Joba Will Be Activated Tonight

Yankees Trade For Casey McGehee

From Joel Sherman:

The Yankees didn’t get Ryan Dempster at the trade deadline, but they did make a deal.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman obtained versatile infielder Casey McGehee from the Pirates for reliever Chad Qualls, sources told The Post. In the short term with Mark Teixeira out (wrist), McGehee can play some first base and he can also fill the third-base void left by Alex Rodriguez (broken hand) with a power bat.

The Yankees are getting $225,000 as part of the trade to cover some of about $1 million left on McGehee's deal.

McGehee hit .230/.297/.377 with 8 HR and 35 RBI in 92 games with the Pirates.

No Structural Damage For Teixeira

The Bagster Bag & A Home Renovation Project for The Cottage Mama

I was so excited to be contacted by the folks at Waste Management (WM)!  You're thinking, Lindsay.......you have lost your mind.  But no, I haven't......not entirely.  My husband and I have been talking about getting a dumpster for a home renovation project for awhile.  Renting a dumpster can be pretty pricey, so that's probably the main reason we've been putting it off in addition to being so busy with our three little kiddos.  So when WM emailed me asking if they could 'give' us one of their new The Bagster Bags to try, I said 'sign us up!

My business is pretty much taking over the house.  Yes, I have my studio where I do most of my creating, but what takes up even more space is my inventory.  There are boxes and boxes of my printed sewing patterns, bolts of fabrics for custom orders, shipping and packaging supplies, read-to-ship clothing, photography props and tools and the list goes on.

 Organized Side

(Don't be fooled, that's maybe half of my inventory)

Non-Organized Side

Right now we have somewhat converted our loft space into a storage area.  One side is pretty well organized, but the other side could be used much more efficiently.  There are still a bunch more boxes that we need to move from our mud room either up into the loft or possibly out into our coach house.  Now the coach house......it sounds a lot more lovely than it really is.

When we bought our 1934 cottage, the previous owners had just let the coach house go (as well as a lot of other things in this house).  It was really sad because it used to be a studio apartment with a brick fireplace, kitchen, bathroom and hardwood floors, but now..........it's nothing close.  Basically it's just sort of falling down.  My dream is to someday convert the coach house into a two story studio / guest house, but that's not happening any time soon.  In the meantime, we need to clear out some of the debris in there (i.e. falling down drywall, construction material, ect.) so that we can at least use the space for additional storage.  Most of the things we need to clear out of there aren't able to be picked up curb side during our regular trash service.

 Door Leading Into Coach House

So WM and The Bagster Bag to the rescue!  Over the next month the hubby and I (and perhaps a few extra helpers) will attempt to clean out the coach house and work on some of our other spaces to make our storage of all my inventory a little more organized and user friendly.

So how does The Bagster Bag work?  It's a pretty neat idea.  You purchase one of the large bags at your local hardware or home improvement store for about $29.95 (click HERE to find a store in your area).  You unfold it, load it up with all your junk and then call to have WM come pick it up.  Now don't be fooled, the whole process is not $29.95, you have to pay for the pickup which varies from area to are from between $79-$249.  But it's still far less than renting your own full dumpster and having to wait for them to deliver it.  This way you can start your project whenever you want, keep the bag out for as long as you want and have it picked up whenever you want.......definitely more freedom and more cost savings!

The Bagster Bag is supposed to hold up to 3,300 pounds and be made of a really durable woven material.  You can throw out most things but there is a list of approved materials that can be thrown away in a Bagster.  Here is the list:

You pretty much can't throw away things that you can't throw away in your normal trash.......paint, batteries, chemicals, ect, that should be disposed of in the proper place anyways.

I'm excited to try out this new product.  I'll let you know what I think. Wish us luck.  I'll be back with a follow-up post and a $100 Amex Giftcard Giveaway.  I'm glad WM gave us the push we needed to take on this project.  Not sure my husband is super-glad.......but I am!!

PS:  I would never share a product on this blog that I didn't think was a neat idea or one that I didn't intend on using wholeheartedly.......just so you know :).  But one of the perks of being a blogger is that I do get to try really cool things out for free and sometimes I get paid for doing so.

