SouleMama Sponsor ~ Charlotte Lyons ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Charlotte Lyons. In Charlotte's words:

"Charlotte Lyons designs playful stitch samplers and panels that can be transformed with needle and thread for pillows, ornaments and accessories. She also designs fabric for Blend Fabrics. Charlotte blogs as House Wren Studio and lives in a small town on the lower Hudson River in New York, just a short train ride away from Manhattan.

Visit Charlotte on her blog and at Blend Frabics."

SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to the work you do today?

Charlotte :  My craft and design story is a fairly long one starting as a crafty kid growing up in the 60's. That path ultimately led me to co-authoring the Home Companion books with my friends, Mary Engelbreit and Barbara Martin. But the big turning point came about when I was writing and creating my book, Mothers and Daughters at Home (Simon and Schuster, 2000). It's a beautiful book, the story of our creative home, my three daughters, the projects we made together, the how-to for those and the lessons learned in making things side-by-side. While promoting the book and the one that followed, I found my audience and ultimately connected the dots through blogging, Etsy and teaching. Crafting really is a lifestyle for me. Starting with coffee in the morning, making things continues to be my daily preoccupation and great joy. I've designed for many crafts, but in recent years, I've circled back around to one of my first loves: stitching with colored thread. I used to stitch little motto samplers and paint needlepoint canvases for a local shop when I was very young. The panels in my shop now are printed with a design that the stitcher can cover in her own threads and stitches.

SouleMama: What inspires you?

Charlotte : Ideas still come from everywhere - from my newest fabric collection in the works to a simple doodle on a scrap of paper. One of my favorite parts is the sketching and tinkering with a new design. Adding a little bird here, another flower there. Maybe a few words. Of course, I love the actual stitching too. It's peaceful, portable, experimental and so colorful! I'm not really the best stitcher per se, but my designs allow for that and I'm getting better with every try. Sharing a new design with the stitchers who follow my work and seeing what folks do with the samplers in their own hoops is a huge inspiration too. Color choices and stitch varieties amaze me and I'm especially delighted that children are learning to stitch using my sampler panels.

SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

Charlotte : "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or do without." As far back as I can remember, that's been in my head, my Scottish grandmother's legacy. Whether I'm upcycling old clothes for a hooked rug or using that last bit of pretty thread for a flower center, creative thrift makes me very happy!

  

For today's giveaway, Charlotte Lyons is generously offering the following gifts to TWO winners:

~ Winner #1: Any 2 samplers and/or PDF's and a set of fat eighths from my new fabric line, "Tilly" for Blend Fabrics 

~ Winner #2: Any 2 samplers and/or PDF's
                

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In addition,  Charlotte Lyons   would like to offer SouleMama readers 20% off your entire order through April 7^th. To receive the discount, please enter the code  " SOULEMAMA" at checkout.

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are:

I love Charlotte's work and I thank you for a chance to win!
Posted by: Pammie

i totally need some therapeutic stitching right now.
Posted by: anie

Thank you, Charlotte Lyons !