I'm Tickled Pink!

Nah, I'm not into pink so don'tcha worry none! I'm still an earthy jewel tone colour gal! LOL!

BUT I'm "tickled pick" with feeling good at my accomplishments! See I picked up on Saturday a booklet with smaller "greeting card" sized Hardanger patterns "Greeting in Hardanger Embroidery" designs by Nordic Needle Staff and compiled by Susan L. Meier and rosalyn K. Watnemo and I started one (#11) the other day and just LOVE it. I hope I can pull off what I'm thinking cause I think it will be just BEAUTIFUL!!! Yep, I'm so excited I'm itching to tell, but yet don't want to cause I want it a surprise - SHEEEEEEESH make up your mind girl! ROFLOL! Well I've just completed one and I really do LOVE it!!!!!

Well my caretaker had called last night to tell me I had "TWO" parcels to pick up! Yep one was my WR Quilt Day parcel that I drew a total blank on why and from whom. The second from a friend in BC who I do private swaps with and chit chat regularly too. I was very thankful too that Betty had taken these in as they were a fair size and one heavy too!

Anyways, she was telling me how she laughed when receiving the parcels from the Postman and commented "What someone is sending Rose Anne a chicken!" - hmmm I was stumped! Well there she was carrying towards me in the crook of her arm this XP parcel and it LOOKED in the shape of a ready to cook chicken - I just laughed - I should have taken a picture of it before opening - SHOOT! Well Jeni dear, one of my Cdn crazy patch angels, had sent me bits and pieces of VELVETS and other and I mean OTHER fancies along with some trims too from her stash! WOW it felt like Christmas all over again!

I really think I'm loosing my mind!!!!

My latest!

Okay, I'm just home from the part time job - dozed off twice on the bus but at least got dropped off this time practically on the doorstep instead of walking the last block while the driver wiles away 15 minutes!

Here's the pics of my lastest projects! The silk ribbon flowers were from Saturday's class at Mrs. Twitchett's Eye and I learnt some tips and techniques to add to my self taught SRE. I realized that I don't care for "free for all" designing - I need a layout or plan drawn on the cloth.

And here is my own postcard for the PC Cottage group Creatures That Fly swap - AND this one went into the mail by the mailing date - just that is! I came across this "flutterfly" online and could not resist trying out the Heat n Bond Lite I had and another stint of machine applique. Maybe just maybe I might like it enough to do the flower appliques on my colourwash quilt if I keep practicing!

I'm Pooped!

Well I was up a might late last night playing on the PC and then for some strange reason up early before the alarm this morning and I could have slept in!!!!

I bussed it a might earlier than later but it moved faster than I allowed so I got off before the shop's stop and detoured three long blocks (sidewalk blown in 3/4 way) to Copperfields bookstore and picked up Poinsettia Elegance http://www.mrdquilt.com/pattern_indiv_detail.asp?ID=27 and matching crystal kit by Mount Redoubt Designs (for a pressie some day) and then had to hoof it back at a brisk pace to hopefully still catch a bus the rest of the trip! Well as I rounded the corner there was a bus and I still arrived with 10 minutes to spare before my class.

I'd signed up some time ago to take a Silk Ribbon Embroidery class which was good as I learnt some "corrections" to what I already did, freehand planning (YIKES) and now have a "doodle" cloth to play and experiment on and who knows maybe some day will fill it in enough to do something with it! BUT I spent too much money naturally for more supplies but hopefully will now have a variety to embellish with. I also ensured I was signed up for the two Saturday classes on Brazilian Embroidery in April. I wasn't sure if I could push the envelope and pay for my April PJ Party today so put that on hold until my March classes start.

http://www.nordicneedle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=0223&Category_Code=A07-13-00&Product_Count=40
Also I picked up an awesome booklet and can't wait to try some of these babies out lickety split! Nope not silk ribbon or Brazilian embroidery BUT my passion right now "Greetings in Hardanger Embroidery" - 18 Hardanger embroidery designs by the Nordic Needle Staff, compiled by Susan L. Meier and Rosalyn K. Watnemo. WOW I'm so impressed and who knows maybe someone will get some of these beauties as cards some day! You never know!

