Girl Friday Sews & a Giveaway

Image courtesy of decor8

I am addicted to office supplies. 
  
Something inside me does a happy dance every time I walk through the store and look at all those color coordinated paper clips, thumb tacks, and rubber bands. I love filling my cart with spiral notebooks and file folders, and every year I need a new day planner…or two. It’s not a recent addiction. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been excited about the start of each school year. To me, it meant new faces in the classroom, new books to read, and new worlds to conquer. That stack of supplies waiting by the door for the first day of school to arrive was a reminder that I was getting another fresh start, and I loved it.
 

When I became a teacher, my favorite part of the job every year was getting my classroom ready for the kids. I absolutely loved creating an environment where they would be excited to learn and grow. My advice to new teachers was always the same: “You’re going to spend as much time here as you’ll spend in your own home, so make it a place where you feel comfortable.” And as I started adding more personal touches to my classroom, I realized that it made my students more comfortable too. The same was true later on when I had an administrative office. I dressed mine up with retro touches -- WWII era posters, a CD player made to look like a vintage radio, an old fashioned coat rack in the corner -- and people often told me it was the most welcoming room in the building.

Now that I’m a stay-at-home mom starting the process of homeschooling my three daughters, I’ve found that it works both ways. Just as I once tried to bring the comforts of home into my workplace, I’m now trying to make my home into an environment where productive learning is happening every day. Creating school supplies for my girls not only gives me a personal connection to their education, but it makes them feel special.  There’s nothing my daughters love more than using something that Mommy sewed just for them. And I've found that I enjoy working at my own desk so much more when it's dressed up a bit. Surrounding myself with things that I love makes me happier to be there, and I find that I get a lot more accomplished that way.

For quite a while now, I've been wanting to do a blog hop about making items that can be used in an office, a home office, a classroom, a child's study area -- you get the idea. We spend so much time in these places where we learn and work. Why not make them beautiful?

 

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it was back in 1940 when someone first coined the term "Girl Friday" to refer to "a female assistant entrusted with a wide variety of tasks." I couldn't think of a better way to describe what I do on a daily basis as I organize and accomplish the millions of tasks involved in caring for my family -- and, yes, do a little sewing along the way. And so I invite you to join us this April for the Girl Friday Sews Blog Hop. I have some wonderfully talented friends and incredibly generous sponsors coming along for the ride. Take a look...

Mon., March 11 -- Blog Hop Launch @ Fabric Mutt (Craftsy giveaway: free class)
Mon., March 18 -- Blog Hop Promo @ Fabric Mutt (Pink Chalk Fabrics giveaway: $25 certificate)
Mon., March 25 -- Blog Hop Promo with Tutorial @ Fabric Mutt
Mon., April 1 -- Heidi Staples @ Fabric Mutt
Tue., April 2 -- Kristy @ Quiet Play (Pink Chalk Fabrics giveaway: $25 certificate)
Wed., April 3 -- Becca Bryan @ Bryan House Quilts
Thur., April 4 -- Amanda Woodruff @ A Crafty Fox (Westwood Acres giveaway)
Fri., April 5 -- Lee Heinrich @ Freshly Pieced
Mon., April 8 -- Svetlana Sotak @ SOTAK Handmade
Tue., April 9 -- Beth @ Plum and June (Sew Me a Song giveaway: fabric bundle)
Wed., April 10 -- Taryn @ From Pixels to Patchwork
Thur., April 11 -- Lori Hartman @ Lori H. Designs (Fabricworm giveaway: Robotic fabric bundle)
Fri., April 12 -- Leanne @ She Can Quilt
Mon., April 15 -- Blog Hop Recap at Fabric Mutt

My deepest thanks go out to our sponsors: Craftsy, Fabricworm, Pink Chalk Fabrics, Sew Me a Song, and Westwood Acres. They've provided some fantastic prizes to share with you!

You can grab your own blog button using this code:

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You can also join our Flickr group at http://www.flickr.com/groups/girlfridaysews/. Email me at hjstaples@gmail.com with any questions. Help us get the word out!

Now let's kick things off with our first giveaway. I may not be Craftsy's number one fan, but I think I must be somewhere in the top ten. If you've never had the chance to visit this incredible website, drop everything you're doing and go spend at least five minutes looking around at www.craftsy.com. While you're there, I highly recommend that you sign up for their mailing list so you can stay on top of the classes they're offering. You'll find everything from knitting to quilting to cake decorating, and each of the teachers are at the top of their fields. I'm currently in the middle of three different classes, all of which I'm loving, and I can't wait to start watching their free footage from QuiltCon.

The marvelous people at Craftsy are giving away one free class valued at up to $50 for one lucky winner. Just leave me a comment telling me an item that you would love to make for your work space. A new gadget case? A work tote? Pillows for your office chair? Do tell! Followers, both old and new, get an extra entry. I'll choose a random winner on Friday morning. International entries are welcome -- just be sure that you have an email address in your comment if you're a no-reply blogger!

*** THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!! ***

I'm looking forward to a wonderful blog hop next month. Join us!

Linking up to the Let's Get Acquainted Monday Link-up.