Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Three Years, 250 Posts and a Giveaway


Yes, this is going to be the giveaway prize,
but first you have to suffer though some rambling and self introspection.  :)
Just keep scrolling down and down and down.
This is my 250th post!  And my first post was three years ago this month so it is time to celebrate with a giveaway!.    It seems bizarre that five years ago I didn't even know there were such things as quilting blogs and now, for better or worse, this blog and other quilt blogs are a significant part of my life.  I have spent a lot of time recently wondering if I am putting too much time into this quilting/blog thing.  Am a keeping a good family/quilt balance?  Am I driving my husband nuts with all the fabric strewn all over the house?  ;)

As I put together this post I realized the highlights of my blogging journey were when I was sharing and teaching.  I like to teach.  I love teaching "live" classes and I enjoy blogging and sharing how I make stuff.  It is extremely rewarding for me to have someone make something I wrote a tutorial for or say in a comment that they learned something.  I believe that teaching, sharing and connecting with others is a worthy thing, so I will keep piling fabric around the house.  :)

Humor me for a moment as we go on a trip down memory lane...


About 5 months after my first post I wrote my first tutorial for the Diamond Quilt.  I love the Diamond Quilt and I am currently using the tutorial to make a tree skirt.  (I've got to get sewing!)


A year later, I did several tutorials for The Moda Bake Shop.  (Amish Braid, Simple Drawstring Bag, Charming Christmas Ornaments and a Reversible Child's Apron.)  In the same spirit of sharing I wrote a post about the experience of becoming a "Moda Chef."  I had been pretty clueless/intimidated about the process and hoped by posting about my experience other people would feel more comfortable taking the plunge and applying to be a chef.


The most significant thing I have done on this blog is host the We Can Do It! Skill Builder Sampler.  Over a year of quilt block tutorials - 36 in all!  I have to admit that there were some weeks I thought "why am I doing this?" but it was totally worth it.  I learned Tons and I loved seeing everyone's blocks on our flicker group.   And the group is still active!  There are some people who recently found the sampler and are posting pictures of their blocks.  Yea!!


Blogging is all about sharing something you love with others who have the same passion.  Thank you so much for reading!  I love this space and the quilting community!

So at last, to celebrate 3 years and 250 posts I would like to share 10 fat quarters of some of my favorite prints - a rainbow assortment and some neutrals.  I even threw in some brown, a nod to Alison and her tireless promotion of brown.  ;)

  1. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment.
  2. If you follow the blog (thank you!), leave a second comment suggesting a good recipe.  I have been in a cooking rut recently.  I have a ton of ground pork/sausage in my freezer.  Any ideas?
I will ship anywhere and will pick a winner a week from today on the 6th of November.
Thanks again!

Giveaway Closed....

Follow on Bloglovin

127 comments:

  1. Aw, congrats to you! I'm a crap cook so no recipes to offer :

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  2. Congratulations and thanks for a great giveaway.

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  3. Congratulations! I loved the Skill Builder tutorials, and I've enjoyed seeing your blog grow since then.

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  4. I made Bonnie's tortilla soup for a crowd, and it was a big hit. I think it would be very tasty with ground pork. http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/10/tortilla-soup-crock-pot-style.html

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  5. time flies, it doesn't seem that long ago since I found your blog and started reading it. Have a look at
    http://www.jamieoliver.com/ there are a ton of recipes on there, plenty of inspiration, you are not the only one in a cooking rut, I have been reduced to crackers and cheese and cut up raw vegetables for our evening meal, lucky for me my husband loves it :)

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  6. Congrats on three years! I found you through the Skill Builder Sampler, and immediately subscribed in a reader. Haven't done a single block yet though. :( Maybe after the holidays!

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  7. Congratulations on a successful blog run thus far. I still think I want to do the Skill Builder someday. Just been so busy with life with 3 littles, it's gonna have to wait a bit longer!

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  8. I wish I had a great recipe to impart. I should ask my husband. He is the one who does the majority of the cooking around here! I make homemade pizza. That's my thing. So if it was up to me, I would mix that sausage with some Italian spices and throw it on a pizza. :)

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  9. Congrats! I for one am very grateful that you discovered quilt blogs, etc!

