July Dear Jane Secret Pal Gift...

This wonderful little package arrived in my mailbox today

from my Secret Pal with a little note saying

"It's Christmas in July".

This brought a very big to  my face:)

So when I opened my package...

"What to my wondering eyes should appear but...

 ...these wonderful, beautiful Debbie Mumm Christmas fabrics.

Oh My!!!  And Christmas scissors too!"

Oh, and the wrapping was not paper on this gift, Oh No, it was this too too funny summer beach fabric,  I bust out laughing every time I look at it...LOL

You have to click on this picture and check out these bathing beauties

and their swim wear!!!!!!

Thank you so very much to my wonderful Secret Pal,

you are a blessing.  And once again you have made my day.

  I hope and pray all is going better for you. 

God Bless you :)

Love & Hugs,

Terry

"What you are is God's gift to you...what you make of yourself is your gift to God.

                                                                                   ~Amish Wisdom~

More July Card Swaps

The last of my July swaps are now completed:)  Time to start thinking about August's crafting!!!  





First, there is the Bookmark with Bling Swap.  My bookmark has some diamond dust and rhinestones on it.  But they don't show up very well in the picture.

Next is the Sketch card with Flowers theme card.  Had fun with this one, but not exactly what I was going for...the sketch challenges are just that to me...a Challenge!  Looking forward to next month's.

And last of all is the 6x6 Recipe card swap.  This month's recipes had to have ground beef in them...so one of my favorites is Shepherd's Pie:)






That finishes this post... hope everyone is having a wonderful day, and that at some point today, you found time to do something you enjoy.

Blessings,
Terry

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.      
                                                                      Philippians 4:13

Good Food, Great Fun, Awesome Company...

Last Saturday I was able to kidnap the husband and take one of those short, one day trips to Amish country ( Freedom & Washington Indiana, this only happens once or twice a year)...the trip included 3 of my favorite things:

1. Good Food, The Black Buggy Restaurant ( located in Amish country )...
2. Great Fun, visit to The Freedom Country Store (Amish Owned) and The Stitchin Post Fabric Shop...
3. Awesome Company, time alone with the husband!!!

First stop was the Freedom Country Store, where I picked up some noodles, bread, honey, pumpkin butter, beets, chocolate mint cappuccino mix, and a couple notepads.

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Next was the Black Buggy Restaurant for a delicious lunch, sorry I forgot to take my camera in, so there's no pictures:(  But this is what I had for lunch: meatloaf with brown gravy, small red potatoes with butter and parsley, cooked cabbage, candied whole baby carrots, salad, and a piece of custard pie....so good:)

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Then on to the Stitchin' Post!  I have signed up for 3 quilt block swaps for the end of the year...so I needed some fabric:)

1. Christmas Novelty Framed Square Block Swap Fabric 

2.  Christmas Star Swap fabric along with some white on white.

3. Blue & White Disappearing 4-Patch Swap fabric.  









Then there was this fabric that everytime I walked by it, it called ever so softly "Terry, you know you want us!"  So what's a girl to do...I couldn't just leave it behind :)

I absolutely love lavendars & greens, don't know what I will make with it, but you can be sure that whatever it becomes, it has to be beautiful!!!  Lovin that fabric:)

Then I found another "Story Book Quilt" book that I reeaally "needed"... this one looks like a lot of fun.  "A Quilter's Diary" it should help me tell my own story:)

                                       I also found these adorable small quilt pattens.           

And last but definately not least, a few items that will become gifts at some point for Secret Pals, friends, or family:)

       

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you have a blessed day and find time to sew a stitch or two...

Hugs & Blessings,

Terry

A day hemmed in prayer

seldom unravels.

~unknown

Quilt Patterns...

Since I posted the picture of the "Main Street" quilt top, I have had a few

people ask about the other three patterns I mentioned in that post.

So I have scanned the pattern fronts so everyone can take

a quick peek.  Now, remember these are pictures of the pattern packages...

I haven't even begun to think about making these yet :)

Well there they are, I really can't wait to start them, They are soooo cute, but I have some other projects that MUST be finished before I start any new ones!  The pattern company is  "The Quilt Company"  and their website is http://www.quiltcompany.com/   Enjoy :)

Love & Blessings,

Terry

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  ~Proverbs 16:24

Happy July Fourth

Freedom is and never has been Free...

But we are blessed to taste Freedom's bounty,

unlike so many around the world who never have or never will.

We enjoy our Freedom because of those who were not and are not 

afraid to stand up and apart to show their courage.  A heartfelt 

"Thank You" to all those who fought for this country,

 from the War of Independence through today and on to tomorrow. 

