Welcome back to Melva Loves Scraps and Back-to-School season... Families across the US are getting children ready to go back to school... teachers are ready to welcome them back (mostly with open arms and excitement) with their plans in place and hopes to make a difference in the lives of those they teach... not just in school topics, but in life lessons and examples shown to them. Remember! Actions speak louder than words.
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| My stock photo of the file holders |
With classes resuming at the local college, I have been in my studio making the tool holders/rolls that I make each semester. I had a limited amount of denim and have only been able to make six this time. I'll be ordering another bolt of denim soon and get more made.
I'll take a look at my local fabric option - walmart - to see if I can find anything... maybe a "bargain bin" find.
I'm afraid I will need to increase the price again, as the cost of the denim continues to increase. :( Thus is the situation for everything lately, right?
Last week, if you missed it, I had two finishes - The aqua Viridian's Chain quilt (with pieced back see that backing here!) had her photo shoot and looked lovely with some of my morning glories.
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| Scrappy Hawaiian |
I also finished the hand quilting on the scrappy red quilt that I made in April. This quilt has a fun corn on the cob backing and would be a fun addition to a Labor Day picnic table.
With a connection to my childhood, the back-to-school season also meant it was time for the Colorado State Fair (which runs through Labor Day Weekend). As a member of a 4-H club, I had several projects qualify for state fair at the local fair. It was quite a big deal! We always made the special trip to Pueblo to be able to see whatever project it may have been, on display. I had a few knitting and crochet projects earn the trip there and actually did quite well. I remember a Reserve Grand Champion ribbon and a Grand Champion ribbon. I had them proudly on display on a bulletin board in my bedroom.
Just the other day, I was looking up information about some of the State Fair events and was pleased to see our littlest grand daughter on their website.
This photo is now 3 years old, and she is still just as darling!
I have rambled enough... I need to get packing. Yep! We are heading out with our 5th-wheel camper. At least 2 nights, maybe 3 and if we are lucky, we'll get our favorite little spot next to the creek.
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Thanks for stopping by! I hope that you will join the Sew & Tell party.
It's open for social media posts as well as blogs.
But before you go... Tell me about a random act of kindness you have extended or been on the receiving end of. How did it impact you?
Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!
Keep Piecing,
Melva
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Those tool holders you make look very handy, Melva! Are they geared toward students taking a certain type of class? I enjoyed seeing your finishes this week, too. The red gingham with corncobs for the backing of the red quilt is fun as can be! Have a fun camping trip!
ReplyDeleteNifty photo of your tool holder rolls! Now, what kind of tools do they hold? And how are they related to back-to-school? Two finishes--congrats!!! I'm a former 4-Her, too and totally relate to your state fair trips!
ReplyDeleteI have often found fabric treasures at the thrift store, or you could look into repurposing clothing--a skirt, pair of jeans, or duvet cover may work for your tool holder.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. My friend had a quote on her classroom door that went something like this: Don’t worry if children don’t listen to what you say, worry that they are watching what you do. So true.
ReplyDeleteI like your tool holders – very handy! Yes, prices need to go up for small businesses to keep up with inflation.
Your corn on the cob backing is so fun and perfect for picnics! The entire quilt is lovely.
Your granddaughter is keeping up a lovely tradition of going to the State Fair!
