Little Things

Home is where you can say anything you like cause nobody listens to you anyway.

~Author Unknown

I could carry on a conversation all day and the only ones around to answer me are my little furry companions, Weasley and Snickerdoodle.  But the only conversation is the one in my head.  In the evenings, my DH is home and will listen to me rattle when he would rather have a little peace and quiet after a long day at work.  I'm really not much of a talker.  In a group I will rarely say a word.  There are only two people I really enjoy talking with on the phone.  I have always been known as 'the thinker'.  Please don't get me wrong - I love having company and enjoy time spent with friends.  But I see nothing wrong with enjoying myself and my thoughts for hours on end.  Am I weird?

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Tape

Can you tell I have nothing pretty to take pictures of?  Today I thought I would share a little about adhesive tape.  The history of adhesive tape dates back to the 1920's when Richard Drew used cellophane paper to create a tape with an adherent, sticky surface. The first "adhesive tape" was created as masking for use with various industrial products. But, Drew's creation showed promise for other uses in packaging as well. The first came to be called "cellophane tape" owing to the first material used to create it.  When the first roll of "cellophane tape" was sent to a customer in 1930, the 3M company was moved to produce a product known as "Scotch", the more familiar name by which the product is known. However, since the early days, the types of tapes sold today are virtually endless in variety.  Now you know the history of tape.

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

Today is One Flower Wednesday!  However, today I have two to share.....

This little hexie is for my swap partner in the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap.  My partner requested her flower NOT be made with batiks, dayglo or brights.  Not my usual course for the little hexies I make for myself.  I found some scraps of fabric from the Cheap Talk line from Connecting Threads.  Can you see the little string of birds around the petals?

I made this little hexie flower as a thank you to Possum Blossom Patchwork.  She sent everybody in the swap group a sample packet of Die-Cut Hexagons.  Wasn't that sweet of her?  This will be winging its way across the ocean to Australia in the next day or two.

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Mug Rug Swap

Yesterday I completed the mug rug for my secret swap partner in the Mug Rug Swap being hosted by Quilting Gallery.   I received my partner information on Saturday.  Checked out her blog but that wasn't really any help so I went with this.......................

I thought it was cheery with the bright wings of the dragonfly and petals on the flower.  I used cross-hatch quilting on the dragonfly side and straight line quilting on the black and white side (right).

Here is the back side.  You can see the quilting a little better.  Cute little scene, don't you think?  I can't remember the name of the fabric line but I made it from one of the fat quarters that I won a while back.  At the time I wasn't sure what I would be able to use such a big print for - but I guess I found a use for it after all.

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FEBRUARY SNOWMAN STITCHERY

Yesterday I also completed my little snowman stitchery.

I'm pleased with how it turned out.  As I mentioned before, I used a Pellon featherweight iron backing before stitching this item.  If you look closely you can still see the little thread ends and knots so I really don't see the advantage to using the backing.  In fact, I found it a lot harder to get out all of the creases and wrinkles caused by the embroidery hoop.  I think I will stick to no backing in the future.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I am going to make a block for my partner in the Block Swap Adventure.  If I have some spare time I might be able to cut out the fabric for the Layer Cake Quilt Along.

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GIVEAWAY

The Confused Quilter is having a CSN giveaway!  You could be the lucky winner of a $20 gift code if you enter Staci's giveaway by Monday, January 31st.

Cloth Stitched is having a birthday celebration giveaway.  Char is giving away a beautiful tote bag that she made.  She will draw a winner on Friday, February 4th.

A Quilting Life is having a giveaway thanks to Green Fairy Quilts.  They are giving away a fat eighth bundle of La Petite Ecole.  This giveaway ends Friday, January 28th.

And there's still my 400+ Follower Thank You Giveaway to enter.  If you would like to win 6 1/2 yards of coordinated fabric then please click on the link and enter before Monday, January 31 at 7:30 AM PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I still have so many projects that I want to work on.  I'm trying to be good this month and finish all of my swaps and bees before starting another project.  And I still have to quilt the brown and blue quilt.  Maybe if I give it an hour a day - at least it would be something.  But I'm itching to start a cute little block that involves machine applique.  I've only done two machine applique projects before and have decided that this year I would like to make a more conscience effort to advancing my skills in machine applique.  Another thing I would like to do this year is some hand aplique.  I love the look of both types of applique and just need to take the leap.  Wish me luck.

Luck is the by-product of busting your fanny.
~Don Sutton


May your Wednesday be wise, wonderful and wacky!!