Make A Little, Give A Little and A Giveaway

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.
  ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I think giving back to the community is one of the most important things I can do with my life.  And I don't mean just locally.  I enjoy giving support where and when I can.  I can't do much physically but I enjoy giving things I make.  It always amazes me that the smallest things given can add up so quickly and become something grand.  Even saying a word of praise or a hug can be one of the most generous and least expensive ways to give, to show support.  Donating doesn't always mean money.  Just do what you feel is right and it usually is. 

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Statue of Liberty

Today is Statue of Liberty Dedication Day.  On this day in 1886, France gave the US the largest gift ever, the 22 story tall Statue of Liberty. To this day, it's one of New York City's top attractions, with tourists eager to test their leg strength on the 354 steps to the top.
* Total overall height from the base of the pedestal foundation to the tip of the torch is 305 feet, 6 inches
* The face on the Statue of Liberty measures more than 8 feet tall
* The Statue has a 35-foot waistline
* There are seven rays on her crown, one for each of the seven continents, each measuring up to 9 feet in length and weighing as much as 150 pounds
* During the restoration completed in 1986, the new torch was carefully covered with thin sheets of 24k gold

* There are 25 windows in Lady Liberty's crown.
* Winds of 50 miles per hour cause the Statue to sway up to 3 inches and the torch up to 6 inches.
* The Statue of Liberty has size 879 sandals that are each 25 feet (7.6m) long.

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4 PATCHES 4 HOPE

Regina  began 4Patches4Hope began as a desire to use her passion for quilting, and the power of social media and word of mouth, to create quilts to comfort those undergoing cancer treatments and at the same time raise money for cancer research.  It's so easy to help Regina with this wonderful cause.  The concept is simple - Make a 4 Patch... Make a Donation... Make a difference.
  All you have to do is make 4 Patch blocks and make a donation.  This week I send out 5 blocks and a donation.....

They took so little time to make but can be combined with other blocks to create something that might bring a little comfort to someone dealing with cancer.   Regina's goal is 1000 blocks and $4,000 by February 28, 2012.  Received blocks will be assembled into “comfort quilts” and donated to the Anderson Medical Center in Anderson, SC and the Pluta Cancer Center in Rochester, NY.  Each block donated will enter your name into a drawing for “participation prizes.”

If you would like to help Regina achieve her goal, please click on the link above or on the button in the right sidebar to find out all of the details.  I hope you will join me in helping Regina achieve her goal!

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TRAVELING STASH GIVEAWAY

Last week I won the Traveling Stash over at Mama Sparks World.  The Traveling Stash is ready to find a new home.  It has spent a few days with me as I enjoyed seeing and touching everything that was held in the box.  Here you can see some of what is in the box (after I took some out to keep).......

You wouldn't believe all of the pretties and useful items in this box.  And it's not a small box - it's a large flat rate priority mail box.  I'm not going to list or show you everything because then it wouldn't be a surprise.  There are lots of fabrics, some quilt blocks, patterns, tools, and more.   Here is what I took out........

3 Christmas fat quarters, a little pincushion kit, a pattern, some fabric samples and a yard of ABC fabric.   Then I added........

Even more stuff.  Lots of patterns, some Christmas fabric, a few fat quarters and some charm squares, plus some Pure fabric, and a Sew Wanderful!  I'm not showing all of the patterns because what fun would that be!  The box is so full that I almost had to sit on it to tape it closed.  And it weighs 13 pounds!!!!!

Here are the rules:

1.  You must have an active blog.

2.  You may take whatever you want from the stash but you must replenish the box

3.  You agree to host a giveaway on your blog and send the Traveling Stash on to the winner.

4.  U.S. friends only please due to the shipping costs.

So, if you are still interested in winning the Traveling Stash and then sending it on, just leave me a comment telling me that you would like the Traveling Stash to come to your house.  Easy enough!

I'll draw the winner with the help of random.org on Friday, November 4 at 8:00pm PST.  The winner will be announced on Saturday, November 5 and if I have their snail mail info, the box will be going out in the mail on the following Monday.  Good luck!!!!

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FMQ

Another fun day at free motion quilting practice.....

This was a fairly simple practice until my mind wondered and my circles became apples, hearts, or just plain odd shapes.  This Angles and Circles would be a great block filler.  How many of you noticed that I named it Angels and Circles.  Maybe I was thinking halos - lol!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to start my November mini quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

FabricWorm5 Fat Quarters of Echino Fall 2011 Blue/Green.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 31, at 8:30 am.

Live A Colorful Life is having a giveaway.  You could win a darling paper pieced pattern called Winter Woolies.  This giveaway ends Thursday, October 27, at noon PDT.

Jolly Jabber (Fat Quarter Shop) is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win  Bonnie & Camille’s Designer Select Fat Quarter Bundle.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 31.

Diary of a Quilter is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a 1/2 yard bundle of 4 different Sarah Jane Children At Play fabrics  or a $30 Gift Certificate to JAQS Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Saturday, October 29, at midnight MST.

McCall's Quilting is having a giveaway.  You could win a package of 12 Checker® Print N Fuse inkjet Iron-on Fusible Adhesive Sheets.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 31.

Linen Closet Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win MyMemories software.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 31, at 6:00 pm.

Fresh Cut Quilts Pattern Co is having a giveaway.  You could win an AccuQuilt GO! Baby cutter and your choice of 2 dies.  This giveaway ends Sunday, October 30, at 9:00pm MST.

Quilting In The South is having a giveaway.  You could win MyMemories software.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 31.

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FINAL THOUGHT

My favorite time of year.......