Thank You Thursday

My mother always taught me to write Thank You notes to the people in my life who thought I was deserving of a gift from them.

To simply pause for a moment and thank them and to show them how much I appreciate their thoughtfulness. It is so sad how today's kids are really lacking!!! But I won't get on my soapbox here - just gonna make sure I teach my own kids like I was taught and remind myself, "If people knew better, they'd do better."

In the past I have hosted a variety of swaps (string blocks, snowballs, oodles and oodles of NOODLES and even the FQ Bingo.) Not everyone sends me something but ever so often I find a "Prize in the package" that one of my swappers wanted me to have and I've received some really thoughtful hostess gifts.

Most often fabric or extra blocks (which I call "leftovers" and I looooove leftovers!) but sometimes something totally different and not quilt related at all. Even occasionally they will be gifts for my children, which I feel most grateful b/c they show that they care about my kids :)

I'd love to tell you who this cute little door hanger was made by... and I did write her a Thank You note at the time I received it....

However, now 2 years later... I must admit - I don't have the greatest memory in the whole world... and I've forgot which HGTV memeber made it for me.

But I do smile every time I see it :) It reminds me of that very first year I hosted the FQ Bingo on the HGTV message board.... Oh, how I wish so badly I could remember WHICH PLAYER made this for me!!! 2006 was the first year of our Bingo - and that's how later on I became "bingo~bonnie" ;)

Being Thankful is not to be limited to material gifts I have received... - there are so many things in life to be thankful for in our lives!!! It's just about taking the time to acknowledge them, reflect on them, and count our blessings and be grateful!

Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Whew -Has it been 20 days already???

Yep, 20 days ago today we had eight people yelling for joy as they were coverall winners in the HGTV 3rd annual Fat Quarter Bingo that I host each year.

A few days before that 4 people tied for the outside boarder earning them 10FQs each - leaving 286 fqs EACH for the other 8 main jackpot winners!!!!

anyway... today I shipped them off!!! yeah! they are outta here! what a relief! I can now have my dining room back and maybe even set up my sewing machine in there so it will be downstairs where we are most of the time.. so the baby gate climb over to the changing table in there will continue after all *sigh*

here's a photo of 3 winners jackpots... I only wish I had taken a photo of the 3 diaper boxes I loaded first...now, back into the house for the last 2 plus the small box of FQs to the boarder winners...

and here is everything stuffed in the back of the van... OK, got Olivia baby check (her car seat handle is peaking up on the right side) no handle on the left - oh yeah, PT is still in the house strapped in his booster chair... that was the only way to keep him out of the way... gotta go in and get him... ;)

and then at the Mailbox & More store this was the lady who was so very helpful to me!!! She didn't know I was taking her photo... see those boxes... they were cheaper to use than the long oblong diaper boxes... postage rates are so crazy now a days with the last changes in rates... and now sizes of boxes make the price higher too! urgh!

Last year it cost me $238 to ship 1600 FQs to 9 people all in USA. ==$0.14/fq

This year it cost me $425 to ship 2332 FQs to 12 people with one in Canada == $0.18/fq

(NTS: will have to adjust the cost to play for next years game)

It took us working together just under 2 hours to repack all the fabrics and package up and fill out those pesky little 3 ply shipping forms to each winner (NTS: next year, stop in and pick up blank ones and fill out at home before going in) all the while Olivia was the bestest baby in the whole wide world and her brother - quite the opposite. You would have thought I had strapped him into a straight jacket and he was trying with all his might to get out the whole time. And Nora was at preschool.

Packages left Texas and are headed all over the country and even one box out of country! They are headed for:

Tofield, AB CANADA
Canton, GA
Deltona, FL
Tamarac, FL

West Branch, MI

Lewiston, MN
Epsom, NH

Farmington, NM

Batavia, NY

Ithaca, NY

Nashville, TN
Tacoma, WA

and if any of them get "returned to sender" don't look for me to resend them - I will take that as my sign that they belong with me... you know love it set it free... if it comes back it was meant to be... *giggle, giggle* :)

Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Funny Faces on Friday

No, no, no, this will not be a series of posts each Friday like I try and do each week for "Wordless Wednesday" over on my family blog... but I just thought this title was catchy and went good with what I am about to show you. :P

OK, remember me talking about my greying hair...earlier this week and how my mom had all white hair... What, you don't believe me???

