Did Someone Say "GIVEAWAY" ?

A good vacation is over when you begin to yearn for your work.

~Morris Fishbein

Hello, my friends!!!  I'm back from my blog-less vacation/family time :)  We had an absolutely wonderful time with my DD#1, SIL, and grandsons.  We celebrated birthdays with family and friends.  We visited the local water park.  We watched as GS#1 enjoyed the blow-up pool.  We played Wii.  The little one learned a new word or two.  It was so much fun having the grandsons around and seeing the world through their eyes.  But I did miss all of my friends in blogland.  It felt extremely strange not blog hopping and preparing my daily blog.  I did spend a little time yesterday catching up on a few of your blogs, finding giveaways, and reading my backlog of emails.  I was only on the computer twice when family was here - can you believe that?  But I'm back and ready to pick up where I left off.  So here we go........

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Two Days In One

Today, June 21, marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and simultaneously heralds the beginning of winter in the southern hemisphere. On June 21, there are 24 hours of daylight north of the Arctic Circle (66.5° north of the equator) and 24 hours of darkness south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5° south of the equator).

Rumor has it that if you hear the call of a cuckoo today, that bird is predicting a wet summer. Don't ask me how he knows the future, he just does. The best way to avoid hearing the call of the cuckoo is to avoid areas with a dense population of cuckoo birds. Likewise, if you hear the call of a person yelling, 'Cuckoo! Cuckoo!' it might be advisable to avoid them too.

How am I celebrating Summer Solstice?  By staying inside under the A/C on a day that is predicted to be 106 degrees!!

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A WEEK AWAY

I don't want to bore you with the ton of pictures I took of my grandsons so I just made a simple collage depicting a couple of the things we did....

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MAIL RECEIVED

While I was away on my little absence, I received two items that I won out in blogland.  First came my winnings from Sharon at Vroomans Quilts.....

I won some Kathy Schmidt - Full Circle - 2 panels and 3 FQs - tan.  I'm not exactly sure what I will be making with these but you can bet they won't be stuffed on a shelf and forgotten.  Thank you, Sharon!!

I also received a squishy from the Fat Quarter Shop.....

Melissa from Happy Quilting had a giveaway and I was the lucky winner of this beautiful assortment of fat quarters.  These are Natural Elements by Patricia Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics.  The colors are so much prettier in person.  I just love the colors!  Thank you so much, Melissa and Fat Quarter Shop!!!

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MY VACATION GIVEAWAY

I did very little sewing during the week I was away from blogging.  Okay, I did sew around 20 stepping stones for my Grandmother's Flower Garden, but nobody wants to see a bunch of white hexagons.  So, instead, how about if I have a giveaway.  After all, I haven't had one for the month of June!  What can you win?  Well............

how about this Connecting Threads Kit?  This is a kit for Hen & Chicks Table Runner.  It contains 3 1/2  yards of fabric.  The breakdown is as follows: 

Top fabric (Lily Pads - Blue) = 1 3/4 yards

2nd Fabric (Basket Weave - Lt Brown) = 1/2 yard

3rd Fabric (Packed Summer Flowers - Blue) = 1/2 yard

4th Fabric (Sketched Floral - Cream) = 1/2 yard

Bottom Fabric (Vining Stripe - Blue) = 1/4 yard

Paper = Pattern Instructions

AND.....

Aren't these embroidery scissors just too cute?  This is Bella Blue - Embroidery Angels 4" embroidery scissors. 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

One lucky winner will win both the kit and the scissors.  How can you win? 

1.  Leave me a comment.  Just that easy.  Any comment will do. 

2.  For a second entry, blog about this giveaway.  Then come back and leave me a second comment and include a link to where you blogged about the giveaway. I will be checking!

Rules

*This giveaway is open to everyone!  Foreign, domestic, wild, tame, purple, pink, yellow - well, you get the idea - lol!

*No more than 2 entries per person!

*If you are a No Reply blogger, you must leave me your email in your comment.  If I can't contact you, you can't win.  I had to eliminate over 10 people from my last giveaway because there was no way to reach them - so sad :(

*This giveaway will end Sunday, July 3, at 8:00 pm.  I will announce the winner no later than Monday, July 4, at 10:00 am.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I need to make the second flower for my swap partner and make a flower for myself for One Flower Wednesday.

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GIVEAWAYS

Samelia's Mum is having a giveaway.  You could win a GO! Baby Cutter and 3 dies of your choice.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 26, at 9:00 pm AEST.

KoolBeenz is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win a $25 shop credit to Skye Reve Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 24, at midnight EST.

Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could be one of two winners of 10 Sweet Jane's Quilting Patterns.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 24.

Sew I Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win an I Rock tool.  This giveaway ends Wednesday morning, June 23.

It Seams To Be Sew is having a giveaway.  You could win 2 charm packs of Terrain by Kate Spain (and this won't be available in stores until September!).  This giveaway ends Monday, July 4.

