Flowers Crossing The Ocean

Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain. 
~J.K. Rowling

I'm so bummed!!!  My Janome has developed a mind of its own.  There is definitely something wrong with its inner workings.  It stitches fine but when I want it to stop, it won't!  And there are times when it will even speed up all by itself!  I take my foot off the foot control and it continues to stitch.  I try pushing the manual start/stop button and nothing happens.  Okay.....so I tried turning it off and letting it sit for awhile.  Turned it back on and the screen said to lower the pressure foot and raise the needle.  If I don't obey it keeps beeping at me.  So first I raised the needle.....then s-l-o-w-l-y lowered the pressure foot and away it goes...stitch after stitch after stitch!  Today was the day for the sewing machine repairman to be at the LQS so that means mine won't be looked at until next week.  This machine-over-owner thing had started happening a while back but would only happen a few times and then for only a few stitches.  There's no stopping it this time.  So that meant I had to bring out the simpler Janome - the one I don't have a walking foot for, the one that doesn't do well in a satin stitch, the one that doesn't have a darning foot or FMQ foot, the one that doesn't have a knee lift.  After sewing on the little machine yesterday my knee has a bruise from hitting the side of the table and I'm tired of having to manually cut the threads.  Oh well, it's better than not having  a machine at all.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Trail Mix

Today, August 31, is National Trail Mix Day.  Trail mix is thousands of years old. Ancient nomadic tribes used to mix up dried berries, fruits, nuts and meats together. Trail mix was (and is) high in energy, needs no specialized storage, and does not require cooking prior to consumption.  Later, explorers continued the use of trail mixes, for the very same reasons, taking the high-energy food with them on their travels over many a trail, mountain or ocean. Native Americans had a special spin on trail mix, which they shared with those explorers they had good relations with. Their mix was called pemmican, and consisted of dried buffalo, moose or caribou, mixed with animal fat and berries, and lasted for months. Pieces were often broken off and used to make a stew, called rubbaboo, by adding flour, water, and maple sugar.  Despite this long, storied history, two separate companies, Harmony Foods and Hadley Fruit Orchards of California, state that the name “trail mix” was invented in 1968 by surfers who mixed together peanuts and raisins to keep their energy levels up during more “gnarly surf” periods. They hold to this statement despite a 1958 novel by Jack Kerouac mentioning trail mix by name.  Today’s trail mix often includes fruit, grain cereals, nuts, flavorings, chocolate or carob, coconut, pretzels, and sometimes crystallized ginger.

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SWAP FLOWERS

Yesterday I mailed off flowers to my swap partner in the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap......

My swap partner, Gemma, requested flowers in either blue and whites or blues and yellows. in a floral print.   This one looks so bright and cheery.  Then I made a second flower.....

This one is a bit more sedate but still fits her requirements.  This is the first time I have ever sent anything to Spain.  I hope they don't take too long to get there.

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FLOWERS FOR AUNT SARAH QUILT

Over the weekend I was only able to make two more flowers for the Aunt Sarah Quilt.....

No, those dots are not on the fabric.  They are holes I've punched into my templates.  These flowers are smaller than the ones above.  These are only 3/4" hexagons.

Here is the second flower I made.  I like the look of the vine in the center hexagon.  If I only make two flowers a week for the this quilt I will be a whole heck of a lot older before it is ever finished.

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

And now to share my favorite flowers of the week.......

Just a little love to share with you today.  The purple basket weave fabric made for some interesting petals.

And now I will give you the sky and the stars - lol!  I'm really into that blue and yellow color combination lately. 

Would you like to see more hexies?  There are all kinds of colors, prints, and fussy cuts out there in blogland.  Thanks to Karen, all you have to do is click on her name or the link on the right sidebar and you will see all the flowers for One Flower Wednesday.

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A LITTLE PRACTICE

This may be the last FMQ practice you see from me until some time next week :(  The little machine doesn't have a darning foot or a FMQ foot so unless I can get the regular machine to cooperate these will be the last two you will see from for awhile.......

