Boxes in the mail are so much better than bills

Sorting through a weeks worth of mail doesn't take long when there is an Amazon box to rip open.

 No I didn't order two of the same book. I ordered one from Amazon and got one in the swag bag at BlogPodium. Will have to decide what to do with the second.

Many books are quite small now including do more great work by Michael Bunger Stanier and Manage your Day to Day edited by Jocelyn K. Glei.

Ont the other hand Decorate by Holly Becker of Decor8 is a tome.

Books one and two probably say read less books like number three but I will consider it research and inspiration! Much like Pinterest.

I look at very few quilting books these days but Art Quilt Maps by Valerie S. Goodwin did get my attention.

Blog Podium is

TOMORROW!

I have lots of none quilting related Moo cards and my gorgeous Orla bag but what to wear!
Apparently this is the main quandary of people going to the conference tomorrow.

Oh dear I haven't put too much thought into it. Do I leave the cottage early on this beautiful end-of-summer day? Nope I'm too old for such silliness! But I will be dressed for comfort and style.
See ya there!!

How I got my bag

I don't have a thing for designer handbags, I'd rather spend the money on books or travel. But I do like Orla Kiely.  My sweet SIL bought me her book.
David and I saw this bag in the window of an upscale second hand store. The store was closed so I couldn't get it. My darling husband works hard at getting me what I want and I love him for it.
I love my Orla bag. The gorgeous colours and her trademark motif. The bag also reminds me to be grateful for my wonderful life.

PS  ipad is correct, it is a lousy camera.

Sarah Richardson contest

Everyone knows Sarah Richardson. Well you do if you care about how your home looks and functions. She has had a long and successful career in design and shares it on TV.

Sarah is the keynote speaker at BlogPodium. blogging has become big business. There are conferences to attend and friends to be met IRL.

People going to the conference had a chance to have tea with Sarah at her office. She is a smart cookie and has bloggers spread the word about her new shows.

The contest was creating a pinterest Board for your ultimate room.
I used this definition of ultimate-

Adjective Being or happening at the end of a process; final: "their ultimate aim was to force his resignation".

As in the cottage will be ours ultimately.

Ah summer...........
We plan for it, reminisce about it, daydream about it, wish for it.
A summer home is a place to relax, read, swim, nap, cook, catch up with family and friends, drink a little wine.
So one of the first things I made for our place is this welcome sign.

A few versions on pinterest were the inspiration.
http://pinterest.com/pin/35958496997852092/



I wasn't in blogging mode so there is no before photo. Oops.

It has been a while...

What do you say when there is a year between blog posts?
Working, playing, travelling, living life. Life is good.
I now feel I have something interest to blog about as we ....

Bought a cottage a summer home.
I innocently said to David one day " We should by a cottage.  are you out of your freaking mind?" was the response.
Well....

We did indeed buy a cottage but the kids said it should be called a summer home. That in a nutshell is the background. Oh one more thing.
It is ours, in that we are paying for it, but it is currently being used as a model by the builder.

So over the next year or two we  I get to scour the thrift stores, pursue the ads, order the catalogs, shop til I drop all in the name of preparing for the day it really becomes ours.
So let the decorating begin!

Creating fabric

There is nothing quite like creating your own fabric. From plain white to bursts of colour and line you are guaranteed there isn't another piece like it anywhere. I've been having fun for two three day weekends playing with like minded artists at St Lawrence College in Kingston.

We've wrapped poles for shibori dying



  To make these fabrics



 Gorgeous eh?

I bought this for the cover...

I am a sucker for colour schemes especially complementary colour schemes. I have a binder where I collect them.

A new look

Everything needs a makeover once in a while. Including neglected blogs. Mine is courtesy of my uber talented niece Ms MMMM of melzstamp.

a parcel delivered....

and inside a stack of brochures for CreativFestival Oct 21-23,2011. Quickly flipping through it to page 43, there I am!!!! I'll be teaching along with other members of York Heritage Quilt Guild.Found in the Garden

preparing for Nancy Crow

I decided at the last minute to take the last spot in Nancy Crow's strips & stripes class at QBL this July. I am still using the information I learned at my last visit to her farm.