Glad you are getting to go camping! That is a darling photo of your granddaughter. Offhand I can't think of a random act of kindness other than me complimenting an older lady (although she was probably younger than I am) in the grocery store on her beautiful long hair. It seemed to make her day. When I do things like that, complimenting random strangers, it has a lasting effect on me, maybe even more than the receivers.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many notes of grace . . . I try to be aware (and appreciative) of them. P.S. The corn cob fabric is great!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are able to purchase the material you need for your project at an acceptable cost. Yes, prices are up on everything! Last week, my friend invited me to pick some of her plums off her tree. I picked a bunch thinking that we would eat them fresh. She also gave me three apples off one of her trees. Once home, I realized I had too many to eat before the plums spoiled so I made plum butter. With the apples, I made an apple cake. I shared each with her. She was surprised and delighted to have bounty from her yard returned in a different edible! Her delight made my heart soar.--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteI think there have been many of these to balance the bad stuff that happens.... once I was in Arches Nat'l park, which has a road that winds up up up then back down down down... it was Sunday afternoon nearing closing time, my car stopped, just cut off and wouldn't restart. My boyfriend and I begged people to take us down to the ranger's station. Finally someone trusted us, took us down, the ranger helped us call a tow truck at dinner time on Sunday night in Mormon territory, the man chuckled on the line and said he'd be there in an hour. He drove us back to our car, hooked it up, and took us into town to leave it at the only mechanic. He had never worked on a VW but managed to fix it after a few days.
ReplyDeleteI was living a hallmark movie
LeeAnna
Eeeh another camping trip! I hope you have a wonderful time and I do hope you share some photos as well. We were supposed to go on another camping trip over the weekend, but it got delayed. Wonderful tool rolls that you are making .
ReplyDeleteRandom act of kindness extended to me: On a busy day in the grocery store, the couple in front of me offered to pay for my groceries. Yes really. Behind me was a frazzled couple with children, unloading diapers and baby food etc. onto the belt. I said that I was fully able to pay for my groceries, but could they help the couple behind me? And they did.
ReplyDeleteThose tool holders look so handy. I don't think they'll mind paying more. As you say, everything costs more nowadays. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2025/08/20/wednesday-wait-loss-446
Do you give the tool rolls away?
ReplyDeleteNice tool rolls. Can you use old blue jeans to make them? So many things can be made with recycled blue jeans, that it would be nice if it could be done here. Random act of kindness: Took a young man who we call an “extra grandson” to the store this week, and had him pick out a backpack that I purchased for him. He picked out one with Michael Jordan theme, and really liked it.
ReplyDeleteYour finishes for the week are both grand! I really like that red scrappy Hawaiian quilt. I hope your tool rolls sell quickly for you. Enjoy your camping trip. We were the recipients a while back of a random act of kindness in that we were going through a drive through to pick up a biscuit for breakfast and when we got to the window the man in front of us had paid for our biscuits and even threw in two OJs. We try to pass it on when we are out. Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings.
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely quilt finishes Melva and great tool rolls. I was lucky a couple of years ago at my Guild fundraiser and managed to get some lovely denim pieces; a total of 17 yards for only $10. I had no reason to buy it but I couldn’t resist the deal! Now I just might have found a use for it all thanks to you. Thank you for joking ToDo Tuesday and hosting us at Sew and Tell. Hope you had a lovely camping trip. 😁 Carol
ReplyDeleteHi Melva, those are lovely finishes. Enjoy your holidays and thanks for linking up!
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a nice camping trip! We have been up replacing slide rubber on all five of our slides on our fifth wheel, the same one we lived in for 2 years when we moved to Texas. Hubby also rolled that rubber paint on the roof... Do this every few years so you don't have to replace the roof (major expense).
ReplyDeleteOkay, a random act of kindness: Yes, right after we moved into this house, I went to pick up fast food and went to pay, but the car ahead of me paid for our meal (which was $20, as I remember). I was really touched as we were still reeling from all the movers, not finding all the kitchen goods, etc. :)
Finally, I wanted to say that I love those quilts! What a summer project!! And the tool rolls. My husband sewed something like that back when he was bagpiping with U.C. Riverside Pipe Band maybe 12 years ago. I knew you were a teacher after your first sentences above. ;) It is a love/hate to go back every year as you really enjoy having a big break during the summer, but you need to go back to earn money so you can do it all again next summer, lol! I resigned this past spring (retiring) and now this fall I am feeling ambivalent about missing the kids, however, I am glad to be home again. 18 years for me as a paraprofessional in Special Ed. <3 Anyway, as you already know, I am glad to have featured your post at this week's Share Your Style #466.
Happy Labor Day and I hope your school year goes well!
Barb :)