And How Did Your Morning Start?

If people were meant to pop out of bed, we'd all sleep in toasters.

~Author unknown, attributed to Jim Davis

Time to wake up - awake as usual before the alarm goes off.  Plod into the bathroom.  Remembered to take my pill.  Turned on the shower and decided I was thirsty.  Really thirsty!  Grabbed the water bottle I keep in there (our tap water has a lot of chlorine in it), opened the flip top and took a swig.  Ewwwww!  What came out of the bottle into my mouth.  Lean over the sink and spit it out.  What the H***?  I just spit out an earwig!!!!!!!!  Gross!!  Gag!!!!  Shiver....rub arms.  Grab a cup and rinse out my mouth.  Stomp my feet and shiver again.  Drink some tap water - hurry - but look for bugs first!  I can't believe that just happened!  And that's how my morning started....I'm awake now!!  How did your morning start?

============================

PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Oysters

 

Today is Cinco De Mayo and here in California it is a well celebrated holiday.  One holiday I don't usually pay too much attention to.  So, instead, I would rather celebrate Oyster Day.  Did you know....

* oysters breathe much like fish, using both gills and mantle. The mantle is lined with many small, thin-walled blood vessels which extract oxygen from the water and expel carbon dioxide. 

* There is no way of telling male oysters from females by examining their shells. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or more times during their life span. * There is a species of crab (Pinnotheres ostreum) that has evolved to live harmoniously inside an oyster's shell. These dime-sized crabs, much sought after by gourmands, are not abundant.
* Oysters are not only delicious, but they're also one of the most nutritionally well balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids.
*  An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing nacre, a combination of calcium and protein. The nacre coats the foreign material and over time produces a pearl.

===================================

TABLE MAT

Today I finished up the table mat I am going to give my mother for Mother's Day...

I made this from the Snap Sack (small quilt kit) that I won last month from Bluebird's Wing (thank you again, Cyndi!).  The quilt is called April Flowers and measures 18" X 22".  I used Isul-Bright so Mom can put hot dishes on it and still protect her wood dining table.  I love the colors and hope she does too.  You can never be too sure about Mom's choices of colors sometimes - lol!

Here is the back.  I just did a very simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilting on this as I didn't want a lot of stitching to lessen the insulation quality.  I'll let you know if Mom liked on Monday.

===================================

STITCHING

Yesterday I also started stitching the Birdie Stitches BOM for May.....

This month, Little Miss Shabby has given us a block full of flowers.  I'm only about a third of the way through and I'm lovin' it already.  I think this may be my favorite block so far.

================================

TODAY'S GOAL

Today I have another Bee block to make and I will continue stitching on my Birdie block.

=================================

GIVEAWAYS

A Girl In Paradise is having a giveaway.  You could win a charm pack of Hushabye designed by Tula Pink for moda.  A winner will be selected on Tuesday, May 10.

Adventures In Oz is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of  Wrapped In Memories by Nan Slaughter.  This giveaway ends Friday, May 6.

The Average Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win a great denim men's wallet made by Margaret.  This giveaway ends Monday, May 9.

Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting Blog is having a giveaway.  Marcia is giving away 3 gorgeous Orange Flowers Note Cards that she made.  The winner will be drawn on Sunday, May 8.

Quiltville's Quips and Snips is having a giveaway.  You could win one of two Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 3.  Winners will be drawn on the morning of Saturday, May 7.

Connecting Threads is having a giveaway.  You could win either a copy of  Fanciful Stitches Colorful Quilts from C&T Publishing or 2 Batik stacks.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 11, at midnight PST.

We Love Quilting is having a May giveaway.  They are giving away a big box of  fabric and a few surprise items.  You have all month to enter.

Applique Addict is celebrating her 200th post with a giveaway.  You could win one of 2 stacks of goodies - one for appliquers and one for piecers.  Marjorie will draw the winners on Sunday, May 8.

FabricWorm is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a new Megumi Sakakibara 24" Panel.  The giveaway will end Monday, May 9, at 8:30 am PST.

================================

FINAL THOUGHT

The piles in my sewing room are growing once again.  Why is it that I can't seem to keep things put completely away for more than, oh say, 24 hours?  Unless we have overnight visitors and then the piles may stay put for 48 hours or more.  I have a pile on my sewing table, another pile on my cutting table, and yet another pile on my computer desk.  And, would you believe, I've even started a pile on my printer.  The piles appear be mostly scraps with an occasional pattern thrown in there, too.  I wish I were like the shoemaker in the Grimm Brother's fairy tales.  That way, when I would go to bed at night, special little people would come in and make everything neat and tidy for me to find in the morning.  Wouldn't that be great?  But no such luck.  I really don't like the clutter but I also don't like having to take time away from sewing to deal with the piles.  Maybe that will be on my endless 'to do' list over the weekend.....but then maybe the piles will have grown by Monday.  Only time will tell :D

A clean house is the sign of a boring person.
~Author Unknown

Today is Thursday - enjoy what life gives you!