Summer Is Almost Over

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.  

~Albert Camus

Tomorrow is the first day of autumn.  I sure wish it would show its face around here.  We have cooled off a bit - down to the low to mid 90's.  It will be awhile before the leaves start changing color and dotting our landscape with reds, oranges and yellows.  Autumn is my favorite time of year even though we don't go through the major color changes like you do in the east.  It usually means cooler weather (finally!) and I can start using the oven more and preparing slow cooker meals.  Which season is your favorite?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Autumn Leaves

Autumn!  A bit of coolness in the air.  Colorful leaves.  Thoughts of Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Shorter days.  What comes to mind when you think of autumn?  Here are a few interesting facts:

* The first day of fall is also the second equinox of the year, when the Earth's axis is not pointed toward or away from the Sun. There will be approximately equal amounts of day and night today.

* Until December 22, days will be getting shorter and nights will get longer. Trees will stop performing photosynthesis, which is what causes the leaves to lose their green color.

* Modern Halloween has its origins in the Celtic holiday at the end of the annual harvest, similar to an ancient Thanksgiving. Carving pumpkins didn't become a part of the holiday until the 19th century.

* Evergreen trees like pines, cedars, spruces, and firs, stay green all winter because their leaves are covered with a thick wax, and their insides hold materials that help them not to freeze

* In order to know which way to go when they fly south, birds use a variety of techniques such as the position of the sun or the stars, and big landmarks like lakes, rivers, or mountains

* Squirrels rely on a storage of nuts to eat during winter, so they collect and bury nuts all fall. Plus, the nuts they bury but don’t retrieve sprout into new trees

* There are only two days of the year when you can stand an egg on end. One of these days falls on the first day of autumn.

* The leave colors red, yellow & brown are in the leaves all year long & only become exposed when the green chlorophyll disappears in the fall.

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BEE BLOCK

The Bee block for September ended up being two blocks.

Robyn was the hostess this month for Let's Bee Together.  She sent some beautiful fabrics to work with.  These blocks weren't difficult to make as long as you follow the instructions.  And there were no Y seams!  Robyn asked us not to trim down the blocks so this is what she received from me.  I'm looking forward to seeing what she will be creating.

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CUTE!

I received my September swap block from Nancy.

Isn't it adorable?  My request for my Block Swap Adventure swap partner is to 'think kids' and 'think happy'.  Nancy did a wonderful job of meeting both of those goals.  I just love the way Nancy fussy cut the Berenstain Bears and used them in this block.  Thank you, Nancy!!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Yellow and Gray

The best helping hand that you will ever receive is the one at the end of your own arm. 

~Fred Dehner

I had a very quiet weekend.  There was no running errands and basically no meal preparation.  My DH was away on a boys racing weekend, something he has done for the last few years with his brother and best friend.  I'm glad that he is able to have this time away, some time with the guys - it gives him a break from taking care of me.  During my quiet time I was able to get in some sewing which I rarely do on the weekends.  And, of course, I did some stitching too.  The only downside was the dogs thinking every car they heard go down the street "Dad's home!".  There were many trips made to the front door and then the return of sad little faces when they realized he wasn't coming up the front step.  Needless to say, they were two over joyed pups when DH did walk in the door Sunday evening.  Even I had a big smile on my face.  How was your weekend?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Shark

Another nightmare producing creature from the depths of the ocean.  No, I don't know why I've been thinking about the ocean and what lives there.  Maybe it's the cool waters, maybe I am thirsty, who knows - lol!  Here are some interesting facts about sharks:

* The first sharks lived more than 400 million years ago—200 million years before the first dinosaurs. They have changed very little over the eons.

* Because sharks very rarely get cancer, scientists study their cartilage in the hopes of finding a cure for the disease.

* The first written account of a shark attack is found in Herodotus’ (c. 484–425 B.C.) description of hordes of “monsters” devouring the shipwrecked sailors of the Persian fleet.

* When a shark eats food that it can’t digest (like a turtle shell or tin can), it can vomit by thrusting its stomach out its mouth then pulling it back in (GROSS!)

* Before sandpaper was invented, people used the rough skin of sharks, called shagreen, to smooth and polish wood. Japanese warriors wrapped the skin around the handles of their swords to keep the swords from slipping out of their hands.

*Sharks don’t get cavities probably because they are constantly shedding teeth. Sharks have 40-45 teeth, with up to seven rows of replacement teeth behind them. When a front tooth breaks or falls out, it takes only about one day for a replacement tooth to move forward to the front row. Sharks can go through more than 30,000 teeth in a lifetime.

