A little homesteader

Sunday my husband took to his riding mower and started the job of mowing the grass, I know such a fun job, but somebody has to do it and he does have a riding mower. I took to the flowerbeds doing some light weeding. I was out front and heard the call that my hubby needed the gate open so he could start on the front yard.so I opened the gate, and he started the front yard. I had taken a moment to look at the area under the trees by the road and wait!, what was that? It moved like brown lightning on the ground, and there was a little white puff following the streak. Hubby saw me standing there all perplexed and as he headed to cut the grass around the trees, Wait! there it was again yet another brown lightning streak followed by that same little white puff... This time it was running down the road. It was a teeny tiny, itty bitty bunny, but could it move. It ended up across the street on the neighbors property. So I carefully moved in behind it and gently shooed it back across the street. The other little kid was hiding under a bush by the garage door and yes, I ran into the house and got the camera and took its picture. I left it there so that when we were done the little creature could once again join his family under my trees.





I have fruit trees in my yard, peach trees, oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines and loquat. Last year we did get to sample the citrus fruit from our trees, but our peach only gave us one peach, I really had thought there was more peaches. This year the peach tree was in full bloom and I watched as the flowers turned into little peaches just growing in the warm sun. I check on the development now and then, but I could have sworn that there were peaches on the whole tree, but now there are only peaches on the left side branches. Well, tonight I was standing at the kitchen window doing my dishes and I will just stare out at all the lovely plants in the yard. then I noticed it, the peach tree was moving, but just a branch. So I waited and watched and then it happened, A Thief was making off with one of my not ripe peaches, his fluffy tail swishing as if to say, HA HA I stole another one from you. HELP what am I to do, how do to keep this peach loving squirrel from stealing all my beautiful peaches.... Any help here would really be appreciated, but remember I don't want to hurt it, I just want to keep it out of my tree.

Don't forget to stop by my Nanbon's Corner site and get your entry in for the $50.00 Gift Card at CSN Stores, The deadline is the 30th, then watch that site for more great giveaways.

IHANs GO! Fabric Cutter Giveaway & my entry, its a hoot...

Kelly at I Have A Notion is having yet another great giveaway for the Accquilt GO! Fabric Cutter & this is my entry...

Get 1 entry
post on Kelly's IHAN blog OK did that

Get 3 entries (each I hope)

(1)Part one: write a story on my blog:
You all know by now the three things I want for my quilting, but just in case a quick recap.
1. long arm quilting machine. 2. Accuquilt Go Fabric Cutter and 3. EQ 7 Software, but there is just no room in the budget for these items that I lust for.. The Long Arm is just way to expensive and I know I will never see the day there is one in this house. As for Accquilt Go! Fabric Cutter and the EQ 7, well let me say there are lots of blog's that have had or are currently offering a giveaway for those items. I missed out and didn't win the EQ 7 software, but and this is the reason for this posting... Kelly from I Have a Notion Web store and Blog is having another one of her great giveaways. I know, Kelly just finished her really big anniversary 31 days of giveaways and here she is once again holding another contest... This time she is offering more chances to win the Accuquilt Go! Fabric Cutter , but there is a catch or should I say many catches. Kelly is making us really work hard for chances.. I am not taking the time to list all the ways you can enter, just go visit IHAN http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/2010/05/go-fabric-cutter-giveaway.html site and read them for yourself, as for me and I really can not believe I am doing these, but here we go.

(1) part two Post a photo of a quilt and tell the readers about the quilt: This is the only quilt that my Mother and I made together, I stayed at my Mother's house for two months when she was receiving Chemo. To help take her mind off her illness we decided to make a watercolor quilt, I made the top and together we pinned, hand stitched and binded this labor of love. I named it for Live Well, Laugh Often and Love Much and embroidered that on top of the watercolor heart, we then stitched many hearts all over the quilt. I made another design out of the watercolor book which was a basket of flowers, but that quilt never got finished as my Mother passed away shortly after the heart quilt was finished, this is a very special quilt and It will pass on to my son as it is a quilt of love. If you enlarge the photo your will see perfect stitches even with her illness she was the very best quilter.

