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Friday, March 30, 2012

B-I-N-G-O x Two and TGIF?

Inspiring quote for today:

"For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson
  

Today I have not just one but Two (2)
B-I-N-G-O cards to show you.  Here is Number One:
In case you all haven't seen the May for Me celebration for 2012 I invite you to check it out at Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting Blog.  Click on the image below and join up.....you'll be glad you did!

This year's celebration is a BINGO game with LOTS of prizes.  More information on joining and how to make the BINGO cards is here at Tonya's Hillbilly Handiworks.  Did I say LOTS of prizes?  You won't believe it!  Click on the image below and look for yourself:


And here is BINGO card number 2 that I finished last night...........they are so much fun!

.....................now for the TGIF? part of this post...........
some of you may remember that I work weekends so my work week STARTS on Friday.....therefore I can more appropriately say TGIT because Tuesday is my Friday and Friday is my Monday and I work 4 days instead of 5 so Monday is Wednesday and.......well nevermind..........

I am done with my post and off to wrap up an Easter Bunny package for my grandsons so it makes it there on time............now there is nothing left to say except....


Tuesday, March 27, 2012

One Flower Wednesday and I am a Versatile Blogger!

"If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."   
 - C. S. Lewis 

Here is the next installment of my Wizard of Oz Hexie series..........finally we get to see Glinda, the Good Witch.......you can't see it too well in the photo but I found some wonderful powder blue fabric with just the tiniest hint of silver "magic" dust...........
   I have a smidgeon of an idea for what I'm going to do with all of these.....I know I want to do a smallish wall hanging.....no larger than maybe 24" x 32" ( I know, but this is "smallish" for me.....everything I make usually grows!)  and, of course, it will say "There's No Place Like Home" on it somewhere........still working out the details.................


Please check out all the other flowers linked from One Flower Wednesdays over at Karen's "Journey of a Quilter"..........there is a lovely garden over there..........

Oh Yes!  My new blogging friend Cherie over at "I Be's Cheraldine" nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  Thanks Cherie!  Now I get to post this too cool button on my blog:
From what I understand, the Versatile Blogger Award was created to introduce bloggers to each other and to promote quality blogs that the nominated blogger and their followers may not have discovered otherwise.


If you are nominated, you are awarded the Versatile Blogger Award through that nomination.
 To continue the trend of this cool Award you should, in turn, nominate other fellow bloggers and in the same post add the Versatile Blogger Award Button and also thank the blogger who nominated you with a link back to their blog. 


Inform each of your own nominees by posting a comment on their blog.
Here is my list of nominees, I hope you will check out each of their blogs:


Josie Insanity Defense
Danette   Quilting Chemist 
Karen  Quilting, Losing, and Tea
Martha Living Life
Janet  Caribou Crossing Chronicles/of quilts, the weather and other fun stuff



The last thing I want to mention and I promise my faithful followers that this will be the last reminder because after tomorrow the signups will be closed.......is the Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap my Sis at Hilachas and I are hosting.  All info can be found by clicking on this button:
 

 You can check out some of the fabrics which will be a part of the swap on the flickr website:




So, as always, I leave you with a smile and will see you again soon in blogland so......

Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap Reminder

 Good Morning Everybody.........Just a quick reminder about the Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap my Sis at Hilachas and I are having............entries close tomorrow, Wednesday March 28 and I think we still have 3 more slots open..........

You can go check out some of the  fabulous fabrics already posted on


and if you just HAVE to have a 10 x 10 piece of those gorgeous novelties, hop on over by clicking on our button and join us!  All the details are at the Hilachas post.


Hope everyone has a wonderful day!  I'm off to work.........




Saturday, March 24, 2012

Winner! Winner!

Life is a song - sing it.
Life is a game - play it.
Life is a challenge - meet it.
Life is a dream - realize it.
Life is a sacrifice - offer it.
Life is love - enjoy it.
- Sai Baba

Well I don't know about you, but I had a fabulous time all week long blog hopping  on the St Patrick's Day Blog Hop Party!  I want to thank Michelle over at Quilting Gallery for hosting another fantastic Blog Hop Party.

I know what you're waiting to hear.........and I'm waiting to tell you..........LOL........no, silly, I'm not going to wait another minute to tell you that the lucky winner of my Blog Hop Giveaway is none other than the famous number 82!!!


See..........Mr. Random said so!

So if the lucky # 82 will step forward and claim her prize I will be most happy to mail it out to her on Monday!

No, I'm not going to make you go back to the Giveaway page and look up #82.........I'll show her to you right now.........it is the one, the only, Cassandra, who said, (and I quote)



Congratulations Cassandra!  I have already sent you an email and I am waiting to hear from you.

