Tuesday Archives Give-Away!

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week instead of a linky, I'm celebrating my 52nd Birthday with YOU by offering a THANK YOU give-away of 52 I-Spy squares!

This give-away is now closed. 

The winner was announced here.

Note: These ARE duplicates from last year's Eye-Spy swap here at Val's Quilting Studio Blog.

It was quite an eventful day at school....as we had a day without electricity!

But truth be told, it was a lot fun! We wrote creative stories about life in school without electricity. The hallways were referred to as "dark tunnels" and the bathrooms being lite with but a single hanging flashlight, were quite the curiosity! Hey, atleast I didn't have to teach outside. As you can see below, some of my teaching friends who have internal rooms with no windows...had to relocate. 

We ended our "Day Without Electricity", by having a birthday "cupcake frosting" party. My cooperating teacher had my students complete the cutest little "All About my Teacher's Birthday" project. It was sweet to end my day reading through these.

Of course, comment to be entered in the give-away. And to make it a bit more fun, instead of being a series of comments that are answered through email, comment by first, reading the comment prior to yours and answering the question they ask. Then, end your comment with a silly question for the next person. I'm leaving the give-away open for a week, as I got to spend the past Memorial Weekend with a household of family and though the kids are gone, lucky me, my mom and dad will continue their stay for the remainder of the week.

And of course, it was extra fun having this little guy around to help his Meme open her presents!

Happy commenting everyone!
I'll be back next week to announce the winner.

June's themes are posted on my sidebar.

Mark you calendars and I hope you'll join us.

2017 Classroom Quilt: Kid's Art

This week was quilt week at school and the kids were soooo excited!

They traced selected pictures using their pencils: 

 The also used fabric markers to color. 

Now hindsight being what it is, next time I will have the kids use a black sharpie 

to outline their pictures, as the fabric markers DID smudge a little.

All in all though, I think these are going to make a fun classroom quilt.  I think it would also be an inspiring way to greet my new class in the Fall. I can hang it at the entrance of the classroom during Open House, as the quilt illustrates many of the themes we learned about in Second Grade this year.

Oh we'll definitely enroll it in the County Fair this summer! 

But for now, it looks like it's time for me to get busy sewing this one together. But as busy as life has been this month, I'm going to have be very intentional at getting it sewn into a flimsy before the kids leave for summer. (Luckily I still have two weeks to ahead of me.) As always, thanks for stopping by and  for especially cheering on our classroom projects this month. You guys are the best!

2017 Classroom Quilt: Preparations

Call me crazy....but I spent yesterday after work prepping the many quilt squares needed for me and my cooperating teacher to make classroom quilts with our second graders. I'm using a cotton muslin of which I cut into SIXTY 9"inch squares and then ironed to freezer paper for stability.

As you can imagine, to prepare sixty blocks created quite the "train":

 A quick short-cut: the freezer paper is 18inches wide...so the 9"square blocks fit perfectly upon it and left minimal cutting, that was quick to accomplish. But, never the less, Jackson was beginning to look at me in wonderment of just how long this "train" was going to be!  

So with the squares now prepped and the fabric markers having arrived, I just need to finish preparing the thematic pictures for the students to trace. (This year we are creating a themed quilt based on our reading units from the year. Thus, we will be using preprinted pictures for the students to trace and color onto the fabric.) I hope if any of you want to make a quilt with little ones in your life, this series over the next couple of weeks will give you some inspiration and quick tricks.

I have to admit, if we're going to have snow make-up days through June 9th, 

this is a fun project that makes the extended year fun!

Stay tuned as next week the kids begin their creative part.

Tuesday Archives #161: Tied Quilts

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: TIED QUILTS 

Mom, What are you doing with my blanket?

 This was one of my very first quilts. I bought it at a County Fair some twenty years ago. I loved it's scrappy look and I bought it out of inspiration as I knew someday I'd learn how to make a quilt.

It is now tattered and worn and admittably one of Jackson's kennel blankets, 

but there's just something so charming about an old fashion, tied quilt.

Happy Mother's Day!

This is how I plan to spend a good part of my day. It will be filled with good food,
slow stitching and a long afternoon walk...

 I will be spoiled by these two...

...and I will enjoy Facetime calls with my own mom and daughter that are long enough to wear down a phone battery, time filled with enough smiles and laughter to last me an entire week.
Hoping your day is filled with the same love and rejuvenation as mine.

This week's coming theme: Tied Quilts

Classroom Update...

It's been another fun filled week at school. We had our annual outdoor day of school!

The kids LOVED creating their own tye-dye shirts for our trip into the city.

Some are continuing to stitch their little fish beanbags.

 And as with an hobby......some catch on fast....

...while others are hoping their beans don't fall out!
A quick tip: Use a stapler instead of pins when working with kids.

Admittedly, my favorite is this little elephant that one of my girls called:

"An Elephant of Many Colors...ya know like Dolly Parton's coat of many colors."

Probably the cutest crayon holder I've ever seen that's for sure!

Their little stitches are just precious don't ya think?

  We've started to wrap up our stitching projects and I'm busily preparing materials for the kids to create our annual classroom quilt next week using my "Make a quilt with kids" Tutorial. 

Stay tuned....and as always, thanks so very much for stopping by.

Tuesday Archives #160: Teaching

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: TEACHING 

Oh how very much we cherish retreats and classes!

BUT! Have you ever been a teacher at one?

If so, please do share your  teaching experiences with us here at Tuesday Archives.

Slow Stitching....

 A rainy, cold morning was the perfect excuse to start the day out sewing some binding down.

Jackson appreciated having somewhere cozy to rest too.

Just dropping in to wish everyone a nice day.

This week's theme: Teaching

H2H: A "Treasured" Finish for Camp Hobe

Here's my quilty hug all ready to go. It makes me smile to think of a special camper receiving this fun pirate themed quilt as I'm donating it to:

This one measures 46"x66"...perfect for some lucky little camper!

Here's a peek at the back:

I was pretty psyched when I found this cool Pirate themed pantograph in my collection:

This quilt has been so much fun to create and it makes my heart smile knowing it's 

now on it's way to to be part of  Sarah's H2H Charity Challenge.  

Thanks for organizing this annual event for all of us Sarah!!

PS: I'd love to quilt for you. Click HERE for the details.

I offer FREE return shipping on all quilts with quick turn-around service.