Pick on Rose Anne - Follow up

OK I went at 7:00 am to the PanAm Minor Injury Clinic and got an appt for 10:00 am so went back to the house instead of to work and then have to leave at 9:15 to get back there on time.  They saw me like in half hour, didn’t touch my toe but checked up my leg and made me gasp in pain on the inside above the ankle, then put me in a wheelchair and took me for xrays and that was lickety split, then took me to the Dr office (there I waited the longest) used my coat to cover my freezing bare feet and then found out the damage and even saw my xrays.  I’ve fractured a large chip off the end of my toe bone at the first knuckle but the radiating pain up from both ankles shows no breaks etc so must be just from walking on it all yesterday. 

So then they wheeled me over to casting for a velcroed boot cast and then over to Diamond Athletics and got crutches, then I drove over to Shoppers to pick up some Xstrength Tylenol as the Dr said to stop taking that much Advil for this pain, thank goodness I had funds!!!  I’m on this and supposed to try and keep full pressure off my leg for 10 days!  Hmmm going to be interesting walking the dogs – definitely not on crutches!!!  By the time I made it home to dump off my purse and pick up my little walking purse I thought I’d walk to work from the apt but decided NADA and drove the car to the parkade out back – more money gone!!!  But some coworkers are helping me pick up print jobs so I don't have to walk too much - nice of them as they are busy too.

Oh and thanks to Pat and hopefully Byran for offering to come and walk the girls for me for a few evenings!  At least it is warming up so I'll be able to just chase the girls outside more on the weekend and worry about it being too cold for the small dogs.

Will be interesting to see how this works and hopefully heals cleanly and efficiently.

It's Pick on Me Day!!!

What is this "beat up on Rose Anne day" or something???

OK guess I definitely am not going to aquacise this week!  See I barely walked to the bus and after a half hour ride it was torture to get up and walk the block to work, never mind trying to find comfortable shoes there.  Not looking forward to my doggie walk that is for sure!!!

See this morning just before leaving I let the dogs out for a second break and was going up the three steps into the kitchen when I MIS-stepped and rammed my toes of my left foot into the back of the step and then fell forwards bumping my knees and stopping myself with my left arm where the buttons on the sleeve scratched my skin.  I just laid there for seconds then got up to get ready to go out the door.

Putting on my boot was pain and not sure what it’ll be like after work to go home!!!  And I can’t bend my toe without pain but there is some give to it so I don’t think it’s broken, just does not like any pressure on the ball or the big toe, will see how it feels through the day, might get it checked out after lunch.  Not possible as the clinic was at max for patients so will go at 7:00 am and hope to get in ASAP.

Then our water cooler jug needed changing – now I KNOW I can’t lift a full one and put it on top – I know that – BUT I thought what’s it to remove the empty one – I can do that!!!  YEAH RIGHT!!!  Definitely not again, as it needed some force to pop out and what did it do or I guess I did – BOPPED me on the right cheek bone just below my glasses!!!  SHEESH, sure hope that does not bruise!  Will be hard explaining that to the DR when I go to get this toe checked (it’s swelling up even though I have it propped up).

Well even though I kept my foot propped up under my desk most of the day and used Communicator instead of walking back and forth it still swelled up to the point that it BARELY fit into my boot.  But it was easier to walk with it snug fitting but still not my normal step.  Yep it's now turning colours too!!!

When I got home I saw the neighbours had shovelled the sidewalk on either side of the house, but honest I don't have it in me to shovel with this foot.  Will see if tomorrow being warmer if I'll have more OOOOMP!!!

BRRRRRRR!!!!!

OK I've had enough of winter and I like normal winter conditions!  Especially after a couple of weeks of teasing spring like conditions to get "blasted" with a howling North Wind with gusts up to 70 km and fresh snow too boot!  

Well today is "Family Day" and provincial government employees were off.  So some of us Ravenesque fibre artists were going to get together in Steinbach for a day of stitching and gabbing and eating.  And because I was given 18 eggs, I even made egg salad sandwiches along with devilled eggs to share with them all.  Hmmmm it was quite iffy when I ventured out - yes lots of snow but roads weren't bad so I thought I'd wait till I got to the pick up point and see what it was like on the outskirts of the city.  WELLLLL as I got further out of the city I soon realized I did not want to venture out onto the highway at all.  Yes I did check the weather channels on TV and on the net and they all had varied information and only one with a RED ALERT bulletin for mostly southern Manitoba heading down into Minnesota, into SE corner - hmmm!

