A Stitching Weekend

Yep even Friday evening with some OT put in and then a late supper I did some hand stitching on Leslie's Sugar Plum Fairy block (this one is late but coming along nicely).  Then Saturday I picked up my sewing machine and back home to work on the piling up postcard swaps with the evening back to hand stitching again. 

And today Michelle picked me up and off we went to our Lace Group gathering and I tatted the afternoon making a snowflake - yep only one but I had two false attempts until Maija sorted me out!!!  I love these working and chatting meetings along with tea time!  Once home I tackled emails, made supper and then right into "finishing off" the postcards and yes I took pics of both sets even though I used the same fabric but embellished some differently.

CQI - Valentines Swap

FunFriendly - Hearts Swap

Mine

One-on-One Swap

You might not see this but I used my machine for nice and even blanket stitching around the boxes, then some hand chain and running stitching around the hearts and finishing off with some musical instruments outlined by machine too.  A finishing touch for some of the hearts is a satin bow stitched in place.  Yes they are all ready to be mailed off tomorrow.

Now I'll relax a bit and then back into hand embellishments for the Winter/Christmas DYB tomorrow along with some more work on Leslie's block.  Obviously I'm running behind and got to get caught up very soon!!!

My Baby's BACK!!!

I think there is a song with those words from way back when???  Anyways, I got back from errands before the hockey game started, so I'll now settle into some hand stitching until my hair apt for 3:00 pm then I'll be back for the rest of Hockey Canada!!!

Anyways I meant that I've just picked up my sewing machine "Rita" (picture is from her previous home - not mine) from servicing and except for some minor feed adjustments she's been given a clean bill of health so to speak for the next leg of her sewing life!  Yep made me smile to see there were no major problems (or extra costs) as I have a quilting retreat coming up soon and definitely will need her for that!  LOL!

Rose Anne's FACES DYB

Okay, I've not worked much on this project except to decide what I'm thinking of doing for my own block to complete this 6-block wall hanging. I'm kinda intimidated by the creativity and expertise the gals did on my blocks on this round robin - I don't know why but I am!!!

Anyways I've decided on "Mother Earth" so I can use this lovely painted face that Leslie included in with my order of a number of her polymer faces of various shapes and sizes.

Yep, I just fell in love with this one and then Leslie even sent me some ideas and I think I'll go with this one as I sort of love feathers and colours too.  This image is from "The Times on Mother Earth" by Shadow Cloud & Helen Red Wing Vinson.

So here are all the blocks basted together but this is not how they'll look in the end - just safety for carting around for now.

I think I'll go with this idea and just below each I'm going to embroider the Name - Title for each block, that way I won't have to keep flipping it over to the label when it's being viewed.

 

Yep I think that's what I'm going to do! But then who knows I might change my mind when actually finishing it off!!!

Katie's Green Block

Okay, this has been another of my WISPs (works in slow progress) but I've finally attacked the block (lower right corner) and it's packaged up and on it's way to the next on the list.  I think somehow this block kinda got twisted around as the "TOP" noted on the back is kinda faded and I just about missed seeing it.

Yes, this is the before and after Rose Anne's embellishing and Katie had asked "no dimensional" works so I stuck to embroidery and did my tatted dragonfly to go with the butterfly!

Here's a close up of the flower spray up the right side (the heart and green tatted edging is not mine) and then the multi-coloured tatted dragonfly on the space to the left is also my work.

Yes here is my most popular and now getting easier to tat pattern by Riet with SRs instead of the wrapped chains.  I just love this and it's barely 2" made I think with size 20 cotton.

Tatted Beaded Dragonfly

This isn't new except in the fact that it was made early in December for a Christmas card but I forgot to take the picture. I wanted something special for a quilter friend and this is made that it can be removed and either sewn onto something, attached to a lapel pin or added into a quilt block project. I just loved it and for some reason got talking and forgot to pull out my camera during our Christmas potluck and also the gift exchange. DUH!

Lovely, isn't it!  And I know she just LOVES it too!

GRRRRR BLOGGER!!!

Yep, I knew I would FORGET something till AFTER I had redone the original entry THREE times!!!  What a waste of my precious time and energy!!!

Anyways, I had made my Hearty Mushroom soup on day after about 2 hours plus of prep time and Sylvia got her breadmaker out and we had homemade bread to go with this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-soup!!!  It was much better than my last attempt but still was lacking so Sylvia came to the rescue and just added more beef bullion soup mix for flavour and YUMMY!!!  It must have been good as Len asked to have it again the next day and then the leftovers (made a huge dutch over pot) were dished up and into the freezer for another meal with maybe some beef broth or water added.  Yes very yummy and for those who want here is the recipe.  Enjoy.


