Strings

I started working on the strings for my donation for Quilts of Valor through Heartstrings. I was given a large amount of white strings so I decided to make this top mostly white to be a bit different.  It takes 48 blocks to make a quilt so I have a long way to go.

Rugs & Runners Workshop giveaway

Becky over at Patchwork Posse is having a giveaway for an upcoming workshop. The winners (yes there will be two lucky winners) will be announced tomorrow so hurry on over to enter.

Just to give you a heads up on what you will be winning:

• · Rugs & Runners Online Workshop. For 4 months, a new pattern for a Table Runner + an adjustment for a Mug Rug will be posted. These are exclusive patterns by super talented designers! Each month the patterns will feature a different season. The workshop site is available 24/7 allowing you to sew on your own time and in your own home. Besides the patterns you will have access to a gallery to post your photos, a forum to ask questions, and a community of worldwide members. Don’t miss out on these great patterns by your favorite designers!

Christmas in July

I've always loved Christmas in July. I love Christmas and all it's bright lights and sparkle. I enjoy the wrapped presents even more than what's in the boxes sometimes. It's been a couple years since I really went all out at Christmas but this year I am feeling the decorating vibes again.

I'm cutting it very close with this blog post for Christmas in July! Nothing like waiting until the last minute. Pam over at Gingerbread Snowflakes joined me and some other bloggers for the 2010 Stocking Give Away. Several of us are already excited for this year's stocking give away. Pam being the organized person that she is ordered some stocking panel fabric earlier this year. She so very generously sent me a section of one of the panels. There were large stockings and small stockings on the panel(s). Pam sent me a set of small (oops I was wrong, these are the large ones) stockings.

click for a closer view

I thought the designs just screamed for some embroidery and bead accents. I think I will be making one stocking out of these pieces. I thought about making two stockings and trying to find the right backing but changed my mind. No big surprise there. I am always changing my mind alot of times at the last minute.

If anyone is interested in joining me for this year's stocking giveaway I will be hosting it again. We will be making a stocking and filling it with any fun goodies of your choosing. Your stocking will need to be made and posted on your blog in time for the giveaway. This year you should be prepared to have your blog posts up on November 28th. With the drawing to be held on December 5th. That gives everyone the opportunity to shop on Black Friday for any great deals and also gives the stocking time to reach it's destination in time for Christmas.

This year I will be giving away a stocking (or two) filled with goodies. I will also be having a drawing for prizes for those blogs that are participating in the stocking giveaway. I'm thinking that a gift basket for the grand prize would be fun to win and fun for me to make.

Directions? Who needs directions?

When Mandy left for the Army I put her old roll top desk out to the curb. It was picked up quickly like most things I put out to the road. Since we live on a main road I don't have to worry about things going to the dump, they always seem to find a new home. Now that she is back home she decided she needed a new desk. We found a reasonable priced desk at Walmart. This box seemed to have a few "extra" pieces though. In the bottom left corner (by the dirty laundry lol) you can see part of some triangle wood pieces. This desk doesn't have any triangle areas so I don't know why they are there.

Mandy did follow the pictures for the most part but I think she winged it a bit here and there too. I think we all do that even with our quilting. I know I do and then I end up using the seam ripper again.

Here is Mandy's finished desk. I think she did a great job! This is where she spends lots of time working on the computer and drawing. I'll post some of her drawings later. She has turned an old childhood hobby into something nice.