A Music Concert!!!

Yes I was invited to Linda M's son's last CJS musique (spring concert) tonight - he's graduating from Grade 12 in June. It was just awesome and even thought I did not understand the French songs but I sure enjoyed the music - even the ones that sounded like the symphony playing!!! Very well done by all and I thorough enjoyed watching the two conductors and their own unique "dance" directing the musicians.

My 1st Prize!!!

Remember when I posted "I'm a WINNER!" from a contest I had entered on "Louanne's" blog? Well here is my prize uncovered!!! AND it arrived just about in time for my birthday - what a present!!!

OMGG Louanne this is one AWESOME package of fancies that arrived today safe and sound - I could not have chosen better myself - the greens are so deep and lucsious!!! Thank you so very, very much!!!

I also like the pieces of fancy threads for hand embroidery too - lovely!!! Again THANK YOU!!!

My Day?

11:50 pm

Okay, I strolled through the spitting drizzle to my favourite haunt, Carlos & Murphy in Osborne Village, for my favourite nachos (minus the jalopinos) and Corona. Well much to my dismay there were MANY jalopinos within and I had to put the book down to watch for those sneaky beggars!!! Then on the way back I stopped into the Soul Beadery and found some awesome beads on sale that can be used for beach or ocean bed embellishing! So when I got home just vegged till after supper then ventured out to St. Vital Mall and picked up a few more of my kitchen towels to crochet tops. It was a fairly quiet evening afterwards just watching TV and crocheting and then having a late left over pizza supper and pepsi.

Well after Pat & Randy having me over yesterday for chicken BBQ and Pat & I enjoying a number of ceasars I thought today should be fairly quiet! LOL!

10:45 am

Yep another year older - but smarter me don't know??? LOL!!!

It apparently poured here overnight and still spitting out, as everything is soaking wet but OHHHH the trees are all budding into leaf nice and green and everything looks CLEAN finally!!! BUT I was awaken by the cell phone ringing - yes I have the day off. It is mainly used by my sister Florence to contact me and with Dad back in the hospital naturally my heart did a major jolt! Definitely NOT the way to start a lazy day!!!

I'm still debating on whether to go somewhere for lunch I've not been to or just have left over pizza at home and just veg out! HMMMM???? Guess you'll have to check back later to find out what I decided to do - LOL!

My DAD!

I guess this may be what we can expect from here on as my Dad is once again back in the hospital with breathing difficulties and some heart issues - no signs of a heart attack this time. BUT and this is the clincher, Dad has apparently "stopped" taking his medications now some 3 weeks and won't let the girls order any either. Hmmmmm!

So depending on how he is this week I will probably be going to Dauphin this coming weekend for a visit. Not exactly what I wanted to hear today but he is 95 and says he's tired of struggling day in and day out! What can one do?

Tatting Success!

I don't believe it, after deciding yesterday to maybe give up and just follow the chatroom and lessons, the instructor emailed to ask some questions and we finally got me on the straight and narrow and trying the beginning double stitch (DS) again!

the WRONG

Well I finally got the DS, or as they call them the "PANTS", actually 8 failrly neat pants in a row - WOW!!! - before I goofed again. But lots further than I've ever gotten since starting. So maybe this weekend I'll start on some of the lesson work from #1 and #2 and see how far I get! YAHOOIE!!!!!!!!! See the even weight threads??? That was my problem along with not knowing the technique.

the RIGHT

Wouldn't that be something to finally catch onto this so admired stitchery? I've been enthralled with some of the pieces worked for years and drooled whenever seeing an item on the CQd blocks!!!

What, Why & How!

Okay, I just did today my first attempt of a lunchtime walk (I hate going outside then as I find the afternoon drags). It lasted only 15 minutes, was a brisk one as my sandal bare toes and sweater clad body was COLD, never mind my just clipped head too!!!

Most family & friends know I’ve been up and down and anxious a lot these past few years and more so since the summer when I was mulling over what to do with my finances. Well this weekend was one from !@#$ and I’m glad I did not travel anywhere as I was not good company at all. I know I don’t want to ask for anxiety/mood/depression type meds and was thinking of checking out some vitamins that might help – but will bring it up with my Dr next month on BP check.

