Dressing up the Goose & Giveaway

UPDATE (a new prize) . . . Look Below
 
It sure has been cold outside lately.
Especially the last few days.
We've had to get our coats from the closet.

I decided it was time to dress the goose. She never had any attire for fall, except for an old, faded one that I had got at a yard sale. It was in very bad condition. I decided to take it apart and make a pattern with it.

Cut your choice of material 42" x 14"

 Hem the top and bottom of material.

 Two inches up from the bottom hem, sew on a large ruffle. 

If you want, you can also sew a ribbon on top of the ruffle, but this isn't necessary.

Put elastic through the top hem to make the gathered neck.

Fold material with right sides together and sew down the sides to make the dress.

For her hat cut an eight inch circle out of two pieces of material. With right sides together, sew around the circle, leaving a small section open to turn. Turn material, iron and go in about an inch and sew the inner circle. Insert elastic, sew together the outer circle. Cut two ribbons and sew on each side for her chin straps. 

Isn't she pretty?

As you can see, these are very easy to make. In fact, they were so easy, I made two of them.

Now my goose doesn't need two fall outfits, so I am giving one away. 

Do you have a cold goose?

Do you know anyone who does?

If so enter my contest to win the extra outfit I made.

Comment and let me know if you want entered in the contest. Post about my give a way on your blog and get another entry into the contest. If you are a follower of my blog you will get another entry. Twitter or put on face book about it and you will get another entry.

Good luck. I will announce the winner one week from today.

Well, so far it seems that no one owns a Goose. I have decided I will give away something else I have made to the winner, if they do not own a Goose. Let's see, how about one of my homemade aprons --- your choice of one of my denim aprons or one my calender dish towel aprons. I've posted about these before. But, you have to comment in order to be entered into the contest! 

You can go here and here to see these aprons.
 

Posted by Janet F. Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Writing Wednesday and a Give a Way!

Our writing group, The Appalachian Wordsmiths, are now having weekly meetings!

We met today at the Library and we had a very productive meeting. Everyone brought something to read and have critiqued.

I read one of my PB manuscripts and with a few changes I believe it is now ready to submit. We had a time working with the last two sentences of the picture book. I still have not quite decided on which version to use. Anyone who thinks writing picture books is easy, should have been with us today. When there are very few words to work with, each one has to be just right!

I have written a MG and a couple of manuscripts which total 28,000 and 21,000 words each, but I have to say that I enjoy writing picture books the most.

Now on to the give a way!

I am giving away a copy of  Christmas Traditions, the anthology in which my short story, The Old Santa Hat, is in. The book was published in 2009. I had not been writing for very long when I submitted this and it was the first story I ever had published.

I can tell you an interesting story about it. They always say not to inquire about pieces you submit because they will let you know if they want your story or not. If you don't hear from them, then they do not want it. Well, I did not hear from the editor who was putting this anthology together and it was past the deadline for hearing from them. It was my first submission and I was anxious. I figured I did not have anything to lose, so I emailed her.

I sat on pins and needles hoping to get an email back from her. I received her reply saying that the title did not ring a bell and that she didn't recall reading it. She said she had read thousands of stories, so, she might have forgotten or it could have fallen through the cracks. So just in case, she asked me to send it to her and she would let me know as soon as she read it.

I nervously hit the send button and that same night she emailed me back. I was afraid to click on the email to see what she said, but I got the courage and opened it up. To make a long reply short, she said, "I do remember this story. I cut it early on - because it was so sad. But I'm glad you sent it again. I have a change of heart."

My heart did flip-flops! I am a shy person and it took a lot of nerve for me to inquire like I did. But it paid off and my story was included in the anthology.

So, I guess my advice is this - take chances, submit your stories and keep writing.

Enter my contest to receive a copy of Christmas Traditions and I will also send a few home made Christmas ornaments to the winner!

To enter you must be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post. I will announce the winner next Wednesday. Sorry, I can only ship to people in the US.

Let me know if you mention the give a way on your blog or on Facebook and I will  enter your name twice.

Happy Writing and Good Luck!