2 Finishes

Bittersweet October.  The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.  

~Carol Bishop Hipps

Fall has temporarily arrived.  There has been a nip in the air and we even had a spattering of rain the other night.  Would you believe northern California even had 5 tornadoes on Monday?  The last few mornings I've been able to wear jeans and a zip hoodie - with the hood up!  My morning time at the computer is spent with both dogs and my legs wrapped in a quilt.  I'm loving it and so are my furbabies!!!  Unfortunately, they are predicting that we will be back in the mid eighties next week :(  Hopefully it will be short lived and we will be back to those wonderful autumn mornings.  What's the weather like in your area?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Tarantula

I decided to keep with the spooky, creepy again - this time Tarantulas.  Do these fuzzy spiders make your skin crawl.  I'm usually not afraid of spiders, but this one is a bit over the top for me.  Here are a few interesting facts about this large, hairy creature:

* Tarantulas were named after Taranto, a town in Southern Italy

* Tarantulas can only drink their food, meaning that they must liquefy anything before they try to eat it (the mouth is shaped like a straw)

* Tarantulas can grow to be 1 foot long (that's including their legs)

* The hairs on a tarantulas body have the power to kill small rodents

* Tarantulas having a bite that is deadly to humans is a myth (in fact, scientists are still trying to discern the effects of a tarantula bite)

* The oldest tarantula lived to be 49 years old

* Female tarantulas can live 30 years or longer in the wild.

* Tarantulas are quite docile and rarely bite people. And it wouldn't do a tarantula much good defensively to bite you, since its venom doesn't pack much of a punch. A tarantula bite is no worse than a bee sting in terms of toxicity.

* Tarantulas have retractable claws on each leg, like cats.

* Tarantulas can regenerate lost legs.

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A LITTLE QUILT

I made and turned in my latest little Loving Hands quilt last week.

I used the same pattern I've used before, Squares Upon Squares, but explored a bit with the quilting.  I did the normal anchor of stitching in the ditch and then added a large petal design.  This was quick and easy and helped me renew the feeling for free motion quilting.  The fabrics were some I had in my stash.  The green I've had for ages and it just happened to blend with the persimmon fabric from Connecting Threads that I bought awhile back.  It's hard to find a good place in my yard to take photos in the sunshine this time of year so please excuse the shadows.

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BIG FINISH

I finished my big stitchery project!!  And in plenty of time to get it framed before Christmas.

This piece was fun to stitch with the challenge of different stitches and using some metallic threads.  I'm ready to start another Chatelaine Design pattern.  It will be another Christmas gift but this time for 2013.  I feel so good to be getting such a head start.  

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

Started April 2012 - Finished October 2012

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FINAL THOUGHT

Stitches

There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them.  

~Charles D. Gill

It can't be Wednesday already!  We had a relaxing weekend and had friends over for barbecue one evening.     We were even able to enjoy a brief respite in the heat.  Saturday and Sunday mornings greeted us with temperatures down in the low 60's.  It was so nice to open the windows and let the house breath.  We were able to spend some leisurely time out in the backyard Sunday morning enjoying the cool while sipping coffee and reading the morning paper.  I did manage to squeeze in a bit of stitching but no sewing.  This week looks promising for sewing time.  How was your weekend?  Are you able to get some sewing time in this week?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Pears

Pears are one of my favorite fruits to eat but only if they are truly ripe.  I enjoy a salad at my favorite lunch spot that includes pears, but sometimes they are as hard as apples and don't have much flavor.  Here are a few pear facts:

* There are over 3000 varieties of pears grown around the world.

* Pears are native to Asia and Europe. The first pear tree was planted in the North America in 1620 in the Massachusetts Bay colony.

* Asian pears were cultivated in China as early as 1134 B.C.

* The Chinese considered the pear, which they call "li," to be a symbol of immortality. The destruction of a pear tree symbolized tragic or untimely death.

* Before tobacco was introduced in Europe, pear leaves were smoked.

* They were given the nickname "butter fruit" in the 1700s because of their soft, buttery texture.

* Most pears (about 95%) sold in the U.S. are grown on the west coast, in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.

