Lucky Me

Yep, there was me at lunch time getting my postcards ready for the Boutique and a co-worker picked one out and bought it - WOW - I think that's my 4th one sold!!! I definitely am tickled pink and flying high today! YAHOOIE!!!!!!!!!! It's one of these Pink Ribbon ones!

Hand Pincushions

WOW I'm having so much fun playing - yep that's how I see this - maybe my fingers don't with all the pin pricks in them - but I definitely am playing with "dressing up" these babies!!! They all have their own "personality" (remember that musical - Mary Poppins?) well I truly believe this is happening here and gosh I sure hope I can let them go to the Boutique on Wednesday!!!


Here's the first one I did for a pincushion competition in the Western Retreat online group (didn't win Viewer's Choice though) - embellished as per the pattern - but those above are kinda different and more unique??? Will see how they are critiqued when posted maybe tomorrow night??? You'll have to check back and let me know!

CQ-CA Postcards Ready

Yeah, I've got something else off my list but it's not going as fast as I WANT!!!

Okay, here are the newest crazy patched embellished postcards ready to be mailed out tomorrow morning (were supposed to be in the mail April 4th) so not too bad for this gal!!! At least they are not a month late like usual! Yep I must be getting better, but then I've not signed up for anymore postcard swaps either.

Now there are a few gals who were questioning the amount of embellishment I suggested for a 6" block, well these postcards are only 4" x 6" and there's lots on there and probably still room for more by a true CQer's standards (which I'm still learning to aspire to)!

Okay, back to stitching and the Hand Pincushions, yep they are next up and should have been done yesterday!!! OYE my poor finger, it's so poked not sure how it'll survive this next stretch.

OHHHH and I learnt to do something totally new and scary for this old gal on her new scanner/computer!!! See I wanted those postcards in one picture but like the images from my scanner better than my digital so scanned the two cards and then the third card separately and played in Jasc Paint Shop Pro combining the two images!!! Yep there were a few dump to recycle files but it finally worked and just about perfect too! PHEW!!! The possibilities for this is endless for perfect images!!!

My Quilting Start!!!

Thank you Susan for asking about my story on this! I keep forgetting about "how" I got started in this madness! Yep that orchid one is basically the "first" major project I've done. But about five years before that I made my first actual project - a large tumbling blocks cushion top with Sylvia (worn out now) and then another one I did on my own but used scissors and nothing is matching (still use this one)!!!

Then with a co-worker's guidance and a number of tried and true shortcuts, purchased the right tools to do the job right, I practiced first on this small 6" square of appliqued robin on a branch with cherries to understand what I had to do (check out the uneven binding!!!). Well that baby was done like overnight and poor Shirley didn't know what hit her as she unleashed a stitching demon and I've not stopped since - hand needle turn applique is still my #1 favourite.



I then started on this Phaleonopsis pattern from Keepsake Quilting and finished it in three months (80 hours). Actually Orchids Forever was displayed at the 2000 Orchind Show and Competition the week after I finished it and won a Red Ribbon (was even offered $300 cash on the spot - but could not part with it), then at our Red River Exhibition where it also won a ribbon and then at our guild's quilt show but no ribbon there. I'm still very proud of it and once Christmas is over it goes back onto the wall in my entrance way (bought a simple but lovely hanger) - you can see it from just about any direction. I keep thinking I'd rotate from work and home but it seems to just stay put here with me - LOL!



Then there was a request for 6" finished blocks for "Breast Cancer Awareness" with one of the Book Clubs I was in and so I did up "My Blooming Inspiration!" block from the above pattern and sent it off (did not hear anything if it was used or not though).



As for my postcards (link to BLOG postcards entries), well so far I only have one small stand I bought at ValuVillage for $0.99 and it sits on my desk with the recently received and/or my made postcards for all to enjoy.



At home well I'm more lax and just have no room for such a display BUT do have one of my CQd hearts in a mat and one of those acrylic picture stands on my knick knack stand and also my "all white" CQd postcard on black velvet and sandwiched under glass (frameless) on an easel also at work - my favourite so far. Otherwise I keep them all in binders by group and swapping topic.



