Believe...

Hello,

It's been a busy week.  Hope all has gone well with you.

Early in the week we were blessed with some much needed rain.



When I woke this morning, I had a list of things I needed to work on today.

1. Work on crocheted baby afghan
2. Christmas block of the month
3. Weekly recipe
4. Owl project
5. Hoffman challenge

What did I get done?

1. Worked on crocheted baby afghan... have 17 blocks done thus far.
2. Finished Christmas block of the month... this is block #6, you can see the instructions by clicking the AQST Block of the Month tab.
3. Cooked the weekly recipe.  It is posted below and will be on the Weekly Recipes page (click tab above).
4. Started on Owl.  Had to draw out and plan my pattern, but got most of it done... Still need to stuff it and finish it up.

So, I was able to accomplish a little today.  I plan to finish the Owl tomorrow, that way I can work on my Hoffman challenge next week.  I need to have it finished in time for the quilt guild meeting this month, July 19th.

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I've been needing to replace my worn out tennis shoes and getting a new pair of jeans.  Yesterday, I went shopping.  I prayed earlier in the day asking my Heavenly Father to show me the shoes and jeans I need at a price I could afford.

So I went shopping for shoes first.   I try to buy Asics with duomax because I need very good arch support. The shoes usually run $70 or more.   So I'm looking through the shoes and I find a pair for $79.99, $144.99... I'm thinking "no way" to the $144... looking at the $79... and then my daughter says "Hey mom check these out"... she found a pair for $59.99.   I sat down and tried them on.   Perfect!   

So then I go looking for a pair of jeans.   I like Lee jeans, but there weren't any in the store I was at.  So I thought I'd try a pair of Levis... I'm looking at $39.99 for a pair of jeans, but I realize it is hard to find a good pair of jeans for less than that... So I try on a pair and I like them.   I make my way to the register and pay for my finds.   As I'm walking out, I'm looking at the receipt and I find that I paid $19.99 for the jeans!    

Between the shoes and the jeans, I had a total savings of $40.    Thank you Heavenly Father!

You may ask, "Do you really believe God has a hand in that kind of thing?"  My answer is Yes, I believe He is involved in every aspect of my life.

Mark 11: 22-24  And Jesus answering said unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  Therefore I say unto yo, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

So, my mountain was needing new shoes and jeans but had minimal cash to spend.  I asked and received what I needed within my budget.   How cool is that!!  :)

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WEEKLY RECIPE

I received this recipe from my friend Marita Cooper.

Mexican Chicken

1 bag of nacho cheese Doritos - crushed

1 onion - chopped

3 boneless chicken breast, fully cooked and chopped or shredded

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can rotel

1 8 oz. bag of shredded cheese

Cayenne pepper

Cook chicken until done, then shred.   Mix cream of mushroom, cream of chicken and rotel together and heat.  Mix the chicken and soup mixture together.  Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray and layer the ingredients as follows.

1. half of crushed Doritos
2. chopped onions
3. half of  shredded cheese
4. chicken/soup mixture
5. rest of crushed Doritos
6. rest of shredded cheese

Bake in a 350° F oven until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

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Well, I guess that's all I have for now.   Have a beautiful rest of the weekend!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Character...

Hello, 

I've been thinking of finishing up some old quilts and quilt blocks, I have acquired over the years.   I looked at two today. 

I looked at this quilt top first.  It is hand pieced with tiny stitches and held together very good.   It is not finished and I do not have the fabrics to finish it off.  I'm planning on blocking it off and adding borders.  The bed it is on, is a queen size, so this quilt is a nice size to begin with.    

This is the other quilt top I looked at.   Like the first one, it is not finished and is a nice size.   This quilt is also hand pieced.  The stitches are much larger and looser then the first quilt, and this one has more character, if you will.   

This top has a few problems I will have to address, like stains and seams that have come undone.  

I like both of these tops.  The colors are bright and I think they will make pretty quilts when finished.  I have decided I will work on the first top I viewed, as it will be the easier of the two, to repair and finish.

Yesterday I mentioned the next afghan I work on, will be the scripture afghan.  Today I wound yarn into balls.  It took some time to do and about half way through, I was thinking I need to buy one of those automatic yarn ball winders.

This yarn is from a project, I started a year or two ago and decided I didn't like the pattern.  I have had it stored away, and decided today to wind it all up into balls, to use in the scripture quilt.  I have the remaining yarn, in these colors, still in skeins.  

My wrist will probably pay the price tomorrow, but it had to be done.

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INTERESTED?

If you are interested in another block of the month, check out Val Laird's blog, Journey of a Stitcher, at http://val-laird.blogspot.com/2012/01/free-pattern-launch-thoughts-in-thread.html

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GIVEAWAYS

Check out Gene's Giveaway at

http://blog.geneblack.com/2012/01/announcing.html

This giveaway ends January 27th

Check out the giveaway at A Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Adventures

http://hopealicious.blogspot.com/2012/01/chance-for-you-to-win-up-to-100-sears.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ABusyMomsCrockPotCookingAdventures+%28A+Busy+Mom%27s+Crock+Pot+Cooking+Adventures%29

A CHANCE TO WIN UP TO $100 SEARS GIFT CARD

This ends January 17th

Check out the Thirty-One Giveaway

http://thehomespunheart.blogspot.com/2012/01/thirty-one-giveaway.html

If you like bags, you will like this giveaway!

It ends January 16th

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Before I bid you good night, I'd like to share my newest favorite commercial.  :)

Have a beautiful Sunday!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

As surely as the sun rises...

