blog-giveaway only for the serious

Only for the serious b/c there are chances to get entered up to 5 times but that comes with a lot of "homework" to do. Which it's rare for me to go the distance and do everything required for more than just the one entry - but this time I did it!

Click on over to Canton Village Quilt Works and take a look - you will be glad you did... even if it means I've just decreased my chances of winning some great prizes by telling you all about it. :P


Thanks again for the give-away Jackie!


Love from Texas!

Your Order From Fig Tree Quilts has shipped!

Yesterday I told you about my first purchase from Connecting Threads - well I have something else to share with you that I ordered over the weekend... and thankfully this isn't a "Top Secret Project" so I can share details with you in each and every step along the way! :)

Remember the Crayola Quilt Challange I told you about last week? and how I showed you the quilt I was going to try and recreate? Well... I changed my mind. I am a WOMAN ya know!! ...and I'm assuming most of my readers are too so I don't need to say anymore do I?! ;)

Take a look at THE pattern I've ordered to use with my Sea Green and Chocolate Brown fabrics to create this beautiful quilt!

What made me change my mind???? Renee's post from the Pink Pincushion that I recently read over the weekend.... yes I got carried away reading her archives... I do that sometimes ;)

She used some georgous fabrics in hers - you can see an upclose photo here. And although mine will be made in just two plain colors, I think the result will be stunning - which is what I want - something that will WOW everyone who looks at it ;) It looks quite complicated at first doesn't it? but after looking at it - not so bad....

So now that the pattern is ordered, I guess I'll just have to wait a few days to find out what size to make those flying geese that are in these beautiful Snowflake blocks... then I will be able to get started! :)

Oh - and thanks to the "almost dozen voters" who offered to help me choose if I should make my flying geese Crayola Challenge Quilt in majority Sea Green or Dark Brown - looks like you all win - as this pattern shows both colors almost 50/50 ;)

and one more thing I'd like to share here with you and mostly just myself so I can find it again later if I ever need it - is this Nifty little fabric calculator. I don't have the fancy smancy EQ program although I'd love to one day have it - but right now can't justify it... I didn't know about it before I went shopping so I just guesstamated and bought 4 yards of each of the main colors. I hope it's enough ;) otherwise I'll have to go back shopping again! Since I've already talked myself out of using that stripe for the binding... I'll need more brown or green for it when the time comes....

Love from Texas!

From my mailbox to hers....

As you all know by now I was part of a Fall Themed "Mini Quilt Swap" and no matter what fabrics I pulled out from my stash to use... nothing from my stash looked good together. Nothing.

I just couldn't stop thinking about the GORGEOUS "Hearth & Home Collection" I had seen in my Connecting Threads Catalog.

I did some math as to how much I'd need of each and did it - I placed my FIRST order! and boy oh boy am I ever so glad I planned enough yardage to make 2 - one for the swap and one to keep! ;) I even bought 4 of the matching thread colors :)

Crazy posted a photo on her blog Thursday when she was grinning from ear to ear - but I thought I'd share a post here on my blog of it with a few closeup photos that I took while working on it. I'm still working on the 2nd one and haven't gotten very far on the hand quilting parts but plan to do it all the exact same as the first one - as I la,la,LOVE how it turned out!

Thanks to everyone who left such nice comments over on her blog - I enjoyed reading them - but I was most excited just waiting for Crazy's post and reading how funny she was about all the cutting thru the tape! I promise I wasn't trying to sabotage you Crazy! :) just keep it safe from any water for just in case it came out of the mailer. I guess blame it on me living in a hurricane zone! LOL

I think each of the photos are clickable to make larger...? oh and one last one.. the back side

Also....Do you remember when I posted about Quilt for Kids back on October 1st? I've heard of several readers who have also contacted them for kits and that is GREAT! :) I've read about it on the HGTV boards, and also HeartStringsQuiltProject Yahoo group - and I just love to share good info - but that isn't exactly what this post is about...

See while working on crazy's fall mini - it was so hard for me to keep it hush-hush! LOL and back on October 1st when I was clicking and reading more about Quilts for Kids - I checked out their gallery pages and it was soooo hard for me not to spill the beans when I happened up on these two quilts on their gallery pages!!

Take a look at this quilt photo... and this quilt photo... and then come back here. ;)

When I saw these I had already made my Fall Mini Quilt and was working on securing the binding down... and was so excited to see quilts made using this same design in a larger scale ;)

That is not the only place I saw this same pattern design - take a look at this fabulous quilt made by SubeeSews - isn't it pretty both in Black and White? and also in her first quilt she made up in these colors??

