Treating myself

 It's been a week of eating out way more than we usually do (birthdays, back to back, will do that somehow).  Started with breakfast out on Monday, a steak supper on Tuesday, and a lunch on Wednesday.  Thankfully the celebrations outta be over until September when we celebrate our anniversary.  Feeling quite slothsome after all those meals led to me sitting in front of the computer and surfing where I shouldn't  have been.  Of course I felt the need to test out my shiny new credit card (a replacement after my old one was compromised).  This has arrived - and there's another order coming.

!!!!!!ARGH!!!!!!!!
Did you SEE the photo of what came in the mail?
Well, neither can I
because...
Canada Post couldn't be bothered to buzz
up to tell us there was a parcel waiting to
be delivered.
So now I have to make a special trip to the
depot to pick it up.
As I said....argh!

And, in order to show you that I've been doing something else with at least some of my time, how about an update on the sock yarn mitred squares afghan?   (and yes, I know I said I wanted to use up the part-balls I have, but what's a girl to do when some of the colours are lacking??...see above for the latest additions).  

I came across this while I was surfing the internet and being that it is tick season and they're evidently very bad this year, I thought I should share it....

- I may have sent you to explore all the free patterns found HERE before, but if I have it was a long time ago and I'm sure there are lots of new ones.

- Have a peek through the gallery by THIS artist!  And THIS one too!! Oh, and the paper pieces done by THIS artist!

Today's quote..."Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind"

Another project

 This is #1 of three (all different fabrics of course!) tote bags that I'm making for adding to the Christmas box...

The pattern is THIS one and came entirely from my stash.

Two more are cut out and awaiting  delivery of some fusible fleece before I can go any further.

- If you have bottle caps you don't know what to do with, perhaps THIS project would be fun.

- With the heat we're experiencing this summer, maybe making yourself (or those you love) one of THESE would come in really handy.

- THIS would be a fun way to use interesting selvages.

Today's quote is from Winston Churchill..."Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen"

 I finished a small project that is destined for the Christmas box....

This measures about 11 1/2" square and the pattern I used came from HERE.

As a little aside that falls under the 'small world' category, my friend and I were video-chatting and for some reason childhood toys came up.  She was talking about a Lassie dog pajama bag she had as a child and we began to wonder if we had both had the exact same one.  I scrounged around and found this picture of my bedgraggled, much-loved, Lassie and sent to her.  Amazingly, it turns out it's the same one as she had.  

Somehow I doubt hers was in  quite as bad a shape as this one!

- Have a peek through the creations of THIS artist - I love her use of colour!

- Although there's no real 'pattern' for THIS, it would be easy to create using any size of hexie.

- THIS would be handy for so many different things.

- There are some fun ideas HERE for making glass mushrooms for your decor.  I love the ones made with the glass marbles (scroll down).

Today's quote is from Normal Vincent Peale..."Dwelling on negative thoughts is like fertilizing weeds"

Out of the Twilight Zone

 The air quality here is pretty awful right now due to the wildfires that are burning all over Ontario.  I know it's hard to tell the surreal light that's outside from this picture, but hopefully you can (this was taken at noon on Wednesday)....

This is the view from our balcony towards the river that runs through the town.  That big tree to the right is just outside our bedroom window and you can see the pathway that runs along the river all the way to the downtown.  Our thoughts are with all the brave fire fighters who are battling in this extreme heat under very trying conditions.  

- HERE is a little project that would be a great way to gift something small to a quilter or sewer.

- Those of you who are interested in weaving might enjoy a scroll through the creations of THIS artist!

- And THIS artist does some interesting work (several galleries to peek through)

- Since it's watermelon season, perhaps you might like to try making THIS.

Today's quote is from Winston Churchill..."I'd rather argue against a hundred idiots, than have one agree with me"

 The latest on the tech front - I fixed the tv!  Don't ask me how I did it because it was more by luck than good management but the RC is happy so that's all that counts.  I even managed to get the screen brighter than it was which was an additional bonus I never expected.  Now I'm leaving the cell phone issues for another week or so in order to recover my equilibrium.

In the interim whilst I had no computer I finished the latest landscape...

FOR SALE!!

- If you happen to be searching for ideas for using up scrap fabrics, perhaps one of the ideas found HERE might interest you.

- THIS is a little different take on a pincushion design.

- Have a peek through the gallery of THIS artist!

- THIS artist too - check out all her galleries.

Today's quote is from Nelson Mandela..."Fools multiply when wise men are silent"

I'm back!!!

 I'm back in the land of tech and the proud new owner of a Lenovo All-In-One along with the learning curve that goes along with it.  I'm utterly amazed at what the tech guy could do - I no longer have umpteen-dozen cords running all over the place (everything is now wireless).  No longer do I need to have a router which makes the internet far faster (who knew?!).  No longer do I need a separate camera to use for video-chatting - it's built in.  No longer do I need a separate anti-virus program - it's built in.  No longer do I need a box full of CD's for various and assorted programs - everything comes with it, including a non-dinosaur word processing program (I was running Word 2007).  No longer do I need a shoebox full of manuals/CD's/how to's.  I have entered the current century!!

I will be publishing your recent comments but won't take time to respond to them and will start again from now (so I will respond to the comments on this post, but not the previous ones) and I have been managing to read your blog posts on my phone but haven't been able to respond.  Next 'up' on my dance card is going to be replacing my phone but I'll leave the dust to settle a bit before I undertake that new adventure.

Onwards....

UPDATE!  Well,that didn't last long.  Finally got the computer up and running (with the capable assistance of 'my guy') and then the provider for our cable tv/landline/internet went down  for several hours.  The upshot of THAT issue is that it's left the tv not working and it's telling me I have to go in and reset everything back to the beginning which I have NO clue how to do.  

Toast

 I will be off the computer for a while....my computer fried after several power disruptions yesterday.  It appears the router is toast too.  Not only that but my tablet and my cell phone aren't working either...both are refusing to turn on.  They say things happen in 3's and seems it's my lot right now.  Call is in to a computer repair guru but of course he's on holidays.  I will return when I can