Well, I am about to PROVE it to you that yes, I am 34 and have lots of grey and even WHITE hairs!!!what's that you say??? "Oh that's not that bad Bonnie - I only see four or five... OK, maybe there's a dozen......"

Well take a closer look SISTER! On my right side there are lots... LOTS & LOTS I tell you!!!

on my left side there's a hole "patch" of 'em all hanging out together... sorta the beginning of an Elvira streak don't you think? OK, you still don't think it's as bad as I am making it out to be... well prepare yourself - you are gonna get a close up!
I tilt my head forward just a tad little bit so the light hits it and like that cooking show guy says, "BAM!" there they all are!!! and the whites are not as noticeable when all my hair is pulled up in a pony tail!!! Just imagine it down and then looking into my part!

I know, I know, I can't believe I just showed the whole world on my blog my grey/white hairs up close! But what do I have to hide? After all everyone who knows me, knows I have grey hairs... and why not share it with all of you too? (so those of you next year in NH will recognize me)

or is that look on my face of disbelief, b/c, of "I can't believe" what I'm gettin ready to show you next!???!?!?!

something I have always had fun doing - Making funny faces in the mirror!!!! Ever since I can remember - (as young as 3 years old I have memories of doing this)

OK, that was fun!... and I'll admit it, this entire post was staged!!!

Tonight after getting the twins to sleep and changing into my jammies, I saw the camera there on the bathroom vanity and thought to myself... maybe I should take photos of my hair and post on my blog??

Some people post of list of odd things about themselves, me I post photos! LOL (however I am trying to think up some "unique" things about me to post one of these days...) So stay tuned!

Happy Weekend everyone! :) Love from Texas! ~bonnie

note to self: WOW look at you Bonnie! Slowly but surly becoming a bloggin fool! :P Before you know it you will be like your bloggin mentors and posting EVERYDAY! It's too bad your archives at the side don't have a number in (#) parentheses beside each month to show how often you have posted..... I bet you have posted more this month than you have all year! anyway, whoo hoo.. keep it up girl!

OK, I am done talking to myself now. ;) nite!

Unplanned trip to Joann's today!

5 quarter yard cuts of fabric.. and a package of hair bows...

Trip to Joann's for under $10

Can you believe it?? I spent less than $10 yesterday at Joann's. I'm so proud of me!! It wasn't a planned trip and really there wasn't a thing that I NEEDED... so why go? you ask...

well Nora had an "end of the school year party" at Chunk-E-Cheese today over in the big town next to us... and her teacher aka my best friend Heidi... also a quilter - hence the BF part ;) said that she was planning to go after chunk-E-cheese (it's just across the street) and asked if I wanted to go with her.... well OF Course! :P

At first I thought I'd look for something patriotic for a backing for my new found treasure Log Cabin aka "Stinky Quilt." They are bound to have RWB fabrics on sale right? since it is almost Memorial Day...

...well indeed they did! Here are two fabrics I debated over for the backing for my mom's Log Cabin Quilt...

not the actual one I saw but the closest fabric on their website I could find to show you - at the store it had flags on royal not navy and had words written behind the flags - I think the pledge or maybe words to the National anthem? I don't remember exactly...

and then there was this fabric I really, really liked... vintage looking... I thought would match the colors well - although I didn't have mom's top with me to really compare.

so which did I choose? NEITHER! I remembered how "good I've been" at not buying fabric and also the 4 yards of the "will do" and FREE fabric that was with the quilt top in the box... and decided not to buy anything and make do with the checked. ;)

however, now i am worried what the quilting will look like all over that checked backing - it is a white background...?

and look what I opened the back hatch to see when we got home... ahhh my sweet little angels :)

and Big Sister helping to check the mail :)

aahhh, I love bein a mom! :)

Have a Happy Weekend! ~bonnie

My Stinky Quilt

Earlier this week while visiting Mary's blog and also reading the groups' Yahoo emails I thought of something...I remembered that the Heartstring Quilt Project accepts any quilt donated.... they've also been discussing getting rid of stinky smells from fabric... and with Memorial Day weekend around the corner they are working on a new Red White and Blue project... and it got me to thinking.... and remembering what Daddy and Clara brought to me last summer... or was it two years ago? I don't remember. I am pretty sure it was their 1st trip after their wedding...

Anyway, when they came they brought me lots of gifts - or rater stuff they didn't want at their home anymore. :P Like my wicker basket I had in my room as a girl that I treated as my "cheater" chest... a corner china hutch with my mother's china she bought when she and dad were stationed in Germany, all of my High School albums and other memorabilia and also a box full of fabric that use to be my mother's.

