Here's what I made

Last month I posted a picture of the challenge fabric I had to use for my guild's show challenge. This is a photo of my challenge entry. (Rules: use the bright pink fabric, make it small - within a certain perimeter limit, try to use a diamond theme if possible.) Viewers at our quilt show will vote; someone will win a viewers' choice award.

Here's an off-topic comment: I think that "Apprentice" ad on TV is so funny, where Trump suggests to the "Medium" that on Monday nights they'll go from "Huge [Trump] to Medium." I get a kick out of that one!

Why I Named This Blog "Giraffe Dreams"

Several years ago I read the book Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen. A section on giraffes touched my heart and from then on I have been a lover of giraffes. Here in my blog I wanted to reprint the section of the book that moved me, but the publisher denied me permission. Here's a chance for you to read a good book. Pick up a copy of Out of Africa, and look in Book 4, the chapter entitled "The Giraffes Go to Hamburg." Read it and tell me you didn't fall in love with giraffes as well. What a piece of writing that is, to convey so much emotion that I remember it for years!

I call my blog "Giraffe Dreams" in honor of those giraffes who still dream of Africa, and also in honor of my own dreams of "gentle amblers of the great plains." (Dinesen, Out of Africa [1989] pg. 288)

Found Objects

OK, I must admit that the things I lose "mysteriously" eventually get found under some pile or in a ridiculous place around my house. I'm not the best organized person in the world.

The blocks I lost a few postings back? They had been in my hand and apparently as I turned around, I bumped a pile of fabric while simultaneously dropping the blocks. They were instantly buried under the fabric pile. I didn't think to look for them in a deep spot, because I had them in my hand only minutes before. Recently I lost a book and a similar thing had happened. I put it on the table and then it got buried under a pile of mail. Well you know how fast that junk mail piles up. In just a couple of days you can easily lose a book under the junk mail.

Confession time over. I'm not a klutz in all areas. I get a lot of quilts made! Today I finished another one for Wrap a Smile (WAS). [See http://www.wellsrotary.com click on Wrap a Smile] My online group donates a lot of quilts to WAS which gives quilts to kids following surgery. Guess what... this weekend the founder of WAS is receiving a special award for exceptional service toward the mission of Rotary International. (WAS is related to Rotary.) And over the years since its inception in 2001, WAS has donated nearly 6,000 quilts!!! That's 6,000 little kids all around the world who have a home-made quilt to snuggle up in and think warm and happy thoughts. That makes me feel great!

When my dad died in 2002, friends from all over the country donated 66 quilts in his memory. He was a hard-working and dedicated Rotarian. I'm proud of my dad and proud of Wrap a Smile!

It snowed this afternoon and made roads horrible. I decided to skip the meeting I had planned to attend. My presence wasn't crucial, and I'm warm and comfy inside my house where I intend to stay until morning.

BTW, my local guild has put up our quilt show that will stay on display until early March. As always, the quilts are impressively beautiful. Such talent in my guild!! (Mine are the simple, unimpressive yet utilitarian quilts.)

TTFN.