Have you had your hug today? FREE GIVEAWAY for baby!

Have you had a hug today?  You can always find one at Quilted Hugs Bibs http://www.etsy.com/shop/QuiltedHugsBibs !  Meet Barbara Dannenfelser creator and owner of Quilted Hugs Bibs.  Her shop is a collection of quilted bibs and accessories for infants and toddlers.  All of her items are individually quilted and finished with coordinating cotton backing/binding. Barbara began quilting when her granddaughter was born in 2009.  She says, "I turned my love of quilts into making her (granddaughter) quilts, soft toys, and quilted bibs.  I got a great response and after many, "You should sell those", I decided to do just that."

Being a Grandma, I asked her if she had any good advice for us moms with lil ones.  She said, "Just be yourself.  Use your best judgement in the decisions you make (where they can go, what they are capable of doing).  Don't spend your life second guessing yourself...it can drive you nuts!!!" Barbara...I say you start a Grandma Gives Advice Blog.  :)  

Barbara has been a quilter for over 35 years!  Now that is some experience!  She says she loves traditional quilts and nature and/or landscapes.  She loves the freedom of creativity in the medium of quilting.  In regards to this artistic freedom, she says, "You start from the basics and you can go anywhere from there."

I asked Barbara how she chose her shop's name.  "This was probably the hardest part of starting my business.  I know from being in marketing for over 25 years, before starting my own landscape design business, that branding is very important.  Choosing a name was very intimidating!  My husband is also very creative, so I started talking to him about what we should name the shop.  We spent several days thinking about quilts; the warm feeling you get from snuggling with a quilt and how they could be linked to my bibs.  We finally came up with Quilted Hugs Bibs."

As for what is new in her shop , she says, "That old expression....so many quilts, so little time...is so true.  I've designed a new line of bibs, coming in the Spring.  I'm currently working on bibs that use the same patterns as the quilted ones that have the NO PVC waterproof liner and binding.  These new bibs are not quilted, so I can offer more price points for shoppers."

Barbara says she likes being on Etsy because being in the "Etsy Community" one can reach more people than you could alone.  She says she believe participating in an Etsy Team is key to getting your shop out there.  She says having a shop on Etsy gives her "the freedom to make whatever I want without being forced into a mold."  She says her Niece and some of her quilting friends go to Etsy when they are looking for handmade, OOAK (one of a kind) gifts for others.  The Etsy world is so vast!








Speaking of teams...Barbara and I are both on the Etsy Kids Team.  I asked her to name four of her favorite Etsy Kids Team member's shops.
Dragonfly Bowtique http://www.etsy.com/shop/dragonflybowtique  

 

A La Apron http://www.etsy.com/shop/alaApron 

Ali Bean Baby  http://www.etsy.com/shop/AliBeanBaby  

Also one of my favorites...good prices too.

Granny Zann  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Grannyzann

I know for myself, I LOVE fabric stores!  I love the patterns and the colors.  I find myself being drawn to certain colors and patterns and have to make myself choose other things at times because I know I get in a rut at times.  I asked Barbara if she was drawn to certain colors and patterns at the fabric store as well and she said, "Well I used to go for the blues, reds, and black and white.  I say used to because now that my Granddaughter has come along I am all in girly pink.  I love Batiks and hand dyed fabrics."

I have never made a quilt myself, so I was curious as to how long it takes to make one.  Barbara said, "I hate to say this, but it depends.  I have been making my 25th anniversary Baltimore Applique quilt for 25 years!  I love hand applique and quilting, but I don't always have the time.  I guess I'd say that if I machine piece and quilt, I can make a twin quilt in about three weeks (allowing time away from it to run my landscaping design business)."


I asked Barbara if she could be a kid again what age would she be and why? "Wow! I never really liked High School so I'd have to say 5.  You're old enough to do things yourself, but not old enough to worry too much!"  I agree!  Great age...that is why I taught Pre K for 8 years...4 and 5 year olds are GREAT! 

GIVEAWAY

ADORABLE!

Barbara has been kind enough to giveaway this cute lil quilted bib!

We will do this pretty simply.  As always, please follow my blog before you enter and when you comment leave your email so I know where to reach you if you win.

To enter this giveaway all you need to do is:

-heart (favorite) her shop 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/QuiltedHugsBibs

-And favorite (heart) your favorite item in her shop

-Come back and comment on this post and let me know your birthday.  

**This giveaway will be drawn, at random, by random.org by random date....if you have the same date as another person on the comment list and you both win, we will flip a coin on random.org.

The giveaway will end Dec. 8, 11 at 10pm Eastern Time