Twenty-Sixteen Is Almost Here... And A Giveaway!

Sunday, December 27, 2015




I love sewing simple little home-made things for gifts and this week I made potholders and crochet dish cloths to share with a few friends.  




I love this bright colored happy fabric by Lori Holt called Bake Sale.  It is just right up my alley with the bright colors and designs.  It is one of her older fabrics and is hard to find now.  I'm lucky that my local quilt shop still had a few prints.  


Here is a very basic little step by step on how I made them:




I cut 2.5 inch wide strips of the four colors.  (You can cut them any length that you desire.  I believe mine were 10 inches.)




Sew them together randomly.  Be sure to use an exact 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Press the seams open.  Trim any uneven edges.




After you press the seam allowances open, cut your piece into 2.5 inch wide strips.  




Lay out your strips and randomly sew four of them together in an exact 1/4 inch seam, carefully lining up corners.  (For some reason I missed a picture of this step, but you can see the sewn together strips in the picture above.)  This will give you a pot holder top that is 8 inches square.  


Next you will cut a backing fabric about 9 inches square, just to give yourself a little lee-way when you sandwich the pieces together.  




Now you will sandwich everything together for quilting:  start with the backing piece (wrong side up), then a layer of Insul-Bright, a layer of quilt batting, and your pieced top (right side up).   See the picture above. 

  (You do not have to use the Insul-Bright but I have found that it really does make for heat resistant potholders.)




Pin the four layers together carefully.




Now you can machine quilt them.  I chose to quilt along each seam about 1/4 inch from the seam.  I use a walking foot on my sewing machine that works real well for this.  It keeps puckers to a minimum.  




I didn't take a lot of time and get things perfect as these are potholders that will hopefully be used and aren't just for pretty.  So, my stitching is not perfectly straight!  




Trim your edges getting everything square and straight.


And then sew on your binding.  And.... I'm so sorry, but can you believe I did not take ANY pictures of the binding?  I think that was the day we were having tornado watches all day long and my sewing was happening in between all that weather mess.  




But my biggest tip on the binding is to be sure and cut it on the bias.  It really does make a difference!  And after machine sewing my binding on the front side and folding it over, I like to hand sew it in place.  It just makes for neater binding.




I made a big stack of them, using different fabrics for the backing and binding.  




I love the cheerful colors!




Then I made simple little home-made tags and tied them up with twine.  It made for a very quick and fun last minute gift.    I also crocheted one of my dish cloths from the pattern that I came up with (the ONLY thing I know how to crochet!) and put that along with the potholders.


So now for the giveaway!  


I'm offering one reader this little set of two potholders and one dish cloth!    All you have to do is comment below telling me your kitchen colors and I will choose a winner on New Years Day!  




Happy 2016 from the bottom of our hill!  


84 comments:

  1. How adorable... you are so talented.. My kitchen is Brown, Charcoal gray with accents of Red... I love the country look...

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  2. Too cute! I have a white kitchen with several colorful, vintage kitchen items. Most of them seem to be red and yellow!

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  3. Thank you for the gift give-away, but I'm the one who should be giving you something for all the pleasure your blog brings to me. I'm one of those quiet blog followers who loves to read and see what everyone else is doing, but never started a blog of my own. Anyway, I have a khaki and black kitchen (large buffalo checked curtains and chair covers). Thanks again Dori. Nancy

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  4. Oh my gosh, those prints are adorable! I'm gonna pin this so that I can attempt to make some. I'm a beginning sewer, and although your instructions are clear and easy to understand, I have a feeling mine would not turn out quite so perfectly! Our kitchen colors are blues and greens. Thanks for an opportunity to receive some of your handmade lovelies. Continued blessings in the new year!

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  5. Love seeing you make the potholders. My grandmother used to make them for her kitchen. She gave them for gifts, just like you do! I still have one that I use for my coffee mug each morning. Thank you for sharing your instructions. My kitchen is accented with blue.

    Take care.
    Emily
    eppie.doodle@yahoo.com

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  6. Thanks so much for sharing this great little gift idea! And I love the crochet touch - am taking a class to learn "how to" next month. Would love some "Red Feedsack" mojo in my kitchen where the dominant color is light gray blue with orange accents about! So glad you fared ok during the tornados and all the best for a wonderful New Year.

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  7. I love everything Lori Holt designs, such cute fabrics! These are fabulous gifts, so useful and pretty. My kitchen is white for a reason, I change up the accent colors whenever the whim hits me. But you know I love bright colors like this ;) Thanks for sharing the directions and the chance to win!

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  9. So cute and you make it look so easy that I may attempt this myself. My kitchen is white with red accents. Happy New Year!

