Baby Kate and something you can do!

Sweet Baby Kate

I love this baby girl and her family.  I attended her funeral last Saturday.  It was sweet and heartbreaking.  I spent a lot of time with my friend and it was really nice.  We cried together and we laughed.  Such a difficult part of life dealing with death.  And no one should ever have to deal with the death of their child.  They are doing well, all things considered.

I know many many of you prayed for Kate.  Many of you follow Amanda on instagram (@rykerandamanada) or on Facebook (Kate Cherrington Conway).  Many donated, sent gifts and cards.  I feel awkward saying thank you as it isn't really my place..but I'm just so grateful for the outpouring of love Amanda and Ryker have received.

Last week I auctioned a quilt on instagram, all the benefits went to the Conways.  Lori from SewPsyched! was the highest bidder.  She has an AWESOME idea I'm very excited about.  Here is her post.  Make sure if you want to participate you MUST go to SewPsyched!.

Quilt by Quilt Story Meg

I am going to sign the back of the quilt with my name and place of residence and a brief message.
Then I am going to send it along to the next person who would like to sign it. And on it will go.
Because Ryker and Amanda lost little baby Kate.  Less than two brief months is all they got with her.  You can read her story here on a Quilt Story's website, and on Instagram under user @rykerandamanda.   
I won this quilt in an Instagram auction to benefit Kate's parents because they had recently lost her and were experiencing devastating hospital bills. They did not know about the auction. They haven't asked for money from anyone.  The only thing that is holding them together right now is their love for each other and  the love of  family and friends.  
You can share in this mother's grief and send her kind words and thoughts by viewing her instagram profile @rykerandamanda .  It is startling, heartrending, incredibly brave. I honestly do not know how to help her other than to show her that she is not ALONE. That there are others out there who understand, or want to, and who care.
Let's try to get as many signatures, from as many places and people as possible. So that when Amanda wraps herself in this beautiful quilt, she will think of her beautiful baby, and know that we are all there thinking of them, too.
It doesn't have to be fancy. Mine's not. I'm not a fancy kinda gal :)

And so, I am starting a Send Along with this quilt. For Kate. For Ryker and Amanda. For us all.


To enter the Send Along:

• Leave a comment on this post with your name.  If you are a no-reply blogger, please email me at givbludplayhocky@gmail.com.
• I will make a list, by country, of folks who would like to sign the quilt.
• I will send the quilt out to the first recipient. I will send them the next recipient's email. You can then exchange addresses, or even get together over coffee. Wouldn't that be nice?
• I will add two fat quarters of some luscious fabric that I would not normally give away.
• Won't you please do the same for the recipient after you? I believe that receiving a thought/gift from another signatee will bring us all together, and also maybe help defray the cost of postage.
• I will pay postage to the first Non-USA recipient, and the return postage to the USA, through Paypal.
• I will post where the quilt is, every time it moves.
• Please take a pic of your message on the quilt, and link it here. If you don't know how to do that, just email it to me, and I will post it for you.
• I am going to include a notebook so that you can record a message for Ryker and Amanda, or thoughts, if you wish to do so.  

Let's all get together and no something kind for a mother who we do not know, but can surely understand.
XXOO!Lori

Thank you Lori!!!!

PS Winners from First Friday Giveaway are HERE.  Check it out to see if you won!!!

Fabric Tuesday, come on over!

Another fabulous week of link-ups and gorgeousness to share!!  Just love doing Fabric Tuesday posts and looking again through all the links!

Here are some favorites from last week:

Herringbone Quilt from Simple Sewendipity

Triangle QAL from Quilt Paradigm

Diamond Delight from Crossquilt

Quilty Fun from Good Golly Ginger

How to Applique from Seasoned Homemaker

Herringbone Quilt (FMQ tips!) from Christa Quilts

Patchwork Peter Rabbit Tutorial from The Crafty Quilter

Tulip Set from Sewing 4 Sophia 

Spring Aprons from HoneyBee Quilt Co

Your Turn!!!

Fabric Tuesday #182

Please link up your recent fabric projects!!

REPOST: Easter Canvas tutorial

REPOST FROM LAST YEAR

Hello! Okay, my camera had some issues, or my computer. I lost a lot of photos. But we are not going to panic. You don't need all the photos for this simple tutorial.  (if you need more photos, you can refer to myValentine's Canvas tutorial. Very similar projects.)

Darling. Frugal. About 1 hour of your time. 

I know Easter is this weekend, but I am going to leave it up for spring. 

All you need is a 16 x 20 canvas. Hobby Lobby or Walmart. Then a 16x20 piece of fabric. I went all springy on mine. Love it. But would love to see someone do it in a more modern print too... Mod Podge, your fabric to the canvas. Press out bubbles.

Print out these link 1  link 2  files on regular 8.5 x 11 paper. Tape them together at the notch (you will see what I mean). Using the bunny template and white wool felt, cut the bunny out. I found that cutting it with a small blade rotary cutter was the way to go with this project.

Then I just used spray adhesive and placed it on the almost dry mod podge fabric layer.

The nice thing about these canvases is they are super light. You can prop them just about anywhere without nail holes. Just a fun spring touch.  Hope you make one too!

And one more bit of spring decor. I lined the back of my hutch with Michael Miller Pillow and Maxfield fabric. So bright! I am going to bring lots of these bright colors into my living room this year. Hope you like!

WIP's and deadlines...

Heather here, It is one of those days when my brain is constantly bothering me with all I have to do, and this is just today:

Walk with friend

Blog post

2 soccer practice

Church  youth groups

emails

invoices

SO MUCH HOUSEWORK

Fed Ex store

Post office

Dinner

Laundry (at least 3 loads)

Run Weston's hand me downs to a neighbor

Phone calls

work on quilt deadlines...

I don't know what to cut out!

I am sure my brain didn't remember all...

What I really need to work on is this fun project. Linen. Lace. Lecien. Love. 

After I knock out a few obligations, I am only going to work on projects I have started, or kid room projects. I feel like I am not balancing all my crafting properly. 

I found these untrimmed HST's in my craft room. Is supposed to be a quilt for Westons room. Over a year ago I started. I have so many projects like this. I just need to get caught up!

Remember a few more of my WIP's...

Man, this post didn't help my stress levels!

I vow that you will see a lot of these getting finished in the next few months!