"WHIRL INTO WINTER GIVEAWAY"

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!!!

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the "Whirl Into Winter Giveaway".....and welcome to my blog.

I thought I would just start off by stating a few rules of the giveaway.

1) NO comments will count unless they are left on/after January 1, 2009 and no later than January 15, 2009. I will post the winner's name on my blog the evening of the 15th so check back then.

2) I am requiring all commenters leave me your email address IN YOUR COMMENT!

3) Only 1 post per email address will be counted

Now that the nasties are out of the way, lets have some fun....

Here's a picture of my goodies:

I am sending 2 Thimbleberries pattern pamphlets, a notepad, a Mary Engelbreit journal, a homemade petscreen zip bag for your rotary cutter, 2 fat quarters and a homemade woolfelt "HOMER's DONUT" pincushion.

If you'd like a chance to win my goodies please leave a post on my blog and to make it interesting I'm asking that you tell me your favorite quilt block.

I have come across a few more items that I will be including also.

Peggy

Backporch Friends Challenge for 2009

So, Busy Liz over at Backporch Friends has issued us gals a 2009 Challenge...send in a list of 15 unfinished projects for the chance to win a few small gifties. The entrance fee is 2 fat quarters...now, who can't afford a few of those? So, I packaged up my fat quarters and a list for Ms Liz and proceeded to take some pictures of my projects.....WHEW....I'm gonna be one busy woman this upcoming year!! Here are a few pictures of the TOP 4:

First, on the left is a 30's Round Robin I did about 5 years ago. It's done in muslin and 30's... I really like it and need to add some borders to at least bring it up to a single size....then the usual quilting and binding.

These 12 blocks are 18 inchers that need setting. I won them on Ebay a few years ago for almost nothing. I've never "bid" on blocks before but took a chance they'd be nice. I was pleasantly surprised when I got them just how nice they were. Any ideas on setting them?

Now we have the 2008 Thimbleberries Big Quilt....

It needs a few borders so I think this will be my # 1 to work on.....

And, last but not least are the brown/turquoise/cream blocks I did over the late summer in a swap. All of the blocks were beautiful and i'm itching to set them....

I was thinking with these blocks I'd set them just the way I have them laid out, using a setting square and strips between them...nothing fancy, just a simple setting to showcase the blocks. What are your thoughts????

Peggy

DO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY KNOW ME?

What do you think, do my friends and family know me? Just last week alone I received 6 mugs, 4 of them are in my favorite color!! My daughter Sarah is always calling me Mamasita so when she found the one on the right (with a different spelling than the way I spell it) she had to buy it and give it to me for my BD. Jennifer gave me the big red dot and the "You are special" one and the red dot one behind Jen's is from Michelle.....I have a different mug for every cup of tea I drink during the day...How lucky am I?

Peggy

It's Starting To Take Shape

Yesterday I showed you the 2008 Thimbleberries blocks. I spent a little time last night working on the assembly of them so here's a picture of them taking shape.....

I'm going to start working on the other side tonight.....

We had a gorgeous day here today in NJ.... I'm wondering if Mother Nature noticed that it s December 28th? It hit 70!!! I had windows and doors open airing the house out. It's so nice that we're going to grill some burgers for dinner.....

How was your Sunday?

The week between....

So, what are all you quilty girls doing for the week between??? I was going to start a new project but then I thought to myself....NO..YOU MUST NOT START ANYTHING NEW!!!

So, I pulled out my 2008 Thimbleberries Lodge Kit and decided to catch up and try and get the whole kit and kaboodle finished..... I have this much done but need the setting triangles cut and then the borders....I have quite a bit of work ahead of me but I'm really enjoying it. I'd like to send this out for quilting as soon as it's done and it would be oh so nice to say I got the whole 2008 kit done in 2008.....

Has anyone else out there assembled their top totally?????

Peggy

Vending Containers

Did I get your attention with that title? LOL So, have you ever asked yourself "self, what do you think 200 vending containers look like?"....well, frankly, neither did I until the other day.

I like to do embroidery and use the # 8 dmc embroidery floss on a ball but I find it unravels and then I end up with knots galore. So, last weekend I'd gotten an email from Bird Brain which sells cute little floss balls I think they call them. Their price was not too bad for a dozen but I needed more than 1 dozen and in one of my daily emails to Robin she mentioned that on ebay someone was selling these vending balls for a tremendous price...so, I wrote the guy and voile, I am the proud owner of 200 vending balls.....not that I need 200 but I will split this box full 3 ways and mail some to Robin and Michelle for these balls of floss that I have to do a small project.....

