SHOOT I GOOFED!

Did someone post a comment in the "A Flower for Moi" post?
If yes, SORRY, but I made a change to the size of the photo etc and reposted and then noticed that the 1 Comment disappeared.
If you don't mind please re-enter your comment? Thank you so much.

A Flower for MOI?

Oh look what came in the mail today and it brought the quickest and biggest smile to my sour face today and before I even knew who sent it too!!! It has so much within it that I'm just so curious to hear all the steps Dale Anne used here. Definitely a printed label, a stamped saying, a fabric flower with some embroidery in the centre, then echo quilting and finished off with satin stitching. Now Dale Anne have I left anything out? Oh yeah and such exquisite hand writing and on fabric backing - how do you do it???

Now the sour face is because work is just not going very smoothly for me and hindered by freezing AC temps this past few weeks and today stifling warmth that just does not sit well with me when I dressed for chilly temps!!! Then I took my ailing 35 mm SLR camera in for an estimate to get the film advance lever fixed and it's gonna cost megga - decision to make and fast. See I'm supposed to take actual "pictures" for my nephews wedding in July but really can not afford to fix this baby, at least at this summer vacation time, so what to do!!! Well I've till tomorrow afternoon before the estimate comes through to decide and then I'll have to let them know one way or the other this weekend. UGH!

Message from Dale Anne:

Glad you liked it. I used a baby wipe that was coloured by cleaning off my rubber stamps.
The centre of the silk flower is renegade French knots (Anna showed us how to make them renegade style - bigger).

I'm Back - did you miss me?

Nah, I don't think so, you're too busy now that summer's here to read emails and blogs, right! I can tell you that I missed your contact and I've 94 emails in my Inbox and that is not the Group stuff that I've yet to go and read within Group messages!!! Thank goodness we were keeping busy otherwise I'd have bought an 8-hour Internet card and been across the highway at the resort store using their PC to keep in touch. Well I left NW Ontario at 8:30 this morning, stopped in for tea with Adeline in Kenora, arrived in Winnipeg about 2:30 and promptly got ready and left for the bridal shower for my cousin's daughter and then home to my PC!!!

Anyways, I started off my vacation by stopping for lunch with Adeline in Kenora ON and one of her friends joined us and we had a private showing of some of Adeline's work. Here is a pic of her Dresden Plate UFO and another quilt she is working on for someone else of their Hankies.

I've had a very AWESOME six days at my sister's and we sewed 90% of the days and I think at first Len loved the freedom to do what he wanted and when cause I was keeping Sylvia occupied but I think towards the end of the week with the help of the rainy weather - even two days with sporadic snow flurries - he was coming to check things out and asking a few questions. Friday he even came home with some rhubarb and asked for a pie for supper!!! He got two and leftovers in the freezer for another time.

He even razed me that I was keeping her up too late and tiring her out totally. LOL!

Well Sylvia even said this week was like a quilting retreat and I was getting her primed up for the WR coming up. I teased her Nah not at all cause she had to cook and she Hrumphed! at that. I helped with some meal preparations and the dishes and thank goodness they have a dishwasher for the regular stuff, so yes we sewed, sewed, and more sewing whenever we weren't fooling around on her newly acquired rebuilt PC! Gosh Darn, I would never have thought in a million years that that sister would get a computer and actually want to learn how to use it, but after showing her how it prints off quilt labels she laughed and said it was worth the money just for that awesome priviledge. I'm not sure how much "email" she'll actually do but I can see her searching the web for some quilting and maybe travel stuff for their trips down south etc - oh and the weather instead of waiting for the supper news!!!

So what did we accomplish??? Let's see:

Well Sylvia worked on her challenge piece and I can tell you that I was anxious to see WHAT she was doing and yet at the same time very LEARY about what she was doing! LOL! Yep, see she had taken this horizontal panel, slashed through it, patched it and VOILA it is now a smaller vertical panel and lots, lots, lots better too and it was not finished when I left. She also worked on her 12.5" blocks for the WR mystery quilt and her colours are just lovely. Oh she's already got her 3.5" blocks all completed as of last week's printout! - Darn, I tried to leave mine behind for her to finish off for me but no dicerooie!!!

