What a DAY!!!

Okay I told you earlier that I was apprehensive about my feelings in regards to my last day after about 4 years of working a full time number crunching job plus a pretty hectic part time job evenings and weekends (unless I booked it off). Well that was nothing to what turned up!

See I stopped at Sears and picked up some new pans on sale and then lunch at New York Fries - yep with the works and YUMMY! Then Karen and I had a lovely day chatting and very little traffic through the store and she mentioned we'll have to keep in touch with some quilting projects or discussions over breakie at the Sals on the Provencher Bridge or in the park before she left which was later than usual. And twice throughout the day the Manager pops in (it's her weekend off and I didn't put two and two together - DUH!) and brings me a beautiful blue rose. Kinda how I was feeling and she did say she would gladly tear up my resignation - no please don't do that - I need a break! So they both had left and I did close up and gathered my purchases and the rose along with my tote and tried not to lose the "deposit" and out I left for the last time - definitely down!

Well as I near the bank's deposit I ask Guest Services if I could leave my purchases here as I needed my hands to make the deposit. No problem! So then I turn towards the drop off and there's my Manager grinning at me! Dummy here says hey what are you still doing here, but thanks for helping, much appreciated! She says no problem and turns to go and I return for my purchases and then prepare to leave. I'm still shaking my head and ask again why she's still here and not at home. She's grinning and said "because I'm not going home and neither are you - I hope you have no plans cause you're turning here"! - Brannigan's Restaurant??? Ummm I'm blubbering and trying to catch my breath too - starting to panic and ask if I can drop off my stuff at the car first and nope she lassoes me and in we go and to the back room too - now I'm so close to crying! There seated are my co-workers on their day off too along with a gift bag for me too. What an awesome surprise! Hey some days were GRRRR but I know I'll sure miss the gals very very very much! If you're reading this I thank you very much for the lovely supper, your company and appreciation for the time spent working with you all and also the gifts too!

The flower was from Barb, my Manager and I think she orchestrated this shingdig by the way. And then there is the lovely blue flower vase, a package of Laura Secord chocolates for my sweet tooth and a lovely silver plated and engraved jewellry box which I'm going to store my dressy watch from Mom and Dad, my charm bracelet and the odd pieces of gold jewellry.

They all wished me many free hours to relax and enjoy life and time for my various crafts along with hoping I remember to drop by and visit and who knows maybe send some of my projects their way! LOL! Yep, what a day!

Apprehensive!

Oh how can you tell I'm anxious, apprehensive and worrying if I've done the right thing or not?
See I'm still at home and should be dressed and off for my last shift at Lewiscraft/Bentley's Liquidation Clearance Centre for this afternoon and here I'm still on my computer!!!
Oh boy, oh my, guess I better get going.
Like Linda said if things get tough I'm sure I would be hired back.
What will I do with my time now {tongue in cheek}???

A "What Do You Think" Postcard

Hmmmmm I just received an email from my friend (who just celebrated her 75th birthday) and is just starting into "postcards" but has been a quilter for many many many years and does such exquisite pieces. Well she mentioned she was not satisfied with her first attempt and made another which she'd already posted to me and would like my opinion - well I was not sure what I was going to get at all but very curious. Hmmmmm!

It definitely was not this most beautifully electrified, floating, embroidered and beaded hearts! They are just so precious and the stitching is so even and tiny and at first you don't even notice it but then each and every detail starts to draw your attention!!! It is just BEAUTIFUL and I thank you so very very much Adeline for sending this jewel to me! Thank you my dear! I so look foward to swapping with you again soon.

And I have not forgotten to send you one of my postcards to show your lady friends. It will hopefully go out this week. Hey, maybe if you're interested I can send you the link to the postcard group I belong to (that Linda hosts) and there is a maximum of 4 swappers for each topic and usually a month to prepare them. So think about this and who knows you just might enjoy a swap or two in the future.

A Busy Saturday!

Well I spent my day at Mrs. Twitchett's Eye for the latter half of my Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery class and what a jam packed one it was too - hope I can remember all I learnt and finish off my class project. We concentrated on the flowers and fillers today. Here is my project so far.