This was yesterday's practice.  By the time I was ready to add the title of the piece to the top I had been fighting with my machine for over 20 minutes.  Thus the reason (or at least excuse) for the misspelling.  It should read  Trailing Spirals.  You can see spots where the machine just kept on stitching and I wanted to stop - there is thread buildup :(

Now this is a practice I had lots of fun with.  I can see this used in a quilt in the future.  This practice piece is called Goldilocks

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will finish the tops to for the Loving Hands Quilts.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to quilt them too :(

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GIVEAWAYS

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her weekly giveaway.  You could win 5 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Saturday, September 3, at midnight.

Amanda Murphy Design is having a giveaway.  You could win a Garden Paths pattern and one Veranda roll-up.  This giveaway ends Saturday, September 3.

Love Affair With My Brother is having a giveaway.  You could win a charm pack of Amelia or a charm pack of Dilly Dally.  This giveaway ends Sunday, September 4.

Diary of a Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win one of three gift certificates from Shabby Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 2, at midnight MST.

V and Company is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of Kona solids.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 1.

Our Busy Little Bunch is having a giveaway.  You could win a five pack of Aurifil thread.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, September 6.

Kate Conklin Design is having a giveaway.  Kate has some left over scraps to give away from her Baby Mobile quilt.  She will draw a winner this weekend.

Michelle's Quilts and Stuff is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of the MyMemories scrapbook software.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, September 6.

Quilting Dreams is ready to send the Traveling Stash on its way.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 1.

Primitive Quilts and Projects is having a giveaway.  You could win a pattern.  This giveaway ends Monday, September 5.

Sew Sweetness Giveaways is having a giveaway (duh).  Here is your chance to win a GO! Baby Cutter and your choice of 3 dies.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, September 6, at 11:00 pm CST.

Be sure to come back Friday, I just might be having a giveaway you will be interested in.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Do you realize today is the last day of August?  Summer is almost over - at least that's what the calendar says.  I have been reading blogs where there are those of you out there that are actually starting to feel fall in the air.  I'm envious!  The only indication that fall is coming around here is that it gets darker earlier at night.  This summer was busier for us than normal but in a good way.  We took a few more short trips and were able to entertain family more.  We actually had fewer days above 100 degrees (F) but I think we had more in the high 90's.  I feel for those in Texas who have had record heat this summer.  I hope that you will feel cooler weather soon too.  So say goodbye to August (waving) and tomorrow welcome September in with a smile :D

Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending. 
~Author Unknown



A Little Bit Of Wonky

Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake.
~Author Unknown

Lately I've been thinking of food.  Salty, sweet, multi-grain, meats....you name it, I've probably thought about it.  I am not fond of cooking so I don't know where this is coming from.  It's a little late to blame it on the winter survival thing.  I especially think about fast things to fix - frozen meals, quick fix meals, something totally easy but tasty too.  Hopefully I will get out of this line of thought soon.  I can see an ever expanding waistline if it doesn't stop.  Most of what I think about is actually good for me.  I've even been craving fruits and veggies.  Perhaps I have not had enough of the fresh stuff lately.  Thank goodness we get to go to the Farmer's Market this weekend.  How do you overcome thoughts of food.
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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Yesterday, March 2nd, was Dr. Seuss' birthday.  Now how could I have missed that?!?  My favorite childhood author and I'm sure a favorite to many of you, too.  Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as the beloved Dr. Seuss, was born in 1904 on Howard Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. Ted's father, Theodor Robert, and grandfather were brewmasters in the city. His mother, Henrietta Seuss Geisel, often soothed her children to sleep by "chanting" rhymes remembered from her youth. Ted credited his mother with both his ability and desire to create the rhymes for which he became so well known.

At the time of his death on September 24, 1991, Ted had written and illustrated 44 children's books, including such all-time favorites as Green Eggs and Ham, Oh, the Places You'll Go, Fox in Socks, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. His books had been translated into more than 15 languages. Over 200 million copies had found their way into homes and hearts around the world.

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ONE FLOWER WEDNESDAY

I can't believe I forgot yesterday was One Flower Wednesday.  I guess that it is what happens when you skip a day of blogging.  Today just can't be Thursday because this is only my third post this week.  So pretend with me.  Welcome to my Wednesday.

