Finally Getting Somewhere!

Okay, I've finally finished off the two Patch RRs from another group received back in mid-May!!! Yep I've done my part on these two blocks and will have them in the mail tomorrow to Dorothy. Phew, it's been a long haul trying to get things done when you're not your old self - sometimes the creativity just was not there, nor the get up and go to get to it!!!


Anyways, first is Katie's Patch RR which she's requested primitive embroidery. Well she had me stumped but I finally came up with my King of the Pond patch after my CQd frog for Tami popped out on my screen saver - YAH!!!!!!! Hope I got the "primitive embroidery" Katie?



Then I fell in love with the patch that Dorothy put onto my block and knew I was doing a beaded dragonfly on it - like flying over the grass or fields or forests!!! Hmmm now that it is done I maybe should have placed it onto my green velvet or a lighter patch. Oh well it's too late now but I'm danged happy with my result!!! I think that is the first time I'm truly happy with my dragonfly and I've attempted a few in the past.

A Lovely Day - Despite!

Yep, many things kinda put a damper on today's gathering of the Aurora gals at their summer "picnic" held at Norma's lovely home, due to my own stupidity, the weather and other commitments.

See I was reading a book last week and because of the pouring rain Friday I decided I was just going to finish it - WELLLLL it took till 2:30 am to do so so naturally I woke feeling groggy and then proceeded to broil chicken pieces and then transferred them to a foil lined roaster and into the oven for baking before returning to bed for another hour. Then I picked up Jeanette & Martin and off we went to Norma's for the Aurora "picnic/pool gathering" which actually had to stay inside as it was a downright MISERABLE day with pouring rain and storm-like howling winds. Out of the 18 members (some out of towners to be honest) there were Norma (naturally), Gail, Val, Dianne, Virginia, Tami, Jeanette, Martin and myself - small but awesome cause we had this "holiday like spread" to ourselves. I said it was like a Christmas feast and shortly after that the conversation turned to specialty dishes for the holidays - HMMMM???





Afterwards we returned to their family room (pics by Norma) for more stitching and even borrowed from MPQ their scissor holder project and surprisingly I finished mine this time. Don't worry I have some extra sets and will bring my finished one to the next few meetings and those who weren't here can still make one for themselves.




Yes it was a lovely gathering and THANK YOU Norma & Ted for graciously letting us move inside for this day! BUT I truly did bring my newly bought swimsuit just in case the weatherman was wrong and it cleared up enough for me to enjoy the pool. DANG IT, I truly did want to go swimming!!!

Now I'm home and left over chicken pieces put away for my lunches/suppers next week or so and checking my emails before getting back to some RR blocks or a nap!

Plans for CQd Heart Block Etc

Okay, I've decided to wait for one more RR heart block to be embellished and instead of the original wall hanging idea, my co-worker Darlene, who is always applauding or buying my creative works, thought it would be lovely to get a long rectangle shadow box type frame and a matte with three squares evenly spaced across and applique the hearts on individual appropriate backgrounds (it could sit over my couch). Now I think that is just lovely and I could make up a specific gummed label for each block and stick it onto the backing and maybe even inside too on fabric. See I'm first in line to say I can do the JOB, but lots of times I just don't see the FINISHED picture and that's when my family and friends come to my rescue - I thank you all for that too!

Then today Dale Anne suggested "Why not a matte cut with 3 hearts? Then you can frame them without a backing fabric." WELL that's a GREAT idea for the matte - it's going to cost me to have it cut anyways so why not a heart shaped one and have the magnificent CQd hearts pop right out???

Thank you both my dear friend and co-worker!!!

THEN Carolynn dropped by and mentioned that I should have it listed somewhere of what will happen with my treasures and funny as I myself was thinking of that last night after receiving this awesome heart. So I had decided that some will be donated to various family, friends and organizations when I'm gone and felt better with that decision. Well we had a chuckle as it was perfect timing! See she mentioned that one can contact certain charities about pieces you are going to leave to them for fundraisers etc in your will and some will even come photograph and appraise it and some will even give you a tax receipt now to use on your tax return - WOW!!! Also once this decision is made it's a good idea to put a label stating such on the back and also make a list in your will, keeping it up to date too. One never knows what will happen to these treasures once you're gone. Better to have it labeled etc. for posterity is better than tossed in the garbage bin or lost in a second hand store! Hey, don't go getting worried, I'm not sick, just wondering about my babies!!!

