Sunday, March 31, 2013

Snow Days - reveal for March


Although the snow has pretty much left us (hope I didn't speak too soon), we are madly working on our Snow Days project. This is a pattern by Crabapple Hill.

Snow Days - the pattern

Last month we did pieced blocks. This month we jumped into the embroidery and wow - these ladies are HOT for embroidery. They quickly became experts and they are loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!    Better go to the washroom before you go through the pictures - this is a BIG class and they all have homework to show.

We were working on TWO different blocks and I had a few of one and a couple of another. Although it is hard to tell in the pictures (well maybe if you click on them) but some people are doing the embroidery in blue, red, burgundy, variegated DMC, variegated  COSMO, browns and a whole lot of other colours.


Bonnie

Chris

Anita

Linda D

Kathy M  

Jo

Pauline


Kay
Mary S

Lynn

Katheleen

Elaine S

Roslynn

Lorraine (have a peek at her background fabric - I WANT that)


Jennifer


Anne (another awesome background)

Maureen

Sharon

Kathy M

Cathy P

Jane
Paula

Suzi



Linda  W (doing a different pattern but from Crapapple Hill) There are three panels in the quilt - I think Linda is a little excited!!!!!!    This is the right half of the first panel

This is the left half of the panel

Mary D
Helen

Mary C



Jan joined our group late but she came prepared and had her churn dash blocks from last month - DONE!!!!    Now she will play catch up with the embroidery



Isn't that am IMPRESSIVE show n tell. TWENTY EIGHT people. Whew - GREAT JOB to everyone. Can't wait to see these quilt finished. They are going to be stunning.


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

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

Dear Jane - reveal for March


Time is marching by very quickly!!!!!   Our Dear Jane class was LAST week and I am a week behind in getting this out. All these monthly classes keep me hopping with the behind the scenes work!!!

Anyway - we had an amazing show n tell (as usual). The ladies in the class won't know what to do with themselves when this project is over!!!!  And anything else they touch will be so easy - they won't be able to cope with that!!!!

Sit back and enjoy - this very dedicated group of ladies have some wonderful show n tell.........



Kathy

Linda

Jo

Suzi

Jeanette


Sacha

Mary

Judy

Ronda

Pauline


Elaine K

Sharon

Bernice

Beth

Cathy
Anna



Katheleen




Wow - and if you want to see an amazing Dear Jane that is beautifully hand quilted - have a peek at this blog...................



http://bunnyhillblog.com/


And if you want to go and see the real thing - it will be on display later this year.

http://www.benningtonmuseum.org/150th-anniversary-of-the-jane-stickle-quilt.html



OK - I have run out of time.


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


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


Let's NIP this in the bud!!!!


Oh my - what a wild day yesterday.

I spent a GREAT part of the day on the computer. No that is a lie - I was also outside for a long time. However I got a LOT done on the computer. My goal was to organize the photos. OK - I wasn't planning to get it completely done, but I wanted to get everything on the external drive. And I SUCCEEDED. I finished up this morning. The external drive holds 1 Terrabyte of data and it is HALF FULL. I have no idea how many pictures there are, but let's just say that is in the THOUSANDS - MANY thousands.

OK - I hang my head in shame that I have let yet ANOTHER thing get out of hand. (I am making a valiant attempt at getting the quilting UFOs under control - or am I????)

My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things


Well - it is time to nip this obsession in the bud. I am very afraid that it will end like all my others - I will get a good start and then it will peter out due to lack of time!!!!!!!!!!!!


You see - a while back I found this book and purchased it. And yes - it has sat on the shelf for a couple of years. 


Then I found this book at the library - don't you LOVE that title. Of course - it sat here for 2 months and had to be returned to the library. Now I have requested it again so I can actually read it this time.


What a perfect title for my dilemma

As I was transferring the data, I saw this on the screen. Instead of putting a date - it said "A LONG TIME AGO". Does that mean - so long ago - it can't calculate the date??????


The only pictures I have left on my computer are the pictures that I edited for the blog. The originals are on the external drive. Now I have to figure out how to backup that external drive. I did manage to start sorting the pictures on the G drive (the external drive). I deleted some, started creating the file structure to sort them. I'll delete more and create tags as I get like things together. There are files buried within files - it is quite a mess to say the least. BUT - I was able to find the pictures that I took yesterday and wanted to blog this morning so that is good news!!!!!!!!!!!!