Old Fabric that had been stored in a trunk for some 20 or 30+ years in a damp basement... and I somewhat thumbed thru it last summer when Clara was showing me all that she had found while going thru mom's stuff and I remembered at the time I thought, "ooough yuck! that sure does stink and oh my - what ugly fabrics! I'll never use this stuff... well maybe for foundations for sting quilts... Oh, is that a quilt top in there??? ... oh yuck this stuff stinks!" and then within 2 minuets later piled it all back into the box they brought it and closed it up and have not touched it since.

Well, since Heartstrings accepts any quilt - and they are working on a RWB project....It reminded me of that "stinky top" in that box from last summer and so I emailed Mary offering it to her.

"...I have a very old UFO top that I believe my mother made and considering donating...however it is very ugly and old and smelly...? I guess worst case I could ship it and if you didn't think it was usable "YOU" could throw it away for me since I just can't. LOL"

So late yesterday afternoon David called and said he was bring home Jack-In-The Box for supper and Nora and Paul Thomas and I had been outside swinging on her new swing set with the monitor as Olivia napped... (she is the best napper baby! *sigh*)

I thought to myself - where did I put that box with the stinky quilt??? When Olivia wakes up I will get it and bring it outside to take a photo of and can send Mary a photo of it before I ship it...

So thankfully it was in the first place I looked and I brought it out along with two other pieces of fabrics to take photos of outside before David arrived with supper.

so then today I wrote back to Mary:

Hey Mary – I have good news and not so good news....

Good news is – that yesterday, I remembered exactly where I had stored away "the box" my daddy brought to me of my mom's stuff when he visited last summer… and was able to quickly find it and brought it downstairs with me and was able to get a photo of it to show you. And even better news – I didn't smell anything! :)
The not so good news is – although the sewing isn't great – seam allowances different sizes… that it was MADE by MY MOM ;) and surprisingly not the "ugly" that I had remembered it being at all when I looked at it yesterday. So I am not gonna be able to donate it – I just can't let go of it and I am sure you will understand. Mom's been deceased since 1999 and I only have 3 of her quilts – this will be my 4th after I get it quilted.
....Oh and there was some ugly fabric in the box too – yards and yards. Here is one piece of the prettiest ugly… golden yellow and navy patchwork design. If you know of a blue/yellow heartstring it would work for I will donate as backing. Just let me know if you think you can use it…. There's roughly 4 yards of it.

And yes, Mary did understand :) as I knew she would. She replied with Sue Frank's address for me to mail the navy and golden yellow patchwork fabric to - I am glad that it will be put to good use... and knowing the variety of Heartstring quilts - there is probably and Blue & yellow quilt in the process of being made that this fabric will be perfect for :) I will also send the other large stash pieces that were in the box... and at that time take photos - I promise all of the other stuff is really UGLY!
So now it seams I have discovered a long lost treasure... my mom's Log Cabin. I wonder who she was making it for? (She gave all of her quilts away) I wonder how much larger she had planned to make it. I discovered a few more blocks in the box but not enough to continue the barn rising setting pattern... however the size that it is - is big enough for a picnic table. I wonder how come I didn't remember ever seeing her work on it - as I always helped her when quilting... was she secretly making it for me for one day??? Did she work on it after I was in bed? Questions I will never get to ask her...
And look at this other 4 yard piece that was in the box too... white with red, blue and gold plaid... Was this what she had planned to use as the backing perhaps? Or just another piece she had found on sale and had in her stash? I think even though the top doesn't have any golden yellow, this piece will work just fine as a backing!
See, I'm all about "cheap & easy" LOL

I wish I had thought to measure it yesterday… it's about the size of a picnic table top. Maybe a nice meander with stars would be just what it needs? Nothing fancy, just something..."cheap & easy" :P
Edited to add: I measured it and it is 43.5" x 73.5" (the blocks appear to finish at 7.5" each)
OH how I would SO LOVE to use it to watch fireworks on this year when we take our trip home to Kentucky… (sigh) David's aunt Connie's home is right on the lake and that's THE prime location to view the fireworks each year... not to mention that is where the party is :) and we get to see lots of family and friends!
However I doubt there is anyway I could find a longarmer this close! (sigh again!) I'd have to have it back to me before we left for Kentucky…June 28th... only 5 weeks away!
OH how I wish I had taken a closer observation of it last year when Daddy gave me the box… if I had noticed the quilts potential then I could have had it done by now!
Nevertheless, now I have something I have always wanted - a Log Cabin and Red White and Blue at that!!! And the most special part is that my mother made it! My stinky quilt isn't so ugly after all! Thanks Mom! :c)
Love from Texas! ~bonnie

I have never been this excited and nervous before

OK, I am ticked off! Here I am trying to be a good blogger and post often and I even have exciting news to share and wanted to do one of those cool count down tickers... and have worked and worked and the only thing ticked is me!

