In my Mail..and special delivery too.

Last week I told you about quilt tops that Debbie had sent.  I had said the three of them I was passing on to my friend Doreen who is a driving force in a local Quilts of Valor group.  Well Doreen came by and picked the up…and of course, in typical Doreen style, brought me goodies.

Check them out….It’s a scrap box of Kaffe prints.  YAHOO!!  
She sent these as I always tell of my love of stars and polka dots.  Doreen is so thoughtful.
…and she didn’t forget the kiddos.There were all sorts of goodies for them.

Doreen is so sweet.  She was thrilled to get the donated tops.  Gradually the group she works with is catching up with Quilts of Valor for our county.  In four years or so that they have been working at it, they have done about 100 quilts a year.  Impressive for a small group…right??

The quilts that Doreen picked up will be going to a neighboring county.  All of the counties in Iowa do not have a Quilt of Valor group and Doreen and a friend are working to honor the veterans of other counties as well.  These will be put together and passed along to those veterans.  If anyone wants to make quilt tops that are in patriotic colors, Doreen will happily find the quilts a home.  As always, many hands make light work.

I got packages in the mail too.  This one came from Jan from The Colorful Fabriholic.  I hadn’t read Jan’s before so ended up on a bunny trail checking  it out.  (you all know how goes)  Jan has some beautiful quilts.  She’s a regular blogger too.  It’s hard for me to follow blogs of people who don’t regularly blog.  I’m not saying everyone should blog as much as I do…but something regular like three times a week or so.  Anyway…here is what Jan sent.
…all things cross stitch.  YAHOO!

I’m a big fan on alphabet letters.  I always aspire to do something with letters.  I haven’t yet but you never know.

Kelli was squealing about both of these.  She loves The Prairie Schooler.  I like them too but end up letting Kelli have them.

I’m excited to page through the Create Your Own Chart book.  Creating charts has always intrigued me.  I’m not saying I’m going to it..only that it intrigues me.  So being the book is here, I’ll read it at bed time a night or two.

Thanks so much for thinking of us Jan.

I had Gannon here to help me with mail call on this day.  Isn’t he so cute peeking through the back of the chair?  He’s pulling himself up and walking around furniture.  It will be a bit before he’s walking but he’s getting closer.
My first box came with no name or note so I don’t know who to thank..but thank you!!  There were so many goodies inside.  I think I mislead you a bit when I say there were goodies for the kids…or I say there were goodies for me.  Know that I goodies for the kids I adore as well.

This box had lots of goodies the kids and I are both excited about….

Tatoos, stickers, scissors, a cell phone…all sorts of goodies.

Stationary.  Oh my, check out the little dog cards.  I LOVE them.  The stack on the upper right is all blank cards and stationary.  I will pass those on to Kayla.  When she has guest speakers come to her classroom she has the kids write thank you notes so she’s alway willing to take blank stationary or thank you cards.
Notepads, scrissors..chunky pencils..days of the week cards.  All things that will go in the “play school” bucket.

My favorite thing of the bunch was this below.  The are magnet sheets.  The kids can draw on the front and make their own magnets.  I think they can go through the printer too.  I’m ready to experiment with them.

Thanks so much for the goodies.  I love having paper that the kids can just use and I don’t worry that they only put five scribbles on it.  Paper is always a treat for us all.

The next box did have a note.  Gail sent this box.  Included was her favorite recipe for Chicken, Bacon & Potato soup.  YUM!!  I have bacon in the freezer so this is the perfect recipe.  I can use up yet another thing from the freezer.  (Yes, my freezer challenge is still going on)
The entire box was glorious scraps!!  So many…I love it.  Here I am about midway sorting.  I have reds, batiks, whites, brights, dinosaurs…  
There were some rail fence type leftover blocks that were an odd size.  I cut them down.  They are 4 1/2″ blocks now.  I counted and there are 85 blocks.  I could do a 9 x 9 setting.  That would make a 36″ x 36″ center.

I can add a few borders and have a baby quilt.  That’s the current plan anyway.  I’ll set it by the sewing machine and use it as a leader and ender.  Aren’t the colors in this pretty?  I’m anxious to see it together.

When I was sorting fabric from another box I saw a couple prints that would look good with these.  I pulled them thinking I might be able to make a few more blocks and make the quilt bigger..but that’s as far as I got.  Someday I’ll get to it or pass it on.  At least now the little top has a plan.  That’s always a start so I’m going with it.

That’s my mail this time around.  Thanks everyone who sent or brought goodies.  It always makes me smile to see a package.