Out of sight - out of mind!

OK—let's see if the pictures load this morning. 

Success!!!! It took a wee bit longer than usual, but that's OK - the pictures are loaded!!!

I don't know what is happening with the squirrels, but they seemed to be having a party on our front step. The funny thing is that there are NO oak trees anywhere near this area. They are in the back in the forest, but not in front. Hmmm—someone called a party, and no one told me? 

The morning after a wild squirrel party

I think everyone knows that Michaels in the US and in Canada is bringing in fabric. Fabric has been in some of the US Michaels stores for several years, and it is slowly being rolled out to all Michaels in Canada. I have seen it a couple of times. I zipped off to one of my local stores (yes—there are THREE within about a 6 KM distance, which seems a bit obsessive to me). 

The fabric styles have definitely improved since it first started rolling out. Will it ever replace a full-blown quilt store? No. But you can find some nice pieces. I found this vintage map piece, which had to follow me home. If you are a crafter or need limited prints, this is a good place to start. If you are a quilter, it won't be enough. 

My find at Michaels

When I was prepping Studio B for the Facebook Live, I had to shift a few things around, and I spotted a shelf on the bookcase that had been hiding behind the temporary design boards. OH MY -- this shelf was a "to be sorted" shelf, and I had completely forgotten about it. I found a bunch of binders that need to be gone through. Mostly filled with patterns, but some great ideas for the upcoming scrap class. One more thing to add to the list. 

Folders to deal with

Of course, my trusty helper was with me. The poor thing - like all aging people or pets, she has good days and bad days. But I will say she seemed to take a downhill turn a couple of months ago, and she isn't going to recover. I swear she is depressed now because of the lack of mobility she has. But we are going to love her forever and will enjoy all the moments she has. 

MOM - I just supervise from the floor now! 

She can make it down the stairs no problem, but going up is a whole different ballgame. So I was alone during the Facebook Live, and she was outside in the backyard. I left the barricade open at the top of the basement stairs so she could come down if she needed to. I was praying that if she did come down, she would have to be content staying down with me, since I wouldn't be able to help her up!

And she decided to come down very near the end of the presentation. There were a lot of cords behind the scenes, and wouldn't you know it, she came to me, got caught in the wires, and sank to the floor. If you watch the video near the end, I had to bend down to disentangle her from the cords. 

Murphy got caught in this cord.

It was a tight space behind the sewing machine, but it all worked out. 

The space behind the sewing machine

While we were downstairs, it was quite windy, and this bouquet of cut flowers I got for my birthday got blown over. It was on its last legs, which is why it was outside. The glass vase didn't break! 

The flowers got blown over.

So yesterday was a new day and more work to be done. I'm happy to report that the sewing for the second class is done and the pictures have been uploaded into the presentation. I just need to sort them after writing the blog. That will make two of three presentations complete for tomorrow. Oh my --- one of the classes involves paper piecing, and let's just say that I've invented (not really) a brand new way to cope with finicky paper piecing, and once you wrap your head around it --- it's kind of fun! 

That's for the My Kinda Town class, which is only four classes this fall. If anyone is interested, you're welcome to sign up. 

You can check back to this blog post for more information. Just note that the first class is tomorrow at 1, not next week as originally planned. I love how the work turned out!! And of course, I'll share later - not the technique, but my work. 

So something else got unearthed in the stash room. Oh shoot—I didn't take a picture of the shelving, but the room has shelves on three sides, which means there are corners, and the things in the corners aren't readily visible. 

Wait—I just had time to sort the slides in the presentation and found my missing photo. Wrong folder!

Hidden corners in the stash room

I needed to dig out a bucket of fabric from beside the corner the other day. 

A bucket of striped fabric

I'll explain more about this basket another day, but remember those two striped fabrics I bought the other day? 

Two striped fabrics I recently purchased

Well, there are a few more colors from this collection in that green bin!!! 

Removing that big basket revealed another basket in the corner. Hmmm -- what's in here? And OMG --- what a treasure I found. 

What's in this hidden basket?

This is a basket of T-shirt bits that I have saved over the years. The T-shirts have already been cut up, and I had plans to make a T-shirt quilt from them. Oh my—yes—I have another group of T-shirts I want to make a quilt from. I'll have to squeeze them together and maybe make a backing from the other bits. 

I already have one T-shirt quilt. How many does one need? I love them because they are heavy!

BUT, I found something that I swear I still had, but didn't know where it was. 

I may have mentioned that next year is the 50th year of our participation in Katimavik. And we are attempting to locate as many people as we can. And oh my --- it is a very hard task. Of the 51 people in the group, I think we have located 20, 8 of whom have passed. That is a very scary statistic. 

