GREAT ARTWORK

Check out April's Folk Art - for a great blog giveaway.. her artwork is amazing!

This is Magpie....

she is my seven year old Boston Terrier. Please check out Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue Site - we are always looking for new foster homes and adoptive homes for our little babies.

QUILTING HEAVEN.....

I am in quilting heaven right now..... This quilt is my oldest UFO (unfinished object). It is a hand appliqued quilt that I started around 2000 and is called The Country Bride Quilt. At the time I decided to learn to hand applique - didn't know anything about it, but read several books, took a class and magically thought this quilt could be done up in a flash. HA!! Well, after all these years and several stabs at different types of hand applique - freezer paper up and down, glue, needleturn, etc (who knew there were so many types) - this little baby is done!! BUT..... what's the best part of this quilt - NO, not the applique - it's all the blank spaces, blank spaces for wonderful feathers. I cannot wait to get this quilt on the frame to quilt it. I see wonderful feather wreaths in the plain blocks and perhaps more feathers outlining the applique blocks. Many of the fabrics used in this quilt were hand dyed - I bought the hand dyes - at the time i wasn't dying my own fabric like I am now. I have no idea who this quilt will be for. I always thought it would be a wonderful wedding quilt - but, no one in the family is scheduled for a big event, so perhaps it will have to stay in my quilt stash AND another project crossed off the list, but alas, moved to the quilting list! LOL

Thought for The Day

Enjoy!

An Award .... from a blogger friend!

Thank you so much, Phyllis!!

BEAUTIFUL DAY.....

This is the view I saw yesterday as I was getting gas, it is a view of Calgary looking west to the Rocky Mountains. - I couldn't believe what a beautiful view I was seeing. The mountains were so clear. This is the way to start the day!

I have recently obtained the quilt book, One Block Wonders, by Maxine Rosenthal. A friend of mine, Shirley, who runs an online Fibre Arts Learning group, had a class on this on her group. I
looked at the pictures and didn't think too much about them... then I bought the book. I hauled out some VERY old fabric that I had for a long time - it is sort of Valentine's themed (fits in with the month!) and... well..... here is the result.... I guess I am hooked!! Looks like there could be up to 60-80 blocks in this quilt and it is based on a traditional kaleidoscope block. So, I added this to my UFO list, LOL, and will keep you posted on the results!


Thought for The Day
Learn something new every day!

I WON.....

a beautiful little prim doll from Primitive Whimsies! I am quite excited as it is a cute little doll. Click on the link and it should show up! The reason I won this is because I entered a draw for the One World, One Heart Event. This event has bloggers all over the world list a prize and then individuals can ask to win the prize. I didn't find out about this event in time to actually list a prize - but I will next year! Thanks Andra!!

And..... I also won a quilt book from Moon Valley Quilter! Thank you so much Teresa. I am very happy to be blessed with these lovely prizes.

Thought for the Day
I am Thankful!

MOVIES.....

Went to see The Bucket List and I enjoyed it! The reviews I read were a little misleading - one said it was sappy and sentimental and one said it was great, so decided to make up my own mind. I thought it was good!, yes, sometimes sentimental, but it gives you something to think about - we shouldn't wait until the end to do or say what we have to in this life!
The other movie I saw a week or so ago was Juno. This is a great little movie and life and I really enjoyed it. Again, makes you think! The reviews?? - well, I don't generally pay much attention.

YEAH.... IT'S FRIDAY!!

Another week comes and goes!! This week has been busy with lots of stuff - but I managed to get a bit of sewing in. I am in an internet blockswap and I made these two blocks for my partner - the specifications were autumn fabric and the block design was left to me. I didn't realize until I uploaded this picture that the background fabric is exactly the same color as the floor!! LOL

A very good friend of mine is really struggling right now and I decided to make her something to cheer her up. This little wall hanging is called "Quilter's Angel, The protector of all things Unfinished"! It is by a Canadian and Calgarian designer, Applepatch Designs. Terry's patterns are quick and easy and great stash busters!!

My Thought for the Day quote today is especially meaningful to me, because in this day and age I think very often we don't treat each other very nice. This quote is by Rabbi Smuley who has a program on Oprah.com radio. I think that we have lost the art of politeness, and integrity, and caring for each other. We sometimes do not respect differences and we do not respect each other. I love the relevancy of this quote - because it makes you think about how you treat others.

Thought for The Day

"Morality is determined by how you treat the people you don't need" Rabbi Shmuley

SUNDAY, LAZY, SUNDAY??

not!!! It is not as cold here this week as it was last week - so there is no excuse for sitting around doing nothing. Yesterday I took my little "babies" to a Boston Terrier Meetup group for an hour. This is sort of a "playdate" for dogs... yes, I know - weird, BUT believe it or not dogs get antsy when they are cooped up for a week! They had fun AND they will sleep the rest of the weekend.

In my never ending search for UFO completion - I finished my Moda, Cherry Hill Sampler Quilt - granted it has panels in it so it wasn't that hard to get finished - but I have had it for about 3 years - so I guess it was time to get it done. I LOVE the dark reds and black and want to applique REAL blocks like the panels!!

Thought for The Day
Slow and Steady!

WOOL APPLIQUE

I am just in love with wool applique and have started a project called Greenbrier, pattern by Sue Spargo. Here is a picture of the centre block :







I have hand dyed all the wool using an acid dye bath. My friend Anna Hergert provided me with dyes and directions on how to do this. I really enjoyed the dye process, although it is a little long to watch boiling dye and wool on the stove! The end result is going to be a lovely quilt - I have a few more blocks to put around the outside. I decided not to use a traditional blanket stitch on all the blocks as i really like the primitive look that a whip stitch gives. This is a really good winter project - fingers are crossed that it will be done by the time this winter is over!

QUICK LITTLE QUILT

I made this quick little baby quilt over the last few days using a simple block from EQ6 called LeMoyne Single Irish Chain. I really love quilts made from simple blocks - they are one of my favorite type of quilt to make - I guess because they are quick!! I also really like two color quilts - another reason why I love vintage quilts.

I haven't used EQ6 that much but I do enjoy being able to grab a quick block to make a quilt. I have made a couple of other projects on EQ6. The quilt to the left is my Nine-Patch and Leaf Quilt desgined on EQ6. I had taken part in a nine-patch exchange at my guild and designed this pattern to use the nine-patches, but it looks like i will have to make a whole lot more nine-patches for this quilt - I'm about 80 blocks short - LOL.

The other quilt that I designed on EQ6 is a Cival War Quilt - I will use my collection of reproduction fabrics . It will be a scrappy quilt and I am quite happy with this pattern.

Neither one of these quilts are in my UFO list yet, because they are patterns only - I suppose I need a new list - UFO Pattern List! LOL

Thought for the Day

Be Polite!