Another Quilt for Someone in Need

When I decided to make a quilt for the recipient of this one, I knew the only place to get the fabric from was this amazing little shop in Seattle called Alice in Stitches, and I was right!

I first laid eyes on this purple pansy fabric and knew in an instant this would be the focal point of the hug quilt the person would receive. My only real problem is that I don't know if the person receiving this likes purple or not.
Then, shortly thereafter, I located the blue fabric aptly named, Northern Lights. If you saw the fabric up close, you would know in an instant, it couldn't be called anything else.

I used a stitch in the ditch for securing all the layers together and worked for the first time with Bamboo batting. I think it will become a favorite as I like the feel of the thickness of it.





The back and outer border is a wonderful soft fleece with wild horses.

It will be on its way tomorrow and covered in blessings and prayers!

quilting911

quilting911

Death of 911 Dispatch Family

Just passing this on from 911 Cares:

Wisconsin Dispatcher Death

911 CARES Supporter,

We have received a number of e-mails on the tragedy listed below. 911 CARES immediately called the Sheriff and contacted two of the Waushara dispatch professionals.

We already have a “911 CARES” stress management package on the way and we have offered our support in any way we can. There may be burial costs pending. The agency will keep us updated and we will post updates at www.911cares.com See the initial teletype below and the update from their dispatch center below. Please send a card of condolence to their 9-1-1 family if you can. Their address is listed below.

ON 12-05-2008 AT 0126 HRS, THE WAUSHARA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT 911 CENTER TOOK A CALL FOR A HOUSE FIRE. THE RESPONDING UNITS FOUND A FULLY ENGULFED STRUCTURE. DISPATCHER PEGGY A BANECK, F W, 09-29-1961, A 7 YEAR VETERAN DISPATCHER WITH THE WAUSHARA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND LARRY D BANECK AND SON CHARLIE R BANECK PERISHED IN THE FIRE. THE BANECKS ARE SURVIVED BY 5 OTHER LIVING CHILDREN. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE PENDING AT THIS TIME.

David Peterson, Sheriff
430 East Division
Wautoma, WI 54982
Phone (920) 787-3321

911 CARES,

Thank you for getting in touch with us, we appreciate all of the condolences from everyone. The Baneck's surviving children are Billie Jo 24, Anthony 23, Nellie 20, Emily 19 and Katie 16. Charlie was 17, he and Katie were the only ones still in school. Both sets of Grandparents are living and in the area. We have 9 full time dispatchers and 1 that is part dispatch, part jail. We are a small department and this impacts all of us from the communications through, patrol and jail.

I will let you know when we have more information on what the family may need.

Thanks again,
Sally Sroka -

Stuarts Quilt

I received a photo card of Stuart yesterday with a thank you from his mom who stated Stuart loves his quilt. I am glad that in some small way I was able to make a difference in his life!

On its way to Stuart

The quilt was placed into Lisa's hand today at our local USPS and sent with delivery confirmation and priority mail. Stuart should have the quilt by Wednesday. Oh Yeah!

Happy Thanksgiving to All Emergency Responders

More Than A Day As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound. We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove. So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away. By Karl Fuchs

Stuarts Quilt

Stuart's quilt is completed and will be mailed out next week. Here are some of the pictures of the quilt. It is 35" x 50" and I just love the way it turned out. I am sure hoping it has enough oranges and greens in it to keep Stuart happy and I know the fleece backing will be the soft Stuart likes.

I can't wait to drop it in the mail and I hope he enjoys it as much as I enjoyed putting it together for him!

One Down and Many To Go...

I got word yesterday that a dispatch center in the mid-west is going to start a coin drive for my projects and on top of that, one of their supervisors is going to sponsor an entire quilt. How cool is that?

I truly do feel it is a calling to be able to reach out and help these people who have such a need for comfort.

You can trust and believe me, I am a self-taught quilter and if I had the time to take a class on just some of the basics you can bet I would do that in a heart beat. Then again, hubby would probably have kittens. Oh well, he would quickly get over it.

Adopt a Quilt

I am looking for some dispatchers or dispatch center(s) that would like to adopt a quilt for a young woman who lost all her possessions in a house fire. Yes, this person is a dispatcher and her center is keeping the entire thing a secret.

While I know it is the holiday season and many of us are stretched, I am asking for a bit of help on this one, perhaps $20 from a center to help pay for shipping and insurance, batting, etc.

Believe me people, I have no reason to lie or cheat you out of your money. I have 2 books of thank you's and quilt pictures on quilts I have sent to others in need. I am a child of my parents and the thought of lying to someone or cheating them sickens me, not to mention my ethics and firm belief in the 10 Commandments.

Just contact me and I will tell you how to help. I will not accept more than I need!

Bay St. Louis, I Haven't Forgotten

WOW! It has been almost 4 years since Hurricane Katrina hit and did horrible devastation and I have fallen down and at times been unable to get back up both physically and spiritually. If you follow my blogs, you know that many things have happened to our family since 2005, some good, some horrible and some just everyday stuff.

I sent many quilts to Bay St. Louis right after Hurricane Katrina hit and then I promised some of them I would make them quilts. Some received them and others did not. I sent quilts to dispatchers in and out of the area, to New York, to Washington, all for those people in need. But still in my heart, I felt the tuggings of those people I hadn't finished my commitment to.

