I decided to go ahead and post this now while everyone has their song lyrics in their head. I think instead of doing swaps I would rather do this as a challenge, that way we can all keep our own blocks and make a Song Memory quilt. So basically, this will be more like a BOM than anything else. Sign ups are not needed. Anyone can play at any time and for as long as they desire.

So here are the rules:

For January our theme will be our musical beginnings. By this I mean think of some of the earliest songs that are important to you. I'm sure most of us remember the music our parents listened to when we were young. Or perhaps it is a nursery rhyme we loved as a child, or a song our Grandmothers hummed while cooking Sunday dinner.

For February our theme will be romantic love. Pick a song that was you and your significant other's song when you first got together, or a song that was playing when you had your first dance at the prom, anything that says romantic love to you in a special way.

For March our theme will be children. Pick a song that you and your children enjoyed together, or a song that you and your friends sang while playing in the yard, or a song that speaks to you thru the eyes of a child you love.

For April our theme will be playful or funny. Pick a song that made you laugh when you heard it Or a song that someone you know does a funny rendition of. (I can think of a few songs by Hazel that would apply here. LOL)

For May our theme will be rock the house. Pick a song that makes your feet move, or your backend girate, or one that just insists the sound be turned up high.

For June our theme will be friendship. Pick a song that reminds you of a special friend or one that you and a special friend enjoyed when you heard it together for the first time. Or a song that depicts an activity that you enjoy doing with your friends.

For July our theme will be loyalty. Pick a song that says, "I will never forsake you or our cause." This can go many ways from patriotism to gospel. Perserverance describes what I am thinking as well.

For August our theme will be anything goes. Pick a song that you love that doesn't necessarily fit into one of the other categories.

For September our theme will be I can do anything. Pick a song that inspires you to go on when you think you have run out of steam. Maybe a song that helped you get thru a tough time.

For October our theme will be dancing. Pick a song that you remember dancing to, one that takes you back to a special time in your life. Maybe you were dancing with a special someone, or maybe you were dancing around the den on daddy's shoes. Maybe you and your friends were dancing on your bed to the Beach Boys Barbar Ann. (Oops disclosed a little too much there. LOL)

For November our theme will be Thanksgiving. Pick a song that makes you thankful for all you have, maybe one that reminds you how lucky you are when you are feeling blue.

For December our theme will be Christmas. Pick your favorite holiday song.


So there it is in a nutshell ladies. Of course we can do more than one block for any of the categories but we must do at least one to qualify for the prizes. Prizes you say?!?!

Yes at the end of each month we will all vote for the block that best depicts the person's memory of that song. When we post our blocks we will tell everyone what that song means to us and why we choose it for that month's challenge. The voting will be done by PM to me and the winner each month will receive one fat quarter from me.

We will also make a label for each block that will be added to the back of our quilt when finished. That way our grandchildren and their children can look at this quilt and know what their Grandmothers loved about that song.

What do you think ladies? Anybody up for this challenge?

Connie

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nawma,

Connie, you are just incredible! I can't believe the thought and creativity you've put into the development of this challenge.

Now, I've promised myself no new BOM's, swaps, etc....that I'm going to spend 2007 finishing what I've started and working on my personal to do list.

But...how can anyone resist such a well thought out challenge, especially when it involves something that is such a big part of our lives..music. Personally the monthly prize isn't even necessary. You had me without it!

Connie,
this sounds like fun. In fact, when I read the one for January the first song that I can remember is "You are my Sunshine". I remember standing on top of a jack in the box toy and performing for my mom. I was about 4 years old. LOL.
Trina

What an awesome idea Connie! I am really intrigued by this challenge. And since life has been a little topsy turvy around here lately, it fits for me right now that you're running it very casually.

I'll have to give it some more thought, but I already have ideas running through my head for January's block!

Here's what I think, Connie. I think George W. picked to wrong person to be a fresh pair of eyes to replace Donald Rumsfield. You are so creative and inventive, it just goes to prove my theory that quilters should run the world! I'm in!

Trina...you've made me recall a song my cousin and I used to sing together. She lived just next door when we were small and she would come over and stand outside my window and sing "Oh Litle Playmate, come out and play with me...." or I'd do it to her. Boy that really was an innocent time, huh?

The other really early song I recall was Band of Gold.

I'm thrilled that you guys like this idea. It has been bouncing around in my head ever since I came home from Jess's house. I have many of my songs picked out already and will definitely do two blocks for some of the months.

Oh and the block size is your choice.

Connie

Oh Mary! Boy did that birng back a memory for me. My sister (who's eight years older than me and was very "motherly" while we were growing up) used to sing the "Playmate" song to me all the time when I was little! She learned it at a church youth outing and once I heard it, it's all I wanted her to sing to me! What a nice little stroll down memory lane for me ....

Suzanne, I haven't seen that cousin in nearly 30 years, but we are in contact by email and we reminisce about those days and laugh about "our" song all the time. What good memories!

Connie sweetheart as ever you have given us all a wonderful thing to work on I knew straight away what my first four would be.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I would love to join in . Even if we lose connection I can still do the blocks and think of you all while I do them and I can always send pics through the ordinary post

Jacqui