More Fun on Friday

Friday while the babies were napping - Nora and I got a head start on her Valentines. One of the little girls in her class named Carley passed out her Valentines last week??? not sure why so early?? but that got Nora in the mood to begin making her own.

First we cut out a heart template and then trace it all about on the poster board. Nora even helped on this part which took lots of concentration on her part ;) I wish I had taken photos of us in progress... but at the time didn't think of it.

I bought a 5 pack of glitter pens, which didn't go far... but we did the best we could with them. It was Nora's idea to add the buttons to the glitter paint while they were wet. I'm hoping they stick.


No one can truly appreciate these homemade hearts as much as I can... these are her treasured buttons... the same buttons she has been playing with, cooking with, counting and sorting for over 2 years now as I worked on m quilting... First upstairs in the sewing/guest bedroom and recently in the dining room where I've moved my sewing machine to.


In the guest room, she'd carefully carry them over on a platter to the night stand and have me stop what I was working on to come open her oven doors for her... ;)

I only cut around about half of them - I'll save the rest for her to work on later. I know she's gonna be mad at me for even cutting on some of them as she is so independent... ;) We'll have to go shopping to find the perfect heart suckers to tape to the back of each valentine..

I only wish now we had cut them out first and she'd signed her name on the back of each heart. It will be hard for her to do that now with the buttons glued on. *sigh* Hind sight is 20/20.

Love from Texas!

Strings from Wednesday and sewing on Friday

Yep, that's what this post is about -pretty original title don't ya think? LOL
Look what arrived Wednesday of this week -4 more string blocks from HappyErm. She had the cutest little sticker on the back side of my name and address - see it with the smiley face and shades? It says: "I aim to please. Please let me know if anything is wrong. I will be happy to try again. Happy Erm."


Isn't that a cute idea! ?? I love it. and she included two extra strings for me! How cool! I wonder if she's read my blog and how I la,la,love leftovers ;)


and now to the sewing part... but wait! First things first..Recently I was reading Leah's Blog and saw where she had changed hr needle and oiled her machine and had to confess - I don't know WHEN the last time I took off my stitch plate and gave my machine a good dusting.. and the last time I changed the needle was the last time it broke :P but no idea on when??? months?


aaahhh... that's better. and I don't know why I wait so long in between - it's not hard.. and actually the longest pat is walking upstairs to the sewing room and find the oil.

So today, Friday, I've had some sewing time in the dining room with the kids nearby watching videos. Take a look at these HST's ready for pressing and trimming.. I know the photo isn't large enough to tell - but i used striped fabric (the green) and as long as you make sure you sew 2 of them diagonal "one way" and 2 the "opposite" - matching up strips is never a problem!

I know it may drives some nuts -(like myself) when strips are going all the same way except for one block.. that's why I check and double check before sewing together. It doesn't take that much longer and the finished product is perfect! ;)

see.. look below at those stripes.. two going up and down and two going side to side... Not good..

but if you made sure that you sewed half of your HST's one direction and the other two the OPPOSITE direction.. then all is good :) Just simply trade the top and one on the right with one another.. and...
ta-Da! all is perfect - ready to sew. Here below they are lined up with their background rectangles...

here they are laid out... now they are like huge 4 patch blocks..

only two more seams to go and they'll be done!

...and here you go - two blocks. :) made and ready to mail to the January Sunshine Hostess.

So I bet you are wondering... "What's next??" - oh I've got LOTSA plans... :) so stay tuned! You just never know what you may see. ;)

Love from Texas!

lookie at what I found...a new to me blog and prizes

Since joining up Bonnie Hunter's quiltvillechat yahoo group, I've been discovering many new blogs from the links in all the messages.. and of course it is so easy to click on over and take a peek..

Well today I peeked into Nancy's blog called Patchwork Penguin and read her post that Kim at Bitty Bits & Pieces is having a Valentine's giveaway. Kim is giving away 100 bits and pieces of the cutest red and white Valentines charms and in the perfect Itsy Bitsy Bag that she made!!