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  10. P.S. faithful follower via Feedly

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  11. Congrats on 3 yrs and 250 posts! Here's to many, many more :)

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  12. I follow on bloglovin. I love potstickers with the pork sausage, you can even make them in a huge batch and they freeze perfectly for quick appetizers.

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  13. Well congrats on all you've accomplished - very cool!

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  14. yes I'm a follower. About that recipe - how about a yummy sausage zucchini quiche?? I have a recipe somewhere if you want it....

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  15. Congratulations on 3 years and 250 post :)

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  16. We like this at our house! http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/potato-sausage-casserole Thanks for the chance to win!

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  17. Congrats on 250! And, thank you for the skill builder. I, too, learned tons!

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  18. If you like kale, we make a stew with kale, sausage, and white beans.

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  19. Congrats on your milestone! Thanks for a chance to win these beautiful fabrics.

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  20. What a great bundle! I learned so much from the sampler and had a blast trying new things. If nothing else I had no idea you could just make the hst a touch bigger and trim to perfection. It seems like a small thing but has huge results!

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  21. Of course I'm a follower but I can't really help on the recipe front. Deann puts ground sausage in her lasagna and it is fabulous.

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  22. What a great bundle! I learned so much from the sampler and had a blast trying new things. If nothing else I had no idea you could just make the hst a touch bigger and trim to perfection. It seems like a small thing but has huge results!

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  23. I think you deserve a round of applause for passing along so much information. Sincerely, Paula K.

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  24. I think you deserve a round of applause for passing along so much information. Sincerely, Paula K.

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  25. Congratulations on 3 years. I love reading your blog. Happy quilting.

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  26. Happy blogversary!
    Keep going, I love your tutorials & info?

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  27. That should've been an exclamation mark!
    The other day I made pasta (spaghetti) with (cooked) pumpkin + young (soft) (goat's) cheese as a sauce and it was delicious!

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  28. Congratulations. Isn't the quilting blog journey amazing: the things you learn, the people you meet. Suddenly the world is a much smaller place

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  29. Well done on three years - what an accomplishment! I follow through Google Friend Connect. I like brown fabric - it is so useful when I make trees and birds on branches and floors in art quilts. Don't underestimate brown people!

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  30. I love eating more than I love cooking but BAKING is my favourite thing to do besides sewing! Here is a link to the alfredo I made last night. I added prawns/shrimp to it and used fresh pasta - yum!http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Alfredo-Sauce-2/

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  31. congratulations! I am so glad to have found your blog during the skill builder sampler. I know exactly what you mean about the blog/life balance thing. It's really difficult sometimes :-/

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  32. 'gefeliciteerd' as we say in Dutch on your anniversary!!!

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  33. Congratulations on 3 years!I'm your happy follower!!

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  34. Sausages and potatoes all cooked in the oven..simple and fast!!

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  35. Hi neighbor, I am from Omaha. I would make a leftover boiled potatoes, sausage, onion, red peppers and a bit of cheese omelet.

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  36. I am a follower and just enjoy your blog.

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  37. What lovely colours! Days at work when the 'Sewn' email creeps into my inbox are magic. I always have to sneek a quick peak before getting back to something work-related. You are a gem, and I look forward to the next three years. And one day I too will build my skills a little more... JJ

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  38. I'm not full of ideas for pork, but an easy food around here is opening a can of white beans, mashing them up roughly, throwing in some pepper, lemon juice and crushed garlic and maybe a handful of cheese on top and chucking it all in the oven to roast a little. Surprisingly yummy! JJ

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  39. Congrats on all of your wonderful posts and sewing. Hope you are celebrating with cake too. Thanks for a lovely giveaway.
    ks(dot)eyles(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

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  40. love reading your blog, think I came across it when you started the skills builder, which I never did but loved reading about.

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  41. I follow with Bloglovin. How about a sausage plait, it is a little like a giant sausage roll. Roll out a large rectangle of puff pastry, put about a pound of sausage mixed with onions and herbs down the center, then a layer of halved hard boiled eggs, cut the pastry at each side into diagonal strips then overlap to forma plait, brush with milk then bake for 30 mins in a hot oven. This is great with baked potatoes and salad.
    ks(dot)eyles(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

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  42. I usually just look on Pinterest for recipes. I have made the Mexican tortilla soup and the loaded baked potato soup from Pinterest. Thanks for the chance

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  43. Congratulations on 3 years & 250 posts. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  44. Congratulations. I enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for sharing your amazing talents with little ole me.

