My "Sea Green & Brown" is going down under mate!

As of tonight the WINNERS for the Ronald McDonald House Charity Quilts have been posted!

It looks like out of the 30+ winners, only 2 of them were people that I sold tickets to. Congratulations to Lisa Nikkel and Trina Norwood.

You may remember the photo on the right? Nora and I took it to Super Walmart and asked two random strangers to help hold it up in front of the golden arches..... well the lady on the left is Trina Norwood! She didn't win my quilt, but I'm sure she will be very happy with the one that is being mailed to her as it's very pretty too. :)

So WHO did win the quilt you made Bonnie - see I know what you are thinking ;) Another online friend "Kentucky Sunshine" was the name drawn for my quilt and she lives in Australia!!!

My "Sea Green & Brown" is going down under mate!

I just have to cut and paste and share with all of you the winner of my quilt's reply today when I messaged her about my quilt not being washed yet - and to use a Shout Color Catcher if she decides to wash... you can tell she so excited ab...out winning :) and that makes my heart happy to know that it's going to a good home ;)

I am thrilled to Bonnie :0 The quilt you made is beautiful :) I'm not sure if we have the color sheets here in Oz ,I'll have to have a look, and see and if not,I'll see if they have anything equivalent, it's really hard trying to figure out all the items here,finding a good stain remover was insane when I first moved to OZ,and a necessity with a 3 month old ...LOL

Bonnie you are a doll, I'll have a look at the shops this weekend if Caleb is feeling better, I've actually just swapped the double bed that was in our guest room to a single and put it in Caleb's room, so I could have more room to remake into a sewing room (and he's not getting it)...my dining room table is always such a mess! If I can't find the color sheets, i'll certainly give you a yell, because I wanna take care of it... I can't tell you how much I wanted to win it..it was in my top 3, along with the french braid and the feathered flower...I'm still AMAZED that I won...DH thinks I'm silly because I'm over the moon it was made by you another native KY gal, but I just think it goes to show you just how small the world really is, and gives new meaning to the term "coming full circle" as in traveling the globe...did ya know if you put your fingers on the globe and placed them on KY or even the US then on Australia, they are nearly opposites? I never thought I would have ended up here...lol...but I'd better get to bed...I'm so EXCITED and so HAPPY I won...ohhhh and I've already had a couple PM's of people who wanted to win your quilt offering to buy it! As if ~~~shaking my head smugly~~~ LOL

HUGS from Australia :)

And once my quilt arrives...and I get to feeling homesick, I'll just have to wrap myself up in it, and grin :)

AWllllll I'm so happy to know that she can wrap up in my quilt anytime she feels homesick. Isn't that wonderful thing about a quilt - that it really DOES feel like a loving hug? :) Congratulations Kentucky Sunshine!

Again - Thanks SEW very much to everyone for your support! Together we raised $4,177 for Ronald McDonald House Charity!!!!!

Love from Texas!

Whooo Hooo!

Yeaaa! I have photos again! ;)

and while looking for a "Happy Face" photo of me to show you how happy I am to have photo posting abilities again - via email... I thought I'd remind you that the quilt behind me is just one of over 30+ being raffled and drawn for on 9/11/10.

I'm sure that my followers remember all about my making this quilt shown above. I made it as a part of the 3rd annual Crayola Challenge hosted by Quiltaholic over on the HGTV quilting board. It was machine quilted by Margaret Gunn of Quilts of Love and blogged about by her HERE with close-up photos.

Recently while I was homein KY for 4th of July, I got to see the actual newspaper where my hometown newspaper, CKNJ, wrote an ARTICLE about me and the HGTV Quilt Challenge. :) COOL BEANS!

Just wanted everyone to know that there are only about 6 weeks left to buy chances = either from me or Quiltaholic who is organizing this raffle fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House.

The total sales soooo far are at $2305 ... still hoping to get over our $3,000 goal! :)

Thanks again to those of you who have already sent me checks for chances! I've mailed them into Quiltaholic and hope to have another envelope to send to her sometime this month (August) She's having a little contest to see who can sell the most... but that's not what is important.

I would love to see more sales so that she can give Ronald McDonald House
a bigger check in the end! :)

Love from Texas!

Look, I made Headlines - Woman Compets in Quilt Challenge

Funny title isn't it... ? at least when I read it today I laughed. I can picture it in my mind as a race to see who can sew the most 4 patches in a 5 minute timed challenge or something. Me sitting with my sewing machine at a table of other ladies waiting on the "get ready, get set, GO!" LOL :P and then me flooring my pedal to the metal - or as my daddy would say... "Hammer Down!"