I'm glad she mentioned the book Loose Change - b/c a few have asked me the name of this pattern and I don't exactly remember but I want to say it was called "Imperial Star" on the webpage of fabric for sale and free projects that you could select fabric into the box and then use placement to see and preview...? again I am sorry I don't have a link to share on where...

THANKFULLY the day I was playing on it and found it I hit the printer button and had it b/c within about 10 minutes of that my computer CRASHED BIG TIME and was out of service for the next month! I had to get a new motherboard and hard drive and some operating system... so while working on Crazy's mini all I had to go by was that one paper I had printed out! :eek: but it all worked out didn't it :)

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the closeup photos that I took while working on it and then again before mailing it to her. It sure was fun and I am already planning for a Christmas themed mini for her ;)

Love from Texas!

Olivia modeling fabric for missmikol ;)

Olivia was the first one awake today after nap time, so she is here to help me take photos of fabric that I'm going to share about :) that will soon be on it's way to a new owner.

Well guess what I've been doing today... yes laundry as you see the huge basket sitting behind Olivia - all tiny pieces for the twins and that was only the 2nd load of their stuff!

Well I've also been looking for fabric - actually it didn't take too long to find it considering I bought it nearly 3 years ago... but when I read and saw the quilt missmikol's post about during the Blogger's Quilt Festival

I was reminded that I had purchased nearly 4-5 yards of this to keep when I was working on her Round Robin Quilt. She's not quilted it yet so I offered to mail it to her to use since it will match and I've no "real" plans of it for myself so it will be good to see it be put to use on her beautiful quilt. Do visit her blog and take a look at her Round Robin Quilt - it was the first one I received in the exchange and the flying geese were my addition. ;)

Now I just need to find a box/package to put it in so that I can take it to the Mailbox & More Store the next time I go...

My First Mini Quilt: has made it's way home!

She has it! She has it!!! I'm so happy to hear from Crazy'boutquilts to know that she did receive my fall mini that I made for her today! :)

For me, it's been like waiting on Christmas to get here - while I wait for the Fed-ex man to get it to her home... checking and rechecking the tracking number a dozen times a day :P

I've been so excited to hear what she'd think of it. :) and so if you'd like to see what this mixed up bubble sneak peak tunred into click on the link above and go take a look! ;)

I'm already looking forward to my next mini exchange for Christmas!

Love from Texas!

Want to see some Fall Mini's?

oooh I'm so bad with playing the waiting game! I am on pins and needles waiting for the Fed-ex man or woman to deliver the package to Crazy today!!! I checked when I came downstairs to make breakfast and as of 5:55am it is in Seattle, WA - so it should be there to her home ANYTIME today!!!

She asked me if I wanted her to put it away and wait to open it until after her swapping of the 1930's units and mailing my fall mini back to me and we open together - and I told her she was CRAZY! There would be no way I could wait! LOL :P and I'm so anxious to hear what she thinks of it!!!

So while I wait and you wait too - click over to my friend Bea's Blog where she has posted lots of photos of all the Fall themed Minis that were made during this exchange. She did an excellent job of coordinating this swap exchange!! and they are in the process of another for Christmas themed minis!

I will be back tomorrow to post and share photos of the mini I made since by then Crazy will have opened and seen it ;)

Love from Texas!

Now Polling Readers to see what your choice is

In my previous post I asked which of the two fabrics you'd choose to use as the primary fabric color in my CRAYOLA Quilt Challenge.

I bought the two large spools of dark brown thread b/c I originally thought I'd use the dark brown fabric as the main primary fabric for geese and background in this quilt - but I'd really like to see how many of my readers think the same as me - or how many think opposite...?

So be sure and cast your vote between now and midnight on 10/31/09. It will be interesting to see what the popular vote will be. ;)

Love from Texas!

Crayola Quilt Challenge Project

Ok, this is it -the pattern I want to try and recreate! You may have seen this antique photo posted over on Bonnie Hunter's blog a few months ago- that is where I snagged it from with her permission ;c)

As many of my readers know I'm an active member over at the HGTV Quilter's Message Board (you can find me there as bingo~bonnie) and one of the things I love so much about that great quilting community is all the work they do for charity. My friend Quiltaholic, that I got to meet in NH in April at the Circle of Friends Retreat - is a super coordinator and very creative on the projects and quilts that she comes up with for anyone who wants to help be a part of the charity projects.

Last year was her first year to do a Crayola Crayon Quilt challenge. She drew 3 crayons for each participant and they had to create a quilt using those 3 colors. So many people enjoyed it and begged her to do it again and make it an annual even and she has agreed to only this year there is a little twist in the guidelines. Last year all of the quilts made were sent off to her and everyone helped sell raffel tickets to raise over $4,000!!! All proceeds went to the Ronald McDonald House in Houston, TX. Click here to see last year's quilts.