Fabric

As I reported earlier, today was a gift fest at work....What do you say when a non-quilty co worker gives you a gift bag and inside are 2 1 yard pieces of fabric? You almost want to say,
"OMG...you seriously know me"...and almost cry... That is what happend today when I opened a gift bag and inside was a large ziploc bag with these 2 fabrics inside...the front fabric is called mirabelle by Alexander Henry and the back fabric is a Laurel Burch. I could not get over the fact that this girl would order me 2 yards of fabric for Christmas! I KNOW the mirabelle is going to be a purse for sure. I don't know what I'll do with the LB but I'm looking forward to picking a purse pattern out and making it for the spring.... Miss Abby, if you're out there....You're a keeper!!!
Happy Holidays to you and yours!!!

Peggy

Woo Hoo for Birthdays and Christmas

That's all I can say....Woo Hoo!!!

Yesterday was my 54th and boy oh boy, did I get treated royally. From breakfast with gifts in work, to dinner and gifts from the family last night....I felt like a queen!!!

So, in between breakfast and dinner I got a little packie from Robin....now, you know I love packages, and when they come from a quilting sister I just gotta smile, and blog.... Robin made "Peanut the Elephant" from a cute 30's print with his saddle being made of yo yo's...she also made me that beautiful purple scarf in the front as well as the pincushion on the left, sent a roll of TB thread, a book on how to knit, knitting needles and yarn as well as a cute little hard cupcake that you can use as a treasure keeper.

Michelle was nervous that her packie was lost...have no fear Michelle, it arrived this afternoon and all was intact.... a red with white polka dot mug, a rooster (i think) pincushion, a candy bar, 2 boxes of flavored tea, 2 ornies, a candle mat kit and this sock monkey...is he cute or what? Makes me want to just smile when I look at him. OH...and lets not forget the cute, cute, cute, wallhanging. It says Tea Time and it's embroidered and looks antiquey...Michelle did a great job on it because it has a lot of small intricate stitches.

A gal is very lucky to have friends and family so close and so nice to treat me to this birthday loot!!!!

And to think...Christmas is 2 days away...more pressies to open LOL

Feeling Much Better

My hand was feeling much better today, so much so that I made 2 things for the 1/1/09 Winter Giveaway..... I can't show a picture now but stay tuned for New Years Day where everyone involved will be able to start posting pictures....

I did finish off the last 2 bags that I needed for gifts this week. The one on the right is either japanese or chinese shoes for my daughter, and the one on the left is made from some Moda fabric I had in my stash, and my sister Pattiann will be getting this one in her Christmas basket on Thursday.

I thought I'd have time tonight to start a table runner for Valentine's Day from this Jeri Kelly book I bought a while back but I didn't wash the fabric so that will have to wait until next week since I just put the fabric in the washer now.

There is a table runner for each month along with directions for 4 coordinating place mats.

If memory serves me correctly, this may be a BOM thru "Quilt Something" but I'm not doing the BOM, I just bought the book and fabric for the February runner.

Hubby just texted me from Giant's Stadium to say it's "cold" there.....No way would I be sitting in a football stadium on a cold Sunday night watching men I don't know playing football......

And how was your Sunday?

Peggy

Holiday Pretzel Snacks

Actually, they're called Holiday Pretzel Rings but I don't have the rings, I have waffle pretzels....

Sarah loaded up the trays with all the pretzels, opened up all the hershey kisses and popped them all in the oven....I only helped pop the M&M on top so they didn't cool off and not be able to get the M&M on....

I think they look good enough to eat don't you?

Peggy

I became a great aunt again

My nephew Steven, his wife Angie and their 2 year old Steven Jr. welcomed Matthew James Steven Fox into the world on Thursday, December 18, 2008......What a beautiful baby they have!!! I probably won't get to see him until the summer since they live in Florida but Steven is sending me picture after picture of him... I did not put a picture of Angie up yet because I know she would not be thrilled to see pictures of her with her hair a mess and in her hospital gown so I will wait on pictures of the proud mama...... Here's Daddy with all 7lb 2 oz of Matthew.....

I've Been Tagged

So, I've been tagged by Laura today...Seems I'm supposed to open my 6th picture folder and then the 6th picture.....Laura had a picture of some glazed carrots (don't ask...). So, I went to my folders, opened them up, grabbed the 6th picture and this is what I have to show you............

This is a pincushion that Michelle made for a pincushion swap that I think Robin hostessed this year.....ain't it cute?