During the program, or it could have been after, but likely during, we had some T-shirts made, and I wanted to find them. Well, when I spotted that basket, I knew what I was going to find. Well, I was hoping. This is when the hoarding tendencies of your mother come in handy. 

I found both of them!!! 

Katimavik T-shirt number one

The official Katimavik T-shirt

The bottom one has the official Katimavik logo. I also found my military beret and ascot! 

OH MY GOSH --- those T-shirts are almost 50 years old! Well, there are only bits of them, as you can see; I totally hacked them from the T-shirt. We have a meeting today, and I haven't done much searching for missing people, so I'd better put in a bit of time this morning. 

Our premier took away all the speed cameras in the province, stating - I have no idea what his rationale was- but he vowed to have more police checking on speeders in school zones. Hmmm -- the cost of an officer and a car versus a speed camera? Which costs less? Which catches more people? 

Anyway, on our walk yesterday morning, there were two cars, and it was easy peasy for them to catch people speeding through the 30 KM zone. I think one officer should have stood on the sidewalk with the radar gun and pulled speeders over, while someone went down the line and wrote out tickets. 

It's just a shame that no one respects the speed limit, especially in a school zone and right at school drop-off time. Well, shortly after, some stragglers are probably coming in. 

Of course, DH and I had a big discussion about which method was more effective to make people stop speeding. Do we ever agree on anything? How many schools yesterday did NOT have police presence? 

Oh my—there is a new long arm from APQS, and it looks pretty spiffy. I got a notification yesterday about trade-ins. I have to chuckle because the trade-in machines start from the year 2013. My machine is from 2006!!!! I definitely won't qualify for a trade-in. And it looks like when I am ready to downsize, and that machine can't come with me, I'd better just call the 1-800 Got Junk people and load it up! 

From time to time, our online Monday sewing group gets together for lunch. A few of us are close enough to make that happen, and sometimes people come in from a distance. We were five. DH was supposed to have the car yesterday, so I planned to ride my bike. The restaurant isn't that far away. He didn't end up using the car, but I still rode my bike. 

Super fun!!! I need to get out more often, and it was one of those days when it was windy on the way there and windy on the way back! I'm riding my townie bike with only three speeds, and my legs -well, they aren't used to riding out in the real world. I found it a challenge with only three speeds, but overall it was good. Great bike paths for about half the distance. The rest? Not so much!

There were only five of us, and you know what? It was nice. If there are too many people, you can't talk to everyone! We told the organizer she should cap it at 6 in the future!!! Can you imagine? That would be bad, but it is fun to visit with a smaller group. Which is why I like retreats with smaller groups. And there is little danger of anyone taking sides! 

Remember what we talked about the other day - about toxic people and choosing sides. 

OMG --- when I was walking Lexi in the forest, guess who I met! Yep—the very person I was thinking of when I posted these!!! There was no way we could avoid each other - we had to pass each other. I politely said, "Good morning." She responded, and we kept walking. I had so much I would have shared, since we had some great conversations back in the day, but then I remembered my stand and wouldn't cave!!!! She chose, and she didn't choose me, so I'm not going back. 

As close as we live to each other, it is very rare that we bump into each other, which is probably a good thing. 

As I sit at my computer, I can see the neighbor's house. The top half is wood siding, and it's never been touched since the house was built 30 years ago. They are doing some major work inside and outside - I wonder if that is for them or if they are prepping to sell? Anyway, they had a new deck and gazebo built in the backyard. Now they are trying to paint the back of the house and have to set up complex scaffolding to access the wood that is behind the gazebo, which is set very close to the house. 

I'm not a fan of their music, and Murphy is doing a great job of not barking her head off, so we are all getting along, and all is good. 

On that note, I'm out of here! I need to get a lot of work done today, and I would love to have an extra day!!!

It's going to be a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

There's a reason we keep all the old stuff!

Happy Fourth of July to my American friends!

Podcasts --- I have one that I'm way behind on. It just never seems to cross my mind to reach out and listen to it. I even moved the podcast app into the same group as my Libby app. Still doesn't work! But I want to catch up, so maybe after this audiobook, while I'm waiting for the next one to come in after I release the suspension, I'll listen to a few episodes. 

I didn't get a chance to finish both books yesterday, but hopefully today is the day. The one is quite sad, and well, I don't handle sad books well. It's hard to work when tears are flowing down your face. But I'll manage!

Yesterday took a wee bit of a turn, and I did NOT get to the long arm leader at all. 

Way back in the day - dare I say that it will be 50 years ago next year that I participated in Katimavik. I entered the military option rather than the civilian one. Why? I've no idea, but I suspect that I took that route to ensure that I would get into the program. I figured fewer people would sign up for that option. There were 51 of us in that program, and over the years, I've stayed in touch with a few people. 

