I hope you all had a terrific International Women’s Day! Thank you to everyone for entering the Giveaway 
and for leaving such heartfelt comments about so many wonderful women that inspire you. Here’s a rundown with some links, and quotes by all of you.
Inspirational Women
Family Inspiration: mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, Nana, aunt, sister and daughter.
Generations of Women in Adama, Ethiopia. Source.
dottiedoodle says she was inspired by her husband’s Auntie. “She did an enormous amount for others and raised hundreds of thousands for Cancer Research.” How wonderful Denise, I hope she inspires more people to raise money for good causes.
Kat Eldridge. wrote about her Nana, “she taught me to be true to myself and loved me for who I am. She died at 102, after calling me and saying that she thought she had seen everything she was meant to see.” Wow, Kat E, I want to go exactly like that!
Shelley c’s grandma “was a botanist in the 1950s, helped people of all races register to vote, and was a well-known philanthropist in southern California. She always rejected the rules placed upon her.” Shelly, I am in awe!
everystitchthoughtout gives a big inspirational shout-out to her daughter who suffered burning and scars from a horrible accident and picked her self up and moved on, just two days after her month-long hospital stay!
Ulyana Sergeenko collection, 2011
Betsey Johnson in the Red Dress Collection, 2007 for the Heart Truth Campaign
Style Inspiration: Betsey Johnson and Ulyana Sergeenko about which MaZeLiving said, “she is a Russian designer who combines just the right amount of vintage, modern and feminine.” I would have to agree MaZe. You can click on the link to see for yourselves.
Personal Inspiration: your teachers and good friends.
Kat H was inspired by her high school chemistry teacher, “-she was fabulous, didn’t care what other people thought, super intelligent, and clearly loved life.” I sort of want to BE her, KatH!
Jane P said: When I was 7, I entered school for the very 1st time. I couldn’t speak any English and was very shy. My form teacher was extremely kind to me. Although she only taught me for a year, she changed my life forever.” Sounds like a terrific woman, Jane.
Nancy Zieman
Sewing Inspiration: Nancy Zieman, Steph of Sewing Cake, Indie Designers, Bloggers you follow and sewing groups like The Monthly Stitch and WSBN about which 1107nikki said, “I get to chat and gossip daily. I consider myself very lucky!” Me too, nikki, there are some absolutely fantastic bloggers, indie designers and sewing groups out there that inspire me every day.
“People making a living by their handmade goodness also inspire me!” said EmSewCrazy. It is definitely not an easy job, but we are all pretty happy they do it!
The Brontë Sisters, painted by their brother Patrick Branwell Brontë
Literary Inspiration: the Bronte Sisters and the character, Kirsty from The Peasant Girl’s Dream, by George MacDonald (1893).
The Bronte Sisters, Emily, Anne and Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily), and Agnes Grey (Anne) and, since in the 1800s, it was not commonly accepted for women to author, they originally wrote under male pen-names. The three sisters published a joint volume of poetry before their untimely deaths.
margueritedesigns wrote: “How on earth did so much creativity exist in one family in such an out of the way community?” I have no idea marguerite, but I’m so glad that it did!
Sociological Inspiration: Arlie Hochschild. Meri feels “her book The Second Shift (The Second Shift: Working Parents and the Revolution at Home, 1989) should be required reading for all young women.”
Hochschild imparts the idea that human emotion and feeling—joy, sadness, anger, elation, jealousy, envy, despair—is, in large part, social. Each culture, she argues, provides us with prototypes of feeling. She has written several books including:
- So How’s the Family: and Other Essays (2013)
- The Outsourced Self: Intimate Life in Market Times (2012)
- The Commercialization of Intimate Life: Notes From Home And Work (2003)
- The Time Bind: When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work (1997)
Famous Inspiration: Angelina Jolie “for her work with the UN and her bringing awareness to women and children in unsafe conditions overseas.” (wrote Kristin). Important work indeed, Kristin!
Scientific Inspiration: Marie Curie. Colonel Hazard wrote that “she was so dedicated to her work and was recognized for it at a time when women in science were still dismissed as oddities.” I love that kind of dedication!
Marie Curie in her laboratory
Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in chemistry in 1911. She is the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences.
