Pouncing!

@ SewnNatural

@ brookiecookiesbows

@ knockKnocking

@ maddyandme

@ladybugboutique

Spending way too much time "Pouncing" on etsy. But it is so much fun.

Valentine Ideas

When my kids were young, I longed for the next issue of
Family Fun Magazine
It really helped me get through those years. It's chock full of ideas.

I thought I'd take stroll over there is see what they're up to these days.

Sweet and innocent
Heart Art

For the Teacher!

Everything here was made with goodies that you can find in and around your homes and garages. Or a quick inexpensive trip to The Dollar Store or Michaels. Instructions are found here too.

It's Done!

It's done, it is huge & I love it!!

Making this pieced parallelogram border was a lot of work. I do love how they turned out. Now I want to make another quilt with this type of border.

If you want to make this quilt don't wait to get the instructions


Roll Roll Cotton Boll will only be available until June 1st, 2011. After that date Bonnie will remove the clues from her blog as it will be appearing in a future book release. I'd recommend printing all clues before this date.

The Curious Quilter

Meet Mary at The Curious Quilter. I love the quote on her blog header "Curiosity breeds creativity. What are you curious about?"

She has a wealth of information about the history of cotton, how it is made and processed and how we use it. She calls it her Cotton Chronicles.

She does something that I am afraid to try.
APPLIQUE
That is a dreaded 8 letter word for me.


Her terrific tutorial is here on how to make a cute cupcake applique gift bag. But to make her post even sweeter, she is having a contest to win 3 autographed copies of an absolutely fantastic book by Debbie Field, creative guru of Granola Girl Designs.

A page from the book. Winners announced on 1/11/11

Resolution No. 1

New Homes for Orphan Blocks

We've all got them. Left over blocks that we just didn't like, samples that didn't turn out exactly the way we wanted them to. Extras from patterns that made one odd ball block that didn't fit into the rows.

Over the next week or two, I'll be introducing you to many of my Bloggy Friends as the month progresses.

They all want to organize and give their orphan blocks new homes too. Everyone is going to be giving away a stack of blocks. Be sure the check out their blogs, leave comments, and grab our buttons. It's fun, fast and FREE!


Here is a quilt from my friend Carol. She is a very traditional quilt and uses what she calls "dark and dreary". I think they are lovely. She doesn't have a blog but I wanted to show you her quilt using very traditional blocks and colors.

Her inspiration came from here
Riding the Orphan Train

Here are some goodies that may be in my give-away.

Wow!, Regena over at Quilt n Quilt Things has been very busy this holiday season.

She also has some wonderful Barn Quilts that you really need to take a peek at.

Is there a block for that?

Happy New Year to all of my Quilting Friends!

Well, today is the day for many of us to make our annual Hoppin' John recipes

Here is some deliciousness that I found on the web. Grab your dutch ovens, soup pots or skillets and start simmering your own variety.

found @ Hog and Hominy

found @ A Hungry Bear Won't Dance

found @ Allrecipes.com

found @ The Pioneer Woman

found @ VegWeb.com

Y'all think there is a quilt Block named Hoppin John?

Stashbuster Counter Clean-Up Winner

Gladys W ....... Come on down!!!!
Shouted out to the tune of "The Price is Right".

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 23
Result: 17
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Collect your prize!!
10 Hoffman Christmas fat quarters
plus the Holy Snowball pattern.

Ladies, y'all are quite creative. I think my favorite tip was "Go sew at someone else's house, make the mess there, and then go home". Just kidding. We would never do that.

Monday Morning Counter Attack... Submitted by Gladys

Clean it off and put things away on Sunday evening before you leave your sewing space.

For the working woman, Monday mornings are a struggle getting children and husband out the door, while "trying" to have your turn in the bathroom...

When that working woman comes home on Monday evening, she isn't going near that sewing space because she doesn't want to face the mess...but if it is all cleaned up you will go in a grab, (sew) at least a few minutes for your relaxation.