But I can tell you that fresh air, exercise and a 5-hour class was a might too much for this old gal! LOL! Wonder if I'll stay awake enough to see both hockey games????

Strange Day!

You know, I am feeling better finally, last night was iffy after my massage but I iced down my burning aching shoulder and took two Ibuprofen and went to bed and woke in not bad form! So hope it keeps! I'm looking forward to my silk ribbon embroidery class on Saturday, maybe I'll learn some proper techniques and short cuts if any.

After work yesterday I had to go to Carellan Sewing Ctr as MC would not let them put through a manual transaction from the weekend retreat purchase - GRRRRRR and I thought while out that end I'd catch the next bus and go to Polo Park Shopping Centre and Michaels and Sears and then back downtown for my massage appointment for 6:45 pm. Well I was finished in the store like 5 minutes and the buses were 25 minutes apart so I figured forget it and walked across the St. James bridge to PP and then down St. James to Michaels and then back to Sears and then to Portage Ave and caught the bus back downtown but not before the transfer expired SHOOT! and I still had 10 minutes before my appointment when I arrived. BUT I was hoofing it in all that loose snow just in case but not rushing - I was careful and made it all okay. Hmmm I'm guessing but it could be 2 or 3 miles? Guess I got my exercise for this week anyways! LOL!

HEY, you wanna hear something STUPID!!!! They shut the water off to the building at 4:30 pm yesterday and the notice said till midnight for water upgrades. Well we come in and there's no water at all - no coffee in the cafeteria - how are they gonna cook??? Then I come upstairs not thinking - there's no water in the bathrooms either!!!!!!!!!!! Mike came by and said someone told him if they can't get it fixed they are closing the building within the hour (it better be with pay). Well I open my emails and there’s one from the Bldg Mgr but nothing about going home but that we are to use the Archives Bldg next door for washrooms. Yeah right!

Finally about 11:00 we noticed the signs off the doors, I checked and the water was turned on and just in time as I had to go!!!! It would have been a long trek to the Archives Bldg through the tunnel and I was not looking forward to that one! Then as I'm in the middle, a knock on the door and "Plumbers coming in!" - UH no I'm not finished!!! Sheesh!!!! At least it flushed.

Well shortly afterwards we get another email and only the 4th and 10th floor washrooms are operational, guess the problem is not as easily fixed as they originally thought. You guessed it no word about closing the building at all!!!!

Gimli Retreat February 2007

Well I had a lovely weekend after a not so enthused start and ended up really enjoying my quilting retreat at Lakeview Resort in Gimli Manitoba. This year my sister Sylvia joined Pat (her daughter) and myself once again and are all in favour of repeating again next year. Some arrived Thursday evening and had all day Friday and Saturday to sew along with Sunday morning and I just may have convinced them to try this next year. It's only an hour's drive or so out there - that is if you don't take the wrong road and land up on the riverbank - literally a DEAD END!!! Sylvia laughed so hard and said she didn't have her ice fishing gear otherwise we could continue onto the river!!!! YEAH RIGHT! This happened to me in Mexico but there was a rope pulled ferry that took us across to the island - definitely not here!!! Pat had her ski pants but did not relish doing such and I had no such intentions at all. So I turned around and we headed back towards the city until we came to a road that would take us to the CORRECT highway to Gimli - ROFLOL! We hadn't gone like two minutes when Pat said now this warrants picture taking!!!! WELL there's me stopping and backing up, turning where possible and out we go for the pics!!! What a laugh we had.

Yes we arrived with lots of time to spare before check-in so we selected our work stations, had lunch, I booked a manicure for Sat am and then sewed until 3:00 pm check-in time. So Friday evening was toast for me (just not 100%) except for supper and both Pat and I won a door prize from Jocelyn's Quilt Shop (free manicure - how amazing! - I was able to use mine Sat am and Pat can use her's at retreat next year if we prebook!) then pulling out my fabrics for the remaining two blocks for Moondance to stitch up and then Pat and I went to soak in the hottub around 10:30 pm. We were spent so headed for bed and sleeping by midnight! LOL!

