*Annies Ruby Slipperz

5 Fat Quarters - Giveaway...

2012-02-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the week...

MYSTERY MONDAY

I have a game for you today...it involves food and your sewing room.

TWO things that can really make us happy...right?

SEW...R U game to PLAY?

(1) Think of a favorite food- what letter does it start with?

(2) Use the same letter and think of something that starts with that letter that we
might find in your sewing room (you can be creative!)

Example:

Food ---French Fries - starts with "F"

Sewing room item --- Fabric - starts with "F"

To Enter to WIN*...

Please leave a comment...
Try to come up with 5 food/sewing room items....have fun!

*(You need to be a follower to win)

~~ Entries closed Saturday February 25th midnight MT ~~

============================================

Mystery Monday's Winner for last week is....

Pokey

from ...California

You can visit her blog HERE

"I Can Make You Thin"... a book review

2012-02-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

I was watching Dr Oz this week and he had Paul McKenna as guest on

the show. After watching the segment, I went to Amazon and purchased

the book. Within a few hours I finished reading it. If you believe that...

your mind has a LOT to do with what goes on with your body, this is a

great book for you. In my opinion, Mr McKenna has some really good

ideas for helping a person to lose weight. (helping me to lose weight).

One of the first things that is written in bold italic is -

Diets are the enemy of weight loss!

He writes,

"There are three main patterns I have observed that keep

people from living happily at their desired weight."

1) Obsessive Dieting - depriving ourselves of food doesn't work

2) Emotional Eating - are we really hungry? or just wanting to

change the way we feel?

3) Faulty Programming - the subconscious mind could have pre-set

ideas that cause us to eat more than

we should and/or foods that are unhealthy

You can purchase a "hypnosis" CD along with the Book. The

CD works in conjunction with the book to help accelerate the benefits

of Paul McKenna's method. I feel that the book is strong on its own

You can gain a different perspective on how we see food and why we

really eat. The method teaches how we can visualize ourselves in a

more positive way so that we want to eat less and more healthy.

What do YOU think? Can our minds matter with regards to

losing weight?

=========================================

Crunchy Zucchini and Tomato

4 -(1 slice zucchini/1slice tomato)

15 minute prep time

1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 4 slices

1 large tomato, cut into 4 slices

1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1/3 cup panko

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

---Preheat broiler. Coat both sides of zucchini slices with non-stick cooking spray.

Sprinkle zucchini and tomato slices with Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon

black pepper. Place zucchini slices on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4

to 5 inches from heat about 8 minutes or until crisp/tender, turning once halfway

through broiling

---Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, cheese, and garlic. Place tomato slices on

pan next to zucchini. Sprinkle vegetable slices with crumb mixture. Broil for 1

to 2 minutes more or until topping is golden.

==========================================

~~ Ruby's Report ~~

Treadmill - 6 days...I did 4 days @ 2 miles. I still need to make it 6 days/6 miles.
                         Some days I've had a hard time getting on the treadmill in early
                         enough to make it to a morning appt out of the house. =( Need to
                         drag meeeself oudda bed sooner!!

Healthy Eating - I did better this week than I have for the past several weeks.

I've made effort to eat more protein and less strach/carbs. I added

a bit more fruit and vegetables. I'm still working to get more water

in this old body. I'm using large cup/straw @ 2 per day.

Weight (loss?) - yipee skippy...down 1 pound. But, now the trick is to NOT
go up next week! Maybe I need to keep my ....lips crossed?

===========================================

So...what have YOU been up to...?

It's ok...I hear that peanuts are good for you. =P

How are YOU doing with YOUR "healthy" goals? Did you make

any discoveries with regards to eating and exercise? Let us

know...so that we can pat YOU on the back =) or give
encouragement.

Fab-Link Friday and a giveaway..

2012-02-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been in search for months to find an iron that does NOT shut off after
several minutes. I want to be control of my iron...not have IT tell me when
IT wants to cool off.

I've ironed for years...yeah, since the dinosaur days.

(not me..but, could be)

Back then, we just had to remember to unplug the iron when leaving the room

In 1984, Sunbeam came out with the "Smart Iron". It would shut off after
about 10 minutes if not in motion. It's a good idea...for those who want that
feature. But, in those years, a person still had many iron options for
NO shut-off. These days, an iron that stays on until YOU turn it off...is next to
impossible to find.........But, wait.... I think, someone mentioned that with
Reliable brand irons...there is a way to change the settings to keep it

from turning off, if you choose. This would be great!
Then, I remembered seeing Reliable irons over at Kelly's
I Have A Notion store!
With "flying fingers"...I emailed Kelly to get more info. I needed to make sure
that the $$ spent for this iron would be worth the price. I didn't expect that she
would reply...within just a few minutes. But, she did. She even offered to talk with
me over the phone - a bonus in my book. I did have quite a few questions. My
jaws jabber easier than my fingers can type (and, I can jabber way too much) After
several phone calls and a second day of research, I was sold on the V50. My phone
conversations with Kelly made me feel confident in my purchase because I knew
... she would stand behind any product that she sells.
I've been using it my sweet orange Reliable iron for more than a week
...almost every day. I'm having fun...ironing!
O..O..O!! AND, the steam IT IS AWEsome!
I've not used steam in my irons for almost 20 years because it never seemed
to work all that well... and/or it would leak. With the Reliable's unique steam
generator inside the iron...you get wrinkles to disappear in seconds and with only
one pass. I don't need my spray starch anymore (saving lots of $$). I've owned
quite a number of irons over my 50 years of ironing...and from low end to
high end...this is one of the best irons I've ever owned.

I Have A Notion is a FAB-LINK..because

--Kelly is very patient and will answer all YOUR questions.

--If she doesn't know the answer, she will find out and get back to you

~~as soon as possible~~ really quick!

--She personally tries out... just about everything sold in her store.

--She does regular/honest reviews on her blog about the products
she sells through the online store
--She has regular/wonderful giveaways her blog too...don't want to miss these!

--Product prices are very comparable or better than most

all other sites where the same products are found.

I feel VERY lucky to have found Kelly at IHAN...

with her patience and great service I was able to find an iron that

suits my needs perfectly!

SO...bloggie friends...to share my happiness and good fortune,
I want to do a giveaway

Pretty Little Patchwork (click on title for more info)

This is a fun book sold at IHAN...and it's a great "scrap-buster" book.
There are lots of wonderful projects using smaller pieces of fabric..gifts for
friends/family or just cute things for yourself.

To enter to WIN*...

(1) visit IHAN and click on one of the product reviews on the left side margin

...then,
(2) come back here to my blog and leave a comment about the review

(*you must be a follower to win)
~~ entries closed on Monday February 20th midnight MT ~~

Hearts A-LA GO.....baby!

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Maxine made this really cute quilt. She used the

Accuquilt Baby GO!

and the heart die which has...2", 3", 4" hearts.