You have to click over to THIS 100th giveaway POST on Bitty Bits & Pieces to enter to win :) and make sure you tell her that you found out about it from me = bingo~bonnie from NapTimeNews! :)

and while there graba cuppa and enjoy her blog! Tonight I read and read commenting often on all the beautiful stuff I saw.. and felt like I had reached the end of the internet when I found myself at her very first blog post ;) don't believe me? check out her March 12, 2008 post. I just love finding a great new to me blog.

Thanks & since there are TWO prizes - good luck to us both. :)

Love from Texas!

Ready? Set.. Swap & Sew

I cut 10 sets of 10 blocks each, the maximum amount... and loved them so much...

I selected 10 more and cut up... and sent in on Nora's behalf! LOL after all neutrals can go with anything -and it didn't cost me anything since I shopped my stash...

this fabric had shopping bags and purses on it *cute*

Well as everyone knows I'm a swap hostess - last year for the minis each quarter... and the years before that I did monthly noodles.. nothing is on my agenda for a regular on going swap for 2009 -but I do have some quiltville/shirting block swap themes planned for later this summer but nothing really in the works right now.. just ideas.. ;)

So during my hosting break I am participating in two swaps. ..JUST TWO.. (I am a recovering swapaholic after all LOL) One of the two is for nickels, photo above. Easy peasy - everything in my stash was already washed & pressed. The hardest part was choosing 10.. so I choose 20! LOL This will be Nora's first time to be a swapper... They were mailed today and sometime in February, I'll get 200 different neutral nickels back!!! wooo hooo!

and the second swap I'm in - I've already shared here on my blog... it's the string block swap hosted by Crazy'boutquilts where everyone gets to choose their colors and everyone makes them 4 blocks and mails directly to them. Over on the HGTV board we call it CYOC for (choose your own colors)

The due date to mail by is Feb 14 - so I better get GOING!

above are some KNOA muslin foundation squares I cut up.. man I know I got a 50% off deal of $3.99/yard, but dang it, I just didn't want to cut into it - especially using it for a part that won't be seen or touched and IT FEELS SO GOOD!!! and the guidelines allow for any 100% cotton, but I don't' have time to wash and press anything else.. this was already washed up...

anyway, here they are my first 3 sets (12 blocks) ready to go with center strips and 1's strings..

stay tuned for progress reports ;)

Love from Texas!

for those who have asked about joining my MINI swap

There have been several blog visitors who have asked about my mini block swap - even a few mini swappers who joined us mid year after reading about it here... so I'll share some info here for you to read and decide if you'd like to join us in March... never too early to get started! I know it takes me 3 months to work on mine...

http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=1084078532&f=5894011632&m=1761045983&r=7081014293#7081014293

I hope the above link works for you –it will take you to the board where the swap is talked about and also guidelines and rules are posted – to give you an idea on how it works. ;) The thread is locked so you can't add to it but you can read everything you need to know. I'll be posting a new thread for the POTLUCK/makeup swap due to me by March 31.. a little later on... so stay tuned.



Also anyone visiting the HGTV board who isn't a member YET, you should know - where there are photos posted on my thread or other threads, it will show up as a red “don’t” sign like no smoking.. but if you join and log in, then the photos will show up for you.

We will be having a POTLUCK/makeup swap this year. Where any color goes.. those will be due to me at the end of March. Must be at my house BEFORE the last day of March please - so I'll have time to swap and return before I have to pack to leave on my April retreat.

I don’t know how long you have followed my blog – and I didn’t post a lot about it in the beginning… but to give you and idea of what we swapped, In 2008 we did blue and brown for Round 1, red and orange for Round 2, greens in Round 3, and purple and yellow for Round 4.

I do think there are some swappers planning to send in some black prints for the potluck as well as a mixture of everything else. I’d love to have you join us! ;) Just sign up at the HGTV board.. b/c that is the main way I contact all of my swappers and keep them informed.

Before my twins were born I did a monthly noodle swap… but knew that I couldn't spend that much time on swaps after the babies so for 2008 I did the minis each quarter of the year. We did evacuate twice back to back for hurricanes this year… so I know I will not be holding anything during those months this year (just in case)



After this POTLUCK/makeup mini swap I have no plans to host anything until after I return from my Circle of Friends Retreat at the end of April. Then after I return, I hope host a Quiltville block swap (on the HGTV board) and we'll be using men's shirts as the fabrics.

