Hidden in plain view!!!

Ever had one of those days when you can't find something?  Oh yes - all the time. And instead of moving on and waiting for the location to come to you - you mess up the entire day???  That was yesterday.

I got the binding on the hands quilt (the one for the senior home) and then when I went to hand stitch the binding down - I could NOT find my little "chatelaine" with the thimbles, needles and scissors. I could not find it anywhere - ripped the room apart - well almost. I was FRUSTRATED. Never mind the fact that I have LOTS of other needles and I had the thread and the clips for the binding. Oh no - I NEEDED that little thing.

And I figured the darn thing was with the last project that I worked on. But WHAT was that??????   I think I am still tired from the weekend and my brain wasn't processing properly!!!

Then I decided since I was in a search mode I would look for the small case that I am missing for my bike. Couldn't find the case and I ripped the garage apart.

Couldn't find the chatelaine so after dinner - loaded up a new audio book and dug out a new needle and started to stitch. Got about half the binding done. The sleeve is now on and waiting for hand stitching. I am dropping it off at the school today so they can glue the buttons on - then I will finish the binding tonight. It will be presented tomorrow.

Tired and went to bed.

BINGO!!!!!!!

at 4:55 AM - I woke up with a start. I remembered what the last project I was working on. Hmmmm - that is a start. Came down stairs and looked in the project box. Nope not in that project box - oh yes - I put everything in a ziploc bag. Where is the bag?  Ah - yes right here and VOILA - there is the chatelaine thing. God - I HATE when I waste time like that. The darn quilt could have been DONE by now.

Can you see it?????   Nope - neither could I!!

How about now?????

And now?????   Note that the bag was UPSIDE down in the box so the blue thing was NOT visible. 

My missing blue thing!!!!

I feel better already.

The bike bag - well I think that is gone. I did find the packaging from it so I hope that I can get the EXACT same thing - it was perfect and if I find the other one - I'll put it on one of the other bikes. It is a very valuable little bag and I missed it greatly this past trip. It is great to not have so much in your pockets as I kept having to empty the pockets to find the stuff that was in there!!!!

Oh yes - want to see more about my recent Zentangles class including a picture of me?????

Zentangles



Check it out!!!!!


Oh yes - yesterday was Monday and the girls were in full swing again. Here is some show n tell.....

Judy with her How the Grinch Stole Christmas quilt. Judy is becoming VERY scary. Previously she only made quilts with big panels - now she is cutting and sewing without patterns. Good thing since Judy is in CHARGE when I go away this summer. Way to go Judy - AWESOME job. 

Krystyna and her Critter quilt that she started YEARS ago. What is her incentive????   Well behind that quilt is a pregnant Krystyna!!!!   Yep - our FIRST Monday baby. The group is all about grand babies, not babies!!!!  Way to go Krystyna!!!!  

And here is Little Sammy chewing on a bone. I think this dog loves the "WILD". Nope - she doesn't want to lie on the deck to eat that bone - got to be in the grass - ooops make that the weeds!!!!

On that note - I am out of here - the next two weeks are going to be crazy and how I will manage to get everything done is beyond me. I think that is why I couldn't focus on finding that little blue thing. I am starting to set things aside for the trip. As I see or think about something - I put it out. If not - I will arrive with NOTHING. And please DO NOT remind me that Air Canada has a strike on - I am NOT thinking about it, but I have visions of checking my own bike in!!!!!!  Maybe I won't have to pay for it!!!!

And I am starting back on High Altitude Training today. So there goes TWO hours of every day!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!

Zentangles revisited

Oh yes - if you are looking for that water bottle check out this web site

Clean Bottle

They are cycling bottles, but perfect for everyday use as well.


I will say a while ago (well last weekend - everything is blurring together), I took a class in Zentangles. I thought I would share the projects with you. This is such a fun thing - just need to find the time to make it happen. My problem is that I never think to do it when I have a few minutes of down time. The same way I don't think to do my ab exercises or stretches when I have a few minutes. I need a list tattooed to my arm or a Post It on my forehead to remind me!!!!   A clipboard - maybe I need a clipboard!!!!!!   Anyway - I digress..........

