Update on Christmas In August Sewing Party!

I didn't finish the tree skirt--But!! I did make great progress.  It is all together and I almost finished the machine quilting. All that is left is where you see the pins.  I need to pick up more multi-colored thread to finish the quilting.  The binding is sewn together ready to be added as soon as I finish the quilting. 

I listened/ watched the "Christmas Box" while I was basting the top and then listened to Michael W. Smith's "Christmas Time" CD while I was quilting.

 Tomorrow our grandson, Cole is being dedicated at church.  We were invited over to DS-1's house tonight for pizza to see DIL-1's two sets of grandparents and her parents who are here for the dedication.   I decided that took priority over more sewing!

I'm anxious to see the projects you worked on during our Virtual Sewing Party!

Charming Girls Christmas in August Sewing Party!

Tomorrow  (Saturday) is Charming Girls Christmas in August Sewing Party!  The directions are to work on a Christmas project,  have Christmas DVD's and plenty of Chocolate ready! 

This is a "dual" purpose gift.  It is a Christmas Tree Skirt that I am making for a wedding gift.  It is for DS-2's former college roommate and his current coworker.   They have a long history they didn't know about.  When DS-2 was a baby, I did a long term sub job for Travis' mother when Travis was born.  The "boys" met in college never knowing the connection our families already had.  Travis was a groomsmen in DS-2's wedding and now  DS-2 is standing up in Travis' wedding.

I have the flimsy ready for basting and quilting.  I hope to finish it tomorrow.   I have the morning and evening to sew.  I need to pick up two grandkids at 12:30 for the afternoon.  If I finish I have another tree skirt and table runner to start work on.

Merry Christmas!

The Creation of a Teacher

A friend sent this--I thought you may enjoy it also!

THE CREATION OF THE TEACHER
Author Unknown

The Good Lord was creating teachers. It was His sixth day of 'overtime' and He knew that this was a tremendous responsibility for teachers would touch the lives of so many impressionable young children. An angel appeared to Him and said, "You are taking a long time to figure this one out."

"Yes," said the Lord, " but have you read the specs on this order?"

TEACHER:

…must stand above all students, yet be on their level
... must be able to do 180 things not connected with the subject being taught
... must run on coffee and leftovers,
... must communicate vital knowledge to all students daily and be right most of the time
... must have more time for others than for herself/himself
... must have a smile that can endure through pay cuts, problematic children, and worried parents
... must go on teaching when parents question every move and others are not supportive
... must have 6 pair of hands.

"Six pair of hands, " said the angel, "that's impossible"
"Well, " said the Lord, " it is not the hands that are the problem.  It is the three pairs of eyes that are presenting the most difficulty!"

The angel looked incredulous, " Three pairs of eyes...on a standard model?"

The Lord nodded His head, " One pair can see a student for what he is and not what others have labeled him as. Another pair of eyes is in the back of the teacher's head to see what should not be seen, but what must be known. The eyes in the front are only to look at the child as he/she 'acts out' in order to reflect, " I understand and I still believe in you", without so much as saying a word to the child."

"Lord, " said the angel, " this is a very large project and I think you should work on it tomorrow".

"I can't," said the Lord, " for I have come very close to creating something much like Myself. I have one that comes to work when he/she is sick.....teaches a class of children that do not want to learn....has a special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own.....understands the struggles of those who have difficulty....never takes the students for granted..."

The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating.
"It is too soft-hearted, " said the angel.

"Yes," said the Lord, " but also tough, You can not imagine what this teacher can endure or do, if necessary".

"Can this teacher think?" asked the angel.

"Not only think," said the Lord,. "but reason and compromise."

The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger  over the teacher's cheek.

"Well, Lord, " said the angel, your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told you that you were putting too much into this model.  You can not imagine the stress that will be placed upon the teacher."

The Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teacher's cheek.  It shone and glistened in the light.

"It is not a leak," He said, "It is a tear."