I can tell you that I was a might strung out or up or whatever and I think it was due to the fact that I was looking at the last day of my part time job and feeling rather down but yet excited so a mixed bag of feelings which naturally showed in my conversations!!! LOL! I probably needed a stiff alcoholic drink to settle down but then who knows what kind of stitching I'd do then!

Anyways, Friday night after a short shift at the second job I came home and promptly stitched up a BDE thread holder to cart around and store these slippery but amazing rayon threads (thank you so much Catherine for the eash to follow tutorial) - I was quite pleased with my first attempt and it was ready to take to class with my properly steamed and stretched and dried threads within. But then I decided I needed two more for all my threads (yes I picked up four more at class) and more to come, so I made two more.

They are even colour coordinated to the threads inside - well kinda - the first one is blues and purples, the second is yellow, orange and reds and the slightly smaller one is white, black, brown and greens.

Here's the opened view.

And a closeup of the first one (and this was not all the threads, just those noted for the project) I took to class and the stretchy cord I knotted and used to hold the rolled up bundle - opted out of stitching on ribbons and tying. So guess with this newly acquired experience and the stash of BDE threads I better spend my summer stitching out in the gardens like I used to!!!

I've been tagged . . .

I've been tagged by Dale Anne - my special quilting inspirational friend.
Now 7 lesser known facts about me....

1. I loved camping!
Gosh I used to take summer vacations and my tenting supplies and camp whatever the weather (except once for day in day out downpour then I escaped to Sylvia's) - yep all by myself - now I escape to Alberta for a quilting retreat for my summer vacation!

2. I don't like heights!
I'm not one for window elevators on like TOWERS etc. Nor chair lifts, trolley cable cars or other such up in the air things. Definitely don't like small airplanes only the larger commercial ones.

3. I've a weak stomach!
You know those country roads with the culverts for spring run offs to pass underneath the road - well Dad used to drive one speed and not slow down for them - always lost my innards on those trips. Still don't care for being in the back seat!!!

4. I LOVE the outdoors most times!
I love walking or just sitting reading or enjoying nature with my camera - without mosquitoes that is! I and mosquitoes do not agree - need my Benadryl then for sure! But I HATE anything hotter than mid to late 20C - definitely not a sun worshipper.

5. I'm always broke!
I just can't budget, always spend ahead of my pay cheque! But I'll probably die happy from doing things I wanted to instead of saving every penny for the future.

6. Must be scared of new things!
I've always had used cars: 73 Dodge Duster, 75 Dodge Charger, and now an 83 Plymouth Parisienne and you know what I don't want a new car, but maybe something a shade newer and maybe a bit smaller but not a small car! Scared !@#%less when driving my friend's new vehicles!!!

And last but definitely not least!!!

7. I love my friends!
I can't say I have a childhood friend but I do have a few very close loving friends and many friends period - not necessarily quilt or craft related. You all have your time and place in my heart and life and whenever we are together those times are enjoyed and treasured dearly. Thank you.

Now I'm supposed to tag seven people with BLOGS but that would mean people I'm just acquainted with through online groups so not sure I want to continue this. Hope you enjoyed learning something new about me though.

A busy day yesterday!

Well girls I spent Saturday all for MOI and totally enjoyed it. Guess I'll be having more of these soon too! April 30th is the last day of my four years of part time employment on top of my full time day job!!!! YAHOOOIEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

It started off getting a new cell phone (cranberry colour) and then off to my quilting satellite group and started stitching my scrap fabric selvedges onto a foundation backed with a very nice green small print backing fabric that will hopefully be stitched this week into my challenge item for the retreat I'm going to in June. I could not believe how long it takes to stitch strips together and trying to maintain a semblance of order and design!!! Some of the Aurora gals told me to loosen up and just sew so I did a bit and it went a bit faster - LOL!





Then rushed out to find a compact sized purse - no go there!

