Please Vote

Surprise!  I am making a post today.  But just a short one to make a request.

I have entered my little quilt in the Quilting Gallery's "Springtime Renewal".  There are 30 different entries from  5 different countries.  You may vote for up to 3 quilts.  I would appreciate it if you would vote for my little quilt, Spring Has Sprung.  

Another Traveling Stash To Giveaway

Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.  

~Irene Peter 

Yes, I know it's not Friday!  But one of the requirements of winning the Traveling Stash is that I have to hold the giveaway on the 29th of the month.  So here I am, a day early.  Think of this as my Friday post :)  Yesterday was spent divided between my sewing machine and prepping a new counted cross stitch project.  If I could add about 4 additional hours to the day devoted to crafting I would be a happy camper.  We don't have any big plans this weekend for a change.  I'm looking forward to a bit of quiet.  Do you have plans for the weekend or will you be able to spend the time plying your favorite craft?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Beaver

Beavers have always been a favorite of mine.  They can be very destructive but I still think they are one of cutest creatures.  One of local parks located on a natural waterway has had to put up tree protective barriers to keep a beaver or two from felling the trees along the walk paths.  It caused quite an uproar when the city said they were going to trap the beavers and move them to a more remote location.  Here are some facts about beavers:

* Beavers grow three to four feet long and weigh between forty and sixty pounds

* A beaver's front teeth never stop growing

* Beavers can swim at an average of five miles per hour.

* A beaver can stay underwater for approximately fifteen minutes before coming up for air.

* Beavers are very vocal with their children. They even discipline their offspring.

* A beaver's teeth have a hard orange coating that helps to keep them from breaking.

* Their front teeth stick out of their closed mouths so that they may work underwater without swallowing water.

* Beavers mate for life

* The beaver waterproofs its thick fur by coating it with castoreum, an oily secretion from its scent glands.

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LEAP YEAR TRAVELING STASH GIVEAWAY

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

On the first of the month, I won the Leap Year Traveling Stash from Ann Marie of 16 Muddy Feet.  When it arrived, I was amazed at how much fabric there was in the box.  It was absolutely crammed full and I told Ann Marie that she must have had to sit on it to close it.  And, guess what?  She DID!  Here's the top layer of the box....

There is layer, upon layer, of fabric in this box.  Mostly fat quarters but there are a couple of larger cuts also.  Here is what I removed:

11 assorted fat quarters.  I will be replacing them with the same amount if not more.

Here is what you need to do if you want to win it:

1. You must be a blogger so you can "pass it on" to another blogger on the 29th of next month.This way it can keep on giving all year long and beyond. Keep us posted about where it's going.

2. You must be willing to ship it on to the next person, within a day or so after your giveway on the 29th.

3. You may take anything you like, but for every item you remove, you must replace it with another item, or more.To keep the box filled to the brim.(Items do not need to be new, but if they are not new, they must be gently used.)

4. You may fill the box with:  orphan blocks, books, patterns, notions, rulers, and definitely fabric, anything sewing or crafting related.

5. There is a note in the box that logs where the box has been.  Please add your info and place the note back in the box.

6.  Because of the weight of this box, you must live within the USA to enter.

7.  This giveaway will end on Sunday, April 1, at 4:00 pm PDT.  I will post the winner in my regular Monday post (April 2).

8.  You must have a way for me to contact you.  If you are a no-reply blogger, you must include your email in your comment.  Otherwise, your comment will not count and you can not win.

Okay, now leave me a comment telling where the Traveling Stash will be going if you are the winner.  

Only 1 comment per person, please.

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COUNTED CROSS STITCH UPDATE

As I warned you last week, I wouldn't get in as much stitching time as I did last week.....

This will be the last update on this particular project for awhile.  I will be starting a new project (hopefully tomorrow) that is to be a Christmas present.  Yes, I know it's only March, but I don't want to feel pressured come the holidays to get it completed.  So, for now, it's on to something new but I will definitely be back to this project just as soon as the new one is finished.