Waste Management partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its The Bagster® Bag Blogger Challenge.  As part of this program, I received compensation to cover the cost of the Bagster bag and pick-up as well as my time.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the The Bagster® Bag Blogger Challenge. Waste Management believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Waste Management’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. A winner will be chosen by random and voucher fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

Yankees Turn Their Attention To Dempster

From David Kaplan:

Baseball sources have confirmed to me that three teams are in play for Ryan Dempster and he will approve a deal to any of the three teams if the Cubs can agree on a suitable return in exchange for the veteran right-hander who is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have long been Dempster's preferred destination will have to increase their offer as the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees have stepped up their pursuit over the last 48 hours. With Roy Oswalt having another poor performance on Monday evening, the Rangers have decided to upgrade their rotation and are looking at all available options including Dempster and Matt Garza.

"Texas is serious about adding a starter and Dempster isn't as expensive to trade for as Garza would be, but after finishing as runners-up in the last two World Series and seeing the Angels add Zach Greinke, Texas management has decided to make a run at adding pitching, a baseball source told me. "However, with three teams seriously involved, it won't be cheap to acquire him even though it is potentially a three-month rental."

"Dempster has made it clear to Cubs management that he would like to play in Los Angeles but he also understands that Epstein and Hoyer have a job to do and he will not stand in their way if it means that the best deal is somewhere else," a source with knowledge of the discussions told me this morning. "He never told them he would only go to LA, he only said that he wanted time to make the best decision for him and his family and that is his right as a 10/5 [10 years in the majors, the last five with your current team] man. Ryan is serious about wanting to win a World Series and he will approve a deal if it gives him that chance. People who have been critical of him about the Atlanta deal don't have all of the facts."

While he wants to go to LA, the one thing the Yankees have going for them is that he's familiar with pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Jim Hendry from their days in with the Cubs. Dempster is 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA this season for the Cubs, easily his best season so far.

Girardi on Teixeira's Wrist Injury: "It's a Big Concern"

From Chad Jennings:

Turns out, Mark Teixeira actually hurt himself last night. He was trying to play through it tonight, and landing awkwardly on his glove wasn’t part of the plan.

“Yesterday, third at-bat against Doubront, swung through a pitch and it just didn’t feel right,” Teixeira explained. “Played through it yesterday. Got a lot of treatment last night. I had treatment today. It just didn’t feel good again today. And then when I dove, I landed right on my glove and I just tweaked it even more. I went back in the dugout, in the clubhouse, tried to swing the bat and just couldn’t do it.”

Teixeira will go for an MRI tomorrow. He said he’ll almost certainly miss tomorrow night’s game, but his concern is “low” that this is a significant injury.

“Not crazy concerned because like I said, I tried to play through it,” he said. “It’s one of those things if you really hurt yourself bad, you’re out and you can’t do much. I was kind of nursing it today when I was swinging so hopefully it’s just a couple of days and I can get back out there. … More achy and sore than major pain. That’s why I feel okay about it. Hopefully it’s not too bad.”

...

“It’s a big concern,” Joe Girardi said. “He’s a huge part of our lineup and hopefully it’s only a couple of days, but we’ll find out more tomorrow.”

Let's just hope that MRI comes back clean because this team cannot afford another key injury.

ScoreBIG on Deals For This Week's Yankees Games

Besides the already low prices for this week's series in the Bronx, TiqIQ also has some great ScoreBIG/Make-An-Offer deal opportunities for you to rack up even more savings. These make an offer deals can't be beat and tickets can sometimes be had for as low as $10, and you don't have any pesky service or shipping fees to worry about. Just name your price and avoid all the hassles.

Click here to sign up for for your own ScoreBig account and start saving today!

Here are some of this week's best deals

- 7/31 vs Baltimore: Save 53% and offer $52 for 3-star seats (List price: $110.64)

- 8/1 vs Baltimore: Save 51% and offer $35 for 2-star seats (List price: $71.72)

- 8/3 vs Seattle: Save 50% and offer $98 for 5-star seats (List price: $195.00)

- 8/4 vs Seattle: Save 25% and offer $95 for 4-star seats (List price: $127.32)

- 8/5 vs Seattle: Save 28% and offer $80 for 3-star seats (List price: $110.64)

And to see our entire ticket inventory, click here.

Yankees Insist There Was No Setback For Pettitte

From WFAN:

The 40-year-old, who threw off flat ground in Oakland during the Yankees’ West Coast swing, said he’s “laying low” after doing “a little too much in Seattle.”

“In Seattle it swelled up,” he said.

