Primitive Folk Art Quilting Swap...!

Notice how this entry is posted in a timely manner? Well, you'd think I finally got this time management thingy figured out, but NO! I just decided to create the post in advance and allow Blogger to post it a few days later. Would that be cheating? lol

My partner for the Primitive Folk Art swap was Sandy from OH. I'm not sure if she has a blog or not! Oh well....

First of all, she made me a wool pincushion and a needle holder.

Notice, another wool project! lol I can see wool in my future! lol

She also included some handmade ornaments that she herself fabricated.

Here you have some cute primitive snow person ornaments. They are adorable!?!

There's also a Santa! I couldn't get him to lay face up! Must be tired from all his travels! lol

She made me this wonderful "useful" bag, as she likes to put it and included other little goodies!

I love the fabric! As a matter of fact, I have that very same fabric in my stash! What great taste she has! lol

Thank you again Sandy for the wonderful goodies!

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

There's that time management thingy again....!

I do hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful holiday! Was Santa good to you? I sure hope so! I don't know about you, but I ate enough for a few months! lol

This year, I participated in a couple of Holiday swaps. One from Chookyblue Secret Santa and another for a primitive Folk Art Quilting Group that I belong too.

Today I'll show you my goodies from the Secret Santa Swap.

My Secret Santa was Alison from Cardygirl.

She sent me the cutest wool ornament. Isn't that little angel just so sweet? I love it!

As a matter of fact, I love it so much that I decided that I was going to actually attempt to work with wool.

Yep, it's my New Years resolution! Well, I have others, but no need to get into it now! ;o)

This gorgeous bag was another gift!

It is absolutely stunning. I love hand embroidery.

Alison's hand work is exquisite!

Inside the bag, was this sweet pincushion. Isn't it just the cutest?!?

I love her fabric choices! The colours are so cheerful!

Thank you again Alison for the wonderful goodies! And thank you Donna for hosting this swap!

Cheers!

Diet Monday..... or is it.....?!

I'm not sure but I think this diet Monday thing as taken the way side! Not that I've been diligent about doing a post, never mind the diet! lol

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to take two (2) longarming classes at Cowles Quilting with Sharon Schamber.

The Franklin County Quilter's Guild was hosting Sharon for a few days. I was also extremely fortunate to be able to attend Sharon's trunk show and actually got to touch and feel her quilts. I ended up helping Sharon that evening after our Friday class. She does amazing work, I mean the details!!!! She's also not afraid of passing her small pieces around. I came out of that meeting in awe of her work! Back to my class.

Sharon offered a wide array of classes, three (3) of which were for longarmers. They were hands on at Cowles. I took Feathers to die for on Friday and Monday was Filling the Spaces.

What's nice about Sharon's classes is that you are given a CD/video of the class. My learning continues after the class is done!

One of the most important piece of information I walked away with from these classes was, control of your machine. It might be obvious to some, but for me, it was like a light bulb had suddenly turned on.

She demonstrated her method for gaining control of her machine by using a piece of foam and weight, (hand made bag filled with rice). If you're interested in seeing how she controls her quilting machine, you can join her free area and view the various free videos.

Another important piece of information was this:

A drafting stool!

It makes custom work a lot easier!

I can gain control of my machine by leaning my forearms against the rollers. With that nifty Bitty Ruler I wrote about the other day, ditch work is so much fun!

I quilted the Women of Influence quilt sitting down the whole time. What a difference it made. I could actually quilt for longer stretches of time. We're talking pretty much until the wee hours of the morning. Many a nights, I went to bed at 2:00 a.m.

I cannot wait to finish hand sewing the binding so that I can blog about it.

Well, that's it for now. I need to get off this computer and write my lesson plan for tomorrow's class. I've been teaching a nine (9) part beginner's quilting class. It's quite the time consuming class, but fun! I'm enjoying it!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Cheers!

OMG... What's going on with time.....?

I cannot believe that my last post was October 24. I'm telling you, something strange is going on with time. It seemed only last week I posted a blog entry.....

You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words, this is how I spent Tuesday working at the Shoppe. Both slip on shoes! Need I say more?


I won't even begin to tell you how my day went. What a crazy day!  By the way, those are slip on shoes!

You see, I've done this two (2) different shoe thing before, many, many, many moons ago, but at least both shoes were black. A black and white shoe, this is a first!

