Another bite of schnibbles book review

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The greatest thing about my job is that I get to work on projects in advance of their release date to the world. The bad thing about that is sometimes I don’t have much to blog about. Of course, this is no excuse for my lack of posts. I am also lucky because I happen to have a neighbor across the hall from me that is kind enough to show me all the new books and patterns streaming in. So to win back my loyal readers and anyone else that is bored to death,  I am going to do a book review for the next several days starting with Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie’s. Carrie’s newest book from That Patchwork Place has hit the stands. Carrie is such a talented wordsmith. Every project has a creative name and an entire story to go along with it. The wealth of information this one woman retains in her brain is amazing.  Maybe she can come up with another word for amazing so all the dancers on dancing with the stars will have something else to say.
I would certainly want to be on her team during Trivia night.

Ruby by Bonnie and Camille  is shipping to stores now so I thought I would show you the quilt made from a previous line of their fabrics. This quilt was made by an associate of mine Debbie Outlaw. (remember the chocolate cake in my birthday post?)

 Not to brag but I also have a quilt in the book. (THANK YOU CARRIE!)
And I need to mention that Alicia Keys from Heirloom quilting did a super job quilting mine. Check out her work if you are looking for a machine quilter.
The best part of this is that I am going to give this book away to some who leaves a random comment. You must have a way for me to contact you. This will be short and sweet. I will draw the name by 6:00 am tomorrow morning. (Wednesday) A 24 hour giveaway.! Go for it and thanks for stopping by.

Gingham dog baby quilt

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baby quilt in progress…. It looks like it is finished but we are just waiting for the little boy to be born so I can add his name, date of birth, etc in the big empty grey area.
When I learned that Holly was having a boy and doing her nursery in dogs, I  thought of the patchwork dog pillows that you see in antique stores.
I knew I couldn’t tackle the box type pillow and all those set in seams, so I decided to make the quilt above.
This is a perfect project to make using any of your 2 1/2″ jelly roll scraps.
Block measures 14″ finished. Each print square is 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ cut. This block uses white as the background.
This block uses Grey as the background since Holly’s nursery is grey.
(grey dot is from Aneela’s group debuting at quilt market- in stores Feb.)
 If you are a grey junkie, you will want an entire bolt for yourself. I promise.
If you are interested in making some dog blocks, the above diagram shows the basic cutting and piecing directions for one block. All print blocks are cut 2 1/2″ square.

Here is a diagram of 3 blocks across, 4 blocks down with 2″ finished sashings.This diagram makes a quilt that is 50″ x 66″.
 hope you enjoyed this quick project!

50 and NOT COUNTING

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As if I could turn back the hands of time, I am posting backwards. I turned 50 before my son’s wedding but I couldn’t wait to post about the wedding….. SO the week before Grant and Misty’s big day, I had a big day as well. My 50th birthday..

I wanted to share a few pics from this momentous occasion!! I have the reputation at work not to show up on my birthday because I hate for anyone to make a fuss.(There is a long story about this I will save for another time) So they did a super whammy trick on me and had a party on a different day. The girls here were clever in creating a theme for my party. It had to be 50 of something…..

Chelair gave me a red and white crocheted doily her mother made. Inside it was 50 pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Of course this came in handy because the next week I was headed to Vegas. I am sad to report that I no longer have any of the coins, but will always treasure the red and white doily. Dollars, confetti, ribbons and “50 sucks” suckers were thrown in by some of my other “friends” here.

Susan, who had the brilliant idea of 50 of something, gave me 50 fat quarters from her stash all neatly pressed, folded and displayed in a paper trunk. She even found this treasure from a 1997 Deb Strain Christmas collection. Susan’s birthday is coming up. I will have to see if I can create something from these fat quarters and Re-Gift her.

 Cheryl and I share the love of Salsa and everything spicy. I received a colorful bowl full of enough ingredients to make salsa for the week. Delicious!!

 Outlaw snuck in 50 fortune cookies. I start each morning with a fortune cookie and a cup of coffee.