"A tear? What is that?" asked the angel, "What is a tear for?"

The Lord replied with great thought, " It is for the joy and pride of seeing a child accomplish even the smallest task. It is for the loneliness of children who have a hard time to fit in and it is for compassion for the feelings of their parents. It comes from the pain of not being able to reach some children and the disappointment those children feel in themselves. It comes often when a teacher has been with a class for a year and must say good-bye to those students and get ready to welcome a new class."

"My, " said the angel, " The tear thing is a great idea...You are a genius!!"
The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."

Don't forget to vote for Stitchin' Mission at http://tinyurl.com/vote4SM

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Stitchin' Mission-A chance for us to help others!!

As bloggers we are great at telling each other of contests and giveaways where we enter to win something for ourselves.  We have a great opportunity to help with a project that provides quilts for children around the world.  The program also teaches beginning quilting to gals like us!

Recently I found the blog site of Linda from Iowa.  She has an awesome ministry called, "Stitchin'Mission."  You can read about it here.   She found a site where they offer grants for people you are working with projects that help others.  She has written the grant and needs us to vote each day through the end of August.   There are great possibilities to reach out to many new quilters and to make quilts for others around the world.  Check it out!!

We are able to cast one vote every day!

You can vote directly by going to: http://tinyurl.com/vote4SM


Thank you!!!!

Finished just in time!

The wedding gift for Jason & Dawn was finished yesterday!  They opened their gifts this morning at a brunch for friends and family.  She was thrilled with the Christmas Tree Skirt and commented how perfectly it will fit into the decor of the home they will be living.

A beautiful wedding with an awesome ceremony.  Our pastor talked about them not being teenagers or even twenty something.  But, as being mid 30's and how waiting for the right person has made the wedding even more special.  They are both 36--first marriage for each and they are thrilled.

So between the ceremony yesterday afternoon, with dinner at 5:00, dance at 8:00 and brunch this morning it was a full weekend.

Saturday morning my mom, DIL-1,  Princess Kasey and myself froze 25 more quarts of sweet corn for DIL to take home.   I think I am going to quit freezing corn for this year.

Thank you for all the great suggestions for my wooden spools!!!  Now I will have to look for just the right jar/ lamp to display them in.  I like the idea of making a mini Christmas tree and using them for decorations!!!!


I have teacher's inservice on Thursday, Friday, and Monday with the students starting on Wednesday, Sept 1. Where did the summer go!!!!


One project that must be completed yet is the tree skirt for Travis and Becky's wedding on Sept. 11.  Same pattern different fabric line.

What would you do with OLD thread?

My mom brought these two trays of old thread out this morning.  They are all wooden spools.  The prices either on the paper or engraved in the ends are .10, .15, .19, .25, and .30.  The brand names include: Belding Corticelli,  J & P COATS,  COATS & CLARK'S and Star.    Some spools are labeled mercerized,  mercerized cotton, mercerized sewing,  or silk.  One spool is labeled, "J &P COATS Pure Mending Silk."

Would you use them at all?

Don't forget the Friday night Sew In- Check it out at  Handmade by Heidi 

Quilt A Long-and Giveaway

Thanks to Janet of "A Hug Delights"!  I checked out Christina's "A Few Scraps".  Christina is starting a quilt-a-long and a tutorial how to machine quilt.  This is what she had to say,

"Have you noticed that most quilt alongs assemble a quilt top over several weeks and then address the quilting briefly at the end? I have, and I want to do the exact opposite! I want to briefly assemble a top and then walk you through quilting it, with patterns that are interesting to you. There seem to be lots of quilters who want to practice free motion quilting - but not on a quilt top they've worked hard on. This quilt along gives you a quilt you don't have to worry about ruining - you could even make it out of fabric that you hate if you want. Or, if you don't want to assemble the top, that's fine too. You can just quilt along with scraps."

She is having a great giveaway to promote her tutorial.  Be sure to check her out at:  A Few Scraps. 
This is her great giveaway:

Good Luck to all of us!!!