1 Choice 4 Quilting is having an "Awesome" giveaway. Shawna is giving away 4 fat quarter bundles of Strawberry Fields and 2 yards of matching Bella solids for sashing.  This giveaway ends Monday, June 27, at 10:00 pm EST.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting is having her first giveaway.   Cheryl is giving away An OLFA Circle Rotary Cutter (18mm) and the product demo disc that goes with it, a pattern, 'Bundle of 12 - Beach Balls' by Amelie Scott Designs, and a pattern, 'Gifts All Around' by Aarol Penny Pattenden.  Cheryl will select a winner on Tuesday evening, July 5.

Annie's Ruby Slipperz is having her weekly Mystery Monday giveaway.  By answering Annie's mystery question you are entered in the drawing for 5 fat quarters.  The drawing will be on Wednesday, June 22, at midnight MST.

Jay Bird Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a full collection of fat quarters of Outside Oslo by Jessica Jones from Pink Chalk.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 22, at 10:00 pm EST.

Crazy Mom Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win an AccuQuilt GO! Baby Cutter and 3 dies of your choice.  Not sure when this one ends :(

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FINAL THOUGHT

Today is my Monday even though it's Tuesday.  I have my sewing room back in order and my piles layed out just so.  Sadly, I don't have my sewing machine back from being serviced yet - hopefully Wednesday evening.  In the mean time, I'm talking kindly to my little Janome, coaxing it through some easy steps so that I don't get too far behind on my monthly commitments.  I am eager to start a new project that involves both piecing and embroidery.  My Christmas quilt is still at the long arm quilter and should be ready by the end of the month.  Time to get busy, so I'm off to sewing................

All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle.
~Ellen Birdseye Wheaton, 1851

I FINISHED IT!

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

Sometimes I truly dislike modern technology.  My printer decided it was going to gobble up a couple of sheets today.  It must have been  hungry.  It tried to eat a label I was printing but luckily,  it didn't get too jammed.  I removed the crumpled sheet, closed the cover, and replaced the paper.  And then when I go to reset the stupid machine, it's flashing the message, 'door not closed'.  Yes it is!!!  I pushed the OK button - isn't that supposed to clear it?  I lift up the cover and slam it down - sometimes it just takes some force to dislodge its messages.  Darn!  Still flashing - "close door"!  #*@+ machine!!!  Okay, now you've had it!  SLAM!!  Well, there you go.  Now it's ready to work again.  I guess I showed it who's boss.  And guess who didn't eat the next page I printed?  I won :D

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Herbs and Spices

Today is considered National Herbs and Spices day.  What makes an herb an herb and a spice a spice is the part of the plant that's used. Herbs are from the leafy part; spices are seeds, fruits, roots, or bark.

* Sage has been used for centuries to gain knowledge and purity. A strong sage tea is said to clear out the negativity from the house. Bundles of sage can be hung in the house. The fragrance is heavenly. According to legends, it helps in keeping the evil spirits at bay.

* Vanilla is said to have the power to bring love and happiness into your home

* Lemon peel banishes negativity and objectifies freshness. It is quite the mood lifter
* Orange peel is said to kill those germ battalions. Plus, the citron smell is an added advantage. Burn orange peels on the stove when you have a cold or a sore throat.
* Peppermint gives for a soothing effect. Burn peppermint candles to add to calm those nerves
* Cloves are said to promote spirituality and love.
* Eucalyptus is said to kill germs effectively. It is used in various herbal medicines as well. It provides for protection while promoting good health.
* Basil is said to promote feelings of fidelity, love, protection and wealth
* Cinnamon is said to promote safety and happiness.
* Chamomile is said to bring peace and serenity to the soul, while it purifies and cleans the house.

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A BEE BLOCK

Yesterday I was able to make a Bee block.

This is for Munaiba, our June hostess for Bee In Oz.  She sent instructions and 2 1/2" strips of fabric to make this Jeweled Geese block.  I don't know why it looks unsquare in the photo because it really is square.  Her only requirement was so use the Kaffee Fasset fabric for the large central triangle of each "goose" and the plain fabric for the two outer triangles. 

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ROAD COURSE QUILT FINISHED

Yesterday I finished binding the road course quilt.  This was a quick put together - had to get it done before the grandsons arrival on Saturday.

Here's what it might look like in a couple of days when the grandsons are playing on it.  I did fmq in black thread.  Thank goodness you can't get a good close-up of it to see how poorly I followed the lines.

Here it is out in the daylight after it was washed and dried being held by my sweet quilt holder (thank you, my love).  The quilt ended up measuring 53" X 45".  The backing is just plain black so it isn't much to see.

I will be adding this label to the back.  I still need to add a border around it before attaching it to the quilt back. 

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will be sewing on two labels - one on the grandsons play quilt and the other on the Loving Hands quilt.  Then I absolutely HAVE TO CLEAN!!!