So as you can see there are swaps in the works.. and you are welcome to come join in on all the fun!

Oh, and soon (mid February) on the HGTV board, you’ll read me announcing our upcoming 4th Annual Fat Quarter Bingo Game!!! It is huge every year! That is how I go the name bingo-bonnie :o)


Last year there were over 2300 FQs in the jackpot! So I’m sure you will want to join in the fun… but the game is only for HGTV members… ;) so before you can play you need to get signed up!

Well gotta run. Click on the link, read over the guidelines…and let me know if you want to join us – also let me know what your HGTV board nickname will be. ;) so I can put you on my list.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Love from Texas! bonnie





Love from Texas!

Redwork Progress Report

Below is a link to the current thread of everyone at the HGTV Board who is chatting about red work. Appears I'm not the only one who's falling in love with stitchery. ;)

http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5894011632/m/6241052293/p/1

That thread is locked as of now.. but you can find a current one from the main board. Brandyquilter has offered to keep a thread going for us to chat about our current red work show-n-tell or questions... and already there are some great photos that everyone is sharing! :)

I'm so addicted to stitchin anytime I have any stopped and parked wait time in the van. I find myself disappointed when I don't get in a long line at McD's drive thru, I'd rather be the 4th or 5th car back waiting so I have more time to work on my stitchery BOM! :P

Oh and guess what - speaking of being in line.. today I was driving by the car wash and the attendant was on duty so I turned around and went back to get my van washed and I was 3rd in line so happy! more time to stitch!

It may appear that I'm "scatter brained" as I work...but actually it all makes sense to me..:P LOL I skipped the "r" in quilter b/c I am not sure that is the way I want to make my r.... and then after the "n" in Blessings.. I decided to start the inner circle on the scissor handle b/c my thread I had at the time was too short to start the big letter "g"as you see in the photo above..holding it up in the light at the car wash makes all the back threads show.. but under normal light they don't.

and as you will notice in the photo below = I checked and just by luck I did use 2 layers of the white bleached muslin yeaaa! Several quilters have recommended using flannel or batting or another piece.. helps to hide the threads..

Ta-Da! Block 1 DONE! :) Looks pretty good - from a distance... LOL ;)


and lookin ahead...here is the block I choose to work on next. It has a sewing machine and says "Much Stitching"

Love from Texas!

Blocks for Sunshine Group

I often make blocks and donate to the HGTV Quilters' Sunshine Group - who's members take turns collecting blocks and making quilts for charity. Here is the link to hostess block requests for 2009 and if you'd like to follow the discussion on the HGTV Message board and see other blocks members are making click here on the current thread for Sunshine project.

Lucky for me, they are a VERY casual group - make 2 blocks for the months you can and mail in to the hostess.. and when you can't don't stress about it - join in when you can... ;) (my kind of group)

The January Sunshine hostess, San, requested 12.5" blocks that remind people of Sunny Days, Sunshine, Happy Times, Favorite times or Events. They can be paper-pieced, applique', regular piecing, or personally designed blocks. I want these quilts to remind the receivers of happy times and bright, sunshiny days. Quilter's Choice.(San)

In the photo above, are the ones Elainetoo made and posted.. and I thought oooogh! How bright and cheerful I love 'em! Her pinwheels remind me of those my dad use to buy me at the 4th of July parade or festivals we went too...and I'd like to make these blocks too - Thanks Elainetoo for the inspiration!!!

After pulling fabrics and looking again -today I posted a question for Elainetoo - I wonder if she made her block with flying geese blocks 3x6??

I'm tyring to figure out the best way to put this block together.. I always like to use the Eleanor Burnes Rulers to make Flying Geese.. and can't quite figure out what I need to do different to get different back ground fabrics... any advice? that's why I'm considering just doing HST's instead..

Love from Texas!

Isn't this mini 9-patch quilt BEAUTIFUL?

ANOTHER post I had hit save for instead of publish.. written 1-9-09.



While I wait for the mail lady to come today - I thought I'd share a photo of a finished mini 9 patch quilt I came across this week while hoppin around blog land.

It's made by Wendy over at Snippets of a Quilter.

