Time MARCHES on...................

Time is a constant. We all have the same amount of time.  Have you ever wondered how many seconds there are in a year???

one year = 365 days

one day = 24 hours

one hour = 60 minutes

one minute = 60 seconds

so now it is easy to see that there are 31,536,000 seconds in a years.   (365 X 24 X 60 X 60)

I love this quote about time

Supposedly the speed of time does not change - it does not slow down or speed up, I swear that it does. When you are having fun - time just speeds up. When you are doing something you hate - time slows to a crawl!!!!!

Yesterday, time was flying by with no regards to my protests that I was NOT having a good time.   NOPE - TIME was not fooled by my comments.  OK - so I was having a blast - back to my projects and I am happy to report that I made 16 of them - they are 100% finished. Now when has that ever happened in my life?????   NEVER.  And while I could make more - I think I have exhausted my ideas which is exactly what I wanted to do.   There are more to make, but all will be some version of my 16.  I know - it is frustrating to not show you!!!!   Just wait for it. 

BTW - for those of you who want to follow along with QUILTsocial - I have the link under the Section - BLOGS I FOLLOW - so you can easily get to it. This week there are a few reruns (yes - even on a blog) of all the blog writers. 

Let's just say that time is very precious to me this week. I have fun days planned, I have loads of work and well I am supposed to be doing some gardening and housework.  When I got home from Monday sewing, there was my kid sprawled in the driveway while Berke worked at emptying the big bag of mulch that has been sitting there for two months.  God bless him for coming to my rescue.  If I ever win the lotto - I care nothing about a new house or a new car - I want a gardener, a house keeper, a chef and a secretary!!!!!   Or maybe I find ONE person to do that all and call it a wife!  Yes - I want a wife!!!!!

Berke - hard at work moving the mulch

Well look who came to visit yet again.  I think that Milo is trying to tell us something.  "I want to stay here with my girlfriend Sammy!!!!!"    It is so much nicer here than at home and look - they have dirt!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh oh oh - look at me!!!!!!!

Oh look at me NOW - this mulch is so awesome and it is cool!!!!!

I love this place!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sammy - way too sophisticated to play in the dirt!

Sparky hiding in the garden

 CRAP - if Berke is moving the mulch - I had better get my act together and get rid of some of the weeds before he puts the mulch down.  I thought I was going to die from the heat, but there was a nice breeze and it was actually quite pleasant to work outside.  I think I was out for an hour and a half.

Me - weeding the edge of the driveway and if I ever buy another house  - it will NOT have interlock for a driveway - NEVER. I hate it. 

Once the mulch was moved - I was off to the beer store and picked up two refreshing cases of beer - one for Berke and one for me!!!!    Thank goodness M does not like beer.

And speaking of M - well give her a camera and ...........................

There she is - another selfie!!!!!!   I never know what I will find on my camera. 

HAPPY CANADA DAY to everyone. 

I will be tucked away in the studio - got quilts to do, more blogging, more stitch outs - and well just another day of craziness. But I am loving every minute of it - so that makes it OK.   I am very thankful every day that I get to do what I want (well for most of the day) - but I would appreciate a day off soon!!!!!    That bike trip is looking more and more enticing as the days go on. 

OK - so I am not into selfies - but take note that while I am in the girl cave today(which is cold) - I shall be dressed to celebrate Canada Day. 

My Canada Day head wear!!!!

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!

Ironman Challenge - Day THREE!!!!

So?????????????????

How is the ironing board situation coming along at your house???   AH - you thought I wasn't serious about this? I am going to bug you the entire week!!!!     Helen Anne sent me pictures of her ironing board

This is the BEFORE picture. apparently the week before the board was a DISASTER.  So even though it gets to be the dumping ground, it looks like Helen Anne does a good job of clearing it off rather than just use a corner of the board to iron!!!

AFTER - but we both agree that she needs a new ironing board cover. Actually I wonder what would happen if you  washed it????   Hers isn't ripped and mine isn't ripped, but very badly stained with water.  I will check out the instructions to see if I can wash it or look at getting a new one. 

