Barbie Sees Flowers

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.
~Mortimer Adler

Learning something new can be both fun and frustrating.  I started a brand new project yesterday and as a result was on my feet at the ironing board for most of the day.  I am having fun learning the ins and outs of hand applique.  It is frustrating that the shapes don't turn out perfectly from the first.  After reading and rereading instructions - comparing different methods in several different books I think I have found a method I can work with.  I even pulled out my Clover Mini Iron that I must have bought over 5 years ago and never used - until yesterday.  It certainly helped to keep my fingers from getting scorched.  I did, however, slice my thumb on the blade of the freezer paper box - now that was stupid.  If you should have any hints or secrets about hand applique, please pass them my way.  I can use all of the help I can get.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Barbie

Today is Barbie's birthday!  The Barbie doll was invented in 1959 by Ruth Handler (co-founder of Mattel), whose own daughter was called Barbara. Barbie was introduced to the world at the American Toy Fair in New York City. The doll was intended to be a teenage fashion doll. There has been some controversy over Barbie's figure when it realized that if Barbie was a real person her measurements would be an impossible 36-18-38.

What I found even more interesting was that after fighting breast cancer and undergoing a mastectomy in 1970 Ruth Handler, the creator of the Barbie Doll, surveyed the market for a suitable prosthetic breast. Disappointed in the options available, she set about designing a replacement breast that was more similar to a natural one. In 1975, Handler received a patent for Nearly Me, a prosthesis made of material close in weight and density to natural breasts.

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

I did accomplish my goal for today and made another hexagon flower for One Flower Wednesday.

This hexie flower reminds me of the brightness of spring.  I really liked the combination of yellow, green and turquoise in the fabrics I used for this. 

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A SWAP HEXIE

Jacqueline, my March swap partner in the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap, sent me this beautiful hexagon flower and handmade card.  I love the blue print fabric and the matching note card makes it even more special.  Thanks, Jacqueline!

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HEXAGON CALCULATOR

I recently came across a useful online tool for calculating the number of hexagons for a quilt.  You just fill in the size of the hexagon you want to make and the dimensions of the quilt and, instant presto it tells you how many hexagons you need to make!  It will even tell you how many need to be in each row and column plus how many 1/2 hexagons to make.  Here is the link:

http://www.cddesigns.com/PaperPiecing/number.html

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ANOTHER SWAP BLOCK RECEIVED

The advantage to belonging to so many swap groups is that you get a lot of squishy envelopes in the mail.  Over the weekend this one came in......

This beautiful block came all the way from NSW Australia and was made for me by Rosemary, my March swap partner in the Christmas Block Swaps Australia.  I love the deep rich color of the background with the sparkly gold snowflakes.   Thank you, Rosemary!

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THE BEGINNING

Here are all of the pieces that I need for my first block.  I used the freezer paper method demonstrated by Linda Winters both in her blog, Buzzing and Bumbling, and at her online store, B. Bumble and Company.  I made the circles using a template and stitching around the outer edge to draw the fabric up around the template.  They are more round than the picture shows.  Most of the leaves have fairly smooth edges but a couple have some points where they don't belong.  I'm hoping I can smooth them out a little as I stitch them in place.  The first stem is pinned and awaiting my needle and thread.  I am using fabrics from Connecting Threads' Mirage line for this project.

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TODAY'S GOAL

I will make the Layer Cake QAL block (being hosted by Moose on the Porch) that was released yesterday.

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GIVEAWAYS

Alderwood Quilts is having their March giveaway.  You could win a copy of  Weekend Wonders by Pamela Mostek.  Sue will select a winner on April 1st.

Blushing Rose is having a CSN giveaway.  You could win a $45 gift certificate to this online store.  Marydon says the giveaway will end on March 17th.

Quilty Habit is having a giveaway.  You could win 4 adorable hand made magnet made by Jessica.  This giveaway ends Saturday, March 12.

And if you haven't entered my giveaway for one of two patterns from B. Bumble and Company, please go HERE.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Finding out it was Barbie's birthday brought back a lot of childhood memories.  I think I had a Barbie the first Christmas that they were available (that sure dates me, doesn't it?).  Mine had dark brown hair - my sister received the blond.  I played with mine constantly and was happy when the little sister, Skipper, came out too.  I never had a Ken doll :(  My sister rarely played with hers, and as a result it is tucked away somewhere in my mother's attic probably having melted in the summer heat of Bakersfield.  And mine?  Who knows.  It probably ended up in a box for Goodwill or the Salvation Army.  I hope she brought another little girl as much fun as she brought me.  I always strived for the 'perfect Barbie body' but was sadly lacking both in bust and tiny waist size.  But at least I'm able to bend my arms and legs and don't have to wear those insanely high, high heel shoes - lol!

Childhood is that wonderful time of life when all you need to do to lose weight is take a bath.
~Author Unknown

Enjoy your Wednesday - I know I will :)