Tuesday, May 24, 2011

When Life Throws You Scraps...

Life has been a bit hectic around here lately and this is the first time I've been able to sit down to update my blog!!  "They" say that the older you get, the faster the time flies by...well, I'm living proof of that!!

Anyway, the following is from a blog by Tonya where she talks about the quilts our group at church makes.  Our mission is to make quilts to send to a pregnancy help center, an orphanage in Cambodia and now this orphanage in Uganda.  The photos are of the quilts that Tonya will take to Uganda in June of this year. 

It's so humbling to realize that the bits and pieces of scraps can make an impact on people on the other side of the world.   Just as we have lovingly pieced together bits of fabric and fashioned useful and beautiful quilts for these children, our Father is lovingly piecing our lives together using the scraps and tangled threads of our own lives and making a unique tapestry of His handiwork for His glory and purpose.  I love that God is the Master Craftsman!!

Now, from Tonya's blog:

When life throws you scraps, make a quilt.

Every day packages arrive at my door, it’s reminiscent of the feeling that Christmas is coming. We know we are on the cusp of a great event, one that will change lives, bring people close to the heart of God and change directions in life paths. The gifts arriving are from the sponsors for the children at the orphanage. We also have several classrooms at church collecting vitamins and art supplies for the children. The pile in my garage is growing into quite a mound. It’s a good thing we have eighteen tickets to transport all of this stuff as baggage on the plane.
It fills me with great joy to see the response from so many people who love these children and want to encourage them to become everything they can be. Knowing so many are praying for the children and extending help gives me hope and assures me that with God leading the way nothing is impossible.
life is like a quilt...bits and pieces...joys and sorrows...stitched with love.
Six years ago when our family took its first mission trip to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic we experienced a similar phenomenon. We decided we needed to spend spring break serving others so we signed up to go to the Dominican Republic and live at an orphanage for a week playing with the kids. We were new in our adult bible study class at Scottsdale Bible Church and didn’t really know anyone but we shared that we needed prayer because we were going to an orphanage for the break. They asked if the orphans needed anything, and I said, “well I’m sure they do! Anything you would like to bring, drop it by my door.” The week before we left on our trip every morning our front door was piled with new toys, dental care supplies, clothes, blankets and food. It was unbelievable. When we packed everything up it totaled exactly the amount of weight we were able to bring with us. Only God can make those sorts of arrangements. Experiencing that caused me to float knowing how great our God is, and how much he loves the children everywhere on this earth.
Yesterday I got a note from our mission’s office at church that there were some beautiful quilts waiting for me to pick up. A group of quilters meets one Monday a month and makes quilts for the crisis pregnancy center and for other groups such as our kids at the orphanage! Whitney brought home a dozen handmade quilts and when I saw them I couldn’t get over the beauty. A part of me deflated knowing how dirty it is at the children’s home in Uganda. I couldn’t bear for these things of beauty to become so filthy and ragged. So I had an idea, we can cover the walls of their dark ugly room with these blankets so they can feel like it is home. Someday when we build the new orphanage they can hang on the walls there and remind every child who passes through there that they are loved from far and wide.
A quilt is a great symbol of our family of children at the orphanage. Little bits and pieces can combine to make a stunning masterpiece. Yes, these quilts are the first artwork donated to the children in Uganda! I hope when they touch the colorful fabrics and observe the small stitches they will think of how many people all over this world love them, care about them, and pray for their future to become all they dream it can be.
Families are like quilts stitched together one piece at a time.May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.it's a good thing I'm so packed tight with things to do or I would probably go shopping for fabric and start a quilt today.it's a good thing I'm so packed tight with things to do or I would probably go shopping for fabric and start a quilt today. May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.Families are like quilts stitched together one piece at a time.



May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.

it's a good thing I'm so packed tight with things to do or I would probably go shopping for fabric and start a quilt today.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday Giveaway Alert!

Leona is having an awesome giveaway at Leona's Quilting Adventure!  One lucky winner will win one adorable and portable, Go! Baby Fabric Cutter, with a choice of three dies!! How much more fun can it get?!!  This giveaway will end on Saturday, May 21, 2011, at midnight Eastern Standard Time. Winners will be announced Sunday, May 22, 2011!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

More Quilted Cards

I finished the quilted cards for Kathleen today and rushed them to the post office!  Kathleen developed the log cabin stamp that I used for the pattern.  The pattern is stamped onto used fabric sheets and then hand stitched using scraps of fabric.  I used my square Nestabilies die and my Cuttlebug to cut the windows in the cardstock and then backed each with a coordinating piece of cardstock to cover the back of the block.  The sentiments are stamps from PaperTrey Ink.







Monday, May 2, 2011

Accuquilt GO! Baby Giveaway!!

Accuquilt is giving one of the Sew Dang Cute readers a GO! Baby Fabric Cutter as well as 3 dies of your choice!!!!  Giveaway will close Saturday, May 7th @ 8 pm MST.

Look What Came In the Mail!

Look what came in the mail today from Intrepid Threads' giveaway!!


Thanks so much!!!  I can't wait to turn this into something spectacular!!!

Monday Giveaway Alert!!

Hop on over to Kool Beenz and see what Cotton Blossom is giving away!  Cotton Blossom Farm is giving away a 10 pc Half Yd bundle set of Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms!  Beautiful fabric!!!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Sunday Giveaway Alert!

Jeannette at Inchworm Fabrics is having a super May giveaway that will start with a book:   A Fine Line : Techniques and Inspirations for Creating the Quilting Design [Paperback] by Melody Crust, Heather Waldron Tewell.   In celebration of Mothers Day she is going to add more items to the pot so stay tuned for the best is yet to come.