Well I worked on and finished everything but the binding on my challenge piece for the retreat in June and started on the mini 3.5" blocks for the mystery quilt and I can tell you if it wasn't for Sylvia's help I probably would have ditched it as I had a rough time sorting the instructions out (would have helped if I had the "revised" instructions with me and READ properly) and sewing together the "right" pieces - lots of extras I tell you! Guess that's what I get for working on quilting and at the same time thinking about what I should show Sylvia about her computer and digital camera before I left!!! Then with Sylvia's help, I picked out my fabrics for the Block Lotto draw 6.5" blocks - but not sure how many of these I'll get stitched up before mid-June.

We only went into town (Dryden) once and I was very good and didn't buy much BUT Sylvia now has a "digital" camera and I also spent some time acquainting her with the workings of the camera. I hope she can work it - them buttons are so small!!! Now I really think she's flipped out - first a computer when she said no way was she into computers and now a digital camera - what next a computerized sewing machine????? (Gosh darn I'm kidding Sylvia!)

I finished off my vacation with taking pics of just about ALL of Sylvia's quilted projects and one of these days I'll update my Webshots with the rest of her projects to show off.

1 or 4 projects finished!

Well I've completed my project "Living on the Edge" - a challenge using fabric selvedges. Yes I've been stitching my fingers off and that's litterally too - see I've stuck the eye part of the needle about 1/4 inch into the top pad of my thumb so stitching the binding on last night/this morning was torture - but it's finished. Sorry, no pics until June sometimes when the voting for Viewers Choice is finished within a specific online group.

Also I'd like to publically THANK all my online and quilting friends for their assistance in providing me with an abundance of fabric selvedges to use on this project. Without your help I'd probably still be cutting one edge off all my fabrics and making up my "fabric" from my stash. Instead I was able to finish my project with an awesome assortment of strips. Thank you all!!!

Now onto the "All Creatures Great and Small" and pack up for my week of vacation at Sylvia's (my quilting sister) to get me caught up with my projects before we start our journey west June 13th. And hopefully I'll then work on the other two projects and hopefully get them completed too!!! I'm not taking any of my other UFO's or as I like calling them WISPs (works in slow progress) like I usually do, as I know I'll not have time for them. {chuckling}

So it'll probably be another week before I can post again. Sure will miss my computer friends very very much. Hmmm maybe I should be thinking of a laptop one of these days!

Oh My - I've been lapse!!!

Yep, I've not posted since Mother's Day as my dear friend just asked! {chuckling to myself}

See Monday morning I went to work as usual but kept having bouts of teary eyes but not from emotional causes. Let me tell you when you work all day on the computer and most with numbers blurriness is not fun! Tuesday was worse as my eyes, the right especially, became very irritated and periodically I would rub it and sometimes both trying to get rid of the tears etc. - started using over the counter antiboitic eye/ear drops along with very warm washcloth baths. When I woke Wednesday I knew something was definitely wrong with my right eye (swollen, red and painful - like glass/sand inside), continued with the drops and also my allergy capsules too and took the first appointment at the Dr I could get that day. He checked me out and said PINKEYE (UGH!!!) and examined my drops which I brought and told me to continue using these as a prescription one would do the same but cost more and since they stopped tearing I was okay to go. Well it wasn't until yesterday that I can honestly say the painful scratchy feeling has subsided and my eyelids aren't swollen, just a smidge puffy like after a cry! Can you imagine a week without makeup - there was no point (first tearing and then the drops) - and I hardly wear any but they all noticed!!!

SO that's why I've nothing really to BLOG (just was downright cranky and miserable). Well besides the two things I am stitching on, items that I can't show yet as one is part of my Living on the Edge challenge for my June quilting retreat and the other are fancy postcards for my two dear friends in a private swap. So I want them to receive them before I post the pics. Sorry ladies.

Also I'm trying to get my act together and pack whatever I need for a week of stitching with my sister. She's gonna crack the wet FQ and get me working on the projects (mystery quilt, 6.5" block lotto squares, All Creatures Great and Small Challenge) that I signed up for but as yet have not accomplished much on at all and we leave June 13th - not much time left. I also would like to make up some of my crocheted kitchen towels, crazy patch heart pins (3.5" size) and scissor fobs for the Garage Sale to earn some spending money for that Alberta trip.

Happy Mothers Day to You!

Well I'm not a Mom but so far I've had a lovely day - hope you have too.

