Friday, July 3, 2009

Summertime

Summertime, and the living is easy............
Or so the song goes. Summertime. What does it bring to mind? Sunshine, gardens, mowing lawns, corn on the cob, watermellon, vacations. There's so much to enjoy in the summertime.

At the beginning of every summer, our family would trot up to the mountains. We attended an annual homeschooling conference and then would spend a few days in the cool mountains near Bryson City. My in laws had a very tiny trailer parked between Bryson City and Cherokee. The children always enjoyed our time at the trailer. There was a creek that ran close by, so the boys would bounce down in search of any kind of critter. We would rent those great big tires and float down Deep Creek! One year we rode the Smoky Mountain train. We'd watch the rafters as they would bob down the rough Nantahalla River. Of course we'd drive over to Dillard and Franklin to take in the shops. Such sweet summer memories. Do you have any special summer memories??

One very special memory for me is joining this land of blog, and meeting so many wonderful crafters. I've enjoyed reading and learning from your blogs. Amazing as it is to me, you've followed my little blog. So I thought I would have a little giveaway for you, my followers. Not that it isn't open to anyone else, mind you, but your cheerful voices and smiling emails encourage me every day. There are 98 of you that are visible in my followers, but I know there are more out there :-)

So today you all are inaugurated into CLUB 98. It will be nice to invite new followers, but you will always be in the club. Here is the giveaway.

My mama hen is watching over the fat quarters and coordinating fabric.

She's been watching over them to make sure they stay safe.

She also thought I should add a Clover seam ripper, Quilters Tool ID Tags, and a little chicken notebook. She said someone needed it to keep track of how much fabric they need for a pattern.

But she said "you know, you need something else." She scratched around and was not satisfied until she found some cute chicken fabric and put me to task.

The end result.........



So leave a comment on this post, maybe a special summer memory, and we will have a summer giveaway! Yea! Winner will be announced on Saturday July 11th.

Have a fun weekend and most of all, happy quilting :-)

46 comments:

lesthook said...

Why,your little chicken is very smart! She has a wonderful collection going there!

Allie said...

Aw, your chicken is darling!
Ah yes, summer memories. Every year as a child, we spent summers at a cousin's cottage, on the beach of Lake Huron. I remember the excitement as we drove, getting closer, and finally being the first to catch a glimpse of big water. I remember how the sky seemed to open up over the lake, how we could always tell we were getting close. My word I miss those summers.

marlene@ByTheSeam said...

What lovely memories you have of summer. That is a very nice give away and that bag is simply darling.
My summer memory is: every summer my Dad would set up this big tent, an old army tent. He made a platform for it to sit on and then we would put all sorts of cots in it. My brother and his friends would have it one night and then me and my friends the next. So it was a boy night then a girl night. The boys always got together on the girl night and scared the life half out of us girls. That went on all summer and it was always sad to see Dad take the tent down at summer's end.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful giveaway. My summer memories from childhood are simple. Camping. Mom and dad always took us kids to the Cascade Mountains for motorbike riding (we owned 4), swimming in the river, fishing, and all the typical yummy foods of summer! Life just doesn't get better than the great outdoors for summer.

Julia said...

What a generous and lovely give away! When you were in Bryson City , you weren't too far from me!

free indeed said...

OH, I love all things chicken! We even have 10 real ones running around giving us about 8 eggs a day. THat tote is darling...I so want it!
My summertime memories are all from my childhood. My only girlfriend and I grew up on a street of boys...we both had 5 brothers plus all their friends! So, she and I often did 'boy' things...when they NEEDED extra players for their baseball game; playing nurse when they played army; she and I tenting up on the hill alone on those beautiful star lit nights; picking wild strawberries up there as well. As kids, we spent ALL of our time outside! Even SAt. morning cartoons didn't always keep us inside...so different now...

Pat / Silver Thimble Quilt Co. said...

Oh summertime memories. Fireworks ALWAYS there were always fireworks on the military bases no matter where we lived. I remember visiting my Grandparents who lived in Plant City Florida and eating strawberrys until we were SICK. Plant City is the strawberry capitol after all!!! We would walk to a little store and buy ice cream cones and walk home. Why didn't the heat bother me then???

I would love to win your awesome give-a-way...I'm one of the 98!!!

Pat

Susan said...

My fondest summertime memories are of those spent with my grandparents on their farm. They had chickens too, so your giveaway goes right along with my summer memory! Those were wonderful days!

Becky said...

