Who doesn't love a GOOD mystery!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day three of the five day marathon over. My throat still has issues, but only first thing in the morning so let's keep our fingers crossed. Yes - someone suggested garlic and Vitamin C - no time to get that!!!!!!!!   Just have to have lots of fruit and water!!!!


I was asked (OK - so I think I actually offered, never thinking they would take me up on it!!! - I should know better) if one of my guilds would prefer to do a mystery quilt this year. And instead of choosing BETWEEN block of the month OR mystery quilt - they chose BOTH. Silly people!!!!!   Anyway - so now I am designing a mystery quilt. Well it is designed. We are going to start on Clue One this week. And they had better be sewing that clue right along with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Or I won't give them the last clue!!!!!


Anyway - here is MY colour selection....................

Colour scheme for Mystery Quilt (that is a light beige on the extreme left)

(for those of you planning to do the mystery - I will be offering suggestions for TWO more colour selections). Just need to tweak them a bit before I post the pictures.

And then I got a CRYPTIC message from Linda W. It was titled BHM and the body said "Ready set go.............."


Wait a minute - what is she talking about????? Perhaps this was meant for someone else?????   NOPE - it was for me. Bonnie Hunter Mystery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    AHA!!!!!!!!!!!! And I should have known that since I did see the link on Bonnie's blog.


Check it out...............

Bonnie Hunter Mystery - it is called Celtic Solstice.  There are TWO sizes this year - yeah!!!!   I will likely make the smaller one (75 inch square) - OH MY GOD - did those words just come out of my mouth??????


Well at least I have the paints chips!!!!!!!!   Thanks Linda for picking those up for me!!!!!!!!!

I believe Bonnie is suggesting the more intense colours plus a background. Got to check out the details. 

I know  - you are thinking - what about that Bonnie Hunter mystery from LAST year?   Is it done????   Well not exactly.................

OK - so all the components are TOGETHER - just need to be stitched together. Hmmm - I have a play date on Wednesday - I could sew on this then??????   But I really really wanted to sew on the NEW scrap quilt????

Oh crap - I can be UNFOCUSED and take BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


But I am going to say that getting involved in this mystery is NOT MY FAULT. I blame it all on Linda W and Anne. You see - at class yesterday, Anne brought in this for show n tell.

This is Easy Street - the Bonnie Hunter mystery from LAST YEAR (the one that I am still working on).  Anne's quilt is done!!!!!!!!   and it looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!   DAMN YOU ANNE!!!!!!!!

Oh well - what's a new project??????????    Got to designate that fabric for something! - Right?????

And I found the perfect pattern for some of those strips that are languishing in the drawer. I am certain I bought it a couple of weeks ago and saw it again yesterday (did NOT rebuy it though). Just means that I have to find the one I bought.


Today is the LAST day of CreativFestival. That means we get the FUN task of tearing down the booth at the end of the day. While I love being busy - I HATE when I leave the house early in the morning and get home late at night (for five days in a row!!!!). There is no time or energy to tidy up (I have to save my energy for reading, playing Scrabble and Facebook NOT tidying up the studio or god forbid that I spend my precious time tidying up the kitchen!!!!)

So that means that the studio in particular is getting pretty WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I'll take a couple of pictures - there is NO space to do anything!!!!!!!!


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


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

Show Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Left early yesterday AM so I could get to the show a bit early to peek around. How people drive every day downtown is beyond me. I would DIE if I spent that much time in the car. I'd be on the train for sure. Anyway - there is so much to look at - it is very hard to take it all in. My brain is running a thousand miles a minute and hard to focus - HA - what else is new!!!!

Saw a few more interesting things and chatted to more people. I just love visiting with the other vendors and wish I had more time, but one must get back to ones' booth.

Here we are - all ready for the masses to descent!