Fabulous First Timer RR#5 - IS HOME!!!

Yeppers, my FFTRR#5 CQd heart block is HOME - (pardon me Debbie but I just must) and it is "just a Go-a-jus block!!!" Now excuse me for stealing a CQI member's special saying (better in her American accent I'm told) but I'm just at a loss at describing this block. It has surpassed all I'd every thought how it would come home - especially for my first CQd RR! AND there's even "TWO" patches not touched at all!!! WHAT gives girls??? Thought you gals said it was filled??? Guess I've learnt ONE main lesson and that is "never never never" put your favourite fabric in a block unless you put a note with it to "add some spice" to it! chuckling See I inserted a treasured piece from my sister's fancy stash which JUST fit in for the centre patch of the heart and then some precious hand dyed Venice Lace from Sandy W (Aust) but no one touched either! That's okay maybe it's as how it should be too - both are so lovely by themselves!

Okay, here is what I sent with my block and you tell me if they didn't follow it to a "T"!!!

- My first block within CQI – well a heart actually
- I love nature’s colour palette – bold and rich – mossy greens etc
- I love tatted motifs and edgings – still befuddles me but will keep trying
- I also love Venetian lace motifs and edgings – trying to build a stash to use
- I love all types of stitching, SRE and other embroidered embellishments
- Chunky buttons/charms are fine as long as they “enhance” and not detract
- Will probably somehow incorporate this heart into a wall hanging as I love minis
- I’ve included a piece of fabric that I would LOVE you all to sign as it will be part of my label for the back, Thank You!

my "naked" block

And here's some of the excerpts from their writeups in my booklet:

#1 - Ritva of Finland: "At first I was quite afraid of starting to work with your beautiful block ... soon the green folded green patch shout me to sew some vines on it ... a mossy stone in the forrest which was ready to get some wild vine cover ... added tatting on a seam on the left and embellished it with beads and some detached chains ... made Bullion roses on the brown patch."

#2 - Margreet of The Netherlands: "put some stitches along the lace on the right top ... embroidery along the brown fabric and pale brown beside"
Thank you Margreet for your cut paper butterfly in my booklet!!!

#3 - Diane of LA, USA: "I had to stop myself from working on your beautiful heart block ... started bottom and ran a leafy vine with bead buds up and around the beaded heart motif I made ... worked on top of the stitches on the top cream patch putting little green leaves with single charm stitches and pretty yellow flowers ... added the little butterfly charm and a bee on the green patch at the bottom"
Yes Diane I love your heart - you picked all the colours from in the heart!

#4 - Shari of CO, USA: "wasn't a lot of room left to get real creative - trying to bring balance to the block ... did the SRE and bead flower cluster on the upper left adding twisted silk stem work in straight & fly stitches with pink butterflies with Bullion body and pistel stitch stamens ... dark seam on the gold velvet with long detached chains with fly stitch filling with puka shells from Hawaii and added the black butterfly ... added the ecru lace flower motif and yellow butterfly next to gold heart button already there ... had a lot of fun creating the dragonfly from beads with wings of organza ribbon but looked lonely so added one more small butterfly"

NOW GIRLS (BTW, I'm not shouting, just exclaiming) HOW CAN YOU NOT THINK I WOULD "LOVE" MY FINISHED BLOCK!!!

Okay Okay Okay I hear you, you want the pictures now - enough yakking about it, alright here they are!!!

after Ritva
after Margreet
after Diane
after Shari

And here are four closeups if you want to check it out more so!

lower half
top left
close up
top right
and the centre

SOOOOOO, I think you can gather that I just LOVE my first CQd RR block and am anxious to see my other heart RR when finished it's rounds in another group!!! Yes, thank you very much Ritva, Margreet, Diane and Shari for all your precious hand work, embellishing or whatever you want to call it! It's just beautiful! THANK YOU! And whenever I get this idea of an appliqued CQd heart blocks wall hanging finished I'll for sure be posting it with more heart warming thanks I'm sure!!!