Strangely, I didn't even notice until well into lunch time. I'm walking around as if everything was normal. I can just imagine what customers were thinking. Once I realized what was on my feet, I cracked up laughing! I'm sure I made a few people laugh too!

As for quilting, I've been plugging away at my Women of Influence quilt. I decided to use that quilt to work on my perfectionism. When it came to machine quilting with Penelope, it was difficult for me to let it go and just do it, but I think I'm managing.

I used to dread "in the ditch" work with Penelope. Anything that I wanted in the ditch or 1/4 inch away, I would use my domestic sewing machine. Vicki from Field Trips in Fiber suggested a nifty little ruler she uses.

Gosh, I'm in love!

It's called The Bitty ruler by Off the Edge Quilting.
I have to agree with Vicki, it's also become one of my favourite tools. I'm actually enjoying doing ditch work!

Last night, I spent some time with Penelope and noticed how much control I had on my machine. It's helping a lot in making machine quilting so much more relaxing for me.

I have so much more to tell you but I will end it here and save the rest for later. Hopefully I wont have a time management deficiency and remember to post in a timely manner.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

My new designer wall......!

I broke down and bought one of those portable designer wall. My sewing room is so limited in wall space that a fixed designer wall was not a functional option. Of course, once we build an addition to the addition, I'll be able to claim DH's work space and will have plenty of wall space, but until then........!

I bought Cheryl Ann's Design Wall, it's portable and a Free Standing designer wall. It comes in three (3) sized: Portable 36" x 36, Mid-size Portable 54" x 54" and Full size 72" x 72.

I purchased the largest one, the full size, which you now see pictured.

It comes in a black sack that reminds me of a tent pouch! As a matter of fact, putting it together is pretty much like putting a tent up! lol So, be prepared to have things fall on you if you're putting it up solo! LOL

It's certainly not portable in the sense that you can move it as a unit. It's stable enough to hold your block but if you try to move it, it's really not sturdy. You would need two (2) people to move it, otherwise be prepared to have it fall apart. Ask me how I know? lol

I've place some huge blocks on it. It's from my Women of Influence quilt. These blocks are 24" x 24" and the flannel is barely gripping the blocks. I had to hold the frame as I press the blocks unto the flannel. These blocks are huge and heavy as they include the sashing, however with normal size blocks, I would think it wouldn't be an issue.

To help stabilize the unit, I tied the two back poles together in the center. It really helped and kept it from falling apart as I placed the support bars.

I used selvage in this case. I keep strips in a ball and use in in our garden to stabilize tall plants. In this case, it worked for the wall! ;o)

Word of advise, wipe your bars with a rag before assembling the unit. They were filthy, probably some residue from the black paint/product used on the bars. I was thankful I noticed it before putting it together. I could just imagine how dirty the white flannel would look!

I'm pleased with this designer wall and would certainly recommend it to anyone who doesn't have wall space. However, I find the price a tad steep. I mean, I could buy a nice tent for five (5) people on Amazon for close to the same price! lol Perhaps, that's not a fair comparison!

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Friken fraken $()%*)#(*#($*%#*( ........!

Remember Old Samity Sam?! Perhaps I'm dating myself but......

I have been patient, extremely patient but now it's just too much! What you might ask? Well.....

Did I ever mention that I have Sprites in my home? YES, I do!!!! Oh.... and they have been busy! Let me tell you.....

For the past couple of months, I have been unable to locate my favourite thimble. You know, the thimble I've had since I begin quilting, made of gold and silver. My special one! If that wasn't enough, pieces from my thread attachment are still missing. Seam rippers have disappeared..... Yes, it's been a nightmare in my home and now...... I cannot seem to find the yardage I washed for the Women of Influence BOM!

I'm at a loss! Perhaps Yulelads from Iceland have invaded my home. They found it more lucrative to take quilting items as opposed to sausages and candles! lol

If anyone knows where my special thimble is or anything else, please let me know!

On the quilting front, I have completed a wall hanging.

This is Liberty Eagle, a pattern from Jo Morton.

The Shoppe received the Bonnie Blue America line by Marcus Brothers and I just had to make this quilt!

Aside from pulling my hair and cleaning my sewing room in the hopes of finding my things, not much has been going on!

The weather in September has just been gorgeous, which is nice given that we really didn't have a summer. The leaves have started to turn their autumn shades! It's beautiful!