Design: Summer Sampler

Designer: Sandy Orton for Kooler Design Studio

Fabric: 18 count cream Aida cloth

Fiber: 2 strands over 1 - DMC floss

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6" BLOCKS

Earlier this week I received swap blocks from Sue B, my March swap partner in 6 Inch Block Swaps Australia.....

I requested bright with thoughts of children and these two wonderful blocks definitely fit that description.  Thank you so very much, Sue!

And here are the blocks I made for Sue.....

Sue requested sailboats.  This was a fun paper pieced block to make.  I had just the perfect fabric for the water, too.  Sue has received these blocks and said that she really liked them.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will be finishing up the second of my Loving Hands quilts.

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GIVEAWAYS

McQ News is having a giveaway.  You could win a pack of fabric from the Amelia collection by Me and My Sister for moda.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 2.

Terry's Treasures is having a giveaway.  You could win 3 past issues of quilting magazines.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 1.

Stitch This is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of  Kaleidoscope Paper Piecing.  This giveaway ends  Tuesday, April 3.

The Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could win Jenn Ski's Designer Select Fat Quarter Bundle.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 3.

Qspace is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Fresh Fabric Treats or copy of Miniature Food Masterclass.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 1, Australian time. 

Fabricworm is having a giveaway.  You could win 1 yard of Ghastlies Family Reunion in Natural by Alexander Henry.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 2, at 2:00 pm PDT.

Diary of a Quilter is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a bundle of 5 half-yard cuts of Heather Bailey's Freshcut fabrics.  This giveaway ends Saturday, March 31, at midnight MST. 

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FINAL THOUGHT

Something to bend your mind with today.

Wednesday?!? Already?!?

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.  

~Gerard de Nerval 


Wednesday came much too quickly this week.  The days just keep flying by and I don't seem to get much accomplished.  Monday I did some stitching and had my hair cut.  Tuesday was spent catching up on some blogs, a bit of sewing, and a visit from the bug man (we get sprayed bi-monthly to keep the creepy crawlies under control), and our bi-weekly grocery shopping excursion.  I guess that's a lot to have completed in two days but I just don't feel I have much to show for it.  Well, I better get to the sewing machine instead of sitting here in front of the computer or I won't be getting much done today either.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Flowers

I have several different kinds of flowers blooming in my garden right now.  Daffodils, tulips, gerbera daisies, freesia, and more.  I don't plant toward a specific hue so my garden is a riot of color.  Here are a few facts I found out about different flowers:

* Almost 60 percent of fresh-cut flowers grown in the U.S. come from California.

* Pinks are so called not because of their color but because of the ragged edges, or pinks, on each petal. The color pink is actually named after the flower.

* Sunflower stems were used to fill life jackets before the advent of modern materials.

* The Daisy got its name because the yellow center resembled the sun. It was commonly known as the “day’s eye” and over time, was eventually called daisy

* The city of Mt. Vernon, Washington grows more tulips than the entire country of Holland

* Every plant in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is edible

* The largest single flower is the Rafflesia or “corpse flower”. It is a type of malodorous lily that can weigh up to 15 lb and be close to 40 inches wide. It apparently smells like rotting flesh.

* Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep cool. He changed it every two innings.

* White flowers tend to be more strongly scented than their colored kin.

* Angiosperm is the scientific name for flowering plants. It means “seed bearing.”

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TRAVELING STASH WINNER

Thank you to all who participated in this quick giveaway for the traveling stash.  With the help of random.org the winner is.......

Kim

Kim said "Every time I see your stitching update, I think that I need to get that pattern! It would be perfect to hang in my guest room!

I would LOVE the chance to receive a stash box!!! I was away from quilting for a couple years. However, I continued collecting fat quarters whenever we found a quilt shop! LOL 
Now, my style and the colors I am drawn to have changed. I would love the opportunity to add some new and trade some that are no longer in my color schemes. Thanks for the chance!"

Congratulations, Kim!  I will be sending Kim an email to get her snail mail.

Come back tomorrow for the Leap Year Traveling Stash giveaway!

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

While traveling up the valley on Saturday, I was able to create two more hexagon flowers.

I called this one Pink Hawaiian.  The pinks are so vibrant and I like the way the orchids fit onto the petals.

