Fun Friday = work and then play

Well since someone shared the link to Quiltmakers' sneak peak at part 2 on their web page earlier this week... I told myself that if I washed and folded at least 3 loads of laundry this morning then I would treat myself for some play time in the sewing room during Nap Time ;)

Thankgoodness for digital cameras and how they allow us to see mistakes sometimes "before we make them" such as above... notice anything different from my blocks than the printout?

Now this is better ;)

Since all of my scrappy 4-patches are reserved for my swap I'm hosting I only had a handful of extras to use as the center unit for these blocks so I didn't make up many. But it was fun to get a head start while I wait on my Sept/Oct issue of Quiltmaker. ;)

Below in the little basket are my 7 sets I made up for the swap. :) Can't wait to swap them out for new scrappies :) Waiting on only 1 more package.... and if it arrives tomorrow I very well may be able to have them all swapped out and back in the mail system on Monday!! I know everyone is anxious to get stared on Part 2 and they will need their swap blocks before they can get stared.

This is my smallest swap EVER. Only 10 of us can you believe it? and only 500 4-patches. These were so fast and fun... and b/c they are a popular size and unit for Bonnie Hunter's patterns.

I'm considering making it an ongoing swap - due each quarter (like I did last year for the mini 9-patches) and can swap up to 10 sets of 10 each time? Just waiting to see if there is an interest for this before I decide.

Anyone else getting a head start before their magazine is delivered???

Love from Texas!

TWO seperate $50 Gift Certificate Giveaways and a charm bag too!

What would you buy with a $50 gift certificate?? Well if you enter and win then you will get to find out how fun that would be! ;)

Rachel at p.s. i quilt is having a giveaway...
A $50 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop

There are 3 ways you can enter. #1 - Leave her a comment on what your favorite color combination is to work with. #2 - Blog about her giveaway. #3 - Sign up to follow her blog.

Good Luck!!! Winner to be announced August 1st.

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Also another way to win the chance to pick and choose $50 worth of your favorites... over at Connecting Threads they are having a give-away as they make their announcement that they are MADE IN THE USA

You get a chance to win if you sign up to receive their email newsletters and share it with a friend.

So click on over and get signed up - you will love their magazine if you don't already get it - it's like a mini magazine ;) with lots of great photos to get your creative juices flowing!

Just DON'T sign my email address up - as I've already done that for myself! ;) *and I don't get any extra entries for posting this on my blog - I just simply wanted to share so you could have a chance to win if you liked...you have until August 17th to tell a friend.

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Oh and here's one more that will be given away soon.... ;) The giveaway will END on Friday, July 31st at Midnight. Then a WINNER on Saturday, August 1st.

So what are you waiting for? Click on over to Bitty Bits and Pieces and get in to win! ;)

Love from Texas!

Mailbox full of squishies

It's been forever since I've had a redwork show-n-tell but here's one for ya! ;) Who doesn't love a mailbox full of squishies!??! ;)

and take a look at what arrived in my mailbox today.... this package was LOADED from jamauk - actually most of you know her as Jessica from Jessica's Quilting Corner

Remember the CYOC string swap I participated in last year...? 30's around a cut 2" white center.... well I recently missed the sign up deadline for the current CYOC swap that is now underway... (which is probably for the best since I've been busy with several other things)

Anyway - look what extras she included??? Just for me - just because! :) Isn't that awesome!? She knows that I plan to make 2 matching twin size quilts for my girls for when they one day share a bedroom ;) and although I'm not exactly sure how many I "need" I just know I need a lot of them ;)

and look in the pic above the blocks.... she sent me some extra of that brown fabric I commented on a while back! la,la,love it!!! Thanks Jessica! And below are larger 9.5" strings around red that she sent in for the Heartstrings donation from our Sunshine Quilter's group... ;)

Also in the mail box today were these scrappy 4-patches from gracie/ohio ;) That makes

and although my Quiltmaker didn't arrive.... I did get something else quilt related... My Joann's flyer... and take a look at the insert.

I doubt I'll be buying $66 wort to earn the $10 gift card... but I thought it was super cool that inside the insert they have DMC floss buy 3 get 1 free. ;) I've searched all of the flyers each time they have come and this is the first time I've seen the DMC floss on sale since I started my collection.

oh and for those of you participating in the "Christmas Lights Mystery" in Quiltmaker.... have you seen this??? Only look if you don't mind the surprise being spoiled for part 2 - I know I'm not the only one who can't wait for their magazine to arrive! This is what I will be working on tomorrow during the twins' nap time!

Love from Texas!