In light of the topic of the week - I dug out ALL my ironing/pressing supplies.

Yes - there are FIVE jugs of distilled water and I bet by Christmas - most of that will be gone. I am going to go through these supplies this week (or it may be next since I am going away for the weekend. But I have a feeling that there are a few things that I don't need. Now I have to say that this isn't that bad, but there has to be a better way to keep track of it all. I'll walk you through that process hopefully tomorrow. 

I took my sewing machine to Monday Motivators yesterday and I was on a roll. I don't have a picture of what I worked on, but I was fired up when I got home and kept sewing. This is what I have got done in the last couple of days.

Another one of our community projects quilted!!!!

This basket is TOPS for the MM community project that need to be quilted!!!!   And there are TWO HUGE tubs of fabric that needs to be dealt with, but I need to get the tops out of the way before we make more!!!!

The binding is now on and I will give it to someone at MM to hand stitch that binding down. 

Oh - here I am working on the mystery quilt for the Halton Hills guild

Here is my Bag One and Bag Two for the mystery - all done!!!!    Got the next clue cut out and ready to sew (well almost). But I'm not sharing that until it goes out in the newsletter!!!!

Cut some of the white triangles needed to make half square triangles with those red cut off pieces. Using them as enders and leaders and hope to trim as I go!!!!   (rather than do it all at the end)

Got the binding on another Monday Motivator quilt - it is in the back (green) on the left of the table. I didn't take a picture of it, but I gave it to someone yesterday so they could hand stitch the binding down. The radio - we talked about that already - it is in the garage waiting to go the recycling depot.  You see I am trying to keep this set of tables clear so that when I need some space to work - it is there with NO effort!!!!

ONE of my biggest problems is that I am a shuffler. Rather than DO (or finish) a project, I will often shift it to a new space. It goes from cutting table to ironing board to work table and then they all rotate back again!!!!!!   Rather silly and so I am trying really hard to deal with those projects that are in that perpetual shuffle!!!

Cutting table is in the perpetual shuffle loop!!!!

Sewing table area stays pretty clear!

More blocks done for the winter samplers!!!!!

I've actually done other stuff, but no time to take pictures. I'll get them up tomorrow.

Here is an area that I really really want to clear up. These are all finished quilts. OK - maybe some of them need labels. Well they need to be sorted, labeled and then they will either get hung up or stored away. I want the table underneath to do some scrapbooking or art stuff. 

So the other morning or maybe it was evening - with DH away and M flitting in and out, I have no concept of time!!!!   Anyway - I am cutting away and then all of a sudden - BANG!!!!!!!!!!!    I hear something metal has fallen. WHOA!!!!    What the heck was that and it was LOUD and it was CLOSE to me.

I check around the studio - nope - don't see anything, I check in the stash room - nope - nothing there either. I continued working and about an hour later, I bent down to pick up something and AHA - there was the source of the noise. A metal tin in fact had fallen off the shelving units under the cutting table.

Fallen tin!!!!   

What do you do with your leftover bindings????

Left over binding from the third baby quilt

Well - I bind a LOT of quilts so I decided to keep the bindings.

I now have an entire BIG tin full of them. This is super because I am going to use those bindings scraps for the binding of my scrap quilts. 

Berke loves car. It is that simple - he would live, breath and eat cars if he had the choice. So he needed a job and what kind of job does he get?????   A valet downtown!!!!

He stopped by the other night all dressed up in his snappy uniform. (M - next time - get him to take off his coat and have him wear the tie!!!!)

I asked him if the staff has had to peel him off of any cars yet. Nope - but he has just SAT in a couple of them enjoying the moment!!!!   A perfect job for a car fanatic and pays pretty decent as well. Or so I hear.


Speaking of cars - did you know that only 1 in 10 cars sold these days is a MANUAL. I have always driven a manual car. Unless I had a health issue, I would ALWAYS buy a manual. They are cheaper to buy, more fun to drive and LESS LIKELY to be STOLEN. Think about how many people know how to drive a MANUAL!!!!     Berke had to prove that he could drive MANUAL before getting the job.   Now if he could just do an alignment on my car I would be happy.  Can't get in this week - too many people getting snow tires put on.


