How do you spell R E L A X?

Ack - well life is certainly relaxing here. There is NOTHING to do!!!!   There is zero activity around the place,  the only place to walk is the beach (and it is not nearly as exciting as my forest) - well we could walk on the road, but that is not nearly as fun. There is NOTHING for the girls to chase or even look at.  They are BORED.  As for me?  I spend my days between snuggling under a quilt in the sun room where I alternatively read and sleep or I am sewing!

Let's just say that it is a tad chilly here!  I even turned on the gas fireplace last night to take the chill out of the air. And I'm bundled up in my flannel jammies, a big fleece and my slippers. It could be worse!!!!

However there is NO ONE to yell at (OK - the dogs), there is no one to yell at me (well ask me for stuff), there are no meals to cook - but yes I am eating well and healthy!!!! It is heaven!!!!!

I am trying to keep my photos up to date with the editing so I have no idea what I have in store for today. Let's see what has been happening around here.............



Ah yes - on Saturday, I decided that a trip to the local quilt shop was in order.

Bargain Fabric Outlet

While they have a quilt shop within the store, they also sell decorator fabric.

I was on the hunt for some specific stuff - I even had a shopping list and swatches from the projects. Oh yes - I was prepared. I will share bits and pieces of what I bought with you as I use them up!

Inside Bargain Fabric Outlet

Love the Quilt Diva!!!!

After a few purchases, I went back home (stopping at Tim's on the way. The nearest Tim's is 12 KM away in Kensington. Needless to say - I don't go to Tim's every day. Only when I need something else in town do I stop.)

Even though I came with the intention of riding my bike, I haven't been out once. The weather hasn't been too nice.  We have had rain, very strong winds or cold.  I am hoping to get out today????   The weather is cold and I didn't bring that much warm gear. Oh well - maybe I sew now and bike in July!!!!

When I packed to come here - I had boxes and bags of projects that were in various stages of completion.  I was hoping that I had most of everything I needed to finish them - that was why they were in the boxes and bags.  Obviously my math skills leave a lot to be desired. Have a peek at what happened..........

These three blocks were cut, but not sewn

These three rows were together

Now four rows are together

 So what is going to happen with the sashing?????

Little cornerstones made from the striped fabric

 They were also cut and some were pieced together. I got them all sewn and trimmed. Then went to sew the rest of the quilt together - the sashing pieces were also pre-cut.

However - there seems to be a problem..............   Can you spot it?????

Ah yes - I would be SHORT by EIGHT sashing pieces!!!!

ACK - that is not good.  I hope I still have some of this fabric at home.  I cut it so long ago that I don't remember. The dangers of pre-cutting stuff.  It is a KONA solid, but a VERY specific colour.  Please please let there be more at home.

Project bundled up - can't do any more

Quilt - quilt - is there a quilt on the floor??????

 Funny how pets are attracted to our quilts!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I was at Robin's the other day, I picked up a jigsaw puzzle.  Yep - used to do a few of those in my time including some BIG ones. I was tempted to bring one with me, but I knew Robin had some and the car was already full.

Step One - dump the pieces on the table

Step Two - lay out all the pieces and pick the border ones out - they are along the edges of the table

Step Three - make the frame - no peeking at the picture

Step Four - start the assembly

Step Five - DONE

I didn't peek at the picture while making this one, although I did have a 30 second glance at one point because I didn't even know what the picture was!!!!!   I posted a picture on Facebook and someone has this picture framed in their bathroom!!!!!

So the easy 500 piece is DONE.  Robin brought over a new one for me to work on.

Spools -  - very appropriate!!!  (1000 pieces)

That will slow me down a bit???   Haven't started it yet.


Back to the sewing projects.   Remember my blue/yellow pinwheel ender and leader project?????   Well have a look................

Enough pinwheels to make a nice sized quilt with sashing and TWO blocks leftover

I had a hard time finding something to go with this.  I managed to find that yellow sashing before I left home.  I believe it was at Sew Sisters. But what to use as a border????   That was going to be a challenge as that blue was very different from most blues. However when I was at the Bargain Fabric Outlet, I found the PERFECT fabric.

