The Quilter Who Gets the Tool Is....

....Starry! See the results for yourself of what random.org churned out...
True Random Number Generator
Result: 4
So...Starry...because I don't have any information on you, please email me at treasuresandtea@gmail.com with your address. If I don't hear from you by August 26 I'll have to choose another, and I don't want to have to not send you one...so please write to me.
Thank you all ladies for participating.

Quilters' Giveaway--Last Day to Sign Up!

This is the last day for all quilters...or those who know a quilter...who might like a chance to win a Mariner's Compass Star tool. International entries are welcome! Just follow this link>>>Sign Up Link>>>to sign up. I draw a name tomorrow!

Strawberry Muffins

Remember all of those strawberries we picked this past summer? I froze many of them. We have several bags of cleaned and processed strawberries ready for winter. Well, I found a great recipe at allrecipes.com for strawberry muffins. With a few modifications, they turned out great. Why wait until winter to try them? To me the test of a good muffin is if it is good, it does not need anything like butter or jam on them (this excludes lemon curd, of course--lemon curd tastes good on everything or just on your finger!). These did not need anything. Yum!
So, here is the recipe...
1\4 cup oil......... 1\2 cup milk
1 egg......... 1\2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder......... 1\2 cup white sugar
1-3\4 cups flour......... 1\2 tsp vanilla
1\4 tsp cinnamon......... 1\2 cup nuts
1 cup chopped strawberries
Oven to 375 degrees. Put paper liners in muffin tin for 8 muffins. In small bowl combine oil, mil, egg and vanilla. Beat lightly. In large bowl mix salt, baking powder, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss in chopped strawberries (mostly thawed if frozen) and stir to coat with flour. Pour in milk mixture and nuts and stir all together. Cook for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Double the recipe for breakfast with a hot cup of tea in the morning1

Music to Make Your Heart Sing

If you like music in any way, you may like this treasury I just completed. It was such fun to assemble. There are amazing artists out there who create such unique things with sheet music...treasury.

"Tea Time Tidbits" Special Posting #8

There is nothing like having a good source to find fresh ideas regarding tea, and my favorite source is Tea Time magazine. There are plenty of pretty tea tables and settings in each issue. There are exquisite recipes including usually at least one new scone recipe per issue. The vendors have beautiful wares on their web sites listed in the market section in the back. And, well, it's just nice to read something that is full of "everything tea." There are tea rooms that are featured. No, I usually won't copy a full high tea feature--complete with the entire menu and setting--but I like to find the little things that I can perhaps do. There may be a pretty napkin holder or place card to copy. There may be a yummy recipe to try out at the next church lunch (done that a time or two!). I may be introduced to a new tea flavor or company to try out. There may be a lovely teapot to dream about having someday. There might be a tidbit of tea etiquette I never knew I should be following. I might simply read a reminder on how important it is to stop rushing around and sit, relax, and enjoy a hot cup of tea in a pretty teacup and saucer. Sometimes I just like to soak in the beauty of the pictures presented just for beauty's sake!

A Heart-felt Treasure

My littlest one came in from outside to give this to me...
...she saw this little pink flower petal in the shape of a heart and had to give it to me! Definitely one of those moments to treasure and cherish.

Eye-Popping Poppies Treasury

Really, truly, I'm NOT addicted to creating treasuries--they are just so fun to do! Yes, I do have a normal life away from the computer and actually DO get away from the computer for large amounts of time. ; ) Whew, now with that said, here is the treasury I just got done creating. Such fun! Here is the link if you'd like to see it up close>>>>treasury.

To All Quilters...a Giveaway!

I have blogged about this before, but I am going to do it again only with a giveaway this time. My sister-in-law, Debby, is a pastor's wife (of my brother) in New Zealand, an avid quilter, a quilt teacher, and an inventer. She invented the "Starwhiz" which is a Mariner's Compass Star tool. Now, I'm not a quilter and know very little about all the in's and out's of quilting, but I do understand that it is hard to draft a perfect, beautiful compass star (some quilters have been quoted as saying they never do this particular pattern due to its difficulty). Well, Debby has invented an easy-to-use tool to help make this pattern easily and correctly. Do visit her website>>>>Quiltfever and especially the gallery if you'd like to see some of her work. The picture above is of her "Starwhiz" page if you'd like to go to it for a better look at the tool and how it works.

Okay, now for the giveaway. I am Debby's U.S. "middleperson" who preps the tools and mails her orders, and I have been given permission to give away one of her tools (you can see a picture of what it looks like above). It is a $19.95 value! What must you do?
1) Leave a comment below for one entry.
2) Blog about the giveaway or leave a link on the sidebar of your blog (you may use the image above) for another entry--but you must leave a separate comment below telling me you've done this, or I'll never know/find you.

Quilters, please pass the word around to fellow quilters! I will draw a name on August 24.

A Little Bit of Gold from My Two Treasures

This rose bush was a birthday present from my two little precious treasures--my two children! Though yellow doesn't go with my outside decor, they picked out this bush for me because the name was "Pot O' Gold", and there was NO WAY I was NOT going to plant it. It looked a bit "sad" for awhile this year--you know the tent caterpillars munching on it, the whole transplanting thing, Japanese Beetles...you know. However, it finally bloomed, and here is my little bit of gold to share with all of you. I didn't know gold could smell so nice. Such treasure indeed!

Wee Little Purse Treasury on Etsy

I had great fun creating another treasury for Etsy. It is the Wee Little Purse treasury featuring, well, the littlest of purses! I really like miniature things and purses and things that are real only in a smaller size...and found some great examples on Etsy. Enjoy!

What Do We Leave Behind?

Dave, a friend of my husband's and mine passed away last week. He was young--only 49--and died of viral encephalitis. We have known him for years, and one thing about him is that he was always willing to help a person out. He was great at working on computers and working on cars, and really helped us (who are somewhat challenged in these areas) numerous times. His willing heart and knowledgeable hands were such a blessing to us. These are such good, positive memories.

It got me thinking about Dorcas in the Bible. This lady had died (and was later raised from the dead by Peter through the power of Jesus Christ), and it says "...this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did....and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them."(Acts 9:36 and 39) What a legacy this lady had! I hope that I do enough good works (no, not to earn my way to heaven which is impossible by the way) but simply so that people remember those things when it is my time to pass on and be with the Lord. It is a reminder to me to not live for myself but for others--to always be willing to help others out. Just like we remember our friend, Dave, for these things.

Also, Dorcas's life is perhaps why I appreciate handmade things. Each thing that is handmade is a little legacy left behind by that person whether they are coats or quilts or brooches or bears. I hope people remember me also by the things I've made for them...and this encourages me to do my best job when I do create and be willing to give often.

Hummingbirds

One of my greatest summer joys is watching the hummingbirds. It is always exciting to await their arrival in May...and sad when they fly south in the fall. They dart each other and squeak and drink deeply from the feeder. They are so tiny and sweet and are such a pleasure.