I like to walk in the forest with my girls and this is a HUGE source of my energy, my creativity, my calmness and patience. Just being in nature - well it makes a huge difference to me. And if I didn't have the forest - well I would find a park or some other place. I guess it is just being outside in nature.

MY sanctuary (if only it were really mine!!!!)

Well on that note - I have tons to do today (I know - what else is new). But honestly - taking my sewing machine to Monday Motivators has pumped me up. So much so that I am NOT getting anything done by hand!!!!!  


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it were a snow day - what would you do?????

Yes - yesterday was a snow day at our house. Schools were closed, then libraries  galleries, the airport, some stores and they were advising people to stay home. So we stayed home, but not before Berke arrived in the land yacht!

Just for some perspective of the snow fall, have a look at these...............

Here is the pond several days ago 

This was the pond yesterday morning

And here is that hole in the pond this morning. Notice Sammy's tracks almost to the edge of the water. I didn't get the camera fast enough to catch her. 

Looks like a heart - but see how deep the snow is. The heater and bubbler are working like a charm. Should have bought a better heater years ago. The difference between buying something in a pet store versus a landscape shop. You could see the "heat rays" coming off the water this morning. I bet those fish are nice and comfy in there.

If it were a snow day and you were a dog - what would you do???????????????

Go out and PLAY

Then I would play with my BIG SISTER

I LOVE playing with my big sister

That big black dog thinks she is tough - but the fuzzy dog is just as tough

OH OH - I got snow all over my nose

Snowing very heavily, but with my big black fur coat - I don't feel a thing!!!!

We are guarding the house - surveying the neighbourhood - making sure that everything is right!!!!

A very alert guard dog!!!!

Oh - look at me - there is LOTS of snow

Got to check out the backyard as well. 

What would you do if it were a snow day and you were a teenager with your boyfriend over?????

Why not make a TENT in the living room!!!!!   Thanks to MOM who supplied the photography stand, safety pins, clothes pins, never mind the quilts, pillows and furniture - it is a cozy spot to watch movies

I have to admit that I played bridge on my iPad in there while M watched her TV shows after Berke left. M even slept there - I didn't think my body would be happy this morning if I did.

Sammy got right in there - look how cozy this is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cozy - but this SPOT is MINE!!!!!

Sparky was just as cozy on the other side. 

Then when you get bored of watching movies, the teenagers can always bake................

Cupcakes (from scratch  - no mix in this house)

I showed them how to make icing from scratch

And this was the only colour of sprinkles in the house. Very Halloweenish!!!!!

When you are waiting for the cupcakes to bake, you can always grab the camera and bird watch.............
(these pictures were taken by Berke)

Cute little bird at the sunflower feeder

Huddled in the Japanese maple tree (they were singing up a HUGE song) - I love when they do that

Having a quick rest on the feeder

Picking up the scraps - I love these birds BEST

What do you do on a snow day if you are an adult????

Well - quilt of course!!!!!!!!!!!!

But not BEFORE cleaning out the machine. Look at how much lint accumulated from quilting that small flannel quilt. Actually I have to clean this area AFTER ever quilt and sometimes during the quilting process. VERY LINTY

Got this sample quilt DONE DONE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    It is trimmed and going to put the binding on in a few minutes. 

Detail of quilting pattern

I do NOT know why the Sulky Blendables on the big spool will NOT work in the long arm machine. I have a bright variegated that I really wanted to use. I put in a new BIG needle, I changed the position of the spool on the machine, I loosened the tension, I slowed the machine down and I can drag the thread through the threading system, but the second it goes through the needle and you pull - the thread breaks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    CRAP - because I have FOUR of those big spools. But it works like a charm in the bobbin. Going to have a LOT of bright bobbins in MY quilts. I threw on a BRIGHT variegated orange thread for the top and it turned out gorgeous.


Then because I still had time, I decided it was time to get this raffle quilt done!!!!!!!!!!!    I sewed the white border all around the center.   AND got the two rows of stars on the sides sewn together and attached to the quilt.