Me working on Moondance blocks.

Sylvia working on Bear Paw's blocks

So Pat and I spent Saturday sewing and by supper I started to feel more like Rose Anne (thank goodness) and even Pat commented that it was nice to have my bubbly self back again. Pat worked on her mini she had started at home and actually did her first stippling quilting also she worked on her Celtic workshop project and has it just about finished (mine stayed in the bag). Sylvia took a class by Heather Lair (Manitoba landscape fabric artist) - based on the Klimt Series Art Quilts and I think she thoroughly enjoyed it but did not finish her piece (but it's just about). After her class, Pat and I moved our work stations into that room and then we were able to chat with Linda M, Ursula W and a CQS member Lynn E along with Heather L too for the rest of Saturday and Sunday morning.

Sylvia's Klimt Series Art Quilt project.

Ursula's Klimt Series Art Quilt project.

Lynn's completed Klimt Series Art Quilt project (first retreat).

Linda with her Landscape from Out of Space project (top), below Klimt Series Art Quilt project, and in hands her non-clipped raggie embroidered quilt a home project she finished at the retreat.

Sylvia showing Pat how to mark freehand stippling.

She's tackling it and did a good job - first time.

Sylvia helping me with cutting lengthwise borders for Moondance

and I still had lots of fabric left over!!!

Then Saturday supper I won another door prize from Amma's Tea House in Gimli, a humongous mug with Amma's emblem and her own blend of loose tea! WOW! I also bought myself a book Elegant Machine Quilting - it's beautiful! And also bought some lovely fabric and angel/fairy pins for gifts and had a few drinks in the bar. This time Sylvia was not so lucky, maybe next time!

Then when we got back on Sunday, we did stop into Bombay fabrics and picked up some awesome pieces for quilt embellishing (gotta go back there too) then dropped Pat off at home, stopped into Quilt as Desired and picked up more fabric and at Safeway for some groceries so I could feed both of us and relax the evening. Monday we were up early and I drove my sister around for her shopping hitting: Northwest Fabrics for another load; Marathon Threads for you guessed it replenishing thread supply; Michaels for fabric markers; Boston Pizza for lunch; Copperfields for some quilting books at 40% off (I found two that Sylvia was wanting for a while and I picked up The Quilter's Directory of Embellishments and More Celtic Quilting) and then ended up at the Quilting Bee where Sylvia finally spent her gift certificate from her challenge quilt prize she'd won in May.

Needless to say she was very very very happy as she picked up just about everything on her list this time around!!! A first, as usually she comes in and many things are either out of stock or not available or not in Canada as yet. Then she left the city for Steinbach (her youngest daughter's home) for an overnight visit before heading home to NW Ontario and I bussed it home to downtown to save her the rush hour traffic.

Needless to say I'm pooped and for some reason have very rosie and tender cheeks (facial that is) - guess I got a touch of windburn??? Yes, I took many pictures at the retreat and more will soon be posted into my Webshots - Retreat Album.

I'm POOOOOOOPPPPED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Threads etc

Okay, somehow I totally forgot to take the couple of finishing photos of these - Oh Well! So here is the one I'm keeping for myself and the following are being sent to fellow swappers of FAPC. These used up thread cuttings, selected yarns and trims along with some lace and fabric hearts stitched ontop along with rayon thread varied satin stitch to hold all in place.

Almost!

Well I've almost got my postcards out of the "playing" around this evening but I've run out of steam!!! Here's a sample of what I've done so far. All the embellishments are under a thing fine netting and I'm using the darning foot and feeddogs down to stipple netting in place before the varied satin stitch embellishments.

And here is one of the three sheets cut up into postcards and a smaller strip into ATCs.

Hopefully tomorrow I can finish off the backs and assemble them all ready for mailing off.

