Aunt Polly is having a blogversary

Bebop over to Aunt Polly's Porch! http://auntpollysporch.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-1st-blogaversary-givaway.html and read about her giveaway. Since I told you about it, I have two more chances to win. What a love prize package and if you follow her blog as I have, you will find she has some amazing ideas and wonderful things to share. It is worth you time.

This Land is My Land

I have been thinking about what a wonderful place this "blog" land is and I really look forward to the chance to read the blogs of people who are becoming my cyber friends. I watch for your posts, I marvel at your talents, and I begin to feel like I know you in some bit of a way. So here is my idea! I propose we make a quilted block of our choice and put a border around it so that the total size of the block is six inches. In other words, if your inside block is 4 inches then your border would be 2 1/2 inches so the total block would be 6 inches. If your inside block is 5 inches, then your border would be 1 and 1/2 inches to make an 6 inch square. On the border we will write our name and our location. I promise to mail a block to anyone who mails a block to me. I would just like to see how many friends I can collect in 30 days and from how many different places. The way you can get on board is to make a comment on my blog and send me an e-mail at docslyst@gmail.com. If you would like to send and recieve blocks from others just put your e-mail in your comment so that others can e-mail you with their intention. I will not mail one to you until you mail one to me with a return address. I will post a picture of my blocks tomorrow. I will e-mail my address to you after your comment. I hope to collect enough blocks to make a lap quilt to cover my lap when I am reading your blogs. Hope you join the fun and we will be done by February 18!

No Strings Attached

I have been "piecefully" following this blog and Stephanie has posted a challenge I must take. http://loftcreations.blogspot.com/
Yes, Sara, you know I am random abstract and sometimes I can't follow my nose. Off I go again.
To quote Loft Creations
*This is a personal challenge, not a swap*We make our blocks any size we want. *We can make any projects we want--tablerunner, quilt, clothes, pillows--whatever tickles our fancy--but they must be string projects*Make as many projects as your heart desires*You must use scraps or fabrics you already have. The only fabric you are "allowed" to buy is for border, backing, binding, lining if necessary and only if necessary. Remember this is a challenge to use what you have. Also you may need to purchase the muslin for the foundation.*Blog preferred but if you want to participate and are blogless be prepared to send me photos of your finished projects*Once we finish a project we share it on our blog and let me know...I'll keep a number total by your name.*Projects must be completed by June 30.
Now I don't think I am a "fabricolic" but I do have some stash! So I think this one is right up my alley.

I Have Been Working

I have too many projects going again. I need some serious self-discipline. I finished my Fall Swap and will be mailing it to a lucky lady tomorrow. It is just too pretty and I am tucking in some surprises too.

I also finished a baby quilt for a very special little lady in Baltimore, a friend of my daughter's daughter. I quilted her name on the bottom of the very pretty quilt.

I am frantically making Baba's Burpees for my new Etsy shop. I love to make them and my daughter loves to give them to her friends. She helps pick the fabrics and then I get to add the cotton fleece.

And I have been knitting and I am helping with a quilt that we are taking to one of the Native American Schools so that they can auction it to help send some students to Europe this summer and I have been reading the newest Jennifer Chiaverinni's books in the Elm Creek series and I have been driving around on the very cold plains. The frost on the trees this morning was so beautiful.

Wish my friend Sara, WELL!

Many of you may know that Sara and I are friends. Her blog is "My Sewing Room". She had emergency surgery on Tuesday and will be in the hospital for a time and then home recuperating. Please wish her well by visiting her site where she has a beautiful blue snowflake quilt showing.

Sew Lucky Am I

It has been a frantic month but I have had some time to quilt and see my grandboys. I had to get online immediately because Vince gave me my birthday present early. Tonight when I came home he had carried my gift up to the quilting room and I had to show all of you. He designed it himself to hold my grandmother's sewing machine head that I have always cherished. He cleaned it up as it was covered with a sticky grime from being anywhere except in a house for years. We converted the treadle feet and drawers to a sewing table for me many years ago but the head has always been saved for something special. Here it is, all polished up except for the worn off painting where it has been used. The three little drawers are for quilting threads, scissors and tools, and buttons. The middle shelf holds my books and magazines and the bottom shelf accommodates my seasonal stash (can be changed to meet the seasonal needs I am working on). I just love it!

Sew Where Have I Been?

There is just no excuse for not blogging! I have been busy with work and now we are traveling, but there is just no excuse for not blogging! Actually, I have been working on some projects. I mailed my friendship bag to Australia. I have started on my Fall Mini Quilt Swap. I have been working on getting some fall wall hangings done. But most of all, I have been using my trusty book, Quilters Travel Companion that my brother and sister-in-law gave me for Christmas last year.
Vince and I have been on a well-needed vacation. We left Mitchell last Friday night and this is our seventh night on the road. The foliage we have seen is certainly the most beautiful of God's quilts. The roads through Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky were gorgeous, but when we drove into the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland the expanse was breathtaking. The weather in Williamsburg was warm and sunny and I needed that. We also took in the drive to the Delmarva Peninsula and the sight of water gave me a thrill.
Today, however, I visited a most delightful quilt shop in Ohio. I have visited many on our trip but this shop was special. Kathryn, the owner, helped tally up my purchases and I told her that I was going to spread the word on this wonderful place. Lucky are the people who live near Springfield, Ohio (not Illinois) as Creative Fires was a real find. I have never seen and touched so many beautiful flannels. As we were driving, I had decided that I was going to put a tree or a wreath in the center of the twelve friendship blocks we made and shared for a Christmas quilt. I found the pattern for the wreath at Creative Fires. One of the very pleasant staff told me that the owners started out selling stoves, then Bernina sewing machines and one of the customers asked Kathryn why she didn't sell fabric as well, thus the name Creative Fires.
The pattern book I bought for the wreath is one of Eleanor Burns books but in the shop they have the wreath done in four different fabric types for the four seasons. I took a picture which I will download when we get home on Saturday.
The great part about finding this shop is that they are building a new web site and you can order from them online. http://www.creativefires.net/ Check it out!