But someone suggested that we have a reunion - can you imagine after 50 years? So yesterday we had a Zoom session (5 of us - which is 10% of the group!) and discussed some things. 

One of the things we needed but could not get from the organization was a list of the people in that military option. I had a graduation photo of our group, but it was only 43 of us, and I knew we were more than that. I had put first names only. If you count, ten people in the front row were our officers. 

Our graduation photo

Of the 51, I count 43 in the picture. I don't remember that many people left, and I wonder why they are not in the photo! 

This photo was in my photo album in the family room. 

But as our meeting approached yesterday, I started thinking about any other memorabilia I might have related to that time frame. I was even wondering if I had hung onto the T-shirts we had. You know me—I'm the daughter of a hoarder! 

I have two tubs of stuff from my first twenty years of life, and I thought I'd have a quick peek through them. Well, that was a trip down memory lane, to be sure, and it took up my entire morning. 

But can you imagine my surprise when I found a handwritten list (not my handwriting) of all 51 people - first and last name and what province they came from. It was our lucky day, and after our meeting, I scanned it and forwarded it to the others so they could check off who we know is dead (that's how Nick put it) and who we currently have contact with. And then we will know who we have to track down. 

What fun to see these people after 50 years! And one of them lives very close to me, and I have put off visiting with her for five years, and I need to make a date! 

If my mom heard the story of how I hung onto that list for 50 years, she would be telling me—"See, it's a good thing that you keep every scrap of paper!" 

Speaking of scraps of paper, I found a ton of other things and some of them are older than 50 years!

Here is a photo of my home ec teacher in Grade 8 and 9. Yep—she was older, but she and I got along well. At least well enough that I learned to appreciate sewing, but I didn't do so well in the cooking department. 

Mrs. Sealy - my Home Ec teacher

Oh - I had no problem cooking, I just never grew to enjoy it. But for those of us who were in home ec with cooking—do you remember the kitchens? We had about 6 kitchens in our classroom. Each of them was a bona fide kitchen, with fridge, stove, and sink. We would split into groups and tackle whatever we were to cook that day. So much fun, and we would have been in grade 8. I still have some of the recipes in my book (handwritten by me) that are good, but I don't really cook that much, and I especially don't bake. Remember the no-refined-sugar rule for me. 

I don't even have any desire to eat refined sugar, even though someone put an awful lot of ice cream bars in the freezer. It wasn't us that did that. And I refuse to even look at them. I have my meager ration of chocolate for a treat each day, and that works for me. I thought it would be hard to eat only half of my daily portion, but it really hasn't been that bad. It just makes me eat it a bit slower to truly enjoy it instead of gobbling it down. 

Oh shoot -- I didn't take a picture of the date of that article when Mrs Sealy retired, but it was probably in the 80s. 

What is my motivation for the no sugar? Same as it's always been, except I got lax. It's my weight. I know that is only a number, but my knees don't need me carrying an extra 10 pounds around, and I don't like the way I look. And the only person who can do anything about it is ME. So the next time I need to decide whether to buy a donut, I just remember how I look in the mirror and say no. 

And please, do not come back and tell me that I don't look like I need to lose weight. I've been through all that; I know my ideal weight and where I feel best. Trust me, I have fought with myself about food and weight my entire life. I know what's good for me, and if you were to consider my weight against the charts, I am at the high end, and I don't like being at the high end! 

OH MY GOD --- these next pictures are for anyone who comes to retreat with me and listens to my playlist and knows that John Denver comes up more frequently than should be normal!! But look what I found in the papers! A full page ad for a concert - John Denver!!!!!! 

John Denver concert ad!

This was dated February 16, 1980, when I had recently moved to Montreal, but I didn't go to the concert. I have no idea why - going to concerts was never my thing, and I would have had to go alone, I suppose, and I was a very shy and quiet person at the time. I would never have dared to go to an event like that in a large city by myself!!

As I dug deeper into the box, I came across this ancient poster. Yep -- there is John again! 

John Denver poster

Remember the 16 magazines and many others with the large posters you could hang on the wall. My friends all had pictures of David Cassidy and, well, whoever else was popular at the time, and I liked John Denver. So those songs and the desire to listen to them go way back in my history!! I had quite the chuckle over these when I found them. 

I also decided it was time to tackle the pile of T-shirts that was hogging space in Studio B. I engaged KU to grab a pair of scissors so she could do the cutting. 

She started with the few shirts that were in my pile. This is what was left AFTER the backs were cut away. Keep those pieces BIG so you have flexibility in putting the T-shirts together. There wasn't much left in the basket, and that is why this needed to be done. I now need to find one of those textile recycling places, as I have quite a bit of stuff that could be recycled. 

