A FINISH AND A FLOP

Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day.
~Friedrich Nietzsche

Have you ever had one of those days when you suddenly feel like you've hit that proverbial wall?  That happened to me yesterday right after lunch.  I came home from a great lunch with two of my friends and just felt exhausted.  I wanted to curl up and take a nap.  The problem with my taking a nap is that I know I won't sleep when I'm supposed to, you know, at NIGHT.  So I trudged through the rest of the day with heavy eyes and no desire to do a darn thing.  I did some blog reading and little sewing which I should haven't done as you will see below.  I fixed a simple dinner and even worked on some stitchery after dinner.  If I hadn't stitched I would have been asleep immediately in front of the television.  But today is another day and I'm ready to go, go, go!!!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Buck Moon

Tonight there is a full moon.  This moon is called the Buck Moon.  According the Farmer's Almanac full moon names date back to Native Americans. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

European settlers followed that custom and created some of their own names. Since the lunar month is only 29 days long on the average, the full Moon dates shift from year to year.

Since July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur, the full moon of this moon is called the full Buck Moon.
Sometimes this moon was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, because thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month’s Moon was the Full Hay Moon.

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QUILT TOP FINISHED

Yesterday morning I finished the quilt top.

As I said before, this is a variation of the quilt pattern, Dora, from the book, 3 Times the Charm!  Their pattern called for 1 charm pack - I used 2.  They did not have the inner border nor did their outer border match their sashing.  Theirs measured 30 1/2" square and mine ends up measuring 59" square.  So I'm changing the name of my quilt to Colors Thru The Window.  Now I'm debating about the binding.  I can't decide whether to stay with solid black or do a scrappy binding in the bright colors.  I have set up a poll on the left hand sidebar for you to make your voices heard on which binding I should use.  What do you think?

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FMQ - DAY 3

Yesterday was rather a flop in my fmq lesson......

I was to practice making Sashiko Shells.  Leah said they stack like bricks and should be even in size.  I just couldn't get the hang of it.  I tried to make the shells in all four corners of the block.  I gave up and wrote "Shashiko Shells not my thing" - I misspelled Sashiko but you get what I meant.  I also had a cross out of shells just to the right there - lol!  So, I decided to practice something else.....

I did some meandering.  This seemed to flow fairly smoothly and most of my stitches were fairly uniform in length.  I only made one or two sharp turns and had just a couple of cross overs.  Maybe this is something I could actually do on a small quilt :)  Now on to day 4!

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AMERICANA

Yesterday afternoon I finally made another block for my UFO/WIP, Americana Sampler quilt.

This is why you should never sew when you are tired!  When I was pressing this block, I kept looking at it and thinking "I really am not fond of this block".  Still pressing away for what I thought was the final press it suddenly dawned on me - You sewed it together WRONG, dummy!!!!  So once again Mr. Ripper and I became well acquainted as I ripped out three seams.  It couldn't have been the outside edge block - oh no - it had to be one of the inside block assemblies.......

This looks much better!  All angles heading in the right direction.  This block is called Next Door Neighbor.  I might as well confess this little tidbit too......I miscut the red squares for the corner triangles and had to search through my scrap stash for a similar color red to use.  3/8" off of a square is a big mistake and, of course, I didn't have enough from the kit to use the same fabric.  Oh well, in the end I don't think it will be noticed.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I am going to play with a new toy/tool I received a little while back :D

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GIVEAWAYS

Amy's Creative Side is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a bundle of Wild Garden Collection, by Dan Bennett for Westminster.  This giveaway ends Monday, July 18.

Frugal Ideas from the Parsonage is having a giveaway.  Sophia is giving away a vintage fat quarter.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, July 20, at midnight.

Pink Chalk Studio is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a Paris Apartment Fat Quarter set in the winner’s choice of colorway.  This giveaway ends Monday, July 18.

Jolly Jabber is having their weekly giveaway, too.  This week you could win one of Julie Herman's Blogger’s Choice Fat Quarter Bundles.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, July 19.

Sew Take A Hike is having a giveaway.  You could win  a tea towel (your choice of color), and a tea kettle pattern Amy designed herself.  This giveaway ends Sunday, July 17.