There is much preparation for one of Nancy's class. I reassessed my solid collection from previous and was happy to add to it by supporting my local quilt shop -The Ultimate Sewing Centre in Oshawa. I love this collection of bright warm fabrics. The orange and purple together are wonderful.

The Greenbelt quilt is wonderful. It is currently on display at Queen's Park. It will also be show at the upcoming G20 & G8 meetings.

The video of the quilt construction can be seen here.

More photos here.

This is the entry in the book for my block. I hope you can read it

if not the entire book with all the blocks and their stories is available for download here (3.65KB)

It is wonderful to read the stories behind the quilt blocks.

It has been wonderful to play a small part in the great project.

bad bad blogger

for having neglected my blog. taking without obligation too far. but I'm back.
still creating- actually had a few large projects last year so I will try to keep up & catch up at the same time.
During that time I have realized the value of story. like the song says 'everyone's got a story'. and that is becoming more important to my work.
this is a 12" square I made for the Greenbelt Quilt of Possibilites to be unveiled at the Greenbelt 5th anniversary Celebration at the Royal Ontario Museum Wed Mar 3.

It was from a small family B&W photo of my Dad with his truck on the Holland Marsh. The cab of the trunk is from the photo enlarged & printed on fabric. I coloured it with inks. This truck was red but I remember our next truck which was larger and was green. the green monster is what my Dad called it.

I'm really please how it turned out and am looking forward to seeing it in the finished quilt.

good to be back

Trendtex challenge for CQA

Have you ever finished a piece so fast you don't get a chance to live with it. This was the case with this Trendtex challenge piece for CQA
The challenge is to use the 5 FQ of fabric and the theme 'Roots'. Mine is number 80 in this list of over 100 pieces. It is amazing to see what people will do with the same ingredients. Common themes included root vegetables, family heritage and those nasty roots on our heads. I'm off to do some dying - hair not fabric!

spring has finally

arrived here. The birds are tweeting are u?
flashes of red as the cardinals fly by, that blur was a hummingbird at the apple blossoms and the robins are busy listening to the earth.
But when is a robin not a robin?
It could be this robin, a wonderful blog. There is such a sense of peace & joy of life in Robin's words.
or it could be these robins spotted in a park in Edinburgh, Scotland -

a much tinier bird than the North American robin with a lovely roundness that makes them a favourite motif at Christmas in the UK.

finally

finished a quilt I started for Spot AKA Sputnik, babydoll & my yungin'- who turned 22 recently.
started oh about 10 years ago.
had some help - I sent it out to be quilted - I love it. Tracey from the Ultimate has a Gammill Long arm. I even got to drive it - that is quite the quilting machine!!
I love the quilting she did. It looks like doodling on the back. It is also lovely to sleep under (Shhh, don't tell Spot - but it is on our bed for now!)

Project Improv

I've made 6 blocks each 12.5" square for Project Improv. They are on the way to Kansas to be included with other blocks. check 'em out here.

we have a show

'We' are Fibre Arts Toronto - sounds special & we are FAT for short!
Four people with a common interest in all things textile. Our show is at the North York Central Library of the world's largest library system -Toronto Public Library - up the stairs to the meeting rooms.
you can see some pictures here

things I learned hanging our very first show.
Hanging stuff with fishing line is crazy - don't try it.
bring a level - everyones' idea of straight is different.
that blue sticky stuff teachers have works wonders.
things will take about three times longer than expected!
people will touch your work - doesn't matter how many 'DO NOT TOUCH' signs you put up!
people will think you are wonderfully creative and talented and brilliant!! and isn't that the point!!

messenger bag

I made this cute bag from a felted sweater & navy wool felt. The pattern is from Betz's Warm & Fuzzies. The felt is fused to the sweater bits on the strap & flap. This gives the strap real body & should stand up to real use & abuse!
she also has a new book coming out any day now called Sew Green
I love all things green!!

mountains of snow

that's what's outside our home. Mountains of snow. piles of it. what's the best thing to do?
Make something bright & cheery & floral.......
like this.
A tote with lots of outside pockets. Pattern from Quilting Arts - Stitch magazine.I made one before Christmas for our guild secret Santa exchange but didn't get a picture of it. This one is made with a heavy treated cotton one of my fibre art friends was passing on! Lucky me!