The logos from my T-shirts

Then she tackled the pile of Dillon's T-shirts that I have had for almost two years. I think there are 44 of them in total. That young man sure likes his concerts and I'm sure that as "fast" as I put this quilt together for him, that he is amassing many more. 

The stack of Dillon's T-shirts

This was the keep basket. 

The cut off logos

And this was the leftover bits. 

The scrap bin

I started pinning the T-shirts randomly to the design wall. I need to see how much "material" I have to work with. Forty-four T-shirts is a lot, and some of those logos are huge! Thankfully, there are only about 6 with logos on the back, which are mostly concert dates, but people like the dates on their T-shirt quilts as well. 

Some of the T-shirt fronts

I forget how many T-shirts are here, but I had to start hanging them on another wall. There should be enough to make a front and a back, although that will be very heavy. I don't know if he wants two quilts. Once the fronts get cut, then I'll consult with him, and we'll see where we go from there. 

While KU was cutting the T-shirts, I was trimming the half-square triangles I had sewn the day before, and all of them got trimmed, so that was good. 

Trimming half-square triangles

We zipped out to Fabricland so I could buy some supplies to make a garment, and that was an interesting trip. Thanks to Maurie who helped pick out some of the stuff we needed. 

The amount of bright floral fabrics they have is incredible, and you can just imagine some beautiful colored dresses or skirts, except that I never wear dresses or skirts. I suppose you could make some fabulous tops! I like bright colors. And they always have the most interesting display just inside the front door. 

The display at Fabricland

Look at those beautiful flowers. They seem to be made from long strips of fabric that are folded in half, then pleated and stitched together. 

Flowers on display at Fabricland

And then we went to the thrift store, which is just across the street. I never go to that store, so it was interesting to see what they had in the jigsaw puzzle department. And this is why I always walk to the store. I can only buy what I can carry! But no - since we had the car, we found some very interesting puzzles, and so this came home with us. 

Our jigsaw puzzle haul at the thrift store

So help me, God— I need to stop doing this or start working on them faster! I think we brought home 11 of them. I'm OK, as I have no plans to keep these, and once they are done, they will be moved along to an exchange or back to the thrift store. 

I have so many more things to share, but they will have to wait until tomorrow. I need to get working on my stuff today, as next week will be heads down to get a couple of samples done for my next trip. And I am just realizing that I should have purchased some linen while I was at Fabricland. But WAIT --- I have loads of linen, so I'll just change the embroidery color --- that's OK since the original was done on white; I'll do black or something else. No need to buy more! I also have loads of a soft green, which was to be my original wedding outfit. No regrets - just move on. 

There is a Virtual Retreat tonight. We are going to start at 6 PM.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88967393876?pwd=vcTbpbd0PF0zZYrL5D8XH5jaRAugPg.1

Meeting ID: 889 6739 3876
Passcode: 753764

And then there is one tomorrow starting at 3 PM. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84936943764?pwd=F4GB0CFWZUDAukXjGmbNLR1GS6CreN.1

Meeting ID: 849 3694 3764
Passcode: 777609

And that's it for today. It looks like we might be getting a torrential downpour shortly, so it may be dicey to walk the girls. And the windows are open, and if we get a torrential downpour, someone needs to shut them. Plus we have thunder, and there's probably lightning as well. 

And on that happy note, I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

PS - done editing and only a few drops of rain. If there was a storm, it passed right over. 

I'm a jinx!

So much for a free day! I left the hotel at 9 AM, and I didn't get back until after 8 PM. Considering I didn't have a car at my disposal, that was a pretty full day! 

First, though, if anyone wants to see the classes I am offering, I have listed them in this blog post. I was going to do some work on the dates and so on yesterday, but I didn't have time. At least you will know what I am teaching - you just don't know specific dates yet. I might throw in a few short (one- or two-session) classes, such as a session on the Trendtex challenge kit, for anyone who is interested. And I might be doing something with that batting I get my hands on next month, but those will be short and mostly for informational purposes, not a new project. 

Feel free to purchase the patterns if you wish, but I am going to explain more and show you more pictures of the wool applique kits, and I'm still working out options, so you could get some thread for the kit. If you have a kit already or bought one at the show, no big deal. That is the class with the most options. There are kits by Sue Spargo and Wendy Williams, and I can't find the Wendy Williams kits online. There is no rush to buy anything, as classes will not start until September. 

I decided to go for a walk to start the day. It was beautiful, and I almost wished I had worn shorts, but given what happened, I was glad I did not. 