I'm Playing with Thread!

Yep, I'm having so much fun I've forgotten to breath and had to stop and release the pressure in my lungs! My Mom used to attract my attention whenever she noticed I concentrated so hard that I'd be holding my breath! Now why can't I do that when swimming under water???? LOL!

Okay I'm going to take pics of each stage or level or whatever you call it to show you how I got to my end result! Nope don't ask for a tutorial as I don't know how to do that and really don't want to take the time right now to learn that option. All I can say is at the rate I'm "playing" I should have this set of postcards ready to mail out tomorrow! YAHOOOIEEEEEE!

So check back later on and if I succeed then there may be some pics to check out!

It's COLD!!!

SHEESH it was -32C for temps at 7:00 am and with the wind about -45C!!!! HUHHH, we've not had temps like this for a few years so basically very uninitiated to what our Manitoba winters are like per see! I just can't believe the number of young and "older" (that should know better) that are out in skimpy open to the breastbone jackets AND their shirts too with no scarf, hat, mitts and walking in those basic runners (no padding type) or leather shoes out in this!!!

I'm bundled from head to toe and probably could walk all the way home more comfortable than being on these hot transit buses (drivers in shirts only so gotta have the heat on ya know - meanwhile you've gotta strip and where on a packed bus) except that at 9:30 pm I don't relish walking through the industrial area or through the downtown either. Plus it probably would take me 1-2 hours to walk and the bus ride is 45 minutes. Well I still haven't taken a picture of what I look like but some of the "younger set a shivering away" at the bus stops break out in laughter when they see me coming, but heck I've icicles hanging from my eyelashes and eyebrows and some stuck to my headband too - but I'm not cold. Like what do they think "it's summer out there" - heck I've already osteoarthritis in my joints and I didn't dress for "style" back in my early years either - didn't dare with the parents I had/have - and I have way lot less of a distance to walk than I did then too! LOL!

Okay enough verbage here. Guess back to some stitching etc.

New Postcards!

Oh boy I've been playing catchup and kinda succeeding too! There are three of the lastest ones I've completed and still one more set and then I'll be up to schedule finally, that is until I am tempted with interesting topics and go and sign up with too many swaps too close together again!

Here are a couple of the original "Tea Time" for FAPC group but I angled the shot and I think it gives a better image from the others I took and posted earlier.

Then a co-worker wanted one in wedgewood blue but you know I don't care for it and she's kinda iffy so I'm making another like the first set for her. This one maybe someone will want to buy it or I just might need it just because!

Then this one is part of the "Embellish It" from the PC Cottage group and another lesson learned here too! Ensure your image is 3 X 5 to allow for the 4 X 6 PC with finished edges!!! This one using my Oriental fabrics also is embellished with Boa yarn topped with gold metallic zigzag and each fan piece is edged with an awesome gold embellished ribbon yarn zigzagged in place. Then wherever I've stitched yellow/sand seed beads for further embellishments and the base is trimmed with cotton eyelet lace.

AND this baby is my pride and joy that I rummaged around in my frame supplies and found this beauty. I laid the "Winter White" PC ontop of black velvet and then framed it with the double matts of burgandy and the dark green then the glass with metal clips to hold in place. This one is sitting on a Dollar Store black lacquered metal easel and in my bookshelf on my desk. Now talk about reusing or recycling frames that others were either getting rid of at a garage sale or shipping off to the second hand stores. I've a few here that I'm keeping for my special quilted projects.

Tea Time PCs finally!!!

Well remember that saying better late than never - well I think I'm totally subscribed to that phrase! Sorry ladies!

AND even though my satin stitched edges have been improving I'm still not satisfied with them so I gave up and the last two rounded the corners. I've still to finish off my PC and will post when completed. I originally planned only the tea cup and spoon, but a co-worker said they needed a teabag and by the time I left work that day I'd decided that's what I was going to do. Well easier said than stitched I tell you! Anyways here's what they look like, all hand appliqued cups, embellished: