Attitude of Gratitude

I've had this thought that's been constantly running through my head ever since I heard it. I'm sorry I can't remember exactly where I heard it or saw it but I do remember how it affected me.

"Blessings Come to Those that NOTICE!"

It caused me to be more mindful and reflective about my life and how blessed I feel to have a sweet and dear husband whom I love with a love that knows no end, a family that means everything to me, Children and Grandchildren who are priceless, Freedom that is a gift I cherish, a Faith that guides me, a Heavenly Father that Loves me, and a Savior that has Atoned for my sins.

I wanted to take a moment tonight to express my gratitude for each of you and for the blessings I see all around me. I have so much to be grateful for even when I feel overwhelmed by the challenges that are mine. Lately, I can't keep up with all that needs doing and I'm practicing patience and a positive attitude and trying to ignore the things that I can't get done at the moment I just want it done. I have little piles everywhere and I can't seem to take care of all of them. So, I have to remind myself. . . Just a pile at a time. It will eventually get done!

We recently had a little flood in the basement and that has set off a chain of events that requires a lot of cleaning, organizing, fixing, and painting. But out of that effort has come blessings. Like new carpet, new paint, and a fresh clean sewing/craft room.

We're still in a HUGE mess and it's just 2 days before my daughter comes home for Thanksgiving Break. I guess I better hurry and clear a space in her room since that's where I put everything from my sewing/craft room so we could paint and put in new flooring.

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and let you know that I'm still alive and doing well despite my little and big messes. I also, have some fun big news coming up that I'll be able to share the first part of December. I have been able to do a bit of sewing and designing this past fall while I wasn't blogging. I can't wait to share some of it with you.

Have a Wonderful and Blessed Thanksgiving Week with your LOVED ONES! I know I will.

Thank You Teachers!

Well, it's that time of year when we pay tribute to teacher's.

Having worked full-time in the classroom this year I've had an in-depth view of what it's like to take care of our kids and teach them all they need to know.

Our kid's can be very sweet but very noisy! I think it's the noise that gets to me. By Friday, we are both ready for the weekend. We've had sooo much fun learning, reading, singing, and creating!!! All in all, I have to say we've had a great year. A memorable year. I will miss the kids but, will look forward to a new group of kids next year. I might even be able to follow them on to 3rd grade. I won't know my new assignment until school starts in August.

I'm sure you each know that Teacher's really deserve all the thanks and gratitude we can give them for a job well done!!! I can think of many teacher's I've had that have touched my life and given me a wonderful education. My 8th Grade Home Economics teacher actually lives in my neighborhood and I first learned to sew in her class. I will be forever grateful for what she gave me. I remember when we first moved here and I recognized her. It was great to be able to say THANK YOU. What's fun is our son's have been best friends for many years now.

What are you making this year for your kid's teachers? Here's what I'm doing. . .



I had fun personalizing the bag with the teacher's name and then I signed it too.




This is the first bag I'm making for the teacher I work with and I have a second one to make for my daughter's teacher. It makes a great bag to carry their books, computers, lunches or just about anything you could think of.

The pattern is from Sandi Henderson of Portabellopixie.

The great fabric is from Lila Tueller's newest line of fabric called Soiree. You can get it HERE.

Thank You

I recently won one of Jodi's Giveaways.
What a FUN Surprise!
Thank You Jodi for this sweet gift.
I love it and will enjoy using it.

Even the package is darling.
It was so cute I didn't want to open the box.
It was fun to find it in my mailbox.

Look at the bright and happy colors. Red, White, and Blue are another one of my favorite fabric collections. I have tons of Patriotic prints and that reminds me I better put the patriotic quilt I didn't finish last year back on my agenda of quilts to be done.

Party Finale!

It's Day Five. . . and it's a BIG one!!!

I wanted to give all of you a Big HUG and THANK each one of you for all of the Well Wishes, the Presents, the FUN & GAMES, the Good Company, Great Desserts and the Wonderful Memories. I sure had a lot of fun celebrating my blogiversary with all of YOU and hope you had a bit of fun along the way!

Well, the last GIVEAWAY for my Blogiversary is pretty special and I wanted to save the best for last. So, here's my last Big SURPRISE!!!

I'm giving away a QUILT!

Yes, you heard me right. . . a QUILT!

Now, don't get too excited (I wish I could do more) it's just a small Table Quilt for both Spring and Easter. The quilt measures 32" x 32" and it's really cute and will look adorable sitting on your table with an Easter Basket in the center of it. I can see it now!

Here are pictures of the Quilt I'm giving away!

Read the instructions below for posting your comment for this giveaway. It's probably a bit different than you're used to. You can post a comment until Tuesday, March 24th at 12 Midnight after which time I will have Random.org do the honors of picking a winner. I will then let you by email if you've won the quilt. Good Luck Everyone!

Instructions for the Quilt Drawing: Please read carefully before posting a comment!

I've put a lot of thought into this and here is what I came up with. You each must count up your points, those points will become the number of entries you each will get for the quilt.

Here's what I need each of you to do. Look at the list below and do the math for me by adding up your points. I don't have time to do it for everyone and it could take me weeks of research. So, I thought it would be easier if those that want to enter the quilt giveaway were willing to do the math for themselves. Just remember to leave your number of entries when you post a comment. Thanks for your help!