She told me that all of the hearts were cut from

scraps she had around. Wow! Great way to use scraps.

She did the echo quilting on her Bernina 440 with stitch regulator

and using the #55 roller foot.

The echo-quilting is soooo cool! The striped pink and red

binding is like the icing on the cake!

I was asking my friend, Maxine, if she really liked the Baby GO...or if she

thought it was a bit small. She said she really loves it because it is SO

portable. She can take it easily to her granddaughter's house to make fun

things with them...like fabric flowers cut on the Baby GO to make pretty

hair accessories. She also said that the portability of the "baby" was easier

to use when she was teaching. She has taught many classes using the

Accuquilt dies to make fabric flower to cut out appliques for machine

embroidery. Maxine works and teaches classes at one of my favorite places

...DAVE'S BERNINA

Maxine found the pattern and instructions for her heart quilt at the

Accuquilt website.

..where you can down load it for free.

click HERE for the Heart of My Heart instructional video

and link to the free pattern

~~A special thanks to my good friend for sharing her quilt with me

so that I could share it with YOU!

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

I have a larger cutter...the Studio and I have used my cutter to cut a

BUH-zillion 5" squares...for swaps and just for some regular quilting

projects. Ok, maybe a buh-zillion is a bit of an exageration...but,

only a BIT. =P

Do YOU use an Accuquilt fabric cutter? If so, which one

do you have and what fun things have you made using your

"die-cut" fabric shapes?

It's a bit of a secret...I'm not supposed to tell.

But, I can hint that there just might be something really special

"GO"...ing

to happen here on Rubyslipperz...in a week or so.

5 FAT Quarters Giveaway...twist or chunky pinwheel

2012-02-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

It's a Mystery to Me...all the many ways there are to TWIST

How many ways can YOU twist?

This could be a "Valentine's Twist"

Do You know who these two are? (Hint: Viva Las Vegas)

Have you ever played this game? Yikes...not

a game for an "oldy-moldy" like me!

Some really twist their backs...OUCH!

I'm thinkin' that twisting fabric is easier on mee old bones.

And, I LUV to play with fabric! So...how about we talk

fabric...quilts...and rulers, instead of body-twisting?

Twister / Chunky Pinwheel QUILTS

(1)

(2)

(3)

Did you know that there is more than one way to make one of these fun

twister- chunky pinwheel quilts? I'd never made one before last Saturday and it's

been a MYSTERY to me for quite sometime just how they were made. I knew

about the special ruler called Twister Ruler. Of course, you know me...I had to

have one even tho I had no idea how to use it. O, but it looked cool! I end up

many rulers and gadgets...just because they LOOK "important"

To help solve my MYSTERY...A couple of weeks ago I went to a

demonstration using the Twister Ruler by CS Designs

To view a similar demo to the one I watched in person, you can go to

Heirloom Creations blog (twister ruler). It just seems to me after watching

the demo at the store...that this method wasted a LOT of fabric.

This last Saturday, I took a class on how to make a twister/pinwheel quilt at our

local quilt shop Thimbles and Threads. And, we were taught a SECOND way

...using just a regular quilt ruler that has a 60 degree angle marking.

I used the longer 12x24 because I was doing the 10" squares of fabric.

You can use other rulers with the 60 degree angle, but this one has more

pronounced angle lines and was easier for me to figure out where to

place the ruler to get the proper cuts. And...we used this pattern

It's by Catherine Timmons

If you would like to purchase this pattern, you can contact

Thimbles and Threads. Ask for the Chunky Pinwheel pattern.
They will do mail order. =)

The basic idea to this second method, is that you cut squares, slice the squares at

a 60 degree angle. Then you "shuffle" one half-slice to the bottom and sew all slices

back into a square...then, you slice another 60 degree angle, shuffle 2 half-slices

and sew back. Trim all sewn squares to the same size. Arrange your pinwheels

in rows according to how the pinwheels come together.

My MYSTERY is solved! But, is yours?

... and I'd like to share/compare the differences between the two methods.

Please, tho...keep in mind what my opinions are worth...

...exactly what you "paid" for them...zip, zero, zilch...nada =)

Twister Ruler method

Pros ~ It is easier...I have to admit, there is very little thinking when using this ruler

~ There is a very clear border around your center pinwheel section

(pics 1, 2, 3 above are made with the Twister Ruler method)

~ Placement of pinwheels in the quilt are just as you sewed the squares

together in the top before cutting. (very little thinking)

Cons ~ The ruler can only be used for this particular quilt type (that I know of)

~ There are only 3 sizes that you can make and for each size you need a diff

size ruler (10", 5", and a mini)

~ As you can see in the YOUtube video link above, you have to sew a

complete quilt together with border...then you cut square "holes out of

the middles, where seams come together. This is where I see lots of waste

Regular Quilt Ruler method

Pros ~ You can use a ruler that can be used for lots of other applications

~ A LOT less fabric is wasted when cutting, slicing and trimming up

~ Any size square can be cut to make any size pinwheel. Pinwheels

end up approx 1" smaller than original square, depending on your

seem allowances

Cons ~ There is ~~some~~ quite a bit of thinking. You have to keep things in order

or it is considerably more difficult to place your pinwheels.

~ There isn't the same type of distinction with the pinwheels and the

border. This second way...the pinwheels are more random and there

the edges-spokes of the wheels before the "stop" border are vague.

You can see the difference on the picture from the pattern vs the

numbered twister-pinwheel pictures above.

=======================

So meee sweeet blogeee friends, to enter to WIN the

Five Fat Quarters (of your choice) just be a follower

and leave a comment about...

Have YOU ever made a Twister/Chunky Pinwheel with the Twister

Ruler and/or with the regular ruler? Please, tell us what YOU

think about this type of quilt and YOUR opinions on the methods

to make one.

~~entries closed Saturday February 18th Midnight MT~~

=====================================

Our winner for last weeks Mystery Monday is

PIPPA
who lives in FRANCE!

you can visit her on her blog...HERE

For Valentine's day...LOVE

2012-02-11T10:15:00.002-07:00

....your heart

If we just start moving...even a little at a time and work up to

more at a time...we can have a healthier heart. One of the simplest ways

to "get moving" and get our heart beating stronger is

... to walk.

If we do it just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, we can reap great

benefits to our hearts and add years to our lives. According to a recent Harvard study,

walking at a moderate pace (3 mph) for up to 3 hours a week—or 30 minutes a day--

can cut the risk of heart disease in women by as much as 40%.

This is the same benefit you would get from aerobics, jogging, or other vigorous exercise.

The benefits to men are comparable.

