Well, Spring has finally come.....

and I have managed to plant a few flowers and my Saskatoon berry bush on the side of my house. I was going to plant a Blueberry bush but the greenhouse didn't have any... so Saskatoon's it is! We are supposed to be getting some very warm weather in the next few days so hopefully the plants will grow and I can plant my large planters.

I have received a couple of cute blocks in two swaps I am in. The star block is so cute - it is strawberry and broccoli fabric..... I had requested that my star blocks be "scrappy" so I am going to have quite a collection when the swap is done.

The pink and brown block will be added to my collection and I should be able to make a pink and brown quilt by fall.

Thought for the Day

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.

William James

The picture says it all....

This picture was taken on Tuesday morning...... the day after I came home from Quilt Market in Pittsburgh...... where the weather was in the high 70's (F)...... will we ever have Spring - LOL...

I had a great time at my first Quilt Market. The professional development classes were just exceptional. I learned so much and met so many wonderful quilters, authors, and designers. For me, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really appreciated being able to go. I have a few samples to make for the shop I work at and lots of new ideas for classes..... lots to do and I am excited to get started. I also did some shopping for myself and got some great deals.

Pittsburgh has the most amazing architecture - many old buildings, and churches. I spent a good deal of time walking around the city and I really enjoyed that. My pictures of the City of Pittsburgh are in my webshots album.

My other pictures of market are in this album - these include quilts that were on display. I am finished my University class and can now concentrate on my quilting and classes over the summer.... which I look forward to at some point!! (since we didn't seem to have a Spring).

Thought for the Day
To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

A block......

I finished a block today for a swap I am in ..... I really like it - found it in my EQ6 (Ohio Star Variation); I had to use templates for two of the pieces, but that wasn't a problem. Hope my swappee likes it!

I think I could make an entire quilt of this block.

I did some gardening and have decided to plant a Blueberry bush on the side of the house - it faces west and gets afternoon sun, so hopefully it will grow!

Thought for the Day

It is no disgrace to start all over. It is usually an opportunity.

George Matthew Adams

Spring.........

Today we got out the chairs and sat out by the lake..... and set out the patio furniture on the deck. As you can see... we still have a small "glacier" on the lawn - LOL...... shouldn't be there for long. I cleaned up my sewing room today, studying for an exam, took Magpie for a long walk......... AND made a quilt back..... sheesh (as a dear friend on mine says - LOL)..... it is spring....

Thought for the Day

There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving and that's your own self.

Aldous Huxley

Yes...

it is Spring!! The loons have returned to the lake - I heard them for the first time this morning... and they were swimming by the dock this afternoon - will keep an eye out for the baby! You can still see some ice behind this little guy - hopefully by the end of the weekend the ice will be all gone.

Thought for the Day

I'll not divulge the secret song

Of this remote lagoon.

I'd rather hearken years along

The laughter of the loon.

Nancy Ness

Spring.....

has finally come to my part of the world...... but the lake is still frozen...... not warm enough to plant any flowers yet.... but there is hope.
I made another bag to go with my tote bag - these will be great to take on retreat!

Thought for the Day

If someone listens, or stretches out a hand, or whispers a word of encouragement, or attempts to understand a lonely person, extraordinary things begin to happen.

Loretta Girzartis

It's Snowing....

today (will we ever see Spring ???) .... and a great day to finish off some projects. I made two bags - a tote bag and a smaller bag with wool applique. I also completed a couple of customer quilts and am now caught up with those.

The wool applique bag pattern is by a favorite designer, Sue Spargo.

Check out Shirley's blog - she has pictures up of the class she taught at our LQS last weekend.

Thought for the Day
There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.
Orison Marden

Busy Month....

April has been a busy, busy month.... lots of quilting. This past weekend my friend, Shirley, hosted a landscape workshop at the LQS in town and was a great success. Check out her blog in the next few days and there should be some pics. I also got a few private lessons - lucky me, on how to paint trees and other fine points of landscapes.

I received a great block in my montly blockswap - another to add to my collection of pinks and browns. This should make a great quilt when I get all the blocks.

Thought for the Day
Of all the judgments we pass in life, none is more important than the judgment we pass on ourselves.
Nathaniel Branden

Look what came

in the mail today!!!! My parcel from the Secret Easter Swap hosted by Julie at Bush Baby Jag. The parcel was wrapped in the prettiest pink Spring fabric - tied with Ric Rac..

Opening it up I found the most wonderful surprises...... my alltime favorite quilting magazine is Patchwork and Stitching, and the little Easter Egg ornaments are just sooo cute. I am a lucky swapper, that's for sure!!! and want to thank Nicole H. from Seton Pk, SA, Australia.... I don't have a blog address for Nicole - but hopefully she will see this and provide me one!! AND thanks Julie for being a great hostess.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
It's never too late to have a happy childhood. Walk in the rain, collect rainbows, smell flowers, stop along the way, build sand castles, watch the moon and stars come out, say hello to everyone, make up new rules, go on adventures, act silly, take bubble baths, hold hands and hug and kiss, dance, laugh and cry for the health of it, feel happy, say the magic words, and trust the universe.
Bruce Williamson

April...

just snuck right up on me. I have been working on a variety of things.... quilting mostly and some piecing and applique. My never ending quest to complete my Baltimore Bunnies is humming right along - I have the borders almost complete, just appliquing the final bunnies and flowers on the borders. I wished I could have completed this for this Easter... but, it will be done THIS YEAR at least, LOL. I am also preparing to teach some classes at the LQS and finishing my University course, which I will take a break from over the summer to get a bunch of UFO's done.