* As long as a shark’s back is mostly under water, it can swim easily. A nine-foot-long bull shark can swim in just two feet of water. About two-thirds of shark attacks on humans have taken place in water less than six feet deep

* When it comes time to give birth, the female shark loses her appetite so she won’t be tempted to eat her own pups.

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OOPS!

Last week I worked on a block for my September Block Swap Adventure swap partner, Nancy.  Nancy requested a star block, yellow and gray with yellow being the primary.

This block is called New Star.  This is where the "oops" comes in.  It ended up much larger than the 12" block it was supposed to be.  This was a great paper piecing project but I missed one thing.  I forgot to check the 1" square on the printout before I began.  I always check that and usually make sure that my printer is set at 'actual size' before printing any paper piecing project.  But, obviously, not this time! The block ended up being 13 1/4 inches square.  

So, to remedy my error, I made this eight point star.  I'm really happy with how all of my points met in the center - that's what's nice about the precision of paper piecing.  

Nancy will be receiving both blocks.  Maybe she can make a pillow or something out of the larger one.  I'm letting this be a lesson well learned.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Hey!

Our wedding was many years ago.  The celebration continues to this day.  

~Gene Perret

Hello!  Hi!!  I'm back!!  I sure missed all of my blogging friends but I did enjoy my time off.  While I was away we were lucky enough to be able to spend 5 days in Santa Cruz at the family home.  The weather was beautiful, even the one day it rained.  We rested, ate too much, visited the Boardwalk, and just enjoyed life, each other, and our fur babies.  Luckily, we returned to moderate temps but that has since gone away.  We are definitely into summer with our highs breaching 100 degrees (of more), and to think, we only have 3 1/2 more months to go.  Yesterday we celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary!  We were quite young when we said our vows (at least by today's standards) but it has been a wonderful journey through life together.  There is nothing better than being married to your best friend and sole mate.  

I have to admit that I really enjoyed my time away from blogging.  So much so that I will be taking off some more time.  Writing the blog today was very much a chore and not something that I found fun.  I am looking at taking off until August 1.  Blogging is meant to be something fun for me and not a daily or weekly duty that I feel I must do - I must want to do it.  However, I will be checking on your blogs from time to time - I have to keep up on what's going on in my friends' lives.  Hopefully you will be around when I return, but if not then I fully understand.  Oh, and just in case you are concerned, I will be keeping up with the Doll Quilt Swap, Let's Bee Together, and Block Swap Adventure.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Elephants

Elephants have always amazed and intrigued me.  I love the way they lumber around and their babies are just too cute.  Here are some fun facts about this large creature...

1.  The elephant’s closest living relative is the rock hyrax, a small furry mammal that lives in rocky landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa and along the coast of the Arabian peninsula.  

2.  Elephants don’t like peanuts. They don’t eat them in the wild, and zoos don’t feed them to their captive elephants.

3.  Elephants prefer one tusk over the other, just as people are either left or right-handed

4.  An elephant’s trunk has about 150,000 muscles and no bones: these features make the trunk very flexible.

5.  Elephants can hold 4 gallons or more of water in their trunks at one time.

6.  Elephants drink about 50 gallons and consume 400 lbs. or more of food each day.  Elephants eat about 16 hours a day.

7.  An elephant sleeps an average of 2 hours during a 24-hour period.

8.  An elephants' skin is an inch thick

9.  Elephants use their feet to listen, they can pick up sub-sonic rumblings made by other elephants, through vibrations in the ground

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MAIL BAG

While I was on break, I received some wonderful things in the mail....

These two 6" blocks were made by Ann W. in Australia.  Ann was my January 6" Inch Block Swaps Australia and these are replacement blocks. The original blocks she made were lost somewhere across the great blue expanse that separates our countries.  The corner squares actually have a lot more green in them than the photo shows.  I love the center square fabric selection.  Thank you for the wonderful blocks, Ann!

My Block Swap Adventure partner for June was Shannon B from Georgia.  She made me TWO beautiful blocks!  One block was for the normal monthly swap and the second "as a thank you for all your had work and time as hostess".  That's so nice!  Shannon also told me that the blue floral in the middle of the bright batik block was from the Atlanta Shop Hop Batik from 2005 and that Hoffman produced this batik exclusively for the shops during the hop.  How cool is that?  I have to admit that the batik block is my favorite - bright colors on black just speak to me.  Thank you Shannon!!

Last month I won this fun book!  Beaquilter had a giveaway and I was the lucky winner.  The book has all sorts of wonderful ideas and it is even signed by the author.  I have been building quite a stash of buttons so maybe this is a way to use some of them.  Thank you, Bea!

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A BIT OF SEWING

While I was away from blogging, I did manage to spend some time in front of the sewing machine but not nearly as much time as I had hoped.  Here is some of what I created......

These two blocks were made for Erin, the June hostess for Let's Bee Together.  I really like the white on white fabric she sent out for us to work with and the scrap fabric was fun.  Erin requested that these blocks not be cut down to size, allowing her to complete that task.  These went out in yesterday's mail.

This is the little quilt  I made for the June Doll Quilt Swap.  The theme was "Something old, something new, or something blue".  Guess you can tell I went with something blue.  The star blocks measure 3 inches square and the entire little quilt measures 16 1/4" x 20".  I found this pattern in a book titled "Small Quilts with Vintage Charm" by Jo Morton.  I followed her directions for making flying geese and I have to say it wasn't my favorite method.  This quilt is traversing the country all the way from California to Wisconsin.

I did make two more Loving Hands quilts but they look very much like the two I made for May - only the center panel is a bit different.  I worked on a couple of small cross stitch project for World of Charity Stitching - one was a repeat of the Scroll block I made and have already shared and one I'm not quite finished with.  I began a major FPP project and will be working on that for awhile.  I have to do most of my sewing in the morning hours as the sewing room gets very hot in the afternoon sun even with the A/C and ceiling fan running.  

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FINAL THOUGHT

Look for me August 1.

The Weekend Ahead

We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them.  

~Francis A. Walker

As we approach this 3 day weekend, we need to remember why we are celebrating Memorial Day.  Take a moment or two during your festivities to say thank-you to those who have or are serving in our nation's armed forces.  Countless men and women have given their lives to keep our country strong and free for which they have earned our undying gratitude.  The next time you see a soldier in uniform, take the time to say thank you!  Without these fearless fighters of our defense, who knows what kind of country we would be living in.  God bless America and have a wonderful Memorial Day!!
I will be taking Monday off from blogging to celebrate with my family.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Flag of the United States of America

I don't think there is a more patriotic symbol than our own country's flag.  The stars and stripes can move my soul with a single wave. We will be proudly flying our flag on Monday!  And since this fits with the coming holiday, here are some little facts about our flag...

* Another name for the American Flag; Old Glory actually refers to a specific flag owned by Captain William Driver. Old Glory was made with 24 stars and 13 red and white stripes representing the original 13 colonies

* The red, white and blue stripes are strictly defined as Dark Red (Pantone 193 C), White (Pantone safe), and Navy Blue (281 C).

* The current version of the US flag was designed by an 18 year old high school student, who only received a “B-“ for his efforts. Robert Heft, took exception to this grade, and issued his teacher a challenge: if Heft’s design proposal was accepted by Congress, he would deserve and receive an “A”. Heft earned his “A”, and by presidential proclamation in 1958, his design was officially adopted as the nation’s flag.

* 6 US flags are currently stationed on the moon. They were put there by Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17.

* When folded properly, the US flag is shaped like a triangle with only the stars showing. If you have exacting standards, it usually takes 13 folds: the same number of original colonies.
* Only State Governors and the President of the United States order when the flags on government buildings are to be set at half staff.
* Red is for Valor and Hardiness; white is for Innocence and Purity; and blue is for Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.


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SWAP BLOCKS

Back in March I made three blocks for swap partners that I never shared....

I made this Eccentric Star block for Karen, my swap partner for Quilting Block Swaps Australia.  Karen requested "bright greens, bright blues, fresh modern colors and each block to have some white".  This block fits both colors and is definitely modern.

This On The Oregon Trail block was fun to make - so much so that I made two!

Barbara was my March swap partner for Block Swap Adventure.  One of her previous month's partners didn't produce so I made her an extra block.  Barbara requested red and white fabrics be used to create her block.

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STITCHERY UPDATE

I was able to start the phase of my counted cross stitch project....

