MyMemories Suite Giveaway

Today is my fortieth birthday and I have one last giveaway for you!  I love to scrapbook but since I have started sewing and quilting I have not had much time to.  I love the MyMemories Scrapbook Suite.  You can use either their templates or start from scratch to make your page original.  

We had to make the hard choice to put down Boots, he was 17 years old, if he had been a human baby, he would have been a senior in high school, the same age as my nephew.  Using this software made it very easy to make a collage of pictures of Boots.  I called him my penguin cat, his features were perfectly aligned for a chin strap penguin.

 He was very loveable and a true lap cat, up until his last year when his hips started hurting him.  He's walked with a slight limp for the past six years, after he fell of the balcony in the picture below.  We tried blocking it where he could not hang over, but he still found a way!  I'm still surprised how much Oreo looks and acts like Boots.  You can tell how much he had aged in this photo with the two of them.  I deeply miss Boots and think that is the hardest decision I have ever made.

 Here are three more templates that go with the two I used, they are easily set up for to add and move things as you want.

If you do not win, just use this code to get $10 off to buy your own!  Be sure to use this code so that I will also get credit.  This is the code to use to get your $10 off and to give me credit for your purchase.  STMMMS44612

You have until Tuesday, October 8 to enter the giveaway.  I'll announce the winner on Wednesday.  You have three ways to enter the giveaway:

1.  Please visit their site www.MyMemories.com.   In order to enter the giveaway  go to their site and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then comment on my blog telling me which ones you choose.

2.  Let me know how you follow my blog!

3.  Share this giveaway in some way and let me know how you shared!

Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!  Leave three separate comments.

I'll share with you tomorrow all of the great quilty things my husband got me for my birthday!

Missy

Quilty Eye Candy

Here are some pictures of some of the quilts the other quilters were working on.

 Margaret was working on her bunny quilt at the last retreat (Which you can see here:  http://missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com/2013/05/quilt-retreat.html ) She has been saving bunny fabrics for years.  She finished her top last weekend!  Every piece of fabric has a bunny on it!

 I love Debbie's nine patch quilt and her use of borders.

 She was working on this quilt last time also and here is the finished top.

 This quilt was made from a block exchange and she added the applique blocks which are perfect match for the spools!  Be sure to click on the picture and get a closer look.

 This is Sue's king size quilt, I believe it is called Scrap tease?  I would have never thought of using a plaid for the border, but it looks great!

 Mary Lou and Leslie whipped out these fall tablecloths runners.

 Debbie had bought a pre-cut tumbler kit and sewed this top together in one day!  I just love these majestic colors!

 Valerie is making this quilt for her son.  I can't remember what it is called, but I love this block!  I think the material in the middle block is perfect and really sets off the material in the rest of the block.  I can't wait to see this one finished!

I have a lot more pictures but will have to share them later.
The winner of my book giveaway is Judy from Hummingbird Crazy Quilter.  She is a new blogger, so be sure to stop by and say hi!

Missy

Finished Tops!

Hello everybody!  I got back from my quilt retreat yesterday.  I had a blast!  I actually feel like I got something accomplished too.  On Friday we went to a great small quilt shop in Minneola, TX.  She had great prices on her fabric and I was able to get my border fabric for my Drunkard's path quilt.  I was originally going to use it for my binding, but after a group discussion, I went a totally different way and this is what we came up with.  I really like it.  I showed it to my husband and he told me I needed to keep this one.  LOL.  It's hard to tell in the picture but it has tiny red and yellow fruit on it.    I am in love with it!  Read about how I got these blocks here:  http://missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com/2013/07/drunkards-path-blocks.html   I did not make all of those curved seams, my friend Pat did.  I just finished it after she gave me her her blocks.

Here is my other finish.  I'm not sure if you can see the border fabric very well, but it looks like the side of a red barn!  Margaret was nice enough to show me how to figure out how to make sure I had enough material for my borders.  I'll have to do it a couple of more times before I will feel confident enough to share it.

