Thursday, May 26, 2011

Those Three Little Words....


Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.
~ Anthony J. D'Angelo

Have you ever had a little ditty or theme stuck in you thoughts?  Thanks to my DD#1 and one of her blogs from last week I have had the same three words stuck on repeat.  She was talking about her first sewing experience in decades years - a little reusable bag.  She had used a plastic shopping bag as the pattern and as she cut out the fabric, the bag shifted causing one handle to be wider than the other.  She referred to the smaller handle as "its special fin".  Well, as I'm sure many of you know, that is a reference to Nemo in the movie, Finding Nemo.  What do I think of when anything is mentioned about that movie?  I think of Dory saying "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming........".  And those three little words having been stuck swimming through my thoughts on and off for several days!  Thanks, Megan!!  LOL!  It could be something worse, I'm sure :D

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

High In The Sky

Almost a year ago, Jonathan Trappe, of Raleigh, North Carolina, went on a trip across the English Channel.  His mode of transportation was anything but normal.  Trappe was strapped into a chair and suspended from a cluster of helium-filled balloons.  He left Kent, England at 5:00 AM, and four hours later began to cut away the balloons and float back to earth, landing in a cabbage field in France.  In addition to the balloons and a chair, his equipment list included an aircraft transponder, oxygen system, aircraft radios, emergency locator beacon, in-flight satellite tracking and a radio tracker.  "It was an exceptional, quiet, peaceful experience" he says of the trip.  "It's about dreams and enjoying an adventure".  Trappe said a number of safety precautions were in place before he set off.  What a way to travel and fulfilling your dreams!

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A BEE BLOCK

Yesterday I worked on and finished a block for one of the June hostesses of Let's Bee Together....

Carolyn sent out an assortment of fabrics to make a block of our own selection.  I didn't even bother looking up a pattern this time and just started making HST.  I think this ended up to be a rather pleasing block.  Carolyn also said we had to stitch our name or initials and our state somewhere on the block.....

I elected to stitch my name.  I used two strands of DMC floss #934 and backstitched the letters.  I should have used a tiny stitch instead of a french knot for the dot above the i's as I think they turned out a bit large.  I hope Carolyn likes this block.

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SPRING HAS SPRUNG

I did get some work done on my June mini quilt but will probably show that you tomorrow.  Instead I thought I would share a couple of photos from my yard......

This is one of the hydrangeas in my side yard.  It's just starting to show its color but I love how it's going to be a multi color bloom.

And this bright pink is my all time favorite.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to finish my June mini quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

Country Fragrance is celebrating her one year in blogland with a giveaway.  Not sure exactly what Sharm is giving away but she says there will be 5 winners.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 31.

The Plaid Scotty is having a giveaway.  Kaelin is giving away a DS Quilts bundle, a Sherbet Pips FQ bundle, and a Bright Hopes Pencil Case.  This giveaway will end Monday, May 30, at midnight.

Crafty Sewing & Quilting is having a giveaway.  Marcia is giving away two $20.00 off certificates for her Machine Quilting Services on a Lap Size Quilt or larger.  The winners will be drawn on Wednesday, June 1, at 6:00 pm.

Pink Pincushion is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Scrap-Basket Sensations.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 1.

Quilty Pleasures (Quilt Maker Blog) is having a giveaway.  You could win an assortment of Sulk threads.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 31, at midnight.

You can still enter my giveaway, My Birthday Celebration Giveaway!  Here's your chance to win eight 1/2 yard cuts of some very pretty material.  This giveaway ends Monday, May 30, at 7:00 pm.

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FINAL THOUGHT

 
Other than those three little words swimming through my mind, I keep thinking about those folks being affected by all of those nasty tornadoes.  There has been so much death and destruction this year caused by Mother Nature.  Looking at the pictures on the news and seeing the total ruin of so many lives is just beyond my imagination.  My heart goes out to everybody who has lost family members and friends and to those who have lost everything but their lives.  I hope you will join me and take a few moments throughout your day to send up a prayer or two for those who are suffering - it's the least I can do.