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  10. These potholders are so cute and in love using crocheted dish clothes tonwipe my little guys hands and mouth after eating since they are so soft! Our kitchrmnis cream, turquoise and a burnt red color!

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  11. My kitchen really doesn't have a color. It's pretty much brown and tan. I liven it up a bit with the towels and dish ware that I use. Those pot holders would add a fun punch of color!

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  12. How sweet!!

    Country/vintage farmhouse kitchen...with accents of red and black and browns. Our countertops are yellow. Homespun Fabric curtains... :)

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  13. Ohhh, a surprise opportunity on the 8th Day of Christmas!! I guess my kitchen colors are mostly red, hunter green, but really anything will be OK. I love crocheting potholders and my basic pattern came from MaryJane's Ideas book. Easy, peasy and you can make so many fun colors!

    I love that photo of you and Eldon at the farm. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Happy and Healthy 2016! I am looking forward to seeing the flower farm in full bloom again!!

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  14. Oh Dorie, those are so cute! My kitchen is white with Fiestaware. My favorite color is red! Happy New Year to you and your family!

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  15. Thank you for the gift give-away! I love the set you gave me and use both of them on a regular basis. I'm one of those quiet blog followers who follows blogs and love to read and see what everyone is doing and making. I'm going to try to make these along with your crochet pattern for dish cloths. They will make cute gifts! Hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas! My family is getting together on Friday so we will celebrate Christmas and New Year all in one day! Thanks again Dori. Karen

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  16. Love these Dorie !!!! I can do many crafts, but never mastered crochet, quilt, or knitting !!!! My kitchen is red and blue with touches of yellow. I decorate with chickens and farm feedsacks, blue graniteware etc, Happy New Year !

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  17. just looked at your previous post, with the grandmothers flower garden quilt pieces your making......LOVE those fabrics, those colors are just so, so pretty !!!!

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  18. So cute! My kitchen colors are orange, white, and blue sometimes, and red and white other times, according to the season. I wish I sewed and crocheted; it seems a lovely way to spend cold winter days, and the results are cute and useful!

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  19. My kitchen is in the process of being renewed . . . but won't change the color scheme a lot. Neutral tans sponged walls, and wood and black for cabinets and appliances . . . I accent with Fiesta Ware, Pioneer Woman dishes . . . lots of brights! Love the potholders and dishcloths - so fun to make, give and receive!

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  20. Hi, Those are beautiful potholders and dish cloths. I think ordinary things should be just as pretty as anything else. My kitchen is decorated with black, persimmon, gold and green. I enjoy your blog.

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  21. Thank you for sharing your beautiful puctures. I so want to sew but never recovered from Cliff High, Mrs Shelly's Home Ec sewing project that I failed so miserably (3 or 4 point lapel blazer). I just never got it.....lol. My kitchen is red, also bright yellow sunflowers and even have some orange. Bright, bold colors. Wishing you and yours a blessed 2016!.. Thanks for offering such a cool giveaway. Cynthia (Cyndi) D.

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    1. Very cute!!! Love your creativety!! Thanks for the giveaway!!!

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  22. My kitchen colors are red and yellow with some black and white mixed in as I used to collect cows. I prefer the yellow and red currently and would love to have some of your work. I love the bright and happy look to them.

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  23. That is a wonderful gift for friends - and blog lovers who feel you are our friend! Homemade, handmade gifts are always the best!! Love the pot holders and my mother made my favorite dish rags, although her crochet stitch wasn't as fancy as yours. She has been gone from us and present with God for almost 9 years now so my stash of dish rags is almost gone. My kitchen colors rotate with my display of brown, red and blue transferware china and constant accents of tourqoise blue. Thank you for sharing your life and your talents with us; I would feel so honored and excited to win! Connie

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  24. These are adorable, Dori. I recently bought a new home, and it has been so much fun decorating it. I decided to go with red and cream curtains in the kitchen.
    Thank you for sharing your creativity with us!

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  25. What lovely work you do! Thanks for hosting this giveaway. My kitchen colors are red, blue and yellow.

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  26. Beautiful! What a great way to brighten a kitchen. My kitchen is tiny, so to make it inviting, I like to change the colors frequently. With white walls and wood countertops, I splash colors here and there with dishtowels, pot holders, and aprons...it's gypsy shabby ;)
    I love blues, yellows, oranges, reds, you name it.

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  27. Beautiful! What a great way to brighten a kitchen. My kitchen is tiny, so to make it inviting, I like to change the colors frequently. With white walls and wood countertops, I splash colors here and there with dishtowels, pot holders, and aprons...it's gypsy shabby ;)
    I love blues, yellows, oranges, reds, you name it.

