"What's on the line?"

I have a couple of favorite quilt tops on the line and they are full of fabulous scrappy prints! These quilt tops were given to me by my friend, Kristi. We were members of the same church and became close friends even though she was young enough to be my daughter. Age is no boundary to friendship and isn't that a nice thing? We are still friends even though we haven't seen each other in more than ten years. She moved to the west coast with her family and we moved from the suburbs to the lovely town of Henderson. :-) Distance is no barrier to friendship and that's also a very nice thing. Shortly before Kristi moved she asked me to come over and look at a couple of quilt tops that she thought I might be interested in seeing. They were scrappy tops made my her grandmother in Kansas. It wasn't her grandma's normal style of quilting, Kristi said, as most of her quilts were pretty applique ones and well-planned patchwork quilts that were hand-quilted. She showed me two of those lovely quilts that she had received when her grandma passed away. These quilt tops, though, were ones that no family member wanted, but Kristi took them. She saw something in the quilts and knew they couldn't just be discarded. She knew how much I enjoyed teaching and making quilts and so she asked if I would like to have them. And I, of course, said, Yes! Here is the largest one...............
Doesn't it look beautiful blowing in the wind? Now if you double-click on the photo below, you can see a close-up of some of the fabrics............

And another view of the fabrics........

And still another view of the fabulous scrap prints that make up this quilt top!

The second quilt top is slightly smaller and looks just as pretty blowing in the wind as the first quilt top did!

Here are a couple of pictures that you can double-click to enlarge and see the variety of fabric scraps that make up the quilt top.

I really like the fabric strips in the picture below.......yellow ribbons tied in a bow and wouldn't I love to have some of that fabric in my stash right now!!!

I have thanked Kristi many times for putting these quilt tops in my care. One day, I may have them machine quilted so that the fabrics will be stabalized but right now, I keep them wrapped in acid-free tissue. I love to take them out and look at them and wonder what the fabrics were originally used for......dresses or curtains or just for quilts? What a treasure they are!

Now, one more thing about Kristi........a number of years ago, the purple Bachman's Floral truck pulled up in my driveway and the deliveryman brought a bouquet to my door. I remember thinking he might have the wrong house as my husband is not a flower guy. The last time the purple truck came to my door was on my 30th birthday when my mother sent me flowers. It was a lovely and extravagant surprise from her. So when I opened the card and saw that the flowers had come from Kristi, I was a bit surprised. The sentiment on the card made me smile. It said simply......"Just because, Kristi". I loved the sentiment. It was fitting......no real reason, just friendship made Kristi send those flowers. Each time I see the quilt tops that she gave me, I think of those flowers and I think of her and her grandmother, a woman I never met but I know we would have connected through quilting. I love connecting through quilting, through needle and thread and a love of stitching. I count my blessings when I start to count all the friends that I've made through those connections! Some are quilters, some just enjoy looking at quilts and needlework, some craft while others don't, some blog and some don't. They, and you who are reading this, are all friends........just because!!! And isn't that a really nice thing?

Hope this day is the start of a great week!! After several days of very stormy weather here in Minnesota, we are looking at a week of sunshine ahead! Something fun is coming up on my blog tomorrow. Be sure to check in....just because!

Sandi

A Family Favorite Recipe!

I'm a fan of Mary Englebreit's work. I love her fabrics, her notecards and scrapbook pages, and all the little home decor items. About a year ago, I was checking out her website when I saw a "call" for family favorite recipes for a new cookbook she was planning. I submitted one right away and then almost forgot about it............until this past spring when I got an e-mail that my recipe had been accepted and would be in the book. :-) It also said that in June, I'd receive a copy of the cookbook in the mail. And I did!! That's the cookbook on the left. It arrived this past Monday and, in fact, there were two copies in the package and both were autographed. :-) I'm keeping one for me and the other will go to my daughter, Collette. One day, my son can have my copy. :-)
The book is filled with some yummy sounding recipes and I plan to try several. The recipe I shared isn't actually my recipe. It's from my Grandma Goldie and here it is in print. I think my Grandma would be so pleased. :-)

I "tweeked" it just a teeny bit for the cookbook (I added baking soda as I discovered through a baking mistake that it adds a bit of "golden color" to baked goods.) Her original recipe is one that I shared here on my blog quite some time ago. Go here and you'll find my post on her recipe. Of course, you could also go out and buy Mary's book. I plan to buy a couple more copies and give one to my mom and, ............ well, I can't tell you who else might get one because she reads my blog. :-)
So that was how my week started and it was definitely a good way to start the week. It got a little busy as the week went on as I taught a wooly workshop to a nearby quilt guild on Tuesday evening and then I've been working on a little winter project that I can't post about yet. I'll share some photos of the wooly workshop in my next post. It's going to be a busy weekend ........it's Sauerkraut Days here in Henderson. :-) Hoping for lots of sunshine and no rain. Back with more later............
Sandi

There's still time to enter the drawing on my bathroom decorating post so just go here and check it out. Drawing is at 8:00 p.m. tonight.

