Did Someone Say "GIVEAWAY" ?

A good vacation is over when you begin to yearn for your work.

~Morris Fishbein

Hello, my friends!!!  I'm back from my blog-less vacation/family time :)  We had an absolutely wonderful time with my DD#1, SIL, and grandsons.  We celebrated birthdays with family and friends.  We visited the local water park.  We watched as GS#1 enjoyed the blow-up pool.  We played Wii.  The little one learned a new word or two.  It was so much fun having the grandsons around and seeing the world through their eyes.  But I did miss all of my friends in blogland.  It felt extremely strange not blog hopping and preparing my daily blog.  I did spend a little time yesterday catching up on a few of your blogs, finding giveaways, and reading my backlog of emails.  I was only on the computer twice when family was here - can you believe that?  But I'm back and ready to pick up where I left off.  So here we go........

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Two Days In One

Today, June 21, marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and simultaneously heralds the beginning of winter in the southern hemisphere. On June 21, there are 24 hours of daylight north of the Arctic Circle (66.5° north of the equator) and 24 hours of darkness south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5° south of the equator).

Rumor has it that if you hear the call of a cuckoo today, that bird is predicting a wet summer. Don't ask me how he knows the future, he just does. The best way to avoid hearing the call of the cuckoo is to avoid areas with a dense population of cuckoo birds. Likewise, if you hear the call of a person yelling, 'Cuckoo! Cuckoo!' it might be advisable to avoid them too.

How am I celebrating Summer Solstice?  By staying inside under the A/C on a day that is predicted to be 106 degrees!!

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A WEEK AWAY

I don't want to bore you with the ton of pictures I took of my grandsons so I just made a simple collage depicting a couple of the things we did....

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MAIL RECEIVED

While I was away on my little absence, I received two items that I won out in blogland.  First came my winnings from Sharon at Vroomans Quilts.....

I won some Kathy Schmidt - Full Circle - 2 panels and 3 FQs - tan.  I'm not exactly sure what I will be making with these but you can bet they won't be stuffed on a shelf and forgotten.  Thank you, Sharon!!

I also received a squishy from the Fat Quarter Shop.....

Melissa from Happy Quilting had a giveaway and I was the lucky winner of this beautiful assortment of fat quarters.  These are Natural Elements by Patricia Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics.  The colors are so much prettier in person.  I just love the colors!  Thank you so much, Melissa and Fat Quarter Shop!!!

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MY VACATION GIVEAWAY

I did very little sewing during the week I was away from blogging.  Okay, I did sew around 20 stepping stones for my Grandmother's Flower Garden, but nobody wants to see a bunch of white hexagons.  So, instead, how about if I have a giveaway.  After all, I haven't had one for the month of June!  What can you win?  Well............

how about this Connecting Threads Kit?  This is a kit for Hen & Chicks Table Runner.  It contains 3 1/2  yards of fabric.  The breakdown is as follows: 

Top fabric (Lily Pads - Blue) = 1 3/4 yards

2nd Fabric (Basket Weave - Lt Brown) = 1/2 yard

3rd Fabric (Packed Summer Flowers - Blue) = 1/2 yard

4th Fabric (Sketched Floral - Cream) = 1/2 yard

Bottom Fabric (Vining Stripe - Blue) = 1/4 yard

Paper = Pattern Instructions

AND.....

Aren't these embroidery scissors just too cute?  This is Bella Blue - Embroidery Angels 4" embroidery scissors. 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

One lucky winner will win both the kit and the scissors.  How can you win? 

1.  Leave me a comment.  Just that easy.  Any comment will do. 

2.  For a second entry, blog about this giveaway.  Then come back and leave me a second comment and include a link to where you blogged about the giveaway. I will be checking!

Rules

*This giveaway is open to everyone!  Foreign, domestic, wild, tame, purple, pink, yellow - well, you get the idea - lol!

*No more than 2 entries per person!

*If you are a No Reply blogger, you must leave me your email in your comment.  If I can't contact you, you can't win.  I had to eliminate over 10 people from my last giveaway because there was no way to reach them - so sad :(

*This giveaway will end Sunday, July 3, at 8:00 pm.  I will announce the winner no later than Monday, July 4, at 10:00 am.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I need to make the second flower for my swap partner and make a flower for myself for One Flower Wednesday.

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GIVEAWAYS

Samelia's Mum is having a giveaway.  You could win a GO! Baby Cutter and 3 dies of your choice.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 26, at 9:00 pm AEST.

KoolBeenz is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win a $25 shop credit to Skye Reve Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 24, at midnight EST.

Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could be one of two winners of 10 Sweet Jane's Quilting Patterns.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 24.

Sew I Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win an I Rock tool.  This giveaway ends Wednesday morning, June 23.

It Seams To Be Sew is having a giveaway.  You could win 2 charm packs of Terrain by Kate Spain (and this won't be available in stores until September!).  This giveaway ends Monday, July 4.

1 Choice 4 Quilting is having an "Awesome" giveaway. Shawna is giving away 4 fat quarter bundles of Strawberry Fields and 2 yards of matching Bella solids for sashing.  This giveaway ends Monday, June 27, at 10:00 pm EST.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting is having her first giveaway.   Cheryl is giving away An OLFA Circle Rotary Cutter (18mm) and the product demo disc that goes with it, a pattern, 'Bundle of 12 - Beach Balls' by Amelie Scott Designs, and a pattern, 'Gifts All Around' by Aarol Penny Pattenden.  Cheryl will select a winner on Tuesday evening, July 5.

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her weekly Mystery Monday giveaway.  By answering Annie's mystery question you are entered in the drawing for 5 fat quarters.  The drawing will be on Wednesday, June 22, at midnight MST.

Jay Bird Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a full collection of fat quarters of Outside Oslo by Jessica Jones from Pink Chalk.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 22, at 10:00 pm EST.

Crazy Mom Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win an AccuQuilt GO! Baby Cutter and 3 dies of your choice.  Not sure when this one ends :(

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FINAL THOUGHT

Today is my Monday even though it's Tuesday.  I have my sewing room back in order and my piles layed out just so.  Sadly, I don't have my sewing machine back from being serviced yet - hopefully Wednesday evening.  In the mean time, I'm talking kindly to my little Janome, coaxing it through some easy steps so that I don't get too far behind on my monthly commitments.  I am eager to start a new project that involves both piecing and embroidery.  My Christmas quilt is still at the long arm quilter and should be ready by the end of the month.  Time to get busy, so I'm off to sewing................

All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle.
~Ellen Birdseye Wheaton, 1851