Doesn't this one remind you of a hunting lodge?  I know it's really a Christmas print but I went with it anyway.  

Thanks to Karen, you can see many more hexie flowers out there in blogland.  Just click HERE to start your journey.

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ONE MORE LITTLE QUILT

Last week I finished one of two Loving Hands quilts.....

The sun didn't come out Sunday for quilt picture time so the colors don't show up as vibrant as they really are.  Bright pinks and warm greens went perfectly with the little heart fabric.  I think you can see the free motion hearts along the border.  I just did some straight line stitching and stitch in the ditch for the rest of the quilt.  I used the block pattern, Squares Upon Squares, to make this one up.  I still have to do the quilting on the other little one I'm working on.

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OH MY GOODNESS!

If you would like to be amazed by a young man's voice (he's only 17), take a listen to this

Jonathan Antoine Audition for Britains Got Talent 2012

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to finish the Doll Quilt I've started for the swap.

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GIVEAWAYS

Sunshower Quits is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Finish Almost Any Quilt by Marguerita McManus.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 1.

Arrow Sewing Cabinets is having a giveaway.  You could win a Reliable V50 or V100 iron.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 9, at 5:00 pm.

World Of Charity Stitching is having a giveaway.  You could win Happy Butterflies kit by Yiotas XStitch.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 1.


Kathy Davis and Where Women Create is having a giveaway.  You could win a ten yards of fabric of Wildflower Fabric Collection.  This giveaway ends Thursday, March 29, at 9:00 am EST.


Traceyjay Quilts it having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of her new pattern and a layer cake of Rouenneries Deux.  This giveaway ends ?


Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her Mystery Monday giveaway.  You could win 5 fat quarters in your color choice.  This giveaway ends Saturday, March 31, at midnight MT.


Vroomans Quilts is ready to send another of the Traveling Stash on its way.  This giveaway ends Friday, March 30, at midnight.


It's Sew Kiki is having a giveaway.  You could win a polie of Millie's Closet.  This giveaway ends Friday, March 30.


My Go-Go Life is having a giveaway to celebrate her one year blogiversary.  You could win a moda Chrysalis jelly roll, a charm pack tin of the Summer In The City, one sampler pack of Aurifil thread, and an Omnigrid Half-Square Triangle Template.  This giveaway ends Friday, March 30.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Quilt Show (Photo Heavy)

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.  

~Seneca

Saturday DH and I took the day and traveled up the valley to a quilt show in Fresno (more below).  We had a wonderful time just spending the day together.  Sunday was a full day of clothes washing but the evening was spent with some friends we hadn't seen in far too long a time.  It was nice to catch up with what's all happening in their family.  But now it's Monday and time to get back to the sewing machine!  

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Ladybug

It's almost that time of year when I will start seeing ladybugs in my yard.  Ever since I was a child (yes, long, long ago) I have loved ladybugs.  It is probably one of the few flying bugs that I don't mind.  They even tickle when they crawl along my arm or hand.  Here are a few interesting facts I found on ladybugs:

* Ladybugs are not bugs. The term “bug” refers to a group of insects that have mouthparts that form a beak for sucking. Ladybugs have mouth parts for chewing.

* The official common name for ladybugs is lady beetles

* Ladybugs are born black

* Ladybugs hibernate in the winter

* Although ladybugs eat garden pests such as aphids, spider mites, meanly bugs, and scale they also eat pollen and nectar and can be cannibalistic if food is in short supply.

* In order for a ladybug to fly they must beat their wings 85 times a second.

* In the past, ladybugs were dedicated to the Virgin Mary and were thought to have supernatural powers.

* Larvae are alligator-like in appearance

* Adults may live up to a year and may lay up over 1,000 eggs.

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FRESNO QUILT SHOW

Saturday was a wonderful day to travel up the valley.  Spring is the one time of the year when everything is green instead of ugly tan.  We went north to Fresno to spend some time at The San Joaquin Valley Quilters' Guild 2012 Springtime in the Valley Show.  The building was barely big enough to hold all the quilt on exhibit and the multitude of vendors they had.  Unfortunately, the lighting was very poor so some of the photos do not show off the quilts at their best.   Here are some of the beautiful creations we viewed:

"Stars and Stripes" by Michele Carlson.  This was a round robin challenge that involved five quilters.

