A Wide Range Of Emotions

I have often lamented that we cannot close our ears with as much ease as we can our eyes.
~Richard Steele

So much for my quiet days of last week.  Last week the school across the street was on Easter break so there were very few cars going down our street.  No buses bouncing through the pot holes.  Only the daily visit of the mailman.  This week all of that noise is back.  My noise pollution is made up of the diesel engines of the buses and delivery trucks.  And the daily visit of the bass from a stereo blasting from a car as they wait for their child to be out of class.  In addition to all that, they have started working on the house next door.  It has finally sold after a year of being empty.  The previous owners walked away but only after leaving the inside in need of much repair.  So now I also listen to a nail gun and an electric saw, not to mention the dropping of wood and occasional loud voices.  The lovely sounds of construction.  Oh, and don't forget the daily barrage of car alarms that all of the teacher's cars seem to have.  No wonder the mocking birds around here can mimic that sound so well - lol!

================================

PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Karaoke

National Karaoke Week is celebrated the fourth week of April. How is it celebrated? Easy! You go out and sing or even better, purchase a karaoke machine.

There are various disputes about who first invented the name karaoke. One claim is that the karaoke styled machine was invented by Japanese musician Daisuke Inoue in Kobe, Japan, in 1971. After becoming popular in Japan, karaoke spread by Hideo to East and Southeast Asia during the 1980s and subsequently to other parts of the world.

In Japan, it has long been common to provide musical entertainment at a dinner or a party. Japanese drummer Daisuke Inoue was asked frequently by guests in the Utagoe Kissa, where he performed, to provide a recording of his performance so that they could sing along on a company-sponsored vacation. Realizing the potential for the market, Inoue made a tape recorder that played a song for a 100-yen coin. Instead of giving his karaoke machines away, Inoue leased them out so that stores did not have to buy new songs on their own. Originally, it was considered a somewhat expensive fad, as it lacked the live atmosphere of a real performance and 100 yen in the 1970s was the price of two typical lunches, but it caught on as a popular entertainment. Karaoke machines were initially placed in restaurants and hotel rooms; soon, new businesses called karaoke boxes, with compartmented rooms, became popular. In 2004, Daisuke Inoue was awarded the tongue-in-cheek Ig Nobel Peace Prize for inventing karaoke, "thereby providing an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other."

==================================

BLOCKS RECEIVED

Yesterday I received an envelope from my Block Swap Adventure swap partner for April.

Charlene made me TWO blocks.  Aren't they wonderful?  I just love the pattern and the fabrics she used.  When I first saw them they immediately reminded me of a summer picnic.  Thank you so very much, Charlene!!

=================================

ANOTHER WIN

Don't hate me, but yesterday I received another squishy with a something I had won last week.

Staci, from The Confused Quilter, had a giveaway featuring B. Bumble & Co. patterns and I won this fantastic pattern called The Shop Hopper.  Linda Winters designs such cute patterns but I think this is my absolute favorite and can't wait to make it up.  Thank you, Staci!!!

=============================

MORE MAIL

Yesterday I received an envelope that I wasn't expecting.

As a thank you for sending them my star blocks for the Just One Star project, Moda sent a little thank you card and a little packet of 2 1/2 inch squares.  That certainly was unexpected but much appreciated.

==================================

DISAPPOINTMENT

On March 13, 2011, I won a giveaway from Material Girls Quilts.  I was thrilled.  It was the first time I had won a fat quarter bundle.  This is what was pictured with the giveaway blog....

It wasn't exactly specified which one you would win but stated there would be three winners.  I kept waiting for the package to arrive.  I contacted one of the other winners as we are blogging friends - she hadn't received hers either.  We began emailing Material Girls (separately) and received back an assortment of different excuses.  Nothing for over a month. We sent of 5 emails each.  Finally, on Monday, I received a plain brown envelope with no return address.  It looked a little dubious but I opened it.  Inside was this....

7 fat quarters - coordinated by color but not by designer or company.  Now I don't know about you, but I was expecting one of the first fat quarter bundles pictured above.  I think they finally sent me these in an attempt to shut me up.  They were probably tired of receiving my emails.  I don't usually complain and will shrug off something if it never appears.  But to picture something that you are giving away and then have it be nothing like that is basically lying.  It's deceptive and could be considered fraud.  (See Sharon's blog, Vrooman's Quilts, for further information about the legal side.) 

I hope none of you ever have something like this happen to you.  But if you do, don't just sit on it.  Let your voice be heard.  It is the only way to prevent others from doing something similar.

===================================

BALTIMORE BLOCK

Yesterday evening I put the final stitches in another Baltimore Block....

This is block 3.  I had a little trouble with the points on the pineapple tops but I'm still pleased with how it turned out.  I'm definitely still on the learning curve for hand applique.  I have been using the glue stick method but I think I might try the starch method for the next block.

=================================

TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will finish the baby quilt. All I have to do is sew on the binding and then hand stitch it.

=================================

GIVEAWAYS

The Raspberry Rabbit is having a celebration giveaway.  To help celebrate 700 followers they are giving away several different books.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 1.

Just One More Stitch is having a giveaway.  You could win a jelly roll of your choice from 1 Choice 4 Quilting.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 1.

Jackie's Art Quilts is having a giveaway.  Jackie is giving away 5 beautiful fat quarters.  The winner will be drawn on Thursday, May 5.

Diary Of A Quilter is having a sponsored giveaway.  Jackie from Canton Village Quilts is giving away a fat quarter bundle of Art Gallery Oval Elements collection.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 1, at midnight MST.

Blacksheep's Bit Of The Web is celebrating her fourth year of blogging with a giveaway.  He will be giving away "nice prize and leave it at that".  This giveaway ends Friday, May 7, at 3:00 pm PST.

Stray Stitches is having a fantastic giveaway (if I do say so myself - lol).  You could win....

these lovely 10 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May1, at 8:00 pm PST.

==================================

FINAL THOUGHT

Wow!  This post was long.  Sorry about that. There was just so much to share.  And, of course, there was also my ranting.  If you have stuck with me through the entire way, thank you!  Aren't friends wonderful?  They put up with you no matter what kind of mood you are in.  They will share your happiness, your sorrow, your grumpiness, and even your bragging.  Friends are priceless.  I have enjoyed sharing my life with you.  But I especially enjoy sharing your life through your blogs.  They are what get my day started.  I visit some of you while eating my lunch.  Others I read just before bed. You have all enriched my days and expanded my knowledge.  Thank you!

A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.
~Lois Wyse

Be thankful it's Thursday - another day for creating!