At Robins, Pat said that we weren't going and that Dianne knew this and so I followed them over to their place and still had a stitching day with a friend and we all had some of the lunch I prepared.  AND my van handled the extra snow very well and only had one spot I had to back up and try again to get through.  Even maneuvering the back lane to park in the carport was fine, but some people were having a heck of time on the good spots - not sure how they handled the drifted in spots. 

AND would you believe it, I've started house/dog sitting this weekend and started it off with shovelling knee deep drifts on all walkways to shovel clean.  Needless to say after shovelling the back path to the garbage cans and for the two small short legged dogs first, I then cleaned off the pathway to the sidewalk so I can go to work tomorrow and path to the road.  Then switched thinking I could do the stretch from one pathway to the second one which the postman uses (today he didn't drop off the mail as it was not cleared for him) - but gave up after a 3 foot stretch.  It was only ankle deep on half the sidewalk so I left it and concentrated on the necessary pathway to the mailbox - that one was well over the knees and by the time I finished that one I was exhausted.  All I can say is I'm glad that gusts have eased some and hopefully it will not be filled in again tomorrow morning or I'll have to shovel the fronts again before work.  UGH!!!  I decided that the next time I'm here in winter that Harold is teaching me to use the snow blower or whatever those things are in the back!!!

Needless to say I came in with a bright red nose, cheeks and chin and promptly put on some skin lotion and will again after coming in from walking the dogs later tonight.  Definitely not looking forward to going out there again!  LOL!  Just relaxing till then.

2013 TIAS - Day 11 - Final

I'm sad today to see this fun and learning experience once again come to an end.  This one gave me troubles with the "split chain" and the "Catherine wheel join" - guess I need more practice on these for sure!

So here are my finished old-fashioned prams - so cute a pattern I think and quite original looking.  Thank you very much Jane for all your talents and definitely your time for setting up this TIAS!!!

TIAS 2013 - Days 7, 8, 9 & 10

Well I've finally caught up this evening on my "four" installments of the tatting mystery.  I did have two of them with me this past weekend at the Gimli quilt retreat but just was not up to par to try and tat plus there were enough quilting projects to keep me busy.  Then when I got back home I still was under the weather and decided not to push my luck and wreck my projects if I made mistakes.  This proved to be true when I slowly worked the various stages and only had to untat once!  WOW!!!

Looks like I still have to practice the Catherine Wheel Joins - that will get better too eventually!!!  Not sure if it shows up in my poor quality images but the yellow variegated has brown and the Caribbean has black for the metal works. Now what is the handle going to look like???

2013 Gimli Quilt Retreat

First off we missed having my sister Sylvia attend, many asked for her and sent many wishes for shaking off the flu bug sooner than later!  So it was Pat and I who went and joined up with the crew at the Lakeview Resort for what we hoped another wonderful quilt retreat.  As usual the weather was not cooperating and not sure if I had a touch of the flu or what the scoop, but my stomach was kinda upset most of the retreat so I did not even venture outside in the "cold".  I heard from several that they were "pedal to the metal" and some even said it was UFO finishing time year.  There were many managerial staff changes at the resort so the retreat did not flow so well but hopefully they will look at this year and be more prepared for next year?  We hope so!  I especially love the resort for this quilt retreat.

I started the weekend finishing off the free form fabric butterflies for a co-worker's granddaughter's bedroom ensemble she was sewing.  Then supposedly to stitch up four sets of potholders - well not doable as I did not have enough of the special batting (not sure what it's called) and also just ran out of time period.  I did manage to finish off two sets, BUT still not making a sizable dent in my stash of selvedges I brought for this purpose.  The first set I had square corners but the second set I rounded the corners and think I'll redo the first set.  They have the heat resistent silver fabric on the other side and I tried the "pocket" type and think this is the best for a sure grip carrying hot items.  Will see when it's put to the test.  I had many come over and check it out and some even brought me their selvedges!

Pat was going to attempt a batik 1600 inch quilt but wanted to make it bigger for her Murphy bed in the guest room.  So I suggested she cut her strips in half (FQ length for a faster change over than WOF) and alternating the first piece length to stitch up strips the width she wanted.  This was going well when I left for my class.  When I returned I found she'd gotten help from Sharon who figured out the number and width for batik "spacers" in between sets of five 2" strips - looks wonderful and very unique!  Now she'll get Sylvia's help to square it off and hopefully use up her Carellan "quilting certificate" she had won at last year's quilt retreat.  Sure will be interesting to work on a commercial frame etc.