Quilt Giveaway Point System:

• You get one point for each day you left a comment.
• You get one point if you won a prize.
• You get two points if you are currently listed as a follower.
• You get one point if you add yourself as a follower.
• You get two points if "Bitty Bits" is currently listed on your google reader.
• You get one point if you add me to your google reader.
• You get two points if you've made something from one of my tutorials.
• You get one point if you got all the questions right on the get to know me game.
• You get one point if you were in the top 10 favorite presents list.
• You get one point if you've already made the Coca-Cola Cake.
• You get five points if you blog about it on your blog.
  
• And you get two points because I appreciate all of you playing along!

Have FUN doing the math. Remember, YOU are RESPONSIBLE for telling me how many points you have. I know I can trust ALL of you because you're QUILTER's and Quilter's are Honest, Kind, Creative, Loving, Committed, Thoughtful, and Supportive!

Thank You Again for a GREAT Year of Blogging.
I look forward to the next year, too!

Day Three Winner

Wouldn't you love to have one of these?
You've got to visit here to have a look.

Many Thanks to all of my bloggy friends that brought me presents. I absolutely loved every one of them. I was so touched by your thoughtfulness and generosity. You were all so creative and I really wish the gifts were real but, we know that it's the thought that counts the most! Thank you!

Here are 10 of my favorite gifts that were in the running for 1st place:

• Pat said, Okay...here's my present for you.....a happy helper who will work on each project with you and will do the parts that you find a bother. Don't like to measure out and cut the fabrics? No problem...she'll do it for you. Don't like to do the binding? She would love to do THAT for you, too. With her help, you only have to do the parts you find FUN!

• Kathy said, I am bringing you a friend that is going to do your housework and laundry for an entire day so you can do nothing but sew, sew, sew. If she gets all this done, she said she would even help you by pressing for you while you sew.

• Sherri said, So here is my virtual present...one I'd like to have as well...it would be the ability to just snap your fingers and have any fabric you wanted or needed appear...just like that...so anytime you see something on-line or on a blog...there it is right at your fingertips!

• Heather said, I would give you a special sewing machine needle that would never get dull, go through anything and never bend! I would give you a rotary cutter that would never dull, no matter how many layers you cut through. How about a pair a scissors that never needs sharpening!! And the gift of time! Time will slow down and let you get done all that you need/want to get done (epecially for all of us) Happy B-day!

• Trisha said, I would bring a stop watch, to allow you to slow down or stop time so you could finish up a WIP or new project that keeps getting pushed to the back burner, waiting for a quiet day to finish it up.

• Joanna said, I would bring you a personal chef and cleaning lady so that you could spend all your time quilting instead of cooking and cleaning! At least, that's what I would love :)

• Thimbleanna said, I'll be bringing a party in a box. All decorations in red, white and black of course. A big Happy Birthday banner, streamers, a few fresh flower bouquets for the tables, bowls of m&m's and peanuts, a brie wheel appetizer, little bitty bags with mini squares all neatly tied inside for giveaways for all the guests (I've learned from the master LOL) and of course, my Mom's best ever three layer chocolate birthday cake. (Oooh, and I won't forget the ice cream!

• Cynthia said, I love going to parties. The gift I would bring for you is something I would love. A featherweight sewing machine. OOOOOOOhhhhh, lucky!

• Sara said, Ah, my gift to you....1 very skilled, on call 24-hour cleaner our rooms/massager of sore muscles (from all that time you'll be able to spend sewing)/tamer of chaos helper bee. Not only will she/he keep you tidy and your muscles relaxed, he/she will financially support your sewing addicition and run all necessary sewing errands.
  

• Lori said, Since I am a vintage kind of girl, I would bring you a featherweight that has been custom painted RED just for you! Then I would probably bring my Hello Dollys and lemon squares in a really cute vintage pyrex dish, covered with an embroidered dishtowel. I would bring my apron collection for everyone to wear and we would all get a group photo to remember the fun we had at your virtual party!!! OMG that would be sooooo fun:)

It was soooo hard to pick a winner from all of the lovely gifts that you all gave me. But, if you know me you know that the RED Featherweight was the gift that snatched my heart. I've always wanted a featherweight and a RED one just makes me all giddy inside. I've seen RED one's on EBAY and drooled all over it. Here's a company that custom paints featherweights.

So, LORI my friend, you are the winner!!!

Thanks for the RED Featherweight.
I absolutely ADORE it!

I hope you each know that I'd give ALL of you something if I had the time and the money to do so. I do plan on leaving a virtual party favor for all of you at the end of the party so, keep an eye out for that. Some of you have already guessed and hinted and hoped for it. You'll just have to wait for it.

Thanks again everyone for all of the wonderful gifts. I loved every one of them!!!

I'm a bit behind on my next post and giveaway so it might be pretty late tonight before I get it done. I'm making something fun and then I'll have to take pictures and then do a post. So check back a little later tonight and if you have me on google reader or you're one of my followers you'll know before everyone else. I must get to work but, first I have to take Kenna to her cousins for the rest of the evening.

I Had No Idea!

Thank You Ladies for all of your comments on my post about the cost of fabric. I had no idea that fabric could be sooo expensive! You must all think I was whining. Well, I was just a bit but, that won't stop me from buying fabric any time soon. It may slow me down a bitty bit and cause me to think twice about needing it or wanting it but, I love fabric too much to totally stop buying some of the great fabric that we see coming to our local quilt shops.

I have great admiration for those of you who have to pay nearly $20.00 a yard and in some places more than that. You are truly committed to your craft! Your comments give me a greater appreciation for what I have and I wanted to thank you for that! Let's hope that the cost of fabric doesn't get so expensive that we can't afford it anymore. Keep quilting and inspiring each other!