Join Me?

This weekend I won't be in blogland ....  I'll be here:

 

36th Annual

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show™

Saturday, July 9, 2011

9:30 am to 5:00 pm

Always on the second Saturday in July

(click on the words above to link into website for more information)

picture borrowed from  The Stitchin Post blog

  "Nature's Symphony"

the 2011 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show™ poster

Painting by Kathy Deggendorfer.

If you happen to be in the area and are attending the show, email me,

 I'd love to meet up with my bloggi-hood friends!!

I did mention in a previous post I was going to attempt

to make a certain tote bag to take with me.

Well ...

Beautiful bag ... even if I do say so myself :) :)

Really like the sides, though they were a real "you know what" to sew!

Even a side-front cell phone pocket!

I did it!!

Word to the wise ... do not attempt this purse under a deadline, unless you enjoy a challenge, a serious challenge.  Another hint, follow every. single. solitary. instruction to a "t" ... this is not a pattern to skip ahead on. Do not take short cuts.  Seriously! 
I'm seriously glad I accomplished this .... I may still attempt the purse,
however, it may take another year to think on it :)

I'm not totally sold on the handle fabric.  I know this may cover the soilage a bit better, however, I didn't have enough for the piping on the side panel pockets which would have tied everything together better.

Oh well ... I can always attempt to sell it after this weekend ... or during this weekend :)  One slightly used, home made, quality tote bag, created using a pattern by Amy Butler may be up for sale for considerably cheaper than can be bought in stores ;)

The purse will have the zippered interior pockets plus the magnetic closure ... which possibly could have been done here had I taken more time, but since I wasn't totally sold on the fabric .... I'm happy, really happy, its finished!!!

Oh!  And can you look at this picture and guess what new skill my darling daughters have learned while mommy's at work?

Yes ... they learned how to make pony tails!!

Yes ... they just had to make mommy's hair "real pretty!"

:)

I love my girls ...

:)

I'm not telling how long we sat and practiced ....

nor how long I walked around the house ...

looking oh so pretty

;)

I will return with what I hope to be very good, nice and beautiful pictures,

from my very exciting trip to visit the Sisters' Oregon Quilt Show ...

I wish you all the happiest of happies this weekend!!

Happy hugs and warm heart wishes~~

Winner, Winner & Winner!!

Winner, winner .... and winner!!

First, of course, just have to share my cuties!

Our Fourth was safe, happy and fun ... thank you to everyone who wished it so!!

I appreciate you, my blogland friends ... I truly do!

But I know you aren't here to listen to me prose on and on .... who won???

Okay ...

Winner #1 gets this pattern and her fabric of choice:

And ....

Winner #1 is:

28 PunkiePie (Jen) said... Sewing book and pattern is my favorite. I like a good fireworks display as long as it's free. :)

Winner #2, as a consolation prize, gets the fabric not awarded to Winner #1:

So ....

Winner #2 is....

30 quiltma said...  I love the pattern and the bits and bobbins fabric.  I love to watch fireworks.

AND SURPRISE!

Winner #3 gets a surprise just because I wanted to :)

This is a panel called "Tweet Others with Kindness"

by Kelly Mueller - The Wooden Bear for Red Rooster Fabrics

And that means, Winner #3 is:

18 jennifer said... I like to watch fireworks. Follow, oh yes! I like the Sewing Book collection. You have quite the view. Thanks

All winners were chosen by Random.org and if I had more time and were a little more bloggy savvy, I could have copy and pasted the pictures of Random.org's tool ...

but I'm not, so trust me ....
I appreciate you all and I will have another giveaway.

You know I love you!

Thank you to each and every one who took the time to enter and Lady Winners, please forward to me your snail mail addresses and I will get your packages mailed this week.

Take care, happy hugs and warm hearted wishes!!

EDIT:  Darn it!  I did have to say that this giveaway was for my followers the original commentor that was drawn as a winner was not a Why Knot? follower... as I truly appreciate you and wanted to reward those of you who stick with me, and Carol I'm sad to say is not a follower so I have to stick with my own rules !!! :(  So I had to go to Mr. Random.org again and that means ...

Happy Birthday USA!

I thank all of my friends for sharing wonderful memories with me

 and I wish everyone, whether in the US or not,

 a day filled with happiness and lots of moments

 to make wonderful memories!! 

As a sister of a Marine (my sister who is so little,
she went through most of boot camp without boots because
they couldn't find any small enough for her),
I'm well aware the cost of the ability to celebrate,
not only the fact of the celebration,

but also in any way we choose. 
I choose to be thankful.

Thank you for visiting,

thank you for inspiring,

thank you for encouraging,

Thank you!

I've got my tote bag cut and on the sewing table

... so here's to my wonderful day!!!

Happy birthday USA!

Happy hugs and warm hearted wishes!

P.S.  isn't my new look absolutely wonderful????

I offer a multitude of thank yous!

Plans Change Giveaway

Come and join me on my front porch this morning....

Gorgeous morning to sit and soak in the beauty!

While I was sitting and soaking, I was thinking of things to be done and things I wanted to get done ...

