They changed blogger!

AH! The compose blog thingy has changed. Don't people know I don't do well with technological change?! I was comfortable with the other. This is new and scary.
Oh well. I shall adapt because one thing I am very good a is adapting. Though there is no spell check as I can see so this may get ugly.
I've got many entries into the giveaway, , which is still open until Sunday, so if you haven't entered, do it! Do it now! ;)

These are just the FQs up for grabs, there is also a pin cushion and FOUR your choice of colour rose pin toppers.

 Yesterday, Little Bit and I decorate our little Christmas tree. It's a 4-ft artificial but it makes her happy so I'm not going to feel guilty about not having a monster tree with a billion decorations. I haven't got the skirt finished but it will be done this year. That is my pledge to me, which can be broken for any number of reasons without guilt. ;)

   This evening Little Bit and I went with my mom, or grandma as she is now called, to the annual Christmas Craft Show. I really didn't buy much because while so much is so very pretty, I really don't have a lot of room, and to be honest, things are the same, same, same.
Maybe it's because we've been going for years, I don't remember a year I haven't gone, or maybe it's because I also go to the two other major craft shows in town, but nothing hit me as new and WOW.
Like I said, a lot of pretty, but nothing to really grab and make me buy.

DH did get his treats, which were butter tarts and date squares. He really like these ones so it's the trade off for me going, and normally bringing something home that we have no need or room for.

On the quilting front I finished making the prairie points for the Picnic/baby quilt. I dug out a Peas and Carrots charm pack from a couple of years ago and decided to use that. I had picked up some fabrics at the discount fabric store, but they didn't work well enough on their own so I'll probably use them for a scrappy-ish binding.

I also got some fun in the mail. I'd ordered some charm packs of Sandy Gervais' Essence, and a made up charm pack of black fabrics of Marcus Brothers Nightscape from an ebay shop
I had thought to use them for this month"s Schnibble but since it's Tuffets I think I'll hang on to them for something else.
Or to just pet lovingly and crazily.
Which ever.

I'm still waiting for my order from FQS, my Christmas present from Santa and some charm packs to make doll quilts for my niece, and another one from eBay, a cute layer cake of Dinosaur Uproar, which I'll be using to make a Tumbler quilt for my nephew because his more complicated quilt is not getting done anytime soon. The pattern is on the non-functioning laptop, and every time I touch the blocks I muddle them up, I've unsewn I don't know how many times only to make the same or equally dumb mistake.
Have you ever had something you just HAD to leave? A UFO but one that is just causing more headaches then it"s worth? This has become that.

This weekend will not be fun because of a cluster f*** at the pharmacy I was using for my pain meds. They decided to be semi-closed today, as in no pharmacist, just a tech there to give out people's already filled perscriptions. And they decided to not refill my script like I spoke to them yesterday about. But they did enter it in the computer that they had filled it. Which means I could neither get me meds or get my perscriptions so that I could take it to another pharmacy to be filled. Oh yeah and the doc wasn't in either.
After a lot of, "let me talk to _____" and "I'll check this and that" and me having to take a DRUG test, I was given sample packs of ONE of my THREE pain meds.
So most likely I will be an unhappy girl till sometime Monday, or maybe Thursday or Friday depending on how my body reacts to being without meds, and how quickly I re-adapt to being back on them.
Needless to say I will be going back to my old pharmacy, which is one of the big chains and if it's open, there is a pharmacist on duty. And it's open every day but stat holidays. This pharmacy is connected to the pain clinic I go to but I've had enough of their crap. Long lines, waiting an hour or more for my prescription to be filled etc etc etc. This was the last straw.

 So how has the last few days been with you?

This is actually my 100th post!

The Giveaway can be found here Make sure you get your name in!

So I was asked what exactly is a Schnibble? Well my dearies to describe I am shamelessly stealing a definition from the wonderful Carrie at Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

Schnibble: noun A scrap of fabric; a leftover bit of cloth; a small piece. The word has a German origin and is found primarily in German settlements in the Midwest.

From the Dictionary of American Regional English published by the Harvard University Press.

In the case of these Schnibbles they are small patterns, less then 35", though they can be made bigger.
So what now what is a Year of Schnibbles? Well that is a wonderful thing put on by Sherri and Sinta. They are revealing a Miss Rosie Schnibbble pattern at the beginning of each month and doing a "parade" of completed Schnibbles from the last month's pattern. I'm sure you can still join in.

