Little Bits

Summer has set in with its usual severity. 
~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Summer is still here :(  Yes I know it's still August and that means summer.  But I keep reading about fellow bloggers feeling the coolness in the evenings and/or mornings back east.  Not here.  You walk outside here and it feels like a blast from a furnace.  It does cool down a bit at night but that is only very late at night or very early in the morning.   It's not even long enough to let the house air out.  Our house still smells like the Chinese stir fry I fixed on Wednesday night. YUCK!  Can you guess that I'm tired of summer?

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

How about something different than a National Holiday?  I found some interesting little fun facts to share with you today:

* If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on the right side of your mouth.

*  To make half a kilo of honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers.

* Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult!

*  Astronauts can't belch - there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.

*  Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros

*  Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end.

*  Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers

*  Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it doesn't smoke unless it's heated above 450 degrees F.

*  The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised their visors to reveal their identity.

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WINNINGS

Yesterday I received two squishy envelopes in the mail from two giveaways I had won...

Frances from One More Quilt had a giveaway earlier this month and I was the lucky winner!!  Aren't these great tractor fabrics?!?  And there are such large pieces here.  I will definitely be making a Loving Hands quilt or two from these this month.  Thank you so very much, Frances!!

And then Incomparable Buttons had another giveaway that I won.  Not only did I win a darling teddy bear fat quarter but I also won those adorable handmade teddy bear buttons!  This is such a wonderful company.  They provide much needed employment to women in South Africa.  You should definitely check out all of the different buttons available and at extremely reasonable prices too.  Their website is buttonmad.com.  Thank you so much, Incomparable Buttons. 

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ANOTHER LITTLE STITCHERY

A little while ago I finished another stitchery for A Gardener's Journal......

This little piece is called Dovecote.  It will end up measuring 3 1/2" X 9 1/2".  I am currently working on the center piece.  It is the biggest and will measure 8 1/2" X 9 1/2"

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ONLY ONE FMQ

I only have one FMQ practice to share with  you today.......

This practice is called Shoo Fly.  I think it looks more like demented rabbits - lol!  Maybe it's because I made the fly bodies more rounded than oval.

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COUNTED CROSS STITCH

Since I don't have much to share with you today, I thought I might share a counted cross stitch piece I did years ago.......

This was a gift to my BIL and SIL that we visited last weekend.  Ignore the glare in the lower left corner - it is not part of the picture.  This was just one of the several angels I did from the Lavender and Lace line.  This angel is called Angel of Grace and was stitched on linen (I think).

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make a swap block or two

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GIVEAWAYS

Moosestash Quilting is having a giveaway.  Here is another chance to win a GO! Baby cutter and 3 dies of your choice.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 2.

Jo's Country Junction is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a Curio Jelly Roll from Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, August 30.

The Adventures of the Empress of the Universe is having a giveaway.  You could be one of five winners to win a 4 Citron/Gray FQs by Michael Miller.  This giveaway ends Sunday, August 28.

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having a giveaway.   You could win 5 fat quarters in  your color choice.  A winner will be announced Monday, August 29.

Random Thoughts do or 'di' is having a giveaway.  You could win a sewing machine cover made by Di herself.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, August 31, at midnight PST.

Quilt Matters is having a giveaway.  You could win 3 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Sunday, August 28, at 8:00 pm EST.

Quilt Hollow is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Pick Four.  This giveaway ends Sunday, August 28.

Diary of a Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Inspirational Projects by British Patchwork and Quilting.  This giveaway ends Saturday, August 27 at midnight.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a Notus daisies half yard bundle.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, August 31.

The Learning Curve is having a giveaway.  Here is yet another chance to win a GO! Baby cutter and your choice of 3 dies.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 1, at midnight.

