Christmas Towels

WOW my "dress-up" towels seem to be a hit and I'm glad as they are much easier on my hands.  I like them lots but there is still something about the crocheted tops that is dear to my heart.  They are my favourites I think.  Anyways Saturday I got an order for 10 towels - 5 Christmas - 5 everyday!  YIKES I didn't have any Christmas towels left so off to pick up some more and Sunday and tonight were sewing days as the only ones I could find were the shorter ones - so naturally they are all dress up styles.

Santa w green dress; Snowfriends with snowflakes dress

Christmas cup single; Candle with holly dress; Home single

Poinsettia w cream dress; Green w candy cane dress

And here are my 2014 MPQ President's Challenge sewn Christmas ornaments.  You were to make one for the challenge to be voted on for Viewer's Choice and one for sale as a fundraiser for the Christmas Cheer Board.  These cathedral window ornaments took me a few evenings to stitch up and if I'd known they were only asking for $5 each I probably would not have chosen this technique.  Oh well I'm glad I kept one as it became a gift that evening.

 



OK lets hope that after I finish off the last two dress-up towels for gifts that I can set this project aside until next year!!!  Oh and Sylvia has given me another idea for a different look for these kitchen towels.  You'll have to stay tuned, sometimes in the summer, same place for a sneak peak!

More Towels Etc.

OK I do not know what is going on with my Nikon Cool Pix camera but I'm ready to chuck it out the window into the freezing drizzle we are having.  The weather is just a confounded as the camera - doesn't know what season we're in right now - it's winter and Christmas - not springtime!  LOL!

Anyways I've stitched up a storm of new "dressed up" kitchen towels.  Some were preordered and some are just to build stash.

 

And now here are a few Christmas items I picked up at Michaels at 60% and 70% off - could not resist and yes I did get the one item I needed for Alan's retirement gift to hang the charms.  Now the red wine bag was my Christmas gift from Kat from the Aurora Quilters potluck we had yesterday.  I'm keeping the wine for Christmas or New Year's celebration!

 

That round plastic charger plate was just calling my name and it just looks lovely on that easel next to the fabric photo landscape of my Dad (upclose it looks crappy but not from a distance) and that LOVELY owl wine bag dressed up with ribbon and chocolates - thank you Kat!  Then the second picture shows the false book that I loved too and not sure what I'll keep in it - will see.  The floral arrangement looks lovely in person, but it sure does not in this picture.  I really do not know what is wrong with my camera this weekend.  I've from day one did not like it for viewing from the camera but it's always been good pictures once transferred to the computer - well not this time!!!  SHEESH!!!

Kitchen Towels - Revisited

Well for years I've been able to purchase some neat and interesting kitchen hand towels of fairly decent quality and making up crocheted tops to button onto kitchen appliances or cupboard handles.  The last couple of years these are getting thinner and thinner so I came up with an idea of making them double thickness instead.  Also other types of towels (thicker micro finish) are being used also.  Here are my latest - all are reversible - buttons on both sides.

These were smaller so trims added at the bottom
- also reversible - gone now.

Regular sized towels dressed up reversible too
- middle one is without ribbons
- side ties added after first two experiments.

Doubled crocheted button tops - reversible too.

PayPal Update

FINALLY and not quite the PayPal reversal as noted in their email BUT my monies from an unauthorized transaction withdrawal have been returned to my bank account and now I can hopefully get the October vehicle repairs done. 

See when I filed the dispute PayPal did email that if resolution was in my favour that funds would be returned in the manner they were extracted.  So I waited after their email saying it was resolved and my money will be returned.  YEAH!!!  And I checked the next week and yes my monies were in my PayPal account but no note as to it being transferred back to my bank account.  I then contacted them again and basically was told it's been returned and up to me to withdraw it to my bank account - DUH!!! - not what was initially stated!  So I contacted them again and received another email with the "fine print" and basically if it was a credit card or debit transaction it would have been returned but NOT to a bank account as it was withdrawn!  GRRRRRR!  Anyways I withdrew the monies last week and finally today it's in my bank account. 

