Still Enjoying California

Encouraging words of the day:

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
~ Hebrews 10:24, NLT

Oh, wow. I haven't posted for a week now. We’re still in California and our daughter and her family have been keeping us busy. I have done NO sewing. My daughter gave me an iPad as an early Christmas present so I could start learning how to use it. She also has one so we're both enjoying experimenting and learning on them. I already love it. I'm trying to type this blog post on my iPad.

I've been using my iPad to do my blog visits. I've been extremely lucky with the giveaways since I won two this week! As soon as i receive them I'll post photos. I'm happy.

I have my flowers for my favorite day of the week,  “One Flower Wednesday.” More hexie flowers I completed before coming to California and here they are:

I have visited a couple of local quilt shops while here. I've bought fat quarters since they're easier to pack while traveling. Here they are:

One of the fabrics I bought was really interesting for my hexies.  It has several color-coordinated  circles in just the right size to cut my hexagon shapes.

Giveaways I’ve found. Ok, I’ve found one giveaway but I’ve been busy being a grandmother.

"Sew Bitter Sweet"  is having a giveaway of two pattern books from Me & My Sisters Designs to two winners. - Ends September 30th.

That is all.

Versatile Blogger Award

Earlier in the week, Erica at "Vicrace Designs," Kari at  "The Purple Quiltapotamus" and Linda at "Stray Stitches" awarded me with the Versatile Blogger Award.  I am so honored that you think my blog is worth of an award.  Thank you so much. 

There are rules to this award...
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Share seven things about yourself on the post.
3. Pass the award to fifteen bloggers that you think deserve it.
4. Lastly, contact all of the bloggers that you've picked for the award. 

Here are seven things about me...

1.  When I’m not quilting, I love to read.  I like Stephen King and Dean Koontz, mysteries by J.A. Jance, Janet Evanovich, Susan Wittig Albert, Diane Doss Davidson, and Carol Higgins Clark.

2.   I like to hunt.  We own property in the Hill Country of Texas and can hunt hogs year-round since they are considered predators.  We enjoy hunting whitetail deer from November to January each year.  We make deer jerky, which is delicious, and enjoy eating fried venison.

3.   I’m really a homebody.  I love being at home but I spend so much time traveling that I just want to spend time at home for a while.  Fortunately, I have a sewing room at home in El Paso and a sewing area at our little ranch in Rocksprings.  I spend a lot of time doing prep work for hand-sewing which I can do when I travel.

4. I love modern technology.  I have a laptop and a netbook so am able to have one or the other with me wherever I go.  I have an iphone and an ipod and just about every accessory available for both.

5.   I love living in west Texas where we don’t get hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, or any life-threatening events from the weather.  Our winters are mild.  Only drawback are our HOT summers and dust storms in March.

6.  My most important job (with the help of DH ) has been raising my three children who are now beautiful adults.  My other jobs were being a teacher and later a counselor of middle school children.  I loved all of my jobs but the biggest rewards come from being a mother.

7.  I have been blogging for almost a year.  I posted my first blog on October 4, 2010.  I love blogging.  All I needed was one more thing to keep me busy, haha.  Seriously, I have met so many friends that I never knew I had before blogging.  I love my blogging buddies.

"p.s. i quilt"

"Diary of a Quil Maven"

"Random Thoughts...do or di"

"Shiela's Quilt World"

"A Quilter's Journey Back in Time"

"Stitchery Dickory Dock"

"Farm Girl Transplanted"

"Tales at Wayne Manor"

"Needled Mom"

"Sew It's Finished"

"Quilty Habit"

"My Quilt Diary"

 "Pigtales and Quilts"

I hope you have time to click over and visit them. Thanks again to Erica at "Vicrace Designs," Kari at  "The Purple Quiltapotamus" and Linda at "Stray Stitches"

Sunny California Today

Encouraging words of the day:

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers* in harmony with God's own will. Romans 8:26-27, NLT
As a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you, and God answers. With God helping you pray, you don't need to be afraid to come before him.
Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you "in accordance with God's will." Then, when you bring your requests to God, trust that he will always do what is best.

We’re in California now visiting our daughter and her family.  We were actually home for 3 days this time before leaving on our next trip.  All is well here.  Our grandson has just left for school after an entertaining and exciting morning.  

No, I haven’t done any sewing so all I have to post today, my favorite day of the week, One Flower Wednesday!  So I have my hexie flowers I completed before coming to California and here they are:

 

I managed to get a couple of things in the mail before leaving El Paso.  I sent my package for the "FRIENDS Swap" to Marg in Australia

and two hexie flowers to Anette in Denmark for the "Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap."

So all I’ve done so far is enjoy visiting with my daughter, grandson, and son-in-law.  I know I will also visit a couple of local quilt shops while here so I’ll let you know later about all that’s going on.

Giveaways I’ve found:

Love Affair With My Brother is giving away a jelly roll of Ruby by Bonnie & Camille from the Fat Quarter Shop. – ends  September 26th.

The Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway of Kate Spain’s Designer Select Fat Quarter Bundle.  – ends September 26th.

Crap I've Made is giving away a Kona Cotton bundle from Canton Village Quilt Works.  – ends September 23^rd.

Two More Seconds is having a giveaway  of two charm packs of Countdown to Christmas or Ready Set Snow.  - ends September 23rd.

"Tea Rose Home"  is having a giveaway of 23 fat quarters of Indian Summer and a 10 inch stacker is from Wanna be a Cowboy 2line. – ends September 23^rd.

That is all.

Back in West Texas - Hello, El Paso

Encouraging words of the day:

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." -John 6:35, NLT

People eat bread to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical life. We can satisfy spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life only by a right relationship with Jesus Christ. No wonder he called himself the bread of life.

But bread must be eaten to sustain life, and Christ must be invited into our daily walk to sustain spiritual life.

We are back in El Paso for a few days.  We had a long road trip home.  I almost finished the baby afghan I’m crocheting for my godson’s baby.  I also sewed several petals for my hexie flowers.  One can sure accomplish a lot of sewing on a 7-hour road trip. 

I’ve spent time doing some more prep work on “My Jane” blocks since we will soon be on another trip so I have no finished blocks to show you.  Ditto for the Farmer’s Daughter although I did no prep work on them so there will be a hiatus of sorts on these blocks.

We had a pile of mail after being gone for 3 weeks.  Among our bills and junk mail was something from "Random Thoughts do or di".  Diane sewed up and gave away a gorgeous sewing machine cover which I won!  Thanks, Diane.  It’s beautiful and perfect!  What a beautiful sewing job you did.

I also participate in the "Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap" and received,  also in my mail, two gorgeous hexie flowers from Hanne Wolff in Denmark.  Look and you will agree that they are a lovely surprise.  Thanks, Hanne..

Giveaways

"Blueberry Patch" is having a giveaway of 5 fat quarters. – ends September 23^rd.

Little Island Quilting is having a giveaway of 21 fat quarters. - Ends September 22.

Never Enough Stash is holding a giveaway of 100 hexies in the size that you choose.  - Ends September 19.

That is all.