Wednesday, March 12, 2014

February FNSI--A Late Report

Yeah it seems perhaps one delay after another with me typing up a report of what I worked on for February's Friday Night Sew-in, but I am trying to be more consistent in actually showing the process of crafting and not just a catalog of all that I have accomplished.  I know for myself that is one of my favorite things about reading blogs, seeing the process.  Now don't get me wrong I enjoy a good round of pictures on a finished project as well!  Some of the items I worked on that night last month you have now seen as finished projects, so please be patient with me!

1. A new Stroller carrier for my daughter's baby stroller (the one that came with broke apart).



2.  An Additional block for the traveling quilt (Rainbow theme)

3.  The body of the dress for the Ruffles Blog Hop (Ruffles came later):


*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Think Ruffles Hop-Sixth Day


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The Traveling Quilt & More

I have been a little bit sporadic the past few weeks on my postings, my responses and there also seemed to be an issue with some of my posts publishing  Our household had it's very first occurrence where I did not get sick but the rest of my family caught the flu; baby girl caught that & the croup.  I was happy to get my post up this past week for my day on the blog hop *\0/*, but I still have yet to post what I was working on for FNSI 2 weeks ago. Please check back to see that post, later today I will be able to add pictures.  It is just a little bit early to be sneaking into baby girl's room to snap a picture of one of the items.

The Traveling Quilt
I have joined up with a small group of people for us to have our quilt blocks go on a journey.  I have a slight obsession with rainbowy things so that is where my inspiration pieces start.



For my quilt I have asked the people in our group to just make rainbow blocks of different sizes.  I want to to then join them together myself with some extra fabric I have on order because I want to send this quilt to someone to quilt for me!  It will be the first quilt I have ever done so, but this quilt will be for my own bed so it will be worth the extra money.  I just could not ever come up with a color plan for my own bed that would work until I made my rainbow trip around the world quilt for the Kona Hop that is a wall hanging in my bedroom [post HERE].

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Think Ruffles Hop-Fifth Day

Monday, March 10, 2014

Stash Report 2014-Week 10

Please look for an update photo of my stash next week

Used This Week:  -1.5 yards
Used Year To Date:   -15.25 yards
Given Year To Date:   -3 yards
Added this week:  +0 yards
Added Year To Date:  +14.75 yards

Net Used/Given For 2014:  -6 yards


**These totals include all completed projects; BOM's themselves are not counted in this total until the project is completed. Any fabric brought into the home, used in a completed project or given away is counted, even if it is not purchased.

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Think Ruffles Hop-Fourth Day


Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Crimson Path of Honor: A Book Review

By M.B. Tosi
Published by WestBow Press

Book Description:

In The Crimson Path of Honor, bestselling author of The Indian Path Series, M.B. Tosi, has penned a historical novel filled to the brim with high emotion, irresistible wit and authentic realism. In this, the third book in her beloved series, the Civil War is over, and a violent period known as the Indian Wars is erupting. Ignoring the danger, a feisty young woman from Boston rebels against her tyrannical father’s plans to marry her off to a family friend and seizes an opportunity to go west to teach. On the way to the Oregon Territory, her stagecoach is attacked, and she is captured by a marauding band of Lakota (Sioux) Indians who call the Rocky Mountains home. Accepting her perilous situation, the young woman courageously confronts the daily hardships inherent in early Native American life, but will her growing feelings for her captors begin to outweigh her allegiance to her past life?
This book has some violence relating to the Indian Wars in the 1860s.

My Thoughts:

I love reading about Native American history, in part because of my own Native heritage.  I think that is why perhaps this book made me a bit irritated and slightly crazy. First of all, I understand wanting to show a difference in cultures, but I feel that the author made the main girl in the book like a bratty modern American Teenager, not a young lady from a wealthy family in Boston in 1870's.  The voice is all wrong if they were going for a historical figure.   Secondly, I felt that the addition of spiritual matters was tacked on somehow to try to make me suddenly like this main character.  I wanted to try to like the main character when this line of plot was added about 67% the way through the book, but ti just seemed so out of character for her that it was unbelievable.  In conclusion, I felt the use of modern phrases and the historical segments that read like it was copied from a 1960's Edition of the encyclopedia Britannica made it a book I cannot recommend.

