Memory Lane

A few years back, as a means to introduce computers and the internet to father dearest, my sister and I gave him a scanner so he could digitize our family slides. I don't know about your family, but I grew up in a typical 1950's/60's family where the father took all the pics. Since my family of origin split up not long after I left home, custody of all those slides remained with the pater. He has been digitizing "collections", learning computers and calling on me when assistance is needed. As it turns out this has been a good bonding opportunity. Father dearest started with our travels overseas (my family lived in West Africa for a few years) and has now moved on to local family lore. So, here are a few pics of me from my halycon days. I particular like this one at the bottom - it's me feeding the pigeons in St. Marco's square, Venice!

The Mill and The Cross (2011) Movie Trailer HD

Grocery Bags ...

So my niece is engaged, and the aunt on the groom's side is throwing a bridal shower. Since I've spent a small fortune on the quilt so far, I have decided to not go crazy at the shower(s) - besides, there may be more than just this first one! In case my niece reads my blog , I doubt it, but just in case, I won't reveal the "gift", but will show you the "green" reusable produce bags I've made s0 far. On the left is the fruit/vegetable fabrics, a collection of matching mesh and ties, and on the right are the three I've completed. The idea is they are light weight and can be used at the grocery store in place of the plastic bags they offer. You can also use them to hold your fruit/veggies in the frig! I still have a mushroom and a lettuce bag to make, and IF I have the time before the party I hope to complete a casserole/pie carrier - or maybe I'll hold that back for the next shower. After all, these are probably the one and only's I'll be invited to!What else have I been up to? Well, above is a pic of the last two Chickadees for the wedding quilt. As I told you in my last post I have tried a new method - appliqueing first onto a piece of lightweight interface. So, here they are pre-applique to the quilt, and pre-embroidery of beak and legs. You'll have to wait a week of so for the post quilt applique pics!
Saw a realllly interesting movie last week. The Mill and the Cross. Here's a details/reviews from the IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes.

TTFN

Too Busy

Phew! I've been busy this past week - too busy really, makes me tired and crabby and I don't like myself when I get that way. I used to be able to keep up the pace, but no longer. I must, really I must start saying NO more often. No matter how legit the request(s) I just can't keep up being the accommodating one. I need to practice, No, No No.
Ah well, soon I'll be retired and desperate for things to do (Yes PH I will retire someday so STOP ASKING ME WHEN I'M GOING TO RETIRE!) No, wait, if Stephen Harper has his way I'll not be retiring as soon as I've been planning! Damm those PCs, - Waaaaaah! I'll have to change my Google count down page - it's at 2407 days until retirement ! Yes, I'm counting the days!! Most of my friends and family are retired, and it's hard being the one still working. Ah well, my turn will come.Ok, enough bitching, here's what I've managed to squeeze in this last couple of weeks. I got all the stems and leaves appliqued, the squirrel is on and one Chickadee is completed. Because the Chickadee has such small pieces I tried a new applique method. I drew the pattern on a piece of light interfacing and basted the applique to the interfacing. Then I cut the interfacing back to the edge of the completed piece and appliqued it to the quilt top. Seemed to work fairly well, so I'll try it again for the next 2 birds. Last night I got that appliqued to the quilt top and some of the embroidery done. Now I'm wondering if I need to embroider veins in all the leaves, or quilt that in. What do you think??

TTFN, a tired

2012!

Well, I don't usually participate in humblebrags, but I did this year as it taught me how to make a digital picture collage! Woohoo. It also allowed me to meet resolution #7 - to get more techy! Above is my humblebrag, as it is a brag fest but also makes me feel quite humble - is that ALL I did last year??! I thought I was incredibly busy yet my output was, in my eyes, rather minimal. Oh, that's right, I forgot about volunteering for the CQA Quilt Ontario conference which ate up huge amounts of time. That was lots of fun and a great experience, but I'll not volunteer for awhile. This fall/spring will be taken up with the wedding quilt for my niece, and after that I PROMISE myself to do something just for meeeee! Wow, what a thought ;)
TTYL

New Year's Resolutions

I figure if I blog about them I might - just might keep of few of these .... (one or two of these might be a wee bit reminiscent from last year ...)

