Have you seen the Block of the Month on Craftsy?

When Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock asked if I'd take a minute and mention the Block of the Month that she hosts on Craftsy I immediately said yes.    

This is Amy. So. Stinkin'. Cute. I can't stand it.

My online quilting experience has been so deep and rich and I'm happy to see new avenues popping up that bring more crafters/quilters to the table.  I'm fairly well entrenched in the modern use of social media to share images, ideas, and inspiration for quilt design.  Living in a rural area like I do if I want to connect with others on the topic of quilting I pretty much have to rely on social media.  But, if you're brand new to the online quilting arena it can be an intimidatingly large nut to crack.  Meaning, where do you start?  How do you learn how to quilt via your computer and Internet connection??

No doubt about it, Amy's Block of the Month is a great place to start.  There are (or will be, it is only March after all!) thirteen video installments that introduce and teach step-by-step instructions on different techniques, how to make different blocks, assembly of a quilt top, quilting and binding.   

Oh, and um . . . it's totally free!

Once you've got those skill under your belt you are off to the races.  Shooting for the stars!  The sky is the limit as they say.

Honest to goodness it's a great place to start.  And I suspect you'll make a friend or two in the process.

Of course no good review is complete without a giveaway, Fat Quarter Shop is donating a $25 gift certificate to one lucky winner.  Leave your comment and tell me a little bit about your online quilting experience for your chance to win.  One comment per person.  International entries welcome.  Comments accepted through March 19, 2012.  Winner announced Tuesday, March 20, 2012.  Winner will be selected by random draw.

-dana

Weekend Project

My parents were in town for a few days and my Mom is always up for a project.  I mentioned that I wanted to repaint the cabinet that sits in our kitchen and she enthusiastically volunteered to help.  It was a light green and was in dire need of repainting due chips in the surface and permanent marker stains.

We got to work around noon on Saturday and did everything you are supposed to do when painting wooden furniture.  We sanded to scuff up the surface.  We wiped it down.  We primed it with an oil based primer.  Then we painted it the desired color.

This is where something went terribly askew.  Earlier I had gone to the barn and pulled a can of paint that matches the lower built in cabinets in our kitchen.  Those were painted a few years ago . . .  2008 maybe.  Since the paint was a perfect match and exactly what I wanted, I found a paint stick, popped the can open and began to stir.  And stir.  And stir.  Funny thing about leaving a can of paint in the barn for several years is that it completely separates, gets thick and maybe even a little clumpy.  So I stirred and stirred until both Mom and I agreed, "Ah! What the heck! It'll do!"

After one coat, the paint began to bubble up.  But not before painting the . . .Whole.  Entire.  Thing.

Grrr.

We brought it back inside.  Let it dry overnight.  Woke up Sunday.  Started sanding.  Razor rescued us with his power sander.  I went to Lowe's.  Bought a new quart of paint.  This time enamel but the same color (India Ink for those wondering.) 

And two coats of the new paint worked like a charm.

Lesson learned and duly noted.

-dana

Long arming it

I've got to finish up piecing the back for this quilt top and then Thursday morning I'm taking it to my long arm quilter.  Not because he is going to quilt it on the long arm machine.  But because I am.

Can't.  Hardly.  Wait!

-dana

Sprouts. The eating kind.

I've wanted to grow my own edible sprouts for quite some time and finally found just what I was looking for.  I ordered the seed sprouter and sprouting seed.

Lots and lots of sprouting seed.

I spent some time researching how to do it and where to buy it.  I bought mine at Hometown Seeds as they have a vast organic selection.

I'm planning on letting you know how it all works out.

-dana

Worth a Mention

Jennifer at Ellison Lane Quilts hosted a modern mini challenge and now is the time to vote for your favorite.  I was tasked with helping choose finalists and it was hard to narrow it down.  Sheesh!  Seriously great entries.

Go vote.

-dana

Grateful

Friday nights at our house usually mean pizza for dinner and lounging around on the couch.  And this past Friday started off that very way.  But the television was honed in on the Weather Channel as we watched super cell after super cell hammer our region.

At around 8pm, a tornado warning was issued and Razor ushered us into our cellar.  This was the first time our daughters had ever had to go to the cellar to wait out a storm and they shook with fear.  And tears spilled from their eyes.

We barely heard rain or saw flashes of lightening.  We lit candles and told ourselves that even though we hadn't seen a drop of hail at least we had put the cars safely in the barn.

We live in a small, rural town that doesn't have it's own television station and only a small weekly newspaper.  But, our radio station keeps an up-to-the-minute Facebook page that over the last year has become the absolute go-to spot for news, reports, photos, videos and eye witness accounts of even the littlest of local happenings.

We sat in the cellar on Friday night and soon got word via Facebook and text that a tornado had touched down in our town.  The National Weather Service later confirmed that it was an F2 tornado and thanks to Facebook I've seen aerial photographs depicting it's entire treacherous path.

We are fine.  Our community has pulled together and I can gratefully say it too is fine.  No one was injured or killed.  The storm shelters opened by American Red Cross are already closed.  We are a resilient, hard working, little mountain town and are ready for a new day.

And this family is looking forward to a much quieter Friday night this week.

-dana

Wordless

-dana