Looking good and almost done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Then I decided what had to go in the corners and I need to make FOUR more of those solid looking stars which are the easy stars so that is a good thing!!!!!!!!!!   One of them is made - only three more to go and they are mostly cut out.

|A nice way to finish off the corners

And I got some of these cast off pieces sewn together. They are a PAIN to line up those seams. 

And what would do on a snow day BECAUSE it is a snow day??????


You would SHOVEL of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I mean - how could I NOT take advantage of the fact that a strong teenaged male was at my house. I just couldn't let that opportunity go. So everyone got bundled up and we went out. Not sure what the orange sunglasses were for - in case he gets lost?????

Berke and I shoveling. Hmmmm - where would M be?????   Oh yes - she did have a shovel, but well - we put her to better use with the camera. My only comment to Berke - "think twice"

This "island of snow" that we saved for M to take a picture was in the middle of the driveway. You can see it goes up to Berke's knees.

Ah yes - there she is - the photographer.

Here are some other random pictures from the day................

Berke with the girls

The snow between the cars - TONS of it

The girls ON GUARD while we worked

Snow on the side of the driveway - remember we had NOTHING before this  storm

How much snow fell on my car in about 6 hours

Now I try not to be a revengeful or vindictive person. But I do love payback especially when I had NOTHING to do with it.

We live on a crescent and we are right at the end of the curvy part. This isn't a normal crescent - there is a BIG area in that turn. Oh yes - I forget to tell you that part of our day was taken up with watching people get stuck in that curvy part of the street. They would slow down for the curve and then there is a slight (about 1 or 2 % incline and with the UNPLOWED street - people just couldn't make it.

While we were helping one fellow out - who gets stuck EVERY TIME there is a snow storm simply because he doesn't know how to drive. Anyway - while we are pushing this guy, someone comes buzzing past in his Land Rover. It was hilarious. The owner of the van we were pushing vowed to buy something like that next time!!!!


Anyway - the plow finally passed in the night and the grader went by again this morning. Now if you leave snow in the street - it is going to get pushed into your neighbour's drive. For YEARS, my neighbour two doors down would leave her snow in the street and guess where it ended up - YEP - in MY DRIVEWAY. It drove me nuts, but what are you going to do. This year, she gets a service to come and plow the street and you can see the snow across the street in this picture. He used his truck and plowed the snow ACROSS the street so it wouldn't go in our drive. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!   The neighbour next to us used the same service and that snow also got pushed to the other side of the street.

This is the end of our driveway this morning. Actually the windrow of snow marks about six or 8 feet BEYOND our driveway. It isn't that bad and I've already cleared half of it so that we can get out. 

Now it is hard to see in this picture, but the neighbour whose snow used to end up in my drive, got NAILED. The guy next to her pushed all his snow in the street and it ended up in her drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Oh dear.

Today - the sun is out and although cold, that sun will do wonders to melt some of the snow and clear off the rest of the drive - well bring it to bare.

Don't you love snow days!!!!!!!!!!!!    It was a pretty neat day and I didn't get any complaints (well not that I heard) from either of the "helpers" and we went out TWICE to shovel. Thanks Berke and M!!!!


Oh yes - I have to tell you one more story about yesterday. So after we shoveled the driveway, I parked my car in the usual spot, Berke parked his car sort of in front of mine so that DH could drive right into the garage when he arrived home. When Berke left, I told him to watch  that he did NOT back into my car since he had to back up and then go forward to clear the big dump on the right hand side.

So he clears the snow from his car and he is inches from my car. And remember this is the LAND YACHT. He backs up and missed my car (how I have NO IDEA) because he keeps backing up and while doing that he makes the car slide to the left and then he was in position to leave. If I had NOT seen it fore myself, I would not have believed it. I wish I had video taped it - it was VERY IMPRESSIVE.


Oh and then in the evening I had to work on my project that is called SNOW DAYS while I listened to an audio tape. How appropriate to end the day that way!!!!!!


Well off to find something to do today!!!!!!!!!!!!


Have a good day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!