I just happened upon this....

I was doing my regular lap top perusing in bed last night and I happened to stumble on this....

 The baby sized version of Edinburgh Square was featured as a Friday Freebie on the McCalls blog last week!  I knew it was offered if you clicked on the pattern from the latest issue, but didn't realize it got its own blog post.

I'm still on cloud 9 seeing my quilt and my name in such a widely read publication.

New Design

Nothing like the excitement of having a quilt published to provide motivation for more designs.  I've spent lots of hours with EQ the last few days and came up with a simple little lap quilt design that I really like.  Can't show much of it, but I think "Dandelions" is going to turn out cute.

It's here

My copies of McCall's Quick Quilts came!!

My first published quilt!  Hope you all aren't tired of this, but I am SO EXCITED!

Sure is quiet around here

I sure do miss this little thing.....

I cried off and on all day yesterday. It is so hard, them being half a world away.  I have to remind myself to count my blessings.  There are many to count.

They were greeted with a horrendous site when they arrived home in Edinburgh. Evidently, the flat above theirs had a leak.  There was water everywhere, the kitchen ceiling had collapsed, and the smell was horrible.  Can you imagine being away for a month, staying at three different places, being up about 24 hours traveling home, just wanting to sleep in your own bed.....and are greeted with that? The University has put them up in a flat turned hotel temporarily until it is livable again.  My heart hurts for them.  If you are a praying person, they sure would appreciate your prayers.  They are both very discouraged.

McCall's Quick Quilts - has my quilt!

Today I am guest blogging at McCall's Blog.  If you are visiting from their blog, welcome!  I hope you enjoyed reading about my Edinburgh Square quilt that was published in the February/March 2016 issue of McCall's Quick Quilts.

In case you haven't yet gotten your issue, or would like to win one for a friend or family member, leave me a comment below and I'll enter you in a giveaway for this issue. I'll be closing the contest on January 15th, so give me a shout if you want to be entered.  If you make a version of Edinburgh Square I would LOVE for you to send me a picture at rachelmh@comcast.net.

If you enter, just leave your name and comment.  I'll post the winners name when the contest closes and you can then send me your address for me to mail the magazine to you.

Above are the shots that are in the February/March 2016 magazine. Also check out their Facebook page for the magazine preview.  I made this quilt up last summer and on a whim sent pictures of it off to McCall's.  It really is exciting to see your work in a magazine.

 There are some beautiful quilts in this issue.  You can find the issue here and more about my quilt here.  Also the kind McCall's folks put a web bonus on their website for the free baby sized version.  You'll find it at the links above.  Below are some of my own pictures of the both quilts.

Be sure and go to McCall's blog here and see the baby sized free pattern giveaway!

The contest to win this issue of Quick Quilts ends January 15.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment.  Just let me know you want to be entered.

More Fun with the Granddaughter

Sorry folks if this is just too much, but I am filling my cup before they go home........

She had fun swinging with her daddy.  It was her first time in a big kid swing and she did great!

More Fun

No words are needed.....

Fun with my girl!

My granddaughter is visiting and we are having such fun!

...so there won't be any quilting done for another week or so....

 

I can't believe how this little one sleeps so well. They just put her to bed at 8pm and without a fuss she goes off to sleep for 12-13 hours.

It's like that at nap time too. She goes down around noon for a two hour nap.

..but she she is awake, it is constant activity. She is keeping Mamaw fit, up and down the steps, over and over and over and over again. Mamaw doesn't mind. There will be plenty of time to rest after she goes home.

 

Crocheted Scarf and Norwex

I finished the gray scarf.  I still haven't quite got the hang of the ends yet.  I ended up doing a chain stitch on either end to try to hide the crookedness.

 I like it and believe I'll wear it more than the pink one.  It is softer. I like the warm thick weave.  Just a simple single crochet.

I am really enjoying this Saturday. Plenty of leftovers from yesterday's Thanksgiving dinner with my kids.  Cleaning away with my Norwex cloths.  Let me put in a word for those amazing cleaning cloths.  No, I don't sell them but if I didn't already have a job, and more hobbies than I have time for, I would sell them. I like them that much.  I bought the body cloths and you can remove all traces of makeup, even mascara, with nothing but this cloth and water. It exfoliates your skin too.  I haven't used soap on my face in a week and it looks great (for a 56 year old fair skinned, too much sun, girl that is).  I even used it to exfoliate my feet in the shower.  I admit, not as good as a Ped-Egg but I did see a noticeable different in the rough skin around my heels.  With this same cloth I've cleaned my shower and tub, and they look just as good as a thorough cleaning with Dow bathroom cleaner and a good scrubbing.  Again, nothing but water.  I use the kitchen cloth for my stainless steel refrigerator. No cleaner, just water.  Used it on the granite counters, the wood cabinets, and the hard wood floor. Amazing, so easy. Nothing but water.

They are microfiber but better than any microfiber I've ever used.  They also have silver somehow in the fibers so after you clean with them, your rinse in hot water and let air dry. The silver kills any bacteria.  You can use them several times without laundering them.  Launder with good clothes, and no towels or anything that produces lint.  No fabric softener or dryer sheets for these babies.

I've already placed another order for the window cloth and the car mitt.  Can't wait to see how well it does windows with nothing but water.  Oh yeah, they also come with a two year guarantee. I sure sound like a salesman, don't I?

Happy Thanksgiving

Since I wasn't cooking for anyone today, the hubby and I rode over to the Homestead Restaurant at Cumberland Mountain State Park for our Thanksgiving dinner.  The food was so yummy.  I made good use of the time in the truck too.....

Made some progress on my next scarf.  When we got home I went to work doing the quilting on my pillow shams.  Got them finished and on the bed.  I am really happy with how they turned out.

I hope all of you counted your blessings today.  We have beds to sleep in, a roof over our heads, and more food that we could possible eat -- way more than most of the folks in the world.  Focus on that rather than what you don't have.

Pillow Shams

My Edinburgh Square quilt arrived back home today. The McCall's Quick Quilts issue with my quilt in it goes on sale December 29th!  I will be guest blogging on McCall's blog early in January and will run a contest on this blog for a free issue of the magazine.

My son and his family arrived in town today and I got to visit with them a bit before they headed off to the other grandparents house.  I decided to put the quilt on "their" bed since it was named about them and their current home.  So, before they spend a few nights here, I need to finish the matching pillow shams.

This is the fourth set of these I've made to match quilts. I mostly do it on the fly, no pattern.  I did some straight line quilting on my tabletop machine, and will do some free motion quilting to try to mimic what the quilt has.

I am so thankful tonight, especially for technology.  Because of FaceTime and iPhone videos my granddaughter knew me, reached for me, and said, "Mamaw!" I have to share her for the next two weeks but that is ok, we all love her and want to see her and her momma and daddy. Just so thankful they were able to come home for a visit.

Ready for the visit!

The house is clean....

the cabinets and refrigerator are full of groceries.......the tent is up.....

ha ha, yep, a tent.  I think Emma will love it....and the grocery cart....and all the other toys I've borrowed for her for the next couple of weeks (they can't take much back with them for Scotland)

To say I am excited about my granddaughter's visit is an understatement!!!

Emma Grace, Mamaw loves you to the moon!