A Block And Another Start

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.

~Arnold Edinborough

My minds going a mile a minute.  At least my hands seem to be ignoring my brain and following the path they are supposed to be taking.  I'm getting that anxious feeling knowing that things have to be done and preparing for my DD#1 and family's arrival.  Yesterday I managed to get exactly what I wanted completed done!  Woohoo!  Hopefully the rest of the week will go just as smoothly.  This time, instead of just picking up for over night visitors like when DD#2 comes, I have to think of what little fingers might get into.  Curiosity at ages 2 and 5 is enormous - as it should be.  I will have my sewing machine in for it's yearly service so that will be out of reach.  But there's all those little pieces - pins, needles, scissors, cutters, irons, threads, glues.......see what I mean.  And then I will have to remember exactly where I hid all of these things once it's time to start sewing again.  My, oh my, oh my - guess it's time to laugh and shrug - it will be done.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

 

Now you have the perfect excuse to eat chocolate ice cream!  You can't let this day pass without a celebration of at least one scoop.  Here are some facts about ice cream:

* The most popular topping for ice cream is chocolate syrup.

* Licking the bowl clean after eating ice cream is admitted by approximately 13% of men and 8% of women

* The biggest ice cream sundae in history was made in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1988, and weighed in at over 24 tons

* Approximately 9% of milk produced by dairy farmers in the USA goes into producing ice cream.

* 80% of the world's vanilla bean used for ice cream is produced in Madagascar

* The ice cream cone's invention is linked to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. An ice cream vendor reportedly didn't have enough dishes to keep up with the demand, so he teamed up with a waffle vendor who rolled his waffles into cones!

* It takes 12 lbs. of milk to make just one gallon of ice cream.

* It takes an average of 50 licks to polish off a single-scoop ice cream cone.

* In 2003, Portland, Oregon bought more ice cream per person than any other U.S. city.

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SWAP BLOCK

Yesterday I made a block for my June swap partner in the Quilting Block Swaps Australia.

Helen requested any star block in blues.  I thought this turned out rather pretty.  I hope that Helen will like it.

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LITTLE BOY'S QUILT

Yesterday I put the borders on a panel that will be a quilt for my grandsons.

It's a little road coarse.  I got it all layered.  I even started a little fmq.  Good thing it's for young boys and they won't mind all of my mistakes.  This will make a good practice piece.  Plus the backing is solid black and with black thread you really can't tell how uneven my stitch length is either :)

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TODAY'S GOAL

I need to make a couple of hexagon flowers - one for me and one for my swap partner.

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GIVEAWAYS

The Q and the U is celebrating her 200th post with a giveaway.  Riel is giving away 40 I Spy Quilt squares cut from her stash.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 8 at 7:00 pm AST.

Happy Quilting is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win an entire fat quarter bundle of Patricia Bravo's Nature Elements from the Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, at 5:00 pm EST.

KoolBeenz is having weekly giveaway #12.  This week you could win an 8 Fat Quarter bundle set of Tutti Fruiti seersucker.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, at midnight EST.

A Quilting Life is having a giveaway.  You could win a pattern from Eat Cake Graphics called December 26th, one 6-pack of Kimono Silk threads from Superior Threads, 1 package of freezer paper sheets, and a pack of applique needles.  This giveaway will remain open until Wednesday evening, June 8.

Jaybird Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a Kona Cotton Flying Purple People Eater Bundle from Canton Village Quilt Works.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 8, at 10:00 pm EST.

Alderwood Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a beautiful mouse pad by Rebecca Barker.  (However, I would like to win this one, so maybe I shouldn't be telling you about this - lol!).  This giveaway ends July 1st.

From The Blue Chair is having a giveaway.  You could win a signed copy of Inspired to Sew by Bari J. Ackerman.  The winner will be randomly picked winner on Friday, June 10th.

Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting Blog is having a giveaway.  You could be one of two winners of
$20.00 off Marcia's Machine Quilting Services on a Lap Size Quilt or larger.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 15, at 6:00 pm.

Ruby Slipperz is having a giveaway!  You could win 5 fat quarters by participating in Annie's weekly contest.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 12.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Goals are good to have for the most part.  I find that if I set one simple goal a day, I can usually attain it.  If I accomplish more than that - it's a good day.  It also allows me the freedom to change course throughout the day.  I try to start my morning with my daily goal.  Using yesterday as an example: I had a goal of making one swap block.  That goal was achieved rather quickly.  I then proceeded and finished assembling the backing and cutting out the batting for my Mystery quilt that went to the long arm quilter last night.  From that I moved onto adding the borders to the panel for the grandsons and then onto making the sandwich.  It was a very good day.  Some days I'm not so lucky.  But as long as I aim for that one goal - the one I list every day - it gives me a starting point to the day.  Often direction is a good thing, it gives my day the jump start I sometimes need..  How do you decide what you will work on for the day?  Do you just wing it?

The plans that I made when horizontal are working out now that I'm vertical. 
~Betsy Cañas Garmon