Along with its benefits to the heart, walking:

•improves circulation •helps breathing •combats depression •bolsters the immune system

•helps prevent osteoporosis •helps prevent and control diabetes

Keeping in mind, we don't have to do 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week....

right at the beginning. Something is better than nothing. And...by doing a short

distances, short times....we can add as we feel stronger. Maybe grab a

friend to walk with you...or talk with a friend on the phone while you walk.

Below are some links with helps for getting started....walking for a

Healthy Heart.

The Walking Site

The Power Of Walking - getting started

10 Things Every Walker Should Know

Walking Motivation

==========================

Instead of a recipe today

...I thought it might be a good idea to post about the top 25 foods

that are listed on the WEBMD site as heart-healthy. According to Kathleen M Zelman,

"From asparagus to sweet potatoes to a robust cabernet -- every bite (or sip) of heart-healthy

foods delivers a powerful dose of phytonutrients that prevent and repair damage to cells.

That's the essence of preventing heart disease."

With the help of these nutrition experts from The Cleveland Clinic and the American Dietetic Association, WebMD put together a list of the "best of the best" heart-healthy foods.
(If you click on the "WebMD" link above you will find more info and recipes
with these foods)

Salmon - Flaxseed - Oatmeal - Black or Kidney Beans
Almonds - Walnuts - Red Wine - Tuna - Tofu
Brown Rice - Soy Milk - Blueberries - Carrots - Spinach
Broccoli - Sweet Potatoes - Red Bell Peppers - Aspargus
Oranges - Tomatoes - Acorn Squash - Cantalope -
Papaya - Dark Chocolate - (sun) Tea

I see quite a few of these foods that I like...some I LUV! ...like,

dark chocolate, salmon, almonds, walnutes, tuna, ...to name just a few.

How about YOU?? are there some foods here that YOU like? Maybe

YOU have some great ideas/recipes for getting these foods into

our daily meals?

=========================================

~ ~ Ruby's Report ~ ~

Treadmill - I did another week of 6 days making it a total of 5 weeks. I was

short one day of doing 2 miles each day. (my goal last week was to do 6 days/2mi).

I will try again next week to hit my goal.

Food - I was VERY bad this last week! And, I'm mad at myself. I ate WAY too

many high calorie and salty foods. I don't know why I tend to feel like I have to

party with foods whenever I have guests in the house or family visiting =( .

Do you ever have that problem? I'm going to try to have no potato chips, no fries

and no deep fried food.

Weight (loss?) - NOPE...I didn't lose anything!! I went up .4! I am up

almost 3lbs since the beginning of January. I need to be more disciplined

when I "party" with friends and/or family. I hope I will have a better

story to tell next week.

=====================================

K....this is just how I feel after last week's

"pigging" out!

How did YOU do with YOUR goals? Have YOU

learned about any new good food recipes? Did YOU

learn anything from setting goals that has helped YOU for

setting goals in the future?

We's LUV to hear your comments! YOU motivate US

(note: I couldn't preview my blog post for some reason

so...please, forgive any type/line errors)

Horsin' around and the Traveling Stash

2012-02-07T13:38:00.001-07:00

I've been doing lots of "horsing" around the last couple of weeks

...and, it's kept me away from my computer.

As you can see...my head's buried in a tree. Why?...well,

I'm embarrassed. I feel bad! I'm not being a very good blog friend =(

I haven't been visiting and commenting on other people's blogs. I've hardly

written any responses to the wonderful blog friends who've left comments on

my blog. I have been sewing...finished a quilt for January. And, with much help from

my granddaughter, there's been some great strides made in implementing a new

organizing "System" in my sewing loft. Hopefully I will be able to share some

fruits of this "System" with you soon. But, the main reason I 've been away

from my computer, is (as mentioned yesterday) because of some great

play times that I've been spending with family and my granddaughter. She

leaves tomorrow morning...sniff, sniff

Even tho I've displayed some bad blog behaviours...please,

... you won't hang me out to dry, will you?

==================

But...HEY!...

There is some... REALLY GREAT NEWS!

The Traveling Stash will be on it's way by this weekend,

to tarry for awhile in a new home.

The winner in the drawing is

Darlene

She lives in Virginia. You can visit her blog HERE

Thanks to ALL of YOU who left comments about the

traveling stash...it was quite fun to have it visit me...If, YOU

didn't win this time...follow to Darlene's blog and put in

for a chance there. =)

GIVE...A...WAY...5 Fats

2012-02-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'm giving away 5 "fats" ...

What FATS? ...........could that be?

O...NO...it wouldn't be bacon...because

I would eat it before it ever got mailed!

So, I'm hoping that you won't be disappointed that

it's NOT bacon =P

But, instead it's FIVE FAT QUARTERS...of

100% quality quilting fabric!

This week is another EASY question to enter

to WIN...

Please, be a follower and...leave a comment naming

FIVE VALENTINE things that are on my spiffied-up

banner...designed by the Blog Fairy

---Entries close Saturday February 11th Midnight MT---

============

I want to thank ALL of you who left those wonderful comments

last week!! I read every one! But, I must apologize for not responding to

all of them. I've had a "play" week with my 13yr old granddaughter

...and we've just been going hither, thither, and yawn...sewing,

watching movies and in general having a VERY splendid time.

So, please forgive me for being away from my computer.

So to show how sorry I felt about my terrible lack of response,

I did TWO drawings for last weeks Mystery Monday.

======================

Hap-HAP- HAPPEEEE HEARTS for last week's

TWO Mystery Monday Winners!!!

Christine

in Australia...you can visit her blog HERE

and....

Jocelyn

in Florida...you can visit her blog HERE

===============

Be sure to check back tommorrow for the winner of

the TRAVELING STASH!

Get Slim Without the Gym...

2012-02-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

In the December 2011 issue of Prevention Magazine,

There was an article with some great ideas...to help us slim

down if we don't have major exercise equipment or don't

have access to a gym. There are some small ways that

we can add to our daily routines to get us moving more.

Some of the ideas are ones to help us combat

"Sitting Syndrome". See what YOU think...

AT HOME

1) Hide the remote...get up to change channels

2) Stand up and march or do jump jacks curing commercials

3) Take items upstairs in small trips rather than long hauls

4) While on the phone, walk around your house or just

around the kitchen table

5) Listen to a book on tape as you walk, rather than sitting

down a reading a book

6) Set up stations in the room where you watch TV. Each

time a commercial comes on, move to a different station

to do an exercise. I.E., two bar bells (or cans of soup)

lift them up and down a few times. Then, next station would

be to sit and lift your legs up a few times, etc

7) Turn on music that you would like to dance to while preparing

a meal. You will move faster...or maybe even dance a bit.

AT WORK (or crafting)

1) Hover above your chair in a squat for a few seconds

every hour. Set a timer on your computer or phone to

remind you

2) Walk somewhere to eat your lunch and walk back, rather

than sitting at your desk to eat.

