Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Crappy & Creative

Well not sure if I'm finally succumbing to the germs around the office with some sick co-workers walking around OR if it's my allergies starting up with a major BANG!!! All I know is I've been sneezing, coughing, running eyes and nose and feeling downright crappy this week and today I feel like cotton baton stuffed up my right cheek and into the head!!! Yep CRAPPY!!!

Anyways, I've a tonne of work to do so being productive as I've Friday off to enjoy another quilt show and retreat with fellow Aurora quilters in Morden. I'm looking forward to being a passenger for a change and able to just relax away the weekend hopefully by the pool and indulge in mega hours of hand stitching. Yep, I'm leaving my sewing machine at home this time and just working on my blanket stitching of needlecases ordered, CQd postcards slightly late, the CQd Mystery Project for another group along with my own embroidery works if I've time! I can do my hand stitching anywhere there's a chair (heck sometimes even standing up too) and decent lighting, but I'll pack my OttLite just in case. We even have lunch booked for Saturday at the Tea House - yep hopefully pampered all weekend.

And I was BADDDD the other day!!! See Dale Anne, you and your creativity have done me in good time now!!! Yep started to check out my various blogs I have links saved and there's one called Beadlust that I just LOVE!!! Well doesn't she have a registration for a "challenge" so to speak starting in September and running for a year of designing your own beaded pieces monthly - you set your size and keep that for each month - the theme is your's.

Well I joined and now hopefully I'll be inspired by others in the group to create my own works of art!!! So the other night after reading the 2007 rules and some of the gals suggestions for newcomers for 2008 - ideas were running rampant and I've got all 12 pieces planned out along with a writeup I'll be posting with each. SHEESH as if I don't have enough to do!!! But it seems I've got this "journaling" thingie in my head figured out a heck of a lot better with beading than I do with quilting? Ohhhh and so far I'm thinking of doing the postcard 4"x6" size for my first try.

YOWL and try to go to bed after that - even more ideas kept popping in but I gave up writing down and finally crashed. Then I wake up to some stupid work dream - at least I was not late!!!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Some Tidying!!!

Yep Angela and Sylvia, I've finally put the wheels on that second cart I bought and took the stickers off getting it ready to fill up. Oh and Sylvia you were right that one you brought is about a half inch lower than the one I had here already! That's okay as I'll probably store some smaller units with the larger beads onto these babies anyways.

Well I was not impressed the last week or so when back to embellishing my blocks and had lace and trims along with beads all over the couch again. SOOOO this morning I decided that unit was going to store the lace pieces, strips and other trims along with the two larger drawers for the bigger laces and the second hand doilies I'm picking up here and there and cutting up for my CQing. WOW is it ever neato to have it all fit into the one unit! Open a drawer and I can just about see everything in there - much better than three baggies plus a larger box of laces!!!

BUT now I dont' have the odds n ends beads put away, but then this unit would have been too big for the beads so I'm gonna have to find a couple of smaller units so when I'm beading I can just pick them up and cart them to the table and get to beading my fobs, charms etc.

As for the beads for my CQing well those are all in a carry tote and I think they'll stay that way too. At least they are all in one place and I can just pick it up and go with whatever I'm doing and not have to search out one or two containers - then all are at my pick and choose!!!

Okay back to CQing my Neutrals Block for my Mystery Project as I'm sure the girls are anxiously waiting for Step #6 - probably the last one!!! Hmmm now what will be next I wonder????

Saturday, April 26, 2008

What a Day - no sewing!!!

Yep not a stitch was stitched today!!! Just no time!

It started off with my youngest sister, Florence waking me up to make lunch date, yep she was coming to the city to shop and visit and BIL to golf for the day!!! Must be money burning a hole in their pockets again. LOL!

