Four More Flowers

Whoever dreamed up Scrabble had an exaggerated idea of how many seven-letter words have five i's.
 ~Robert Brault

It's already the middle of the week!  Wednesday has gotten here so quickly.  I could really use a couple of extra days - maybe two Thursdays or, even better, two Saturdays.  It doesn't seem like I've gotten anything accomplished.  Of course, it doesn't help that I keep playing Words With Friends with my daughter on Facebook.  But where else can I play Scrabble?  DD#1 and I are both game players.  My DH hates playing games - especially spelling games.  This way we can play a game without being in the same room let alone the same state.  We have seven games going at once.  Yes, I said SEVEN.  Some days we hardly play at all.  It all depends how much time I spend on the computer and if she is busy at work.  Over the weekend we barely play at all.  It's a great time waster but I don't mind wasting time if I'm having fun.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Hats

Tomorrow, Thursday September 15, is both Make A Hat Day and National Felt Hat Day.  I don't plan on making a hat but here are some facts about hats.....

* 1814 first record of a white rabbit being pulled out of a top hat, by a French Magician named Louis Comte

* "Mad as a Hatter": in order to bind felt fibres the millinery industry used mercury. Felt fluff would be inhaled by the milliners and over time the mercury would drive them mad.

* London's iconic Black Taxi Cabs have to be tall enough to accommodate a gentleman wearing a top hat - even today!
* You lose 20% of your body heat from your head...mainly from the forehead as it has no insulation.
* The American financier J P Morgan loved wearing top hats so much he had his cars made with a high roof so he could ride around wearing his beloved hats!
* Panama hats actually come from Ecuador. The workers on the Panama Canal wore the imported straw hats but the Americans thought they were wearing locally made hats.
* Average Head size today 7 1/8, to 7 1/4. 19th and early 20th century 6 5/8 or even smaller; hence larger hats are at a premium.
* In the mid-80's the baseball hat kicked off the current trend for hat wearing. Since 1985 hat wearing has increased by 15% a year.

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TWO SMALL FLOWERS

Once again, I was only able to churn out two flowers for the Aunt Sarah quilt.....

This flower is full of autumn colors.

And even though there aren't many green flowers in nature, I thought this green basket weave pattern worked up nicely into flower petals.

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SPRING SWAP PACKAGE

A very pretty package arrived in yesterday's mail.....

I don't know that I've ever received such a colorful package.  I couldn't wait to open it to see what was inside......

Sarah, my Spring swap partner in the Once A Season Swap hosted by Cheryll,  took the time to wrap the three gifts individually.  She included a beautiful handmade card with hand stitched flowers on the outside.

Inside was a darling plate that can be hung on the wall and it is decorated with precious handmade paper flowers.  There is also a little bud vase that has a matching paper flower.  Sarah also included a package of cute magnets, some great gel pens and note cards that match the magnets. 

Thank you so much for everything, Sarah.  And a special thank you to Cheryll for hosting another great swap!

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FUN FLOWERS

This weeks Grandmother's Flower Garden hexagon flowers were both fussy cuts and my flowers for One Flower Wednesday......

This flower looks like a fish bowl.  I kept thinking about Charlie Tuna when I was stitching this one together - lol!

This one reminds me of a necklace worn by ladies many years ago - maybe it's because the little dots look a little like seed pearls.  Who knows....sometimes my mind comes up with some very weird thoughts and images.

For more hexagon beauties, just click on the link above or on the button on the right sidebar.  Thanks, again to Karen for hosting this weekly fun!

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FMQ FUN

On Monday, I could tell that I hadn't been at the machine for a few days......

Ocean Current didn't flow quite as smoothly as it should have.  There are a couple of fits and starts but if it were done on a printed fabric, you probably wouldn't even notice them.  This is the first beginner/intermediate practice I've done.

I missed putting the center of the Sunflower in the center of the block - dummy me!  I quickly ran out of room so instead of leaving part of the block empty, I added a stem and leaves.  I even added veins to the leaves.  Can you tell I had fun with this one?  You can click on the link to see what it was really supposed to look like.  The flower part reminds of those Spriograph designs I used to make when I was a child.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I have to decide on a block and cut fabric for Bee In Oz.  October is my month to be the hostess and I want the envelopes in the mail on the 15th.

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GIVEAWAYS

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her Monday Mystery giveaway.  You could win 5 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Saturday, September 17.

Laundry Basket Quilts Blog is having a giveaway.  You could win Edyta's new book, fabrics from her Indian Summer line, fabric pencils, a custom seam ripper, buttons, her favorite Aurifil thread and her calendar.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 30, at midnight EST.

BasicGreya Sampler in your choice of design as well as a box of BasicGrey goodness including our Blossoms, Vintage Buttons, Stitched Buttons and Vintage Patches.  this giveaway ends Sunday, September 18, at 11:59 pm MST.

The Raspberry Rabbits is having a giveaway.  You could win one of Shell's Folk Art Fusion pieces with the hanger.  This giveaway ends Monday, September 19.

Happy Quilting is having a giveaway.  You could win a Jelly Roll of Sweetwater's ever so popular Hometown line and 2 1/2 yards of coordinating fabric.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 16. 

Taking The Scenic Route is having a giveaway.  You could win a 17" mat designed with the acorns dancing along the edge by Jan Goos.  This giveaway ends ?

Live A Colorful Life is having a giveaway.  You could win a sample pack of Aurifil thread.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 15, at 6:00 pm PDT.

A Quilting Life is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a $25 gift certificate to Fashionable Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 15.

Notions is having a giveaway.  You could win  a copy of More Layer Cake, Jelly Rolls & Charm Quilts by Pam & Nicky Lintott.  This giveaway ends Monday, September 19.

FabricWorm is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win 7 Fat Quarters of Timeless Treasures Organic Daisies.  This giveaway ends Monday, September 19, at 8:30 am PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

It seems like once a week I have trouble coming up with a final thought.  Maybe it's that middle of the week thing when I'm still thinking about what has happened during the week and what I have left to accomplish.   I have nothing to give an opinion on nor anything to gripe about.  I have no words of wisdom or prophesy to share.  So I guess that this is it for today.  Have a wonderful and creative Wednesday!

I plan on living forever. So far, so good. 
~Author Unknown