Tuesday Archives #10: Cats & Charity Quilts

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

Click here to read more about this linky party.  And, hey! If you are new to my blog...welcome! I'd love for ya to help spread the word by adding my button to your blog and after taking take a look around, I hope  you'll become a  follower too!

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<a href="http://myplvl.blogspot.com/" title="Val's Quilting Studio"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh-z8MMZ2VMG5eOk3VAQbw4e7l-v0gQQ1yBZyyvmagoeIAeuGX8qww-6JOmIkrtcFvNzCZEAkhaLp1oXC05Jlr-kIGufJ_gRTv3B7C0SVcKnPPa5aeQJUlvX65bsV-8ikQJ2KSxwSCDo8/s1600/Untitled2.jpg" alt="Val's Quilting Studio" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

  Also, I posted May's themes on my sidebar.

This week is all about CATS and CHARITY QUILTS. 

CATS: 

Who better to highlight this week than Barbara at Cat Patches!

Her Red Work kitties won Best Pet Themed Quilt in last year's Pets on Quilts Show and it most recently won the Redwork Challenge at the Road to California Quilt Show!!
Check out her post, it's sooooo cute!!! 

Grab yourself a "I was highlighted " button Barbara.

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<a href="http://myplvl.blogspot.com/" title="Val's Quilting Studio"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutD7tRLup6XPOfBW37FljOItOInStQju8NyyFXgKpbjRWlXv-7KC9pxbI8Wml8gGWhrJ6YMcP090ccK4LWqTJi2QjOM6KPgI4tngYsnoFlSXEBzY5g-MCh9DveXQdSjV_nqJEtetBmzsk/s1600/untitled3+(150x109).jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" alt="Val's Quilting Studio" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

CHARITY QUILTS: 

I think quilter's have the biggest hearts.  I've noticed many of us have charities that are dear to our hearts and we enjoy donating quilts to these causes. I personally, volunteer my long-arm quilting services to our local area Project Linus Chapter. Here is a wall hanging I quilted for their "display/show" booth: 

The Front

The Back

ALYofF MayGoal/Classroom Animal Quilt

A few weeks ago I started this animal/nature quilt with my second graders. (Click here for the tutorial.) I want to get these sashed together and made into a completed quilt before the end of the school year...which is June 5th. 

 

Oh! And tomorrow's Tuesday Archives themes are: Cats & Charity Quilts. I'm looking forward to to seeing what posts you find in your archives this week. 

I'm off to link up with:

With smiles,
Val:)

May RSC: Greens Chosen & a "Green" Household Tip!

In keeping them dark and bright...here's what I got! Lucky me, my blogging friend Jane sent me a bag full of scraps this week and thus the pile of strips. My husband joked that only I would be happy to get a bag of someone else's scraps in the mail. LOL!!! These will be fun to play with as I add to my growing rainbow neighborhood.

And staying with the theme of green, here's a quick and inexpensive way to keep flies out of the kitchen: Get yourself a basil plant for the kitchen. Serious. We grow (and use) basil in the kitchen all summer long and it keeps the flies away! Who knew?!

Happy RSC Saturday!

With smiles,

Val:)

May for Me Celebration!

I saw this linky at Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting and Sharon's Vroomans Quilts and couldn't think of a better way to begin the month of May!Admittedly, May has been  "Mom's Merry Month"  for years around our house. I even received a text from my oldest daughter today exclaiming so. Mother's Day, my Birthday and the approaching end to another school year, one can always find me with an extra hop in my step right now. 

(Click picture to find out more and perhaps even join us!)

It's all about: taking time to play, putting time a side for you.

Quilting and blogging are truly my "play". But, for my ME time, I walk.
Yep! I walk a minimum of three miles a day. And here's how:

Three mornings a week  I start my day here: I put this baby on an incline of 10 and play a mile worth of Connect Four with myself on my I-pad. LOL!! Sometimes I read.


I then pack my lunch and themos full of coffee and I walk my half mile to work:

My only company being my own shadow...stretched out ahead of me...a little more anxious than I to get to work I sometimes think. But I love the feel of the crisp morning air on my cheeks. The sounds of the neighborhood awaking each day.
My mind gets going and feels awakened too.

Sometimes we meet up with a student who fills our quiet with joyful preteen chatter.

I walk home from work, another half mile added to my total.  My shadow more tired, traveling by my side now. This walk mentally transitions me from the work day to home.

And once I'm relaxed and changed, I bring Jackson for a walk through the neighborhood. This walk usually finds me daydreaming and wraps up mile number three.
So whether it be Winter...


 ...Spring, Summer...


 or Fall...we walk. And on non-treadmill mornings, this afternoon walk is longer.

It's three miles that makes for a much Happier Day physically and mentally! It's just one way I take care of me. I hope you'll join us and share how you incorporate play and set aside time for you. Wishing everyone a Happy May for Me!

With smiles,
Val and Jackson

Tuesday Archives #9: Boys & BOM

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

Click here to read more about this linky party.  And, hey! If you are new to my blog...welcome! I'd love for ya to help spread the word by adding my button to your blog and after taking take a look around, I hope  you'll become a  follower too!

  Also, I posted May's themes on my sidebar.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://myplvl.blogspot.com/" title="Val's Quilting Studio"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh-z8MMZ2VMG5eOk3VAQbw4e7l-v0gQQ1yBZyyvmagoeIAeuGX8qww-6JOmIkrtcFvNzCZEAkhaLp1oXC05Jlr-kIGufJ_gRTv3B7C0SVcKnPPa5aeQJUlvX65bsV-8ikQJ2KSxwSCDo8/s1600/Untitled2.jpg" alt="Val's Quilting Studio" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

This week is all about BOYS and BOM...whether they are a work in progress or finished BOM quilts...please do share! 

BOYS: 

 If you are a follower, you know I became a new grandma this past October. This little guy is the first "boy" in our family. I'll add my links to the few quilts I've made for him so far, but know I'm looking forward to all your "boy" posts. I can use all the inspiration you have to share! (I'm use to pink and purple!) Soo, a big thanks to ya ahead of time.

BOM (WIP and/or finished)

This, Underground Railroad Sampler, is my first and only BOM...so far!

It was the second quilt I made. In 2009, I jumped into a Monday BOM night class with a wonderful bunch of ladies, following my Intro to Quilting class and boy, am I grateful I did! I learned sooo much about the basics of quilting.

It's a queen size quilt made from the Kansas Trouble fabric line. I made it for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. My mom and I enjoyed picking out all the fabrics. It looks wonderful in their motor home and it makes my heart happy knowing that they have a little piece of my work with them where ever they go.