The last four letters in American spell

I CAN

Happy Fourth of July to Everyone!!!

May you be safe & blessed.

May we never forget or take for granted

All the sacrifices made for this country.

Love & Hugs,

Terry

God Bless America 

Picture is from a VFW calendar ~ iStock  

Garden Quotes

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.  
~ Hanna Rion 

 In my garden there is a large place for sentiment.  My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.  The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~ Abram L. Urban

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking time to soak up a little peace and serenity.
                 ~Lindley Karstens

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.      ~Author unknown

Coffee. Garden. Coffee.  Does a good morning need anything else?

~ Betsy C. Garmon

Pictures were taken by me on one of my trips to Amish country,

Shipshewana, Indiana

The gardens were too beautiful to leave behind...so I brought them with me,

Now I can visit anytime I want :)

Love, Hugs, & Blessings to All,

Terry

June Secret Pal Gift

 My wonderful Secret Pal sent me these beautiful FQ Bundles for my June gift.  The colors are all  my favorites.  I love pastels and earth tones.

I had to open them so you all could get a better look at the colors and prints.  Don't know what I will make with them, though I do have a few ideas dancing around in my head. But whatever it may be...there's no doubt, it will be very pretty.

I have a wonderful Secret Pal this year, as always.  All the ladies I have had have been very very good to me and spoiled me quite a lot:)  I haven't shared all the other gifts this year, since I wasn't blogging, BUT I am planning on sharing from now on!!!!  Thanks so very much to my current pal, all your gifts have been fantastic, you are a blessing to me. 

Warm Quilty Hugs,
Terry
Our duty is not to see through one another but to see one another through.
                                                               Amish Proverb

"Main Street" Quilt

This is the "Main Street" quilt that I have been blessed to receive, courtesy of 2 very special ladies.  And the story goes like this...

Judy K, Janet M, and myself all belong to the Dear Jane Secret Pal group.  Every year you are assigned a new Secret Pal, and you send gifts to your Pal each month.  Last year Judy K. was Janet M's pal and Judy sent Janet these beautiful quilt blocks each month.  Now Janet really liked the blocks but her hands were giving her some trouble and she was simply over whelmed with all the quilt tops she already had going, and just didn't think she would get these blocks put together :(  

Well each month when Janet received her blocks, I would "oooo" and "ahhh" over them because I love this type of quilt.  I call them "story quilts", I don't really know what they are called???   Anyway I L-O-V-E these blocks.  Janet decided to be a wonderful sister-in-law and she gave me the blocks, (I just L-O-V-E her, too)!!! 

So now I have them all put together and am about ready to begin the hand-quilting process.  Has to be hand quilted because there are all kinds of embellishments on this wonderful quilt:)  A HUGE "Thank You" to both of you Awesome ladies.

The story doesn't quite end yet...

I love this quilt so much that I found who made the pattern and guess what????

"The Quilt Company" has a few more of these little gems...so I bought 3 more of their patterns:  "Country Cluckers",  "Autumn Harvest", and ""Holly Lane".  Now as much as I L-O-V-E these 2 ladies...my Dear husband would like to get a hold of both of them!!! LOL, just kidding, he loves my quilting too.  Hopefully in the future I will be sharing the other 3 quilts here on my blog:)

Love, Hugs, & Blessings,

Terry

God is good, His word is true, and it works in my life.

Card-Making Challenges...

I recently joined & rejoined a couple card-making groups.  I really love making cards and scrap booking, but I never seem to have enough time for all the "hobbies" I have (hehehe), unless I join a group...then I have a deadline, and I "find" the time!!!

This little card is my "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear" card. Aaaahhhh the days of Elvis, brings back many a good memory :)  Can you do the Elvis "lip curl" thing...  Haha..You're trying it right now aren't you?????  LOL

Okay, so on with more of my card making for this week.

These 3 cards are for another group swap.  There is a "Vintage ATC", love making ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), fun to collect and nice to have on hand to put together a quick card when needed:)  Next is the "Christmas in July" card.  This one reminds to get busy on Christmas gift making...I only have 5 months left!!!!!!  And last, but not least the "Color of the Month" challenge.  I could use any theme that I wanted, but I had to use these colors (orange, pacific point, teal, eggplant and white), and these are not colors that I would normally use together, but I am happy with the final turn out :)

That's it for my card-making this week, looking forward to getting some scrap booking done and maybe some sewing over the weekend.

Hugs & Blessings,
Terry
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But the woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
                                                                                                                  Proverbs 31:30