The good news to share is that I am going to the 2009 Circle of Friends Retreat in New Hampshire next spring! :) It's the HGTV board members 3rd annual get together and I have never attended before! I am so excited and nervous about going - is that odd... me nervous!?!

Anyway, I thought I'd add a ticker - like the one I did on our family page for our trip to KY in July... I even found a cute fabric looking background to use and everything... only thing is that when I put it in my side bar it over lapped into my posts area and I played with the width - making it and the height smaller sizes but no luck... still overlapped and then the background got all wired blinking like crazy!

Then I thought.. OK, so it won't be in my side bar - I'll just make it at the top of this post...and announce that I am going to the retreat.... but when I copied over the code it gave me... I didn't get the ticker that I designed and created but this silly looking thing!! Not the correct date - or background. URGH!

the only thing ticking is me! I'm ticked at pyzam's ticker! :P

Here is the only darned thing I can get to show up!

had to remove - it showed up in the preview but then there was an error at posting and if i knew how to fix that then there woudln't be a problem, now would there?!@!?


at the bottom it said "until something happens???? that is suppose to say "Circle of Friends RETREAT - NH" and a nice background that looks like fabric!


Oh well! I tried! I so wish I knew more about this Html stuff... I really don't like my design of my web page at all... too much wasted space on the sides. and the part where my posts show up is too narrow.. and i have heard that if you change your template you loose all of your links...


is that ture??@?!!@! I better copy an dsave before changing!


Did anyone notice my new profile photo? I updated it tonight. No make up in the photo - but that is the real me these days... I really liked this "Mom & Me Moment" that day with Nora.

The old me pic with long straight hair in the black turtle neck was a photo from Christmas 2006 so it was time for an update :)


Tonight I actually had quite a few changes in my UFO list and current project lists... then stupidly hit the "back" button at the top and lost it all! I should have previewed and saved!!! I tried to update again but couldn't remember everything.... I will have to play with it again some more when time allows.


So now I have to start planning my "Mommy Vacation" that is what I am calling the Circle of Friends Retreat ;)


I have never been so excited and nervous all at the same time before!

I have never met any of my online friends before!

I have never been on a quilter's retreat before!

I have never been to New Hampshire before!

I have never spent this much money on something "just for me" before!

I have never been away from the twins before!

Did I mention I have never been this excited and nervous before?!



Love from Texas! ~bonnie

TAG - I'm it!

Today while reading, I came across this meme posted by several of you and then I noticed my name over on Kathy's Crazy Moments Blog. Yikes! Is that Bonnie listed there me?? humm... it seems that I may have received an email a while back about something like this...

OK rather than spend time looking to see if or not I got it - just do it! :P I think this is my first ever blog meme tag!!

So thanks mttlr for the tag, I'll see if I can come up with an answer for each....

How it works: Scattergories: It's harder than it looks! Erase my answers, enter yours, tag 10 people, post it on your blog, then notify them, including the person who tagged you.

"Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things.....nothing made up!

Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same first initial.

You cannot use your name for the boy/girl name question"

OK, let's begin:

What is your name: Bonnie
Four letter word: Best
Vehicle: BMW
TV Show: Boston Legal
City: Bowling Green
Boy's Name: Beaufort*
Girl's Name: Brianna
Occupation: Beautician
Something You Wear: Bra
Food: Blueberries
Something Found in a Bathroom: Brush
Reason for Being Late: Baby pooped AGAIN as I was putting them into the car seat!
Something You Shout: no BITE! (I'm still nursing the twins)

================
**OK - that boy name, I am not sure on the spelling but my mom always told me that had I been born a boy that would have been my name! She had a "B" theme going on with Barry & Brian my brothers... and she would have named me after her favorite uncle! Thankfully I was born a girl and she named me after her mother!!

Siggy Block Directions for Nichole

This is a quick special post for Nichole :c)

I tried to reply to your comment but your email is not set up... when I hit reply I noticed the email address was noreply-comment@blogger.com and so I really don't know if you will ever check back in the comments or not... I decided to make a quick post about your request on how to make me a siggy block and the requirements.