 I learned so much from this quilt!  You can go here to see my progress on my quilt.  http://missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com/search/label/Barn%20Quilt

 Here is a list of all of the tutorials from Lori Holt at Bee in My Bonnet.  http://www.flickr.com/groups/2183559@N21/rules/  It has every tutorial listed and you will be able to see all of the blocks people have made using her tutorials.

I have to fold these tops up and will not be able to quilt them until after I move, but at least they are finished tops!  I also quilted my great granny square quilt all weekend, I'll need to finish it this week.

I have a lot more pictures to share with you from this weekend, I'll do that in another post!

I am going to extend my book giveaway through 9pm tomorrow night (Tuesday, Sept. 24), since I have been out of town and not reminded anyone.   So go enter for your chance to win, now!  http://missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com/2013/09/unlimited-by-davis-bunn-book-review.html

Have a blessed day!

Missy


Luke 12:24  "Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?"

We have a winner!

We have a winner from last week's pattern giveaway.
Congratulations Heidi from Meatloaf Quilting.  Be sure to stop by and say Hi!
Heidi, I've sent you an email to get your mailing address so that I can send them off to you!

My quilt retreat is this week, Thursday through Sunday, I'm so excited that I am already packed!  I have not gotten any quilting done lately so I am really hoping to finish up some projects that have been on the back burner!

Here is a Bible verse that I really enjoyed this week.

Job 11:18  "And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety."

What a great verse, all of Job's children had died and he had lost everything, except for his wife who told him to curse God and die.  Of course he was grieved, but he still stood firm in is faith in God, and knew that there is always hope.

Have a blessed day ya'll, and be secure in the knowledge that there is always hope!

Missy

"Unlimited" by Davis Bunn - Book Review (& Giveaway)

I am a voracious reader!  I can read 2-3 books a week sometimes, I just soak them up like a sponge.  I am very picky about what I read though, I will only read Christian Fiction books.  I will not read smut, there are even some "Christian" authors I will not read because they are on the verge of smut.
That is what I like about Davis Bunn, I know all of his books are clean and Christ centered.  I was sent Unlimited to read and finished it in three days (that is after packing and quilting each day!).  I would give this book five stars because it was clean, Christ-centered and action packed!

Simon Orwell is a brilliant student whose life has taken a series of wrong turns. At the point of giving up on his dreams, he gets a call from an old professor who has discovered a breakthrough in a device that would create unlimited energy. He needs Simon's help.

Upon crossing the border, nothing goes as the young man planned. The professor has been killed and Simon is assaulted and nearly killed by members of a powerful drug cartel.

Now he must take refuge in the only place that will help him, a local orphanage. There, Simon meets Harold Finch, the orphanage proprietor who walked away from a lucrative career with NASA and consulting Fortune 500 companies to serve a higher cause.

With Harold's help, Simon sets out on a quest to uncover who killed the professor and why. In due time, he will discover secrets to both the world-changing device and his own unlimited potential.

Guess what?  You can even read the first three chapters for free here:  http://on.fb.me/1c5IyCS

They have also made a movie, in this case, the movie actually came before the book though.

You can see the trailer for the movie here:

I noticed at the end of the trailer it was based on true events, Davis Bunn was asked about that:

The storyline in Unlimited is inspired by true events. What actual events inspired the story?

"Harold Finch was formerly the founder and CEO of the first management-leadership consulting groups in the US. In the mid-seventies he sold the company to H&R Block for over a hundred million dollars—back when a hundred million actually meant something. Answering God’s call, he has spent the past three decades traveling the world, teaching his concepts for free and helping underprivileged children learn that they do indeed have both a purpose in God’s eyes, and the potential to succeed. His experiences form the basis for this story. "

Would you like a copy of the book? Davis Bunn is having a sweepstakes.