You can't see a whole lot of what I've been doing but you can see a bit at the bottom and then, of course, the outline and the start of a feather (sorry it's a bit blurry).  I just figured out how to enlarge the pattern to an easily readable size without the distortion I was encountering earlier.  Sure wish I had figured that out when I was working on the center section.  But that's okay, because now I know how it do it and it will come in handy for the next 2 Christmas projects I will make from the same designer.  Luckily, they don't have to be completed until Christmas 2013 and 2014 - lol!

Design:  Desert Mandala

Designer:  Martina Weber / Chatelaine Designs

Fabric:  Antique White Belfast (linen - for those of you who do not stitch)

Stitched:  2 strands of DMC floss over 2 threads

1 strand of Treasure Braid over 2 threads

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TODAY'S GOAL

To get the spare bed cleared of all fabric carefully stored on it.  Our DD#2 and SIL will be coming for up for the weekend!!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Thank you to all who have served or are serving to keep our wonderful country free!!  Bless those that have given their lives protecting us!!  

Flowers and Blocks

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive.  And then go and do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.  

~Attributed to Howard Thurman

Wednesday's just keep rolling around rather consistently, don't they.  Wednesday's keep my weeks balanced.  Two work days before and two after.  Wednesday either finds me tearing my hair out because I have to have something finished by the end of the week or simply enjoying the fact it's the middle of the week.  This week I'm simply enjoying the day.  What's Wednesday usually mean for you?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

American Badger

I honestly didn't know much about the badger until doing my research for today's blog.  Here's what I found out:

* Badgers are large nocturnal retiring creatures, which are normally shy and live in social or family groups.

* They are closely related to stoats, otters, weasels, polecats and pine martens.

* Badgers have a strong sense of smell and search for food by constantly sniffing the ground ahead of them, with the help of their snouts.

* These animals have typical underground homes called setts, which are complete with a labyrinth of tunnels.

* An adult badger can grow up to a maximum of 36” long and have a weight of around 22 to 27 lbs.

* They are omnivorous animals, depending on a wide variety of foods for their diet. However, their staple food consists of earthworms, with a per day consumption of around 200 worms.

* Badgers have powerful non-retractable claws that are very useful in digging and looking for food.

* Although these animals do not hibernate, they are less active in the winter season.

* The cubs are normally born in the month of February and are usually 1 to 3 in number. These cubs emerge around the month of May, after spending the first 8 to 10 weeks of their life underground.

* Badgers have excellent hearing and smelling sense, which proves very useful in searching for their food. However, they have very poor eyesight.

* The name badger possibly derives from the French word bêcheur meaning digger or from the word badge in reference to the white mark on its forehead.

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

Two more flowers were made this week for my GFG/Eye Spy quilt.....

Earth Day (last Sunday) always makes me think of the days of hippies and peace symbols - and, yes, I'm definitely old enough to remember those days - so what better way to wax nostalgia than with this hexie flower.  Don't you just love the peace symbols on the cars' wheels?

These little piggies can't wait to dive into that watermelon in the center of the flower.  When I saw the pig fabric, I knew instantly that it would be made into hexies.

To check out more flowers for One Flower Wednesday, Karen has graciously provided a linky for one stop browsing.  Hop on over and take a look by clicking on the link above.

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SWAP BLOCKS RECEIVED

I recently received two squishies in my mailbox.  I just love receiving swap blocks....

First I received this beautiful block from Rachelle in Michigan.  I just love all the different fabrics she used to create this braid block.  Rachelle was my March swap partner for Block Swap Adventure.  Thank you so very much, Rachelle.

Then I received this adorable block from Ann Mc in Canada.  This block says Christmas and I especially like the little bird in his winter hat!  Ann was my December swap partner for Quilting Block Swaps Australia.  Thank you so very much, Ann!  Better late than never :)

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HELP NEEDED

I'm having trouble with the new blogger.  Each time I use the scheduled posting it doesn't work.  Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I have a Bee block to make.

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GIVEAWAYS

Cat Patches is having a giveaway.  You could win an assortment of goodies from Colonial Needles.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 26.

World of Charity Stitching is having a giveaway.  You could win a $50 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends Thursday, May 3.

A Stitch In Time is having a giveaway.  You could win two fat quarters with a beach theme.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 28, at 11:00 pm EST.

Canton Village Quilt Works is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Marie Bostwick's newest book,  Ties That Bind.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 2.

Quilting By The River is having a giveaway.  You could win a charm pack of Vintage Modern.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 26, at midnight CST.

Crafty Imaginings by Jen is having a giveaway.  You could win a $15 gift certificate to either Fat Quarter Shop or 123Stitch.com.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 30.

