Beam N Read Blog Hop

Welcome to day four of IHAN's Beam N Read Blog Hop!

I want to thank Kelly from I Have A Notion and the great folks at ASF Lightware Solutions for inviting me to participate in this blog hop.  Quite honestly, I probably wouldn't have given this light a second glance if it hadn't been sent to me for a review.  I have a nice bright light next to my chair where I do most of my handwork, so why would I need to strap a light around my neck?  It didn't take me long to figure out that this little light is invaluable for anyone who does any kind of handwork!  The extra bright light directed towards your stitching (without obstructing your view) makes all the difference in the world while stitching, especially when there isn't any natural light available.  The Beam N Read is lightweight and has a comfortable, easy to adjust neck strap.   It only took a few minutes of use and I was hopelessly hooked on my Beam N Read!

One of the handy attachments that comes with the Beam N Read LED6 is a detachable magnifier for times when your bifocals or reading glasses just aren't enough...like when threading a needle.  Don't you just hate it when you can't get the thread to go through that tiny needle eye?!  Sometimes it isn't lack of vision that makes it difficult to thread that needle.  Did you know that a needle has a right and wrong side?  You can't see it by looking, but if you're having a hard time threading the needle try turning it around and threading it through the other side.  Works for me every time!   

Would you like a Beam N Read LED6 Hands Free Light of your very own? Here's your chance to win one!  Just leave a comment telling me what hand project you would like to shine a little extra light on.  Simple as that!  I'll draw a winner on Saturday, July 2 by Random Number Generator.  The winner will be notified by email, so if you are a no-reply blogger make sure that you leave your e-mail address with your comment.

Here's The Fine Print...
The drawing is open to the everyone on the globe and to make this possible, the winners will be responsible for the shipping costs of their light to the address of their choice (lights are being shipped from OH, USA). The winner will be able to choose the delivery service (UPS, FedEx, USPS). 

Don't forget to stop by Bejeweled Quilts By Barb and read her review of the Beam N Read Light and sign up for her giveaway as well!

Comments are now closed!  
Congratulations to the winner, Kathy MacKie!

A New Fabric Designer?

My oldest granddaughter was here visiting the other day and while she was here she spent some time doodling with markers.  As she was working I commented that her design would make a pretty fabric.  It was then that the lightbulb went on and I ran to my sewing room for a sheet of printable fabric.  Within minutes I had printed a priceless piece of one of a kind fabric!  I may be biased, but I think Miss One could make a career as a fabric designer! 

Beam N Read Blog Hop

I'm very excited to be participating in the Beam N Read Blog Hop sponsored by I Have A Notion!

Have you heard about the Beam N Read LED6 Hands Free Light?  It's the personal, portable, hands free light that is perfect for hand quilting, stitching, knitting, reading or any hand work that requires a little extra light.

Features

• Extra wide and bright personal light from 6 LEDs that won't disturb others
• Especially useful for needlecrafts and all craft work
• 4 standard alkaline AA batteries (not included) last 48 hours at full brightness
• Clip-on filters: red for maintaining night vision, orange for a softer light
• Large 4"x5" acrylic Fresnel magnifier for detail work attaches to light with adjustable clip-on hinge in either vertical or horizontal position  

There are 10 bloggers participating in the Beam N Read Blog Hop and you know that whenever I Have A Notion is involved there are going to be giveaways.  In fact, each blog participating in the blog hop will be giving away a Beam N Read LED6 Hands Free Light at the end of the week!

Here's the blog hop line up:

Monday, June 27
Sew I Quilt  http://sewdollswhosnext.blogspot.com
Amy's Creative Side  http://amyscreativeside.com

Tuesday, June 28
Irish Muses  http://thedote.blogspot.com
Happy Cottage Quilter  http://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com

Wednesday, June 29
Insights From SewCalGal  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com
Jane's Fabric  http://janesfabrics.blogspot.com

Thursday, June 30
Bejeweled Quilts By Barb  http://bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com
Hanging On by a Needle and Thread  http://hangingonbyaneedleandthread.blogspot.com

Friday, July 1
Patsy Thompson Designs  http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/blog
I Have A Notion  http://www.ihaveanotion.blogspot.com

Have fun touring all of the blogs in the hop this week and don't forget to leave a comment on each blog on their designated blog hop day for a chance to win your very own Beam N Read Hands Free Light!

Silent Sunday

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

 Just like a brownie only in the shape of a cookie!

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Granulated sugar for rolling

Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and flour; mix well. Shape into walnut size balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes or until tops are slightly cracked and sides are set.

