So when introducing this collection, we will tell you we have been thinking about it for years!  It has been a really long time since we had a Christmas collection, so when we got the opportunity to do this, we were beyond excited.  And oh how I love it.  I think my house will be decorated with “Holly’s Tree Farm” from top to bottom next Christmas.  Here is our inspiration.

Not that we have ever loaded up in an old truck and went to a tree farm to cut our own Christmas tree down, but it’s fun to think about it!  I watched the movie Christmas Vacation a couple of weeks ago and the scene where they cut down their tree totally reminded me of this collection!

There are 4 colorways.  Of course there is red.  Because what is Christmas without red?

We have so many ideas for the light fabric in the middle.  We are planning a quilt pattern with embroidered names in the center of those frames and we can picture applique’ there too.  We haven’t had a chance to do that yet, but we did create a super cute bulletin board with it:

Notice the “Feed Company” quilt in the background.  Yes, it matches perfectly.  Can’t wait to combine the Feed Company with Holly.

Here is the green.  Can’t have red without green!

Pretty sure that print at the top of the stack is my favorite.  We wanted to represent the beautiful store windows that can be seen at Christmas.  We put that print into a cute bag (for next year’s 12 Day’s of Christmas) and we can’t wait to show you.  It is so adorable. But you will have to wait until November for that!

Then there is the gray.  Gray is like hot chocolate.  it goes with everything.

In our last Christmas collection, Countdown to Christmas, we used black instead of gray.  But this time, we wanted a softer look and chose gray with just a little black accent.

And finally, there is the blue.  Blue had to be negotiated.  With my mom.  She is all about traditional Christmas.  Red and green.  Or green and red.  That’s the only two options.  So unfortunately for her, my sister and I just did it.  We forced this beautiful ice blue into the collection.  You see, sometimes you win the 2 on 1 arguments and sometimes you don’t!  But if she were honest, I bet she would admit she likes it.  Besides, there are plenty of prints that are just red and green.  But I can’t resist the blue.

Another one of my favorite prints is the trees with the blue background:

And here is a close-up of the trucks.

This collection is currently being shown to stores and will ship in May.  If you would like your favorite quilt shop to carry it, now is the time to let them know!

If you would like to win some (before you can buy it!), we may have a pre-cut we can part with.  Although my tears will be sent with it!  Just leave us a comment letting us know your favorite print in the collection.  We will choose a winner next week.

Also, keep in mind we will be offering pre-orders for our quilts from this collection.  We are working on them and should get them up soon.  But the biggest new is:

WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BLOCK OF THE MONTH!!!!   This time, with Holly’s Tree Farm.  If you are enjoying your Feed Co. BOM, or if you missed that one, you may be interested in the Christmas one.  We will be starting in time for you to finish before the Christmas season next year.  We are working on that one, too.  As soon as we finish, we will show you and have a pre-order period to sign up.

Speaking of the BOM, the second set of blocks just shipped yesterday.  If you have a subscription, look for that in the mail.  One more thing, the fabric kits for the Love Zipper Bag from the Label Crew is available here.

Good luck with the contest.  And have a great weekend.  It’s a football weekend, right?!!!! You know who I’m rooting for!

Then…I go to the mall!  On a Tuesday.  When hopefully, all the pressure of trying to find something is over, and I can just enjoy the experience.  Keep in mind that I live about 2 hours from an actual mall.  I can't just hop on over there.  But I do love going during the holidays- the decorations, the hustle and bustle of shoppers, the music.  And going to my favorite stores like Pottery Barn, J Crew and Crate and Barrel.  Just to see their holiday displays.  It really gets me in the mood for Christmas.

But sometimes on that carefree trip to the mall, I still don't have a gift for someone.  I walk around aimlessly with a blank look on my face because I.  Have.  No.  Idea.  I'm sure everyone has that one person (or 10 people) they just don't know what to get.  