Well, after many months of being stored, hidden away, yesterday I came across the list of dispatchers I still owe quilts to and I wrote my dear contact person Clementine a letter of apology asking for their forgiveness.

So, for those of you who probably think I just blew you off...Tracy Ladner, Anita Fowler and Linda Coy, I have not forgotten you. I carry you with a heaviness in my heart and now that I have found my list, I have written to Clementine to see if we can't get this show back on the road and I can finish what I promised!

For anyone wanting to donate to sponsor one of the quilts for these ladies, I need 3 queen sized battings, 100+ inch wide muslin or queen sized flat sheets in purple, blue, blue and mauve.

Until these ladies have their promised quilts and the other 3 that I am working on receive theirs, I am unable to make anymore commitments to anyone at this time. As soon as I can I will notify you of my availability.

Thank You Veterans For Your Service

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Chicago - to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq'

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago '

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant afifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in This country who no longer understand it.'

Tracy Corbin

Close to my Heart

Shoeboxes for Texas

Here is a direct request list from Texas. Please, even if you can only send in a shoe box full of things, lets do this!

Additional items being requested:
Mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss

Multi purpose contact cleaner

Shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, mouse, styling gell

Razors, shaving cream, feminine hygiene stuff

Deodorant, hand sanitizer, bug spray

Sleeping bags (I only found 3)

ChapStick and toilet wipes

Water and water bottles

Bath towels and wash clothes

Body Wash and wash sponges

Allergy and pain medicines

Combs and brushes

Just an update from our area. A great deal of the region is still
without power. 68% of Centerpoint power customers are without
power, 95% of Entergy power customers are without power. They're
saying it could be anywhere between Sept 25 - Oct 5 before all power
is restored. ALOT of the area is being told to boil water, some
areas do not have water.

There is a possibility that a bank account will be set up for money
donations. We'll post more on that if it happens.

If anyone has any questions about shipping items or anything else, I
have a line set up at my office with my admin staff that can take
calls. 713-755-2204.

Thanks everyone!

Lisa Dodson
Harris County Sheriff's Office
Houston, TX

Lets Help TEXAS...911 ACTIVATION

Calling all quilters, all seamstresses, knitters, crocheters, churches, family and friends lets reach out and help and get a box or 2 or 5 or 10 to these people in Texas. They need our help!

Hurricane Ike Activation!

Dear friends. We need your help! We have received e-mails from a number of individuals and agencies. There is an immediate need for supplies, clothing and toiletries. Now that the storm has passed, we have networked with the Texas TERT Team Coordinator, Texas NENA and National NENA to confirm the need and start this very important activation.

Galveston, Orange and Beaumont areas have an intense need. This is for the many dispatchers that have been working since the hurricane. They are running out of fresh clothes and daily needs. We are only beginning to see what the losses are for these many 9-1-1 heroes since most have been working for days and have been unable to check their homes. Some are "waterlocked" and can't leave their centers until roads and utilities are safe.

Here is the plan! Please collect the following items:

Clothes of any sizes (read important note below)

New shoes and boots (no used please)

Socks (new)

Toiletries (soaps, lotion, shampoo, combs, baby powder)

Towels

Feminine Products

Baby Wipes (used for quick cleaning since showers and baths are impossible)

Paper products ( toilet paper, tissues, paper towels)

Purel or other sanitizing hand cleaner

Food items (things that can be easily heated or microwaved)

Snack/Candy (anything that won't melt in hot/humid temps)

Things to help time pass (magazines, puzzles, cards)

Imagine your own dispatch center. After three days of eating everything in the cabinets, what's left? Get things like ice tea mix, coffee, sugar, creamer, snack stuff, etc.

These dispatch centers are in evacuated areas of Texas but they have stayed behind for rescue and security of their communities. They can't just send someone to a FEMA shelter to get stuff, those shelters are hours away. If you are in driving distance from Houston , there is a need for cases of bottled water also. Contact us offline and we'll coordinate your offers for help.

At this time, we are not asking for money or gift cards. There isn't a mechanism to shop locally yet (everything is closed or damaged) and we don't have a list of specific needs other than what is listed above.

CLOTHING NOTE. We're all adults, so please take this in the spirit intended. During our Katrina Activation, we had amazing stuff donated. That being said, some people just sent whatever was in the musty attic. These agencies have NO fresh water, no washing machines, no dryers, etc. PLEASE wash EVERYTHING you send! Let them open a " Downey fresh" box from you, not a nightmare :)

PROCESS:

Put everything in the box.

Write the contents on one side. You don't have to be specific. Just write clothes, snacks, magazines or whatever you send.

Address it. Thanks to Lisa Dodson at Harris County 9-1-1 we have a secure location to send it to! Add Harris to your hero list, they have stepped up to be the base camp for donations that will be distributed to all affected areas. Mail or UPS to:
Harris County Communications Division

Attn; 911 CARES

1301 Franklin Street

Houston, TX 77002

If you have questions, Houston has agreed to be the Texas contact point. PLEASE call only if you need to. They are still very busy and we don't want to overwhelm them with calls.

UPS,FedEx and US Postal are all working to get boxes where they need to go. There are shiping updates daily as trucks can get there. We will post daily updates this week at www.911cares. com (scroll below the yellow ACTIVATION STRIPE for the most current info)

Still Waiting...