Celebrating Two years of Blogging and 500 Posts!

This is just a simple celebration of the simple joy that blogging has brought to my life this past two years. During that time, I've met so many new friends, learned so many new crafty and quilting techniques, and entered and hosted many a giveaway!! And to celebrate my two year anniversary (a bit late as it was May 26th) and 500 posts plus a dedicated group of followers, I looked for a little something that would describe the joy that blogging has given me........and so.....here it is...........
When I saw this journal with this quote by Adele Basheer .......

Joy........

to find the joy in each day is

to add light to the world.

I knew it was going to be part of my Two Year Blogiversary Giveaway because I find joy in every day! There are some days when it's a challenge to find the joy, but it's there even if it's just a tiny bright spot in what some might call a "bad day". Sometimes, I am fortunate and the joy I find in some days is the joy that I accidently bring to someone else (and vice versa). And yes, it adds light to the day, to the world. :-)

I needed the "light" aspect of the quote and when I stopped to buy some votive candles for my table, I thought........aha, buy candles to add some "light" to the giveaway! And how I love Yankee candles! They smell so delicious and so I picked seven to go with the journal........Tutti Fruiti, Fruit Salad, Honeydew melon and Lavendar Lemon. They sound good enough to eat! And then I found three that just said "Summer vacation!"........... Lakeside Birch ™, Willow Breeze ™, and Beach Vacation ™. There's one for each day of the week!

All you have to do for a chance to win the journal and the votive candles is leave me a comment on this post and this post only. The giveaway is open to bloggers and non-bloggers anywhere in the world. If you are a follower of my blog or a regular who comments, you will get two extra chances in the drawing if you leave a comment here. And one, more important thing.....make sure you leave your e-mail address or a link to your blog so that I can contact you if you are the winner. My "Random Number Man" will draw the winning name on Wednesday, June 30th at 8:00 p.m. And, when the winner receives the package......... they just might find a little something else tucked in among those candles for I do love surprises! :-)

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and have encouraged me with your comments. Words can hardly express how much I appreciate it!

Sandi

What's on the line?

It's my birthday gift from my mother! This pretty quilt top is one that she made in the mid 1960's. She knew that I liked it and so she gave this to me for my birthday. I've always liked the design. When I asked her what pattern she used she said that it was one she had ordered from the Des Moines Register newspaper. Have any of you seen it or know the name? I'd love to find out more about the pattern.
While I may not know much about the pattern, I do know something about the fabrics she used. Many are scraps from clothing that she made for herself or for me and my sister. That striped fabric in the upper left corner is from a dress that my sister wore for her school pictures one year. In the next row, the second block from the left is fabric from an outfit that I made when I was in high school. And the last block in that row is fabric from a dress that my mother made and I remember how pretty it was on her. It's also a really good quality cotton fabric and has a soft sheen to it. In the last row, the second block from the right, there's a pretty turgoise and white polka dot that my mother used to make skirts for my sister, Judy and me. We wore them with white blouses and white socks and more than one "can-can" (crinoline) underneath the skirt so that it would be full and pretty. Somewhere, I have a picture of the two of us in those skirts. I'll find it and post it one day. Those are just a few of the fabrics that I remember well. Some are scraps from dresses that my mother made for the women who lived at what was called "The County Home" back in the 1960's. She worked as a seamstress sewing clothes for the ladies and then went on to work at a store called "Lillian's". I always loved the name of that store. It just sounded elegant and it looked it from the outside. I only remember going into the store a couple of times and never owned anything that came from there. Since we could all sew, we didn't really buy much clothing. I do have the dress that my parents bought me for eighth grade graduation and I'm going to do a post on that one day. I got it out to show my mother when she was here and we were amazed that it looks almost brand new and it's at least 45 years old!