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GIVEAWAYS

Quiltstory is having a giveaway.  You could win The Birds and Bees Quilt Kit from The Stitch Sanctuary.  This giveaway runs through Monday, June 13.

A Desert Quilter is having a giveaway.  You could win two Charm packs "Summer Breeze" by Sentimental Studios for MODA.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 15, at 10:00 pm PST.

Crazy Quilt Girl is having a giveaway.  You could win a Hullabaloo Jelly Roll.  A winner will be drawn on Monday, June 13, 5:00 pm EST.

Subee Sews Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win an autographed copy of Bonnie Hunter's book entitled Adventures with Leaders & Enders.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 12, at noon EST.

Miss Print is having a giveaway.  You could win Tula Pink's Designer Select fat quarter bundle from Fat Quarter Shop.  The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 15.

Jolly Jabber is having a giveaway.  You could win a Fat Quarter Bundle of Calypso Swing.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 15.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I will be taking the next week off from blogging.  The machine is in for service but even more importantly, I will be spending the week with my grandsons, my DD#1 and her DH.  We get them for a full week!  So don't miss me too much, I will be back on Tuesday, June 21st.  I will be thinking about you and maybe will have a few minutes to read a couple blogs here and there.  Sorry I won't be able to keep you posted on giveaways or give you any interesting little facts but I'm sure you understand.  So have a wonderful weekend and a beautiful week without me.  I'll be back soon.

Laughter is an instant vacation.

~Milton Berle

A Little Confession

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.
~Erma Bombeck


Thursday - WOW! When and how did it get here so fast?  Two more days of sewing - well, really 1 1/2 days of sewing left for me.  Why you ask?  First, I will be taking my sewing machine in for its yearly service on Saturday.  So sad to see it go but it's starting to sound a little clunky and it's time.  Secondly, because my DD#1 and her family will be here and I know I won't be doing any sewing while they are here.  So little time but maybe I can get another swap or bee block made before the end of the week.  Still need to finish the binding on the car road quilt but I'm over half way through with that.  Then the clean up begins.  You should see my piles (blushing).  I've gotten horribly lazy about putting scraps away.  The pile must be a good foot and a half tall (me blushing even redder).  And then there's that storage unit commonly known as the spare bed.  Not to mention my desk, the computer desk, and maybe even a little on the floor.  Where are the cleaning fairies when I need them?

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Donald Duck

Happy birthday, Donald Duck!  Today Donald is 77 years old- at least as far as his film debut is concerned.  Can you believe it?  Here are a few facts about Donald Duck that you may not know:

* Donald Duck's full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck.
* Donald Duck's voice is one of the most identifiable voices of all animated characters.
* Donald has a star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame
* Donald's first film was called "The Wise Little Hen" which deputed in 1934.
* Donald Duck supposedly represents what we are and Mickey Mouse represents what we should be.
* Donald has appeared in 7 animated features, this is more than any of his animated friends
* Donald Duck is the mascot of the University of Oregon.
* Donald's voice was performed by Clarence "Ducky" Nash up until 1983. Nash trained Tony Anselmo who was the voice of Donald from 1985 and onwards.
* Donald's first film was called "The Wise Little Hen" which deputed in 1934
* Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants
* Father's name is Quackmore Duck, mother is Hortense McDuck, twin sister is Della Thelma Duck

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WONKY STAR

Yesterday I made a block for my swap partner in Block Swap Adventure.....

Jorie requested a wonky star made with jewel tones.  It took me over 1/2 an hour to pick out the fabric.  I couldn't decide on a center square so I just made it the same as the background fabric.  Plus, if I had read the instructions through completely before starting, I could have made this block much quicker than I did.  Suffice it to say that Mr. Seam Ripper and I were very good friends yesterday morning.  I'm still not a wonky block person - obviously!  I hope Jorie likes her star.

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BINDING AND A CONFESSION

The majority of yesterday was spent putting on the binding for the car road quilt.

I have a confession.  I just discovered last week that I had been incorrectly hand stitching on binding for the last 9 years - in other words, my entire quilting life.  First let me explain:  I learned to sew many, many years ago in home ec and from my mother sewing clothes.  When sewing clothes you had to sew hems.  To sew a hem, you had to learn to blind stitch.  This meant placing your needle and thread into the little fold of fabric and then catching just a few threads of the garment to create a finished hem that couldn't be seen from the inside or the outside of the garment.  Well........ when I was self teaching myself to quilt, I read that you attach the binding to the back with a blind stitch.  Enough said......no need to read further.  So, all of this time I have been hand sewing binding like sewing a garment - big part of the stitch into the binding and catching a few threads of the backing.  Last week I was watching a couple of video tutorials on the proper way to stitch the corners closed - something apparently necessary if you are going to enter a quilt in a show (which I'm thinking about doing).  And when I saw how the binding stitches were being made, I was amazed and thought "well, that can't be right" - the larger stitch was made into the fabric and batting of the back and then catching a few threads of the binding.  I did a more thorough search and, guess what?  I have been TOTALLY WRONG.  Now I'm stitching my binding on the correct way.  It is much more secure and is definitely stronger.  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will try to make a Bee block and finish putting the binding on the car road quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

Sew 4 Home is having a giveaway.  You could win three BIG fabric cuts, an awesome book, four spools of super sweet variegated thread, and a deck of very cute playing cards.  A winner will be drawn on Monday, June 20, at midnight PT.

