January 2011 in review!!

Well, this was not a big sewing month for me.

But I did manage to finish a few projects.

I got my first UFO done! Yeah!!! That feels really good.

I also made a little hanging heart.

I love this one.

And a little bag.

And a mug rug.

I helped my kids make the placemats. Plus I quilted and bound them.

I got 2 bee blocks done too.



Okay, well maybe I did better than I originally thought.

LOL!!!

I guess that's why it's always good to look back at our projects, eh!!!

I also did some work on my hexagon star quilt.

I got another 1.5 rows of stars hand pieced.

I'm trying to get a few more rows stitched to the main body of the quilt.

I really want to show you how big it's getting.

Well, I'm glad I had a look back at my month.

It made me feel much better.

Hugs

Book giveaway

Just thought I would share that Melinda Evaul is giving away a copy of her new book "Grow Old With Me" on her blog.

It's the 1st fictional novel in this series of Quilt Trail Novels.

I would just so love to win this.

So, I thought I would share it with you.

Go check it out!

Hugs

Two blocks done.....

three more to go!!

I'm behind on my bee blocks again.

So, I got caught up with Sarah's blocks this morning.

Here they are.

A liberated Churn Dash Block and...

A signature house block.

I have to take my oldest to the doctors this afternoon.

Hopefully I can get the other 3 done today and in the mail too.

I'm glad to be off work today and tomorrow.

It's nice to be able to sleep in until at least 7:30 am.

Getting up at 5:00 am is a little early for me.

Have a good day!!

Hugs



And the winner of the Travelling Stash is.......

38    Debbie said...

I blogged.

Congratulations Debbie!!!!

I will send you an email.

I hope everyone has been well.

It has been so cold here the last two days.

Freezing.......

Your eyes water and your tears freeze to your eyelashes, it's so cold.

Unfortunately, I've been very busy and haven't had a chance to do much sewing.

Here is a picture of a bag I made a while back and gave to my friend Michelle.

Can't have a post without a photo.

I hope you like it!!

Hugs

The Travelling Stash Giveaway has arrived!!!!***Closed****

Hi everyone,

A few weeks back Nan from Pots and Pins had a giveaway on her guest post at Stash Manicure.

It was called the Travelling Stash Giveaway.

And Guess What???

I won!!!

I received the package today.

Look at all the wonderful goodies I received.

I am so excited about all this new fabric.

 And look at those embroidered blocks.

Aren't they adorable?

They would make a wonderful baby quilt.

So, I've kept some of the fabric.

Some went back in the box.

Then, I went through my stash and started adding to the box.

It's pretty much full.

I may add a few more pieces to it yet, but I have to look through my stash again.

I've added a lot of modern fabric,

a few precut squares and a Christmas Advent Calendar panel.

I added some patterns too.

Have a look.

So, are you interested in winning this box of fabrics and patterns?

Here are the rules of this giveaway!!!

 You must be willing to continue the travelling stash giveaway. Once you receive the package, you must fill it up again with fabric from your stash and any fabric that you don't want that I've included. Then, you will have a giveaway on your blog, continuing the travelling stash.

Hopefully, the travelling stash will make it around the world a few times.

I'm so excited about this.

To enter the giveaway you must leave a comment on this post telling me that you are willing to continue the travelling stash giveaway on your blog. That will give you one entry.

For a second chance to win, become a follower of my blog, or if you are already a follower, leave me a comment about it.

For a third chance to win, blog about this giveaway on your blog and leave me comment telling me you did.

Okay, that's it!!!

I will pick a winner using Random.org on Sunday night.

Hugs

My first UFO finish of the year!!!!

Today I worked and worked on a my Between Charming Friends Quilt.

I wanted to finish one of my UFO's.

I had everything I needed to finish this quilt.

So, I quilted it and bound it all today.

I'm so happy it's done.

Here is the front.

And here is the back.

All it needs now is a label, then I need to wash and dry it.

It will look even better once it's all nice and crinkly.

What do you think?

Cute eh!!!!

My quilting is not perfect.

One of these days I'll get a better sewing machine, so that the quilting looks better.

I'm thinking of selling this one.

But, I get really nervous selling anything.

I always get so scared that they will see all the imperfections and want to give it back.

