200th Post Celebration Giveaway

A blog is a message in a bottle, both in purpose and likely readership.

 ~Robert Brault

Today is my 200th post!  I never would have thought I would make it this far.  Thanks to my DD#1, I started blogging back in August.  At the time I thought "I'll give this a try and maybe post something once a week or so".  But then I found out that this blogging thing is really lots of  fun, which really surprised me.  My DD#2 had given me beautiful leather journals to record my thoughts and I was terrible at that.  Blogging is something different.  It's some place to connect with others of like minds; to share thoughts and ideas; to learn and discover.  But I think the best thing about blogging is friendship.  I have made so many wonderful friends since my venture into blogging that I would never have had a chance to meet.  New friends from my own state of California, many from all over the USA, and even several from all around the world!  Your friendships are precious to me.  Thank you for letting me share a little of my world with you and for sharing your life and creations with me!!! 

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

The first telephone

The first commercial telephone used by Alexander Graham Bell was based on his patent of January 1877. The telephone consisted of a single transmitter/receiver placed within a rectangular wooden box. One would speak into the opening in the box and then listen through the same opening. This telephone had essentially the same design as the patent drawing except for the shape. The the patent drawing had a round shape rather than squared.  Two or more of these box phones were connected in series on a line with a ground return.

On April 4, 1878 the first telephone was installed in Madison by Richard Johnson. It connected his home, the Johnson Starch Factory and the J. M. & I Railroad depot. It was a convenience for him and, by all accounts, a source of amusement for his family, especially his young daughter who took every opportunity to sing to people on the other end of the line. In 1881 citizens of the town considered the merits of contracting for the formation of a telephone exchange in Madison with the Central Telephone Company. The company required the assurance of thirty subscribers which were quickly signed up. In early March of that year a shipment of poles, wire, cross-arms and insulators arrived by rail. A foreman and a gang of five men completed the installation in seven short weeks.

Isn't amazing how the phone has evolved in just over a little over 137 years?

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!!!GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Would you like to help me celebrate my 200th post?  Do you think I should have a giveaway?  I DO!

How would you like to win........

A $25.00 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop!!!!!!!

I'm not going to make you jump through hoops to enter.  You don't have to be a follower but if you like what you see, maybe you would like to be one.  I'm going to give you two ways to enter:

1.  Leave me a comment telling me what State you live in.  If you don't live in the USA then tell me what country you live in.

2.  Blog about this giveaway and provide a link back to your blog where you have posted about it. (I will check)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

 

This giveaway is open to everyone, no matter where you live (even if you live on a planet far, far away).  Please make sure that I have some way to reach  you.  If you have a no-reply blogger, make sure to include your email in your comment.  IF I CAN'T CONTACT YOU - YOU CAN'T WIN!!  I will do my best to respond to each comment left, but if it becomes too overwhelming, don't worry that you haven't heard from me.

This giveaway will end Monday, April 11, at 8:00 pm PST.  I will announce the winner on Tuesday, April 12.

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BIRDIE BOM

Friday I was happy to see that the Birdie Stitches BOM provided and designed by Little Miss Shabby was posted.  This month's design is adorable.  I immediately traced it onto my fabric.....

I used a new pen to do the tracing.  I recently had read a couple of reviews about this pen that disappears with heat so I just had to give it a try....

The picture isn't very good but the pen is called Frixion and is put out by Pilot.  It is available in 6 colors.  Besides disappearing with heat, it also can be removed with friction.  I then continued onto the next step of attaching the border of 2 1/2" squares and pressing the seams to one side.  Not even thinking about the pen...

Guess what?  It does disappear with heat. LOL!  It didn't even occur to me (obviously) when I had to press the seam allowances that I might just make contact with the ink.  It was one of the AHA moments, or possibly a DUH moment.  No problem, I just put the block back on the light box with the design underneath and traced over the parts that had disappeared.  I understand that the ink will reappear in cold temperatures ( below 10 C or 14 F) but I don't think I will have worry about that here.  I have also read that it will not reappear if it has been removed with the heat of an iron.  You can also remove the ink with a blow drier if you do not want to put an iron to your fabric.  Now onto stitching!

