And if I argue with her, she'll eat scraps and thread and return them to me in an unpleasant form some time when I'm not prepared to step on them.

And she chose Beverly of Sew Much More to be the winner of my copy of I Spy DIY Style.

Beverly, please contact me with your mailing address and I'll send the book on to you.

I Spy DIY: Book Review and Giveaway

From the publisher:


Loved it on the runway? Seen it in a magazine?


Find fashion you love and do it yourself! With a few simple supplies and a range of clever ideas, DIY expert Jenni Radosevich shows you how to make style your own. Transform your basics into designer fashions. Turn hardware store finds into statement necklaces or embellishments for a chic dress. Recreate red carpet-ready looks and add your personal touch.

Filled with 30 step-by-step projects inspired by celebrities, designer runways, and classic styles, as well as tips from fashion insiders such as Rachel Roy, Olivia Palermo, and Rebecca Minkoff, I Spy DIY Style has everything you need for easy-to-make looks that will up your style quotient without sacrificing your budget.

Full disclosure, I received a copy of this book to review on the  blog. It'll be released for sale on April 17, 2012. If you follow Jenni Radosevich's blog, or are familiar with her work at Instyle, you'll already be familiar with her ability to take a RTW or runway look and replicate it for much, much less. The book takes her philosophy further, with a ton of fun projects and a lot of inspiration.

The project instructions are well-written and the photography is clear and helpful on the tutorials, and just plain fun everywhere else. The book is divided into sections:  Red Carpet Ready, Right from the Runway, A Touch of Classic and Update your Basics.  A few examples of projects: a grommet-threaded dress, rope belt, ribbon tank, embellished LBD, and many takes on necklaces, earrings and bags.  

For someone interested in DIY, sewing or crafts, but who doesn't think she can do it, this might be the perfect book. It's clearly illustrated, well-explained and completely non-threatening. None of the projects are overly complicated, and I can see this book being a huge confidence booster for someone who finds out that she can, after all, make things herself.

From the tweaking and tinkering of DIY, it's just a few steps on the slippery slope and your non-sewing, non-crafting, non-creative friend will be asking you for advice on purchasing a sewing machine and wanting to go fabric shopping.

And with that in mind, I'm offering this book up as a giveaway. If you want it - for yourself or as a gift to add one more person to the ranks of creative DIYers/sewists out there, leave me a comment telling me who it's for, and why you think they need it. Entries will close on Sunday, April 15th, and I'll let Lily the Sewing Room Cat pick a winner.

We have winners!

Thanks for all the interest in my book giveaway.  It should always be so easy when I'm trying to clean out the house.

And here are the winners . . .

for the Fantastic Fit book, the lucky sewist is Alicia! 

And for Do One Green Things, Amy is the green goddess! 

Ladies, I've sent emails to you both - please get back to me with your addresses and I'll try to get the books out before Christmas.  (No guarantees, as it looks to be a hellish work week, but I'll try).

And in answer to Karen's question on my Pants for Christmas post, RPL is the abbreviation for rayon poly lycra, which in my opinion is the best fabric ever for pants - hardwearing, washable and barely wrinkles. 

It's cold here.  The chickens are cranky, but they're still laying.

Extra, Extra

Books, that is. 

During my days off, I also went on a bit of a cleaning and organizing frenzy.  (There might be some hormones involved in all this, but who am I to object that parts of my house that haven't seen the vacuum in ages are now breathing dust-free?)

In pulling together all the random books that had migrated to far corners of the house, I discovered 2 duplicates that I'd like to share.

First is Gale Grigg Hazen's Fantastic Fit for Every Body.  Here's what the reviews say on Amazon (and look at the reviewers):

"Finally someone has written an in-depth fit book that is reader-friendly and reality-based with excellent photos of real people. If you read if from cover to cover, you will understand not only the concept of fit but also why you have experienced frustrations in the past."--Sandra Betzina

 
"At last, Fantastic Fit for Every Body reveals that fitting is every bit as creative, fun, and satisfying as sitting down at the sewing machine and sewing. This book is crammed with fitting solutions--many I've never seen in print--and each one has been tested on a real person. Fantastic Fit for Every Body not only makes fitting fun but also is full of ideas and inspiration."--Marcy Tilton

The second book, Do One Green Thing, is for those who are trying to green up their lives, but just can't tackle the commitment to do it all at once.  Who can?  The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but most of us don't get that far.  This is a book for the ones who would at least like to make a good start. 
This, from Amazon: 

If you can only read and reference one green thing, make it this book:  an easily comprehensible, clearly presented source for green living. Everything you need to know is right here at your fingertips. Unlike a lot of other overwhelming green guides on the market, this is green decision making in bite sized pieces.With chose it/lose it comparisons throughout, now it's simple to figure out it’s worth switching to a green detergent, what kind of plastic your sports bottle is made of, or which fish is safest to eat.  Rather than spending time trying to figure out how best to go green, use this book and devote that time to making the difference.