I passed by more artwork. This was a huge set of marbles in a park. I guess I should have walked closer to them to get a picture. I can't seem to find a way to crop pictures on this silly laptop, so I'll have to figure that out at some point. But those large marbles were as shiny as any marble you would hold in your hand. 

Giant marbles in a park

Then I thought I would check for any Adventure Lab artwork, and this is what I spotted along the way. You really can't see the artwork, and sadly, some of the paint is peeling. It was painted in 2015 and depicts the boat people who came from Vietnam. The mural depicts one of the men who came to Canada as a refugee. And it is painted on a building that this man owns. 

A mural

I took the most direct way to my destination, not the prettiest. So I mostly walked along major streets, but I'm sure there was a prettier way to get to my first destination. 

There was a power line corridor that had no houses. However, there were garden plots for rent in that area, and what a great use of the land. 

Garden plots for rent

And after an hour walk (equivalent to walking the girls), I arrived at my destination. The McNally Robinson bookstore - the original one. No quilts are hanging up as there are in the Saskatoon store. As an independent bookstore, this one is amazing!! I could walk around for hours. I notice there are NO places to sit. Sadly, those spots have been abused over the years, and they are gone. But that's OK. 

McNally Robinson bookstore

But I wandered around and spotted so much good stuff. Sdly, I don't have a lot of room in my suitcase. I spotted this GAMES magazine in the magazine section. This magazine had been around for a very long time, as I was introduced to it in my late teens. It used to feature articles about games and game events, but now it's just a magazine with puzzles. I did not buy it. I don't think I have any of the old issues still around, but the masthead is very similar to the original! 

The GAMES magazine is still around!

OH MY—you can find anything and everything online. The first issue was released in Sept/Oct 1977. Check it out here, and I remember that first masthead!!!! 

There is the craft section, which has been greatly reduced over the years. But the way we get our information in the craft world has greatly changed. I did pick up one magazine that is hard to find at home. 

The hobby/craft section

And then I got a phone call from my friend I was going to meet, and she said she'd come to the bookstore, so I browsed around some more while I waited for her. Oh my --- the puzzles. There were two big shelves of puzzles - I think the other store has more, but there were so many new brands I had never seen before, and it was like being a kid in a candy store. I can't wait to get home and finish the one on my table. 

Part of the puzzle section

OK -- so I bought a puzzle! Let's just say that it's going to take some creative packing to get all this stuff in my suitcases. Or as I mentioned yesterday, I might just have to take a tote bag on the plane with me. I'm good either way. At least, I don't have to worry about the weight in my suitcase - 70 pounds times three is my included limit. That is way more important to me than having access to the lounge. 

While I was looking through everything, I spotted this in the games section. 

Threaded, the game

This is a brand-new game, and it's all about choosing patterns and thread to create bargello embroidery. I don't really understand how it works, and it's hard to see from the boxes, but you can learn more on their website.  Actually, when you read the description, it's pretty funny because it's based on how we work! Wait for a sale and hope it's still there, or pay more and get it now!

The back of the box

And I got a chuckle from this sign. Isn't that like us quilters? Why buy one fat quarter when you can buy the bundle!

Then my friend (Jeannette) showed up. Jeanette and I were in Katimavik together - almost 50 years ago! I have seen her on and off over those 50 years, and we have communicated a lot via text and Facebook. We had lunch together at the bookstore and chatted for hours. Then we needed to get moving - I was surprised that they didn't kick us out, but there was always at least one empty table in the restaurant, so we were good. 

Then she drove me to see her cute house in Winnipeg. She met her first husband in Katimavik and, sadly, after they had four children, he got sick and passed away. She married another friend later in life, and sadly, he is gone as well. So she now has this cute house in Winnipeg that is hers! 

Then we got in the car and drove outside Winnipeg to visit my Katimavik roommate from 50 years ago! Carol and I were roommates in Esquimalt (Victoria, BC). We have many memories together in that room! Carol and Jeannette both came from London, Ontario, and it's funny that they both ended up in Winnipeg. 

I have a picture to share, but I will wait until I get home. But Carol's husband, who Jeanette knows from London, is into medieval things in a big way, and he made these rattles for their new grandchild, who is arriving sometime soon. Many conversations were happening, and I couldn't keep them all straight. 

3-D printed sword rattles

They are not sharp and have beads inside, so they are true rattles. He made them on his 3-D printer. Apparently, you can find this design on Thingiverse.com. 

Sadly, we couldn't stay too long, but it was getting late in the day anyway. Jeannette had to pick up her daughter at the airport, and I was off to visit with my nephew. She dropped me off, and then Devin and I hopped in his Tesla and drove out to a different airport. We were going for a plane ride in his plane!

However, when we arrived at the hangar where he stores his plane, the darn thing had a flat tire, so we couldn't go!!!! How disappointing. This is the plane that my Dad went for a ride over the farm last month, with Devin as the pilot! 