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to let me know if you find my thimble and other things! Cheers!

Are you ready....?!?! I've been busy....!

Gosh, did I ever accomplish a lot this past week. Not only have I been productive on the quilting front, but I also took pictures.

You know, for a while there I had a glimpse of what it must feel like to be Darlene from Quilting Daze. LOL ;o) She is sooooo productive, it's amazing the quilts she accomplishes.

So.... are you ready.... here goes!

Block 2 - Attributed to Amelia Jenks Bloomer (1818-1894)



Block 3 - Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954)



Block 4 - Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910)



Block 5 - Jane Addams (1860- )



Block 6 - Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)



Block 7 - Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)



Block 8 - Lucretia Mott (1793- )



Block 9 - Frances Perkins (1880 - )



Block 10 - Fanny Jackson Coppin (1837 - 1913)



Block 11 - Susan B. Anthony ((1820 - 1906)



I finished machine appliqueing the last one Wednesday evening.

As for block 12, I'm waiting to hear from Kansas City Star. Seems there are 2 (two) fabrics that are not used in the quilt and I'm wondering where they go. Perhaps they belong to block 12.

So, I put the blocks away! I do need a break, and am now working on another project. I have a need to do a quick project in between long ones, other wise I get bored with it. Do any of you feel the need to break in between large projects? I'm just curious!

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Way too long....!

I just cannot believe that I haven't blogged in more than a month! Time just seems to fly by! It's not like I have nothing to blog about, its more that I forget about the lapse of time between posts.

The summer sort of forgot to show up! I don't know how it's been in your neck of the woods, but here in Upstate New York, it's been a wet season! For a time there I thought Stephen would be building an ark! ;o)

The Shoppe keeps me out of trouble. ;o) I'm enjoying quilting samples for the Shoppe. I made a vow to myself that I would only make quilts for the Shoppe that I want to make. That's been my promise to myself, only buy fabrics that inspire me and make quilts that I would love to own myself. You'd think that would narrow down the pattern choices, but there are so many delicious quilt patterns out there. Let's just say, my heart keeps me busy! ;o)

So.... Yes, I've been a busy bee. I've completed many projects and neglect to blog about it. Sigh! My Coney Island is now a flimsy and I'm hoping to load it on Penelope and have it machine quilted before I show it to you. It really turned out gorgeous.

My newest project.... Women of Influence, designed by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith.

It is a block of the month that the Shoppe will be offering in September. It's a gorgeous quilt!

This is the first block and it is in honour of Lucy Stone.

I had to rework the whole quilt on EQ6 as the rotary cutting instruction are rounded to the nearest 1/8 and technically, it really should be rounded to the nearest 1/16 for rotary cutting accuracy! I'm anal that way, what can I say?!?! lol

There are templates to use, but since I'm not much of a template user, I opted to re-work it. It is such a gorgeous quilt!

I've been keeping up on blog land, more as the invisible woman! lol Lot's of talented quilters! Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Happy belated 4th of July.....!

I do hope you have all had a wonderful July 4th celebration!

I really had every intention of writing a post for July 4th. But....... other things came in the way.

You know, it's not like I have no quitly projects to tell you about.... I really cannot figure out why I don't seem to write post as often as I used too. Sigh!

Well, for one thing, I keep forgetting to take a picture of the quilt tops I've completed. However, for this one, I especially made a trip back to the shop to take a picture. I just thought it was such a cute festive quilt.

Tah dah.....

This is a pattern by Briarwood Cottage and is part of their monthly Pocket pattern series. They have the cutest little patterns to make!

I'm sure you can guess which month this is! ;o)

This one was done in less than a day! I think it took me longer to machine quilt it then to piece it! I ended up machine quilting in the ditch!

I did finish Coney Island by Fig Tree, but I'll keep that for another post! ;o )

Thanks for stopping by!

It's going all too quickly.....!

Stop the World, I Want to Get Off.....

Busy, busy, busy is what it has been for me. Non stop, going and going..... I can hardly catch my breath!

Last Sunday was my convocation. I'm glad I went, it was absolutely a wonderful ceremony marking the closure of a chapter in my life! We were ushered in by a bag piper! I just love the sound of bag pipes. The ceremony lasted over 2 (two) hours. Afterwards, we went to my mums for a BBQ.