BUT one of these days I intend to sew up a wall hanging with cut out clear plastic table cloth pockets (front and back) so I can change them as I feel and also still read the back (which is very important to me) and see the stamp too! You'd be surprised how many at work can not BELIEVE we dare to send these "treasures" through the mail and most without envelope protection! LOL!

Okay back to breakie and sewing for me - very very very busy weekend in store for me!

S N O W ! ! !

Yep, we got it again!!! Linda had just emailed me to look outside - it's snowing!!! OH YEAH and it's all white and about an inch too everywhere!!! AND as I was checking it out along zipped this medium sized sports car turning the corner and it just continued to skid sideways on all four wheels - hmmmm wonder if it made the corner or bounced off the curb or landed up against the tree??? Nope I'm not going out to look - their stupidity does not warrant my concern!

That Dad of mine!!! I've got to get him to turn off his weather forcasting - it seems to be more accurate than the weather station!!! LOL!

Guild Night!

Okay, part of the program for tonight was Show n Tell of your first or worst quilt! Yep, that's right and let me tell you some of those ladies have "worst" definition totally misconstrued!!! Two especially appealed to me very much and I did not see where the "worst" fit in at all.

Anyways, I did bring in my "first" quilted project and still am very proud of it! See I'm an orchid enthusiast (if you've not known that before) and I had seen this applique pattern of an orchid plant in Keepsake Quilting catalogue - so ordered it. Then I proceeded to learn how to do this "quilting" along with my co-worker's assistance and cemented a fond friendship too. So with Linda's assistance here is my "first" quilted project!!!

Mail Call!

WOW look what I got in the mail today - talk about stunning!!! I asked for ivories/neutrals and yep just what the Dr. ordered - LOL! I've been checking this crazy patched postcard out most of the evening and am still intriqued with the whole picture!!! And a spider n web, and a plane for my Aussie trip and a Teddy Bear, my other love that is centre court on my bed! Yes very subtle and yet so beautiful! Thank you very much Mary Lou!

Now I wonder if I should scrap my original plan and dream up something else for this swap??? SHEESH, I've no time to change plans so I pray that you won't find my baby lacking after this sweetie!!!

Just About!!!

Gosh it's no fun waking with a kink in your neck!!! I went to work and number crunched Monday with it before finally getting into my Chiro for some relief but today it's still a pestering me and I can tell you trying to keep up with stitching is a pain!!!

Anyways, after picking up the thread I ran out of I did manage to "quilt" my Celtic Knot but nothing else I tell you!!! That took all evening just to finish off the last few rounds and then the outer border and I even had to "rippit" as I had eyeballed it a bit too wide and it looked weird!!!

So here it is minus the binding! Not sure if you can tell the entertwined scallop in the purple border but I tried to mimic the applique with the two lines of stitching on each edge.



And here's a close up to show you the echoing of the applique on the green background - I tried to space each one a bit more out just like the ripples on water after a pebble is thrown.



And here is the back and a look at the very simple label I had seen somewhere but not sure where. Definitely no way it can be removed without major damage to the backing/quilt. Here you can also see the border quilting pattern I drew up cause I could not find my Easy Borders.



So hopefully tomorrow night I'll do up the binding and hopefully figure out how I do these half mitred corners! Too tired tonight to think anymore.

Makin Progress

Yep, that's what I did today and just stopped as I'm pooped and hadn't had lunch or supper as yet and it's been reach for half hour now - so time to eat and then bed!!!

I also planned out most of the embellishments for the various Hand pincushions so just to put my mind to it and do the fussy work and then some added embellishments.

I was debating on what to do for the open quilting on my Celtic Table Topper when I thought darn it you have all the stitch in the ditch to do first so down to task and I just about finished all the bias shaped quilting! Oh well tomorrow I'll finish that and hopefully have decided what other quilting I'll be doing. I must say that the backing fabric I chose is just awesome too and the variegated rayon thread looks great in the quilting.

Maybe a picture tomorrow - will see. Enough already for today!

Catching Up Maybe?

Okay yesterday I kinda goofed off and took in the Manitoba Orchid Show and thoroughly enjoyed them AND I resisted buying a plant or two that appealed to me. I did buy a leather brooch and a clay formed orchid plant fridge magnet though - mucho cheaper and less TLC needed for them in future too! LOL!