Club 98! I love the idea :) Summertime. My best memory of summers is playing outdoors with my cousins or neighbors. I grew up in Louisiana. Summers were hot, but we never noticed. We played baseball in the lot across the street. I can remember hurrying to finish the day's housework to play baseball with my brothers and their friends. I was the only girl on the field, left field:)

Have a wonderful 4th!!!!

Tammy said...

Club 98 what a great idea! You said you have enjoyed reading and learning from our blogs, but I don't think I'm alone in saying I enjoy visiting, reading and learning from YOUR blog....thank you! :-D
My parents had a boat that they kept on the Hudson River, in upstate NY. We took many summer "voyages" with the boat including cruising up the Hudson river to Canada, going to NY Harbor during America's Bicentennial and just day trips here and there, admiring the beautiful scenery, there was always lots of swimming too.
Happy 4th to you and thank you for offering this give away!

SewCalGal said...

I love your summertime memories. Thank you for sharing. And, this is a delightful give-away. Whom ever wins will certainly enjoy the prizes. I know I would.

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
SewCalGal (@) live.com

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

My summer memories are going to the lake (most of the time walking or biking the two miles) to go swimming with my brothers and sisters. Now I live on the lake and can swim every day (that is warm enough here in Minnesota)!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

My favorite summer memory was buying green popsicles and eating them slowly - that cold sweet taste, ahhh summer.

Lovely chicken - she's been busy and she really got you going on that cute bag.

IHaveANotion ~ Kelly Jackson said...

I really like that fabric.
I'm on vacation now making summer memories. Zach, my youngest, was sitting in the back of the van as we are driving and he says, "Mamma, it is Deer Mating Season now and after that it will be Kitty Mating Season." I turn to him and ask what Dear Mating Season means. He says, "Mamma, its when the deer line up and eat and then they go off together."

Obviously we watch a lot of the animal channel and he has apparently heard the phrase.....but I never expected him to remember. What precious things kids say. He is 5.

Being with my kids builds the best summer memories. They follow their daddy down the road to the river with sticks in tow....so sweet.
Smiles,
Kelly

Michelle said...

What a gorgeous bag!

My most vivid summer memories are of spending two weeks on my parents' cabin cruiser each summer. When I was itty-bitty, I had an inflatable tug boat with a squeaky smoke stack to ride in while the grownups swam.

I miss that boat.

Wendy said...

Summer memories, hmmm. I guess the best memories are the ones when we were camping. Just simple family time. Especially around the fire at night when everybody is exhausted and just relaxing.

This is a wonderful package to be giving away, THANKS!!!

Lindsey said...

Jocelyn! What a sweet giveaway and the way you posted is was so clever! Favorite summer memory? Probably as a teenager, swimming at our neighborhood pool with all my friends and sneaking out of the house at night to play frisbee in the front yard.

Mary @ Neat and Tidy said...

Cute blog! Nice giveaway, too.

Maggey and Jim said...

Hello,
Micki has just directed me to your blog which I have enjoyed.The bag and items look delicious and would like to win them. I live in the midwest and St.Louis has just the biggest display of fireworks.Also in Alton,IL.they have a nice one on the Mississippi that is much closer. Happy 4th to all.
Maggey

Unknown said...

Very very cute. Me too I just came from Micki's blog...Happy 4th of July to you all.

Seams to Sew and Quilt said...

Oh this post reminds me I have some rooster fabric, I should get it out and do something with it. I love the bag and fabris is aweson. Have a happy and safe 4th.
Vera

Margie said...

Have been reading your blog since I found it during the hop. I do love the rooster fabric! Have a nice 4th.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

Your Momma Hen is a good one! I love all the gifties and the purse is very cute. Please enter me in your give away!!

Anonymous said...

Love your fabric. We lived in the city and when summer came my Mom and I would go to her Sisters farm and stay for a couple of months. I loved that time.

Crispy said...

Me Me Me, I'm part of the 98!!! I remember as kids we would try to steal strawberries from old man Ager's BIG strawberry patch. Ya know, it's hard to hide in a strawberry patch even when you are a little squirt LOL.

Crispy

Mandy said...

This is so sweet! I just found your blog and I have to let you know that this summer has been really special because I've started my quilting journey. I sewed my first few stiches a little while ago and just finished my first quilt today!

I'll be hanging around to see what I can learn.

Mandy @ That's Sew Mandy

Stitched With Prayer said...

Well, all I can say is Mama Hen is very wise!!! You are VERY generous and this is a wonderful giveaway. Thank you so much for the chance to have all the delightful goodies. The bag is absolutely beautiful. The chickens remind me of my younger days when I had to go out and gather the eggs each morning. Wow, lots of years ago. Thanks again and GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!! teenietaters@msn.com

Meg said...

