Thanks for the detailed info Irishmom. Looks like I'm switching to the yellow craft envelopes. What a shame that the post office is not using its normally less destructive sorters. It might be the way letters are shipped around the country, too. If the trucks are leaking, that will damage mail easily as you described.

I am thrilled that none of the candies went missing!

I was at the Dollar Store yesterday with my daughter and picked up some additional brown envelopes, 6 for a dollar and they have sticky tape and not the metal clasp on the flap.. Yeah, I still run tape along the edge of the flap, just so it doesn't get caught in any sorting machine parts.

Mailed all three candy packages today.

Here is an updated Bday

listPatrick’s Mom 4/26
BarbaraKibler23 4/29
Gaijin 4/29
Ibex94 4/29
NZQuilter 4/29
WMUTech 4/29
Loveofquilts 4/30
AHWU 5/1
Cuppy 5/1
Travelinggramma 5/1
Wendy McD 5/1

I have put all my cards into a craft envelope. Fortunately, I had plenty on hand in my long standing office supplies. I will have to go to the post office to make sure that my $.75 stamps still work on those. If not, the post office gets to give me more stamps. I hope the post office doesn't chew them up again!

Happy May everyone!

This is my third year doing the Birthday swap, so over 50 envelopes. I have never had a rip before, so having three of the five was quite a surprise! But I think you might be right about leaking trucks making them moist and more prone to damage. The five I got the other day were better.

WMU -thanks for the info on the Dollar Tree envelopes, that's a great deal.

I was thinking about my envelops... they were cheap, the ones that came with the card. I never once thought to replace them with Kraft,,, and I've got a box full of them! I've long been worried the PO would pop me for the thickness of my cards. I should replace them all, yup that would alleviate all the stress, duh.

All I think about of late is quilting. I got my Magical Dragon panel in and keep wanting to make it. I want to make it larger, not sure why as the panel is one full yard but I don't want to just use the panel.

Got in a bunch of psycodelic (sp covid long) cat panels and some wild rainbow cats to back it with. Now that DD is marrying and talking children within a year, I need to be ready. Got some lining fabric in have no idea why I bought it, do you do that? I also got minky. I remember what the minky is for,,, teddy bear baby,,, it's like an outfit, bear has arms and legs that you put the baby into and the hood is his head with ears. I think I actually have a large plastic nose left over. Gee, I've a massive box of compacted fiber fill. I need to get sewing. :-)

I wish I were stronger, just the thought of sitting and getting to it is too much. I had so many tests and doctors appointments in the last 7 days. 3 more long tests this Friday. Not looking forward to it. You'd think that since I never leave the house .... I'd be like lets go, nope. Lets go back to bed more like. I keep drooling over the scrapy quilts and buying more fabric. Weee I love fabric.

Have a super day Peeps.

I have received so far:

April 27th: Patricks Mom
April 27th: barbarakibler23
April 28th: WMUTeach
April 28th: ibex94
April 28th: NZquilteR
April 30th: macybaby
April 30th: AHWu
May 01: cuppy
May 01: Loveofquilts
May 01: TravelingGramma
May 01: Yarn Fairy and the Pixies
May 04: kele
May 04: IrishMom

Many, many thanks!

Received two more yesterday. The May candy block challenge is posted and I'm looking forward to sorting through my new candies to see what I can use for it. I need 32 - 16patch blocks in colorways. Should be fun!

Patrick’s Mom 4/26
BarbaraKibler23 4/29
Gaijin 4/29
Ibex94 4/29
NZQuilter 4/29
MUTech 4/29
Loveofquilts 4/30
AHWU 5/1
Cuppy 5/1
Travelinggramma 5/1
Wendy McD 5/1
IrishMom 5/3
LorMarSzon 5/3

MacyBaby, I just saw the posting and am considering this one. I skipped March and April. I have piles made but if I need color ways, I have all my little gems sorted by color. Please post your progress. We are missing illustrations of how to use our 2.5's.