Well over the weekend I even debated with myself on dropping out of all my groups and then a major panic attack started so I stayed off the computer most of the weekend and READ, did not much else except finish off the close to be finished CQd block (now mailed off). Well I did have a few personal emails on this and also a call from Yvonne who has had me on her mind for a while and is concerned – YIKES – that made me realize I was on a bad path and have to do something!!! Then my coworker too said I have to get out and WALK at lunch – as others, Pat included, so I did!!!

I’m going to do this every day and try also for after work before heading home to play some with my stitching etc (might have to change that to evening depending on what I have on). BUT I did make a decision to try and not let work get to me as much. Also try to wean myself from some groups where I'm not so active in. That way I can continue to experiment with techniques etc and maybe even sell some on my "Creative Extras" blog???

So let’s hope that by the time my Dr apt comes in June I might have some of this anxiety I’ve been feeling daily reduced!!! I hope so. I keep telling myself that there are others with legit reasons for depression and they are coping – so smarten up!!! But just not quite working!

Another Block Finished!!!

YAHOOIE!!! slowly but surely I might get myself out of the quicksand and onto terra firma!!!

Yes, I've completed my "last" block of the CQI crazy patched FFT#5 RR and it's packaged and ready to mail either today or tomorrow! YAHOOIE!!! AND I'm very happy with this one even though I've been very "scared" being the FIRST and LAST on these blocks. The FIRST was the worst - LOL - I just could not get my mojo working and it was near to mailing time when finally I just put the needle to the block and slowly started creating!!! I also dreaded being LAST as most of the block was completed and you were limited to "spots" to add your touches. Well as it turned out (at least with Ritva's block) that being last was not a problem at all. I had ideas popping up so I quickly printed a copy of the last photo on this block (by Shari) and then started to jot down my ideas! AND I barely deviated from those plans - WOW!!!

Okay here are the pics, the before and after Rose Anne (now I'm not sure why the difference in colour but if I have to I'll start taking pics outside)!



Then here are the closeups on the work I stitched on Ritva's block:

only vertical

This was inspired by JOs seam treatment and then I added my MOP shell buttons along with seed beads this time. I was thinking of sorta like a "fence" to hold the garden within???



Then my crocheted heart anchored with seed beads and some MOP finish hearts for accent anchored in place with a seed bead - sort of float around.



And here's my stitched motif (going to try and do one of these on all blocks) and I picked this time the Lily Pilly done with stem, straight and French knot stitches and the leaves in stem and satin stitches. This too came out of the Candlewicking book - lots of lovely ideas in there. Also because I extended into the other patch I was not sure about a seam finish so decided to add one of the MOP hearts with a seed bead and then Colonial knots in triangles to fill that space and not detract from the two motifs there.



And last but not least I thought this patch by Shari needed something but WHAT??? Then I thought I've those butterfly charms so added that and then tried my hand at a beaded dragonfly with metallic feather stitched wings. Now definitely I need some "finesse" to these but otherwise I love it!

Okay, I'm sure I could have gone on more like I wanted to add a bird charm into the upper left corner but forgot and then the block was packaged so well I did not want to try opening it. Sorry Ritva, maybe you'll think of something for that small corner or maybe it does not need it!

A New Language for ME???

What a day!!! It started off getting soaked to the skin walking to work in the pouring cold rain, a 9:30 Branch meeting and carried through just about to 11:00 when our 3-hr ASL (American Sign Language) training session starts (so we can communicate better with John our deaf co-worker). It was a rush to replenish the coffee and bathroom break plus wolf down half my sandwich before heading back into the meeting room.





Well we started off with the “interpreters” for the introductions then they LEFT accompanied by my gasps and it was “zip the mouth” and no talking for three hours unless on the one break, but there was a bit of it near the end when we were rehashing things – brain dead by then!!! THAT was CRUEL to me, but I survived, even though my heart was a racing and a couple of times I think I was on the brink of hyperventilating but took a few deep breaths and settled down. Sylvia, our teacher who is deaf, did promise us that we would learn and by golly she was right, we learnt lots, have sign spelling for homework and we have the Post It notes of words up in our office for rehashing sessions with John as our “work teacher”. I can tell you that by the last half hour, that my brain was fried and I could not remember the “symbols” for certain words that she taught us. DUH! I sure hope I don’t forget it all. I KNOW I don’t want to sign spell my requests out - easier with symbols for words or phrases!!!

