A few weeks ago, a copy of Jennifer Paganelli's latest book, Happy Home, arrived on my doorstep for review. I immediately thumbed through it and was wowed by all the gorgeous photos. I have always enjoyed Jennifer's bright, cheerful prints and this book shows them off in a magnificient way. When I had more time to spare, I spent some time reading and really looking at the projects. There are lots of great household items including home dec (bed coverings, curtains, bedskirt, pillows, tablecloth and napkins) as well as accessories for the home (fabric boxes, garland, pompom lanterns) and accessories to wear (hat, apron). The ones that caught my eye immediately are:
The Playful Patterned Pillow – I love the large hexagons and there are good instructions for machine sewing them all together.
The Laundry Bag (would make a nice high school graduation gift and great for overnight campers!) and Jimbo Jumbo Dog Bed Cover
The Sophia Stocking – I love seeing different versions of the same pattern.
The Express Yourself Applique Pillow – This is the one that I knew I would make right away. I love the overscale letters and the cute sayings. Plus, I'm a sucker for applique – it's fast, easy and gives you a lot of color bang for your time.
Jane and I decided that we would make one of these pillows for her friend's birthday this week. Jane picked out a stack of purple, green and pink fabrics to spell out "SWEET DREAMS". I thought this was such a great idea until I came down with the flu. I started to make the pillow, but I was thinking straight and cut the fabric all wrong (measure TWICE, cut once). I did manage to save enough fabric to eek out the birthday girl's name and applique it onto a premade tote. Although it was what we had originally planned, I think it turned out cute and I have Happy Home to thank for the inspiration.
Chronicle Books has offered to give a copy of Happy Home to one of my readers (U.S. addresses only, please). To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me what you want to sew for your Happy Home before Sunday, June 10, 5:00 p.m. EST. I'll draw one winner using the random number generator at that time.
Good luck and happy weekend!
i love the hexagons! i immediately started thinking about some stash fabric! thanks for the giveaway chance. looks like fun summer sewing projects.
I don’t have a dog but that large pillow really captivated my attention. I hope you are feeling much better, Erin.
I love the tote — it came out so cute!!
Oh….LOVE the book! I have so many ideas of projects for the house, but I think happy curtains for my duaghter’s room would/needs to be first!
Applique pillow! I would definitely make that first!
It would definitely be the pillows. Such wonderful happy pillows. We’re Irish so I can imagine the words we could put on it.
okay Erin. I think I could handle the projects in this book. Maybe 😉 Please enter me into the contest! Happy weekend!
From the very first pictures, I loved those hexagon pillows! Thanks for sharing!
I would love to make some stockings!! And the tote turned out great – even if it was not what you were going for at first!
I found a pillow form that needs a cover and a hex pillow would be perfect!
I love the sentiments on those pillows, and the hexagons are great, too.
That book has Nora’s room written all over it! : )
I would love to try to make the large dog cover. The pillows are very cute too.
When you cut out the letters for the bag or the pillows to you have stencils that you trace?
I love those hexie pillows!
the hexi pillow is really cute! I’d make that for sure.
The Playful Patterned Pillow!
Definitely the hexagon pillow. Been meaning to try hexagons for ages!
I would love to try the applique! Thanks for the giveaway!
The pillows are adorable and I love your version of the tote. I think that I would make a similar one for us to use to take to the beach/pool this summer.
I would love to try the appliqued pillows! Thanks!
I love the bag you appliqued – I need one that says “read” (for the library books) and one that says “swim” (for towels and sunscreen). But also – I think I know 2 kids who need their own laundry bags 🙂
Really……does one ever have enough pillows? Definately would like to make some more with the letters on it!
I need to make those huge Christmas stockings! My married kids share a stocking and “Santa” puts useful household items in their stocking…..right now not much fits. 😉
With an almost 2 year old and another on the way, your mentions of bags and baskets caught my attention right away. We’re always looking for new ways to tame the disaster. I’m sure those would move to the top of my sewing to-do list!
i need a bunch of new pillows for the living room and guest bedroom 🙂 LOVE the TOTE!
