1 year blogoversary and new Etsy shop giveaway!

Yes, I have 2 things to celebrate. I finally got that Etsy shop organised and stocked with a whole range of my handmade goodies AND it is a year since I started this blog!

I can't really overstate how much this blog has meant to me in what has been a very difficult year. When my sons helped me set it up last summer I don't think any of us really expected that I would 'stick at it'. I certainly didn't expect it to take over my life the way it has, not to mention making me into a 'blogbore' (my husband's eyes just glaze over whenever he hears that word nowadays!).
But the whole thing is really down to you lot out there, reading this blog and commenting and (some of you) writing your own blogs, so we can all be connected and share our lives all over the world. I have had so much great positive support and encouragement from my blogger friends that I feel it is time for a 'thank you giveaway'!

I have been saving up some special fat quarters over the last few months and here they are, all ready to wing it across the globe to one lucky winner. Lot's of fun to be had with this bundle, which includes designs from Kaffe Fassett, Moda, Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, amongst others!

And if that isn't enough, 2nd prize is this great book, 'Quilts of Peace'. Such a lovely idea and very well written, this book will inspire and move you.

Not forgetting little 'Bearpaw', the Teacup Pincushion, who has told me he is happy to be a consolation prize, and bring his special blend of slightly scary cuteness to another lucky winner.

So what do you need to do to have a chance to win all this loot?

Well as this giveaway is also about my Etsy shop, I would like you to all head over there now and take a look around and maybe even do something with those 'hearts' if you're feeling the love!
Then come back here and comment. If you would like to share your views on the shop, or if you have any advice for an Etsy beginner on how to promote the shop or how to improve it's appearance then that would be very welcome. But it's also ok just to leave a nice comment. Just follow this link.
If you are a follower or become one, leave me another comment and you will get another entry.
If you blog about this giveaway I will give you 2 more entries as a show of my appreciation! Just leave me a comment with a link to your blog please.

You have till midnight next Friday, 9th July to enter. Then I will use my own, low-tech version of a random generator (which involves one of the 'Alisons' and lot's of cut up pieces of paper!) to find 3 winners.
International entries are also very welcome!

Good luck everyone!

One more thing, lovely Melanie at Texas Freckles has entered a fabric competition at Spoonflower. She has designed this amazing cheater fabric which divides into 56 different patterns that she will use for her hexagon charm quilt. All the other competitors have lots of followers on twitter, but Melanie (like myself!) hasn't got the whole tweeting bug yet so needs all you lovely fellow bloggers to go over and vote for her fabric (and her's is the nicest anyway!). Just follow this link to Texas Freckles and Melanie will explain what to do. Thanks everyone!