10 for 10

My friend Rita and I spent last Friday on the Spring Fling Shop Hop here in Arkansas.  We left Paris at 8:30 a.m and arrived back in Paris around 9:30 p.m.  The day was filled with beautiful quilts, laughter, and blessings from God during the travel.  Seriously, there were openings in traffic that could only be a God thing, especially when we got turned around.

Each shop displayed a quilt they made using and Exclusive Arkansas Focus fabric and a special background print by  Quilting Treasures Fabrics exclusively for the shop hop.  The quilts are shown in each set of pictures for each shop.  I've included a link to each shop's website as well.

Our first stop was in Huntington, AR at Momma's Log House.  This little shop is packed full of quilting and sewing goods.  http://www.mommasloghousequiltshop.com

Elvis fans run this shop, as you'll find out, if you spend any time there.

Then on to Greenwood, AR to Crooked Creek Quilts.  This is a charming little quilt shop with friendly people who can answer your quilting questions.  www.crookedcreekquiltshop.com

After Crooked Creek Quilts we headed to Fort Smith, AR to the Sewing Machine Center. This shop is easy to find on Phoenix Ave. and has a lot to offer.  www.sewingmachinecenterfs.com

We left Fort Smith and drove northwest to Siloam Springs, AR; where Sager Creek Quilts & Yarnworks is located.   Again, a great quilt shop to visit.  I would have loved to spend more time here and to explore the town.  www.sagercreekquilts.com

It was time for lunch and when we asked for places to eat, we were told about Hawg City Grill. We found it and had a delicious lunch.  The prices were good and you get a lot of food.

Working our way up to Sulphur Springs, AR, we found the Quilt Corner situated across from the Sulphur Springs city park.  This shop has a great assortment of fabrics to choose from.  You can find them on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/TheQuiltCorner/

From Sulphur Springs, we dropped down south, a little, to Pea Ridge, AR.  There were two shops for us to visit in this town.  I'll start with Country House Quilting.  You can find them on Facebook.   https://www.facebook.com/CountryHouseQuilting/  This shop had a lot going on from voting on quilts made in a class to quilt giveaways coming up in the near future.

Next in Pea Ridge is the Sew-N-Sew Quilt Shop.   We were greeted by smiles when we entered this shop and got to participate in coming up with a name for the quilt they had on display.   https://www.facebook.com/Sew-N-Sew-Quilt-Shop-102344073211187/

Sew A Stitch was next, in Rogers, AR.  This shop has fabric but also has a lot of sewing machines to choose from.  www.sewastitch.com

We are getting close to the end of the shops to visit and got caught in "after work" traffic, as we got close to our next stop. Sew In Heaven in Fayetteville, AR.   I hate to say it, but we rushed in and out of this shop, as it was after 5:00 p.m. and we had until 6:00 p.m to get to the last shop, several miles away.  From what I could see though, this shop has a lot to offer.  You can check it out at www.sewinheaven.com

Last but definitely not least was the Lonesome Pine Quilts shops.  This charming shop is located outside of city limits near Elkins, AR.  I have to brag on this stop.  The ladies who run this shop were gracious enough to stay open after 6:00 p.m for us and they have a lot to offer! One of the first things you notice as you walk in is a beautiful vintage Ford pickup filled with batting and quilts. If you're ever in the Elkins, AR area, check this shop out.  You will not be disappointed.  www.lonesomepinequilts.com

So 10 for 10, we made it to all the shops in one day.

Total miles driven: 393 miles.

Sonia

Starting a new blog...

Hi, almost seven years and 764 blogs ago I started my blog on blogger.  I've met a lot of great people here, and read just as many awesome blogs.  I started a blog on WordPress where I have two pages, one for poetry and one for everything else.

I want to thank you all for following my blog here and I hope you continue to follow my blog on WordPress.

You can find me at https://sonia67bones.wordpress.com/

Hope to see you there!
Sonia

Just Catching up...

Remember when I showed these charm squares being pieced?

This is how they finished up yesterday.  I still need to quilt it.

I got a little side tracked in between the two stages shown on this quilt.  I did a little water color.

Well, I got to go ~ spending the day with Mom.  :)

Have a great day!
Sonia

PS> please check out my blogs on Wordpress. They are different from this one. https://sonia67bones.wordpress.com/

Bread, Veggies, and a little duck tape...

I woke up hungry this morning so I baked a skillet of biscuits.  They were yummy with butter and red plum jelly along with a cup of hot coffee.  It was a pretty good way to start the day.

My husband was outside, so I went out to check on him.  It was a good morning to be out.  He was weeding the two raised beds we use for the vegetable garden.  It is in the early stage and not a lot is growing yet but I was able to get a picture of new tomatoes, Swiss chard and green onions that have come up.

I've mentioned the green carpet in my sewing room and how it is a chore to keep it clean of threads and such.

I can't afford to pull the carpet up and put down tile at this time but I'm tired of the battle between carpet and threads, pins, etc.  So I bought two packs of the foam tiles and laid them down on top of the carpet.  This will make clean up easier and will be more comfy for my morning exercise routine.

There were several edge pieces left over.

So I set them out in a pattern, flipped them over and duck taped the backside, then took an X-Acto knife and very carefully trimmed the edges to the best of my ability...  

Anyway, I made a mat to put down where I stand to cut fabric.
It measures 12.25" x 22".

That's it for now.

Have great day!
Sonia

Busy Day...

