We didn't know what city we were in, but we were NOT lost!

The weather has sure taken a turn - we go from HOT HOT HOT to COOL COOL COOL in a day. Crazy - and I see tomorrow we are going to have rain. DRAT because M is going to the lake for the weekend. Oh well - I am sure they will find stuff to do inside.

I got out on my bike yesterday AM for 40 K. While I am getting stronger and had no problem pedaling into the wind for the first 20 K and had a GREAT tail wind for the return trip, I need to eat better!!!!  My poor body is tired at the end - well not at the end of the ride, but at the end of the day.

Do you realize the big Ride to Conquer Cancer is in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. I know - am I ready????   Well as ready as I will ever be - just going to have to suck it up and ride. No choice - I will NOT ride the sag wagon unless I have MAJOR issues.

So yesterday was a mother/daughter day. Yes - I let my kid skip school in the afternoon and we went on a road trip. Yeah - but where did we go and why????   Well it is prom season and while it is NOT her prom - she is going and needs a dress. She was going to rent one, but after yesterday I hope she realizes how foolish that is. You cannot pick a dress or the size from a catalogue.

We headed down the highway - I am NOT that familiar with the shopping places in the US, but we were armed with iPads and cell phones which we used BEFORE we hit the border and then shut everything down. We had a GPS and our creativity and our flexibility.

I have never taken the Peace Bridge before, but we went that way and before we knew it - we had arrived at the Walden Galeria. She tried on MANY dresses - MANY colours and found one she liked. Then we checked out a couple of other stores, but didn't find anything that was as nice as the first place. So we went back and bought that dress. I'll post pictures when she is headed out to the prom. Let's just say that she will never wear this dress again (thank god it wasn't that much), but she had to SQUEEZE her body into it. Oh no Mom - it fits just fine. Yeah right!!!!!     Who am I to talk - I am just the MOM.

Then we wanted to find a Barnes and Noble, but I was completely turned around by going this way and so we had the GPS direct us to the next Barnes and Noble - oh dear a toll highway which cost us 15 cents both ways - we got on at the end and off at the first exit. On the way there we were going to check for a Joann's and wait a minute - there is one right there - so we hit all the stores we wanted and then headed home the same way. However we had NO CLUE as what city we were in at all. Obviously we started in Buffalo, but after that? - NO CLUE.

I asked M to get a couple of pictures and never let a teen take pictures. While she takes good pictures - I get LOTS of the same thing. The rationale? - then I have lots to choose from!!!!!

Coming up to the Peace Bridge

The Peace Bridge

The SIGN to the Peace Bridge (and I got MULTIPLES of all of these)

Crossing the Peace Bridge

AH - ONE MORE TURN to the Peace Bridge

The Border Crossing

It was a GREAT day, but I was VERY tired on the drive home. Went to bed early!!!!!


OH BOY - I wish I was in Salt Spring this coming June. Have a look at this................


CYCLING HEAVEN



On the weekend of June 21 - 23, Salt Spring Island is being turned into a BIKE HEAVEN. Bike displays, cycling everywhere and the FIRST EVER ferry that is ONLY for bikes from Schwartz Bay to Salt Spring. How cool is that!!!!!!    I wish I was closer - I would love to participate. Oh well - not going to happen.


Oh - I will go back and post the names of those "word play" entries from the guild challenge in case there were a couple that you didn't get.


And I am out of here - got lots to do today.


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



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111

Spring has Sprung reveal for May

Yeah - I had a great sleep and I feel GREAT this morning. I hate when I can't sleep - just too many things going on in my brain or something. Anyway - THAT round of commitments is over and now time to prepare for the next round. The trick will be - get it done BEFORE the deadline, then there is no pressure.

I'm trying - just seems to be so many things all at once. Oh well - that will always be the story of my life, so I had better get used to it.

Let's go back to our reveals from the weekend.

Spring has Sprung - the group is doing great - here's a peek......................

Joyce

Mary D

Katheleen (just needs to trim those threads!)

Kay N (who used variegated thread on the circles on the right and it is gorgeous)

Mary M

Linda M 

Kay T

Diane - with a completely different block but that is OK - it fits in the same spot as the original one

See what Diane did with her flowers - a nice little ruffled edge. 

Kathie

Barb - and why was it hard to get a picture of Barb's?????

Because she pushed ahead and got the entire quilt done!!!!!    Wow - all the colours are wild, but they fit together so nice!!!!!

Liz who was working on a pieced quilt from the same book

Susan's blocks as she is working on a different project

Susan's second block

And there you have it. Everyone (OK - well one person didn't get their homework done) - but everyone else did. Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK - got to run - lots to do today.

I'll let you stew on those answers (names) to those quilts from yesterday - well one more day.



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



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

THE Challenge

The last couple of days have been INSANE. I have barely been home except to unload the car, reload the car and then off to the next event. I have HUNDREDS of pictures to go through - it has been wild!!!!

Today I wanted to share this challenge with you. The Halton Hills Quilt Guild has a President's Challenge which is issued at the beginning of the guild year. The theme this time was a Play on Words. Since I love words - well I HAD to do the challenge.

So here are the challenges - I am NOT going to tell you what they are this morning - I'll let you ponder on them and see how many you can guess. A very creative lot to say the least!!!!!!!!!!!!

Number One -  Opposites

Number Two - Out on a limb 

Number Three - (sorry - I can't remember this one)

Number Four - Poppycock

Number Five - My life is a circle

Number Six - Twister

Number Seven - Fly the coop

Number Eight - A snowball's chance in hell

Number Nine - Apple of my eye

Number Ten - Splash of colour

Number Eleven - Welcome Spring

Number Twelve - Peace on Earch

Number Thirteen - Button It

Number Fourteen - Long Arm Quilter

Number Fifteen - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Number Sixteen - Put a sock in it

Number Seventeen - Early bird gets the worm

Number Eighteen - (I didn't get a picture of the other side which was Amish blocks) - Amish Technology bag - this was an oxymoron

Number Nineteen - Single white male

Number Twenty - Play on Words 

There you have it - some of them are very clever. And while you are looking at them - why not leave a comment telling me which one you like the best.

I shall reveal the themes of each later on.


Enjoy - it was a LOT of fun to come up with the ideas, loads of fun to make and I can't wait until the next challenge.



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



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

Hobo Quilt and Farmer's Wife Reveal for May

Another whirlwind day and today is just as bad so I will only give you part of the show n tell from yesterday.

Here is the Hobo Quilt.................

Liz's blocks for Hobo Quilt. And all have the name embroidered in the sashing. Just love that!!!!!!

Then we moved onto Farmer's Wife.................

Barb

Lynn (love the coral - of course!)

Donna

While a couple other people were there, they didn't have blocks done. They are also doing Dear Jane so you can understand why they are running into a time crunch.


And that is all you get for today. I have a date with my bike and meeting up with Anna so can't be late. Let's hope we dodge the rain. Speaking of biking - the percentage of people who do sports AND quilt doesn't seem to be that large. But the other day when talking to a quilter, she thanked me for volunteering at the Toronto Good life Marathon. Turns out she is a runner - a MARATHON runner no less. She ran that marathon and that was her second one. OK - so while most of you think that riding 100 MILES on a bike is a stupid idea and how does one do that? Well - that is what a marathon is like for me - I just can't imagine running 42 KM. My body - both internal and external - just DOES NOT like running. And I like going faster on the bike anyway!!!!!!    

The bottom line - there are so many interesting ORDINARY people out there. I wish I could get to know more about guild members, students, peers - they are an interesting lot to say the least!!!!!    Not everyone is as vocal about it as me - but this blog has been a LIFE SAVER for me. It has made me accountable to MYSELF and since it is in a public forum - well I would feel guilty if I wrote about something and then never came through!!!!!!


Well that is it for me - off to suit up in Lycra and Spandex.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1



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

The HOSTAGE quilt

Wow - there are MANY days when I feel like I have ran a marathon - some times even an ultra marathon.

Yesterday was no exception. I had a giant of a quilt to do and for some reason, I really really really wanted to do this particular pattern on it. At first, I thought this quilt (which was done by a student in a class I taught and one of the few quilts of my own that was quilted by me) - anyway - I thought this quilt was the same size as my own. When I opened it up - OH NO - it was a giant quilt, but I still really wanted to do the same pattern. It is just a bit more involved than some of the others that I do.

I loaded the quilt - then I quilted a row. Oh YIKES - this is going to take a long time. Take a break. Back to the quilt - two rows - take a break. But it is looking awesome.

Then time for a couple of phone calls. Two more rows.
Have lunch. Two more rows.
Off to see the surgeon (more on that in a bit). Two more rows.
Prepare some class notes for today. Two more rows.
Drop M at the gym (AWESOME POOL). Two more rows.
Prepare MORE class notes for today. Two more rows.
Pick M up at the gym. Two more rows.
Prepare last of the class notes. Two more rows.

HEY - I am done!!!!!

Anyway - it is done done done and I get yet another high from finishing something else. Have a look............

Customer quilt

Detail of quilting

It was one of those days when pretty much everything went as planned!!!!