Of course I'd love to have a siggy from you! Especially since you have been in both my noodle swap last year and this year's minis!! ;)

You can choose which ever you type of block would like to do and that is a great idea to include it in your next mini mailing to me! :) What fun it will be to open a swap package and get a nice hostess surprise inside!!!

First type: 6.5" Snowball Block easy peasy!

• use a 6.5" white or beige fabric for the center. This is where you will sign the center. I'd prefer your HGTV name, real name, city and state, using a pegma pen. ;)
• (be careful with WOW white on whites or TOT tan on tan as if it's a printed on design the fabric then your siggy pen won't absorb the ink in those areas.)
• then you cut four 2.5" squares (all the same or each different doesn't matter) and draw a diagonal on the back and put them in each corner and sew on that line and press. Don't worry about trimming, I'll do that later.

Second type: 12.5" Friendship Star Block also easy but a little more planning.

• the best way to give directions is to refer you to Monica Hohn's website where she has written directions for the Friendship Star Block.
• Where she has used blue as her background, please make yours scrappy - each a different medium to dark tone of fabric.
• Where she has used yellow as the star, please use either a white or cream fabric. And if you'd like for the light to all be the same or each piece different that is up to you :)
• In the center square of the star sign your HGTV name, real name and city and state with a pigma pen. Thanks!

Which ever you choose to do will be great. oh, and one last tip - if you have never signed fabric... I learned during my swap that you can use freezer paper and press to the backside of the fabric you are gonna sign and it makes it easier to write on - more stable. Then when you are done peel off and can reuse over and over. :)

Gotta run for now - 3:00 nap time here! Hope this was helpful.

Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Just what exactly is Shabby Chick anyway?

OK, back to something quilty... the Fat Quarter Bingo!

Here is a little update - thank goodness the winners are not beating down my door demanding their jackpots! The game ended just before Mother's Day weekend.... on Wednesday 5/7 we had 8 players yell BINGO for a coverall card! Two winners in each of the four groups! :)

So over the weekend following the game I took a "rest" and enjoyed Mother's Day... then hello Daddy and Clara... so again the FQ's took back burner. I am keeping the winners updated and so far they all agree family is more important and know that I have a life. ;)

However this weekend, I pulled up from the emails correspondence their wish lists of color choices... - this was from the OUTSIDE BOARDER winners - there were 4 players who each won that category.....(one from each group)

Their prize for Outside Boarder on their card is 10 Fat Quarters..kind of like a runner up prize... last year was our first year to do this and it was a success! Everyone liked the idea of having another chance to win something...

However like last year, there are always a few players who assume we are playing "any 5 in a row" WHICH We have NEVER done - and will NEVER do... and email me with a premature bingo and I have to burst their bubbles. Unfortunately this year there were more than 2 dozen bubbles I had to burst!!$#((^$`#%??!

Which tells me that my rules need to be proof read and edited to make that clearer or that these players didn't at all read them to begin with. (I think the latter)

anyway enough of that - back to the Bingo...as i was sorting them I got to do some stash shoppin' as I call it. :)

I sat aside black/white fabrics.
I sat aside 1930 fabrics.
I sat aside red fabrics.
I sat aside large florals.
I sat aside batiks.
I sat aside bright fabrics.
I sat aside shabby chick fabrics.

......or rather what I thought might be considered shabby chick as I have really no clue as to what that means?? It's like saying to a painter I want a taupe bedroom and him rolling his eyes as he tells you in reply, "Woman, there are 100 different taupe's" (actually I had that happen to me once when we built our home in SC)

So, do these look Shabby Chick to you? Guess I'll find out when I send Irish an email with the pic for her to pick out 10 for herself.... worst case she'll tell me no these are not shabby and give me a description on what she is looking for.

Will post photos of the other fabrics later another day... I am tired now and ready to go upstairs to bed. Posting several posts all in one sitting, both here and on Minor Happenings my family blog has worn me out tonigh. :c) Gonna go close out after my next post over there... or at least save it. Photos are taking too long to upload tonight.

'nite and Love from Texas! ~bonnie

SURPRISE!!! Dad and Clara are here visiting!

OOOooooups, almost forgot a BIG something that happened this past week - see what back dating can do to you - get you all out of order...oh well - it will just appear that I have posted everyday, and that is my goal right? LOL On Monday of this week (5/12/08) Daddy called around 9am and said, "Clara and I just had breakfast here in Jackson, MISSISSIPPI and we are on our way to come see you!"