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FINAL THOUGHT

There was no sewing going on in my house yesterday.  I didn't even get in my FMQ practice.  It was a day of organizing the monthly swap partners for Block Swap Adventure and for preparing packages for mailing for two swaps.  Who knew that it would take most of the day.  I did get a little stitchery in while watching tv

I cannot count my day complete
'Til needle, thread and fabric meet.~Author Unknown



Squishies, Questions, and Action!

There is no curing a sick man who believes himself to be in health.
~Henri Amiel

Oh, what a weekend!  Friday evening I received a call from a very good family friend telling me she was following the ambulance that was taking my Mother to the hospital.  Mom had had another TIA.  She apparently went very blank and then started playing bridge with 3 unknown bodies (well, they weren't seen by anyone else but my mother) and moving things around on the table that were not there.  We spent 6 hours in the ER just to have them confirm that she did have a TIA.  They sent her home with instructions to see her GP and a neurologist.  One good thing, they found out she had a sinus infection and prescribed an antibiotic.  Woohoo, one thing we don't have to worry about.  Saturday she refused to relax and insisted on cleaning out her closet.  Sunday we had her and my sister over for dinner to celebrate Mother's Day.  All seemed well, so we will see what the doctor says.  After a late night Friday and running errands most of the day on Saturday, I really needed the day of rest and relaxation.  Well, as much relaxation as you can get while you do the laundry - lol!  I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

May 9th is Lost Sock Memorial Day!  Socks are the trickiest part of any laundry day' aside from folding fitted sheets. Socks have a tendency to lose their mates, resulting in a whole drawer full of sad singles. And it doesn't matter how hard you try to keep track of them, one will always get sucked into the vortex that opens up at some point during the spin cycle. So today, as you look over all the solo socks you've been hanging on to for all these years, pay your respects to the ones you've loved and lost.

Here are few sock tidbits.....

* 8th century B.C . - Greek poet Hesiod mentions socks made from matted animal hair.

* 3rd-6th centuries A.D. - knit socks discovered in Egyptian tombs

* 1900-1910 - Children wore socks stretching almost to their knees, by 1910-1920 ankle socks were in fashion
* 1950s - Teenage boys donned "bright white socks with white buckskin shoes"

* 1956 - Bridesmaids at Princess Grace's wedding wore "ultra bright white ankle socks."

* 1998 - White knee socks make a comeback thanks to Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time" video.


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MAIL CALL

Friday my mailbox was overflowing with a box and a couple of squishy envelopes!  First I received a box from my friend, Sharon.  Inside this box were......

these 12 beautiful paper pieced blocks and some coordinating remnants.  Aren't they amazing?  Sharon made these awhile back and asked me if I would like them.  Like them?  I love them!  She said they were too pointy for her.  Some day, in the not too distant future, I will work on some sashing and the border to finish up this quilt top.  All the hard work was already done by Sharon.

Sharon also included.......

a wonderful little tee peg pincushion, three precious wodden gignermen that were the last pieces ther her Dad made in his show, and a beautiful Valor Star ornament that I already have hanging in a spot where I can see it everyday and think of her.  Thank you so very much, Sharon!  You can check out Sharon's other wonderful creations over at Vroomans Quilts - stop by and tell her I said hi!

Another package that arrived was my winnings from 1 Choice 4 Quilting......

Well, actually it was Shawna's Quilting Book Club where I won the giveaway.  This wonderful package included the book, Modern Basic, and the fabric to make the pattern, Summer Breeze.  How cool is that?  I look forward to creating that beautiful quilt some time soon.  Thank you, Shawna!!

The next squishy came from Frances of One More Quilt.....

This wonderful 2 yard cut of fabric was what I won from her just a few days ago!  This is the second time I've won something from Frances - I feel very, very lucky!  Thank you for this great piece of patriotic material, Frances!!

