Sunshine Challenge blocks

A couple of yrs ago (2008 I think it was) I issued a challenge to everyone that was a part of the Sunshine Quilts yahoo list............the challenge consisted of those who wanted to 'play' taking one (or more) of a bunch of FQ's that I had inherited from a quilting friend after she passed away. They were then to take the fabric and make 9" finished blocks and send the blocks to me. I would then put the blocks together into finished quilt tops. The tops would then be donated to Sunshine and would go to kids around the world.

Well with all of the turmoil of the past couple of yrs, I'm just now getting the blocks put together into tops. So far I've used 35 blocks out of the 123 that I received. Pics below are of the 4 tops that I've finished so far............. Blocks used in the quilts below came from Susan N. and Lori A.

Gratitudes -

1. for the meds that are sorta controlling my allergies............
2. for open enrollment that will enable me to have at least some health insurance

More quilts from Terry's legacy of scraps

Last year I inherited oodles of scraps from a friend who was a part of one of my online quilt groups. It has been my pleasure to make quilts from those scraps that are being donated to a couple of different groups in her honor. Over the last couple of weeks I've finished up quilt tops from the strings she had collected and from a whole bunch of 2" squares that she had saved. Pics of these quilts are below -

n addition, knowing that I won't have as much time to sew & quilt once I'm in school this fall, I've started working on Christmas gifts for this year. And have finished up three of them so far. Below are teasers of what I've been working on. =) Have fabric for three more and will be working on them next.....

Gratitudes -

1. for the gift of quilting friends

2. for the gift of being able to bless others through the quilts that I send to sunshine and American Heroes.

Making progress on UFO's

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have oodles of blocks that I've gotten through the various swaps that I've been in. One of my goals for this year has been to work on getting these blocks into quilt tops. Some of the tops I'm keeping for when I need a gift and will eventually be finished off. Some of them are being sent to groups that I support and others will actually quilt the tops that I finish.

Yesterday I finished putting together a top with a set of heart blocks from one of the many swaps that I've been in and 4 flower blocks in the same colors from a second swap that I'd been in several yrs after the heart block swap. Sashing and border fabric came from my stash. I've kept the remaining border fabric with the top for use as binding when I do get around to quilting this quilt.

Now onto my next project......swap blocks for a swap that is due in June.....

Gratitudes:
1. Things are progressing for the alternative teaching certification program/fellowship and my move to IN.

2. That I know I can rest in complete faith and trust in God, knowing that He will supply all of my needs for the first yr in IN - no matter how bleak things look at the moment.

Finally celebrating.....

Finally I can celebrate some great new career-wise......I'd forgotten what it was like to have good news that I couldn't share with all that I know.....boy was I getting antsy. =)

In December of last year I applied to two different alternative teacher certification programs - one in Phoenix and one in Indiana. I interviewed for the Phoenix program in January and the IN program in February. Found out quickly that I was not selected for the Phoenix program. Found out the middle of April that I was being offered a spot in the IN program, but could not say anything until the official announcement about who had been selected for the program had been made.

The program in IN is actually a fellowship that will enable me to earn a Master's Degree of Technology in Education as I prepare to teach technology in a high needs rural school in Northern IN. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is the foundation that is the group that has offered me the fellowship. I will be attending Purdue University starting in the Fall 2010 semester for two years (content knowledge development, "how-to teach technology coursework, and student teaching) and then will spend at least 3 yrs teaching in Indiana. But since I hope to not have to make another career change I hope that continues for many more yrs after that. I will be teaching on the secondary level (high school or jr high).

Do not know when I'll be moving to IN because there are still lots of decisions to make and lots of info that I need before doing so.


Gratitudes:
1. For God's perfect provision of all I need in His perfect timing.
2. For the opportunity found in the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship.
3. For the way that God is already providing for my needs in this next phase of my life.