Okay so we were back just after 2:00 and I wolfed down the other half of my sandwich and then back to work.

Then on the way home I again got soaked to the skin in the pouring cold rain, but it eased up some before going out to my evening meeting, but DANG chilly!!!



It's been forecast to snow just to the northeast of us and towards my sister Kenora ON way!!!

A New Hobby???

Okay am I off my rocker in tackling this one??? I don't know, but I can tell you I've been admiring "tatted" objects for many years and craved to learn. Even bought the book, shuttle and specific cottons but could not grasp self-teaching this one!!! Then a few years ago I bought the tatting needle and book but was holding down two jobs at the time and set it aside yet to be found!!! LOL! And since becoming involved in the hand embellishments of Crazy Quilting I see the awesome talents of others and their tatting motifs and crave to learn even moreso.

Well I found out there is an online tatting class and even a Yahoo group so off I went to sign up and last night was the Meet & Greet session. Thankfully not much in teaching as I'm fighting a cold and not really with it! I did try the double stitch last night but after half an hour just gave up.

see the white peaking through the purple?

Tonight I tried it again for a 2" length, took a rest and read then just tried it again and was happier with this attempt, but so uneven. So decided I'll try it twice a night and hopefully by next Thrusday's class be able to tackle that night's homework adequately.


back side

I'm a WINNER!

I was too wound up to work after receiving my email, that is for sure!!!

It was good news to see that my tax refund was in my bank account considering I dallied in sending it in and my Blue Cross benefit yesterday, but then I just got an email that I’ve won 1st Prize - a Stash Stretch Packet (25 pieces of 6 x 10” fancy fabrics for crazy patch valued at $12.50 US) and a surprise packet of beads or trims or Mother of Pearl buttons!!!

This was in celebration of LouAnne’s and Allie’s birthdays with a blog "give away" on LouAnne’s and I was one of many blog readers who submitted comments on that entry and in mine I had stated I liked greens. As the 1st place winner the prize was in your choice of colours, she emailed me the notification and also that the selection of greens was not that great and was there other colours she could add instead. WOW talk about accommodating! So I said anything from nature’s palette - creams, golds, oranges, rusts, browns and naturally greens - so who knows what I’ll receive - it’ll be a surprise. WOW!!!

Margreet's FFT#5 RR block

WOW, these blocks I thought would get easier as others stitched and gave a fuller picture to the block – NADA!!! I’m not sure if it is me or my “envisioning” or the blocks posing dilemmas for me but it’s still about a week or so before ideas fully hatch. It’s a good thing some are easier and I get those stitched on and pray others start percolating!!! I did work on Margreet's block while at McNally Robinson's Sharing Craft night last week and it received many compliments from passers by.


I LOVE your block Margreet and hope I’ve kept it “soft” as you’ve asked. I know I’ll be adding a web and spider somewhere and some camouflage too! I’m also hoping to work on that top left flower similar to what Shari did but in a different colour to compliment. Okay enough waiting to inspiration to hit me I’m diving in after a week of dreaming!!!
After Dianne & Shari

I auditioned my hearts and decided to put all three of them in as I could not decide on one and then beaded them in place. I also stitched over the fabric design with DMC floss in straight/stem and Colonial knots to emphasize that space but not take away from the hearts.


This is the first time I’ve used a teardrop bead body for the spider and bugle/seed beads for the legs – hope it’s not too much? With Needle Necessities overdyed floss I stitched a vine and leaves around the spider web and added some Japanese Buttonhole Twist Colonial knot flowers to it also.


And again I used Needle Necessities overdyed floss for the top left corner to imitate what Shari did on the other lace piece but in a rose shade and added the pink seed beads to all the flower centres. My last addition is below the upper left corner, Pat gave me the bridal lace trim and dusty rose accent trim which I anchored down with pale yellow seed beads. I guess these rolled blooms at the end will have to be unrolled for ease in stitching.


I also added the bead butterfly on the large lace piece too.


I hope you like how this is coming togetherMargreet! Now it’s onto Ritva to do her magic and finish off the block.

After Dianne, Shari and Rose Anne.

Ravenesque Stitching Night

I had a lovely evening, thank you very much Pat for hostessing it – I just love stitching time there and sorry we kinda went over the time too. AND yes I am jealous for such a bright and cool studio with such AWESOME creativity displayed too!!! I must also say thank you Pat for that trim you gave to me - it was just the touch on that seam treatment for my CQd block.