Here are four hexagon flowers I made over the weekend.  I made them all for different people.  They are for swap partners in the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap.  I had two partners this month but now I am caught up through May.  Hopefully I will remember where I stored the flowers for April and May when it comes time to send them off - lol!  As you can tell, each partner had their own preferences when it came to colors and fabric desires.  If you would like to see some of the other beautiful flowers created for One Flower Wednesday, just click on the link or on the button on the sidebar.

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BARN DOOR BLOCKS

Tuesday's mail brought me my first pair of 12 inch blocks in the Barn Door Swap. 

These wonderful blocks were made for me by my March swap partner, Carol.  The one on the left has the prettiest rose fabric and the one on the right is full of dainty little flowers.  Thank you, Carol!!

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WONKY STARS

Yesterday I expanded my horizons in the quilting world.  I made my very first Wonky Star block.  And then I made another.

First I made this wonky star with fabric sent to me by the March Let's Bee Together hostess, Tiffany.  I don't know if you can see it, but right in the center of the block is a tiny red heart.  This block was something totally different for me as I don't do 'wonky' well.  Too much freedom, I think. 

Snickerdoodle is checking out the second wonky star block I made.  This one is made from fabric sent by the March hostess of Bee In Oz (a yahoo group), Jessica.  I really like the contrast of the bright colors against the dark blue.  These have been fun to make, more fun than I thought they would be.  However, I don't know if they will become a regular in my quilting line-up.  It is nice to know that I can make a wonky block after all.

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MARCH MINI QUILT

I did manage to accomplish my goal for the day yesterday.

Here is "It's Spring Again" all bound and hung.  If you are interested, this pattern is by The Wooden Bear Quilt Designs.  This pattern was fun to do and I'm feeling just a tad bit more confident in my blanket stitching.  I'm still not real happy with the Steam A Seam 2 as it seems to gum up my needle.  I think I will go back to Wonder Under - guess that means a trip to Joann's this weekend.

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SIDE NOTE

My daughter has been concerned that my grandson at the age of 21 months has not yet spoken a single word.  Well, that changed yesterday.  Did he bother with a simple word like 'momma' or 'daddy'. NO!  He said "I see it".  Why bother with the easy stuff when you can start talking in sentences.  Now she probably won't be able to shut him up - lol!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I plan to complete a couple more swap blocks.

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GIVEAWAYS

Sew In Peace is having a giveaway.  You could win a darling doll quilt!  This giveaway ends Friday, March 4, at 9:00 EST.

Canton Village Quilt Works is having a giveaway.  Jackie is giving away a copy of Modern Basics by Amy Ellis.  This giveaway will remain open until March 6th at midnight.

It Seams To Be Sew is having a pattern giveaway. You could win a pattern from B. Bumble & Company.  This giveaway ends March 14th at midnight.

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FINAL THOUGHT
I have so many projects waiting in the wings.  I'm trying my best not to start another stitchery project until I'm done with the one I'm working on.  I keep thinking of quilting projects that I would like to make.  I also have a hand applique project waiting for me - I even have all of the fabric bought for it and the background squares all cut.  I just can't seem to find the time to do it all.  Of course, writing this blog takes about 1 1/2 hours to put together each day but I'm not ready to give it up to allow more time for creating.  Isn't writing a creative process?  I know it works the mind and makes the fingers dance across the keyboard.  Sometimes it feels like my eyes will cross or that my mind is a hollow wind tunnel but it does get done.  I have thought about cutting back a day or two but that doesn't even sound appealing to me.  Maybe I should just give up cooking and eating instead - lol!

A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one.
~Baltasar Gracián


Enjoy your Thursday and remember "A person’s a person, no matter how small." by Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears A Who

Can You Supply A Remedy?

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.

~Pietro Aretino

Our winter here in the central valley of California is usually short lived.  We have had plenty of rain and surprisingly little fog.  We have the Tule (pronounced too-lee) fog here that can chill you to the bone.  I have been colder here in the fog than I ever was skiing in a snowstorm.  I keep waiting for the fog to return.  Perhaps it is the grey that makes me think of color.  I have suddenly gone into a bright color frenzy.  I'm usually quite sedate in my color choices.  Maybe my mind is preparing for spring even though it is at least a month away.  Do you ever have sudden color mood swings?