For the non working woman, wouldn't it be nice to walk into a clean space with that first cup of coffee ??

I put it in the same catagory as my kitchen ...I don't want my counter full of dirty dishes, and my stove messy, I have to be able to get to my Coffee Pot !!!

Is there really such a book?

My Photo Friday... it's freezing

I captured this photo at my annual
Quilting Bee's Christmas Party.

Here are a few more that I found all around the world. Of course I didn't travel to all of these places. I stayed home right here in front of my Mac ** warm and toasty.
Besides, I don't even have a passport.

France


Colchester, Essex


The Westin Poinsett in Greenville, SC

Zurich

Flower Sugar

Flower Sugar of Australia is have this delicious Give Away

Imagine what you could make with all of those pretty fat quarters. All you need to do is mention the giveaway on your blog with a link back to Flower Sugar and leave a comment. She is picking her winner on News Years Eve.

While I catch up on my Roll Roll Cotton Boll clue #6, I will be dreaming of this beautiful stack of fabrics. I think I'll make the Lecien Paper Lanterns out of these. I need to win them. Yes I do..

Roll Roll Cotton Boll

Have you ever been to QUILTVILLE? If you haven't, you should. IF you have, aren't you glad?

All of us quilters in QUILTVILLE sorted our fabrics, chose our colors, arranged and rearranged our stash looking for the perfect bits and pieces of just that right color combo. We anxiously waited checking the computer oh about 10 times a day, just to see if Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville.com posted the FIRST CLUE for the new Mystery Quilt – ROLL ROLL COTTON BOLL

THE DAY FINALLY CAME – November 19, in the wee hours of the morning – CLUE 1 was posted and the fun began.

Now on December 19th, A month later here is some of my progress

So I like to use pizza boxes to store my blocks in. Clean ones, of course. You should see me driving around town going into pizza joints asking for empty boxes. I am kinda embarrassed asking for ...um... maybe ten of them....please. So I ask for 3 to 4 and then hit up another store asking for more.

I am putting each clue into its own box. You never know how many clues Bonnie is going to give us before the whole quilt is done. Then it's on to putting the whole thing together. Now Bonnie doesn't mess around and make small quilts. No. Her quilts are HUGE. This one will finish 87" X 102".

Here is a quote from her:

"I love quilts. BIG quilts. I don't have a lot of use in my life for table runners or tiny quilts resembling place mats, I need something that is going to help me dig in and clear out, giving me a quilt big enough to cover the people I love! I also love quilts with lots of little pieces--but don't worry, we are all about straight easy sewing. There may be lots of units, but a cup of tea, some music on the stereo, a book on MP3, a few episodes of Oprah, and you will finish each step in good time."

I might not be watching Oprah, but I am happy as can be singing away to my favorite country songs. Country rules upstairs in my sewing room. It drives the rest of the family nuts. You just can't beat a fiddle and a guy like Trace Adkins or Kenny Chesney. Right y'all?

My Photo Friday... going Nuts

I am going nuts... and I am glad.

A handful of nuts each day is good for you. Right? Are they still good for you if they are combined with lots of chocolate, peanut butter, peppermint candy canes, or pretzels?

Watch this demo here on how to make this fabulous toffee. Her guest Chef Lia made this batch.

Everyday I follow Ree Drummond's blog. Have you heard of her? Seen her incredible recipes or watched her on the Today Show?

The wonders of a silicone baking mat. Nothing sticks.

Now I am impatient, I can't wait for my toffee to cool inside the house. Therefore, I bring it outside and place it in my screened porch for about 10 minutes. It gets rock hard. Most years this is fine because the temperature outside hovers around 34 to 40 at this time. Unless we have a year unlike others where it is 70 degrees.

Sprinkle your toffee with crushed peppermint candy canes, crushed pretzels, dark, semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, mini marsh mellows. Get creative. Let me know what you would put on top of your toffee.
Just thought I'd throw this one in for fun. Yummm!