LINKY: 3nd Annual Piggy Bank Savings = Money for Quilting Challenge

Even in this modern day of credit/debit cards, I'm still a cash spending gal. But this a habit I've obviously had for a long time. Here's a picture of  my very first piggy bank:

 Serious! I use to love how it was the color of a penny and shaped like a shoe. I use to really love that I needed a "key" to open the bottom. Now THAT in itself  made saving money fun! This little shoe secured my babysitting money and allowance away from my sister. LOL!! Click here to read what I bought with my first "piggy bank" savings...I'm still smiling as I sit here thinking about my teenage self in that previous post!

THIS YEAR:

Welll...in our household this year, hubby was the winner!

He had $110.57 saved in change and $7.00 saved in bills. Grand Total: $117.57

I on the other hand, only saved $33.80 in change and $19.00 in bills. Grand Total: $52.80

Enough to treat treating myself to one of these:

A red Zirkel Magnetic Pin Organizer!

(Hmmmm...and I'll probably use the other $35.00 for fabric!)

NOW it's your turn to share!

Last year 23 of you linked your penny pinching goals and even more joined through email after the linky closed. Well, today is the day to empty those that piggy banks my friends and create a post to link here with us exclaiming your total amount saved and share what quilty purchase you're going to make!
Also, the code to our challenge button challenge is on my sidebar. 

Please feel welcome to share it in your post or on your blog to invite your followers to join us for the 4th Annual Challenge. Sign-ups will begin on Wednesday, July 13th.  

Tuesday Archives on Vacation

Hello! Hello! And...Happy Tuesday Archives. 

The linky party that let's you rejuvenate OLD blogging posts.

No linky this week.

This week I'm on vacation.

I have a little tradition with our grand guy where I get him for a week of "Grammy Camp" each summer. Last month he visited our house and we had great adventures together as we took advantage of all the wonderful opportunities offered in rural farms areas.

We visited my friends milk farm:

We stopped to pet horses: 

And we stopped by another friend's chicken farm where he got to collect his very own eggs. 

Oh we had so much fun together that he keeps telling his mom and dad that he wants to go to Meme and Papies house. So this weekend I packed my bags, and the two of us will be on the road for Grammy Camp Week Two! Except before we head to Meme and Papies house, we're going camping with his Great Meme and Papa. We'll be enjoying all the joys of camping that include canoeing, ice-cream and smores I'm sure! So thanks for your understanding no linky this week.

(Our camping week didn't happen due to my parent's moto rhome breaking down...but our little guy and I did have fun continuing and repeating much of our farm themed fun shown above.)

Wishing everyone a great start to July!

PS: Our 3rd Annual Piggy Bank Challenge Linky is pre-set for Wednesday July 6th.
I lost to hubby again! Grrrr....but did save enough to buy something fun!

June OMG: Almost!

One of my favorite things about creating quilts is seeing a pile of  yummy fabric go from this...

...to this! 

I'm only four rows short of meeting me June OMG...not too bad considering this is "growing" into a queen size quilt.  I admittedly mayyyy have been sidetracked by a few small, easy finishes in-between. I really wanted to get my jelly roll race quilted after my retreat and I enjoyed experimenting with my four patch baby blanket.  All these finishes, plus a studio make-over...I'd say June has been a very productive first month of summer vacation for this here teacher.  Thanks so much Heidi for creating this monthly goal setting linky for us. I may not have completed my goal in it's entirety, I did however make substantial progress and for that I am grateful...especially since that pile of fabric has been sitting around since January! Yes, January!!

We count our change and link our savings here next Wednesday July 6th!!

Check out past themes:

Four Patch Baby Blanket

Soooo I tried that layer cake pattern I highlighted for our Tuesday Archives Four Patch Linky.

Okay....first, it was quick. I had this little quilt top finished in three hours and I love how scrappy cute it came out.  But then I found myself  "all charged up" to just get it done. I thought: "Oh man, I'll have this made into a little throw blanket by the end of the day." I was envisioning something between a receiving blanket and a quilt. So proud to be trying something new, I pieced some leftover red minky from my stash (this is not the new part btw), threw on my Quilting Queen Cape and boldly ventured forward as I decided to just quilt the top and back together without any batting. Easy Peasy. "I was going to have this one done in no time!" I thought...

Measures 36" x 42"

HAHAHAHA! Oh that Quilting Queen Cape disintegrated pretty quick! Envision quilt falling to ground as rivet breaks on long-arm frame, midway through row one of pantograph. Hour later, I return from quit ladies house with new part. Frame fixed. Quilt reloaded. I restart confident I can still create "my quilt in a day!" HAAHAHAHAA!! Half way through second of only three rows of a panatograph I might add, long-arm stops working all of sudden. Need a new power cord. Have to wait till next day for new one. Anyone else seeing Murphy's Law coming into action here?? LOL!!

Funny, as I sit here writing this post, no quilting queen cape in sight, I am grateful that my "mission" was still accomplished.   I mean, I really  do like the "weight" of the blanket. Since I didn't use batting, it "feels" like a blanket that will definitely be cozy soft for wrapping a wee baby in...just like a receiving blanket. But, it's more wrinkly than I really like. The red minky came up through the stitches...I'm thinking this is because there was no batting??  I think the quilting may have been too dense and now in reflection,  probably just a stitch in the ditch between the squares would have been fine. But, it all came out in the wash and there was no color run!! YEAH! As I tell my students (Note: they are only seven), we learn what we like and don't like, by trying new things. So, Okay, okay,  my simple, "make a quilt in a day" didn't happen but I learned that I like my flannel receiving blankets just fine and my quilts made with batting. Oh! and I don't need that Quilting Queen Cape.  Time certainly is not wasted when lessons are learned and our strengths are reaffirmed. Besides, this will make a cute baby gift for a co-worker or school auction basket. So it'a a win-win. Lucky for me:

I'm sure I'll feel rejuvenated after a walk with my buddy. Thanks for sharing my adventure with me.

Tuesday Archives #121: Four Patch Quilts (+Tutorial)

Hello! Hello! And...Happy Tuesday Archives. 

The linky party that let's you rejuvenate OLD blogging posts.

This week's theme is: FOUR PATCH Quilts

Here's an easy four patch quilt pattern I found that is a little bit more "wonky" than your tradition pattern. But, Oh how I love the results! And I seriously think this can be finished in the matter of a few hours....just the break I need from my humongous queen size quilt I've been making.

Click HERE to hop over to the Moda Bake Shop for the pattern. 

In fact, I have this Lori Holt layer cake just waiting to be made into a quilt.