Aaak! Talk about a Surprise! I was thrilled that they were coming and on the way, but HELLL-LOOOOW couldn't I have had at least a few days notice to prepare... over a weekend perhaps? Jackson, MS is only a few hours from here and sure enough they arrived in about 4.5 hours. :P

Well, I guess technically I did have a warning.. for the past few weeks when I talked to them on the phone, they have been telling me that they were itching to come see the kids... and told me of their busy schedules of coming and goings.... and said that there was no way they could come before the 10th...

so I knew NOT to expect them before the 10th... but to show up on the 12! boy they were not foolin! :cP
They didn't stay the whole week - just arrived Monday afternoon after driving a full 16 hours... and then went back the same way Thursday/Friday... we said our good byes at bedtime Thursday and I joked that I may bump into them on their way out as they planned to get up between 1-2am and leave.

.....and wouldn't you know it, Paul Thomas cried out around 1:05am and as I was going to his room I noticed the light on under the door of the guest bathroom... and as I held him rocking him back to sleep I heard them leaving. I regretted not getting to tell them one last time "love you, bye, have a safe drive..." so I spent the next 30-45 minutes praying for them as I tried to get Paul Thomas back to sleep.

What a wonderful couple they are and how very grateful I am for each of them and what they mean to me!!! I am so glad that they have one another. They sure are very happy together and love one another very much.


The next time we see them will be when we go home for the 4th of July. :)



Love from Texas!
~bonnie

Wearing Make up to the Farm!

OK not quilt related at all but I have to share......here is a photo of me and the babies taken during Fun Friday Farm Day with Nora's preschool...and I wanted to share with all of you.

Lookie at me, wow, I do still remember how to apply makeup after all! :) LOL I know several of my girlfriends have been wondering lately if they'd ever see me in mascara again! Why I choose to wear makeup to the farm playdate is beyond me...? I don't know... guess I was running early and had the time! LOL

....and I'm pretty sure they have given up on seeing my hair fixed in anything other than a pony tail... at least while Paul Thomas is still at the holding stage. Maybe one of these days I will surprise them and do pigtails! LOL :P

... naaa.... that would defeat the whole purpose...he'd have double the chances of grabbing hold and taking a big ole yank! I'm loosing enough hair as it is without his help.

More and more brown is falling out and brad new shiny wirey GREY ones are goring in! :P I wonder how fast/slow this process will take? My mom was completely WHITE HEADED not grey... WHITE (like cool whip white) all of my life. Which for a kid lost in K-mart it made her pretty easy to spot above the clothes racks. :c)

Although more than a million times we were asked if I was her granddaughter... and her reply "She's a granddaughter, but I'm not the grandma!" which my mom thought was fun b/c it stumped people and left them confused...

She had me at age 38. I will soon be 34 in July and I can't imagine being all white in just a matter of 4 years! YIKES! :P

And if my mother were still living she would die if she knew that since moving to the armpit of America, uham, I mean South East Texas, make up is optional for me... very OPTIONAL! She "put on her face" every day of her life within an hour or so after getting out of bed.

I think I was the only 7th grader in my school who's mom wanted them to wear make up and there's no telling how many times she told me to "go put on more blush b/c I looked too washed out" while my father had just 2 seconds before told me to go wipe some of my make up off before leaving the house... so what did I do? Walk to the hallway, out of site, count to about 50 or 60 then reappear and everyone was happy.... except me.

Love from Texas,

~bonnie

NTS (note to self)..........gotta figure out those fancy smancy signature lines one of these days...

My 1st bloggiveaway WIN!

I am so behind in posting - but thankfully I know a way to play catch up... post several posts tonight and back date them! :)


Take a look at what arrived in the mail (5/3/08). Here's a pic of my first evah blog give-a-way winnings!!! A few weeks ago on Pat Sloan's Blog she asked what everyone carries in their purse or pockets... and I made a reply. The next day she told me that her husband drew the winners and I was one of two lucky people! ;) I was so surprised, b/c most of the time when I get the time to read a blog, by the time I get to the give-a-way part..... it has already come and went. ;P but not this time.