Be sure and click on Wendy's blog and tell her what you think of her quilt. The date she shared this photo was on March 19, 2009 (click here to go to her post that date)

I asked Wendy if I could share her photo here with you all to see and she replied with:

Hi Bonnie, I'm glad you like my nine patch quilt. I would love for you to show it to your group, and thanks so much for linking to my blog as well. Since that picture the quilt has been quilted and I use it everyday. I did another swap with rail fence blocks but those are still in a little pile, someday it will be a quilt. I love doing swaps and meeting new friends. I'll have to check out your blog.Wendy

http://www.snippetsofaquilter.blogspot.com/

I'm so glad I found this photo b/c red is one of my favorite colors anyone else have inspiration photos to share with us? ~bonnie



Love from Texas!

Goodbye AT&T - HELLO SPRINT ;)

I don't remember if I posted when I lost my cell phone just after Christmas or not... what an expensive trip to Target that day turned out to be... I wish I had never went the first Saturday of the new year to look at clearance items...much less bought that new CHI shampoo! Every time I shower and use those bottles I get sick to my stomach.



Not know the story? Let me give you the summary aka long story short - which I'm not so short on most times. LOL



I was at the Christmas stuff in Target 1st Saturday of the new year...David called me to tell me he and twins were headed to check out.



I say OK, Nora and I are on the way, hang up and put phone in pocket. walk up to front, stop at the shampoo bend down to read a bottle, stand up, walk to check out see over 35+ carts between David and me, go to call him, and I HAVE NO PHONE ANYWHERE - not in pocket, purse, or shopping cart!^?$%*#



yes, I looked, and looked, backtracked all my steps 7 or 8 times, asked employees, customer service...even scanned all phones being held by everyone and anyone in the store that day... a week later check again, 2 weeks, on and on... whoever found it never turned it in so I consider it stolen. :/

Anyway -on to trying to get another phone.. after all I'm still being billed for service, so I need a new phone right? right.

For the past 4 weekends we have visited the AT&T store every Saturday - the day of to suspend service.. next week to see if we could get a replacement phone.. and have even called them and Tech support at least twice every week...



Nothing but the run around!



Can you believe that they told me there was NO PROMOTION I could receive b/c I had signed a new 2 year contract this past summer.. when I bought my (stolen) phone.. and that their cheapest phone in house would cost me $189.00!!!!!!!!!!!! I looked at it and it was a cheapO flip phone that didn't even have a color screen or camera... ummm NO THANK YOU! I need a phone to use with my laptop! no way I'm paying that much money for a junker!



Well this week David harassed them once more with a phone call and wasn't so nice on the phone with them.. after it was all said and done.. they were gonna give us 4 choices of phones for reduced rate of $299... Backberry curve, pearl or two others..I forget... but all compatible to use with my laptop.. still not a great deal - but a reduced cost..



So yesterday we drive over to Pt. Aurthur to the same AT&T store.. get in there wait our turn.. explain what Customer Service has promised us.. they look it up - AND NO DEAL! no notes anywhere to verify what we told them customer service had told us... urgh!



AT&T rep. tells me her hands are tied, she can't do anything unless they put in in the account notes so David uses his cell to immediately start calling customer service and tell them off and to get it verified and put on the computer b/c dang it we want to buy a phone today! It's been 3 weeks already we are not driving over here agian for a phone!



While David is on hold - he uses a computer on display at the AT&T store and looks up Sprint's phone number and tells me to call that number and just ask if they have any current promotions...



I stand there in the middle of the AT&T store and call SPRINT! on their display phone!

Tonya, who answered, told me that the same phone we are looking at (Blackberry Curve) is ON SALE for $149 and also will have a $100 mail in rebate - total cost to me for the new phone will be $49. I ask for info on rate plans.. and directions to their store in Beaumont..

sounds GOOD TO ME! lets leave!



I tell David Sprint's deal -loud enough the person on the other end can hear.. he tells them we are leaving they say HOLD on.. so he does all the while we are loading up kids and stroller in the van..

He is still on with ATT customer service... and they begin to pannic - yet giving him the hold on a minuite.. I guess typing it all up .. but bottom line they WON'T match the deal!

So we drive over to Beaumont to Sprint.

