Grow Your Blog Day and Giveaway

Today is Grow Your Blog!!! day hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full.  Visit Vicki's blog here and see the list of bloggers participating.  Many are new to blogging and would appreciate a visit and you are sure to "meet" some interesting and talented people.

I am late at getting my post up.  I spent the day at a Sit and Sew sponsored by Melanie of Fabric Chicks in Coupeville, WA yesterday and had a wonderful time but forgot to complete my post.  I have been blogging since March of 2010.  It has been a great adventure and I have met many wonderful people all over the world through blogging. 

Take a look around and you will learn more about me.  Briefly, I am the mother of six and grandmother to 16.  My husband is a pastor and I work full time for our local library system.  I have always been a lover of books and my job keeps me working with them five days a week.  I love to sew, garden, decorate, crochet, embroider, craft, spending time with family and friends, I could keep going.  In doing all of the things I love I want to put the Lord's will for my life first.

The blogging world has been a blessing to me and I in turn hope to bless someone else.

This is the pincushion I am giving away, just leave a comment if you want to have a chance to win.  

Hand embroidered on one side.

Pieced together on the other side.

 Giveaway ends February 14th.  I will announce the winner on the 15th.

Up The Garden Path Stitch A Long

I have been thinking hard about which Stitch A Long and Block of the Month projects I am going to commit to.  There are so many fun and free projects and tutorials shared by talented bloggers.  As part of my resolve  to balance things in my life I have decided to put a limit on how much joining in I will do.  I haven't chosen a word for the year but do want to balance my sewing, gardening and decor projects while always looking to seek His will daily.

This is one project that provides the embroidery and sewing that I love.

Fee's Garden Path Stitch A Long at her blog Mum's Cupboard is one I am ready to participate in.

The nine blocks below are ready for the stitching patterns that will be shared each month.

 January's block is traced and ready to stitch.  The fabrics I used are charm squares from the large stack of squares I purchased at a thrift shop in Wisconsin.  I shared this find in this post here.

I may still have too many projects and too little time but we'll have to see how it goes.  

Happy stitching or sewing or reading or cleaning, or ----- you fill in the blank.

A Few More Finishes

I wanted to share a couple of projects I finished recently.  While visiting this post at  A Quilting Life, I found a tutorial and pattern for this table runner.  I used Winter's Lane fabric which has been one of my favorites this year.  I have a couple of other projects to finish using this fabric.

I did a little machine quilting on this project, I always need practice. I have several small projects to complete and then I would have many opportunities for quilting practice.

I also made several little Hanging Hand Towels.  You can find this pattern and tutorial here at Shabby Art Boutique by Woodberry Designs

These are fun and quick to make. I plan to pick up a few towels and make some up for spring.

Don't miss the blessings all around you!

Here a Block, There a Block

I have done a little sewing in the last couple of weeks.  I completed blocks seven, eight and nine from Building Foundations Sampler QAL at Row House Creations.  Block ten is ready to go and sitting beside my sewing machine.

This is the last block for my Sugar Block Club 2013 quilt.  Now I have to think about how I want to put these blocks together.  I was getting down to scraps of fabric when I worked on this block.

I was able to finish a fun project but need some daylight to get a good picture of it. It seems to be dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home.  I am not complaining just telling it like it is.  Have a wonderful day! 

Stocking Swap

Michele Foster of Quilting Gallery sponsored a Stocking Swap in November.  We were given a pattern designed by Leena Green of Stitching Cow to use to make our stockings for our swap partners.  

Lynda of New Zealand was my swap partner.  She asked if I would like Christmas fabrics or something that reflects New Zealand.  I chose New Zealand.

This is what she sent to me

Kia ora is a Maori language greeting which has entered New Zealand English.. It means literally "be well/healthy" and is translated as an informal "hi" . I took this info from Wikipedia, I hope it is accurate.

I had great fun with this swap.  I just heard from Lynda about receiving her package.  It made it to her safely, we sent our packages at about the same time.

The stockings I made for Lynda.

An ornament showing the Seattle skyline and the Christmas ships.

I also sent her and embroidered ornament I made last year the design from the Aurifil thread designers blog hop.  I always enjoy joining swaps and meeting people all over the world.  There hasn't been much time for that this year and I am glad I was able to participate in this one.

Beginning a New Year

We began our New Years Eve celebration with take out from Red Robin.  Take out is something new to us, we started this last year.  We used to take everyone out to an early dinner but with the addition of several sweet grandchildren, take out has become a much more relaxing time for the parents of these sweeties.

After dinner we played some board games and had the usual fun of watching little ones run through the house.

They all enjoyed ice cream sundaes and a little extra whipped cream for dessert.

At midnight, eastern time of course, nine o'clock our time we celebrated with hats, horns sparkling cider and much jumping up and down.

Matt and Cammie with their little ones escaping.

Matt and Cammie without little ones

Micah and Lyndie and boys

Kevin and Amy and family

David and Michele and our newest grandbaby

We thought about our children and grandchildren far from us and missed them.  

We wish you all a Happy New Year!