So here is just a suggestion.  For your Grandma, who doesn't need another candle.  For your Christmas party hostess that will pile all the baked goods she receives in a "don't have time to eat that" pile.  For your son's first grade teacher who has a lifetime supply of bookmarks.

Our personalized canvas art prints take very little effort but make a big impression.  Like you actually took the time to think about the gift- even though it is sooo easy.  We have shown these in year's past, but just to remind you, we have selected a few to show you again.

 Here is our customized "Hometown" print:

The Custom Zipcode Print:

One of my favorites is "The Top 15".  Great for a family.

My most favorite:

Here are some that celebrate the season:

These look great in the kitchen:

One of our most popular gifts is the custom recipe print.  In black and white or color.

These are fun for the kids;

And for the sewing lover in your life (like yourself):

These are just a few- we have lots more in our shop.  

Now, for the good part.  We are having a huge deal on our prints!  You can choose any three 8" x 10" from our shop for $39.95.  The prints range in price from $19.95- $24.95, so you are could actually get $75  worth of prints for $40!  

If you would like to order, make sure to find the listing that starts with "Christmas Special".  If you can't find it, simply put "Christmas Special" in the search box and it will come up.  Make sure to leave us a comment when ordering which 3 prints you would like- any of the 8" x 10" ones are eligible, including anything that is personalized.

This offer ends Friday, December 6.  Have a great week and good luck at the mall!

Anyway, I thought I would show you what she has done with it.  It isn't quite finished- she still needs to paint a little (as you will see in the photos), and add a few more accessories.  But this is what she has so far.  

The favorite spot is the daybed:

Especially for this guy.  Who, by the way, turns 10 today!  I took this a few days ago when he had a 3 hour nap.  Yes 3 hours for a ten year old.  He was a tired boy!

This is on the opposite wall.  I'm hoping she will make me an "America" sign.  Probably not going to happen.

Here is a table she made.  We have lunch on it quite regularly.

Love the chairs.  I am kind of obsessed with the whole industrial design trend going on.

Got this cute little fan at Walmart.  Yes, I said it.  Walmart.

The red stools- not sure where she got those.

Same with the rug.  Who knows where she got it.  But it is really cute!

This chair has been many colors.  I think it was last a dark brown.  But I really like the pretty blue color she painted it.

Ok.  Think I've been at my computer too long.  My turn on the daybed!

We generally (like always) use our blog for positive subjects.  Today, I'm venting.  Just for a little bit and then I'll be over it.  Here's what happened:  Last night I had the sudden urge to see what was happening in the scrapbooking industry.  The CHA convention is held every year around this time, and because we used to be in scrapbooking we had a booth at the show for 8 or 9 years.  I sometimes miss it, especially at CHA time. So I was just interested in what was going on.   Which led me to several scrapbooking sites.  When I opened one page, I couldn't believe what I saw.  Our fabric!  This one:

From our Authentic collection.  Designed by us in 2008 and in stores in 2009.  Only it wasn't fabric.  It was paper.  And it didn't have our name on it.  It had another company's name on it (which I had never heard of).  And it was being sold.  For money.  By someone else.  To be fair, the "designer" added the word "enduring" to our design.  I guess that was his/her insurance that they weren't copying.  If you are interested, you can find the image of the paper design here.

I don't get outrageously mad very often.  But this was one of those times.  Here's the thing.  I totally understand that we are all influenced by what we see.  I am.  In designing, I'm influenced by magazine covers, store windows, a font on a billboard, a word in a book, lots of things.  I'm also influenced by other designers.  It is impossible not to be.  There are things I love and things I don't.  But…it can only go so far. It is totally unethical, not to mention illegal to copy someone else's work and claim it as your own.  For goodness sakes if you are going to copy, change the words.  Or the fonts.  The style it was put together. The color.  Seriously.     