3) Drink lots of water...if you can get up to get a drink...and then

getting up to use the restroom, this would give you more

opportunity to move

4) Purchase an "under the desk" peddle bike and use when you

have a break, or when talking on the phone.

5) Wearing comfortable shoes will motivate you to walk more

If you have to wear dress or high heeled shoes, bring some

comfortable ones so that you can use them when not in meetings

etc.

6) Take the stairs when possible. If you need to start slow, just

do one flight of stairs and take the elevator for the other floors

until you can work up to more steps.

7) While at your desk reading emails, lift your heels off the ground

so that your foot is resting on the ball of your foot. Then, slowly

put back down on the heel. Raise again, feeling the calf muscle

tighten...lower and calf muscle relaxes. Do slow and work up

to more times...and doing it faster.

=========

What do YOU think of some of these ideas?

Maybe YOU even have some ideas of your own?

I LUV to hear about any ideas...to get me moving more!

I'm thinking that I might try to set a timer when using

my laptop...and for every so many minutes I'm on the

computer...I have to walk around the table for

the same amount of minutes? Well, I dunno

maybe that's NOT that great of an idea!

=======================================

Flourless Expresso Choco Gems

~~ 100 calorie treats ~~

10 minute prep time - 40 minutes total

yields 24

4oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter

2/3 granulated sugar

2tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp of expresso powder (intensifies chocolate flavor w/o adding fat)

3 (large) eggs

1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

(1) HEAT oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat 2 gem tins (12-cup mini muffin pans) with cooking spray

(2) COMBINE chocolate and butter in a medium metal bowl set

over saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted. Off heat

whisk in granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and expresso powder

Whisk in eggs until well combined. Sift cocoa over top and

whisk until smooth

(3) DIVIDE batter among prepared pans and back until cakes

have risen, 8-12 minutes. Cool in pans on rack. Dust with

confectioners Sugar.

===================================

{- Ruby's Report -}

Treadmill - YIPEE!! 4 weeks of 6 days per week! It's been a long time since

I've done this. This week, I "sort of" thought about doing 2 miles per day. But,

I didn't hold myself to it. I did do 3 days at 2 miles. This coming week, I will be

trying to do 2 miles every day. I have been working on incline too. I've upped

my incline to a minimum of 4.0 average.

Eating Healthy - wheeeeel, I'm trying...but, we've had so many friend/family

gatherings and it's sooo hard to discipline myself to leave things when they

look soo yummy. =( I am going to work harder on this for next week.

Maybe I should be writing the calories that I eat...down? I did better with

sugar this week and with water..."better", but, I could improve on the water

intake.

Weight"loss" - well, I'm up 1.2 . Doggone it! I was careless with my eating

this week. I just didn't watch the calories. =(

==================================

Okay....anyone? OUT THERE???

Didja...set any goals last week? And...?

How DIDJA DOOO?

We'd LUV to read YOUR commnets =)

The Traveling Stash has arrived!

2012-01-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ms. Stash finally found her way to my front doorstep.

It's seems she had to take a few hits and bumps...

some extra days/nights in a cold dark postal box

until, she was finally released and was hand delivered.

The box was badly beat up and quite torn. But,

the contents was safely packed inside.

Here are a few of the items in the box. I will be taking

some of the fabrics and a couple of the patterns...but, I

PROMISE...I will be replacing items with some VERY FUN

things...fabrics, patterns and...surprises. =)

So...if you would like to get a box with LOTS of

GREAT surprises...please,

leave a comment on why you would want to have the

Traveling Stash...visit your home.

(it's optional...but, I'd luv for you to be a follower)

~~~entries closed Sunday Feb 5th Midnight MT

~~~winner announced Tuesday Feb 7th

Giveaway...5 Fat Quarters...generations

2012-01-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

It's a mystery to me...

How sometimes, sewing and quilting...handwork.. are passed down

thru generations. And, yet...sometimes those before and/or after

us ...might have NO desire to do handwork at all. I have loved

handwork ever since I can remember. I was making things with

my hands from the time I was about 6 years old. Throughout my

lifetime doing handwork has helped me to keep my sanity, find

comfort in down times. I've met so many wonderful people and

made lifelong friends thru quilting and other handcrafts.

Both my grandmothers and my mother did handwork. My maternal

grandmother didn't quilt. Most of her sewing was out of necessity,

making clothes and items for her home. I don't know if she ever

did any other handwork besides crochet and sewing. My paternal

grandmother passed away before I was born so I didn't know her.

I do have a very simple quilt top that she pieced...I feel that a

part of her spirit is in the fabric and threads of this unique top.

I feel like I'm able to "know" her without ever having met her.

I can't imagine how grey my world could've been had I not had

the opportunity to learn quilting (and handwork) from the women

before me...and from those that I continue to meet and learn from.

Below are some pictures of "Mother-Daughter"

teams...or stories about quilting that binds

generations. If you would like to read more

about the stories click on the word "here"

This daughter-mother team make custom quilts and patterns

HERE

A mother-daughter machine quilting company

HERE

This mother and daughter each have their own

quilt pattern companies. HERE

It took 5 generations to finish this quilt. Each lady worked

on it and then, passed it onto the next generation to add

to the completion of the quilt.

This is quite an interesting story! HERE

This quilt represent 5 generations of this lady's family.

HERE

The MYSTERY for this Monday...

I have some questions for YOU.

To enter to WIN* the FIVE FAT QUARTERS

(in your choice of colors)

....(1) please, be so kind as to answer one or more

of the following questions. (*must be a follower to win)

Are you the first generation in your family to quilt?

Do you have any memories from YOUR mother

and/or generations before...with regards to quilting?

Will you pass YOUR love of quilting to your posterity?

~~ contest ends next Saturday Feb 4th midnight MT ~~

======================================

YEAH!!!

Congratulations to our last week's winner!!

~~ GWEN ~~

========================

....tommorrow check back to find out about the
TRAVELING STASH..

"OMW"...Queen of Lean...and a winner

2012-01-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

(please read to the end of the post to find out about the winner)

Yep...that's the title that some people give her.

The Queen of Lean

Jillian Michaels..."wants you to know she has a soft side",

according to an article in Ladies Home Journal.

On the popular TV show Biggest Loser, she is also called

by some as the "tough-as-nails" trainer. But, according

to the article she would rather have people be, "converts to health

and well being...but not (just) for the sake of looking good in

a cute dress." She has written several books, weight-loss supplements,

exercise DVDs and a Wii game. Although the word "weight-loss"

is very closely attached to her name she feels that it is "just a means

to an end" She is more passionate about helping people rebuild

their lives. She says, "When someone feels strong physically they

feel strong in every aspect of their existence"

(You can read the entire article HERE)

Julian's Weight Loss Rules

(1)

Get Educated

You can lose weight a hundred different ways, but if you want to

keep it off you have do something that you can maintain for the

rest of your life. Eating healthily and exercising moderately is

the key; yo-yo dieting messes with your metabolism.