A few things I worked on yesterday

Paul Thomas and I worked on A LOT of this ;) He's really getting the hang of it too....

He just doesn't know how to keep his stickers in a row yet and I don't care... but eventually when he fills up a row he'll earn a snack size bag of M&Ms. ;)

During nap times I worked a little in the sewing room taking these off of the design wall... I mailed the other half to crazy'boutquilts yesterday... and I did "a little" cuttin....

After I picked up Nora from Kidz Camp, we made a "little stop" for one of these...

You can't hear me... but in the photo I'm saying Mmmm! Mmmmm! It was Soooo Goood! Girl Scout Tagalong fans, you have to try this!!! ;)

and when I got home I found a little surprise in the mailbox! I was hoping for my next Quiltmaker Magazine (anxious for part 2 of Bonnie's mystery) but this one was in there instead! Which is just as cool. I love this magazine! ;) How is it that every cover photo is BEAUTIFUL???!! I want to make them all!

Oh and most of the day was spent doing A LOT of laundry, mostly of "little" clothes... and also in between laundry and potty training I squeezed in a little computer time, and a little stitching...

and Nora's last Wednesday of Kidz camp was today - and she worked on a lot of stuff too. Look at all of the things she made and brought home. The big wire circle was made form a hangar to blow bug "BuVULLs Bigger than my head momma!"

and after supper while I cleaned up - we worked on a LOT of laughter! :) with Nora's new silly face glasses.

What a fun day!

Oh before I go - let me show you a "little" something... I love the magaizne you saw above - I subscribed starting this year b/c I've been picking up several issues over the past few years and I am not disatisfied at alll... but take a look at this.

Again, I just started my subscription in January.... so I knew right away it has not been a year... and already? I'm getting a renewal notice? with a 08/29/09 due date??? come on...

and look by the blue fingernail... EXP Feb 11. Wowzers they want their money a full 6 months in advance....? I don't think so people...

Am I the only one who has noticed this?

EDDITED TO ADD: OOPS! My mistake... not 6 months but 18 months before my renewal date! They are just wasting their paper sending me this... in the trash it went. Although I wish I had kept that "no postage required" envelope... to write them a letter telling them they are nuts if they think I'm gonna prepay that far in advance!

Love from Texas!

Who wouldn't want to WIN a Beautiful Quilt!??!? and help out a family too!

Everyone loves a blog-give-away... right? And I'm sure most quilters also love Bonnie Hunter's patterns...

If you are like me, you will also notice while jumping blog to blog the same posts for the same give-away b/c sometime you get more chances to win if you post it on your blog...

Well this ISN'T a blog-give-away...

But it is a quilt that you could win!!! and in turn as you buy a chance on it ($1.00 each) also help raise money for a family who's home burnt down earlier this year.

Today I read on Bonnie Hunter's blog about the letter Sheila wrote to her asking if she'd share the information about this charity quilt and after I read it I wrote to Bonnie and asked her if I could also post on my blog to raise awareness and hopefully help raise even more money for this family who's home burnt down earlier this year.

Bonnie gave me the green light to share with as many people as possible in hopes to really help make a great contribution to this family. Chances are $1 each and to find out more information on where to mail your money click on this link.

http://www.njquiltingdivas.com/rafflequilt.html

Please feel to share the information with your quilt friends. ;)

Love from Texas!

Whew - Mail Call at last!

I was so glad to see these show up today! I was starting to get a little worried... there are still several packages "out" and the due date is quickly approaching (8/1)
These beautiful scrappy 4-patches from iquiltalot!

I was starting to get worried when nothing was in my mailbox yesterday (Mon)..... but when I was walking back in form the mailbox today, I noticed something...
now how am I suppose to notice anything on that grill!??!? Guess you can tell we don't cook out often ea? and I know it's no one's fault but mine that things get piled up around here....

but I didn't see those two packages on the grill's handle... guess they were delivered yesterday?!... one is a box of DVDs and VHS shows that SavedSinnr gifted to my kids for the price of shipping - isn't that generous!?
and the other package had...... scrappy 4-patches in it from everythingquilts and this was her 2nd attempt to ship to me b/c the first time she put them in the SASE to herself!
whoo hoo! that makes a total of 5 swappers Rec'd and waiting on the other 7 Should be a lot like Christmas the next few days with packages on the way!
Other NEWS - Everyone keep an eye on your mailbox for the Sept/Oct issue that includes Part 2 of "Christmas Lights" as I read today on the quiltvillechat yahoo group where about a dozen members received their issue in today's mail!
I can't wait for my mail lady tomorrow... for more my copy and also more packages from my swappers of course!!


Love from Texas!