I'm not good with rejection.

Well, I have to work in the morning.

So, I'm going to bed now.

Hugs



Camille is having a giveaway!!!

Camille is giving away a copy of her book Simplify.

Go check it out, for a chance to win.

Hugs

A tip from blogger And the winner is.........

Selected using Random.org, the winner is:

182 GerryART said...

Pink-a-lish-ish

Who can resist PINK !

or for that matter a Pink Heart

or even PINK tumblers.

I can't resist any of these

Hugs

Gerry

January 14, 2011 5:14 AM

Thanks to everyone who commented for this giveaway.

It was fun to celebrate together.

Now that I have a few days off work,

I will be able to get a bit of sewing and house cleaning done.

I just wanted to share with you a little blogger tip:

I wanted to add numbers to my comments.

But, I didn't want to mess around in my html blog codes.

I went onto blogger forum for some help and found this code that you just add like a gadget on your template.

So easy!!!!!

Add an HTML/Javascript gadget to your blog, leave the Title blank and paste the code into the Content area:

The code can be found here.

Then, you save. That's it!!!!

Now, it only counts up to 200, then starts at 1 again.

But, I have asked the question to see how the code can be updated to have unlimited numbers.

When I get a response, I will let you know.

This is definitely the easiest way to add comment numbers.

If you change the template on your blog, it does not have to be re-inputed because it's a gadget.

I had comment numbers on my blog before, but lost them when I was changing templates to update my blog.

It was a pain to try to get them again, so I didn't do it for a while.

But now that I have found this way, it's so easy.

Anyone can do this one.

So, go ahead and add numbers to your comments.

Hugs



Guest Posting at Stash Manicure & Giveaway **CLOSED***!!!!

Hi everyone,

I'm guest blogging over at Stash Manicure today.

So, go check out my post over there.

But first, before you leave, I'm having a GIVEAWAY!!!!

Today, I'm hoping you will all celebrate my 2 year blog anniversary with me.

I can't believe it's been that long.

I have enjoyed it so much and have made so many wonderful friends

.

In order to celebrate, I'm having a little giveaway.

I made a nice hanging heart since Valentines day is just around the corner..

I also cut some 3.5 inch tumblers using my GO! Cutter mini tumbler die.

The tumblers are all in different shades of pink.

These were all cut from my stash and are mostly country prints.

There are 60 precut tumblers for you.

Just enough to make a nice little table runner.

I will also include a few more surprise goodies with this package.

So, all you need to do to enter is leave me a comment.

For a second chance to win, become a follower and leave another comment.

If you are already a follower, leave me a comment telling me you already follow me.

For a third chance to win, leave me a comment on my post at Stash Manicure.

And come back here and comment that you did.

That's it!!!

Make sure I can contact you some way by email.

I will pick the winner on Sunday.

Don't forget to go over at Stash Manicure and send me some love over there.

Hugs

A mug rug and my WORD for 2011

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all having a wonderful day.

Today, was a very special day for me.

I had a gift exchange with my friend Michelle.

We went out for a coffee/tea and I gave her a little mug rug that I made her.

I also gave her a nice mug and matching little plate and a fat quarter of snowman fabric.

She loves snowmen.

 Here's the mug rug I made.

It's simple. But I really like it.

Now, she gave me a wonderful gift too!

I can't show it here, but let me just say that it almost brought me to tears.

I was so surprised.

Michelle is such a sweet friend.

I can't thank her enough.

It just made my day.

While we were having our coffee/tea,

 she asked me what my word was for the Charming Girls Club.

At first I didn't know.

She talked to me about her word, then it really got me thinking.

I made my decision.

My word is: Simplify

I always make things so complicated for myself.

I always pick the difficult route, the complicated pattern.

And sometimes, I'm just making things harder for myself, more stressful.

So, this year I will try to simplify my life a bit.

In turn, that should help relieve some of my stresses.

Well, I've been really blessed this week with such generous friends.

Between my sister Michele, my friend Michelle, and Madame Samm,

I`ve just been so humbled to see how lucky I am.

Thank you!!!

Lots of hugs!!!!

 

Another Christmas Gift to share!!

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all having a good day.

We got a lot of snow today.