Another CQd Block Completed!!!

Okay this was very unusual and quite the honour for me and it's finally finished and it's still JUNE (suggested deadline) and I'll be mailing it back to it's owner tomorrow!!! See Lyn G emailed me back in February asking if I would work on her one remaining block for her "Mini Seanes" series embellished by her cyber friends. How could I refuse? WELL I can tell you I was "scared" as this was the first time I'd be working on someone's whole block by myself. I thought it was hard doing patches and seam treatments with others together on one block - HUH!!! Oh well maybe I'm finally taming some of those anxious feelings of working on others' blocks??? I sure hope so!

Anyways here is the naked block I received and my various embellishment steps to the "finish"!!!

"Lyn's naked block"

my scrunched chiffon sandbar with various beads and charms

with embroidered seaweed etc

closeup

with sea creatures: chiffon and SRE jelly fish, fish button and beaded/embroidered crab

SRE fish - upper half

- lower half

see angled clam shell and hidden pearl?

"finished" block!

Now I sure hope that Lyn is pleased with her block and this too was a learning curve for me and hopefully future blocks. And I can't wait to see this series completed - I've seen some blocks and just can't figure out how these are going to be put together!

My Cabachons Arrived!!!

Okay I'm not sure what exactly this is about, but here's some explanation:

CABACHON: A stone without facets, and shaped like a dome. CAMEO: Conch shell, onyx gem, coral and various gemstones, which were carved in either relief or intaglio. Cameos are also molded in synthetics such as plastic or glass.

Anyways here is what I got from another CQer who makes her own!



I love them and a couple I'm going to keep for myself and my own CQd block! Some are going into a "Faces" DYOB (do your own block) RR in the CQI group starting in July. Now many say these are easy to make, just like many say developing your own pictures is easy too - well sorry but I only like playing with the end result not the process to get there! Some things I know I do not want to dabble in and some I've tried and never expanded on either.

Retreat Followup

Well so much for sewing with you retreaters - well maybe in spirit!

Anyways, so much for late nights, I crashed I think it was early for retreaters and just not with it today, but did go and visit with Sylvia and Len and Pat - actually was treated to lunch at Applebys in exchange of being their chauffeur for the shopping they both wanted to do and be back by 2:30 - well we did it!!! I even got nice PJ bottoms at Superstore and ordered the sunclips for my new glasses so I can STOP switching to the old pair and stressing my eyeballs!!! LOL! Think I'm gonna get those over the frames sunglasses they advertise on TV and leave those in the car - Walmart has them I think for $6.99!

On my way home I stopped at TIMs and got a large Ice Cap - YUMMY!!! Sure needed that today as my car was boiling; but with the fans on and the sun behind clouds it is cooling off in the apartment.

BTW I wanted to tell you about my awesome ValuVillage find yesterday! I usually stop in there to check out their doilies - to get some really nice crocheted/tatted ones that I cut up for trims for my CQing blocks and also fine crochet cotton in colours that are not sold here in stores for my own made motifs etc. WELL yesterday not only did I get some of both but I also found this huge rolled up bundle of cotton quilt batting - it was washed and nice and plush - for a WHOPPING $3.99 - WOW!!! So not only did I get one from Michaels last week at 50% off but now I have this one too at an awesome bargain. Not sure how many quilts I have for myself in the making, but I think I have enough batts for now.

Well maybe back to more stitching???

Missing My WR Retreat!

Yep, this is the weekend that a smaller group of CdnQuiltSwappers called Western Retreat have their annual quilting retreat at Sylvan Lake, AB and I could not make it this year - thought I'd do some home sewing in "retreat spirit". The first couple of times I flew out but hated the 3-4 day turnaround for such a long trip so then I packed my stuff into my older car and drove out by myself (except for one year with my sister in her van). Sometimes I'd pick up others along the way and a fine time we would all have and also I'd visit before and after taking a two-week vacation. BUT as I said this year that was not possible, but hopefully I'll again be part of the quilting fun in other years!

