Grow Your Blog 2015 & Giveaway!

~A blog post especially for Grow Your Blog 2015~

Hello, and welcome to my blog!  My name is Heather, and I live in the St. Louis Metro area of Illinois, USA!  I've been happily married, a proud (recently retired) Army wife for 21 years and the mother of 2 wonderful college students!  I spend the majority of my days piecing, longarm quilting, and chasing after our 2 dogs, Suki (a 7 year old hound mix) and Baylee (1 year old Beagle).  I also scrapbook, cross-stitch, embroider (sometimes) and have begun to dabble in crochet (but I'm not so sure I'm hooked, haha)!

Grand Illusion (Quiltville Mystery)

If you check out my archives (left sidebar), you can see that I've been blogging since 2008, though I've stepped up posting in the last few years to several times/week.  Why do I blog?  Well, originally, it was to keep in contact with friends and family (as we made our military moves around the world), sharing our travels and my quilting & scrapbooking projects.  Now, I blog more for me, to keep a record of my quilting, and also as a way to continue to share my projects with friends and fellow bloggers.

Women of the Bible (Hoppin' Bobbin Quilt Along)

I've become a more active blogger, due in part, to the various online Quilt Alongs, Linky Parties, and other Just For Fun things going on in the blog-o-sphere.  Check out my right sidebar to see what I'll be participating in for 2015.  Maybe there's something there that will catch your eye and you can jump in, too!  I've often found new groups by doing the very same thing...linking from another blogger's page!  Oh, and many of the fun things I've joined in the past are also shown at the bottom of my page.

Spools (RSC 2015)

Often, I use my quilty powers for good and donate several patriotic quilts a year to a wounded warrior unit in Missouri.  I also donate baby quilts to an Army hospital neonatal center and pillowcases and quilts to a shelter for abused women & children.  I've recently gotten a few ladies, locally, interested in helping me in this endeavor by making blocks for the quilts and it's so nice to have a group joining together in the name of helping others!

Wounded Warrior Quilt (group project, donated)

Well, I guess that's enough about me for now, so now... onto the "quilty" giveaway (hint, hint)!  One winner will be drawn via random number generator on February 15th and here's how it works:
(1)  This giveaway is open to all (international friends are very welcome)!  Just leave me a comment below and you're automatically entered!  Don't forget to leave your email address if you are indeed a "no-reply blogger" so that I can contact you if you win.  Need a prompt?  I'd love to hear about some of the bloggy groups you participate in (Quilt Alongs, Linky Parties, etc.)!
(2)  If you decide to follow me, or if you are already a follower, you may have another entry by leaving a second comment telling me what method you use to follow my blog!

Good luck, everyone!  

Baby Quilt (donated to GLWACH Army Hospital)

I know all of you are busy visiting as many new blogs as possible, but I'd love to invite you to come back and visit me here again soon!  Thanks you for stopping by!  Happy blog hoppin'!