The following Tuesday we all left for Camp Overlook! Yep, both Stephen and I were chaperons for a school outing that lasted till Friday! We called it our family vacation at tax payers' expense! lol We all had a great time.

Saturday, it was back at work for me! I love my new job as a Shoppe owner, so it wasn't too painful! ;o)

Despite the busy schedule, I did manage to do a tad of quilting this weekend.

If your recall, back in September 2008, while on a bus tour with my guild, I bought a kit in Pennsylvania!

The kit consisted of these delicious fabrics.

Well......

Some of those fabrics have been cut into pieces and sewn back together to become......

Voila!

All 30 blocks are done for my Coney Island quilt, a pattern by Fig Tree Quilts.

What a tedious block that was! So many pieces...... 29 per block to be exact! ;~ o Reminds me of the Corn and Bean quilt I made many moons ago.

Nonetheless, they are done! I do want to point out that the fabric used on the top cone was a gift from Leigh, an Aussie, who sadly no longer blogs.

Gosh, I think she sent that to me almost 4 (four) years ago. I've been saving it for a special quilt! Looks great as a cone. I still have a small piece left to use in another project! Thanks again Leigh for the fun mail.

Thank you for stopping by!

Diet Monday ... Humbug...!

Not much to report on the diet front expect that I'm failing dramatically! It's a good thing that Sharon is busy! ;o)

I met my friend Judy for lunch today.

Meet Judy! Judy, meet my blogging friends!

My gosh, I think we've known each other for over 25 years! Is it possible?

We met at the Toronto Dominion Bank , Downtown Montreal. We've been friends every since.

Judy and I played catch-up with our lives today. Amazing how time flies. Judy has been busy as a working mom and now has 3 (three) beautiful girls. Hum..... which reminds me, I'm behind by 2 (two) quilts! Geeez, I've got to get busy here! She's presently on maternity leave!

When Judy was single, we'd take off for a weekend in Kennybunkport, Maine at least once a year. What a great time we had. We would always go to this restaurant, which served fresh lobster stuffed with fresh scallops. Yum, yum.... And guess what, we were talking about doing that this year?

It's been a long time since I've been away with Judy - more then 6 (six) years. We were discussing how it would be fun to get away for a weekend! I'm in!!!

Oops, I did forget to mention that to Stephen. Good thing he reads my blog! lol So Sweetie, we're looking for around October. Just girls! ;o)

Aside from the quilting retreat, do you ever go away for a weekend of fun with your friends? Just curious!

Anyway, I had a great time. I did bring my camera, as you can see, but I forgot to take pictures of the food. Well, I did remember but by then it was all gone! Gosh Sharon, I don't know how you do it!

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

It's been way toooooo lonnnnng.....!

Life continues to be busy. I must admit, I love my work schedule. Five (5) days on (with a 2 (two) day break in there) and seven (7) days off! Couldn't ask for a better work week!

What have I been up too you might ask? Lots of quilting that's for sure. I did play some more on Penelope, practicing my feathers. They're coming along nicely! Not ready to put them on a quilt yet... soon with more practice.

I did finish a top that's presently on Penelope. I used some reproduction fabrics! I want to have it machine quilted before I blog about it. I'm presently waiting for some thread! That order should get here in a couple of days!

I did finish block 9 (nine) of Hocuspocousville! I love that pattern.

Meg from Crabapple Hill did come out with a new Halloween pattern called Vintage Trick or Treat. That's another one on my list of to dos! I love her work!

So many patterns so little time! ;o)

A couple of weeks ago, Libby and I were corresponding regarding our Kitchenaid mixer. We both love our friend. ;o)

We were talking/writing about making pasta. I was telling her about the special adapter that attaches to the mixer. Anyway, by the end of our discussion, I knew what I wanted for dinner!

I had to make some pasta! LOL

I just love fresh pasta and this special gadget makes it so much easier. Both hands are free to play with the dough.

I make my pasta dough using semolina flour that I purchase in Montreal. Nothing like that around small town USA. You can make it with flour, but I prefer to use semolina.

I knead my dough using setting 1 and then 2.

After I feel it is properly kneaded, I go through the various numerical settings to thin it out.

Once the dough is thin enough for my liking, in this case number 5, I pass it through the fettuccine cutter.

(PS. the dough should be extended as it goes through the cutter - I needed to get my hand out of the way for the picture and quickly extend the dough before it passed through). We're talking action shot! lol

There's also a spaghetti noodle adapter that comes with the set.