By far, the winning inspirational woman in your lives was….Your Mom! (mom is so proud 🙂 )
laurahoj’s mother “was dedicated to her family no matter what came up. She fought cancer, refusing to take pain meds at the end. She always stood by what she believed.” I’m sure her bravery and commitment rubbed off on you, Laura.
“She not only taught me so much, on her last years on earth, she taught me patience compassion and tenderness. You see, she had Alzheimer’s and it really took its toll on her when my father passed away.” wrote cathynd95, about her mother. Let’s hope that there is a cure soon, Cathy.
Lisa Eck reminds us that a mother never stops mothering. “Even now that I am older, if I need any advice or just a word of inspiration, I know that I can count on her.”
Kristin took a philosophical approach to the relationship with her mom. “We think very differently, we argue all the time, and we tend to talk only a few times a year, however she’s a very strong person. She pushed me a lot growing up and while I hated it so much, I also learned to stand on my own and achieve anything I want. If I had some strange new goal, after my mom told me it was a terrible idea, she would sit down and help me figure out how to get there.” A wonderful reflection on the fact that not every family is the Waltons or the Bradys and not every mom is June Cleaver, yet we can all still learn something from our situation and accept others for who they are, not for who we wish they were. Thanks, Kristin!
OH, I almost forgot. The Giveaway Winner!
The Winner
Kitty decided to combine Game Night with the winning entrant selection. He often has guests over for some board games and cards, where he’ll kick back, put on a casual tee and pour some Guinness. Tonight’s featured game is Mini Connect Four!
Remember Connect Four?
First, Numbers 1 to 44 (the number of entrants) were written on the teeny tiny Connect Four pieces.
Then All the Entrants were assigned a number from 1 to 44. “I Writed Da Numbers”.
When the final winning Connect Four piece is played, the number on that piece that corresponds to the Entrant’s number will be declared the Winner of the Giveaway! Get it??
Let the Connecting of Fours Begin!!
Ready! Snacks, games, Guinness. No, that is not a giant cell phone from the 70s, that is Merlin! Remember Merlin?
Guest Has Arrived! Have a Guinness and Let’s Connect the Fours!
My Turn. Hmmmmm…… (Kitty’s Garfield shirt says “Do I Look Like I Care?” Strategic dressing to help psych out his opponent)
Your Turn. Not an Easy Game. Am I winning???
Blocked You! Muwah ha ha!!!
My Move …..Wooooaaaaaahhhhh! It’s the Winning Move!!
“I WIN!!!!” Kitty. “I Sad.” Dawg.
In Your Face, Dawg!!
N’Awww, Dont be Sad, Dawg, have a Guinness.
Don’t Mind if I Do. BEER! Nom Nom Nom. (Send your complaints of animal abuse to: ,,,,,,)
And the Winning Piece Number is FIVE! (5)…Which corresponds to the entrant name….
Kat Eldridge!!
Congratulations Kat! Please send over an email and we will post your winning fabric and haberdashery out to you.
Gjeometry 
OMG! I love that your kitty lets you dress it! Mine would HATE it, even if they did look adorable!
Wow, how exciting. Thanks Kitty and of course, Gjeometry. This was a wonderful pick me up on a rough day.
I love your posts!! Thank you again for hosting such an awesome give-away – and for such a brilliant game of Connect 4 to finish
Poor pup x at least you got the guinness x
Another great interesting & fun post. Kitty sure has a lot of fun picking winners. We all wait impatiently to see what he comes up with when you have a give away.
I love that you animal friends participate in your fun! Mine aren’t so tolerant. Hubby and I occasionally brew beer. One dog runs from the smell. One could care less and the Dixie will steal it if it is we’re he can get to it. Luckily, he is too short to reach the coffee table where hubby sets his beer glass.
LOVE the post! Congrats to Kat ! What a fun way to pick a winner for your giveaway!
Love this post. Fabulous to hear about all the female inspiration. Thanks for sharing it all with us. Love Kitty’s game night! That is an adorable version of Connect Four. I love that game!
What a wonderful round up post! I loved reading everyone’s answers and I find it fascinating who people are inspired by. There are so many deserving women out there – I’m going to try to focus on all the positive and wonderful qualities of everyone I know. (For at least a day before the winter grump takes back over!) Congrats to Kat!!