She mailed me pieces form her scrap bag of her newest fabric line along with two applique patterns and a flyer promoting her new web page I Can't Believe I'm Quilting where you can download online class videos. It's pretty neat and I would have never known it existed had she not sent me the flyer. ;)


So my question for you today:
Have you ever won anything in a blog-give-away? or have you ever held a blog-give-away? or thinking of doing so?? I know I don't get much traffic here on my site - being as I'm not in any rings or anything, but I sure bet that if I went thru my sewing room and cleaned out I could come up with some variety of stuff to give away... maybe one of these days...?


and by the way, for the people who celebrate their 100th post and such.. how in the world do you know it's your 100th? do you count them???


Love from Texas!
~bonnie

Sewing on Sunday!!!

Sunday 5/11/08

Well, lookie at what I did today ;) I got my Friendship Star Siggy blocks into a top! :) ...or rather almost a top - as i think I will be much happier with it for snuggling on the sofa if it were at least one or two rows longer. What good is a quilt for the sofa if you can't tuck your feet in and also bring it up to your chin?

Actually, last Tuesday (5/6) by some unknown MIRACLE I got bot twins to sleep at the SAME time for their afternoon naps and Nora insisted on watching TV downstairs "all by myself" so I got some ALONE TIME all to myself in the sewing room!!! That is when I got all the blocks into rows and then rows sewn into sets of 2 rows each.

So today all that was left was pinning the sets of two rows - didn't take long and good thing b/c i didn't get "long" in the sewing room. You'd think that for Mother's Day I could get a full 2-3 hours in the sewing room but guess who can't stay awake to watch them play! Seems if dh's hinny is on the sofa his eyes soon shut and then he is snoring... urgh!

Anyway, I am happy with what little time I did have - I am not one step closer. I just now need to figure out how to get some more siggys. I think I will send 3.5" squares in the mail with a SASE and have some other HGTV friends sign them and then make up more scrappy star blocks. The hardest part will be figuring out who to send to - there are a few that come to mind that I don't have in this already - as not everyone participated in this swap.

Some past hostesses that I have swapped with or HGTV members that have swapped with my noodles or mini 9 patches... or even the past FQ Bingo winners... that should be a good start in another 12 or so blocks ;)

and I have a plan for my snowball blocks too - I wanted to do a boarder - but I don't' have near enough.. and plus I think these snowballs look their best when chunked up to one another and so I am thinking I will include them in the backing...? I'll have to wait and see what works as I get closer to that point. :) The photo of snowballs are from a snowball block swap I hosted on the HGTV board way back in May 2006! eek that was TWO YEARS AGO!!!

Did I mention how I use to be a swap-a-holic... when I first found the HGTV board? LOL I also have some more stray snowballs that are signed from various HGTV friends - they sent to me as hostess gifts b/c they knew I was collecting them.. I will have to hunt for them and take a count of how many and from who. ;) and take a photo...

Well that is about it for now. Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Love from Texas!! ~bonnie

Cinco de mayo

Well as usual about this time each morning I start wondering what we are gonna have tonight for supper... and so this morning I sent David the following emial to work:

From Me:
Would you rather have meatloaf at home tonight (that has been frozen for almost a year)

Or

Go to Crazy Jose’s for Cinco de Mayo? (and we have a coupon to use) after all it only comes once a year…. :c)

His reply back to me
I am wondering what you want to do? :)

Sounds OK to me.

My reply back to him
Well if we do the Crazy Jose’s then it would all depend on you being home around 5:30 and leaving soon after so that we don’t have to wait for a table and also get home at a decent time to start the babies’ bed time routine… I think it may be more crowded tonight b/c it is 5/5 and everyone will be in the mood for Mexican… but we should be OK if we arrive before the dinner rush at 6pm.
Bonnie


so I guess it will all depend on if or not he can be home early tonight. :)

Here's wishing you a happy Cinco de mayo!

Love from Texas! ~bonnie

thinking out loud...

OK, so if you don't mind, I am gonna just type/think out loud here. ;c)


why do I even bother blogging??? I don't' get much quilting done these days... remember my Friendship Star blocks laid out on the guest bed from February ??? still there!


how come I can't make a commitment to blogging more often? I mean, I take the time to read my favorites every day as the kids play... why not commit to posting a little someitsommin before looking around blog land. ((this is my goal that I can't seem to get into action))

October 2006

when I first stared this blog - it was way back when... WHEN Nora ACTUALLY took a nap everyday! that seems like ages ago! oh how I wish for that time again.... I use to get a "break" each day to look forward to. BUT NOT ANYMORE!

Nora quit napping on me last year, and now the twins are here..