The first fortune I received said, “Treat yourself to something of quality. You deserve it.” I was so excited I ripped the fortune in half so I don’t think it counts. Did you know that you are supposed to add the words… IN BED to the end of your fortune. Read the above fortune and add In Bed. It makes every

fortune pretty funny.

And regardless of the fact that I was on my “Shedding for the Wedding diet”, Outlaw made one of her wonderful cakes. She has been so kind to let me share the recipe here. I gained 10 lbs.
Mississippi Mud/ Fudge Cake
4 eggs
1 c. butter(original says oleo)
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. pecans – chopped
1/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
Melt butter & cocoa, add to other ingredients. Bake 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes in a floured and
greased pan. Time will depend on size of pan.
Spread 1 jar of marshmallow whip over cake while hot and top with icing.
Icing-
1/2 stick butter
1/3 c. cocoa
1/3 c. or more of milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar
Melt butter. Add other ingredients. Have icing warm enough to pour over cake.

AND AS IF THAT WASN”T ENOUGH……
My tricky husband and family threw a small impromptu surprise party at our favorite burger joint. I thought we were headed there to watch the Dallas Cowboys opening day.
My husband thought I might have figured it out, but he said, ” I knew when you came downstairs dressed like that, that you didn’t know about the party.” And he let me go any way. After all I was in my lucky Emmit Smith t-shirt. My daughter and now daughter in law helped him pull off a wonderful evening. They even had everyone take their picture holding a “BIG 50”. Here are a few of the pics!

I will move forward with my blog posts now, thanks for letting me share the pics and catch up on a few of my posts. Thank you to all my family and friends for making me feel so special.

My first born bites the bullet

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My oldest son has found himself a good ol’Kansas gal. (I too am from Kansas)
Thought I would share some of the wonderful wedding pictures.
A special shout out to Camillle Roskelley for joining my whacky family in Vegas for this event and sharing her photography skills with us.

These two pictures are very iconic. The guys are making a toast, the girls are saying a prayer.

I have one daughter, now I have a daughter in law and guess what?
Her Grandmother is a quilter!
Thanks for letting me share a few of the pictures.

9-11 Peace Story Quilt

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Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of 9-11. We all remember exactly where we were when the first tower was hit. Barely time to catch our breath and the second tower was hit. We have all read the heart warming stories, dedications and remembrances for this solemn occasion. I came across an interesting story about an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, titled the 9-11 Peace Story Quilt. The exhibits runs from August 30th through January 22nd, 2012.
The 9-11 peace quilt was designed by Faith Ringhold, after receiving an e-mail from Grace Yun. Grace works with a nonprofit in New York helping children in under served neighborhoods. Grace and Faith met and went through all the posters drawn by children ages 11-19. The assignment was simple, create a poster for peace inspired by 9-11.

The 9/11 Peace Story Quilt contains three panels each measuring 72 by 50 inches. Some 50 NYC kids helped construct it with artist Faith Ringgold

No one knew how this simple project would soon take on a life of it’s own.
Here is an excerpt from an article written by Nicole Lyn Pesce for the NYDailyNews.com.

“They said to me, ‘Well, we went through the same thing, but that’s not really our story,” recalls Yun. So one afternoon in 2002, she handed out paper and markers to a roomful of kids ages 11 to 19, and asked them to create posters for peace inspired by 9/11.
Then they sat in a circle and shared their work.
“You could hear a feather drop,” Yun says. “Every one’s breath was held as you got to tell your story. Every story was different, yet every story was the same.”

To read the entire article, click here.
Faith put the art into a book. Book by Faith Ringhold, What will you do for Peace?

She pulled some of the images from the book to create 3 panels with 12 peace inspired quilt blocks. The children helped transfer the art on to cloth. Ringhold even invited many of the children to her home  and also meet at Lincoln Center to teach them to quilt.
“It is incredible to see these different stories motivated by one particular thing — in this case, peace — brought together forever in this work of art,” says Ringgold.

