200th Post - GIVEAWAY!

I really did not think this far ahead when I first started this blog. 100 posts was too much to even think about at that time and now here I am at 200. Mind boggling. It's been fun for me to have this blog and to meet so many other bloggin' friends. I look forward to the next 100 posts, however long that might take. Thanks for joining me.

I need to give a BIG thanks to Des and Corrie of Quilt Taffy, for their encouragement in starting this blog, for their friendship (I really believe we are long lost sisters) and cheerleading and for teaching me about giveaways! THANKS!!!

First off I do need to report on my sewing for the day. After a great day at church and a yummy lunch bought from the podunk country store on the way home I was energized and ready to sew. Of course I had to check in on all my bloggin' friends first. But then I got busy. All went smoothly in the construction of this bag;

Again, this is The Practical Bag pattern by Tanya Whelan's Grand Revival Patterns done in the lovely VERNA by Kate Spain and Moda. College girl bought this fabric and asked me to make the bag so she can give it to her BFF. I'll be taking this to the big city with me on Friday.

As I mentioned before I had planned on a giveaway at 100 posts but it just slipped by so now I will be giving away TWO goodies!! The first name drawn will get first pick of the charm packs and the second name drawn will get the remaining charm pack. I hope you like the choices;


(Charm pack images from the Moda site)
I'm afraid that I will have trouble parting with them! Might have to get one of each for myself.

So the rules of the Giveaway;

1)Leave a comment on THIS POST for one entry. You must have an email contact (either through a direct link in your comment or an email address that you type into the contact)

2)Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment on THIS POST telling me that you did so. If you are already a follower - THANK YOU! but you will still have to leave me a comment telling me that you already follow. This will earn you an entry.

3)Post an entry on your blog about MY blog and giveaway. Post a comment, with a link to your blog post, telling me that you did so on THIS POST. You will earn an entry for this.

You can do any one, any two, or all three. I will draw the winners when I return from the big city and have a chance to tabulate the entries. Posts will close the night of Monday the 26th and the drawing done by Wednesday the 28th. Bear with me, I hope this all makes sense. It is supposed to be fun!



Praises - 200 posts! I think that is praise worthy! I've 'met' so many fun and talented people and learned so much from them. Hubby found the corner marker!!!!

Prayers - I feel as though it will be a short week with me leaving on Friday and I need to get my work done, get my bindings ready, pack and then all the 'normal stuff'.

Fall Quilt Festival

Amy is hostessing a Fall Quilt Festival and there are now close to 600 blogs listed! That is going to take me some time to get through but I will be trying my best to do it over the next few months. I meant to join in earlier but I knew I had to dig the quilt out of my hope chest and take pictures so I put it off. Today I realized it is the final day! Here is the link to the post with all the blog links;




This is the first quilt that I ever made - an Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day Log Cabin, done in a class. This was back in the 80's sometime. The class met in an elementary gym/cafeteria so we had lots of room to spread out. I do have pictures of the quilts all laying on the floor as we decided on block placement but those pictures were taken with FILM and are tucked away in a box somewhere.


A close up of one of the blocks. The quilt was turned inside out and the opening hand stitched closed (I probably had my mother do that for me ;) )and then it was tied. It is really light weight. I believe I used some poly type batting that came on a roll.


I remember picking out the fabric, laying all the bolts on one another in the store, taking some out, finding others to put in. That is always a tough process for me so I really enjoy the complete coordinated lines that come out now AND the pre-cuts.


Praise - for the quilting community that I get to be a part of, online and in person. What a wonderful group of friends that are so generous with their encouragement and talents.

Prayers - for the brother of a missionary we know that is in a coma and the outlook does not look good. His name is Marty. Prayers for him and his family.

I'm going to challenge myself

So as I was wasting time, procrastinating, putting off doing anything productive and oh yeah, catching up on my blog reading I came across THIS challenge over at Oil Cloth Junkie's Blog. Boy oh boy could I relate, I love me some patterns! When the fabric stores have Simplicity, McCall's, and Butterick patterns on sale for 99 cents or even 1.99 I feel it makes sense to buy some. Sometimes I can even reach the limit. But then I also like other kinds of patterns, the kind that don't go on sale very often. The challenge - USE some of these patterns! So I have chosen 13 patterns. I will choose ONE pattern each month and make that item in a month's time. I have 13 so I can have an alternate if one of them is just not speaking to me. ;)

Sorry for the lousy pictures. Bad lighting and it looks like I took an aerial view from the Goodyear Blimp. But hey, can you believe I took the pictures today AND they are now up on my blog...same day! I know, so very exciting. Not as exciting as an impromptu trip to Disneyland but it is the best I can do.

the first 6 patterns;


Stacked Coins by Pieced Tree Patterns - for a charm pack friendly table runner. I have admired stacked coin quilts online and I thought this would be a small investment in time and material to see if I like the process.

the emmeline apron by montessori by hand - cute apron AND reversible!