Boy, the day has just flown by.  I was busy with homework this morning, then after lunch I did a little more organizing in my sewing room.

I took things that were on my cutting table and made a place for them up on the wall for storage when not in use.

I organized my fabric cabinet, mostly the bottom section next to the batting.

Then I worked on my crochet/yarn area.  I was able to organize the top of this yard dresser by moving items to the window sill.

Then I took a break and did my Bible study.   I finished Romans and am now studying Acts.  I got to tell you, the Apostle Peter sure could preach, not backing down from those who opposed what he was teaching.

from http://newlife.id.au/bible-study-notes/the-apostle-peter/

Okay, then I sat at my sewing machine.  I finished the last "Gift Box" I needed for the quilt guild.  Then I started chain piecing some charm squares I found in my organizing endeavor earlier.

I also have new garden blooms to show.  If you'd like to see them, please go to my WordPress blog.  Here's a link to it.  https://sonia67bones.wordpress.com/

Hugs,
Sonia

Blooms and a flour sack

I've seen all types of reminders that today is earth day, everything from Snoopy reminding us, promotions to care for land surrounding us and even new blooms in my garden.

There's even a scripture that points to caring for the earth.

Genesis 2:15 ~  And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

My dwarf blue spruce is showing new growth and more of my irises bloomed today.  I even zoomed in on our first rose buds, on one of the climbing rose bushes.

There was also a reminder to re-purpose an existing item.  

I needed a cushion for a chair in my sewing room and yesterday I found a flour sack. So I took a foam piece, about 18" square, and cut it down for the seat and the back piece. Then with the feed sack, wrong side showing, I marked where to sew to tuck the seat cushion in, and stitched it in from the sides, enough to cinch in but allow the seat cushion to be put in or out. Then turned it right side out and stuffed the foam pieces to form the cushion.

I want to be able to wash it when needed, so I just used two large safety pins on the back to snug it up around the back piece and close it up at the top. That way I can take the foam pieces out when it needs cleaning.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to get some quilt blocks done.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Hugs,

Sonia

Monday...

Hi, hope your day went well.

I started my day with planting another ivy that was rooted over the winter.  I found the pink square pot at Savers in Fort Smith and thought it would do well in this wooden basket.

This is how the side of my sewing machine looked earlier today.

I found this planter when I found the pink and decided to use to put all of the above items in one place.

I try to stay organized most of the time but I think I must be a clutter bug at heart.  My desk in my sewing room has been like this for a week or so and I've been doing my bible study at my sewing table.

So today, I decided I better clean it up, so that I can sit at the desk to study my bible, to water color, scrapbook, beading, etc.

At last room to use... now I need to stay on top of it instead of letting it get back in the state it was.

Have a great day!

Sonia

Too blessed...

Got a little stressed today and thought about using the anti-stress kit as shown above, but I didn't want to add a headache to it.

I knew that if I didn't do something, the stress would do me in and make the rest of my day a bummer.

So I went to my sewing room and opened my Bible.

God gave me hands for work.  So, I went through my books and jewelry and got rid of old, wore out or broken items and then organized the rest.

Then I took one of my favorite sweaters that had a hole at the elbow on one sleeve and patched it up.  I had some flannel fabric that matched the buttons. I will use it here at home when I get chilly.

I was then feeling less stressed and remembered my husband had brought home donuts and that something sweet or chocolaty is always a tasty bonus when I'm stressed.  Yes I'm having one now with a cappuccino.

And when I taste something so yummy and think about the blessings I have, I realize shouldn't be stressed and that maybe I'm making a mountain out of molehill, subconsciously.  

However, in the future I need to skip this last yummy step to dealing with stress, as I am having to ride my exercise bike and do a full body stretch workout each day to try to get rid of few pounds(or more) I've put on.

So, if you're feeling a little stressed, take to it God, get busy and if you feel the need for chocolate, go ahead and have chocolate too and remember, you're too blessed to be stressed.

Hugs,
Sonia

Simple pleasures

Hi, while driving to Fort Smith this afternoon I thought of a few pictures I've taken in the last week.  The rains have brought on new growth and animal activity.

Black birds enjoying a springtime bath.

Thinking of the pictures, made me think of how life can be when you trust God to lead your life and follow His will.  Each day is a new beginning.  I was also inspired by a Bible verse I read yesterday.

Psalm 16:11 (KJV) Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Beautiful scene on top of a hill on Hwy 309

Another pretty scene on Hwy 64.

These pictures depict one of the simple pleasures of life ~ enjoying God's beautiful creation.

Hugs,
Sonia

Oats to Tools

This morning I finished off a container of quick oats.  I needed something for my set of screwdrivers and a few other tools.  Instead of buying something to hold them I decided to up cycle the empty oatmeal container.

 

So I picked out fabric that was heavier, like a lightweight denim. Using pinking shears I cut a piece of fabric the size needed to cover the oatmeal container.  I used paperclips to hold the fabric in place as I rolled the container to get the correct length.

Using a hot blue gun, I glued the fabric to the container, securing it down the side, the bottom and over the top rim.

Then I added my tools.

The lid was left over, so I decided to re-purpose it too.   I traced it out on the fabric, then cut it out with pinking shears and put the cut circle on the top of the lid.  Then I added three round magnets on the backside of the lid, making it a fridge magnet.

This was easy to do and went quick.  You could use scrapbook paper instead of fabric.  I decided to keep it simple in style, but you could decorate a container like as much as you want.

Sonia