Remembering Mom . . .

Hello!  :)

One year ago today, February 4, 2011, my mom, Toni Louise Smith, lost her long battle with breast cancer.  It has been a long difficult year, but I made it through it. I miss her terribly. My dad, my sister, and our families, are getting together today to visit my mom, have lunch together, and comfort each other.

I want to share some of my favorite pictures of my mom and my family with you.

My mom was born on October 19, 1948. She was an adorable baby!

She grew into a beautiful woman!

My mom and dad met and fell in love almost immediately.

They were married for 46 years.

I was their first child and a pretty big baby.  :)

Here's my mom, my sister Tammie and me in pigtails.

Here are the four of us. The happy family photo.  :)

This one was definitely taken in the 70's.

Another photo from the 70's. My mom was always dying her hair. This is one of my favorite pictures of her. 

Here she is with her family. Her only brother Rick, her dad, her mom, sister Verna and her sister Teri.

This one is the four of us, Christmas 2009.

Her she is with her father who survived her.

And the last one is of her and my dad. Happily ever after.  :)

Miss you mom! Please watch after us all.  :)

Thank you for sharing with me.

Until next time . . .

A Full February 1st for Me!

Hello!  :)

I didn't get any sewing done over the weekend like I had planned. The hunky dude, the boy and I did go bowling though. I hadn't been bowling in over 20 years. I was pretty darn rusty . . . skills and body . . . lol! I've been paying for it ever since. We did have fun though!  :)

I had joined a Valentine's apron swap over at Country Pleasures. I thought the due date was February 15th for some reason, which is pretty odd since Valentine's Day is the 14th. Anyway the mailing due date was actually February 1st. So I got busy picking out the pattern and getting the fabric. Then I managed to get the apron plus an extra one for me sewed up pretty quick. Of course I can't show them to you yet but I will soon. I mailed it out today so my partner, Gail of Faithfulness Farm, should receive it soon and then I'll share both of them with you!  :)

I had a pretty productive day today. I finally got the two Snowman Blocks I made for a January Block of the Month Swap mailed out to my two partners.

I also got the charm packs mailed out to the giveaway winners from Monday. So Jennifer and Gail they are on the way to you! Enjoy them!  :)

While I was at it, I got the I-SPY charms mailed out for the charm swap. I'm ahead on this one as they're not due until February 15th. I know I'm shocked too! I'm never early!  Lol!  ;)

That was the end of the mailings today. Whew! It was nice to get those items off on their way!  :) I did manage to make two mini blankets for Doobie today but forgot to take pictures of them. :(  I did take a picture of him earlier today all swaddled up in my blanket though (he was cold).  :)

He's so cute and sweet! Isn't he?!!! He looks like a puppy here but he's not. Do you see his new license? I finally went and got it so he's legal now!  :)

I was even able to make some more progress with the Birdies today!  :)  I managed to get all the sashings on. I decided to go ahead and add some cornerstones where the inner blocks meet using the border fabric. What do you think? How's it looking so far?

I'm loving how it's looking but it's a little too small for me. I know it's supposed to be a lap quilt but I think I want it a little bigger. So far there's only one border to add. Tomorrow I think I'll play around a little bit and maybe add two borders instead of just one. Next time you see it the top should be finished. I hope so! It's not that I'm trying to rush. It's just that I've been dying to see how this one turns out. It's for me! I'm so excited! :)

And if that isn't enough . . . Today the mailman brought some goodies to me!  :)

It's one of my Snowman Blocks for the swap! Isn't it cute?!!! My partner Toni also sent me 4 fat quarters of snowman fabric, some sewing machine needles and thread! I'm a lucky girl!  :)

Here's a close up of the block. She designed it herself! I love it!  :)  Thanks Toni! You did a great job!  :)

Until next time . . .

It's WINNER Time!!!

Hello!  :)

Thank you so much for following me!!! Thank you also for entering my giveaway! It's been lots of fun!  :)

I used the Random Number Generator to pick the two winners. For some reason I couldn't get it to post on my blog correctly with all the numbers in it so I'm just going to post the winners.

Without further adieu . . .

The "Hometown" by Sweetwater for Moda charm pack

Goes to #23 . . .

Jennifer W. said... 23

I am already a follower and I'm loving the fabric packs you picked out. :)

1/22/12 9:50 AM

CONGRATULATIONS Jennifer!!! Please email me your mailing address so I can get the charm pack out to you.  :)

The "Rouenneries" by French General for Moda charm pack

 

Goes to #67. . .

Gail @ Faithfulness Farm said... 67

THANK YOU for posting a reminder Cherise -- I have been a little MIA with new grandbaby but didn't want to miss out on such a great giveaway. YES I follow and today I am working on YOUR apron :)


Blessings Friend!
Gail

1/29/12 7:12 AM 

CONGRATULATIONS Gail!!! Please email me your mailing address so I can get the charm pack out to you.  :)

Thanks again to everyone for participating and following me! Have a Wonderful Week!  :)

Until next time . . .

Last Chance to Enter my Giveaway!!!

Hello!  :)

Today, Sunday, January 29th, is the last day to enter one of two charm packs I'm giving away.

Here's the first charm pack . . .

"Hometown" by Sweetwater for Moda. Would you like to win this? Here's all the fabrics included . . .

And here's the other charm pack you can win . . .

"Rouenneries" by French General for Moda. How about this one? Would you like to win it? Here's the fabrics it includes . . .