Laura didn't tell me I had to tag anyone....Anyone else out there want to show their 6th folder, 6th picture?

We have had nothing but rain all day :( ABC News last night got me all excited thinking I was going to get a call from the school this morning telling me to go back to sleep...that didn't happen!!! I could have really used a day off ya know?

I need to wrap presents, still need to buy a few presents and geesh....a little more sleep too!!!

What's everyone up to tonight?

Peg

I went nuts!

I went nuts making these bags.....

I showed you the other day the one I made to put a gift card inside for a grab bag at work....Well, since they were so darn fun to make I decided to make a few more and fill them with gift cards for any of the girls on my list that are getting gift cards.......The multicolored one in front is the prototype and since it's all dots and cute things I love, I'm keeping that one for myself.....OH, and I still need to make 2 more before next weekend...

Lookie what I did to my desk chair....It's a very old chair, something on the bottom says 1936 but I'm not sure that's when the chair was made or if someone just printed it on the bottom...I picked the chair up years ago at a thrift shop and every once in a while when the urge hits I change the seat cover. Well, I had a HUGE piece of this polka dot fabric that I LOVE...so what better fabric to put on the chair and make it happy looking???? Hubby did the stapling since my hand is still a little weak and sore but he did a great job and even he thinks it looks nice....

How was your weekend???

Peggy

I'm Ready to Mail

Woo Hoo....the first packages of the 2008 Christmas season are ready to be popped in the mail!! I think the 2 lucky recipients will be anxiously awaiting their boxes this week.....

I am going to throw some sneakers on and go out now to our 24 hour Post Office and get this show on the road!!!

Peggy

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

You might ask where I've been......well, I've been here but I'm a little out of commission for a few days. Seems I put my Thimbleberries log/churnie top down with my sewing basket with very little of the binding to tack down on Wednesday and with a Christmas party on Thursday and my unfortunate spill yesterday, well, this poor thing is still sitting undone. OK, I'll give you the Readers Digest version of my spill. Hubby'd reached into the back seat of his car to grab his jacket and I walked around him to get the mail and had to duck so he didn't hit me with the jacket and when I did I lost my footing and down I went. Hit my head on the blacktop, twisted my left hand and arm and then rolled around like a fish out of water. My hand is all swollen and black and blue but the bump on my head has gone down. I did wake up with a sore body all over but Aleve is helping with that.

So, since I can't sew, I cleaned the house, set up the tree and got the ornies on it and this afternoon we put the outside lights up. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

Of course it looks so much nicer with the house a little darker, then you can really see the lights but then it's tricky taking pictures....

So, is everyone done shopping?

Peggy

A While Back

A while back I'd seen on Sharon's blog some cute little purses or totes, whatever they are called so I wrote to Sharon and she told me they were called Treasure Box's....Well, I had a heck of a time finding the pattern even though she told me who the designer was. I mentioned it to Robin, and voile....she found the pattern and sent it to me. Well, I made a prototype, which turned out ok but I wanted to make one for a present using only 1 fabric so I did a quick trace, made a cardboard pattern and here's what I came up with...........it really turned out cute too, and I found it only takes about an hour and 20 minutes to turn one out.... Now to get to the store and get some more zippers......

Thank you to all of you who wrote while Comcast was tryin to figger out my problems...

I am again up and running and waiting on emails from everyone :)

Peggy

Email problems

We have no idea what is going on but I cannot email....
Al's been on the phone and online support for hours with the comcast people.
I can get emails (not that I get much on the weekends anyway) but still....BUT, I can't seem to send any mail and actually have people receive it.

I'm going to try from work on Monday. Comcast has asked for our patience and has said they have attempted to figure out the problem. They asked us to see if it is fixed within the next 24 hours.....

Peggy

I haven't gotten much sewing done this weekend but I am getting stuff done around the house.

Thankfully ,the board of health won't shut me down this week...I cleaned all 3 bathrooms and dusted, vacuumed and did all the sheets in the house since the kids are back at college and the oven is cleaning as we speak.....I also set up my Christmas Tree (no lights or ornies yet) I put out my Christmas Friendship Star table runner

that Michelle made me a few years back, I hung the Christmas wall hanging Robin made for me in 2004, and I ironed the table cloth for the dining room table and put that on.

I flip flopped the quilt I have over the back of my couch this morning.

I had a Civil War top over back that I did a lot of years ago (no, I can't look at the quilt back because I didn't label it) and I folded that and put a green and red top on the couch for the holiday season.

When I took my pile down to get the green and red one, I realized that I've kept more of my own quilts than I've given away....