The other end of the booth

When I arrived BEFORE nine AM - there was already a line up forming in the hall. Yikes!!!!!!!!   The show doesn't open until 10 AM. I guess these are the ones that WANT to get that gift bag or whatever they are handing out to the first 500 or whatever. I don't know the details!!!!!!!    But the line was long when the show finally opened at 10. Despite that - it took longer than usual for them to filter to the booths. Those early birds must have had specific shops in mind and went there first!!!!

BUT then we were swamped. I mean - it was crazy. I couldn't get in the booth to answer questions, couldn't get under the tables to restock the shelves. It was insane!!!!!!!!!!!!   And there were only three of us in the booth - George at the cash, Alma and myself. And Alma and I both had 1 1/2 hour classes at two different times - thank goodness!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I managed to finish my sandwich (my LUNCH) around 5 PM - dinner????   what is that?? And it finally petered out around 7 PM (the show closed at 8 PM). Wow - my feet were very TIRED!!!!!

On my way out - I snapped these pictures which I thought I would share with you.  (with permission from The Crochet Crowd)

This is the CrochetAquarium assembled by The Crochet Crowd. 

If you don't know Mikey and Diva Dan from The Crochet Crowd - then you need to check out their web site, watch their videos on YouTube, follow them on Facebook. They are funny, they are amazing and they can crochet circles around most of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some close ups of the CrochetAquarium.

If you want to be involved in making items for the SPRING display - stay tuned to their web site. They will be making an announcement (I know the theme!!!!!!   but I'm not telling) and getting people to make the creatures required. I so want to participate next time. I know - when??????   Well how hard could it be to crochet something??????   I do know how to crochet - thanks Mom for teaching me all those years ago!!!!!!!!!!!

Got the booth restocked after the show closed since I won't be there today and there are new girls in to help Alma. Then home to get all the prep done for the classes today. Not much to do, but still have to assemble the bits and pieces that I need.

I am still fighting that throat issue - I mostly know it is there in the morning and forget about it during the day. No cough!!!!!   Well - when I am feeling crappy, I just flake out on the couch which I did last night. I finally turn the light out and WAIT A MINUTE - What is happening????????   OH - that would be the GLOW IN THE DARK fabric on my Halloween quilt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I got a good chuckle out of that before I drifted off!!!!!!!!!!!!


Up early and back at getting myself caught up. I do have a few things to do this morning before I head off to class so I better get going.


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


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

I'm OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who ONLY look at the pictures - here are a couple of updates in my sewing spree.


YES - I have very limited time and instead of doing what I am supposed to do  - I am sewing!!!!!   On something that doesn't even have a deadline!!!!.  Yep - I have a disease!!!!!!

Anyway - here is what I have done on the NEW scrap quilt - about 1/10 of the way there. I have just about finished cutting those strips on the cutting table - so I think I have enough or very close to finish this. 

And the second set of friendship stars are done. Looks like I have ONE more (big) block cut out. Then I have to start cutting. 

So yesterday was the set-up day for the CreativFestival. It is a lot of physical work - we started off by off-loading the van AND trailer. Took about 15 loads on the dolly to get everything to the booth. Sorry - I took photos with my phone, and I don't have them easily accessible.

Anyway - then the floor was put down, then the tables were set up. Before we put on the table cloths and starting organizing - we (make that I) stand on the tables to hang the stuff on railing at the back of the booth.

I slip off my shoes (yes - I had socks on) and climb on the table. I start hanging - get about two or three items hung and then I shifted my weight to the right to hang the next couple of items.

And waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt - what is happening??????   Yes - that darn table leg was NOT secured and the table started to collapse with ME ON IT!!!!!    Well - I am sure if you had a chance to see it - it would have been pretty funny. I was VERY LUCKY. The table leg that collapsed was closest to my feet so (because I just had socks on), I slide down that table until the table was on an angle and there I was laying on my side ON THE TABLE.

I think I freaked Alma out!!!!    Freaked myself out when I realized what was happening, but I went with it and it was fine!!!!!   Oh dear - NO ONE TO BLAME buy myself since I set up the tables. Let's just say that I checked ALL the tables before I continued!!!!

The funniest part was for the rest of the day whenever I thought about that - I would burst out in laughter!!!!   Ah to have a camera when you need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well the show is up. I left at 4:30 PM so I could get home to get to a guild meeting. And that is another story. I had to print the instructions for the second part of the block of the month. I knew my ink cartridges were running low. I had already replaced the black, but not the colours. Wouldn't you know it - I needed the blue as I was printing my blog address and it was blue. (OK - so I could have changed the ink colour on the computer).

I ripped open those boxes of ink (they are VERY WELL sealed) and put them in the printer. Then I slammed (ok gently closed the door) only to hear something that wasn't right. Oh crap - I forgot there was a lever in there you are supposed to clamp down BEFORE closing the printer. Then the printer wouldn't work. Are you kidding me?????   Well I finally figured it out and had to take out a couple of pieces - thank you HP for colour coding all those parts - it was EASY to put back together. And after much whirring and MANY minutes to get the printer back aligned - I was ready to print.

Made it to the guild with about 10 minutes to spare!!!!!!!!!!


On that note - I am out of here. But do come to the CreativFestival. So many neat things!!!!!!   And it is like high school reunion - so many people to catch up on. My favourite store from Moose Jaw is also there!!!!!!!



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



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

The SCRAP saga continues

I am a SLACKER this morning. At 6:30 AM, I was still in my PJs, and I hadn't walked the dogs, but the house was EMPTY. Well - the girls were here with me, but DH was gone to the airport and M was gone to school. It is RARE that that occurs at our house!!!!!!!!

I've been thinking - if I had to downsize (can't even begin to imagine that scenario), what would I get rid of???   Well it wouldn't be the scraps!!!!!!!!!!!!!   And so I continue to cut and sort!!!!

After going through those boxes and bags from the other day I got to thinking about what else I had for scraps that were not sorted. There were TWO other containers.

Here is container one. Came from one person so many of the scraps "match". No time to deal with this, but it has been sitting on the shelf for a while. 

And then there is this big bag which also came from someone else

Look down - look way down - there is a LOT of scraps. 

Yes - I know all of you would have passed on both of these, but hey I have a soft spot in my heart for scraps. This blue bag almost got refused because I AM NOT taking any more scraps, but then I got asked and I couldn't see it go in the garbage!!!!!!!    I'm pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!!   (BUT NO MORE - I WILL NOT ACCEPT MORE SCRAPS and NO TESTING ME) Well I have been tripping over that blue bag on the floor for a long time so in light of the recent events - I thought it was time to go through it.

I dumped it on the table and look how optimistic I was - I have that little shoe box!!!!!!!!!   I could shove the bag on the shelf with the scraps - it fits - yes there is room!!!!!  Or I could try to find a container (other than the bag) to put the scraps in and then put it on the shelf (going to need more than ONE shoe box)  OR I could deal with the scraps and sort them NOW.

I decided to sort through the scraps now - at least part of them. There is all kinds of stuff in there - selvedges, bindings, half square triangles. Well as you can see - I am picking out the reds, pinks and oranges. I will move on to the next colour soon and when the basic colours are exhausted - hopefully the multi colour stuff will fit in the shoe box!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of shoe boxes - have you ever wondered about those shoe boxes??????

Well - here they are!!!!!!!!     These are the SCRAP boxes - don't bother counting - there are THIRTY NINE of them. Who knew???????    And there are a LOT of quilts in those boxes!!!!!!!!!!!     Ooops - I see that second shelf has a bow in it!!!!!!

And I have a lot of smaller stuff and what to do with it????   Well - as I was teaching my class yesterday, I saw the PERFECT quilt to make with those scraps. OH MY - how many hours of sleep can one get away with and see be functional??????

Almost finished cutting the strips for that new scrap quilt - not the NEW NEW quilt, but the NEW quilt. 

This is this the NEW quilt - I'm liking how it is turning out. And trust me - those scraps are HORRIBLE on their own. Together they are pretty cool. 

