For The Kids!!

First off . . . I can not begin to express my gratitude to all of you for your wonderful well wishes to our daughter.  I was so incredibly touched and I thank each and every one of you.  She continues to get used to the noises around her.  Last night I sung to her and she grinned from ear to ear.  It was a tender moment :)

And while we are on the subject of children . . . 

Have you heard of it???  Here is a quick rundown:


100 Quilts for Kids is an annual charity quilt drive co-hosted by Katie Blakesley of Swim, Bike, Quilt and the DC Modern Quilt Guild. 


The idea is simple: 


Make a quilt or 2. Donate it to a child in need, locally if you can.  (I will be donating several from my Mother In Law and myself for Operation Wood Hollow this weekend, Yippee Skippee :)  

Enjoy a blog hop that runs from July 2-September 25, 2012, complete with inspiration and mini prizes. 

Join in on a 100 Quilts for Kids Quilt Along (Kick-off post on July 15 at Swim, Bike, Quilt)


Have a chance to win great prizes from sponsors, including Moda, Fat Quarter Shop, Westwood Acres, Rowan , Free Spirit, and Ty Pennington Impressions, among others that will shortly be announced.

Spread the word to family and friends!

and mos importantly, Smile, knowing you used your skills for good. 

100 Quilts for Kids Flickr Group
More information on 100 Quilts for Kids

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We would love your help getting the word out. Just copy and paste the code above and paste it into your sidebar, or blog post.  Tweet. Instagram. Facebook. You know the drill. Thanks!

The Blog Hop Starts on Monday and it will be chuck full of inspiration and ideas!!


100 Quilts Blog Hop Participants

July 2: Lynne @ Lily’s Quilts

July 9: Dana @ Dana and Thread
Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 

July 16: Lee @ Freshly Pieced

July 23: Katy @ Monkey Do
Erin @ Sewing Summit

July 30: Dana @ Old Red Barn Co
Heather @ Olive & Ollie

August 6: Jessica @ Twin Fibers
Holly @ Bijou Lovely

August 13: Leigh @ Leedle Deedle Quilts
Heather & Megan @ Quiltstory 

August 20: Melissa @ Happy Quilting    (That's Me :)  

August 27: Jeni @ In Color Order
Miranda @ One Little Minute

September 3: Ellen @ The Long Thread 
Faith @ Fresh Lemons Quilts

September 10: Elizabeth @ Oh, Frannson!
Anne Marie @ Gen X Quilters

September 17 Cheryl @ Dining Room Empire
Jane @ Quilt Jane

September 24: Angela @ Moda Home Mom

September 25: Sara @ Sew Sweetness

She Can Hear!!!

Let's start with a bit of back story.  Since our sweet little Jocelyn was born she has not been able to pass a hearing test.  She really doesn't respond much to loud noises (which, with 4 siblings who tend to get loud, can actually be quite nice during nap time.)  We have been going through the process of testing, monitoring, and waiting for her to grow.  She has had liquid junk in her middle ear which has blocked the ability for sound to travel to her inner ear.  There were times we thought it was clearing on it's own, but just as soon as we were hopeful, it would get all blocked again.

 So . . . At her 9 month follow-up and failure of another auditory test on Tuesday, and checking-up with the ENT on Wednesday, it was decided that she needs tubes put in her ears on Thursday!!    So . . . bright and early Thursday morning we arrived at the hospital. Now I know this is a totally routine surgery, (our second had it done at 9M for ear infections) and that the physician's will do a wonderful job, and that Josie would do great, but I still couldn't help but get nervous.  I guess that is just part of being a mom, we worry!!!

Jocelyn got to wear a cute little gown with tiger's on it. Isn't she cute!! She was a pro waiting for the surgery.  She just played with her toys and examined her new surroundings.  I was quite impressed considering she should have been super hungry.  She is such a good little girl.

Her new favorite toy arrived in the form of a monitor.  This one was hard to keep out of her mouth :)  She liked that the part on her toe kept glowing red.   . . .   And before you knew it she was headed back for surgery.

I didn't take anymore pictures as she came back feeling pretty lousy trying to shake off the anesthesia.  We took her home and after a bottle and a nap she was back to her happy self . . . with one slight change.  When I hollered down the stairs for the kids to come up for lunch (I am to lazy to walk down them) I was shocked that Josie started crying behind me.  I had startled her with my hollering.   This has never happened before.   And then a few minutes later, when my son let out a Hooray for Mac and Cheese shout, she startled again and began to cry.

