It's Two Of Two

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

~Anne Bradstreet

It's Friday.  The last Friday of the month.  Only today and tomorrow left in April.  It's almost time to start a new month.  Where did the time go?  Spring arrived and is now ready to give way to summer.  Winter is but a memory - well, at least  here in central California.  All the trees are green, the tulips have faded, and buds are forming on the rose bushes.  I've completed a few projects and started others.  I broke an old habit and hopefully won't start another.  Ebb and flow, inhale and exhale - life continues.  As we wrap up another month think about the happiness you have shared with others, about what those little things that may have brought a smile to your face.  Tuck these memories away for another time, perhaps when you need a little joy in your life in May.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Zippers

National Zipper Day, marking the day in 1913 when the zipper was patented in the United States. Coincidentally, this came just moments before the first known utterance of the words "Larry, barn door's open."  Simpler than the snap and more trusted than Velcro, the zipper beats the button any day. Unless the slider gets stuck on some fabric on the way up, the zipper is the fastest clothing and luggage fastener in the west! The zipper beat out the button in the 1937 'Battle of the Fly' when designers went crazy for the newest innovation in men's trousers. Esquire magazine predicted the zipper would reduce the incidence of accidentally leaving one's fly open, but as years of jeans wearing have revealed, there's no invention that can save us from making that mistake.

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TWO OF TWO

Yesterday I completed the second baby quilt....

All rolled and ready for the unveiling......

Blowing in the wind......

As you can see, the second of the twins is named Julia....

Both of the quilts revealing their backsides.....

Battling for dominance already.....

The yin and the yang, the light and the dark.  Both quilts are ready for the two adorable, little redheaded twins, Grace and Julia.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will start on the May mini wall hanging that I'm already late in making.

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GIVEAWAYS

Eat, Sleep, Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win one of two amazing little quilts that Linda has created.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 1, at 11:30 pm EST.

Want It, Need It, Quilt It is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a a selection of indigenous prints.  This giveaway ends May 31st.

The Intrepid Thread is celebrating her 200th post with a giveaway.  You could win a half yard bundle of Happier In Blue AND a circle / dot print from each of 6 lines that are coming soon to her shop AND A
a fat quarter bundle of blue and green Silent Cinema AND a kit to make her button bracelet tutorial.  This great giveaway ends Friday, May 6, at midnight.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win an Amy Butler Diana Sling bag.  A winner will be selected Wednesday, May 4.

Quilt Story is having a giveaway.  Here's your chance to win a GO! Baby cutter and three dies.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 4, at 11:59 pm MST.

Stray Stitches is celebrating her MY first big completion of the year.  You could win 10 fat quarters of some very pretty floral fabric.  You better hurry, this giveaway ends Sunday, May 1, at 8:00 pm PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

With a sad heart I have been watching all of the news reports on the destruction that has taken place across the country from me.  I can not begin to fathom what those people are going through.  So many lives have been lost and so many more are now homeless and/or injured.  Nature can be so cruel and unforgiving.  Hopefully the healing can begin soon, power restored and shelter provided for those who are in need.  It makes me appreciate my life just that much more.  It makes me realize that no matter what we invent or what we create, nature will have the upper hand.  We have seen this through the power of the earthquakes in Japan, the hurricanes in the Gulf, and now the tornadoes and torrential rains in the central and southern part of our country.  May those of you who have been affected by these terrible events know that you are being remembered in our prayers and thoughts.  May your lives return to normal soon.

Hope is the word which God has written on the brow of every man.
~Victor Hugo

Think happy thoughts, for it is Friday!

Quilting For A Baby

Life is one long experiment in learning. Who can be perfect all the time? Sometimes I feel half-wise, sometimes half-stupid.

~Terri Guillemets

As I traveled around blogland on Friday, it seemed to be a day of finishes - mine included.  There were a lot of us out there that were happy to be able to say "I finished my quilt!".  Such a wonderful feeling.  Now it's time to get on with other UFOs and WIPs or even to start something new.  It also is time to start up another month's worth of swap blocks.  Finally finishes and new beginnings.  Almost the end of the month, Easter is over, and a new week has begun.  As one flower whithers another blooms.  The circle of life.  Even in sewing/quilting there is always a beginning and an end.  And so goes life!

