Beauty in the Heart Bible Study Giveaway

As a mom of two wonderful young ladies, I'm always on the look out for resources that can help me raise them up in the way they should go.  So I'm very excited about this giveaway at Raising Homemakers:

http://raisinghomemakers.com/2013/beauty-of-the-heart-giveaway/

What resources have you found useful when it comes to raising girls?  Please share!

Tote bag giveaway

I love a good tote bag ... my girls often refer to me as the Bag Lady because I'm always carrying a tote or two to schlep my stuff around.  Here's a giveaway for a neat tote bag made from car seatbelts ... bet these are super sturdy!  I love this green and brown one, but there are other colors to choose from, too.  Good luck!

Maggie Bags: Tote of Many Colors giveaway

Couponing

Something I have been doing in recent months is starting to use coupons more ... anything to lower the grocery budget is a must!  Here's a chance to win a loaded coupon binder to get you started:

 Win 1 of 3 loaded coupon binders!

I'm hoping to win one!

It's been over two years, but ...

Yes, it's been over two years since I posted on this blog ... what can I say?  Life happens ... homeschooling keeps me super-busy, and I haven't been creating art.  But I just had to stop in and let you all know about a $100 Amazon.com giveaway.  It's not art, but it's money you could buy art supplies with LOL!  Crossing my fingers that it's me, but maybe it'll be you ... you just never know!
a Rafflecopter giveawayGiveaway brought to you by MROStop Industrial Products. Visit the giveaway page here.

My new tickler file

I've really been enjoying the paper clutter class these past few weeks, learning a bit about myself and encouraged that I'm not the only one out there that struggles so much with all this paper LOL! One of my favorite take-aways from the class is the tickler file ... a set of 43 file folders labeled with the days of the month (31), as well as one for each of the 12 months. I set mine up about a week or so ago and it's already helped me tremendously. Here's a pic:
I used some colorful center tab folders that I wasn't using elsewhere, trimmed off the tab and added my own tabs using scrapbook paper and my dymo labeler. (Of course, this was totally unnecessary ... one could just label the original tabs and move on, but it was fun to be a little crafty and use up some otherwise ignored scrapbook paper.) I added a pretty tea canister (that I'd saved "just because") to hold a pair of paper scissors and a couple pens and pencils. I also added a stapler (it's sitting in front of the folders in the bottom of the bin) and a small pad of paper. The folders are contained in an Itso bin from Target.Each night I pull the next day's folder and set it out on the kitchen counter for me to work on the next day. First thing in the morning I check to see what's in there and plan my day around those items and any items listed on the calendar. Occasionally I will move something to another day's folder if it's not urgent and I know I won't have time that day, and it's such a great thing to know that it won't be forgotten or misplaced. When the folder is finally empty, back in the bin it goes ... my goal is to have it emptied by noon, if possible.

I'm also loving the tickler file for other reminders, too ... if dh asks me to mow the lawn the next day, I drop a note so I don't forget (because otherwise I definitely WILL forget LOL!) The small notepad is for this very thing. It's also great for prayer requests, like for instance, I found out earlier this week that my grandma was having surgery on Thursday ... I dropped a note in Thursday's folder to remind me to pray for her. Love it! And yesterday I came up with another idea, too ... I bought a new broom but am not sure if I'm going to like it, so I took off the cover and placed it in the folder for a week later ... I figure by then I'll know for sure if I like it or not, and if I don't like it, I can put the cover back on and return it. I'm looking forward to coming up with some other great ways to use my tickler file to keep me on track! I actually had 50 file folders so I have an extra 7 folders to play with ... still thinking about what I might want to use those 7 folders for. Any ideas?

How about you? Do you have a tickler file? If so, please share. And if not, put one together, give it a try and let me know how you like it. You can actually buy tickler files already put together and ready for your papers, but it's so much cheaper (and way more fun) to put one together yourself. If you're like me, you've already got everything you need LOL! Here are a few websites to get you started:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/GTD/tickler.html
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/back-to-basics-the-tickler-file.html
http://tickler-file.com/
http://www.shockmd.com/2010/05/31/tickler-file-system/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG0FU_M_YB8&feature=related
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45671.asp
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45672.asp
http://www.thehomeofficeorganizer.com/tickler-file-your-style/

Oh, my! There's a lot out there about tickler files ... I could go on and on LOL! Have fun!

I need to count my blessings ...