 

If either of these strike you as interesting, please leave a comment and let me know.  I'll pick names on Sunday for each book, and pop them in the mail next week.  

My Loss = Your Gain

The slips have found new homes - Linda and Myra, please email me with your mailing addresses. Don't worry, Elizabeth, I've got yours. Neighborhood Gal, hankies to Canada is doable - send me your address too.

Since there was interest in the hats - some people seem to think I did it just to torture them (not true, but it was a plus!), I'll let you all know when I decide to thin out the hat collection.

BTW, putting the blog on comment moderation for older posts for a while. I've been getting massive amounts of spam comments on old posts and it's just easier that way until they find someone else to bombard.

In closing, I give you Bad Kate, who spends all her time tormenting Annie, trying to pry open the sewing room door (undeterred by yelling, water squirts or canned air), and making messes. She's my dirty girl - grubby white feet, potatoes in her ears, and yet the most fastidious cat you'll ever meet, tiptoeing around the litter box with her nose wrinkled.

Too much stuff

Tonight I unpacked some of the stuff I brought home from my aunt's yesterday. There's just too much of it!

Most of the haul is pictured here, on my dining room table: 2 sets of floral sheets (earmarked for sundresses); 3 vintage slips in white, pink and pale blue, a ridiculous number of mostly floral hankies, in original folds; a red-and-white check housedress (!) with a border of Scottie dogs. That is so getting cut down to fit me.

I grabbed the hat box out of the closet without even looking in it - I assumed it had a hat or two, but I didn't have a chance to check.

Jackpot!

Once upon a time, my aunt was quite the stylish woman. You can't tell that from any of the remaining wardrobe, but apparently her past was put away, in this hatbox, to rest for 50 or so years.

We have pillboxes, covered in flowers. The little one covered in daisies was worn at my christening in 1964; I have the photo to prove it. There are a bunch of those hairband types, including this very cute leopard one with veil, and a green leafy one that I wish I had the guts to wear.

There are little bands made out of feathers in purple, blue and gray. There are hats made entirely out of little flowers. There are veils in all colors.

I wish women still wore hats.

Here's the deal, dear readers - right now, there are 2 sets of 10 hankies each, and 2 vintage nylon slips (pink and blue, approx. bust of 36-38), looking for new homes. There may be more, but as of now, this is just sheer excess. I brought it home because I couldn't give it to the thrift store or chuck it out, although I'm absolutely willing to let it go to you.

One rule: you have to have commented on the blog before, or, barring that, be really really convincing as to why you want my family's clutter to become your clutter.

Tell me what you want to do with violet-sprigged hankies or if you're going to wear the pink slip on the outside or under a fabulous vintage dress.

Or if you're going to make a fabulous vintage dress to wear over it.

Start thinking about what you want. "Bidding" closes Wednesday by noon, so let me know what you want.

And if you're thinking about the hats, I'm not there yet, but you're perfectly free to try to convince me. I can't keep them all; I know that, and I'll never give them the wear they deserve.

So go ahead, have at me. Help me clean the house.

My Loss = Your Gain, Part 2

Okay, I had a surge of energy the other night (and an equal surge of disgust at the state of my storage shelves, trunks, closet, bins, tubs, etc.), and here's a partial result of my organization. All fabrics shown are free to a good home, I only want to be reimbursed for postage (Paypal preferred).

Tale of Two Denims: purchased at my local store's remnant section. I should should know better, but they rarely have anything there that I like (the store's main purpose for me is thread and zippers), and when there's something usable, I find it hard to resist. I bought these because I wanted to make new shorts. However, I bought these several years ago, and finally found a shorts pattern I liked this year. Problem: almost nothing in my current wardrobe goes with these two fabrics, and I don't really want to buy new fabric to match shorts fabric that isn't even shorts yet. That would defeat the purpose. One yard of salmon/orange denim, 2 yards of the aqua. Nice mid-weight, pre-washed.

Next, the fabric that never became a dress: 3 yards drapy poly crepe in warm brown with violet flowers. This fabric probably began my love affair with brown. So why have I never sewn it up, you ask? Possibly because while I love brown, I don't like purple. Maybe because I don't like how I look in clothes with that much drape - though I could have just made something not so drapy with it. Not quite sure, but it's been hanging around for at least 4 years. Originally from Fabric.com, pre-washed.