So off to my LNS, Mrs. Twitchetts Eye where we had an after hours "cocktail hour" and stitching PJ party for $15. We had a lovely time and after all the mock-cocktails and finger food along with awesome desserts were gobbled down, we settled down to an evening of stitching. Partway through the night we stopped and each were given a small kit of Swaroski crystals, beads, #22 tapestry needle and some beading thread to make a counted needlework marker. It's just lovely and I bought some extra kits for myself and a couple to make for my friend who could not come tonight. Then again before we left around 11:30/midnight various items were put on 30% off sale.

I took my Brazillian Dimensional Embroidery class project to work on and made lots of headway with the background greenery and very glad I did so as I really did not remember how to do one set of leaves at all and really not that keen on them either but at least I did them. Okay I think I'm ready for the next class of a rose, chrysanthemum, clymatis and field flowers!!!




I sat with Pat from our guild and satellite group and what an inspiration she was too! See she does such exquisite embroidery and tonight it was even in my colours so I just LOVED her piece and very envious of her work! And needless to say there were many there tonight with varous needlework projects that I envied!!! Yes a very lovely evening. BUT I was exhausted when I got home at midnight. Guess I'm to old for all this gallivanting! LOL!

Comments to Share!

I've been receiving varied comments from my family/friends/co-workers on these RAB's Designer Eggs postcards and one in particular I want to share (and this is all said kindly and with concern for my well being after all my late nights), hope you aren't offended that I'm sharing!

XXX:
What did you use for all the colors on the eggs? A multicolor fabric?

My reply:
Ummmmm I don't know if I should tell you in case you beat me up!!!! Those are individually sewn on beads and yarn and a gold trim edged.

XXX:
GET OUT! All the beads are sewn on the dark background fabric? No wonder it took you so long! Perhaps you should rethink your ideas once they get TOO COMPLICATED or people will start referring to you as “crazy lady” or something like that!

My reply:
See I said I shouldn't have told you!!! I originally wanted to do a Ukrainian Easter Egg but realized I did not have enough beads in the right colours. STUPID I know but lovely right???

XXX:
Very lovely – and for the record, I would never call you a crazy lady!

My reply:
Even if you did I'd know it was in a nice way!!! Thank you.


And to top that off here's a link to my friend Dale Anne's BLOG and her newest creation:

http://dpquiltsca.blogspot.com/2007/04/fabric-postcard.html

She's so creative and comes up with some awesome projects! Thanks for sharing!!!

RAB's Designer Eggs!

Well here they are! They will be mailed right after work today! I apologize for the awful delay getting these completed and mailed off to you Leoni, Myla, Nancy and Sherry of FAPC, Easter Egg Swap.

#106 Sent to Leoni Davis

#107 Sent to Myla Chapman

#108 Sent to Nancy Arakelian

#109 Sent to Sherry Dreir

Easter Eggs turned Designer Eggs!!!

Gosh this one definitely will have me "rethinking" my "what pops into my head ideas" for my postcards in the future. Originally I wanted to make something that resembled a Ukrainian Easter Egg - well that bombed when I realized I didn't have enough beads in the right colours to do this. So then they turned into RAB's Designer Eggs (and lovely too) - but shoot they took like 3 weeks to prepare and I just finished sandwiching four for mailing tomorrow. I still have the satin stitch to do all around so will try and zip home at noon and run this around so I can mail them too!

Now some were mentioning the cost of postage higher than normal, well I can tell you that one set of mine were just over the maximum weight and then another one was just a smidge too fat and no I was not going to take a hammer to it to make it fit so I paid the additional postage. Well these RAB's Designer Eggs definitely will be overweight and I knew that right from the start but I also HATE changing my mind when ideas are decided upon. Oh well that's life!

Guess tomorrow night, or should I say tonight, I'll start my trapunto postcards and I can tell you those will be a BREEZE compared to this last one for me. LOL! I'll try and get pics of the eggs soon!

BDE - started today!!!

OMGG I had a LOVELY first class in Brazilian Embroidery at my LNS, Mrs. Twitchett's Eye. Basically we started our main stemwork and leaves, then planned out our layout for the flowers along with picking our colours and continued with secondary stemwork and additional leaves. We were sent home with homework to complete the background and in two weeks we'll work on the Old French Rose, Chrysanthemum, Clymatis and Rosebuds and other field flowers!