We started off with the small tiles and believe it or not - these two photos (one tile per person) were created from the SAME INSTRUCTIONS. So different each of them. Mine is top left of bottom photo.

Then we moved onto fabric. The idea was to make a journal cover.  Here is what was created!!!!   It will blow your socks off. None of them were completely done.

Mine on the right (very static compared to the others - OK - so I need to practice flowing lines!!!!)

Aren't they amazing????????


The next pictures are pictures from the teacher - Deb. I am going to have Deb come back to my house in the fall if anyone is interested in learning how to do Zentangles or learning more advanced stuff. All of Deb's stuff below is on fabric.

So creative!!!!!!!    Just makes you want to drop EVERYTHING and just play play play. I am learning (OK - so I am a SLOW learner) that the only way to make that happen is to schedule time for those activities. It is so easy to get caught up in other things and then the time is gone. I do NOT want to schedule my entire week - I like the flexibility, but this is getting crazy.

I very much want to host an AFTERNOON ART class in the fall. The premise is that we will spend some time on a Sunday afternoon exploring different things. Watercolour pencils, SHIVA sticks, beading, couching, embellishing, felting, etc. etc. I would like to make it a club type thing where it happens once a month. That has to get scheduled in. I think it will be a lot of fun. Watch for the signups on that.

Yesterday was a GORGEOUS day to be out on the bike. The temperature was perfect, the sky was crystal clear, minimal wind - honestly - I felt so ALIVE. Ironic now when I think about it as I got word later in the day that someone had committed suicide. Very sad.

Anyway - Anna and I cranked out 56 K - At one point we ended up in a middle of the cycle part of a tri-tri (a small triathlon). It was nice because that part of the road was closed to traffic (more or less) and we just cranked it up and booted past those people.

Well TWO posts in one day. Not much sewing happening!!!   But I hope to change that this week - time is running out before I leave and I need to get my butt in gear.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!

Zentangles

I'm really liking the look of the new blog, but a few little tweaks to be made and stuff to add.

I came across Zentangles a couple of months ago and fell in love with it. Through my internet searches, I located a certified Zentangles instructor in my area. We touched base - booked a date and I send the word out to my friends. Amazingly 26 people responded - we had to do TWO classes. The classes were held this past Sunday at my home studio.

Here are some of the results.......

Closeup of Zentangles (1st one from second class)

Closeup of Zentangles (1st one from second class)

Zentangles - 1st one - second class

OH - this is SO COOL - I can download MULTIPLE pictures at the same time!!!!!!   I am SO EXCITED.  AND ADD CAPTIONS. 

Zentangles - (2nd one from second class)

Zentangles - (close up of 2nd one from second class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd one from second class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd one from second class)

Let me explain - Deb ran each class through TWO Zentangles. But what is amazing about this process - EACH CLASS received the SAME INSTRUCTIONS. Can you believe how different they all are?????  I honestly thought it would be more complicated than it was. I am hooked - now just to find the time to do that.

And the first class - well this is what they did......

Zentangles (2nd from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 1st from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 1st from first class)

Zentangles 9close up of 1st from first class)

Ooops - I see I did not get all the pictures from the first Zentangle from the first class.

But again - see how different they are with all the same instructions.

Zentangles - there are a few books on Zentangles - here is one that I purchased recently

Zentangles - you can also buy a kit

Zentangles - and this is the small kit that we got on the day of the class. These are my two Zentangles. 

Here is the first class - so focused. Oh yes - this class was very focused.

Zentanges - even the teens were pretty focused although they had a HAM IT UP moment when the camera came out. 

Zentangles - here is the second class and who would be poking fun at the camera in the back?????

Zentangles - oh yes - TWO trouble makers!!!!!   Whose names would be Marian and Ronda!!!!!!!

