Paternal Blocks

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow.
~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros


We had a wonderful break from the heat yesterday.  Our high was only 82 degree F.  I was able to keep the windows open until around 2:00 before having to shut them to keep the heat out.  We were even able to sleep with the windows open last night.  And even more amazing, I started out yesterday morning with my zip hoodie on!!  It is a short lived reprieve however, as our temps are to climb to 107 by Sunday.  Last night we made our Walmart run.  The store was still in turmoil and we felt like we were on a scavenger hunt.  Luckily there were not many people there so it wasn't too difficult to get around.  We normally do this on Saturday morning but with the long holiday weekend we were afraid it would be a mad house if we waited.  I sure wish Walmart didn't have such good deals so I could quit going to that store!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

National Meteor Day

At the risk of ruining the magic of falling stars, we must tell you that what you're actually seeing is a space rock hurling towards the planet, but burning up as it hits Earth's atmosphere. It might be a scary thought, but meteors are pretty common and nothing to fear!  Here are some facts about meteors:
* You can throw an Meteoroid off course (keeping it from hitting the Earth, for instance) by exploding a nuclear device near it.
* Meteoroids are moving fast! Some enter the Earth's atmosphere at as much as 130,000 miles per hour.
* Meteorites contain the oldest known rocks in our solar system.
* A 1985 study conducted by the science journal 'Nature' calculated the rate of meteorites hitting humans as .0055 per year, or once time every 180 years.
* Up to 4 billion meteoroids fall to Earth every day. But most of them are too tiny to do any noticeable harm.
* After it impacts the Earth, a meteoroid is suddenly referred to as a meteorite
* More than 24,000 meteorites are known to have landed on Earth, but only 34 are believed to have originated on Mars.
* A meteor (from the Greek word 'meteoron', which means 'phenomenon in the sky') is actually the streak of light we see trailing a meteoroid. A meteoroid is any interplanetary object bigger than a speck of dust and smaller than an asteroid.

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SWAP BLOCK

Yesterday I finished a block for my July swap partner in Block Swap Adventure.....

Melissa D. requested any block using blues, whites, purples or lavenders.  As you can see, I went back to the pinwheel block I've used before and found a print that had both purple and lavender.  This is heading out to Melissa this morning :)

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A FAVORITE TOOL

I have been using a tool that I received from DD#2 for Christmas to help me with my bindings. 

This is the CutRite Bind Up tool.  I used to have all sorts of trouble and would practically get headaches when I had to make a bias cut and match the ends up on my bindings.  Then I read a couple of reviews about the CutRite Bind Up tool.  It has made my binding headache disappear.  I don't know how I ever got by without it.  I used to have to read the instructions but now I don't even have to do that any more.  Instead of my trying to show you through pictures just click on the link HERE to see the instructions kindly posted by Quilters Paradise.  They even have a video that you can watch HERE.  So if you have trouble matching up the ends of your binding like I did, I highly recommend investing the $10 in this tool.  You, too, will wonder how you come you waited to long to get it.  (This was not an advertisement, just my own review).

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SAME BLOCK, DIFFERENT SWAP

Yesterday I also completed my July swap block for my partner in the Quilting Block Swaps Australia....

Alethea requested any block in dark blue.  As you can see I used the same pattern, just used different fabric.  I'm sure you all are getting tired of seeing me make the same block but I just didn't have the desire to look up another block yesterday.  Sorry!  It was nice to be able to take both block pictures out in the sun today.  The true colors really came through.  I only had to catch the block from blowing away twice - lol!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will try to finish making the monthly mini quilt for July

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GIVEAWAYS

SewCalGal is having a giveaway.  You could be the lucky winner of a Beam n Read.  A winner will be randomly selected on Saturday, July 2.

Sew WE Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win a cute magnetic button ring made by Kim Walus from Bitty Bits & Pieces.  This giveaway ends Saturday, July 2, at midnight.

Quilting Along The Gorge is having a giveaway.  You could win an AccuQuilt GO! Baby cutter and 3 dies of your choice.  This giveaway ends Saturday, July 9, at midnight.

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a Beam n Read.  A winner will be announced Friday, July 1.

Tilda's Twisted Life is celebrating her 100th post with a giveaway.  Melinda is giving away a charm pack of Hideaway.  This giveaway ends Friday, July 1, at 6:00 pm EST.

Don't forget to enter MY VACATION GIVEAWAY!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Yesterday I was easily distracted by the clouds floating by.  It was so peaceful watching the clouds skittering by high above in the blue sky.  They prevented the sun from glaring down on us.  They provided some dimension to our usually boring view upward.  Their shapes were constantly changing as they flew from west to east.  Unfortunately not a one of them contained any rain for us - I think it all the moisture was dumped on San Francisco the day before when they received a new record rainfall for the day of an inch.  Big and puffy in shades of white and gray.  Hopefully the clouds will gather moisture as they head east and dump buckets of rain on the fires in both Arizona and New Mexico where it is sorely needed.  Can you tell I was easily entertained yesterday?

A cloudless plain blue sky is like a flowerless garden.
~Terri Guillemets