But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman insisted there are “no issues with Pettitte.”

“With rehab, you have good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks,” Cashman told the New York Daily News. “He’s coming back in September, which is what we’ve said all along.”

Cashman doesn’t have much time to go shopping for rotation help with Tuesday’s trade deadline fast approaching. He sounded confident that the veteran would be able to return for the Yankees’ stretch run.

“He’ll be back; that’s the bottom line,” Cashman said. “It’s no different than it was before.”

There are two possible things going on here:

1) Pettitte didn't suffer a setback and he should return without a problem.

2) The Yankees are in damage control mode and don't want potential trade partners to realize how desperate they may in fact be.

I'm hoping it's the former, but I believe it's the latter. But hey, I'm a natural pessimist so of course that's what I believe.

A Few More Hydrangeas...

The north-facing hydrangea bed whose blossoms I highlighted last time does get direct afternoon to early evening sun. During the hottest days, the blossoms will wilt by the end of the day. On these days, I'm sure to give them an extra drink of water and thankfully, they do recover just fine. 

I received a lot of inquiries after the last post regarding which mountain we see in our north view. It is Mt. Adams, which is located just across the Columbia River from us in Washington state (we are in Oregon). The trailheads which lead up the mountain are about two hours drive from our porch. 

The ridges which you see in the middle of the frame are also in Washington state. The state line runs between the farmland in the foreground and those riges, along the deep canyon of the Columbia River Gorge. 

The Little Lamb hydrangea are doing well this year, their third growing season. Their blossoms are very similar in shape as the Limelight, but are much more creamy in hue. Even though they do receive lots of morning to mid-day sun on the east side of the house, they do great. I chose this variety because they are more sun tolerant than a lot of the other hydrangea varieties, who prefer mostly shade. 

So far, I haven't really been able to figure out how to better capture the mountain with my camera. It always seems to end up washed out. 

Bombshell hydrangea are proving to be a good choice for this south-facing bed. They receive full sun and fare very well, even through the hottest days. 

I planted these last spring (five bushes). I look forward to when they grow even taller and create more of a singular-looking hydrangea plume under the dining room windows. 

Love & Hate of Painting Funiture

Last Friday I started painting a couple of chairs that I bought a long time ago.

You see, when I go to thrift stores I keep finding furniture pieces that scream to me, "buy me, and fix me up!" Although, there is absolutely NO room for any more furniture in my house and I have way too many sewing or jewelry projects that I want to do anyways. I can't bring them home.

I have been having an urge to paint some furniture lately. I decided to work on the ones that I have in my house. In the middle of prepping the chairs by sanding them I was already regretting even starting the project. I forgot how much I don't like the prepping part. I really enjoy the actual painting part and the end results. In fact, I am near complete with the chairs. I will share the picture of them soon!

Although my body was achy all over and I was so tired after painting the chairs, I keep thinking about painting the dining tables and the other 6 chairs (6! Ugh, I don't even want to think about sanding them all). Once I start it I have to finish it. My family might not have a table and chairs for a week or so though...

Do you like painting furniture? Are there special tricks and short cuts that you do to prep the furniture? If you do have something up your sleeves, please do share! I am very much interested. :)

Pettitte Suffers a Setback

If this is anything serious, and it probably is, it will likely put the rest of his season, in jeopardy. If that is the case, the Yankees should probably spend the next 40+ hours trying to find another starting pitcher.

Joba To Pitch In Trenton Today (Updated)

Joba just finished his outing in Trenton. In 1.1 innings pitched, he allowed a single and struck out 3. He threw 30 pitches, 23 for strikes, and hit 98 MPH. Apparently, his stuff was filthy.

From Mike Vorkunov:

Joba Chamberlain will make a rehab appearance in Trenton today with the Yankees' Double-A affiliate. He will enter into the game with two outs in an inning then stay in to pitch the following inning, in hopes of simulating what he would do at the major-league level. He has been placed on a limit of 30 pitches in an inning.

...

“Yeah, I feel like I’m ready,” Chamberlain said Friday. “Obviously, physical part is over. Now it’s just the mental part of getting in a routine and trusting your pitches and trusting you can get guys out.”

It's also mentioned in the article that Trenton manager Tony Franklin was unsure how long Joba would be with the team, but it's possible Joba could remain there until Tuesday.

Check back later for an update on his outing.