(2)

Treat The Real Problem

Weight gain is a manifestation of other issues, not the problem

itself. So losing weight can also provide an opportunity for

self-exploration. If you don't look at the root of the problem,

the weight will come back. Get into therapy. As for help.

(3)

Put Yourself First

It's the norm for women to skip the doctors' appointments,

miss sleep, stop working out. This MO never works because

we get so run down we have nothing to offer. Put some of your

needs first and you'll be a better role model for your kids.

==========================================

"Revitalizing Smoothie" Spinach-Apple Splash*

Using an electric juicer according to the manufacturer's instructions...

JUICE:

2 cups spinach leaves, 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 apple.

Prep tip: Choose a Granny Smith apple. This variety contains 25 percent less sugar
than other apples and lends a tart flavor the complements the other ingredients in
the drink.

BONUS! Spinach Revs Energy

This leafy green contains compounds called inorganic nitrates that help muscle
cells convert carbohydrates and fat into usable energy, according to a study in
the journal Cell Metabolism. *recipe from Ladies Home Journal

----(my note: several recipes online had added banana and/or yogurt)

=============================================

~~~Ruby's Report ~~~

Treadmill - Wahoo...this week made it THREE weeks @ 6 days a week. I'm not
                   quite ready to commit to a length of time or number of miles. I'm just
                   going to see if I can do one more week for 6 days. I have been doing
                   more incline.

Healthy Eating - still struggling with me water intake. I just don't know why it is SO
                          hard to get more water in my "life"! I was really good with
                          no-sugar/no junk foods. But, I did eat out 3 times. I think it's the
                          high calorie salad dressings...and maybe the Chick-fil-A fried
                          strips? =P   Maybe the yummy bread with a bit too much butter?

Weightloss -I'm up .2. That's not too bad considering I did eat out several times this
week

============================================

And... we have a winner! But, what was the contest??? you say...

Well, it was a bit sneaky...I took the names of those who commented

last week...about their own goals...and I did a drawing.

for this really great book filled with inspirational/motivational
real life stories about people who changed their lives by
getting healthier.

The winner is: KATIE from New York!
...and she has two blogs:
Quilter's Books and Bindings
Katie's Salt Marsh Path

======

Goals don't have to be about the numbers on a scale. They can be

something/anything...that you can set to make yourself feel

healthier...feel happier...have more energy.

Give it a try?..one SMALL step...one fairly easy goal in a

...healthy direction. It's never too late to start. =)

SOOOO....

===============

Please...be so kind as to leave a comment? Let us know

how you are doing with your goals...or what ones you'd

like to set for yourself.

We can all learn from each other and,

...we will feel the CYBER-MOTIVATION!

Fab-link Friday...buttons and giveaway

2012-01-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Well actually there are two links today.

One is at

SEW CAL GAL

She is doing a VERY NICE giveaway for

some REALLY COOL buttons made

from a REALLY GREAT company called

BUTTON MAD

(this is a quote from Sew Cal Gal's Blog)

Jennifer's main goal these days (apart from creating gorgeous buttons for you to sigh over) is to uplift previously disadvantaged women in the community and provide much needed employment and skills. Truly this is a company with a conscience and a cause.

Some members of the ButtonMad Team have been working together from the very beginning. Nine of the eleven official South African languages are spoken by the ladies...one big family united by the common thread - being Mad about Buttons!

Please, take a few minutes and check it out...even if you don't want

to buy any buttons...it's a great story of those helping others =)

================

I'd LUV to hear from you...

Do YOU collect buttons? Do YOU use them often in your

sewing/quilting crafting?

Cut the "S" craps...

2012-01-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

OH YEAH!!...these ARE words to MEEE-self!!

I need to cut the CRAP and cut my scraps. In other words,

I need to stop procrastinating! Yep the mound is TALL.

And, its WAY overwhelming. But, now I have some tools

that just might make it more inviting, more motivating. I

might be able to get

passed the rhino in the road.

Here's the reason for the excitement...the reason

that my heart's all AGLOW!!

I've been wanting this book for quite sometime.

I went to JoAnn's Monday with my 50% off coupons

burning a whole in my pocket. While strolling

by the quilt book section...to my DEElight, there was

theeee book...calling my name!

I've been reading it. The 7 steps she writes about

are very easy and logical to follow. She give reasons

AND directions that make sense. Her patterns are

well written and well illustrated

There are some great projects to use all of

those wonderful scraps...

....and... #2...

There's someone that want's to play with scraps too!!

YEP...it's Sarah over at

Confessions of A Fabric Addict

She's going to do a "Cut The Scraps" challenge...

I know there are lots of fun challenges out there...

but..this one is EASY!! AND there are prizes, one of which

is this WUNNYFULL book that I've been blabbing about above.

Whudcha waitin for?
Hurry over to Sarah's place and find out that details of

this EZ challenge and the great prizes!

YOUR thoughts?

...wouldn't it be a good feeling to get the SCRAPS

whipped into SHAPE?

Maybe you already have them all organized?

If you do...I'd LUV to hear how YOU do it =)

5 Fat Quarters... giveaway...YOUR choice of color!

2012-01-23T07:00:00.001-07:00

Wanna WIN 5 FAT Quarters? Yes?...okee dokee,

let's get started by playing

MYSTERY MONDAY

Here's the game --->Take the name of the animal

and...

"NAME THAT BLOCK"

Example: If there was a picture of a

ROSE...So the block would be called the "Rose of Sharon"

Please, email your answers to

rubyslipperz106@hotmail.com

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5) (sorry, a real one was just too slimy)

The links below might help....if you need it.

LIST of Quilt Blocks

QUILT BLOCK names

No worries...about being "too correct". You will

be entered to win...even if your answers are

just "somewhat correct" =)

**Enter to WIN....

1) please, email your answers to

rubyslipperz106@hotmail.com

You don't have to leave a comment...but,

I'd LUV to know...

What's the smallest and/or the largest block that

YOU've ever made?

~game ends Sat Jan 28th midnight MT

**must be a follower to win

===============================================

and ....we are

DANCIN' with the Jetsons to celebrate

... last week's Mystery Monday...

"Needled Mom"

from Southern California...

You can visit her on her blog HERE

Saturday's "OMW" and a winner!

2012-01-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

Words to self:

"You gotta be careful if you don't know where you are going,

because you might not get there." Yogi Beara

There are a bazillion websites, books and life coaches

with lots and lots of ideas on how to set goals.

But, a couple of things they have in common are:
1) be specific

2) don't set too many at once
3) start easy/small and work up

4) break it down...monthly, daily..

Sometimes, I don't have a good success rate because I

set too many goals. Sometimes they are too difficult for me achieve
in a specific amount of time. And, sometimes, I am just too
vague with what my goal really is.

I can say...
I want to make more healthy choices this year.

It's too vague. Instead, it would be a better idea to

... pick one particular thing (i.e., sugar or fried food)

Then, I set a goal to try to NOT eat...say chocolate or
french fries for a month. At the end of the month, I reevaluate.
Depending on my success rate...I can set new goals - up or down.
Maybe I want to include something in my foods that I'm
not doing now. I might say I'm going to eat more fruit. Good goal...

but, still a bit vague. I need to set the specific goal - I will eat

a piece of fruit at each meal...for at least one month. Or, I
could say...I will include 3 pieces of fruit in each day.

Trying hard to succeed is important...but, success is a
great motivator to keep trying. We can't be
so hard on our selves that we want to quit trying. We
don't want to set goals so far out of reach - at this time,
that we set ourselves up for failure.

Think about child learning to walk.

We wouldn't take them on a hiking trail and
expect them to walk the whole way all by
themselves. But...someday they WILL be
able to do it...if we keep taking them on hikes
and letting them do more each time. =)

I found a couple of links that have a few simple ideas for

setting goals. There may be others that you find helpful.
Click on the titles to go "there'.

Really Simple Goal Setting

...goals for change: three simple steps

So, what do YOU think? Would you want to
try setting one specific goal? And, come back

next Saturday to let us know what YOU learned
and how YOU did?
We can all learn from each other - if we are
willing to share our comments. =)

===================================

The Pedometer winner is....
Becky

from... Sarcastic Quilter
It's cool too because she does
Wednesday's Weigh In each week

I want to thank ALL of you who commented last week!
And...thank you...thank YOU to all who put the
"OMW" button on their blog! There will be more
giveaways...so, keep watching. =)

=============================