You know I'm not going to let you get away before I remind you about the cool Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap that my sis and I are hosting over at Hilachas:


There are still a few slots open.  Remember that signups will end next Wednesday, March 28th or whenever all slots are filled (whichever comes first).  There are already some cool fabrics posted on the 
page...hop over and see if any of them are "calling" you!

Ok I am going to end here because it is time to catch some zzzzzzzz's.................worked graveyard last night so



Friday, March 23, 2012

Vintage Thingie Thursday!

Inspiring Quote of the Day:

"To wear your heart on your sleeve isn't a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best." -Margaret Thatcher   


It is Thursday again and almost the end of another week....let alone nearly the end of another month!  I missed Vintage Thingie Thursday last week but today I want to show you some Vintage thingies that have been in my family for a few years.

First up, (and this is one of my favorites) is a statue of "El Santo Nino de Atocha" that belonged to my grandmother, Tomasita.  "Ma-Tita", as we called her, was my Mother's Mom.  Ma Tita became a widow in her early 60's and lived with her youngest son, but she would make little 2-week trips to visit each of her children quite often.  Ma Tita carried her prayer book with her at all times.....it was a little black prayer "missal" that had spanish prayers and other information that she read everyday.  My mother gave me the Santo Nino a few years ago.  I remember the little statue was always inside a little niche in the wall at MaTita's house.....


Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the Santo Nino:

According to legend, in the 13th century, Spain was under the Umayyad Muslim occupation. The town of Atocha, a now-lost district nearby Arganzuela, Madrid was lost to the Muslim invaders, and many Christians there were taken prisoners as spoils of war. The Christians were placed on strict punishments and prohibitions, and the devout prisoners were denied food by their captors. According to legend, only children under the age of 12 were permitted to bring them food. The women of Atocha knew that most of the people in the prison, mostly their relatives and friends could not truly survive under such harsh conditions. As a result, the women prayed before the statue of Our Lady of Atocha at a nearby parish, a title under the Blessed Virgin Mary to ask her son Jesus Christ for aid and help.
Reports soon began among the people of Atocha that a child under the age of twelve had begun to bring food to childless prisoners. The child was dressed in pilgrim's clothing yet could not be identified as to the name of the child or its origins.
When the women of Atocha heard of the child, they returned to Our Lady of Atocha and thanked the Virgin for her intercession. Looking upon the image of the Virgin, they noticed that the shoes worn by the Infant Jesus statue held by Our Lady of Atocha were tattered and dusty. Customarily, the shoes of the child Jesus were constantly replaced but were soiled once again. The people of Atocha interpreted this as a sign that the infant Jesus went out every night to help those in need which later developed into a devotional Roman Catholic practice.

Next I have a little plant pot that came from my MIL, Ruth's family.....it is a neat little piece of ceramic wear from McCoy ceramics, a double flower planter with two tulips and a white swallow with black head and wings.  I think this is probably vintage 1950's.  There is actually a connecting channel between the two flowers so that if you water one side, the water will run to the other side.




The last thing I have for you today....(and I only have three minutes to get this in before it is tomorrow!) is a little ceramic box my Mom gave me many years ago.  I have always used it to house my sewing notions....pins, measuring tapes, needles.....etc.  Underneath is stamped, "Johannes Brahm California USA 665"  From what I researched on the web, this company stopped production in 1956 so this piece is at least that old....





Ok it is 12:07 AM and I missed posting this on Thursday but well.....in my defense, I did start it earlier but had to work tonight until 11:00 PM so am finishing up after getting home....I don't want to hold it back til next Thursday so I am just going for it now!

Hopefully I will still get some people dropping in so all I have to say now is:

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

One Flower Wednesday and Don't Forget Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap

"Don't wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get you've got to make yourself." -Alice Walker

  Is it One Flower Wednesday Again?  Yes it is and the Story of Oz continues.........I know I am getting out of order here......well actually I was out of order from the beginning because I think the first person Dorothy met in Oz was Glinda, the Good Witch, who cautioned Dorothy to get the Ruby slippers off the Wicked Witch of the East before the witch's sister got there.  


Do you remember that Dorothy's house which was taken from Kansas by the Tornado landed in Oz atop the Wicked Witch of the East and killed her?  All we saw of her was her two legs wearing striped stockings and the Ruby Slippers on her feet...........

 But, Alas, I still don't have Glinda ready to show you....... So you will have to make do with the sister witch, who was known as "The Wicked Witch of the West" instead.  She was the second person Dorothy met in Oz.


"I'll get you, My Pretty.......and your little dog too!"



