Monkey Business

Good morning, sun is out and I am heading to the convention centre to pick up my quilt. It was an amazing week. The quilts in Quilts Canada where works of art even mine fit right in (well I hope it did). Although seeing all those wonderful quilts has inspired me to kick it up a notch. It's a good thing to have a challenge even if it is one you set for yourself. So for those that know me look out cause the crazy is just about to get worse. Evil laugh, the newest quilt idea is floating in my head waiting to break forth. I even met Matt the quilting Man at the show and think I have found the right person to quilt my quilts. Plus I think all his kids are going to love my monkeys. Yes the new quilt will be filled with flying monkeys, monkeys in a barrel I don't know how many but I am up for a little monkey business. lol. Like I said it's in my head right now. Would love your impute cause well the more the merrier. 
So my face book friend packed up her bags and headed back to Montana, truck loaded not with to much extra but with a new quilt sitting on the seat beside her. Yes she was the first person in Deb's quilting boot camp. In just five days we started and finished a lap size quilt. Taught her the Disappearing Nine patch quilt. We got the top done borders on and then headed downstairs to the long arm. There I taught her how to load the quilt. She has the same frame as I have and has owned it for over a yr but has not used it because the instructions suck. Quilt loaded and off she went. Training wheels off. She did a great job and will improve with more practice. Words I should heed as I am way to hard on myself and my skills. Then Made Her load a second quilt with out my help so that once home she knows what she is doing. Then she started quilting the second quilt. She made the mistake of not checking her back for thread tension and we had three inches all across the quilt to take out. Note to self when teaching don't leave for ten minutes to deal with something else. Will not do that one again. Finished the Binding, now mind you it was done on the machine and not by hand because well this is not a show piece its one to put on a table or chair. Did a sleeve and label. Yes people you should always do a label. The quilt we made was nothing special to anyone else but us, but in years to come when some one buys this quilt at a yard sale for ten dollars they will turn it over and read why and by whom this quilt was made by. On our label it explains that it was her first real visit to Canada she met me and we worked on this together while attending the quilt show. It's a quilt we made getting to know each other and I know it's a good memory that I will add to my quilting journey in my memory. Sappy I know. But when it passes onto another person they will know it is a special quilt for those reasons. Well anyways we had a good time this week going up the Calgary Tower , heading to Drumheller in a snow storm, Getting soaked looking into Horseshoe Canyon. It was a good time. It was nice meeting someone that I had been chatting to on face book. Now I have a real face for that person. Hope some of you all get that chance. Well should go get that quilt Enjoy your day and set a goal to improve something in your life.  ;)

Quilt Canada

Today was a good day , spent time with a friend working on a quilt she had never done. We visited and got to know each other. This wonderful women came into my life through a block exchange. We got to know each other on Facebook. The joys of the internet. It's funny cause well she has been married almost as long as Rod and I have. And we share similar interests. She took the leap of faith that us Canadians where kind people and is staying with us for the week to enjoy Quilts Canada. Yesterday she arrived and hope she felt welcomed. Anyways today I was a slave driver. lol can you imagine evil giggle I worked her fingers to the bone working on a disappearing nine patch. We got the top done and will get the borders on in the next day or so. Then it was off to My Sewing room , http://www.mysewingroom.ca/ to see the biggest quilt store in Canada. Met up with another friend whom also was in the block exchange then headed to Along came quilting to get our free 6 1/2 inch square . Free is free, bought a book which really I did not need but quilting is not about need. Mark Lapinski  said that last night to us at his trunk show. We laughter so hard our sides hurt!!!  So after our small quilt hopping we headed to dinner enjoyed a wonderful meal and off to quilts Canada we went. I must say when we arrived and I signed in and a rush of fear filled my soul. What was I thinking that I would even consider doing such a silly thing. Standing and waiting to hear my name which sad to say was not called. Yep No ribbon for my quilt. But while I was waiting surrounded by fellow quilters there was much joy for all the winners cause we all understood that each quilt was made with love, much care and thought so we where all winners in some way or another. Heading into the show to see these amazing works of art inspired the three of us. We want to improve, and push a little bit harder to challege our selfs. Floating through I know that I need to improve in alot of area's but also know that so many amazing teachers have already brought us so far in our journey . And if we don't say it we should show these amazing teachers how they inspire us. So my goal is to show those ladies that look you gave me these skills and I am using them to my fullest. They have inspired and I hope that I can inspire someone in some way. Now I am setting a challenge out which is to do your best cause you don't know when or how but you can also inspire in some way. Well it's time for bed cause tomorrow we are heading to Drumheller , Alberta so my Friend can see a little bit of our wonder country. Night

