It's A Kitty Day

Did God who gave us flowers and trees,
Also provide the allergies?
~E.Y. Harburg

Something is blooming causing both my DH and I to suffer from allergies once again.  DH is used to being stuffed up as he seems to be allergic to something or another all year long.  But I'm not that way.  This year, with all of the rain and cooler temps, has been causing a lot of people to suffer from runny noses and watery eyes that have never had that problem before.  My sinuses are stuffed, my face feels puffy, and all of it's making my teeth hurt from the pressure.  Not a lot of fun :(  I guess we really do need the heat of summer to kill off the blooms and put us back into dryer air.  A hex on whatever is causing allergies now.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

National Adopt-A-Cat Month

June is known as Adopt-A-Cat month.  Isn't the picture above just too cute?  Here are some interesting facts about cats:

* The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.

* There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with 33 different breeds.

* Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat.

* Calico cats are almost always female.

* The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. All wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking.
* The largest known litter (with all surviving) was that of a Persian in South Africa named Bluebell. Bluebell gave birth to 14 kittens in one litter!
* A cat has five more vertebrae in her spinal column than her human does.
* Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of the principles of gravity, also invented the cat door.
* Cats need 1/6th the amount of light that humans do to see. Their night vision is amazing!
* Cats are the sleepiest of all mammals. They spend 16 hours of each day sleeping. With that in mind, a seven year old cat has only been awake for two years of its life!
* A group of grown cats is called a "clowder"


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BLOCK #5

Over the weekend I was able to put the finishing stitches in block #5 in the Baltimore Basics quilt I'm working on.....

This was a learning block as it involved my first attempt at needle turn (the gold medallion), making 1/8" stems, and making the rose buds.  Some of the stems ended up a bit curvier than others and some of the green parts on the rosebuds are not uniform but that's okay.  This is a learning process.  Just took a look at block 6 and I'm looking forward to getting started on it.

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ANOTHER PINCUSHION

Also over the weekend, while I was traveling around the world in my recliner, I made another pincushion.....

This one is totally different than the flower pincushions I made before.  I just love the little kitty with the fish swimming around him.  The pattern I used is called My Cat Claude Pincushion from Hatched and Patched.  It is all wool and filled with crushed walnut shells and dried lavender.  I finished the edges differently than what the pattern called for.  It said to sew a lining and sew right sides together, turn it right side out and stitch closed.  I like the look of the more primitive edge using a blanket stitch.  As I write this, this little pincushion is heading off to its new home.

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TODAY'S GOAL

I'm still working on the borders for the Mystery BOM quilt top.  Hopefully TODAY I will finish them!

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GIVEAWAYS

Amy's Creative Side is having a giveaway.  You could win a kit for the June quilt from 1 Choice 4 Quilting.  Amy will announce a winner on Monday, June 6.

Crafty Sewing and Quilting is having another May for Me giveaway.  You could be one of two winners of a $20 gift certificate off Marcia's Machine Quilting Services on a Lap Size Quilt or larger.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 15, at 6:00 pm.

Quilt Hollow is having a giveaway.  You could win one of two patterns from Perkins Dry Goods.  The winners will be selected on Friday.

Just One More Stitch is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a $25 gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends Saturday, June 4, at midnight.

The Shabby is having their monthly giveaway.  Jennifer is giving away three $25 gift certificates to Shabby Fabrics.  This giveaway will last all month.

Tonya's Sewing Room is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of the book, HELP! I Married A Quilter by Mark Hyland.  A winner will be drawn on Friday, June 3.

One More Quilt is having mini giveaway #10.  You could win some beautiful fabric.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 3, at 10:00 am CST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I sure have misjudged how long it would take to make the borders of the quilt top I'm working on.  I feel like it is taking forever.  It's sort of like when my DH says "Oh, it will only take three hours to do that" when he is working on something.  And, in my head I'm thinking "Okay, that means it really will take about 5 hours" - lol!  My hubby is the best at underestimating how long it will take to complete something, but then I think that could be a guy thing.  I honestly thought that I would have the borders done in a maximum of two days but it looks like it will be three.  But then I didn't calculate in there the stops I would make while washing and drying fabric for a future project.  Nor did I include the stops I made to felt some wool.  So, in all reality, it probably would have taken me only the two days to finish if I had just stayed on track.  Why, oh why, can't I keep my nose to the grindstone when I'm so close to finishing a project?!?  Do any of  you have this same problem?

Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment.
~Robert Benchley