Spring has Sprung - April reveal

Oh dear - I have a feeling it is going to take me several days to catch up on all the pictures to blog, the CreativFestival aftermath and cleaning up my studio that looks as if a whirlwind has gone through SEVERAL times. But a bit at a time.

You will all be happy to know that I FRITTERED the entire day away and basically did NOTHING. OK - well I did some errands and read some and SLEPT outside in my lawn chair and enjoyed the sound of the waterfall. I did not sleep well because of my sinus (allergy) problem and I took advantage of the nice day and had several good sleeps. And Miss K was right there beside me. My two dogs were in the house!!!!!!


Let's start with the reveal from Spring has Sprung. This class was on Saturday morning and everyone is keeping up with the homework. It is always exciting and encouraging to see that. Without further ado .............

Mary D

Barb

Kay T

Joyce 

Kay N

Mary M

Kathleen

Diane

Linda P (yes she is making it quite different from the rest)

Linda P second one (again DIFFERENT!!!)

Linda M

Kathie

 How cool is that to see all eleven DIFFERENT but the SAME blocks.

Great job everyone!!!!!!

Liz is working from the same book, but doing the pieced quilt. She just needs to add one more border. 

Susan is working on Grandma's Country Album. I  LOVE the buttons she used for berries

Great job everyone.


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


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

Staycation...................

MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    You gotta try this thing THAT LADY calls Staycation. She says I am having a staycation - I don't get to go anywhere, well not like on an airplane. Mom - I am having the time of my LIFE.

I love love love love love it here. And Mom - that lady says I am on Iceland time JUST LIKE YOU. I am so excited - how can I sleep when there is so much to do - toys to SHRED, the big black dog and the fuzzy dog to play with (although they don't seem to want to get up when I do), barking at all the wildlife in the most amazing backyard ever (that lady finally LOCKED me in the basement with her - how dare HER, but she said the man was going to be VERY mad at me).

And Mom - we get TREATS - carrots and oh yes - that lady DOES NOT like those liver treats. When she gave them to us, she said her hands STINK just like liver. I would love it if my paws stank like liver. YUM YUM.

Sorry Mom - there are NO pictures. And MOM - that lady HAS NOT even taken ANY pictures of me and I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE. Just because she was working at the CreativFestival for ELEVEN hours (taught TWO demos), had TWO minutes for lunch and ZERO time for shopping (that's good because now she will have money to finish off your Christmas present) - well she NEEDS to take pictures of me. That lady says she will have time for ME tomorrow and will take lots of pictures.

Mom - I love to RACE and I love to WIN. We have a race to see who finishes their food first, who gets out of the gate first, who gets up first and MOM - I WIN EVERY TIME. I am NUMBER ONE - I am NUMBER ONE - I am NUMBER ONE.

Right now that lady has to finish up a sample for her demo today. I'm going to HELP!!!!!  

Did you see - I made some comments on your blog. Looks like you are having a great time on your vacation, but I am having an EVEN BETTER time on my staycation.

Bye MOM - say HI to Dad, Jeffrey, Boris and Liz. I miss them all (well not much) and can't wait to see them (well they will have to visit me HERE!!!!! cause I'm NEVER going back home - I love the forest too much)


Bye MOM - love Kaylee

My favourite day of the year!

Setup day at the CreativFestival.

Well it is NOT actually my favourite day. It is a LOT of physical work - thank goodness for those dollies - I think I pulled/pushed about 20 of those dollies to the booth location. Unloaded them and then we had to put down the carpet, set up the tables and then finally put out all the product. It is a long process.

BUT I love the day because I get to see old friends (Yes - The Quilt Patch girls are there) and some others from other booths. Even did a little shopping - make sure the vendors set aside a couple of things that I need (OK - so I don't need them, but I WANT them). It's the same thing.

Got to meet new people - if you come - you have to check out the crochet booth. They have this amazing tree made from crochet with the cutest "creatures" inhabiting the tree, beautiful crocheted flowers from around the world. I didn't have a camera with me yesterday, but I will today.

New patterns, new threads, new fabric - and if you are into other crafts - there is lots of that as well.

If you are coming to the show - I am in booth 169 - come and see me.