It started off with being up early, having breakie, getting rid of allergy sinus symptoms then into designing a private swap postcard and actually picking out the fabrics before lunch.

Then my youngest sister Florence and partner were in the city to visit their only grandchild and today before heading back to Dauphin I met them at the Olive Garden for a lovely soup n salad lunch. They even let me play with my camera phone and now I'll have pics for when they call me - DUH I know but it's fun to play!!!

After that I filled up and washed the car ready for the long weekend trip to Dauphin. Then home and I've now started stitching the three postcards and boy do I ever LOVE the looks so far!!! I sure hope the gals like my choice of colours and I know they'll love the idea I've chosen, that I think I'm pretty sure of! [chuckling to myself] Okay I'm going back to stitching - no there'll not be any sneak preview pics until they have been mailed and received!!!

Such Freedom!

Gosh ladies, I think after a week of coming home 4:30 ish and not rushing off to the part time job and being able to just work on my stitching or emails or just relaxing and hitting the pillow 10:30ish, is sooooooo awesome I can't believe I stuck with that part time job for so long (4 years and 10 months)!!!

And then this weekend the freedom to do what I want and when I want is just enough to bring tears to my eyes. Now to make use of this extra time and get some backlogged quilting projects out of the way! [rolling eyes] Yeah I know, you think I'm crazy! I probably am! [winking]

Ohhh and I can watch all the hockey, baseball or whatever else I want when I want!!!! And I booked a hair appointment today without thinking about juggling time slots - WOW!

Margaritas - Summers Here!

OLE!!! (and other such Mexican salutes) Ohhhh I'm not sure how much stitching I'll be doing in the park this summer now that I've found my slushies!!! See, I was a bad girl today and to think I bought two of these pails!!! See I LOVE margaritas just the plain lime tequila ones - more sour the better - I'm sweet enough you see!

Well I saw this bucket kit on sale in Linen n Things for about $10 and then the WalMart flyer came out with the same bucket for $5.96 I think. Well I tried three times to get at least one to try out and no dice until I went to the Lindenwoods one and they had only two pails left and I bought both - might be a MAJOR mistake me thinks!!! Naturally on my way home from the Aurora quilting meeting I picked up a tequilla bottle and promptly mixed up one pail when I got home! WELLLLLL!!!! I think you get the drift - there might not be much of this pail left by months end!!!

GOSH it tastes just like those served in the bar but none of that salt or sugar glass rim stuff for me and I think I'll have to add more chaser as it's a might too strong for me and I added 150 ml more water than it called for! Good thing I have no more money to buy another bottle for the other pail - ROFLOL!

Oh NOOOOO just realized if it's a hot week again I'll be coming home anticipating a Margarita - it won't last long that way!!!! Will have to find a smaller glass and limit myself! No I'm not a boozer, just I love this slushie with a kick! And one glass is more than enough! LOL!

Another Postcard

After a very overly warm day in the office I was not up to much tonight but I did stitch up a pair of pants that needed mending badly (quite embarrassed I was arriving at work and finding out a seam was coming apart - yep home to change lickety split)!

Anyways, I did finish off an extra Hardanger Oval and will send that to Teri Rubin who inadvertently sent Open Theme postcards to the wrong swapping group. I promised I'd get one out to her but a might tardy it seemed. Well it's done and ready to mail. I teased her (through the group) that she was kinda sneaky in getting more cards sent her way with a wink! LOL!

Turkey in the CITY???

Gosh I totally forgot to include this with my Workshop Day 2 write up! DUH tired me I guess!

See as Sylvia and I were leaving my area on our way to breakie and then to the workshop we drove up my street and I yelled "A turkey!!!" Well I stopped the car right then and there in the middle of the street - hey it was early Sunday morning what kind of traffic could there be - most would still be sleeping at this hour (8:00 am)!!! I reached into the back and hauled out my camera, rolled down the window and took pics.

Hey, I've seen turkeys along the highway and in the zoo, BUT in the city - NEVER!!! Well I sure did on Sunday and he was not dressed any differently!!! So here's the turkey minus the tophat and cane strutting off Broadway down towards the river on Edmonton Street!!!

Go Figure!!!

Workshop - Day 2

Oh remember I mentioned that Sylvia was working on project #3 last night before bed? Well here is the background some and a picture of her hubby ice fishing which she is hoping to machine applique for him.