I believe in prayer. It's the best way we have to draw strength from heaven.
~Josephine Baker


17 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Love the flowers - I would so love one of those - the blue ones! I find them so 'victorian' looking. Great block and the fabric is terrific.
Yes, I need this weekend to hold my friends close and my family closer.

Erica said...

It's special fin! Haha that's so cute! I also think about Dori's just keep swimming every time I think about that movie.

Have a great day!

Linda said...

Your bee block turned out so well!
I miss having hydrangeas! (I don't have enough shade where I am now.) I used to have them all around my house along with gardenias. They were blue because of our acid soil. The soil here is very alkaline, so they are pink when grown here.
Yes, we do need to send up prayers for all the people who have lost loved ones and homes in the recent storms. This weather is pretty frightening.

Barbara said...

I love the versatility of HSQs and can understand how easy it was to skip the pattern and just go at it. Wow! for your hand embroidering your name! Wow! It's beautiful, Linda. Congratulations on that. I love your flowers, my grandmother always had Hydrangea, and my attempt to grow them always brings much beautiful foliage, but not so many flowers. I just hope from year to year. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Needled Mom said...

Catching up - again - on blogs. I, too, have been absolutely amazed at what Mother Nature can do. My heart breaks for those poor people as they try to pick up the pieces and continue on with their lives.

Your flowers are so pretty. I love hydrangeas.

Of course we all cheered Nemo on with that little fin! It was such a great movie.

Your blocks have been wonderful. I loved the hexie with the little car in the middle. Want me to send you some orange thread??? I have lots. Your stitchery of your name is perfect too!!

Em said...

You are such a delight to visit!!!!! Thank you for putting a spring in my step this morning and an extra stroke in my swim!!!!! I was thinking about you last night as I composed my post :). Love, Em

Joanna said...

Your stitiching is so beautiful. And I love your hydrangeas - big and beautiful.

Terry said...

We have lots of favorite quotes from that movie! LOL Love the block you made! :0)

Megan Harmeyer said...

Sorry for the ear worm...it just kinda works that way. LOL I love the hydrangeas. I really wish they'd grow here, but the soil isn't right. Counting down the days...just over 2 weeks to go!

Maria said...

Yes Linda I often have a song stuck in my head. LOL

Love the block you made,lovely fabric.

Hydrangeas remind me of my Mum. She had some beautiful in her gartden.

nono said...

Gosh I just love hydrangeas..so beautiful!!

Miss Hillbilly said...

Oh now thank you very much. Now it will be stuck in mine! LOL

Dana Gaffney said...

Oh funny, I use that phrase all the time when it feels like I have too much to do, which is almost daily. Just keep swimming.

Talin's Corner said...

Wow, you stitch beautifully. It looks like a machine stitched your name.

Anne said...

Wow, Linda, when I first saw the lettering on that gorgeous block, I wondered what type of machine-embroidery font you'd used. Excellent stitching work!

By the way, I had completely forgotten about the "balloon guy." I suppose too many newsworthy events have unfolded since then, and my poor brain purges most of what I hear and see every so often.

Hope you had a productive day!

Barbara said...

Your hydrangeas are so pretty. We have four bushes in our yard. It's been so cold here, they are still not even leafed out. One of ours blooms in two colors like that.

As for the ditty stuck in your head, I am cursed with some song stuck in my head every morning. Sometimes the same song gets stuck for days . . . even weeks. Sometimes it's something totally oddball--like The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Today I read the title of a quilt: "Younger than Springtime." That song has been in my head all day.

Valspierssews said...

Love the new block and my favourite hydrangeas are ones on fabric. They are a bit of an odd flower really. We keep hearing more terrible news about the tornadoes and damage and the increasing death toll. I send my positive thoughts.

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