HEARTY MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP

Makes 10 servings

2 tsp oil
3/4 lb ground beef (I use a pound usually)
2 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used leftover fresh ones)
2 large carrots, diced/sliced
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef stock (use OXO cubes etc)
5 cups water
1 19 oz can tomatoes (undrained or add frozen tomatoes chopped)
3 potatoes, diced
3/4 cup barley (I used POT barley)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (I don’t use this)
1 bay leaf (do not crush)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley (fresh or dried or frozen)
a few hot chili peppers (Pat uses these - like on Pizza)

- In large pot heat oil and cook beef for 5 minutes stirring to break up meat; drain off fat (I added in the onions, garlic and mushrooms before adding veggies)
- Add mushrooms, carrots, onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes
- Stir in stock, water, tomatoes, potatoes, barley, Worchester sauce, marjoram, bay leaf, salt and pepper, chili peppers (optional) and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes and barley are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Discard bay leaf, stir in parsley

Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days - or put into containers to freeze.


ENJOY!

Vacation Recap - Second Attempt at Posting

This entry had much more to it and at least a dozen pictures and for some GRRRRRRR reason only this was published! Yep I'm not a happy camper!!!

Yes I've had five days out in NW Ontario visiting with Sylvia and Len this past week. The weather cooperated from start to finish except for one day of freezing rain in the morning that disrupted our plans to go into town, but that was minor. Better safe than sorry! On the way out I stopped in with Adeline and had a lovely catch up time before continuing to my sister's. Then again dropped in on the way back for a brief visit and break from driving.

This trip I had planned on concentrating on my colourwash quilt blocks but as usual Rose Anne deviated from the plan and accomplished planning out and even stitching up the background and vine into place on my MPQ challenge wall hanging for the donation program. So maybe once again I'll have a challenge piece completed before deadline??? BUT I did accomplish two full blocks on my colourwash project and probably would have had a third block stitched too if I had not wasted a whole evening's work when it fell apart while attempting changing the flannel midway!!! Oh well things happen. Sylvia worked on her appliques for her colourwash quilt - yes she has ALL her blocks stitched and is working diligently trying to finish it - maybe in time for Quilt Reflections showing! Time and efforts will tell if she'll achieve her expectations. She also attempted to show me how she hand quilts - now I know I can't do that as yet - but like everything else practice perfects the technique.

OK here's my SECOND attempt at the complete blog entry!!! Can I remember it all???

Yes a good time by all was enjoyed during this visit. On Friday Fran (Sylvia's friend) came over with her quilting project and spent the day sewing with us. I kinda felt bad as many a time she was doing the "rippit" stitch in between her chatting (and more than me if you can believe that) as Sylvia was figuring out her pattern for her colourwash quilt and I was concentrating really hard in putting together my colourwash blocks. Then when that was done I gathered up the rows and stitched them together and chatted more so then.

 

Even my brother-in-law I think enjoyed the visit as he was more free to enjoy his many books, TV sports and even fishing/visiting with his friends. We even worked together in the evenings working on a gifted puzzle which is really tough and also read a bit too.

Now I even attempted to collect some "winter landscape" pictures on this trip, some from a pullover at Percy Lake while awaiting traffic movement again during a horrible accident clearing around the bend. And then on my way back I took some pics while driving (had just washed my yucky windows earlier) but many were deleted along with others from another pullover between Kenora and Keewatin. I was trying to record the depth of field of the trees on the islands and then also the changes in the snow from closeup and far away. See I'm hoping with time and my abilities to add to my landscape postcards some "winter" scenes. Time and efforts will tell I guess.

NOW I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed my days away and barely thought of the PC and emails but I can tell you I paid the price with over 500 emails to skim through when I got back. AND I did not want to come back to work this time and probably shouldn't have as it was a thinking type of meeting all day so needless to say headache major. Oh well that's life until I can retire!

Olympic Torch Photos

Well finally a week later my official iCoke photos with the torch were ready for downloading and here they are:

Me with friends Brent and Bob

 Brent and Bob

Now where is the one of just me and the torch - it's missing - and iCoke says if it's not with your pin access to photos it can not be retrieved?  Hmmm maybe the photographer did not take one of just me???  Guess that's good that Brent did and it's a lovely one.  You can see it in the previous entry.

LC Girls Night Out!

Saturday started off with an early morning shopping spree for groceries, picked up my sister's sewing machine from getting serviced, then heading home to make Hamburger Soup for our Lewiscraft girls potluck and visiting evening.  While chopping up the veggies I had a Sobeye's premade meatloaf baking (just scrumptious and was on sale this week) then got the pressure cooker pot loaded up and simmering - sure smelled good!!!  Once finished into the fridge it went and then I headed out to Copperfields (discount book store) and was going to pick up Scrap Basket Surprises book but Barb was very helpful in showing me some of their newer books and I changed my mind and chose "Loose Change" Quilts from Nickels, Dimes, and Fat Quarters by Claudia Plett and Le Ann Weaver.  I liked it better than the other book, so hopefully I'll find many of interest in there to use up some of my stash!  Then I had a manicure to fix my mangled nails but upon leaving I scratch my thumb so it looks BLAH!!!