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Weeds!

Even though we are in the middle of winter, our weeds are thriving.  I look out into the yard and they are everywhere and doing quite nicely, thank you.  With all of the rain we have had lately, I'm sure we will have a bumper crop of weeds this year.  Oh boy!!  A weed, in a general sense, is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens.  More specifically, the term is often used to describe native or nonnative plants that grow and reproduce aggressively.  Generally, a weed is a plant in an undesired place.  Maybe I should just let the weeds take over - it would be a whole lot easier to pull out the 'wanted' plants.

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Today is One Flower Wednesday!  I had hopes of creating several hexie flowers over the weekend.  How many did I create?  Two - just two.  One for me and one for my swap partner over in the Inchy Flower Swap. 

This is the flower I made for Hedda of Iceland.  I don't think she reads my blog so I am able to share it with you.  She requested green petals with a yellow center.  I hope she won't mind a little extra color in the petals.  I like this one so much I think I just might make one for myself.

This is the hexie flower I made for myself.  I keep going hot and cold on whether I like it or not.  Sometimes I think "Yea, it looks good with the dark center".  And, other times I think "Meh, not so much".  I'm sure it will fit in the garden somewhere.

I have made 16 flowers for myself so far.  I worked on sewing some of them together this weekend until I ran out of stepping stones.  So far I like the way the bright little flowers look against the white.  I have a loooooooog way to go before I have made enough hexie flowers for my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

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I was pressing some fabric to use in my Birdie Stitches BOM today.  As I pressed, there were some creases and wrinkles that I could not get out.  No amount of pressing, spraying, or steaming seems to take care of the problem.  The fabric has been washed so it's not the sizing.  Do any of you ever have this problem?  Those of you who manage to get every little wrinkle and crease out - what is your secret?  Would you mind sharing with me and the rest of blogland?  Or am I the only one that has this problem?  And I've had this problem forever!!  HELP!

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I did manage to complete my goal yesterday of making a block for my swap partner in the Quilting Block Swaps Australia.  I started making a block called Braced Star Variation One.  Looked simple enough.  It used templates and gave what I thought were fairly simple instructions.  I cut out the required squares and triangles and proceeded to sew them together.  After the first seam I could tell something was wrong.  So, I cut out a couple of different pieces - still not working.  After an hour of trying to put this block together I threw in the towel.  Either the instructions for cutting were way off, or I was way off - and I usually don't have any trouble reading instructions.  I may cut something out incorrectly but not repeatedly and not so horribly wrong as this was.  So, scrap that star.  Instead I selected a different star pattern - one I had debated about in the first place.  Had to change fabric as I didn't have enough of the original fabric left.  My swap partner, Gina from the United Kingdom, requested a star in bright cheery or pastel colors.  I went with the bright and cheery (remember, I'm on a bright color frenzy).

Here is a sneak peek of the block.  I'm not sure if Gina reads my blog and don't want to spoil the surprise.  I will show you the completed block when I know that it has arrived at its destination.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I plan to make some blocks for Block Lotto.  This month we are making Stacks.  It is along the line of Chinese Coins but no matching seams or thinking (I like that part).  And it's made with bright colors (there I go again).  We can make up to 5 blocks - we'll see how many I get made.

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GIVEAWAYS

Linda over at Quilt Cookies is celebrating her 10,000th hit on her blog by having a giveaway.  She's not telling us what the prize will be (it's a surprise).  Linda will announce the winner on January 19, 2011.

Cloth Stitched is celebrating her 1 year blog anniversary with a giveaway!  Char is giving away 5 fat quarters of Pillow and Maxfield's Pretty Bird Fabric.  This giveaway is open until January 15th.

Sew Cal Gal is having a fantastic giveaway with 11 different items to win.  She is giving away several different patterns and also a grand prize that includes Cutting Corners Ruler and three patterns by Sharyn Craig.  This giveaway must be entered by Saturday, January 8, at noon PST.