You could win a $50 Fandango gift card plus UNLIMITED, Davis Bunn's new suspense novel. Ten additional winners will receive a copy of UNLIMITED. Enter right now by clicking this link: http://woobox.com/mp5qew 

Note: Pinning is NOT required to enter (the pins are just for fun). Simply enter your name and e-mail address in the form on Davis Bunn’s Facebook page. You can enter once per email address per day.

Rack up lots of bonus entries each day by sharing the contest with your Facebook and Twitter friends!

There are several ways you can find Davis on the web, here are some ways he has provided.

My website and blog are at www.davisbunn.com

Subscribe to my blog’s feed (to get my latest posts via e-mail or through your feed reader) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/DavisBunn

Sign up for my e-newsletter (for subscriber-only giveaways and advance notice of my upcoming novels): http://www.davisbunn.com/news.htm

Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/davisbunnauthor

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/davisbunn/ -- check out my “Scenes from Unlimited” board.

Twitter: @davisbunn - http://twitter.com/davisbunn

I received a complimentary copy of Unlimited from B&H Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. 

 I loved the book so much, I am going to give away a copy of his book also!  Since my 40th birthday is September 30, I am having several giveaways this month!

To enter, please leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite books to read are.  

For a second entry, share this giveaway and leave me a second comment letting me know how you shared.

Don't forget to leave me an email address on how to get a hold of you if you win!

I have quilt retreat this week, so I will draw a winner on Sunday when I get back and announce the winner on Monday, Sept. 23.  I'll be having another giveaway next week!

Missy

Birthday Giveaways!

I am turning 40 this month!  My birthday is September 30, 1973.  As part of my birthday month, I thought it would be fun to have some giveaways.  My first giveaway is a "holiday" giveaway!
I have a pattern someone gave me with a scarecrow and snowman pattern.  I do not celebrate Halloween and there is also a pattern for a ghost in the same envelope, I would throw that part away.
There is also a cute stuffed reindeer head for Christmas.

I also have two Spring appliques, a cute little bunny  and another one of a duck, chick and bunny sitting in a basket.

These giveaways will be for my followers.  All four patterns will go to one person.
I am cleaning out my sewing stuff, so these are not new, but I wanted to pass them on to some one who would appreciate them.

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you follow and please leave your email address so I can get a hold of you.  If you are not already a follower, I have several options for you on the right side of my blog.
I'm always sad when I find a blog I like and the only option to follow is through email, I hardly ever read blogs through email because I always forget to.

The giveaway will end on Monday when I draw a name!

Here are some pictures of the quilt I am quilting and my helpers!

Cupcake

Oreo

Have a great day!  If you are not sure if you are a no-reply blogger, just leave a comment on your own blog!  If you have any doubt, please leave me your email add.!

Missy

She can sew anything!

A friend had a utility belt that needed to be brought in. She is like a size zero!  She asked me if I had a strong needle and could I hand sew it for her.  Well, I had a better solution than that!

I just folded it over (I didn't want to cut it since she is trying to gain weight), so I have four layers of nylon.  Popped it under my Industrial treadle and sewed a  rectangle around it.  Took me five minutes!  I did have to move the wheel manually, but it was still a lot simpler then trying to hand sew it!

The only down side is that when I went to quilt (after changing back to pink thread), I forgot to readjust the tension.  It was all out of whack so I have to redo that entire section, luckily it was only two blocks.

I have been steadily finding a few minutes here and there to quilt, but have not had much time with all of the packing.

Cupcake and Custard have not made very easy for me either, but they sure do make me smile!

Missy

How to Clean a Treadle

  Happy National Sewing Machine Day!  I thought I would tell you how I clean my old machines.  I counted up my machines today and I have 11!  As ya'll know, I love my old machines, the only thing is that they are not always clean when you get them and need a lot of work!  If I wanted a clean machine, I would have to pay a lot more money for them then I do.  I am not an expert and am still learning how to take care of my machines, so if you have any suggestions, please share!  I have asked different people what they do, and some things I cannot use because of my asthma.  Lots of people use kerosene, I can't do that.