But actually after you get past my quirky analysis of the title - my Kentucky Hometown newspaper - the Central KY News Journal did an awesome write up of me and my participation in the HGTV Crayola Quilt Challenge!! I'm really happy with it. It really turned out great considering all the choppy bits and pieces I gave them via email back and forth when they requested my "background & education" information.

You may remember reading my post about my photo shoot HERE.

It was a few months ago, February I think it was... that I contacted local papers here in my area of Texas - and while at it thought - hey, why not see if the CKNJ would be interested - after all that's where I grew up and have family...? and you know what - of the 4 papers I emailed, left voice mails, and even follow up calls leading to 2nd voice mails..... the CKNJ was the ONLY ONE that replied! That's right no one in Texas was interested.

Only the one in KY ...Better than nothing right? ;) They asked me when I'd like them to publish my quilt story... then or later on in the year... (the drawing isn't until September 11th)... and I suggested perhaps June b/c we would be visiting KY for the 4th of July... sneaky me .... hoping that as I ran into old friends and family on Main Street - it'd be fresh still in their minds of seeing me in the paper... and they'd offer to write me a check for chances.. :) Hey what's wrong with a little Wishful thinkin right? ;) I'm hoping it works to help sell some more raffle chances!

Although when I did find out that CKNJ would feature me in their paper, I told my HGTV friends and local TX friends... I choose NOT to share the news that I would be making headlines with anyone back home... not even my Dad & Clara!

After all, I'm pretty sure I won't get to be making any big "we're expecting a baby" announcements ever again... so this seemed to me - the only surprise left to spring on them! You know... just one day opening up the paper to see me there! ;)

Only thing was that when they called today to tell me I made today's paper... after I told them how I held out on telling them b/c I wanted to surprise them... Clara confessed that my Daddy didn't even notice me when he had the first turn of taking a look at today's paper! hahaha

Typical! It was just a little over 6 years ago we called him on his Birthday to sing to him...

Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday - Dear GRANDY - YOU'RE GONNA BE A GRANDPA (Nora)
Happy Birthday to you!!

and even though we shouted it - he didn't hear what it was that we announced..... and went about conversation after our singing like no big deal. :P

and then it was almost 4 years ago that we were there "in person" at Thanksgiving and told them that we were expecting... and he didn't hear the "Twins" part until about 10 minutes later into the conversation. haha :P

so today hearing that he missed seeing me in the paper with my last big suprise announcement for him... was like ole times again! ;) Clara said he read her parts of the paper out loud to her like he always does... then when he was done with it passed it to her... and she asked - didn't you see this photo of BONNIE??? ....what? haha I ♥ you Daddy! ;)

Guess now you're gonna have to up your $10 worth of chances, since everyone in Taylor County will be takin a chance to win!!! *hint*hint* Start savin... we'll be home in only 4 weeks... and at $10/week + another .... $60 that will make it an easy, even $100 don't cha think? ;) That's another 60 chances for you and Clara....

hahaha there I go again with that "Wishful thinkin" :P

(you can click on the above photo to make larger)

Love from Texas!

I'm in the slide show of Crayola Quilts

My quilt was mailed a few weeks ago to my friend in NC, Quiltaholic -who is the HGTV Crayola Challenge Coordinator. I just checked her blog today and found that she has updated the slide show of received quilts and mine is now included! ;) They are in alphabetical order according to maker - so look for mine labeled bingo-bonnie :)

I'm still collecting checks for the huge raffle. Leave a post with your email for more information on where to send in for tickets. They are $2 each or 3 for $5 and for a limited time you will also be entered into a little bonus giveaway too that Quiltaholic came up with. Click here for details on that special prize made by both her husband and herself.

All proceeds from the Quilt Raffle (Over 30+ quilts) will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charity. Last year the crayola challenge quilts raised $4,000! We are hoping to raise even more this year. The drawing will take place September 11th, 2010.

If you are new to my blog and want to read about my progress of making my Crayola Challenge Quilt and see many photos along the way CLICK HERE and it will take you to each of my posts about my quilt. thanks for visiting & Thank You to those who have supported my quilt!



Love from Texas!

Not too late to buy chances for the HGTV Crayola Quilt Challenge

Special Thanks to all of my local friends and family who have bought chances on my quilt already - and ALSO to several of my blog readers who mailed me checks for chances!!! If you thought about supporting my efforts to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charity - but forgot... it's not too late! I'm still collecting money for the 30+ quilts to be raffled off in September.

This song reminds me of both my children and my Crayola Quilt maker friends :) Enjoy!




Love from Texas!

Decisions, Decisions..

