Monday, October 12, 2015

Make-A-List Monday - Getting Ready for China!

Hi, all!

Well, Monday is here, and at the time I'm writing this, I have four more days to get everything done, the house cleaned, pack, and learn to speak Chinese (oh wait don't need that!) Well, anyway, there's lots of stuff to do this week!  I'm excited about going to China, but a little nervous, too - a country where I don't speak the language, stick out like a sore thumb, and where I'm desperately hoping my phone will work so I can find my way around!  It should be fun....  and terrifying at the same time!

But enough of that - let's take a look at last week's list and see how it went...

1.  Piece Lilli's annual quilt top.
Done!  The piecing is done - next step will be to add the appliqués. But that will have to wait until I get back...


2.  Make a quilt for one of my husband's co-workers.
The top is done - I've spent the last few weeks creating lots of UFOs to quilt after returning from China, it seems!  


3.  Make the T-shirt quilt blocks.
Done!  I finally got these put together today, and will probably wait until I return from China to assemble the quilt.  


4.  Make some more rope bowls!
Done!  I made this one last night and tried out a few new techniques with it - wrapping the cord with baker's twine, and adding a cap and charm to the end of the rope.


5.  Work on Nathanael's stocking.
Done!  I'm working on the backstitching right now - then I'll need to add some more snowflakes.  But it's close to being finished!


6.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.
Done!  We distributed a few quilts this week...

This quilt went to a 2-month old baby who is having heart surgery this week at Vanderbilt Hospital...


This quilt is going to a woman who has just been diagnosed with lung cancer...


This quilt is for a newly adopted baby girl...


And this quilt went to a gentleman who was just diagnosed with optic melanoma.


We also sent four huge boxes - forty-five quilts - with our high school mission team to be distributed in New Orleans this week. 




But see those empty shelves above the boxes?  That's where our stash of ministry quilts used to reside.  Rita (the quilting queen) said it made her very nervous not to have a stack of quilts ready to be given away, and I have to admit that it feels like losing a security blanket (pun intended!)  So I've also been working on quilting more quilts to refill those shelves...



I quilted these two, plus two more I didn't take pictures of.  

So not too bad on last week's list, thanks to some quick work this afternoon.  Let's see what's on the agenda for this week!

1.  Quilt more ministry tops.  

2.  Clean up the house.

3.  Write extra blogposts and schedule for next week 
while I'm in China.

4.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

Next week, I have no idea if I will have any internet or social media connections at all so I'm planning to schedule blogposts to upload without my assistance.  It'll be weird to be completely out of touch for a week, so I'm hoping I'll have some access.  I know I'll have photos I want to share!

So now the question is - - - what are you working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

Oh, and just a reminder - there's a great sale going on over at Craftsy, with huge discounts on quilting fabric and kits!  Click on the Craftsy banner at the top of this blog to check it out - it's a great time to stock up for Christmas crafting!  But go quick - it's only through Tuesday night!

Friday, October 9, 2015

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? A Big One for the Ministry...

Hi, all!

It's finally Friday!!  And you know what that means - it's time to get our whoop whoop on!  Are you ready?  Don't worry - you've got until Sunday midnight to link up, and it doesn't have to be a finish - just something you're excited about accomplishing!!  So let's get started!


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This year marks the ten-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall in New Orleans, and our high school mission team is once again returning there to do mission work, leaving this Saturday morning.  They have gone down there many times over the years, working with the residents of St. Bernard Parish in their recovery efforts.


These four boxes hold forty-five quilts made by the members of quilt ministry and are going with the mission team to New Orleans this weekend to be distributed to people in need there!


There are too many of them to show individually, but here are a couple of montages to give you an idea of what we are sending.  Many of the tops were donated, or made from donated orphan blocks and fabric.  So many hands went into the making of these quilts - and they will be a great comfort to people in need of a quilty hug!  If you see something you donated, or for that matter, if you've ever made a donation to the quilt ministry, give yourself a big whoop whoop!  You done good!!

So - - - can the folks at the quilt ministry get a whoop whoop?

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And now it's your turn!

What are you whooping about this week?


What's got you dancing a little happy dance?

Share - we want to dance right along with you -
Because it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight - 

Hope to see you there!

PS Remember to hop over to Zenia Rene's "WHOOMP There IT Is" linky party and join in the fun!

Hugs!

Sarah

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

What's On The Bookshelf Wednesday - Patchwork In Unexpected Places!

Hi, all!  

It's Wednesday, and that means it's time to see what's on the bookshelf again!  Actually, today's book came in the mail today and while I wasn't originally going to do this book (you'll understand why in a moment) when I saw this picture, I decided it was meant to be!  


Because who knew that the sorting hat was made of patchwork???


This book - an illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - came in the mail today, on the very day it was released.  Hooray for Amazon pre-orders!!!  I ordered it to give to Lilli, my 8-year old granddaughter, for Christmas - but I'm going to look it over first.  She's really getting into reading, and she loves the first HP movie, so this should be a fun book for her.


The illustrations are just wonderful - some are full page with text over them, like this one of Hedwig...


And all of our favorite characters are there - don't you just love this pic of Hagrid with his pink umbrella?


And of course, Ron with his rat, and a sweater probably made by his mom!


The pages are nice and sturdy, chock full of Jim Kay's gorgeous illustrations, and the occasional ink splatter.  It will remind you of a student's well-used school book in that regard!  

I'm really hoping that they do these illustrated versions for each of the HP books - I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for them!  I'll go out on a limb and say that this book is a "must-have" for any HP fan - it is truly a work of art and makes the world of Harry Potter just a little more real - a sneak peek for all of us muggles!  (Amazing - the auto-correct on my computer doesn't recognize the word "muggle"!  Go figure!)

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So that's what's on my bookshelf today.  Have you taken a look at yours lately?

Hugs!

Sarah