Pigtails and Quilts is having a giveaway you won't want to miss!  They are giving away a $50 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop!!!  If you jump over there to enter, don't forget to mention that I (Stray Stitches) sent you over.  You have until Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 6:00 PM EST to enter.

And yet another reminder to enter my 300+ Follower Thank You Giveaway!   Even if you don't want to make the pattern that is included, how can you pass up 7 1/8 yards of fabric?  You must enter by Sunday, January 9th at 8:00 PM PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Sometimes I feel as though I'm either way ahead of a trend or so far behind its laughable.  There have been many times where I spend hours, or even days, looking for a certain something in stores and online with no success.  A few months later it is everywhere.  Then there are times where I search for something and always run into those dreaded words "no longer available".  And why is it, and men please excuse me, that when you find a bra that you really like and fits really well it seems you can't find it when it comes time to replace it?  Has something like this ever happened to you?

If an article is attractive, or useful, or inexpensive, they'll stop making it tomorrow; if it's all three, they stopped making it yesterday.

~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

It's the middle of the week - make it yours!!

Pipers, Flowers & Peeks

At Christmas, all roads lead home.

~Marjorie Holmes

I have been reading a lot of blogs where the writers talk about traveling to one place or another for Christmas.  And don't you know, 98 per cent of the time its to a home.  Sometimes it's to a grown child's home and sometimes it's to the homes of their parents.  My road on Christmas Eve will lead across town to my mother's home for lasagna and french bread for dinner and homemade cookies and sorbet for dessert.  But before that happens, all roads lead to my home - my two daughters and their families will be here to share in all of the Christmas festivities.  It will be a tight fit with 6 adults and two children in a small house with only one bathroom but we will make it work.  So, as in so many cases, all roads do lead home for Christmas.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Eleven Pipers Piping

At the big feasts held during the holiday celebrations the guests were often entertained by musicians, dancers, jugglers, etc. as well as singing and dancing themselves. Bagpipes and their younger cousins the musette (an instrument similar to a bagpipe but the air for the sound came from bellows rather than blowing into the instrument) were popular instruments for dance music.  The pipers referred to in the song would be the professional bagpipe musicians hired to entertain the guests with their music and provide music for dancing.

Today is Wednesday making it One Flower Wednesday!!  Today I have two flowers to share with you.

First, this is a flower made for me by Geniene from Holt Act, Australia.  She and I are members of the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap.  Geniene made this flower as she was my swap partner for December.  My request was for a red, white and blue - or any combination there of  - hexie flower.  Isn't it cute?  I really like the white on white center.  Thank you Geniene!!

And this is the flower I made for myself.  I figured my GFG just had to have something to celebrate Christmas.  What better way than with snowmen and Santa!

Do you remember a few weeks back when I was asking for your help on figuring out where some fabric came from that had arrived in my mailbox?  I don't think I ever told you that I did figure it out.  (If I did tell you I apologize for being repetitive).  I was over at flickr.com checking out my groups and happened to run across Bee in Oz, a new group that is just starting out with their first month.  Guess where that fabric came from?  The person who had been assigned January sent out her fabric waaaaay early but failed to include instructions or a legible return address.  I don't think she reads my blog so I'm going to show you the block I made for her.

Since I had just made the Layer Cake Quilt Along block #4, I decided to use that same pattern for this block.  It was a little difficult working with the fabrics she sent as there wasn't a lot of variety in the fabric design except for the red piece.  I don't think she has received it yet but I hope she likes it.

Over the last two days I have also made 3 blocks for swap partners for the month of January.  These are for members of the Block Swap Adventure.  I think at least two of them read my blog so I can only give you a sneak peek at what I've been up to.

I will show you the completed blocks once they have been received by their new owners.

GIVEAWAYS

I could not find a single new giveaway out there in blogland to tell you about.  I will keep watching and will pass along any that I might find over the next day or so.  I'm sure that the giveaways will be back again once the holidays are over.