We are still waiting to hear from my in-laws as to how their home faired during Ike. The didn't live in Galveston, but they lived between Galveston and Louisiana and right now all they know is they have walls.

Last time Rita/Katrina hit they lost my sister-in-laws business and their home, so they moved from their home into her grandmothers old home. I do not know how they faired, but I cannot absolutely cannot imagine the devastation happening twice.

Look at Galveston. I saw the beach front with only one home standing. How on earth can people pick up their lives from such total devastation? How many years has it been and residents of New Orleans are still trying to pick themselves up and get back to the everyday.

Here I complain that the bill collectors are calling, but what happens when you no longer have a job because the business was obliterated off the earth? No home, no job, no place to go. Will FEMA step in and help more than previous times? I don't know!

I know we had a devastating storm last December and flooding was unreal in places, it still haunts me when I drive to Olympia and see how many trees are gone, the BBQ joint that was crushed in a landslide, homes with water lines to their roofs! What did FEMA do for these people?

About as little as they did for us. You see, if you have homeowners insurance, FEMA tells you they can't help you. When your homeowners insurance doesn't pay, FEMA won't help you and neither will anyone else. You have to document dates, times, names just to get things done and then you have the wonderful insurance adjustor that ranks right up their with ambulance chasing attorney's in my book.

My in-laws last time were told it would take over six months just to get an adjuster to their home. When we lost our roof, it was evident the adjuster hadn't done their job. They took the tarp off and left it to my husband to put back on in the pouring rain and then they low balled the job for a complete tear off and re-roof at less than $3000.

When we complained, we were told we were being (excuse the word, but it is the word that was used)screwed by the contractors in our area when we got our bids. EXCUSE ME!! I thought that was a pretty inflammatory and broad statement. We had 4 bids and all ranged between $9000-$12000 and the difference was a 20 or 30 year roof shingle.

We fought from January until April to get the money that was due us, but not until my husband and I finally got tired and wrote a letter to our insurance companies CEO. Whoa, you should have heard the calls we got of apologies.

So, how will these poor people in Texas get treated any better?

The only thing I can say is that after years and years of paying insurance premiums and all of us being at the mercy of the insurance companies, I guess Mother Nature got even & I do not by any means in any way shape or form, mean that to take away this tragedy, I just mean they finally have to sow what they have reaped all these years.

Beating the Band Wagon Drum...

Okay, I wanted to share with you an old quick and simple quilt pattern. Even if you have never quilted before, this one should be simple and if you work with 1 or 2 others helping you out it will be a breeze.

I think it is called a Biscuit Quilt or Puff Quilt, but they are pretty simple to make. Here is some instructions I found in the January 1981 Quilting Newsletter. I am adding quotes since these are not my instructions.

'Quilt Size should be 63" x 90" & you will need to cut 54 12" squares of fabric for the top and 54 9" squares of muslin or your chose fabric for bottom. You need 3 1/2 yards of fabric remnants, 3 1/2 yards of muslin or your backing fabric and 5 1/2 yards for lining and border, 10 # of polyester batting.'

How many of us have over that much laying around in scraps & piles?

Wash, iron muslin to shrink, or all your fabrics to shrink if you want to. I say this because there are those who do not pre-wash and those that are staunch pre-washers. Cut out your fabric squares as directed above.

'Pin the corners of one 12" square to the corners of a 9" square & fold excess top fabric into 2 pleats each side. Sew upper square to lower square along 3 sides, you will need 1 side open to stuff. Insert stuffing/batting into open side of square (aprx. 2-3 ounces per square). Cotton batting is NOT acceptable for this quilt! Once square is stuffed, stitch the opening closed.

With rights sides together, join six of the puffs side by side to make a row the width of your quilt, joining them in a 1/4" seam by hand or machine (your choice). Divide the lining fabric into two 2 1/4 yard pieces. Seam these pieces together lengthwise making a lining 72" x 99". Put this seam side up on table or floor & center the stuffed top of the lining right side up. Cut long strips of polyester batting about 4" wide to stuff the border and put them along the edges.

Fold the remaining lining up and over the batting, turn under the edge and pin to the top. Cut off excess fabric at each corner and miter the corner. Finished the edges of the border to the top of the quilt.

Tie through the center of the each puff using 2 strands of nylon thread and tie on the underside of each puff for a fuller quilt.'

Good Luck Ladies & Gents, Boys & Girls!

Texas needs quilts...lets get them out there!

My brother-in-law notified my husband that they are safe, however they are not sure how much damage their home sustained & won't until they can return. Galveston is a complete mess, Houston has flooding, businesses and homes are gone. Even one of the bloggers who live in LA was able to get news out that they lost everything!

I cannot begin to think of how that must feel. I worried about my mom over the summer when the huge Butte fire was so close, but they had packed all they could possibly pack and were ready to evacuate at any minute! They didn't loose anything, but many families in the area did.

How can we as quilters help? What can we do? We can do what we do best, make quilts & start right away. Make them simple, make them complex, make them small or large, but lets get them made and get them out there to those who have nothing! Lets give them something to hold onto during the days and nights they are facing.

911 Cares can and will help. If I know them, they are already working with police and fire departments to start getting stuff to these victims. Toiletries, toothbrushes, deodorant, bandages, neosporin, rubber boots, hair brushes, etc. Shoes? Go out and if you can afford it, buy shoes in several different sizes and socks!