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FINAL THOUGHT
The desktop computer has been repaired and DH will pick it up today!!  I'm so glad.  Working on the laptop is better than not having a computer at all but it is a struggle for me.  The keyboard does not always work as I think it should - the keys are quite stiff.  I really give the delete and backup buttons a workout.  I'm not sure where all of the different keys are and have to stop to hunt and peck.  I sometimes hit the CAPS LOCK key by miSTake and suddenly everything is capitalized.  Then I go to hit that key to unlock the caps and hit another key that sends me back to the top of the page - I still haven't figured out what key that is and how it sends me to the top.  One day I'm afraid it will send me over the top and down the hill - lol!  All will be well and back to normal this evening when I start up the desktop computer and hear its whir and then put my fingers on my favorite keyboard.  Back to something I understand. 
Have a wonderful weekend!

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.
~John Barrymore

Pick A Pin Cushion

It's not a bug - it's an undocumented feature.
~Author Unknown

Hooray!! Bloggers back up and running.  They still haven't reposted Thursday's posts but hopefully they haven't been sent out to cyber space and will return.  What a blank spot having blogger down put in my life yesterday and this morning.  I missed reading all of the blog and seeing what's going all with all of my internet friends.  I almost didn't know what to do.  I couldn't work on my post this morning so I cleaned.  I put away piles that had accumulated once again.  Sorted by color and put into the appropriate bins.  I caught up on some emails.  I even pulled fabric for a new project for a class I am taking through quiltuniversity.com.  So, as you can see, my time wasn't wasted.  But I still felt the absence and missed you all terribly.  But we are back!!!! 

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Today is National Frog Jumping Day!  Frogs are fun whether you’re jumping over a frog or jumping like one, today is a great day for hippity-hoppers.  Frog Jumping Day can be traced back to Missouri author Mark Twain, and his first short story, “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog.” If you’d like to read this story today, it’s also known as “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” as well as “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”  Here are a few facts about frogs:

* Frogs are amphibians because they start their frog life cycle as eggs in the water and then turn into tadpoles, which have gills and also live in the water. It isn’t until a tadpole turns into a frog that it can live outside of the water, but it will still need to get in the water to drink and to cool off.

* Frogs don’t actually drink water with their mouths; they drink it through their skin. A frog’s skin absorbs water when it is in the water so its body gets all of the hydration that it needs that way and the frog doesn’t need to drink with its mouth.

* When frogs hibernate their bones sort of grow a layer, like a tree does. When you look inside a frog’s bone you will be able to see rings and tell how old the frog is by counting the rings.

* A group of fish is called a school, but a group of frogs is called an army. Do you think that is why army colors are green? A group of people is called a group

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MY 3RD PIN CUSHION

Yesterday I made another pin cushion.....

This time I made a sunflower.  This is from the same pattern as the Pink Posey Pin Cushion and the Pansy Pin Cushion - a pattern from Bird Brain Designs called Posey Pin Cushions.  The pattern called for little black beads to be sewn to the center of the flower but I didn't have any.  So instead I made french knots.  I probably should have made the knots a little bigger and will when I make this pin cushion again.  Which pin cushion do you like the best?  If you would go up to the top of the left side bar I have put up a little poll.  Let me know which one you like best.  I have included links to the other two pin cushions just a few sentences above.  Curious minds want to know - lol!

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MORE AMERICANA

Yesterday I also finished two more blocks for the Americana WIP.....

This block is called Ombre

This block is called Providence

After working with these two blocks, I think I discovered why I quit working on this quilt several years ago.  The instructions are horrible!!!  It took me probably twenty minutes to figure out how to make just one section of the Providence block.  Thank goodness I had a little extra of the gold fabric because I had to cut a replacement piece for a mistake I made.  And since I wasn't as experienced as I am now when I started these blocks, the instructions probably drove me to distraction. 

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A SWEET WIN

Yesterday I came home from going out to lunch to find a box left on my porch.  The box said it was from Godiva Chocolates.  A little while ago I had won a giveaway over at Ruby Slipperz.  I opened the box to discover......