My nephew's plane

While I was disappointed, it was OK. I'll just have to arrange to come back, or, as he needs to gather hours, he can fly to Ontario. 

It was funny because when my friend wanted to show me her new self-driving Tesla, the FSD mode wasn't working that day, so she had to drive the car herself. Then, just as Devin is about to take me for a ride in his plane, a tire goes flat. Hmmm --- what will be next? 

I have a free morning today, and then I'm off to Carellen Sewing Center to chat about our 24" Singer Momento digital cutter. There are two sessions -- one at 1 PM and one at 6 PM. So be sure to come out and see how it works, check out the samples, and learn all the fun things you can do with it. 

I'll be getting things organized this morning, so I may take a short walk, and then I'm going to Uber it to the store. It's going to be way cheaper to do that than rent a car. It's not that far away, but trudging a suitcase behind me? That's not going to happen. 

Then tomorrow is all about quilting with your embroidery machine, which will be fun as well. 

By the time my nephew dropped me off last night, it was after 8 PM, and we hadn't even gone for a flight. It was a long day! But it was fun to catch up with everyone. I'm now on my own for the remainder of this trip, but I don't have much free time either. 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!!

It's all about the puzzles!!!!

 OH—rushed for time this morning—I'll read the comments later, but I see comments about the wedding, which is quickly approaching! 

Well, Brooke has a conflict this morning, so I read the comments. I LOVE the idea of the movie wedding! How cool is that! And since I'm not off to the gym this morning, I managed to get quite a bit of work done on the presentation for Saturday. 

I think I have walked into a giant rabbit hole. Funny how that happens with anything I do! So, you all know I love doing jigsaw puzzles. I always have, but never took much time throughout the year to work on them because of sewing deadlines. Well, now I have time to work on them a bit more, and I try to keep it to the evenings since I still have sewing stuff to do. 

I hope this link will still work for you (I think it was a reel, so it may be gone), but someone sent me this link about my favorite jigsaw puzzle store in Georgetown - Puzzles Canada. Turns out there are puzzle competitions in Canada, including one sponsored by Puzzles Canada. It happens to be next weekend, but I won't be around. I don't even know if they are open for spectators. That led to finding the Canadian Jigsaw Puzzle Association on Facebook, which I became a member of. 

Update: I sent an email asking if spectators can attend, and I got a response almost immediately. YES --- spectators are encouraged, and of course, Puzzles Canada will be there, and of course, they will have puzzles for sale! I can go to the Sunday afternoon events on my way home. Hmmmm --- I think I might put that on my agenda - what do I have to lose? It will be loads of fun and informative! It's noted on my agenda! 

Let's just say that I'm getting a ton of Facebook posts about puzzles! Oh my!!! A new (to me) company that has some amazing puzzles is Villager.  Oh my --- I spotted one for Salt Spring Island. As so it goes!!!! Here is the link to their new puzzles. This is a Canadian company, and all the artists are women! 

I do not need to buy any new or used puzzles at the moment, but oh my --- the possibilities are endless. I guess I know what I'll be doing to take a break from sewing, as I can't see myself sewing all day, every day. Making a puzzle doesn't take up much room  - a 2-foot by 3-foot space is more than enough, and put the pieces on some make-shift boards made with felt and foam core, and you are set! 

And I spotted a virtual event that was based in Canada! It happened on May 9th. Who knew that all this stuff was happening? I've been so focused on quilting!!!! WAIT --- I also see there is another virtual event coming up. Hmmm! I might buy the puzzle they just worked on and do a practice run to see if I can actually work under pressure. And do I want to work under that kind of pressure? It would be fun to try once. 

Speaking of puzzles, here is the status of the one I'm working on. I have certainly gotten my money's worth from this one. This was after about two hours last night.  

Progress is being made on my existing puzzle

The holes are filling in, but the border is still not connected in some spots. I should be able to finish it by the time I leave for the retreat. OK -- that's doable! 

I spotted this photo on Facebook, and well, we need one of these in our neighborhood. What a great idea! 

Jigsaw Puzzle exchange library

Before I go, here's an interesting thought about puzzles versus quilting. You get loads of entertainment, it's probably no more expensive than quilting - actually, probably cheaper since it doesn't require any special tools. And once you are done, you can swap the puzzle or give it away. You don't have to worry about any UFOs. Hmmmmmmm 

OK - enough about the puzzles, let's get on with sewing. I think I mentioned that I finished all the applique for Color My World, but since the sewing machine was set up for applique - such a tough job to set it up - NOT!!! I continued with applique and completed all the stitching on this wall hanging. 