I am always on the hunt for interesting patterns that use 2.5. Here is my contribution for the month of May. I haven't made this one yet, but it is on my summer time sew list. Looks like a good one for gifting. I calls for Jelly Roll strips, but goodness why cut up a perfectly good jelly roll strip when I have plenty of 2.5s already to go. All I need now is a background fabric. I am sure there is one somewhere in my stash. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/wink.png

https://my.modafabrics.com/webfiles/...emix-chain.pdf

Did you hear me sqwee!!
 

My sqwee was loud, really loud. Need all caps there to go along with the “old lady snoopy dance”.
I found my quilt blocks that I drafted. L=light, M=medium etc.
Finishes at 12.5. More then just 2.5 needed. I’m going to use my charms and cakes too. Wait, 2.5” strips from jelly’s work too.

Now I don’t know how to post a photo from my mobile. Hopefully they are here. Need to make up some to see how they do. Going l-d, l-r, top left to bottom right in a rainbow. But not before my kitty is done with them. He claimed them for himself.

I'm finally home! I have my three May birthday envelopes all ready to go out to Gaijin, Macybaby and Irishmom tomorrow. I will warn you ladies, they are covered in shipping tape so they will be a pain to get into! I recommend a seam ripper run along the back flap of the envelope.

I also got a second envelope of candies from Carolyn Robinette, which I am sending back. I think the mail is just taking much longer these days. I hope the three I'm sending out tomorrow will arrive by the birth dates.

Sewbiz, congrats, and ooooooahhhhh cutiepie.

Sewbizgirl, Glad to hear you are back safe and sound. Not picking on you SBG, but I have seen "real names" on several of our postings. Swappers, please always, always put your screen name or alias on the outside of your envelope. This lets us know the package is from one of us and then we can respond with thanks to the correct person. It also keeps us safe from the random "creepy people" that get into the QG. We don't want any one harassed becasue they found a real name and were clever enough to track a member down.

Wendy, your photos arrived! Get us some measurements when you are ready and have worked out any glitches and your pattern could be turned into a quilt along. You could become a star among us 2.5 friends!

And another three have arrived:
Kele
Loveofquilts
LorMarSzon

Traveling Gramma
Cuppy
MacyBaby
Gaijin
Ahwu
WendyMcD, akaYarnFairy
ibex
NZquilter
WMUTeach
BarbaraKibler
PatricksMom

So 14 total!

I'm sorry.. If there is no board name on the envelope I assume they are ok with their real names being used. Many even use their real name as their username. I couldn't open the package to look, because I'm "refusing" it so it gets back to her, and you can't send back opened mail.

Candies from Kele arrived yesterday -

Just finished my first wall hanging quilt. I started quilting to make my sister a 40th's Birthday present. She never got that one because it took me so long to make it. 10 years later, she is finally getting a quilt for her office. Hopefully she is going to like the rainbow color. I am planning to make another one like this, but not rainbow color.

Oh, that's a yummy quilt, AHWU!

ahwu, adorable wall hanging! What colors are you doing in the next one?

Oh, AHWU, sure do like you wall hanging. It must be a rainbow kind of day. Here is what I have been working on with my 2.5's. The first picture is how I store my 2.5's, by color some have two colors per 13 X 9 storage bin. The second is my pile of rainbow 9 patches. Third is my lay out with the resident block inspector at work making sure the blocks are in order. Scout often does a lot or rearranging of my block layout.

I got a few rows sewn together this afternoon while on my guild Zoom meeting. I hope to finish the top in the next few days between other chores and responsibilities. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/wink.png Not sure who will get this one but I am sure it will wander off as a gift to someone.

Ahwu, I really like your wall hanging. I love the way you used the colors like that. So cool!

WMUTeach, thank you for the photos on your storage of your candies in color order. That's a great idea. I don't have enough yet to do that, but I'm sure I will after my birthday. Lol! I am digging the 9 patches and how great they are looking in your layout so far. Very exciting.

I'm currently working through physical therapy for my shoulder and my foot, so I'm not able to sew very much. I work on things a little at a time though, making some progress is better than no progress. Man, physical therapy is really hard. It's great to see the small amounts of progress that I make, but really upsetting when I move the wrong way and it still sends pain down my arm... I thought I was further along in the healing process, but apparently I have a bit more of a journey ahead of me. Par for the course.