December's pattern is ironically enough.....TUFFETS! YAY I'm done lol. I will be making more, and if I can find the new pattern making LOTS more.

On another front I have made up a few more of the patterns from the Cross Country Christmas Designer Blog Hop, check the link on the side bar to check it out.
It was a blast, and I have enjoyed the stories and the patterns.

I only did one candy cane on this one, and made it big, because I couldn't find more striped fabric and for some reason was being stupid about it HAVING to be striped...oh well. And I added Jingle Bells to the toes, which I'm pretty sure after a few days I will regret.

I really liked this pattern, I just wish my one fabric contrasted more with the background. I wasn't on the ball about this one. The outer star blends in so much its hard to see, even though it's the same fabric as the outer border. DH decided to notice AFTER it was done.

This is one of a set of place mats. The pattern awesome, but I was tired of hand work (I'm working on a tea towel for my mom) and wanted to finish so I decided to machine add the swirls....hmm...may need more practice on that one.
I finished a stuffed candy cane as well but don't have a good picture yet.

At some point I will be updating my sidebar, adding a TON of blogs that I follow regularly, but well....I'm kinda lazy sometimes....especially when I don't actually click off the sidebar....so it's been awhile...which means there are A LOT of blogs to add....yeah soon I promise. But for now I'm off to bed. I have too much to do tomorrow to be dragging my butt around because I was on the computer past bed time. Sigh.

November Schnibbles

If you're looking for the giveaway, check it out here.

I finished my Schnibble on Saturday. I really liked this pattern. While all the trimming was tedious, it made for very accurate HST and my baskets turned out well. And it didn't waste very much fabric, which made me happy.

I have no idea what happened to my sashing, apparently it was supposed to line up somehow. But I like my off kilter sashing. It seems appropriate, both for the fabrics, which are American Jane's, and the Picnic theme of the pattern. I feel that I haven't been very creative just copying the patterns, and the fabrics or very similar used, for 2 of the 3 patterns so far, but I think Carrie has done a great job designing the patterns around fabric lines. I'm think I will make this one again in 30's prints, and probably make it bigger. I do like it, and depending on how you make the baskets, which way the HSTs are turned, can give you some very nice secondary designs.
This quilt may become bigger.I'm thinking of adding another solid white border and some prairie points. I think I want to give it to my cousin who is due at the end of December, and I like quilts that can be big enough to be use at least through toddlerhood. I'll pick up another American Jane charm pack, hopefully an older line without the pinks, when I order my pattern for next month's as yet to be revealed Schnibble. If my math is right, which is in no way a given, it will end up being 40" square. I think.

I made a pin cushion from the left overs and it is part of my giveaway


I love these tuffets. I get to use up my scraps, even when I don't have enough to make much of a mini. Though all of this one is going to live elsewhere, the quilt and the tuffet!

Giveaway Announced

It's been a few days since I meant to update on my giveaway. Some how the days got away from me. Don't you hate when that happens?
So without further ado I have decided on my giveaway. It will be for these lovely fat quarters. There are 12 in the little bundle.

And this pin cushion. It is made from the scraps of American Jane November Schnibble.

And guess what? Winner gets three custom rose pin toppers, colour of their choice.
Hmmm...I just looked at the picture...so I guess it will be FOUR pin toppers!

Ok for the rules. Simple I promise.
You can get an entry my leaving a comment on this post.
And by being or becoming a follower.
And I've recorded those that have left comments in two weeks worth of posts and they get an entry for each comment. Sorry no going back and doing it now.
I'd love if you'd blog about my giveaway on your blog but its not necessary. I know I don't really like doing that unless I read the blog regularly and even then I'm not a huge fan of it so I'm not going to make anyone else do it.
Deadline? Well, lets make it December 6th at 6pm EST. I'll have Little Bit do the draw that evening and will announce Monday December 7th.

Giveaway

No not mine, but Pink Pincushion! She's having an awesome giveaway little wallet and super cute pin cushion! Check it out.

Ok I've decided I will add a pin cushion to my own giveaway. And pin toppers. And maybe some FQs. Ok, for sure some FQs.
I'll post pictures etc tomorrow.

Hmmm I've used my store of update titles....

So I found my scraps from Winter White Schnibbles back in September. My good intentioned tidying ended rather abruptly when I realized I could make another of Miss Rosie's Tuffets...so I did.