Check out my Pinterest board for vintage machines.

First of all, water is your machine's enemy.  There are people who can use water and get up every little drop, but I ruined my first machine, so will not try that again.  It will destroy the decals on your machine and cause rust.  I use straight Murphy's oil soap and then clean it off with sewing machine oil.  Many people use plain sewing machine oil to clean their machines.

Cupcake is model today!

Be sure to always protect your work surfaces.  Usually I would pull the machine out and lay it on a towel, but the industrial head is heavy, so I just left it in the cabinet and laid a towel around it.  I also use Murphy's on the wood.  I actually use Murphy for a lot of my cleaning around the house.  It is all natural and smells great!
I needed to clean the inside of my machine.  I cleaned underneath the machine and then under the face plate, I clean both the same way.

As you can see, she was pretty filthy, but not too bad for a 122 year old!

Can you see the thread stuck to the grime?  This is a Singer, be careful if you are cleaning another machine because when I took the face plate off of my New Home, the insides fell out and it took me a while to figure out how to put her back together.
I even found a needle in there!  Make sure you do not lose your screws, I usually put them in a bowl, some people use egg cartons to put pieces in, in the order they come off.  I have not ventured to take apart more than the face plate yet.

I use Gojo to clean the insides of my machines.  I use a lot of paper towels, cotton balls an q-tips to get in the small spaces.

I have also taken my husband's screw drivers.  I have a "surgery" kit for getting the grime and stuff out.

I use dental picks to clean between the teeth on my feed dogs, between screws, etc.  There is always grime in those hard to reach spots.  Long tweezers for pulling out lint, thread, etc.  A magnet  (the green thing) for helping you find dropped screws and needles, and I found that great rubber mallet in my husband's tool box too.  I confiscated it!  It's great for when something is stuck like your slide plate.  You don't want to use a hammer because you don't want to damage anything.

So that is how I clean a machine head.  It takes a lot of elbow grease and time, but well worth it.  So far I have spent about three to five hours on this machine and it still needs a lot of work!

Don't forget to oil your machine when you are done, these old ladies love their oil!

Update:  My friend Sue wanted to add a few hints:  :Be sure to only use non pumice GOJO.  I also use the cosmetic cotton pads for some areas where a thin cotton is needed.  Cotton String for polishing posts.  Run the string through your McQuire's ALuminum polish, around your needle clamp bar, bobbin center, thread holder one complete turn and shimmy it around.  Amazing how well it polishes things.  The tiny brushes for cleaning between dental crowns etc. are also great for tiny areas.  Hope this helps. "

If you want to convert an old machine to a hand crank, here are some figures for you.  Let's say the machine was $20, you want a base for it, online they are like $40 unless you can get someone to make one cheaper.  Then you need a spoked wheel, which with shipping would be about $20, and then you need the hand crank assembly for another $20 with shipping.  (they are heavy!)  So you are looking between $80-$100 to convert a machine you paid $20 for.  Just a little FYI!  Not to mention the cleaning!

If you have any questions or tips, please share!

I read a great article on sewing machine facts today I wanted to share with you too!
Here it is!

Happy Sewing!

Missy

A few things about me.

One of my faithful readers, Kathy from "Moving on to the Past", nominated me for the "One Lovely Blog Award"

I thought that was very sweet.  What this means is that I need to tell you seven things about me.

1.  I have a speech impediment.   I have a hard time saying my r's, so I will never name a child or fur baby a name that starts with R.  My sister was my "interpreter" growing up because my speech was so bad, I spent my entire Elementary in speech therapy and would not even talk to others until I started school.  My mom likes to say that they couldn't find the "on" switch for the longest time, then once they found it, they couldn't find the "off" switch!  I do like to talk.  I have a bit of an AR/TX mix in my speech with a little Bostonian thrown in because of the r's!

