our 2013 makerie sewing scholarship winner!

Allison Wurgler ~ our wonderful winner!

Just like the past two years, every single time I sat down to read and re-read our scholarship applications, tears came to my eyes. Every application was so lovingly put together and it was such a joy to open each one and read every thoughtful letter. From the heartfelt stories each person shared, I heard loud and clear how powerful and healing creativity is and can be in all of our lives and under many circumstances. Adding the quilt block element to this year's application process made it all come to life, as we got to know each beautiful applicant in such a unique way. Every quilt square was made with such love and it was amazing how clearly and creatively each personality shined through. Everyone who applied was extremely deserving of a creative weekend away, which once again, made our choice a very, very difficult one.

For those who submitted applications, a most sincere thank you for taking the time to apply and for the heart you put into your incredible quilt squares. They are treasures and will serve as reminders of many beautiful stories woven together. We will be creating a paper quilt out of all of them, to be displayed at the Old Glory Antiques Fair this summer. It's with true sincerity when I say I wish I could meet all of you in person to give you a giant hug to thank you for sharing your heart-warming stories with openness, bravery, honesty and love. 

So without further ado, it's now time to celebrate the winner of our 2013 Makerie Sewing Scholarship so generously provided by Holly and her marvelous Old Glory Antiques Fair!

a most heartfelt congratulations to

** Allison Wurgler **

this year's Makerie Sewing Scholarship recipient!

Allison was nominated by her wonderful husband, who wrote one of the most beautiful letters we had ever read. It truly touched our hearts and we couldn't be more excited to be able to share the Makerie Sewing experience with her. A heartfelt congratulations to Allison and enormous love and gratitude to the Old Glory Antiques Fair for making this scholarship possible, for the third year in a row! I have never met a more generous soul than Holly Kuhn, owner of the marvelous Old Glory Antiques shop and founder of the fair. Her support, even when the Makerie was just an infant, will forever be appreciated. It is our honor and pure delight to have Allison as a participant at the 2013 Makerie Sewing and now a very special part of our Makerie family. What an exciting day!

With love...

heather jones ~ quite the incredible quilter

Heather Jones is a quilting force to be reckoned with, bringing a beautiful modern twist to traditional patterns. Her designs and handwork are so original and outstanding that she was a winner of the Modern Quilt Guild's Project Modern Challenge with three of her quilts, as well as a finalist in the prestigious Martha Stewart's American Made contest. She recently finished her first line of modern quilting patterns, inspired by everyday places and things that many people wouldn't even notice (think an old metal silo or a painted grid in the parking lot of a big-box retailer). We love how the name of her handmade business ~ Olive & Ollie ~ was named after two special women in her family, her great grandmother Olive and great-great-aunt Ollie, who were strong, independent women who made all sorts of things by hand, and shared my belief that handmade is best. We are incredibly thrilled to have Heather teaching an Improvisational Quilting workshop at the Makerie Sewing that is sure to wrap her students with an abundance of cozy quilted techniques and endless inspiration. Get to know the fabulous, warm and wonderful Heather below.

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What is your favorite food obsession right now?

I really love to bake. There’s nothing more satisfying than making a good piecrust from scratch.

What did you want to be when I grew up? 

For a long time I wanted to be a doctor.

What's for breakfast?

Usually oatmeal, especially when it’s cold outside!

A wish that came true.

Meeting and marrying my soul mate.

What risk are you glad you took?

Starting an etsy shop after the birth of my first child.

If you could learn a creative skill other than your profession, what would it be? 

I’d like to be able to knit or crochet. Or both.

A favorite gift you’ve received.

Photobooks of my children given to me by my husband.

A condiment you love.

Mustard. Spicy, Dijon, Yellow, just not Honey Mustard.

What book do you keep on your coffee table? 

“Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life” by Todd Oldham. Although, it’s not actually on the coffee table, since I’ve got two little ones, but it’s nearby on a shelf.

What you love most about what you do. 

I really love finding inspiration in unexpected places and then bringing that inspiration to life in my designs.  

The most challenging or difficult part about what you do. 

Balancing the work that I need and want to do with being a hands-on mother to my two young children. My children obviously come first, but it’s hard to find the time to do everything that I would like to.

Denyse Schmidt’s “Modern Quilts, Traditional Inspiration” is at the top of my inspiration library. 

Any tricks for finding life balance? 

I still need to find this! I think it’s a work in progress though, finding what works for you at a particular moment in time.