Then Deb did a demo on the long arm machine to show us how you can translate the Zentangles to fabric. My machine is still reeling from that experience - it didn't know what to make of someone who gave it a good workout!!!!

And what did Deb create on the machine?????

This is the Zentangle she did in the second class in about TEN minutes

This is the Zentangle she did in the second class in about TEN minutes - Wow - blew us all away. 

I think everyone went home with a great new skill and had a lot of fun. Deb brought samples that she had done on fabric and on paper. All were spectacular. Thanks so much Deb!!!!! 

If anyone is interested in taking a class on Zentangles - let me know. I am going to try and book Deb for a class in the fall at my home studio. I believe we are also talking about an advanced class where the focus will be on more complicated designs. If you are interested - let me know and I'll get it organized. 

At our last guild meeting, one of the members - well our President - Sheree brought in two Zentangles that she had made on fabric. Both of them were fabulous. 

Zentangle on fabric by Sheree

Zentangle on fabric by Sheree

Wow - very impressive.

And what have I been doing. Well I was working on a "secret" project. I had selected a UFO from our small group - Mary, Linda, Halina and me (oh dear - did I use the right form - me, myself and I - I have friends who are VERY grammar minded). I had chosen the red/white. Well it isn't so secret any more - Linda was here on Thursday, Mary was here on Sunday and I've just posted some pictures of the darn thing because it was on the design wall on the weekend. So if you want to have a good look at the red/white quilt - here it is. 

Variation of Drunkard's Path - Group exchange

It is a slow process to put together and is evolving slightly as I sew it together. I'll keep you up to date - I have until April 18th to get it together. That is when our next little get together happens. In the next day or so - I'll try to show you how we did the blocks. I should be OK to meet that date keeping in mind I have a ton of other things to get ready for The Brampton Quilt Show - Remember the date - April 30 - May1. 

Customer quilt

I also managed to get another customer quilt done. Yeah - got a couple more to get done this week. Oh yes - no rest for the wicked!!!!!

4th of July quilt

And the binding and backing for the 4th of July is complete as well. And I am NOT putting these quilts in the cupboard with the rest. They are residing beside the quilting machine. Yes - I am planning on getting some of my own stuff quilted. Go figure!!!!!!


Let's see - this is going so quickly this morning and so smooth - I will post the pictures I took from Monday Motivators.

Robin's little bird

Robin's little bird - take two

 Robin was making these ADORABLE little birds. I WANT one - I hope she is going to make one that I can buy from her!!!   I think there were other types of birds. And she did an AMAZING job sewing them together. They were perfect!!!!

Daphne's little snap bag

 Daphne finished her snap-top bag. The top of the bag uses metal measuring tape to close. Of course - we all had to try the snap!!!!

Tiny Town

Robin was also working on Tiny Town - a quilt by Bunny Hill Designs. I just love this pattern (which I recently purchased) and hope one day in the near future to be able to start it.



This whole business with eBooks and Audio books if pretty amazing. Remember I was reading 168 Hours - well I wasn't able to finish it before it expired and went back to the library. No LATE FEES. Then I was able to take it out again and when I went to listen to it yesterday - it picked up EXACTLY where I had stopped before. How cool is that!!!!!!

I also borrowed a couple of eBooks and I read those on the iPad. Well I listen to the audio books on the iPad as well. HEY - have you noticed - all things technological are PERFECT these days. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Anyway I can prop the iPad up and read.

Especially when you are eating by yourself - I prop the iPad up on the table and read away. And to turn the page - just tap the screen. I can read in portrait or landscape mode - the iPad automatically converts the text to the proper layout. And here's the best part - no pages turning BEFORE I want them to turn - no need to prop open the pages - I LOVE IT. the book I am reading is called "Things I Learned from Knitting". It is pretty funny and MOST could be applied to quilters. There is one part that I think is very appropriate to quilters - the author talks about Startitis. This does NOT mean that you are ADD or abandoning earlier projects - its just means that you are DEEPLY DEVOTED to our craft. Here is quote from the book "By exposing ourselves to as many projects as we can, we're actually strengthening our bond with and relationship to knitting, which is, after all, all that matters."   IS THAT NOT COOL OR WHAT!!!!!!

