Be Prayerful

My Be Prayerful block is still a little rough as I have the pieces basted down ready for blanket stitch applique, but I wanted to share it with you anyway. You see, the blocks have talked to me throughout the making of this quilt. I have not worked on this one in quite awhile, but after admitting my mom to the hospital on Thursday, we have dealt with some serious health issues. She is doing better and will probably be coming home on Tuesday. The doctors are all impressed with how well she is doing for being 88 and having pulmonary fibrosis. Unfortunately they will not be able to surgically fix her heart condition, but she will be on meds and hopefully that will help it from getting any worse. I have been spending the nights with her and most of the days, and needed some hand work. I finished up my Noah's Ark project the first day - and thought about my Be Attitudes. So, when I went home to shower and gather up some things she needed, I hurried to see what the next block was and to get the fabrics I needed to do the applique. Wouldn't you know - it was Be Prayerful. The perfect block for this week. If you ever decide to make this quilt by Nancy Halvorsen, I bet it will talk to you as well....you just have to listen. Lots of good advise in these cute quilt blocks.

And here are my final two Noah's Ark blocks.

Thank you all for your compliments on my blog reading schedule. This was my first full week of following the schedule and it has worked great for me. I follow 120 blogs and I used to have between 40 to 60 to read in a days time. They would pile up and I would feel bad about not visiting everyone. Using this schedule, I had 12 at the most to read each day and found myself dipping into other days readings on some days. Some had several posts to read, but even that went quicker as I was able to read them all at the same time.

So if you are overwhelmed by trying to keep up with the blogs, but you don't want to drop anyone from your list, I recommend a schedule. I simply divided the number of blogs by 6 and that told me how many each day. Then rounded out the letters to that schedule saving a few for Sunday, and making Sunday my post day.

Happy Stitching (and reading),

Teresa

Happy Birthday, Ellen!

I have to hurry and get this posted before midnight, as today is my beautiful daughter Ellen's birthday. Isn't she cute! She will not be happy with this picture, but it was taken on her 21st birthday and I think it is so cute.

Happy Birthday, Ellen, I love you!











What have I been doing? Working mostly and some play. I have been putting together a pizza box round robin that starts at then end of this month. Here is my center block. I am doing this with some friends at work (Carol, Cheryl, Katie and Katie)


I have also been working on the Noah's Ark BOM - just two more blocks to do. How are you all coming Cathi, Cheryl and Carol???? (Hmmm...these pictures are not exactly in the same scale.)

And I recieved this oh so cute prize in the mail from Cherri over at Cherry House Quilts . Thank you very much !

If you notice on my right side bar, I have added a list of blog reading schedule. I find that I just can't keep up with my blog reading, so I have put myself on a schedule. This will be about 18 to 20 blogs a day (if everyone posts every week - highly unlikely), which is manageable and will keep me in touch with everyone at least once a week. Sundays will be my post day, and hopefully posting once a week will keep you all interested and coming a back to say hi.

Happy Stitchin!

Teresa

Thank You, Cheryl!

I received a very nice pattern in the mail today from Cheryl Goss of Willowberry Designs. I won it on her blog and she very promptly sent it on its way to my house. Its a lovely pattern entitled "Coming Home" and I think it will look great with the "Veranda Views" block of the month series that she has been posting on her blog. Check her out and see the very beautiful designs of this talented artist who so freely shares her gift with the blogging community.

Thank you, Cheryl, I just love the pattern!

Paper Clip Museum

We are back in town and had a great trip. I have the rest of the week off to just hang out at the house and relax - other than therapy on my arm, that is. Tonight we are going out to eat and then to see Julie and Julia.

I mentioned the Paper Clip Museum in a previous post and thought I would explain the story behind this museum. I read on someone's blog about the documentary Paper Clip and got it from Netflicks. A middle school in Whitwell, Tn, as a lesson about diversity, decided to study the Holocaust. They researched and decided to collect one paper clip for each person that died during this time and started contacting people about sending them paper clips. They were on National TV talk shows and also had three survivors come and talk to them about what happened. They received hundreds of thousands of paper clips. The biggest question became what to do with all the paperclips. The survivors contacted someone in Germany and found an actual rail car than had been used to transport the Jewish people to the death camps. The rail car was shipped to Whitwell, and turned into a museum. The school children give the tours of the museum and the history behind it.

After seeing the documentary, my husband and I wanted to see the museum, and decided if we are ever in that area, we would check it out. The town is only 16 miles from Chattanooga, so we decided to go. Sixteen miles makes a big difference in the Appalachian Mountains and it was truely like we had gone hundreds of miles. We were pleased to see this small mountain town was having a Labor Day Parade and we watched right along with every one else. Very "small town America" and a great way to spend Labor Day. Then we went to the museum, which unfortunately was closed, so we could not go in the rail car, but were able to see inside. Surrounding the rail car are mosaics of butterflies. I forget what the significance of the butterflies were.

While in Chattanooga, I did check out the Lavender Lime Quilting quilt shop, which is in the Fall/Winter 2009 Quilt Sampler Magazine. Its a rather small shop, but very friendly owners and big on inspiration.

I have tons of pictures from the trip, but will not bore you with them all. All in all, it was a very relaxing time and great to just get away for a little while.

Happy Stitchin' - Teresa

Helens, Ga...a bust!

We got to Helens, Ga and knew right away, not our kind of place. Very commercialized, crowded, noisy, overpriced hotels, etc. We didn't even bother to get out and walk around..just nothing of interest. Headed on up the road through the mountains to Hiawassee and there I found a great quilt shop: Log Cabin Patchworks. I picked up the new Quilt Sampler magazine and some wool and a few other goodies and we got back on the road to Blairsville where we stayed the night. Now this is our kind of town. They are having an outdoor craft show today, and the historic courthouse is open to the public, where there is a doll house exhibit. On the outskirts of down there is a minature train exhibit that we hope to go and see too....all local folks arts/exhibits. We will be heading on up to Chattanooga tonight, so more on that later.
We also have stopped at a few "antique" shops along the way and picked up a few special treasures but they are in the car and I did not get pictures. Sure has been fun so far!

Granny's got new wheels!

And I am ready to ride.

Got my new-to-me Ford Edge today and Hubby and I will be taking her on the road Friday morning. We are headed for Helens Ga, and then up to Chattanooga, Tn for an evening dinner cruise and a trip to the Paper Clip Museum and then head on home through Ashville,NC. We'll be gone for 5 days and I have already mapped out the quilt shops around Helens, Ga - the rest we will just see when we get there.