Well I've done basically no sewing so far but after a marathon of shopping last night and earlier today, I was relaxing crocheting hearts and pansies while WAITING patiently for my first time doing my PC Backup. See it's been giving me a black screen with system error lately - it's just to XXXXXXXXX hot in this apartment when the fans aren't on (don't leave the on unattended). Now the Backup is complete and I'm breathing easier knowing if it crashes I've got my stuff at least. Might not have the money to buy a new PC but in time.

So now back to checking emails etc. Tomorrow I'll get to visit with my sister Sylvia who last week drove to Dauphin to visit Dad who is doing OK but could be mucho better if he ordered the meals brought in but they cost too much and he does not like what is there etc etc etc. Oh well!!!

So onto seeing if I can get back to my sewing projects!

Maybe a Close Call?

See we were to get Tshowers yesterday so before going to work I had properly shut down my PC and so when I came home after work/shopping I proceeded to turn it on and waited for the various start up to end. This went through as usual and my Yahoo opened up but by then my supper was heated and I sat down to eat. Nothing new and my screen saver came up and was working when I soon after came to read my mail.

NOPE no can do the mouse/screen were frozen so powered down, waited a few minutes and then powered up again. YIKES some type of boot failure error message and Ctrl Alt and Delete to reboot. Nope that did not work either and then another message about insert system disk and enter - whoops not sure which that is so I shut down.

WELL this morning obviously it's working!!! Thank the LORD! So tonight I better do another backup as this is too scary for me and the last one was Oct. 2008! Guess just because this baby is only a few years old does not mean it can't fail!!!

Crafting Again

11:15 pm - the ordered dozen little Red Hats are complete and ready to be delivered - sure hope they are as much of a hit as the first batch were!



Now to finish off the other ones, one of these days!

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2:15 pm - Finally I'm back home and that was a long two hours to zip out for purple beads and ribbon!!! Dummy here decided to go to the Main & Redwood Dollarama to check it out! WELLLLLLL I couldn't get home as the Gay Pride parade was on and talk about messing up traffic and it was HOT out there on that pavement!!! I think I may have used up what little gas I had in the tank on this delayed trip home - hope I have enough to make it to the gas station on Friday to fill up!!!

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Well I've been having fun this morning but can you believe it I RAN OUT OF PURPLE 1/8 inch ribbon and beads and feathers??? Now granted these are not items I usually have lots of in my stash and probably used them up last year embellishing my little Red Hats. Yep that's what I'm doing again today! I crocheted and felted them a few weeks ago, so they are in dire need of dressing up now and once I get into that I'm hooked and forget everything.

So guess it's a good thing I need to zip out to pick up more supplies and then maybe eat before I become so "locked in" again! LOL!



These were last year's babies and I try to do them all differently but sometimes they are repeated. Some are brooches, fobs and keychains when dressed up! It's how I feel - is how I embellish!!!

Guild Garage Sale

Thank you to the Exec. who put this event on, to the many sponsors who donated and also Guild-purchased awesome prizes (nope I did not win this time around) and also the Fort's well maintained facility! Even though I enjoyed the visit with friends, I was fairly disappointed in the results of the garage sale, but then it might have had something to do with the fact is was not at the hall but out at Lower Fort Garry, outside the city! It was well attended considering and I was starving and ready for the BBQd hotdogs and also the member made cole slaw and quilt cookie!!! YUMMY!!!

Oh well that means I've lots ready for my sister's event in August and last year I did not to bad and this year I've more postcards made up and today I even prepared some of the landscape ones - just have to get down to doing the free hand machine embellishing and then maybe some paint in places for added OOOMPH!

For our return trip, after checking with my two passengers, we made a very slight detour to Stonewall to take in Stacy's Quilter's Cottage garage sale. Yep I found a few excellent buys but otherwise I behaved myself!!! Then back home to work on some other waiting projects.