Boras On Cano's FA Situation

From Joel Sherman:

“I had a meeting with Hal [Steinbrenner] and Randy [Levine, Yankees president] at the owners meetings [in May], and I certainly did not get any indication from them that there will be any dramatic changes in how the Yankees do business,” Boras said by phone.

And Boras did not sound like he would have much sympathy for the Yankees trying to go frugal. He cited Yankees “revenues triple most major league teams.” But, mainly, he invoked the “George Steinbrenner legacy” of building the brand, a TV network and revenues by enlisting and keeping stars — no matter the cost.

“If that continues, the Yankees will still be viewed as a destination for players that is highly coveted,” Boras said.

...

Brian Cashman has said he would like to break the Yankees’ practice of waiting until free agency to negotiate contracts and would prefer to attempt to extend both Cano and Curtis Granderson (like Cano, also a free agent after 2013) this offseason.

If I'm Brian Cashman there's no way I'm letting Cano walk and money shouldn't be an issue. The Yankees will be just fine. They make enough money, and there's no reason for them to start acting like the Royals when it comes to their own big name free agents, especially one who happens to be one of, if not the best second basemen in the game. That said, this isn't going to be an easy negotiation for the Yanks, at least not based on this:

However, according to a friend, Cano has felt underpaid on the current six-year, $57 million pact he signed under previous representation and wants to make a score this time — hence the presence of Boras.

So Cano definitely is going to blow away the current second base record total package of $85 million (Chase Utley) and annual average value of $15 million (Ian Kinsler). But by how much?

Sherman speculates that even offers like $154MM for 7 years or $160MM for 8 will just be the "minimum ante" for Cano. And if you listen to Boras, it appears that he's thinking something more along the lines of $200+ million for 10 years.

“When you go to sign great players and you know you are going to get six or seven years more of greatness, you have to spend by paying more years. You may pay over 10 years for the privilege of having the great seven. That is how it goes with big franchises and acquisitions. And the Yankees under George were one of the first teams to do that.”

This is typical Boras. Set the bar so high that even the middle ground ends up being a ridiculous contract. But again, I'm not going to sit here and pretend like this is something the Yankees cannot afford. I'd prefer if the Yankees could avoid any kind of deal for more than 7 or 8 years, but at the end of the day the Yankees just need to make sure Cano remains a Yankee.

What do you think? If you're Brian Cashman, how much are you willing to ante up for Cano?

Ichiro: Being part of Yankees-Red Sox is like a dream

From Ray Monell:

The experience [of being part of Yankees-Red Sox], Suzuki told Yahoo! Contributor Network through his interpreter, felt like a dream.

"I was very excited," he said after New York routed Boston 10-3. "My first game at Yankee Stadium [as a Yankee] was against the Boston Red Sox.

"In Japan, you grab your cheek to see if it's real or not, if you're dreaming. That's really how I feel right now."

...

"I used to have a Yankees uniform as a fan; I wore that in Japan," he said. "Also, in the 2001 All-Star Game, I traded jerseys with Bernie Williams, so I put that on before.
"Obviously it's very special."

Ichrio also told MLB.com on Friday night that he hasn't had this much fun playing baseball in a "long time," and that the stadium was the type of environment he was "hoping to play in" when he looked at potentially being traded. Sounds like someone's enjoying life as a Yankee.

Yankees Looking to Add Betancourt?

From Troy Renck:

Rafael Betancourt is attracting varying degrees of interest from the Orioles, Yankees and Athletics. The Red Sox had interest earlier this month. The White Sox and Angels are also looking for bullpen help...

Betancourt is under contract next year [$4.25MM] with a mutual option [$4.25MM] for 2014. To move him, the Rockies would require a valuable piece in return.

Betancourt has a 3.00 ERA, 9.3 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 for the Rockies this season, while converting 17 of 21 save opportunities. If the price is right, he'd definitely be a nice addition and with Joba coming back the two of them could be a huge boost to this team down the stretch.

Report: Yankees Checked In On Headley

From the NY Daily News:

Have the Yankees changed their “fix-from-within” philosophy on third base?

They have talked to the Padres about San Diego third baseman Chase Headley, according to a major-league source. But the source characterized the discussion as the Yankees merely checking in on Headley’s market.

“Names have not been exchanged,” the source said Saturday, although it’s always possible that talks could move forward.