1. I will buy fabric ONLY for specific projects (no more stash enhancement) - yeah right!
2. I will exercise more - I have signed up for Yoga again
3. I will try more new recipes, especially homemade soup
4. I will be more self assured/assertive
5. I will be more patient; this is especially important for me @ work; and
6. I will learn to be a better friend, and I hope my friends will too. 

Phew! that's a long list, but I'll try - wish me luck!

I've been a real beaver this last 2 weeks sewing, unsewing and resewing on the wedding quilt. The quilt top is still not ready - but I haven't given up! Here's a small project I finally got to over the holidays (Hint - it's a bookmark).
Taking today off from sewing - having the mater over for New Year's dinner and watching the Hell On Wheels marathon, my latest TV obsession. Yup - I still watch TV. Tried to watch some Charles Dickens on DVD last night but my DVD player died .... so watched them on the laptop - woohoo.
Addendum to the above resolutions: #7 get more techy this year, starting with learn how to watch DVDs played on my laptop and displayed on the TV. I think this requires a trip to one of those techy stores!
TTYL

Yummm, baking

I'm sitting here blogging while taking in the fabulous aroma of lemon squares and brownies with walnuts and ginger bread, and sugar cookies baking (not all at once!) Yummmm. I was tres lazy last week and did not get any baking done, but have been invited out for dinner and offered to bring some "goodies" with me, sooooo. Above are the miniature Christmas stockings I made for the gift cards I gave everyone. I felt guilty for not being very creative with my gifts this year, hence the stockings. I used up scrap Xmas fabrics and some of the Xmas ribbons in my stash. The were fun and quick to make and everyone enjoyed "opening" their stocking.
What else have I been up to, welllll, I finally, yes finally finished recovering the $5 Eastlake chairs. Remember these 1970's harvest gold lovelies?? They were a real bargain except for the upholstery. Never mind, a big sale at the local fabric store meant I got the whole bolt (6+ meters) of the rose coloured fabric for less than $20. A trip to another fabric store got me 5-6 meters of trim, and the loan of a couple of handy dandy tools from the mater and pater and bob's yer uncle. Well, actually it took several months just because of my procrastinating. Never mind, they're all done now except to insert the vintage porcelain casters. WooHoo! Personally I think they're FAB, do you agree?

TTYL and Happy New Year!!

It's Beginning to Feel a lot Like Christmas

Yes sireee, it's finally feeling like the holidays. My shopping is done, only 2 wrapped so far. I'm officially on 2 weeks vacation (YEAH), my tree is up and decorated, and there is a little covering of that white stuff . We've had unseasonably warm weather lately and some people have dared to talk about a green Christmas. Personally I never lost faith in the weather to always do it's thing ... so now we have white stuff. It can stay for a week or two then go go go! (I'm not a fan of cold or snowy weather).What else have I been up to? Well, as you can see I finally, yes finally got the tea cup pin cushions made. It's not as difficult as it might look, don't we all have dozens of tea cups from our mothers or grandmothers? And, if you look very closely I'm sure you'll see that some of them have a few chips or cracks or tea stains which just will not come out! Right? Come on, you know you've got them somewhere hidden away in the darkest recesses of your china cabinet! Anyway, identify these lovelies, and BTW a wide mouth cup is better as a pin cushion than a narrow cup, and also one with the "decor" on the outside not the inside is best. The next decision is what scrap fabric will work best with your tea cup(s). This of course is a personal choice, and if I may admit, I changed my mind at least a dozen times! Now it's time to get a luncheon plate from the cupboard and trace a circle on the chosen fabric. Using strong thread sew a running stitch around the perimeter and draw up the fabric into a circle. Stuff the circle with fibre fill and sew the opening closed. I filled the cup with a several glass marbles just to give the cup some weight, Actually, I hot glued the marbles into the cup. Next I hot glued inside the cup and stuffed the pouffe into it, and voila` we have a pincushion! Embellish with ribbons and trim and flowers, whatever you have on hand and now you have a lovely door prize or hostess gift . Have fun with this one ladies. As you can see from my clatter of teacups below I have already given two away! I had fun and hope you do too. Now, who can I give the remainders to?

TTFN
Here's the teacup pincushion I chose to keep for myself. I re-found the fabric I had already used to make my thimble holder and decided it matched this particular teacup so well. It may not be the prettiest, but I like it. I kinda like being matchy matchy ;).
Happy holidays everyone!

Progress ...

