JDRF Silent Auction

A few weeks ago a friend of mine asked me if I had time to make a quilt and donate it to a silent auction she was doing for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation on September 6th. I hesitated but, said YES! I don't think that people really realize how long it can take to make a quilt. I started to think about my options. What should I make? Do I have anything on hand that I'm willing to part with? Giving a quilt away is sometimes like letting your children grow up and move away to College! If you know what I mean!

Anyway, I decided to give away one of my CLASS SAMPLES that I made a few years ago. It's my "Seven Strip Holiday Table Runner" it's bright, it's happy, and it's fun! I added a cute "Trick or Treat Bowl" with Halloween Candy inside along with a darling wire spider that you can't see too well and then I tied it up with cellophane, a bow, and a Halloween BOO ornament. I'm hoping it will fetch at least $50 (min. bid) for JDRF.

7 Strip Holiday Table Runner

Trick or Treat Bowl for Halloween

I taught this class for two years at Quilts Etc. It was one of their most popular and versatile beginning quilt classes. My students loved it because they could go home with a finished quilt top and some could even get as far as putting together the quilt sandwich to have ready for machine quilting when they got home. I think I've made 20 or 30 of these table runner's out of different fabric groupings and for every holiday season.

Here's my fall runner that's on my table right now.

Close-up of my Fall Table Runner

Angled view of table runner

If you're interested in the instructions for this table runner just leave me a comment and I'll post the instructions and a few more pictures.

Oooh! Peppermint!

Oooh! Peppermint! It's only September and to my surprise I found my favorite ICE CREAM of ALL time at Walmart! I get excited when I find it in the freezer section before Christmas time. Personally, I think they ought to have it year round then I wouldn't feel like I need to stock pile it for the off seasons. I'm just kidding, I only bought two containers this time around.

Hey, has anyone noticed that Dreyer's Ice Cream containers are smaller and cost the same price or slightly higher in some stores?? I can't believe it! I wonder why they changed the container size. One can hardly afford to buy ice cream anymore. Maybe, that's a good thing!? Besides I hardly get a scoop when the kids are around anyway. Maybe, that's a good thing, too!!!

My Newest Obsession!!!

My deepest THANKS go to Anna from Thimbleanna for introducing me to my newest obsession. LOL! I think we could get into serious trouble if I lived close to you :) You know, I've always wanted to know how to make these little beauties and I even bought a necklace like this with miniature dried flowers a few years back.

You can read Anna's posts about it here and here. I spent a lot of time yesterday watching the video and going to other websites and blogs doing research. The video made by Michelle Johnson from Crafted by.us was very helpful. I don't know if you know this but here's the page of that lists the items you'll need to get start along with a few resources for a lot of the items she showed us on her tutorial video. The picture (above and to the right) is of the necklace that she makes on her video. Pretty Cute! Huh?!

The best sources that she gave for the items you'd need to get started soldering were Simply Swank and Volcano Arts. I liked Simply Swank because they sold everything you'd need to make a soldered Charm Necklace in a starter kit or a deluxe kit. Above is a picture of the deluxe kit. They have also put out a BOOK and a DVD that you can purchase as part of the kit (as seen below). On their website you can also look at their different galleries of things they've made.

I think I'm hooked!!! Real Bad! I'll have to wait for a good excuse to get it though, like my BIRTHDAY, which is coming up in a few months. Yippee!! I can hardly wait to get started!

Here's the book!

And here's the DVD!

Volcano Arts (go to page and then scroll down to product) is a great source for 5/16" Wavy Copper Foil Tape and at $16.00 for 36 yards that was a DEAL compared to Simply Swanks 5/16" Wavy Copper Foil Tape at $4.49 for 5 yards. I'll let you do the math. Volcano Arts also had the glass cutter she used along with pre-cut glass shapes.

Have FUN making Soldered Charms!

I'll upload pictures when I get around to making them. It'll probably be before Christmas this year.

Come Back Chicken Come Back

This is a post from my family blog that I thought you all might enjoy. It's my oldest grandson Benjamin. He belongs to my oldest daughter Natalie. This video clip is from the day I took Benjamin swimming at the neighbor's pool and I thought you might enjoy seeing it. Kenna and the girls caught the rogue rooster that's been running around the neighborhood this past week and brought him over for Benji to see. He thought the chicken was pretty cool and kept getting in and out of the pool to have a look at him. In the video clip he's saying "Come Back Chicken"

My DD Kenna took these pictures of the Rogue Rooster.

