Well, so much for keeping this updated more often. I just don't seem to have time to update as much as I would like. I'm going to try to do better.
Last week I FINISHED my quilt! I still haven't taken pictures of it, but I do LOVE it! Momma, Sumer, Courtney and I all went to the laundromat to wash them and ate potato soup at my house to celebrate. :) I love that it's finished and the boys love to snuggle under it. Now I just wish I had another project to work on. We think our next project is going to be aprons. I'm so proud of myself for actually learning to use a sewing machine and taking the time to FINISH a quilt. Yes, it was an easy quilt pattern but I completed it on my own! I'm sure I'll treasure it forever.
Pictures to come....
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Small update from Belarus!!!
Every year at Christmas there is a small group of people from the ABRO group that travel to Belarus. They leave a few days after Christmas and return after New Years. Before they go they give host families the opportunity to send Christmas Cards and Candy to the children that we host. This year my mother and sisters decide to send the card and candy to Alina. We just got this message (sent to my mother) and a few pictures from Belarus! :)
Dear Gayle,
We have attached two pictures of Alina receiving your card and candy that you sent.
In one picture she is with her Mother. They were very excited to receive them and appreciated your remembering them!
Thank you,
Dear Gayle,
We have attached two pictures of Alina receiving your card and candy that you sent.
In one picture she is with her Mother. They were very excited to receive them and appreciated your remembering them!
Thank you,
Quilting...Day 1
Our first quilting day was yesterday! I was so excited to meet up with my mother and my sisters to get started on our quilts. We spent several hours cutting fabric! LOL I learned how to use a rotary cutter and mat. I'm so glad we had it since it sped up the cutting process. We all left with "homework" to finish cutting our fat quarters before next sunday. We also have to cut our batting before then. I finished up cutting all my fabric last night and I'm excited to get started on the batting! This is the easy part! I haven't been put in front of a sewing machine yet...that's when it will get scary! ;)
Friday, January 14, 2011
My first project of 2011
I'm sure there will be some that will laugh at this post. I really hope I can give you a little entertainment. ;) I do NOT sew. I never have. The last time I had a button that needed to be replaced, I took it to the nice little lady at the dry cleaners for her to sew back on. Now, to take up for myself..it was a pair of denim shorts. But you all get the idea...I don't sew. I've never learned to use a sewing machine and the only kind of sewing I've ever done is simple cross stich.
With that being said...I'm not sure who had the idea, but...my mother, sisters and I have decided to learn to make quilts. Of course, this WASN'T MY idea. But I'm not going to be left out and let them have all the fun (and talk about me while I'm not there). So....we are making quilts. We have decided to meet on Sunday afternoons at one of our houses and work on them for a couple hours at a time. It may take us all year to complete just one, but we will have fun and it will eventually get done.
Momma started the hunt for simple quilt patterns. She came across one called a scrappy rag quilt that looks like it will be pretty easy for us beginners(or most beginners). Here is a link to what it will look like
http://www.e-patternscentral.com/detail.html?prod_id=6357
I went to Hobby Lobby last week while they had fabric on sale 30% off to see if I could find some that I liked. I had in my head that I wanted my quilt to be burgandy to match most of the things in my house. By quickly glancing at the fabrics at Hobby Lobby I really didn't see anything in the colors that I wanted. I had the boys with me so I really couldn't look like I wanted to. I decided to leave and go back at a later time when the boys weren't with me.
I went back to Hobby Lobby today. YAY, the fabric was still on sale! I took my time and looked at all the fabrics. I found a few that I liked (not burgandy)that actually matched each other. I finally found 4 fabrics that looked really well together. They are mostly greens and browns, which will also match most of my house. Now I just had to find another fabric that matched all 4 to use for the binding around the edge of my quilt. The solids weren't the right shade, but I did find a gingham that matched PERFECTLY! So, $67 later...I'm ready to start my quilt on Sunday! The more I look at my fabric the more excited I get about my quilt. Hopefully you won't be able to tell when I'm finished that I know NOTHING about sewing. :)
With that being said...I'm not sure who had the idea, but...my mother, sisters and I have decided to learn to make quilts. Of course, this WASN'T MY idea. But I'm not going to be left out and let them have all the fun (and talk about me while I'm not there). So....we are making quilts. We have decided to meet on Sunday afternoons at one of our houses and work on them for a couple hours at a time. It may take us all year to complete just one, but we will have fun and it will eventually get done.
Momma started the hunt for simple quilt patterns. She came across one called a scrappy rag quilt that looks like it will be pretty easy for us beginners(or most beginners). Here is a link to what it will look like
http://www.e-patternscentral.com/detail.html?prod_id=6357
I went to Hobby Lobby last week while they had fabric on sale 30% off to see if I could find some that I liked. I had in my head that I wanted my quilt to be burgandy to match most of the things in my house. By quickly glancing at the fabrics at Hobby Lobby I really didn't see anything in the colors that I wanted. I had the boys with me so I really couldn't look like I wanted to. I decided to leave and go back at a later time when the boys weren't with me.
I went back to Hobby Lobby today. YAY, the fabric was still on sale! I took my time and looked at all the fabrics. I found a few that I liked (not burgandy)that actually matched each other. I finally found 4 fabrics that looked really well together. They are mostly greens and browns, which will also match most of my house. Now I just had to find another fabric that matched all 4 to use for the binding around the edge of my quilt. The solids weren't the right shade, but I did find a gingham that matched PERFECTLY! So, $67 later...I'm ready to start my quilt on Sunday! The more I look at my fabric the more excited I get about my quilt. Hopefully you won't be able to tell when I'm finished that I know NOTHING about sewing. :)
It's time to start FUNDRAISING!!!