As always a breathless display!!
Awesome, as always. How is Kitty going to top this?
You are the contest QUEEN.
It is so amusing to see Kitty doing the drawing! I have a female cat that looks just like Kitty, her name is Penelope ☺
This is bar none the best way to pick giveaway winners that I have ever seen. XD
I love the way you pick winners for your giveaways! You have the best ideas EVER!!
You are absolutely hilarious! Brilliant post. 🙂
Also, thank you for the lovely list of people’s inspirations. Such a great read, it made me smile lots. 🙂
I’m dying here. LOL. Could that have been any more cute? I think not 😀 I was so looking forward to this post and BAM, you doubled down. Kitty AND Dawg ! Diabolical move O’Crafty One. I was trying to read Kitty’s Garfield T shirt too. Kitty looks like a real card shark in that attire, hehe. I’m in love with Dawg and laughed like mad at the indifference to the whole process, LOL No doubt just hanging in there for the promise of snacks and *beer* 😉 I really laughed at the overhead shot because it looked like a casino scene on a Blackjack TV show. So fun Catja, you are a riot 😀
Enjoyed all the gals inspirational stories too. Congratulations to Kat ! For both the win and having such a lovely relationship with her Nana. What a lovely call to make, that really touched my heart.
Heh heh, Glad we did not disappoint! And, I was totally going for the “poker shot” in that photo. Kitty’s shirt is a Garfield and says “Do I Look Like I Care?” 🙂 I think I’ll add this to the blogpost since it adds to his ‘game’.
HA! “Do I look like I care?” That is catatude to the max. You are a creative minx my dear, we adore you and your little card sharks
Finally catching up on my blog reading and this brought a smile to my face! Love the inspirational women! Love the “game night” kitty has hosted… love the pics… Oh, and Guinness! I would have definitely enjoyed one or 2 if invited! My fave pic is where Kitty says: “I Writed Da Numbers”. That look is priceless!
This post has made my day. All those inspirational women, then the hilarious soap opera of games night!! You are brilliant
This post has made my day! Firstly with all the inspirational women. Then with brilliant soap opera that was games night!! You are brilliant
Brilliant post! And love all the inspirational women that were mentioned.
I hope you get to have some Guinness too, especially today! 😉
The old ads used to have the tagline ‘Guinness is good for you’ and even pregnant women were recommended it because of the iron!
Howdy! I have nominated you for the Liebster Award: http://theseedsof3.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/ive-been-nominated-for-a-liebster-award-squee/
Thank You so much, Melanie!! Kitty and I are so touched and honoured! 🙂 🙂
Your snake pants have been featured on Sassy Sewing Bees. You had over 100 comments, I was too lazy to scroll down to add this lol. https://facebook.com/sassysewingbees ❀
Wow, I’m so excited, thank you very much Sassy T! Love what you said about them as well! And, happy you are re-considering running and screaming at the sight of snakes! 😉
Heya, I’ve nominated tagged you for a Liebster Award http://thegirlwhomakesthings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/lets-hear-it-for-liebsters.html 🙂
Ooooh, so exciting, thank you very much Rachel! You are too kind. 🙂
Oh Kitty, you look so gorgeous in your little top :-)…… Mine would shred my hands if I even thought about putting anything other than a toy on her lol.
Love all those inspiring stories, and Kitty is fantastic, as always!
Hello. how are you? What are you sewing at the moment? Are you taking part in the next Monthly Stitch? Mono-sewn seems easy, especially as there’s no shortage of black in my stash!
Hey, hi there!! So nice to hear from you! Hope things have been going well for you. I have been a tad MIA (missing in action) lately and have not been on the blogs or sewing for several weeks now. I miss everybody terribly and also miss my sewing machine! Things are starting to calm down a lot and I am planning to dive right back in by the end of June. I can’t wait to see what The Monthly Stitchers have been up to! I’ve been keeping track a little bit on the Facebook site. I really like the Mono-sewn challenge. I love black and white, very 30s art deco or trippy 60s depending on the spin that you put on it, both eras that I love. Thanks for stopping by! Both Kitty and I look forward to posting our next blogpost and visiting with all the sewing bloggers again. 🙂