2 yards beige/tan bottom-weight (lighter bottom-weight). Love the feel of the fabric - it's almost sueded - and I like the faint herringbone. Problem - it's one of THOSE tans. You know, the ones that look tan until you put them with brown, and then they look gray. But if you put them with gray, then they look tan. It would play well with other colors, just not the earth-tones in my wardrobe. Pre-washed, been around so long that provenance is unknown, suspected to be remnant rack of local store.

1 yard green Provencal print cotton. This was purchased from Fabric.com about 3 years ago for a specific home dec project that never materialized. Would make a cute home dec project or maybe a bag. Pre-washed.

1.5 yards tan poly gabardine. Nice basic color, nice drape. Doesn't do a thing for me. Nice, but not fabulous, would make a good wearable muslin. Doesn't weigh much so if you take something, this wouldn't add much to the postage.

2 yards coral/melon poly satin (my local store calls this Italian satin). Purchased to make PJs for Mario's sister, but it didn't match the robe fabric. Pre-washed and dried, no shrinkage. Something nice about a fabric that takes abuse well.

So there we are, round 2 of the stash purge. Take it away. Please.

There's still more where that came from, I just can't face thinking about it right now.

My Loss = Your Gain

I can't stand it anymore. I've been sewing through my stash as much as possible, but there are certain fabrics that are just going to continue to hang out on the shelf no matter how much I sew. It could be because they're fabrics from the days when I bought because it was pretty, with no thought that the color would make me look like death, or they could have been inherited stash, or they just might have been purchased for a project that didn't happen and now they're sitting around taunting me.

Tastes change; fabric stashes are eternal.

So the gain would not be entirely yours - I'm going to get some shelf space out of this, and that's worth a lot to me. All fabrics are free with shipping (paypal preferred). All fabrics are described as accurately as possible; pre-washing notes are included in the fabric descriptions. Not all fabrics have been pre-washed, and if they haven't, at this point I will leave that happy task for you. Non-smoking household, but you will probably find a few stray cat hairs.

So in the interests of reducing my stash (and helping to add to yours), I offer the following:

3.0+ yards of white and lavender floral home dec (garment weight). Two cuts, each 1 2/3 yards. This was purchased with a specific vintage pattern in mind - can't you see it as a garden-party type dress, with a full skirt? I could, I just don't see it on me anymore. Purchased at my local home dec fabric store, approximately 2003 (though the fabric selvage is marked 1998). A little discolored on the selvage, but the actual fabric is still creamy-white. No pre-treating done on this one. Not sure how it would handle the washer, but it wouldn't object to being hand-washed and dried in a cool dryer.

3.0 yards olive/gold/aqua cat-tail print cotton from Fabric.com, approximately 2006. I loved the Art Deco-ish vibe to this fabric, and the colors are right. So why haven't I used it? No idea, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to. 100% cotton, pre-washed (so hopefully, pre-shrunk).

1.0 yards candy pink jersey. Wonderful drape, not quite slinky but similar drape. Great fabric for t-shirts, wrap tops, etc. Completely the wrong pink for my complexion, and it's not something makeup will cure. From my local fabric store, approximately 2006. Pre-washed.

2.25 yards red cotton jersey – more t-shirty than the pink above. I changed the photo so you could see the drape; the square in the corner is the actual color. This stuff is RED. Not blue-red, not orange red, but smack-in-the-middle-of-August Tomato Red. Gorgeous color, makes me look jaundiced. From my local fabric store, same shopping trip as the pink jersey. Pre-washed.

1.0 yard Amy Butler Belle fabric. I love the pattern, but it's a little large for what I had in mind (that's what I get for clicking "buy" before engaging my brain). This is one of the fabrics that is taunting me.
3.5 yards of brown/gold/caramel snakeskin print stretch twill (minimal stretch but enough). There was a project for this, honest and truly, but for the life of me I have no idea what it was. Pre-washed, pre-shrunk. Obviously wrinkled from stash-sitting since 2000, but not a wrinkly fabric when cared for.

And lastly, 3.0 yards of 100% acrylic "tweed" boucle from Fabric.com. I know it's 3.0 yards because it still has the order sticker on it. How lame is that? Bought about 3 years ago, not quite the color for me after all. Glad I realized it before I cut into it, given that sewing boucle is a royal pain in the bobbin.

So that's it, for now. Anything strike your fancy? I'm sitting here with fingers crossed.