I took a close-up of the quilt block pattern so that you can see how it's made. I would love to have yardage of the pink tulip stripe. I remember it so well. I do love tulips and perhaps it started with that fabric. :-) Anyway, my mother hand-pieced all the blocks and then added the sashing by machine. The blocks aren't exactly square or lined up but I don't care. I like it just the way it is. I am not sure how I'll quilt it, or whether I will do it by hand or machine. I'm happy just to look at it right now and felt it was just the perfect gift for my birthday......especially since my mother was here when she gave it to me. :-)

I've added one more picture for today..........a charm pack that I won from RJR fabrics. They had a contest on facebook using this fabric line.............."Summer Solstice". I thought I'd tell you about it today, since this day is the "Summer Solstice" for those of us in the northern hemisphere. :-)

Contest entrants had to purchase fabrics from this line and were to make a purse or totebag from the fabric. I decided I'd like to do this and so I tried to purchase the fabric but it was sold out at more than one sight and another site was "on vacation" and no one in Minnesota carried it. So, I posted to the RJR site to let them know I wouldn't be able to enter after all. Okay, fast forward to a few weeks later when I enter a little drawing for a charm pack and I am one of two winners. I get a message that says they have the perfect charm pack for me.........and when I opened the package on arrival.........there it was "Summer Solstice!! It was perfect, just like they said. Now the challenge is to come up with a project for the fabrics. I have an idea brewing in my brain so I'm going to see if it translates to paper to fabric sometime this weekend. I'll be sure and share photos when I finish the project.

Actually, I was trying not to start new projects because I have so many old projects to finish. I have at least ten "in progress" projects on various surfaces here in my sewing room. I have got to finish some of them! LOL! Being here at the computer won't get any sewing done, so it's time to scoot. Check in tomorrow because I am going to post a little giveaway celebration for my two year blogaversery and 500 posts. Yep, I write a lot and I love it. Thank you Blogger for making this two year anniversary possible!!!!!

Have a great Monday!

Sandi

Decorating help and a giveaway!

The last time my son was out here for a visit, he said he thought maybe I should do something with the bathroom that is just off the kitchen. It's a little too white, a little too blah. He's right. I think it needs paint.......or should I do some wallpaper........or a border? Maybe there should be a frame or stenciled border around the mirror. All I know is it needs help.

Recently, I was contacted by a CSN rep to either offer a giveaway or do a review of a item for their BathroomVanities line of products. The "light bulb" went on and I thought......."aha! I'll offer a giveaway and readers can get their name in the drawing for a prize if they give me a tip for my own bathroom." So, I'll get help for my bathroom and you get a chance to win a $60 shopping spree just by visiting the Bathroom Vanities site at CSN . I looked through lots of the vanity accessories and such and thought about just picking an item to giveaway but then I thought.....the winner should be able to pick the prize that fits their bathroom. All you have to do for a chance to win is give me an idea for my "oh-to-white-bathroom". It's as simple as that.

Please make sure that you leave me a link to your blog or your e-mail address. Without one or the other, I won't be able to contact you and let you know if you are the winner. Anyone can enter.........bloggers or non-bloggers. The winner will receive a code that can used for your shopping spree. Please note.......most items include free shipping but if you choose an item that requires a shipping fee, then you will be responsible for that fee.

About a year ago, I was contacted by CSN with the opportunity to select a rug and all I had to do was write a review of the product. Just click here and you can see the rug I selected. I was delighted to have the opportunity to review their product because I had no rug for my entry. The one I chose gets compliments every time someone new visits. :-) I could have selected an item and done a review this time, too, but I'm going to let one of you have the prize. Just please give me some ideas for my bathroom! Comments will be accepted through noon, Friday, June 25 and winner will be notified by 6:00 p.m. that same day.

I can hardly wait to read your ideas!

Sandi

A new blog that you might like..........

And all you have to do is click the button on my sidebar and you will find a really great, new blog........but first, let me tell you about where you'll be going. This story starts with my sister. She's not a blogger but every so often she sends me a link to a blog or website that she thinks I might be interested in and this was one she sent me this past spring. It's not a quilting blog but it's author, Elizabeth, is a young mom that is doing a project each month that she will give to her kid's at Christmas......hence the name of her blog..... "TwelveCraftsTillChristmas". When I read her posts and looked at the photos of her projects, they reminded me of all the fun stuff I did with my kids. Sometimes the most simple supplies can become a really fun activity for kids!