Pat Sloan is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Threading The Needle by Marie Bostwick.  A winner will be picked on Saturday, June 11.

Fat Quarterly is having a giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of LouLouThi from Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends ?

Stitchin' Heaven Howdy is having a giveaway.  You could win a $25 Stitchin’ Heaven gift card.  I think the giveaway runs the month of June.

The Frosted Button is celebrating 500 followers with a giveaway.  You could win two charm packs of Studio e fabrics from onthegrain.  This giveaway ends Saturday, June 18, at noon CST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Oops!  There seems to be a problem, Houston.  Earth to Linda.  Come in, Linda.  No one seems to be home.  Either that or we've lost the connection.  Maybe there's been a short somewhere.  Perhaps she's gone into hiding.  Do you know of any appointment she might have had?  Can you see if there's a light on?  Let me try again.........Earth to Linda - come in, Linda.  Nope.  Still no response.  There seems to be no brain activity today.  Hopefully she will be back tomorrow with some thoughts of her own......

Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinion at all.
~G.C. Lichtenberg

Everything's Coming Up Flowers

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
~Rabindranath Tagore

We had a very overcast day yesterday.  The morning was almost like beach weather - cool and cloudy.  I think we saw the sun for about an hour.  The clouds continued through the rest of the day.  So strange!  We have been about 15 degrees below normal for our high for this time of year.  I'm not complaining but it feels so odd to still be in my sweatshirt all zipped up in June - and even with the hood up first thing in the morning!  They are predicting normal temps by the end of the weekend.  That means we will be in the low 90's.  I'm not looking forward to it at all.  This has been one of the longest springs that I can remember.  Am I complaining?  Not one bit.  Now I know why people cram themselves into the Los Angeles basin - it's to enjoy the temperate weather.  The farmers are not happy as this is not good crop growing weather.  However, my hydrangeas are absolutely loving it and so am I :D

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Roses

June is National Rose Month.  Have you been enjoying roses in your yard or neighborhood?  My Dad used to have 52 different varieties in our yard when I was growing up.  Here are some fun facts about roses:

* Roses are valued for their romantic symbolism but their blooms are also edible. No, they don’t taste like chicken. Rather like the flavors of green apples and strawberries.

* The rose family also includes pears, apples, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, and almonds.
* The rose is named as the favorite flower of 85% of Americans.
* A fossilized rose - over 35 million years old - was found in Florissant, Colorado.
* Rose hips contain more Vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.
* The oldest rose in the world has flourished for over 1,000 years on the wall of Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany
* There are more than 15,000 different types of rose species and cultivated varieties worldwide
* Among the 50 U.S. states; Georgia, Iowa, New York, and North Dakota list the rose as their state flower
* The most expensive privately developed rose specie is the Juliet. An English breeder spent 14 years and $5.5 million dollars to cultivate this apricot colored variety

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SWAP FLOWERS

Yesterday I managed to make one of two flowers for my swap partner.

Jane, my swap partner in the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap, asked for modern fabrics for the petals with a white center.  Would you consider the fabric modern?  I'm always confused about the term "modern".  She also requested that all the petals be the same.  I still have to make one more flower for Jane before putting this one in the mail.

Last week I received two flowers from my swap partner......

Marina made these two beautiful flowers for me!  I especially like the blue flower made with the sweet rose fabric.  Thank you so very much, Marina!

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ANOTHER FLOWER FOR TODAY

Yesterday I also made a hexagon flower for One Flower Wednesday....

Remember that wonderful fat quarter I received awhile back for my birthday?  This is one of the flowers I have created from that bright, wonderful fabric.  Takes me back to the psychedelic colors of my teens - lol!  I love the little paw prints in each of the paisley shapes. 

If you would like to see more hexagon flowers being created out there in blogland, Karen of Journey of a Quilter has provided us with a link up page to make this search easy.  Thanks again, Karen!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I would like to make one more swap block.  And, if given the time, I hope to start stitching the binding onto the road way quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

Ruby Slipperz is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Quilter's Cookbook.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, at midnight.

Gen X Quilters is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a Fat Quarter bundle of Honey Child from Swell Cloth.  This giveaway ends Saturday, June 11, at 11:59 pm EST.

Fabric Worm is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win Mosterama in Fat Quarters.  This giveaway ends Monday, June 13, at 8:30 am PST.

1 Choice 4 Quilting is having a "super Awesome" giveaway.  Shawna is giving away a Swell Everyday Bag from Moda filled with lots and lots of wonderful, awesome things.  This giveaway ends Monday, June 13, at 10:00 pm EST.

