Hop.. Skip.. and a whole lotta goodies

The boys and I just returned home after spending a week with my parents. We had a great time.. the boys got spoiled by Grandma.. and went fishing with Grandpa. It was an all around good time.

So - after 7 days, we loaded up the car and headed home. We had to drive all across Minnesota and since yesterday was day 1 of the "Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop".. we made a few stops along the way.

I didn't travel off our route - so we only stopped at 3 stores. But they were all wonderful stores that I will be sure to visit again. My boys were real troopers too. What would normally be a 4 1/2 hour trip.. became 7 hours. I had warned them that we would be stopping and there would be NO COMPLAINING!!! They actually got into it.. my oldest was even saying things like "Mom.. look at this" and "Mom.. look at that quilt on the wall.. it has a lot of detail". LOL

Anyway - my first stop was "Back Porch Quilts" in Detroit Lakes MN (my husbands home town). I've been to this store before and it never disappoints. I need to save up some $$ and go back!!

Moda's very own Holly Taylor even designed Quilt Minnesota Fabric. And it's so beautiful!!! Every store gives you a bag with directions and fabric to make one block using the signature fabric. 

I had to get the charm pack.. love it!

My second stop was "Front Porch Quilts" in Walker MN. Let me just say ADORABLE!!!

Their flannel selection made my heart skip a beat... seriously.. I think I blacked out a little. When I came to I heard my son saying "Mom.. are you ok? Let go of the fabric Mom.. you're embarassing us"... ok, maybe not - but you get the idea.

I grabbed a charm pack of "Awesome" by Sandy Gervais. I'm going to make a cute fall table topper I think.

My final stop is a shop that is close to my house.. THANK GOODNESS!! Because I'm in love with this store!!! It's called "The Hingeley Road Quilt Shop".

Look at all these precuts...

Have you EVER seen so many??

All the joy made me a little dizzy..  I only took pictures of 3 walls of precuts.. but they have more if you can believe it! And I found this little jewel..

I need to go back very soon (without kids) and take my time searching through their stash to see what other treasures I can find. Let me just say.. if there is a charm pack you've been looking for.. they probably have it!!

This store also gave away (yes.. for FREE) this quilt book. The store owner is the designer... and she was giving this book to all the shop hoppers with their square. Very generous!

I'm going to visit the quilt stores in the Duluth area this week and sew what other treasures I can find. But first.. groceries!! The fridge was looking pretty empty after being gone a week!

And tonight.. SEWING!!!!!

Friday Night Sew-in Winners.. and my "results"

What an exciting and awesome Friday Night Sew-in that we had this month. We had 151 people all across the WORLD sewing "together". Can I get a WHAAHOOOO!!!

And - Bobbi and I are excited to celebrate our ONE YEAR FNSI Anniversary this month. As you may have noticed the past few months - the giveaways always include a pincushion. So, Bobbi created our signature Scrappy FNSI Pincushion that we are unveiling this month. Way to go Bobbi!!!

We are also including a charm pack of "12 Days of Christmas" by Kate Spain to the lucky winners. It is our Christmas in July theme.. that happened quite by accident. But hey.. it works!

Now for the good stuff - the lucky winner over here - using Random.org is Jamie from over at Modified Mix. Congrats Jamie. Send me your address and we can get your package off to you.

And now I must show you my "results" from Friday Night. It was a flop.. and I was so bummed about it.

I sat down.. so eager to sew.. I was going to make a little dress for the new little girl living in our house. I got my strips all laid out.. I opened the package of onsies.. and realized I accidently bought 12 mth size rather than 18mth. Arrgghhh..

So then I started playing with my fabric for the July Quilters Bee block - but didn't get very far. It is a spider web block - I'm excited to make one for the first time.. but it didn't happen.

Basically - it was a bust. The wind was out of my sails.. we've all been there.

And now I'm off for a week - visiting my parents. Enjoying my Mom - she's teaching me to "double knit".. I'll let you know how that goes. We've tried before and I gave up. I was much younger and not as patient back then. I'll let you know.

Don't forget to go on over to http://www.craftyvegasmom.blogspot.com/ to see who won over there.. it could be you!!

Where's Heidi???...

I'm here, I promise!!

My house has been crazy busy. There is still some unpacking going on - believe it or not. And then there is the matter of keeping the kids busy during summer break.. and exploring our new town. Made easier by Kim at Still Meadow Quilting who sent me an email with a TON of useful information - Thank you Kim!! I can't begin to tell you how much I've used your email.

We did some berry picking this morning. My kids loved it - it was their first time. I'm going to make some more jam. The jam I made a few weeks ago turned out wonderful. I had 6 jars and we are down to 3 already. My stepdaughter said she thought it was Smuckers.. I guess that means it was good huh!

This was a raspberry farm (obviously) and we had to 'make an appt' to pick. Farmer Mike was so nice - he even let us pick 2 pints of Blueberries - they were just getting ready to open the Blueberry patch to customers so we got lucky!

And he harvests his own Honey.. YUMMY!!! The first thing I did after getting home was make some toast to put the honey on.. SO GOOD!!!