I have completed two more blocks in my wool applique "Chestermere" quilt. This quilt was designed by Laurel Frances Everett of Shaggy Dog Designs - formerly of Calgary, now of Pincher Creek, Alberta. I hand appliqued this quilt in homespuns about two years ago (it is the picture in my blogger profile) ... and I wanted a project to work on in wool and thought this would be great. These two blocks are number 4 and 5, so now I have to decide if I want to do another six for a complete large quilt or just one more for a smaller wall hanging. The other blocks are here and here.

Thought for the Day

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

Jimmy Dean

Mountains......

I really miss seeing the Mountains when I drive anywhere!! I guess I just took them for granted when I lived in Calgary - since I lived there my whole life. I took this picture last weekend when I was in Calgary - just a gentle reminder..... I think I would like to to a landscape of just the mountains...

I picked up some new fabric at one of my favorite quilt stores, Traditional Pastimes, and decided that I would make my mom a new table runner for her coffee table for Easter.... I cut out the blocks at my retreat and finished them up yesterday.... I think she will really like it. The blocks are churn dash and it really didn't take that much fabric to make this quilt.

My retreat....

came to an end last Sunday...... this is what it looked like when we woke up on Sunday morning....It was a good thing that our hosts drove our cars to the top of the hill - they then took us up in their 4 wheel drive - my little car would never have made it up the hill. Even tho' this is what it looked like at 9 am, I was in Calgary by noon and the snow had stopped and it was just horribly messy.

The above quilt is a finished "retreat project" that Julie had been working on for the past two retreats - it was so great to see it finished.... we all felt like it was our project being finished!!!

I completed a small baby quilt top and put together my borders for Baltimore Bunnies. I just have the bunnies to applique, then I have to put it together... so there are no photos yet of this Baltimore Bunny project - that is being worked on in its second year.




Thought for the Day
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melody Beattie

I'm enjoying...

my retreat. Yesterday the weather was so beautiful... but tonight we are in for a snow storm.... so, it may make it tough to get home ..... Yesterday and today a few of us went walking.... this is the view looking up into the hills - as you can see the sky is blue and it was about 11 Celsius.

The picture on the left is looking out from our sewing area, which is on the lower level, onto the deck that overlooks the Bow River.

The picture on the right is the common area of North Bow Lodge - where we can sit and chat, have a fire, hand stitch... just enjoy each other's company. It is on the main level. The bedrooms are also on this level.

This picture shows our sewing area on the lower level. There is a small alcove towards the lower deck where we eat our meals. The quilt below is being pieced by Julie, who bought the fabrics when she was on a trip to France. It is a wonderful little quilt.

No pics of me, yet.... I will have to get someone to use my camera! Another update to follow with news of the snow storm that is supposed to be coming.

Thought for the Day

I've found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.

Brian Tracy

It's....

retreat time.... I am off tomorrow for a 3 day quilt retreat in the foothills of Alberta. I am so excited to see my old friends and to get some of those UFO's completed. I will be taking my computer, so maybe there will be a pic or two in the next few days... hopefully a pic of my Baltimore Bunnies being finished!

Thought for the Day
Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vintage point.
Harold B Melchart

I have finally.....

completed a Landscape wallhanging!! My dear friend Shirley does the most amazing landscapes and I have always wanted to make one... I finally took her online class and completed my first one. I am very pleased with it. The sky and orange fabrics are pieces that Shirley and I hand-dyed last year (we dye about once a year)... and I think they go quite well with the other fabrics. I have a long way to go.... but feel I have made a great start. I am looking forward to other landscape projects.

We have had a blizzard for two days in a row... lots of snow.... well, one day, we will have Spring!

Thought for the Day

There are those who work all day. Those who dream all day. And those who spend an hour dreaming before setting to work to fulfill those dreams. Go into the third category because there’s virtually no competition.

Steven J Ross

The Sun is Shining.....

but it is still -30 degrees (celsius) - BUT, we are in for some warmer weather. This picture was taken the other day when we were having a snow storm. It is the view outside my quilt studio - I was thinking if we got any more snow I wouldn't be able to go up the stairs - LOL. This has been the coldest weather in these parts for a few years - of course, the year we move!! I have been busy quilting customer quilts and getting ready for my yearly retreat with friends. We will be retreating at North Bow Lodge on the beautiful Bow River, just an hour outside Calgary, next weekend. I am looking forward to finishing my Baltimore Bunnies that I have been doing for soooo long. I have just the borders to machine applique and then put it together.

Thought for the Day

The best way to knock the chip off your neighbor's shoulder is to pat him on the back.

Author Unknown