Have you missed me?

Perhaps you've stopped by recently only to find that I have not posted anything new in a while...

I bet you are wondering what I've been working on...

Well there have been several things that I've worked on at my sewing machine..

but the one thing I've been spending most of my time on is...

Photo from Bee In My Bonnet's Blog

The 5th Annual HGTV Fat Quarter Bingo Game!!! and today and tomorrow I'll put in a lot of time sending everyone's playing cards to them via email. Game day is almost here!!! April 1st - NO Foolin! ;)

If you want to peek at my other blog to see all the goodies that have arrived so far click here. See I told you I've spent a lot of my time on this.

I hope to get back to posting here regularly real soon... stay tuned! ;)


Love from Texas!

What gives you Joy?

Today after Mass, we did what we always did. Drove thru Chicken Express drive thru... it's our weekly routine! Claiming Sunday as 'Mommy's Pick' day was such a smart thing I did a while back...

While we waited for our order, I was over on the passengers side doing what I love to do at drive thru's... stitch. This is a free BOM from last year but STILL available by Gail Pan, called Christmas Wishes. I've shared it before.. when I was at MickyD's a while back :P but I was thinking of what it meant to have "Joy." You know true joy.

Then without saying a word... I turned around in my seat and look at the twins who were both asleep and then at Nora as she was gazing out her window.

and it was so obvious. For me, real JOY is being a mother! I have been so blessed. For so many years I worried and thought I'd never know what it was like to be a mother.

Then Nora turned and spotted me looking at her. I know I had to have been smiling as I looked at her...because... she smiled back at me. and. my. heart. melted.

A true smile from her.

Directly at my camera!

and I didn't even have to beg, bribe or threaten to beat her.

Just a warm generous smile from her to me.

JOY!

Love from Texas!

Sewing and a lot of prayers today

So yesterday I met up with Jill, Heidi and Beverly and several other women from their church... we all brought our sewing machines..... only I didn't really accomplish much.

The book above, Errand of Angels, was a gift to me from Heidi. It has beautiful illustrations and lots of Mom Moments poems and quotes. Sorta reminds me of what we were working on as a group yesterday - errands of angels in a way... as everything being made will be donated and sent to The Emmazing Grace Foundation.

Beautiful gift and I love what she wrote to me inside the cover. Can you click on it and read it? I hope so. Heidi is one of the most caring and generous people I've ever had the privilege to call a friend. I love her so much! ;)

So today when the twins napped, I got my machine back to working - minus the light bulb.. urgh -but at least the tension is right now. ;)

In just a couple hours I turned the little fabric pieces into these little mini quilts. And I have enough fabric to probably make 2 more of the same. Lots of prayer and thoughts of love and hope for healing are being worked into these treasures. I will never know the mothers to receive these gifts but hope that they find comfort somehow in knowing that other mothers cared enough to make and share a part of their hearts with them and send to them during this part of their lives.

I can not image what it would be like to experience the loss of a child, much less a newborn. I've known two friends who have suffered such a loss. I really admire each of them for their strength to find a way to pick up the pieces and hold on to their memories of their angels. Somehow both of them have had their faith strengthened and they share freely about their child they lost.. and I'm grateful that they have both shared their testimony with me.

If you have ever known a friend who has lost a child and you are a quilter.. would you consider making a small mini quilt to send in to the Emmazing Grace Foundation? Donations can be mailed to: Emmazing Grace Foundation, 4815 Tabby Stone Drive, Cumming, GA 30028.

Of course if you have questions please feel free to send an email. thanks.

Taking Bernina on a little adventure...

I got a phone call from my friend Jill inviting me to come to her church Friday morning and sew with the ladies form her church while the kids ran and played in their gym.

Sure that sounds fun, right? ;) Didn't take me too long to pack up and get Ber"NINA" ready to go. She was actually easier than the twins. Not once did I have to make her be still or tell her not to take off her shoes *again* :P Where as Paul Thomas had to be RE-dressed not once but twice b/c he kept taking off his pants before I could get Olivia ready...

There were several ladies at the church workin on different things for the project.

It took me a while to finally figure out what to do with myself and my talents... the first hour I was learning about the project and getting set up and not to mention trying to keep my twins off of the table or stage.. and a nervous wreck about the hot iron and them grabbing the cord... but then Jill told me that I didn't have to sew gowns, that I could make a quilt if I liked... and she showed me a whole bag of donated fabrics... then when I was ready to get rockin & rollin - my machine acted up. Great.

It also didn't help that the light bulb over the needle burned out and I could not see what I was doing. Figures. :P

Love from Texas!

Happy Birthday IHAN!