The top 2 are the ones I just bound last week, then I have a friendship star 30's from the BPF retreat girls (a block swap at retreat) then a purple from Robin, a "Louisiana" done in Pat Sloan fabrics from a PAQ swap and then my king size Civil War top.

I am hoping for a quilt rack for my birthday on the 22nd so I can display these quilts better......but for now, they sit on the shelf and we use them as we need them.

How's your weekend been?

You might remember that a while back I showed you a picture of a quilt I'd finished with some black/30's blocks that I'd swapped with Robin and Michelle either last year or the year before. Well, I sent it out to Sandi for quilting and when it came back I immediately put the binding on and started to tack it down. Now...I'm not known for being fast at binding so I won't disappoint you and say I did it all in 1 night...no, I can easily say it took me about 2-3 weeks to tack it down...BUT, I finished it earlier in the week and then threw it in the dryer to give it a little fluffiness and now it's ready for use.

Since I did do these blocks with my 2 best friends in the whole wide world, I'm going to keep this top for ME! Here's a picture of the finished top and another picture of the fabric I used to back and bind it....

Now to put the binding on my Thimbleberries Log/Churnie top......

Peggy

Whirl Into Winter Quilt Blog Giveaway

You have to click on my snowflake and check out this blog giveaway....
I will be posting a picture of my giveaway items after Christmas....stay tuned!!!

Peggy

Show Me Some Snow

We left yesterday (Saturday) to take Sarah back to Penn State. Since it's 5 hours up and 5 hours back from our house, we like to leave after dinner and drive to Harrisburg, PA and stay overnight. So, this is what Harrisburg looked like this morning at 9am when we were starting our trek to State College..... Rain, rain, and yet more rain.

So, we get to State College and drop her off at the dorm and head out on the 5 hour return trip to NJ..... Snow!!! All I wanted to see was some snow and Pennsylvania did not disappoint me today..... I guess in one part of the state it was raining and a different part was snowing. I love the snow and would not be at all unhappy if I had to spend some quality time at home, in jammies, in the snow sewing :) Now, hubby has a different view on the snow since he's the one that would have to do all the shoveling and since they don't cancel work like they cancel school, he'd have to drive thru it all the time......

So, we are back and while hubby drove, I checked out 2 new magazines I got this weekend. American Patchwork & Quilting and Quilts & Gifts, both Better Homes and Garden magazines.... I have lots of ideas for last minute gifts rolling around in my head now......

Yesterday, before we left town, I finished a baby quilt that I need for probably March. It's for a teacher in school who's expecting her first baby. I picked these bright colors without knowing that she's looking for black and white for the baby room so I done good picking a pattern and color scheme.....

I think since it's early I might work on a few Christmas "surprises" for some lucky girlies I know.

What a Deal

Have you ever put off going to the quilt shop because you think you're going to spend more than you should on something you don't need? Well, that's how I felt yesterday.

But, I ran out of supplies for a secret project I'm doing for 2 sisters that read my blog so I can't tell you what I ran out of.....so, around 5:00 hubby started asking what's for dinner and the girls said chinese. I took that opportunity to tell him I was running to the quilt shop for the supplies and I'd pick the chinese up on my way back....which only gave me about 20 minutes to shop. PERFECT!!! I found what I needed and when I went up to check out I remembered reading the newsletter in the morning and Debbie mentioned having some new and used machines for sale in the classroom....so I went in and peeked. This bad boy was sitting there with a sale tag that said $129.00....could that really be the price? I went out to ask Debbie and she immediately walked back with me and confirmed the price. Well, as you can tell, it's not at Debbie's anymore, it's at my house :) I tried explaining to hubby that I'm always lost when I take my Bernina Artista in to the spa and have nothing to sew with, which didn't fly with him because he knew I had an Elna, a 1924 Singer Featherweight and also the machine on my Grace Frame....but for the price he said I got a good deal and immediately set er up for me.....

I think I'll try it out today before we leave to take Sarah back to Penn St at 5.....

Hope everyone had a great holiday and enjoy the weekend...

Peggy

It sure was COLD today in NYC!!! Here's a picture of the girls just before we crossed the street to go see the Christmas show.....

Since the show was at 10am we drove straight there and then afterwards we walked a few blocks to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. They have the best appetizers and salads !!!

We sat near Freddy Mercury's shirt and not far from Jim Morrison's pants....

We dropped Jen at her apartment around 3:30 and then came home....I did a little bit of sewing.

