Saturday Samplings...

Happy weekend friends and followers! It has been a productive week in the Blue Ribbon Designs studio and I am running myself a bit ragged trying to finish up a few fast approaching deadlines. I have been having a "stitching marathon" each night...and designing, along with sewing/quilting during each day. My heart longs to be spring cleaning, but that will have to wait just a little while longer. The weather has been lovely and I am hoping that the winter months are behind us (fingers and toes crossed). I have been getting in daily training walks with Schatzi, preparing for the Komen 3-Day in November - we have been getting in 5 - 8 miles daily...it is truly amazing how a daily training walk can put things into perspective and keep me focused.

I have a few things to share today...

First...it's that time of year again friends - voting is live for the AccuQuilt Quilt Block Design Contest...and this year I have 4 blocks eligible for your votes (and I may work on a few more in the future, should time allow). So, once again, I am asking for your help. Please take a moment and vote for my quilt blocks - they have made the voting process much easier and better this year (no registration!). You can vote once daily for all your favorites...meaning, you can vote for each of my four blocks once a day (plus any other favorites you may have). 

• Simply visit: http://www.accuquilt.com/contest
• Click on "View Entries"
• Find my blocks - the easiest way to do this is type "Belinda" in the search bar...OR you can scroll through the entries.
• Click on the block - and then click on the word "VOTE".
• You can leave comments, if you so choose.
• You can vote once daily for all your favorites! Easy peasy.

Here are my entries for this year:

I really enjoyed working on my entries again this year...and they are all so very me...I love to combine piecing with appliqué.  I also like to design blocks that stand alone or work good in multiples or in combination with other blocks...and of course, I think about what would look good as a displayed quilt block. This year, entries must be made from AccuQuilt shapes, so I can actually quilt up each one...and if my blocks do well, I will share all the details with you on how to make them yourself (a tutorial or two may be in the future). I hope you will support my quilt blocks again this year and place your votes for my designs! You can also enter your own original quilt block designs by visiting: http://www.accuquilt.com/contest.

Next...I would like to thank everyone who voted for my pillows in Nancy Zieman's 2015 Pillow Challenge! My pillows received 1st, 3rd, and 16th place (not bad for over 220 entries and over 8,300 votes)...and I will receive some prizes for 1st and 3rd, so I truly appreciate your support and encouragement! For my 1st place pillow, I will receive a bundle of Pellon products (valued $115)...and for my 3rd place pillow, I will receive The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew book & DVD from Nancy’s Notions (valued $34.98)...plus a Pellon pillow insert with each. So thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for voting for me! You can see the five winning pillow entries and the prizes for each by visiting:
http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/sewing-2/pillow-challenge-winners/

I have been updating my website and Etsy shop this week, too! My website has new tabs and features...so please stop by and take a look (it is best viewed on a desktop/laptop or in landscape view on a tablet or mobile device)....and I am working on new cross stitch designs and sewing/quilting patterns to add in the future. My Etsy shop has springtime items and I will be adding more vintage needlework books very soon...

Finally, here are some photos from my week (you can see these and more by following me on Instagram)...

In am off to my sewing machine - it is going to get a workout today...so much piecing to do, so little time! I will, of course, get in a training walk this evening....then it will be another late night in my stitching nest. Wishing you a wonderful weekend, filled with all the activites you enjoy!