Hello!

Today, I thought it would be nice to have a little bit of "Spring" in the house.  So I put together this little bouquet.

I worked on this month's block of the month.  It is posted below.  I also made a new easier block of last month's block.   Check it out on the AQST Block of the Month tab above, it is labeled Block #3.



Earlier in the week, when I visited my brother, sister-n-law and new niece in the hospital, I forgot to take the afghan I made for my niece.  So I will have to take it to them, when they get all settled at home.   I thought I'd go ahead and share the afghan with you.  Though this picture doesn't show the colors well, I made it with a pretty, baby soft, pastel yarn.

Today, I decide the next afghan I'm going to make will be a scripture afghan.  It is made up of 24 different blocks, each using a different stitch that coincides with a scripture.  I decided to do this, so that I can make one block at a time, in between  projects.

Have you made an afghan using separate blocks or a pieced afghan?
It is easier than a "whole cloth" afghan?

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BLOCK OF THE MONTH #4

This month's block is a simple four patch.

Using a solid colored fabric and a theme fabric, cut two of each, 6 inch blocks

(A) Sew one solid 6" block to a 6" theme block

(B) Sew one 6" theme block to a 6" solid block

Sew A to B with seams matching.    Press.

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Microsoft clip art

Let us acknowledge the LORD; 
let us press on to acknowledge Him.
As surely as the sun rises,
He will appear;
He will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.
~ Hosea 6:3


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That's all I have for this evening.    Here's wishing you a wonderful weekend!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

That's My Girl! :)

Hello,

As promised I am posting the block of the month tonight.  I admit though, I ran out of time today, with church and a Christmas music program my daughter was in this afternoon. So, I'm using the santa hat birdhouse, I did a few weeks ago, for another project.   You can find it on the AQST Block of the Month tab, if you don't get it today.  

I have to brag on my daughter, a little bit.  She did such an awesome job today in the program.  She played the drums.  I was screaming on the inside "That's my girl!!".  :)  I chose to keep it in, so that I wouldn't embarrass her.

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BLOCK OF THE MONTH

BLOCK #3

1 - 11" square of your background color

1 fat quarter of red fabric

1 fat quarter of white fabric

scrap pieces of black fabric and gray fabric (big enough for hole)

1 bead or scrap fabric for perch

embellishments

• Of the red fabric cut out two triangles 8" high, with a 5" base..  Place them right sides together and sew them together, leaving the base of the triangle open, so that you can turn the triangle right sides out.
• Of the white fabric, cut a rectangle 5" x 1.5".  This will be the band for the santa hat.   Cut a 1.5" circle for the white ball at the tip of the hat.
• Of the black fabric, cut a 1.5" circle for the door of the santa hat birdhouse. 
• Of the gray fabric, cut a crescent shape to applique on the black circle, previously cut.  This will give dimension to the opening, when the pieces are put together.

Lay the red triangle on the background fabric.  Fold the tip of the triangle over, as shown in the picture.  Pin the red fabric down and applique in place.   Now position the white rectangle at the base of the triangle and pin in place and applique.   Take the white circle and pin and applique it in place at the tip of the triangle.  You should have something that looks like a santa hat.   

Now take the black circle and pin and applique it in place above the white band and in the center of the red fabric.  Take the gray crescent shape and applique it on the black circle, as shown in the picture.

Add the bead or a small circle for the perch.    Embellish the santa hat birdhouse as you like.

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TODAY'S QUESTION

For Christmas dinner, turkey or ham?

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This is my latest addition to my Christmas decorations.  I think I'm finally done. 

This is on my dining table.  The tree is made from a catalog, I folded up then painted and glittered.  I added the bow and ribbon and presents to embellish it.

My table is small, so I need something that didn't take up too much space.  I think this worked out pretty good.  :)

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Here's wishing you a wonderful week ahead!!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

My answer to yesterday's question: definitely bags  :)

Block #2

Thank goodness it's Friday!!

This has been one crazy week.   I taught hazardous communications all week long, while getting ready for environmental certification and fighting a head cold.   There was one point, I didn't think I was going to be able to teach the class, because my voice was going out, but I made it through.

I'm doing much better this evening, sitting here sipping a tall mug of hot chocolate and eating a biscuit.

Tonight I'm posting the 2nd block of the month, in my 12 month challenge.   I say challenge, because this is the first time I have done a block of the month and have to be committed.    I will post a recipe tomorrow.

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BLOCK OF THE MONTH #2

This month's block is appliqued.     

Here's what you need....

1 -  11" square, your choice of background color

3 - Holly leaves

3 - Berries

You can cut the holly leaves and berries out free hand or use a template.   Here is a template I drew out for my block.   If you do raw edge applique cut out on the line.  If you do turn under applique, but 1/4" outside the line.

Lay the holly leaves down on the 11" square and applique in place.

I did raw edge applique with my sewing machine and used a contrasting colored thread in my bobbin.    

Next lay your berries in place and applique them down.   Now you can embellish with ribbon or embroidery.   I used my sewing machine and stitched a ribbon design on the background.   

Have fun with this block, put your own little twist on it and remember to share your block too.  :)

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TODAY'S QUESTION

Have you ever won a prize or a contest?

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Don't forget to check the giveaways I posted in the previous post.  There are some cute things to win.  :)

I guess I will let you go for now.  Remember to take time to laugh and and share the joy someone.

God bless and keep you,
Sonia


My answer to the last question: Ham.