Guess it's me!!!

Well I've had a !@#$ of a day and sitting here going over things from years back and not liking myself for it at all! Yes I am a might stubborn and have learnt over the years to stick to my guns or others walk all over me. I've got to deal with this, change, and somehow make myself feel better to go on from here in a positive manner.

All my life I've lived with a Dad saying I was always doing things wrong, now don't get me wrong he said this to everyone just about, but seemed like it was always me. Then a sibling or two always calling me stupid or dumb or crazy or other such adjectives and I didn't know anything or how to do things, even when once I had the proof in my favour I was still wrong! Even at work had comments like "any dummy can do that" whenever I hit a snag and didn't know how to get out of it - really helpful. And lately even when asked my opinions and expressed they are not acceptable yet I have to accept others as "gospel". And they wonder why I explode sometimes??? Yep learning the hard way to keep my opinions to myself and do my work but yet somehow participate in the group too.

And over the years tolerated the "younger ones" always saying "you're embarassing me" and today it really hit home when told maybe I shouldn't have been invited to a family outing. Yep it was a bad day at work and just rotten timing for that comment, but you know these "so smart" young ones have to learn what their comments do to those that love them. No I'm not going to the outing and will try to come to terms with missing something that I've enjoyed more than anything. And he should have known better cause last year he asked I not "cheer" so loudly for him and since then I've done as asked.

Yep I'm having a bad day and will get over it, just not today! What's that line about you can pick your friends but not your family!!! MOM I now wonder how you survived our family as long as you did! LOVE YOU and miss you muchly!

Jane's Christmas Block

Okay, this was a previous RR block of Jane's that she wanted more encrusting happening on it so our Sew Buds group is giving it a go. Sorry but I forgot to take a picture of the block before I worked on it.

So here are the closeups of what I added to it. First off I added the gold wreath charm at the bottom of the buttons and beads cluster; a silver Snowman along the ribbon garland with other silver charms; and a gold angel charm next to the feather stitched green heart. Then I crocheted a green heart and attached it with gold beads and next to it stitched an SRE poinsettia. That's when the ideas flew the coop so I'm sending it onto Candi for her input.





Jane will be making this into an album cover - WOW eh!

Toe Followup

Okay I woke Sunday and just about fell onto my face getting out of bed - the whole foot hurt. So after breakfast I packed my crocheting and a book (forgot the water and snacks though - stupid) and put on my older looser walkers and off to Urgent Care to get it checked out. I knew the wait would be long so I stopped into see Ruth, a fellow quilter that was in the Care Home in this unit first, then off to the clinic.

Well first off they sent me for xrays and I should have taken the wheelchair offer but no I slowly limped my way there, had them taken but this time took the chair ride back! LOL! Then the long 5 hour wait with grumbling stomach (not up to the sandwiches in that machine though) before seeing the Dr. Gosh it's freezing in there and people with the flu had hospital blankets around their scantily clad bodies - SHEESH!!!

When I did see the Dr. he said the xrays were clear - no breaks this time - but very badly bruised and he thinks I hyper extended the foot and that's why it hurts so badly and not just the toe. A couple of days of icing and resting and it should be okay - so let's hope as I've three long blocks to walk to work!!!

OWIEEEE!!!

Okay I KNOW I'm supposed to wear SHOES ALL THE TIME so I probably have not right to cry the blues now - BUT IT HURTS!!!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness this was AFTER delivering Val's wedding cake!!!

See after an afternoon visit with my sister Florence from Dauphin, I came home to relax and not 5 minutes home I STUBBED my baby toe on the two wheeled cart (loaded with recycle stuff) and it did not BUDGE, you can imagine what my foot felt like (well still does). YES I've iced it and it's starting to turn a tinge of blue, swelling and hardly able to bend the baby toe!!! DANG IT, I don't need pain when I'm mopey already!!!