NOW I'm going to remove my bank information from my account so this does not happen again.  I've also applied and received a separate credit card with a lower limit just for online purchasing.  Hopefully this will not happen again!  At least PayPal DOES email informing when a transaction is going through otherwise it would have been a horrible shock whenever I checked my bank account.

Happy Halloween

This was a very subdued Halloween in our office this year, not my usual decorating nor the enthusiasm (one thing I miss from my previous office - maybe it's just needs adjusting time).  Anyways I don't dress up per se but I do use jewelry and accessories - yesterday I wore my coral top with my long skinny witch and ghost earrings - they touch my shoulders.  Here's my latest ensemble.

 

 

 

And here are the Halloween treats gathered for our office ribbon cutting celebration on Vault Storage Room clean up that Wendy, Barb and I managed to do this week.

 

 

Wendy who organized things.

Kim doing the honours.

 

Rose Anne, Wendy & Barb

 

 Now let's see how long we can keep it this way!

PayPal Update

OK I've returned from my quilting retreat and decided to check out PayPal since there were no emails waiting for me.  See last weekend they had sent an email to the Seller and were awaiting a reply before deciding whether it was an unauthorized transaction or scam or a legit transaction (which I doubt).  Anyways when I checked the log and there were another two emails sent to the Seller this week but no replies received.  Hmmmmm!  Hopefully I'll hear something soon and shortly afterwards my money returned - $200 was definitely too much for me to lose! 

When I went to the bank to apply for a low balance credit card on Tuesday, the clerk mentioned that they had received many calls of such through PayPal that weekend so I guess they are busy investigating more than just mine.  I'll keep you posted.  And let's hope it's good news!

2014 OMA's Quilt Retreat

OH BOY this has been one hectic long week!  First last weekend was the Lace Retreat with two workshops I signed up for, then a rushed shortened work week with evenings madly trying to finish off my two years' ago decorating OMAs Quilt Retreat tote to bring this year, to packing and getting ready to roll!!!  So finally Thursday evening I did the last stitching on my tote and packed up my sewing projects along with clothes and went to bed (late that is)!  I also packed my completed Man's Shirt apron from last year's project.

Thursday morning up early, packed up the van, headed south for my 9:30 hair appointment, hilites and cut, with a new hair stylist and I love it!!!  It felt great after she'd done the cut and then styled it the way I said I do it - AWESOME!!!  Then headed west to my sister's for lunch and packed her stuff into the van and headed across the city east to a new quilt shop, Keystone Quilts for a bit of shopping, then north on Hwy 59 to South Beach Casino, the home of OMAs quilt retreat!  Yeppers some gambling along with LOTS n LOTS of sewing and EATING and visiting with friends.

Again this year we arrived Thursday instead of Friday and purchased South Beach's Stay n Play package - buy one buffet and get one free (we had two of those - one for Thursday and one for Friday suppers) and enjoyed lunch in the bar at a discount too!  Also we each had two coupons to buy $25 and receive $10 more in gambling vouchers.  Well this year I not only broke even but also brought home some extra cash - YAHOOIE!!!  Not much but doubled my initial $50 startup monies.  All I can say is my heart rate was escalating real fast as the bells rang for each of the five large wins I had.  The last one when it finished ringing I hit cash out and walked out!  Enough for me.  LOL!

One of the gals had her hubby make up the "scissors headbands" - everyone got a kick out of seeing the four friends with different coloured scissors - the handle half behind one ear and the blades half behind the other ear - like growing out of one's head.  Here is Adiena modelling Jackie's.

First thing I did was finish off my OMAs tote from two years ago.  Then put it away until the show n tell for Sunday.  After that I pulled out Mike's retirement quilt project and had lots of fun preparing it and by mid-Friday finished off what I could do - just love it (picture to follow when finished)!  It received tonnes of compliments and even some asking if I'd make more - who knows!!!  But don't worry Mike I won't use your silhouette!   

