Make-A-List Monday - Giveaway Winner!

Hi, all!

I hope you had a great week last week!  I know it was a busy one for me - tons of email to answer because of the Country Girl Modern giveaway, and the start of Hands2Help, too!  I know you're all excited to see who won a copy of Country Girl Modern, so let's take care of that first thing!  We had 2XX entries, and Little Miss Random chose #   ....   68!!

Lisa EMarch 12, 2015 at 4:53 PM

I'm more of a modern quilter but definitely like the traditional quilts too. This book has some fantastic quilts in it!

Congratulations, Lisa!  I'll be contacting you today by email to get your mailing info to send you your copy!  And for those of you who didn't win, be sure to get your hands on a copy of this book - it's got some great designs in it!!

Now to see how last week's list went....

1.  Start quilting Nathanael's quilt.

Nope!  Try as I might, I just ran out of time to get this quilt basted.  I'm planning to do some straight line quilting on my tabletop machine, then transfer it to the long arm to do some meandering.  Hopefully this week!

2.  Put labels on two auction quilts and get them in the mail.

Done!  I hope she likes the labels... they were fun to make!

3.  Mail a box of scraps to my favorite scrap quilter!

Done!  It was a big box, too - the post office may take away my flat rate box privileges!

4.  Finish the last two zipper cases.

Done!  These cases are so cute, and so easy - I love making them!

5.  Write up an estimate for a new commission quilt.

Done - and not just one, but two!  I've heard back about one, but not the other yet. Looks like it's going to be a busy spring!

6.  Read and review a new quilting book!  

(That's this Thursday - come back for a giveaway!)

Done!  And as I said, if you are looking for a new quilting book, this is a really good one!

7.  Prepare my IKEA shopping list - we're headed there Saturday!

Done!  But it was a bit disappointing - they had almost no quilting weight fabric this time!  I did find a couple of pieces, but nothing like I've found on other trips.  On a happier note, though, I went to Intown Quilters in Decatur, GA and had a blast!

8.  Write the first H2H post - time for signups!!

Done!  I hope you'll join us in this, the fifth year of Hands2Help!  You can read more about it here!  You can sign up this week (through Saturday midnight) to be eligible for the signup giveaway, but you can sign up any time between now and the end of the Challenge (May 31st) and make a quilt for one of the listed charities to be eligible for the final giveaways!

9.  Keep up with all ministry needs that arise.

Done!  We gave away quite a few quilts this week...

This one went to a 2-year old girl who had brain surgery this week...

And this one went to a young woman who had a bad fall and may have bleeding on the brain.

This quilt went to a woman who had an unexplained seizure and is in the hospital for testing...

Turn your head and look sideways - I was holding it wrong!

This one went to a gentleman who had open heart surgery...

And this one is for a new baby boy!!

OK, so not everything got done, but that's as good as it gets!  Here's what's coming up this week...

1.  Finish preparing for and host the bunco night fundraiser.

2.  Spray baste and quilt Nathanael's quilt.

3.  Order fabric for Emmy's new bed quilt.

4.  Start cutting out the commission quilt.

5.  Contact all the folks who signed up for H2H.

6.  ........... taxes.................  ;-(

7.  Keep up with any ministry needs that arise.

I'm keeping it simple this week, mainly because I'm out of time to think of anything else that needs doing!  I've got to leave the house in a few minutes for the fundraiser, and really want this post to go up before I leave - because I know people want to know who won the book!

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

Hugs!

Sarah

Hands2Help - Time to Signup, and a Giveaway!!

"What does love look like?

It has the hands to help others.

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.

It has eyes to see misery and want.

It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.

That is what love looks like."

Hi, all!

Things are all falling into place for this year's Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge!  I'm so excited to get this started!

2015 represents the fifth year of the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge!  It’s been an amazing four years...

2011:  47 quilters made 60 quilts

2012:  55 quilters made 94 quilts

2013:  65 quilters made 127 quilts

2014:  70 quilters made 145 quilts

I can’t wait to see what the fifth year of the Challenge has in store - so let’s begin!

This year we have three great charities to choose from - two in the U.S. and one for our Canadian friends!  You will be signing up to make a quilt or quilts for any or all of these three charitable causes.

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Option #1 - Layers Of Hope - Quilting 911

Layers of Hope - Quilting 911’s mission is to enhance the lives of 911 Telecommunications Operators (911 Dispatchers) and their families during times of illness, disaster, loss and tragedy by inspiring hope, faith and optimism with a quilt of warmth and comfort in order to make a positive influence in the lives of those who make a difference everyday, one quilt and one stitch at a time.

Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 began back in 2005 when Jean Kester, a police/fire 911 dispatcher in Washington state, wanted to be of assistance during the Hurricane Katrina disaster.  Unable to go to Louisiana because of family obligations, her husband suggested that she make quilts for those who lost everything - and that started the journey that became Layers of Hope - Quilting 911.

Since that time, she has provided quilts for first responders on duty in the Virginia Tech tragedy, to dispatchers whose homes were involved in flooding in New York, to dispatch centers who have lost members of their dispatch family, to dispatchers enduring chemotherapy, and to their ill children.  

She reached a point where she knew she could no longer handle the volume of quilts needed on her own, and in 2012 set up a Facebook page asking for help from the quilting community, which of course was gladly given.  She now has many partners helping her fill the multitude of needs in the 911 community.

This year you have a chance to work with her to make a difference and reach out to those rarely seen and always heard during our darkest hours when they answer that call, “911, what are you reporting?”

She is in need of adult-sized quilts, for both men and women, and children’s (not infant’s) quilts.

Option #2 - Happy Chemo!

Once again, we will be helping out with this ongoing project of Emily of Em's Scrapbag.  You can choose to make quilts for Happy Chemo, an organization that provides quilts and comfort for chemo patients.  They also collect up and provide information about freebies and discounts that may be of use to chemo patients.  Emily has been championing this cause for a while, and has set a goal of providing 1500 quilts to Happy Chemo.  She’s already donated more than 600 quilts, and I’d like to see her numbers grow!  She has generously agreed to be part of this challenge, and is excited to see what comes of it.  Here's what Emily has to say about Happy Chemo...

"The first time I met Ginger Johnston, founder of Happy Chemo, it was my first visit to a chemo lab.  I was scared and unsure of what the future held for me.  In walked Ginger, bald and boobless but determined to bring a little sunshine into the chemo lab.  So before she started her treatment she took everyone’s name and drew prizes.  It so changed my experience that I knew I needed to help her in her quest.  I started making quilts for her to give.  Because I can’t sew as fast as cancer strikes I started asking for help.  I just want to bring a little comfort and joy to those who are facing the fear and uncertainty that trips to the chemo lab bring. “

Quilts made for this project will be sent to Emily to help her meet her goal of 1500 quilts donated to Happy Chemo!

She is in need of quilts 45” square to 60” x 72”.  Any style of quilt is accepted as cancer affects men and women, children and adults.

And now, for our Canadian friends...

Option #3

Because You Matter

“I would like to see people treasure and take care of each other for no other reason than that we all matter.  I also believe that change begins at home.  There is so much need in the world, and it is easy to feel helpless to do anything about it.  But there is something that we can do!  One small act of kindness can show someone else that they matter.”

Ring Toss quilt for a little boy who lost his home to a fire.

Nita Collins, who blogs at Nita Dances, works to be a living example of what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said: Be the change you want to see in the world.  In her effort to discover ways that she could be the change, she started a personal quilting project called Because You Matter.  The purpose of Because You Matter is to make and give a quilt to a person (mainly kids, but adults too) who is having a hard time and would be comforted by a handmade quilt to snuggle up in.  Her focus is on children in foster care.

She is in need of lap sized quilts for both boys and girls.  She is located in Canada, which will give our Canadian quilters a local place they can donate to!  Step up, all you Canadians! (Of course, she'll gladly take quilts from the Americans, too, if you want to ship one to her!)

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With three charities to choose from this year, you can make a wide variety of sizes and styles of quilts - something for everyone!! And if you're torn between the three charities, feel free to make more than one quilt!  Just think how many wonderful designs you can try.... ;-)

And this year, to allow more international participants, if you live outside North America and want to participate, you can send your quilt top and back to me and I will quilt it for you, to save you from having to pay huge international postage to ship a finished quilt.  Or in the alternative, you can choose a local charitable cause to give your quilt to.  So come on and join in, all you Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis!  And anyone else who wants to join in!  

Here's the calendar for this year's Hands2Help Challenge:

Initial signups will be Sunday March 15th through Saturday, March 21st.  You will receive one entry for signing up, and can get additional entries for putting the button on your blog sidebar, and/or posting about the challenge to encourage others to join in!  (You can sign up after this time, but this is the period to sign up to be part of the signup giveaway.)

The following Sunday, March 22nd, we'll announce the winners of the signup giveaway.  