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her weekly Mystery Monday Tuesday.  You could win 5 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 28, at midnight.

Woolie Mammoth is having a giveaway.  You could win a little used pattern from Bird Brain Designs and some fabric to get you started.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 29.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Two Completions

April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go.  
~Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

Saturday was a whirlwind of errand running.  We even visited two local quilt stores where I bought a small amount of fabric - some for future hexie flowers and a fat quarter pack that I just couldn't resist of dark batiks.  Sunday was spent washing the dog, doing laundry, watching (well, I listened) to the Nascar race, and I even managed to get a bit of stitching in.  This week promises to be a little quieter and hopefully I will get something accomplished in the sewing room.  How is your week starting out?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Salt and Pepper

Salt and pepper are a mainstay on most of our tables and in our cooking.  Of the two, salt is definitely a favorite with me.  Here are a few interesting facts on this duo:

* In the Middle Ages, salt was so expensive it was sometimes referred to as “white gold”.

* Black pepper is the number one selling spice in America.

* Consuming too much salt can have fatal outcomes. 1 gm of salt consumed per kilogram of body weight is capable of drawing a person to death.

* Most black pepper is grown in India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Vietnam.

* In India, the hard seeds are mixed with salts to produce the black salt of India. This mixture is allowed to stand for certain period to form the lumps of black salt.

* Peppercorns grow on a vine supported by a stake or host tree. A pepper vine can grow to lengths of 100 feet. The plant requires three years to mature and produce peppercorns, but the vines will continue to be fruitful for years.

* The towns with names ending with either “lick”, “saal” or “wich” are all founded because of the availability of the salt.

* Americans consumed more than 112 million pounds of pepper last year, an increase of nearly 80 percent during the past two decades.

* Out of the total salt production, only 7% is diverted towards the human consumption while the remaining 93% is used by the manufacturing and chemical industry.

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LEAP YEAR TRAVELING STASH WINNER

The Leap Year Traveling Stash is hitting the road and this time it will be visiting

Congratulations to

Miss Mary

Miss Mary said, "Let the traveling stash come to Tennessee, please!"

I have already email for her snail mail info and am ready to send the Traveling Stash to Tennessee.

Thank you to all who participated!

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THANK YOU!

Thank you to all of you who took the time to vote for my little quilt, Spring has Sprung, over the weekend.  It was fun to see such a wonderful response to my entry :)

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DOLL QUILT SWAP

Last week I completed and mailed my first doll quilt to my swap partner....

The theme for the month of April for Doll Quilters Monthly was 3 Colors.  My swap partner, Margaret, requested orange, purple, and lime green - the brighter the better.  I think this fits that description.  I used the Disappearing 9 Patch for the block.  For the quilting I did some stitch-in-the-ditch and then used a fancy stitch from my machine to do some diagonal quilting.  The final quilt measures 17.5" X 17.5".  This went out in the mail on Friday so Margaret should have it shortly.  I hope she likes it.

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SWAP BLOCK

This month my swap partner for Block Swap Adventure was Rachelle.  

Rachelle requested the Rail Fence block made up in jewel or winter tones.  The colors in the block are much deeper than they appear in the photo so that it fits the jewel tone request.  This block went out in Friday's mail so Rachelle should have it fairly soon.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I am going to work on a paper piecing project from a Craftsy class I'm taking.

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GIVEAWAYS

McCall's Quilting is having a giveaway.  You could win a colorful OttLite Creative HD task lamp.  This giveaway ends Thursday, May 31.


McCall's Quilting is having another giveaway.  You could win a pair of Olfa 5" Precision Applique scissors.  This giveaway ends Thursday, May 31.


Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a remnant stack of Riley Blake Chevron prints.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 4.


Favequilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a GuideLines4Quilting Ruler Set.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 3.


!Sew We Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of Luscious.  The winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 3.


Desertsky Quilting is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Snowball Quilts and a charm pack of Little Apples.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 5, at 6:00 pm EDT.


Cat Patches is having her weekly Fun Fact Friday Freebie.  You could win a fat quarter.  The winner will be announced Friday, April 6. 


Pins and Needles is having a giveaway.  You could win a rainbow of 54 charms from her stash.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 5, at midnight UK time.


Stitch This is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Nature's Beauty in Applique by Susan Taylor Propst.   This giveaway ends Thursday, April 5.


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FINAL THOUGHT