Remember how a week or so ago I shared that my hometown newspaper in KY is going to do a little write up about my Crayola Quilt Challenge Raffle Quilt and how it's one of 30+ quilts being given away to help raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charity...

Well they emailed saying they need a photo of me with the quilt - so Sunday night I summonsed David into helping me with that task after we got the kids in bed. He grabbed the camera and met me in the sewing/guest bedroom.

He really liked these two of me holding up the quilt... but look at that Blaaaah white wall behind me. :/ and he insisted folding up the bottom so that it showed..? but I'm not liking it.

So after about half-a-dozen snaps & clicks, David was DONE. :/ and nothing he had taken did I like. So after he left I played around some with the pillows and a Rubbermaid tote...

I pulled out a drawer and a stack of paper plates... perfect spot for my camera - now let's see if I can remember how to set the self timer.

Ta-Da!

PHOTO 1

Humm... not bad for the first shot. Love how the lighting is hitting the quilt to show up the beautiful quilting... but hate that shirt on me in front of it.. and also how I'm sitting. :/

PHOTO 2

So I do a quick shirt change to black... but some of the quilt is droopy behind me.

PHOTO 3

PHOTO 4

PHOTO 5

ok, so those last few are better of me but they don't really show off the beautiful quilting! TOO Bad David gave up on helping me before I thought of this - he could have been there to adjust the quilt when it kept sliding down...

So readers - I want to hear from you - which would you choose to submit to my hometown newspaper??? A photo that is better of me - or better of the quilt?

I'm assuming they will also include a photo of the whole quilt top by it's self too...?

Please comment telling me if you like
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5

I need to decide soon and email CKNJ back.... thanks for your help!

Love from Texas!

Thank you Ms. Eleanor!

Today I found *Another* Check in the mailbox from my reader Mrs. Eleanor!!!! My second reader to support me in raising money for the Ronald McDonald House Charity!! Whoo hoo! this helps put me over the $200 mark that I've raised... it will be sent off to our coordinator quiltaholic in my next mailing. ;) As a group we are hoping to raise more than the $4,000 we raised last year to give to RMHC.

More quilts have arrived - click over to Quiltaholic's blog to have a look. Mine hasn't been mailed off yet... as I'm hoping to hear back from the local newspaper still. If I don't get a call back or reply email this week I will give up on the local papers.

However on the good news side - I ALSO send an email to CKNJ, the Central Kentucky News Journal - in my KY hometown where I grew up and they ARE very excited about featuring me and my quilt in their "Milestones" section of the paper!!! Weee! I'm not even going to tell my Dad & Clara - just let them open up one Monday or Thursday and see me there! ;) Of course when they replied they said that they wanted a photo of me to go with the story - so that will be interesting to see what I come up with them. I doubt they'll want any funny faces that I've been known to take. :P

...and just b/c that post was in 2008 doesn't mean that was the last time I played in the mirror... LOL I have lots more since then - I just haven't shown ya. Guess I'm waiting to be double dog dared or something... :P

So thank you to my blog readers who are thinking about donating a few bucks to this great charity of the Ronald McDonald House - every little bit gets added up and together we can make a great contribution!!! and Not to mention - all of those who help out get CHANCES TO WIN SOME BEAUTIFUL QUILTS!!! ;)

I told my dad about selling $200 worth already and about the two blog readers who have sent in checks... and he told me, "Well that's no good, you're ruining my chances of winning... that cancels out the $10 I gave you."

I told him, "Well Daddy, that just means you'll have to send me money EVERY month from now until September for MORE CHANCES!!!" :P

and he laughed as he replied, "Well maybe so. You could sell freezers to people in Alaska couldn't you?" :P LOL

Well maybe so - but I don't want to find out. I just want to sell chances on quilts! ;) Thanks again Mrs. Eleanor for helping me with my goal to help the RMHC!

Love from Texas!

Crayola Challenge ROLL CALL

Posted Feb 22, 2010 10:26 PM I'm waiting to hear back form the messages I left at our local newspaper office - I thought I'd try my luck at getting photos of my quilt published and share the story of why it was made... wish me luck! oh - another $30 check arrived today from a good friend in Iowa and I stuck it in my cookie jar with a few others - I'll plan on mailing you another envelope Friday of this week of what I have collected since my last one Thanks again for letting me hang on to my quilt throughout this month so that I could take it on tour around the local places and show it off. David even took it to work with him about a week ago - and he said he didn't have the heart to tell the women there that they wouldn't be guaranteed to win "my wife's quilt" but I'll make sure I tell them when I write the ladies my thank you cards. here's hoping that I hear back from the paper soon.....!

Love from Texas!

