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If you read many blogs, I’m sure you’ve seen the “For Japan With Love” disaster relief posts popping up all over. Like Gina , I’m not usually one for public displays of giving – or of grieving, for that matter. There’s enough sadness in the world, and I like to try to keep things light and happy around here. But, the events in Japan this week make it hard to remain peppy.

Tomorrow marks one week since the devastating earthquake and many bloggers will be “observing a moment of silence”. They will be silent, in hopes that we’ll all think about the disaster and be moved to donate to the relief efforts. The charity chosen for “For Japan With Love” is Shelter Box. They provide emergency shelters and lifesaving supplies for those in need. You can read more about this organization HERE. I also found an interesting, up-to-the-date article about Shelter Box HERE.

I’m not a charity expert, and don’t know the good ones from the bad ones. But, the shelter concept seems to target the greatest need for so many people who have lost their homes. Tomorrow (March 18th), I hope we can all take a moment to realize how fortunate we are and maybe do a little bit to help. If you choose Shelter Box, you can donate HERE.

XOXO,
Anna

P. S. If you have an embroidery machine, Embroidables is donating 100% of their sales tomorrow (March 18th) to the earthquake disaster relief.

Welcome to The Letter I (well, the first letter I)  in the Aurifil Blog Hop!  I is one of my favorite words – thank you for giving me I, Pat!

Pat asked us to choose a word for our letter, so I choose I!

Ok, not really — that might be just a teeny bit self centered, don’t you think?  Instead, I‘ve chosen the word

Ideal describes Aurifil to a T I, and it’s therefore the Ideal word to describe Aurifil thread! (You’re probably not allowed to construct a sentence like that in the English language, but you guys are all Invisible, so it’s ok.) Like Kathy, I have to confess that I‘ve never really paid much attention to the thread that I use for quilting.  But, I‘ve heard a lot of buzz lately about Aurifil, so when Pat asked me to participate in the Aurifil blog hop, I jumped at the chance to try this new-to-me thread.  And boy, oh boy, am I glad I did!

Inquisitive, I decided to go to the Aurifil web site and read what I could about the different thread weights.  There’s lots of info on the site, and you can even watch some videos of Pat discussing the threads.

Immediately after I read about the threads, I pieced my Aurifil Spring block.  Heaven!  That thread is Amazing Incredible!  No wait — it’s IDEAL!   I used the 50 weight and it’s so nice and thin and smoooooth — pressing block seams is so easy.  And the best thing is that the thread isn’t splitty or linty like some other threads that we all know and love … or not.

Ok, so, as a little reward for participating in this blog hop, at each website in the hop (locations below), you can pick up a quilt block pattern. Since winter is hanging on with a vengeance in our neck of the woods, I decided to create little block to give us some hope for warmer weather. I wish I could tell you that I stuck a few strands of Aurifil thread together for the embroidery, but I didn’t — I used DMC embroidery floss. You can pick up a copy of the pattern here.

But Wait! There’s More!!!
Leave a comment and I‘ll choose 2 winners to receive a sample pack of Aurifil thread (with a few little goodies thrown in from me.) PLUS, at the end of the week, Pat will draw a grand prize winner who will win a Pat Sloan Kit Art 50wt Amazing IDEAL Aurifil Thread Set. (Do you think it would look rigged if I won???) Look at all the pretty colors!

And, last but not least, be sure to visit the other blogs in the blog hop for your quilt block patterns and even more chances to win Aurifil thread. (Not to mention the fabulous posts — Pink Chalk Studio and Lizzie B Girls started things off with a BIG Bang!)

Monday Feb 21st

Pat Sloan Starter Block

Tuesday Feb 22

Pink Chalk Studio (Letter A)

Lizzie B Girls (Letter U)

Wednesday Feb 23

Erin Russek (Letter R)

Thimbleanna (Letter I) — That’s Me I!

Thursday Feb 24

Stitchin’ Heaven (Letter F)

Quilting Gallery (Letter I)

Friday Feb 25

Sew Cal Gal – (Letter L)
I Have a Notion (Letter T for Thread!)

Pat Sloan Final Quilt Layout

XOXO and Good Luck,
Anna

And btw, if I missed any I‘s please don’t tell me I!!!

Well, in spite of the big money offer, I’m back.  I’ve had a few questions about that million dollar e-mail offer to buy my blog.  You know it’s spam, right?  I’ve read a few other blogs that have received the same spam.  After I read the first line, offering the millions, I quit reading.  I’m pretty sure that if there were any offer to buy this blog, it would only be to shut me up!  Alas, you’re not getting off that easy!