So up I was and off for a hair cut, some necessary fabrics on sale at Fabricland and then the Olive Garden for salad, bread sticks and a glass of wine! We had a nice visit and then off to Nygards on Kenaston (just opened last month) to check it out. WELLL glad I did, she found an awesome cotton red/orange striped crinkle cotton summer pants for $2.95 and I found a lovely pair of medium brown dressy slacks for $15.95 and they are petite and fit to a T so I grabbed them but did not find any tops so went to pay. WELLLLLL Florence did not like the $2.95 pants so back to the change room I went to try them on and they fit beautifully. At cash the brown ones came up as $8.95 so I got two pairs with tax for $13.33 - WOW WEEEEEE!!! And I think Florence picked up 5 pairs for $75.

Then I headed over to Sobeyes as they had $1 days and bought some much needed groceries and only 1 bag of chips and ran before other stuff caught my eye!!! LOL!

So then I relaxed before heading out to the Sri Lanka performance. I'm wearing tonight those just bought pants with the burnt orange blouse I bought for the quilt show banquet earlier this month also at Nygards for $13.95 - what a bargain - $25 for the whole outfit!!!

Okay, here are the pictures I took but the lighting was not very good so kinda poor. And bits of write up from the program!

3. "Himal Maru and Tikiriliya" - a dance by the little children depicting the little village kids going out to fetch water, playing and having fun.







10. "Pahan Netuma" - a lamp dance. A fusion dance combining traditional Sri Lankan Kandyan dance and classical Sri Lankan ballet to the background instrumental music of a traditional Sri Lankan song.



11. "Yakada Thalanna" - Reflections of a blacksmith. A Sinhala pop song with "baila" music background (Sri Landka dance music style with a Portuguese heritage) done on the calypso style. The song lyrically explains the lifestyle of a poor traditional blacksmith.



13. "The Spring is in the air" A contemporary dance to the music of a Tamil song portraying the joy of youth. (our Suki is in this dance - navey top and white pants and glasses)









Here's Suki!

15. "Mangalam" or "Blessings for the New Year". A traditional Kandyan dance, with background music of blessings. Performed by the students of the Sri Lankan dancing class in Winnipeg.



This was the FIRST public performance of the Sri Lanka Assoc. of Manitoba and I'd say they all did magnificiently (even if I did not understand the language sung)!!!

Now, I sure better sit home tomorrow!!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

BRRRRR!

I don't believe it, this snow and cold is still here along with the ice!!! Now I know how Alberta felt the next day upon waking and it had not melted away as a usual spring snowfall does. Oh well it's supposed to be 4C today so it'll start to melt away - and the weather channel said warmer weather for the prairies is a coming! Hey it's SPRING, it'll come!!!

Anyways, I stitched up another selvedge fabric yesterday but this time a long 1/4 metre and hopefully tonight another F8 and then I should have enough to make up some coaster sets. AND can you believe this I still have lots of selvedges but the nice "coloured" ones are not as pentiful as the white edged ones now. Guess I'll have to start trimming them off my fabrics as I use them again to add to this slowly diminishing supply. See I still would like to make myself a jacket one day - I've a vest already - or maybe a tote bag - HMMMMM!!!

AND dummy here, totally forgot about the "stretch" stitch setting on my machine and WOW what a selection of fancier stitches I found there. Yeah it eats up the thread for this, but I picked up some BIG spools of polyester threads from Marathon Threads awhile a go, at a price that I pay for those stubbier smaller spools at Fabricland!!! So I think I definitely have enough to play with for a some time now. LOL!

Okay, not sure why I'm waking at 6:30 am this week or so but I do get to make lunch and play on the PC before heading to work!!! Weird, but I used to get up at 5:30 and stitch an hour or so before getting ready for work - nope not up to that especially if I'm up past midnight! LOL!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Snowy Winnipeg Manitoba morning

I now there is a song that goes something like that but I'm not one for lyrics!!!

Anyways, I grabbed my camera this morning and here's the pics I took walking to work. Neato! But glad I did not get drenched by a ungrateful speeding motorist that totally soaked my niece on her way to work this morning.







I sure feel for these budded tulips!!!