There are so many quilters and craft people and generous people out there that read this blog and others, spread the word. These people don't need cute bags to carry around, they need things they can use. They will need masks, gloves, etc.

Back up a box and hang onto it or send it to Kevin Willet at 911 cares.

I prefer reaching out on my own as opposed to sending my money to Red Cross or other agencies that start asking for money, but many people never see that money!

Have a few quilts sitting around on shelves? Donate them. Be compassionate and reach out to those less fortunate that all of us right now!

Anticipating the Finished Product

Everyone should be so lucky to have these two little cuties helping in the kitchen and the look on their faces lets everyone know they are having fun & they did have fun!

My mother-in-law years ago gave me the best recipe in the world for pumpkin bread & I love it any time of the year. I used to give it as gifts to the police officers years ago that I worked with, but those little booger's would eat theirs and then filch someone else's out of their message box!

This one can be made with raisins and I love the white raisins the best and it can be made with or without nuts. If you are making it for someone who is allergic to nuts, make the batter, spoon it into a loaf pan and cook it away from the rest of the batter!

This recipe can make 3-4 large loaves or several of the little ones and it stays so yummy and moist!

Here they all are waiting for these to go into the oven and bake!

I know that many of you who have been reading my blog are quilters yourselves and may have entered one of your summer projects into the Lazy Days of Summer Quilting Contest. However, if you feel so inclined, I am asking you to follow the link I will provide and vote for my quilt that is pictured above.

http://quiltinggallery.com/tag/lazy-days-of-summer-photo-contest/
Click on the link above and look for the voting bubble next to Sunbonnet Couple. I quilt from the heart & I am self taught, so there are many other beautiful quilts as well that you can look at and also vote for.

Yes, I would love to win one of the two prizes being offered, but I also realize there is some tough competition that have probably won many contests, while I still have problems piecing hexagons together!

Another Quilt at Home

For those of you who read this blog and occasionally see that I am asking for donations to help me help others in the way of asking for quilt batting, accessories or even postage, I would like to show you what was printed by 911 Cares when a dispatch center received the quilt I sent them:

'It never ceases to amaze me how caring and giving the emergency services groups are! Our center has been overwhelmed by the amount of well wishes and caring emails and gifts and cards in the mail. Special thanks to the retired quilting dispatcher from Aberdeen Washington, the warmth of Kaseys memory will be with us all each time we look at the lovely quilt. And of course it wouldn’t be possible without the 911 cares group. I can’t count the times I have dropped an email to someone from one of the activations I have read on 911 cares page thinking, this is not much and won’t help a bit. Man was I wrong!!!! When you are on the receiving end, you understand what a note from “someone who walks a mile in your shoes” can mean to you. ' (911 Cares website, 9/5/2008).

I printed this in case any of you have doubts as to whether or not I am genuine or if I actually do make quilts and send them to where I say I will.

Once again, let me urge you to help me reach out to those dispatchers in need. While they help the rest of us during our darkest hours, they suffer the same things we do...loss of homes due to fire and storms, loss of family members, loss of life, vehicle accidents, etc. , and it seems to me this field has been hit exceptionally hard the past year.

If you don't want to reach out and help me, at least make some contact with your 911 center on September 11th & let them know you appreciate them and the job they do. It is a tough job and the people that do it wouldn't have it any other way!

Let Us Not Forget to Pray For Others

Sometimes in our busy lives that we allow to be interrupted by blogging, talking on the phone, quilting, volunteering for our church & community, we forget to take time to pray. I believe pray is something that should occur naturally, but I am the first to admit it doesn't. Hanging my head in shame I can say that many times days get away from me and I am just lucky enough to say thanks to God as I sleepily drift off to sleep.

I just have no routine right now and that is hard. I work diligently every day to say my prayers and do the right things, but right now I hurt so much to just sit down and type this message is causing pain in my fingers and hips. But if I can diligently blog, I should be able to diligently pray not just for myself, but for others.

We need to pray for the families and people who live in the pathways of Hurricane Gustav, we need to pray for our presidential candidates (whether or not you are republican or democrat), we need to pray for families struggling to make ends meet, that are hurt and have pain in their hearts.

Just take a moment out today and give thanks to God & ask Him to bless others. In the end, you will be the one to receive the blessing!

Go Away Gustav

Well, it appears to me that Gustav may wind up hitting New Orleans & this time I see that they are already beginning the evacuations and trying to do it right this time. I pray for all those in the area that this storm will just GO AWAY! But it doesn't appear that it is going to.

I am still working on quilts promised to people from the last Hurricane, that is how far behind I have gotten. However sad to say, this time I am not going to promise anyone anything because I am feeling so guilty for not having all these complete while another round of hurricane seasons is upon us.

So, maybe, just maybe I will be able this time to complete the projects from the last Hurricane and try to get everything completed.

My fibromyalgia isn't liking mornings any longer. Just getting out of bed is a chore and then to be able to stretch or move for the first 30 minutes causes excruciating pain in my back, hips, knees & feet. It just boggles the mind what this can do to someone.

On the other hand, it makes up for it in the evenings when I am up half the night because I can't sleep. Oh bother!

No Job, Yet

Wow! I am still waiting to hear from the prison even though I know it is a mute point. I did get another turn down letter from the courts in Olympia so I am batting 0 out of at least 60 right now.
I did get the final paper I needed to receive my substitute teaching certificate, but they are so wonderful in Olympia, they called me and told me they were behind right now. I understand that !

