Project 30 {Donated}

Two more blankets have been donated to my Project 30 for My 30th since my last post:

{Crocheted by my "online" friend, Lisa - go enter her giveaway too!}

{Quilted by Brenda - her first one!}


Thanks Ladies!


***

I've tried twice now to get a hold of the NICU at Abilene Regional to donate the blankets to them. They never called back. So instead of waiting any longer, I decided to just bring them with us to Oklahoma City to donate to the OKC Chapter of Project Linus.

It took three bags to hold all 32 blankets!



The ladies at The Stitching Post, a drop-off point for the blankets, were happy to take them... and pose for a photo for the blog!

I loved the parking signs - "We sell toys for big girls"!

Friends and family who donated blankets, fabric, and money to buy fabric, thank you. From the bottom of my heart. And those who still want to donate, check out the Project Linus website for details on a chapter near you. Families and little ones throughout the OKC area are being blessed and comforted by your generosity. And I just love you all for that.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. ♥

Project 30 {Complete!}

Many, many thanks to my family and friends who have donated blankets to "Project30" - I reached my goal of 30 blankets tonight! My original {untold} goal was to have them all completed and ready to go on October 1. I finished up a couple days later than I really wanted, but since it was just a couple of days, I don't feel too bad!

{Quilt made by Michelley... her first ever!}

{Two blankets made/donated by myself.}

{Two tie blankets that I finally had the time to put together.}

{Number 30... based on the one that started it all.}

I thought it only fitting that blanket number 30 be themed like the one Noah received. I even used some of the fabric that I used in his room.

Also, I've got to say... serging the edges of the quilt before you bind it is a VERY helpful tip! I never would have thought to do it until I read this post, but I'll never go back - this was the simplest {and quickest!} quilt I've ever bound!

And, just to add a little extra charm and to get some extra practice with free motion quilting:

I know that several of you out there are currently working on blankets and quilts to donate - you are still welcome to send them if you like. If you don't want to have to pay for shipping or likely won't be finished soon, please feel free to donate it in honor of Noah and Ellie to your local Project Linus chapter. I'm planning to contact the NICU tomorrow to see if they can {and want} to accept the blankets. If, for whatever reason they cannot, the blankets will be traveling up to Oklahoma on our next trip up and will be donated to the OKC Chapter.

Thanks again, for loving on these children by taking the time to create a blanket. ♥

Project 30 Update

Many, many thanks to those of you who donated to my Project 30 goal. I'm currently four away from the goal and am hoping to reach the goal within the next week or two. Since I'm so close, I thought I would give you all an update on all things "Project 30".

After some serious prayer, I've decided not to open a Project Linus chapter this time around. Not because I don't want to. But because I've got other things that I need to focus on. Like a certain little red-headed boy who loves to sit in my lap and read books. And a certain soon-to-be-one little girl who loves to be chased up and down the hall. Right now, those are the most important things {my friend Ashley had a great post about this very thing}. I still want to open one... I'm just not sure that it's going to be here in Abilene.

Once I reach my 30 blankets goal, I'm planning to contact the local NICU to see if they are interested in taking the blankets, even though it's not through a charity. If they decline, I'll take the blankets to the Oklahoma City Project Linus chapter on our next trip to Oklahoma.

Thank you Friends and Family - for your donations and support. I love that you've given of yourself and in turn, allowed me to give of myself too. ♥

Project 30 Update

I'm only five blankets away from my goal of 30 - so exciting! Here are some of the latest additions:

{Three blankets made by April and her Mom, Cathy, on Make-a-Blanket Weekend and on our craft afternoon.}

{Two blankets made by Sonja on our Make-a-Blanket Weekend.}

{Four [of the five] blankets donated by another college friend, Jamie.}

{The fifth blanket donated by Jamie...}

I took an up-close picture in hopes that someone would be able to help me out with what crochet {I mean, it is crocheted, correct??} stitch that is. It looks like a v-stitch, but not quite. I'm TOTALLY in love with it and want to know what it is so that I can replicate it. Anyone know?

{And, last but not least, my two quilts!}

I have two that need to be tied, one that I need to finish the crocheted edging on, and one that is waiting to be cut and pieced.

30 is so close!

Saturday Fun

I finished up another quilt today for Project 30/Linus. At our Make-a-Blanket weekend, the girls and I were lamenting over how we want to be able to do free motion quilting, but just can't seem to get the hang of it. Girls, I think I figured out part of the problem!

Quilting finger grips. Or gloves {I think I would like that better}.

That, and I set my stitch length to 0... and didn't lower my feed dogs. I didn't do much on this quilt {just the squiggly lines on the inner sashings and the heart}, but I think it's going to be easier than we originally thought... and we definitely need to dedicate a craft night to perfecting it!

I'm hoping to have a real Project 30 update soon... I've got several more blankets that have been donated to show off!

We had a pretty full {and, at times, fun!} day all around - sewing, playing, eating, cleaning cars, playing Wii, mowing the lawn, and of course, some more playing. After I put Ellie down for bed, Noah grabbed his baseball glove, a ball, and a newly discovered baseball hat and proceeded to play baseball in the living room.

We couldn't help but laugh.


And recognize that he is all boy.

Make-A-Blanket Weekend

Today I hosted a Make-A-Blanket Day/Weekend for Project Linus with some amazingly creative friends. {Click here to read more about Project Linus and Project 30.}

We. had. a. blast. All for a good cause.

We sewed.

And quilted.

And ate.

{Thanks for letting me take this pic, April!}

All while the boys and Morgan watched the Little Ones.

{And played lots and lots of Wii.}

We even had a surprise {early} visitor - KK, complete with a new car for Morgan.