Also this year I took the Saturday class of Heather Lair's - Panoramic Landscape - and thoroughly enjoyed to the point that I stayed up till 2:00 am and "finished" the top.  After many attempts of auditioning for the borders of the fabrics I had brought anticipating this turn or events I finally decided on this ensemble but left the borders wide as per Heather's images but now I'm not sure.  (It is on my display board for a while at home to see if it speaks to me.)  I'm definitely going to try her suggestion of cutting 5 or 6 muslins and while you have your batiks and other fabrics out for this type of project you do many at one time.  That way if one fabric does not work on this piece maybe it will on the other or the other etc etc.  She had mentioned that the pieces one does not like to cut up into smaller landscapes that do work and sandwich them into bigger pieces - examples are on her website portfolio.

Then Pat showed me this beautiful panel of sewing room items at Jocelyn's and I just had to have it and Sunday morning after show and tell (very slim pickings this year - guess some projects just didn't get finished this year) I added borders to it while Pat stitched up a couple of coasters from some patterns Sylvia passed onto me last year.  It was a bit of a "Hmmmmm how does this work" but with my help she did get the technique and stitched them up.  Just they are too small so probably will widen the strips for the next set!

TIAS 2013 - Day 6

OK I can say it was just lovely to have an uneventful tatting installment without any hiccups enroute!!!  Now I'm still going with a grocery shopping cart but seems many are guessing a baby carriage/pram.  Well another five postings and we'll know what this is to be.  BUT I can tell you that while working on this baby at my Lace Gathering today I was told with all the new learning within this TIAS that I was producing "good neurons" which helps stimulate new brain cell growth!  HMMMMM OK!!!

TIAS 2013 - Day 5

WAHOOIE!!!  Finally back to some tatting I'm comfortable with but I did have to follow the instructions for the "Lock Chain" (something new to me) and refresh my memory on a lock join.

Now as for my guess I'm still going to stay with a grocery shopping cart!  We are halfway through with the mystery instructions so soon we'll see what this baby is going to be!!!

Ireland Trip

YAHOOIEEEEE!!!!  Today I've paid in full for my Ireland bus tour - before the February 5th due date!!!  YEAH!!!

Now it's to get confirmation of my flight booked and pay that baby off next week.

THEN to pay off the small IOUs to family and it's saving, saving, saving for my spending money for that trip!  I know I'll be bringing home some souvenirs from the areas we'll be touring and naturally the International Quilt Festival - WOW.  I'm even thinking of taking one workshop during this even - apparently they supply the sewing machines and there are kits to purchase too - will see!  So I wanna make sure I am not "scrimping" after this past 6 months of cutting corners to make this possible.  It probably would have been a bit easier or maybe the IOU would not have been necessary if I'd not taken in that newest quilt retreat this fall but what's past is past and I'm doing OK!

TIAS 2013 - Day 4

OMGG I think this TIAS this year will try my patience!!!  LOL!

See it was absolute torture for me to do the split chains (still not sure I got it down pat) and then this Day 4 introduces the Catherine Wheel Join.  Well after doing about a half dozen I realize I MISSED ONE JOIN and much "rippits" and "redos" again.  So finally I can say I got this baby down pat and it sure does make the joins look lovely and smooth.

BUTTTT I still do not have a clue what this will be.  I still agree with one of the tatters that it may be a tea cup, but then again another said we've just started and there will be may surprises ahead!!!  All I know is leave it up to Jane to keep us guessing!!!

My New Acquisition

OK one of my fellow tatter/lacemaker is one awesome needleworks enthusiast and has her own shop and does unbelievable hand painted canvasses for customers.  But to me she was one of my lifesavers in regards to mastering TATTING!!!

And as I'm travelling to Ireland and taking in a bus tour along with the International Quilt Festival of Ireland I want to take along my tatting and hopefully a mastered Angel pattern and hopefully have a few ready for Christmas gifts.  Naturally I've been thinking of HOW I'll be carrying and storing my tatting paraphernalia on the trip.

