I am seeing dots on dots.......

     Welcome to the Dots on Dots blog hop.

If your here for the first time. Please hang out and look around some. Here at the Moon. There is quilting, sewing, cooking, baking and lots of loving!!!

The challenge of this hop was to make a quilt block with dots. I love dots!!! 

I knew just what I was going to do. I had been thinking about this block for a while. I had seen something like it before. But I could remember where..... and couldn't find a tutorial. 

Soooooo... I took a shot at it, my way. It is a pretty old school way to do it. But, I am going to share what I came up with. I hope you like it!!!

Here is the 12 inch block I made for the hop.

I call this block "Echo Star". 

I used Michael Miller's TaDot in three colors.

First, I drew it out on my beloved graph paper. 

I have every computer program imaginable for these sorts of things....... But, I always go back to a pencil and paper.

 After I thought I had figured it out.......

  

Away I went. Cutting and piecing.

It really doesn't look like its going to 

work at this point.................

But, Look it does!!!!! Isn't she pretty???

If you want to try one......... Here goes!

Old school...right :)               HST ( half square triangle) 

Cut and piece this.....

Star 1

1~ 2 inch square of print 3

4-~1 1/4 inch  Stripy HST's ( one triangle print 3, and the other triangle is  the solid with a print 2 strip ) 

2~1 1/4 HST's print 2 and print 3  

2~1 1/4 HST's solid and print 3

3~ 1 1/4 inch squares of solid 

1~ 1 1/4 inch square of print 2                                                                                   

Star 2

2~ 2 inch squares of solid

3~ 2 inch squares of print 2

1~ 2 inch square of print 1

2~ 2 inch HST's of print 1 and print 2

4~ 2 inch Stripy HST ( one triangle print 2, and the other triangle is a solid with a print 1 strip ) 

Star 3

3~ 3 /12 inch squares of solid

6~ 3 1/2 inch HST's of solid and print 1

3~ 3 1/2 inch squares of print 1

This is how I made the Stripy HST.

Sew 2 strips of a solid and a print.

Using a square or triangle ruler....Cut triangles lining up the seam in the middle of the triangle (slightly larger than you will need) Cut 2 with the solid on the right and 2 with the solid on the left. Sew the stripy triangle to a whole triangle to make the square you need. Square up to the correct size.

That will give you the 4 you need.

Lay Star 1 out first. The pieces are so small.

  It is on my 6 inch square ruler.

Then lay out Star 2 and 3

Then lay it all together. 

Sew together Star 1 ...Add Star 1 to Star 2. Sew Star 2 together . Then add Star 2 to Star 3 then finish up the block.  Square up and your done :)

What you do with your block is up to you. 

I made a Mini quilt for my desk.

 By adding some black around the block to suit me. 

And I straight line machine quilted it.

I used some more TaDot to bind it.

You see, my desk was a mess!!!!

I do everything at this desk. Work, Blog, Sew and all kinds of other things. I thought, if I made it pretty.....

I would be nicer to it. 

Hmmmmm we'll see.

Better huh?

I used some Wonder-Under and a scrap of dots 

to make my mouse pad pretty too.

I Just traced my mouse pad onto fabric. Ironed the Wonder-Under  to the fabric. Peeled the paper off the back and ironed fabric to the old ugly mousepad. 

Good as new. And pretty too!!

Another thing ....... I am a beverage-aholic.

 I always have something drink in my hand 

(It rarely has alcohol in it silly, I know what your thinking....).

Coffee in the morning. And a iced something in my mason jar for the rest of the day. Right now ,

I am hooked on Starbucks refreshers!!! Lime..Yummmmm

I do love my Mason Jar. But, it does sweat. And it is often on something important. Leaving water rings everywhere. 

So, I made a cozy for my jar!! 

And, a coaster for when my jar is really having a sweat.

What do you think ????

My daughter Brie thought I needed some better pictures, since my office is kinda dark.... I think she just wanted to play outside. So, we went outside and shot these.

My Mason Jar loves the outside......

So did my lil' quilt......

And Brie.... likes the outside very much. 

I hope you all enjoyed my Dots on Dots blog hop post!!!

Please visit the other bloggers in the hop!! 
Here are the bloggers hopping today!!!

September 10th

Cat Patches

Busy Bee Quilts 

Stitch by Stitch

Mary on Lake Pulaski

Just Let Me Quilt

[Amy's] Crafty Shenanigans

PolkaDotClassic

AnnieOak Designs 

Blueberry Moon ( you are here)

Get the list of Bloggers and the schedule by clicking the badge below.