"My Hummingbird" by Cheryl Pocock.  

"Country Barn" by Sheron Schiller.  This barn is located on Hwy 46 and anyone who travels from the central valley to the central coast is sure to recognize this barn.

"Brilliant Cut" by Michele Carlson.  This quilt was made with satin and minky.

"By The Sea" by Nancy Lord.  I apologize for the blurriness but the textures in this piece were amazing.  The sand appeared to be created from a natural linen and then shells, drift wood, and bits of lace all added to the dimensions of this quilt.

Here is a close up of the shells and driftwood she used and the bit of lace to the water's edge.

"Rainbow Robin" by Michele Carlson.  With the cramped space of the room, I was always able to get back far enough to get the entire quilt it the photo like in this one.  This was also a round robin made by the same five women who created "Stars and Stripes" above.

"Floral Fantasy" by Sandra Larson.  This quilt was full of bright, spring colors.

"Outside My Window" by Helena Wood Pietro.  This was a challenge piece.  The challenge was never really explained but I'm guessing it had to do with birds.

Untitled by Nancy Quarnberg.  This was another challenge quilt.  I just loved the whimsy in this piece :)

"Cherry Blossoms and Daffodils" by Laura J Fisher.

"Red Hot" by Sandy Clark.  The photo does not do the colors justice in this quilt.  The reds were so much more rich and vibrant.  This was a favorite of mine.

"Spiral Galaxies" by Deborah Gira.  This was another case of not enough room to get the entire quilt in the photo.  Part of the center design looked painted from a distance but when you got up close...

It was actually thread painting.  Just gorgeous.

"Tico Time" by Ann Dellavalle.  

"Teton Trails" by Kathleen Heinrichs.  

"Pretty Fish" by Sue Rosa.  This little piece used an amazing amount of little pieces of fabrics.

"Dragonflies" by Kathleen Heinrichs.  

We had a very nice time and all of the White Glove assistants were very pleasant.  One thing my DH and I both liked is that they placed the quilt description paper on the side of the quilt.  They then folded that paper in half so that half went to the back and you could use that to paper to "Peek at the back" and didn't have to wait around for a White Glove person.  I hope that in two years at their next show that they are in a larger building with better lighting.  And would you believe, I didn't buy a single thing?!?  Sometimes that just happens.  I hope you enjoyed viewing some of the show quilts with us.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I am going to start a doll quilt for my swap partner in the newly started Doll Quilters Monthly.

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GIVEAWAYS

(Sorry for the lack of giveaways - not much computer and blog reading time the last few days)

1st Lady of the House is having a giveaway.  You could win a GO! Baby AccuQuilt machine and your choice of 3 dies.  This giveaway ends Friday, March 30, at midnight MST.


And Sew We Craft is having a giveaway.  You could win a Hullabaloo charm pack.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, March 27.

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FINAL THOUGHT

The Winner Is......

Thank you to all of you who entered my Giveaway for the Blog Hop Party with Giveaways.  I must apologize for the hurried responses I sent out yesterday.  I did manage to answer all comments before the end of the giveaway but just barely.  It ended up that I did a lot of cut and pasting to be able to answer your comments without a lot of fuss.  I normally take a lot more time in responding.  If you did not receive a response from me you were probably a No Reply blogger.  My plan at this time is to add a page to my blog that lists those who I was not able to respond to, but that will be coming later next week.

 I was blown away to see that I had over 230 people enter my little giveaway.  THANK YOU!!  And welcome to the new followers.  I hope you will stick around and continue to enjoy my future ramblings.  So without further ado...

Happy Cottage Quilter!
She said  "My favorite color is Pink. And why do I love pink?? Well, it's because it's PINK :-) Thanks for the giveaway."


Congratulations!!

I have sent you an email for your snail mail info so that I can send you your two charm packs!

Have a great one!!