That night, you guessed it, we were having Fettuccine Alfredo! Yummy!

That was dinner!

Fresh pasta, fresh artisan whole grain loaf and a glass of red wine!

Yes, I took the time to bake a loaf of bread. Libby gave me the bug! There was a time, prior to my going to graduate school, that I would often make bread. I fell out of the habit! Now, I'm back on the habit! lol

Cheers!

Thanks for stopping by!

What's going on.....!

What a busy week it's been! I haven't been home all week. Darn.... when will it slow down a bit?

Since school has been out, there were 2 things I wanted to work on, EQ6 and more play dates with Penelope. Well, tonight I did both!

I wanted to practice my feathers, you know, so I'm no longer a chicken! lol

They are not perfect but at least I'm getting some practice time.

In my MQX classes with Dawn Cavanaugh, we learned different ways to do a feather. So, I've been practicing all of them. For me, some techniques are much easier than others.

I would really like to be able to create those gorgeous feather designs that you see on quilts. Anyway, the more I practice, the better I'll get!

The weather here hasn't been that great, so my new bike has been sitting in the garage. I was going to take it to the shop today but the wind was unbelievable. Besides, I am so tired, just looking at the wind took any ounce of motivation I had.

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

That's just how it's been as of late....!

It hasn't been a very good week for me. I discovered these amazing sandwiches from a coffee shop down the street from Fibre called Lakeside Coffee shop.

Firstly, do not and I repeat DO NOT ever order a toasted bagel with their veggie cream cheese, you're sure to get addicted! Gosh is that ever good! That's been my breakfast! For lunch it's been a Caprese, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomato and pesto grilled sandwich! Another one to stay away! Sigh! Add a latte with that and their amazing crumb cake for dessert and you have my diet for the past few days! Thank goodness it's my day off today! ;o) Time for me to get back on track.

Since I work only 5 (five) miles from home, I bought myself one of these:

I specifically took the picture angled so that you could look at my new wheels as if going up hill.... you know.... burn more calories. ;o)

Yep, I do live on a hill so it will be challenging going to work and coming back from work.

I've been wanting a new bike for a while and I thought yesterday was the perfect day to buy one! They sure don't make them like they used to when I was a kid. I've got shock absorbers on this baby! Oh and about a gazillion gears to make going up those hills easier.

I did take a spin on it yesterday to get used to those brakes. Yea, another improvement from when I was a kid. They're surely not ABS brakes! Better not brake quickly or I'll find myself over the handle bar, face first on the pavement. They work alright! Good thing I have a bike helmet!

So that's been my week on the new South Beach diet! In all fairness, I did well until Friday, the day the shop opened. But, today is a new day!

Keep well everyone!

A balancing act....!

This year, as a whole, my life has been a balancing act. I cannot say that I've stayed centred most of the time, but I managed to make it this far with still some hair left on my head! lol

As you know, school is finished for me. Convocation takes place early June. It will be nice to put a closure to that chapter in my life. Now, I begin a new Chapter, another dream come true for me.

Welcome to the chapter entitled Fibre Junction - A Quilt Shoppe

Stephen has been hard at work, building our furniture for the shoppe.  Pictures do not do justice to the beauty of these fixtures!

Our opening day is tomorrow, May 1! It will be a "soft opening" as we await the deliveries of future lines of fabric, filling our empty shelves.

Tonight, I left the shoppe full of excitement, thinking about tomorrow. As I stood back and looked at my dream, I became overwhelmed with tears of joy. I am truly thankful!

This blog will now also include my quilting adventures as owner of Fibre Junction.

I want to thank you for being a part of my book of life, accompanying me on a new chapter. I have met some truly wonderful people. You have been an inspiration to me. Thank you for your support.

Diet Monday ... Humbug...!

Well, it's that time of the week again. I think I'm ready to get back on track. I cannot say that I've been a good girl when it came to eating healthy, but today is a new day.

I went to Sam's Club today and picked up this book


It has different recipes from his previous version, so why not! I do like this program. It just makes it easier for me to keep track of what I'm doing. I have such a difficult time keeping points.

I cannot say that I've finished or started any quilts to blog about. I've been working on projects I started a while back.