Now to most of you this is probably old news, BUT for me this is the first time I'm actually learning how to use my Edmar rayon threads and I just love the look of the variegated ones especially. But I don't know about these milliners needles - they feel like fence posts after my using #12 quilters needles for all my hand applique and sometimes a little larger needle for the crazy patch embroidery sessions. I can tell you this needle HURTS when you accidentally drop it and reach to catch it!!!! LOL!

Now I wish I had taken this class earlier, could have had my Chain of Hearts completed by now!!! That'll be my summer project hopefully - at least my crazy patched hearts are stitched, ready and waiting for my embroidery!

Angel Hugz for Kerry - my finale

Yep, finally my part of this Hugz Quilt is completed. I prepared a label, does not mean it will be used, but it's there if desired and the binding was all cut, stitched, pressed and then rolled onto those cardboard lace holders and off went the whole package - quilt top also!!! It will tomorrow morning start it's journey to Debbie MacLeod for the quilting/binding part and then will be delivered to Kerry when completed. I can't wait to hear what Kerry thinks of it once she sees it up close and personal like!

So now I'm going to put my feet up right after I draft up another postcard design and relax the rest of the evening.

Another Lovely Visit with Dad!

Well considering I couldn't get my car started Thursday to gas it up, especially after filling up the drained rad with antifreeze and water mixture and checking the engine oil etc. - I was not impressed. Just in case I had a pail of water and another flashlight just as backup and also the charged up cell phone. The battery was hooked up to the charger overnight and BINGO it turned over and started right away (and that battery is maybe a year old - sat too long not used???) so in I jumped and took off, stopping only to pick up another jug of antifreeze just in case. I stopped at Elie to use the lou and hopefully settle my nerves some and checked but no car leaks at all - PHEW!!! So in I got again and this time drove all the way to Dauphin, to my sister's. Phoned Dad and then the mechanic, got a ride over to Dad's, while the car went to the garage. I was pooped so just visited for a while, cooked and ate supper with Dad, then Florence came and picked me up for the evening.

On Saturday, Dad was going to have me sew down double sized sheets for his "new" twinsized bed but my younger sister vetoed that and bought him two new sets instead! So I got off lucky and just had to grocery shop, clean and make his meals for him and me and also rearrange his dresser to make more room for him. He was checking his watch quite often, so I thought I'd better get out of there for a while so I told him I'd be back for 5:00 pm, so off to the Library to check just personal emails and then check out a couple of shops. We're chuckling at his antics!!! Again after supper I walked back to my sister's for the evening.

Sunday I spent the start of the day once again with Dad but then walked back to Florence's stopping for a Hot Fudge Sunday and then just watch more sports until we all left for my older sister's for Easter supper taking Dad with us too! It was short and sweet compared to family visits, but Dad tires fast (being 93 years young) but a nice visit and AWESOME food!!!! LOL!

Well my "bomb" was still not ready Monday morning so I didn't get the early start I wanted but still was on the road about 11:00 AND made a slight detour to Plumas and KickAss Quilt Shop and found lots of stuff I wish I had more money to splurge with! It's an awesome little shop with lots of sewing knick knacks too and Laurel Burch purses too!!! I KNOW I will be stopping on my trip out to Dauphin on the May long weekend and I better be more prepared to shop!!!

I'll always go home every chance I have on long weekends as with an aging parent you never know how long you have together. And considering the visits past, I don't want to miss out if I can help it!

Oh yeah I also too some pictures of my sister/BIL's cats! At least they don't run and hide no more! Here's Toffey and Blackjack!!!

Hugz for Kerry - final

Ohhh, I can't believe I've completed this project and LOVE it too! Okay, here are two complete top pictures and one is with me - we have a vacant office at work and I hung it up, got the pics taken and even had show and tell with coworkers. Some could not believe we would put all this work into it and then give it away - which quickly was okay and thought what a wonderful way that we express our well wishes on Kerry's healthy and complete recover.