This beautiful box.  I just love the spring colors and the flower removes and can be used as a pin.

And these are the sweet treats inside the beautiful box!  Lots of tempting pieces of chocolates.  It came with a picture card and descriptions so I can figure out which one I want to eat.  Too bad I can't share it with you.....guess I will just have to eat them all by myself :D  Thank you so very much, Annie, for the wonderful box of Godiva Chocolates!!!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I am going to make Block #12 in the Designer Mystery BOM from Fat Quarter Shop.

 
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GIVEAWAYS
**Sorry there's not many listed but with Blogger down I haven't had time to catch up on my blog reading yet**

Little Miss Shabby is having birthday giveaway #4.  This time she is giving away  a 1/2 yd. bundle of Sew Cherry and a coordinating crocheted cherries and flower set.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 17.

Little Miss Shabby's giveaway #6.  For this giveaway you could win your choice of a Dresses Embroidery pattern set or a Russian Dolls Embroidery Pattern set, a Window Shopping Illustration from Tasha’s Quilt Shop Mini Series, and a coordinating Pin Topper Set.  This giveaway ends Thursday, May 19. 


And, Little Miss Shabby's giveaway #5!  You could win a wonderful 6 Fat Quarter Bundle of  a mix of Anthology & Art Gallery Prints & Solids. 

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FINAL THOUGHT

I had an interesting conversation with my Mom today.  She was thinking about driving at least on Thursday's so she could still attend her weekly bridge club.  Mom  - "You know, I've never had a TIA during the day.  They always happen in the evening or at night.  So I don't think there would be any trouble with me driving during the day."  Me - stunned silence.  Me - "I really don't think that would be wise."   Mom - "I really don't see why it would be a bad thing."   Me - "How do you know that you haven't had a TIA during the day?  You wouldn't remember it".  Mom - "Because I haven't found myself in some place I don't remember going to".   Me - "But you wouldn't be confused if you were still in the house".  Mom - "Never mind.  I don't want to talk about it!"        Can I start pulling out my hair yet?!?  It's not as if we wouldn't get her to her bridge game.  I wonder what excuse she will come up with next.

  Chaos is a name for any order that produces confusion in our minds.
~George Santayana
Finally it's Friday - enjoy!!

Blocks - Both Old and New

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that suppose to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing.

~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987

It's so hard to be miles and miles away from family.  Yesterday I found out that my DD#1 and her two young sons were in a car accident.  Nobody was injured but her car received a lot of damage.  It's a terrible feeling when you can't go and give your daughter a hug.  Or you can't give your grandsons a great big kiss.  Megan has a lot of stiffness and some bruising in her back.  The grandsons were safely tucked into their car seats and came through with not so much as a scratch.  In fact, they got to go sit up in the great big fire truck and wear the head phones while mom talked to the police officer - how cool for them.  I don't care how old your daughter or sons is, they will always be your child.  Being a mother doesn't end when they move out as adults, even if it's to another state.  The constant worry you had when they were small has diminished some but you still want to be there when something happens - good or bad.  Your children are still your babies no matter how old they get!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

May is ALS Awareness Month.  ALS stands for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is commonly called Lou  Gehrig's Disease.  ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.  Based on U.S. population studies, a little over 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. (That's 15 new cases a day.) It is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time.  Most people who develop ALS are between the ages of 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis. However, cases of the disease do occur in persons in their twenties and thirties.  There are several research studies – past and present – investigating possible risk factors that may be associated with ALS. More work is needed to conclusively determine what genetics and/or environment factors contribute to developing ALS. It is known, however, that military veterans, particularly those deployed during the Gulf War, are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS.  Half of all people affected with ALS live at least three or more years after diagnosis. Twenty percent live five years or more; up to ten percent will live more than ten years.  As some of you may know, I was diagnosed with ALS in 2001.  I am one of the lucky 10%!  If you should have any questions concerning ALS, please do not hesitate to ask either through a comment or by email.  Or you can click on the big red A on my sidebar.  I'm NOT looking for sympathy - so please don't tell me how sorry you are -  I just wanted you to be aware that May is ALS month.