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  45. I follow your blog by e-mail. I use zip list for finding recipes. Our favorite this week was a turkey grilled cheese sandwich. Take two slices of bread, spread butter on outside. On inside layer one slice pepper jack cheese, turkey breast slice, tomato slice, another pepper jack slice and a scoop of cartelized onions and top with other slice of bread. Fry until toasty. Yummy!

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  46. Isn't it awesome when you realize what you love. I have enjoyed your blog.

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  47. I follow you on bloglovin. For the recipe, mix the ground meat with some onion finely diced, season with salt, pepper, some parsil or rosemary, just your choice. Then put this mixture in a silicon plum cake mold, put in the oven for about 1 hour and then you have a meat loaf, you can eat it cold or warm with some salad.

    Greetings from Spain

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  48. Truly an inspiring story!!! Thanks for all your inspiration given and tutorials! Congrats!

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  49. what would i do with ground pork: egg rolls, Natchitoches meat pies. (they are meat pies with cajun spice), Tamales, spice it with italian seasoning and put it in spaghetti or baked ziti, breakfast of course, stuffed cabbage, add it to meatloaf.... lol or i would google it and see what came up that inspired me! I cook like i quilt, i never have a recipe or pattern and i usually throw out the original plan half way thru the process!

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  50. Whoops if course naturally I follow :)

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  51. I follow your blog. I'm wondering if the pork/sausage is breakfast sausage? If so, you could make a breakfast casserole...those are very nice on the weekend. Hashbrowns lining the bottom of the pan, cooked sausage, shredded cheese, mix some eggs with salt, pepper, and a dollop of mustard, and pour over top...cover with foil and cook until set in the middle at about 350 degrees.

    Thanks for a lovely giveaway.

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  52. *I* found you via the sampler! And started following in the hopes that one day I would actually *do* the sampler :)... Congrats on a blog milestone!

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  53. congrats on 3 yrs & 250 posts! those are beautiful fabrics :)

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  54. I'm a follower! :) I would suggest you look up a recipe for Canadian Meat Pie for that ground pork

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  55. I am a follower. Sounds like you have the beginnigs of a great pasta sauce!

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  56. Congratulations! I'm new here and to quilting so I'm glad I found your Skill Builder Sampler. Thank you!

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  57. The falling tree still makes me laugh.

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  58. Use peppers, onions, garlic, ground sausage, mushrooms and marinara to make a sauce and put it inside a pizza dough pocket as a stromboli.

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  59. I really love your blog and the way you write it, you'd like to ask you to never stop! ;-)
    Congratulations!

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  60. I really love your blog and the way you write it, you'd like to ask you to never stop! ;-)
    Congratulations!

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  61. Congratulations, I love your blog! Thanks for the giveway.

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  62. Congratulations, love your blog :)

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  63. Congrats on your blog. Love to read it, very inspiring. I don't cook very much and can't offer any help with a recipe as it seems I am in a permanent cooking rut.
    Shawn

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  64. Cook it scrabbled us, all happy in a pan with some onions and garlic, salt and pepper. Drain and set aside. Clean pan - scramble eggs. Stir back in the meat. Excellent breakfast and hearty! Thank you for all you do for us.

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  65. Congratulations!! Looking forward to our future ;-). ...and I'm a vege...so don't have suggestions for your extra food stash....just your fabric stash! :-)

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  66. Congratulations, pretty diamond quilt. 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  67. Follow on bloglovin. Sorry no recipe - use it in tacos. 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  68. I started watching your blog while you were doing the Skill Builder series and have enjoyed it ever since. Congratulations!

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  69. Congrats on three years! As for recipes for ground sausage, here's a good one for beans: brown the sausage, put it in the crockpot with two cans of baked beans, lima beans, and great northern beans, as well as a packet of taco seasoning and some salsa. Cook on low all day. They're like chili ... good for a meal or a side.