Okay last night after my evening NAP I was able to finish off the remaining five needlecases for the Quilt Show, after I HAD to go and buy more DMC floss (I just can't believe it with the stash I have now that I'm still missing a colour!!!). So today I sewed on the domes and they are packed away now.

Then I pulled out my Celtic Table Topper (an MPQ workshop project) and went to work stitching on the borders and OHHHHH it is just lovely and I thank Dale Anne for that awesome print as it truly is my favourite!!! Now I'm gonna have to ration my use of it as it really is dissappearing - LOL! Here it is so far as I'm too excited to make you wait till I'm finished quilting it.



Now to decide what I'm going to do on the green print and I think I'm going to use my purchased quilting pattern on a roll for the outer print BUT I did purchase a variegated light green for all the quilting! At least I know some part of this next step!!! LOL!

Hour of Darkness

Well I did shut off all my lights, even the PC monitor as it was way too bright in the darkness and the orchid unit too and lit a candle to watch my hockey game.

YEAH RIGHT!!!

I lasted like 15 minutes and just woke at 9:53 pm!!! Not a smart move with a candle going, but lights out and that's what my body did all right!!! So they like got two hours out of me!!! And I don't know how the first hockey game ended either!!!

LOL!

Orchids' Glory!!!

WOW finally after a number of years of missing the Manitoba Orchid Society (MOS) annual show and competition I was thrilled to take the morning away from stitching and before the so-called snow storm arrives in Winnipeg and drool at all the awesome displays!!! And I think Joan H had a wall quilt with mega orchid fabrics within in competition and someone else a beautiful stained glass orchid piece and a few photographs and paintings too. Yes, I miss this too!

Okay, here are a few photos to whet your appetite and maybe if you're in Winnipeg you will zip over to the Assiniboine Park Conservatory tomorrow before they close for another year!









These are not "living" items, the first two are the leather brooch and then a clay formed orchid plant in basket fridge magnet which I could not resist to add both to my collection. And the lovely wall quilt I could not resist a pic of.

Another Incoming and My Postcards

Okay today's mail brought me my last bookmark from my CQ-CA swap and I love the different angled shape and the flowers on "green"!!! Thank you Judy!

Actually here's a pic of all my bookmarks and I like them all and see that the girls played with the idea too! Well done!!!

Yes it's been a while since I've shown some of my postcards but I'm trying to finish off items for the MPQ Quilt Show and these are a few for that event. Now most of these were halfway finished so I just had to print off my backs, sandwich them all together and satin stitch the edges and VOILA - finished - even used the scanner instead of the camera! LOVE this new printer that is for sure!!!

Okay first off is my first postcard (but second attempt) at the technique "upside down applique" - a class I took on Quilt University but as yet not finished my actual project - YIKES!!! I LOVE this technique as there is no fusible at all, instead a tear away stabilizer is used along with an anchoring stitch before doing the satin stitching - so some poofiness.

Then these four are "Just Because" to friends that I promised cards a coming when I started the class.

Now these two are ones I'm hoping to sell in the Boutique - different! So now I've just to finish off two "Pink Ribbons" postcards and I'll have 16 all ready and packaged for the Boutique.


And these precious Victorian Ladies are also for the Boutique - embellished with Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery, beads and some metallic embroidered accents. I've made up a number of these for other swaps and even tried one with red flowers but YUCK too overpowering but I kept that one for myself to remind me to keep the colours soft!!! Now the first is with a medium grey for the satin stitching - like a frame and the second one I've just finished tonight and reverted back to the cream and really I'm not sure which I like better! DUH!!!


And this final image, but definitely not least, is a precious glittering angel (approx 3 inches) machine embroidered for me by Linda M using the Marathon Metallic thread she was testing out (LOVELY metallic with a gold thread in it too but not really visible here) but sadly will not be produced for sale. Ain't she sweet - just like me eh???

Again thank you Linda as you know I LOVE angels!

CQd Goodies Incoming

Yep, my mailbox today only had swap items from my CQ friends and made me soooooooo happy and brought tears too!

First I opened the smaller envelope and I'm glad as I was able to enjoy viewing this embellished bookmark with the joy it deserved! I can now see that I have to change from the regular to thicker flosses and yarns for seam finishes. I LOVE seeing them at a glance instead of searching like for mine!!! So thank you very very much Veronica for your lovely green/blue bookmark - another precious one to add to my collection!