Oh gosh were we ever tired after sleeping like logs (I don't think I tossed once even) when we had to start another fun packed workshop. Here are Nancy's samples of what we were learning to do and boy did we all enjoy the day and accomplished many embellishment techniques using Sulky Totally Soluable and Aquabond.

Now this one of Sylvia stitching away with her garden gloves for grip also show's Nancy's samples she had for the day 1 workshop. These were so awesome I wanted to take pics of each one close up but relented and only took one.

Now here's Sylvia's and her thread painted landscape. Awesome eh?

And again no pics of me working or of my project as I'm still in the assembling stages. I hope I will finish it off this week. But here is my bare tree and I can tell you I should have left it alone as adding the branches etc it is not nice at all. Will have to practice on these I tell you.

Workshop

WELL first off thank you all for the lovely comments on our class projects - yes we are having fun with this. I forgot to mention in my previous email that I managed to only take what was suggested on the "Supply List" (which is very very hard for me) and it fit with room to spare in my large sewing bag. Then tonight we repacked our sewing machine bags with the items needed for tomorrow and again it all fit in the one wheeled tote! WOW that is amazing for me - one bag only to cart around!!! Oh yeah the sandwiches, pickles and cheese luncheon was very tasty too along with Tim Horton's Timbits for coffee!

AND instead of relaxing, Sylvia is working on her winter landscape (LOL!) and I am planning out a "Through My Window" project but drawing my own window frame to be used. It's too early to crash even though we are both very wiped from the full day but yet too tired to really concentrate on heavy stuff!

So wonder what tomorrow will bring???

MPQ Landscape Workshop

WOW I had a GREAT! day with my sister and other fellow quilters at our Guild's featured fabric artist's "Perspective Secrets for the Landscape Quilter" and boy did Nancy Bergman ever keep us thinking and hopping to the very end. Not only did we play with fabric and plan out a 9 X 12 inch landscape with mainly batiks but we also got to play with flowers and leaves and make a smaller 5 X 7 inch image. I'm very pleased with the turn out of my projects and Sylvia even played with planning a winter landscape also and I can't wait to see that one materialize. Okay here's the pics (landscapes with two matts each) so far and tomorrow we get to play and embellish with thread and yarns - YIPPEE!!!

And here is Sylvia in the preparation stages and her projects:

PC challenge?

Hmmmmm now what do I do??? Do I take the bait and run with it or just ponder some??? See a friend of mine has just challenged me to incorporate whatever I learn at my Landscape and Thread Embellishing Workshop with Nancy Bergman this weekend into my POSTCARDS!!! YOWL, them's big expectations, me thinks!!!

So tonight is Nancy's Trunk Show and Saturday is the first workshop of playing with fabric to create our 9 X 12 inch landscape and the Sunday it's using that created piece and machine embroidery for thread painting and some beading. My sister Sylvia really wanted to take this workshop but I was a might iffy, since I've just quit my part time job and won't have that extra cushion to fall back on. But then decided when would I have this chance to take a workshop with a professional fabric artist again!!! See a few years ago I took a fabric landscape class with Shirley Paterson in Alberta and also more recently here in Manitoba with Heather Lair but unfortunately I've not completed either works of art - on my WISPs list!!!

Well I was diligent and set aside the funds for the summer retreat and this workshop and so now I can go to both without doubts. [chuckling]

So you hadn't heard from me lately cause I've been cleaning up some and getting my supply list together and then I'll be in and out all weekend, not sure if blogging though! I'll definitely keep you posted after the fact! Oh and to the Aurora gals that are going to Morden for the Barnswallows Quilt Show and their mini retreat - HAVE FUN - will miss not joining in this year!

Postcards!

Well all I can say is I've finally caught up on all my postcards to date (eleven of them)!!! PHEW!!! Now I've two due by the end of May but hopefully I have time to get those out on time. Anyways here's the latest.

August 2006 - FAPC - Through My Window
- my card completed
- and a Just Because Card for Adeline J

March 2007 - CrazyQuilters-CA - Friends Swap - mine

Just Because Cards for Edith M


and also for Ferne C


April 2007 - FAPC - Trapunto Swap
- a Just Because Card for Adeline J and
- a Retirement Card for Avril U


Phew talk about hard to take pictures of this Trapunto one because of the shiny polyester preprinted fabric.

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.