Siggy Swap

Quite a while back, I signed up to do an international siggy swap on Cootie Bug 2's blog. I've been so busy, I completely forgot about it...until now. Good thing that we don't send in our blocks until April. I'm excited to do this swap...not only because I can use up some of my seemingly never-ending stash, but also because I'll end up with 60 blocks from all over the world - how fun is that! If you want to join in the fun, according to Cootie Bug 2's blog there is still room in Group 2 (I'm in group 1). Just head on over and sign up!

All Aboard!

While watching the Super Bowl last month with my family, I finished binding a quilt. My little nephew, Logan, asked me if that was his blanket I was finishing. I said "no", and then he asked, "Where's my blanket?". So I told him that I could make him a blanket and asked him if he wanted trains or bugs on his blanket. He immediately said trains. So, for his 3rd birthday last Sunday, I made him this train quilt. All of the trains are appliqued, with rick rack for the train tracks and smoke, and buttons for the wheels. I used a pattern called "Precious Cargo" from a Fons & Porter Baby Quilts 2008 magazine that I bought a few months ago. The pattern called for 54 appliqued wheels - I chose to do buttons instead to save time and add a little dimension to the quilt. I even added some fun appliques that I purchased to put in the trains - balls, puppies, and a frog. I also spelled out his name in appliqued letters and added a couple # 3's since he turned three. (Thanks to my dad for holding up the quilt so I could take a picture of it!) I did all of the piecing, applique, backing, binding, and even the quilting by myself. Usually, I send my quilts to the quilter, but I've been wanting to quilt them myself. So, I rented time on my friend Kristin's long-arm machine. It was so fun! Even though it may not have turned out exactly perfect, I'm proud of the fact that I am the only person that worked on this quilt...I did everything myself...and I think it turned out pretty cute! =)
Happy Birthday Logan, with lots of love from your Aunt Anna!!! =)

Draper Utah Temple Open House

A few weeks ago, Rick and I had the opportunity to go with my parents, my sister-in-law, Cheryl, and my little nephew, Logan, to the Draper Utah LDS Temple Open House. What an amazing experience! I'm so glad we went.

The temple is beautiful inside and out. We drove the back way from Utah County to Draper (not I-15) and it was so neat to come around a bend in the road and be able to look down to the valley and see the temple nestled in the mountains. The picture above is scanned in from the pamphlet that they give you to read while you're walking through the temple - it explains about the temple and gives descriptions of areas in the temple.

It was a really neat day. After you arrive at your assigned parking lot, you enter the church building for a few minutes to watch a short video about temples. Then you board a bus that drives you up to the temple. Then you get to go inside and you can't help but feel peaceful and calm. Even though the temple has not been dedicated, I felt the spirit so strong. When you are finished with the open house tour, you are led into the cultural hall of the church next to the temple for refreshments and the opportunity to ask any questions about temples and the LDS church. Then the bus takes you back to your parking lot.

While we were having our refreshments and looking at all of the beautiful pictures of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and reading different things about the temples, I was so overcome with emotion that I had to step out into the hall for a minute. I am just so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am grateful that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and knows me - knows my trials, my strengths, my weaknesses - everything about me. I'm grateful for my (our) Savior, Jesus Christ, and for his willingness to atone for my sins. I know that He lived on this earth and that He still lives. I'm grateful for temples and that families can be together forever, not just in this life, but for all eternity. I'm grateful to be sealed to my parents and to my husband. I know that there is nobody else I'd rather spend all eternity with. I am grateful for the gospel in my life...it helps me to be happy and to get through the rough times.

If you happen to live in Utah, or plan on visiting Utah within the next month, I would encourage you to visit the Draper Utah Temple Open House. Here is a link to the Church's website to get tickets:

http://www.lds.org/temples/openhouseinfo/0,12357,1921-1-590-2,00.html

If you have questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, temples, or what we believe, here is a link to a website that can help to answer your questions:

http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/

I hope that you have the opportunity to attend and feel the peaceful, calm, and loving spirit present there.

Hope you have a great weekend! =)

Another Finish

I have been working on getting my list of quilts on the sidebar finished. Hooray...finally finished the binding on this one, so another one to check off as complete!
This quilt was a block exchange that my quilting group, the Loch Lomond Quilters, did a few years ago. The focus fabric was the dark brown print (from the Nell's Flower Shop line) in the borders. We all had to make a 12" block and pull the colors from that print. You could use the focus fabric if you wanted, but you didn't have to...and you didn't have to use fabrics from that line, but you'll notice that many of us did. If you remember back to our Quilt Show last fall, this is the quilt that has the back that won an award.

Well...time to get working on another finish! Hope you have a great day!