As many of you know Steve and I hosted a child from Belarus last summer for 6 weeks. We want to get our "daughter" back again this summer. Please help us do just that! Our deposit of $1000 is due on March 1st. We have already raise some funds through poinsettia and yankee candle sales, but we have a LONG way to go! We would give just about anything to see Alina's smiling face again this summer!
On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history occurred at Chernobyl in the Soviet Ukraine. The radiation released from the resulting explosion and fire—more than 40 times than at Hiroshima — spread widely and rapidly. No area received more fallout than the small, Eastern European country of Belarus. While Chernobyl has long since disappeared from headlines and newscasts, it is more than a historical footnote. Its effects continue to be recorded in the lives and bodies of the children of Belarus.
The Monroe ABRO Group was formed as a community group to work with the American Belarussian Relief Organization to see that children living in areas contaminated with radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident are assisted in finding a quality of life and hope in the future. It seeks to do so in the following ways:
-By providing clean food, rest and sanctuary in a radiation-free environments
-By offering medical evaluations and treatments as needed
-By recognizing and nurturing the spirit of those it seeks to assist
This summer, our family is teaming up with other families from our community to bring children to the Monroe area for a six-week recovery period. While here, the children will have their medical, dental, and other health needs met as well as receiving love and care from our family.
The cost of bringing a child here for the summer is expected to be about $2,000. It is amazing how these children will arrive here in the states with only the clothes on their backs, but will return home with stronger bodies and a stronger spirit. Would you consider supporting our efforts to improve the lives of these children?
I would welcome your support and assistance financially. You can make a contribution to the financial obligations we have for the program simply by going to www.monroeabro.org and clicking on the Donate button. All contributions are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt from ABRO for your tax records. ABRO is a 501(C)3 Non-Profit Charitable Organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service.
Thank you for the opportunity to share Monroe ABRO and I hope I can count on your support!
Sincerely,
The Efird Family
PLEASE be sure to put our name in the notes when you donate so the Treasurer will know that the money is to go toward Alina and not someone else's child. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!
On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history occurred at Chernobyl in the Soviet Ukraine. The radiation released from the resulting explosion and fire—more than 40 times than at Hiroshima — spread widely and rapidly. No area received more fallout than the small, Eastern European country of Belarus. While Chernobyl has long since disappeared from headlines and newscasts, it is more than a historical footnote. Its effects continue to be recorded in the lives and bodies of the children of Belarus.
The Monroe ABRO Group was formed as a community group to work with the American Belarussian Relief Organization to see that children living in areas contaminated with radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident are assisted in finding a quality of life and hope in the future. It seeks to do so in the following ways:
-By providing clean food, rest and sanctuary in a radiation-free environments
-By offering medical evaluations and treatments as needed
-By recognizing and nurturing the spirit of those it seeks to assist
This summer, our family is teaming up with other families from our community to bring children to the Monroe area for a six-week recovery period. While here, the children will have their medical, dental, and other health needs met as well as receiving love and care from our family.
The cost of bringing a child here for the summer is expected to be about $2,000. It is amazing how these children will arrive here in the states with only the clothes on their backs, but will return home with stronger bodies and a stronger spirit. Would you consider supporting our efforts to improve the lives of these children?
I would welcome your support and assistance financially. You can make a contribution to the financial obligations we have for the program simply by going to www.monroeabro.org and clicking on the Donate button. All contributions are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt from ABRO for your tax records. ABRO is a 501(C)3 Non-Profit Charitable Organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service.
Thank you for the opportunity to share Monroe ABRO and I hope I can count on your support!
Sincerely,
The Efird Family
PLEASE be sure to put our name in the notes when you donate so the Treasurer will know that the money is to go toward Alina and not someone else's child. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!
Friday, January 7, 2011
And I did it again!!!
I made yet another trip to Harris Teeter today! I can't believe how well I did today! I've been grinning from ear to ear ever since I left! I got...6 cans of Chunky Campbells Soup, 1 Simply Lemonade, 2 2000 flushes, 2 electrasol tabs (20count), 3 Biltmore Salad Dressings, 7th Generation Dish Soap, 2 colgate toothpastes and 3 packages of egg noodles...all for...$2.15! WOOHOO!!! It looks like I have a new hobby! heehee
They were out of a few things that I was looking for, and I will try for them again tomorrow!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Super Doubles...take 2!
So I just made my second trip to Harris Teeter. They were out of a lot of the things I wanted and I'm hoping they will restock soon. But...I ended up with...1 box of 20 electrasol tabs, 1 box of weight watchers carrot cake snacks, 1 box of planters nut bars, 2 wheat baggettes, 1 diet pepsi 2 liter (for Steve) and 3 2lb packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts. I didn't take a picture this time...but it was a good haul and I only spent $14.69! :) WOOHOOO!
My total VIC savings this trip : $29.56
Coupons tendered: $37.30
I can't wait to go back tomorrow! :)
My total VIC savings this trip : $29.56
Coupons tendered: $37.30
I can't wait to go back tomorrow! :)
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