Traveling Stash Is Ready To Hit The Road

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. 
~Andy Rooney

How was your weekend?  My weekend started on Friday evening and as done in the final verse of 12 Days of Christmas version, my weekend went like this: 12 letters written, 11 emails read (probably more), 10 errands completed, 9 gifts wrapped, 8 dog nails trimmed (X2), 7 minutes to take a breather, 6 towels folded, 5 loads of wash done, 4 Christmas stockings hung with care, 3 kinds of cookies made, 2 sweepings of the kitchen, and 1 dog washed!  Thank goodness Monday is here!

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Mistletoe

The sprig of mistletoe plant has been associated with the Christmas holiday for ages. The power of mistletoe is known to almost everyone; it makes anyone and everyone kissable around the holiday season - whether it is a friend, a relative or possibly even a stranger. The moment anyone goes under a sprig of mistletoe at a Christmas party, he becomes a target for anyone to kiss him. However, many more things are associated with the mistletoe apart from kissing. Here are some fun facts about mistletoe:

* The American mistletoe plant is the mistletoe species that is mainly associated with kissing. However, it is only one of the two mistletoe plants that are native to the USA, the other being the dwarf mistletoe.

* Not even the mistletoe have been saved from the threat of extinction. About twenty species of mistletoe are on the endangered list.

* The scientific name of American mistletoe is Phoradendron, meaning 'thief of the tree'. Though the mistletoe plant is not classified as parasitic in nature, it comes quite close. It sinks its roots into the host tree and takes away all the nutrients

* The term mistletoe is believed to be derived from an Anglo-Saxon word 'Mistal' and 'Tan', which mean 'dung' and 'twig', respectively. Thus, the meaning of mistletoe comes out to be 'dung on a twig', quite opposite to the sweet kissing tradition with which it is associated.

* The seeds of mistletoe plant are quite sticky and easily glue themselves to the beaks or feathers of birds or the fur of other creatures. They usually fall near a likely host tree and start to germinate.

* The seeds of the dwarf mistletoe can explode from ripe berries and spurt as far as 50 feet.

* Mistletoe is poisonous for human beings, but its berries and leaves serve as a high-protein food to many animals.

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WHERE WILL IT GO NEXT?

This giveaway is now closed.

A couple of weeks ago I won the Traveling Stash over at PhillysBlarney.  This is the second Traveling Stash I've won and it's so much fun to go through all the goodies in the box......

Fabric, patterns, tools, and more fabric!  I can't show you everything.  If I did then you wouldn't have the fun of discovering what's in the Traveling Stash.

This is what I removed.  I just love those pinks and the couple pieces of batiks.

Here's what I added.  Some more fabric, a couple of patterns and some charm squares.  I'm not giving you a full view of most of the fabric - you wouldn't want me to spoil the fun for you.  The box is stuffed full!  Wouldn't you like to win the Traveling Stash?

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 and which state you live in. Easy enough!  Only one comment per person - multiple comments will be removed.

I'll draw the winner with the help of random.org on Thursday, December 22 at 8:00pm PST. The winner will be announced in my regular post on Friday, December 23 and if I have their snail mail info, the box will be going out in the mail on the following Saturday. Good luck!!!!

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ANOTHER BEE BLOCK

Earlier this month I received fabric from Lisa, this month's Bee In Oz hostess.  With the fabric I made.......

This somewhat wonky log cabin block - at least that's what she called it.  As most of you know, wonky and my brain don't mesh well.  I did enjoy working with the beautiful fabrics Lisa sent - those luscious blues and greens are some of my favorites.  I sure hope this works for what she wanted.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to continue working (once again) on my Gardener's Journal quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

I'm sorry that I don't have a list of the giveaways available out there in blogland.  I didn't have any time to blog hop all weekend long :(  I will be back with a list of giveaways on Wednesday.

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FINAL THOUGHT

My son-in-law recently sent this joke too me.  I hope I don't offend anyone but I just had to share it.....

ONIONS and CHRISTMAS TREES

          A family is at the dinner table. The son asks his father,
          'Dad, how many kinds of boobs are there?
          The father, surprised, answers,
          'Well, son, there are three kinds of boobs:
          In her 20's, a woman's are like melons, round and firm.
          In her 30's to 40's, they are like pears, still nice but          hanging a bit.
          After 50, they are like onions'.
          'Onions?'

        'Yes, you see them and they make you cry.'

        This infuriated his wife and daughter so the daughter said,

        The mother, surprised, smiles and answers,
        'Well dear, a man goes through three phases.
        In his 20's, his willy is like an oak tree, mighty and hard.
        In his 30's and 40's, it is like a birch, flexible but reliable.
        After his 50's, it is like a Christmas Tree.'

          'A Christmas tree?'

            'Yes - the tree is dead and the balls are just for decoration.'