So after leaving the CreativFestival - had to get to the accountant to sign the income tax papers and sign away my LIFE in money. Oh well - easy come - easy go. And for once the GPS did me WRONG. I am driving around the airport and she is saying GO NORTH on 427. I don't think I should be going NORTH, but I am in that lane and I GO NORTH. IMMEDIATELY she says RECALCULATING. I knew that - why did she say GO NORTH. A couple of KM detour and I arrive at my destination.

Back in the car to get to the printers to pick up the tickets for the Anniversary dinner. ACK - I know why I NEVER take the 401. It is backed up something fierce. What is wrong?????   Oh great - some demonstration with the truckers - MILES ahead of where I am. Call the printer - they close at 5:30 PM. Hmmmmmmmm - I need to get OFF the highway. I finally manage to get off the highway (as did MANY other people). I managed to arrive at the printer with 3 minutes to spare (although he had agreed to stay and wait for me). I left the International Center (where the CreativFestival is - at 3:00 PM). Can you believe - I HATE traffic like that.

Well - now to get a couple of last minute things ready and I'm off for the day.




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


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



PS - Hi MOM!!!!!!   It's ME Kaylee.  That lady is in such a rush that she isn't helping me with the blog. But I'm OK. Having fun and bothering EVERYONE!!!!!!   OH yeah - I'm OK.

Ever have one of those days when you just feel so MUCH pressure - even when there really isn't much going on. You know - got to make appointments for the dog at the groomer and the vet, you child is reminding you to sign her up for this course or that course and this event or that event, and then you have to make appointments for yourself  - the eye doctor and whatever. And then you know when you book these appointments you will be running around like an idiot to make them all. Yep a secretary (and maybe a chauffeur) would be on my list if I won the lottery!!!!!

Making good progress on my samples for the CreativFestival. As usual - I would LOVE to have an extra week. And true to the description of the one demo - how to use copious amounts of fabric - well I might not have any stash by the time I get through all this. Honestly these projects are eating up fabric fasting than the Cookie Monster eats cookies!!!!

Don't forget if you are at the CreativFestival - you MUST stop by A Needle Pulling Thread booth to see my monster March project. Introduce yourself to Carla (the editor) and tell her to STOP giving me deadlines!!!!!   In addition to my regular column, we are working on something else - per issue (OK - so it was my idea) and actually is using up stuff that I have or that I have already done so I am OK with that.

Then you have to stop by SewFancy and see me. I will be there all day Friday and Saturday in the afternoon (have to teach my class at the Hobby Horse in the morning). And why not stop by and come to one of my FREE demos.   And they MUST not like me cause I got the bizarre hours or maybe they think I am such a draw that even late in the day people will come to see me!!!!!



Friday - 4:30 PM - Oh Those Rulers: So Many to Choose From (some cool new rulers)
Friday - 6:30 PM - Punch Needle Perfection


Saturday - 3:30 PM - Quick Ways to use up Tons of Scraps (NOTE - in the literature - this was originally at 2:30, but is now at 3:30)


I have amassed quite a collection of RED fabric.

Nope - not even for me. This is fabric that has been donated by the members of the Halton Hills Quilters Guild for the upcoming raffle quilt. Got to get this all washed and ready for a sewing day in May where some of the members are going to start working on the quilt. It is going to be stunning.


People are always on the lookout (on my behalf) for things that bike related or orange. I had heard about a store that had bags with bicycles on them. Well after a few FALSE starts (like ooops - she got the store name wrong) - I managed to find the bags at my local Homesense.

But look what else I found while I perusing the store..................

A cyclist (dust collector!!!!!!!)

THE elusive bag

 Then I have acquired some cool fabric.................

Blogging fabric

Girl guide cookies and CRICKET (although the lady who cut it thought it was baseball)

Minky type orange with dots (thanks Marian - got to make something cool with this)

And Barb found ORANGE yarn to make the dishclothes and gave me a couple. Thanks BARB!!!!!   I love these.

Orange dish cloths

And I found these neat decals that go on the back window of your car.

Running with Scissors 

Have a great day - thank goodness my projects are somewhat portable because I am taking Imelda to her bloodwork and doctor appointment this morning. So while we are waiting - I can work on my stuff.


