Wool Round Robin

I'm taking part in a Wool Round Robin with some friends from my May Retreat group. We will be passing these around each month until May, when we will reveal the final results at retreat. Each person in my group (there are 4 in each group) will add to the wool round, that I started at right, bringing it to life with cute appliques and embroidery embellishments. I started my "on the farm" themed wooly with a little sheep. Baa!

If you want to see what several others in my group have started off with, check out Michelle's and Laura's blog.

Using It Up

This past year, I've been trying to use up the vast stash of fabric that I have in my house. I've made a number of quilts from my scraps, but the pile just isn't going down! This quilt is one I made yesterday from a dozen fat quarters that I had on hand. Even the borders came from my stash. The pattern is one I have had for many-a-year...it's a "stack and slice" technique...and is extremely easy and fast to construct. It will be quilted and given to the child of one of our fallen troops through my local Project Linus Chapter.

Has anyone else been successful at using up their stash? I know there are lots of blogs out there that are dedicated to stash busting if you are needing ideas on how to sort, cut, and use up that ever-growing pile of fabric!

...And All Through The House...

...not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse! It is soooooo quiet here. My little Sweet Pea went home on Thursday, and now the house is practically empty! I miss her already.

I was finally able to get back into my sewing room. It's been a very long time, and much has been neglected. I was able to make a set of tea towels for a friend's birthday. Our birthdays are a day apart, and we were going to go to lunch today, but the icky Midwest weather decided to show itself, so we have put it off until next week (hopefully). The poor quality photo shows the towels. I hope she likes them!

Now, off to find another project to work on...the Good Lord knows I have way too many started!

Shoe Box Love

I returned home from retreat on Sunday in time to start packing shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Filling shoe boxes with gifts for children in need is an annual event for my family. We gather and collect items for the boxes all year long, and then in early November, the boxes are assembled, labeled, and taken to a local drop off center. This year, my little Sweet Pea was here to help...she packed 10 boxes herself! She had so much fun picking things out to put in the boxes, especially the candy. She said, "Everyone needs a little candy! It wouldn't be Christmas without it."! This year, my family was able to pack 74 shoe box gifts. If you would like to fill a shoe box for a child this Christmas,
there's still time. Just go to Samaritan's Purse to get all the details
and to find a drop off location near you!

It's Here!

Happy Reformation Day!

An End to Summer

Summer officially ended last week...at least for my house! Sweet pea spent most of the summer with us, and we have enjoyed her so much. There's never a dull or quiet moment when she is in the house...just the way a Grandma likes it. We ended her stay last week with a trip to the Putnam County Fair! She and Grandpa rode the rides (Grandma's not so good on these!!), ate hot dogs and popcorn, viewed the livestock exhibits, and topped the evening off with the demolition derby. I think Grandpa has found a new demo derby buddy. She was sooo cute yelling, "Go, Derby!"!!!

Butterfly Kisses

My little Sweet Pea loves to draw! She spends hours each day drawing and coloring her favorite things...cats, Mommy, flowers, and butterflies, to name a few. Recently, she asked if we could make presents for her Mom. So we took one of her creations and made it into a kitchen towel for her Mom. Allyson picked all the fabrics for the towel, including some from her own stash. I think it turned out pretty cute, and her Mom will L.O.V.E. it!!

Mystery Guest

Can you guess who has been staying at my house?

Feathered Star

May was not only the big wedding month, but it was also the time for the annual BPF Retreat in Indiana. Six fun filled days of quilting with liked-minded friends! A group of us hit up a great quilt shop, The Back Door, on the way to the conference center, where I purchased this star quilt kit. It's a paper pieced Mini Feathered Star pattern by Cindi Edgerton of Little Bits. The fabrics are reproduction Colonial Christmas and it measures 17" square. I was able to start the flying geese units while at retreat, and then came home and put it away until after the wedding. It's now pieced and ready for quilting and binding!

Think I might have to make another one!!!

And The Two Became One

My son, Jacob, married his beloved Rachel on Sunday! It was a beautiful, simple wedding ceremony held during the Sunday morning worship service. I hope that some day these two will share the story of their courtship. It is an encouraging one, and one that our children should hear. I know that they don't want to be in the spotlight, but they are a true testimony to what serving God with their heart, mind and body looks like. I cried on Sunday! I'm crying now!! Tears of joy!

Mrs. D's baby boy has taken a wife!!

Hope to post a few more pictures as soon as my darling daughter sends them to me!! Hint-hint!

Hiding in Plain Sight

My husband has always liked to play games with our kids, from the time they were little into adulthood. Now he has another generation, with our adorable granddaughter, to play games with. One of their favorites to play is "Hide and Seek"! Grandpa always hides in plain sight...like the photo at left, where he is laying across the chairs under the dining room table. He is calling to her to come find him, and yet, she just doesn't know where he's at. She looks and looks, calling "Grannnndpa! Where arrrrrrre you?!!". And he replies, "I'm right here...in the dining room!". Finally, she spies him, and they both start laughing. It is a sound that brings me great joy.

The second photo is of a dish towel that my sister brought me in February. She machine embroidered the towel. Isn't it adorable!

"And I Made My First Block on the Sewing Machine!"

My little Sweet Pea was here for the past month, and what a fun time we had! She got to use my sewing machine for the first time...and at age 4, that's a pretty big deal! My little travel machine, a Janome Jem 760, is just perfect for her...especially since I can slow the speed way down for her to learn to sew. Her first block was a simple strippy block, and she LOVED the process of picking her strips and sewing them on. The blocks are 12-1/2" and she was able to make 2 that day (we were at a Project Linus sewing day, so her blocks will be made into a quilt for another child who needs a blanket). Her enthusiasm spilled over into the following days and weeks, where she daily asked to sew! She also enjoyed her first Shop Hop, where she eagerly collected new fabrics for future projects. I am so excited to have another quilter in the family! She also made her Mom and her soon-to-be Auntie Rachel custom potholders! She drew her art work on squares of muslin, and then was able to sew simple borders on the squares. They are so cute, don't you think!

Oh...and while my little Sweet Pea was here, she learned to use her scissors...to cut her own hair!! Not suppose to happen at Grandma's!! Her Mom will be taking her to the hairdressers for her first haircut.

I'm My Beloved's and He Is Mine

Happy Anniversary to my sweet hubby, Paul!

I know this sounds cliche-ish but, it's hard to believe it's been 29 years already. 1981 was a very good year!!

String Beans

OK...so these don't exactly look like your favorite garden veggie variety, but a few weeks ago, when I was itching to sew something...anything...I sat down and made 83 of these green string blocks!! They measure 6.5" square, and I just randomly pulled from my green scrap drawer. Now, after 83 blocks you would think the scrap drawer would be noticeably less full. But, alas, NO!!!! I still had to hold the contents of the drawer down as I slid the drawer in!!! What is up with these scraps??? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE scraps! Love scrap quilts! But, I have been trying, and trying, and trying to use them up to no avail! I think it is hopeless, or at the very least, a conspiracy!!

So, what are your scrap busting ideas???