A Bowl, A Basket, A House

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

~Mark Twain

Do you ever have one of those days when you feel every bit of your age?  And other days when you forget how old your really are?  Yesterday was an old day for me - don't know why and don't really care.  Most days I feel as though I'm still in my 30's (well, late 30's) and then I think about my daughter's who are both in the 30's and realize that, no, I am really getting old.  Double nickles isn't too old but it definitely isn't on the young side either.  The years are flying by.  The body doesn't work like it used to but as long as my mind keeps telling me otherwise, I'll just ignore (or try to anyway) the process of aging. 

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Hollywood Bowl a couple of years ago.

We have attended a few concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.  What a setting!  And when the weather is hot and nasty at home you can count on enjoying a cool, if not chilly, evening while listening to a great concert.  This one happened to be a delightful concert with Diana Krall (my DH's girlfriend - or so he tells me - lol!).  The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances. It has a seating capacity of 17,376.  The Hollywood Bowl is known for its band shell, a distinctive set of concentric arches that graced the site from 1929 through 2003, before being replaced with a somewhat larger one beginning in the 2004 season. The shell is set against the backdrop of the Hollywood Hills and the famous Hollywood Sign to the Northeast.

Can you tell I dug through some of our archived pictures to share this one with you?

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Over the last couple of days I have been able to finish up some blocks.  I will share a few of them with you today. 

Tuesday the new block was issued for the Layer Cake Quilt Along hosted by Moose on the Porch Quilts.  This is a basket block designed by Sarah Vanderburgh of Sew Joy.  I stayed with the Sweet and Sour line of fabric from Connecting Threads.  This was a fairly simple block and went together quickly.  I think I even managed to not use my seam ripper once on this one (a definite rarity!).

Then yesterday I remembered that I still had to make a house block for the Friendly Neighborhood challenge.  Beth over at Love Laugh Quilt came up with a unique way to celebrate blogland.  You make a 12" house block, mail it to her, and then she will send out 9 to 12 houses to the winners (how many winners depends on how many entered). 

Here is my humble little house block.  I don't do well with wonky.  My mind just doesn't want to bend that way.  Give me instructions and straight lines and I can make most any block but give my wonky and my head goes wacky. 

See the kitty in the window?  I hope he isn't going to eat that little bird.  And I added a little rose curtain above his head.

And no house is complete without a dog!  Seems like someone inside is instructing him to "Get the Newspaper!". 

That's my little attempt at whimsy.  This was a fun block to create.  You, too, can enter as long as you are able to send Beth a block before the end of the year.  Just go to the link above (Friendly Neighborhood) for all of the details.

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GIVEAWAYS

Jane from Jane's Fabrics and Quilts is have a wonderful giveaway.  You could win a set of 4 handmade Christmas placemats, a wool felt snowman candle mat kit, and a few other little odds and ends.  This giveaway ends December 8th.

Sew Cal Gal and Karen Utley (a non-blogger) are having a Carry The Spirit Forward Christmas Giveaway.  There are numerous items to win.  You must enter before midnight on Sunday, December 5th. 

Oh what the heck.  Here's another reminder about my Big Giveaway!!  Don't forget to enter.  Come back tomorrow for another chance to enter for the Thimbleberries!

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FINAL THOUGHTS

This time of year is meant for the young, or at least the young at heart.  Christmas is a time when innocence is blessed.  This year I am very lucky to be able to have both of my little grandsons in my home for Christmas.  It will be so much fun to view all of the happenings through the eyes of the very young (18 months and almost 4 1/2 years old).  It will be special! It will be fun!  I'm counting the days until their arrival.

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.

 ~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

And that's a good thing because our tree will be small (under 5 foot tall). Have a thrilling Thursday!