I still haven't slapped on some fabric to play with Penelope. My time has been spent getting the shop, Fibre Junction, ready for our opening day May 1. I've also been travelling a lot. April has been a busy month travelling here and there and every where. This coming weekend will be the first weekend in a while that I stay home. I am sooooooo looking forward to it!

Keep well!

Back from MQX....!

Firstly, I want to say thank you to all that commented on my little bragging. Your comments meant a lot to me. You gals/quilters are quite supportive and oh so inspirational! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

MQX was a great learning experience! My days were filled with classes!

Sadly, I don't have pictures to show you. I asked dd if I could borrow her camera, which she hesitantly said yes. This is an 11 year old we're talking about. Her camera is quite small and oh so convenient! Anyway, she couldn't find the connector to charge the camera. Sigh...! How typical! Have you seen her room lately....? lol

This year, as I mentioned in a previous post, I took classes from teachers who used an APQS machine. I didn't set out to be all APQS, but it turned out that way.

I took a class from Sue Patten and let me tell you, she's a hoot! The class was on borders and sashing! I have never seen someone quilt a design in such a small space. Amazing!

Kim Brunner is another teacher that I found knowledgeable and entertaining! I learned many tip bits about marking your quilts and designs to use.

Dawn Cavanaugh was one that I took many classes from. By the way, she was nominated teacher of the year! Yea Dawn! Her breakfast on Solving Tension Headaches was worth its weight in gold! Her class Quilting Feathers when you're a Chicken was perfect for me! Bawk bock, bock, bock....! ;o)

Friday night was the banquet with guest speaker Mark Lipinski. I haven't laughed like that since the Ricky Tims' Seminar! He's quite the funny story teller, he had me in stitches!

As you can just imagine, it was a great learning and fun experience for me. However, the most important piece of information, aside from all the new knowledge, that I came away with is "slap on some fabric and play!" That might be obvious for most of you but somehow it never occurred to me that I should be doing that. I think it was partly due to having so little guiltless time that I didn't want to spend it not being productive. Well.... school's out, let's shout.... it's time to play with Penelope!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great day!

Can I brag...?

Well, I think I'm back! Yes sir, it's been a rough few months, but it's all behind me now. I am just so excited to share with you the great news. Please..... allow me to do a bit of bragging.

I'm finished with school! You read correctly. I will be graduating with my Master... oh wait, let's use the fancy word, Magisteriate in Arts in the History and Philosophy of Religion.

In other words I'M GRADUATING!

I am just so full of emotions at the moment! Tears of joy!

Thank you for allowing me a bit of bragging!

I'll be leaving for MQX on Thursday! I am so looking forward to a vacation! Nothing on my mind but fun! Finally, I'll be able to read just for the sake of reading.... Wait, can handle reading for pleasure? Oh my gosh.....

Quilt without guilt here I come! WOOOO HOOOOO! Party time!

Thanks for stopping by!

Break time.....!

I'll be taking a small break from blogging. I want to stay focus on school so that I can finally quilt without guilt! ;o)

Thanks for your understanding! I'll see you when my paper is done!

Keep well everyone!

Diet Monday ... Humbug...!

Seems like Mondays are coming way to fast for my taste.

Continuously being a rebel is no fun!

I don't have anything to report. It's been a busy weekend with dd's figure skating show going on Saturday and Sunday!

I also don't have anything quilty to report on.

For those curious about my exciting day last Tuesday, you can read all about it here.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm shocked...... in memory of Tom Hanson...!

OMG, I just read the news that Tom Hanson passed away. I studied photography with him at Dawson College Institution of Photography, way back in the early 90s. I don't know him personally, but we did assignments together! You know, sort of hung out the way students do!

Although our lives drifted, I always kept an eye out for his work. It's a photographer thing, you know! You're always checking the photo credits in magazines and/or newspapers!

He was so bored with the assignments and loved to make a mockery of it! Let's face it, they were boring! I cannot begin to count the number of times we photographed that darn gray card! LOL

He was quite the talented photographer! He left Dawson after less than 2 (two) years to pursuit his own career as a free lance photographer.

I'll always remember an adventure we had together along with my friend Philip Carpenter.

Tom had been sent on an assignment to photograph an illegal Bingo hall on a Native reserve off the island of Montreal.

There were rumours that the RCMP and QPP (Quebec Provincial Police) might raid the place.