So, it’s time for the annual visit to the big school fund-raising auction.  As you can read here, here, and here, MeMum and I go early every year to sneak a peek at the decor (because we don’t actually go to the swanky, black tie affair).  MeMum didn’t feel well enough to go this year, so I had to sneak around without my wingman, which was no easy feat.   The theme was Treasure Island and the decor was pretty darn cool.  As always, you enter through a “tunnel” that they create in the high school locker room (not that you’d ever know that you were in the locker room).

At every turn there were skeletons, treasure chests, booze bottles,and even a parrot or two!

Once inside the auditorium on the Island, there were beautiful tables for feasting everywhere.  These pictures are a bit deceiving — the lighting was actually VERY low (which explains the dark pictures).

The waiters were working on the tables while I was there.  These place settings aren’t complete — there are still more wine glasses and silverware to be properly positioned.

The centerpieces were beautiful too.  Lots of flowers and fruits and treasure inside of the coconuts.  I don’t remember really seeing any other flower arrangements this year, which is unusual.  The centerpieces are usually just the beginning of all the beautiful flowers at these events.  I guess they thought the extra skeletons would suffice.

One touch I loved were these light fixtures made from old rum bottles.  Very clever!

One last (very dark) view of the tables with the big island map in the background.

I thought they did a beautiful job this year, as always.  I always enjoy seeing all the clever touches that relate to the theme.  And now, if I start a new traditional closing line, maybe one day it will come true … I hope they go back to having a children’s book theme next year.

XOXO,
Anna

Well, how was your weekend?  It was nice and quiet here in ThimbleannaLand.  On Saturday, I spent the afternoon at MeMum’s baking cookies and on Sunday I decided to batten down the hatches and stay home.  It was a lovely afternoon of knitting, movie watching, and enjoying the glorious white view out of the windows.  (Below is a view of TheUglyTree from the laundry room.)  Over in KarolineKnitsLand, she calls it a “mini-nervous breakdown”.  I think it’s only supposed to be effective if you’re playing hookey from work, but I’m here to tell you, it’s fabulous for a day of ditching your normal routines and responsibilities.

So, how ’bout a little bit of random for a Happy Monday?

• Several weeks ago, Ms. SilverPebble posted that she’d added some beautiful lockets to her etsy shop.  I followed her link, and before I knew it my fat fingers clicked “buy”.  I’ve received this gorgeous locket and I LOVE it.  Love Love it!  Sweet Emma even included a pretty (big!) piece of fabric and some chocolates — some of which may or may not have been consumed before I even got out of the car after the post office run.  I forgot to take a picture of the inside of the locket, and Emma’s pictures are so much better than mine anyway — you can see them HERE.  Thank you SO much for your marvelous service Emma — I couldn’t be happier with my purchase!

• Ms. Pleasant Home has a fantastic post on how you blogspot bloggers can make it much easier for your readers to comment.  We all love comments, don’t we?  Jodi summarizes the secrets so that your blog can be MUCH more reader friendly.  I always thought most of the commenting problems were related to different computers, but it turns out that there are settings that you can utilize so that your blog doesn’t make a commenter jump through hoops endure 3 or 4 screens just to leave a comment.  If you’re a blogspot blogger I hope you’ll take a few quick minutes to go see what Jodi has to say — it might mean more comments for YOU!

• Shall we play guess which camera lens is real and which is fake?  The naughty little temptress Julia posted a picture of her cute Nikon coffee mug on Pinterest a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t resist.  I had an amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket, so I splurged.  They’re amazingly life-like.  I might have to put Julia on probation– I bought a piece of fabric several weeks ago after seeing it on her blog too THANKS Julia!.  Amazon has several different camera brand mugs for your viewing pleasure.

• Some yummy yarn arrived in my mailbox today.  The lovely and invisible NoBlogMsB. and I arranged a swap.  I’m thinking I got the better end of the deal!

• And last, but by no means least, I love TED.  If you have 20 minutes to spare, here’s a video on new breast cancer detection advancements that I think all women should watch.  Big things (among them more comfortable mammograms – woohoo!) look to be right around the corner.

Have a Happy Week!
XOXO,
Anna

Oh, and P.S.   I’ve had a fantastic offer via e-mail to buy this scintillating blog for millions.  I always knew  this incessant yacking would pay off someday!!!  However, because of my love and devotion for YOU, dear reader, I’ve decided to turn it down.  Some things in life are much more important than money!