Any trade secrets/words of wisdom you’d like to divulge? 

Follow your heart, be true and kind to yourself and everyone else.

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Thank you so much Heather!

Amy Butler's IntenSati Class!

We're still pinching ourselves over here that Amy Butler is coming to Boulder in April ~ it's true! On top of teaching a fabulous color story workshop where students will create their own personal color palette, she will also be leading a very special exercise class called IntenSati on Saturday night of Makerie Sewing weekend. Join Amy for a workout class like nothing you've ever experienced! IntenSati is a revolutionary training program that is designed to connect you to the power that is within you to transform your body and your life. This unique training is an uplifting, high energy cardio and body shaping experience. It is the first workout program that uses the power of words, affirmations and practiced thought patterns along with simple yet challenging exercises to literally transform the way you think, feel and look. We are super excited to incorporate this into the retreat and rest assured, I'll be bringing my workout clothes along. I can't wait to try it myself! 

mollie makes!

Well what an awesome honor to be featured in one of our very favorite international crafty magazines out of the UK ~ Mollie Makes. I remember watching their promo video when they first launched, thinking to myself, this is going to be one fabulous publication and never dreamed of actually being in it! Mollie Makes is consistently chock full of inspiration, adorable ideas and creative eye candy that makes you want to stop what you're doing and try the project right then and there. We can't thank them enough for including us in their January issue! I mean truly, what's not to love about a publication whose tagline reads: Living & Loving Handmade. Do check them out!

meet the playful, fabulous jennifer mercede!

Among the many things I love about Jennifer, her playful, fun and joyful approach to her art is one of my very favorite things. When I look at her paintings, I feel happy, light and present, discovering a new pattern, word or different image each time I gaze at one of her beautiful works of art. No wonder the Land of Nod and Oopsy Daisy adore her too! A professional painter living in Portland, Oregon, she creates art that's about connecting to the moment and having fun, as she loves bright colors, is inspired by graffiti, children’s art, life adventures and a free-flowing spirit. She recently illustrated her first adorable children’s book, Gerry the Giraffe, which is available as an animated e-book and in print. We are so excited to have Jennifer teaching at the Makerie for the very first time with two brand new classes to boot ~ Doodle Draw and Expressive Painting. They are sure to inspire in more ways than you can imagine, as students can expect to let go of the outcome, color outside your lines, doodle inside your lines, be blindfolded, and let your mind wander ~ just to name a few! Spots are going fast so if you're thinking about joining in and taking her wonderful workshops, please don't delay! Get to know the really fabulous Jennifer below: 

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What is your favorite food obsession right now? 

Somehow I skipped over the word ‘food’ in this question. I just read ‘obsession’ and answered accordingly: Right now there is a seven hippy band (they call themselves the Aloha Family Band) staying in my attic. Their music is upbeat, positive, and as love filled as are they. Each day I learn more about relaxing and loving through them. Strange as it may seem, I never want them to leave. That and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, she is my latest obsession from the London Olympics, super cute, smiley and positive!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

An actress.

What's for breakfast?

I ate a small bowl of rice crispies and then several of my roommate’s Eggo waffles. With the cheap kind of syrup.

A wish that came true.

I discovered Western Washington University in Bellingham. It had everything I dreamed of and to this day is one of my heart’s favorite places.

A favorite gift you’ve received.

My guitar. And a blender my mom just sent me for no other reason than to send me a gift! (love those kind)

A condiment you love.

Relish.

What you love most about what you do.

Being in my studio with my tunes on. Getting into the zone.

The most challenging or difficult part about what you do.

Ugh, quickbooks accounting.

_________ is at the top of my inspiration library.   

Julia Cameron. Louise Hay. Micah Blacklight.

Any tricks for finding life balance?
Breathe. Find someone to listen to you, even if you have to pay them. Ha!

Any trade secrets/words of wisdom you’d like to divulge?

Be open to the divine in life. Surrender to its path.

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Thank you so much Jennifer!

the makerie sewing goodie bags!

We are so excited to announce Briana Tomlin as our Makerie Sewing goodie bag designer for 2013! Similar to last year, we ran a contest in the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design e-course, which I took last year and loved! Once again, we were blown away by the talent and gorgeous entries which made for quite a tough decision. We asked Briana to share a few words about herself and her winning design. 

