Happy Friday.....

I started a pottery course in October and have finally received my pieces..... this was a hand building class and I really enjoyed it. The clay is dug and made in Athabasca, Alberta, which is, in itself, a considerable feat. We have a great Pottery Group here who does all of this... so now that I have finished my beginner class I can join the group..... another hobby.... LOL

Thought for the Day

Nick: [slamming a bottle on the bar] That's it. Out you two pixies go - through the door, or out the window.

"It's a Wonderful Life", the movie

I received a

wonderful swap this past week - 4 fat quarters of Christmas Past by Moda.... they are just so wonderful.... I need to find a super pattern to make something fabulous out of them.... any ideas???

I had a couple of days to myself and am trying to finish up some UFO's (LOL). I taught a beginner class and had this rail fence to add borders to..... so I did. I am thinking of putting a brown Minkee backing on this one..... and quilting it with pumpkins....

I also put together this quick quilt made from the Benartex panel, from my previous post.. I just absolutely love this little quilt - I usually do a Christmas quilt and hadn't this year.... so now I have one. I have a piece of pale blue Minkee that I will use for the backing.... I don't know why I love backing my quilts with Minkee lately - must be cause it is so warm.

Our weather has warmed up - only about -10 celsius in the day... it's almost summer!

I spent today thinking about my dear friend, Shirley, as she said good-bye to her son.

Thought for the Day

Ghost of Christmas Past: Let's face it, Frank. Garden slugs got more out of life than you.

Frank Cross: Yeah? Name one.

Scrooged, The Movie

We are still in a deep freeze........

here in Northern Alberta. I just came back from a few days in Calgary where I had an early Christmas with my family. I also had a lovely lunch with my quilting buddies.... thanks Noell, Bobbie, Rosa and Shirley - I had such a nice time with you all... even tho my coughing was annoying. I have been fighting a cold that has really bothered my Asthma.... I rarely get Asthma troubles, but when I do it sounds awful. Our weather is supposed to warm up in the next few days, which I am thankful for.

I am all ready for Christmas.... this is the last of my Christmas items that I made - it is a tote bag for Magpie the dog's vet - Dr. Sandra.

Thought for the Day

A Palace without affection is a poor hovel, and the meanest hut with love in it is a Palace for the soul.

Robert Ingersoll

Taken from the book The Footprints Book of Daily Inspirations.

Baby......

it's cold outside.... We are officially into Winter - it was -35 C this morning......yikes... I am all done with customer quilts and worked on one of my own yesterday - my Olympic flannel. The backing is blue Minkee.... I think the quilting turned out great - it is a pantograph called Flurry.

I am a bit under the weather getting over a cold..... but am feeling better.... at least better enough to sew. Have a great week!

Thought for the Day

To keep yourself focused, keep yourself moving. To keep yourself focused, keep taking on meaningful challenges.

Ralph Marston

Well.....

it is finally December!!! I have had a busy few weeks getting customer quilts ready for Christmas - I am all caught up and have one to do this weekend (if it arrives) and then I am done.

I spent a weekend at our guild retreat a couple of weeks ago - finished off my Christmas Aprons and a few other gifts. The table runner to the right, is a class I taught at our guild last month... and I made a small bowl to go with it.

We got some great "Olympic" flannel at the store that I work at. It has winter sports and the Inukshuk on it - I made a small lap quilt that I will back with Minkee... might send it to my son who now lives in Vancouver - the Winter Olympic host city for 2010.

Now, I really don't need any more fabric - but I saw this great panel with coordinating fabrics... and just had to have it. It is Winterscapes by Benartex. I love the pastel Christmas colors - of course, if I really put up all my UFO's on the sidebar - I would need another blog!

I am anxiously awaiting delivery of my Cottage Swap blocks to my partners - hopefully they should start arriving soon.

Thought for the Day

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.

Peg Bracken.

My Cottage Block.....

Swap blocks... are done... here's a sneek peak..... I am glad to be done becaue I want to send them off early so that my fellow swappers get their house before Christmas..... cross another off the list!

Thought for the Day

Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.Try to be better than yourself.

William Faulkner

Secret Stitcher Gifts.....

I received my Stitcher's Angel Swap from Lucia today... and am quite pleased. The items are lovely and I really appreciate her thoughtfulness.

I really enjoy the Stitcher's Angel Swaps that are put on by Helen Stubbings over at Hugs N Kisses. She is a great Australian designer... check out her blog.

I also finished a table runner that I am sending off to a swapper in a table runner swap. I will get back a table runner, so can't wait to see mine.

Tomorrow I am off to the first of the Christmas Craft Sales in the area - hope to pick up some stocking stuffers.....

Thought for the Day

Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you also have an obligation to be one.

Eleanor Roosevelt

A great blog.......