Have a great day.............................



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Christmas Club show n tell - April

Yes - it was time for the Christmas Club show n tell. Wow - amazing how quickly time creeps up. And it seems that I am never ready - well I have been in the past, but I did not have my homework done for this class. NOTE TO SELF - get caught up this month. I don't think there are any rush jobs or big deadlines in May. Wait - I am sure something will pop up.

Let's start with Critter Christmas................

The homework was the chickadee and the stars - second row on the right hand side. Let's see what the group did..................

The homework

I thought I would show you a close up of the chickadee block. Amazing how each block looks different depending on the style of applique

Nice big satin stitch

Unfinished (it will be done in the summer)

Buttonhole (blanket stitch)

A touch of rick rack and FLUFF

By hand with some embroidery and cord from MEXICO!!!!!!

A few threads to trim off, but the veins were done by machine

And then there is Karen. NOPE - she is making something completely different (yet the same) as all of us. Can't wait to see the end product!!!!!

Hmmm - I swear that Virginia sent me a note with her pictures, but for the life of me I CANNOT find them.


Next is the show n tell from O Tanneubaum................

The School house block

Ooops - that would be Mozart's house on the right. 

Can't see the forest for the trees!!!!!

One more tree...............

What an amazing show n tell. The girls (and Tony) did a great job with all the homework.


All these quilts are going to be amazing.

Then we had some regular (as if regular fits this group) show n tell......................

Karen made this doll by Elinor Peace Bailey (this is the quilt critic - I have forgotten her name now). She isn't too thrilled with the quilt she is analyzing 

Some of the group are participating in a 9-patch exchange. This is a quilt that Tony made with 9-patches. Pretty awesome.

Last night I had a dream. It isn't often that I remember my dreams but I SWEAR that my dream was telling me where I had used that bias tape maker and it was in my studio somewhere. I got up and I searched - but I did not find the bias tape maker - which isn't a big deal since I have a new one - but I thought I would check. Then today in my machine quilting class - one of the students had a box with them and in the box was the GIANT bias tape maker. Since I already had my own - no need to borrow - but I would have borrowed it - oh yes. 

Anyway - in my searching this morning - I came across this box. Hmmmmmm - what is in the box???   I pulled it off the shelf and OMG - the BOX was from THE QUILT PATCH in Moose Jaw. What??????   I don't remember ordering anything from them. I open the box - OH YES - now I remember. I DESPERATELY wanted some chenille fabric - black with the chenille in squares. I must have searched on-line and found it at their store. 

See - there is their return address

Hmmmm - now what date do you think was on the box??????????  

Yep - that would be April 21, 2004. Guess I wasn't that desperate since I haven't used the chenille yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I was searching - something else came to mind and I dug out this basket of scraps. I exactly need this kind of scrap for another project that is looming on my radar. How convenient - no cutting necessary - I am just going to dig through this basket and make my project.

I love that - I use up a basket of scraps - my project gets done and it is a WIN WIN for everyone. And technically it isn't a new project since it was on the map from last year.

Scrap basket.

Let's just say that next year when I make up the list for 2013 - I shall be a bit more discriminating????  I really am making progress - there is just a LOT of stuff to get done.


OK - well on that note - it is time to get back to work on the samples for the CreativFestival. Only FOUR more days and I've a lot of work to do.



Have a great day........................


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

Men and taxes!!!!

Yes - it is coming up to tax time and while I don't do the taxes, I have to get all the numbers ready. Yesterday was that day. I collected all the paper work and figured out the numbers and prepared my stuff. DH had to do the same.

Then AS I WAS GETTING READY TO GO OUT THE DOOR - he asks - "do you have the paper with the RRSP contribution." "NOPE - I have what you gave me." "Well", he says "I gave that to you". That would be a NO - you did NOT. "I am sure". Shuffle shuffle - "Ooooops - here is the form. - Oh do you have blah blah".
"NOPE" I reply, "I only have what you gave me". He says - "I am sure I gave it you - are you sure you didn't put it somewhere else?" "NOPE - I have a spot for all this paperwork and it goes in THAT SPOT". Shuffle, shuffle, - "OOOOPS - here is the rest of the paperwork". GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR     - and the worst part - he is CONVINCED that it is my fault. I totally IGNORE that.