The book is called Things I Learned from Knitting ...... whether I wanted to or not by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

Now here is another piece of EXCELLENT news. For those of you NOT in the loop - new magazines arrive at Chapter's on Tuesdays and Fridays. I know - more than you cared to know. But even better than that - when I arrived at the cash - she asked me for my iRewards card (which is a lifetime one - not sure how much we had to PAY for that). She then informed me that magazines NOW QUALIFY FOR A DISCOUNT with the iRewards card. It's 5%, but 5% is better than 0%.  I was so excited!!!!!   This is just brand new!!!!!!!   Hurray for Chapters to FINALLY bring that in. So this is the magazine that I bought yesterday. I do NOT like the quilting on the front, but a couple of neat things inside. Yes - I know I should read it - rip it and file it, but no time for that!!!!!

Oh yes - I forgot to tell you that when I am reading my ebooks on the iPad - whenever someone plays their turn in Scrabble - a little pop up window tells me. Then I just hit a button and go to the game, play my turn - then back to the book. How COOL IS THAT!!!!!!!   I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my iPad.

Two more things - all this has been pent up inside for the last couple of days and I have to get it out. Well not really as these next two things happened yesterday.

My dogs LOVE to bark whenever anyone comes to the door. Yesterday was no exception. I was quilting and they are barking their heads off. I went to check and find TWO COPS at my door. OH OH - what's going on. It seems that in BROAD DAYLIGHT a house that I look directly on out my front window was broken into. Around lunch time. Apparently they just kicked in the front door. This house has one of those little glass porches on it. I drove past that house about 1/2 hour before it happened. Just pays to keep your eyes peeled. So I am going to keep my barking dogs - they should be a good deterrent (I hope) from any burglars. Of course - we have NOTHING of value in the house, (well besides my iPad) unless it is a quilter. Then - yes it is worth kicking down the door!!!!

OH MY GOD - I can CUT and PASTE here too. I think I have died and gone to heaven!!!!!!

OK - big points for anyone who knows what this next picture is. I think Joyce might know if she thinks hard enough especially about current events.






Did anyone guess??????

It is an
Interval Hypoxic Training Workout System


And what does that mean????   Well it is what people use to get used to high altitudes - like when you are about to climb Everest. Speaking of Mount Everest - my cyber friend, Heather, has arrived in Nepal and will be getting to Everest base camp soon. I have put a link to her blog on my blog. It is very hard to read - I have to change the font colour.

Anyway - when I went to the chiropractor yesterday for my shoulder - he actually does very little of the traditional chiropractic work (the neck cricking stuff). It is all changed and very modern and little machines and such. Well I needed some treatment on my shoulder (old war injury which Alwin is aggravating with the heaviness of the weights he makes me lift) - so I go to the room where the laser and ultrasound machines are and guess what I see. Yep - one of these machines. Apparently it is the big thing - good for improved blood pressure (not that that is a problem for me), improved cholesterol (I don't think that was an issue either), improvement in asthmatic conditions (I could always use improvements there), improved libido and sex drive  (who has time!!!!), improvement in blood sugar (no problem in that area - I don't think), improved cardiovascular fitness (yep - I'll take that any day), increased energy and feel younger (yep - that's for me) and last but not least - WEIGHT LOSS (OK - I'm in!!!!!)

Apparently people are using it for training purposes - increased blood flow - low oxygen will increase the red blood cells which will do all those things above. Marian thinks I should just move to Denver!!!!!   I thought I would give it a whirl for cycling. The effects last about 3-4 weeks after you stop the treatment and it is EVERY DAY for one month. That will be tough, but I'd like to try it. I'll let you know who it goes.


Well - there you have it - I'm in LOVE LOVE LOVE with my new blog. I hope I haven't bored you and yes - I will be changing font colours on the sidebar to make it easier to read.


Have a GREAT DAY!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!