A Basket In The Garden

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.
~Larry Lorenzoni

We had a busy weekend.  We did our normal running on Saturday morning and then our DD#2 arrived around noon.  We did a few quick errands after lunch and then tried to stay cool the rest of the afternoon by playing a few round of Wii Resort.  In the evening we attended a double 60th birthday for two cousins.  Lots and lots of family were there from my DH's side.  We all had a good time but I left there with my ears ringing as they are not a quiet bunch - lol!  Sunday was spent with a relaxing breakfast and lots of visiting time with our daughter.  And now I'm ready to start the week.  I've already received a couple swap assignments for the month of July so hopefully I will get a head start on them this week.  Do you have big plans for the coming week?

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Sunglasses Day

The history of sunglasses can be traced back thousands of years though they were much different to those worn today and served a completely different purpose.  The Roman emperor Nero apparently liked to watch gladiatorial combat through polished gemstones though the first things resembling what we would know as sunglasses appeared in 12th century China. The lenses were made of smoky quartz and did go someway to protecting wearers from glare. These early sunglasses were actually used in courts to shield the expressions of judges when they questioned witnesses.

By the turn of the 20th century sunglasses became more widespread and early silent movie stars rapidly took up wearing them before filming to shield their eyes from the right stage lights, which were often as bright as the sun itself.
It is widely believed that sunglasses really became 'cool' during the second world war when people viewed photographs of prominent military figures such as General MacArthur wearing them. The popular wartime image of a GI in sunglasses made them become an aspirational item among young people all over the world.  Since then sunglasses have grown in popularity to such an extent that people can be seen wearing them even when it is not sunny, or even indoors.

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FINAL JUNE FINISH

Friday I finished my final June obligation.  I had signed up to participate in Cheryll's Let's Exchange #3.  This time we were to make a bread basket and purchase 4 novelty buttons......

This 14 1/2" square and ribbon doesn't look like it would hold much bread, does it......

Once you tie up the sides it can then hold the bread.  It's nice that it can then lay down flat again for storage.  This basket was easy to make and took me less than two hours to make from cutting to the final tie.  These would make great Christmas gifts if made out of a Christmas print and then filled with cookies.

Here's another angle so that you can see that it does have a nice depth.  The sides are about 3" high. 
If you would like to participate in this swap, there's still time.  This is considered a reverse swap so you have to make the basket before you know who your swap partner is so there's no worry on fabric selection.  And the four buttons can come out of your stash or you can purchase them special for this. (I forgot to take a picture of the buttons).  To join in the swap just click on the link above and you will find the necessary instructions/rules. 

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A NEW PROJECT

Last week I started a new project.  I have began working on A Gardener's Journal by Anni Downs.

This is the first block I have stitched.  It is called The Potting Shed.  I stitched using two strands of DMC floss.  I am unsure of the fabric name but do know it came from Connecting Threads a few years back - there is no name in the selvage.

Here is a picture of the back.  I did not use a single knot anywhere in the stitching.  I also made sure not to carry any threads across the back unless absolutely necessary.

I plan to do all of the embroidery blocks before assembling the bigger blocks with the patched piecing.  I have what I think is the perfect line of fabric for that, but you will have to wait to see it until later.  If this project turns out as I hope it will, this may be my first entry in the local quilt show come January.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to work on the first Designer Mystery BOM for 2011-2012.

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GIVEAWAYS

I'm Just A Guy Who Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of 21 fat quarters in different shades of Kona pink from Canton Village Quilt Works.  Ryan will announce the winner on Wednesday, June 29.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a 1001 Peeps quilt kit.  The winner will be selecting on Wednesday, June 29.

Vicki B Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win an AccuQuilt GO! Baby cutter and three dies.  This giveaways ends Sunday night, July 3.

The Intrepid Thread is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter pack of one of the three color ways of Wrenly.  This giveaway is open until Friday night, July 1.

Leona's Quilting Adventure is celebrating her 700th follower with a giveaway.  She is giving away some wonderful notions and two Hullabaloo charm packs.  This giveaway ends Sunday, July 3, at midnight EST.

There's still time to enter MY VACATION GIVEAWAY.  Check it out today!

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FINAL THOUGHT

I went to look up a pattern on google the other day. Found it.  But then that lead to me in another direction. I probably spent an hour hopping all over cyberspace looking at this, looking at that. And, do you know, by the end of that hour I had forgotten exactly what I started out looking for. Sometimes I get so easily distracted. Often I look through an online store and see something I like and wonder "Can I find that some place else for less?" So off I go - again! While looking for that 'something' - oh look! I like that! Isn't that cute? Maybe I can find it for less some place else. Oh look - I didn't know they carried wool. LOL! And so goes my life with online shopping. Sometimes it is a good thing because I get so confused and want so much that I finally end up not buying a single thing. Guess I just enjoyed the window and comparison shopping journey. Does the same thing happen to you?

One of the Internet's strengths is its ability to help consumers find the right needle in a digital haystack of data.
~Jared Sandberg