All the while - I am sitting at the front door WAITING and he is the one who has been on my case to get the paper to the accountant. Drives me absolutely insane. Bottom line - the paperwork got to the accountant and then I receive a text - ooops - he forgot to give me a couple more numbers. And who was on whose case ab out getting everything prepared?????????    I am NOT a mind reader and I do not touch his paperwork.

And then I had to teach the last part of the Miranda Bag last night. The girls all did a great job and the bags looked awesome. I did not take a camera so no pictures. But two of the ladies had these most amazing handles for their bags. WAIT - I am NOT sharing that info at this time. The store who sold the handles is coming to the CreativFestival and I am going to get mine FIRST - then I will tell you. Let's just say they were gorgeous and had little dodads to go with the handles.

BUT look at what I found at Sew n Serge.

A MASSIVE bias tape maker. This is just what I wanted and I think I have all the sizes now.


On that note - I didn't get much done on my samples for the CreativFestival and I have a class to teach this morning so I had better get myself in gear.

Oh yes - an update on the bike club - I just saw the latest posts - the Saturday rides are going to be 30 K/H+. She calls that intermediate to advanced - I call that a crazy speed and that is the speed for the HIGH END group of one of the better cycle clubs in the area. Guess I won't be riding on Saturday AM, but they are going to start Thursday evening rides - let's keep our fingers crossed on that one.

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


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

The BIG event

Well I have nothing to report today - just more cutting and pressing, sewing and pressing - I have pressed so much I know what it would be like to work in a laundry all day!!!!!    But good progress is being made and I must admit that I am kind of liking it. Why? Well I am using up gobs of fabric - it is mindless and it is relaxing.

Soon to be time to move to the next stage which hopefully will go faster than this stage!!!!!


It is time to announce the BIG event that I have eluded to for the last while. Here we go........................

Halton Hills Quilters’ Guild - 20^th Anniversary Dinner                  

                              Monday, October 15^th, 2012                            

                                        Doors Open:  6:00 pm, Dinner:  6:30 pm                                                        

                                                               featuring

                          Jeanne Large & Shelley Wicks

                2 of Canada’s NEWEST and IN-DEMAND designers and authors from                                         

                   “The Quilt Patch”, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

                                    Location:  Fuzion Banquets

                  1300 Britannia Road East, Mississauga  (905) 564-1122

                             (just west of Dixie Road, just north of 401)    

This is going to be a FUN FUN FUN FUN evening. The tickets are $45 which is a great deal. There will be an amazing SWAG bag, door prizes and loads of FUN FUN FUN. 

The tickets are going on sale to NON GUILD members on Tuesday. If you are interested in coming to the event - let me know and we can work out how to get your payment to me. There are only 150 tickets and I am thinking they are going to go fast. 

Don't know who Jeanne and Shelley are????   Check out their web site

The Quilt Patch

They have written two books - "Tis the Season" and "Urban Country Quilts" 

                                          

And their new line of fabric has just hit the stores......................

Shasta Fabric Line             

(This was the only place I could find the entire line)

Anyway - I have spent some time with these girls and let's say there is NEVER A DULL MOMENT. 

There is a workshop with Jeanne and Shelley the next day (we are doing the quilt on the cover of the Tis The Season book). I have a few details to work out, but again guild members get first chance at those spots (there are 40). But if you would like to get your name on the list for the workshop - let me know. Kits will also be available if you would like. 

OK - so that is the BIG news. I am very very excited about it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE organizing things like this. I know - I am totally crazy. 

And if you want to have a preview of the stuff that Jeanne and Shelley sell - they will be at the CreativFestival next weekend. 

Don't forget to come and see me and all my STUFF!!!!!!!

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

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

Miles and miles and miles........................

The patient is recovering just nicely. Lots of ice and rest and elevation. Makes me laugh cause my Dad is recovering from knee replacement surgery and I talked to him last night - he is doing LOTS of ice, rest, elevation and physio. His entire life is consumed with the recovery. Which is good - he has graduated to walking with a cane and doing very well in physio. He is definitely a physiotherapists dream!!!!