Are you ready for some sewing? Tomorrow is the Friday Night Sew-in. If you haven't signed up yet.. what are you waiting for?? Click the link over on my sidebar and sign up!!

I'm very excited to sew this time.. more than usual (which means A LOT)!

Drum Roll...

Thank you everyone for your wonderful and sweet comments! Now for the good stuff...

Because I'm all about all things fair - I used Random.org to select the winner!

Congrats to Sallyannequilter who said:

"What a wonderful giveaway! Hope you are enjoying your new home."

Sally lives north of me in Canada.. and she has a sweet blog that you should check out. http://sallyannequilter.blogspot.com/

And YES, I am enjoying my new home. Minnesota is everything I remembered it to be!!

Sally, send me your mailing address and I will get this lovely and fat free cake in the mail to you!

Want some cake??!!

It's GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! Why?

1. Because it's time I figure out where the post office is in this new town!
2. I'm trying to find space in my much smaller sewing room for all my stash!
3. cuz I love ya!

It's a Layer Cake of "Sultry" by Basic Grey for Moda.

Just leave a comment.. that's all.. no other hoops to jump through!

Entries close at Noon on Thursday 7/15 (central time)

Good Luck!!!

Glutton for punishment?? Let's hope not!

Do you ever do something over and over expecting different results?

Well - we've done it again and we are praying for different results.

Those of you who know me "in the real world" know that my husband has a daughter from a previous relationship. She is 21 years old now. I've known her since she was 6 and she has always lived in another state but we see her frequently.

She's wanted to live with us more than once in her life - starting when she was 10 years old. We've always said yes and it usually lasts for a few months (even days one time) and she goes back. Without going into great detail - let me just say that her home with her Mom is very unstable and chaotic.

Anyway - about 15mths ago - she became a Mommy herself. We tried to move her to Arizona with us when she was pregnant so she could go to school and get her degree like she wanted, but she only lasted a few days with us. And when she left that time - we said "NEVER AGAIN" because it was just too hard.

Well, over the past 15mths - she has expressed more than once how much she knows she made a mistake and how hard it is to work and support a baby. We just nodded our heads in agreement. Not willing to go through it all again.  But then a week ago.. the call came. Her living situation was turned upside down. And her Mom's house is no longer a place she can raise her little baby. So we told her to quit her job, pack up her car and come.

So - call us crazy!!! But what parent turns their back on their kid?!! Especially when she's a hard worker - wants to go to college (badly) and doesn't drink or do drugs. She just needs a safe place for her and her baby.

So she drove all night last night and arrived this morning. My boys are all over this little baby girl. She's adorable.. and I have so many sewing ideas for her.

Please say a little prayer for her - pray that this time she has the strength to finally cut the ties from all the chaos.

Also - I've started to unpack the sewing room finally! And I will have some projects to show you later this week. And I will be sewing for the Friday Night Sew-In for sure!!!

Comb your hair and put on a bra.. companies coming!!

So my husband leaves for work this morning at around 6:00am.. I'm up with one eye open, hairs a mess (thank you humidity).. getting the coffee brewing.

About 15 minutes after he leaves - he calls to tell me one of his coworkers is stopping by on her way to work.. she has something for me. My reply.. "UM.. what?.. now?.. dang!"

I met her last Thursday when we first arrived - a gang of his coworkers came to help us unload the moving truck. All amazingly nice people! She is a HUGE knitter - she even proofs patterns everyday at work on her breaks. She told my husband she'd love to teach me to knit.. and when winter comes I'm going to take her up on it.

Anyway.. back to the delivery...

She brought me some fresh strawberries and rhubarb!!!

Look at how ripe these berries are! I've tasted a few and ZOWIE.. they are G.O.O.D!!! But as you can see, they are very ripe and won't last long.

So in the middle of some unpacking.. I'm going to make some jam today. Strawberry Rhubarb jam in fact. I just need to find the right recipe. I want one without a ton of sugar cuz I don't like super sweet.. and these berries are sweet as it is. I just need to offset the tart rhubarb.

Know of any recipes?

July Friday Night Sew-In and a Giveaway!!

Bobbi and I are hosting another Friday Night Sew-In on July 23rd! Sign ups are finally here!! Are you pumped??!!

If you are in the "summer sewing slump" then this is the perfect opportunity for you to get motivated!

Most of you already know the drill.. but for any newbies out there.. here is how it works.

1. Enter your blog info below. **If you don't have a blog - you can enter the Flickr group link as your URL.

2. Make a post on your blog - letting all your readers know about the sew-in. Spread the word.. we could all use the virtual sewing support and encouragement.

3. On Friday – 07/23/10 - Get your house settled, put on your comfy jammies.. maybe make a cup of tea.. and sit down to work on some of those projects (or anything else that you want to work on.. maybe you want to knit.. or catch up on scrapbooking).

4. Then, sometime on Saturday - Make a post about what you worked on.. show us a picture or two on Flickr.

And finally - on Sunday 7/25, we will enter all participants into a GIVEAWAY for something fun! Maybe some fabric.. or a sewing gadget or two. Bobbi and I both pick winners - so you each will have 2 chances to win!!