Good morning world, such a gloomy day here in the city of Calgary but my mindset is sunny and cheerful. Think one has to be that way even when the world around you seems grey. Thought for today, if you surround yourself with the colors that make you feel something does it change how you look at life and live? I quilt with amazing colors sometimes way to many but it makes my soul sings. A teacher told me I read bright never thought about it before that moment. Then it made me take a look how the quilters around me pick and choose colors. We all choose colors to work with and decorate with because it's what makes our eyes happy. So if you always pick creams and light colors what does that say about you , or if you pick crazy bold colors does that mean that's you. Scary thought ! So when I painted my kitchen / dinning room this bright green what does it say about me? I love it while one of my friends asked when I would repaint it. She really dislikes it. For years my home was white or cream the furniture the same but now color is beginning to take hold and my family and I are living in color. As I told my friend it's just paint one can pick up a brush and repaint when it's time to sell as we all can't live with such color. So what colors does your eye read , are you afraid of color this is something that seems interesting what do you think? Just putting it out there, now one must head back to my normal life dealing with kids, messes to clean, house work to do, office to run etc. Spent yesterday working on a baby quilt which started at 11 and was finished at 4 to give away at 7. Needless to say did not do much yesterday so today must kick it into high gear . Have  a great sunny day .

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Crazy messy

As I sit in my studio surrounded by fabric, paints, buttons and beads it's a miracle anything gets done. It's an organized mess. It gets cleaned at least once a week but when the brain waves start spinning the area reflects the shock waves. I am a visual person so if I don't see it then well I forget where I put things (could be old age) . The goals I have set this year are high which means one does have to focus on keeping the mess in check. So how do you keep things organized? Thats the question of the day. Yesterday I cleaned my house from top to bottom so I did not have to deal with my paperwork and messy studio. Today I am here surrounded by paper and not wanting to deal with it but one must. Right that's why I am blogging lol , to avoid avoid avoid. I have started organizing other area's of my home with some small things but wow some I wish I had thought about years ago. In the kitchen I put hooks up on the cupboard doors on the inside. There hang my measuring spoons, cups and tools to bake. It has made things alot faster and one knows where everything is. Also label everthing and put food in containers rather than leaving in packaging takes up alot less space. Little house need all the space I can find. Been purging this week and will take advantage of Craigs list or Kijji free is free. Well guess one should really face the paper Hope the day finds you well and would love to hear how you organize that one might use .

Well another Easter has come and gone. In my world that means that winter is just about over and spring is on its way . Although in Calgary we do nothing until the May long weeknd cause it's going to snow at least afew more times. So my goal this week is to work out in the yard and gardens when I can enjoy the process and have a head start before the Long weeknd so maybe my family can do something together. Now that is getting harder and harder as Jordan our son gets older. Enjoy your time with your kids when they are young cause I swear once they are teens they have thier own lives and friends. Well today it's a little cold so I think I will purge my closet. My Friend Donna will like this cause well I give her the bags she takes what she likes then does the value villiage drop. Rule one when you own a little house when something new comes into the house something old or not used has to go. This last two weeks we have been in purge mode and more has gone out than what has come in which is a good thing. So today's goal is for at least one bag of cloths to go out as I bought four new shirts last week. They where from Value Villiage so not new but new to me I plan to add alittle something to each shirt to practice my embroidery skills. Anyways that's my day today what are your plans for today and the week. Remember if you set goals they do get done. Take last week  I wanted to start and finish an easter quilt it was started on Good Friday and finished the next day. See above picture it was a small goal but once I set my mind that this would be done for easter it was. Mind you it is now in the closet cause I don't have a home for it. lol. So whats your goal this week, would love to see your comments. For now it's back to the grind. chat later.

Just back from Folk club, if one gets a chance there is nothing better than live music and theatre. Tonight we watched Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor and Shari Ulrich play. We laughted , cryed and just enjoyed the night. Met friends for dinner and drinks before the show. Then it was off to the show. The opening act was a Mary Flower http://www.maryflower.com/ what an amazing talent she can make a guitar sing. I hate to admit it but the canadian folk scene is not something I know alot about because well our artists in canada don't get the same exposer as the americans , am learning and my collection of CD's is growing . So there was my saturday night all wrapped up in a bow. The day was just as full, Rod made breakfast and then we where off in all different directions. Class for me - Learing how to do embroidery Love this class although I challenge the teacher. Today we where making 3-D flowers, Humming Birds, and Calalillies that where to go onto a easter egg wall hanging. Did the embroidery but let me tell you no silly easter egg will be going on my walls. Evil laugh coming your way. I added them to this really cool art panel I have been making for the last couple of months picture is here although I could have figured out how to turn it around for better viewing. At least I am learning how to post pictures it's a step in the right direction. Well that was a day in my life hope one was not bored reading this and all your comments are welcome. It's sunday now and off to bed I go. Have a great sunday do something fun and enjoy the day. D.D. ;)