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  70. Congrats on your blog anniversary!

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  71. I follow through Bloglovin' I would suggest a pork meatloaf, 1 lb ground meat, 1 box stove top stuffing, 1 egg, 1 cup water. I've found it works great with all kinds of meat. Mix all together and put in a baking dish. Cook on 350 for 45 min.

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  72. I have enjoyed your block tutorials very much; thanks for doing them!

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  73. Thanks for the great give away. 250 posts, whoo-hoo!

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  74. I follow yur blog. Not too sure I can help with a recipe for the ground pork except to add it half and half with ground beef in meatloaf. It adds great flavor!

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  75. Never miss your posts and love seeing your creativity at work!
    Sausage gravy on biscuits sprang to mind first, but the gravy is also good on potatoes or rice. I used to make a casserole with sausage, celery, onion, and grated carrot in the bottom, then add uncooked rice and top with an appropriate amount of water/broth. Start it before church in a slow oven or perhaps crockpot and come home to a finished meal. Ground pork is so good in meatballs or Mexican dishes. Fun to think of all you might use it for.

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  76. I'm always in for a giveaway! And happy 250 post day!

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  77. I follow you (email). Recipe....one of my "go-to" dinners is to Stir Fry Rice: stir fry any and all veggies in the fridge. Remove from wok. Stir fry some meat (ground pork will work great). Return the veggies to the wok with the pork. Add some left over rice. When that is all nice and hot, make a well in the center and add 2-4 eggs (depends on the number of people you're serving). Let the eggs cook until they are about half done, and then stir the entire mess together. Add some soya sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. Serve. Delicious!

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  78. Awesome giveaway!! I didn't realize until just now that you were the brains behind the We Can Do It skill sampler. Good for you!!! I am going to go check it out. =D

    Ummm...I don't cook, so I am no help there. ;)

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  79. Redraw if you get my number...just wanted to leave you some recipe ideas. Sausage casserole with different beans and pulses and a tin of canned tomatoes in a slow cooker is all good. Ground beef: cottage pie, chilli con crane and spaghetti bolognaise are all regulars in our household and googable

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  80. Hello...hadn't finished my comment as wanted to add you are a lovely person to have out there in quilty blog land :-)

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  81. Beautiful fabric! Thanks for the opportunity!

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  82. ooh, congrats and lovely stash giveaway! thanks

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  83. what about a bolognese, or this: http://food52.com/recipes/21096-lentil-and-sausage-soup-with-kale

    thanks for the giveaway!

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  84. I love the colors. Thank you for the opportunity.

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  85. Love your blog. Just started quilting and am wanting to learn as much as I can. Yours and other blogs have been my sole teacher. Love the internet!! Thank you, CB

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  86. Congrats on continuity! It is a real accomplishment to keep on blogging, and I appreciate the chance to learn new things!

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  87. I follow you with feedly. When we have ground pork, we add it to spaghetti sauce to give it a little spice.

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  88. I follow your blog, but cannot think of a good recipe, so I will just enter once.

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  89. I am a follower :)

    Sausage soup- so many ways to add your own touches to change it to fit your family likes
    http://ourhalfdozenhome.blogspot.com/2012/02/tasty-tuesday-sausage-soup.html

    The base is:
    Package of your favorite Sausage (I use italian or sage or whats on sale)
    1/2 onion diced
    2 garlic cloves diced
    Broth (I use chicken but beef or veggie can work too)

    Once you brown up and get boiling you then add what you like, spinach, pasta, rice, or just clean out the fridge!

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  90. I enjoy reading yours and other's blogs. I told my husband it was like going to school as I get ideas and learn new things. Of course he says I have to live to 150 to use all my fabric and all the ideas that I have printed out:) Nancy: rangerer@sbcglobal.net

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  91. I am a follower. But sorry, don't have a recipe in mind right now. Nancy: rangerer@sbcglobal.net

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  92. Congratulations on 3 years and 250 posts! I'm sure time flies faster than you think! That's a beautiful rainbow of fabrics you've put together!

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  93. Congratulations! I really enjoy your blog and all of it's quilty goodness.