On Sunday, March 29th, there will be a linky party where you can post links to your favorite on-line tutorials!  It could be a tutorial for a quilt pattern, or a technique like machine binding, or even a recipe for your favorite "while-I'm-quilting" snack or crock-pot meal!  You don't have to write the tutorial, you can link up to another blogger's tutorial.  If you love it, someone else might too!

Sunday, April 5th, you'll Meet The Sponsors!  So many generous people have stepped up to provide giveaways for all of you fabulous H2Hers, and I'm sure you'll want to see who they all are - and maybe even do a little shopping for the challenge with them!

And then there's the guest bloggers!  You will definitely want to be here on April 12th, April 19th, April 26th, May 3rd, May 10th, May 17th, and May 24th as we get to peek into the creative lives of some of our fellow H2Hers!  

There will also be check-in dates like last year, when you can link up and show your progress....  April 19th and May 17th.

Quilts should be completed by the week beginning Sunday, May 31st.  There will be a linky party (May 31st through June 6th) to link your finished quilt and show it off, and giveaways for people who link up their quilts.  We've got some great sponsors this year!  Winners will be announced on June 7th.

Quilts should be mailed to the appropriate place by Friday, June 12th.

And as promised, there's a giveaway!  Shannon, the owner of FabricsNQuilts, a great shop that is not only on-line, but also a brick and mortar shop in Jamestown, TN, is offering a $35 gift certificate for the signup giveaway.  

And not only that, she's offering free shipping for the duration of the challenge to all the participants!  

And C&T Publishing is offering a 25% discount to all participants on books ordered through their on-line shop, too.  The codes for both of those discounts will be emailed to the participants, so be sure to include your email address in your comment!

So here's what you need to do to sign up….

1)   Leave a comment below with your email address in it (unless you are SURE you are not a no-reply blogger) so I can email you directly for your contact information, and send you the discount codes!  If you found out about the H2H Challenge from someone else's blog, let me know who, so they can get an extra entry as a thanks for spreading the word.

NOTE:  You don't need to have a blog to participate!  But if you don't have a blog, please please please be sure to leave me your email address in your comment so I can reach you!!

2)  For an extra entry in the giveaway, post the H2H button on your  blog sidebar.  You can grab the code for it in the little box under the button on my sidebar.  Then leave a comment saying you've posted the button, with a link to your blog.  If you've already done that, leave a comment saying you've done so with the link.

3)  For another entry, write a blogpost about the Hands2Help Challenge to help spread the word.  Leave a comment saying you've done it, with a link to your post.  If you've already written a post (Thanks!!) leave a comment with a link.

4)  And followers, both new and old, get one final entry.  Leave another comment letting me know you're a follower.  


Woohoo!!  Let's get started!!

Hugs!

Sarah

If you'd like to read about the previous Hands2Help Challenges, click here and scroll back through the posts!

PS - if you've commented on any of my posts and you haven't heard back from me, you are probably a "no-reply" blogger!  Check here for instructions on how to correct this problem, or leave your e-mail address in your comment so that I can reach you!  If you don't feel comfortable leaving your e-mail address out in public, you can e-mail me directly at salliesue57(at)gmail(dot)com.

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? As Close As I Could Get...

Hi, all!

It's Friday again, and you know what that means - it's time to get our whoop whoop on!!  Are you ready?

I didn't get my quilt finished this week - life happened and even though I had planned to get at least some of the quilting done on it, this top is unfortunately not even basted yet!  But it's pretty, and I love it, and it's my whoop whoop for the week!

This quilt will be the quilt that lives on Nathanael's bed when he finally comes home.  My daughter picked out the fabrics - some Cotton & Steel, some Doe, and some Connecting Threads fabrics.  The background is Kona Snow.

The light was terrible outside today, but at least it wasn't raining!  

And occasionally, the wind picked up and took this quilt for a ride!

I wish there had been some sun to get a really great "stained glass" shot, but this is the best I could get.

That's my quilt-y whoop whoop for the week - it's as close as I could get to a finish!

And I have an adoption whoop whoop too - Nancy's auction raised over $3000 to help #bringNathanaelhome!  Thanks to all of you who helped support Nancy and her family!

And here's a reminder - this Sunday is the beginning of the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2015!!  Be sure to come back and sign up to participate - you'll be entered in the signup giveaway!!  Help us celebrate the fifth year of this fun Challenge!

Oh - and one more thing - have you seen the new book, Country Girl Modern?  I've reviewed it on this blogpost, and I'm giving away a copy!  The giveaway is open until Sunday midnight, and the winner will be announced on Monday.  Check it out!

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And now it's your turn!

What are you whooping about this week?

What's got you dancing the happy dance?

Share - because it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday at midnight - 

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah