Secret Santa Arrived!

It's so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to.
 ~Annie Gottlier

I am now sure that I have a screw loose some place in  my head.  Whoever thought it would be fun to run two giveaways at once?!?  Well, me, of course.  I never expected to receive almost 600 comments between the two giveaways.  I'm still working on responding to each comment left plus I have comments to respond to left for me on my Wednesday post.  Now don't get me wrong.  I'm glad to have so much participation in the giveaways and I love reading all of the comments but talk about overload.  Whew!  Never again will I have two giveaways going at the same time.  And you know what?  I have another giveaway to run next week for the Traveling Stash.  Sometimes I never learn.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Snowflake

Some parts of the country have already seen snow this year. Others will soon be watching fluffy white flakes drift from the sky.  I won't be one of those lucky ones.  We only receive snow about once every seven to 10 years and so far it's been much too warm.  Here are some interesting facts about those little beauties:

* Every snowflake has its own unique shape and is different than all other snowflakes.

* All snowflakes have six sides.

* Snowflakes aren't always white. Years ago, when coal was used in factories and homes, snow was often gray. Why? Because the coal dust entered the air and was absorbed by the clouds.

* The largest snowflakes ever recorded fell in the state of Montana. The snowflakes were 15 inches in diameter.  (Can you imagine?)

* The snow capital of the United States is Stampede Pass in Washington State. Each year, the average snowfall is 430 inches.

* In Prince Edward Island, Canada, where the soil is red clay, snowflakes often look pink. Why? Because red dust from the soil is blown into the air and absorbed by the clouds

* The average snowflake falls at a speed of 3.1 miles per hour. (5 kilometers)

* People buy more cakes, cookies and candies than any other food when a blizzard is in the forecast.

* Billions of snowflakes fall during one short snowstorm.

* Snowflakes are made up of ice crystals

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SECRET SANTA SOIREE

In October I signed up to participate in the Secret Santa Soiree being hosted by the Coloradolady.  Tuesday a package arrived in the mail......

hmmmmm......only a return address (Colorado) - no name.  Now my curiosity got the better of me and I just had to open it........

Look at all those goodies!  And isn't the button and thread tissue paper adorable?  But do you know what I first noticed?  The wonderful scent of cinnamon!  My favorite!!

Ten little gifts in all!  WOW!  And the cutest little card letting me know these were from my Secret Santa.

WOW!  My Secret Santa did a wonderful job and must have done some research on me.  She knew that my favorite Christmas decoration is snowmen.  There is the most darling snowman with the green fleece hat and scarf and real buttons down his front and a cute  little snowman ornament with blanket stitching on his hat.  There was also a pretty ornament made from ribbon and scrap fabrics (far left), and a darling knitted or crocheted pincushion that looks like a cactus.  And there is what was giving off the wonderful scent of cinnamon - two Holiday Cinnamon candles.  SS also included four fat quarters - two white on white (they didn't really show up in the picture) and two Christmas prints (designed by Sweetwater).  Also included was a set of 6 handmade note cards that have two different hexagons sewn to the front of each card.  I'll use these for special notes to very special people.  And last but definitely not least is a Bordeaux bar from See's.  My absolute favorite and it was quickly devoured soon after its arrival.

Thank you, my Secret Santa, whoever you are!!!!  And thank you to Suzanne for making the Secret Santa Soiree a huge success!!

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IT'S TIME TO VOTE

I have entered my Christmas quilt in this week's Quilting Gallery contest. 

The title of it is Christmas Mystery.  When you go to vote, if you choose to vote for mine, be careful because there is one that looks just like mine.  Mine is NOT the first one.  Mine is the 9th quilt down.  There are loads of gorgeous entries this week with a grand total of 67 submissions from 14 different countries!  Please take the time to look over all the gorgeous entries, and if you see fit, please cast a vote for my Christmas Mystery by going HERE.

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BEE BLOCK

I recently completed a block for one of the hostesses for Let's Bee Together in December.....

Marta sent out Christmas fabrics for us to work with and requested a star block - any star block.  I finally decided on Go Along Block #2 and changed it up just a bit.  Instead of making the points all the same color, I alternated between the two prints.  She also requested that we write our name and state on the block, which I did before it was mailed.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Hopefully today I will finish responding to all the wonderful comments left in the giveaways!

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GIVEAWAYS

Tattered Garden is having a giveaway.  You could win  enough Apple Cores to make your very own Apple Core quilt.  This giveaway ends Saturday, December 24.

Sew Kiki is having a giveaway.  You could win an Aurifil sampler pack!  This giveaway ends Wednesday, December 21.

Canton Village Quilt Works is having a giveaway.  You could win 10 beautiful fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Sunday, December 18, at 10:00 pm EST.

All About Applique is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of A Year In The Life Of Sunbonnet Sue by Christine Porter and Darra Williamson.  This giveaway ends Sunday, December 18, at 7:00 pm.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win a Joyful Garden fat quarter bundle.  This giveaway ends  Wednesday, December 21.

Thru The Red Door is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Tilda's Christmas Ideas, a fat quarter of Christmas red felted wool, a pack of charm squares by Sandy Klop for Moda, some spotty red and white ribbon, Cosmo 2 strand thread and Cosmo hanks in Christmas reds and greens, and some lovely red fabrics as well as fat quarters of delicious green linens.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, December 21, Melbourne time.

Quilt Story is having a giveaway.  You could win a $40 credit to Five Monkey Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Monday, December 19.

Just a quick reminder to enter my giveaways if you haven't already.  Go HERE and HERE to enter.  They end very, very soon!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Flowers and Squares

You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it.

~Charles Buxton

It has felt really good to back in my sewing room.  I've caught up on a all of my swap blocks and finished a mug rug for another swap.  I've even been working on one of the little quilts to donate to the guild.  Our guild is having a challenge using a piece of fabric they provided to make a Loving Hands quilt and then the membership will vote on the quilt.  At the meeting they said we had until the November meeting to complete this little quilt.  No problem, right?  Wrong!  I read the newsletter today and because of a conflict, the little quilts must be ready for the October meeting.  Next Thursday (October 20)!  Here I'd been just sort of thinking what to create...thinking I had all the time in the world - but NO!  Time to get busy.  And the little quilt I was working on wasn't the one due next week.  Everything else to the back burner until it's done!

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Farmer

Today, October 12, is Farmer's Day.  Old MacDonald is finally getting his due. We all have to get our food from somewhere and the men and women who sow the seeds are finally getting their just rewards: a day dedicated only to them! Know any farmers? Shake their hand and thank them for their skill and dedication.  Did you know:

* The United States provides food at a lower cost, as a percentage of income, than any other country in the world. We produce sufficient surplus to be the nations leading exporter.

* The United States produces 46% of the world's soybeans, 41% of the world's corn, 20.5% of the world's cotton and 13% of the world's wheat.

* There are 2.19 million farms in the United States.

* Individuals, family partnerships or family corporations own 99% of U.S. farms with fewer than 10 stockholders. Non-family corporations own only 0.4% of America's farms and ranches.

* The American Farmer feeds an average of 130 people. In 1960, he only fed 26!!!!

* The hourly rate for the average American farmer is about $0.90 per hour.
Those are some pretty amazing facts, don't you agree?

 

 

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BACK TO FLOWERS ON WEDNESDAY

 

 

With this being Wednesday, it means it's time for those hexie flowers to come out.  So in keeping with One Flower Wednesday created by Karen (Thank you!!) here a couple I made this week.....

 

 

If you couldn't already tell, I'm still in the Halloween mode for my flowers.  Ghostly cats and mice dance on the petals around the glowing orange center.

I couldn't pass up all of these cute Jack O Lantern faces for the petals on this flower. 

If you would like to see some more beautiful and creative flowers, click on the link above or on the sidebar to take you where you can find a linky to hop all over blogland.

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A NEW AND EASY SWAP

Did you see the new button on my sidebar?  I've decided to join in the fun over at Coloradolady.  She is hosting the Secret Santa Soiree.  All I have to do is come up with $20 worth of goodies for my secret swap partner and have them in the mail by December 10th.  Sounds easy enough and I can't wait to go shopping for my secret swap partner.  If you would like to join in the fun, just click on the button in my sidebar or the link above.

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FREE MOTION PRACTICE

I bet you thought I had forgotten to keep up with my FMQ practice squares.  Well, I have been practicing, just forgetting to share.

I really enjoyed this practice square called Mussel Shell.  Some of my shells ended up a bit fat but who knows what you might find in nature.

The very next day was Heart Paisley which I wasn't at all happy with.  Apparently I go for the 'fat' in figures - lol! 

This was my first practice square after not sewing for over a week.  I think Coffee Beans went fairly well.  Wouldn't this look great on a mug rug?

This is called Elodea.  I didn't have a clue as to what Elodea was so I had to look it up.  And in case you don't either......

I can see where Leah got her inspiration for the design.  If you are interested in some great FMQ designs, check out Leah Day's website, Day Style Designs.  She gives great little video's with each design.

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TODAY'S GOAL

I have to start working on the Loving Hands little quilt due for the guild challenge next week!

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GIVEAWAYS

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having a giveaway.  You could win 5 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Saturday, October 15, at midnight MT.

Lisnaweary Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a 'Wildflower Fairies' panel and four fat quarters from Fabric Freedom's new range 'Deco Delights' from Quilter's Quest.  This giveaway ends Saturday, October 22, at midnight GMT.

Quiltstory is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Deploy That Fabric and a darling bag.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 17.

Mama Spark's World is ready to send the Traveling Stash on it's way.  Mama Spark will draw a winner on Saturday, October 15.

Lovin' Life At The End Of The Dirt Road is having her first giveaway.  You could win a copy of The Devil's Puzzle.  This giveaway ends Thursday, October 13.

A Vision To Remember is having a giveaway.  You could win MyMemories software.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 17.

Gen X Quilters is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Deploy that Fabric and a matching Eco Messenger Bag.  This giveaway ends Saturday, October 15, at midnight EST.

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb is having a giveaway.  You could win a card of ladybug buttons from Incomparable Buttons.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, October 18.

Jenny of Elefantz is celebrating 1500+ followers with a giveaway.  You could win a prize depending on where you live.  This giveaway ends Thursday, October 20, at midnight.

McCall's Quilting is having a giveaway.  You could win 1 of 3 prize packages of 13 fat quarters each.  This giveaway ends Monday, October 17.


Jolly Jabber (Fat Quarter Shop blog) is having a giveaway.  You could win a Panier De Fleurs Jelly Roll.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, October 18. 

Have you entered my Fat Quarter Shop sponsored giveaway?  Go HERE to enter!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Back for the second time and I'm already blank on a final thought.  Nothing.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nadda.  So I will leave you with this thought....

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. 
~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros