My Quilt, A MARITIMERS' DREAM

Frost Fest is over and from all verbal accounts from many different sources, it was another success story.  If your interested, why not visit the Frost Fest web site and take a gander at the gallery of pictures there of the numerous people and events taken over the course of the entire weekend.  Needless to say the final outcome will be determined once all of the financials are dealt with. 

Now that the Frost Fest is behind me, another project remains to be completed, that being the sale of tickets on my quilt donated as a fundraiser for my local Lions Club charity, GUIDE DOGS CANADA.  All proceeds raised from the sale of these raffle tickets will go directly to Guide Dogs Canada without one penny being diverted for any other cause. 


My online quilt group wanted to do a round robin quilt project and this is how my quilt took life and the journey of this actual quilt began.

In its beginning I had no idea as to how I would display something I was thinking of visually. While living in a province on the east coast of Canada, I wanted to tell people a story in cloth that would describe this womans' love of the region as well as her passion for quilting, and how in my minds eye my  surroundings might look from the inside out! 

This quilt began to live as each individual worked on the rounds and began to assert my description of my story and what the importance of sight meant to me.   Never, could I have imagined how beautiful this vision would become when set out in fabrics.  The world of textiles and its fabric designers provide quilters with endless possibilities of colour and themed patterned prints and especially with this quilt seemed somehow perfect to be sewn together allowing this persons' inner dreaming become a visual reality. 

I would like to describe for you on how the quilt took shape, beginning with the center and working my way outwards to its border.  A huge debt of gratitude go to Mary G., Kim L., Kris B., and Linda B. without them, their skills, expertise and immagination it would never have turned out so well.  

So here pictorially is the tale of A Maritimers Dream. 

This is the center block, its beginning.  From the window against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds this dreamer looks out across to her neighbour who has a quilt being aired on the fence top. 

  Not only can the neighbours house be seen from the window, but, also the gardens that surround this dreamers' home.  Here in bright vivid colour are flowers in the border surrounding the house.  From there we see the picket fence which depicts a season, one season for each of the four sides which surround the house.  We have spring,  then summer makes its appearance with lush flowers all in their prime after which comes the fall and all its brilliant maple leaf colourations so very rich and vibrant in the advent of the winter to come which is set with white snow, animals and birds that frequent gardens in rural areas.  

Thanks to the designers for the rabbits,

the racoons and nut hatches

and the cardinals in this snowy winter themed fabric.  The last part of the fenced in portion shows of the wonderful red cardinals and other birds of winter. 



  

Then beyond the neighbours property is the forest where trees of all varities grow tall and strong, wild flowers manage to grown amidst the firs, evergreens, maples, ash, elm, oak, and birch with trails worn over time where people make their way towards the sand dunes and the beach. 

Finally the sand dunes make their presence felt, strong and in abundance and waving freely in the winds which drift along the sandy shoreline and into the Bay of Fundy.

This then is my visionary memory of a place somewhere on the shore of the Bay of Fundy where beauty prevails among the rough.

Not the best shot because I simply do not have space enough to properly hang the quilt.  It finished at 67" X 67" square.

IF YOU SEE A MEMBER OF LIONS INTERNATIONAL presiding over a fundraising event, please consider that all monies raised will directly benefit an organization that deal with those who suffer from some form of vision impairment or the total loss of vision.   In addition to those organizations which benefit from the works of those members world wide, disasters such as that which has hit Haiti also benefit, and if you are so inclined, no matter the amount be it pocket change or larger, these donations you give help each and every member of Lions International Clubs to serve those who are in need.

Thank you for visiting.  Again, if your reading this then like me you and I are above ground today and that is a blessing, so have a truly FRIENDTASTIC day.

After Ground Hog Day!

I remember yesterday telling you all about the birth of my Great Nephew and promising to send pictures, well, here he is.


May I introduce you to my Great Nephew, CARTER born on February 1st, 2010. Here is the first official picture taken while being held by his Dad and Carter must be tired because he was sound asleep, only an hour after his arrival. I cannot wait to see him awake, what the colour of his eyes will be and his hair, which is nicely covered in this picture.

As promised, I also took pictures for you of the finished Pouch bags  made for the Life Sized Penguins of Seeley's Bay for Frost Fest Weekend.  Here they are, probably not the greatest but these are what I ended up making and these will be handy for many years of service.  These are 100% washable so they should hold up well.


The Penguins needed pouches this year - these life sized Penguins of Seeley's Bay wander around Town all weekend and hand out Penguin Pops (choclate suckers) to all of the children they see. They also have with them brochures with all of the listed events and activities happening during Drost Fest as well as a map and directions on where these locations are. SO this pouch is 10" by 12" and has a pocket in the front under the penguin fabric to facilitate the carrying of the brochures. and a plain solid inside to carry all of those delicious penguin pops.
This Penguin Pouch is a tad different, it has pockets on its interior and is 13 1/2" in height by a width of 12".
This is the inside of the black/white Penguin pouch it has lots of room for those Penguin Pops and two inner pockets to carry brochures. I hope these will be useful and the Committee likes them.

TGIF

I love Fridays don't you? Seems like only yesterday it was Monday and already I have forgotten many of the activities I participated in these past four days. It must be a sign of aging, not remembering from one day to the next?

Seeing as it is Friday once again, I have managed to wake late, have two cups of coffee, taken two phone calls, one from each of my brothers and said goodmorning to the day by being greatful that once again I find myself above ground and in good humour. That my friends is a real Blessing.

The difficult work for the Scavenger Hunt for our Annual Frost Fest has been accomplished and put onto paper for approval by the Committee tomorrow morning and now I have only the physicalities of the Hunt to prepare. Oh my, alot of physical cutting and inserting of the clues, setting up the markers and making certain these are too hidden. I wouldn't want some of those teams to hunt for too long. Seeing as I have planned on the hunt taking place out of doors and not having the contestants go into any business establishments, the objects the hunters are to gather need to be in plain view but not too easily found. Saves having those snowy mucky boot marks being trampled all over floors, or customers being jostled or inventory knocked off shelves, besides Frost Fest Activities should be out doors and in the fresh air, which we have plenty of in our Town.

I have ready the Silk Floral Table Arrangements all made by my mother and the tickets and quilt for the Canada Guide Dog fundraiser innitiative we currently have going on. WISH us well in the sale of these tickets because all funds raised will directly benefit those wonderful Guide Dogs.

While your here and if you would consider it, please support my Social Vibe The Vision Charity. It is afterall a wonderful and worthwhile cause.