The Quilting Pirate is having a Manic Monday giveaway for June.  Toni is giving away two each of 24- 5" charms of Batiks.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 12.

My Patchwork Life is ready to send the Traveling Stash on its way.  The box is filled with all sorts of goodies.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, around dinner time.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Have you ever wondered what goes on in your dog's or cat's minds?  Do they think we are some super beings put on this earth just for them?  Sometimes I will look over at either Weasley or Snickerdoodle and they have a look on their face of such delight that says "Really?  Are we going to do something fun?"  Or, if I've accidentally disturbed their sleep they can both give very perturbed looks.  And then their is always what we call the "Evil Eye" look.  When they look at you with total disgust of "How could you do that again - was that really necessary?".  Then there are the dreams - with little barks and running feet.  Are they chasing a cat out of the yard or, in Snickerdoodle's case, is she chasing that ball just one more time?  I would love to know what goes on in my two pups minds.  Oh, to be a mind reader - or maybe I would be disappointed - best not to know and just wonder.

They never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.
 ~Jerome K. Jerome

A Block And Another Start

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.

~Arnold Edinborough

My minds going a mile a minute.  At least my hands seem to be ignoring my brain and following the path they are supposed to be taking.  I'm getting that anxious feeling knowing that things have to be done and preparing for my DD#1 and family's arrival.  Yesterday I managed to get exactly what I wanted completed done!  Woohoo!  Hopefully the rest of the week will go just as smoothly.  This time, instead of just picking up for over night visitors like when DD#2 comes, I have to think of what little fingers might get into.  Curiosity at ages 2 and 5 is enormous - as it should be.  I will have my sewing machine in for it's yearly service so that will be out of reach.  But there's all those little pieces - pins, needles, scissors, cutters, irons, threads, glues.......see what I mean.  And then I will have to remember exactly where I hid all of these things once it's time to start sewing again.  My, oh my, oh my - guess it's time to laugh and shrug - it will be done.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

 

Now you have the perfect excuse to eat chocolate ice cream!  You can't let this day pass without a celebration of at least one scoop.  Here are some facts about ice cream:

* The most popular topping for ice cream is chocolate syrup.

* Licking the bowl clean after eating ice cream is admitted by approximately 13% of men and 8% of women

* The biggest ice cream sundae in history was made in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1988, and weighed in at over 24 tons

* Approximately 9% of milk produced by dairy farmers in the USA goes into producing ice cream.

* 80% of the world's vanilla bean used for ice cream is produced in Madagascar

* The ice cream cone's invention is linked to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. An ice cream vendor reportedly didn't have enough dishes to keep up with the demand, so he teamed up with a waffle vendor who rolled his waffles into cones!

* It takes 12 lbs. of milk to make just one gallon of ice cream.

* It takes an average of 50 licks to polish off a single-scoop ice cream cone.

* In 2003, Portland, Oregon bought more ice cream per person than any other U.S. city.

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SWAP BLOCK

Yesterday I made a block for my June swap partner in the Quilting Block Swaps Australia.

Helen requested any star block in blues.  I thought this turned out rather pretty.  I hope that Helen will like it.

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LITTLE BOY'S QUILT

Yesterday I put the borders on a panel that will be a quilt for my grandsons.

It's a little road coarse.  I got it all layered.  I even started a little fmq.  Good thing it's for young boys and they won't mind all of my mistakes.  This will make a good practice piece.  Plus the backing is solid black and with black thread you really can't tell how uneven my stitch length is either :)

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TODAY'S GOAL

I need to make a couple of hexagon flowers - one for me and one for my swap partner.

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GIVEAWAYS

The Q and the U is celebrating her 200th post with a giveaway.  Riel is giving away 40 I Spy Quilt squares cut from her stash.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 8 at 7:00 pm AST.

Happy Quilting is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win an entire fat quarter bundle of Patricia Bravo's Nature Elements from the Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, at 5:00 pm EST.

KoolBeenz is having weekly giveaway #12.  This week you could win an 8 Fat Quarter bundle set of Tutti Fruiti seersucker.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, at midnight EST.

A Quilting Life is having a giveaway.  You could win a pattern from Eat Cake Graphics called December 26th, one 6-pack of Kimono Silk threads from Superior Threads, 1 package of freezer paper sheets, and a pack of applique needles.  This giveaway will remain open until Wednesday evening, June 8.

Jaybird Quilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a Kona Cotton Flying Purple People Eater Bundle from Canton Village Quilt Works.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 8, at 10:00 pm EST.

Alderwood Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a beautiful mouse pad by Rebecca Barker.  (However, I would like to win this one, so maybe I shouldn't be telling you about this - lol!).  This giveaway ends July 1st.

From The Blue Chair is having a giveaway.  You could win a signed copy of Inspired to Sew by Bari J. Ackerman.  The winner will be randomly picked winner on Friday, June 10th.

Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting Blog is having a giveaway.  You could be one of two winners of
$20.00 off Marcia's Machine Quilting Services on a Lap Size Quilt or larger.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 15, at 6:00 pm.

Ruby Slipperz is having a giveaway!  You could win 5 fat quarters by participating in Annie's weekly contest.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 12.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Goals are good to have for the most part.  I find that if I set one simple goal a day, I can usually attain it.  If I accomplish more than that - it's a good day.  It also allows me the freedom to change course throughout the day.  I try to start my morning with my daily goal.  Using yesterday as an example: I had a goal of making one swap block.  That goal was achieved rather quickly.  I then proceeded and finished assembling the backing and cutting out the batting for my Mystery quilt that went to the long arm quilter last night.  From that I moved onto adding the borders to the panel for the grandsons and then onto making the sandwich.  It was a very good day.  Some days I'm not so lucky.  But as long as I aim for that one goal - the one I list every day - it gives me a starting point to the day.  Often direction is a good thing, it gives my day the jump start I sometimes need..  How do you decide what you will work on for the day?  Do you just wing it?

The plans that I made when horizontal are working out now that I'm vertical. 
~Betsy Cañas Garmon

Little Quilts and Stitches

I went to a general store but they wouldn't let me buy anything specific.
~Steven Wright

What a weekend!  Saturday turned into one of those go, go days.  Our venture into Walmart was even worse than expected.  I think everybody decided to go shopping at the same time as us.  The parking lot was packed and finding a handicap parking spot was almost impossible.  The store is going through a renovation - they are turning it into a small Super Walmart.  Almost everything had been moved around.  A third of the store was totally blocked off.  The already narrow aisles were even narrower.  We did manage to find almost everything we had gone in looking for but what a nightmare.  Thank goodness we don't have to go back for another four weeks.  Hopefully by then they will be done with the changes.  If not, we will go to a different Walmart.  The rest of the day was spent running to a bunch of different stores.  My DH told our daughters we logged 300 miles on Saturday, 200 of those on foot.  Of course, he really exaggerated stretched the story a little.  But we were pooped at the end of the day.  I'm ready to start a new week!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

National Yo-Yo Day falls on what is believed to have been Donald Duncan Sr.'s birthday (even the Duncan Company isn't quite sure if June 6 is the right date). Donald Duncan Sr. was an entrepreneur who in 1930 got into the yo-yo business.  Yo-yos have been popular toys for over 2,000 years. Early forms of the toy were called different names, such as quizzes, bandalores or Jou-Jous. The earliest recorded account of the word yo-yo is from an 1860 Filipino dictionary.  In 1923, Pedro Flores, a man of Filipino descent, began building yo-yos in America. He built the yo-yos by hand, and discovered that America's youth were fascinated with them. In 1928, Flores built the first yo-yo factory, mass producing the toys in California. He also began to hold yo-yo competitions to promote the toys, which started the first round of yo-yo mania in the United States. Donald F. Duncan Sr. first saw yo-yos in action around the time Flores began to hold competitions. In 1930, Duncan bought out Flores, who was then hired to run Duncan's promotional campaigns. More competitions and exhibitions followed, and the company did well in its first few years. For the next 25 years, all of Duncan's yo-yos were made of wood. In 1955, Duncan partnered with a company called Flambeau to produce plastic yo-yos. In 1968, Flambeau purchased the Duncan name and continued to produce plastic yo-yos. The famous Duncan wooden yo-yos were discontinued and remained out of production for more than two decades.  In 1996, the craze spread worldwide. It was fueled by exciting commercials, partnerships between the Duncan company, science programs in schools, and a wave of nostalgia as Duncan reintroduced the 1955 wooden yo-yo model.

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LOVING HANDS

Friday I was able to make a quilt for Loving Hands.

Loving Hands gives blankets to the neonatal unit at one of our local hospitals to put over the isolettes.  The quilts are to measure 32" X 32".  The gal that heads up this division in the guild stated that they are in need of boy quilts and I thought this one could go either way.  I plan on making at least one of these a month.

I don't know if you can see it, but I used a blue and green variegated thread on the top for quilting.

This little dog and cat print has been in my stash for quite awhile.  I thought it made a cute backing for the quilt.

For the back I used a primary variegated thread in the bobbin for quilting.  Now it's time for it to go into the wash and then put in a plastic bag to keep the dog hairs off of it before taking to the guild meeting next week.

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BIRDIE STITCHES

Last Tuesday, on the first, the next block for Birdie Stitches was released by Little Miss Shabby.  On Wednesday, I cut out and added the border blocks and traced the pattern.

Sorry about the shadow - I didn't notice it until I uploaded the picture.  With all of the words on this one, I thought the straight line border worked well.

This is the stitching that I have completed so far.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I plan on working on at least one swap block.