Isn't the snowman cute? I really liked him. I actually forgot to add the carrot nose, I'd had it made but forgot to put it on before I baked him off. Ooops.
I actually read all the directions this time so it turned out bigger then the last courthouse steps one I made. I also picked up a little set of 3 funnels at the dollar store. They really helped get all the walnut shells in there. This one is quite firm, not rock hard, but definitely sturdy. The first one really is kinda wimpy, especially now that it has settled.

Here is the first block in Picnic, the November Schnibble pattern. This one goes together nicely, and the trick Carrie came up with to make the HST using charms squares, without wasting but still able to trim down, is GENIUS. Check it out.

Little Bit wrote her letter to Santa with Daddy's help. This is her first time writing to Santa, who will write back with the help of Canada Post. Santa's address you ask? North Pole, HOH OHO Canada. Seriously that is the address, which is very cute if you ask me.
Little Bit drew pictures for the jolly man too. So we added it to the envelope.
I'll get a stamp and she can mail it after school tomorrow.


So I'm getting close to my 100th post,and following blog tradition have decided to have a giveaway. I haven't decided all yet what but it will involve some fabric and most likely a couple of pin toppers. I will post more about it next time. But one thing I decided is there will be more then one winner. Just saying.

Another Update

So the laptop is still dead. We are debating fixing it or getting a desktop for Little Bit and I to share, since she will need to start using a computer for school in the next few years,and my next computer had better frickin' last that long this time.
I do apologize for the pictureless posts, I don't like not having any but of well.

I've been working on the Year of Schnibbles pattern, which this month is Picnic. I've got all the half square triangles sewn, and they are all matched up. So I need to do some more ironing and sewing and I should be able to get them done this week, and the sashing is not complicated so it won't take long.
I've been working on embroidering a tea towel for my mom with nesting dolls and will add wheat sheaves to the edges. As soon as DH gets the pics of my camera and puts them on a thumb drive for me I'll show you. I got the pattern free from the Hand Embroidery Network or HEN.

I've been noticing more that I'm having more trouble with the dyslexia when I'm at the computer. I don't know if it is because I'm in the middle of a pain flare or what but excuse the typos, and general none nonsensicalness of me. Using Mozilla Firefox helps because it underlines misspellings, or non US spellings, of most words so I've been able to catch most of the mistakes. It is getting annoying because so many of the errors are ones I have managed to not make in years. I'm hoping it is my fingers are going slower instead of my brain not being able to compensate like it is trained to.

If you are a love of Fat Quarter Shop, as I am, head over to the Jolly Jabber to get a code for 20% off until November 24th.

I debated sharing my "excitement" from yesterday. I got a call from Little Bit's school. An AMBULANCE had been called for her. AN AMBULANCE. Apparently she is ok, but all you hear is AMBULANCE. Could I come to the school? I'm half way out the door already. When I arrived there was a police car and the AMBULANCE, light on, in the parking lot. The EMTs were smart enough to let me see her before they started talking.
Little Bit had appeared to fall asleep at her desk, when the teacher tried to wake her, she was unresponsive, the EA told me later she appeared to be in a seizure at first, when she finally started responding, when the EMTs were there, she was disoriented, complained of a headache, and was pale with red angry looking welts on her jawline and back. The ones on her back had faded by the time I got there, the ones on her jawline while I was waiting at the doctors office.
After discussing things with the police, who are called whenever an ambulance is called to a school, and the EMTs we decided I'd take her to her pediatrician as she seemed to be alert and generally ok by the time I got there.
The pediatrician couldn't figure out anything, her blood sugars were normal (although it was about 2hours later when they were tested) so we are going to be referred to a neurologist, and we are under orders to take her straight to Children's ER if it happens again, probably by ambulance.
She seems completely normal now. No residuals at all. She was pale for a few hours, and not jumping off the walls but generally normal. And now she's still her normal cheery self.
So I have no idea what happened yesterday other then I got scared to all get out, and that both the EMTs and the policewoman did an amazing job, checking out Little Bit, keeping her calm and not scared, and of dealing with me, who was flashing back to my son's death until I saw her sitting there clutching Sparky, a stuffed dog the policewoman gave her.
So thank you to you, even though in all the rush I forgot to get your names. Thank you for taking care of my baby girl.