Amazing Block!

Today I received an amazing surprise in the mail!

My February Block from Jackie at twosistersinstitches is awesome! The fabrics, the colors, the birdies! Look how well it goes with Lana's from January!

  I see a brown, green, red, polka dot, and animal theme in these two blocks. Thanks so much Jackie!! I cant wait to see what comes from my next partner.

Keep dreaming...Colleen



My sis asked me to make a mug rug for her friend who likes rainbow colors.
 So I raided my scrap boxes.  Pray for her she has surgery Friday.



Mug Rug Goodies and fun links

I have been participating in the Quilting Gallery's Mug Rug exchange.  I sent my two mug rugs to Canada over a week ago. 

 I hope she got them. 

Then flying in from over seas...

 I received two beautiful ones and some goodies this week from Margaret Sced in Australia! 

First this sweet mug rug which I love the colors and quilting.  Yummy hot chocolate graphic!

See the neat label she printed and put on the back of each one?

Then there is this one with beautiful embroidery! 

I wish I could embroider that nicely.  She also sent this adorable bookmark! 

 Did I tell her I was a librarian and have a book mark collection?  She also included these photos of where she lived. 

 I love to collect these little photo books of different places.

I also want to remind you that Cheryl Lynch's new book Quilt Fiesta!  blog tour starts tomorrow. 

 

Check out her website for the tour details.  Every site will be giving away a book!  My day will be on the 27th!

Last but not least...Pin Toppers!

I have started a new Pin Topper group on flickr.  It will be a place to discuss and share photos and videos of pin toppers, how they are made, and the pin cushions crafted to display them.  Come and join today!  Tell your friends!

Keep dreaming...Colleen



Civil war block #8.  'Richmond'



I've been playing...

I think I finally found my polymer clay niche.  I have been trying to create with polymer clay for several years.  I thought it was a perfect fit for my jewelry making.  I thought it would be good practice for working with precious metal clay... it wasn't, for me.  But now...

I've been playing again with pin toppers!

Fruit was a natural and a pear and apple appeared in my brain but I had no red or yellow. So...a trip yesterday to AC Moore, a 50% coupon, 10% teacher discount, AND a $10 reward certificate got me the colors I needed.  I made these last night.  But...I realized I had no brown for the stems so I mixed a little pink and green and...pears!

 

I stopped at Joann's today to get some white, brown and black.  So a 40% coupon, $5 off anything!, 15% teacher discount, and after dinner out with coworkers... I made an apple,

a bird's nest,

and this darling red bird on a branch.

 Oh, and this little mushroom.

 I even created this display pincushion in one of my vintage parfait dishes.  (Don't look too close I haven't sewn it closed yet.)

 I write this blog both to share my new obsession creative endeaver and to warn others...pin toppers are addictive!

Keep dreaming...Colleen



This is a pic of my fav activity -kayaking -
in my fav place-Gull Lake, Ontario Canada.
Can't wait to go back!



Scrappy pin cushion

I had a sewin tonight and made my scrappy pincushion for the Flickr groups swap.

It is two sided.  I dug into my special scraps to make this.

I even added a needle holder.  I hate when pincushions don't have these.  And then the pins get lost in the cushion.

I also tried a little experimentation with some polymer clay and made some pin toppers!

They turned out better then I could hope. 

 Good enough to include three with the pincushion.

And I also rolled up some great scraps so my swap partner could make some more scrappy goodness.

I added a few vintage sewing supplies-a 10cent rick rack and spool of thread.

I may add a few more goodies before I mail this.

Keep dreaming...Colleen



A duck filled raffle basket that raised $45 for Relay last year.
Included a baby quilt, stuffed quilt, and lots of rubber ducks!



Quilt Blocks for Cancer

As you know I am a five year Stage 4 uterine cancer survivor.  I have had a desire to give back to those who suffer since I was cured.  I cut my hair last week to donate!

 I also started a Relay for Life team called the Lucky Ducks two years ago. 

Friends and mostly family have helped me to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  I still have Lucky Duck tshirts for sale in my etsy store and on my blog, all the money goes to Relay. 

 This year we will be unable to participate due to a family event.  I would still like to raise money and would like my Blog family to participate as well.



My Lucky Duck duck pond is always a big hit!



I was thinking about asking you, my blog friends to send me quilt blocks to assemble together to make a quilt to raffle off.  The quilt block could be a memorial, in honor of, or just a celebration of life.  Any pattern, 12.5"(or should they be smaller ?) unfinished.  If you would also like to just send a 5" square to use for a border with a message of hope written on it.

My just live bracelets have peach beads for Uterine cancer. 
The cards tells you to just live every day to fullest.

This should not be just a pink quilt.  I want to honor all cancers.  Peach is the color of my cancer.  The mother of one of my students died this year from ovarian cancer and I would like to use teal and create a block in memory of her.  Here is a link to other colors for other cancers.  I would like to collect the blocks through March 31st.  Assemble and find someone to quilt it for me in April and raffle it in May.

Tell me in the comments below if you think this is something you would like to participate in and you know someone who would help me out with quilting this as well.

BTW I had my yearly cancer check up Friday and my doctor who is AWESOME, said I am doing great!

Keep dreaming and living...Colleen



If you have never been to a Relay one of the most moving moments is when the luminaries are lit.
 Each one represents a lost life or a survivor. 
They line the track and are arranged on a hill spelling out HOPE.