So can you guess which color Quiltaholic drew for me to use???? Mmm -hmm... "Sea Green" :P Which I wasn't too excited about until....

I went shopping all by MYSELF Sunday after we got home from Mass and the babies went down for naps. Nora entertained herself with computer time - something she doesn't get to do daily now that she has school and soccer and gymnastics that keep her busy 3 nights a week.

Whoo hoo! And I chose my sea green and a very dark brown to use with it. Take a look at my newest little "P.I.G." (project in a grocery bag)Here is everything all laid out together. I may or may not be using that stripe fabric? I had thought I might could use it as the binding - IF quiltaholic would allow me to use the floral as a border - but no can do - the gold in it doesn't allow it to be used on the front at all... so I'll just stick with it as my backing which I thought would be perfect ;) and I got all that was left on the bolt - some 7+ yards.

It is hard to see in the above photo - but my two color choices are the sea green and a very dark brown fabric that the 2 spools of thread are sitting on.

Now I just need to figure out how many Flying geese I need to make - also which size to make them and then go from there...... I love the Eleanor Burns Rulers for making those and have both the small and large rulers! :)

Again this is what I'm going to attempt to make - should I make the geese and squares the green or the brown??? hummm... I bought 4 yards of each.

===================================================================

For any of you who aren't HGTV Quilter's here is a copy of the guidelines to know what exactly it is that I'm participating in... and it's actually not too late to join :) all you have to do is join as a member of the board - it's free - and then look up the CRAYOLA CHALLENGE thread and sign up. :) I think it would be awesome if we had as many quilts in the drawing as there were crayons!

Here's the guidelines as posted on the thread:

Several of you have been asking me to host another Crayola Challenge so here it is with a TWIST!! You know things get boring if you don't change them up a little so the twist is.........

I will draw everyone who signs up (1) ONE crayon....You can use ALL shades of this one crayon in your quilt... I will mail your crayon to you and it will be a secret until you receive it in the mail...

PLUS: You can add (1) ONE and only ONE other color crayon of your choice but the color has to come from a box of Crayola Crayons. The catch is that you can only use this color in its original form...NO shades of this color will be allowed....

When you choose your color, you must let me know what it is so I can record it in the files. You will not be allowed to change your mind once you have told me your choice so be very certain of it before telling me what it is.

All quilts made should be no smaller than 54 x 70.

Fabrics and design are completely quilt makers choice. But please do not use cheap thin fabrics.

These quilts will be due to me by Feb 1st, 2010 .

These quilts will be used in conjunction with the Feathered Flowers Quilt Raffle.

All proceeds of this raffle will go to a Ronald McDonald House in California. Purple Butterfly has told me of a house that she supports along with 100 other people. She has offered to help sell tickets to these people and I also told her that they could also help sell tickets. I am hoping with all of that outside help we can bust the 4,000.00 mark on this raffle!!! She is on vacation right now but when she returns I will post the information for that Ronald McDonald House.

I still have plenty more crayons if anyone else wants to play...

Quilt Makers:

mcpatches..............PLUM + black
RockinBobbin...........APRICOT +
quiltaholic............ROBIN EGGS BLUE + dandelion
Marie..................SKY BLUE + blue violet
KC1930.................BLUE GREEN + inchworm
Irishquiltlass.........BRICK RED + black
Downsouth..............PACIFIC BLUE + bittersweet
MyJack.................PURPLE PIZAZZ +
needlecrazy............GRANNY SMITH APPLE + dandelion
MountainLaurel.........OLIVE GREEN + yellow amrillo
QuiltingBug............WILD STRAWBERRY + black
quiltbea...............INDIGO + carnation pink
AngelaC................SALMON +
Bluesnail..............ATOMIC TANGERINE + bright yellow
TXWildflower...........MACARONI AND CHEESE + forest green
karol0405.............INCHWORM + white
MayBaby...............WISTERIA + orange
Terrimae..............ROYAL PURPLE + inchworm
jeanclaire............PERIWINKLE + dandelion
gonesewin.............CERISE + eggplant
Lisa-TX...............CORNFLOWER + silver
monkeymom.............TICKLE ME PINK +
alexemmarose..........CERULEAN + silver
qltnrules.............PINE GREEN + pink flamingo
BingoBonnie...........SEA GREEN + Dark Brown
lovetoquilt...........PURPLE MOUNTAINS MAJESTY +
KentuckySunshine......RED + white
Dixieldy..............MAUVELOUS + beige
Pecasatwo.............CARNATION PINK + aquamarine
nancye................FUSCHIA + cream
sewlove2quilt.........VIOLET BLUE +

Love from Texas!

Doesn't look like Fall does it??