Then I opened the Aussie envelope and inside is this beautiful bookcover Margaret made for me. I LOVE all the lace appliques (even two loose for my use on blocks and some Tasmania note pad paper) and the colours and the stitches and I did not think of "personalizing" the front cover!!! WOW!!! And no you did not have to do up a bookmark, just some might have, but thank you for the lovely colourful Australian birds souvenir!!! I can't wait to pick up a pocketbook and enjoy using it and reminding me of my upcoming trip and all my Aussie friends to meet!!! OHHHHHH I'm all wound up! Thank you very very much my dear!

Where did the time go?

I came home and promptly set to work removing the pencil markings on my Celtic Knot piece and then decided to wash it too as I've handled it for a couple of years now. So it is ready for the borders and quilting next week.

Then I stitched up the two last "hands" for the one set of pincushions for the Quilt Show Boutique. I'm not sure how I'll embellish these ones but I've some time to let those ideas steep!!!




Now this was the first one I made and I "followed" the instructions and was not that happy with the outcome. BUT I see lots of potential here!


Here is the link for the above idea for this pincusion!

Okay, time to crash!

Celtic Knot Table Topper

(well for me a wallhanging - can't see my table top)

Thank you Debbie for your compliment on this piece and yes it's taken ages to make the bias strips and gently pin them onto a batting wrapped cardboard (a tip our instructor showed us) for safe keeping nice and flat but no bend marks, then pinning onto the traced background. One thing I've learnt is to trace only a single line in the "middle" of the pattern lines which will be covered evenly with the bias strip (now I have lots of pencil markings that are wider than my prepared bias strips to remove tonight). The tricky part was not to mess up the overs and unders which I did a couple of times and once I had to "rippit" and restitch.

But now all the hand applique is finally finished after a couple of years of off and on work on this project and soon onto the borders and then the quilting. I have entered it into the Quilt Show for April 10th so don't have much time and lots more stuff to work on too! Yes, will definitely keep my blog updated on this one too.

Another Just About!

Yep, tonight I completed trimming all the loose threads on my needlecases getting ready for the hand blanket stitching all around. Then I switched to stitching closed all the slip throughs on my Celtic workshop piece from a few years ago. So maybe I'll work on the borders and if that is accomplished then try my hand at machine quilting again! Yep just might have this piece ready for the quilt show.

(Dale Anne do you recognize the fabric?)

Awesome Day!!!

Well I woke to sunshine and warmth in this apartment so it must be so outside too and it's 3:00 pm and it still is a lovely blue sky out there. I talked with Dad and even he was outside yesterday with his scooter - WOW! BUT I'm inside and thoroughly enjoying myself!!!

Oakie dokie I'm really getting on the ball this weekend. Not only did I "find" my couch from under all that fabric, books, laces etc, but I'm stitching too!!! And I cut out all the felt pieces for my needlecases for the Quilt Show Boutique and stitched over half of them into place ready for the hand blanket stitch edgings I'll be doing during work breaks and all Easter weekend while visiting family. Yep I can't just sit there my hands have to be doing something and once I've cleaned up for Dad we either go for walks or watch TV.

GOSH I just LOVE my new printer and the scanning ability which is tonnes better than my digital photography when it comes to showing off my creative flat projects. Just LOVE IT!!!

Well the other day I took the upholstery fabric samples I received from another quilter and promptly used them for my CQ-CA Mystery Project. I've been itching to use them in postcards but with so many projects that I need to get caught up on that is on hold. So since the end results will be for me I thought I'd try them on this. I stitched up my crazy patched blocks, added lace trim on each and now have started the various embellishment Steps for this project. I guess some would say it's not really a mystery if I'm posting pics on the works but some in the group have not done hand embroidery and I really want to include everyone so I've decided I'll post my pics to give them ideas of how things could be worked besides the websites I listed. But I've asked that they keep their photos secret until I ask for them for the end project and competitions. So without further ado here is Step #1.

Now back to the drawing board and dreaming up Step #2 and so on.

A Nice Day So Far!

First off a belated thanks to Lynn B for this lovely CQ'd bookmark I received some times last week and sort of misplaced! Aren't they sweet??? I just love these little treasures.

