Labor day ... already...!

Where has the month of August went?  I just cannot believe that September is right around the corner.  

The renovations are coming along, slowly.  The floors are done and the paint is on the wall.

Love how that floor turned out!  As for the colour, I choose Summer Shower by Benjamin Moore.  Love how it turned out.  It feels good being in the room.

The built in armoire is coming along nicely.

And the plumbing/heating needs to be taken care of and my favourite brother, as he likes to be referred, is coming down this weekend to work on it.

We do not allow DH to touch plumbing.   There is just something about plumbing that does not agree with DH, perhaps a personality conflict would best describes it.  lol So in the interest of everyone's well being, I do not allow him to touch it.  ;o)

I am eager to get in my new sewing studio.  Once the above are taken care, I can start moving in.  Yea.....!

On the quilting front, I've been working on a new block of the month to be offered by Fibre Junction called Hampton Ridge designed by Red Crinoline.  The fabrics, designed by Paula Barnes for Marcus Fabrics, are beautiful.  Here's a peak at the first month's blocks!

 

The blocks measure 7.5" finished!  I love small blocks!  

How is the new "reader" working out for you?  I seem to have a difficult time getting used to the ones I am presently testing.  Change is not always good! Sigh!

 Thank for stopping by.  

Still here.... just quiet....!

It's been a rough few weeks, but I things are starting to settle a bit.

Life as been a series of unfortunate events ...

As for the renovations, they are coming along nicely.  The floor has been sanded...

The new windows are in and polyurethane has been applied.

I do love how that floor is turning out!  I'm really anxious for my sewing studio to be completed.  I miss my own space!

On the quilting front, I would like to share a quilt from one of my Prairie Women Sewing Circle, a Club program I host at Fibre Junction.

This is from Journey 3 and is called Windy Hill Farm (designed by Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts).

I don't particularly like this quilt.  It is certainly not in my "usual" colours, but it was one of those projects where I "pushed the envelop" the "comfort zone" so to speak.

Except for the sashing, it is made entirely with scraps and left overs from other projects.  The pinwheels are the triangles left from the construction of flying geese.  The 9 patch, I used whatever was in the scrap bin.

This quilt, to me, epitomizes the "make do" concept.  I used what I had, without particular attention to colour  or pattern preference.  In other words, I made it work!

Although it is not a favourite quilt of mine, what I do cherish is the understanding I gained from working with what I had and nothing more.  This is what our fore-mothers did before fabric became accessible in abundance.  They could not afford to stress over colour choices and/or fabrics patterns, nor were they able to run to the nearest quilt shop to buy more fabric.  They made it work!

I am truly grateful for the lessons I learn and for the abundance of fabric choice and quilts shops! lol

Thanks for stopping by!

Life's trials and tribulations .....!

I am here.  Pre-occupied with good things and not so good things.  I would appreciate your good thoughts, healing energy and/or prayers for my sister in law Lisa.

In the mean time, the Row by Row shop hop is taking place in New York and Pennsylvania State.  Hopping across State is a great way to get to know the quilt shops around your area.  For more detail on participating shops in New York State, click here, for Pennsylvania State click here.

The fabric plates have arrived at Fibre Junction.  Want a peak?

I love how they turned out.  Great accent piece on a bag or even a small wall hanging/quilt.  The fabric plate itself measures 3.5" x 7.25".  They are priced at $6.00 each (shipping included - total will be adjusted).  Orders may be placed here.

In the mean time, let's all take a moment to enjoy life.  Our time here on this good earth is so short, why waste it on the small stuff!

Namaste

What a mistake ....!

Do NOT and I repeat DO NOT ever take hand embroidery stitches out of a towel.  What a time consuming mistake that was.  Next time this happens, and I hope it never does again, I'm keeping the towel and using it as is!

I have finally finished hand sewing the binding of the last quilt on that pile.  I started this project back in 2007.  This was another project to entice me to pick back up the hand embroidery hobby.  Yea, it worked!

Gosh darn, that photo has some fuchsia in there.  Okay, maybe I need to seriously shop for some software and a new lap top!  ;o)

The pattern is from Crabapple Hill and is called Autumns Harvest Pumpkin.  It is suppose to be a pillow, but since I do not sew .... it was converted into a little wall hanging.

Thanks for stopping by!  Cheers!

What's going on...!

Spent Monday in Montreal with my friend Gina.  Started our day walking around the old Montreal.

I love photographing old buildings.  Montreal is quite old. Well over 350 years old.

We had a wonderful time walking around.  It was a cloudy day, a perfect day for pictures.  The famous clock tower at the old port.  There are many immigrant family stories associated with this clock.

We ended our day at Upstairs Jazz bar and had a lovely dinner.

I've been stitching away, attempting to get a set of Americana towels done for a July 4th gift.  Some would go for a swap, and another as a hostess gift.  Guess what?

I stitched the front of the design in the back of the towel.  Crap!

Guess what I'll be doing when I finish with this blog entry?

I cannot bare giving this to someone knowing I made a mistake.  Sigh...!  Oh well... wish I had an extra towel!

July 1 is quickly approaching, have you found a blog reader that you are happy with?  Do share!

Cheers!