Quilt Drawing

I read about this family over on Robin's blog and wanted to help by posting their need here.




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Donation quilt - Open Heart Surgery fundraiser
In September Don has to undergo open heart surgery to repair or replace the Mitral Valve - and we have finally come up with a way to raise money for what we will owe after insurance pays their part. To read more about Don's surgery - click here. I have been making quilts for years, it is one thing that I can do to contribute to our situation - and we've decided to use one of the quilts for the fund raiser, and it is the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt that was finished just last year. It is hand pieced and machine quilted, by Julie from Idaho.

It is double bed size - the fabrics are 100% cotton, all tone on tones . . .
Julie did a fabulous job - using her home sewing machine . . .
It is Don's all time favorite quilt - he says it just makes him happy to look at it . . .For a donation of $5.00 you get your name in the drawing five times - a donation of $10.00 gives you 12 chances and $20.00 will give you 25 chances, etc.

To keep this from being an actual raffle - anyone can have their name entered without a donation (though we really do appreciate the donations, but completely understand if you can't donate, not everyone can in these economic times and we don't want you to feel bad about that). Send us your good wishes and prayers - they mean so much to us.I have talked to many internet and local friends - and they are all excited about this and we already have many donations and offers to take donations for us also.

The drawing will be Sept. 6 - Don's birthday - the surgery is scheduled for Sept. 4, at this point. Any money raised over the amount that is needed for our co-pay on the surgery (approx. $25,000 if everything goes smoothly) will be donated to another person or family with a medical need. We welcome ideas of who to donate to once we reach our goal.

To donate, - we are currently working on an online payment process - email for details.We also accept checks, just email for the address to send them to. Some of our friends are taking tickets already and gathering donations, which we truly appreciate. It is amazing the support and love we feel during this stressful and scary time.If you would like to post about this donation quilt on your blog, we surely would appreciate that - and you would get your name in the drawing 5 more times and for each person you send over this way who donates - another 5 times in the drawing.Thank you all for reading this post - and for your support and prayers.

Today's a good day

Afternoon all! Yes, it is a good day. The sun is shinning, the wind is blowing (well it would be better if it weren't) and I am feeling well again. WAHOO.

I knew I was on the mend when I kept myself awake thinking about planting potatoes and onions, feeding plants with worm compost tea, and working the beds and compost pill on the top pad.

So today, though I did not do all these things, I did feed the plants in the greenhouse, and cut the potatoes and spread them out to dry (among household chores). This should be a perfect week for planting, temps will be in the 70's. Spring IS here.

No pictures today, but I will get some of the gardening to come.

Back to Work on the Studio

We have begun work on the studio again. First we spent Sat before last finishing up the insulation. Then we ordered the wood for the floor............WAHOOOOO.

One of our neighbors helped us get a great deal on the flooring, but it was coming from Denver, shipping would have been $500.00. That almost stopped the deal, then the supplier said they would be coming to Casper and would only charge $150.00 shipping if we could meet them there. Casper is 3 hours (160 miles) south of us, (1/2 way to Denver). So last Wed we made a trip down to Casper, we also went to Home Depot and got the door for the stairwell, finish for the floors and went to Wally Mart.

The wood is already tongue and grooved, saving a ton of work. We have done this kind of work before in our old place, but we had to cut slots for biscuits and use screws to help hold it down.



This is half of the pile
of wood. Lengths range
from 12 to 14 feet, mostly
14 footers.








Here you can see the first run across the room. You may notice that the walls are not done yet and normally one does the walls first. We are going at this backwards for a reason. I need to get my longarm machine set up ASAP, I have clients that want some quilts done. So we are doing the floor, and then will work around the machine to do the walls when we get that wood. Yes the walls are going to be wood also..........I love, love wood......can you tell.














Another view to the other end, Rocky is such a helper (he is always in the way). Kirk is right about where the longarm will go.















Just a close up of the wood, it is pine and will remain light. I love the grain. It has so much movement and personality.















We worked Saturday and Sunday and this is where we stopped (below) so we could go down to the Easter egg hunt in town and have some well deserved rest and do some visiting.

You will notice a cut out on the upper left of the photo, that is where the hearth will go for the wood stove, we will be using rock and it will go up the wall there in the corner. My sewing table will go under the window at the left. The next cut out, (front left of the picture) is the door where we will put some kind of tile for the entry.














This is looking back toward the stairwell (the short walls), and the bathroom (door on the right). The small area on the other side of the stairs will be for scrapbooking, jewelry making and such.
Enlarge the picture by clicking on it to see it better. In this picture you can see the other half of the wood on the right spanning over the stair opening.















So about another day of laying the wood, then it gets sanded......well I will start the sanding before. Then the finish. We will get the wood for the walls at a later date, because..............

We also have to install the new water line to the house from the new town water system. Yes we are going to be able to stop hauling water, but first we have to hook up to the system which is slated to be finished sometime mid May. Alot to do this summer, as always.

It will take time to save up the money for this work, but that is how it will go, we can't put anymore on CC, as we are working to pay those off now from using them for all the work we did to get this far.

Thank you for stopping by, and for all your comments. I love visiting with other homesteaders.

Until later.

PS....I have had this wild idea...........should I write a book about our adventures? Would it be of value? Mind you I am only in the considering stage....LOL.

Happy Easter

May your Easter be blessed, thank you Father for sending Jesus!

Happy Easter.

Contest Winnings

A group of Herbal blogs have gotten together for a group contest.

Below are the details, there are still 4 weeks to go. Why am I telling you this, well because I have been fortunate enough to win twice. See my winnings below.

Herb Blog Group Contest(s)

Welcome to our Herb Blog Group Contest!
For the week between Friday, February 27 and Thursday, March 5 you can enter simply by entering a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning a full year's subscription to The Essential Herbal Magazine! The Essential Herbal is written by, for, and about herbie people and the things they love. It is a grassroots publication that talks about the things you want to know when it comes to herbs.
The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs. If you are already a subscriber, we"ll just add the free year on the end. Be sure to leave an email addy in your response so that we can reach you if you win!

Possum Creek Herb Farm
Blessings of an Herbwyfe
Garden Chick ***
SunRose Aromatics ***
Herbs from the Labyrinth ***
Patti's Potions ***
PrairieLand Herbs ***
Aquarian Bath ***
The Rosemary House ***
Natures Gift ***
Torchsong Studio ***
The Essential Herbal ***

*** These blogs will be having contests for the next 10 weeks. Be sure to come back!

I want to say THANK YOU, to..........Karen at Garden Chick for the darling fairy cookie cutter, recipe, and frosting crystals that she gave as a prize. This cookie cutter will also make a nice pattern for applique and for making soaps as well. Thank you Karen.















Next , my THANK YOU, ..........goes out to.........Rosanne at SunRose Aromatics for the wonderful gift of Organic Liquid Castile Soap, Apricot Kernel Meal, and Organic Aloe Vera and Seaweed Gel. Thank you so much Rosanne.















I hope you will visit these websites, and HAY.......go join in the contest, there are still 4 more weeks to go.