Fox Sports first reported that Headley was “not out of the question” for the Yankees as a possible stopgap at third base as the broken bone in Alex Rodriguez’s left hand heals and as a potential replacement in the outfield in 2013 for Nick Swisher, who is a free agent after the season. Oakland, Philadelphia and Baltimore have also been mentioned in various media reports as possible suitors for Headley.

Interesting. Is Cashman pulling another "Bubba Crosby is our centerfielder" here? Possibly, but it's worth adding that last night, Jim Bowden tweeted that the Padres are leaning towards keeping Headley.

Link Love No.81!

Thanks to those of you who linked up your projects! Ready for my five link-loves for this month?

Have you been frustrated because there aren't many sewing patterns for boys? Look no further. Melissa from Melly Sew has been working hard to come up with an ebook titled "Blank Slate Basics" this summer. Go check out her blog for more details!



So... do you ever feel like you are feeding your kids the same things over and over again? I do. This BLT pinwheel by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom not only looks great, but when I read the recipe, it made me wanna give it a try! Something like this is so nice; it is something different but not too different for the kids to try. Thank you for sharing!



Flamingo Toes created this ADORABLE coin purse. I love the details on this coin purse as well as the combination of the colors. This will make a perfect gift too!



I have been in love with Union Jack design since forever. This pillows by Sew a Fine Seam caught my eye because it looks a little different than the other Union Jacks I have seen and looks a bit easier to make. So pretty!



Ombre is in! Don't you agree with me? I have seen ombre designs all over the place. Do you want to know how to create your own ombre ribbon? Twigg Studios shared two ways to create a beautiful ombre ribbon on her blog, it is worth checking out!



I hope you will continue to enjoy summer. Happy creating!

Saturday's Lineups

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones LF
Jayson Nix 3B
Russell Martin DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Stewart C

CC Sabathia LHP

RED SOX
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Pedro Ciriaco DH
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Cody Ross RF
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Kelly Shoppach C
Mike Aviles SS
Daniel Nava LF

Jon Lester LHP

Today's game is on FOX!

Friday's Yankees Lineup

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Andruw Jones DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Russell Martin C

Pitching: RHP Phil Hughes

Yankees vs Red Sox Series Ticket Prices

Here's some great info from our friends over at TiqIQ:

Below is some additional deal data for each game:

Game 1:
- 700+ tickets starting @ $40.

- 75+ tickets available for less than $55, including some that are selling for as much as 41% below market average.

- Bleacher tickets start @ $40 and there are 100+ available for less than $70. These seats are selling from 4% to 30% below market avg.

- Grandstand tickets start @ $46 and there are 100+ available for less than $75. Some of these seats are selling for up to 31% below market avg.

- Main Level tickets start @ $91 and there are 20+ available for $150 or less, some for up to 47% below market avg.

- Field Level tickets start @ $105 and there are 30+ available for less than $200. Some of these seats are selling for up to 43% below market avg.

Game 2:
- 2100+ tickets starting @ $46

- 70+ tickets available for less than $60, including some that are selling for as much as 49% below market average.

- Bleacher tickets start @ $57 and there are 90+ available for less than $65. These seats are selling from 29% to 36% below market avg.

- Grandstand tickets start @ $46 and there are 100+ available for less than $70. Some of these seats are selling for up to 49% below market avg.

- Main Level tickets start @ $83 and there are 100+ available for less than $125, some for up to 47% below market avg.

- Field Level tickets start @ $100 and there are 90+ available for less than $175, some for as much as 50% below market avg.

Game 3:
- 5400+ tickets starting @ $27

- 60+ tickets available for $35 or less, including some that are selling for as much as 52% below market average.

- Bleacher tickets start @ $38 and there are 150+ available for less than $50. These seats are selling from 31% to 51% below market avg.

- Grandstand tickets start @ $27 and there are 400+ available for less than $50. Some of these seats are selling for up to 52% below market avg.

- Main Level tickets start @ $51 and there are 60+ available for less than $100, some for up to 50% below market avg.

- Field Level tickets start @ $75 and there are 90+ available for less than $125, some for as much as 43% below market avg.

If you'd like tickets to any of these games click here. 

Hydrangeas

Our corner hydrangea bed is in full bloom. 

This bed consists of three Endless Summer plants and three Nikko Blue plants (along the chimney and under window).