So you have seen the scrap boxes - but what else is there for scraps????   Well I have a set of plastic drawers where more scraps are stores.

Drawer One - the 1 1/2" strips for the log cabin

This is the SECOND bag of strips that will join the FIRST bag once I am finished cutting those scraps that are on the cutting mat. 

Drawer Two - 2 1/2" strips - no idea what to do with these yet

Drawer Three - 2 " strips - got an idea for these ones

Drawer Four - EMPTY - who knew there could possibly be an empty drawer at my house?????

Drawer Five - 6 inches squares or maybe they are 6 1/2"????

Drawer Six - other sized squares

OK - so I know that may be more than what you might have for scraps, but did you see how well organized they are???????????   And for the most part - I am using them up. Hey those strips sat for a long time as UGLY fat quarters. Now they are being used!!!!   And someone in my class yesterday said that she sorted through her scraps and put them in boxes/bags. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!   Now those scraps become a VALUABLE resource - not junk!!!!

So yes - those scraps would all have to come with me. I have TONS of ideas on what to do with most of it - just lacking the time to make it happen.

I have one other kind of scrap and that is the Half Square Triangles.
 

The top basket is filled with little triangles that need to be sewn together. The blue bin and the purple tin are FILLED with HST that are already trimmed and ready to go. 

Another basket waiting to be sewn

Another bag waiting to be sewn

These are waiting to be trimmed

Isn't that exciting?????    OK - there are MANY other scrap quilts or projects that are on the go, but since they are designated for a project - well they don't count here!!!!!!!!!!!!   I really must focus on getting this mess further under control. Oh yes - focus - there are too many things to focus on. 

In case you think I have abandoned the winter samplers - I have NOT!!!!!!!!!!!

Got the friendship stars done for ONE of the quilts and good progress on the others

The next FIVE days are going to be insane.Today is set up day for the CreativFestival. I have two classes to get organized for that show, my $10 quilt on Saturday, a meeting for the company that organized the bike trip, TWO guild meetings, a customer quilt to finish,  and Monday Motivators. On top of that - I have a sore throat and so far I am holding it off. Let's hope it doesn't go further than that. It is just scratchy when I wake up - so let's hope it stays that way.

On that note - I am out of here. I have to get some prep work done.


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


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

The DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!!!!!!

My name is Elaine and I have a disease
My name is Elaine and I have a disease
My name is Elaine and I have a disease


OK - so if you think I have a problem - the answer is YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I bet NONE of this would have happened if I had not been looking for those DAMN crayons which I still haven't found, but I caved and bought a NEW set with 150 crayons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    WHOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

My NEW box of crayons

I bought them a couple of days ago and I was CERTAIN that the other boxes would have come out of hiding by now, but NO - they are staying hidden.

Well - I got to thinking about that bag of 1 1/2" strips for the log cabin that I found when I was looking for those crayons. I have a pattern in mind (can't let Ronda be the only one having fun with log cabin blocks), so I dug out some other stuff that I had.

THE bag of strips (1 1/2") for log cabin blocks

Well let's backtrack a bit. A while back I took advice from Bonnie Hunter (and I learned something which I will share in a minute). I had a bunch of UGLY fabrics that I would never use in a quilt and I cut them into strips - 4", 3 1/2", 3", 2 1/2", 2" and 1 1/2" or something like that. These strips have been languishing in a drawer upstairs because once they were cut - now what do I do with them?????

I ran upstairs and looked - hmmmmm - there were NO 1 1/2" left. I know I used them for something but I can't remember now. That seems to be the theme of the day here!!!!!   I left the 2 1/2" strips - they will get used another day. But I grabbed the 3" strips. The two inch strips were used or designated for the crocheted rugs. (There were also some 3 1/2" strips, some 4 inch and a few at 1 3/4"). Were being the key word here because they exist no longer.

These are the 3" strips (well I think they are). Anyway - I cut them in half!!!!!!!!!!

So now I have LOTS of 1 1/2" strips. 