Then I started this year's quilt retreat project - a reversible apron.  I bought some funky fabrics basically cause there was a windup lobster on it which is what we have Thursday for supper here!  And yes again with no pattern on Friday, just Adiena's sample aprons on the table and I sailed right though it too.  Saturday with finishing instructions and a copy of the pattern which I did not follow, I finished off my apron with lots of decorative top stitching.

Next I pulled out Alan's retirement quilt project and proceeded to stitch it up using my own table topper as a guide.  NOW this one gave me major grief and I even went to the lounge for a presupper ceasar to relax some before tackling it again in the evening.  Dang it did not help but I persevered and finally after midnight I finished stitching the blocks together and left only the two end points to work on Sunday.  Those I needed Sylvia's help in cutting out as I only had a small piece of fabric left so no room for anymore errors on my part! 

I did have Adrian's and also Bob's retirement quilt projects with me along with a child's charity quilt project just in case I was really speedy (wishful thinking me thinks) or hit a really bad snag and wanted to switch to something else.  Nope most went smoothly with a couple of exceptions.  And this was a very productive retreat for me quilt-wise!

The only bad part was Sylvia had a cold and not feeling that great but she still had a good time and naturally we all sang Happy Birthday to her and Thelma again!  The good parts are naturally chatting with friends we don't usually see unless at quilt shows etc and naturally all the AWESOME quilty eye candy, especially hearing the OOOOHS and AAAAAHS on our projects!!!  Some of these quilted projects are really beautiful and in colours I would not have picked out at all!  That's good to see - expand my borders!!!

Diane's hockey quilt top for grandson.

Sylvia's charity quilt top.

That's it until next year, October again!



Lace Retreat

This is a might late - retreat was Friday Oct. 17th-19th here in Winnipeg - basically a drop in retreat and return home to our own beds for the night - AWESOME!

It was lovely to see Ulla from Saskatchewan join us once again!  A lovely turn out by as many that could make it and thank you to Bev for the bobbin lace ornament workshop and Ewa for the painted bobbin workshop.  Both were enlightening and fun too BUT that bobbin lace ornament one was quite the trial for me!  YES this person who has for years said NO, I'll NEVER pick up bobbin lace - is now called a liar!  LOL!  YEPPERS I have given it a go and completed one ornament with Bev's assistance and also some help from other fellow lacers when Bev was otherwise occupied and was just totally overwhelmed that I did accomplish it. 

Bev keeping me twisting the right way!

OK I think I know what I'm doing!

I did it!!!

We're all hard at ornaments or other projects.

Bev helping Jacquie out.

Iona's ornament - this one was not for my beginner hands/mind!

Mary's bookmark (I think).

Mary anchoring bobbins for travelling.

One of many ornaments Bev is making and some of her bobbins.

Maija, our resident shuttle tatter!

Michelle, a needle tatter!

Then if that was not enough, I paid for another one and promptly started lacing up for a second one and got it going too but with a slightly different set of knots so it'll look a bit different.  Hopefully will finish it off next month and then I can return the pillow, pins, and bobbins to Mary who very kindly lent them to be for this workshop.  Yes I guess I will be trying this periodically for small items (ornaments and/or bookmarks etc) as I've started collecting bobbins - 3 from door prizes from out retreats and now two hand painted ones too.  Guess this is another example of NOT saying you'll NEVER do something!  LOL!!!

And here are pictures of Sunday's painted bobbin workship lead by Ewa!  Again thank you Mary for giving me two of your plain bobbins so I could partake in this fun!!!

Ulla has this painting challenge under control.

I think Jocelyn's and Teresa's painted bobbins.

Jacquie's bobbins - lovely!
Near the top is her workshop ornament too!

Michelle's "snowman"!!!

And here are some examples of Ewa's painted bobbins!

 

These 2 I chose for my doorprize!

Once I get my painted bobbins back from being varnished by Ewa, I'll blog them!