I’m in the midst of (beginning, actually, even a year after starting it) hand stitching a quilt made from giant hexies and would love some pointers on how to piece it together on the machine!
The bag turned out super cute. Those letters would be fun to do on some quilt blocks, too.
The hex pillows are my hands down favorite! I carry a small bag of hexies in my purse to work on in the car, while waiting, ect. but it’s all done by hand and I would love to see a machine version.
The appliqué pillow is totally my have. I would do one for each of my kids for their beds — they love seeing their name around the house!
An appliqued pillow with a positive quote would be great for our living room. My husband is stressed lately and could use an in-your-face reminder of all he has!
I need to sew many things for my house….it’s quite lacking right now, but I think I’d start with pillows!! Very cute book! Thanks!
I love the large dog pillow cover! What a sweet book that looks like!
Love the stockings! And the overall style of the projects – yes please!
I love all the bright colors, so picking just one thing would be hard to do, really! Love the appliqued pillows, though. How cheerful!
I want to sew new covers for the throw pillows in my house.
We are moving into our first house within the month so I am looking forward to lots of sewing for it. The pillows would be great. I also think I’d make a version of the doggie bed for floor cushions for movie nights and for my kids to use for reading in their rooms. Thanks for the chance to win.
Oh, I love the stockings! Maybe I could actually get a Christmas craft done before Christmas!
I want to make some of those wordy pillows. Love the patchwork and the fact that it has a message. Looks like a fun book.
Love the hexagon pillow, but I would have to make that jumbo dog bed cover to brighten the dog bed in our bedroom (which is current an old blanket full of holes – this would be a vast improvement! This looks like a great book!
Pillows, pillows, & more pillows! For inside and out!
I would love to give the applique pillows a try. Cute projects!
The hexagon pillow is really calling my name-I’d love to make that. And think of all the positive affirmations that can go on a pillow! Great ideas! Thanks for the chance to win the book and I realy enjoy your blog.
My husband might disagree, but I don’t think a bed can have too many pretty pillows. The hexagon pillows look like great fun.
I love the happy appique pillows – I need some of those! thanks!
Well I’m almost done with the hexagon quilt top so I guess I need to make the pillows . . . yup, it’s the pillows!
I have never tried hexagons and the pillow is the perfect project to start with. I have a new stack of fat quarters ready to be cut and sewn!
I would love to have that book ~ it looks so cheery!!
I love the laundry bag! I’d pack it when I was traveling for dirty clothes.
I love the Express Yourself Applique Pillows.
I just had a hard lesson in measure twice, cut once! Luckily, it all worked out in the end but I was sweating it! I love the hexagon pillow, and even more so that it can be machine sewn. 🙂
Still waiting to sew an ironing board cover, due to your inspiration. But really, I got sidetracked and am making a quilt for my family JUST BECAUSE. I’ve never done this and have been inspired by Posie gets Cozy (alicia) for this. Why not! : )
Sorry to hear about the flu. Hope you feel better. I would make a stocking for my 3rd grandchild, due dec 7
I love your “real life” blog style, it is both motivating and comforting. I love the book pictures, just beautiful. We are heading cross country on a road trip and i have plenty of appliqué planned :). Paula. Jpdelapasse-at-gmail-com
Beautiful book AND a beautiful tote. I am awed by your creativity and sill with making such beautiful things! So happy I discovered your blog. It brightens my day.
i love those pillows covered in words! i would make one of those.
applique pillows! one for each boy–I’d let them pick the saying…they’d love it.
Since I’m preparing to send a child away to summer camp, I think I really need to sew a laundry bag.