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  94. I am a follower. I have been following your blog for quite a while now. At this time of year I love to make chili and soup. We also love Italian food, which is great for sausage. My husband also makes Spicy Pork Noodles with ground pork. So yummy!

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  95. This is a lovely rainbow and I'd love to win it. Sorry, no recipe, but I'm more of a quilter than a cook!

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  96. Congratulations! Great blog, beautiful bundle :) May you have many more happy posts..

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  97. I follow you. Congrats on 3 years!

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  98. My favorite things to make with ground pork are crockpot chili, spaghetti sauce, sloppy joes. Walmart sells a white gravy mix in a bottle, and we've used it with pork sausage for gravy on biscuits or mashed potatoes. Could also make chicken fried pork chops with gravy. It's helped our supper doldrums.

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  99. Thank you so much for the giveaway! That's a pretty combination you have there!

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  100. I have been a follower for awhile and, I don't have any specific recipes, but I like to make potstickers when I have ground pork or turkey and don't know what to do with them at the moment. In fact I'm planning on picking up ginger, garlic and lemongrass tomorrow to make some!

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  101. congrats on your anniversary! i am looking forward to seeing more. missjameequilts@gmail.com

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  102. Congrats - what a fabulous achievement! You have done so much so bet it was nice to take that trip down memory lane. :)

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  103. I follow you, but the only thing I make with ground meat is either spaghetti bolognaise or savoury mince.

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  104. I follow your blog and I really enjoy it. I plan to do the Skill Builder Sampler one of these days when I finish up some of my UFO's and WIP's.

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  105. P.S. Check out "One Perfect Bite"s Sausage and White bean stew. I haven't tried it yet but it sure looks like a great cold weather meal.

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  106. well, congratulations on 3 years and 250 posts! yay!
    btw, you won the book from my 200th post. email me your address & i'll get it shipped. congratulations all the way around. =)

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  107. Congratulations on both your milestones!

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  108. I'm a happy follower!
    How about some sort of a pasta bake??

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  109. Congrats! Love your blog. Someday I am going to make the tree skirt!

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  110. Congratulations, I have recently found your blog and follow on bloglovin I have a bit of catching up I think!

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  111. I found your blog through the Blogger's quilt festival (Yay Amy!) and I'm glad I did. What a fantastic journey you've had. It's important to find what you are good at, and if teaching is it, all the better for your readers, eh?
    Ground sausage.....Here's what I do to make something that tastes like Greek Kleftiko--brown the meat with garlic and olive oil and butter. Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the meat. Add either dried or fresh basil and salt, OR, a large amount of bottled pesto. Lower the heat, and layer diced or roughly chopped potatoes over the whole pot, and add a bay leaf or two and s bit of water to kind steam the potatoes. Cover. Stir now and then for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Awesome with salad, and with a small plate of plain yogurt with some honey dripped over it for dessert.

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  112. I'm a new follower, come by way of the Blogger's Quilt Festival. Now I've got some reading to catch up on (especially tutes on being a Moda baker and how to make a diamond quilt into a tree skirt!)

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  113. I, too, use design seeds for inspiration; thanks for YOUR inspiration, I am a new follower!

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  114. Congratulations! Hard to believe it has been 3 years! I found your blog well before we moved to the area and I feel so lucky to have met you and all the wonderful DMMQG ladies!

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  115. I am new to yur blog, love the quilt made in a hexagon shape

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  116. Congratulations! I originally found your blog when the Skill Builder Sampler quilt-along was going, and it was the thing that made me realize that I was capable of making a quilt :)

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  117. Good for you to hang in there on blogging, Leila! I know you're busier than the average person, being a mom, so keeping up with kids, and in MQG. Personally, I think blogging can be a stress-reliever... if you don't stress too much about what you're going to blog about! :-) Your fq giveaway is great! Thanks for the chance to win. But I won't offer a recipe to you. I don't do any cooking at my house. I'm blessed to be married to my personal chef who does all the grocery shopping and cooking. Please don't hate me for that. I do have clean-up duty.

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  118. Congratulations and thanks for the giveaway. I hope I'm not too late...

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  119. Congratulations on your milestone!! And thanks for the great giveaway!

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  120. Congratulations and wishing you many more years of happy blogging and quilting! The child's apron pattern is so cute.

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