So, I can be a substitute pare-pro until that comes in and that is still going to be very sporadic I am afraid as I will only work when someone else can't. It is not helping the bill situation at all. Hubby is still hanging in there like a champ!

I wonder sometimes if people are afraid of my qualifications? I mean, I have no skeletons in my closet, I don't have a record, I haven't even as much as had a parking ticket, so why I can't find a job is beyond me. Hubby thinks these people are discriminating against my age (52). I don't want to believe it, but sooner or later on these state jobs, I may have to ask the governors office to look into it.

So, I sent my apron package off today and I got one of the prizes that Shawnee is giving away, I am so happy about it as I have never won anything at all. I also have one of my quilts posted on the Lazy Days of Summer so I am hoping to win a bit of something for that quilt.

I just love the way the bag came out & think Sunbonnet Sue is beginning to be one of the quilt patterns that I am becoming attached to, she is so cute and you can make so many different styles, it is just adorable.

My apron swap partner loves Ireland, so I made an Ireland theme on he bag and filled it with travel brochures, recipes & Irish folklore.

My mom called me today, she received the pillow I have made for her and was thrilled to pieces over it. That is what it is about, making others happy and reaching out where we can.

Catching Up on UFO's

Well, the last few days I have been busy catching up on projects, mailing out projects and just generally destressing myself as these are getting done. So, in my pile to finish is the cross stitch project (3 years in the works), the NASCAR quilt (will try to sell on Ebay/Etsy), Anita Fowlers crazy quilt. These are all projects that need completion.

Then I have to start other projects like my sons Tee-shirt quilt, write a letter to my son in prison, start winter quilts for my grandson and granddaughter and one for our bed. I also have one in the thinking stages for the dispatcher that was hit by a car several weeks ago.

I may not have a job, but I am catching up on all my projects! Thats a big Yee Haw, Y'all!

It's done, oh yeah, I feel good!

Mailed out tons of things today. Two packages to people who have posted on my blog, 2 quilts to people who are in need of something warm and cuddly & the pillow to my mother. Now I can try to concentrate on the rest of the projects I have to finish.

I got another emergency certificate for school today, however no word from the prison. Everyone (but me) seems to think I have the job or they would not have contacted my references. I don't know what to think anymore.

Even if i only substitute, there is no guarantee how many days I will work & my check comes in the month after I am done working, so I am becoming very very nervous. While I can help others, am patient to the end with teaching others or children, when it comes to playing the waiting game, I don't wait so patiently. I was truly hoping someone would at least call me and say yes or no!

Oh bother!

Fabric Swap Wanted!

Today I have been working on a swap gift today for someone who posted to one of my blogs & I really like the plan, it is coming together nicely. But I keep reading about swaps & decided to have my own...

HELP ME!! I am looking for solid colored fabrics & will swap floral or printed fabrics. It must be at least a fat quarter of any solid color with the exception of white. Brights, muted, Batik, etc.. I just realized today that while I have tons of fabric, most of it is prints and I need solids.

So, if anyone is interested, all you need to do is Email me and we will swap.

Keeping My Mind Busy

So today the mail came and went and I didn't get a letter from the prison department letting me know I did or didn't get the job, so I caved in and called the person that did my second interview and she will be out of town for the rest of the week.

I just don't have any answers and that makes me anxious. So, I got busy and decided to make this sewing organizer to go underneath my machine to hold scissors, thread, trash, etc.. It only took a few hours and was easy to make! I loved the fabric, it reminded me of spring!

This is a view from my chair looking down at the machine. It just fits perfectly under the sewing machine and in front of the table I am using, so it is perfect! The small pocket to the left just comes right off to empty into the trash can when it is full or my project is complete!

I still have no news from the prison, so I guess no news is good news. I hope to hear from them soon as I really think I would do well in this position they have opened.

It is finished

I completed my Sun Bonnet Sue/Sam quilt just a few minutes ago. I originally designed it to sell to make some money for my family, then a tragedy hit a 911 call center and they lost one of their own. I knew at that moment that God wanted me to send this quilt to them. So, once again my hand and heart have been guided to someone who needs a quilt for comfort.

I tried to get a really good picture of it, but the binding didn't come out as well as I had hoped. This quilt just reminds me of the many friends that come into our life and then, without notice, they are gone that quickly. I hope this quilt gives the dispatch center some warmth in their lives.

Here is a little closer shot of the borders I put around it. I just loved to find the grass fabric and the yellow/orange Batik reminded me of the sun.

The surrounding blue Batik, the green floral, purple and cream floral were all fabrics that came to mind as I was putting this quilt together. Let me tell you, the selfish side of me wants to keep this quilt, but I know when I complete a quilt if someone comes to mind that it is the Lords will that I let it go to someone else in need. I didn't know the young dispatcher that passed away & I have never met anyone from the center he was from, but I know what it is like to lose someone and this is my way of trying to reach out to those broken hearts.

This last photo is an up close of the middle section of the quilt. If you look closely, you can see the seed beads I sewed onto Sue's hat to give it a bit more depth. The small green square between the sunflowers on the bottom of the photo is actually a button I found that looked like a packet of seeds, so I put it in Sam's garden.