My sister, Thresia, and I at my wedding and at my great grandmother's wedding (yes, my hair is red, the picture is just dark)  The first picture is Aug. 5, 1995, second picture I think 1973 or early 1974

2.  My sister is three years older than me and she is my best friend and I love her very much.  We are exactly alike, yet nothing alike!  LOL  I am actually the youngest of eight children, six half siblings.  I have never met four of them and have not seen my brother Zachary since I was eight.  My sister, Thresia is the only I was raised with and is the only I have ever had a sibling relationship with.  My sister's birthday is Sept. 29 and I will be 40 on Sept. 30.

Missy and Thresia, Jan. 2013

3.  Missy is my nickname, I was so messy when I was little, my parents called me Messy Missy and just dropped the messy part.  All of my friends call me Missy.  I am still messy and accident prone though.  My real name is Milinda spelled with an I and everyone misspells it!

4.  I am from Lubbock, TX where all of my family is from.  My dad moved to Jacksonville, AR when I was eight and I moved in with him when I was 16.  Therefore, I consider both places my hometown.

5.  I accepted the Lord as my Saviour when I was 16.  Romans 10:13  "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

6.  I married a Yankee from Waterford, Pennsylvania.  I was so shy when I met my husband that I would not talk to him for six months after he moved to AR because he told his friend he was going to marry me after meeting me once. (Totally freaked me out!) Of course Zeke teased me mercilessly about it!  He only got his first date because I needed someone to do my taxes and I felt bad because he did them and would not accept payment.  The rest is history!

7.  My husband and I did not kiss until after we were married, and I was laughing so hard at the wedding that I could not pucker, so his first kiss was in the car wash after the wedding.  They had written "just married" in mustard on the car!  I laugh when I get in front of groups of people, because of my shyness, which is why I was laughing at the wedding.

8.  I collect penguins, but I now limit it to cookies jars, snow globes and practical things I can actually use.  I got to pet a penguin at Sea World a couple of years ago!  This is a picture of my husband and I with a King Penguin at the FL Sea World.

I was actually only supposed to tell you seven things, but I told you eight!  I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better!  To sum it up, I am very shy in crowds, but I have never met a stranger at places like the store.  I know, weird huh?  My husband says I am the only person he knows who can spend two hours at the grocery store because I talk to everyone I meet.  He also pointed out to me yesterday that when I am trying to convince him of something or want something, that I start talking very "Southern" !

Oh, and since I am turning 40 this month, I'll be planning some giveaways - so be sure to stay tuned!

Have a great day ya'll!

Missy

Psalm 119:26 & 27
26   "I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
27  Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works."

Update on Cupcake

Cupcake is doing a lot better!  I showed you her belly after the surgery here. 

 She is sleeping soundly with the other cats.  It was labor day weekend so I had to wait until Tuesday before taking her back to the vet, but by then it was a lot better so I did not take her.  I put colloidal silver  on her incision (which by the way, my clumsy kitten had "opened") and over the lump.  I also gave her a tiny bit internally, which she did not like!  I put a drop of lavender in coconut oil, very diluted because you have to be careful with cats and essential oils, then I put a q-tip in the solution (which lasted several days) and put it over the lump.  The lump is gone and she is healed!  Here's a video of her getting mad about taking her meds, please excuse the shoes all over the floor!  LOL  She always swats like that when she is mad at you, but her claws do stay in.

She decided my husband's pants made a good cat bed, Pippi was there earlier.  Shhh, don't tell my husband I posted this picture!

 I've been busy packing all week, at least the kittens are helping by packing themselves!

 I've been putting all of my blankets and quilts in one pile until I decide which to pack, which to use for wrapping furniture, etc.  Pippi found the one little hole under the basket handle and thought it would be the perfect place to sleep.

No quilting done this week,I hope to get some done next week.  My sweet husband is letting me take the car to a quilt retreat and he will be stuck at home for four days with the cats and no car.

What have you or your fur babies been up to this week?

Missy