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PHOTO FINISH OF THE DAY

World Penguin Day

On the 25th of April every year, the Adelie penguins in the Antarctic begin their annual northward migration. The Adelies start migrating in the Antarctic fall season and won’t return to their colonies until the following spring. In true synchronized fashion, the Adelies dive into the frigid waters answering their Nature’s call to migrate. They will swim north for only a few hundred miles (around 600km) and stay among icebergs that are floating about, feasting on krill and other penguin delicacies. So really, these penguins don’t actually go anywhere when they migrate. They’ll bob around in the ocean and rest on the ice until it’s time to head back home to Antarctica. The reason they do this is because the days in Antarctica are becoming darker during this time of year. Adelies do not see too well in the dark so they migrate north so they can hunt for food, otherwise they would starve.

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ONE OF TWO

 

Friday I worked on the first of two baby quilts.  I had it mostly finished and was able to hand stitch the binding during some quiet time over the weekend.

  Can you tell it's for a girl?  I quilted this with just a simple diagonal straight stitch.  Here's the back.....

  The back is just one piece of fabric but I personalized it with the little one's name.

Now to make quilt number two.

 

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STROLL THROUGH MY BACKYARD

 

Over the weekend I took a walk through my backyard.  There are a few flowers blooming and other promising blooms in the future.

 

As you can tell I do not have a color scheme.  If I like it, I plant it and to heck with the color police - lol!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make a block for my Block Swap partner for May. And, if time allows, I will start assembling the second baby quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

Quiltstory is having a giveaway.  You could win a one month membership to Ole Frog Eyes (a virtual design wall) and 4 fat quarters of Sweet Nothings Riley Blake collection.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 27.

Oops-Lah is having a giveaway.  You could win a Hullabaloo Layer Cake by Moda, or a Bali Pops Strawberry Fields, or a Modern Workshop Jelly Roll by Moda.  This giveaway ends May 9th.

Patchwork Underground is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Pat Sloan's newest book, What A Novel Idea.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 26.

Patchwork Underground is having a second giveaway.  You could win a pair of Gingher spring-action dressmaker’s scissors.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 26, too.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  This time you could win a Cut Out & Keep fat quarter bundle.  The winner will be selected on Wednesday, April 27.

Stray Stitches (that's me!) is having a giveaway.  You could win 10 fat quarters of Classic Cottons - beautiful spring colors!  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 1 at 8:00 pm.

Leona's Quilting Adventure is having a giveaway.  Leona is giving away 4 Lapel Sticks.  This giveaway ends Friday, April 29, at midnight EST.

Dawn's Quilt Corner is having a giveaway.  Dawn is giving away two fat quarter bundles of DS Quilts Collection.  This giveaway ends Saturday, April 30, at 6:00 pm PST.

My Go Go Life is having a giveaway. You could win 4 half yard cuts of some darling Heather Ross fabric.  This giveaway ends Thursday, April 28.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope everyone had a glorious Easter.  We did!  The weekend was a nice one.  It flew by much too fast.  Saturday we did our Easter celebration meal - it just fit our schedule better.  DH fixed the main course - smoked brisket - mmmmmmmm - it was so good!  He had to have the meat on the fire by 7:30 - that's in the A.M. on a Saturday - and then stoke and watch the fire all day.  We had our DD#2 and SIL, my Mother and sister, and a family friend for dinner.  So much good food.  Lots of conversation and happiness.  Sunday was more relaxed with just the kids (even if they are over 30 I still call them "the kids" - lol) - visiting, watching a little tv, and just enjoying each others company.  Oh, by the way, my daughter loved her quilt :D  Two days gone in a blink of the eye.  Only memories are left of the weekend.  Until next time.

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.
~Joyce Brothers

Make your Monday magical!