One of my sons birthday is on 9-11. He lives in New York. Maybe we can go see this exhibit together. Happy Birthday T-bone!

Finish a Project

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My friend Pat Sloan contacted me about ANOTHER ONE of her great projects.
She blogged about a challenge that is basically challenging everyone to finish a project. Well, we all know how great it feels to FINISH because a true sign of being a quilter is that you have more than one project started at any one time.
So can you do it?
Can you finish one of your projects?
IF so, what are you going to do with that project? 
Do you have a quilt just laying around?
Have you made something that may not fit your home decor anymore?
Well of course Pat has an answer for that also. She has teamed up with Victoria Findley Wolfe of Bumblebeans to collect 400 finished quilts for the Basics Shelter that Victoria supports in NYC.


Read about Victoria’s efforts from this past year and the generous people that contributed 300 quilts.
She has also created a flickr page so you can see all the quilts donated.
It continues to amaze me
with the
hearts and generosity
of quilters everywhere.

Thanks to Pat and Victoria for making this happen.
– lissa

Quilting improves your health

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The following is an excerpt from a June 13th article in the Daily Mail Reporter from the UK.

But quilters, it seems, have every right to celebrate their craft after researchers found that it is ‘uniquely’ good for you. A study found quilting improved well-being in ways that physical and outdoor activities could not, and offered a creativity that had been ‘stifled’ in the modern world.




They interviewed quilters and found the activity helped their cognitive, creative and emotional well-being, particularly among older people.


The use of bright colours was ‘uplifting’, the activity distracted from the stress of work, and quilting offered challenges such as maths and geometry. It also increased confidence and had an important social side.
Professor Jacqueline Atkinson, co-author of the study and a quilter herself for five decades, said: ‘Doing something that engages you and that you enjoy is key. As adults, we don’t often do enough that includes fun and play.
Graduate student Emily Burt interviewed 29 members of the group and the transcripts were analysed for the study, published in the Journal of Public Health.
Beneficial: The researchers said more consideration needed to be given to hobbies, from reading to train spotting, and their potential for enhancing well being.
It concluded that: ‘Whether it is growing vegetables, knitting a jumper or discovering a new scientific formula creativity may be fundamental for well being and has received little attention so far within public health.
‘Exploring creativity and what people do in their everyday lives, which they deem creative, may be an important avenue for well being promoters.
‘Additionally, more consideration needs to be given to all hobbies, from reading to train spotting, and their potential for enhancing well being.’


Craft Scotland said interest in quilting amongst younger Scots was increasing but there was no measure for how many people take up the hobby individually or in clubs.
She said: ‘We’ve definitely seen an increase in groups doing quilting socially but also individuals.
‘Historically older groups of women did quilting but women in their early 20s are getting together and children’s groups are also taking it up.
‘People are investing in quality pieces of quilting, but also looking to make items themselves and re-use materials they have in their homes.
‘I can only see the popularity increasing.’
The craft industry contributes around £3 billion a year to the UK economy.

photo courtesy Barbara Brackman

Now we didn’t need a study to prove that to us, did we?
Several years ago there was a therapist in our area. She was also a quilter. She would hold monthly “Therapy” sessions where everyone would gather around a quilt frame, hand quilt and  talk. Maybe this is why our grandmothers didn’t need  a therapist. I  have another word for a therapist, A LIFE COACH and we could all use one. Or maybe we should just pull out our grandmothers quilting frame
and invite a few friends over!
One more funny story – I hope my husband doesnt read this. When the kids were younger I told my husband I needed therapy. Now of course he assumed this meant a therapist and I didn’t tell him any different. So I took some $$ and went to lunch with a friend, spent time at the boookstore, or any other theraputic thing I wanted 1 day a week. It really did help! and I think my husband probably helped a little more around the house because he thought I was loosing it!!
Maybe it is time for more therapy!!