The hexagons are all stitched down

The fabric hexagons and one cardboard template were cut on a digital cutter (Momento) in mere minutes. I love that I can take an entire fat quarter and cut it with the Momento! The hexagons have been fused to the background for a couple of months. The edges are turned under, so I needed to do machine invisible applique as I did for the house blocks. 

That is done, and I still have more invisible appliqué to do later today, but first I have some piecing to do. No—wait—I think I have to do the appliqué before I do the piecing. Anyway, I have no choice now but to work on the homework - I've delayed it as much as I can. I got some of the presentation work done for the weekend, but I'm a wee bit behind. 

I got one more customer quilt done. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I have to call it quits on the long arm for the time being, until I finish preparing for the weekend classes. Although the machine works on its own, it's still very time-consuming and requires focus. So I don't get a ton of work done. Today is the day for focus!!!

I scanned one picture from Katimavik and sent it as a sample to Radar's brother. The old printer still works very well as a scanner, and I hope to use it to print something today, as I don't have time to set up the new one. Here's the new one - a white printer! 

Update --- No go on printing with the old printer. After leaving the cartridges out, they have dried up. So I have opened the box on the new one, and it's sitting on the kitchen counter. I need to print a few pages, and then I'll find a home for it tomorrow. 

The new printer

As I was looking through my Katimavik photo album, I spotted a group photo of all of us in the military option. They did not have that option very long. I'm not sure if it lasted only one year. But I counted, and there were close to 50 people in our group. I think the full program only ran once. They offered shorter programs in other years. 

The Katimavik military option group

It was an exciting and life-changing experience, and even though it was tough, it was NOT as tough as the boot camp the regular force goes through. But it was tough. I found lots of pictures of the girls in the hallway in their underwear. Why I took those pictures is beyond me, but it's a good memory. But why in our underwear? Because our uniforms were pressed and cleaned, no one wanted to get them dirty or wrinkled before inspection. Our barracks had to be clean as well. So we did that cleaning in our underwear, then got dressed! Perhaps that is why I'm not good with rules and authority! 

That group then got split into three groups - one for communications, one for infantry, and I can't remember what the third group was. Or maybe there were only two groups. It was interesting because most of the communications group were females, while the infantry were males, and we ended up at the same base (Valcartier, Quebec) for the final three months of the program. More than one couple resulted from that program. 

Hmmm—be careful what you wish for! The weather has been cool, with lots of rain and no sun. Or that's how it seemed. Then we had three HOT days with humidity. A cold front moved in, and it's back to freezing again. It's currently 7 degrees C. That's a 30-degree difference from the "feels like" 36 we had just a short time ago. 

This is the alarm pad in the house, and I don't know where it gets its data from, but I think it's a bit off! Even though it's cold, it's not this cold!

Hmmm-- where is this data coming from?

So that was a weird way to write the blog, but it got done. I have a very busy day at the sewing machine. But the first thing is to get that new printer fired up because I need a pattern! Then I'm off to work. I still have a couple of videos to finish reviewing for the weekend and quite a bit of sewing. I've been working on stuff, but not the right stuff! Typical me! 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Spend time with your friends NOW!!!

After getting some feedback from people, I'm glad M is using the trim from her dress for the wedding. Someone else dismantled their lace wedding hat, so her daughter could use it to wrap her bouquet! It was worth the four hours to take it apart!

To answer the question about the community project quilts, the group of 11 I'm working on is NOT among the ones Diane made. Someone did me a favor and picked up a bunch of scraps I was using to make scrap quilts for more community project quilts. She was looking for scraps, so I offered what I had. As a favor, I offered to quilt some of the quilts she made, provide the backing, and the batting. I was very grateful that she took those scraps. 

However, I suspect the scraps got tossed. I think they were too small for her liking. She asked if I would mind if she offered them to a friend because she didn't have time now, and, well, I must remember in the future to just say NO or not make an offer. It's not a big deal -- I've really procrastinated on getting them done, and this will be the LAST time I offer to do a favor like that for someone. I wasn't expecting 11, and I wasn't expecting them to be so large - about 50" square. 

Life is all about learning lessons. 

And I learned another lesson yesterday. When I was younger, I was fortunate enough to participate in a youth program called Katimavik. I didn't know the program was still active! I actually met my first DH during that program, and because of him, I ended up moving to Quebec and learning French. And set my life on a different path than I thought it would take. 

I can't even remember how many of us were in our group, but let's say about 30. That number seems low - it must have been closer to 50. There were two options that year -- a community civilian option or a military option. I chose the military. Of that group, I've stayed in touch with 6 people - not close, but we've met over the years from time to time, and we have a small messaging group. My plan was to visit three of those people this year. One, I was planning to meet before the wedding. She was the least communicative of us all. 