When my daughter was four we had moved to a new home in a neighborhood that was loaded with kids. It was soon clear that I was the "crafty mom" in the neighborhood and our house was known as the place where you could use glitter and glue to your heart's content. When I would wax my kitchen floor it often had a bit of sparkle because we never quite got all the glitter cleaned up after a project. LOL! We made doll furniture from oatmeal boxes, painted Plaster of Paris projects, dyed weeds we picked along the railroad tracks, oodles of things from felt, and we painted rocks to look like turtles, fish and lady bugs. We spent 33 years in our house and shortly before we moved we emptied out two large flower pots and in the dirt we found a lady bug. Not a real one, though. It was one my daughter Collette had painted almost 30 years before and probably placed it next to the flowers in the pot. I laughed to think how long that ladybug had been sitting in that pot. I took it out and washed it off and gave it to her to sit in her ladybug themed laundry room. Some things that we enjoy never change. And the memories that go with them last forever. That's what I liked about Elizabeth's blog. She's making fun stuff for her kids and it will provide lots of fun memories for many years to come. So right now, just click on that button and check out the fun stuff she has been making. Enjoy!!

Could be a stormy day here in Minnesota. I'll be watching the skies. Hope it's a good day where you are!

Sandi

P.S. My favorite project on Elizabeth's blog is the play mail carrier...........just click here to see it. :-)

A teacup swap received!

Okay, here it is. Susanne in Australia sent me the sweetest pink-a-licious teacup swap ever!
It arrived in this pretty box...........

And when I opened the box, this beautiful totebag was inside!!! I gasped. Really!! I love pink and roses and she made such a beautiful bag. I nearly cried.

But then I peeked in the bag......and actually everything was wrapped when it came but I didn't take pictures then as I was too anxious to see everything she had sent. Look inside that bag.........

It was filled with more pink goodies and here they are..........

First, I opened the custom made teapot card. Then I unwrapped the needlecase (you can see it opened below). And then I unwrapped that teeny-tiny teapot pincushion!! And then came the teacup! The felt sweets that she made on the saucer look almost good enough to eat! And the last little goodie was a thimble from where she lives in Western Australia. :-)

Here's a close-up of the teacup pincushion...............

I loved every single thing she made and as I mentioned yesterday....she spoiled me but I am so glad she did. Now you can see why I said that what I sent her just wasn't as fine as what she sent me. Soooooo, when my mother and I were out shopping, I found a little something that just said "Susanne needs this" and after I embellish it a bit, it will go off to her in the mail as a thank you for such a lovely swap. Some of you have e-mailed and wondered about this swap. It was not a swap I organized but is one that was hosted on the Yahoo group......... CrazyAboutPinCushions. Just click on it and you can join, too. It's a fun group with lots of inspiration for pincushions of all shapes, sizes and designs. :-)

I mentioned yesterday that I would tell you about another little "hidden treasure" that my mother and I visited while she was here. Actually, it's not really hidden, but it's kind of small and unexpected. Many of you are probably familiar with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Well, the brothers who began the clinic grew up in the little town of LeSueur, MN just a few miles south of Henderson. The family home sits in the heart of downtown LeSueur.........

It is such a petite little house and a very interesting style. We arrived too late to tour the house so I just took a photo but one day when I'm in LeSueur on errands, I'm going to visit it and will share some more photos.
If you double-click on the photo below, you can read the history behind the house and the family.

There's an old saying............"You learn something new everyday". Well, that was certainly true today and I have to share what I learned because I can't believe I didn't already figure this out. It has to do with blog comments. I didn't know that you can have your blog comments sent to your e-mail address. I always wondered if there was some easier way than how I was doing it. Whenever I would reply to comments it was time consuming because I'd click on the commenter's profile, then open my e-mail, then type the comment and then sometimes go back to the comment because I didn't remember to copy it so I can remember what I'm replying to.....it was cumbersome. Well, today, I got lucky and learned something new. I hadn't been over to visit Chookyblue's blog lately so I stopped in to see what she had been doing (her photos are always beautiful). I happened to notice on the left sidebar that she had a new topic in her "How to-blog bits" titled "get your comments e-mailed to you". I clicked on it, followed her how-to steps and like magic, my comments began coming to my e-mail address! Oh, my gosh, it makes it sooooo much easier to reply to your comments. I wish there was a way to have it be retroactive to old comments so that I could reply to some of the many comments that you have all left for me. I have amazed myself that I have learned as much as I have in this blogging journey but I am constantly amazed at how much I do not know. It took me two years to figure out the easy way to answer comments. I wonder what other great things I'm missing in this blogging world but whatever they are, they will just be opportunities to "learn something new every day!" :-)

Hope you'll leave me a comment so I can answer it right away. :-) Have a great day!!

Sandi