Well after supper I zipped over to Pat's and got Sylvia to check the under part of my foot - no discolouration there. Kinda hobbled as actual walking was not possible even in my runners!!! About an inch up the foot from the baby toe joint it hurts something awful on the top of the foot and to step on the ball of the foot and up the back near the ankle - not sure if I'll be getting it checked out tomorrow or if it'll subside by then. I even cut the cuticle around the little nail - SHEESH!!! I know I'm a WHIMP when it comes to pain so according to the Dr it just might be a bad bang and nothing done about it! Will see how I feel tomorrow!!!

A Wedding Cake!

June 10, 2009:

And here is a picture (thanks to Val and probably Ricky) of the cake table - wasn't it just lovely!!!



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Well I don't believe this, I finished all the decorating just after midnight, cleaned up a bit, took pics and now enjoying a glass of wine before bed. Yep, thank goodness Val wanted something simple and one layer as I KNOW my decorating days are pretty much over - my shoulder was giving me grief off and on!




I've done a few cakes with this variation over the years and I'm not sure if it's the various similar pictures or if it's just the simplicity yet elegance that attracts them to this baby. Guess it's good for me, but I do see the difference from the first cakes to this later one - my control just is not there.

Where's my Muse?

Okay, it's been a week or two of down time and I've had enough!!! It's no fun just thinking of work and I've read like three books off and on the evenings in between working on more of my crocheted heart motifs and the crocheted top kitchen towels. BUT I did hear from my sister and she's got a flower and a pansy crocheted pattern for me so maybe something new to perk me up!

Well the other night I met with a couple of fabric artists and got a few ideas for a 6" CQd block for the "Under The Sea" RR but I'm an added in block so only have the one to do. And FINALLY I got some inspiration and ideas hatching and even got a lovely "sand bar" stitched in place and today off and on I'm adding on some "seaweed". So maybe, just maybe this too will be finished this month. I hope so!

Then I've a couple of very late postcard swaps to catch up on, but it's hard to work on these "creative" tasks when your MUSE has escaped or your spirit is down. Let's hope this is a sign that it is coming back?

NZer visiting Canada!

Well I must say I was so pleased that my "Kiwi Patch Pal" for the past ten years or so was coming to Canada this summer - but yet very dissappointed as the cost was toooooooo much for a stopover in Winnipeg. So Sandra and her parents arrived out West, took a bus tour to Banff and Jasper (WOW!!!) and back to Vancouver Island before setting a spell in Vancouver at a time share. I was praying to win the lottery so I could make the trip out there to visit at least the weekend with her but even airmiles did not amount to enough for such a trip nor Lady Luck!!! Try as I did, I also could not rustle up any quilting friends from there to meet Sandra even for coffee.

Then Saturday they travelled to Toronto and ELAINE (bless her heart) said she'd try to meet up with Sandra who was there only three days this time - short and sweet I hope!!! And yes they did meet up for the morning and apparently had fun too! So please go to Elaine's blog for the day's adventures and pics. I can't tell you how happy I am Elaine that you were able to do so, just like you did (and others too) when I years ago made the trip out East and you took me to the Quilt Shop where you worked - WOW!!!

Now they are off to Hawaii for a visit and I wonder if there are any quilter friends of mine there that would like to meet if possible? Hmmmm!

Niece's Grad!

April Dawn, also my godchild, graduated from the Univeristy of Manitoba Thursday, May 28th, with a Bachelor of Physical Education with her Mom and Dad, Brad (her boyfriend) and his Mom, two of her cousins, and three of her Aunties in attendance! Yep when she was introduced to the audience to pick up her Degree we cheered with much glee!!! My camera took awful pictures in the auditorium and I'm awaiting some from her cousin to arrive.

being announced

receiving diploma

We did take pictures outside and those I have here:

proud graduate!

with Mom & Dad
with 3 of 7 Aunties
with cousins

with her guy & with Auntie Rose Anne

Then our family went to Earls for supper before they all departed for the long trip back to Dauphin/Ethelbert as most had to work the next day. It made my heart swell with pride to see her maturing so. Now in the fall she'll be continuing her education at the Brandon University.