Breaking my contract will cost us $174 with AT&T... but I rather do that then pay them another $299 for a phone! yeah I really dislike AT&T now - Especially after today! I'm so glad we dropped their a$$ and went with Sprint.

We've never switched carries in almost 10 years... and they could care less about keeping us.


AT&T jerked us around 3 Saturdays in a row and were doing NOTHING to help us get another phone! nothing!



So worth it to pay the $174 to break our contract.. and go with Sprint's deal.. only $49 after rebate for same phone!!! we came out $76 ahead!

Not only did we get a GREAT deal on an awesome phone... it gets better -

I got to keep my same phone number! and the icing on the cake? Sprint participates with Upromise so now we get $50 towards Nora's college for the new service!!!

Best choice for us by far!!!

Still stinks that I lost my other phone...and all the contact info... but at least we got a GREAT deal on this one!





Love from Texas!

Happy, Happy, Happy...It's time for the Happy Song..

Written on January 14th - hit save and forgot to publish.. sorry! The quilt still isn't done yet.. but lucky for me the teacher is a week behind on the letters... they did review week first week back after Christmas... and with my surgery early Feb. I think I will tie it off and machine quilt later... stay tuned...

Here I am doing the Happy Dance!!! I finished sewing the rows together last night after Midnight for Nora's Happy Quilt.

It's called an "I-Spy" with all the different pictures of things. There are MANY ways to make an I-Spy quilt, I just choose the easiest by framing each one with a color. I actually started collecting all of these fabrics when we first moved to TX 3 years ago.. then I found the HGTV quilters message board online group and participated in a swap! AND I WAS HOOKED! Swappin is so fun.

Nora's Happy Quilt ended up being 8x12 blocks and I'll add another 4 to the backing to = 100 blocks! Which I think is super cool b/c it is right in sync of something she's been working on recently called her 100 ways she makes my heart happy chart

Also on the 27th this month is their 100th day of school :)

If I had more time, I'd make a boarder with all the words of the items embroidered - I saw that done somewhere in blogland (sorry I forget who or I'd link to you) and the gal offered to do it for me.. but unfortunately I don't have the time to wait for those..

I need to have this DONE before the week they are on "Q" ;) either the last week of Jan or first week of Feb - gotta FIND OUT FOR SURE....oh I will be so happy to get this one quilted and bound in time! Wish me luck! :c)

and did I mention that this will be my FIRST attempt at machine quilting!?

By the Way - At our home, we actually have a real "HAPPY DANCE" that I made up the words to... and we do anytime Nora eats everything on her plate...home or away.. which gets a lot of looks in a restaurant b/c people around us thinks it's someones birthday with all the clappin we do.. but there are no servers standing around.. LOL and perhaps I'll video it next time...but I'm not gonna be demonstrating for my blog readers via video..until after my surgery... LOL

Love from Texas!

Bonus String Blocks for me

Everyone's blocks in the CYOC swap (choose your own colors) are turning out so nicely! I love looking at the thread to see all the beautiful photos everyone is posting on the HGTV board. Is this thread full of beautiful photos or what!?!? I love them all!




Here is a photo I took of the blocks I received today from Quiltsewpieceful. She and I are swappin 8 with each other and she sent an additional 4... she wrote:

I made for he they had centers that were not center. so I started over..... I'm sending the ones I messed up. You can trash tthem or gift them to charity or what ever you wnat to do with them.... Linda

Trash them!~?!?! I can't tell which one's are not centered! Lucky me I got extras! Like em? I LOVE EM!




Love from Texas!

Update on Surgery Date

UPDATE TO ADD: I just received a phone call today from the Dr's office, as of this morning 1/22/09 they have everyhting they need and we are a GO! :D

However, the dates they had given me tenatively just two days ago have now filled up... several doctors use the same surgery room..

so I just got off the phone with her and my choices for dates are:
1st choice Feb 5th Thursday
2nd choice Feb 9th Monday
3rd choice Feb 11th Wednesday

so on the bad side, now I have more time to get nervous.. on the good side that gives me another week to get more done around here before my Dad and stepmom arrive! :P

***so as soon as I know which date I'll let everyone know** ;) Thanks for all of your T's & P's!!


Love from Texas!

oh no I didn't.... Oh YES I DID :P

Hummm.... Bonnie... what is it that you did...? Today I climbed up on TOP of my dining room table..... and not only did I climb up on it but I took a PHOTO of myself too while I was up there!!!