A little Show-N-Tell from today

Today I took the Crayola Challenge Quilt with me to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) to show some of my new friends. Months ago when telling a little about ourselves I mentioned that I liked quilting...

But I don't think that this 20-30 something crowd took it to mean that I actually made quilts! LOL During meet & greet time, when we enjoy some breakfast foods and chit chat before the meeting begins - it was certainly an eye catcher and lots of people ooooughed and aaahed over it! :)

It was fun to tell them why I made it and about getting a sea green crayon in the mail... and that all the proceeds from the quilt raffle were going to The Ronald McDonald House Charity. I even came home with two donations for quilt chances!!! and a couple others said they'd give me $$ next month!

But during the craft time, the decorative serving spoon that we all made was proof that I'm just not what they call.... crafty. :P Cute idea and I saw some great ones at the table I was sitting at... but my stones just weren't secured tight enough to stay put.

Oh well. Everyone's got their touch of Martha

I'm just thankful mine is in the quilting category! ;)

Love from Texas!

You just never know, now do you?

To the right you'll see a photo of my Crayola quilt posted at the very top of my sidebar - I'm going to plan and leave it there for several months to help spread the word about mine and my HGTV friends SUPER raffle that we are holding to help raise LOTS of $$$ for The Ronald McDonald House Charity.

But what I really wanted to share with you was the photos that Nora and I took today of my quilt. It's been super wet here for over a week now and I was just itching to get a better photo of my quilt now that it's 100% completed... so Friday after her "Grandparent's Day" program at school - she and I took it by Super Walmart b/c inside there is a McDonald's and no need to worry about getting my quilt dirty on the wet grass...

There were two shoppers parked by the dairy isle catching up and chatting with each other who I politely asked if they could help do me a favor and hold up my quilt in front of the golden arches. They were more than happy to help me and I think having Nora with me was my good luck charm, b/c they both complimented her more than they did my quilt ;)

And naturally I told them both all about why I made the quilt and how I was mailing it off to be in a raffle for raising money for RMH charity..... and yes, I also told them all about the crayons, and how we all got one in the mail...ect. :) you know me, never met a stranger... LOL :)

Well while folding it up this nice lady Mrs Trina, asked how could she buy a chance to win - so she and I sat down at one of the tables and she wrote out a check for some tickets. I was thinking that she would pay for 3 chances for $5 b/c she was talking and saying how this wasn't much and she wished she could do more... she asked me to fill in the "TO" place for her and I was happy to do so.

(All checks are to be made payable to Ronald McDonald House Charity)

Well imagine my excitement when she handed it to me and it was made out for $60!!! Just goes to show you, you just never know! Thank you Mrs. Trina!!! You made my day and weekend!

Last week, I also sent out quite a few emails to my friends and family with attached photos of my quilt and explaining how I'm helping to raise money for RMH charity. A dozen or so have already replied saying they will help me and are mailing me checks. So I'm excited to see what comes in the mailbox this week!

My personal goal is to sell chances to 100 people!

Yes, 100 - and that's just the natural sales person born into me... ;) Wouldn't you like to help me meet my goal? I think it would be awesome to be supported by my blog readers and followers! If by only $2! Every little bit adds up!

Chances are $2 each or 3 for $5.00

If you can help me, please email me at bminor (at) gt (dot) rr (dot) com and I'll send you the email :) Thanks!

Love from Texas!

Houston we had a small problem!

So today when the twins went down for nap time it was time to start sewing the binding down - thanks to JudyL's tutorial video. Have you seen it? or better yet have you tried it?

If not - click here = Binding - Finishing by Machine by JudyL

Well everything was going fine & dandy... until I turned a corner and came up on this!

about a 3" spot where I had "missed" when sewing the binding down onto the quilt! AaK!

Never fear... ole Jack the Ripper to the rescue. :/

A funny thing - when I first discovered this I cried out like a baby from frusteration and Nora quickly came to check on me and see what was wrong... so I explained it to her and said I'd have to use this seam ripper... and she said, "Mommy, maybe that is why they invinted this stick so you won't have to cry anymore over your hole in your quilt" Awllll! :) LOL

Unfortunately after I got it ripped out it was time to wrap it up for the day b/c the twins were waking up from naptime.. and we all drove to the town next door to do some shopping with David. So I didn't get back to it until tonight after the kids were in bed.

I love it when the corners match up just right!

I F'ed it Up just before midnight.... Finished it up! LOL :P

If you have not tried JudyL's machine finishing - you really must! The end results look fantastic!

Now the only thing left to do is make a label. I've never made one with using my printer so I need to do some research on it. Happy Weekend y'all!

Love from Texas!