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  28. I love these Dori! Makes me want to sew.....
    You are so generous with your giveaways...
    Any color is fine.

    Nancy

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  29. I wish I could sew like this. Lovely work! My kitchen is white with red and green accents. :)

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  30. I love homemade gifts and yours are so cheerful. I wish I was blessed with the talent to sew and crochet.
    My kitchen is pretty neutral as it is open to the rest of our main floor. The walls are an off white and the windows have bamboo blinds with red striped grain sack valances. If I were to win I would be so excited, so much that I may even want to cook more often.
    Thank you for sharing your talents with us and Happy New Year to you and your family.

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    1. I had to sign in as anonymous but if I were to be the lucky winner I'm guessing you would need an email.
      tycomom2@comcast.net
      Thank you,
      Michelle

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  31. Your pot holders are so pretty, everything you make is just perfect! My kitchen is all white with blue accents and a touch of red.

    Esther

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  32. Good morning Dori, I always look forward to read/see what you have to write about! Again, you inspire me to get creative with your cheery looking pot holders and crochet dishcloth. I too crochet and do some sewing and I always enjoy looking at what others are doing. Eye candy;right? My kitchen still has the orange kitchen counter tops from when we had our home built back in the 70's.As time went on I wanted to update our kitchen but do to cercomstances, decided to just roll with it! haha I like bright cheery colors in my kitchen and earthtones in the other rooms. Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for all your awesome postings! linda

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  33. Hi Dori! We miss you all...I think you're having a warmer winter than we are here in Chandler! My kitchen is in blues, white, tans. I will try to have Karina try the potholders soon. Ginny V

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  34. You are so awesome, Dori! Love these! I need to make time to dust off my sewing machine. :o) Our kitchen is really dark at the moment and not on our priority list of rooms to update yet, but eventually I picture whites, creams, and blues in there. Thanks so much for offering this wonderful gift.

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  35. HI Dori!
    Wanted to wish you and your family a wonderful New Year!
    Love you blog!
    Farmgirl Hugs,
    Grace

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  36. Dori, your blog is so inspiring!! Red, Whit and blue

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  37. Beautiful design with the potholder. I love making hand made gifts to give to family and friends. Wishing you a great day.

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  38. They are darling!! I love homemade gifts, too! My kitchen colors are white, more white, and accents of wood and green :)

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  39. You are such a sweet lady! Lots of love sent your way. My kitchen is vintage eclectic so a pretty good mix - colorful rag rugs, pioneer women dishes for pops of color, Longaberger sunflower print :)

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  40. I really love those! I've been wanting to make some potholders, I've been wondering what to use for good insulation tho. Where do you find it? My kitchen is Pioneer woman colors, yellows, aquas, vintage.

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  41. Love these.....Yellow Sunflowers and Roosters
    martyterry@ymail.com

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  42. Your potholders are adorable. I love Lori Holt's fabrics, so bright, so pretty. My kitchen has red appliances and mustard yellow walls. Your choices of colors are spot on! Love this! I would love this set especially because it is hand made.

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  43. What a nice thing to do. Thank you so much! My kitchen is deep maroon and creme. I also think that fabric is so pretty. May you have a blessed day!

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  44. Love them!! I enjoy reading your blog and wish I could fine the time tovwrite. My kitchen is brown and beige with different colors as accents.

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  45. Those are adorable! And a very thoughtful gift--pretty AND useful! My kitchen is black, red and white, but I love your colorful potholders and would love those colors in my kitchen too!

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  46. Your potholders are really fabulous - love them! I love the fun colors and prints! When I logged into Newsblur and spotted a new post from you it just made my day! I love your blog and how cheery it is - so thank you for all you share. My kitchen is barley, yellow and white with various colors mixed in with signs and wall hangings.

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  47. My kitchen has lots of red, yellow and blue. I like bright, cheerful colors too!

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  48. The color of the Caribbean, of course!

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  49. Wow. What a lot of detailed sewing. Reminds me of the things my mom use to do years ago. She doesn't sew anymore. She's in her 90's. My kitchen colors are whites, blues and turquoise. Thanks for the generous giveaway. Happy New Year!

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  50. My kitchen is not as bright as yours, yours is cheery and happy and mine is warm! Don't we love all kinds! Just like people. I guess you could say my kitchen was mustard and red with some Browns and a little green! A woman whose house I admire told me once she had no "color" scheme, when I finally saw her house, I understood. She had every color in every room. All the same hue of course and it looked so good. I liked it! The advantage being, your decor can go from room to room and blend in everywhere. Furniture isn't the only thing I like to re- arrange!
    I admire your blog. You always make me enthused to get busy, and do a project!