Then I took the 3 1/2"  inch strips and cut them into 2" strips and 1 1/2" strips

The four inch strips got cut into 2 1/2" and 1 1/2" strips

Here are the TWO inch strips - ready to be put away

The lesson that I learned from this - even though the precutting strips works for some people - it may not work for you. In future - I would only cut 2 1/2" , 2" and 1 1/2". Mind you - I LOVE smaller things - just found no use for the bigger strips. And no odd sizes please - like 1 3/4" - what do you do with that????  And because it was harder to cut a strip in half - it took more time. No MORE cutting those big strip sizes.


Well as I was cutting - I got to thinking about a pattern series that we are getting through our guild. A local designer made (for a price) these patterns for us. We have guild meeting on Monday and I thought it would be neat if I could get ONE quilt done by Monday. OK - so I said I was SICK!!!!!   Don't blame me!!!!

I got a couple of blocks done and then all hell broke loose.

A few blocks on the NEW scrap quilt

I decided that I need to go through those strips that I just cut - the 1 1/2" ones and get myself really organized so I could sew this quilt. And that is how I spent the ENTIRE day yesterday.

And you know how one thing leads to another. After I got those strips cut down - I went through them and cut pieces for this new scrap quilt. I want LOTS of variety - so I cut one set of strips and then the remainder went in the bag for the log cabin.

Then I pulled out this shoe box from the stash room. See the lid is JUST starting to pop off. Perfect timing.............

The multi-coloured scrap box. The box that I put stuff that I don't know where else to put it. My fabric filing system must be working because this box isn't that big. 

And while I was digging that box out (OK - so I just pulled it from the shelf - Oh yes - I knew exactly where it was), BUT I also found THREE other bags/containers with more scraps that I had forgotten about.

Three bags of scraps - hmmmm - might as well deal with these today as well. 

Sorted through the shoe box to start with. The stuff in the box was REJECTED for this project. The stuff on the left needed more sorting. 

 Once I was done with that - I started on one of the other bags.............

And look - it is mostly STRIPS - a lot were already cut to 1 1/2"!!!!!!!!!!!!

Start on the second bag - again - a lot was already cut to 1 1/2" or 2".   PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made it through all  THREE of those containers as well as my shoe box AND the strips that were in the strip drawer!!!!!

This is what went back in the multi-coloured scrap box. Hmmmmmm - almost full again - I need to start making something from that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the leftovers!!!!!!!!   These went in the garbage!!!!!!   OK - I am sick, but I am not CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The strips in the bags for the log cabin

Second bag of strips for the log cabin

At the end of the day - I had this big stack of 1 1/2" strips -

I had to cut the pieces needed for the new quilt and the rest went into the bags for the log cabin

This is what remains to do. Shouldn't take a long time to finish this off

And so YES - I ignored the computer, I ignored the long arm, I ignored pretty much everything but those scraps. I mean what is WRONG with me. And you know the worse part - I was having fun and had no intention of quitting. That is so sad and pathetic!!!!!!   Now my mind is racing and thinking - I have to go through my stash baskets and pick out the UGLY fabric that I won't use and cut it into strips (just 2 1/2", 2" or 1 1/2" please) and then add it to the various containers. Hmmmmmmm - better get some of this stuff sewn first!!!!!!!!!!!   Not sure what I am going to do with the 2 1/2" strips (although there are scads of patterns out) and I sort of designed something for the 2" strips.

Yes - there is no doubt - this is a disease. Perhaps I better see a mental health expert. I mean I could let the house burn down around me - I was happy as a clam!!!!!!!!!!!!!




On that note - I now have to finish prepping for my class since I did NOT get it done yesterday!!!!!!!!



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



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



PS - in case you feel the need to donate your scraps to me - THINK AGAIN. I will NO LONGER accept scraps - I am so close to getting the scrap mess under control (more on that tomorrow) that I do NOT want to spend any more time on getting this stuff sorted out. I want to sew them up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!