One day runner

I started this table runner yesterday morning and finished it up with the binding in the afternoon.  I've had this Michael Miller fabric for about 6 months and really wanted to dive into it, so I made a small table runner with it.  I tried the free motion sewing again, not too fond of that and now I realize why, it's hard to navigate it around my sewing table area.  Sorry the pics are kind of dark.

I linked up today:

Granola recipe

Been thinking about making some of this yummy goodness~

Ingredients
• 8 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups wheat germ
• 1 1/2 cups oat bran
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups raisins or sweetened dried cranberries

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.
2. Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.

A bit of crochet

Since I've not been typing as much my carpal tunnel calmed down a bit. I got the itch to do a small project and had a big pound of love yarn left so I made a preemie blankie.  I think it came out cute.  I just bought the lavender edge yarn yesterday and it's a Martha Stewart yarn. Has anyone tried this? Pricey but lucious~like butter in your hands. smooth to crochet with. Lovely.

For the crocheters~

So cute!

Check out these cutie bunnies~FREE pattern HERE

You must check out this tutorial~featured today.

THIS lady knows how to make a string quilt!
I love how she made one big square then sectioned that off into 4. Such an easy concept.
Oh, and I was trying some string blocks yesterday and heard to use wax paper as a foundation~DON'T!  It does not grab with the feed dogs on the sewing machine. Basically it slips. So I ruined a whole block trying the technique. I will try old phone books~great idea!

I hope you all have a pleasant weekend and get some quilty/creative/crafty time in...or just a good book with a cuppa joe.

Cute Tute

THIS has been on my 'to do' list for months now.
Still have yet to make it.
I'm featuring this today as my tutorial of the day :) FREE!

Hello Thursday

Today I am featuring THIS blog.

Not much to talk about this fine Thursday.

But I wanted to post this lovely blog.

Make it a great day.

featured tutorial

click here for this lovely free tutorial (quilting)

Today I'm featuring...

THIS lovely blog.

So fun.

So country.

What is Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday is Mardi Gras, the festival New Orleans, Louisiana, is famous for. "Gras" is French for fat and "Mardi" is French for Tuesday.

The annual festivities start on January 6, the Twelfth Night Feast of the Epiphany, when the three kings are supposed to have visited the Christ Child, and build to a climax on Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, which always occurs on the day before Ash Wednesday. The parties and parades will continue until Lent begins at the stroke of midnight on Tuesday.

Mardi Gras is a legal holiday in New Orleans. It is scheduled to occur 46 days before Easter. Since the actual date Easter occurs on changes yearly, Mardi Gras can happen on any Tuesday between February 3 and March 9.

For two centuries it has been an annual event in New Orleans, except during the two World Wars.
(source)

Do you celebrate?  What about Ash Wednesday?  I used to, not anymore.  Do you go to church?  Do share!

My recent quilts

I finished up 4 quilts and finally have them listed in my Etsy Shoppe!

You can access my shoppe by way of the Etsy button to the right (at the top of my blog).  I love the way these turned out.  They are all crib/baby size.

Joining Grannies

I've made many granny squares (crochet) in my adult lifetime but always wondered the best way to join the squares.

HERE is a tutorial for just that.  I shall try this next time.

Today I'm featuring>

What a great little blog.  Go on over and join her in Google Friend Connect.  No affiliation.  Just a great fun blog.  I just love string quilts.  I love Chinese Coin quilts. All of her pics are amazing.  :)

Drawstring bag tutorial~free, of course

Click here for this lovely pattern~free!  I might try one of these today if time permits.

Cute mouse

Oh I found THIS lovely crochet mouse link. Super duper cute.

I believe you have to be a member of crochetville to view it? Maybe? Try it and see. You might just be able to view it and grab the cute pattern.

Have you signed up for my giveaway yet? If not, you have one week to do so. Spread the good word. Very few signed up so far! Click here to sign up!

Make it a relaxing Friday

I found THIS lovely free pattern and thought this might make a good baby shower/mama gift!
I'm actually heading out to New Mexico next month for my cousin's wife's baby shower.  I made her a quilt but I think this heating pad would be a great addition.  Heck, we always focus on the baby, but let's get real, the mama is the one doing all the work! :)

Don't forget to sign up for my lovely giveaway HERE if you haven't already.  Ends next weekend. :)

Today I'm featuring....

This blog
Actually I love the crochet hat pattern for a toddler :)
Her blog if fabulous. No affiliation. Actually she does not know I'm featuring her LOL.
"Sew" Lovely!
I just love the blog world!

It's almost here...

Valentine's Day~
Do you have your Valentine's picked out? purchased? Made?
I have NONE.
I have 4 kids to buy for and 1 hubby ;)
I'm sticking with simple this year.
Candy hearts for the kids.
And I saw a perfect gift for hubby....the market by my house sells cute bamboo Valentine's plants. Hubby loves bamboo.
I will go back and get one of those.

HERE is an idea for a handmade decoration....Enjoy!
And here is one more

Doing anything fun today???

The Fabric Winner!

Thank you to all who entered, and a HUGE Thank You to Megan for sponsoring this lovely giveaway.

I'm having more giveaways coming up....so stay tuned.

Make it a grand Sunday!

baby quilt

If I have a reason to make a quilt I always get it done fairly quickly.
So my cousin's wife is due in April, the shower is out of state in March (which we are going to) so I wanted to make a quilt, of course!
So this is a very modern looking one that I finished up last weekend.
I love the way it came out.
I was telling my aunt I finished her quilt and my aunt says "She doesn't like pink" (meaning the mom). GREAT! (sarcastic).  So what's a girl to do?  It's not TOO pink, but still.  OMG I thought it was cute. I thought she'd love it. Now I'm doubting whether I should make another quilt without pink.  Heck, it's a girl and they know it. Apparently she likes purple and green. OH MY! Ideas???

FRONT

BACK

Comp

My son had another competition yesterday for JROTC in Phoenix.

Here are a few pics of that and a couple of me and the 2 little ones.

marcus on far left

The hearing

So we had the hearing today for Joey, my 10 y.o son with autism.
Fighting the government isn't pretty, folks.
So we will know in maybe 20 days what the outcome is. Who knows.
I feel good about him getting the services he needs and deserves but you just never know when it comes to the government stuff huh?

On a lighter note... Here is a picture of my chaotic desk. And an up close one.

Wanna share one of your computer space?
I'm so messy! I guess I never realized. It's an organized chaos really-kinda like my mind ;)wink.

Have yourself an awesome weekend friends!