I've been in such a funk lately ... nothing really appeals to me, not on a gut level. No joy. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not depressed, at least not the need-to-seek-professional-help kind of depressed. But I feel like I'm just going through the motions, not really living, just getting by. Have any of you ever felt like that? I just want to pull back for a bit, take some time for myself to give myself a good talking-to. But who has time for that? Then, recently, something got through the fog. I discovered this project a week or so ago and I can't get it out of my mind.I think I need to count my blessings, too, to remind myself that there are some wonderful things in my life. Things to be joyful about. I know in my head that I am surrounded by blessings, but I've lost sight of them. This is what I need a serious talking-to about! So I'm digging out my embroidery floss, scrounging up a piece of fabric to stitch on, and I'm going to start counting. Would you like to join me?

Fighting the Paper Tiger

I mentioned in my last post that I've been reading a bunch of books about organization. Why? Because one of the biggest reasons for not having done anything artsy lately is that there's too much clutter in the way. Stuff keeps getting moved from place to place, and a lot of it ends up in the least used room of the house ... my studio! Well, it's time to fight back and reclaim my space!!

Now there's all kinds of clutter going on around here ... gadgets, extra clothing, unfinished projects, etc. But my focus for the next several weeks is going to be the paper tiger ... not an easy task because I **heart** paper. To help me win the battle, I'm taking Aby Garvey's online workshop, "Organize Your Paper Clutter", which starts today.

My goal is to create a central file system where every piece of paper will have a home, whether temporary or permanent, and I can put my fingers on any piece in minutes. A lofty goal, to be sure, but one worth striving for. I'm off to read my first lesson!

Expanding my focus

I'm here ...

I've been here all along, actually ... I go to my blog page every day so that I can visit all the websites listed in the sidebar. But when it comes to actually posting something on my own blog, well ...

See, here's the thing. Notice the little subtitle under my blog's name? It says "A shady little spot where I can post my humble attempts at art and life." Art and life. But if you look back, you'll notice that all my posts are about art, or things that are art to me (like aprons). I found myself only posting when I had created something that I could take a picture of and say, "Look what I made!" Where's the life? The things I think about or do when I'm not making art?

As you can guess, I haven't really done anything artsy in quite awhile (well, that's not completely true ... after making this journal cover, I made a second one). But I've done other things ... homeschooled my girls, lost 40 lbs. (and still losing), read lots of organizing books, increased my exercise, started doing some redecorating. And yet, no posts, because I hadn't done any "art".

So I'm expanding my focus ... this blog is supposed to be a reflection of me, and there is more to me than quilting, sewing, crocheting. I can't promise that I'll post every day, but I will post. My art and my life.

Did you send out a search party?

Yes, I went back into hiding a bit, I guess. But I'm still here, plugging away at being a wife and homeschooling mom, occasionally sewing or doodling in my art journal. I don't know why I've been neglecting my blog ... need to get out of this rut ...

One thing that's helping with that is a new online class I joined (an early Christmas present from dh): Mary Ann Moss' Remains of the Day: A Shabby Journal of Scraps. This one is really outside my comfort zone ... lots of mismatched scraps and tangly threads ... a real stretching exercise for me LOL! The first lesson started this Tuesday ... sewing the cover. Here's mine, all done and ready to be filled with scraps of paper and other goodies:
Here you can see it opened out flat:And here is the inside, where all the goodies will eventually end up:The cover went together so fast, using Mary Ann's guerrilla-style sewing techniques LOL! It was quite fun, once I let go of trying to make it look perfect. I must have rearranged the bits and pieces a dozen times before I finally said, "Enough already!"

I'll keep you posted as I work on this journal ... the second lesson is next Tuesday and I can't wait! So my goal is to have everything wrapped and under the Christmas tree before then so I can play without guilt LOL!

If this looks like something you'd enjoy, do check out Mary Ann's class ... it's not too late! The class blog will be open and available for about a year, so even if you're pressed for time (and who isn't in December?!), you can join and then take your own sweet time. Have fun and create something!

Oh, dear! I almost got lost again!

Just a shout out that I'm not really lost ... I'm still here! I've just been so busy with getting the homeschool up and running after a lazy summer. But now it's week 4 and things are settling into a rhythm again, so hopefully I'll be able to start posting a little more often.

One of the things I've been missing out on is The Apron Goddesses' apron giveaways ... yikes! There have been some real cute ones in the last few weeks that I've missed out on. Bummer. However, it looks like I'm not too late for last week's giveaway ... this cute little red number. I love the shape of this apron and will definitely be crossing my fingers for this one!And, of course, I'm definitely not too late for this week's giveaway ... this fun Flower Power half-apron. Love that fabric!! So, yes, my fingers and my toes will be crossed for this one. I need to get my entries in asap.If you would like a chance to win either (or both!) of these aprons, just click here for the red one, and click here for the Flower Power, and follow the instructions. Good luck, everyone!