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  51. I just discovered your blog today! Those potholders are adorable!! My kitchen is a beautiful shade of red and I love it so much!! :)

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  52. Lots of love put into the pot holders and dishcloth! xox

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  53. I just found your blog and I'm enjoying it! My kitchen is yellow. Happy New Year!

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  54. My kitchen accent colors are tourquoise and yellow. I love the pot holders! Adorable!! I hope you had a nice Christmas!

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  55. Wonderful, as always. It's good to see y'all sitting on the snowman trees, and that the house is still on top of the hill! My kitchen is shocking: orange counters, light blue walls, and screaming teal cabinets! A combination of the late 80's and my beloved Mexico City. If I ever get that back room cleaned out and can put up my grandma's sewing machine, I'm gonna try these hot pads. I'll have to depend on you for anything crocheted. Thanks for the fun!

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  56. Hi Dori ~ I so appreciate all of the sharing & teaching you do on your blog!! Our kitchen has yellow walls, cranberry colored cabinets, and white appliances. I love bright colors. :)

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  57. Your hand sewn pot holders are perfect in every way! Love the details, clear instructions! Now I must try another new project, this one very useable. Thank you Dori!! My kitchen is red, white and filled with lots of antiques & handmades rule. Love your blog.

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  58. I love the idea of making something for a friend's kitchen! Your gift is adorable and so sweet. My friends would love to receive a gift like this.
    My kitchen will be under renovation in the next few months (total replacement). My new kitchen colors are: white bead board with a medium blue above the bead board and red accents (modern country style mixed with antiques). Thank you for offer a give away!!

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  59. Those are lovely...Thank you for sharing them.

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  60. Those policyholders are so cute! My kitchen: white and tan with touches of blue and red.

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  61. Gotta love auto correct!!!! That's POTHOLDERS,not policyholders!!! Lol!

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  62. I love your crafts you do! I'm a country girl at heart!! My kitchen is done with roosters and sunflowers. So it's golds, yellows and greens. You have a beautiful home and family!

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  63. Gotta love auto correct!!!! That's POTHOLDERS,not policyholders!!! Lol!

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  64. Red accents in my kitchen, always! I have also added blue Ball canning jars so it's become turquoise and red. BTW, my great nieces loved their little bags and Lalaloopsy dolls, thanks again for the inspiration!

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  65. How fun! I love your fabric choices. I live in a home built in 1903. The tongue and groove in the kitchen is painted a pale mint with white accents. I'd love to win. <3

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  66. Your talent really shows! My kitchen colors are yellows and browns with a couple of red accents! These would match beautifully.

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  67. Your talent really shows! My kitchen colors are yellows and browns with a couple of red accents! These would match beautifully.

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  68. My kitchen is done in a Dark Red and Light Yellow! Thanks for the chance!

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  69. My kitchen colors are tan and olive green...trying to add more pops of color to it as we renovate. :)

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  70. Oh my, how cute are your potholders? I love the colors that you have chosen. I have a farmhouse kitchen...my colors are colonial red, antique gold and thyme green. Thanks Dori for having such a fun giveaway and potholder tutorial.

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  71. Happy almost New Year,Dori. My kitchen colors are yellow and green!

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  72. Happy New Year...my kitchen color is grey, and all kinds of accent colors!

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  73. These are SO very cute Dori!!! I LOVE them! I really need new potholders so I would love to win a set of yours. I love lots of red, and gingham, and polka dots. I know anything you make would be adorable. Thank you for the chance at such a fun giveaway!

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  74. Super cute! My kitchen color is aqua blue. Would be so fun to win.

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  75. Tuscany yellow. Just love reading your blog post and such a nice photo of Hubby & you! Happy New Years!! Thank you for the giveaway! :)

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  76. Kitchen colors? White, gray and navy....with a bright red mixer. I especially love the crocheted dish cloth.

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  77. My cabinets are white with black hardware and counters. Hardwood floors and white subway tile backsplash with pale blue/gray wall color but not much wall. If I am chosen please just surprise me with whatever you would like! I know I'd love whatever you choose!
    Happy New Year!

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  78. I live in a rented home with icky brown paint but have used knick knacks to give it a "farmhouse feel". I use red to accent. Your potholders are adorable!

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  79. My kitchen colors are blue and yellow. Thanks for the opportunity to enter the giveaway. Your potholders are beautiful! (shirparks@gmail.com)

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  80. You are such a creative lady! I like that!
    Would love to enter your giveaway. My kitchen has white cabinets, black accents on counters and window trim and then bright Fiestaware colors in dishes, bowls, accents.

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  81. The potholders are adorable. Don't you just love the homemade potholders. All of mine are made from leftover fabrics from my quilts. Your friends are very lucky! Happy New Year!

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