Tonight I will use a fabric paint and place Friends Are Forever across the top. Then as soon as I get a few extra dollars, I will place it in the mail to its intended receivers. Enjoy today!

Quilt World Magazines get Recycled

We all have things that can be recycled laying around our home. Where do we start is many persons lament, but I am a person that likes organization and I will keep things around until they are no longer useful. Thus, I have begun today tearing apart my 1980's issues of Quilt World magazines. They have been listed on Ebay several times with no buyers & offered on my blog to anyone that would pay for the postage of having them mailed...no takers. So today, I am going through each issue and taking out what I want to keep. They will then go in the recycle trash!

Speaking of recycling, I sold my old V-Tech phone and may also be selling my long black wool coat this week-end, so that is great! I just believe in passing things along that really shouldn't be in the dump piles.

A lazy day today, I should be quilting but I can't seem to get in the mood for it. Usually I love to quilt, but lately I just seem to not have the ambition. Big part of no ambition is I sit on the floor to do most of it and with my fractured foot, it is to painful. Oh how I dream of having an area to do my quilting in someday!

Still Searching....

I have been swamped this week with painting the house and yesterday of course just as we were starting to paint, the rains began. So, our front door is in the living room on saw horses and we have a plastic backed paper sheet and down comforter hanging across the door. We slept last night without a front door & for the first time in years, I wasn't worried about rattle snakes, scorpions, spiders or 2 legged humans that want in my home & I slept like a baby!

It is so nice to know you can sleep at night even without a front door and know no harm is going to come to you or your family.

On the flip side of the coin, I am still looking for someone willing to donate a quilt to the dispatcher who was seriously injured in a car wreck last week. I am looking for something more lap to crib/twin size just to comfort her or her family while they are going through so much pain and heart ache at this time.

I have one I am working on to send to a dispatch center in Iowa that just lost another dispatcher and the sad thing is, this young mans dispatch partner had to give CPR instructions over the telephone to his family while he was dying.

Now, if you don't think that is hard, I can tell you that nothing ever prepares you for doing that type of thing in your life. So many things are whirling through your mind and all you can do is focus on the task at hand.

If you don't have a completed quilt and would like to send me a completed top, I will gladly add the batting and back to send off. It is just right now I am so backed up on just he routine daily house chores with the painting task, that I haven't had much time to do anything else!

What Makes News?

I am probably going to make a few people mad at me, but I really don't care. As the saying/song goes, 'You've Got to Stand for Something or You'll Fall For Anything.' As a Christian I must ask what makes Ellen Degeneres's marriage front page news? For that matter, what makes any star front page news unless it is a death or something of significance to help others.

Let me clarify my comment a bit more. Today, Tropical Storm Fay destroyed parts of Haiti and Cuba, the Florida Keys are being evacuated or at least vacationers and visitors are being asked to leave & yet I learned this news from people at church. I get my news via laptop & my headlines this morning was a lesbian marriage? What gives?

I have family and friends in Florida and the southern east coast as well as many other people do, does Yahoo honestly think we wouldn't want news of the storm? No, they put it finally on their news feeds later because Ellen's marriage was important.

Aside from that, I will drop the subject here because my blog isn't about politics or gay marriages, but my question is more on what is really news and what is Hollywood Hype.

Please Help A Dispatcher & Her Family!

Any of you who read this know that I am a retired police dispatcher who still loves the profession and those who are in it. This was in my Email this morning and I know that Kevin and the folks at 911 Cares wouldn't mind me posting it here. If you can help this family and this dispatcher in an small way, I am asking you to do so. Remember, 911 dispatchers are the voice in the dark when you are scared someone is breaking into your home, they are the voice of calm after an accident and you are waiting for the paramedics to arrive, they are the voice of help when your child is choking and they are the ones who do their job most of the time without recognition or thanks. Please, if you feel led, any amount would help. Or, if you would like to send a quilt to keep Patti comforted while she is the hospital please let me know.

Dear 911 CARES supporter:

PSTC and 911 CARES is currently at the APCO national conference in Kansas City. We were advised of the local tragedy below. Please keep Patti in your prayers. We will keep updates posted at www.911cares.com in the activation area.

Posted Monday, August 4th

Last night, APCO member and Whittcom, Washington 9-1-1 Director Patti VonBargen was the victim of a hit and run by an intoxicated driver. The suspect is in custody. She was in a cross walk near the convention center walking home with two InterAct employees. Patti suffered a severely crushed leg and broken arm and is still in surgery this morning. Local news reports say she was dragged up to 100 feet by the suspect vehicle.

**Update at 5pm local time, she is out of surgery and we are awaiting an update. Patti's 18 year old daughter is being flown in to be with her Mom. The local chapter and WA chapter are working closely together to fill the needs of Patti and her family.

911 CARES has offered to pay for both of these costs. We'll keep you updated when there is anything you can do beyond prayer. Friends of Patti are asking that nobody call her room at the hospital as she is in ICU. When she is moved to a private room, we will post it** She does not have life threatening injuries, but she's going to need some significant healing time. She's at the Truman Medical Center in Kansas City . Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

We will keep you updated on this tragic event and post the Truman address when Patti is moved. We went shopping for get well cards tonight and will have them signed at the PSTC booth at APCO. We'll deliver them Tuesday and Wednesday night after conference hours.

Tuesday 8-5 update at 15:38 local time:

911 CARES EVENT UPDATE FOR PATTI VONBARGEN:

Below we have more information from the accident and an address where cards and well wishes can be sent.