Challenge

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In our area it is back to school time. Setting the alarm, packing lunches, signing forms, carpool, speed zones are just a few of the things that many people are busy with this week.

I saw this old sign for a school zone  and thought it was quite a symbol for us all. Not only for school zones but also just a good symbol for life.
SLOW
A few more weeks and it will be Labor day, the official end to summer.
2011 is almost over.
I know that is so depressing.
Where does the time go? What happened to SLOW
So I thought I would throw out a challenge for Labor Day to the end of 2011.
I have listed several 25 things.
Feel free to leave a comment and add some things we should all do in this 30 week challenge.
I challenge you to choose one thing each week to slow down and enjoy for yourself!
Walk barefoot in the grass
Spend a day doing nothing except relaxing
Pack your lunch and eat at a park
Get a massage
Go technology free for one day
Get a makeover at a makeup counter
Have Champagne for no reason at all except to celebrate life
Call a friend for lunch
Compliment a stranger
Buy fresh flowers for your home
Ask more questions and talk less
Light Candles
Brag on yourself at least 5 times
Say hello to a stranger
Pretend for one day that you don’t know your age
Smile a lot. Best beauty tip on the market
Random Act of Kindness- possibly to a teacher
Write a note to someone that impresses you. don’t sign it
Donate to a charity
Eat your favorite chocolate
Bubble bath and a good book
Doodle and fill the whole page
Look through old photos
Leave compliments on your bathroom mirror with dry erase pens- for yourself
Skip!

my BFF

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the kay mayor story
Don’t really know where to begin. My BFF has packed up 30 years of memories
 and headed to Florida. I guess she has retired.
Kay and her 3 kids, Katie, Jason and Bubba
As we packed up her treasures, we came across many pictures of the past 30 years.
Believe me she has many more pictures but here are just a few of the ones that
are a small part of the mayor /alexander history.
Doesn’t take much to make these kids happy.
Jillian is tempting the boys with the box of vanilla wafers.
Kay loves the water and the outdoors so Florida will be a perfect home for her.
We drug the kids to many fishing adventures.
kay would bait the hook and I would feed the kids.
How did the two girls put up with these boys? I will never know. Since then I added two more boys for jillian and katie to  tolerate.
Watermelon at the park! Great times!
Running around the park!
Picnics!
Potty breaks- didn’t matter whose kid it was. We all know the look.
Grant and Katie together at a football halftime.
She was grossed out and I don’t think he would get too close.
Travis believed he was a real elf because the other kids convinced him he had pointed ears.
We made all their costumes for one of many Christmas parades.
Bubba, Katie and Jason
Kay and my baby , Bo.
Bubba and Jillian in a fashion show. Thanks Bubba for being such a good sport. I doubt any of your Air Forces buddies read my blog.
Travis’ 1st birthday!
Travis’ second mother, Katie. Katie is grown, married and expecting her first child in April. She will be a wonderful mother.
Happy New Year 2000.
Jarrod
Many summer these hunks took over South Padre Island!- scary!We would let them take the jeep out to cruise the strip. Then we would follow them and laugh at how cool they thought they were.
Lots of high school graduations together.
Jason and Jarrod
Jason headed off to the Air Force Academy. When we were packing Kay’s stuff to move, we actually found all of the hair that is on Jason’s head in this picture. He had shaved his head before leaving. We thought we had found a dead animal.
Jason and Grant share the same birthday so many celebrations happened on September 1st.
Snuffers birthday party
We marked time, events, birthdays and graduations at our favorite restaurant, Snuffers. We tried to line everyone up for each photo op. Sometimes it was successful, sometimes not!
I decided to leave this picture upside down, because I thought when Kay moved my life would be turned upside down. I am so proud of her and I have adjusted with little or no medication.
I started this post on New Years eve 2011as therapy. Kay pulled out of her driveway on Christmas day on a new adventure.
 I am actually posting this now because I am headed to Florida to see………………..
Katie and Danny’s baby. Kay’s grand baby.
And the Alexander Mayor/Zell adventure continues!