"A wanderer at heart, I enjoy collecting inspiration from all over the world and returning to my little studio in northern Canada to create graphics, patterns and designs. Many of my designs are inspired by nature, especially flowers, animals, and sea life. I was inspired by the Makerie design brief as I enjoy using clean, simple lines to create modern, organic designs.

The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design has been a source of never-ending inspiration and my mind is constantly swimming with ideas. I have big dreams and schemes for my designs and hope to see my designs on fabrics, home wares, stationary and clothing. I am absolutely thrilled to have my design featured on the Makerie Goodie Bag!" 

We are so excited to be part of Briana's budding pattern design dreams and can't wait to see it on our bags. A sincere thank you to everyone who took part in the contest and to Beth & Rachael for supporting this fun design challenge once again. 

In addition to the fabulous design, we are thrilled to announce eQuilter as a sponsor of this year's Makeire Sewing bags! Their wonderful company happens to be right in our own backyard and I had the privilege of touring their amazing operation a few months ago. It's any sewer's dream to wander their fabric filled, color coordinated warehouse! I loved my visit and especially seeing first hand how they package each order with such thoughtfulness and care. We are so grateful for their wonderful support and make sure to take a peek at their plentiful and incredible array of offerings. They generously donate 2% of sales to charity!

Happy Friday and here's to a fabulous weekend!

~xo

we're back with a few thoughts for the new year

this little lady is joining our family!

The holidays were wonderful in a million ways ~ spending fabulous time with friends and family, lovely celebrations, abundant, never-ending delicious meals and treats, a visit to the mountains and one of the highlights of my year, surprising our little ones with a puppy. Along with that, the holidays also felt extremely busy between holiday merry making, gift gathering and spending lots of time in the kitchen cooking. I'm a girl who loves a simple life at heart and also thrives by having some down time so those quiet family days that we did manage to squeeze in were some of my very favorite moments. This holiday season also felt funny in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, as I was left in a state of shock and grief stricken for quite some time, probably alongside many of you. I had a hard time spending time online and just wanted to be off the computer and home hugging my little ones. I apologize for my absence, but it just felt right to me. I'm still having a hard time processing it all, but I've also never been more aware of how precious this life is and how we all need to embrace each other and find kindness with as many people as we can. In fact, I've adopted 'kind' for my word for the year. I'm sure you've seen Ann Curry's 26 Acts movement? It's beautiful and makes me imagine a world full of kindness and how different we would all feel!

The new year always feels great. A fresh start, reflection and thoughts and goals about what you'd like to do better and different. One thing I've been thinking about for this coming year ~ beyond all of the ways in which I want to improve ~ are the things I'd like to continue doing that I've felt good about and that seem to be working. It's so easy to challenge yourself to always be better, faster, slower, more efficient, softer, tougher, etc... but it's funny how we rarely take the time to focus on what we're already doing right! Have you thought about giving yourself credit for some things you might be proud of and want to continue? It's certainly been a new, refreshing, gentler way of thinking for me and takes a little pressure off trying to make all those resolutions I make every year, only to be disappointed when I blow it early on. You've been there too, yes? :) I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

I've been reflecting on the Makerie a lot during this holiday time and the heart of what it means to me. What I keep going back to is this: Creativity and making things with our hands makes a difference. A big one if we let it into our lives. It empowers us, connects us and fills our souls with possibilities. Believe me, I know it's hard to make time for creativity during our busy days! And yes, doing a creative project often feels more like a luxury and falls to the bottom of our endless 'to do' lists. I often struggle with this myself. However, when we do take the time to pick up our knitting needles or a pencil to doodle a drawing or even sit down at a sewing machine, it fills our spirits and brings us back to the present moment in the most beautiful way. What I do know is that creativity, in whatever way that means to each of us, makes us happy and fulfilled. If the Makerie experience can inspire even one person to bring more creativity into their life, well that's a dream come true for me and one more happier person we can send into the world.

Even though our online presence has been a little quieter than usual, rest assured we've got some incredible things bubbling up behind the scenes over here and I'm really excited to share them all with you soon. Make sure to join our facebook page, follow us on twitter and sign up for our mailing list so you'll be the first to hear the news. Thank you so much for being here and wishing you each and every one of you the happiest new year!

Love,
the Makerie

p.s. If you're wondering who the little bundle is, that's the newest member of our family ~ Ms Neve ~ who we get to bring home this Saturday! If only you could hear how excited our kids are, telling every single person they meet that we're getting a puppy. Any advice welcome! :)