Well I lasted through supper and till 9:30 before the yawning started and everyone around the table just laughed at me and also that was my second gathering I didn't bring along any show and tell or stitching to do - they are in shock!!! Well our next gathering is with the Northgate Lewiscraft girls and we're doing some craft together that evening. I might have some show n tell by then as I'm doing the CQI 2010 Challenges (12 months) on a crazy patched block and this is for MOI!!! Guess I better get cracking as there are many uploaded pics for January's "fans" in the photos already!!!

We played two games last night and one I liked lots (Quiddler - spelling game - rnd 1 starts with 5 cards and continues to 12 card rnd - fun but gets tougher) and did middle of the road for a score but the other (Word Scrambler? - start with a 4 letter word and change it from cards in your hands - first out wins) was quite a madhouse with six players I tell you. I'm going to look for this game for my sister as I think it's lots fun.

Well we started our supper with an awesome cream cheese cheese ball and crackers and wine naturally while relaxing and chatting. Then potatoe leek soup and my hamburger soup with garlic toast and multi grain buns. Followed by a huge bowl of mixed greens and you could add tomatoes, cucs and cheese/garlic croutons with a variety of dressing along with a home made honey one too which I'm getting the recipe for soon - along with a mixed bean salad which I don't like. Then finished off with tea/coffee with butter pecan with cream cheese icing cake (yummy - even took a piece home with me) and mixed exceptionally yummy chocolates which I allowed myself one only.

Finally at 11:30 I gave in and said I have to go home and thankfully that frigid wind (-34 windchill) had died down and it was a regular winter evening and my car started without being plugged in and I got home finally at 1:00 am after driving the girls home. A LOVELY evening had by all.

Whoops I forgot to mention that Michelle gave us all a little personal gift and said maybe this'll be the last time for her as she'll be a "Gramma" come June (her daughter is 36 and they didn't think they'd have any) and probably no time to stitch as she's already been asked to be the sitter while Cathy goes back to work but from HOME. Michelle crossstitches just beautifully and made most of us bookmarks, Audrey (the Mom of Pat and Georgina, who comes along with her daughters) got a hand towel with hearts and flowers on the decorative part and Pat who already got a bookmark with her last gift got a heart ornament with a Snowman stitched on it. LOVELY.  Here's mine:

Yep a lovely time had by all and I'm wondering what the next one in March will be like with the Northgate gals joining us!  Hope our openness does not scare them off but we do have a lot of fun and laughter that is for sure.

Life - Times and Changes

An email from a dear friend just twigged my brain into writing this! I'm not sure if it's one or a combination of the therapy, hypnosis, change of medication and eating habits but I feel like a different person and lots more happy with myself. Maybe still not the "positive" thinker that she would want me to be but I'm getting there with baby steps. I know that my home life seems more "relaxed" and well work still has it's up and downs but I am learning to get up and go for a walk instead of blowing up and having reprecussions for me!

But what matters most is that I've even bought myself some new pants and tops and paying more attention to my looks (earrings too) lately and the compliments are a telling sign. Also I guess it's the extra walking I'm doing at lunch time that is helping to trim some flab and my clothes are fitting instead of snug like they used to. So let's hope the Dr. tomorrow sees a change too since Oct. and that my test results are positive too! Would sure make my day!

Olympic Torch Viewing

OKAY I just got home from the Olympic Torch viewing at the Forks as the second period started (around 8:00 pm) - 2/2 tie then! So I missed the first period and the first intermission yaya!  Oh well.

Well when I got home from work, I got warmly dressed in my ski knee socks, long sleeved top, ski pants and my door prize winning hoodie (men's large) and then my lighter baggy parka and scarf and boots!!! When I got to the Forks there was lots of hoopla going on but I thought I'd better eat first before I pass out from the truck fumes and excitement. So I had two slices of pizza and WATER - can you believe it no Pepsi!!! Then I went outside and stayed out there till my toes were so cold I was not sure if I could walk home - missed the fireworks.  

The Forks

The Big Screen

The crowd

I can tell you that the entertainment was very envigorating and I found myself smiling a lot and even half assed dancing too the music. I even met up with Brent and Bob and got pics with the torch with them and also myself so as soon as I can I'll go to the website and download the pics with the card we were given. I did get some pics with my camera and also Brent's so might have those sooner to upload. I toured the trailer with past torches and I think I really like the older ones the bestest - more or less resemble the historic Olympians I think. Then the other one I liked was the red one from the Calgary games. I also wrote a message on the athletes' wall and on my way home could have kicked myself as I could have drawn a crazy patched heart and signed that!!! DUH!!! I sure don't think of these things fast enough.

