May Flowers

Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible. 

 ~Doug Larson

It's the middle of the week.  I have managed to accomplish a couple of things but nearly as much as I had hoped.  I don't know where the hours went but they certainly flew by.  Maybe over the next few days I can spend a little more time at my sewing machine.  I have a couple of projects waiting in the wings that I really want to start but am trying to be good and finish what I'm working on first.  I really wish I didn't have to sleep - lol!

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Money

Money is something we never seem to have enough of.  Without it we couldn't buy fabric to make quilts, not to mention the fact that we use it to buy the food to fuel our bodies, provide power to our homes, and so much more.  Here are a few facts about US money:

* Before the days of paper money, Americans traded animal skins, including deer and elk bucks, for goods and services. Hence the word "buck" to describe money.

* American Indians used to carry around strings of clam shells to use as money, which they called wampum. Wampum was the most common form of money in North America. By 1637, the Massachusetts Bay Colony declared wampum legal tender, which meant it could be used as money.

* In 1916, you could get your money laundered for free! If your money was in good enough shape, you could take it to Washington, D.C., where it could be washed, ironed and reissued.

* The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces 26 million notes a day, with a face value of approximately $907 million.

* A piece of currency can be folded forward and back 4,000 times before it will tear.

* Currency is made of 25 percent linen and 75 percent cotton paper. Red and blue synthetic fibers of various lengths are distributed evenly throughout the paper. Prior to World War I, the fibers were made of silk.

* In 2002, the U.S. Mint produced 14,413,236,610 coins for general circulation.

* A mile of pennies laid out is $844.80. By this standard, America is about $2.5 million wide, coast to coast.

* During much of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Spanish dollar coin was the unofficial national currency of the American colonies. To make change, the dollar was actually cut into eight pieces or "bits." Thus, came the terms "pieces of eight" from these early times and "two bits" (a quarter) from recent times.

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

For One Flower Wednesday, I actually have just one flower this week....

I had a fat quarter with several large sunflowers.  To make this hexie flower, I used bit and pieces from several flowers.  I should have cut out the petals a bit differently so the other center edges didn't show but this will work for now.

To see more hexie flowers out there in blogland, Karen has provided us with a one stop linky spot - just click HERE.

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MAY DOLL QUILT

Last week I made up a little quilt for the May Doll Quilt Swap.

The theme for May is May flowers.  I found the pattern for the center while checking out the Garden Blog Hop.  The center block, Spring Time Blooms, was designed by Quilt Doodle Designs. (If you make this, some of the measurements aren't exactly correct).  This little quilt was fun to make and my husband was sad to see it leave for Minnesota.  Diane has received the quilt and said she was very happy to get it.  Now it's time to start thinking about next month's theme.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to start a table runner for my Mother for Mother's Day

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GIVEAWAYS

Stitch This is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of More Take 5 Quilts eBook.  This giveaway ends Friday, May 6. 

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her weekly Monday Mystery.  You could win 5 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Saturday, May 5, at midnight.

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a giveaway.  You could win $25 in goodies from her eBay store. This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 30.

The Cottage Home is having a big May giveaway.  You could win a Quilt Blocks fat quarter bundle from Fat Quarter Shop, or two car magnets and two refrigerator magnets from YAY! LIFE!, or a fat quarter pack of Kaffe Fassett Aboriginal Dots from Canton Village Quilt Works, or a $20 gift certificate to Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops, or a $25 gift certificate to Modern Fabric Studio, or a hand selected bundle of 8 fat quarters Heartsong Quilts' Kaffe Fassett collection.  This giveaway ends Friday, May 4, at midnight CST.

Quilty Pleasures is having a giveaway.  You could win some luscious Sulky threads.  This giveaway ends Friday, May 4.

The Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 5.  This giveaway ends Monday, May 7.

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FINAL THOUGHT