~~~ Ruby's Report ~~~

Treadmill - I kept my goal this week...6 days. Now, it's 2 weeks that

I've done the 6 days. I'm hoping to do 2 more weeks of

6 days (not counting time or distance). Then, I will try to

set a goal for distance - on top of the 6 days per week.

Food - I was a lot better at drinking more water. I used a 12 oz cup with

lid and straw. I am trying to do at least 4 of these every day. I've

been falling short of this. So, my new goal is 3 - 12 oz for 7 days.

I'll have to see if I can be successful with this new goal. I watched

what I ate after about 6pm. And, I worked on using some form

of distraction (like sewing) when I felt I was eating for comfort or

because of boredom (a great tip from a comment).

Weight - I'm down 2.2lbs....I am so happy. This is one of my best "downs"

for quite some time. Now...to at least maintain it for next week. I

would like to go down more...but, I will be happy if I maintain for

one week. =)

====================

okeedokee....

please, leave a comment and

MOTIVATE us ALL!

Digging and STUFF...

2012-01-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to dig myself out of piles of STUFF...

and at the same time re-organizing, reboxing

moving boxes to other rooms..upstairs...downstairs...

I keep wondering how I might look if a big

giant person was looking down on my life

of STUFF. Would I just look like one of those

ants (that you see in National Geographic) that just

busies itself with carrying things from one pile to

another? ...and this would be green FABRIC!

While "digging" thru the piles

...of STUFF,

I came of with a crazy-scrappy quilt project that I had

started...o...ahummm...cough...

...12 years ago.

I auditioned this border. Ok...not great, leeetle too busy

...or SOMEthing. Went back to my stash and

...found this. O, yeah, frogs can make a lot of things

look BETTER. =)

Now, I'm thinking, if I end here, the quilt would

be too small. I need to add another border or

two. So, it's back to the stash.

I kind a like this...but, maybe the plaid is tooo-too

much? Maybe if it were less wide? I dunno...

I just don't want to spend too much time or buy more

fabric. It's just a "let's get 'er done" and be done" quilt.

What do YOU think about the borders?

Then, #2 sewing project I worked on this week

I did the machine half of the binding.

Hopefully I will be able to share these as finishes

this next week =)

OK....SEW...

If you would like to check out other fun projects

that are linked to Sarah's blog...

Confessions of a Fabric Addict just click on the

"Whoop Whoop" button.

....I'm off to dig out under another PILE!!

================================

Don't forget...there is still time to enter the

drawing for "On My Weigh" click

HERE for details. Or you can click on the NEW

BUTTON on the my sidebar - top right.

Fab-link Friday... linky tools and pregnancy??

2012-01-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

I'm in a quandry...

I'm trying to decide what tool "thingy" to use

when wanting other bloggers to link up to a post

I'm writing. I'd expecially like to use one for Saturdays'

"On My Weigh" posts.

While googling and surfing the internet for information.

on the subject of "Linky Tools"...I came across, what

seems to be some really good info.

It's on a blog about pregnant women, babies, etc. OKAY!

and...YIKES!! That's almost scary to say those

words at MY AGE! But, getting past the title of the

blog...the info and pictures are fairly in depth.

The pro-BLAY-moe IS......

I'm not sure I understand it all. =(

If you could...would you be so VERY KIND as to click

HERE... and, tell me what YOU think?

No...I don't mean about pregnancy.. (o!, scary again), about

the LINKY tools that are described there.

Or, maybe you already have experience with one or

more of these tools and could shed some light

on what options are good and usable. =)

Any, opinions, advice would so greatly be appreciated!

thanks.... =)

FIVE fat quarter giveaway...

2012-01-16T07:00:00.004-07:00

Is this lady a MYSTERY to you? Well, if so..
then, maybe Mystery Monday's post will give you

...some clues. =)

1) She died September 4, 2010 at the age of 83
2) Shared quilting thru a 16 page mimeographed newsletter
            The first issue typed on a manual typewriter at her
             dinning room table (in 1969).
3) The "newsletter" eventually became a magazine that had over 200,000 US
            publications and 100 other countries.
4) It was said that this lady..."almost single-handedly launched the quilt revival
           in the 1970s...by the research and information put in the Newsletters.

~ ~ ~ any ideas yet?

5) She was inducted in to the Quilter's Hall of Fame in 1982
6) Carol Doak (paper piecing instructor) said of our Mystery
             lady..., "She was a gentle giant, leading and
            encouraging the quilt world with her grace and charm

If you haven't guessed already....The photograph is that of one of the

GREAT LADIES

in the world of quilting. Her name is Bonnie Leman. And, the

"newsletter" mentioned above is

QUILTER'S NEWSLETTER.

For more information about Mrs. Leman you can go to

these sites

Upcoming Quilt Show website

the Denver Post

the Quilter's Newsletter Blog

=====================================

SO...to enter to WIN* the

FIVE FAT QUARTERS.....please,

leave a comment about a teacher and/or author

that inspired

YOU when you FIRST started quilting.