After getting the kids to school, I shoveled snow for over an hour.

I have to do it again, but it's just a thin layer, so I will wait a bit.

I have one gift that I made for Christmas, that I haven't shared with you.

I made my sister a tote bag using echino fabric.
I also gave her a few craft supplies too.

She took a bunch of pictures for me and sent them to me.



This bag was really fun to make.

I love the weight of it.

It's made with deco. weight linen, inside and out.

I didn't use any interfacing,

so it's easy to fold and put in your purse

 if you want to use it for groceries or as a book bag.

It's easily washable and you just need to iron it when it comes out of the dryer.

Well, I hope you like it!!!

Hugs

Wow!!! A blog makeover a la Madame Samm!!!!

Okay!! So I was just looking through the fridge trying to figure out what to make for supper.

Then, the phone rings and guess who?

It's Madame Samm!!!

She asks me if I would like a blog makeover.

I'm like.....Wow....I would love it....Yeah....I'm so excited.

She asked me two things...

1) my favorite color

&

2) my favorite thing

So, my answer was red and sewing.

She said perfect, give me a day and I should be done.

Well, half an hour later she calls me back.

She's giggling!!!

I'm done she said. Go check it out.

So I kick my son off the computer. (Not literally)

And go check it out.

Ahhhhh!!!!! I Love it!!! Yeah!!!!

I can't believe it.

Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!

I'm so excited!!

What do you think??

It's brighter, and cheerful!!

More me!!!

Thank you Samm!!

Make sure you check out her blogs.

Sew I Quilt

&

Stash Manicure

You are so talented Samm.

Lots of hugs!!!



The Bobbin Girls Trunk show @ my guild meeting!

Hi everyone!!!

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!!

I know it's been a week since my last post.

I did try to post the last two days, but blogger wouldn't let me.

I could put the title of my post and that's it.

So, finally today.....I can share with you.

I'm going to start with last night.

I went to my guild meeting and the Bobbin girls were doing a little trunk show.

Who are the Bobbin girls you might ask?

Well, they are a group of 8 women...who love to quilt together.

They are all great friends........

that have gotten together for many years to quilt, and share, and encourage one another.

One of the projects they shared, was their "Round Bobbin".

That's a round robin......get it!!!!

They each make a strip for each others quilt.

What I really like about it too,

 is that they had a journal that they had to write in saying,

 why they picked to make the strip, a certain way.

I thought that was a great touch.

So here are some of the quilt tops that they made.

Sorry, this photo is so fuzzy.
The one below is a close-up of the same quilt.
It's a better picture.


Don't you just love that little cat!! So cute!!!

Here's the next one.

I just love how each quilt is so unique!!
Here's a close-up below.
I love the paper pieced tulips, and the appliqued tulips.
And those birds. Love those!!!!

Here's another one.

Oh I really love this one. It's one of my favorites.
The details are just so amazing.

It's just basted, waiting to be quilted.
I just love the row of garden tools, and the row of paper pieced bird houses,
and all the appliqued flowers.
I just love the whole thing.
Can't wait to see it all quilted.

Here's another one.

This one is finished.
She made it into a twin size quilt.
It's gorgeous!!!
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the bottom rows.


I just love the details in this one.
Just gorgeous!!!!

Here's another one.

This one is also one of my favorites.
It's almost complete.
Just needs to be sandwiched and quilted.
I love the beaver and the rooster, the cat, dog and rabbit.
The cottage and house and trees are just wonderful.
I love the border.
Can you tell.....I love it!!!



I just love the rooster.

I also love these two binder covers they made to journal all their quilting projects.


This group is also in charge of all the community quilts that are made through the guild.
These are donated to many local organizations and also to orphans of Chernobyl, Ukraine.
This is just a small sampling of the donation quilts.



And finally the quilt below is a bed quilt one of the Bobbin girls made.
I just love the appliqued cats.
Sorry the picture is so blurry. But you get the idea!!!


Anyways, I was kind of in a slump this week.
A lot of things going on behind the scenes and it just kinda got me down.
But, this meeting gave me some of my energy back.

And now that I have Blogger working again, I will post more.
Thanks Samm...for checking up on me.
You are just so sweet.

Hugs

Ariane