Sunday, Patti was walking to her hotel after having dinner with two InterAct employees. One InterAct staffer made it onto the curb, another InterAct staffer was hit by the side of the drunk driver's car and Patti took the full force of the impact. The driver fled after dragging Patti's body but was later arrested.

Patti went through extensive surgery Monday but she is in serious condition. PLEASE keep Patti, the Washington Chapter of APCO and all of the staff at Whittcom and InterAct in your prayers. Today, 911 CARES team members Richard Behr and Kevin Willett went through the vendor area and asked vendors to sign cards and give us "vendor gifts". We filled a big bag of goodies that Patti will enjoy when she gets better. We also spoke with Peggy at Grays Harbor 9-1-1 to reinforce our financial and emotional support for Patti, her agency and her family. We have spoken to Conference Chair Robin Tieman and members of WA APCO reassuring them of our ongoing support!

One last note, if there is any question of rumors, let us address them. We are 1000% supportive and appreciative of everything that Willis Carter, all Chapters of APCO, individual members and the local conference committee have done. Please do what you can to send your love and support to Patti. See the update below provided by Washington APCO.

Tuesday Update: Patti's son Jeremy has arrived and is being briefed this morning by the medical staff. We're continuing to make other flight and housing arrangements for her other son and daughter to join her. I don't have an update on her condition except to say that she is still in ICU, is in a lot of pain and needs her rest. Cards are welcome
but since she is still in ICU, she is not able to receive flowers and her family asks that you please do not call yet as she is trying to rest. We appreciate all the well wishes and I know they are being passed on to her and her family. If you have any questions, please
don't hesitate to ask.

Cards may be sent to:
Patti VonBargen
c/o Truman Medical Center
2301 Holmes
ICU Room 204 bed 1
Kansas City , MO 64108

Continue to keep her in your prayers...deb

Deb Welsh
Assistant Director - Skagit 911
(360) 428-3200

1730 local time:

InterAct has informed us that the staff member that was hit in Patti's accident is now safely home. We also delivered the first batch of well wishes and cards to the nursing station for Patti’s unit. We didn’t want to bother the family but the nurse was happy to deliver the cards for us. --911 CARES

As Promised, The Lake Trip

If anyone knows how to combine 2 blogs, please let me know as I would like to combine mine all into one & save myself some time. In the meantime, here are some pics of the kids at the lake and they took to Kayaking like ducks to water, plus they swam and were super duper kids. Not one complaint from any of them!

The Kayak picture above is our neighbor in one and my 5 year old grandson in the other one all by himself, he did an amazing job and the only one that flipped into the drink was the neighbor & of course, my camera at that exact time quit working. Oh well, I am sure he wouldn't want me to post his picture here that is why I posted this one as it is from a distance. No, I am not in any of these. I am behind the camera!

Here is one of the 3 of them swimming. I was so shocked that the water was so shallow, but I wouldn't let them in the water without an adult since I am still wearing the air cast for another few weeks.

I would love to post more, but we are prepping our home for painting and hubby told me I needed to get the scraper and get busy! He is on the roof doing more than his share!

Happiness Abounds

I sent Judy off her goodies package this past week for being on of my first three posters on my site. I hope she likes the things I packaged up as I am new to this trading thing, but I am having fun and it makes me happy to be thrifty!

Next, I must get Rebecca's off, but I am looking around for something special for her gift. There is still some time to post to this site and get yourself a little goodies package from me!

On a side note, it is cloudy out today, but I don't think that matters. We are going up to the lake today with some neighbors and they are taking the babies out Kayaking for the first time. I will post pictures here if I don't forget my camera!

************************HELP PLEASE***********************************************
I am in desperate need of someone taking my resume and making it look better than it does and shows what I can do. Mine is old and tired! So if you write resumes or know someone who does and they are willing to do it for gratis I can sure use a boost to finding work.

Also, please pray for my family. We are hanging on by our toenails while the bills pile up, my credit union has cancelled my credit card, cancelled my overdraft protection and refuses to help out at all during this most difficult period in my life. While most of the companies I owe have been super to step up and help until I find work, my credit union has told me NO, NO & oh yeah, NO!!

Pray that I will find the job the Lord wants me to have soon!

Quilt Magazines for Sale

Up for sale on Ebay, I have 3 listings for quilt magazines and they are all in fantastic shape.
11 Editions of Quilt World from 1989-1990, 14 issues of Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts. These magazines were well cared for by the person I got them from and I have so many, I cannot possibly keep them all.

Check out my selling at Ebay by going to seller oilman85037 and you will see I am an honest seller.
Some of these issues are selling for over $3 each on Ebay and my prices are less than $1 per magazine.

These aren't all I have either, I have 2 bins full of vintage magazines. If you are looking for something you can't find, ask me, I just may have it.

Playground Alert!

I just posted on my grandparents blog a link to a Yahoo news thing I saw this evening about the dangers of playgrounds. While this blog is related to make quilts for those people in need, I also think because I was a 911 operator for so many years, that is my duty from time to time to post things that can protect others, especially when it is small children.

I have never seen anything like I saw on this clip and I think it is very important to pass this information onto other people who take children to play on the playgrounds.

So, follow this link to Playground Dangers: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=8962722

Please, pass this onto others you know that have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, babysit, teach school/preschool, etc.