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GIVEAWAYS

The Intrepid Thread is having a giveaway.  You could win a charm pack of Hoo's In The Forest.  This giveaway will end Friday, June 10.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  This week you could win a Lila Tueller Lola's Posies layer cake.   A winner will be selecting Wednesday, June 8.

Cat Patches is having her Fun Fact Friday Freebie.  You could win a specially selected fat quarter.  The winner will be announced next week (Friday I think).

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FINAL THOUGHT

I have tons to do this week.  I have to make some swap blocks and I should start a mug rug for another swap.  I have a little quilt I want to make before the grandsons get here on Saturday.  Already I'm feeling the time crunch.  What to do, what to do?  I'm just going to have to concentrate on keeping focused  - using each day to its fullest.  One thing at a time and they will get done.  I just have to keep reminding myself that everything doesn't have to be done in one day.  And if something doesn't get finished this week, it can always be completed before the end of the month.  Just keep focused.....no distractions......mind on what I'm doing.....I can do this!
Oh, and by the way, I spent very little time on the computer this weekend so I missed reading a lot of my favorite blogs :(  I'm sure I also missed a lot of giveaways so if you would like me to post your giveaway tomorrow, just send me a quick email :)

How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I'm committed to?
~Anthony Robbins

Quilt Top = Finished

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
~Abraham Lincoln

They say a picture paints a thousand words.  Well, I wish I had a painting right about now because I'm minus words.  My thought bank is empty.  The last couple of days have been rather humdrum days.  Nothing exciting except for a little package in the mail yesterday which I will share later in this blog.  Didn't listen to the radio so I don't even know if there is anything of interest happening in my area or out in the world.  I've been in the doldrums the last couple of days - experiencing a bit of melancholia.  My 'woohoo' has become 'meh'.....  That's it!  Snap out of it immediately!  Okay!  I'm better now.  I have a smile on my face and my fingers are flying again :)  Watch out world - here I come!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

June 3rd is Egg Day

Today is Egg Day.  Did you have an egg for breakfast this morning?  How about some egg facts:

* The average hen will lay about 245 eggs per year.

* The older a hen gets, the larger her eggs become

* Hens with white feathers and earlobes produce white eggs, and hens with red feathers and earlobes produce brown eggs.

* To see if an egg is raw or boiled, spin it. A raw egg will wobble and a cooked egg will spin freely

* Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than they do in a week if refrigerated.

* A hen requires 24-26 hours to produce one egg.

* Double-yolked eggs are produced by younger hens whose egg production cycles are not yet synchronized.

* Egg Yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D
* About 240 million laying hens produce approximately 5.5 billion dozen eggs per year in the United States .
* An egg shell is made of calcium carbonate, which is also the main ingredient in some antacids.
* Eggs are about 105 degrees Fahrenheit when laid

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THE TOP IS FINISHED!

Yesterday I finally sewed the borders on the Designer Mystery BOM 2010 quilt top.....

Unfortunately my quilt holder (aka my DH) wasn't home for picture time.  I had to lay this out on my bed, stand on a chair and try to get the entire quilt top in the picture.  As you can see, I was not successful.  But I think you can get the idea.  The bottom right corner matches the upper left corner with three stars.  Now to piece the backing together and then I'm taking it to a local long arm quilter on Monday!  Pretty soon I will  have another finish to post! 

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YESTERDAY'S MAIL

Today I received blocks from my partner in the 6 Inch Block Swaps Australia......

Sally sent me these two wonderful little blocks in my requested colors of red, white, and blue.  Aren't they great?  Thank you so very much, Sally!

Also in the mail yesterday, I received an order I had placed with Connecting Threads......

Isn't this new line adorable?  It's called Bits & Bobbins by Jennie Calo.  I just couldn't pass up the bright colors and quilting related prints.  This is my first fabric splurge in several months so I figured I earned this little fat quarter bundle - lol!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will piece the backing together for the quilt top and then work on a little quilt for donation to the neonatal unit through my guild.

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GIVEAWAYS

Craftaholics Anonymous is having a giveaway.  You could win a $75 gift card to Target.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 8, at 11:59 pm.

Sew 4 Home is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Countryside Softies by Amy Adams.  This giveaway ends ?

Hancocks of Paducah is having a giveaway.  You could win a Tradewinds Quilt Kit.  Sweepstakes ends July 15.

Adventures In Oz has started the June Finish Your Project Challenge.  You could win a $30 shopping spree to Crazy Quilt Girl Fabric Shop.  You have until Thursday, June 30, to send a picture of your finished projects to Annie!

Sew Cal Gal is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a New Sewing Class at VirtueRadioNetwork.com.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 8, at midnight PST.

We Love Quilting is having a June giveaway.   They are giving away a surprise box and say "you WILL NOT be disappointed".  I am assuming this giveaway runs for the entire month.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Well!  This was a short week!  Friday is already here and I feel like the week has just begun.  Our weekend will be a busy one.  We will be heading out for my DH's worst nightmare "favorite" shopping adventure - our every four week run to Walmart and Costco.  As we approach the doors to Walmart I tell him to 'breath and think of your happy place'.  I can almost see his nerves knotting as we near the parking lot.  Hopefully it won't be too busy and maybe, just maybe, we can make it to Costco before they put out all of those little snacky stations - those places where entire families eat their noonday meal, blocking the entire aisle, and then throwing their trash on the floor.  Oh what fun we will have :D   What are your plans for the weekend?

