Red and Pink are my Colors

Hi everyone.  Hope you are getting through the winter months and having fun working on projects.  We have just completed a week of a-40 to -45C windchills!  I can tell you I have gotten a few projects done just by staying indoors.  The flue landed hard here even closing one wing of our hospital but I think the cold windchills have taken care of those bugs.

Here is my second finish for 2013, a snowball quilt.  I was super excited to find some flower quilting designs while visiting Marcia's Quilting Blog.  She has a longarm quilting business and does beautiful work.  I have always struggled with flowers, just can't keep them round.  Now seeing how Marcia does hers inspired me to try again  and I think they are okay, at least, the best I have done so far.

The photos could be better, however, this was during the snowy freezing weather dull days.  I made this quilt entirely out of scraps.....maybe about 600 2-1/2" squares.  It looks real pretty all finished up and will be going to a cancer patient.

Since it is February and I have time to play a little, I am working on Connie's twister heart project and you can see her tutorial here http://www.conniekresin.com/2013/02/twisting-heart-valentine-tutorial.html
Here I am so far....

See the tiny 2 1/4" template I used to cut the squares.  I have never done this tiny of twister blocks so I used my scissors to cut the blocks apart after I traced the template with a FriXion pens.  When I get it done, I am going to link to Connie's Freemotion on the River. Connie is also having a giveaway today if you live in the US.   Have a great day everyone.

Making Things Safe

Today I downloaded my new free anti virus program AVG2012.  I am very happy with how well it all went.  I am not super computer savvy but I manage to get through things.  I ran a couple scans and no items were detected so that always makes me feel good.  I hope you all take a bit of time to do this each year.  It is important to keep your system safe and to ensure your visitors are safe as well.

Other than that, I sewed some strips while scans were running and systems download, etc. so I will have my 20 String  blocks done pretty quickly here.  I am always anxious to see what the layout will look like and I have never had one disappoint me yet.

The Desperate Housewife posted 27 weeks of modern block tutorials and had 27 guests post tutorials.  I have been going through them and picking out some I really like.  I am going to make my very first modern quilt and it is really exciting. 

I also will have some exciting news to announce soon as my first anniversary of blogging is coming up.  I am definitely going to have a give away to celebrate so I am planning what the give away will be.  No pictures this time but hope you are all having some time to work on your quilting projects.

It has been a  bit since I have been online.  While getting right into my gymn workouts, I pulled something in my hamstring and have been suffering with nerve pain.  It is really hard to sit or sleep but I am hoping it will go away soon. 

Hey, all you wonderful Canadian shoppers!  I want to tell you about a new Online Shop I came across recently right here.  It is so great to see more Canadian Online Shops and I needed a bit a fabric that Jennifer had so I placed an order and received it in 5 days.  She also just had a fantastic giveaway, but I didn't win, but that's okay because I just love visiting her blog and shop.  I hope you will stop buy and do some shopping, you will be so happy with her fabric and service.

I have been doing the Doll Quilt Swap over at the Quilting Board for a few months now.  It is just so much fun and the creative ideas post as so fabulous.  Here are my August and September quilts I received.

They are both sooo cute.  I plan to display these in my boring sewing room, as my daughter tells me.

I did another thing I shouldn't have this month.  I bought a Singer model 404 with attachments, manual, automatic buttonholer, automatic zigzagger and in a nice little cabinet for $35.00.  I haven't taken any pictures yet.  Got the little machine shinned up and she runs like a dream.  I am still working on the cabinet and now it's ready for the Danish Oil finish.  I have another purchase from this spring I haven't shown  and it weighs close to 40 lbs, solid cast iron, a japan clone called "Fabric".  I plan to put this one in the cabinet just because it is too heavy to lift up and down off the table.  The new 404 is about 18lbs so it will become a portable.  I will get some pictures done this weekend.

I need to get off my sore butt!  I see that Dragonfly has joined as a follower, thanks!  I love to see new people and some comments.  

Good Day everyone, looks like the weather is settling down everywhere, we hope.  I promised some news today so here it is, I Have Opened My Etsy Shop, yes, it is open.  Go to Etsy.com and search SamanthasHouse. I haven't figured out how to do a link from here to there. This technical stuff is really hard for me so it takes me time to do things that may only take you a few minutes. 


I have decided that today I should have a giveaway, good idea?  Yes, mostly I want to thank my followers and all of you who come an view my blog or leave a comment.  Having you here just means so much when you start a blog.  So my thank you to you is this

I made one of my boxy pouches and I hope you like the color I chose.  I am sure that anyone can find a good use for this little pouch.  You can use it to carry your small take along projects in or maybe just some cosmetics.  I have included 3 FQs so you can make your own small item and I have wrapped them in a sample of my new ribbon I will use at my Etsy Shop:  SamanthasHouse

To enter you need to be a follower of my blog and tell me what items I have for sale in my shop.  Just 1 entery per person.  I will draw the lucky winner on Sunday, June 5, 2011.  So hurry over to my shop and see what's there and then come back and leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back Sunday to announce the lucky winner.

Want a chance to win a facelift to your blog, well go here to enter.  There are also tips and you can just hire her to help you with your designs.