While not remembering all those things that are lost that I can't find - I guess if I can't remember, then it isn't lost. BUT - I did find something that I needed. Technically it wasn't lost, I just hadn't taken the time to find it. But while I was waiting for the last of the pictures to be moved this morning (and not wanting to confuse the computer), I decided to do something else. So now the "lost" receipt is found!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I was threatening to buy a MAC the other day because of the performance of my computer. However after removing the 900 pictures from the memory card and clearing all those photos off the hard disk - well it is like I have a new computer. Sorry Apple - you are not getting more money from me.


Yesterday was an absolutely GORGEOUS day. It was warm, it was sunny, it was the PERFECT day to be outside. We started by hitting Rona so I could buy a new wheelbarrow. My other one had a broken handle and would probably have cost more to get fixed, than to get a new one. Then home to hit the garden. I am NOT much of a gardener and I have NEVER been in the garden in March.

Getting rid of the grass. I love the grasses, but they are very hard to cut down in the spring. After  I finished, I remembered I have TWO in the backyard - so will tackle the other one another day. 

Look how clean that yard looks!!!!!!!!!!!    M was even out there picking up leaves and sweeping off the stones. 

I notice that we have a BIG problem. The rabbits are NIPPING off the buds of everything they can reach

Hard to see, but yes - they are getting every bud within their reach. 

This one - they can't get to the top - so just the bottom is nipped off. Sparky is going to have to become an OUTSIDE dog

This part of the garden is bone dry. I need to find some super arid plants to put there. It gets a lot of sun and not much will grow there. Any suggestions for DESERT like plants????


The side garden which is usually neglected EVERY YEAR. This year it has already received attention. At least on the right hand side. The left was a bit muddy and a bit of ice so couldn't do much there. 

The gas man is always complaining about the bushes around the meter so I got out the pruners and SNIPPED AWAY. Problem solved for this summer I hope. These bushes grow very fast, but I have never whacked it back this much. 

The entrance to the side garden (or secret garden as I call it). Needs a LOT of tender loving care over the next month to whip that into shape. 

Even the fish were out yesterday. I notice at least FOUR black ones and lots of gold ones. I also see that lily pads are  started to grow. Yikes - this is going to be a huge mess this spring to get that pond cleaned out and the edge fixed.
 While sorting pictures yesterday, I came across a folder marked LANDSCAPE (which I knew was there) and look what was inside.......................



Our backyard when we moved in - Looking towards the pond

Looking towards the shed

The pond (a tiny pond)


See how little M was when the pond was built!!!!!!!!

And look at the mess in the backyard - it was HORRIBLE. So wet that year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Well - I also worked inside yesterday and look what I have been up to.


Working on another building  for my Around The Block Quilt - this time a school
Parts of a house and some trees waiting to be worked

And look - the QUILT is almost done. Yes - ALMOST DONE. The school house block is done - had to do that while I waited for the computer to do something. Just ONE MORE HOUSE to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    A few trees (get my green thumb out again) and then sew the pieces together and sew the borders on. I have the PERFECT backing just waiting to be made up and then to find some binding. Then I can put another $10 quilt to bed - well at least in the TO BE quilted pile


Yesterday I took a couple of hours to just browse in the stores - something I rarely do for any length of time. It is dangerous to do that!!!!   But one of my favourite shops is Homesense. They get all kinds of eclectic stuff in. You never know what you are going to find. And LOOK WHAT I FOUND......................
\

I mean - this is GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   and so perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also found this orange oval tin which is perfect for storing quilts in. I got that idea from Jeanne at The Quilt Patch. Her house if filled with baskets and tins which in turned are filled with quilts. There is room for a couple or three quilts in here - but Berke's Easter gift is under that quilt. 


Then I was at The Bay to get something for M (more on that another day) and their outdoor summer stuff is out. Everything is BRIGHT BRIGHT, including this BRILLIANT orange tray which i could not resist. 



Well - lots more to say, but running out of time. We are off to brunch at the golf course!!!!!!!!



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



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



My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things
My name is Elaine and I have an obsession with gathering things