(2) My most embarrassing quilting moment: I really don't think there is any of those so to speak, other than maybe my first attempt at quilting which was to take my husband's old shirts and cut them into squares only to find that all the ones I cut were not old ones...OPPS Oh and you should have seen the machine quilting, I stitched in the ditch and oh my I must have had one to many back then, and I have no idea what ever happened to that quilt, and I am so glad for that little thing

(3) My worst Quilting Moment: Making my lone star quilt for my Mother-in-law, I can not tell you how many times I would sew a row and have to rip it out because the points didn't match, the seams didn't match or I put the wrong colors together, and the cutting UGH that was so much fun, I think there are 288 pieces in just the star.... I tell you my seam ripper and I held hands for so long that I think we are engaged now... But the top is finished and waiting to be quilted, it is really pretty and it is for a very special lady... so from the worst comes the best and I am sure she will just love it.

(4) My UFO's and I don't mean the ships that the little green men travel in.... but my unfinished objects.... there are a few as you can see. The basket is overflowing, I have my Mom's basket quilt that she started to hand quilt, not sure if I can ever finish that one. I have two quilt tops that I made for my bed, then there is the two quilt tops for our girls, they are embroidered family quilts with all their family info and special dates, and one for my mother in law, that would be the Lone Star Quilt and then there is the 6 charity quilted lap robes for a nursing home, and a fish quilt that the blocks are made and last is the family quilt for my son and his family, it is cut out just not put together... I really need that long arm machine don't I.... Anyone have one they want to find a new home for, I will adopt.

(5)Write a Limerick or Poem: How about Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Accuquilt Go! Fabric Cutter , I want You.... hey its a poem isn't it??? I tried didn't I, come on Kelly at least half of the entry points for that one....hehehe

(6) Why I need the Accuquilt Go! Fabric Cutter: , I really don't NEED It, I just really WANT it.... OH so you saw some of my stash and you do think I need it, OK I NEED the Go! Fabric Cutter to help make my charity quilts go quicker, prevent me from getting, tennis elbow, corporal Tunnel, Arthritis, Sore back and what ever else you get from slaving over a cutting mat.

(7)Most Ingenious re-purposing project: Do I need to put a picture of this one, OK I will, sorry Mel... I won a bolt of a peachy fabric at a auction and when I got the box home I realized that this had been used at a wedding, table cloths, bunting, whatever they used it for, so I washed it, and Ironed it and put it away. Then one day the oldest daughter needed a costume for work, OK open mouth, insert foot, I somehow volunteered to make her a dress, so we choose a Civil War era ball gown and I used that lovely silky, peachy fabric. Our Southern Belle and her son making fun of her..

(8) Post a video OK that is it I draw the line on this one, there is no way I am going to be in a video, no matter how much I want the machine,,,,so I lose those entries... can't have it all... besides I don't own a video camera, I gave it to kids when their kids were little

Get 5 entries

(1) Post a in depth look into your stash or sewing room: I did it, took pictures of my sewing room, can't believe I did it, but I have been working on the charity quilts and mess one, then working on Jack's centerpieces mess two, then there is Allison's event and the stuff I have gotten so far for that, so mess three, the rest of the mess is storage everywhere... just way to much stuff in that little room... plus there is all the sewing machines, threads etc... I just close the door and it might all go away.... I do clean the room but then the next project comes along and it is a mess again..

(2) write a song: NOPE can't do that one, no musical talent....
or maybe to the tune of Row, Row, Row your boat...

verse one
Cut, Cut, Cut your fabric

In the Go! Cutter machine

Quickly, Quickly, Quickly, Quickly
Accuquilt Go! Fabric Cutter is such a dream

verse two

Kelly, Kelly, Kelly girl

what you make us do

to Enter, Enter, Enter,Enter

IHAN's Win your Accuquilt dream....

How's that,, Half entry Maybe... pretty please, Hey at least I tried

for 10 entries
(1)cut out blocks,,,, well I would do that but I just had a Heart Cath done and I don't think my Doctor would approve of me doing that just yet.You know the drill, don't lift, don't bend, don't push, don't pull, don't do anything.. so to be safe, that's a big no for me.

