Singer Sew Very Easy House Party

I am "sew" excited! I've been picked for the Singer Sew Very Easy House Party. If you have never heard of House Party, you should really check it out. They choose hosts for parties for different products. The hosts get a party pack to help them have a successful party. You get cool free stuff for you and your guests.

I will get to borrow a Singer Confident Stylist 7467 Electronic Sewing Machine. I can't wait to try it out. I am not planning to replace my vintage Husquevarna Viking, but it will be fun to try something high tech.


I will get fabric for my guests to make a project while they are here. They will also get patterns for other projects and coupons for supplies. I'm excited! Did I mention that?

We are also going to make pillow cases for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge through American Patchwork & Quilting.



The pillowcases will be dropped off at The Bobbin Case in Rochester when they are done. They will then be donated to Genesis House,
a youth emergency shelter in Rochester.
This is a 14 bed home-like facility open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The program provides 24 hour supervision, shelter, food, counseling and life skills instruction.

If you live near me and you would like to come to the party, let me know. It will be Sunday, May 8 at 1 pm in Rochester, NY. Just realized this must be mother's day. Oh well.

101 things in 1001 days

101 things to do in 1001 days
found this challenge on Homekeeping Heather's Blog She found it on someone else's of course. Isn't sharing wonderful?

I will be back to update soon. I will also be letting you know how I'm doing along the way.

It's about 32 months or 143 weeks, which would take me to August 2013.

1. visit Grandma and PopPop at least 3 times a year (8)
2. finish attic
3. get rid of old dryer, maybe get a new one?
4. Lose 20 pounds (starting weight = 205)
5. Become debt free except for the house (starting debt approximately $800)
6. hang clothes outside in the good weather
7. finish Japanese quilt
8. finish recovering couch
9. finish living room curtains
10. fix basement walls
11. can 5 different things in 2011, add 5 different in 2012, 15 total in 2013
12. transplant strawberries somewhere they can't take over
13. finish and maintain herb garden
14. get a shed for the back yard
15. start composting
16. give away clothing I don't wear, everything should fit in closet and dresser. no overflow
17. plan meals 2 weeks at a time
18. make shopping lists according to meal plans
19. Complete kids scrapbooks birth to current
20. eat 3-5 fruits and veggies daily
21. keep fruits and veggies easily accessible for kids to snack
22. finish 3 bird paintings
23. read a book a month (32)
24. go to Maine in August (3 times)
25. warm vacation with just Kelly and I
26. clean Rebekah's room of random stuff
27. Drink at least 32-64oz of water daily
28. submit to Stampington & Co 6 times a year (16 times)
29. finish 2 sweaters I have started
30. write a letter a week to someone (143)
31. participate in Purple Painted Lady Barn Sale in August
32. continue having weekly play dates with Jo and Gabby for Rebekah and I (140)
33. continue Bible studies with Rachel weekly (140)
34. Read Bible daily
35. post on Something-2-Eat blog 3 times a week (429 entries)
36. post on tidbits & scraps 2 times a week (268 entries)
37. put all finished quilts and sweaters on etsy
38. finish wedding scrapbook
39. finish Mika's wedding scrapbook
40. make 1 item a month to donate (32)
41. host scrapbooking crop at least once a month at Fiber Cafe (32)
42. take Rebekah to Strong Museum twice a month (64)
43. Try making my own salad dressings and sauces
44. read big books to Timothy at night
45. Try making bread
46. make more dresses for Rebekah
47. Complete one handmade item per week. (143)
48. encourage Kelly toward active past times
49. submit regularly to online challenges
50. help Timothy keep his room clean and organized
51. help Timothy change change clothes, brush teeth, shower regularly
52. send anniversary cards regularly
53. Use re-useable shopping bags
54. continue to increase productivity of my Close to My Heart business
55. try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
56. finish peacock cross stitch
57. make skirts for me
58. knit socks
59.photograph and create page for my bird postage collection
60.photograph and create page for my nativities
61.photograph and create page for my elephants
62. wear skirts 3 times a week (429)
63. complete 100 scrapbook layouts (100)
64.join a co-op farm
65. make videos
66. do yoga with Rebekah twice a week (280)
67. play 26 things
68. Learn needlefelting
69. make 10 editions of Something to Eat zine (10)
70. Do Virgin Island Scrapbook
71. pare down linens to 3 sets per bed size & 1 shelf of towels
72. make art space in attic
73.clean cupboard in downstairs bathroom for preserves
74. send something to Kamohelo once a month (sponsored child)
75. have some dinner parties
76. donate at least 30 boxes to Operation Christmas Child
77. finally get our wedding bands
78. can't write this one in case my mom is reading it
79. pick strawberries
80. pick grapes
81. Donate 10,000 grain of rice via freerice.com with Timothy
82. finish all CTMH tutorials
83. figure out what the features on my camera do
84. go to the library weekly with kids, maybe start in the summer
85. keep up to date on ordering pictures
86. family camping trip
87. go to another CTMH Convention
88. learn 100 signs (American Sign Language) with kids when possible
89. Start writing poetry again
90. add 50 pictures to my Photojournalism Blogs Page
91. organize file drawer in desk
92. Make Noah's Ark with Timothy for George Eastman house display
93. upgrade my netbook's memory
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99. Go to the dentist
100.
101. save 5 dollars every time I complete a goal

Year of Service: Clothes and Toys

I am gathering all the clothes that my family doesn't wear any more and the toys we don't play with. So far I have 4 garbage bags and 2 diaper boxes full. I have looked at the websites for places such as Alternatives for Battered Women, Sojourner House, and Open Door Mission and was surprised to see that none of them are really taking what I have right now. They either have too much or they are concerned with bed bugs. I will probably give the clothes to Salvation Army and the toys to the Allendale Columbia Holiday Bazaar next to new sale.

31 shoeboxes

So here they are...some of the 31 shoeboxes full of goodies for "kids who don't have anything," as Rebekah would say. Thanks to mom, Abby, Jo Horton, Erin Sharp, Judy Strong, Shannon Morean, Anna Maria Olson, Kelly Launt, Heidi Craven, Sonia Boufford, Kelly and my kids for all their help and donations of gifts and time.

This was so rewarding for me and my family and all my friends. I just hope I can get them all in the car and to the drop off location by myself. This is the shoebox raffle I offered to everyone who donated.

4 marble tile coasters, a handmade clay nativity, a votive holder, denim tote bag from World Vision, fabric bird ornament, 2010 spool ornament, 2 small hand bound journals, Christmas tree gift tags, nativity ornament, and more!

The winner was picked by Rebekah and it is....

Anna Maria Olson!!

Year of Service

I have decided that, starting now, I am going to commit the next year to service in a variety of ways. I have posted a new page called "Service Calendar" That you can look at to see what I am up to. I am starting with the goal of preparing 31 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, a program through Samaritan's Purse. I have chosen to do 31 because they are due to the collection sites on November 15 which will be my 31st birthday. If you want to donate to my goal or prepare your own shoebox check the links for more information.