Traveling Stash - Giveaway

"One man's trash is another man's treasure." These words definitely describe quilters. For months, the traveling stash has been visiting the homes of lucky quilters. Like the book, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the traveling stash adapts itself to each quilter that it visits. 

I was fortunate to win the box from Sara at Growing Stitches . I was actually in the hospital when I received the email from Sarah saying that she needed my address for an early Christmas gift. Due to the holidays and my recovery time, the Traveling Stash has patiently lived on my dining room table for a couple of weeks. It is anxious to visit another quilter.  Here are the rules for entering the giveaway for this Traveling Stash. 

Here are the rules:

1. You must have an active blog.

2. You may take whatever you want from the stash but you must replenish the box

3. You agree to host a giveaway on your blog and send the Traveling Stash on to the winner.

4. U.S. friends only please due to the shipping costs.

 The box contains a list of directions and a history  of the quilters that the stash has visited.

 It was fun to examine every piece of fabric, study each pattern, and open each bag with "bobbles and bits."

 In spite of the extreme temptation, the treasures that fit me best were some pieces of fabric, quilt labels, thread and a notion for old needles.

In place of these items, I added two older charm packs, Pampered Pooch and Hydrangea Garden, the recent Quiltmaker magazine (I had duplicates), patterns, notion for marking rows, a bag of selvages and whatever else jumps in the box in the next week.

The giveaway begins as soon as I hit "Publish" and will end next Saturday, January 7, 2012 at noon EST.  To enter, leave one comment describing your goals/resolutions/plans for 2012.  

Merry Christmas, dear friends! This holiday has been a wonderfully, quiet one for our family. My surgery went well. Recovery just takes time, good food, naps, physical therapy and prescription meds:) Wishing you and your family, a Christmas filled with much love !!!

Occupy Your Sewing Room

Barbara at Cat Patches challenged bloggers to "Occupy Your Sewing Room." Several times last week, I spent some time in my fabulous sewing cavern. 

The flannel quilt that I began last Summer was placed on the design wall. I was ready to begin piecing the borders when I discovered that I had arranged the blocks in a different design (ie. I didn't follow the pattern), but I like this design so it stays.  The two borders will be next on my sewing list.

 Dad's Christmas gift involves new pairs of slacks. Removing the button and adding zelcro helps with the arthritis in his hands. Three pairs done and actually mailed:)

 I wish I would have take a before photo. My quilting buddies donate fabric and batting scraps for my pet bed projects. I had a MAJOR mess. It took a couple of hours, but several pet beds are near completion and

 fabric was organized for various donations - Goodwill, Guild and an elementary art department.

Rusty received a "Snuggie for Pets" but it was TOO BIG. A little alteration was added so he can stay warm this winter. 

I wasn't able to do as much piecing as I had hoped, but my sewing area is organized and ready for the next sewing session. Thanks, Barbara for challenging us to spend time in our sewing rooms.

Winner of Holiday Giveaway

The winner of the Ruby charm packs is Connie from Quilting By the River. Thank you for the fabulous movie suggestions. I have a wonderful list for my recovery period. Thank you also for the kind words and prayers for my surgery. I have finally completed most of the items on my " To Do List." Christmas gifts are purchased and wrapped. Rusty had a bath, "pedicure" and flea treatment. My walker and other "aids" are out of the basement and in place. Can you tell that I'm so ready to get this surgery adventure DONE? Not sure if I'll be able to blog with the pain medications, but I will be reading blogs and keeping up with everyone. Take care, dear friends!


Becky

Holiday Giveaway!!!!!!!

If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know that I love blog giveaways. I love entering them and hosting them. In the evening while DH channel surfs, I read blogs. I've been blessed to win a number of giveaways (thank you, friends)  Just this week, I received an email from April at KoolBeenz . April does lots of neat things on her blog especially a weekly giveaway. 

I was fortunate to win a gift certificate from SkyeReve fabrics. Natasha has lots of cute fabric; but once I saw that she had Ruby by Bonnie & Camille for Moda, my decision was made.

But wait!  I've been wanting to do another giveaway and what better thing to giveaway than something I'd love to have myself. Natasha has agree to this change in the giveaway. She has set not 1, but 2 of the Ruby charm packs aside for us. The giveaway will end on Monday, Dec. 12th at 5:00 EST.  To enter the giveaway for the 2  Charm Packs of RUBY fabric, leave a comment telling me the name of a movie that you enjoyed. Next Wednesday, I'm having hip replacement surgery. I plan to watch lots of movies during my recovery period and need some suggestions.  Thanks for entering "OUR" giveaway! Thanks especially to April and Natasha for their generosity in their giveaway!

A Day in Death Valley

In early November, one of  our trips to visit Dad allowed us to attend an LSU game in Tiger Stadium, better known as Death Valley. Since it had been years since we attended a game, it was indeed a memorable day for DH and me.