(2)Video Skit: can't do that one as I don't have a camera.... I wouldn't do it anyway, I just would rather be behind the camera then in front of it...

(3) post a photo, with one of the below
1) with movie star: nope don't know any, I did have my picture taken with a Don Johnson lifesize cardboard figure at the shore, but I don't have that anymore.
2) roller coaster ride wrapped in ugly quilt, nope there is no way anyone is getting me on one of those things
3) wildest contortionist position That one I could have done if I didn't have the Heart Cath done Sunday
4) Ihan on times square for what that would cost I could buy everyone posting a Go! Fabric Cutter
5) have famous person call you: Kelly, I tried that one but you were not home, then I remembered you went to Quilt Market.... so, sorry, but you missed the call.....

Kelly this was fun, hope my post brings some smiles and laughs and I hope I win... I really want a Accuquilt Go Cutter, so my fingers are crossed... Now let see how many entries is this.....35 points maybe, gee I sure could have used those tens..

OK People, you read my post on IHAN contest, it is now your turn to go there http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/2010/05/go-fabric-cutter-giveaway.html and enter....it is fun, and if you really don't want the Go Cutter I would love to take it off your hands, same goes for a long arm quilter or the EQ7 software, hey If you got the EQ7 I would take your old software....I tried, thanks for reading..

Kelly thanks for another great contest and please tell Mr, McSteamy he can pull my name out of the hat this time... Nana Bonnie

Another great giveaway

There is a great giveaway for Mother's Day  at Inchworm fabrics, follow the link and enter to win a  honey bun and pattern of your choice.   http://inchwormfabrics.blogspot.com/2010/05/give-away-in-celebration-of-mothers-day.html

Another chance for $ 50.00 GC

Mom's Own Words Blog is also hosting a $50.00 Gift Certificate giveaway to CSN Stores. Stop by her blog site at http://kristimaloneyblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/csn-stores-50-gift-card-giveaway.html and enter to win, better hurry as Mom's giveaway ends at midnight tonight. Now go to http://nanbonscorner.blogspot.com/ for a chance to enter that giveaway for $ 50.00 Gift Card to CSN Stores, this giveaway ends 5/31 

EQ7 giveaway sites

I had enter the EQ7 contest for a chance to host a giveaway on the EQ 7 software, but I was not one of the lucky winners. I was so sad, I really had great things planned at Nanbon's Corner for that giveaway. But I have gathered the winners names and their blogs addresses so you can go and enter their contest.  I checked them and there are only a few right now that have the giveaway listed so keep checking the list and I am sure in the next few days you will see the contest on their blogs.  As for me, yes I am upset that I didn't win a EQ7 and the chance to host a giveaway for it, but that is OK as I am currently hosting a $50.00 giveaway at CSN Stores so you can head over to Nanbon's Corner http://nanbonscorner.blogspot.com/ and enter that contest.

The winning blogs that will be hosting a EQ7 Giveaway are:

Leeann Hansen
http://www.quiltwhangarei.blogspot.com

Cherri House
http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com/cherry_house_quilts/2010/04/things-i-love-52.html

Christine Wipplinger �
http://patchjane2.blogspot.com/

Kiyomi Uchiyama
http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/kiyoming/

Jennifer Hadlock
http://jennifercanquilt.blogspot.com/2010/04/electric-quilt-7.html

Anita Peluso
http://bloominworkshop.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/do-you-eq/

Viv Wride
http://highwaycottage.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/do-you-eq/

Ann Waldron
http://prairieprimrose.blogspot.com/2010/04/eq7-is-coming.html

Susan Brazeal
http://handcraftingwithlove.blogspot.com/2010/04/eq7-is-coming.html

Mary Hartmann Bowden
http://mequilter.blogspot.com/

Big Giveaway at Nanbon's Corner

Its the Great CSN Stores Giveaway at Nanbon's Corner, Hurry on over and get your entries in for a chance to win a $ 50.00 Gift Certificate to shop at any of their 200 + Stores. Giveaway ends Midnight 5/30/10 and winners will be announced on 5/31/10.  These are just some of the great items CSN has to offer. What are you waiting for, GO, to Nanbon's Corner and Enter today