Nuggets Purse Tutorial

This is the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. Really CLEVER Purses! Who doesn't like purses and chocolate anyway? I'm going to have to make some of these sometime soon. Just so, I could remember where I saw this tutorial I thought I'd just post it here so I had it when I'm ready to make my own nugget purses. There are lots of other great crafty tutorials you'll see when the videos done. Enjoy.

Thanks to Thimbleanna for posting a link to Beckie's blog on her post today. I couldn't find the post you made reference to and that's how I found this fun tutorial. Beckie has lots of great projects and tutorials that she's done. This particular tutorial she got from ChicNScratch (sorry I couldn't find a link).

I Love Your Blog Award

Yippee!! This is my very first award. I'm so way excited! Thank you Jo-Anne for the sweet recognition and I'm glad you enjoy my efforts. I too have enjoyed reading your blog and I feel like one of your friends. That's what I've enjoyed the most about blogging is making sweet connections with other ladies that love doing the same things I LOVE to do! It's so inspirational and motivational. I think I spend more time blogging than I do quilting or cleaning. Especially now that I'm working I get my QUICK QUILTING FIX by looking at all the wonderful quilting blogs out in blogland. Keep Quilting and Blogging Ladies!!!!


Here are the rules to this little bit of fun!
1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 5 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

And the nominees are........

1. Nanette at Freda's Hive~ I've known Nanette for some time now and I just love her work and she's the one that inspired me to start a quilting blog. Thanks Nanette! Nanette has so many favorites of mine how can I pick just one but here's a recent favorite, I'm sure you'll agree.

2. Joanne at Applique Today~ She loves to applique and has some awesome projects. You will love her bright and happy colors. Here's one of my recent favorites.

3. TLC Stitches~ I don't know her first name but she does beautiful work and she knits too! This is one of my favorite posts about her "First, Worst, and Best" quilts she's made. Love it!

4. Patty at Sew Easily Distracted- Patty doesn't know me but I just love her blog. She's part of the Dear Jane Group that Anina the master and leader of our group. Her lollipop blocks are to die for and I can hardly wait to see it all put together. Here's one of my favorites.

5. Anina at Dear Baby Jane~ I just have to give a huge pat on the back to Anina. She is the master and leader of our Dear Baby Jane Group. She does a remarkable job keeping us all motivated and inspired. Her instructions and blocks are awesome! Check it out. Even if you don't join in the fun it's amazing to witness the process of making all of these wonderful blocks originally made by Jane Stickle in 1863.

My other most favorite sites that have already been given this award are Anna at Thimbleanna and Jo-Anne at The Carter Clan. You Go Girls!!!

First Day of School

It's hard to believe but, it's that time of year again!

The FIRST day of school!!!

This year is going to be a different year for me because I decided to stop working as a Certified Companion Aide and I took a job position at my DD McKenna's school working as a teacher's aide in 2nd grade. I will be working more full-time (than part-time) at about 35 hours a week while Kenna is in school. I have every holiday and teacher prep day off and I'm off during the summer. So it's the perfect job to work while Kenna's in school. I will miss a lot of my free time quilting so that will be a big adjustment. Here are a few pictures from the first day of school which was two days ago on Monday.

The child I help each day took this picture of me.

Kenna standing in front of her outside classroom door. (See my shadow? How funny!)

Kenna is our fourth child (9) and Natalie (24 and married) as seen in the sidebar pic is our oldest daughter. We also have a son (22) and another daughter (18) both of which are attending the local universities and moving into their apartments in a couple weeks once school starts. My husband and I are almost empty nesters or at least we've felt like it during this summer when all the kids were either gone at work or playing until all hours of the night. It was a lonely sad preview but, it sure was nice having more quiet time than usual. I did get some sewing done but it's never as much as you imagined you'd get done!!! Oh, WELL!! I'm happy and there's always tomorrow to sew too!

I snapped a quick photo as she sat down in her desk.

I'm sure she's thinking, "You're embarrassing me Mom!"