I was just playing around with the templates and thought that I liked this one better!

I have not posted in a few days as it has been busy around here. I have been working alot of hours at work...and trying to keep control of my home. Not to mention all of the work we still need to get done to our house that we hope to move into by Thanksgiving!

Of course I am still working on my attack plan when it comes to cleaning. And I think I am doing pretty good at de-cluttering too! We have a community wide yard sale coming up VERY soon so that has motivated me to get busy getting stuff ready for the yard sale. I have alot of stuff that I have decided that I really don't want anymore. Stuff that we all have and always set back to the side and say "oh well I might use this one day" MIGHT being the keyword there!

Well its almost 11pm and I need to get to sleep! Good Night all....

Never know how to figure out how many quilt squares to purchase for your quilt project?   A common mistake with new quilters is this:  ONE set of 40 4" squares will not make a quilt! 

Instructions for figuring how many squares you will need

1. Figure out the measurements you want for your completed quilt.  For new quilters, drawing a large box on a piece of paper helps!  For these directions lets say that you are making a lap size quilt that is 45x60 inches.

2. Will you be putting a border on your quilt?  Draw another box inside of your beginning box.  If you will be making a quilt with 2 borders, draw another box inside the second box. 

3. Mark your measurements inside each box going vertically and horizontally.  For instance, your first border is 4 inches, your second border is 3 inches.  Most people make the mistake of counting only 7 inches for the border.  BUT, you have 7 inches on both sides which would total 14 inches.  So a quilt that is 45x60 is now 45" minus 14" by 60" minus 14", which leaves 31" x 46" area for your squares.

4. 

5. If you are purchasing 4" squares and use a 1/4 inch seam allowance, you would divide 31" by 3.5 which equals 9 (rounded up) squares across.  Divide 46" by 3.5 which equals 13 (rounded down) squares down.   

6. Multiply the 2 answers 9x13 for a total of 117 4" inch squares.  You would need to purchase 3 packages of 40 4" squares.  After you sew your squares together you add your borders!

7. If you are not using a border you would divide 60" by 3.5 and 45" by 3.5.  That would be 17 squares down by 13 across for a total of 221 squares which is 6 packages of 40 squares with some left over (enough for 2 small 9 patch pillows!)

8. If you are using 5 inch squares, use the above instructions but use 4.5 instead of 3.5 when calculating.  6 inch squares, use 5.

This coming Monday, September 11th, will be the 5th year since 9-11. In show of support for all of those involved I will be haning a flag on the front of my home!

Thank you to all of the men and women who fight for our country so that we may be free.

To all of you yesterday, today and tomorrow!

~Brandi~

This year we decided to send lunches to school with the kids. I am not currently homeschooling the oldest two children, just my youngest one. So with lunch prices jumping up to $1.70 a kid this year we decided to send lunch. Well after getting up every morning and seeming to run late when it comes to getting lunch ready I decided to try something. Freezeing the sandwiches ahead of time! My kids usually eat PB & J or PB & Honey, but also eat bologna and cheese or other lunch meat. Sometimes leftovers and the such as well....just depending on what they want for that day.

So needless to say my experiment is.....Make up one type of sandwich on a Monday morning, pop it in a freezer bag, and take it out at the end of the third day to see how it thaws, how long it takes to thaw, and how it tastes afterwards.

Here is a picture of NIPPY, yep my kids named it, in the freezer on the second day. Nippy is a honey and peanut butter sandwich on white bread. I mixed the peanut butter and honey together because if you put the honey on the bread I figured it would be soggy. One more day and I will post my results!

I was ask if I had a farm.....no...but wish I did. The name Cozy Corners come from my kids! At our new house there is a little landing area at the top of the stairs. We have opened some of it up fora  toy storage area, and we are going to make a place for a large oval rag rug, rocking chair and blankets. This area will be used for story time before bed. I bought a nice wooden rocking chair, and I am still looking for a nice large rug, and I purchase some lovely sunflower/country pictures from Home Interiors to hang on the walls. I also plan on buying some large "country" style curtains to put on the window as well. I drew up a sketch of it and my 4 yr old said "Oh how cozy mommy" and my oldest two noted that it was, and I quote, "a good corner to be in" so therefore came the name Cozy Corners!

I just thought it was cute and unique :) Plus where we currently live, and where are new house is are both on corners!

~Brandi~

If I never saw another dust rag in my life I would be just fine LOL! I have to say working full time outside of my home has been challenging for the last year and a half, and the worse part is how I have slacked on my cleaning. Honestly I have probably only dusted my base boards 2 times since I started work, and oh boy did they need it!!! Thankfully since we are still in our mobile home and not moved into our house yet (I will make a post about that as well) we still have the fake wood type baseboards etc, and its easy to just wipe and go. At our house we will have actuall wood. I am painting all of the trim there mostly so it will be a bit easier I think to manage :) Don't be surprised when I come back in 6 mths complaing about them too though!

Needless to say I have cleaned all of the chair railings and baseboards in all 7 rooms of our mobile home now and they are dust bunnie free!

For now anyway....

Well I have looked high and low at our local wal-mart for long skirts and well I just can't find them. I prefer to wear long skirts, to my ankles, rather than short ones and I tell ya I just don't know where to look. I can't find one that will cover my knees, and some I don't think would cover my bottom.

I just want a few simple jean or denim skirts that are long, so I think I may grab some patterns and try making my own. I have never tried making anything denim before....but theres a first time for everything, right!

Once I get started I will post pictures along the way.

Ok, well I did it, I started a blog!

I have been reading tons of lovely blogs and decided I would "join the crowd" and start one too! I must say I am quite excited actually. This will be my own little journal for all of you to read!

So please sit back and enjoy and be sure to check back often!

~Brandi~