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Review and giveaway: A Healing Heart

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A Healing Heart_Abingdon Press_cropped

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher to review. But as always, all opinions expressed here are 100 % my own. 

Review: A Healing Heart by Angela Breidenbach

Admittedly, this is not a book I would have picked up myself, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it. It’s a good story with believable characters I grew to love. This is especially true of the main character, Mara.

I immediately felt a kinship to her, as she finds herself – after the death of her husband – trying to do it all. Feeling overwhelmed, she’s running the small but growing business they started together and
raising their three kids.

In a state of raw grief all this becomes too much for her. A series of physical setbacks gives her some perspective and divine intervention brings the right person into her life at the exact right time. Will she regain her equilibrium? You’ll have to read it to find out.

Though written from the Christian faith, the author is never preachy or dogmatic. The text touches on universal themes that apply to those of any faith, such as why bad things happen to good people and forgiveness.

Giveaway: Enter to win a copy of this book

The publishers have generously given me a copy of the book, A Healing Heart, to give away to a lucky Craft Gossip reader. To get a chance to win a copy of this book, leave a comment on this post and tell me if you have ever ended up loving a book you didn’t expect to. If so, what was it?

Contest ends November 6, 2014. Only US and Canadian entrants are eligible due to shipping costs.

Comments

  1. I wish it happened more often – I get too stuck in my favored genres! Also, I tend to have a pretty good sense about books so I can generally tell if I will like something or not – the only examples I can think of where I was wrong about a book were really promising ones that I ended up hating! Haha!

  2. The Harry Potter books ! I wasn’t sure about all that magical stuff… But it’s been a love story since the first lines. I’m a HUGE Harry Potter fan 🙂

  3. I can’t think of the titles right off the top of my head, but it has happened and what a wonderful surprise.

  4. Kind of embarrassing but I loved twilight when I read it.. it just sucked me in! It doesn’t even come close to how much I love Harry Potter though!

  5. Well kinda every book. I actually can’t think of one I didn’t like or just hated. My most favorite book I read again and again is The Shack.

  6. The Twilight series – not into that type of book, but totally surprised and had to read all 3.

  8. I’d love to read this book. My all time favorite has been Beyond Heartache by Margaret Jhonson.

  11. I love to read. I was really liking the book “The Giver” and them the end left me hanging. Not fond of that. I’d love to read this book. Thanks

  12. the Twilight series being one of those I thought OH BOY another teenager book, by the 5th chapter I was totally hooked and had to go back to the store the next day to buy the next two books. It was very hard to wait for the last books to come out. I really enjoy finding a book that I pick up and can enjoy all the way to the end, especially one I wasn’t sure about to begin with.

  14. the traveling pants…i read them with my then teenage daughter…i love the bonding time discussing the books!

  16. I tend to pick up books I think I will enjoy so I guess I can’t say I’ve been surprised that I enjoyed them.

Have you read?

Simplicity Quilt Kit – Handmade Sweetness Review

A Soft, Vintage-Inspired Quilt Kit That Lives Up to Its Name

Some quilt kits are bold and modern. Others lean heavily into dramatic colour palettes. But every now and then you come across a quilt kit that feels calm, comforting, and quietly beautiful — the kind of quilt you imagine folded on a guest bed or draped across the back of a favourite armchair.

That’s exactly the feeling behind the Simplicity Quilt Kit – Handmade Sweetness from Fat Quarter Shop.

This kit is all about soft, coordinated fabrics and classic quilt construction that lets the fabric collection shine. It’s the sort of project that feels relaxing to sew and produces a quilt that looks timeless rather than trendy.

And sometimes that’s exactly what you want.

What’s Included in the Simplicity Quilt Kit

One of the best parts of working with a quilt kit is that the planning stage is already done for you. Fabric choices, yardage calculations, and colour coordination are handled by experienced designers so you can focus on the stitching.

The Simplicity Quilt Kit – Handmade Sweetness includes everything needed to create the quilt top and binding using fabrics from the Handmade Sweetness collection.

Inside the kit you’ll find:

  • Coordinated quilting cotton for the quilt top
    • Binding fabric to finish the quilt edges
    • Fabrics from the Handmade Sweetness collection
    • The official quilt pattern that guides the layout and piecing

Like most quilt kits, batting and backing fabric are purchased separately so quilters can choose their own finishing style.

The Look and Style of the Quilt

The design of the Simplicity Quilt lives up to its name. The layout is clean, balanced, and very easy on the eyes, making it perfect for quilters who prefer classic patchwork over complicated layouts.

The Handmade Sweetness fabric collection adds a gentle vintage feel to the quilt. The prints lean toward soft florals, small-scale patterns, and comforting colours that work together beautifully without feeling overwhelming.

The finished quilt has that handmade heirloom look — the kind of quilt that feels like it belongs in a cozy home filled with handmade touches.

If your quilting taste leans toward:

  • Vintage-inspired quilts
    • Soft cottage style fabrics
    • Classic patchwork layouts
    • Calm, coordinated colour palettes

…then this quilt kit will likely be right up your alley.

Skill Level – Perfect for Beginners and Relaxed Sewing

One of the nicest things about the Simplicity Quilt Kit is that it truly is approachable.

The construction focuses on traditional patchwork techniques most quilters already know:

  • Straightforward cutting and piecing
    • Repeating quilt blocks
    • Block arrangement into rows
    • Simple borders that frame the quilt

There are no tricky angles or complex piecing methods, which makes it a very comfortable project for beginners or anyone wanting a stress-free sewing experience.

This is the kind of quilt you can work on slowly over a few evenings while enjoying the rhythm of sewing.

Why Quilt Kits Like This Are So Popular

Many quilters love designing quilts, but not everyone enjoys the fabric selection stage. Choosing prints that coordinate, calculating yardage, and ensuring colour balance can take hours.

That’s where quilt kits shine.

With a kit like Simplicity – Handmade Sweetness, you get:

  • Professionally coordinated fabrics
    • The correct fabric amounts already measured
    • A pattern designed specifically for those fabrics
    • A clear path from first cut to finished quilt

Instead of planning a quilt, you get to jump straight into the creative part — sewing.

And let’s be honest… finishing quilts is always more satisfying than collecting half-finished projects.

Who This Quilt Kit Is Best For

The Simplicity Quilt Kit – Handmade Sweetness is ideal for quilters who:

  • Prefer gentle, vintage-style fabric collections
    • Want a calm and relaxing sewing project
    • Enjoy traditional quilt layouts
    • Are newer to quilting and want an approachable kit

It would also make a lovely handmade gift or a cozy everyday quilt for a bedroom or living room.

Where to Find the Simplicity Quilt Kit

If this soft, vintage aesthetic speaks to you, you can explore the kit here:

It’s a quilt that feels comforting from the very first block — a project built around the quiet joy of sewing something beautiful with your own two hands.