So I was very very interested when Ewa showed off her newest project "Irish Crochet" totes in small, medium, and large sizes with lining.  Hmmmm with linings with pockets for shuttles and cotton ball in the centre would be perfect and attractive too!  After a few weeks I hummed and hawed but could not justify the full cost for one of these beauties and emailed Ewa to see if she'd like my newer crocheted cotton balls, I was not using anymore, and some type of exchange.  Well it materialized to a fair barter and I paid the difference and now am the owner of this lovely tote.

Now just to design and stitch up the lining with pockets and I'll be ready for mobile tatting.  Again thank you Ewa for your lovely work.

TIAS 2013 - Day 3

OK I still do not like doing the split chains and I know these are bad examples but I consider them better than cut and tieing and burying those nasty ends.  And I still do not have an idea of what this is shaping up to be either.

TIAS 2013 - Days 1 & 2

Yes Jane Eborall is back again this year with another "Tat It And See" mystery project and she says this year's participants is much more than other years and she has her hands full keeping up blogging all entries!  See we LOVE your creativity and designs Jane!!!

So every three days Jane uploads another snippet of instructions and we keep adding to our tatting and if we've a clue as to what it'll grow up to be we can say so!  It's kinda funny reading some guesses but gosh the selection of tatting cottons and more so the SHUTTLES that are being used by the ladies and yes gents too is phenomenal!

I didn't get around to blogging Day 1 earlier, so here it is with Day 2 and just in the knick of time as tomorrow is Day 3!!!

Now I can tell you that the join between Row 1 and Row 2 is a split chain and well my first attempt was on the blue thread and it worked out mucho better than my second attempt on the yellow thread.  Oh well considering that was my first try at SChs I'll just leave it.  AND as to what it will be I have no idea, but Jane has given clue #1 as "blue" and clue # "baby pram-ish" - still does not help!

CQing Update

Slowly but surely I finally got another set of WWCQ "Build a Seam" RR blocks completed and in the mail.  These take me weeks to work on and when I meet a stumbling block it's a bit longer.  Hopefully this month I'll get myself caught up and I know for sure I'll not sign up for such an involved RR again.  I'll stick to the smaller ones - less work involved in them.

These are blocks belonging to Lorrie and here are the pictures after what I worked on.

I added in the blue/yellow above triangles and
the pinkish below the white arches

Blanket/Buttonhole

I added in the cretan baskets on both ends and
the full seam treatment above.

Cretan

I added in the replica outline in purple  then the gold
detached chain and the pink fan like things.

Added my tatted butterflies here.

Do Your Own Thing

I did this whole seam treatment.

Feather

Added the fish above and the
swirls to flowers below with boxes underneath.

Outline

I added the pink fly st caps on lower treatment,
then added the mauve and yellow in between greens.

I added the double herringbone above.

Herringbone

I added in the star seam treatment above and
the designs in between  the flowers.

Straight

I added in the tourquise chain, the hearts and
the diamond seam treatment.

Chain

I wove the blue/orange ric rac together and
anchored with Colonial knots, cretan stitches and
added beads ontop and overcast circles bottom.

Ric Rac

So now it's onto the next set of blocks, which the day after mailing these off to the next stitcher, I planned out each of my additions for the nine blocks belonging to Joyce.  She did put in a personal request for my cretan stitched trees so I hope she likes what I've come up with.  Her blocks are so exquisite I'm afraid to stitch on them.

My New House Sitting Friends

Yes I've met a new acquaintance, a friend of my girlfriends, and she's asked me to look after her cats while she went away for three weeks.  Well there was a slight glitch and that trip got cancelled but they did zip away for a week and I did look after her babies!  They are a might spoiled but heck what children/pets aren't spoilt to some extent by their parents!!!

It did take them (well not Damien) three days to adjust to me, but Louise did not make it difficult whenever it was time for her insulin shot so that was good!  And Bayda well as long as I picked up the hair brush she was right there and then shortly after that I'd put her in the kennel with the vaporizer on for her breathing condition.  

Finally on Thursday I think it was, that Louise graced us with her presence in the living room in the evening and lo and behold the next evening too.  Well that weekend she even slept on the couch and greeted me in the morning - so sweet!!!  Needless to say that weekend I had Bayda on my lap and Louise and Damien on either side of me while watching TV - definitely no stitching with them that close by!  LOL!

Bayda

Damien

Louise

Yes, they require their own water glass,
changed daily or they are in your's.

The only drawback of this session is that I came down with the stomach flu and had one heck of a weekend and the following week when back home!