I Know A Secret

I know a secret.  (I'm terrible at keeping secrets.)  Would you like a little hint?  I Have A Notion is sponsoring the Beam N Read Blog Hop next week and I'm one of the participants!  Hmm...that was more than a little hint, wasn't it?  The hop officially begins next Monday, June 27 and wraps up on Friday, July 1.  Each day different bloggers will be reviewing the Beam N Read Hands Free Light, sharing stitching tips and of course there will be a few giveaways as well. (I told you I was terrible at keeping secrets!)  As long as the secret is out, you may as well go ahead and tell all of your quilty friends about IHAN's Beam N Read Blog Hop...it's going to be a lot of fun!

Just One More

It was a busy weekend that didn't include much sewing, but I did manage to find enough time to make a Mini Amish Bars quilt for a special friend.

Father's Day

6 In 6 Challenge: Week 6

Mission accomplished...and then some!  I have successfully completed my 6 In 6 Challenge by finishing projects that used 7 1/4 yards of stash fabric over the last 6 weeks...1 1/4 yards past my goal!  The reward for completing this challenge was to be a fabric shopping trip, but I realized a few things while working on this challenge.  The main thing being that I have a LOT of fabric and using 7 1/4 yards didn't even make a noticeable dent in my stash.  Do I really need more fabric?  No.  Do I really need a shopping trip and lunch out with my friends? Yes!  I will still make the rounds to a few favorite quilt shops with my quilty friends, but my shopping list will focus on things that I do need, like thread and batting, instead of fabric that I don't need.  I'm willing to bet that I will still have a very good time even if I don't buy fabric!

More Bindings

Putting the binding on a quilt is the part of making a quilt that I look forward to the most, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had neglected to finish the bindings on these two charity quilts!  I'm not quite sure how they were overlooked, but with a couple evenings of hand stitching, these quilts are now completely finished and ready to go off to new homes!

June AAQI Donation

I guess it's no surprise that one of my Mini Amish Bars quilts would be making its way to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative this month, is it?  No doubt you have seen enough photos of these quilts over the past couple of  weeks too, but I had to point out the binding on this one!  Originally this quilt had a teeny tiny pink binding on it because I didn't have enough pink fabric leftover for a normal size binding.  The narrow binding was alright, but I wasn't happy with it after I had it sewn down, so I did a little unstitching.  I thought about trying a single fold binding, but I'm never very happy with my work on those either.  Then I remembered seeing a tutorial for reversible bindings...it turned out to be the perfect solution for my problem!

My Mini Amish Bars Quilt Pattern can be found HERE.

Silent Sunday

6 In 6 Challenge: Week 5

This week I made a knitting needle roll for a friend...another yard of fabric out of the stash!  The tutorial for this knitting needle roll can be found at www.lupinbunny.blogspot.com.

Minis From Scraps And Strings

Just look at all of the Mini Amish Bars quilts that Brenda of Scraps and Strings has made as gifts for a group of ladies from Iran who are visiting her hometown.  Believe it or not, this is just a small sampling of the minis that Brenda has made!  To see the rest of Brenda's Mini Amish Bars quilts, click over to her blog, Scraps and Strings.  While you are there, be sure to take note of her Modern Amish Bars quilt...it's awesome!

My Mini Amish Bars Quilt Pattern can be found HERE.

Rhubarb Dump Cake

More like a crisp than a cake, but it doesn't get much easier or yummier than this!

Rhubarb Dump Cake

1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (between 3 and 4 cups)
1 cup white sugar
1 (3 ounce package) strawberry jell-o
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Spread the rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the baking dish.  Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb, followed by the powdered jell-o mix, and finally the dry cake mix.  Pour the water and melted butter over the top.  Do not stir.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender.

Quilts For Sale!

6442 - Daddy's Ties

6446 - Grandpa's Garden

Last September, as part of the Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild's 2010 Exhibit, guild members were challenged to make Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative donation quilt using part of a necktie.  There were 15 beautiful little quilts entered in the competition and now they are all up for sale at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative website!  The quilts donated through the Ties That Bind Competition are quilts 6441-6454, but you will also find many other Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts for sale as well.  These little art quilts make wonderful gifts and each one sold brings a cure to Alzheimer's Disease a little bit closer.  Visit www.alzquilts.org to view all of the quilts that are up for sale and then pick one out to have for your very own!

Silent Sunday

6 In 6 Challenge: Week 4

By my calculations, I have used 6 1/4 yards of fabric from my stash over the past 4 weeks, but I don't think it should actually count towards my goal until all of the quilts are quilted, bound and finished.  This week I have a 2 3/4 yard finish!

T-Shirt Yarn

I really don't need another fiber addiction, but after seeing several different tutorials and projects using t-shirt yarn and then finding a stained t-shirt or two while sorting through last year's summer clothes I just had to give it a try!  To make the yarn I followed the tutorial at Craft Passion and in just a few minutes I had a beautiful ball of t-shirt yarn!  An old stained t-shirt will now have new life as....something.  Maybe a placemat, hotpad or dishcloth OR maybe I'll cut up a few more t-shirts so I can make a larger project like a rug or a blanket.  Oh, the possibilities...