COKE musicians

AWESOME!!!

By Winnipeg artist

Flame twirlers

WOW!

Polar Bear swim race

Spinning canvas artist

Finished canvas

And throughout the two hours till the torch arrived various volunteers where handing out RBC tambourines which I shook to keep warm (maybe not quite in tune but oh well), Olympic souvenir COKE bottle (not sure if I should empty it of just leave it sealed), Olympic/COKE flag, Olympic flashing star for my jacket, and last that I received is another COKE plastic bottle that has a continuous changing light inside it (that's in my window for tonight then I'll switch it off and put it on again during the Olympics in the evenings).

The last time I was myself in Alberta, Susan's girls showed me how to take a pic of myself and that's what I did tonight but as yet haven't seen what I have. I'm waiting for me and the camera to warm up before playing with uploads. Soon.

A might chilly yes!

The TORCH & I

It's coming!

WOW, I got it!

A might skittish!

There were fire pits intermittently but actually until closer to 7:00 pm I found it just LOVELY outside except for my toes. I wore my work boots instead of my skidoo boots - DUMMY! And also my nose and cheeks are tingling badly but the rest of me is just cool and I've hot mulled cranberry made to enjoy with the rest of my hockey game. I can't bear to take off my ski socks or hoodie as yet! I pray I haven't caught a chill, would be lousy after the wonderful time I had.

Yep considering the LOUSY start to my day and my added stress throughout I was very surprised I thoroughly enjoyed my evening and mostly by myself talking to whomever wanted to talk to me. Even helped some others get souvenirs if they were not close enough and I was. Yep had lots of FUN!!!

Lisa B's Christmas/Winter DYB I

Okay I worked on the extra block in this series and it's an RR one so I did the centre and top part of it with the carol "Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming".  Basically I added the gold braid and was undecided if it needed something else or not then decided to leave it for others to decide.  I then worked on the stem stitch wording and anchored the three gold stars in place.  I then did SRE roses in place of the berries on the green fabric and stem stitched leaves and branches anchored in place with a running stitch. 

I can tell you that Lisa made it quite challenging for us with her choices of carols for her blocks, BUT, I think that so far they are shaping up very nicely.  Now to see what others come up with before they head home.

To see my other complete block please click here.

BRRRRRR!!!!

Okay, this is totally not fair!!!  I like winter but what I don't like is mild conditions with very little or no snow and then the deep freeze is dumped onto you with high windchills!!!  What happened to those winters where Fall melded into Winter and it progressed in intensity to the odd blizzard or two and then decreased into Spring???  I do not like these frigid temps at all!!!

Well it was quite BRISK on my walk to the mall this afternoon but I was warm (dressed for it) just my face scarf had ice crystals all around. The mall was packed and I had a lovely stroll and visit with my friend Dale and then she left and I searched Zellers for tops - NADA so guess I'll check the Bay out over lunch this next week. If nothing then I'll just go to Home Sense or whatever their sister store is and check out the Christmas sales on stuff to use my gift certificate. Nothing at Zellers appealed to me at all. Then my walk home was quite enjoyable and actually no ice crystals on my scarf and even had it pulled down to my chin as I was too stuffy.

Now what it'll be on our walk tonight I'm not sure but the dogs today were outside for like maybe 5 minutes or so before coming to the door so guess it's not bad for them.  This is my last night of dogs sitting so hopefully all goes well and that the owners have good travelling conditions to get home tomorrow.

2010 Already!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR
AND
A GOOD MORNING TO ALL!!!


Talk about a brisk and chilly but very sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky! Yep they said on the radio -45 with wind chill till about noon and then a little warmer for the afternoon. I was going to go walk the dogs but glad I delayed it and am doing laundry instead - they have no jackets and I won't do that to them, nor do I want to deal with it either.  I'm sure they are very happy I'm staying put today and will see what I feel like doing tomorrow, depending on the weather.  They will have company all day and probably will join me in some cuddles when watching hockey again.

I was up at 6:30 (BRRRRR!) to let them out then curled up on the couch till 9:00 and then got busy with breakie/reading, shower, laundry and now checking emails. Not much on the agenda except to watch Hockey this afternoon etc.  Well that is besides the norm for me and that is doing some stitching.  I've brought some kitchen towels that need buttons stitched on then they can be added to the stash.  Along with Lisa's Christmas/Winter block that I've now decided what I'll be doing so a quarter of the 6" block should not take me too long today to finish off.  Let's hope!  I also have some tatting to work on but will see how time permits.

Well I wish all my readers all the best in life this New Year and may all your troubles be manageable!  Take care!  HUGS!!!