Tom was on a free lance assignment, Philip and I were there for an opportunity to get some good shots for our photo journalism class with David Hopkins. lol I think Tom was too, but he had his priorities! lol

Nothing happened that night with the RCMP or QPP, but I did get a good photo essay out of the evening! ;o)

I shot many rolls of films and had quite the contact sheets!

Tom was a great guy! I'm deeply sadden! So young too!

My deepest sympathy to his friends and loved ones!

Goodbye Tom!

If you want to see some of Tom's work, the Montreal Gazette website published a blog entry, The Lens - A tribute to to CP Photojournalist Tom Hanson. The photograph of a Warrior was actually taken when he was studying photography at Dawson.

I miss photography!

Thanks for stopping by!

Rebel without a cause.....!

I decided to be a rebel once again and not post on diet Monday. I just didn't have anything to say on the subject and.... well...... I kind of like being a rebel! lol

I did say, on my last post, that I had a finish, more a flimsy, that I wanted to share with you. Well..... I do!

French Cottage Garden Quilt, a pattern by Crab Apple Hill Design.

I'm really pleased with the way it came out. If you recall, given that the pinwheel backgrounds were more off white, I was concerned about having used white fabric for the embroidery panels. It all worked out in the end!

I will be machine quilting this quilt when I get back from MQX.

Is anyone attending the Machine Quilter's Exposition in Manchester, NH? It takes place from April 13 to 18th. Just being curious here!

I'll be taking a few classes on custom quilting and techniques. This year I decided to take classes from teachers who are APQS users. Last year, I took many classes from Linda Taylor and some with Sally Terry, which I enjoyed tremendously. This year I've booked with Sue Patten, Dawn Cavanaugh and others. I did want to take a class with Karen McTavish, but it was closed! :o(

I'm really looking forward to attending MQX. This will be a good break from the quilt shop planning and executing. Let's just say that it's keeping me very busy, which, reminds me, I need to get off this computer and get ready for my exiting day! I just cannot wait to tell you all about it!

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Cheers......!

I passed my oral comprehensive exam! You cannot imagine how relieved I am. Talk about stress overload. I am so exhausted!

I must say, I'm really proud of myself. This was such a big deal for me! I faced and conquered! lol After the exam Professor Robinson turns to Professor Despland and says "We've been through hundreds of these comprehensive exams and we managed to survive yet another one!" And I thought I was the one that was doomed! lol I think it showed that I was overly stressed!

So, this is it, we're close to the end of the road. I've got to finish my paper and it's a done deal! Stay tune, party time! lol

On the quilting front I have been doing a bit of hand embroidery on the Hocuspocusville quilt by Crab Apple Hill Designs.

Voici Block 4!

I just love the blocks on this quilt!

I'll admit, I enjoy working on one colour embroidery blocks. They're such a breeze! No brainers that's for sure! lol

I just love that quilt! That's going to be one spooky sweet quilt! lol

I've given myself the next few days off until I get back into the books. Stay tune for some finishes. I do have one that I want to share with you but I need to take a better picture!

Thanks for stopping by!

Life, the universe and Diet Monday...!

Well it's that time of the week again and as you know, I do not own a scale. Therefore, there's really no way for me to report the weight I have lost, if any that is!

If it's any consolation, my jeans are loose on me. Of course that could be because I haven't washed them in weeks for fear of not fitting back into them....! Just kidding! lol

Over the weekend Penelope and I had a major play date. I've been busy machine quilting for a couple of good causes.

I barely finished machine quilting Butterfly Kisses a BOM designed by Nancy Murty of Bee Creative Design . The colours are delicious!

This quilt was made by a group of wonderful ladies and is being donated to help raise funds for the Glenwood Cemetery, a local non denominational cemetery in our village.

Such a kind and thoughtful gesture on their part, I just had to be a part of it myself! ;o)

This one was made by my friend Holly.

The quilt will be raffled to raise money for an Irish Dancing Association. I bet you couldn't tell that it was remotely Irish! lol

Well, that's it for me! Not much to report on my own quilting process. I haven't worked on any of my own personal projects for over a week. I think I'm going through withdrawal! lol

Keep well everyone and thanks for stopping by!

If you can't beat them........

It hasn't been a good week for me pound wise so I thought we could all laugh about it!

I received this in an e-mail from a friend and just had to share the humour with you!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Cheers!

Couple of new projects....!