Yesterday was a bizarre day. I mean it felt like Grand Central Station. People were coming to pick stuff up, people were coming to drop stuff off, Joyce came over to quilt her quilt on the long arm and the phone DID NOT stop ringing all day. Marian and Kaylee came over and then left shortly after as Marian did not have all she needed to work.

I did manage to get some work done - a shock with all the comings and goings, but I am getting to all the interruptions.

Can't show you a lot of pictures of what I am doing - NO - you have to come to the CreativFestival to see what I am working on. I am actually enjoying it and in a way I am resurrecting some projects from the past so I am happy about that.

I had a basket of scraps that had been sitting here for a LONG time waiting for me to deal with it. Yesterday was the DAY. Now I needed some of them for my project so it was a great time to attack the basket. I came across this fabric which made me smile and remember some fond memories of when I went to Sheridan College - way way back.

We had to design fabric with repeats and print it. Yards and yards and yards and yards - This is the leftovers from one of my fellow students. Andrew designed this. It brought a smile to my face yesterday because I remember the significance of this fabric (for him). Do you see what the pattern is??????   And do you see that one of the sequences is highlighted?????   Any idea why that is???????

Andrew's fabric - red on white

More of Andrew's fabric - red on red

Did you figure it out??????   Well the number represents years and the highlighted year???   That was the year he was born. That was also the year I graduated from high school!!!!!!!  How bizarre is that.


Also came across this small scrap. This was one of MY fabrics that I designed and printed. Reminds me so much of the paths in the forest in the fall when the leaves are falling on the path. I made a quilt out of the fabric (I'll see if I can find the picture of the quilt) - it got sold and went to Korea or some place like that. I then made a bunch more fabric but BLACK. Oh alright - I will go and find it and take a picture.

Maple leaf fabric made by ME.

See - I can find pretty much anything in a VERY SHORT time. 

Now let's aim for that picture. OK - I don't see it in electronic form - that means I have to go through a stack of photos. Not going to happen today. But I had a quick peek in that area and found something else that I have been looking for!!!   So that was good.


Anyway - I am in HIGH PRODUCTION mode to get stuff ready for my demos at the CreativFestival. Let's just say that there are PILES of this around the floor. It is like an obstacle course around here.

The coordinated

The uglies

 And NO you cannot see what it will all turn out to be. Let's say that I have gone through MILES and MILES and MILES of fabric in the last couple of days. Cutting, pressing, sewing  - then cutting, pressing and sewing again and again. Well you get the picture.


In case you are wondering - here is one of my "to be sorted" scrap baskets. Got rid of one yesterday. Here is another smaller one and there are still THREE bigger ones to go through. Then I NEVER NEVER NEVER want anyone to give me scraps again. I have so many of my own and I generate enough of my own, that I do not want any more. But the best news - I am almost to the end of that sorting process. That is VERY exciting.

Small basket of scraps to sort

And here you can see that I have sorted part of the basket. By colour and then they get put in the scrap box of that colour. 

And the fact that I am NOT starting anything new - it is so nice to finally see everything come together. But it means that I will have MANY MANY years of enjoyment with my stuff. Oh yeah - LOTS of years. And even though I have been working at this new process for FOUR months, I do not see a dent in the 2012 shelf of projects at all. How can that be??????   Well - no worries - I am making progress so I will just be happy with that.


Oh yes - had a chat with Paul last night at LifeTime. I must say that he was PREPARED and seems anxious to fix the things that I mentioned. A couple of things I missed (like the workshops for yoga) - yes they were posted where I said they should go - I just didn't look at the other side of the room. DRAT - but he had pictures of them on his iPhone to show me. I was very impressed. Now to see how things will go with the cycle club, but he agreed with me. Let's just wait and see. I am hopeful????    And I even got someone to go and LOOK in the safe to see about my phone and NO PHONE. I guess it is gone. Well - off to Bell to get things arranged to go back to the old one for good. SUCKS - but not the end of the world. There are worse things that could have happened. Just goes to show that when you get a new phone - DO NOT get rid of the old one. Keep it as a spare or cough up the money for a new one.


On that note - I have my list of things to do today and as usual - it is LONG and I had better get started.


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


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111