But I promise that next week I will have Glinda ready to show you and after that??? Well I will cross that yellow brick road when I get to it...........

You can see more pretty posies at One Flower Wednesdays just click on the link and enjoy the garden!



I also want to put in a word about the Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap that my Sister at Hilachas and I are sponsoring.......


 We all love the charm squares but sometimes don't you wish you had just a little bit more of that novelty or solid fabric you got in that 5x5 charm swap? 
Here is your opportunity to turn that wish into a little bit of a reality by joining us in this 10x10 layer cake swap!  Sign-ups are open until March 28 or until all 24 slots are filled....whichever comes first....
Just click on the button above and it will take you to the sign-up page at Hilachas  We would love for you to join us!


ok then.........off to bed I go..............see you next time in blogland.....


Friday, March 16, 2012

Blog Hop Party is Back for St Patrick's Day!

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you all for entering and stay tuned for the next one!


"It is a dangerous thing to ask why someone else has been given more. It is humbling and indeed healthy to ask why you have been given so much."  -Condoleeza Rice
 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

st-patricks dayBlog Hop Party

It’s time for another Blog Hop Party … let’s have some FUN!

If you haven't participated in one of these Blog Hop Parties before then you are in for some fun!  This time the "Blog Hop Party" starts today and ends next Friday, March 23. 

 Tomorrow morning, St Patricks Day--March 17th--just after midnight (EST) you will be able to see the list of participating bloggers by clicking here and then you can "Blog Hop" to your heart's content....maybe win a barrel of giveaways!    

I am joining in the fun by offering this throw pillow sized cheater panel, 2 coordinating fat quarters and 1 coordinating "almost a fat quarter" (by Springs Industries) 100% cotton fabric.


All you have to do to get a chance to win is leave ONE (1) comment  (pleeeez, only 1).  I would love to have you as a follower but it is not a requirement.  Mr. Random will pick the winner on March 23.   Good Luck!
Oh! and just a reminder that if you are a "no reply commenter please leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you win. 


Reminder:
My sister at Hilachas and I are hosting a fabric swap called the "Novelty and Colors Layer Cake Swap".  Take advantage of the opportunity to add just a little bit more of that novelty print or color to your stash.  Click HERE for more information and to sign up.


Thursday, March 15, 2012

Name Game Mini Quilt Received!

"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance."          - Anonymous



At the beginning of the year I joined the Name Game Swap at Samelia's Mum's Place  The Swap was to end on March 15.

                                           
We all had secret partners....one that made a mini quilt for us with our name or blog name on it and another for whom WE made a mini quilt for.

I posted the one I made for Mrs. Pickles awhile back and she received it last week.............and TODAY I got my mini from Vicky, the Patchwork Queen!



Just look at the detail!  4 beautiful appliqued hearts.....gorgeous fabric........Each corner has a little needlework icon.....a sewing machine, a spool, a pin cushion, and some buttons.  And Vicky embroidered my Blog name on it!  Thank you, Vicky....it is a gift I will treasure for years to come!

Vicky also included some of the charms that were left over and a couple of  yummy chocolate bars from UK for me to sample and a couple of cute little magnets..............The Wispa chocolate was heavenly......I'm saving the Flake for later.........



I also want to remind you all about the Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap my sister at Hilachas and I are hosting.   We both love the 5 x 5 charm swaps but it seems that sometimes we would like to have just a little more of that certain fabric that we already used up.   

 So we agreed that a swap with 10 x 10 squares might just be the answer to that little problem.  If you like our idea and would like to join the swap just click on the link above or the button below to get to the sign-in page where you can get more details.  We would love to have you join us!




I think it is wayyyyyyyyyy past my bedtime .....in fact it is already tomorrow!  eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!




Tuesday, March 13, 2012

One Flower Wednesday, The Cowardly Lion, and Layer Cake Swap

"At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent" -Barbara Bush


According to my title I have three things to talk to you about today.....well the first two are really the same thing so I will just get to it.....
Today I am joining our Australian friends and posting my One Flower Wednesday Hexie on what is already Wednesday in Australia......(otherwise known as barely Tuesday in the USA)..........
Today the spotlight is on the third of Dorothy's travel partners to the Emerald City......and here he is......check him out.....


Cowardly Lion:
Courage. What makes a King out of a slave? Courage.
What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage.
What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage.
What makes the Sphinx the 7th Wonder? Courage.
What makes the dawn come up like THUNDER?! Courage.
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the "ape" in ape-ricot?
Whatta they got that I ain't got?
Dorothy & Friends:  Courage!
Cowardly Lion: You can say that again.