Those tears are such a blessing!!!  She can hear.  I am just so happy for her.  What a wonderful ending to a nerve-racking 9 months.  We started out fearing she was deaf, to hoping she would be able to hear with hearing aids, to perfect hearing (I hope, we have to follow up in a few weeks) with the aid of tubes.  I am just overjoyed.  Now the kids and I just have to work on keeping our voices down.  I can't imagine how it must be to go from a soundless/muffled world to a noisy and loud world. But, I can say, I am so happy that we will be going through the transition!!

TNT gets Swapping

So what have I been trying new this week??  I have been hosting my first swap!!!  And it has been so much fun!!!  I got my fabric on Tuesday evening and cut my charms Wednesday morning.

And then when I checked the mail on Wednesday I found 2 packages!!  Yippee Skippee!!! I have to say, opening these packages is so much fun.  I get so excited to see the charms that come out.

I am going to try to really stay on top of this swap so I can get the charms back to everyone as soon as they all arrive.  I started sorting the piles as soon as I opened the mail :)  If I keep enjoying this so much I bet it won't be long before I host another :)

UPDATE - The postman just dropped off 4 more packages!! Look at all these beautiful prints!!   This is so much fun :)  I am off to do some more sorting :)

So . . . What have you been trying new this week??  Link on up :)

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Operation Wood Hollow

Today I received an email from Julie at Having Fun Quilting.   She and her community have been greatly affected by the terrible wildfire burning across Sanpete County.   The fire has burned over 39,000 acres and 29 homes have been lost so far, with 575 more homes in it's path.   You can read more about it here

So Julie is starting up Operation Wood Hollow to help those families who have lost their homes.  Her goal is to get at least one quilt to every family who have lost their home.  And she needs your help :)  And we all know, quilters are the most generous loving people in the world!!

If you can donate fabric, extra quilt blocks, finished quilt tops, or completed quilts she would love to have them.  Every little bit helps!!  Please contact Julie for details on how you can help.  She will be so happy to hear from you!!  You can read more about Operation Wood Hollow here :)

I am actually heading north this weekend so will be delivering my game  time picnic quilt to Julie.    I imagine it will bring some happiness to a family who have lost so much.     (If I have time, I might try and whip up another little something to help :)

Each of these families have sustained such a loss and will have to replace so very much of their lives. A beautiful handmade quilt can bring so much comfort to them as they being the process of rebuilding.

A Lot of Works

But not so much progress.  But is is summertime, what can I expect :)  (And July is only going to be busier :) Although, the nice thing is that I haven't posted a WIP post for a few weeks so it looks like I have quite a few things done, but ya, it is spread out for a while.  I figure that is kind of like making to do lists and adding things you have already done just so you can cross them off :)

The Braided Irish Chains continue to make steady progress :)  I usually pin some blocks each night while we unwind to a movie or old episodes of friends and then sew them up first thing in the morning before the kids wake up.  It has been a good way to keep these 2 massive quilts in progress.

I started a new project using solids!!!  I have never done an all solids quilt and I am totally excited.  This will eventually be for my bed.  So I went with some lovely earth tones that will match the painting in my room as well as be masculine enough for my husband :)  Oh, and the reason I said eventually . . . because this quilt will be shipped off for quite some time, meaning I won't be able to show any more of it for quite some time :)

I am so excited about the Christmas Blocks that are coming in from the Sew Bee Create group.  They are using  my Spinning or Spiraling Block tutorial and the blocks are just coming out amazing!!!  I can't wait to get the last 4 so I can get it all sewn up :)

So . . . That's about it.  How about the rundown :)  And I just realized, as happy as I am to have more completions and projects moving down the list, I think I added just as many into the Designing Stage.  That seems about right for me :)


Designing Stage

• Circle Meets Square Quilt
• Ashlyn's Quilt
• WIC with MSS Quilt
• Lots of Blocks - H, Q, B
• Tetris Quilt-A-Long

Piecing Stage

• Jessi and Me Quilt 
• King Size Serenity Quilt
• Sew Bee Create Quilt
• Braided Irish Chain - Queen and King

Quilting Stage

• Solids Quilt for Free Motion
• Snip and Clip Quilt - Just Waiting on Fabric to Arrive :)

Completed Stage

• Father's Day Rolling on Out Quilt - Convoy
• 10 Little Happy Kids - Patchwork Car Shade
• June Bee Block