To say that my life has been crazy busy is an understatement. And.... if that wasn't enough, I think I've managed to get 25 hours of sleep in the past few weeks! I'm tired and yet I cannot get a decent nights rest. As tiredly yawning as I am, it's one of those things that even if I laid down for a nap, * bing * my eyes would be wide open! lol

On a different note, I've started a couple of new projects. Well, more than a couple but I'll share these 2 (two) with you. ;o)

I finished stitching the pillow center of Brunhilda's Midnight Ride , a pattern from Crabapple Hill designs.

I do need to shop for rick racks before I can even think of putting that pillow together.

Perhaps I could send it to my dear friend Wendy, who is an expect in pillow making and I might add, has sent me a book to read on the subject so that I could learn, and ask her to piece it for me!

Naw, she'd probably not send it back and keep it for herself! It's so darn cute! lol

I am looking forward to having this project completed. Just think, an accent piece in my house! Money and time may just get me that decorating gene! lol

Hocuspocusville, another pattern from Crabapple Hill Designs, is my second new project!

This is block 1 - I'm starting with the corner blocks first!

Can you tell I love Halloween? lol Oh... and those haunted houses..... BOO!

I've already picked out the black fabrics for the centre patch work. It's a starry black from Jo Morton! I love her fabric line!

If you are curious to know about one of the projects that's been keeping me busy, you can take a peak at Fibre Junction. It's much more interesting than my school project, which I might had desperately needs to be picked back up again. I should just bite the bullet and do it! lol Exams always cause me a lot of angst!

Thanks for stopping by!

Diet Monday ...!

Well, it's that time of the week again. Not that I find those post amusing but, I guess it's part of the deal. And since I like to follow rules, well let's pretend that I do, I'm posting.

I don't have anything to report on that topic except that I had a wonderful weekend of beer and home made pizza. Yep, the beauty in all this is the fact that I'm oblivious to any weight I may have gained! Ignorance is bliss! ;o)

On the quilting front, I did have a date with Penelope today. I MADE myself do it. It had been way too long! Nothing special, a pantho for a charity quilt.

It's a gorgeous quilt! I love the pattern!

It was made by Sheila in Ohio. If you recall she sent me 3 (three) quilts to practice. This is the last one.

Thanks again Sheila for your kindness!

I want to show you a fabric that made quite an impression on me.

Jennifer found 3 (three) yards of this older fabric at a thrift shop. It's not the prettiest, but I tell you, the quality was amazing.

I have never seen a plaid fabric printed on such a straight grain as this one.

We all know how difficult it can be to work with plaids, I mean we all gave up on matching lines! Well, this one was printed so well that it lined up beautifully. I was in awe! They sure don't make/print fabric like they used too!

That's it for me except that I do want to say to my friends in Australia, I am in shock from the devastation. You are in my thoughts!

Happy Hump Day...!

I once worked with someone who would always come into work on Wednesdays declaring "it's hump day!" I guess she took it upon herself to announce that the weekend was soon coming! It was so cute! lol It certainly relieved the stress we experienced at that branch! Gosh, I don't miss working for a bank!

I don't have much in terms of completed projects to show you, but I have been busy prepping away. I always make it a point to have hand projects ready to be worked on. It just makes it easier to get some quilting done when I have a few minutes.

I keep it all in a portable basket.

There you have my hand basket. I made it a bit messy just for you! lol

As you can see, I have everything one could possibly need when it comes to hand work and more.

The red box is one of those older Tupperware storage box. I think it was purchased in the early 80's when I wasn't a quilter. There's more under neath the top insert, but I'm sure you get the picture! I always keep the cover on and pile everything on top.

In the basket, I also have special items that friends have given me. If you took the red box out, you would find some cards and meaningful stuff from my DD and friends. I guess you could call it a happy hand basket. The things in there do make me happy!

When I grab my happy hand basket, I know everything I may need and more is in there!

How do you organise your hand work? Do you have a special container? Is it portable?

Back to the prepping!

I prepped 3 (three) blocks from the Baltimore Cousin BOM, a quilt I have been working on since June 2006.

Gosh it's taking a while! I do like the way the blocks are coming out!

I have one more block to prep and that should do it for the quilt top. I haven't decided if I'll do the block they suggested, which is another flower pot, or a different one. I was thinking of including a pear tree.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great Hump Day!