This little guy is not a hydrangea at all, but he scampered by while I was taking pictures. We call him Peter Rabbit although he is wild so we won't be dressing him up in a cute blue coat.  

The Endless Summer hydrangea are a mix of colors. Some are pink. 

Some are a light lavender. 

Some are a mix of blue and lavender. 

This collage shows the variety in the Endless Summer blossoms. They are in their third growing season (planted as one gallon pots). 

Here is another Endless Summer example. 

And one more. 

The Nikko Blue have a more consistent hue from blossom to blossom.

Their view in the early morning light. 

Friday Share: Sew Beautiful, Where Women Create and Other Stuff

I've had some things I wanted to share with you guys for awhile, but just haven't had a chance to get them up here on the blog.  So I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you all...........

Have you seen the most recent issue of Sew Beautiful Magazine?

It's the July/August issue that is on newsstands now.  

And guess who has a five page pictorial in this issue?  

The Cottage Mama!

I was so thrilled when Kathy Barnard (Editor, Sew Beautiful) contacted me asking if I would be interested in them doing a pictorial featuring my sewing patterns.  Of course I said yes!   I sewed this collection of clothing almost a year ago for this pictorial using my sewing patterns.

I primarily used the fabric line from Sarah Jane Studios 'Children at Play' for most of the garments.  But did include a little Anna Griffin and Heather Bailey in there as well.

Aren't those boys just darling?  Both the shirt and vest pattern / tutorials (free) will be making an appearance on the blog soon so be on the look out for those.

I did not take any of these pictures.  I sent the entire collection of garments to Sew Beautiful and they used their own photographer to should the pictorial.  I love the shots they got of all the kids wearing these garments.  So perfect!

 
It is truly an honor to be featured in Sew Beautiful Magazine.  So many pattern designers that I admire have been featured in the pages of this publication over the years, so I am really flattered to be included in such good company.

If you have never picked up an issue of Sew Beautiful, it is a magazine dedicated to heirloom sewing.  Most of the articles are geared towards children's clothing, but there are a few adult pieces and accessories  here and there.  While the magazine is still incredibly traditional and classic, they are starting to feature some more modern fabrics and sewing.

Another recent publication feature was in the Summer 2012 issue of 'Where Women Create' magazine. The Cottage Home Blog was named one of the Top 25 Inspirational and Educational Blogs.  Pretty neat.  My mother-in-law introduced me to this magazine several years ago and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my blog mentioned in this beautiful, inspiring publication!

It was my birthday a couple weeks ago and my mom made me this adorable notebook cover.  I always like to have notebooks around so I can jot down my ideas, draw pictures of new designs that pop into my head, make do-to lists, ect.  Right now I've got about three different notebooks scattered around to make sure I have a place to get my thoughts out on paper.

I love this notebook cover because when I fill up the notebook, I can simply slide the cover off and put in a new one.

There's a place for my pencils.  I prefer to draw designs in pencil.

And my mom included one of her sweet labels which makes it all the more special!

Also included in the package from my mom was fabric!  She gave me a jelly roll of Lily Ashbury's 'Gypsy Girl' for Moda which I L.O.V.E.

And she gave me two charm packs of Vanessa Christenson's new line 'Simply Color'.

And finally, she found this really cool old stamp in a fabric store in Taos, New Mexico last month and thought I might like to use it to try hand printing on some fabric.  Mom knows me so well!

Last weekend we went to our local farmer's market and I got this beautiful bouquet of flowers.  They make me so happy!  And the painting behind the flowers was a birthday gift sent from my dad who lives over in Italy.  It's my first real piece of fine art and I absolutely love it.  The colors are stunning in person and the frame is beautiful as well.

And lastly......look what arrived on my doorstep this last week.........

Imagine my delight to open up this huge box of fat quarters from Dear Stella.  Yep, they sent a fat quarter of every single print in their last 11 collections.  Wow!  I couldn't believe it.  They just sent these fabrics for me to play with.  I feel very lucky.  I have been so blessed lately.  I am just thanking my lucky stars.  Now what to make.......so many options!

Here are some pictures of this fabric eye-candy.......

If you would like to check out Dear Stella, please visit their website.  They are a new fabric company that I think you guys will really enjoy.  They have a great mix of modern, traditional and vintage charm.

So that's it!  Just wanted to share some of those fun things with you all.  

Thanks so much for stopping by and reading The Cottage Home!