My Weekend and A GIVEAWAY!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

Thank goodness for my sweet husband.  Because of him I was able to get a lot more done this weekend than I had hoped.  Saturday he dropped me off at my guild's quilting workshop (more below) and then did the Farmer's Market weekly run and ran errands to Smart and Final and to Petsmart.  In the evening we attended his boss's 70th birthday party.  Gorgeous house, lots of friends, and good food.  Sunday DH went grocery shopping for me freeing up my time to finish up the baby quilt and work on other necessary projects around the house.  I know I don't say "thank you" enough to him but I sure hope he knows how much I appreciate him and love him!!  How was your weekend?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Turkey

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I thought it would be fun to share some fun facts about the bird that will be gracing many of our tables on Thursday.

* Ben Franklin, in a letter to his daughter, proposed the turkey as the official United States bird

* Turkeys originated in North and Central America, and evidence indicates that they have been around for over 10 million years.

* Domesticated turkeys (farm raised) cannot fly. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances at up to 55 miles per hour. Wild turkeys are also fast on the ground, running at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.

* Only male turkeys (toms) gobble. Females (hens) make a clicking noise.
* The heaviest turkey ever raised weighed in at 86 pounds -- about the size of a large German Shepherd -- and was grown in England, according to Dr. Sarah Birkhold, poultry specialist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service
* Mature turkeys have 3,500 or so feathers. The Apache Indians considered the turkey timid and wouldn't eat it or use its feathers on their arrows.
* The fleshy growth from the base of the beak, which is very long on male turkeys and hangs down over the beak, is called the snood

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QUILTING CLASS

Saturday my guild had a class taught by Sylvia Davis.  She was our program in September and was so much fun that we all wanted to take one of her workshops.  What a great day!  During this class I made......

an African Triad block.  This 10" block has lots of pieces to it but Sylvia provided a 'road map' that made it so much simpler than mere instructions would have.  Obviously I didn't take the time to give this block a good pressing before taking the photo (not too smart of me).  I have most of 3 more blocks made and will be making a wall hanging out of them.  But don't look for it to be completed any time soon as I have other projects that "have to" be completed first.  I hope to have it done maybe some time in January.

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BABY QUILT

I finally finished the baby quilt for my hair dresser on Sunday.  Good thing because I have a hair appointment with her this evening and this will be the last one before the baby's born.

The finished quilt measures  43" X 43".  It was made out of the Hoo's In the Forest fat quarters that I won a few months ago.  All I had to do was buy the matching backing.  The pattern is a smaller version of Connecting Threads' Thimble Blossoms - A Piece of Cake  downloadable pattern.  Unfortunately, yesterday was cloudy and rainy so I had to take the picture indoors.

Here's the backing.  I think you can see the quilting a little better.  I just did a simple stitch-in-the-ditch and then a little added straight stitching, nothing fancy.  I really like how this turned out for the little girl to be born next month.

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FAT QUARTER SHOP GIVEAWAY II

One of my 'go to' online shops is Fat Quarter Shop.  They have so many wonderful fabrics and notions, fantastic service, and great sales.  If you've never been there before, you definitely need to check them out.  Fat Quarter Shop has generously agreed to sponsor a giveaway.  What you may ask can you win?  How about........

OR

Don't you just love these Calico Caterwauling Tales Fat Quarter Bundles by Sue Marsh for RJR Fabrics?  Each bundle includes 11 fat quarters, one half-yard stripe and one 23" panel!  The winner will be able to select either the blue and purple colorway or the pink and green colorway.  I sure wish I was eligible to win! 

How can YOU win?  You have three chances to enter by doing the following.....

1.  Visit Fat Quarter Shop and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite NEW FAT QUARTER BUNDLE is.

2.  Sign up for Fat Quarter Shop's newsletter and then come back here and leave me another comment telling me you did.

3.  Blog about this giveaway and then come back and leave another comment with a link back to where you blogged about it. (I will be checking)

Rules and the Fine Print

This giveaway is open to absolutely everyone.  No matter where you live you could win!  This giveaway will end Monday, November 28, 2011, at 8:00 am PST and the winner will be announced Tuesday, November 29.  Only 3 comments per person.  If you are a no reply blogger, you must leave a way to reach you in your comment (like your email address).  If I can't reach you, you Can Not win.  If you are unsure if you are a no-reply blogger check out my right sidebar for a quick tutorial. 

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TODAY'S GOAL

To make a couple of swap blocks that I'm behind on.

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GIVEAWAYS

BJ...From The Heart is having a giveaway.  You could win a signed copy of Lost December by Richard Paul Evans.  This giveaway ends Sunday, December 11.

Sweet Bee Buzzings is having a giveaway.  You could win MyMemories software.  This giveaway ends Friday, November 25, at 11:59 EST.

Love Affair With My Brother is having a giveaway.  You could win a jelly roll of Circa 1934 by Cosmo Cricket for Moda.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, November 22, at 11:59 pm PST.

Sew Cal Gal is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of the new DVD "Dynamic Quilt Design: Paint Meets Stitch".  This giveaway ends Friday, November 25.

Blueberry Patch is having a giveaway.  You could win some samples of Basic Grey's line "Fruitcake".  This giveaway ends Thursday, November 24, around 6 pm PST.

Cut To Pieces is having a giveaway.  You could win a set of fat quarters from the girl collection of  Storyboek.  This giveaway ends ?

Woolie Mammoth is having a giveaway.  You could win a sweet wooden bowl painted with a snow family and a new Bunny Hill Pattern and the wool to make the most adorable holiday pillow.  This is another giveaway that I do not know the end date of.

Cat Patches is having her Fun Fact Friday Freebie.  You could win a fat quarter.  This giveaway ends Thursday, November 24.

Happy Quilting is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win some stunning Fat Quarters from Khristain A. Howell's new collection The Woodlands from Intrepid Thread.  This giveaway ends Thursday, November 24.

Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could win one of Scott Hansen's Blogger’s Choice Fat Quarter Bundles.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, November 23.

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FINAL THOUGHT