Frustration!!!!

Yep--That is two empty spools of thread I used to work on the tree skirt. And yep!  I ran out before I finished the machine quilting. - I had planned on finishing the quilting, cutting the center,  and sewing on the binding tonight so all that was left was the finishing hand work. 

I froze 20 quarts of corn this morning.  Then went to have my hair trimmed and shaped.  I am trying to grow out my hair for a new hairdo--just plain tired of very short hair.  DIL-2, a hair stylist,  knows what we are working towards and she shapes and trims it.

I  then went to buy myself a battery powered weed trimmer.  Each time I have mentioned to DH that I would like one he says he will take care of it.  The last time I asked for one  before he bought  himself a Stihl gas powered brush cutter with weed trimmer attachment!  That is too heavy and too hard to start.  I have the battery charging tonight and tomorrow afternoon when he leaves to combine I will try it out!!  That is after I freeze 20 more quarts of corn in the morning.

An afternoon with time for Me!

Had a few change of plans during the morning--However!!!!
- I was able to start working on my projects  around noon.
*Cut out, pieced, and basted a flannel baby quilt.  Ready to quilt. (Baby due the end of August)
*Finished sewing the tree skirt flimsy.  It is basted and ready to quilt. (Wedding next Saturday)

I remembered why I learned to quilt.  I was able to actually relax and not think of anything else!!!I had the TV on and listened/watched chick flicks on the Hallmark Channel while I worked. -"Mrs. Washington goes to Smith" and "Follow The Stars Home".  

Shhhh!!! Saturday might be a day for me!

VBS is over for another year.  We averaged 83 kids a day.  The numbers were down slightly this year.  About 60% of the kids were not from our church.  It was a busy and exciting week.  We used the Back To the Bible Curriculum put out by the GO FISH Guys group.  It was excellent--full of energy for the kids and a great message!

DIL-1 dropped Kasey off each morning to go with me to VBS.  Afternoons Kasey would take her nap as I prepared my lessons for the next day.  I have had Kasey for the past 12 week days.  We have had a great time!


As of now-I am not scheduled to have any grandkids on Saturday.  I think DH is going to a farm auction that means I will be home alone!  I just may lock the door, not answer the phone,  and have some ME time.  That will include basting  and quilting the tree skirt wedding gift for an August 21st wedding and starting a baby quilt for a young gal at church who is due the end of August. 

A Chance to Win an Accuquilt!

Judy at Sew Fun Quilts is giving away an Accuquilt. I have never used one--it would be fun to have though.

She has a list of things to do before you leave your ONE comment.  It is almost like a scavenger hunt!  Actually it was sorta fun.  Let's hope one of us wins!!!!!

Good Luck!!

Off and Running

I was catching up on reading a few blogs before I take off this morning.  The guys had baled 2000 square bales of straw yesterday afternoon before a major part broke on the baler.  Fortunately we were able to borrow a neighbor's baler to finish last night.  They are able to use the neighbor's baler today and Saturday.   They have been baling straw all week while DH combines wheat. We have three high school boys helping to haul wheat wagons and stack straw in the  hay wagons.  They are able to get considerable more bales in the wagon when they are stacked.  We sell it to farmers right from the field.  They use our wagons or bring their own.  One farmer came with a flatbed semi to load the bales on.   Some of the straw is baled in big round bales. 

I had a great four days with Kasey and Cole this week.  I do love having them and they are a blessing to our lives.   Next week Kasey will be going to VBS with me.  There is a toddler/preschool class for the workers kids.  She will love it.  During church service she sings as loud as she can and  waves to those leading the music.  Of course she doesn't know the words so she sings the songs she knows.  Usually "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".  As soon as the singing is over she looks at her mom saying, "Go play toys now."

This afternoon I need to continue prep for VBS lessons.   Maybe tonight--I will be able to baste Dawn and Jason's wedding gift. 

Until next time!  Enjoy your day and smile.