I have been busy, busy working on my cottage blocks for the Cottage block swap that I am in.... pleased to say.... I am almost done. YEAH!!
On another note.... I found a great blog that has FREE patterns for many, many items.... It is called Among the Gum Trees. If you need some great ideas for Christmas this is the place to go
My good friend Shirley also has FREE instructions on how to thread paint various Christmas themes... these are great on quilts, postcards.... anything you want an extra "zing". Check her blog out.

Thought for the Day
So remember while December brings the only Christmas Day, in the year let there be Christmas in the things you do and say.
Anonymous

End of another busy week....

Well, we are now into November... which means Christmas is not far away. I made this little bear this past week - she was quick and easy... I love making these little bears but always end up with so many of them. Two years ago I had a craft sale and sold all my prim dolls with proceeds going to Boston Terrier Rescue of Canada... I guess I will start collecting them again.

I had a busy week - teaching a beginner quilt class, working, and of course, quilting. My customer quilts are getting caught up, my swap blocks are done... and now my goal this week is to start and finish my cottage block swaps.... wish me luck

Thought for the Day

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible

Dalai Lama

Happy Halloween........

I cannot believe it is the end of October!!!! Since we have snowy weather today, I spent the day quilting..... and I was quilting holly leaves on a customer quilt- since Christmas isn't so far away.

Last week I finished quilting one of my own quilts - this quilt is vintage fabrics that I completed from a set of Dresden Plate blocks that I received from a retirement centre in Penticton, B.C. I just absolutely love the way it turned out. I have another smaller version of this quilt to quilt, also. There were a couple of Dresden Plates left over... that I sent to a special blogging friend.

Thought for the Day

Knowing others is wisdom,knowing yourself is enlightenment.
Lao Tzu

A little detour....

from sewing and quilting.... I am making a few necklaces for some of my younger nieces for Christmas.....

I also was very fortunate to win a copy of the stenciled table runner from Esther Aliu's blog. She is an Australian design and does really fantastic work. I am looking forward to trying this technique.

Thought for the Day

There is enough.

Anonymous

End of the week......

I am spending this lovely end of the week... quilting.... and quilting my favorite thing... feathers.... getting caught up on customer quilts... and then off to the City for shopping..... time to start the Christmas boxes for kids, friends, and relatives.....

I am also continuing with my aprons.... I don't think I will ever get done... the list just keeps growing and growing.... I should have bought bolts of Christmas fabric - LOL.... Happy Friday!

Thought for the Day

Better to be one sided than two faced

Unknown

Lovely Sunday.....

I have had a lovely Sunday.... quilting and relaxing. On my recent trip to Pincher Creek, I picked up some additions to my stash - some great reproduction prints and some colorful prints.....

I also spent some time this weekend making Christmas T-Towels..... this will be added to my stash of Christmas giftees--- hopefully I won't have to buy too much...

Thought for the Day

Be joyful in all you do.

Winter.....

boy, oh boy, I didn't even get to post about Fall... I got home from my trip to Las Vegas to this..... YES..... snow.... and it has been snowing for two days now.... today we are sort of "snowed in", although the temperature itself isn't too bad - about -4 Celsius.





I taught two machine quilting classes to the Lebel House Quilters in Pincher Creek, Alberta before my trip. This is a picture of the Lebel House - it is an old mansion that has been used as a rooming house, hospital, school, etc... and is currently used as an Arts Centre. I just LOVE old buildings like this and I really enjoyed the classes I taught - met some great quilters.

Last week at this time I was in Vegas... and the temperature was 20 Celsius..... LOL.... at least I have gotten lots done today.... snow days are productive quilting days...

Thought for the Day
Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.
The Buddha

Fall......

has begun where I live - as a matter of fact we might even see some snow flurries in the next day or so..... > I made a cute little purse out of some fabric that we got in at the shop that I work at.... reminds me of the fall harvest.

Thought for the Day

In the depth of winter I finally learned there was in me invincible summer

Alberta Camus

3 MONTHS TILL CHRISTMAS......

LOL... and I have finished 20 of my Christmas Aprons - now all the family will have one.... and my dilemma now is whether or not to make a few more for friends..... well.... I do have some time.

Tooie, the Boston Terrier, has an owie..... he had to have a nail removed as he ripped most of it off.... so he has been taking it easy for the last day or so.

I have been busy organizing quilting classes for work, quilting for customers, and getting ready for a Machine Quilting class and lecture that I will be doing in Pincher Creek, Alberta on October 3/4..... then it's off to Las Vegas for my 50th birthday trip with a friend that I have known since Grade 1...... and then... well I better get my houses done for the House Swap(right, Betsy??).....

Thought for the Day

Let your expectations be the driving, directing force behind your actions. And take the committed, persistent actions that will achieve what you expect to achieve.

Ralph Marsten