Virtual tour - Part 3

Here's part three of the quilt show tour.....

This one was covered in Swarovski crystals and absolutely glittered....doesn't show very well in my photo though!

I think I have enough photos to do one more 

post on the show, so stay tuned!

- I know I've sent you to see the absolutely incredible embroideries found HERE but I have been reminded that there is more to see now.  Better pour yourself a cuppa and be prepared to be blown away!

- There's an interesting article HERE on just getting started with something you are afraid to do. 

- Another good article HERE on mounting your needlework.

Today's quote..."We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing"

Virtual tour - part two

Before I give you the next part of the quilt show tour, I have a question for you.....can anyone recommend a decent photo-editing program that's free for use with Windows 10?  I don't need anything that's a Rolls Royce version....just free and easy to use.  Any thoughts??

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Here are some more of the quilts that caught my eye at our local quilt show....enjoy! You can click on any of the pictures to embiggen them.

This one was my absolute favourite - I know it doesn't

show very well in the photo, but please embiggen

the label so you can read more about it.....

- You know those plastic flower pots you can get at the dollar store?  They don't look very inspiring, but perhaps you will find some ideas to spiff them up HERE.  

- THIS is a rather clever holder for your kitchen towel (scroll down to find the pattern).

- THIS is a beautiful crocheted shawl/scarf pattern.  Would be lovely done in white for a wedding too!

Today's quote..."I'm an artist and when you buy from me you are buying 100's of hours of failures and experiments.  You are buying a piece of my heart and soul, a moment of my life"

A virtual quilt show

This past weekend was our local quilt show and I managed to remember to take pictures of some of my favourites from the show.  So...this week I will take you on a little tour along with me!  First I will share the quilt and below will be the credits.  Enjoy! (you may click to embiggen all the photos so you can see more details).

This shows the raffle quilt along with a glimpse

of one of my landscapes which was also one

of the raffle prizes...

and now, to the show itself....

- There are some great resources HERE for both knitters and crocheters.

- And some great tips for those of us who tend to knit or crochet too long HERE.  

Today's quote is from Dr. Seuss...."The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go"

Same, and yet different

I've started working on a new landscape, this time featuring a grain elevator.  As the post title says - same, and yet different.  This one is a winter scene so I have to play about with trying to create snow.  This is the original photo I'm working from...

Original photo by Dale Stewart,

used with his kind permission

And this is where it stands now....

This weekend is our local quilt show, so several of my landscapes as well as a couple of my crazy quilt pieces are on display. Hopefully, if I can, I'll try to take a few pictures of the show to share with you.

- THIS is a beautiful market bag pattern.

- Have a peek at the absolutely amazing thread painting of THIS artist!!

- Nice tutorial HERE to make a sweet butterfly from ribbon.

Today's quote:  "Stop waiting for Friday, for summer, for someone to fall in love with you, for life.  Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it and make the most of the moment you are in"

Done, done AND done!

T'is done!

FOR SALE

Better?

Adapted from this amazing photo,
and used with the kind permission of 
John Phillips....

This one is for sale - contact me, if interested!

- Karen Ruane has announced a new online class 'Stitching Stories' and you can find out more by reading her post found HERE.

- Kathy Seaman Shaw has a new book out - and if you're a crazy quilter or embroiderer, I think you might want to check THIS one out!!

- Have a peek through the galleries of THIS artist!

- There's a great tutorial HERE for making your own stitch markers.  Something that would make a great gift for any of your knit or crochet friends!

- THESE look like fun to make!

The quote, from Eugene Delacroix...."Artists who seek perfection in everything achieve it in nothing"

One step forward....and one step back

I don't know about you, but I often consult the color wheel (or a version thereof) when I'm stumped with where to go next with a project.  Oftentimes I haul it out when I want to know what fabric to use to border one of my landscapes and this time is no exception.  My favourite is the 'Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool' by Joen Wolfrom.  (published by C&T Publishing, ISBN 978-1-60705-235-7) and from it I learned (quite surprisingly!) that orange would be a great color to put against the blue sky in my landscape.  Orange??  Really???  I would never have come up with that idea on my own!!  So...a perusal of my stash of orange-ish fabrics turned up one what looked pretty good for creating a narrow inner border.  That worked.  And then.....then.....I did this.....

.....and thought adding a navy blue (and somewhat shiny) wider border would be perfect.

Not.  

Don't like it.

It's too safe....too predictable. 

(Resident Chef doesn't like it either)

So I have hauled out the stitcher's best friend

(better known as a ripper!) and we'll

see what happens next. 

- Beautiful embroidery (and an interview with the artist) HERE.

- There's a great tutorial HERE for adding beads to your knitting.

- Sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the best, as THIS little tip will attest!

- Some of THESE made me smile - hopefully you will enjoy them too.

- THIS is a rather cute idea - serviceable too. 

Today's quote..."Your life is your garden, your thoughts are the seeds.  If your life isn't awesome, you've been watering the weeds"

Some progress

There has been a small amount of progress on the latest landscape which I rather doubt is going to be too obvious in the photo....but....because I have nothing else to show you, this will have to do!  

The wall on the right side looks wobbly here,

but it IS straight!

- There's a great article HERE regarding cleaning old linens.

- I thought some of you might like THIS cute little tutorial - it's not for me though - lavender makes me sneeze.

- There are some fun ideas HERE for making projects using placemats.

- And HERE is an idea to recycle/upcycle a beloved t-shirt into something useful.  

I know it's a tad late to be making New Year's resolutions, but I came across this and thought you might enjoy it..."My 2019 New Year's resolution is to finish all my craft projects from 2018 that I should have done in 2017, after I started them in 2016 after buying the supplies for them in 2015 with the patterns I found in 2014"

Grateful

I hope all the mothers out there had a lovely Mother's Day weekend.  I was blessed to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers, was taken out for breakfast, and the Resident Chef made me a special loaf of bread.  Pretty spoiled!

- Those of us who are on a diet will definitely appreciate THESE!

- HERE is a great tutorial for recycling (or upcycling!) a leather coat.  

- THESE fall under the category of just plain awwwwww.  

- One of THESE would be handy for in your car (perhaps to make for Father's Day??).

Today's quote..."One small crack does not mean that you are broken.  It means that you were put to the test and you didn't fall apart"

And......the obsession continues......

I really don't think my obsession is going to stop anytime soon because there are just far too many great buildings out there that want to be immortalized.  So....

The start of attempting to do this...

Original photo by John Phillips and used with his kind permission

- THIS falls under an 'oh wow' for eye candy!  Be sure you scroll down.

- For those who have family or friends that use walkers, perhaps making them one of THESE might be helpful. 

- HERE is a handy dandy (and cheap!) helper for machine quilters.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

TO THOSE WHO CELEBRATE
THIS WEEKEND!

The quote is from Mitch Albom... "Behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begins"