FINAL THOUGHT

One more day and we will have all of the explanations for the 12 Days of Christmas.  One more day and my DD#1 and family will be here!  Two more days and DD#2 and her husband and my granddoggy will be here!  Three more days and Christmas will be bringing in all the happiness and love it has been promising us.  I'm not one to wish days away, but this time I am.  Soon I will be counting hours for each special event to happen.  And then I would like time to stop, or at least pause on hold for a little while.  I want to enjoy and savor every minute I have with my family this Christmas and I wish it would never have to end.

Christmas is the day that holds all time together.

~Alexander Smith

Here's to a wonderful Wednesday!!!

Two Birds & No Stones

No matter how carefully you stored the lights last year, they will be snarled again this Christmas.

~Robert Kirby

That couldn't be more true.  How many times have you taken the lights out after carefully putting them away the year before just to find one, big wad of light?  I know we have.  We no longer put lights on the outside so we have a lot fewer lights to deal with - only those for the tree.  I guess we will see either this weekend or next what kind of mess we have waiting for us.

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

A Partridge In A Pear Tree

For the next 12 days of posting I'm going to try to find a cute picture to go with the song "12 Days Of Christmas".  Today is day one - a partridge in a pear tree.  Why a partridge in a pear tree? A partridge is not a small bird that can be easily placed in a cage in the kitchen. And the song pre-dates dwarf fruit trees so we are talking about a good sized tree which makes for a rather large and bulky gift.  Like other songs and art in general, the gifts in this song could have been chosen for symbolic reasons or possibly because they fit into the rhyme of the song. The twelve days of Christmas were a time of feasting and the partridge is a game bird that would have been a popular main course at one of the feasts.  Similarly, the pear was a common fruit which would have been available for the feasts.

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I did quite a bit of sewing today but I'm not quite ready to show it to you just yet.  However, it is One Flower Wednesday!  I belong to the Inchy Flower Swap group and my latest swap partner, Hanne from Denmark, requested her hexie flower to be made from reproduction fabric.  As reproduction is not my favorite line I had a limited selection to choose from. 

I decided to go with some little fussy cut bears.  It arrived in Denmark yesterday and Hanne said that she "adored the small teddy bears" and thought she might use the flower in a pillow for her 16 month old son.  I'm just glad that Hanne liked it - I get a little nervous sometimes in these swaps not sure exactly what my swap partner will think of my work.

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Yesterday I also received to blocks from my November and December swap partners in Christmas Quilting Block Swaps Australia.

I received this wonderful star block from Cathy (also known as CrafteeCC).  She is from Australia.  I just love the little colored ornaments set off by the gold and white stars.  She also included a very nice little note.

I received this star block from Ann in Canada.  The picture doesn't do justice to the richly colored block with the fussy cut center.  The little birds are so sweet and the berries are accented with gold.  All this is set on a background of olive and gold stars.  Simply stunning.  Ann also included a pin with a darling heart charm on it!

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Yesterday I received an email informing me that I was the winner of the Quilt Show giveaway being sponsored by Cotton Cocktails!!  I was the 1st place winner and won a six month membership of The Quilt Show!  I am a very lucky lady!!

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I think it's time for another super simple slow cooker recipe.  This time of year with all of the hustle and bustle, nothing is better than making something early in the day and have it ready come dinner time.  And simple is even better.

Chicken In Wine

Ingredients

2 - 3 pounds chicken breasts or pieces

10 3/4 oz can golden mushroom soup

10 3/4 oz can French onion soup

1 cup dry white wine, or chicken broth

Directions:

1.  Put chicken in slow cooker

2.  Combine soups and wine.  Pour over chicken

3.  Cover.  Cook on Low 6 - 8 hours

Personal Notes:

1.  I have only made this with wine and not the chicken broth - I would think there would be some flavor missing with the chicken broth.

2.  Reheats very well.

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GIVEAWAYS

Milk and Honey Designs is having a Super Big Book Giveaway!  There are four sets of books to possibly win.  This contest ends December 13th.

Pat over at 501 Quilt Blocks is having her very first giveaway!  She is celebrating the return of her daughter and family to NH by giving away 3 different sets of blocks.  Winners will be chosen the morning of December 16th.