Well, I can proudly report that I have successfully pumped gas for the second time and resolved the chirping smoke detector - woohoo, technology won't best me (least not this week;) ) Above are three postcards for the guild exchange using the leftover triangles from many of the blocks I made for THEE quilt. Nice to put them to use and not just toss these wee scraps, and I think they look pretty good even if I say so myself! !
On the left is the remade version of THEE quilt, and on the right is the first version. I felt the colours of the centre block and pinwheels were too insipid so I did some more unsewing and put them back together. Personally I think the second version works better! Now, here's hoping I have enough fabrics left to create the border, which extends the pattern and colour scheme. After the appliques I'm hoping I'll be hand quilting by January!
TTFN

Ta Da!!

Ta Da! This week has been soooooo successful. To start, I PUMPED GAS! Yup - I said it, I actually got out of my car and pumped my own gas. I wanted $20 and I pumped exactly $20!! Yeah for me (small triumph, but none-the-less a triumph). Second triumph of the week ... (see pic on left) I have finished the outside blocks for "Squirrels Not Allowed". This is actually beginning to look like something - yeah - and I can start to see the pattern evolving. On the right is this week's set of blocks in the making. I can actually say that so far (risk jinxing it here) I have done NO unsewing - so far! Third Ta Da this week are these two Christmas placemats I made. Every year our guild donates homemade placemats to Meals On Wheels I use smoke plastic thread, top and bobbin and used my scallop stitch on the Husky to quickly machine quilt these. The green binding is some broadcloth donated to me many years ago from a non sewer.
The fourth success this week I must share - it was an enjoyable get-together. Our quilt group gathered at CMR's for a very friendly evening. Our hostess was away down East for the summer months and has only been back a month. We were treated to her many accomplishments while she was away, and a house all decorated for the holidays. It was nice to see her, and nice to see the group all getting along so well and overall it was a very enjoyable evening.
And, lastly, TA DA ! I have been notified that my blog post (Sunday Aug 22, 2010 - Busy Busy -Opps!) will be featured on Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle. Guess it's my 15 minutes ;). Note: this tutorial was NOT my original idea but based on something I was shown at guild by another lady, who in turn learned it in Florida at a craft workshop for seniors. Now, what on earth will I do for an encore??P.S. I finished the last three blocks and the centre. Even though I used my fabric plan (see above) I have to admit I am not happy with my centre block. It's supposed to be a lighter version of the outer blocks, but right now it;s just not making it. So, I'll have to audition some other fabrics, do some unsewing - well, you know the rest. Here's what I have so far ....TTFN

One step forward - Two back!

Well, another week of sewing. Do you see the mistake? Hint, the one on the left is correct, the one on the right is not. I made one correct, three incorrect blocks. WAHHHHH. So, needless to say the old unsewing instrument came out - again! Below is the layout with the corrected blocks. Now we can start to see the pattern coming thru and I can figure out what block is next!
What else is a step backward you ask? Ok, don't laugh now, my full service gas station on the corner closed. Big deal eh? Well, I DON'T PUMP GAS. Yup - I'm an anachronist ... because I had a full service station, always a cent or two cheaper than the big brand on the next corner ... well, I'm not stupid (really, I'm not!) guess where I always filled up! But now I have to learn how to pump gas. Oh Bother! another big WAHHHHHH.

She Scores!

I know what you're thinking - what they heck are these? Well ladies, remember those $5 Eastlake parlor chairs? They came sans casters, so, while out and about this weekend antiquing with a friend I scored! 4 porcelain casters, two for each front leg ! Woohoo! It was a fabulous day, lots of sunshine, good company and fun activities. Thanks SVA!
What else have I been up to? well I was down for the count for about two weeks with the plague (aka cold/flu) even though I got my flu shot! Grrr. Here's a pic of my block from two weeks ago.
Even though it was "next" in the instructions it turns out not to be next in the actual quilt. So here on the left is the first and third blocks. This week's is the pinwheel block, and on the right are the 1st, 2nd and third blocks. I starting to place them on my design wall in the order they will go in the quilt. It seems there are several groupings of 4, but within each group they either rotate in a specific way or reverse fabric placement right over left. Because I'm mildly dyslexic this can be very confusing for me. I rely very heavily on the visual, so my design wall is my best friend. Wish me luck -more to come ...... TTFN