Thursday, September 11, 2014

...O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


~ Francis Scott Key, 1814

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Pillowcase Donations for ConKerr Cancer

Congratulations to Emily Parent for organizing Girl Scout Cadette Troop 446 in Sykesville to help her with her Silver Award Project.  The girls chose and purchased fabric, designed, and crafted fifty pillow cases to drop off at our quilt shop at Spring Water Designs for donation to ConKerr Cancer.

Just looking at their handiwork, bright colors and designs put a smile on my face :) 
To that effort the pillowcases have been collected by the Baltimore Chapter Coordinator, and according to their website donations will be sent to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Gilchrist, Camp Sunrise and Sinai Hospital.
Giving Sick Kids a reason to smile one pillow case at a time”.  As some of you may know we are a drop off site for the Baltimore Chapter of ConKerrcancer.org.   ConKerr Cancer was started in 2002 when Cindy Kerr began making colorful pillow cases for her son Ryan who was in the hospital for long periods of time.  The pillowcases brightened up his hospital room and put a smile on his face.  The pillowcases became so loved that Cindy and friends began making them for other sick children.
ConKerr Cancer is making a difference for children.  Please join us in our quest for smiles! 
·       Make a cheerful pillowcase (stop by the shop for a free pillowcase pattern, and we also carry pillowcase kits that you can purchase)
·       Donate fabric or other sewing materials to the cause
We have generous customers that drop them off on an ongoing basis ~ All donations will be applied to the Baltimore Chapter of ConKerrcancer.

Enjoy the day!