Lets alert everyone to these dangers and then remember, it is our responsibility to make sure our children are safe, by checking for these types of dangers in the summer time, just like watching a child around water...but that is a whole other discussion!

The Quilt is Done

I can't always figure out why blogger pictures wont' go side to side one minute and the next they are fine. Anyway, this is the front and back of the first quilt I have completed for the Iowa flood victims. Winnie the Pooh on the front and vintage baby buggies on the back or visa versa because I made it so it can be used either way. I finished it with a blanket stitch and if you look closely on the baby buggy picture, you can see a weaving line that I used to quilt with.

So, this will be set aside and I will begin working on the next one as soon as I finish a bag I wanted to make.

My Fibro is really kicking in today, my joints ache all over and I am in pain, but I am not going to let this stop me, I can't!

Thank you for all the kind words I have been receiving, let others know this is here.

Almost Bedtime

Well, it is almost bedtime and today was a great day! I went to a local thrift shop and they had their Christmas stuff on sale at 50% off and I got killer deals for all under $3. I came home with the pirates share of booty.

I love this picture. It is painted on a small chalkboard with oil paints and it is even signed. I put it up on the mantel of the fireplace today because I love snow so much, this picture makes me happy. Oh, the cost was 25@. One little quarter!

I was also able to get a votive cup for my bathroom, a pencil Santa and 2 other blue snow people.
This is the picture of my Christmas stash. I couldn't believe that I had been so thrifty and so blessed to hit this store the first time ever and while everything in the Christmas room was marked down.

Oh yeah, the best part was she told me I could come in and work there and probably earn a few pieces here and there...now that might just be a good thing!

I did get a quilt all cut out and pinned together to get ready to send off. I will sew it tomorrow and the rest of what I get done and post pictures here tomorrow night. Without a job, I am going to have to sweet talk my dear husband into paying for the postage.

Beauty in Quilting or Flowers

Today is going to be a busy day for my granddaughters and I as we are going to try and put together several quilts to get them off in the mail for those quilters and families in need in Northern California that lost their homes to fire and Iowa to flooding.

So, for now, enjoy the wonderful flowers I found in my yard this morning and tune in often today as I will be taking lots of pics!

So today, sit back and enjoy with a hot cup of tea, some java or whatever your passion drink is and relax, you deserve it!

In order to increase traffic to my blog, I am having a contest for quilters. I have many vintage quilting magazines and plan to give several away along with some fabric scraps (well bigger than scraps). So, for the first 5 people leaving comments on this blog, I am handing out some goodies.

Just answer these questions:
1- When did you start quilting?
2-What is your favorite style of quilting?
3-Do you give away or sell your quilts?
4- What are your favorite quilt blogs?

So, leave a post as you watch this site today!

I Have to Share

I have to share the fact that this week I have found several different blogs that are rocking! The first few have to do with a group that call themselves the Goodness Girls and they share some really cool and neat things they do. They are part of a swap ring /group that swap really cool things by having really cools topics like: Summer or Paris. They do it with thrift shopping I believe and some of the really neat things they send each other are simple adorable.

So, I know this blog is about helping others and what better way then to be good or have goodness in your heart? So, check out Rebecca's shop over on Etsy and buy something, she has some really cute things and so reasonable! The link is here:If you love miniature quilts you can also find some amazing ladies making and swapping quilts.
I am just so joyed to see so many people making and doing good things that make others smile.

By the way, I should be able to catch up on some of my quilts and get some off to the many who suffered from the recent Butte Fire in northern California. I have lost my job and so far after spending over a year looking, I am beginning to think I may not find one in this small town!

So, I spent today relaxing with the kids riding out in the country and then coming home and cleaning my entire upstairs. So, when I catch up with the wash I should be able to settle down and get some quilts made!

If Quilts Could Talk

If quilts could talk what would they say? Would they say they began in the bargain bin of a quilt/fabric shop as the end pieces from fabric that someone purchased for another project? Would they say they began on the shelf in a fancy fabric store or a WalMart? Would they say they were specially chosen to make the quilt they are in?

I love the smell of fabric, fresh on the shelves of any store. The smell of fresh threads, the feel of soft as powder fleece, slick as ice silk, warm to the touch flannel. My grandmother made our clothing when we were small and she was an excellent seamstress. From coats, to nightgowns, to robes to my sisters prom and wedding dresses, her hands were always busy. She also crocheted like a mad woman when she was watching television, her hands were always busy.

I was never blessed with her crocheting ability, though I have tried to take it up several times over the last 50 or so years, I just can't get the hang of it. But grammy did instill in me a passion to help others.

I wonder if quilts would talk about all the love that went into choosing the right fabrics for the right quilt? Would they say they were sewn on a treadle machine, by hand or a machine like the Brother that I use? Would they say their makers handled them with care? Were they machine quilted with a long/short arm or hand knotted?

Well, my quilts would speak of love and here are some of the things that go into a quilt: Shown in these two pictures are the beginnings of a quilt, some of the triangles I cut out and sewed together to make one of the blocks of this quilt shown. The quilt in the picture isn't complete, it is still being worked on & it is up for adoption. I am making it for some homeless teens in Aberdeen and if you would like to adopt it (pay for the costs of making it), contact me and I will let you know how to do this.

Here are some photos that might give you some insight into the day in the life of a quilt or quilter.