Perfect border - baby/kid print - Hey diddle diddle and the blue matches almost perfectly!!!!

Save those selvedges for the selvedge project

Top is finished!!!!!

 I think the quilt ended up being about 40 by 48 or something in that range which is perfect for a baby quilt. Thanks to whomever gave me all those little cutoffs!!!

Time to make the binding - the blue or the yellow????   I had enough of both to make the binding. I decided on the yellow.

More cutoffs from making the binding!!!!!  The lighting is NOT the best here - believe it or not - those pieces are YELLOW

Another proejct in the DONE pile. This one in the COMPLETELY DONE pile!!!!

While at the Bargain Fabric Outlet, I looked for flannel so I could finish that other project.  They didn't have any blue so I compromised and bought some red. Not something that I was in love with, but that I thought would work. Got it home - spread every thing out and NOPE - not even close. I need woodsy blue flannel.

Nix the red!!!!!

 I also found something for the border, but now that I have it back home - I don't like it. The background is black and too stark compared to the rest.  So back to the drawing board on that one.

Maybe the next quilt shop I visit will have something. So that one is still in the "may get done" pile.

Border potential - nope - don't like that either. 

I had to laught because at one point, I noticed where the girls were sleeping. One at EITHER of the two exits. Just in case I tried to make a run for it without them - they could alert each other!!!

Guard dogs at the exits!!!!

 Now who could resist this when one has a fetish for novelty prints. Found these at the Bargain Fabric Outlet

Mussels and oysters!!!!!

 And slap me silly for buying this..............

John Deere fabric - the last one - I swear!!!!!

 Time to dig out the next project. Time to work on Tonga Rhapsody - one of the ongoing projects at The Hobby Horse. I was a bit behind in getting my homework done and I might as well start on the next round. I had done some cutting before I left and ONLY brought what was cut. The yardage is at home.

The first block I worked on. I have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE that little blue board. I don't think you can buy it any more, but you could make one from election signs and cover it with flannel.  After the next election, those politicians had better be out there within 72 hours to collect their signs!!!!!   I do NOT remember the name of the company who made that board and there are NO MARKINGS on it - you will just have to make your own.

Quilter's 3-Way Sandboard - great for carrying the pieces from the sewing machine

to the iroing board

 And crap - do you see what I see??????   Well maybe not, because there isn't a lot of contrast in those corner pieces and I can't fix that since I don't have any more fabric with me however a little ripping will fix that positioning problem!!!

Block seven is DONE!!!!

Ah yes - I remember now - I ran out of one of the fabrics and having a hard time to find a replacement. So I did what I could with the next couple of blocks. Made all the half square triangles and made the sashing with what I had cut.

Partially made block eight

My fabric key - I need more of Fabric TWO!!!!!

Got the zig zag sashing sewng together

Got a bit more work to do on this project today and until I find something to replace that Fabric Two - I can't go much further.


As I was working last evening, I glanced out the window and saw this. I had to grab the camera and wasn't sure the colours would come out.  They are not too far off - the sunset was vibrant!!!!

Sunset!!!!

And that is it for today!!!!!   I have some paperwork that I want to get done today. Oh yes - this wasn't just a "have fun" vacation. There is stuff that needs to get done and I have lazed around enough!!!  Don't worry - I'm only going to spend a couple of hours each day to get it done. If I don't - well I will go crazy!!!!!!   I can only read, sew and sleep so much each day and I am BORED!!!!!   Perhaps it is time to hit the highways and do some touristy things?????   Many things don't open until June 5 so have to be careful about that.

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


Ciao!!!!!!!!



Oh - I was reading Louise Penny's newsletter this morning. She is the author of The Three Pines/Inspector Gamache series.  Her husband has dementia.  She writes so beautifully about him and the situation.  It just breaks your heart.  Anyway - I found this on the internet this morning (I was checking some links from e-mail).  Something to think about ladies - we don't want no stinking dementia in our lives!!!!!   I firmly believe that lifestyle habits from NOW will form our life in the future.  Follow that link. It is worth reading.


Ciao!!!