Yep, I kinda vegged out last night and even "found" my couch - that's right I sort of put things away in an orderly fashion into my messy sewing room and now have a couch to sit on instead of a storage area! LOL! I then relaxed with a glass of wine and gathered my paraphenalia for the guild meeting.


I woke to a lovely day and proceeded to gather my fellow quilters and off to the meeting in my YUCKY filthy car. I think I remembered to do all I was supposed to, getting ready for our Quilt Show next month and even had change to buy raffle tickets and GUESS WHAT - YEP I won one of the prizes - a 200 page notebook of 1/4 inch squares (for drafting), a Winter 2007 The Canadian Quilter magazine (has a couple of patterns I'm interested in), an Olfa "Orange Calantha" 45 mm rotary cutter and a large magnetic Fons&Porter red heart that has a separate part to set your needles aside from your pins!!! Nice gift! And I picked up Sylvia and mine Boutique record sheets to record our "crafted items" we wish to sell at the Quilt Show. I've even shared my old Lewiscraft display stands in case they could use them.

Then before leaving the meeting I cleaned off my windows and Edna treated me to lunch at Tim Hortons and shucks neither of us won a prize on the Roll-UP game! Then after dropping her off I stopped into the car wash and WOW a nice clean outside at least and all windows are see through!!!

As I headed home I came across Nygards on Broadway and zipped in. Talk about a "waste" of funds in trying to bring NEW YORK to Canada - especially when shortly after opening this, he closes down the Manitoba plant!!! Leaves me with the feeling I should not buy anything with his label - but then I really did find something in the 50-75% off section that appealed to me so I caved! Yep I picked up two dressier t-shirts (periwinkle blue and a red) for $12 each and then an awesome burnt orange with tone on tone embossed flowers overshirt that fits to a "T" with roll-up buttoned sleeves for $13.95 and a neato necklace to go with it for $8.95 - YEP I shouldn't have but I could not resist. So now I have an outfit for the Quilt Show Banquet using one of many pairs of dress pants I got from Pat!!! Talk about a bargain for a change for me!!!

So now I'm at home gonna check emails and checking on curling and soon to be stitching my needlecases to hopefully get as much as I can ready earlier than later for the Quilt Show.

I'm a HAPPY CAMPER

Oh yes Oh yes that is for sure!
And I'm just having a glass of wine!!!


See after a pressure filled February and so far into March I'm actually accomplishing lots either in my purging of my messy apartment or in my quilting projects! And I'm very pleased with myself!

Now I'm just back from dropping off my crazy patched and embellished bookcover at the PO to fly off to one of my CQ Friends - a small swap that group asked me to put together. So hopefully my friend will love what I've done for her and for once the postage was under $4.00 (airmail) so hopefully it will be in her hands within a couple of weeks!!!

front cover

back and front

upper back

upper front

centre front

lower front


I even learnt two new stitch combinations for this baby! One was the "Arched Stitch" (check out photo upper front - green and gold seam finish) which JO in NZ had featured in a postcard - just lovely and the other was the Feather Stitch Combination (check out photo upper back - sand seam finish) from "The Magic of Crazy Quilting" book by J. Marsha Michler (page 49). I thoroughly enjoyed embellishing this bookcover even if the actual sewing up was tricky for me - naturally I did not follow the pattern!!!

Now since I was the swap hostess I know who is making mine but she's tricked me and is not posting the pics into our group photos until I've received it - I LOVE surprises!!! I'll naturally let yah all know when it arrives! (chuckling)

And here are two bookmarks I've received so far from my CQ-CA group swap - remember mine posted Feb. 21st - these little treasures are sure turning out to be something the gals should be proud to display and/or use. I've three more to arrive as yet and will post then. The first is from Diane B and the second is from Mary S - ain't they something?




March 13, 2008 (7:40 am)

Well so much for my enjoying that glass of wine last night and for some stupid reason I moved it from the mouse tray where I usually keep my glass/cup to the keyboard drawer. While answering an email I had gotten up to get something and swung my chair around and YEP in goes the drawer and over goes the glass of wine. Now luckily it knocked it down and not over totally and busted glass everywhere too, but SHOOT that was the last glass and I needed it to unwind!!! Oh well I was also fortunate it did not find it's way onto the keyboard - but gosh it sure wreaked!!!