It's Going Around Again

Several years ago I started a Pinterest account in an effort to promote my Etsy shop. Everything I had read at that time said that you should post something of interest and not just what you have for sale. In addition to all my Etsy shop posts I created a Disney memories pin board. I pinned this picture of my granddaughter and an explanation of what was happening.

The pin got repined over and over. It got Facebooked, Tweeted, Tumbled and blogged over and over and ended up going around the world several times.

I realize that I have probably posted this here before but I am bringing it up again because it was just posted on Tim McGraw's Facebook page. As before there are tons of comments about how wonderful these acts of kindness are, and what a wonderful man this is. But it also brought out the sickos who think this is the act of a pedofile. HE IS NOT!!! This one post led us to find out who the security guard was. His name is Freddie and we met with him and his wonderful wife a few years later. This one post has led to many other employees of the Disney Corporation adopting Freddy's actions making little girls and boys feel super special. I assure you, this is not something that the Disney Corporations trains their employees to do, but it is a suggestion.

#Hashtags

Do you Tweet? Do you tweet for fun or to promote? I find it fun but use it mostly to promote my Etsy shop. I am forever on a search to find new hashtags that will get my tweets retweeted. Not so long ago I especially liked #SSPS (shameless self promotion Sunday). Obviously, this tag was supposed to only be used on Sundays, although some gals would use it daily. On Sundays my Twitter would blow up and I would get over 600 views in my shop. I don't know why, but that tag isn't used much anymore, and doesn't get but a handful of retweets.
Nowadays, some that I use often are #craftbuzz, #etsymntt, and #etsyretwt. There are others that are only good at certain times of the day and on certain days #crafthour, #etsychaching, #handmadehourUSA.
What works for you?

Done

After much procrastination, it was raining, I had a toothache, we were binge watching a Netflix series, I had to go grocery shopping, I can finally say it's done. I twisted the blocks this way and that trying to determine which way looked best, I could have spent another whole week deciding. But I've got some new fabric in some exciting colors I want to cut up. I was never fond of the chocolate and teal combo, even when it was the craze.

I totally ripped this off Facebook, but it is exactly how I feel about so many posts on Facebook.

Blog Stats Update

As I mentioned back in January, I started another blog, Sweet Little Gems, a blog to promote Etsy sellers, (although I am not opposed to other selling venues). To date, there has been 229 posts of some interesting, some seriously cute items. There has been 18, 829 views, but only 41 comments. Despite promoting the heck out of it I only have 5 Google followers. Submissions remain rare, and thank yous happen only part of the time. It may have something to do with a language barrier or perhaps the time difference....but I am grasping at straws.
I am not ready to give up just yet, but I am thinking of going in another direction. As my mother used to say, We shall see.

Well, Duh!

I had planned to write extensive instructions on how to make a Block Party block. I thought about it, wrote instructions, deleted them then re-wrote it. I admit I am not that great at writing anything especially what's rattling around in my head. And then I saw a blog (wish I could remember who's blog it was) where she said nothing, just pictures. I have been reminded several times in the past few weeks to "SHUT UP BARBARA". I will take the hint and just show pictures.

1 down 19 to go.

My Two Cents Worth

You could say you'll donate blood for the victims. You could say you'll donate money for medical bills and funeral costs. You could say you'll pray and start a prayer chain for the victims. You can say you'll bake cookies for the police. There are so many things you could say and do.
So why do so many celebrities say "I dedicate this next song to the victims" or "I stand with Orlando"? Exactly what do those empty words mean?

Beginning All Over Again.

It's been a while since I've made any quilts/quilt tops for charity and I have been feeling kind of guilty about it. I have found a new charity to make tops for and I am very excited about joining this online group. I'll tell you all about them at a later date.

In the meantime, I'll tell you about the pattern. Somewhere around 2001, someone on a message board I was a member of, posted a pattern for a block she called Block Party. I could not make heads or tails out of her pattern (the pieces just did not fit) so my then dear friend Anne, drew it out (with several corrections) and sent it to me.

This pattern is a great way to use up scraps and can be made in any size quilt you wish. The block measures 10 inches finished and I like to set the blocks 4 across by 5 down. It's a perfect child size quilt. If you wish to use 3 colors here is the fabric requirements, you will need to cut 80 of each size piece:

Piece A ... 3 1/2"x3 1/2" ...7/8 yard

Piece B ... 2 1/2"x5 1/2" ...1 yard

Piece C ... 2 1/2"x3 1/2" ...5/8 yard

Come back again for the block layout and progress (if any) on my quilt top.