And here are the pics from my 8th floor office window of the glass window tower behind us and the parking lot below. Not bad for shooting through the double pane windows!!!





Well it seemed to stop mid-morning, so not sure if that's it or if there's more coming!!!

Cold n Snow again!!!

Hey, my Dad said winter was not over yet and he's 94 (some history behind his words me thinks) and really as far as Manitoba goes who knows what weather you'll get when!!!

Well after a few weeks now of lovely spring weather I woke to sleet hitting my window and look out to heavy wet snow covering everything. Hmmm wonder what the walking conditions will be like, all I need is to fall and break something??? Just glad I'm not in a car that is for sure!!!!

Hope all adjust their speed to the conditions not the speed limits - we definitely don't need a Red Deer AB scenario repeated here!!! But you know the crazies out there and those with 4-wheel drive, think they can handle it all not realizing that everyone else may not be in their league!

I think I'll stay put tonight too and stitch instead of venturing out. Take care everyone venturing out!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

1930s Needlecase Story

Okay the cat’s out of the bag so to speak! So I can tell all now!

See, I am very bad with keeping secrets or surprises and needless to say I wrote to a friend, sister and niece whom are my sounding boards so to speak after sending off the XP package on Monday. I just could not contain myself and did not trust spilling the beans if I wrote more so to speak!!! Phew, needless to say I’ve been on pins and needles with this blasted storm in Alberta and especially after Susan mentioned that they were snowbound and the shop closed and when asked - that sometimes the mail is elastic bound and hanging from the door knob – YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well a long time ago Susan made me a mini 1930s quilt and I just LOVE it (yep in greens) and we got to talking about 1930s fabrics and how she takes her Redwork (or whatever colour she’s working in) to the beach to stitch while the kids are playing etc. Well she mentioned she didn’t have a proper needlecase and like for her scissors, thread etc. – she had seen the one I had just made for my girlfriend in blues and how she’d someday like to find a red one and I decided I’d make her one. YEAH what century eh? Well I did do the crazy patch stuff a long time ago and just never finished it off till this past weekend. Yes the one I posted earlier.



Guess she didn't remembers our discussion, cause I just got a brief note from the blog entry that she liked it, or if she’s sitting there wishing it’s for her (which apparently she was - chuckling)!!! I sure hope she likes it and USES it, not like the hand pincushion she’s not gonna use - just keeping it on display! Yep, I was sitting on pins and needles just wishing I could tell her but I wanted it to be a surprise for when she receives the package and opens it!





email from Susan:
!!!
The mail guy just came. I'm speechless

email from Me:
Oh Oh why? (her reply named me a BRAT! - me?)

Now some friends have put their two cents in and told her to use it and enjoy it so hopefully she'll listen to them if not me - LOL! But I have to share this bit with you as truly I did not know this, but coincidental that I too am a hummingbird watcher and in the process of making a couple of wall hangings for myself with hummingbirds!!!

email from Susan:
Yeah and I'm not even sure RoseAnne knows how special hummingbirds are to me. When my mom died, we put a porcelain hummingbird in her hands. Most of the summer before she passed away, she'd sit at my kitchen table and really, really enjoy watching the hummingbirds come to the feeder at the back door. And this case has an itty bitty hummingbird stitched on it with silk ribbon and the whole bird is about 1/2" small! Very very special. OH I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!!! And it brought tears to MY eyes!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

What a Day & WISP!!!

Ohhh myyyyy! Well my stomach has subsided quite a bit but not 100% but at least I've enjoyed today tens times more than yesterday I can tell you!

First off I gingerly picked up some egg rolls for potluck lunch at the quilting meeting and stitched the day away with friends. I even finished off tying the Aurora lap quilt we started in Sept at Tami's cabin retreat - now just to do the bindings on this and two other twin quilts my sister quilted for donations. Slowly but surely I'll get there.

ALSO I can't believe I forgot to attach the accessories I had chosen for that CQd needlecase WISP yesterday. So yes I've retaken the pictures and they are in the original post uploaded yesterday. I LOVE IT!!!