 There were a variety of ways to tail-gate.

There were a variety of ways to show Tiger spirit.

DH in his "LSU is Football" gear.

 A variety people to meet including Bobby Hebert, now a radio announcer but once a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. His son T-Bob Hebert plays on the offensive line for LSU.

DH in his "LSU is Football" gear.

 An opportunity to watch the team come down the hill to the stadium

Tyrann Mathieu, Heisman Trophy nominee, in the red sweater.

 Mascot, Mike the Tiger, dressed as a band drum major

the Golden Girls

and the BAND coming down the hill

and finally in our seats ready for the game to begin. 

Stash Sale

Have you ever "overdone" it when shopping for fabric? Please tell me that I'm not alone in this obsession. While shopping at Sample Spree, I purchased too many fat quarter bundles. I'm feeling "quilty" guilty especially since a couple of other fabric lines are SCREAMING my name. This is the newest line by Kate Spain (I love her designs) called Good Fortune. The pre-cuts are due in quilt stores in January. Here is a link to the line on the Moda/United Notions website.  There are 36 fat quarters in the bundle. It is still sealed. It has never been opened.  I would like $80.00 for the bundle. This will include free shipping. I think I've figured out how to accept payment through Paypal.  Please email me if you are interested. Many thanks!


The FQ Bundle has been sold. Thanks!

Fan Day - LSU Style

Dear blog friends from UGA, Auburn, Clemson and Alabama, You can quit reading now. This post will not make you happy. I've been taking photos for months, but have yet to post them to my blog. Definitely, superstitious:) Allow me a few minutes to CELEBRATE with all LSU Tiger fans, especially those of us who live deep in UGA 'Dawg country. 


This past year, I've made many trips to Baton Rouge. My Dad is in a nursing home near my brother's home. (Lafayette is our hometown) I try to visit him every other month. This year one of our visits just happened to be on LSU Fan Day.   

 While Dad napped, DH and I made a trip to the LSU campus to savor LSU Fanaticism.

Tiger style Moonwalk

 the Defensive team entering the room

 signing autographs for fans

 a table of quarterbacks

Special Teams

The longest line for autographs and photos was for Coach Les Miles.

a variety of spirit wear

but my favorite is the one from "Swamp People."  Choot 'Em, Liz (if you haven't watched Swamp People on the History Channel, you're missing out. My favorite part is the subtitles because the Cajun accents are so strong:)

And just when you think that you've seen everything, a child's potty chair awaits you in the LSU Store:)

A Kodak Moment

Although, we are 39 years apart, we share common bonds/bands. Yes, my nephew and I are both wearing braces. DN has some spiffy invisible wires. I have all the metal that my orthodontist can fit into my mouth. DH snapped this photo for us, our "Kodak Moment" on our last trip to my brother's home. On returning home, I emailed it to my SILs and brothers. I could just hear dear nephew's Mom remarking "how special" and meaning it. I had made one major mistake. I forgot "Men are from Mars, Women from Venus." My brother, dear nephew's uncle, lovingly sent a reply. And I quote, "I am glad that you 2 suffer from crooked teeth and not hemorrhoids."  :))))))))

One to Geaux

"One to Geaux" - the headline on today's Baton Rouge Morning Advocate

This past football season, I've been a bit superstitious. Our LSU Football team has played a phenomenal season. I was just afraid to blog about it and jinx us:) I've become almost as fanatical as my DH, an LSU graduate. Congratulations to the 2011 LSU Football team, SEC Champions for 2011.  

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!

Christmas Quilt for 2011

 "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."  Christmas Lights is my entry for SewCalGal's 2011 Christmas Quilt Show. 

Like all my quilts, this is one that has taken several years to become a QUILT:) It began as a fun mystery quilt from Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com in Quiltmaker Magazine. The pattern is now available on Bonnie's website to download for free. (at least today it is)  Christmas Lights has larger pieces than most of Bonnie's quilts. All the completed quilts that I've seen have been stunning. I'd love to try this one in different colors.

One of my goals this past year was to finish some of my Christmas quilts so that we could enjoy them during the holiday season.This is one quilt that will remain in our home. I love the fabrics. The red, gold, green and blacks have become some of my favorite tone-on-tone fabrics. The backing is one fabric. It makes a fabulous quilt, too. Most of these fabrics were purchased at Sweet Home Quilt Shop. I took a big risk with the border fabric. I purchased it in a quilt shop in Baton Rouge WITHOUT having the other fabrics with me. I felt like it might work, but was truly surprised at how much it works with this quilt.

Of course, all quilts including Christmas quilts, MUST be inspected by The Boss of the Family:) Please head to Insights from SewCalGal to enjoy the quilts in this year's Christmas Quilt Show.