Nikko picks the Blog Hop winners!

My husband set out to buy some cheese kisses to use in the drawing. Good idea! I could write the numbers on each little wrapping ... and , I had a chance to actually read the number before it was consumed.

As I sat on the sofa, opening the packs, Nikko came and stuck her nose into the package. "Well, I'm ready when you are",she seemed to say. She takes her tasks very seriously. I saw her glancing at the screen as I wrote the numbers, taking notes on the more flattering comments.

Finally, all was ready. Aren't they pretty in their colorful wrappers?

"Let's get on with this, mom, you know dogs are color blind"!

"Hmm, this one looks like a winner"!


OK, Nikko! This was a good plan. She dropped it in my hand when I asked for it. I get the wrapper with the number and Nikko gets the cheese.

#89  (Susan) gets the Zodiac panel.

Second pick,  #53 (Jeneta) gets the bear panel.


This is just like living with two kids! Papa comes in and says he wants to pick one too. Well, I do have a Beckoning Cat panel somewhere in the stash, so go ahead and pick one. (After all, he did go out and buy the cheese)

The bonus panel goes to #47 (Nadine)

So, that's it from the rabbit hutch!

The meal has been eaten, the dishes washed and put away, the legos have had a good working over, smile for the camera and it is time to drive the guests, (Well, Obachan and Ichi behind the camera) off to the train station.


I hope you too have had a very merry Christmas!

The Bloggers are hopping again

I am not very good at the technical aspects of Blog Hops but I tried this before and it was fun, so I will give it another shot. Earlier in the week I went to "Fabric Town" (the fabric wholesale district of Tokyo) and picked up two panels for the give-away. The first one is a panel of the twelve animals of the oriental zodiac.

This panel is about 19" x 44" or 48cm. x 112cm.

The second panel is a child-friendly print of bears. The block pattern around the border says baby baby baby.
It might make a nice backing for a baby quilt.
The size is 44.5" x 35" ... or 113cm x 89cm.

Both panels are cotton.



So... what do you need to do to win one of these useful objects? You might try bribing my dog, Nikko. (She will do anything for cheese and she will get to pick the winners on Christmas Eve.)

Please leave a comment saying which of the panels you might like to own.......

And while you are at it, I have a problem you might help me solve......

I have assembled the blue and white blocks for my table runner.

As you can see in this picture, the runner is a wee bit narrow for my coffee table.

It would probably be OK except I have a husband who fills glasses of water, or tea, or whatever with ice, and then puts them on the table and forgets them, thus leaving white rings (like the one in the upper left). Another inch in width might save the table from further destruction.

I could add one-inch blocks along the outer edge using fabrics found in the mixed blocks.
Or, I could add a one-inch strip  of yukata fabric along each side.
Then, again, I might add a border of darker blue around the whole thing. Perhaps there is a better idea I have not considered.

Well, Nikko is watching to see what comments come our way. She is also thinking of how Mama will use cheese to reward her for picking two winners.

Have fun hopping to the other blogs I'm sure there will be plenty to see and lovely give-aways and friends to be made. 

or here... Blog Hop Party  Having begun my third year in the blogging world, I celebrate the friendships I have made, both personal and virtual, and wish you all peace nd joy this holiday season.

Nikko picks a winner! (or three)

Ok! It is time for my assistant Nikko to pick the Blog Hop Party winners. Here is a dog that will work for cheese. I have never felt so snoopervised in my life! She comes to attention when I opened the fridge. Out comes the cheese. First we take the slices and cut them into little squares. Then we get a marking pen and begin to write numbers on the bits. (If you ever want to try this method, forget it. Markers do not write on cheese after the first three or four).





Plan "B", pull out some little sticky dots and write the numbers on those. (After cheese, paper is another favourite diet item). Stick those stickers in the middle of each bit. "Good dog, Nikko, you are paying such good attention"!





Next, arrange the pieces on a bamboo tray and spin the tray. With 96 pieces, they are pretty close together. Nikko may get three in one bite. That would be fine because I could take those out of her mouth and look at the numbers. But, if she only takes two... then three on the next bite...I will be in trouble because I only have three prizes.





But, never fear, Nikko has a brilliant idea. "What if I eat them all but three? I will choose the winners by elimination". Only a very greedy dog would come up with this idea but she is getting a bit eager to begin. OK, Nikko, "Itadakimasu"!





Hey, what's this, Nikko races to the back side to begin, putting herself between me and the tray.

How daintily she selects those yummy bits!

Working her way and turning the tray... "You are almost there ..."

"Stop", "Wait"!


"I need to write down those numbers before you go any further".

Here they are!

#1

#51

#71

"Nikko, what's with the ones" Now I go back to the computer and start counting. There must be a way to put numbers on these comments. Every time I count I get messed up! Well, #1 is easy. That is Cherry Red Quilter http://cherryredquilter.blogspot.comand she would like the dragon. Next is #51. Count again, then one more time. That is Hilachashttp://muchashalachas.blogspot.com. She would like the Matoi. So far, so good! #71 is the last number. That is Quiltaholichttp://hapamomquilts.blogspot.com. She would like the cat panel. "Wow, Nikko, I couldn't have done such a good job myself"! This is such hard work! I need all the help I can get.

As soon as I have some addresses, Nikko and I will jog off to the Post Office and send the panels on their way. Many thanks to all my blogging buddies. I wish you all the best for the holidays and New Year.