Strip-Ease by Threaded Pear - I even have the fabric for this (and right now I have no idea which line it is - Ava Rose? Pop Garden? Seriously I have no clue).

Simplicity #3949 - a classic apron style with some variations.

Hip Skirts by Favorite Things - I have made a couple of skirts for college girl using another one of their patterns and liked it so I bought this one.

Covington Bag by Amy Butler - this is hard to come by and I found this at a teeeeeny fabric store I visited this summer when I was at the quilt show. I was thrilled and even more so when I saw the price marked down to $3 from $12.95. Something tells me it was marked down again though to 99 cents. but that sticker is not on the pattern so maybe I am dreaming that part.

Here is the second lousy picture of the other 7 pattern picks;


Short Stack Apron by The Paisley Pincushion - I have almost all of her patterns and I really like those I have made (yeah so there could be others on this list). I did have difficulty with one of them but I emailed her and asked for clarification. She answered quickly and sent photos via email to go along with her explanation! Try doing that with Simplicity or McCall's!

New Look #6841 - I love these bags! The grey one on the top left is going to be RED - yes I already have the fabric. It is a faux silk. I wish I could have found that same grey, maybe someday. I also love the white one the model is holding but I am going to use some Joel Dewberry Ginseng fabric for that I think.

Simple Charm by Thimble Blossoms - I am going to make this pretty much like the pattern cover, although I might not use the blues. This is a table topper and I might part with it and give it as a gift. I love Cotton Blossoms fabric (have two quilts to make using it!).

Flea Market Bag A Grand Revival Pattern - a simple ( I hope) slouch/messenger style bag. It has a few variations. I have some batik that I am thinking of using for this.

Ava Bag A Grand Revival Pattern - Says it is easy AND reversible!! I imagine all sorts of fabric combinations for this always wondering how I would decide which fabric would be in and which would be out.

Just Can't Cut It by All Washed Up - I have seen this made up most recently over here. Seeing that young man make this up encouraged me to add it to the challenge. Maybe if I just send him the fabric...

Market Bags by Portabellopixie - my favorite of the two variations is the gathered market bag. I am not sure which fabric to use for this yet.


So there you have the line-up. This will be sewing in addition to my other projects. I have other quilts and aprons and purses that I want to make. This really will be a challenge for me.

Since I am starting this challenge when January is more than half over I need to go with something I think might be fairly simple. Well at least compared to a quilt!

This is my pick for January:


I sure do hope that all of my other unused patterns don't feel bad.


Praise - that my college girl was able to spend time at my sister's house this weekend. Not quite the same as being home but at least they are related. I know she felt loved while she was there. She worked on a project for school, went out to eat, watched a couple of movies and went ice skating.
Prayers for all of those involved in the inauguration, especially those in law enforcement and security. My friend's hubby is working very long hours and people are taking their crowd control frustrations out on the men and women in blue.

A WONDERFUL Day in Blogland!

You know, I am just thrilled to log onto my blog and see that I have received some comments. Can you even imagine how thrilled I was today to see not only comments but a comment from Nanette at Freda's Hive saying that she had awarded 3 Arte y Pico Awards for Blog Excellence and that my blog was the recipient of one of them!! HOW COOL IS THAT??? Pretty cool I think! Here is the award:

Here are the rules that go along with the Arte Y Pico award :

1) Pick five (5) blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog.

5) To show these rules.

Picking 5 blogs to award this to is TOUGH! I mean I have dozens of blogs that I love to visit every day, Freda's Hive being one of them. Let's see.

1. Des and Corrie at Taffy Talk deserve this award. I MUST visit their blog every day.

2. Kayla Aimee at Tongue in Chic Journalings. She is creative and sweet and such a hoot! If you need a good laugh, go read Kayla Aimee's adventures.

3. Anne at Bunny Tales deserves this award too. Such a lovely blog.

4. Sandi at Portabellopixie is my next choice. She could get this JUST for her beautiful fabrics but her blog is such a nice place too.

5. last, but by no means least, Kelli at kellicrowe . This may have been one of the first blogs that I read on a regular basis. She is artistic, creative and she cracks me up!

Whew! Maybe the toughest thing I have done all day.

The good bloggin' news doesn't stop there. Oh no it doesn't! I got an email from Kristin at Sew,Mama, Sew! telling me that I was one of three winners of the Free Fabric Friday drawing! Yeah!!! Oh, this is even tougher than choosing 5 blogs to receive and award! Now I have to choose one yard of fabric to be sent to me. Not an easy task at all.

I think that is enough excitement for one day.

Prayers for today; My friend on the mission trip to Mexico is supposed to return tomorrow but someone broke into their van and stole SIX of their passports! My friend and her two children have their passports but are missing a backpack now. Praying that photocopies (that they do have) and a police report will give them access back into the U.S.of A. Prayers also being said for my pal PINK as she goes in for a root canal tomorrow afternoon.