Shirley Anne’s Heart

Posted By drsao on March 29, 2008

CATS have to be near the top of my LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS.  They have more fun than a barrel full of …. cats!

Every morning I wake up to find at least ONE catnip mouse toy hidden in the bed somewhere…..so who could not start the day with a smile!  It makes me smile; sigh, so MICE IN MY BED is on my LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS.

Midnight JUNIOR and Oreo CHIPPIE COOKIE always follow me to the bathroom and sit in the open bathroom windowsill to watch the world while I put on my make-up – it is a tradition and TRADITIONS are another of my favorite things!

This morning the little kitty, Cuddles TINKERBELLE, decided that she was BIG ENOUGH to join in the tradition – I watched her “thinking” about jumping up and I was “wishing” that I had my camera in hand. 

 Well, she did it, but there was NO ROOM for her and she was hanging on the edge of the widowsill by her little front paws.  I so wished that I had my camera because Oreo CHIPPIE started licking her ears, as if to encourage her to NOT LET GO.  She did it – she managed to crawl up (and of course I had to run to get my camera!)

Another thing on my LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS is GIGGLING.  My grandangels Nanna and Sarah – and their friend Kenzie enjoyed a spring break sleepover and I couldn’t resist this picture of the girls and Kenzie with her cute little red hippo.  I used to collect HIPPOS – so they are still on my LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS!

AND…..giggling or not, GRANDANGELS will always be on my LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS!

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Posted By drsao on March 28, 2008

Bonnie K. Hunter of quiltville.com announced that our next mystery quilt was to be named the ORANGE CRUSH MYSTERY and since then  many of us have been craving an orange crush, a dreamsicle, an orange crush cake – or even dreamsicle ice cream (some members of our chat group have even found recipes!)   I imagine that the WIKIPEDIA website has had lots of hits lately!  Who would have thought that there were so many kinds of CRUSH DRINKS!!! 

 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Orange Crush is an orange-flavored soft drink (see orange soda) invented by Clayton J. Howel of Los Angeles, California in 1916.[1] The drink quickly became popular and was widely available throughout the US. Since the mid-20th century, however, the availability of Orange Crush has decreased somewhat.^{[citation needed]}

The Crush brand and trademark are presently owned by Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages of Plano, Texas. Crush is also popular in Canada, where it is distributed by Cadbury Beverages Canada. Crush has the #1 Orange, Grape and Cream Soda in Canada and still remains a Top 10 brand. It is distributed by various Pepsi bottlers, the biggest being The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada. Orange crush was served in White Castle hamburger restaurants up until the 1980’s

Crush had/has spin-offs including:

• Grape Crush

• Strawberry Crush

• Chocolate Crush

• Cherry Crush

• Peach Crush

• Blue Raspberry Crush

• Diet Orange Crush

• Diet Cream Soda Crush

• Diet Grape Crush

• Crush Frozen Orange Dream

• Sour Apple Crush (briefly offered in 2005)

• Lime Crush

• Pineapple Crush

 AND – since I have decided not to use orange in my next MYSTERY QUILT I had to rename it!

I have finally made a fabric selection for my PINEAPPLE CRUSH QUILT. 

Here they are…..my three colors plus an accent color!

burgundy and cream checks

the accent color is teal

pineapple gold with tiny navy blue flowers

and black with black stars

(all of my scrappies are beiges and navy blues)

SO…..unless I change my mind on the colors – I think that I am ready for the fun to begin – only a few more days!

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Posted By drsao on March 28, 2008

I am part of a group of WONDERFUL QUILTERS from all over the world – we are united by the fact that a lot of us have now made two quilts together.  The first was the CAROLINA CROSSROADS MYSTERY QUILT designed by Bonnie K. Hunter (I have posted a picture on my blog) and the second was also a Bonnie quilt – the SCRAPPY BARGELLO SUPER BOWL 2008 QUILT  (see my earlier blog entry for a picture.) 

A lot of us in this group chat via e-mail to talk about our quilts!  It is absolutely GREAT FUN! 