I hope all you ladies are doing well out there. Prayers for health and happiness for all my online quilting sisters!

Great rainbow quilt in the making, WMU!

Well, I am lagging a bit. The round robin is kicking my hiney. The top took 21 days to get to me so now I am a bit rushed.

My candies just went in the mail today but should be received prior to birthdays.

Have a great weekend!

ahwu - love all the dots! that turned out very nice.

I love your nine patch, WMUTeach. Ahwu, such a pretty wallhanging!

​​​​​Here's what I've been chipping away at. I am making a pieced border using candies too.

Hello All!
I was finally discharged after almost 6 weeks in rehab for my leg.
Putting together my May birthday greetings felt so normal and fun! I hope they arrive in time. They were taken to the post office by noon today.
I have been enjoying all the photos that everyone has been sharing. They are truly inspirational.

Thank you. I was very excited to make something new since I have been working on finishing UFOs for so long. Of course, DH doesn't want me to give it to my sister. He wants to hang it on our wall.

WMUTeach, I love the 9 patch rainbow quilt. It is just such a happy feeling to put these bright colors together. I organized my candies by color also, but I keep them in ziplock bags. I usually pull out all the possible I-Spy one and set them aside. The rest are by color.
NZquilter, I love your quilt. What a great way to use up all these candies.

Here is one of the UFOs I have finished in February (In time to give it to DH as Valentine's present). The bear claws were made about 10 years ago, some of them are hand stitches. Each claw is 3". It was taking so long that I set it aside and actually forgot about it until last year. I was very happy with it and to have finished it.

Beautiful quilts (!) NZquilter and AHWU! Thanks for posting your photos.

NZ What a beautiful and fun way to gobble up a lot of 2.5's. Was this your pattern or one your found on line? If online can you post the link so others can see how this goes together. I see the squares are large with the black and white diagonal going from corner to corner, too clever! I see some summer fun in my future.Thanks for the photo and good way to use our sweet candies.

Not to worry Carolyn... I repackaged the extra candies you sent and they will be on the way back to you tomorrow.

NZ, your quilt top is so stunning! Did you give the pattern source, or is it one you designed yourself?

Crispy Frog, it’s so good to see you up and about again.

Thanks, ladies! It is Becky from Quilted Twins pattern called "Impressionist Wreaths". She used smaller squares and made queen size, and I just used the 2.5" squares to make a large lap quilt. I tried on the pieced border last night but I think it made it look too busy. So I'll just put on a simple border. I'm thinking of making JennR8R's pieced hearts next. https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...y-t292328.html . With four girls, I can never have too many heart quilts and such! 😉

NZ quilter, I saw that post at the tutorial section and am thinking about making one for my little girl... I have make 3 hearts quilts for her so far.. well, #3 is an UFO, still need to be quilted.

I went searching through Quilted Twins site and found it. There is the direct link to the pattern.https://media.rainpos.com/10507/impr...istwreaths.pdf. Still loving it. Now it is really on my list of "To Do's". https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/tongue.png

Beautiful finish! I love that your DH doesn't want to let go of the rainbow wall hanging that you made.

Got a package from aborning on Saturday. Only three more packages waiting for arrival. All three have been reported as in the mail already, so things are looking very good for them all to be here before Thursday.

My son is coming for a visit, he's leaving Atlanta on Tuesday and plans on getting here late Wednesday. At least this time he's planning on stopping for the night instead of driving straight through. Though since he's driving a Tesla, he does have to take frequent hour long breaks.

I went to visit my Dad yesterday. His cancer is getting worse and his pain medication has quadrupled. He tires easily and barely eats now. I'm worried about him and want him to go to a Dr to get checked. But he doesn't see the need. As he sees it, the Dr has already told him it's terminal and there is no point in running tests to confirm that again. He and Mum are talking about getting hospice involved. I remember my grandmother dying of cancer when I was young, and I'm dreading watching my Dad go through that.

So sorry for your Dad's ordeal, Cathy. I hope he doesn't suffer. Hospice sounds like a good idea. They seem to have the best plans for pain control. Will pray for your family.