I think the photo is clickable to make larger... but take a look out my dining room window at my back yard. Look at all that GREEN! Sure doesn't look like "Fall" out side my window does it?

But what is sitting in the window sill sure does! :) You will just have to trust me for now b/c I can't show it to you yet. Today I mailed it to my friend crazy'boutquilts along with my 1930's 4-patch and HST units and can't wait until she opens it up and sees it!!!

This was my very first mini quilt to make and also very first purchase from Connecting Threads - which I'm very glad that I ordered enough to make two of these minis ;) Stay tuned to Crazy'boutquilts blog to see what it looks like. She should have it by Wednesday or Thursday of this week. ;)

A Quilt for Rachael & She loves it!

It's not that often I gift anyone a quilt...at least anymore....

Most times in the past, I've been heart broken to put in so much time and thought into my gift to then not even receive as much as a Thank-you! Shocking I know but it's true. I can name off over a dozen that I've made and given away and not a single thank-you.

However in August, I was finishing up two quilts that I had made from blocks made and donated from my online "Sunshine Quilters" group = where we together make quilts to donate to any charity of our choice... and as I was finishing them up two very special girls that I know came to mind. And rather than just give to a charity group I thought I'd give these two deserving girls I know a gift...

One of them being my cousin's daughter - Rachael who is a college student at the same college David and I went to - Western Kentucky University. It is very hard to believe that the little adorable flower girl at our wedding is now studying to be a nurse! Where has the time gone?

So you can bet I was so pleased that she contacted me after she got it with the following notes and photos :) I'm so glad I choose to give this to her... Rachael has done so good with her life thus far. She lost her momma Jane, to cancer when she and her brother were both so very young. Often times I've thought of them in my own loss of my mother. I was 24.. but they were both under 10 years old!

Anyway, I thought I'd share here for all of you to see what a beautiful girl Rachael is :) She has one of the brightest smiles! :) :) :) I'm so proud of her!

Bonnie Bonnie Bonnie, OMGGGGG!!!
you are way to much! thank you so much for my quilt. you have NO CLUE how much that means to me and how special it is to me now. You are far too kind. Its beautifullll!

I don't think face book is a correct way to express my gratitude for it, so could you give me your number and i could call you?? whens a good time to call?

I have some pics of me with my beautiful quilt.. my roommates helped and it kinda turned into a photo shoot! ha so you can take a pick from them and get the ones you want.. ha i hope you like them. I LOVEEEEE IT.. if you cant tell by my huge smile in the pics..ha I love you!! hope these work! they're kinda funny.ha

Thanks Rachael for the messages and photos - you have touched my heart with your beautiful smile. Your momma in heaven is SO PROUD of you!!! :)

1930's units

I promise I'm getting these done and in the mailbox today!!! This summer I did a Jewel Box blocks swap and loved everything I received as did everyone else in the swap... but there were a few of us who wanted a few more units to swap and maybe use in putting together either more blocks for a larger quilt - or maybe use them to make borders?? and of COURSE I had to get me some more too! :) Can't wait to see what pretty HSTs and 4-patches I get back in a variety of 1930's fabrics!

Love from Texas!

TGIF and the swappin is done! ;)

Whooo hooo all of the make up blue mini's and potluck minis have started making their way to their new homes!! and now that packages are arriving I can share some photos.

Here are some of my minis that I contributed to the potluck How about that baby wipe container for holding these little 3.5 unfinished blocks? ;) It holds dozens and dozens!

and here's a peek at my minis after I swapped... A little of everything wouldn't ya say ...and one special blue FQ! Thanks so much kwilt4u!!

oops here is a better close up of my minis.. I did get several repeaters myself but that is OK. I plan to make more than 1 quilt with my mini collection

What a fun year last year was - swapping a variety of colors every quarter. I now look forward to playing with mine sometime after the new year - I have several other projects going on right now... but I'd loved to see what others make with their minis or use them in... Please share photos with us on the board when you do!

and for the Thank God it's Friday part of my title....

It's been an unusual week here... Nora and I got up before the sunrise Wednesday and took a little trip to the local hospital... these photos and captions below can tell the story better than me retyping it all here... click here on this link -
http://www.facebook.com/album....9753328&l=6e928e56bf

it will take you to the photo album of Nora's pretend earrings (seed/nut) extraction adventure!

The seed/nuts have been in there since before September 1st b/c looking back at the calendar that is the date I wrote down that I first took her to see the doctor for her ear infection and pain... We are happy to have them out at last! but have to go back again for another surgery to repair the hole in her ear drum sometime soon..

so needless to say I'm soooooo TGIF today! Hope all of you have a happy weekend!

Thanks to those of you who participated in my swap!

Love from Texas!