We are all excitedly looking through our fabric stash to get ready for the next mystery from Bonnie (at www.quiltville.com) which will be the ORANGE CRUSH QUILT and will begin April 1.  I am still playing with my material to decide on the colors.  We are to have 3 main colors plus an accent color – and 1 1/2 yards each of scrappy 2″ light strips and scrappy 2″ dark strips.  I will post my colors when I finally decide!!!

Whenever I post a message to our online chats I use my initials SAO because Shirley Albertson Owens is a LONG NAME!  I have learned some interesting things about these initials.  First, years ago, one of my university students from Vietnam asked me why I wrote “WHAT” at the bottom of her papers?  It turns out that sao in Vietnamese means “WHAT.” 

And now I just found out that there is an SAO BISCUIT in AUSTRALIA that is quilte famous!  Lissa – from Australia – who is one of the WONDERFUL QUILTERS from Bonnie’s World sent me this FANTASTIC AD (SEE BELOW) about a biscuit (cookie) with my initials!

Goodness – now I am having a craving for an SAO BISCUIT!  Too funny!

Sao

SAO has been Australia’s favourite savoury cracker for nearly 100 years. This large, square, flaky cracker was first launched in 1906.

The origin of the name remains a mystery, although plenty of myths abound. One is that it was the name of a ship that used to call in at Newcastle port, and its captain was a friend of the Arnott family. Another is that it was the name of a sailing boat that was seen on Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, where William Arnott had a house. Or it could be the initials for Salvation Army Officer, as William Arnott’s son, Arthur, joined the Salvos. Another is that it is based on the initials of Samuel Arnott, William’s son. Whatever its origin, the name has become deeply etched in our language.

SAOs were also one of the first biscuits to be heavily advertised in magazines and newspapers in the early part of the 1900s. In the 1960s, the famous SAO song was launched. SAOs light texture is achieved by rolling the dough into thin sheets, then carefully layering it to give distinctive bubbles and crumbs.

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Posted By drsao on March 25, 2008

Susan asked me to test this pattern for a quilt that she just designed – and I happily said YES!

So Friday, March 21, I went home from the QUILTER’S CORNER (Midlothian, VA) with the instructions for making this BEACH RETREAT QUILT.

It is made from 15  different 1/2 yard fabrics from the SUNSHINE line by April Cornell for MODA,

The colors are fantastic.   Really, there is something soothing to the soul about blues and yellows.  These are happy fabrics……you know, the kind that just MAKE YOU SMILE.  I love the flowers, the dancing dots and the birds ….. ok – even the butterflies (although everyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I am not big on bugs!!!) 

So I had the fabric and the pattern – and away I went on this quilt adventure!

The quilt was easy and fun to make!  I did have to take time out to celebrate EASTER – but basically I was able to make this in three days. 

I like to take my time and play with the blocks, touch them, rearrange them, etc. 

Here it is – the top of the Beach Retreat Quilt- isn’t that a great name for a quilt?!!  I  REALLY LOVE it.

Doesn’t this just make you want to grab this quilt, and a good book and head to the beach?  It is 61 x 72 unfinished – the perfect lap quilt!

If you are looking for a happy quilt for spring – it will be available in a kit from the QUILTER’S CORNER soon – and they probably would even take early pre-orders!  I think my family members are all going to want this one!

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Posted By drsao on March 21, 2008

Summary of Life 

My Mother sent these to me…….it made me smile….so I am spreading the joy!

(I don’t know the original source to give credit to……)

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN  HAVE LEARNED: 

1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptise cats.
2) When  your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3) If your  sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person. 
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can’t  trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting  your hair.
7) Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time. 
8) You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don’t  wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be  when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE  LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like  nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
3) Families are  like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts
4) Today’s mighty oak is  just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good  exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you  choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING  OLD

1)  Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health  food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder  what else you can  do while you’re down there.
4) You’re getting old when you get the same  sensation from a rocking chair
that you once got from a roller  coaster.
5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody  bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but  it’s a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age  comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF  LIFE:

1 —  You believe in Santa Claus.

2 — You don’t believe in Santa Claus.

3 —  You are Santa Claus.

4 — You look like Santa Claus.

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