Go to this post for all the details and to enter the giveaway. Good luck!!!  :)

Have a Wonderful Day!  :)

Until next time . . .

Made Some Progress!

Hello!  :)

My friend Karen, from Sew Much 2 Luv has been having an "After Christmas Sew Along" all month. I wanted to participate from the beginning but I just couldn't get my rear in gear. Now that I'm moving along I'm participating this week. Today, Friday, is the last day. Better late than never . . . right?  ;)

I've made some progress on putting the Birdie's quilt top together. I sewed the four rows together with the sashing in between the blocks. I only got a picture of part of the first row though . . .

It's the January and February blocks so it's appropriate, right?!  :)  I'm hoping to get more done on this tomorrow. The only problem is that the hunky dude is off work every Friday, Saturday and Sunday (he works 4/10's). I love this schedule but sometimes it's hard to get sewing done. He seems to want to run errands and spend time with me on his days off . . . crazy, huh? Just kidding! I love it!  :)  I just wish I could fit some sewing time in there too. It's my fault though as I get lazy after we run errands and just want to sit, watch tv and play on the computer. I'm a total computer addict! There I admitted it!  ;)

Remember this pile I showed you the other day . . .

Did you guess what I was making with it? I turned it into this . . .

I'm very happy with how it turned out.  :)  It's for a Block of the Month Swap I've been participating in through Mary Jane's Farmgirl Connection. January's block was to be a snowman. I think I got it right!  :)  Hopefully my two partners aren't reading this. I will be getting their blocks in the mail to them real soon. I also made a couple extra ones for myself. I'm considering using this design for a surprise project later this year. I just have to decide exactly what I want to do. For now I'll keep my idea a secret. I'll let you in on it when I know all the details, okay?!  :)

Hope you have an awesome weekend!  :)

Until next time . . .

All Cut & Ready to Go!

Hello!  :)

I'm still avoiding cleaning . . . but I'm going to get moving anyway!  :)  I cut all the sashing, borders and binding for my Birdie Stitches Quilt. I also cut some cornerstones but I'm not sure if I'm going to use them or not.  I'll lay it all out and then decide. It looks so pretty! Can't wait to see it all put together!  :)

I received the fabric I ordered for the I Spy Charm Swap at Midnight Maker last night. So I got it all cut and ready to send out. I really love the umbrellas and the duckies aren't too bad either!  :)

Last but not least, I cut all the pieces I need for a surprise project that's been on my to-do list. It will be nice to get this one behind me. I'm way late on it. Can't wait to see how it turns out either as it's all in my head. I'll share it with you when I can.  :)

That's it for now. I better get my behind over to my sewing area and dig that sewing machine out so I can get sewing!

Until next time . . .

It's GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

Giveaway is now CLOSED!
See the winners here! :)

Hello!  :)

Do you remember earlier this week when I said I was going to giveaway two charm packs to celebrate reaching 100 & 200 followers by the end of December? Well the time has come!

Before I show you the charm packs I want to thank all of my loyal followers! I never dreamed so many people would be interested in my blog. You have truly warmed my heart! I have made some awesome friends through this blog and I wouldn't trade any of you for anything! I had a goal to reach 100 followers by the end of December. I reached that goal and then you guys just keep going and all the sudden there were over 200 of you here following my blog! You really know how to make a girl happy!  :)

On to the giveaway . . .

Here's the first charm pack . . .

"Hometown" by Sweetwater for Moda. Would you like to win this?!!! Here's all the fabrics included . . .

And here's the other charm pack you can win . . .

"Rouenneries" by French General for Moda. How about this one? Would you like to win it?!!! Here's all the fabrics it includes . . .

There will be two winners chosen! The first winner will receive the "Hometown" charm pack and the second winner will receive the "Rouenneries" charm pack.

You need to do two things for a chance to win . . .
First . . . You need to be a follower of mine since this giveaway is to celebrate my followers!  :)  Current follower or new follower, doesn't matter.
Second . . . You need to leave me a comment telling me you're a follower.

That's it!
Easy peasy!  :)

The giveaway is open internationally. It will remain open until midnight pacific time. Sunday, January 29th. I will choose the two winners on Monday, January 30th with the help of the random number generator, and will email the winners and post them on my blog. If you are a no-reply blogger please post your email in your comment or you will be disqualified.

Lots of luck to you! Thank you again for following me! I appreciate it and you!  :)

Until next time . . .

Friday Night Sew-In Fun!

Hello!  :)

Well I did it! Kind of anyway. I didn't get the sewing area cleaned.  :(  Hunky dude wanted me to run errands with him. So I did!  :)  When I got back home I was thinking about what I could work on that didn't involve my sewing machine since it was still buried. Then it hit me! I never got a chance to work on the final block for my Birdie Stitches Quilt. So I printed the pattern out . . . traced it on the block, I already had made for it, and got to work stitching it. Here it is . . .

Not a great picture . . . but I'm happy with how it turned out!  :)  I'm also elated because now I've finished stitching all the blocks for the quilt! WooHoo! You can see my other blocks here, here, here, and here. The next step is to cut the other pieces for the top and put it all together. I'm excited and can't wait to see how it turns out. Hopefully I'll be able to get my sewing area cleaned up so I can get back to more of the fun stuff!  :)

Check back here after midnight on Sunday, January 22nd for my charm packs giveaways!  :)

Until next time . . .