I learned last night that she passed away at the end of March. No warning to anyone that she was sick - she was looking forward to the visit when we chatted at Christmas. I am meeting another person in Winnipeg during Quilt Canada (she's very chatty), and the third person (my roommate) lives within a thirty-minute drive from me, and I haven't seen her in years!

I need to call her and meet up!! 

It's funny how quickly we lose touch with people, and that's one reason why I love Facebook. Even if you are not having an active conversation with someone, you still feel in touch, although it's at arm's length. And some people, like "Radar" (her real name is Marie), but she was Radar to all of us. She was very troubled and very shy and struggled with a lot of health issues (mental and physical) over the years. RIP Radar! Out! We were in the Communications branch of the Canadian Armed Forces for our youth program, and it was MANY, MANY years ago! 

I have to look for some pictures today as her brother is putting together a memory book. 

Now I have an extra day when I'm in BC, but I think I know what to do! I just have to make some plans. 

I didn't get much done the entire day. Well, that is not correct - I did accomplish things, but not much to show for it. The phone/computer seems to be my constant companion these days. We had a two-hour meeting for Quilt Canada to get things arranged, so that is good. And I've started the process to get some help for my Mom. And thankfully, the first consultation can take place over the phone. But I think we should handle some legal paperwork the next time I return to Saskatchewan, which will be sooner rather than later. So, step one accomplished: make the appointment for the on-phone consult. Step two, which is today, is to try for some kind of appointment for Dad. 

The trees are in full bloom right now, and this is one massive tree we spotted on our morning walk. All those blooms are falling into the driveway, but who cares - it's beautiful. 

Beautiful tree in bloom

The girls were enjoying the sun on the back deck! I don't know how they can stand lying in the sun with their big fur coats on, but they love it! 

MOM -- we're sunbathing! 

Why does anyone have to mess with nature? I went to the grocery store and spotted these multi colored peppers. I believe they called Aloha! While they are pretty, do we really need them? What's wrong with orange, red, or yellow? Hmmm—apparently, they are native to the Netherlands and are yellow and red, with no seeds. OK - now I need to buy one just to check it out. 

Aloha peppers

The good news is that I managed to complete the appliqué on all four houses for the Color My World quilt! Yeah!!!! 

The house blocks are done!

Honestly, it didn't take much time at all, and I'm pretty darn good at it. So I must buckle down and get more appliqué done! This is an invisible machine appliqué, which I stitch with very thin threads and an elongated zigzag, using thread that matches the appliqué; it works very well. 

The appliqué stitches

Quick side trip as I pulled out my photo album for Katimavik! Thank goodness I labeled all the pictures with people's names. Sadly, many of that group have passed. And of the gang of five at high school, two have passed. These people are way too young to die of illness!!!

I'll take a trip down memory lane later this morning and forward to her brother whatever pictures I have of Radar. I think I'll post a few to our group of those still there—loads of good memories! That almost ten-month program was a game-changer in my life. 

Even better news: I finally made some progress on the darn puzzle!! While the border is still missing many pieces, I finally have it more or less in place. I removed all the excess pieces I couldn't find a home for, and everything within the puzzle border is either attached to the border or a section. 

Great progress on the puzzle

There are still a lot of holes, all of which are foliage or sky! So bit by bit, I'll get it together - it's definitely not a fast one and certainly getting my money's worth! I bought this one at the thrift store for at most $7.99, and likely got a discount. 

I also dropped off another donation box yesterday and got another 20% coupon in the event I spot something, and it's not seniors' day. And I went to Best Buy and bought the printer. I spotted the guy I spoke to the other day, and he gave me $20 off. It's better than nothing. I need to get that hooked up today, as I need to print something. 

I also watched more videos and made notes for my upcoming classes this weekend. So, as I mentioned, I got a lot done, but not much to share! 

I'll tell you the story of the cleaning service another day. As I survey the office, it doesn't look that bad, considering there is a sewing machine and an embroidery unit in here, the box from my stick vacuum, which I need to finish unpacking, and a bunch of books that I have to deal with. So even adding in that extra, it's not bad! I am feeling pretty good. Mind you, there are still loads of things to deal with, but it's so much better than it was. 

DH and I started playing the EXIT games again. I'll tell you about that as well. 

On that note, I'm off to the gym for my private spin class. I still can't bear the thought of walking into that room and Josephy not being there. 

Remember, there is a virtual retreat this weekend. Saturday starting at 6 PM, and Sunday starting at 3 PM. 

And just to note - the temperature last night when I went to bed was 30, feeling like 36. Right now, less than 12 hours, it is 13, feeling like 10!!!!! What a change! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!