A bargain ain't a bargain unless it's something you need.
~Sidney Carroll

It's A Kitty Day

Did God who gave us flowers and trees,
Also provide the allergies?
~E.Y. Harburg

Something is blooming causing both my DH and I to suffer from allergies once again.  DH is used to being stuffed up as he seems to be allergic to something or another all year long.  But I'm not that way.  This year, with all of the rain and cooler temps, has been causing a lot of people to suffer from runny noses and watery eyes that have never had that problem before.  My sinuses are stuffed, my face feels puffy, and all of it's making my teeth hurt from the pressure.  Not a lot of fun :(  I guess we really do need the heat of summer to kill off the blooms and put us back into dryer air.  A hex on whatever is causing allergies now.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

National Adopt-A-Cat Month

June is known as Adopt-A-Cat month.  Isn't the picture above just too cute?  Here are some interesting facts about cats:

* The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.

* There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with 33 different breeds.

* Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat.

* Calico cats are almost always female.

* The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. All wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking.
* The largest known litter (with all surviving) was that of a Persian in South Africa named Bluebell. Bluebell gave birth to 14 kittens in one litter!
* A cat has five more vertebrae in her spinal column than her human does.
* Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of the principles of gravity, also invented the cat door.
* Cats need 1/6th the amount of light that humans do to see. Their night vision is amazing!
* Cats are the sleepiest of all mammals. They spend 16 hours of each day sleeping. With that in mind, a seven year old cat has only been awake for two years of its life!
* A group of grown cats is called a "clowder"


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BLOCK #5

Over the weekend I was able to put the finishing stitches in block #5 in the Baltimore Basics quilt I'm working on.....

This was a learning block as it involved my first attempt at needle turn (the gold medallion), making 1/8" stems, and making the rose buds.  Some of the stems ended up a bit curvier than others and some of the green parts on the rosebuds are not uniform but that's okay.  This is a learning process.  Just took a look at block 6 and I'm looking forward to getting started on it.

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ANOTHER PINCUSHION

Also over the weekend, while I was traveling around the world in my recliner, I made another pincushion.....

This one is totally different than the flower pincushions I made before.  I just love the little kitty with the fish swimming around him.  The pattern I used is called My Cat Claude Pincushion from Hatched and Patched.  It is all wool and filled with crushed walnut shells and dried lavender.  I finished the edges differently than what the pattern called for.  It said to sew a lining and sew right sides together, turn it right side out and stitch closed.  I like the look of the more primitive edge using a blanket stitch.  As I write this, this little pincushion is heading off to its new home.

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TODAY'S GOAL

I'm still working on the borders for the Mystery BOM quilt top.  Hopefully TODAY I will finish them!

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GIVEAWAYS

Amy's Creative Side is having a giveaway.  You could win a kit for the June quilt from 1 Choice 4 Quilting.  Amy will announce a winner on Monday, June 6.

Crafty Sewing and Quilting is having another May for Me giveaway.  You could be one of two winners of a $20 gift certificate off Marcia's Machine Quilting Services on a Lap Size Quilt or larger.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, June 15, at 6:00 pm.

Quilt Hollow is having a giveaway.  You could win one of two patterns from Perkins Dry Goods.  The winners will be selected on Friday.

Just One More Stitch is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a $25 gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop.  This giveaway ends Saturday, June 4, at midnight.

The Shabby is having their monthly giveaway.  Jennifer is giving away three $25 gift certificates to Shabby Fabrics.  This giveaway will last all month.

Tonya's Sewing Room is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of the book, HELP! I Married A Quilter by Mark Hyland.  A winner will be drawn on Friday, June 3.

One More Quilt is having mini giveaway #10.  You could win some beautiful fabric.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 3, at 10:00 am CST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I sure have misjudged how long it would take to make the borders of the quilt top I'm working on.  I feel like it is taking forever.  It's sort of like when my DH says "Oh, it will only take three hours to do that" when he is working on something.  And, in my head I'm thinking "Okay, that means it really will take about 5 hours" - lol!  My hubby is the best at underestimating how long it will take to complete something, but then I think that could be a guy thing.  I honestly thought that I would have the borders done in a maximum of two days but it looks like it will be three.  But then I didn't calculate in there the stops I would make while washing and drying fabric for a future project.  Nor did I include the stops I made to felt some wool.  So, in all reality, it probably would have taken me only the two days to finish if I had just stayed on track.  Why, oh why, can't I keep my nose to the grindstone when I'm so close to finishing a project?!?  Do any of  you have this same problem?

Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment.
~Robert Benchley