Entries will be closed Saturday Jan 21st midnight MT

*must be a follower to win

======================================

Happy Dancing....for last week's Mystery Monday

WINNER

~~ Linda~~

from Washington D.C.

and you can visit her here

=================================

Please, don't forget about the giveaway on

Saturday's "On My Weigh"....click

HERE for all the details!! Or, you could

just click on the new button!...the funny-faced scale. =)

I'm..."On My Weigh"...how about you?

2012-01-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

Words to self..
If I want to be Healthy...I need to cultivate some
Healthy Habits.

Have YOU ever wondered why bad habits so easily

attach themselves to us? But, they so difficult to get rid of?

Yet, good habits are just the opposite? It's hard work to
keep the good habits hanging around. =(

I read somewhere once that bad habits are like weeds in a garden.

If we don't pull them at all, they can take over the flowers. When we

do pull the weeds (bad habits), we need to replace the area with good

good habits (flowers). This will keep the weeds from coming back.

...pretty good visual...what do YOU think?

Many books, magazine articles and websites....when they

discuss creating habits, they seem to have several things in common:

(1) To make it a habit...needs at least a 30 days/daily commitment

(2) Start Simple...as you are successful...you can expect more of yourself

(3) Have a Buddy/Friend to help motivate you

(4) Write down... the specific goal and keep track of progress

(5) Make the activity fun in some way and reward successes

(6) Create the goal and pursue the habit... for long-term reasons

It's a NEW year!

We can reNEW our goals! We can become

reNEW-vinated (like rejuvinated...re-motivated?)

towards a healthier, NEW US!!

You can find more great info about habits by clicking on

the links below:

18 Tricks to Make Good Habits Stick

10 Easy Ways to Make Exercise a Habit

================

Since this is a NEW year for the Saturday's "healthy" posting

on my blog...I wanted to do something fun! There's a NEW

button that will just be linked to Saturdays. And...a NEW title too!

"On My Weigh"

To celebrate, I'm going to do a giveaway!

What do YOU think? Would you like to WIN this?

(Pedometer specs and information HERE)

You did say YES...right? Well, if you don't think you would

use this great pedometer, it would make a great gift!

Enter to WIN this great pedometer by doing the following:

If you leave a comment about a healthy

goal that you have for the new year = 1 entry to win

If you put my new "On My Weigh" button

on YOUR blog's sidebar with the link back

to my blog = 4 entries to win

*please, leave a second comment that you have put

the button on your blog - to receive the 4 entries

~~ you can have a total of 5 entries...if you do

BOTH (leaving 2 separate comments ~~

Game ends - On Friday Jan 20th midnight MT
Winner will be announced
on Next Saturday's post.

========================

~~ Ruby's Report ~~

Treadmill - After reading some stuff about habits, I went back to my initial

goal/plan - the one when I started exercising on the treadmill last

year. The first priority back then (and now) - to create the habit

of "getting ON" the treadmill 6 days per week. It's not about

how fast or long...just about the habit of getting ON. Once I

establish this routine, I'll set another goal "on top" of the 6 days

per week. After the "getting on"...I can set a goal for a certain

amount of miles or for a certain length of time, etc.

~~This week, I'm happy to report, I DID 6 days straight this

week! You can check the pace and miles that I went by going to

my Daily Mile widget on the right sidebar...towards the bottom =)

Foods - I tried to drink more water at the beginning of the week, but, slacked off

towards the end. I'm thinking that I should do a "water chart" and post

somewhere in the kitchen. I mite do better if I keep track somehow.

Do you have a system to drink more water?

Weight - I'm down 1.4 lb this week!! WAhooo!

================

Kay...Blog Friends...what healthy habit(s)...

are YOU working on? Or RE-working on?

Maybe YOU have some new ideas to

make existing habits stronger?

Sharing your thoughts, ideas, opinions

will be motivating for all of us =)

Fab-link Friday...decluttering

2012-01-13T07:00:00.003-07:00

I found a FAB-LINK by surfing blogland the other day.

Who says that surfing blogland is NOT

not educational, informative and a great use of time?

One of the blogs that I follow Sharon's Favorites had a link on

her blog along with a few words about DE-CLUTTER.

De-clutter?....ummm, I could certainly use a bit of advice on

this matter. How about YOU? No? well, you might not

be interest in this link below...called,

My Simpler Life

Okay, I know that if I would just stop dipping

my fingers into so many hobbies/crafts. And, if I would

stop buying all of the tools and thing-eeez needed to

play in the Fabric, Fiber and Craft worlds. AND...maybe, if

I wouldn't be so "in-LUV" with my laptop and the internet...

Well my life COULD be a leeetle bit simpler.

Beth Dargis, the lady that runs the website and blog,

has a great idea!

Put de-clutter "appointments" on a calendar.

Her philosophy...if, you just do the one leeeetle thing

written on the calendar each day, you would headed to

a life with a LOT LESS clutter. I think, one leeetle

de-clutter per day, wouldn't be too big of a task?

So, I downloaded the calendar

I'm going to give it a whirl!

Let's see if I can keep my de-clutter appointment for

5 days of a week...starting today.

I think I can...I think I CAN...I THINK I CAN.

Yep, that's ME in the CLOWN suit!

====

If you do go to the link with the de-clutter calendar,

let me know what YOU think about it?

Do you have regular times of the year that you

de-clutter?

======

AND one more thing....it IS

FRIDAY the 13th. Just remember if/when you run into

that BLACK CAT...

IT just might be MORE scared than you!

Vintage Thursday...

2012-01-12T07:00:00.016-07:00

I feel so happy to be fulfilling a goal that I've wanted to do for

several years. I have many things that I've kept... from when I

was a little girl. Some of the things are directly related to my

own childhood. But, some of the things belonged to my parents

or to my grandparents. I've wanted to take pictures and

describe what they are and how they are an important part

of my history and part of the history of my ancestors. I want

to do this for my posterity. Maybe if an inanimate object

has a story...and I tell it...I can breathe life into it.