Also thank you to Val for bringing in some odds and ends for members to partake in; I took some princess flannel left over pieces (want to make a rag quilt with the pieces I've gotten from a co-worker and others) and the piece de resistance is a 10" square booklet of 100% silk samples in colours from cream - beiges mostly, with some roses, greens, blues and purples - WOW!!! Now they are all the same dotted prints but heck what a selection of colours for my crazy patches!!!

Then I came home, dropped everything off and headed out for a bit of shopping! I needed an iron badly before mine with it's totally shredded and wires exposed explodes on me one of these days - so yes I have a new one girls!!! Then I was BADDDD but heck I feel like a queen now with some new JEANS ($39) and JEAN JACKET ($35) (yep Sylvia and Pat a new more stylish one finally!!!) and another cheapie T-shirt in bright blue and two pairs of sandles - dressier than those I have. Yep even they can be worn with a dress if I remember what that is!!! LOL!

I was to visit the intimate apparel department also, but was too tired by then to tackle that issue so left and on the way home stopped and got this filthy car washed. Needless to say I'm beat and not up to anything except keeping this stomach at peace as it seems to be rebelling again! SHEESH!!! Probably reaction to the dent in the wallet!!! But I definitely was long overdue for these items (well except for the jeans maybe)!!!

Friday, April 18, 2008

WISP finished off!!!

Well I had a rough start to the day and a very upset stomach all afternoon but finally I think that may be passing. I basically relaxed and stitched together crazy patched and embellished pieces for a booklet needlecase nice and slow as I had no instructions - played it by ear!!! Just a lazy evening with feet up and watching HOCKEY!!!


Then and now with angel and rhinestone buttons added.

Yep, WOW, I can't believe it but a long set-aside UFO or WISP (works in slow progress) as I like calling mine is finally finished. I'm not even sure the person who asked for it even remembers it? He He He!!! Oh well then it will be an awesome surprise when it arrives!


Then and the next signed and an angel and a rhinstone button added.


Then and now with charm of thread with needle added.

Anyways I've used bits and pieces of my 1930s reproduction scraps and naturally stitched my spider and web but very amateurish back then but I did make a lovely SRE hummingbird - WOW!



There's not much embellishments on this baby - not like I've been doing lately but I decided to let it be rather than incorporate newer skills to something done 2-3 years ago.


Then and now with measuring tape bow added.

I even found some "old" buttons at an antique shope and I think both just finish off the project!


Then and now with scissor charm added.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Postcard Forgotten!

Gosh in my haste to get the Quilt Reflections pictures uploaded to my Webshots I totally forgot about posting about my newest edition!!!



I think I mentioned that we each received a fabric postcard from the banquet table centre piece, made by various MPQ guild members at a Saturday workshop and some donated by avid postcard makers (myself included). Well here is mine made by Jackie Janzen and one that I was avidly watching being "born" at that workshop! I found her techniques very facinating and she has such a knack for mixing mediums, glitz and colour too! I even got her to autograph it. Thank you Jackie!

Hand Pincushions

Remember these babies?
Now didn't I say they had their own "personality"???



Well the following are left over from the Quilt Show Boutique this weekend and are still looking for a new home. They all have a little ring on the back for hanging.





You can check out the original blog entry of April 9th Hand Pincushions DONE!!! (pictures were the original uploads and may be clearer)

Monday, April 14, 2008

Another Show Closed!

Boooooo Hoooooo Hoooooo! The fun and games are over and Sylvia headed home this morning! I sure hope she made it home before these wicked gusting winds picked up afternoon here!!! It's just a HOWLING out there and I keep hearing bins crashing and rolling away! Glad I'm inside and my car is kinda protected too.

Sylvia thoroughly enjoyed the show and chatted with the sellers of her quilting frame about adjusting patterns to fit nicely into a 12" block and her Juki machine - he also showed her this too. WOW she was very pleased as she was thinking of buying a long arm for herself but no intentions of doing commercial quilting - so she's a happy camper and more money in her pocket too!!! It really took the cake when she won that ribbon for Best Pieced Quilt!!!!! WOW! She really looks proud of her efforts and the awards received for it!!!


