Bread for the Journey

What to do with the Leftovers

Leftovers. We all have them. Whether it's meatloaf or lace trims, there's always the dilemma of what to do with them.  When my boys were still living at home, we never had to worry about leftovers. The fridge was constantly raided, sometimes in the middle of the night. And then there were days when I would send leftovers for my hubby's lunch.

But today I want to talk about fabric leftovers. We call them scraps. And I'm sure we have all made some sort of scrappy quilts using the remnants of fabric that clog up our ever growing scrap baskets.

I recently decided that I needed a runner for my dining room table. After digging around in my stash I found these strips of batik that came from another project.

The colors are cool and could be used for any season. And this pattern makes up quickly.

Perfect for this time of year.

It sure makes for Happy Quilting!

Finish it up Friday
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? 

Crafting makes us happy

There are so many different aspects to crafting.  I think we all need some kind of creative outlet.  Whether we are good at something, or just enjoy the process.

Are you a sensitive person?  Do you notice fine scents, sounds, tastes or works of art? I tend to notice sensory changes.

 For so many years I would stuff it down, and try to conform to what everyone else was doing.

When I read an article on how crafting can actually advance healthy living along with  joy and creative satisfaction, I stopped to ponder about this.

Whether it is cooking, gardening, knitting or sewing, crafts have become a proven way to bring sanity and calmness in a sometimes hectic world. You see apparently the brain cannot dwell on stress when it is engaged by the repetitive movement of your chosen craft. 

 Sometimes you come up with a solution to a problem when you give your brain a break.

So is that the reason we should cook, garden, knit, or quilt??  No I think the reason is that we enjoy it. And in turn that becomes our "therapy".

Crafting makes us happy, and we can also make other people happy, by making gifts for our family, friends and charity.  

So let's think of it this way.  The quality may not be perfect, but in the end, you have gained a healthy attitude and you have not wasted your time :-)

To find out if you are a highly sensitive person, you can do the self test at this website Highly Sensitive Person.   

Enjoy, and Happy Quilting!

Money for Quilting challenge

What could be more fun than to save your change to buy more fabric? This is too much fun to miss!

Val's Quilting Studio is hosting the 4th annual Piggy Bank Savings challenge.  You can sign up until August 1st. I figured I would just drop my change into a box and see where it ends up.

This is my box -

I emptied my change purse into the box to give it a start.

 And then I had an idea. I always collect change from my hubby and carry it in my car for emergencies. You know, like I needed a sweet tea, or a milk shake :-) I wasn't sure how much change had accumulated, so I raided the change stash... 

and lookee! 

Now this is an impressive start!

How much cold hard cash can you save in a year?  Sign up and let's see!

woo-hoo! This makes for Happy Quilting!

Bread for the Journey

The Novice Writer

I've alluded to it. Hinted maybe. It's even written as the last line of my bio. Yep, take a peek at the right hand corner of this blog.

I'm an aspiring writer!

Writing for my blog these last seven years has only been a testimony of my quilting journey. A couple of years ago a new journey opened for me. Writing Christian fiction. Years ago I dabbled with some writing. I was even published in a Christian magazine. But children and homeschooling took most of my time and writing went by the wayside. The only writing I did was for my two blogs.

The kids grew up, married and left the nest, and all of a sudden I didn't know what to do with myself. A story formed in my mind and I sat down at the computer and started writing. For hours, days, weeks. It's probably not the best writing. I have forgotten so many of those pesky grammar rules. But the words just flowed and I recorded them. When that one was done another story came and, again, I just wrote it all down.

So while I may not be the best writer around, I braved myself up and started a new blog. Maybe just for practicing. But I'd love for you to pop over and join me there.  I titled it The Novice Writer because, obviously, I am a novice.

If you come over, and if you are so inclined, can you do me a favor? I'd love for you to leave a comment. Just so I know that everything is working :-) You can follow by email, but the posts will also show up on this side bar when there is something new.

Thanks! You guys are the best.

The Novice Writer

Apron love

Aprons! Do you love them?? I use them regularly in my kitchen. I've found it cuts down a lot of stains on my clothes. 

Hawthorn Threads sent out a newsletter a while ago where they posted a link to 25 Apron patterns. Check it out and let me know which one is your favorite.

 

Happy Quilting!