* In Europe, the Bartlett is known as the Williams Bon Chrétien or the Williams. It got its American name when a Bostonian named Enoch Bartlett bought a pear orchard and, not knowing the pears already had a name, began distributing them as Bartlett pears.

* Towns with an abundance of pear trees often included the word Perry in the name of the town.

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COUNTED X STITCH UPDATE

I have been busy working on my counted cross stitch project.

This is the top left corner.  Just a touch of metallic gold thread added for sparkle.

Here is the center panel near the top.  I have seen similar vistas while traveling through Arizona and New Mexico.

And then, of course, this is the top right corner.

Here it is all together.  The piece is really moving along and I should have no problem completing it before my December 15 deadline (self imposed, of course).

Design:  Desert Mandala

Designer:  Martina Weber / Chatelaine Designs

Fabric:  Antique White Belfast 

Stitched:  2 strands of DMC floss over 2 threads

1 strand of Treasure Braid over 2 threads

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FINAL THOUGHT

A More Relaxing Week

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.  

~Russel Baker

Who would ever think that I would celebrate having 3 days in a row below 100 degrees.  We crested at 98 and 99 degrees over the weekend.  I know it's all psychological, but those few degrees make all the difference in the world.  Last week was more busy than I care for.  We had something going on three out of the five evenings and then I had a full day work shop on Saturday.  It felt so good to be able to stay home on Sunday.  Luckily this week will be much more relaxing.  So far I don't think we have anything in the evenings to attend.  I'm looking forward to some serious sewing and stitching time.  What are your plans this week?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Julia Child

Last week was Julia Child's 100th birthday (August 15, 2012).  What a wonderful lady, so full of spunk and the creator of so many recipes.  Here are a few fun facts on this amazing lady:

* She was the first educational television personality to receive an Emmy

* Julia was 6'2" tall and played basketball at Smith College in Massachusetts

* The French Chef was the first cooking show on PBS, premiering in 1963.  Julia had new cooking shows air over the next five decades.

* She donated her home to Smith College and her kitchen to the Smithsonian Institution.

* While filming the Baking with Julia series, she used 753 pounds of butter.

* In 2003, Julia was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States highest civilian honor, by President George W. Bush

* She wore a size 12 shoe

* She was a breast cancer survivor

* Her nicknames were Juke, Juju, and Jukies

* Julia has a rose named after her that she chose herself.  It is butter-colored.

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BEE BLOCKS

Over the last couple months, I've made two Bee blocks for the hostesses of Let's Bee Together.

This was the block Bailey chose for us to make.  It is called Carpenter's Star.  I thought it was going to be hard to make but it went together easily - as long as you followed the instructions.  The fabrics were gorgeous - the camera did a very poor job of picking up the beautiful colors no matter what kind of lighting I used.

Charlene was the hostess for August.  This block is called Butterflies' Delight.  This was such a bright and cheery block to work on.  I love the fussy cut hummingbird and butterfly.

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COUNTED CROSS STITCH UPDATE

I have been working on my counted cross stitch project.  I try to do at least a little stitching every day.

I know this doesn't look like much but sometimes you have to work the boring to get to the exciting.  Wait until you see the next update.

Design:  Desert Mandala

Designer:  Martina Weber / Chatelaine Designs

Fabric:  Antique White Belfast 

Stitched:  2 strands of DMC floss over 2 threads

1 strand of Treasure Braid over 2 threads

This is the latest block I made for WOCS.  It is a piece going into a special quilt for someone recently diagnosed with cancer.  

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FINAL THOUGHT

It's A Good Friday!

I lied on my Weight Watchers list.  I put down that I had 3 eggs... but they were Cadbury chocolate eggs. 
~Caroline Rhea

It's Good Friday and Easter is just a couple days away.  Spring has sprung and the weather readers promise it will be a gorgeous day.  However, we are still riding the wild roller coaster of spring with our low down to near freezing this morning and a predicted high on Monday of 81 degrees.  I think Mother Nature is going through menopause with these hot flashes and is taking it out on all of us - lol!  We will be spending Easter with family and look forward to a feast of wonderful food.  Do you have plans for Easter?  Will the Easter Bunny be leaving a basket of sweets for someone in your family?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Filled Easter basket

Sunday is Easter.  For some it is a religious holiday.  For others it's a day to give and receive baskets of candy.  For some, it's both.  What will your Easter baskets be filled with this year?  Here are some fun facts about what you may fill your basket with:

* 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year.