                                           

P.S. If you make one of these blocks, 

I would LOVE to see a picture!!!

Post on my Flickr group Quilt Love

Or Instagram me @myblueberrymoon

Or even email  keithena@theblueberrymoon.com

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Oatmeal in a Jar........

Feeding your kids a healthy breakfast is hard when you have a busy family.  I am always looking for ways NOT to grab the cereal box. When I go to bed at night....I am thinking I will get up early, make pancakes and have a Brady Bunch morning. But instead it's more like, I get up late because someone shut down the alarm, then run through the house screaming..... WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!!! GET UP!!!! And our day begins. Hectic and cold... with bowl of cereal :( 
When the kiddos were little the loved instant oatmeal packets. Now that they are all pretty darn grown up. That lil' packet doesn't do the trick. Plus, those little packets are kind of expensive. 

My solution....... Oatmeal in a jar. 
I love oatmeal....and I love jars!!!
This works out really well. Very filling, pretty healthy and when it is a cold morning they warm up the hands pretty nice too. Perfect for those cool fall mornings that are around the corner.

When I am running really late. I can let them eat in the car on the way. They arrive with full tummies, warm hands and big smiles.


Here is how I do it.

I gathered up some jars, 8 ounce works well for this.  I dug around until I found my jar filling funnel. 

What do you put inside the jars you ask???

I am using Quaker Oats the quick stuff. 
Nuts, raisins, cinnamon, coconut, brown sugar and salt.
If you want the fruit and cream kind....Dried fruit, powdered milk and white sugar. Should do the trick.

Put 1/2 cup oatmeal in a jar (1/3 for littles)
2 T. Coconut
A healthy sprinkling of cinnamon.......

Add few raisins, and a few chopped walnuts
Then a couple teaspoons of Brown sugar depending on how sweet you want it.
And a pinch of sea salt.( Don't skip the salt... It makes all the difference between a great oatmeal or flavorless mush)

 Look at the pretty layers in the jar :)

Screw on some lids and your done. 
Put them away on a shelf for a quick breakfast.
At home or on the go.

When you are ready to eat........

Poor in a 1/2 cup boiling water , give it a good stir. Then screw the lids on tight.
Wait for 5 minutes. 

Then open, stir, eat, be warm and smile.

 I hope you enjoy some oatmeal in a jar.
 Happy Eating!!!

Some quick notes...........

When you use walnuts. 

Try to always give them a quick toast in a frypan. Just put them in a med. hot pan and stir, or toss if your talented like that, until the start to glisten and you can smell them....
This releases the oils and you get such a better flavor.

Vanilla bean brown sugar.......oh yay!!!
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean in a container of brown sugar stir then throw the pod in too.. you will be amazed at the flavor. It is sooooooooo good in coffee. And in anything else you can think of putting it. The brown sugar sucks every bit of oil out of the pod. So in a couple days you will want to discard it.

Linking Here......



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Time to Pony Up......

Back to school means back to doing 3 heads of hair every morning. 

I am not complaining .....At least the Big 3 do their own.

 It was 113 degrees here yesterday. Oh so hot!! 

So, If they don't leave with a pony tail in their hair.......they come home with one for sure.

These are our favorite pony tail ties.

They never break hair. They are really pretty. They work for all ages. And they look really cute when you use several colors.

The girls leave for school with them as bracelets. And come home with them in there hair. So cute!! They are very cheap to make. That way I don't have a cow when they don't come home. My girls loose a lot of hair stuff.........

They also make great gifts for their girlie friends.

Here is how I do it.

Get yourself some "Fold over Elastic". I buy mine from Etsy . (I'll post some sellers below) Scissors, ruler and a lighter or candle.

Cut pieces:

  9 inches for pony holders

20 inches for kid's headbands

22 inches for adult headbands.

     

1. Fold elastic in half

2. Tie in a knot at the end

3. Pull tight

4. Cut ends at a slight angle with very sharp scissors

This is what you should have.

Flare ends slightly like this . Then carefully run ends through a flame quickly. I use a lighter, but a candle will work.( Can't do it and take pic at the same time....sorry) 

This will seal the ends and keep it from fraying.

I made pony ties.

And headbands.

Made a ton!!

I put some on cards for gifts. Next time I think I will use paint chip cards :)

Places I've seen these sold......For way to much.

Here, Here and Here.

Places to buy supplies......For cheap.

Here, Here and Here.

Hope you make some !!!

Happy Hair Dos ....

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