Let's tell everyone we know about these wonderful Giveaways....

Yep, that's what Kelly over at I Have A Notion said to do - so I'm shouting it out to all of my readers to go click on the above colorful button and have a great time reading thru all the AwEsOmE PRIZES that she is giving away over there!!!

For 30 days people, she's giving away something different each day!!!! T.H.R.I.R.Y!!! and it's not too late to enter all the days that have already passed since she started... as she wrote -

Last but not least- I want to remind everyone that they can enter all of the giveaways because they don't close until April 15, 2010 at 10:00pm CMT. If you would like to increase your chances of winning please read SewCalGal's Tips. Please consider taking a button (copy and paste) from the upper right hand corner of my blog to post on your blog and link to it. I want everyone to have an opportunity to win these beautiful gifts.

Yeaaa! and at the end of each post if you have the item she's giving away she gives an email addy and you can get bonus chances to win! What's not to love about her Blog's Birthday Celebration!!??!?!

I'm hoping I win the EQ6 software up for grabs, what are you wishing for???

Love from Texas!

Not even close

Bummer. I've been working on my 1930's Jewel Box swap blocks -and have then all joined together into a top.. only it's not large enough. My Jewel Box needs at least another row in both directions before adding my fancy border I found to add. Guess I'll keep on, keepin on with these.... I sure hope I don't run out of 30's scraps!

Looking on the bright side - at least I found a boarder that is different than the usual - most photos I searched on flickr. Most Jewel Box Quilts had piano key borders... but not this one! take a look!

Jewelbox quilt border pic from flickr user marode

The above is how I always name my photos that I save in my "Inspiration" folder, so that I can always remember who or where I found it... I like to give credit where credit is due ;) So I printed out a photo and marked it up - like a road map planning my next adventure. I think I'll use HSTs to create the turn on the diagonals out into the white area.

I will have to make another row both for the top/bottom and the side... to make it large enough before adding my border. I really like this plan... I just wonder how long it will take for me to get there?? :/

Love from Texas!

Wordless Wednesday

Love from Texas!

What Can a Cookie Do?

If you need Girl Scout cookies, please go to Girl Scout Cookies.org or visit your local council's website to find a sale near you. DO NOT buy cookies on eBay. It is against GS policy to sell cookies online in this manner.

I loved this and just had to share. I'm sure a lot of you are enjoying your own girl scout cookies by now.... all of mine are already long gone! :P But seeing this video reminded me of my GS days years ago and how I always sold the most in my troop.... ;)

I'd keep my order form posters from previous years and do most of my selling from calling past buyers and reminding them of how many they bought last year - and asking if they ran out too soon and needed to double up this year to freeze some? hehe..

Which sounds a lot like what I do now for my FQ Bingo signups each year. :) If your thinking about joining us, you have about 2 weeks before I start calling numbers each day... email me for more info! We'd love to have you join us! ;)


Love from Texas!

Design Wall Monday

Little by little, I'm getting these sewn into a quilt top. They are a group of 1930's swap blocks "Jewel Box" pattern that I exchanged a few years back with my HGTV friends.

I'm not too sure how big it will be yet - I'm thinking I want to use it on the queen sized guest bed upstairs - but I do know I do not what a typical piano key border.

So I've been searching and searching for something different and I think I've found IT! ;)

It will help that I have several swapped units to use to get started on this pieced border!! Now all I need is to get the rest of the rows together and then take up to the bed and see if what I have is going to be large enough.

Love from Texas!

Guess where we went today?

Nora's invited to 3 Birthday parties this weekend and since she loves painting and doing crafty things - we decided a shopping trip to Joann's was in order for today. She bought the two birthday boys ceramic, ready to paint, race car refrigerator magnets and the birthday girl a collection of 8 wooden dolls ready to color with markers. Nora has really enjoyed all of hers, and I think these will be great gifts that the kids will enjoy creating.

The party for Friday is for my best friend Heidi's little boy Jed. They were mine and Nora's very first friends we made when we moved to Texas nearly 5 years ago. They have planned, a nature hike, riding bikes and flying kites! Sounds fun don't you think!? I know that she said she would provide kites for the 20 kids who are Jed's age.. but I didn't want the twins to feel left out so I bought them some pinwheels.

My rule is - "we don't buy for ourselves when we are buying Birthday gifts for friends" but that didn't mean that I couldn't swing by and take a look at the blues while shopping at Joann's..... still on the hunt for a backing fabric to use one day for when My Blue Heaven is ready to be quilted. ;) These all look nice - but just think of what will be new and exciting to look at several months down the road... ;)

Happy Weekend everyone & Love from Texas!