* 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter (that’s enough to completely fill an 89 feet high and 60 feet wide plastic Easter egg – about the height of a nine-story office building!)

* 63 percent of Americans would most like to receive a chocolate bunny on Easter morning, followed by marshmallow bunnies (10 percent)

* According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest Easter egg ever made was just over 25-ft high and made of chocolate and marshmallow. The egg weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame.

* Each day, five million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter

* 88 percent of adults carry on the Easter tradition of creating Easter baskets for their kids & 90 percent of adults hope for their own treat from the Easter Bunny

* The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.

* Kids first grab for chocolate bunnies (76 percent) when checking out their Easter baskets, followed by marshmallow treats (18 percent), malted milk balls/eggs (17 percent) and jelly beans (16 percent)

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A NEW PROJECT

Last week I started a new counted cross stitch project.  You may ask why when I haven't finished the Summer Sampler.  This new piece is a Christmas present and I don't want to have the pressures of the holidays to get it finished.

I'm not too sure about the colors in this one but hopefully I will like it better when more of it is completed.  I rarely start stitching in the center of a pattern but the way this one is presented (in bits and pieces) it's necessary.  See that top area with the teal colored stitches?  I had to unstitch that entire area last night because I realized that I had used too light of blue for the background.  Luckily, I was able to get a few rows of the teal in before it was time for bed.  The pattern calls for several silk threads but I can't afford them at this time so am substituting DMC floss.  Same goes for the beads.

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

I have added something new to my cross stitch necessities.  A magnifier.  The pattern is a pdf file and the print out is so small I have trouble seeing some of the symbols.  I have enlarged it as far as possible without making the symbols blurry beyond recognition.  Normally I like working from a black and white pattern the best, however, I am working from the color pattern (both are provided) as this seems to help a bit.  I didn't start working with the color pattern until after I had stitched the top center section and, as I stated above, I started with the wrong color when reading the black and white chart.  Error discovered and fixed - luckily before I had completed anything more.

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TWO BLOCKS AND A PATTERN

Karen P was my March swap partner for Quilting Block Swaps Australia.  She made me two wonderful blocks  "to make up for my tardiness".  In reality, they weren't late (they arrived on the 31st) but I will gladly accept two blocks.  I just love the alligator and gecko prints Karen used to create these two adorable blocks.  Karen and I both joined in the first ever pattern swap for the swap group.  She sent me a darling little backpack pattern that she says she has made several times.  Thank you so very much for the darling blocks and cute pattern, Karen!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I plan to sandwich my paper piecing project - still not sure how I'm going to quilt it.

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GIVEAWAYS

Fabrics N Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a kit to make a table topper.  This giveaway ends Sunday, April 8. 

Crazy Mom Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter stack of Matsuri.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 9.

Hancock's of Paducah is having a giveaway.  You could win a Forest Galorest Quilt Kit.  This giveaway ends  Friday, May 18, at 10:00 am CST.

Sewing Miles of Smiles is having her first giveaway.  You could win a Sweetwater's Designer Select Fat Quarter Bundle featuring the Hometown Collection.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 10.


Diary of a Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win a layer cake of Aneela Hoey's latest collection, A Walk in the Woods.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 7, at midnight.


Want It, Need It, Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win a signed copy of the new Tula Pink Book - 'Quilts from the House of Tula Pink'.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 30.


Cluck Cluck Sew is having a giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of Cherry.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 7.


World of Charity Stitching is having a giveaway.  You could win 2 Pastimes Quilt Design patterns.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 12.


Hopeful Threads is having a giveaway.  You could win an assorted bundle of vintage lace.  This giveaway ends Friday, April 13.


All About Applique is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Fast, Fusible Flower Quilts.  This giveaway ends Monday, April 9.


Hawthorne Threads is having a giveaway.  You could win a Riley Blake Scoot fat quarter bundle.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 11.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I get a sugar headache just looking at this cake someone created!

Happy Easter!!

I will be taking a week's holiday from blogging and will return on Monday, April 16, at my normal time.