What a great giveaway! I'd love to take part.

As far as summer memories? I spent my summers growing up on the beach, swimming, playing in the sand, cooking out with my family. May I say that at our July 4th picnic last night, which was just me and my husband, I taught him how to toast marshmallows over the grill coals and make s'mores!? How the man got to be 32 and never learned to make s'mores, I will never know. And that first taste of marshmallow last night, I was 8 years old again. Brought a grin to my face and a tear to my eye.

Thanks again for the chance here, and good luck everyone!

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

Hope you had a great 4th of July weekend! We are inthe middle of winter here so I guess my favourite summer memories involve warm sunny days and going to the beach for a swim. Roll on summer...

Latane Barton said...

What a neat give away. I'd love to be included in the drawing. Thanks.

Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts said...

What a fun giveaway! Summertime means homemade ice cream to me, and big family parties. :-) Thanks for the great giveaway!

Shirley said...

What great summer memories. It sounds like something you'd read in a really good novel like To Kill a Mockingbird. It felt good just reading about it.

M. Regina said...

I LOVE YOUR SUMMERTIME MEMORIES. tHANKS FOR THE GREAT GIVEAWAY. I'D LIKE TO WIN. HUGS FROM BRAZIL.
mregina@via-rs.net

Becky said...

We lived in the North western corner of North Carolina. (Mom is still in the same house - 50 years now!)

We would leave the valley between the Blue Ridge and Brushy Mountains, Go to the other side of the Brushies to the Taylorsville side of Lake Hickory where we shared a little house with another family of friends.

We were at the end of an inlet so we had the lake to swim and fish in. We played and swam and read and played pinball and the jukebox in our little vacation bungalow. I miss it so very much.

Your giveaway is so very generous! I should introduce my Calico Hen to your lovely Hen!

Anonymous said...

What a nice summer memory...summer means playing outside to me...my 3 sisters and i grew up next door to another family for 4 girls...we spent so much time outside in the sun, the pool, the park, the backyard, the sandbox and now that I am older and have kids of my own, I try to think back on where was the supervision??? Things have changed, and I guess I was one of the younger of the 8 girls, so the older girls may have been supervision enough...I also remember reading books in the hammock all afternoon! ahhh. the life!
Thanks for the giveaway, looks very lovely indeed! Jenny
krousegirl2 at aol dot com

Barbara said...

Your chicken has great taste! The fabric is lovely and such a nice bag.
My favorite summer memories were spending a month with my grandparents at their home (located at the Jersey Shore). Summer days on the beach, nights playing board games with the family.
Thanks for the great giveaway.

Sherry said...

What a cute bag.

Summer - spending hot days and sultry nights at my grandparents. Eating watermelon. Taking a bath in a #2 washtub on the enclosed back porch. (And this was in the 1960s!) Sharing my grandmother's bed.

Katy said...

Such adorable fabric! My grandmother loves, loves, loves chickens and these would make a great little table topper for her!

Favorite summer memory: One of my absolute faves was as a child, having picnics on our driveway with all of the neighborhood kids! Or the first day of summer when you get to jump in the pool! Or knowing that your whole weekend will be spent outside because there is sun to be in, bbqs to tend to, and lawn games to play! Alright, so I have quite a few memories, what can I say, I love summer!

Pat said...

Oh, my GOODNESS....how did I MISS this? I guess with the holiday weekend, some blog posts got by me.....whew...glad I found it in time!!! GREAT prizes here and I would LOVE to win!!!

Susan said...

This is a wonderful giveaway! I have been secretly following you in my reader so now I've come clean and made it official. We vacationed once in the Smoky Mountains and took the Smoky Mountain train ride too. Mostly our summers were on a lake in Lewiston MI.

sewtakeahike said...

That is the cutest bag! I've been trying to convince my best friend that she likes chickens and I almost have her convinced! I should make her something like that!

Peggy said...

What a darling give-away. I just found your blog today, and your life and faith resonated with me. I'll be a follower from now on (adding to your now 108 - amazing!!) Peg

Wendi said...

That is so adorable!! Awesome blog:) Thank you:)

grandmarockton said...

Beautiful and I like chickens, too. I'm a follower already but?

Susan said...

Love those chicks and our sewing group is called "The Crafting Chatting Chicks" Love the fabric colors too. That bag is just gorgous too.

Judy D in WA said...

I love this post! What a great Chick you have and a great bag!!! I get to be a follower to, how great is that! :)