I am so thankful for

Suzanne - the Colorado Lady

for creating the vessel and the motivation for me

to begin my "Vintage Journal" and link to

her Vintage Thingy Thursdays

So.... the VINTAGE things that I will be posting about on

Thursdays, won't be things that I've purchased at an

antique store, thrift shop or garage sale. They will be

... things that are woven into the fibers of my family's life.

~~~~~~~~

Below are three things that belonged to my

Dad.

Top is a special handmade knife

Left-middle is a small transistor radio.

Bottom-right or opera glasses.

====

I LUV these!!! They are...

French opera glasses.

...probably made around the beginning of the 1900's

They were given to my father when he

was a young boy of about 10 or 12 (1911-1913) by a

"grandma" lady that had taken a fancy to my dad. He

told me she was always very nice to him and gave him

candy and other little things. He was very poor and she

was a lady of "Upper-middle class". When she was becoming

sick from some "old age ailment", she told my dad to "take

care" of these opera glasses for her that someday they might

become valuable. They are made of "mother of pearl" and

brass. They still work perfectly.

====

This was quite a "pride and joy" to my Dad. He would

take this radio almost everywhere. It would travel with

him in his coat pocket. Or set very close to his favorite

chair at home. Along with the radio would always be

the wired earplugs so that he could listen to sports

and not bother other people.

The cost at the time of purchase in the early 60's...$25.

This is equivalent to about $200 - now prices

It came with this leather snap-on case with a small

attached handle.

There was a turn dial on each side of the radio.

One changed the channels and the other turned

it on and adjusted the volume. Sadly, this radio

no longer works.

It sure looks fancy dressed only in it's shiney "gold"

vest-like speaker. I remember my Dad sitting in the

chair at home with his little radio sitting on the arm

of the chair. The boxing/fights were being broadcast

on the little radio, his ear leaned down close to listen. He

wasn't using the earplugs because...he was also watching

and half listening to a baseball game playing on the TV. Boy,

did my mom have more than a few complaining words to say

about this little scenario. =P

=====

This is a knife with a STORY to tell...

See how when the knife is tipped up it is like the curve

on a rocking chair leg? That is exactly the purpose

for which this blade was made... to rock as it was

tipped up and then rocking back down it would cut food.

Many times it was a piece of filet steak (my Dad's choice of

meat). Sometimes it would be vegetables or fruit.

This knife was special made by an iron smith/woodworker.

... just for my Dad.

The wood and metal of the knife are made from

old California railroad wood and metal of the 1940s.

I'm sure it could tell some historical tidbits,

if it could talk!

The man made the knife so it would be easier to cut food

with one hand. Usually, we hold the fork with our left hand,

and cut with a knife in the left (being we are right handed).

But, if you don't have a left hand to put a fork in, it's almost

impossible to cut your food. It is, however possible with a

... really sharp rocking knife.

My Dad lost his left arm, half way between the elbow and shoulder,

when he was 17. He had an accident while working at one of

the early California oil derricks.

He used this knife at every meal at home. When we went out to

dinner or over to someone's house to eat, my Mom would carry

the knife in a cotton hankie in her purse.

If he didn't have the knife, someone would have to cut

most of his food for him. The knife gave him a way to do for

himself and avoid the attention toward his only having one arm

======

Thank YOU so much for your patience in reading through

the many words that describe how some special vintage items

are woven through my life...

If you would like to see more fun

Vintage -eee things please go over and visit

Colorado Lady where she has a linky set up

for LOTS of other people to link up their

posts for Vintage =)

Ketch-up #2 and 2 birds...

2012-01-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

Since I wasn't able to upload pictures last night from

my laptop to blogger...today's post is going to be like

..."~~killing~~ giving 2 birds ~~with~~ 1 ~~stone~~ home"

Okay...I know that's not how the saying goes. But who

wants to kill birds? Not me...

I'm gonna post about the tidbits from the end of 2011

AND

WIP Wednesday linking to FRESHLY PIECED

(...if you would like to see more fun WIPs click

on the Freshly Pieced link)

I made this quilt for a friend who has been ill

for awhile and is using a wheel chair. Dog-gone it,

shoot!... I didn't get a better picture. These clips are my

favorite binding "holders"...a LOT less dangerous

and a WHOLE lot less painful than pins.

This is an embroidery quilt that I've started.

I bought a quilt kit with the embroidery designs from Dave's

Bernina in St George. Tammy, one of the ladies who work

spent many hours, several days to help me with the setting

up my machine to make these beautiful designs. Thank YOU

Tammy, you were so patient! This is WIP. I need to

embroider more blocks and piece the top.

This is a "Big Daddy" kit that I bought from

Broadbent's a LQS. The quilt consists of all 8.5" squares.

This is quilted and off the long-arm but, still needs it's

binding sewin on... another WIP.

This is another "Big Daddy" pattern (all 8.5" squares). There was

a similar kit at Broadbent's. But, I decided to use some of my

stash along with a few new prints. It still just a top without

borders...another WIP

A Christmas towel

This was a "private embroidery lesson"...

with my good friend Maxine. It seems that I still

need her as a safety net when I do machine embroidery.

Someday, maybe I will "graduate" to doing it

ALL by myself. =)

**I do have several knitted, crochet, fiber

finishes from 2011. I'm gonna try to post those

in a few days on my other blog....

I Play With Fiber

=================

and.... last but, not least...

something REALLY cool happened before Christmas..

I WON! ....a super duper prize from....

LIMERIOT

This is a great book with projects that you

can make with just ONE skein/ball of yarn.

OH!! and yes...

headband is handmade!!

I LUV the colors!! The photo doesn't do

justice to the purpl-eee/blue/lavender variations.

The knit pattern is sooooo pretty too!

Thank YOU, Mareth!

~~ Mareth...over at LIMERIOT~~

Beautiful girl (well, you should see her blog photo!),

wonderful blog with lots of tutorials and great giveaways!

=======

Are you still "ketching-up" from 2011?

If so, what 2011 WIP are you going to start on first?

Some Ketch-up...

2012-01-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

ummm, did this picture come to mind?

It IS a YUMMY thought... =)

but... I'm thinking more like some STUFF that

happened in 2011 that I didn't get posted...

Hope you don't mind a little "BLOG" ketch-up...instead?

========

The following quilt is one I made for a
friend and a wonderful lady that I share
two sweet grandboys with! She is DD#2's
MIL...Love YOU, Missie!

It started as a panel. Missie LUVs and collects

snowmen (and snow-women/children)

I added a stop-strip and a piano border.

I rounded the corners before binding.

I really like doing rounded corners. They

are MUCH easier than mitered ones.

The quilt is all flannel...front and back!

====

Stay tuned for Ketch-UP #2...

hopefully later this afternoon =)

GIVEAWAY...FIVE fat quarters...

2012-01-09T07:00:00.003-07:00

MYSTERY MONDAY

today is

"Guess The Picture"

So to enter to WIN the FIVE FAT Quarters,

TWO things to do:

please email your answers

(don't put your answers in your comments)

rubyslipperz106@hotmail.com

AND... please, leave a comment

about why YOU like FAT quarters.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

~~ Game ends Saturday Jan 14th midnight MT ~~

Dear Bloggie Game Players...Mystery Monday

is just for FUN. Take a minute, take a stab at

the answers...and email your guesses. EEZA ok

if your answers aren't all correct. =)

*must be a follower to win

=============================================

CONGRATS!!

to the winner of

Mystery Monday January 2nd!

Kristen ....in Virginia

and...you can visit her

HERE

========================

***Something fun is going to happen

on this Saturday's blog post! Hope you'll stop by and

check things out on Saturday Jan 14th.

GIVEAWAYS? I'm thinking....YEP!!