The Traveling Stash Is Ready To Travel

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"  
~Robin Williams 

Spring is definitely here in the central valley of California.  The trees are turning green and so many of my plants are blooming.  It's very pleasant to be outside as long as you are in the sun - the shade is still a bit too cool for me to enjoy.  I love having the windows open and listening to the birds chirping and knowing that they are preparing nests.  We have a rather busy weekend but an enjoyable one planned.  Do you have big plans for the weekend?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Armadillo

The armadillo is a strange creature to me.  They look like a cross between a possum and some sort of extinct dinosaur.  I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder as I'm sure there is someone out there that loves these usual animals too.  Here are a few facts on armadillos:

* The name "Armadillo" comes from the Spanish explorers word meaning "Little Armored Thing"

* There are over 50 million armadillos in the US

* Armadillos are one of the few animals who consume fire ants as part of their diet. Such an ability can make armadillos very beneficial to humans.

* Armadillos have four babies at a time, always all the same sex. They are perfect quadruplets, the fertilized cell split into quarters, resulting in four identical armadillos.

* Armadillos get an average of 18.5 hours of sleep per day

* When an armadillo is frightened it jumps straight into the air

* Armadillos have a very low need of oxygen. Even when burrowing they can stop breathing for 6 minutes by storing air in the trachea and wide bronchus

* The three-banded armadillo hardly digs a burrow; it protects itself by rolling up like a hedgehog. The only opening is covered by the shields of the head and the tail, so that even a dog can't open this ball.

* If they can’t dig under it, armadillos will climb over it and are quite capable of scaling fences and trees.

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STITCHERY UPDATE

This was a pretty good week for stitching......

This is where I was last week so you can compare.

And here you can see what I've added this week.  The sunflower was a fun part of the chart.  I finished up the watermelons and am now working on a section that has pigs.  Never time to get bored with this one.

I managed to get quite a bit finished.  However, the coming week doesn't look like it will provide much stitching time :(

Design: Summer Sampler

Designer: Sandy Orton for Kooler Design Studio

Fabric: 18 count cream Aida cloth

Fiber: 2 strands over 1 - DMC floss

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TRAVELING STASH 2 GIVEAWAY 

Recently I won the Traveling Stash from Samantha over at Sami's Quilts and Crafts.  This box is filled with all sorts of great fabric and patterns.  Here is what I removed:

Aren't this fun fabrics for a little boys quilt?  I will be using these in a Loving Hands quilt some time soon.

Here is a picture of the box before I added some more fabric to it.  

It's now time to send the Traveling Stash on its way.  Would you like the opportunity to sort the box, pick out some of the fabric and/or patterns?  Well then, here are the rules as set forth by Nan (the originator of this box):

1.  You must have an active blog and will post receiving and when you are ready to pass it on

2.  You will swap out equal quilt quality fabrics and products

3.  You must pass on the Traveling Stash

Does this sound like something you would like to do?  Then just leave me a comment telling me that you would like to have the Traveling Stash come to your house for a visit.

Because of the weight of the box and the cost of shipping, this giveaway is only open to those who live in the USA.  Sorry!

This giveaway will end Tuesday, March 27, at 4:00 pm PDT.  I will post the winner in my regular post on Wednesday, March 28.

You must leave me a way to contact you.  If you are a no-reply blogger, your name will not be entered unless you include your email in your comment.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will be quilting a Loving Hands quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

Sew What's Cooking is having a giveaway.  You could win 5 fat quarters of A Breath of Avignon by American Jane Patterns, Sandy Klop for Moda.  This giveaway ends Friday, April 6.

Fabric Worm is having a giveaway.  You could win 12 fat quarters of Michael Miller Ta Dot.  This giveaway ends Monday, March 26, at 8:30 am PDT.

Diary Of A Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Make It Sew Modern.  This giveaway ends Saturday, March 24, at midnight MST.

A Quilting Life is having a giveaway.  You could win 9 fat quarters of Kaffe Fassett's Paperweight collection by Westminster Fabrics from Canton Village Quilt Works.  This giveaway ends Sunday, March 25.

The Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could win Venessa Christenson's Blogger Choice Fat Quarter Bundle.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, March 28.

Hawthorne Threads is having a giveaway.  You could win an Amy Butler Lark fat quarter bundle.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, March 28.

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FINAL THOUGHT