Patchwork Car Shade - A Tutorial for TNT

Sew Mama Sew is doing a wonderful Ready, Set, Go!!! series full of great tutorials to aid you on your summer travels.  Well for our family, the biggest issue about summer traveling is the beautiful Sunshine coming in through the car windows.  So I whipped up a fun little tutorial as part of the Ready, Set, Go!!! series.  A Patchwork Car Shade, that doubles as a Tic-Tac-Toe board.  Pop on over and check it out.  

And I was super excited to try something new for this little tutorial.  I tried using the automatic button hole maker (very techincal term) on my machine.  And I love it!!!  So much easier than the good old days of manipulating the zig-zag stitches at least 7 times to create 1 button hole.  Now I just type it in, stomp on the presser foot, and wham!!!  A button hole. And it's got me thinking I need to make some more projects with button holes :)

So what have you been trying new this week??  You know what to do . . . Link on Up :)

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I Love Summer Reading!

One of my favorite things about summer is all of the great summer reading programs the libraries have.  A little enticement of  getting a treat or prize of some sort and my morning look a little like this . . .

Yes, even the little ones get in on the fun, although I think the baby just wants to eat the book.  (My middle child was sleeping in this particular morning :)  Reading time . . .  A little slice of heaven.   I would be joining them but somehow the book I was reading seems to have grown legs and walked away (I fear the 3 year old has something to do with it :)

Our library program this year asked the kids to keep track of their minutes but didn't have any type of form  to track them on.  I guess they were just supposed to write them down.  We'll for my kiddos, half of the fun is getting to mark off that you have read, so I whipped up these little reading charts.  (yes, I need to get new fridge magnets :)   I have put the template into Google documents, so if you find yourself needing a Summer Reading chart you can find one here.  (they mark every 10 minutes of reading)

 Oh, and one final note for today, Yes, my children do have pajamas that fit them and are more appropriate for the season, they just choose to wear the old, worn out, hot ones.  And after several discussions, I ended up conceding that it wasn't that big of a deal and if those are the ones they like they can wear them.  (even though it drives me nuts :)  My husband just reminds me that you just have to let some things go :)

Swapping and Quilting-Along???

It's coming soon!!  I am working on some of the details but go here for a little clue :)  Interested??  We'll be doing a Color Wheel Charm Swap first followed by a super fun and entertaining quilt-a-long :) (OH, an you know there will be lots of prizes!!)  So are you ready???  Any preferences on colors??   Watch for more details to come :)

Winner of the EZ Dresden Ruler

It's time to choose a lucky winner!!  But first, a huge thank you to all of the super sweet comments you left about my Double Dresden Delight!!  I was just tickled pink with them.  You all sure know how to make a gal feel great.  And I hope I see lots of Double Dresden Delight's start popping up here and there :)  It really is a fun little quilt to put together!!

Now . . . Let's get onto the winner.

Mr. Random. Org says the lucky owner of a new EZ Dresden ruler is . . .#61

Who happens to be . . . Kathrynn!!  Congrats Kathrynn, I have sent you an email :)

And I am off to tidy up the house.  My Mom and Dad are arriving today to spend the rest of the week with us. My dad competes in the Utah Summer Games each year and since they are in Cedar City they get to come and stay with us :)  Which means my mom and I will have lots of time for sewing.  (she is bringing down her machine :)  I am so excited!!

Not What I Planned

Saturday the family and I were planning on going to the Annual Panguitch Quilt Walk!!  Panguitch is about an hour and a half up the mountain. We actually moved here last year on the same weekend of the Quilt Walk and I was so bummed we missed it because Judi from Green Fairy Quilts was doing the trunk show.  I sure wish I could have seen that!

So I was super excited this year to be able to attend on Saturday.  There is a tractor parade and car show for the kids which all but 1 were super excited about (the one was upset he would be missing Saturday morning cartoons) , and a Trunk Show and Quilt Show for mom.  Perfect combination for me to go to a quilting event but still be able to make it a family day.  And it had the double bonus of meeting up with my new friend Emily (check out here Happy Chemo Quilting Campaign, it is awesome)   that I met at the SLMQG who was teaching this year.  That was the plan.

 But, instead we woke up Saturday morning to one child running a fever and another one with a nasty cough. Grrr.    I contemplated options for a bit and in the end came to the conclusion to let it go another year.  Such is life right.  I mean the last thing you want to be doing is driving 2 sick kids (who are like their mother and prone to car sickness) up a windy mountain, that's is just looking for trouble :)   So instead of going to the Annual Panguitch Quilt Walk  the sick kids sat on the couch and watched movies while the others helped dad with some yard work.  But, (after some grumbling) I tried to look on the bright side and was grateful  that I happened to get this in the mail on Friday from Burgundy Buttons so at least I had something new to play with  to help me with my change of plans :)