Another quilt, new pillows for bed and couch oh and a slipcover for IKEA rocking chair. I could go on – clearly I need this book! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would make a pillow that says “quit whining” . You have girls, you must understand.
your tote turned out great! That’s my favorite project featured here. I am always a fan of text.
Love the dog bed!
I would totally sew the pillows. They are awesome!
The laundry bags are adorable, if only they would make our children put their laundry into them! Thanks for a chance to win.
I love the lettered pillows…it would be fun to
make some for gifts.
Jann
Love her bright colors! The book looks lovely.
Diana B.
those pillows would be perfect for my house!
The hexagon pillow! One for each of my daughters!
Love the bright hexagon pillows and love the challenge of working with this shape!
The hexagon pillow looks like an inviting project!
I would live to make a sweet applique pillow!
I am loving those stockings!
Oh, I need to make new laundry bags, so this book is right up my alley! So cute! Thanks for offering this giveaway!
Pillows! I’m about 75% finished with a slipcover turned into painting furniture turned into painting bathroom cabinets DIY – and pillows to tie it all together are needed. Thanks – I enjoy reading your blog – and you are among many reasons I have started sewing (and hopefully posting on my blog)again!
Ooh, looks like a great book!
I need to make a bedskirt, but I’ll probably go for some fun pillows and maybe the dog bed to match.
I’m getting ready to redo my daughter’s bedroom, and the hex pillow would be perfect! This looks like an awesome book full of great projects!
I love the Express yourself pillows, I have a new baby and have been trying to decide on his room decor. I love that I can do some of these in the colors and messages I had in mind. Also, love the drawstring bags for a diaper holder or laundry bag. So many great ideas and inspiration. Thank you for the giveaway.
I really need to make some curtains and pillow covers.
I love the stockings. They would be perfect for next Christmas.
what a joy-filled looking book! just the thing to start summer with.
I would love to make the stockings for Christmas!
I would make stockings for all 4 of my kids, something I have wanted to do since my oldest was born 11 yrs. ago
It all looks gorgeous, but I think the playful patterned pillow is my favorite.
My daughter basically collects pillows so we are always looking for new ones. I LOVE the hexagon one but already have three different projects (in three different sizes) started, so I would be leaning toward the applique pillow I think. After all, who dosen’t like something with their name on it?
I would start with the pillows…so many ideas! 🙂
Tablecloth and napkins for the back porch. A way to start each morning with cheery colors…
Lovely bright pillows to lean on when I cuddle my fam! So beautiful!
OH! I would love to make a fun pillow for my husband’s studio chase! THANKS for the chance to win:) sbmmhoover at yahoo dot com
I want to sew those stockings! I have been looking for a stocking pattern for years that I like enough to make for our home.
The dog bed cover is really neat, I’d love to try to make one of those!
I am currently sewing some throw pillows for my college roommate, to continue our 50th year celebration. Then I would love to sew some throw pillows for myself, to put on my shabby red sofa to help cover up the pencil/pen marks from my grandson doing homework.
I would love to make a throw and some pillows for our basement tv room! Looks like absolutely darling stuff.
I am always one for different stockings but the express pillows would be a fun treat too. Really love the way your tote turned out too. Thanks for the giveaway.
I think I would like to make a few of the laundry bags for college bound friends and family! Thanks for sharing the book with us.
Um, does EVERYTHING!!! count? 🙂 I think I would make the tote bag first because my daughter’s name is Erica too! We could carry the quilt grandma made to story time in the park!
great giveaway! i’d love to try my hand at a couple of sophia stockings!
A Jimbo, Jumbo dog bed cover so my Jimbo Jumbo dog might get out of my bed!
I love sewing pillows and would love to win this book!
I would love to make the dog bed cover for my dog Obi! She deserves it.
love all things JP! i’ve been making ‘home things’ since late winter. a quilted round fitted table cloth is giving me FITS. sounds like this book would be a great reference and full of ideas for home updates. i’m using my stash for a home facelift! hope you feel better.
I love the tote bag!