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CALL FOR ACTION

Sew Cal Gal is holding her first Charity Quilt Block Challenge.  For this challenge she has selected the Quilts of Valor to be the recipients of our wonderful creations.  She is looking for people to make 12.5" blocks or patriotic quilt tops and/or finished quilts.  All you need to do is create any type of block (pieced, applique, string, etc) that is 12.5" so long as it is made with 1/4" seams, 100% cotton fabrics, and uses patriotic colors appropriate for QOV.  There is also a giveaway in connection with this challenge.  For all of the important information and small print please visit Sew Cal Gal's blog.  I will be making at least a couple of blocks for this very worthy cause.

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QUESTION - OPINIONS REQUESTED

I just found out that the label I made for my daughter's quilt should probably have put through a soltuion before printing it.  I was reading some blogs and they suggested Bubble Jet Set for printing pictures.  Others suggested their own home made recipe that they say is the same as Bubble Jet Set for a whole lot cheaper.  Either way would be cheaper than buying the pre-prepped paper backed fabric.  Have any of you used this product?  Do you think it works?  I thought I would ask you your opinion before I spend the money.
Thanks!

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MY SHAME

Friday I did not get a single thing made.  I spent the morning catching up on emails and ordering my DH's birthday present.  I did manage to get a couple of hours of stitching in on my Birdie Stitches BOM, but not enought to share a picture.  So twenty lashes with a wet noodle for not meeting my goal on Friday.  I will get back on track today!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make a block for this month's Bee in Oz hostess.  Hopefully I will have enough time to also complete my stitchery.

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GIVEAWAYS

Happy Cottage Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win a Lattice Work pattern and two yards of fabric.  The winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 10.

All About Applique is having a giveaway.  Kay is giving away a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 3 and a copy of her book Growing Hearts.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 10, at 9:00 pm PST.

Hancock's of Paducah has a new giveaway.  You could win one Feathered Star quilt kit containing fabrics from the Moda Sweet Sixteen collection by Laundry Basket Quilts.  The sweepstake ends Wednesday, May 18, at 10:00 am CST.

Farm Girl Transplanted is celebrating her 100th post with a giveaway.  There will be two winners of two charm packs of  Prayer Flag charm packs by April Cornell and one yard of coordinating fabric.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 11, at midnight.

My Go-Go Life is having a giveaway.  Kim is giving away Five half yard cuts of Heather Ross girlie fabric.  The winner will be selected on Thursday, May 12.

Needles and Lemons is having a giveaway.  Judith is giving away  fat quarter set of the entire new Denyse Schmidt range 'Picnic and Fairground'.  This giveaway ends Saturday, May 14.

Sew Fabulous Quilt Shop is having a May giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of Annie's Farm Stand Collection by Lakehouse Dry Goods.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 31.

Just One More Stitch is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a half yard bundle of Honey Child green and blue bundle by Jennifer Paganelli.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 15.

Little Miss Shabby is celebrating her birthday with a week long giveaway.  You could win a Baby Fat Quarter Bundle by Michael Miller Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Saturday, May 14.

Sew Many Stitches Later is celebrating her 100th post with a giveaway.  Lara is giving away a  FQ bundle of 14 prints of the Picnic and Fairgrounds Fabric Collection.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 15.

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FINAL THOUGHT
I have been contemplating my mother's health situation.  She is going to be 83 in just two weeks.  I think maybe she should give up driving.  How am I going to tell this fiercly independant and stuborn lady that she should hand over her car keys.  I know how it will go if I try to talk to her face to face - I will be told I'm stupid and probably banned for quite some time.  But I guess that is better than the possibility of having her take her life and possibility that of another.  I have thought of giving her doctor a call prior to her appointment on Wednesday and discuss the matter with him.  I know he can report to DMV and have her liscense taken away.    No one had to tell me when to quit driving.  When I felt it was unsafe for me and those around me, I gladly handed over my keys.  I haven't driven in over 6 years.  What would you do if you were in my shoes?  Have you ever had to deal with something similar?  I would love to hear your opinion on this matter.

The longest journey begins with a single step, not with a turn of the ignition key.
~Edward Abbey

May you Monday be full of melodies!