Well neither of us did very well with out boutique sales but still sold about one-quarter of what I took but Sylvia only sold 2 of her ornaments. Too bad as I expected us to do better.

Now I'm down to just me and no rushing around - hmmmm, guess I'll do another step of the Mystery project for my other group as they've been waiting so patiently for it.

I've uploaded what pics taken at the Show into my Webshots album today and now back to stitching.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

It's Been a BLAST!!!

NOW TALK ABOUT A GREAT FINISH TO A DAY!!!

I'm not sure if I had mentioned earlier that neither Sylvia nor I received ribbon prizes for our quilt entries at the Show. Oh well maybe next time! Well on Saturday the various Sponsors for the Show walked around and made their choices for their various awards and kept it quiet till the banquet last night. This sold out banquet was filled with awesome Choice Auction baskets, a Pfaff computerized sewing machine as a door prize and the various Awards announced along with the guest speaker Judy Morningstar (humourous awesome quilter) - and AWESOME event.

WELL after a number of awards presented Wendy announced on behalf of the owner Stacy Thiessen of Quilter's Cottage, Stonewall MB, for the Best Pieced Quilt was awarded to Sylvia Stadnyk (my sister!) for her "Victorian Star" - WOW WOW WOW - you'd think I had won that award as I was in tears and so excited - just unreal!!! AND to think because of my stupidity we just about missed entering our quilts!!!! She received a lovely white rosette and ribbon with the guild emblem and information and year along with a cash prize. WOW!!! SHEESH, I definitely will be reading all forms and noting them in my calendar the next SHOW!!!



And here is her Geese on the Pond which is for sale:



Now Sylvia had a couple more wall hangings on show but they are not listed here.

Then in my excitement I just about forgot to mention that we each chose a postcard and fabric candy from the centre piece at our table and in two of those candies were notes that one person got to take home the lovely heart picture holder and my sister won the guild member's pieced table topper centre piece!!! WOW!!!

And here are pics of me and my quilts in the competition but no ribbons:







So today is the last day and we'll find out how our Boutique items sold. Yep a lovely weekend but shoot I'm am totally pooped and glad I took a vacation day on Monday!!!

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

What a DAY!!!!!

Okay, it's a good thing I had the day off as I finally finished the scissor fobs around 3:00 pm and here they are.



Then started pricing them all before getting ready to deliver them to the hotel where the Quilt Show will be. Well Sylvia arrived about 4:00 pm and 4:45 we packed up the Boutique stuff and left, getting there abour 5:00ish and unloaded. Well they were accepting quilts too - HUH!!! Somewhere I read the quilts to be dropped off Thursday - well I was TOTALLY wrong and they had to be there by 6:00 pm Wednesday. So I left Sylvia at the hotel with the Boutique stuff and rushed back home to get our quilts. Talk about STRESS!!! Well I made it back there by 5:40 and then had to sit down and stitch the label on - well I couldn't I was shaking too much so Sylvia and my friend Darlene stitched them on for me!!! PHEWIE, we both just about missed the whole deal!!! SHEESH!

Okay so now instead of finishing the quilt sleeve etc off tomorrow we have a free day and I've an appointment in the morning otherwise we rest up for the busy weekend!!!!

Hand Pincushions DONE!!!

Thank goodness I have today as a vacation day too as I truly needed it to finish these babies off. Here's all of them in their finery!



DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!
Now on the catwalk, here they are strutting their stuff!!!











Now didn't I say they had their own "personality"???

Sorry I'm not at work today to show them off personally but they have to be dropped off by 6:00 and I still have a few scissor fobs to make up and then label all my needlecases. The rest are labelled and packaged ready to go. PHEW!!! Okay back to the creating table and hopefully get some together before Sylvia arrives this afternoon sometimes.