Would you like to win 4 fat quarters.  Fabric ala Carte is looking for FB friends.  A winner will be chosen on December 14th.

Kate Spain is having a Stocking Stuffer Giveaway at her blog, The Drawing Board.  Each day she is giving away some sort of stocking stuffer.  This started on the 1st but will run until the 12th.

With all of these new giveaways, I almost forgot to remind you about my BIG GIVEAWAY!  Don't forget to enter by December 10th - that's Friday!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Here we are half way through the work week and I'm not half way through with what I wanted to accomplish.  I think it's about time that I might just have to start doing some of what needs to be done on the weekends.  I usually try to reserve that time to share with my DH but he understands when this time of year rolls around.  Besides, that way he can decorate the tree - something he enjoys doing and me, not so much.  It probably stems from my childhood days when I'd help my mother decorate only to have everything I hung moved to another location that 'looked better'.  To this day I don't try to help my mother when it comes to decorating.  I must admit, her tree is something to behold.  I will have to share a picture of her tree one day soon.

The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect!
 ~Charles N. Barnard
Take today and make the most of it - have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Messes and Blocks

My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

 ~Author Unknown

That's definitely been my thought the last couple of days.  With the help of my wonderful DD, we were able to box up most of three rooms on Friday and move it all into the living room and entry.  There were a few more things we had to move on Saturday but I think we are pretty well set for the carpet installers this morning.  They will be moving the big furniture and I think they will just have to shift it from room to another as there is no more room in the living room.  Then comes the chore of putting everything back - arghhhhh!  But, woohoo, new carpet!!!!

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Welcome to my mess!

This is only side of my living room, well, maybe I should now call it my storage room.  There is another wall that looks just as bad and you can no longer sit on the couch.  And this is just the 'stuff' and only one piece of furniture, my sewing cabinet collapsed into a movable size.  We are already thinking of ways to make the office/sewing room more organized - combining the computer desk/unit and my DH's desk into one unit even if means buying something new.  I think we have too much junk yet I really can't think of anything that we can/should get rid of.  And to think I get to start moving it all back this evening.

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My new friend, Leena, has finally received the block I sent her.  She and I are members of the Quilting Block Swaps Australia, a really fun and talented group of people.

She requested a Card Trick block made with bright colors and a black background.  This was the first time I had made this block - it was fun!  I just wish it didn't take so long for mail to get from the USA to Australia (about two weeks).

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Friday I received a fantastic email telling me I was a winner of a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks! I can't wait to receive it and begin looking at all of the fantastic blocks in it!!

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I can finally show you one of the block swap items that I shipped off almost two weeks ago.  Brigitte from the Inchy Flower Swap received this flower from me.....................

She requested pink petals with a dark green center.  By the way, the dots you can see are just the holes in the paper templates in each petal, not marks on the fabric.  Brigitte said the flower will work well in her 'garden'.  This swap group is now up to 16 members and growing thanks to our coordinator, Jane over at Want It, Need It, Quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

First and foremost, you have today and tomorrow to enter my "80th Post Celebration Giveaway".  Wouldn't you like to win 2 1/3 yards of coordinated fabric?  This closes Tuesday, November 16th at 6:00 pm.

Hooray! Another chance to win a GO!  Simply Solids is giving us another chance at an Acuquilt GO!.  You must enter by Saturday, November 20th!

Retro Mummy is have a great giveaway of 14 fat quarters of  Sweet Broderie fabrics.  This is open until November 21st.

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I am so blessed to have two wonderful daughters.  Both live out of town - one lives 2 hours away, the other 12 hours away.  I don't get to see either of them nearly enough.  When they were young at times I thought that they would never be old enough to live on their own, lead their own lives, manage in the world without me.  Now I wish that they could have stayed little for a much longer time - well, not so much the teenage years, however.  I probably treasure the time I do have with my girls all the more since it isn't an every day  occurance but I sure do wish they were just around the corner instead of down the state or over two states.  So, today I'm giving thanks for my very precious daughters!!
 
A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend.
~Author Unknown

Happy Monday to you all - my family, my friends, and especially all of my blogland friends!!

