Catchup - Feb 16th-23rd

Feb 16th

Ohhhh I love this block too!

Here's Block 7 (actually 2 same blocks but one dark and one light for the small quilt) for the Block-A-Day Mystery Quilt Along with Melissa Marginet finally completed.   Now to work on the last ones!  Again I had to redo one for each block, what the heck did I do sub-cutting that set!  🤔🙃🫨  

Melissa pepped some awesome layouts and I'm going to venture away from my 'safe and usual' plans and experiment with this quilt top!

Here's Block 8, the last set for more, (actually 2 same blocks but one dark and one light for the small quilt) for the Block-A-Day Mystery Quilt Along with Melissa Marginet finally completed.     Again I had to redo one for each block, what the heck did I do sub-cutting that set!  🤔🙃🫨  

Melissa prepped some awesome layouts and I'm going to try and venture away from my 'safe and usual' plans and experiment with this quilt top!

Hmmmmm I'm glad this house has a king bed so I could see my blocks in various layouts!  Now I just LOVE the colourwash layout Melissa showed us, plus the on point layout too!  ♥️  BUTTTT because of my two dark fabrics and mix of lights, it just did not appeal to me even moving some around.  Then I tried something just basic and I LOVE it lots and that's probably the way I'll stay!!!

As per her block layout.

My first switcheroo!

My kinda liking switcheroo! 

Opposite block placement.

But I think I'll go with this layout.

Vertically placed pairs, switching colours in places.

Feb 17th

I didn't care for this design but will see!

Well once again I'm diving into the Cdn Quilt Swappers 6" charms swap huge tote (probably some 20 years or so) for another project.  This time 56 floral/leaf types for the MPQ Calm Mystery this paste couple weeks.  Hmmm I was looking for the coloured rectangles but didn't see them, so cut more out of the extra, then pulling out the long strips out falls the special coloured rectangles!!!  So some rolippit to have it as I'd planned.  I swear that tote is procreating, as I've sewn up at least for scrappy charm quilts already plus a couple I Spy kids quilts and it's not really used up!

Well today was not a good day for me, hip and ankle aching, but I still enjoyed MPQ ZOOM, especially the reveal of the president's challenge n the quilter's stories, along with a  stitching day with Sylvia and Edna.  Sylvia helped Edna stitch up a makeup bag that Sylvia figured out the instructions from a gifted one.  She did start sewing her flower blocks together for her outer border for Calm that she'll add to something else in the centre.  Edna finished off her bag and now the Christmas gift can be given, BUT I forgot to get a picture!!!  I finished sewing up my centre section that in Morse Code spells "Calm" but had many ROSE ANNE issues from start to this point, hope the rest goes easier!!!  I've always said I shouldn't do things when I'm not 100%!  Sorry Kathy for yesterday's panicked email!  💞

Evan's gifted makeup bag sewn.

Good morning!  At least I think so!  Simba yowled deciding 4am was wake up time today and every so often repeated till I finally got up.  He wanted his 2 minutes out in the sunroom and I grabbed my camera for Jack Frost's artwork.  Then he finally came to my lap (first time) but would not settle without scratching and that hurt so off he went!

Ohhhhh boy, how true!!!!

Ohhhh what a lovely morning, sunshine and a lovely kitchen to enjoy sewing in too!  I'm sure C&D have not seen their house this way, except during renovations disarray!   I'm keeping to the kitchen with fabric layouts only in the dining room (no pins or scissors in here) and bedroom (glad their's a huge bed and white bedspread to lay out my blocks, now sewn top for picture taking).  I've pinched off thread bits twice and probably still will find more.  And I'm coralling cut scraps and threads along the way!  My blocks from the Block-A-Day Mystery Quilt Along with Melissa Marginet is sewn together now, but not enough fabric for borders or binding, will search my stash and see what I can use.

OMGG!!!!  Dale and Ted just sent me these pictures from way back, 2001 and earlier!

Ted, my photo teacher/friend.

I don't know what I was doing!

🤣🤣🤣

First three were from Texas and Mexico trip to visit them.  The campsite one is at Clear Lake, my one and only time taking my great niece Amanda and niece April caming!  Angela and i were just trying to figure out the girls ages on that trip!  The last one I'm not sure when!

Feb 19th sewing catchup.

Feb 19th

Well, lots of sewing today amongst watching/listening to the Scotties curling along with the Oilers hockey this afternoon and Jets hockey this evening.  This evening I finished off the MPQ Calm mystery centre and sewed up the four floral borders before stopping!  Simba jumped up for ear scratching but left before the picture!

Feb 20th

Good morning!  I'm truly gonna miss this place but if this snow continues I'm glad I'll be leaving as they have their own muscle power for snow cleaning!  I was told to just drive over it they'll deal with it later and glad it's only an inch or so!  Most of the deer and squirrel tracks are covered up too!

Totally weird but I was going through my page and noticed some replies were not listed in my notifications.  They were the only ones, different individuals in different posts, so should have had one come up!  Weird!  Sorry for not acknowledging earlier.  💞

Mark the date if you're interested.  Sylvia has registered 5 quilted items, one a beautiful flower garden quilt.  I have to register a few wall hangings this week, if there's still room.  Both of us will be volunteering over the weekend.

And still no animals outside with the snow and some wind, must be snuggled up in the bush!  Something like Simba in the livingroom, not once has he asked to go out into the sunroom!  Apparently he does even in -40C days but runs out quick!  😬😆

Well I've sewn on my various flower garden type blocks to the Calm mystery, next is a narrow cream and then the black border, enough now.  It's close to another top finished!

The charm blocks are mostly from the huge shopping bag of still left over swapped charms I participated in years ago with the Cdn Quilt Swappers group.  I've sewn up at least three large scrappy charm quilt tops, pulled out children or novelty types for my HUGE I Spy bin and sewn 3 large crib sized quilts from that too.  Sylvia took some too for the border for her quilt!  Not sure if that bag will ever diminish!!!

Wonder how long it'll take me to quilt these dozen or so tops I've made this past year, a couple are sandwiched waiting patiently.  Most from stash but some odd new fabrics added in.

Within the black n cream pieced border, the coloured blocks in Morse Code spells CALM!

Just as I was leaving the 8 plus deer came back to say bye!

Feb 21st

This was what I thought those getting used to days!!!

Feb 23rd

I must be crazy to venture out today, even not necessary!!!  But I felt good and thought I better sneak in a walk with Sylvia, so of we went to KP.  First a drop off to Monica with her much needed jingle bells, then a walk/lunch, pick up items from Angie's and back to Sylvia's where I finally helped her finish off this puzzle.  It was really hard and I felt bad as I wasn't able to help out as much as with the other two.  She said I can bring over one of mine next!  YEAH!!!

Welllllll, Angie brought me a gift from Cancun and Jamie gave me CR that he mistakenly bought and is not keen of, my WOW!!!  Thank you both so very much!  🥰  Gosh I'm not sure when I'll ever finish this!  🫨

Puzzle of uneven weird pieces.

Paper guide.

My Cancun hummer!!!  ❤

Even the box is a keeper!!!

Holy Moly!!!!!  

Apple my favourite, but lots of vanilla and even one small Peach to try out!

Catchup - Jan 13th-15th

Jan 13th

Ohhhhh good morning and what a gorgeous view out my windows!  Cindy you must have one unimpeded by buildings?

And the snow bank has slipped further along the ledge to dropping!  Is today the day it does?

Ohhhh myyyyy!!!  Half hour later WOW!!!  Look what's out there! 

So here's me at the right edge of my driveway about a third into the window.  Wonder if it'll be there when I get home with this sun and blowing wind too.

So us girls walked KP mall and Nestor gave up walking at KP park and joined us, he's already walked 20,000 steps compared to our 3,940 steps.

Now it's our "comfort food lunch"!

I don't believe it!!!!  HONEST with the lovely sun AND strong winds I expected to see it gone!!!!  There must be lots of ice holding it there!

CRAZY!!!!!!!!!

Half the drift is OFF the ledge!!!!

Well it's tea time so I'm posting the first half of today's virtual cruise retreat!  This was sunrise so I say a wonderful day!!!

Darling Sylvia started off the draws winning a $100 GC to her choice of guilt shop!  CONGRATS!!!  YAHOOIE!!!

I was in the Kangaroo Carryio bag class, late transferring, apparently a free video pattern called African Bag but I used 14" instead of 11" paper for the pattern.  But if I make it again it'll be larger.  

Inside of my bag.

Gonna be a book n bottle bag for park reading!

Thank you Edna for the fabric!  ❤

Now both just enjoyed Sylvia's baked Pillsbury cinnamon buns with Chai tea in my very seldom used China mugs!  

Now back to free sewing time and fun and games!

The sisters Kathy and Bonnie alongwith their Committee have done an amazing job again organizing a virtual quilting cruise Down Under.  The afternoon was free sewing for us while others were in their classes and then we had theme appropriate demos, Wanda led us in the Never Ever Have I Done game again and ending with an evening episode of Quilting Family Feud!!!  Loads of laughs!  

Well I've pulled out another retreat older UFO to hopefully finish it off tomorrow and Sylvia is also working on one too with plans of getting her top finished tomorrow.  

Needless to say my hip and leg were giving me grief and had to find some relief!

Well after driving Sylvia home and me rubbing down my achey muscles, I put my feet up and tatted Day 2 of Jane's TIAS (Tat It And See).  Using Lizbeth size 20 colour 167 variegated Jungle Greens.  Don't have even an inkling of what it could grow up to be!  Backside of my shuttles today!

Jan 15th

OHHHH WHAT A WONDERFUL, EXCITING AND VERY LUCKY DAY it's been!  I'm still not back down to earth even after a Chai tea and half a cinnamon bun!

Well my snow bank is still here!  

Then after picking up Sylvia she took my camera and snapped these foggy pictures for me.  

Osborne northwards near Kingston Row.

She brought beef roast and potatoes and I cut up n cooked carrots for our yummy lunch!  

We both continued to work on our UFOs between a couple demos and more draws.  Nope I didn't get a Tim's card I was looking forward too.  While show n tell was on around 3pm half my snow bank fell down, both of us saw it go!

They ended the retreat with show n tell and more larger prizes.  

Well one spin stopped one slot above me and the next a few past me.  Hmmm then the excitement as the $300 Grand Prize spinning wheel slowed down and ON my name!  

Well needless to say I was overwhelmed to tears!  Phew!!!   HMMMM are they going to let us register next year???  😉

Now to pack up, go for supper and then take Sylvia home!  A wonderful virtual Down Under retreat by MPQ and loads of fun!  I can't imagine what these ladies can do at an in person retreat!!!!   Maybe one day we'll see!

So this was what a 6 story snow bank looks like when it hits the ground!  MUSH!  Now that ledge looks funny with half gone!

Mush next to the wall, before the tire track!

Well on our way to Southdale Village Family Restaurant the traffic on Fermor was backed up to Archibald, because of a stopped train, where at least 6 police cars were guiding traffic to stop, turn onto Archibald or turn around.  Hmmmm Cottonwood was also blocked with a long train way north as far as the eye could see.  So I turned around heading for St Vital Mall area and Smitty's.  Hmmm Bishop was also backed up, guess the train was blocking it too!  Now this is totally ridiculous as Fermor is unobstructed by side streets near the tracks - so why haven't they made an underpass there by now at least??????

When we reached Smitty's they were closed for a staff Christmas party!!!  Hmmmm now where?  So we spotty Joey's and had supper there, it was good, but not what I was hoping for - that's life!!!

Then dropped Sylvia off and hopefully both of us are now relaxing with feet up!!!!

Totally awesome virtual retreat weekend with friends!  🥳💗💞