If you are looking for a more authentic historical fiction book series to read that involves the different Native Cultures, I would suggest you look at Stephanie Grace Whitson.

Thanks for stopping by to read my thoughts.

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

I'm Thinking About Ruffles!

Welcome to day One of the Think Ruffles Blog Hop!  There are many very talented crafters who will be taking part for this hop, I am anticipating many clever items will be shared.  The line up for today includes the following blogs:


Sparrow In Flight (you are here)

I was so excited when this particular blog was announced as I believe this themes was something I could definitely tackle.  My daughter loves everything to be festooned with ruffles, shiny bits, pink and obtain perfect twirl-ability.  I decided I would go with a dress for this venture.





This fabric was purchased last year for Miss Z's First birthday dress after I successfully completely her first Christmas dress (HERE).  She has certainly grown since then, so I set out to make her an Easter Dress, salvaging some of the pieces I had begun!  I adapted this dress from The Cottage Mama's Party Dress pattern (free tutorial found HERE).  The changes that I made from the original was to lengthen the skirt, add the ruffles, and use snaps instead of the loop button closures.  I also added a little bit more fabric in the skirt width to allow for more twirling, which is a favorite activity in our household.

Thank you so much for stopping by on my stop on this Blog hop, please take the time to check out the other projects being featured today at the links at the top of this post!

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna

Monday, March 3, 2014

Kevin & QOVF

Click Icon to go to QOVF site
During the Celtic Solstice Mystery this year I ended up meeting Kevin in the Facebook group devoted to the mystery quilt-making.  Yesterday on Kevin The Quilter, Kevin announced a wonderful Quilt Block drive that is to benefit the Quilts of Valor Foundation.  I am simply amazed by all those who have made quilts for QOVF and in turn they have reached out to People who have been affected by war, those wounded and those left behind.  I actually first heard about this group from all the beautiful quilts that Kevin has made, each one made to be given away.  Kevin is asking each one of us to consider making a few blocks from his directions so that more people might be touched by these honoring quilts.  As an incentive there is also to be a drawing for a prize.  You can find the directions and more information on Kevin's post HERE!  You also have to check out his finished Celtic Solstice Quilt HERE, it is simply a thing of beauty!

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Crispen Point: An Audible Review


Publisher's Description:
Charlotte is a successful romance novelist who escapes city life and moves to the small town of Crispens Point in Blackberry County. She immediately connects with some of the quirky but friendly residents and begins to feel at home right away. When a friend invites her to attend a local community church, Charlotte is attracted to the pastor, but refuses to acknowledge that attraction because of some dark things in her past.
What is the mysterious thing in Charlotte's past that seems to dominate everything? Is it enough to keep her from ever finding a lasting relationship?

My Thoughts:
I listened to the 2nd book before listening to this, the first book in a series.  First off, I can say that though they have characters in common, I think they each stand alone rather well.  From the very beginning of the book, I liked and understood the Character of Charlotte.  I also liked the secondary characters, I thought they were written with real flaws and brought humor with out being ridiculous in their descriptions, words and/or actions.  Thinking back to myself as a single woman (almost 10 years ago) in a Christian environment, I remember the struggle in my attraction to a Young man.  In such a culture, you feel as though everyone is not only watching you, but judging you as well.  The way the Author wrote of this struggle felt very real to me.  I think that perhaps if you do not live in a Christian culture you might not understand that bit in the book.  I have to say that I would recommend not only this book, but this author has very much pleased me. I definitely believe that this book has the quality in it that would have me re-reading or in this case re-listening to it all over again!

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna
PS- You can find the Audiobook version HERE if you are interested in picking up a copy yourself!  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author, but I volunteered to do a review of the audible book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”