Guess I'll now have to return to my WISPs and hopefully with giving up the part time job end of April I should find some time for me!!!

HUGZ for Kerry - Part 4

YAHOOOIIIEEEEEE!!!!!!!

I finished sewing Kerry's quilt top about half an hour ago and put it on my bed one last time and GOSH I think it is just lovely! Thank you ladies for the blocks and Susan for the priviledge of working on this baby even though is was my "first" attempt all by myself on a large quilt. Kudo's to my sister Sylvia for showing me that it makes a big difference when you measure twice and cut once! LOL!

Yes, I will post a picture of the completed top when I finally get one - hopefully tomorrow.

And Kerry I hope that when you do receive this finished quilt that all the HUGS within this baby help to soothe your rough times and think of the good times to come!

Hugs, Rose Anne

Hugz for Kerry - Part 3

Well I'm back at it and gosh this takes lots of time and energy to make a quilt! But I LOVE what it looks like so far and I must apologize I do not have the capabilities in this poor apartment to take proper pictures. Anyways, I've added on both bottom and top batik borders and now to add the side borders and then the final dark green border and it will be finished - at least on my part of this quilt for Kerry!

Here are a few pics but like I said they aren't that great but at least give you an idea of what I'm doing. This is a close up of the 1" dark green, 3" X 12" batik strips sewn for inner border, 1.5" dark green, and the final 3.5" X 12" batik strips sewn for outer border.

Here's the bottom right corner.

Here's the top right corner.

The Good from The Bad

Okay, guess you're wondering where the heck she gets her titles from!!! Sometimes I wonder too! LOL!

Anyways, this one sums up how I feel today! See the day started not to badly until I stepped outside into that frigid chilled through to the bone artic winds hit me! I kinda stood there a sec and wondered whether I return to the apartment and get my parka, windpants and touque but then I thought NAH, I just did not feel like it so I just shivered and yanked up my hood and went to work. It was going to be a might rushed as we were all leaving for our Divisional meeting shortly after getting there but I got a few things done and then left. Well I don't know if it was getting chilled once again or what but in the 3 hour meeting I had to dash out three times to the lou and even my favourite pizza for lunch didn't do anything to appease it either. Good thing I live close to work so I just came straight home and have been up and down all day!

Needless to say I didn't get much of anything done at home either, just put my feet up and relaxed and when I felt like it stitched a bit too. I finished the edge stitching on the following postcards and hopefully I'll be feeling better to go to work and also mail them off. Yes they are basically the same but there are slight differences.

Hugz for Kerry - post 2

WOW I've spent a lot of today working on this and now I know why I do miniatures!!! I love having total control within my hands and not all over my body!!! This place is definitely not conducive to working on large sized projects.

It really was funny if you could have seen me trying to measure the top in the 1/3's and 2/3's positions to determine the border strip sizes! Yep, there was me with my bed all cleared off and two pieces of plastic board tucked underneath to have the top laying flat (now I've gotta get it back together to go to bed!) and then anchoring one end of the tape measure at the edge of the blocks and then walking around the bed careful not to smash my toes once again and then gently stretching the tape across and noting the width. Then removing it all, cutting the borders, stitching them in place and then once again going through all this all over again for the length edge borders. Times like this I wish I hadn't learnt to do this properly - yep from Sylvia when she was helping me with my Under Stars Galore quilt top. Just to think I have to undergo all this again with the outer borders - UGH!!!! I think I'll save the larger quilt top making for when it's satellite meeting days then I'll have the hall tables or the huge floor!!!

I'm definitely glad I'll be pet sitting again on Tuesday evening and will have my niece's machine on her dining table and hopefully able to stitch on the batik borders then . I'll work on cutting and stitching them up tomorrow evening and thus sew them onto the quilt top then.


Okay, here's a picture of the quilt top all pieced together with the 1" finished size dark green inner border. You'll probably notice that the corner blocks have sashing around them that's because the were 12" rather than 12.5" unfinished sizes and I really wanted to use ALL the blocks I received in this quilt. I think this works even if it does interfere with the crosses pattern.