Olivia and Paul Thomas do nap, but hardly ever at the same time! urgh! :(


By the way, I should brag on Olivia here - she is the perfect napper/sleeper!!! Her naps are like clockwork, and long! and she has been sleeping all night since her 8th week!..........on the other hand, her brother is the exact opposite! Terrible napper! 20 minutes after you put him down, he is awake!! - and night time *!#%&&*#$% I have long forgotten what uninterrupted sleep is - it's been over a year since I slept for over 4 hours at a time! well, on Valentines' he did sleep all night for the 1st time.. aaaahhh how sweet ;) But he can't really help it, he has breathing troubles and we are looking forward to his first Birthday so that he can have his adenoids removed.

OK, so back to thinking......should I rename my blog? I don't really get to post during nap times anymore..? and if so, what shall I call it?


something to do with bingo? since my nickname is bingo bonnie and that is in the address line?

do I want to begin sharing more of my hostess activities from the HGTV quilter's board? That may be good. then swappers could tune in here for updates and photos.. they love photos!

speaking of HGTV board - we are on DAY 32 of the Fat Quarter Bingo!!! four groups of players are sitting on pins and needles!!! ((Pun intended hardy-har-HAR!)).........I crack my self up! :) We should have a blackout/cover all winner any day now... I'm calling 2 numbers each day.

and as of Tonight - Aaaa..ALLELUIA!!! My mini 9 patch Round 1 is completely swappitty, swap, SWAPPED!
Tonight around 11:45pm I FINISHED! all that is left is taping them all shut... but first I have to make a trip to the store as I always add a little something "extra" to all of my swappers packages. I like to be a fun hostess :)

and speaking of that swap - IT kicked my hostess BUT all over and then some!! I have never tackled anything so challenging! I have swapped noodles before (before twins) and that was always fun.. but this was different. Mainly b/c it was so large and also b/c this time I had more life interruptions and could just spend 3 days and be done.... plus there was the bingo going on too and all the packages arriving at the same time! I think round two will be better. :)

as far as my hostess experience goes -I am so glad i had some experience under my belt. With the noodles I use to host - my largest month of noodles I had 28 swappers send in 166 sets for a total of 996 noodles. That was when we did the Black/White theme.

.....I can't believe I don't have a black/white noodle photo to show you... sorry. I use to take photos of all of them laid out... but can't find where I saved that - that was last year...

well for ROUND 1 of our mini 9 patches (finish at 3") we had 50 participants sign up... but only 36 followed thru to swap (thank goodness!!!) b/c those 36 swappers sent in:

192 sets of 10/set blue mini 9 patches = 1920 blocks!!!

***AND ***

169 sets of 10/set BROWN mini 9 patches = 1690 blocks!!!


I'll do the math for you - that is 3610 blocks to swap out!!!!

I just for got to keep up with the hours, but if I had to guesstimate - I'd say I spent close to 18 hours collectively. On and off and on and off again... over the past month.

and I'll spare everyone the details of all the problems that occurred this month during my swapping... oh the stress! like i need more grey hairs...


but in the end it all worked out! :c) and I'm betting I get some return swappers again for Round 2 in June. We're doing it quarterly... currently, sign ups are closed at 35 swappers - but, I am taking names for wait list only......(((what was I thinking when I originally let the sign ups go to 50 people!!?^%$%&??)))

oh did I say June, yes June is the next deadline!!!! I better make announcement to my group that I plan to be on vacation to Kentucky for the 4th of July... so I will not be able to begin the swapping until after we return from our trip! note to self - tell them tomorrow!


I wonder if everyone will mail earlier? I wonder how many "super swappers" I'll have again...? (people who send in 100 blocks of each color)

WHEW! I'm just glad Round 1 is over and you can bet that I'll be skipping off to the post office either tomorrow **if my Best Friend can keep the kidos for me** or on Saturday for sure as I can leave all the kids at home with David while I go BY MYSELF! and I will have to treat myself to Dairy Queen to celebrate!


oh how I love ice cream -but that is a whole 'nother post! ;)


well, I guess that is about all for now - and I will leave you with a video at the bottom. I took it today just before time to leave to go pick up Nora from Preschool. The babies were at the dining room gate while I was in there working on the swap.


I know it is fun for you all to hear me as much as the babies - my accent? - grew up in Kentucky ;) Oh and Paul Thomas took his "FIRST STEPS" last night - not seen in this video but I wanted to share ;)


Thanks for letting me think out loud ;)


Love from Texas! ~bonnie