My apartment is just too warm no matter what the season unless I have the AC working then that room is too cool – Go Figure!!! I also love that working table you have – one of these days I’m going to have to look into fixing myself up decently!!! I know I have to get rid of the lousy arm chair and space occupying couch that is just a project depositor and very very very seldome used as intended!!! There is so much I’d love do but so little time and funds – gotta prioritize I guess!!!

Barnswallows Morden Quilt Show

Sorry, but I've no pictures to blog as I was not able to get owners' permissions and also my camera batteries kept dyeing on my so I've no retreat pics either. BOO HOO HOO!!!

Well I’m not sure what gives with me but I know I’m not truly myself and it showed this weekend I’m sure. I thought I was coming down with a cold but then I think it’s more my allergies acting up and Benedryl did come to the rescue but it still leaves me out of sorts.

Anyways, this was the first time I was all packed and ready to go the night before (at a decent hour but tossed and turned for 2.5 hours then woke like 4 hours later in a panic but 2 hours too early - UGH!) and Norma picked me up lickety split and off on our adventure we went. First stop was in Carman at Kathy’s Fabrics and the Tea Room for lunch, but first we passed some fields of wide patches of standing water and also passed through a belt of SNOW – yep it snowed for about a 10 minute stretch then was all clear after that! WEIRD!!! We shopped briefly and I even bought some gauzy type stuff already splotched in shades of green and another in blues ready for landscapes and if not then bathingsuit coverups!!! We met up with Tami and Florence and all had lunch together in their lovely Tea Room – awesome food and ambiance!!!

Then onto Morden we went and naturally stopped at Quilters Jewel for their annual cleaning out fabric sale and yes I bought three awesome greens from the 70% off table and another piece for landscapes that I could not resist and a wider quilt hanger for myself. We then zipped over to the Barnswallows quilt show and did some damage there too then got settled into our room and met up with the other girls before supper. I was starting to get a headache and achey feeling again too. Some of us availed ourselves of the salt water hot tub and swimming pool and gosh did that feel great and after a shower I joined the girls in the breakfast room to play a fun board game too that Tami brought.

Saturday we were up and attem early and set up our stitching room for the day! Then off to Winkler for lunch and a brief stop into Fabricland (which I only spent $7.05 myself) but nothing jumped out at me that I had to buy! LOL! Then back to Morden and a leisurely tour of the quilt show and I must say I was mighty impressed with the variety that was displayed this year. The Challenge quilts were very good and I had a hard time choosing my favourite. The Featured Quilter was unexpected changed due to unforeseen circumstances but still awesome! Yep I enjoyed it and even found a beautiful 10” round tatted doily for a $1 in the garage sale next door – WOW!!!!!! Might even tea dye it to kill the dusty pink colour and keep it myself???

We went back to the hotel for some stitching but it goes to show one should not be dealing with money when not 100% as I could not split up a bill correctly worth a DARN and just about wasted more gas and effort driving back to Winkler to get the problem sorted out. It was MY fault and I had a calculator!!! In the end it was correct, just left me totally out of sorts and with a worse headache. Not even more ceasars and pizza for supper could fix that - even tried to snitch Ricky's drink but she caught me!!! LOL! After supper we continued to stitch and some girls went to relax in the pool too but most had an early night!

Sunday after the freebie hotel breakfast (wholesome variety) we all packed up and went our own way and both Norma and I decided to forego waiting for the show to open for a last look around and were back in the city by 1:00 pm. So I had the afternoon to catch up on some of my emails and the evening to tackle Margreet’s FFT#5 RR block as I did not get any stitching done on it this weekend at all. I did not DARE to attempt such the way I was. Nope, NADA!!!

Quilt Challenge Contest

Ok, on one of my groups this was just posted and I thought I would comment on it here too.

I just checked Marie's site and discovered her quilt challenge. The quilts will only be up a few days, so please go look, and vote, hopefully for the crazy quilted one. Click on the thumbnails and you will get a good look at each quilt and then vote just below.

Many of you may know Dean Deerfield ... I don't ... but just thought it was important we support our art form and vote for her (if you so wish). Voting ends May 8th and if you agree, you could put it on your blogs too...get the CQ word out!!