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"........love that movie!
You can see other beautiful Hexies by following the links at One Flower Wednesday

The next thing I want to tell you all about and invite you to join is a Novelty and Solids Layer Cake Swap  that my Sister at Hilachas  is making me help her with.  (grin) 
If you click on the link above or the image below you will be magically transported to the page at Hilachas where you can read ALL the rules and regulations and then if you STILL want to sign up (she's going to get me if I don't straighten up)........you can leave a comment and join us. 

Seriously we both are excited about this swap because we believe it is a good opportunity for all the swap partners to add some bigger pieces of novelty and solid fabrics to our stash.  We love the charm swaps but sometimes the charms just aren't big enough to capture enough of the novelty prints .


Please bear with us because we are both new to this even though my Sister figured everything out mathematically to the enth degree,  (there I go again.....) there may be some kinks we haven't anticipated. 
For this reason we are starting out with a smaller swap of only two yards per participant.  If this works out well and you all enjoy it we hope to do larger swaps in the future.

We will both be blogging about the Swap until all 24 slots are filled and are looking forward to having you join us!

Ta Ta For Now!





Sunday, March 11, 2012

Spring Forward and some Surprises in the Mail

Todays Inspirational Quotation:

There are only two ways to live your life.....One is as though nothing is a miracle.......The other is as though everything is a miracle.
- Albert Einstein


I have noticed that the more of these inspirational quotes I see, the more of them I find by Albert Einstein........I never knew that he had that much to say let alone so much that would inspire us...........but then he, certainly, was an inspired individual.........(relatively speaking.......)

But I digress...........Well, early this morning our clocks quickly rotated clockwise (how appropriate a thing for a clock to do in these days of digital timepieces!) from 1:59 AM directly to 3:00 AM.  We have Atomic clocks at work and from what I understand, they get their correct time from a satellite out in space and even though my iPod and my phone immediately posted an hour later it took the atomic clocks a good 15 minutes before they all began to rotate forward..........interesting sight to see them start turning all by themselves...........
 Since I work the graveyard shift every Friday and Saturday night, unless I have taken that particular weekend off, I am usually awake to "Spring Forward" in March and "Fall Back" in November.  In the Spring I get to work an hour less and in the Fall.......well yes, I make up for it by working an hour more.....and I watch the atomic clocks rotate clockwise again but this time they go forward 23 hours so it will be an hour earlier than before!  Am I one of those people "they" call clock watchers????

Ok, I know....."don't give up my job to become a comedian".....

All Righty then.....let me just tell you about the wonderful surprises I got in the mail yesterday..........

First off, well this one wasn't really a surprise.......I have been waiting for this since winning it at Kelli's giveaway at Seriously I think it needs Stitches
but, nonetheless, it felt like a surprise when I saw it in the mailbox!   (I'll tell you about the little Shamrock Mug Rug in a minute)

If you go to the Fat Quarter Shop and look at the full palette of Aneela Hoey's "Little Apples" you will see that in addition to the red, there is teal, gray, olive, and white in this collection.........but hey, let me just show you!
Is this beautiful or what??

Thank you, Kelli!  I love my layer cake and I can't wait to create something wonderful with it!

The other thing I got in the mail wasn't really a surprise either because I was expecting it too....but...well, nevermind, (My sisters would tell me I sound like Mr. Kimball, that character on Green Acres, with all my hemming and hawing here)  so let me just tell you about it......It's a sweet St. Patrick's Day Mug Rug I received when I signed up for "A Year of Rugs" Swap.  I got this from Britt, who told me this was her very first sewing project EVER! 

I love the different tones of green and the "wonky" rows.  Thank you, Britt.........I just love it and am honored to be the recipient of your very first project!

And I guess that is all I have to tell you about on this Spring Forwardy Sunday.  Hope you all have a wonderful day! 

Talk to you next time so TTFN............

Friday, March 9, 2012

A Few Giveaways I Found.................

"Everything has beauty........but not everyone sees it"  -Confucius

Nothing to post this morning so I thought I would just let you know about some fun giveaways I found:


1.  Sew Cal Gal  is giving away a yummy Sushi Bundle of Hoffman Fabrics
on her Fun Friday Giveaway:

2.  Jaybird Quilts is giving away a yard each of these Anne Kelle prints:




3.  Quilt Story has a giveaway for a $25 credit at Skye Reve Fabrics!  -ends Monday 3-25


 4.  Everything Etsy has a giveaway for a $50 shopping spree at Contemporary Cloth   -Ends Mar 13

My computer is bogging down and misbehaving so I am stopping here but will be back later if I find any more fabulous giveaways!

...........................Ta-Ta For now!