{She's not excited or anything.}

By the end of the "work" day, we had five finished blankets to donate to Project Linus, with two more nearly finished and three more waiting to be started. I wish I could say that I finished more than one quilt {my first ever to donate... it only took me two years!}, but between all the dishes and a sick baby... I was just happy to get to dinner!

We topped off the day with dinner out - just for the girls!

And the biggest tip of the hat goes to my dear college friend Sonja - for traveling the farthest and for finishing up two blankets! {Sonja, I'm so glad you were able to make it out. And seriously, Faith, next time, we're dragging you out here if we have to.} I hope we get to do this again soon, Ladies!

Project 30 {Update}

First, I want to say, thank you SO much to those of you who have donated! To date, I've received 12 blankets to donate to Project Linus. I've got supplies to make several more... and a fun weekend of blanketeer-ing planned with some crafty girlfriends.

I've been on the look-out for a quilt rack for a while and, quite literally, the day after I started looking for a tutorial/plans to just build one, Mom found me this one at a garage sale:

{Blankets donated by Katy and Michelle}

I can't wait until Ben paints it for me! {hint, hint ♥}

{Quilts donated by Linda and Chanel}

{Blankets donated by Angie}

{Blankets donated by my Mom}


And, just for kicks, I created a button for those of you who want one! Just grab the code on the right side of the blog. Thanks for donating your talents to Little Ones who need a little extra comfort!

Smiles, A Winner, and Project 30

As I was taking this picture of Ellie, I guess I was saying, "Say cheese! Smile for Mommy!",


because the little boy in the highchair next to me kept saying,

"Cheeze... smmm-mile Dock."


"Tam-rah milk. Cheeeeeze."

"Kick-in, smm-mile! Tam-rah nugget!"

But would Noah smile? Nope. But his milk did. And so did Doc and all three of his chicken nuggets.

***


Congrats are in order for BB, the other winner of the portable paper trimmer! Thanks for donating!! See you Wednesday, Little Seester and I'll give it to you then. It's still not to late to donate to LLS - tomorrow is the last official day of Ben's fundraising campaign before the marathon next weekend!

***

Look what the Mailman brought me today! My first Project 30 blanket for Project Linus! Thank you, thank you Michelley! It looks fabulous and I just know that it's going to bring some peace and comfort to a family who will receive it in the very near future.

I've had several of you ask when the blankets need to be sent in by and I've gone back and edited that in the Project 30 post, but will also mention here that since the chapter application won't be accepted until August, there is no rush. My goal is to have 30 blankets ready to go by October 1, so that if we are able to open a chapter here, we'll already have some blankets to donate. And, if it falls through and we're not able to open a chapter, please note that all the blankets with be donated to the OKC chapter.

P.S. Michelley: Jordan, Joey, Jonathon, Danny and Donnie. Oh yeah, baby! ;) Definitely turning 30!!

Project 30 {for my 30th}

I turn 30 this year. In 30 days, to be exact. And truthfully, I'm not nearly as excited about entering this new decade as I was when I turned 20. For one thing, I can't tell Ben that he's such an Old Man {without being told that I'm an old woman, anyway}. But there are several things that the prospect of turning 30 has made me think about {I still haven't decided if I'm going to just embrace 30 or feign ignorance and stay 29 forever}. One of those things is how I'm reaching out for the Kingdom. How my actions, desires, and behaviors are affecting not only my life, but my children's lives and points of view as well. I want to set an {amazing} example for my children of how I use my talents {double meaning here} for the good and benefit of others. I want them to see that their Mommy was not only giving of herself to them, but to others who need a little extra love or encouragement. Another thing I've been thinking about is how little I really need. I mean, don't get me wrong, I can always think of things that I would like to own, but the reality is, there is little that I actually need.

Enter Project 30 {for my 30th}.

Instead of asking for gifts for myself, I'm asking for your help. My goal is to have 30 {handmade} blankets to donate to Project Linus. But not for just any Project Linus chapter. There are plans underway to open a new Project Linus chapter right here in Abilene in October. {And, if it falls through, the blankets will be donated to the Oklahoma City chapter.} It's a big task, but I'm determined. Project Linus gives blankets to babies and children who are seriously ill in the hospital, usually ones whom are in the NICU or PICU. Noah actually received one while he was in the NICU - hence the reason why Project Linus is so near and dear to my heart.

Want to help by making a blanket?

I would love your help! Project Linus accepts all types of handmade blankets, including sewn, crocheted, knitted, and even "tied" blankets! Please be aware though, that Project Linus has very strict guidelines about the blankets that are donated. You can read the full FAQs about the requirements here, but here is a shortened version of their guidelines: Handmade blankets should be at least 36" x 36", with the preferred size being 45" x 60" {crib size}, made in child friendly colors. Fabric for sewn blankets MUST be 100% cotton {INCLUDING the batting - should the blanket catch on fire for some reason, polyester batting will MELT, not burn} and 100% cotton or acrylic yarn {no wool} for crocheted or knitted blankets. Please remember that these blankets are going to chronically ill children, so blankets that have pet hair or dander, smell strongly of chemicals {including some laundry soaps} or smell of smoke will not be accepted by Project Linus or the hospitals. My goal is to have all 30 blankets ready to go by October 1 - so there's no rush, but feel free to send them at any time.

Want to help, but don't sew, knit, or crochet?

You can still help me reach the goal of giving {at least!} 30 handmade blankets to 30 children. If you know someone who could help by making a blanket, send them the link to this blog post. If you have a blog, please link away {I'm considering making a "button" for this post}. Feel free to repost on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace too!

If you are interested in being involved, please leave me a comment or send me an email letting me know {and I'll get any additional information you need and give you my shipping address} - it doesn't take much to make a blanket, but I promise you this: the parents and children who receive it will be touched forever. I know we have been. And thanks for helping me make this my best birthday ever!