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BLOCK FROM AUSTRALIA

Friday I received my swap block from Leanne in Australia.  She was my swap partner in the Quilting Block Swaps Australia for March....

I just love the bright green fabric Leanne used to make this star block!  She included a nice note in the wonderful quilt related note card.  Leanne did a lovely job with the sewing too!  Thank you so very much, Leanne!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make another Bee block.  This time one for Let's Bee Together that I received the fabric for on Friday.

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GIVEAWAYS
(and it's a long list!)

Write Here is having a giveaway to continue with the Traveling Stash.  This giveaway was originally started by Kelly at Cotton Charm Quilts.  Now Anne has removed what she wanted to keep and has added items from her own stash like some 1/2 yard cuts of fabric, some fat quarters, a darling pin cushion she made, and several other items.  This giveaway ends Friday, April 8 at noon CST.

Handcrafted by Mary Ann Miller is having a giveaway.  You could win a $50 gift certificate to her store.  This giveaway ends Friday, April 8, at 10:00 pm EST.

Hoodies and Flip Flops is having her first giveaway.  Jennifer is giving away two charm packs of Fresh Flowers by Deb Strain for Moda.  This giveaway ends on her birthday, Thursday, March 7.

The Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could win a Pom Pom de Paris pattern and fat quarter bundle.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April. 7.

Happy Cottage Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win a package of Lapel Stick.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 5.

Applique Addict is having a giveaway to celebrate reaching 100 followers.  Marjorie is giving away 12 five inch batik squares to 9 lucky winners.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 7.

Blushing Rose is having an Easter giveaway.  Marydon is giving away an Easter basket filled with lovely gifts and 'pinks'.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 5.

I Have A Notion is having a book giveaway.  You could win a copy of Pennies From Heaven (a book I would really like to have).  This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 6.

Inch Worm Fabrics is having an April giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter of each of the 5 new Riley Blake prints.  This giveaway ends Friday, April 15.

Mad About Patchwork is having a giveaway for spring.  You could win batik strips of solid fat quarters in pretty shades of spring.  This ends Thursday, April 7, at 10:00 pm.

The Intrepid Thread is having a giveaway.  You could win two charm packs of Happier.  Not sure when this one ends.

Val Laird is having a giveaway to celebrate 300 followers.  Val is giving away a threadcatcher, pincushion, needlecase, scissor pillow and sewing pouch is a little pack of 30 charm squares from the Garden Party range.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 9, at midnight Aussie time (it's also her birthday!)
Bryn Alexandra Interiors is having a giveaway.  You could be the grand prize winner and win 5 stacks of 5 one yard pieces of Waverly Modern Essentials fabrics, or one of five winners to win 5 one yard pieces.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 10, at midnight.

Pieced on Earth is having a giveaway.  You could win five fat quarters of Love Birds.  The winner will be chosen on Thursday, April 7.

Quilty Giveaways is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a PDF patterns offered by Pear Quilts or from Little Louise Quilts.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 9.

Crooked Seams is having her first giveaway.  Megan is giving away a 12 Days of Christmas charm pack and a Spring Meadow jelly roll.  The giveaway ends Tuesday, April 5 at 9:00 pm EST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Gosh.  What to write about......I've had many thoughts going through my little pea brain lately.  I came to the realization just this week that I'm over half way through my life.  Weird thought, right?  I look at the obits in the local paper and see the ages of people who have passed and the average is around 80.  Then I think, well, that gives me 25 years.  But that's not enough time to get everything done that I want to make!  Then I think back to where I was 25 years ago and it seems like a very long time ago.  My girls were little and it was a time of learning and exploring life.  Over those 25 years so much has happened and I have changed over the years.  I really have to quit dwelling on how much time is left because you just really don't know.  So onto creating, living, and loving.  On with life!

With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's Monday and a brand new week - enjoy every little bit of it!!