Yes - I was bustling around yesterday to get all my class notes ready for today. No wonder I don't have time to sew the blocks. I go over the patterns to hopefully offer USEFUL tips to the students. And besides Dear Jane, there is Farmer's Wife, Hobo Quilt, Spring has Sprung and Grandma's Country Album.  Yeah - WHAT WAS I THINKING when I agreed to that!!!!!!


And I say - oh next month - I will catch up my blocks next month. Well NEXT month is almost here and I have TWO big quilts to piece and quilt, and the customer stuff just keeps rolling in. Just when I think - ah - I am almost caught up - then more comes in. Now I don't do a lot of customer quilts in a month - who has time. But enough to keep me busy.

BUT there will be NO quilting in July or August - (I hope). I will be trying to catch up - NO - not in July cause I have TWO quilts scheduled to be made in July. Oh well - I am NOT really starting too much new and the new stuff is getting DONE. Let's just say that I am NOT adding to the UFO pile. That is why I am feeling good about this whole thing!!!!    Great sense of accomplishment.


You will NOT believe this. I have been carrying my camera the last couple of days on the morning walk. This morning I did NOT. And GUESS WHAT - yep - there was the coyote again.

Sparky after chasing the coyote

Miss Sparky was huffing and puffing a lot when she got done chasing the coyote. Shoot - guess I will have to take the camera EVERY DAY. Silly dog - the coyote just wants to eat and there seem to be less rabbits so that is a good thing. And hopefully the coyote can catch the squirrels too.


Yes - I decided to go see the surgeon even though I knew what the answer would be. I go to the patient registration and then take the elevator and VOILA - I am in the right spot. It makes sense when you know what you are doing. But if you don't - it is chaotic. But the paperwork - holy crap. They go through your file - ask questions. Then you get a bracelet for being an outpatient and because I have an allergy - another bracelet. Seems like a LOT of work for an appointment.

Not one, but TWO bracelets for an appointment

Let's just say - that I would not want to have any appointments on a regular basis at the hospital. Give me a doctor's office or clinic any day.

Bottom line - no swelling, quality of life is acceptable - NO SURGERY. That is great - nice doctor. BUT when I asked why this happened - I did NOT like the answer. It is AGE RELATED. Age related - I hate getting old, but even though my body may not be aging gracefully, my spirit will forever remain YOUNG!!!!! And why are they so interested in my drug allergy - even the doctor - I am NOT having surgery.


Now let me tell you the story of the hostage quilt since I am in another "hostage" situation with a quilt project.

The HOSTAGE quilt

When I first started quilting way back in 1998, I found an online quilt guild - Canadian Quilt Swappers. I learned so much from this group and met some great people and did tons of swaps and exchanges. One of the FIRST projects (hey - why not start BIG - but I was NERVOUS) was a row robin. Each person made the center block - then it was sent to the next person. The people who worked on this quilt lived all over Canada. There were 10 of us in the group.

The quilts were going merrily around the country when near the end (second to last row) mine ended up in Saskatchewan. My native province - go figure. Anyway - we lost all contact with the person who had my quilt. She would not respond to e-mails, phone calls  - nothing. And funny thing - I actually met this lady the previous year as she lives not far from my parents - well relatively speaking - it is Saskatchewan after all. I left threatening voice mails and e-mails, threatened to drop in and get it while on vacation, threatened to get a lawyer - all that good stuff.

Even said she didn't have to do the row - just send it on. Nothing. Finally one day - the quilt arrived in Manitoba at the next person on the list. WHAT????????    I was ecstatic to say the least. (Yes - the last two people only had to add to the top and bottom in case you are wondering). Wow - all that frustration and then I got the quilt. I was thrilled and even though the quilt would be better without the last two rows - I left them on. It is all part of the story and that is how the others saw the project.

So I plan to do the same diligence to get my Halloween tin back!!!!!    It is MINE MINE MINE. I just hope the lady who has it is OK.

Oh yes - a sad note to the Hostage quilt story. The lady in Saskatchewan ended up with TWO quilts that she held hostage - mine and the lady in Manitoba. The lady in Manitoba never got her quilt back. I meant to call and do the same as with mine, but well - I never did. The lady in Manitoba could have done the same as I did!!!!!


Well - I have everything prepared for today - it is packed and I have still have ONE HOUR before I have to leave. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - nice.


I even got all the pieces laid out and all the fabric chosen for my President's challenge (due Monday). Oh yeah - don't ask. But it shouldn't take too long to get it done. Small projects are GREAT!!!!!!!!


On that note - I am going to spend the next hour working on that quilt.


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


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