I think last week I showed you the Moda "Portugal" charm pack I had and the cute "Button Bag" pattern....Well, this is my button bag. I'm not quite sure what I'll do with it but I love the fabrics so for now I'll just leave it in here where I sew and look at it...

Sarah, youngest daughter in red jacket above, brought home the "Twilight" series of books so I think I might clean up my room and do a little sewing on the binding on a quilt then start the book....

How was your weekend?

Peggy

3 Posts in one day

Yes, 3 posts in one day.....





So, today is "finish er up" day in my sewing room.
Anything I find laying around is going to get finished up and put where it belongs.


My 2 sisters have birthdays in November so I decided to make them both tablerunners or tabletoppers. I finished the binding on this one just now. The other one is already finished and ready to be given to the appropriate sister....




Now what can I work on?????

Guess Where I'm Going on Sunday?

Guess where I'll be tomorrow??? Yes, hubby got 4 tickets to Radio City Music Hall so him, I and the girls are heading into the city to see the Rockettes!!!! I have seen the show before, probably 4 years ago or so but I could watch those girls dance every year !!!! I know I can't take pictures inside the show but with luck I'll get some NYC pictures....

Instant Gratification

I knew I wanted to use these fabrics that I'd gotten from Michelle for my birthday last year NOW but I didn't know what I wanted to do with them so I went thru my pattern bin and found a really simple checkerboard type runner. and figured I could get "instant gratification" if I made that so after lunch I cut into them and sewed the runner up for my oldest daughter for her new apartment....... This might be a first for me....ya know, being finished with a holiday project BEFORE the holiday actually got here!!! I'll give it to her Thursday when she comes for Thanksgiving.....

HUMONGOUS MAIL DAY

Talk about a good mail day.....

I do 2 Blocks of the month with Main St Cotton Shop . The first is from the Pint Size Traditions II book. It's called "RADIANT STAR". I'm going to enjoy doing this one. The second one is from the "Room by Room" club and is a flannel kit called "The Easy Block" from the Country House Quilts book. I am not even putting this kit away, I'm going to cut into this bad boy this week!!!

Then my fairly godmother aka Robin surprised both Michelle and I with this really cute "Christmas Gift Bag" pattern by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberries Stitches! Not only did she send us the pattern, she included the fabric and iron on pellon. All we have to do is sew the darn thing up! I may have to do some tracing and cutting tonight!!!

I also found this cute magazine in the Shop Rite today when I went for some taco makings, and what's nice is I found 2 small projects in it that I think i have to make for my sistas for Christmas!

I'm just wondering if I'll have enough time to do half the stuff I want to do for the holidays?

Oh, and lastly, on Saturday I received the blocks from the brown, cream, turquoise swap that I did with one of my yahoo groups. I must say, I got a lot of very nice blocks......

I will NOT be able to even fondle these blocks for some time. I have a few more things on my agenda to do before I can even think about doing these..... What do you think about setting them, any ideas?

A Giveaway

Jennifer is having a blog giveaway...you should check it out since she's got a few really cute things on it.
http://sweetlibertygrace.blogspot.com/2008/11/announcementand-giveaway.html

Peggy

Sunday Sewing

Here's a peek into what I've been working on for the last 2 hours....One of the teachers in school is pregnant and I knew I wanted to make her a quilt and I knew exactly which pattern I wanted to use. The pattern is called "Checkerboard Twist" and it's in the Winter 2008 new Fons & Porter magazine called "Easy Quilts". I just got the 6 rows laid out but need to cut and assemble the rest of the checkerboards for the border. I'll post a picture hopefully later of the finished top. This is just a peek at what I am hoping will be a really cute crib quilt.

I also found my "Button Bag" pattern...it was hiding in the pattern bin!!! I thought I looked for it there but when I saw the pattern again today down at the quilt shop I knew right where it was. Because it's one of those little 5 inch pattern packs I had to look in a different fabric bin. I think I will make one of these bags using a charm pack I bought from Moda in the "Portugal" line...VERY pretty fabrics and I think they'll make a super cute button bag.

I found a few fat quarters today that I wanted for another small zippered bag. What's funny about the bag I want to make is I mentioned to Robin and Michelle that I wanted to make a bag but couldn't find the pattern anywhere. I knew the name of the company that put the pattern out but had never heard of it....WELL DUH!!! It's by This & That Pattern Co. That's the same company that put out the Button Bag pattern!!!

Well, Robin is like a dog with a bone...she can find anything! She found the pattern online and not only found it, ordered it for us too!!! What a gal....So, now all I have to do is wait for the pattern to arrive and start making them.

So, what did you do today?

Peggy