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ANOTHER BEE BLOCK

Yesterday I made another block for one of the May hostesses of Let's Bee Together (we have two groups)...

Mollie sent some beautiful fabric to work with but the pieces were a bit small (3 pieces of 9 X 11 - half of a fat quarter) so it was difficult to find a block pattern that would work.  I used a block called Antique Tile but altered it just a bit so it would work with the fabric available.  I like how it turned out and hope Mollie does too.

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UFO FOUND - NOW A WIP

The other day when I was rearranging shelves I found this bag.....

What did it contain?  It contained some blocks, some bags and a few computer printed pictures.  Looking through I discovered it was a Thimbleberries BOM from 2005!  It's called Americana and was purchased from Quilters Quarter ( a company I think is no longer in business).  I vaguely remember working on it.  I also remember getting quite discouraged.

This is what the quilt will look like once I get everything made up. I had previously made up 12 of the blocks......

 

I think Weasley has found his favorite block - lol!  I think I know why I quit working on it.  Looking at the seams, these were obviously made before I bought my 1/4" foot for my sewing machine.  A lot of the seams measure 3/8" while others measure the correct 1/4".  No wonder I got frustrated if the blocks weren't coming out to the correct size.  I did do a fairly good job with matching seams and making nice points though.   I don't think there's a uniform size block in the whole bunch.  I really like the colors and the design of the blocks.  So today I decided I will start working on this quilt again.  Even if it's just one block a day or one block a week.  Heck, if I've waited this long I don't think I need to be in a rush to finish it.  It will be interesting to see what happens when I try assembling the entire top.  I may have to do some fudging here and there. I made a block yesterday.....

This block is called Spinner.  At first I tried sewing the seams a little larger than I normally would.  Do you know how hard it is to make the seams larger than 1/4" when you now always make 1/4" seams?  It was very frustrating so I just gave up and made the seams the right size.  I did have to substitute out the light blue fabric as the first cut I made was 1/8" off and there wasn't enough fabric to make two more blocks.  Oh well, the colors were almost identical to the original piece.  Only 13 more blocks and the center flag to make!!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make two more Americana blocks.  And hopefully have time to work on the Birdie Stitches BOM.

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GIVEAWAYS

Quilter In The Gap is having a giveaway.  You could win the book Modern Basics by Amy Ellis and 10-1/2yd cuts of Sunkissed and 5/8 yd to use for the binding to make the 1,2,3 quilt in the book.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 10, at midnight.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a Dena Fishbein Kumari Garden fat quarter bundle in Morning.  The winner will be selected on May 11. 

I Have A Notion is having a giveaway.  Kelly is giving away a Beam and Read Light.  She will announce the winner on Sunday, May 8.

Green Fairy Quilts is having a giveaway.  Judi is giving away a fat quarter bundle of "Trick or Treat" by Doodlebug Design Inc for Riley Blake Designs.  The winner will be announced on Monday night, May 9.

Red Pepper Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  Canton Village Quilt Works is giving away a half yard bundle of Robert Kaufman Kona Solid quilting cottons in a range of lovely Spring colors to one lucky reader.  This giveaway ends Saturday, May 7, at 2:00 pm EDT.

A Latte Quilts is having a giveaway.  Paula is giving away four different kits to four lucky winners.  This giveaway ends tonight at midnight CST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Sunday is Mother's Day.  Do you have big plans?  Will you be celebrating with your Mother or with family?  We will be having my mother and sister over for dinner on Sunday.  Probably barbecue of some sort but beyond that I'm not sure what will be on the menu.  My DD#2 and her husband will not be coming up since they were just here two weeks ago and will be returning in two weeks for my birthday.  Actually, that was my choice - having them here for my b-day instead of this Sunday.  I will honor my mother as I should by allowing her to do absolutely nothing while she is here.  It will be a time for her to stay out of the kitchen, away from the cooking chores and the clean up.  A day to celebrate her.  After all, she has been a mother for 55 years and at 83 years old I think she deserves a day of rest.  And to all of you mothers out there....HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!