It lead me to think about things I wanted to do for you, my wonderful blogging friends.  I received this recently from Connecting Threads:

Three yards of Bits & Bobbins by Jenni Calo for Connecting Threads

(one yard each)

and 

 Two yards of The Sew It Book Collection by The Vintage Workshop,

Amy Barrickman for Red Roostar Fabrics

(one yard each)

I purchased both sets of these fabrics for use with this pattern:

Brand New Eva Sewing Basket Pattern by Hemma Design

(removed from plastic case for photo purposes)

 Held by one super, adorable 5 year old model:

Who wanted her picture included :)

So you've heard the path that good intentions have paved??

Well ... I seriously had super good intentions.  However, with the changes that have been happening in my hemisphere lately ... mostly good, thank you ever so much! ... my plans have had to change as I've run out of time to get done everything I want to get done ...

And I'm rolling with it and hoping to benefit you with those changes ...

With a GIVEAWAY!!!!

What do you think? That okay with you? Here's the deal ...

okay, gotta be a follower just because

those of you who read me deserve some sort of special treatment ;) ...

Seriously!

In one comment, share with me your choice above ...

Do you like just the pattern, do you like the pattern and the Bits & Bobbins

or do you like the pattern and the Sewing Book Collection?

And I'm thinking ... in your one comment ...

also tell me do you like fireworks?

lighting them?

watching them?

waste of money?

As fo me ... for my trip next weekend, I'm making a tote:

either this one: 

or this one: 

as my "carry-all" carry-on to my mom's.

Those are my plans for the weekend ... I'm decompressing from my first week back to work after seven years as a stay-at-home mom by sewing something in my sewing room and enjoying the gorgeous views out my front porch.

Oh Yeah!

Drawing will close on Tuesday evening, July 5th at 8 p.m. Mountain Time (U.S.)

This giveaway is open to international friends too :)

Goodness ... please remember to leave your email in your comment

 if you are a no-reply blogger, otherwise another winner will be chosen

  as I will be unable to contact you ... and that's just sad, sad, sad!

Happy Hugs and Warm Hearted Wishes!!



To All My Northern Neighbors...

July 1st is Canada Day!!!

I wish all my wonderful friends living north of the U.S. border ...

which happens to be less than 200 miles

... or 321.8688 kilometers ...

due north of my hometown ...

happy, happy, (safe) celebrations!! 

 So truly, we're basically neighbors, 'eh?

One of my "little" rewards to myself (besides the peace and quiet)

for going back to work, was finally gifting myself with one of these:

I KNOW! Flowers, again!! 
But what's a post without my flowers when they are so darn pretty???

Yay me!! LOL!

I bought myself a Kindle :) :) :) 

So ... now ... shall we all help me find time to use it???

LOL

Actually, I'm hoping with my commute into town and "possibly" getting stuck in traffic, lunch time (when I'm not working on hand sewing projects) and late, late at night (again, when I'm not with the kids or hand sewing) I can sneak in a little reading time.

To really knock this one out of the park ... isn't there always "bathroom" time???

LOL LOL LOL

NO!!!  Seriously, you know, the bubble-bath, candles, and glass of wine time???

LOL LOL LOL

OH YEAH! That's not my life ....

LOL anyway....

Anyway, besides lunch time at work, I thought I'd take it with me on my airplane trip to my mom's next weekend for the Sisters' 36th Outdoor Quilt Show!!!

 (remember last year's post? seriously, take a peek ... what a show!!) 

Think I can stay awake long enough to read?  If so, have any books to recommend? 

I've enjoyed books by Lara Adrian, Cindy Gerard, Christeen Feehan, J.D.Robb/

Norah Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and some really fun/light chick-flick types ...

(nothing heavy on the smut stuff ... sweet but not smutty)

I'll leave you now and look forward to your recommendations and

 ... to each and every Canadian friend ~

Happy Canada Day!!

Happy hugs and warm hearted wishes!

P.S. .... wouldn't it be the ultimate in cool accessories to have one of those

Beam n Read lights to go with my new Kindle???? 

You know, there's still a chance to win one on IHAN's blog hop:

Visit these two blogs today and you'll have a chance:

 Patsy Thompson Designs & I Have A Notion

... warning though ... 

I'm trying too, so don't trip on your way over,

or I might just run ya over!!

LOL

Good luck!!!

Another Lifetime ...

To each of my angels and to everyone who left comments of encouragement and support ...

I express my sincerest appreciation and gratitude!!

Thank you!

Every prayer and good thought must have been heard and was certainly felt by me as I had an absolutely wonderful first day back in the work environment ... everyone treated me as if they were so pleased to have be there ... what a treat, I tell you!!

What opportunites this new phase in my life will present .... Dear Lord, I am ready!

 LOL LOL

And coming back for yet another lifetime ...

remember this ol' quilt?

The doggie chew toy?

Well, guess what???

I'm guest posting over at Stash Manicure today ... Yes! ME!!

Head on over there (here, with this link) and you can see the process this quilt takes to live yet another life, sans doggie chew toy possibilities :)

Seriously, run on over, take a look and I do believe there may even be a giveaway opportunity ;)

P.S.  To everyone that left me such wonderfully encouraging words on the previous post, I thank you emmencely and will try my utmost to respond personally, I just cannot guarantee how soon it will be ... but I do so very much appreciate each and every one of you!

A New Chapter

Obviously, my book is still being written,

for today a new chapter in my life starts ...

No longer to be a stay at home mom ... but a working mom :)

Wish me luck ... better yet ...

wish the world luck ... to survive me!

LOL

To The Angels on My Shoulders ...

I Love Each of You!

Thank You!

Happy Hugs and Warm Hearted Wishes ~~