I also get that there isn't a copyright on words.  Or numbers. Or stripes, dots, plaids, whatever.  But this is ridiculous.  I know there will be people thinking "why is she making such a big deal about one paper design?".  There are about a bazillion patterned paper designs out there.  This one isn't going to make any difference.  I get that.  But I also know we spend hours upon hours trying to come up with unique collections that represent our style.  It's just the principle of it.  Ok, I'm done.  Here anyway.  I will contact that company, give them my view on it and it will be over.   Thanks for letting me vent.  

Now, on a lighter note, we are so excited to be a guest blogger today over at A Little Bit Biased (Amber at GiGi's Thimble).  Actually, Susan was the guest blogger.  She is extra excited today that Amber gave her the friendliest designer award.  She let us know about it first thing this morning.  Anyway, Amber is totally sweet herself.  Check out her blog, and a few photos of our studio here. 

The last good thing is that we have a winner of our latest contest.  Congratulations to Karen, who wrote:

Always love the charms ladies, soooo cute!

Just e-mail us at info@sweetwaterscrapbook.com and we will get a charm in the mail to you.

Oh, one more good thing.  Mom is working on yet another Valentine project.  Thought we were done with Countdown to Kisses, but I guess not.  We will show you later this week!

Love Is All You Need:

Love Lives Here: (those are the words printed around the square):

And simply Love:

They are available in our Etsy shop now.

Tomorrow we have planned a fun project that uses a new technique that we are so excited to show you.  See you then!

We designed the print around classic quilt squares.  We have one in black and white:

And one using our Hometown colors:

They are on our Etsy site now.

I hope everyone is having a great summer- sometime we will catch up on our blog and actually tell you what we've been up to.  Right now, I have 2 anxious kids who want to go swimming- so off we go!  Have a happy Tuesday.

1.  We are in a book – Countown Calendars to be exact!  This is a fun book from CT Publishing. You guessed it right, it has projects all pertaining to counting down to an event.  Check out the Book Trailer above to see some of the projects.  Be sure to watch the entire video.  You know why????  Because our project shows up at the end with #1.  For more information about this book you can click here.

2.  Countdown to Christmas is here! And we are featured today on Fat Quarters Shop Jolly Jabber.
 

and finally #3 –
3. My flowers have survived another week! Yes the automatic sprinkler is still working!!

Have a Great Monday 

 
Each of the little charms will be sold separately –

You will also have the option to put them on a necklace
 
or bracelet

OK – I have to get back to work!!!  And don't worry if you are not going to Quilt Market we do have plans on putting the charms on our Etsy site.  Sorry –  not before Quilt Market or the day we get back but soon I promise!!!!!

There are 4 new prints.  The first is my favorite.  It is simple but really cute.  It is called the "Hometown Definition Print".  My sister is putting this one in her yet-to-be redecorated guest room.

It looks even cuter with a Hometown quilt:

The second is called the "Hometown Bunting Print".  I think this is really funny because a few months ago we didn't even know what a bunting was- until we asked all of you!

Next is one similar to one of our Sunkissed prints. 

 This circle print has been very popular, so we did one for Hometown:

The last one is my favorite (yes I have 2 favorites).  It is a larger print (16" x 20") and celebrates all of your favorite things about your hometown.  It is called the Hometown Alphabet Print:

Each letter can be customized, or you can customize a few and leave the rest of the letters and words as what is pictured in the sample.  I love the idea of giving this as a housewarming gift- whether someone is moving to a new city or just across the street.  My mom thinks she is getting this one, so I guess my Mother's Day gift shopping is finished!

A few other Hometown prints that we have shown before would also make great Mother's Day gifts.  The custom Zip Code Print:

And the Custom Subway Art:

So, while you have to wait until August to get the Hometown fabric, the prints are available now on our Etsy site.

If you would like to win one, simply let us know which of the 4 new Hometown Prints is your favorite, and where you would hang it in your home.  You have until Monday.  Good Luck!