Another "start"!

What a dreary-looking day out there. Just makes me want to go into hibernation in my sewing room for the next couple of months!

This afternoon is one of my guild meetings. I do want to go....we are getting info on the retreat I'm going on later this month! I know, though, that if I don't go I will get the information by email....but still want to get it first hand!

I'm also looking forward to the speaker, Maggie Vanerweit from Stone Threads Fibre Art. I think I may have seen her at a booth at Quilt Canada this past year. Fibre arts isn't my forte, (yet!) but it's always nice to see or hear of different people`s passions!

I've put my first few stitches in Life is Beautiful. It's obvious that I haven't embroidered in a while....but it's only the first block. Those little stitches will surely improve as time goes on! I like to take some hand-work to guild, so I thought I'd get this little cutie started so I could take it along. I love the tan fabric in that I don't have to worry as much about little "varicose veins" showing thru'. Of course, this means I'll have to take a trip to Quilt Junction for some co-ordinating reds and tans. Or maybe a subtle hint to my children that a G/C to Quilt Junction for my birthday is in order???? Here is a picture of my start this morning...

This project is taking me back to my childhood. I have fond memories of my mother teaching us to embroider by using iron-on transfers on the cuffs of pillowcases. It would start with a trip to Kresge's to pick out a transfer and some floss....and, of course, a pop and pastry at the lunch counter....

Does this picture bring back any memories??? I was always fascinated by all the lovely baked goods displayed under the glass on the countertop!

Have a great day!

Grand Illusion Spoiler Alert !

I was able to sew on the weekend and make good head-way on the Bonnie Hunter mystery, Grand Illusion, found HERE on the Quiltville blog.

At first, my head was swirling with the motion of this quilt, but now that it's been on the design wall for a bit I find myself liking it, afterall. There is a lot of interesting new concepts in this quilt, such as the sashing is different "measurements" than the blocks themselves so that there is not much in the way of matching up the seams. Hard for me to explain, but if you're doing the quilt, you'll get it! Here's a picture of what I have so far....

I have to admit that I've made a mistake in my piecing, but there's so much going on in the quilt I don't know if I'll go back and correct it or not!! As I was piecing the main blocks, I made a mental note to myself to remember that the four-patches in the centre of the blocks should all be sewn in in the same way. Obviously, the over-50 rule was in effect.....which is - make a note, don't trust my memory!!! Well, as soon as the blocks were up on the wall, I noticed that the four-patches are sewn in every which-way. Now, on another quilt I'd for sure go back an correct this, but on this one, I think it's going to be "as-is". Maybe a case of picking my battles?, I think so!

We were out-and-about yesterday running some errands and ended up in Port Dover so we popped in to the Urban Parisienne for a hot beverage. My go-to in a coffee shop is a Chai Tea Latte, and this little restaurant sure makes a fine one. Very smooth flavour. It happened to be just after noon, so I thought I'd try their soup of the day. Now, Iain judges a restaurant on how well they make a salad entree....for me it's all about the soup! Yesterday the soup-of-the-day was Broccoli-Blue Cheese. I'm not a fan of blue cheese, but thought I'd take a chance. So glad! It was awesome and I think I'll go there again to try other soups they offer.


I'll have to try harder to become a good blogger. I know that other people share pictures on their blog of nice meals they experience. Well, that thought occurred to me as soon as I took the last spoonful of my lovely soup. I'm going to share the picture that I did take and promise to try to do better in the future!!!

Obviously, pictures aren't so tantalizing after the fact, are they? :S

On the subject of food still.....We have had such great success trying recipes off of Pinterest this last year. I think I'll share the occasional experimental dinner. Tonight I am going to try this...Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken. (I'll have to try to figure out how to share Pinterest pics on here).

 We're finding that we can find healthy recipes on Pinterest and they taste great using all kinds of spices, vinegars, and oils. I remember back 40 years ago to my mom sitting down to a naked piece of fish or chicken, trying to lose weight with one group or another. No wonder she was doomed to fail, depriving herself of great tasting food! I`m hoping that I can achieve some success at getting the belly down before the wedding this summer....I have a dress I need to fit in to!

One last note....yesterday I tried to change the settings on my blog. If you would like to leave a comment and don't have a google acct, etc., then you should be able to choose "anonymous" below and now do so.

Have a great day!!!

Happy New Year!

Well, it's a dull, dreary, but mild, day. A good day to devote to a bit of organizing in the sewing room? Maybe!

I think every year at this time I try to think of a new way to become a more organized person, and it never works :(    There must be some method that will help. I do have to say that little by little there are items in the studio that are finding a nice, labelled home and once they have a home they seem to stay there. So maybe the secret is to just perservere, slowly but surely? I guess the state of the studio gets me down at this time of year because since I'm on "vacation" the last 2 weeks of December everything seems to get stuffed in there over Christmas. Tomorrow is "back to work" day, so it would help to have a bit of a fresh start.

In another "what was I thinking" moment, I purchased a new pattern over the holidays. It's a quilt called Life Is Beautiful and you can click here to see a picture of part of the quilt. What drew me first was the beauty of the book/pattern itself.....

In the foreground is a lovely fabric that will be used for the embroidery. Now to find my small embroidery hoop which I haven't used in years. A quick trip to Port Dover this afternoon may be in order!

I don't know when I expect to work on this project! I'll have to make it a certain kind of project, maybe one that is worked on at guild meetings? Or just tell myself to complete two little "circles" per month? hmmm....

I think I'll get a block ready soon, though, as it is embroidered using a variegated floss and I'm looking forward to seeing how that looks.

Now I'm procrastinating so I'll say "have a good day" and be heading up to the studio to start a bit of organizing....or put the last 2 blocks of Grand Illusion together!...haha.....