Flowers! The Wonders Of Diversity.

To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat.

~Beverly Nichols

Flowers are the theme for the day!  Where would I be without One Flower Wednesday?  This week I would be lost.  Being away from the sewing machine for 5 days has really put a crimp in my creative sharing.  Sometimes falling back on the ol' hand sewing has its advantages.  Two flowers were created on the way home Monday in the car - if it hadn't been so darn windy and buffeting the car around so much, I could have completed at least one more.  But two in the hand is better than none for the screen.

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Photo Of The Day

A gerbera in my yard in green leaves

Green.  My favorite color.  Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment. On the flip side, green is jealousy or envy (green-eyed monster) and inexperience.  Green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue. Like blue, time moves faster in a green room.  With both a warming and cooling effect, the color green denotes balance, harmony, and stability. Use several shades of green for a fresh, Springtime feel. Olive green, also called olive drab, is a not so drab summery green that may have military overtones for some people.  Many people will not use green in their quilts - maybe they just haven't found the right shade.  Green!

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It was a great mail day for me today!  I recently won a giveaway from Kim over at Live Well, Love Much, Laugh and Quilt Often and received it in the mail today. 

"What's in here, Mom?  Something for us?  Can we eat it or squeak it?"  Weasley and Snickerdoodle had to check it out first.

The pups were very disappointed but I was very happy.  Besides the winnings, Kim included in the little parcel a sweet little note, a darling little Crafter's Jewels keychain that says "I love Quilting" and a cute little handmade buttoned pouch that has so many uses.  What I actually won was a beautiful fall table runner and a super soft little pumpkin.   I'm such a lucky gal!!  Thank you Kim!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm going to join in another Sew Along.  This is being hosted by Thread Head.  The quilt is made with 40 scrappy blocks and finishes out at 97" square. I have yet to decide if I'm going with a fabric theme or just going truly scrappy.  I'm leaning toward totally scrappy as I'm not sure I have enough of any one type of fabric.  Here is what the quilt will look like:

It looks like lots of fun.  It's not too late to join in as she has only posted three blocks plus the Alabama Variation Block.  You can either connect through the link above or through the button on the right.

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One Flower Wednesday!!!  I had a hard time deciding which flower to share today.  Which one?  Bright and cheery?  One full of critters?  Okay - here it is...........

I selected the bright and cherry one.  See the little bees checking out the petals?

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Are you looking for a new swap group?  I recently joined The Inchy Flower Swap.  This group is looking for new members!  Each month you will be making and sending a hexagon flower to someone, somewhere in the world.  Click on the link above or the button on the right for all of the info and to join.

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GIVEAWAYS

Would you like another try at winning a GO! Cutter?  Then you must go to Irish Muses before November 5th!

Lisa over at Inspired Quilter is having two giveaways as her birthday celebration.  Check this out before November 6th.

Little Bluebell is giving away a gorgeous stack of Bliss!  Now I know you all having been drooling over this beautiful fabric so enter before November 3rd.

Sarah is having a birthday celebration!  Jump on over to Confessions of a Fabric Addict and enter to win a charm pack of Bliss or charm pack of Moda's 12 Days of Christmas.  This giveaway ends Friday morning.

Karen from Lisnaweary Quilts is having a giveaway.  She is giving away some beautiful Irish linen.  This one end November 9th so check it out today!

Don't forget to enter my "Just Because" giveaway!  You don't even have to be a follower to enter - but I would love it if you would like to.  This giveaway ends November 2nd!

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Final Thought

The middle of the week is here bringing us closer to the end of the month.  I can't hardly believe that Halloween is going to be here in just 5 days, to be followed quickly by Thanksgiving and Christmas.  How the time does fly.  How does the day pass so quickly when I have so much left to do?  It is especially important this time of year to remember to live in today, appreciate what is here now, accomplish what you had hoped today.  The future will be here soon enough.  So I leave you with this quote: 

A preoccupation with the future not only prevents us from seeing the present as it is but often prompts us to rearrange the past.
~Eric Hoffer

Have a wonderfully wasteless (is that a word? blogger says 'no') Wednesday!!!!!