My favorite kind of apron giveaway!

This week's giveaway at The Apron Goddesses is my favorite kind ... choose your favorite apron to win! This is the one I'd choose ... a Vintage Everyday apron in Amy Butler's lacework and full moon dots fabrics ... love it!!

What apron would you pick? Click here and you just might win it ... good luck!

This week's TAG apron giveaway

Here's The Apron Goddesses' giveaway of the week ... a nice, full, wrap-around red floral apron! If you want to win it, then click here and ... well, you know what to do ...

Good luck!

Speaking of apron giveaways ...

The Apronista is having an Apron Fest this week! Lots of aprons will be given away, so do check back throughout the week ... with all these giveaways, our odds are bound to be good LOL! Good luck, everyone!

TAG's latest apron giveaway

Here's the latest apron giveaway over at The Apron Goddesses ... paisley! Click here and follow the instructions if you want to win it ... you know I do!

Hope you're having a great summer ... enjoy it while it lasts because the school year will be starting any minute!!

My plaid apron

Well, not exactly a plaid apron ... it's really a denim apron with touches of plaid. You see, I bought a yard of this neat plaid fabric at Hobby Lobby ... it was actually made up of small (roughly 3") squares of different plaids all stitched together. And the best part was that it was on clearance at $2/yd ... love it! So I brought it home, with tentative plans to make a half-apron with it, maybe adding an overlay using one of my recent vintage embroidery purchases (scored big at a garage sale recently!), perfect for my submission to the current Tie One On theme.

But then, a couple days later, someone forwarded a recent issue of a newsletter called Sewing Savvy on the Sewing Aprons Yahoo group, because the issue was all about aprons (it's the current issue as I type, but if you read this down the road, it's July 2009, Vol. 7, No. 10). One article in the newsletter is called Denim with Dinner ... a pattern for turning bib overalls into an apron. It caught my eye for two reasons ... one, I happened to have a pair of pale green overalls that I hardly wear (why? because they are not flattering at all LOL!), and two, they dressed it up with a plaid fabric. The wheels in my head started turning and turning, and this is the result.
Now, I couldn't follow the pattern exactly ... my overalls were different than they were describing and I had less of the plaid than it called for ... but the pattern made a great guideline for turning a piece of denim clothing into an apron. I'm very pleased with how it turned out! And now I have an excuse for wearing these soft denim overalls without looking frumpy LOL!This was great fun to do, and now I can't wait for the girls to outgrow some of their jeans so I can try the same techniques on some half-aprons for them, especially since they love how mine turned out. And, hey, if any of you try this, let me know because I want to see!!

There's a quilt book up for grabs ...

If you like Gwen Marston's and Freddy Moran's quilting styles, now is your chance to win their latest book, Freddy & Gwen Collaborate Again ... click here for details!

First place winners

And, finally, the 6 first place winners! The first three are some of my favorite quilts, perhaps because they are my own design LOL! Here is my "In the Garden" quilt (this was for my church's art challenge ... make a piece of artwork based on a favorite hymn).The second quilt is "Tulips". I started with a Carol Doak paper-pieced star, then added borders around it (what I like to call a "roosting robin" ... like a round robin, except it stays home and I do all the borders myself).The last quilt is "The Burning Bush" (this was another church art challenge ... artwork representing a Bible passage ... I did Exodus 3:1-4:17).And here are the other 3 winners. My pie-makin' apron:A crocheted granny square tote bag:And a Christmas-themed decorated sweatshirt (front and back):











Well, that's all of them ... thanks for letting me brag a bit! Now I'm off to see what I can make for next year's fair ...

Second place winners

Here are the 4 second place winners from the county fair. First up is my sampler quilt (you may recognize this pattern for the book Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!!) ... sorry about the pic ... it's hard to get the whole quilt while standing on the couch looking down LOL!Next is the apron I made for the No $$ Apron challenge.Then there is this cute tote bag with coneflowers on it.And, finally, a pink and black chevron afghan I crocheted for my daughter, Abby.Check back tomorrow for the 6 first place winners!

Third place winner

Some of the things I entered at the county fair have been on my blog before, but not all. So over the next few days, I thought I'd show you each item. Here is the miniature quilt that won the lone third place ribbon ... "Japanese Dolls".Tomorrow I'll show you the 4 second place winners.

A math lesson from the county fair

6 blue ribbons





plus





4 red ribbons




plus





1 white ribbon





equals 1 happy quilter!