The Push and Shove is Over

Finally all of the pushing and the shoving of the furniture is over, those large pieces of furniture are all in place and many of the re-organization of the items of the work space is nearly complete.  A few bits and pieces, but there simply isn't enough time to continue until the obligations I owe to the Towns' Frost Fest activities is over.

Today I have errands for Frost Fest that need to be taken care of.  Next is a trip to the Post Office.  I have items to mail and mail to receive and its the receiving I am excited about once again.

If your a Quilter and belong to an online group or a number of groups, ubdoubtedly you've learned of or taken part in online swaps.  I belong to an online group who have been together for the past twelve years.  We've had mini-retreats, large gatherings and been together through thick and through thin.  This year we are starting it off by my hosting a Birthday Block Swap, and what a wonderful block it is too.  We've borrowed a block from The Quilters Cache, the Dutch Nine Patch and chosen the same colour combination as Marcia Hohn has used in her block instructions.

This Block is turning out so prettily, and already I am receiving blocks to my snail mail address.  I had thought to send out the blocks to all on their birthdays, but decided to ask them all if they'd like to have them now instead of waiting nearly a whole year until their birthdays roll around.... I will wait for their replies before telling you the final outcome of that question.

I have already begun receiving huge stuffed envelopes with these pretties inside, what a beautiful Birthday Quilt this is going to make.

Here are some of the envelopes I have already, and some pictures of the actual blocks.  All different shades of blue are being used and they all stand out so well on their own, but combined together will make the quilt I wish to make a stunner.

Look at all of the stuffed envelopes I have so far.







This is a block out of one of the envelopes

This is one of my blocks. 

You see these are all going to be so very different while being all the same block.  Now I really must stop playing and get to those many errands else I will fall farther and farther behind.  Seeing as we are all above groud today, I am wishing you a fantastic 1.

A Few Hours in Time

The telephone rang yesterday and I was asked by a dear friend if I cared to accompany her into Kingston and do a little bit of shopping at the new Quilt Store that opened up.   Actually it isn't new, but it is.  A merger by two large and popular quilt shops The Quilters' Choice and The Perfect Stitch both in Kingston amalgamated into a rather large and attractive "new" quilt shop.  It is now called The Quilt and Stitch. 

Now you know I really don't need more fabric, but, to my absolute delight I found what I just had to have and bought a meter of it, that meter cost $19.98 Can. whoa camel, but textile prices sure have risen.

I have been saving pennies for a new and improved sewing machine and a Tin Lizzie 18 which has me drooling.  I looked at the sewing machines in the new Shop yesterday, but in all truth these didn't excite me as much as the Industrial Bernina I saw at my repairmans' shop, Eric of V.B. Simkins Sewing Machines has the bang for my buck that I have found.  So I must learn to become much more thrifty than I currently am and do nothin but save, save, save.  Not too easy to do when your in a beautiful new Quiltp shop and you just have to have some more fabric which you don't need but just have to have!
Believe it or not, when a crafter makes something for sale and you see the price you must take into consideration the cost of materials that make up this piece.  Hours of work and other incidentals that go into the piece aren't even considered by most.  Sometimes I wonder how cottage industrues survive.  Makes one stop and think though does it not?

TODAY I plan on cleaning up this sewing and computer area.  I am moving in my new computer desk and will have to rearrange the entire room to accomodate its placement, it is exciting, but I really don't want to have to do the moving.  I will have to take some pictures once I have the final set up arranged and ready to go.  I can't take too long at this because I have obligations to complete orders, but honestly feel that if I do not rearrange this all now and put away all of the fabrics I have pulled out all over the place I won't be further ahead I'll end up further behind.

Off to move furniture.  Wish me luck!

A Little About This and A Little About That

Two days into the new blogging regime and already I am slipping up.  Somehow though  Sunday managed to slip past me without time to accomplish too much.

I picked up a nail or something rather sharp and discovered a flat tire while out doing the weeks shopping for groceries on Saturday evening.  I arranged to have the tire changed and will get it into the garage to have it repaired sometime this week. My doorbell just kept ringing and people were coming and going all afternoon, even after dinner there was no let up and so it went until bed time.  

I have been trying to work the kinks out of the Scavenger Hunt I am planning to hold at our community Frost Fest.  It being a first time event, I would really like to see it become an annual event.  It really isn't easy to plan a scavenger hunt is it?  That old movie "My Man Godfrey" with Carole Lombard and William Powell back in 1936"  made it all seem so very easy and alot of fun.  I love old balck and white movies, don't you?

Todays' scavenger hunts must be a bit more sophisticated though because we just don't behave like they do in movies and those days of the 30's no longer exist now do they?
So I have stolen some ideas from others who have graciously put their methods on the internet for others to make use of and will be hiding frozen coloured muffins with pennies inside.  To find the muffin and collect the penny they must solve a riddle or a clue, allowing for the entire team to participate in the whole game.  I really am hoping this will be successful and a great deal of fun for all who will venture to play along.

Not only am I responsible for the Scavenger Hunt for Seeley's Bay 15th Annual Frost Fest,   but I am also a member of the Lions Club here in the Bay, I finished my Round Robin Quilt and pledged it as the First Prize in this years Seeley's Bay Lions Club Fund Raiser events.  All money derived from the sale of tickets on the quilt will go to benefit Guide Dogs Canada.  A very worthwhile charity for Lions, as Guide Dogs are much in demand for those without sight.   The picture I took isn't terrific but it will give you an idea of what it looks like.  It measures 64.5" X 64.5" Square. 

This Round Robin quilt left here with my concept of what I saw from my window where I lived on the east coast of Canada and what it is that I saw from that window.  All of the women in my Round Robin group went along with the idea I presented them with and this is the result.

At the quilts center is my immaginary neighbours house across the road. Obviously it is a work day because my neighbours' quilts/blankets,  as Maritimers are want to name them are hanging out being aired before putting them back on the beds.
From my window I can see the garden in all of the four seasons of the year.   The garden extends into the forest beyond and from that forest the trail leads you to the sand dunes which extend themselves out into the Bay of Fundy. 

It is my hope that many others will like this unique quilt enough to buy lot of tickets so that this year we may present Guide Dogs with more money to train new puppies who will grow up to become Super Guide Dogs for those who are in need of these wonderful animals, who give of themselves 24/7 with total adoration and service.  What more could I ask of this quilt to give but its warmth and my immagination and a Guide Dog?

The Four Seasons