I know... I know... excuse me where are my manners??? I should have warned everyone before posting a photo of myself like that.. oops. and I should have sucked in.. well it wouldn't have shown anyway.. b/c of the blousing shirt... oh well..

So the question is...why did I climb up on TOP of my dining room table today??? Well I started playing with a pile of mini 9 patches that started out looking like this..
I played some this morning before leaving for play group and then some more after I got home... and then some more after the babies went down for their afternoon nap...and well....just look!

Ta-Dah!!!!

need to get a little closer....

and from the other side

oh and I forgot to give credit where credit is due!!! these minis are from the swap I held all of last year... every 3 months I swapped assigned colors each round... limit of 10 sets of 10 per color each time.

Several of my wonderful swappers were so generous and included extras or what I call "leftovers" and thanks to all of them - these beautiful photo is possible.

(Notice the blues? I made blues that first round but none of mine were swappable b/ my sizes were off.. bad hostess bad! bad! but look at the ones at the top right in the 1st photo - those are all leftovers that my swappers gave to me!)

I think the most number of sets I ever made to swap was for the green group - I made 6 or 7 sets...? or was that the oranges?? I in no way, no how - made the most number of sets! Not even close!

Yes, that is right.... there are others out there who I call "SUPERSWAPPWERS" who swapped out 10 sets of each color each time!!! yep, 100 blocks of each... = 700 blocks they have...one swapper did 20 sets.... wow... her pile would make my 500+ look like spare change!!!!

...yep... I did... I did. *giggle*giggle* I was taking photos of the colorful blocks and caught my reflection and just for fun too my own photo a couple times... and THEN BLOGGED them!!! ........and probably never in a million years would I have shared photos of me like THOSE.. usually I'm just a head shot kinda gal...

but I have great news to share - may as well share here with my online friends..

my insurance company APPROVED my surgery!!!

I'm still waiting to get the final details, but one day either THIS coming Mon, Tue or Wed.. or the first 3 days of the following week...I'm having a breast REDUCTION surgery!!!

My heart is pounding just tying this! aak!! I don't know why suddenly I'm so scared about it. (I started last October trying to push to get it done) and have wanted this for evah!

I can't wait to finally BUY clothes that fit MY new BODY! shirts with buttons! and maybe a coat that really fits too?! and buy bras! bras that really fit!!! I was last measured at a 36 FFF... yep three F's! and that was before the twins were born... but finding a cup size for a 36 measurement is IMPOSSIBLE... so I've been hanging out of to and sides and underneath sides..OUCH of the largest bras I can find in stores.. usually a 36 DDD...:( So you can bet I'm lookin forward to throwing those away - perhaps a bra burning!?!?! LOL

and yesterday upon receiving the news... I immediately called my step mom and Dad.. they are on stand by to come down from Kentucky to help take care of the babies...when ever I get the finalized date **crossing fingers that I find out tomorrow**

So in case you don't see me on line in a week or so - that's why... until then I gotta get busy cleaning house and doing laundry! My Dad and step mom will be here as early as this weekend! aak!!!! and the guest bed is covered with fabric!

Oh and one last thing to share.. :)

I don't have photos from tonight.. but before David got home from work.. I got down and played for over an hour down in the floor with the babies... superman flying, tickling...and of course hiding under my quilt with them under there too giggling and having a good ole time!!! aaahhh I'm gonna miss that for the next few weeks while I heal...

==============and for any HGTV quilter's board members - here is a important Fat Quarter Bingo Update Announcement=================

I had planned to send email invites according to groups from last year's bingo... send Group A for a week and reply.. then group B and so on..for a month and then afterwards.. post a sign up for new players on board..but be patient with me... it didn't happen this month (January) but I am hoping to start the email invites in February..depending on my recovery.. mostly if I do the surgery this coming week or the next...so please everyone be patient OK? just a little longer I promise! This year's game is sure to be bigger and better than any of the previous 3 years ;)

Love from Texas!