Summer!

Vicki of 'Field Trips in Fiber' has been doing a Summer Vacation giveaway this week and has asked that we join in and have our own giveaway today.  I thought I'd take part and offer one of my little faux china-head dolls I posted about the other day.

You can choose either one with the blue skirt or the one in the middle and, in order to have your name entered you have to tell me what  your favourite thing to do in the summer is and why.  Get your comments in on this post and I will draw a name on July 4th. 

Quote for today, from George Horace Lorimer..... "It is good to have things that money can buy, but it is also good to check up once in awhile and be sure we have the things money can't buy"

Warning!

Giving you a head's up before you start reading this.....there is a little bit of 'language' so if you don't like the use of a certain 3-letter 'a' word used in reference to what you sit on, don't read any further. 

Warning # 2....be prepared to laugh.  Seriously would suggest a trip to the bathroom before reading.

I found this posted on one of the knitting groups today and I have to admit I laughed til I cried.  It's simply too good not to share.

SENIOR TRYING TO SET A PASSWORD

WINDOWS:  Please enter your new password
USER:  cabbage
WINDOWS:  Sorry, the password must be more than 8 characters
USER:  boiled cabbage
WINDOWS:  Sorry, the password must contain one numerical character
USER:  1 boiled cabbage
WINDOWS:  Sorry, the password cannot have blank spaces
USER:  50bloodyboiledcabbages
WINDOWS:  Sorry, the password must contain at least 1 upper case character
USER:  50BLOODYboiledcabbages
WINDOWS:  Sorry, the password cannot be more than one upper case character consecutively
USER:  50BloodyBoiledCabbagesShovedUpYourAssIfYouDon'tGiveMeAccessNow!
WINDOWS:  Sorry, the password cannot contain punctuation
USER:  ReallyPissedOff50BloodyBoiledCabbagesShovedUpYourAssIfYouDon'tGiveMeAccessNow
WINDOWS:  Sorry, that password is already in use

Today's quote is from Lewis Mumford.... "Humor is our way of defending ourselves from life's absurdities by thinking absurdly about them"

ATC's

Today was our monthly CQTeers meeting and the theme for our ATC swap was 'buttons'. 

Sue created the one on the upper right - button is made from a wine cork.  Irene did the ones on the bottom - tiny Dorset buttons (impressive to work them that small!); and I did the one on the upper left (commercial buttons, with vintage paper).

The quote for today is from John Fischer....  "Let's assume that each person has an equal opportunity, not to become equal, but to become different - to realize whatever unique potential of body, mind and spirit he or she possesses"

Fun new toy!

We started talking about the advantages of getting a bigger car.  

Talking was all it was. 

Honest.

So how come this came home with us?

It's a 2011 Toyota Rav4 and we love it!  Love it even more with the addition of the racing stripe down the side, which makes it a whole lot easier to find in a parking lot!

Go ahead,

it's okay to tell me we're crazy.

Wouldn't be the first time.

Today the quote is from W. Clement Stone.... "There is very little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference.  The little difference is attitude.  The big difference is whether it is positive or negative"

A fun little project....

Three little dollies

All in a row.

Their skirts are made from ladies hankies and their heads (and shoes) are painted and varnished to resemble antique china-head dolls.  My own design.

Today's quote is from Leo Rosten.... "I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate.  It is, after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all"

Mumblings and mini-celebration

First of all I want to tell you that I have finally finished the 'Secret Project #2' and will be returning to working on my white cloth and a few other projects that have been waiting for attention.  Who knows, there might be pictures to share!


There's a storm rolling in so I'd better get off the computer, just in case!

Today's quote from Paul Theroux.... " The journey, not the arrival, matters;  the voyage, not the landing"

Nearly done......

.....the great secret project of 2014!! 

I put the last stitch into it today and there's just some finishing details to complete and it will be done.  That means that this blog will return to the previously scheduled programming!  Exciting, huh?

I've been meaning to show you a couple of things I've added to my stitching arsenal over the past while.  The first one is a set of threads and bobbins that I picked up through the Regal catalogue.  It's amazing how often I need just a little bit of thread in a certain colour and this kit is just the ticket.  Each colour has a matching pre-wound metal bobbin. 

Today's quote from anonymous....  "Life is in the living, every hour of every day"

Proud moment!

Over the weekend one of my crazy quilt students sent me pictures of her completed hussif.  I am a very proud teacher to think that I had even a little part in the creation of this...

Way to go Chrissie!!  It looks wonderful!







Today's quote is from Andy Rooney... "The two biggest sellers in any bookstore are the cookbooks and the diet books.  The cookbooks tell you how to prepare the food and the diet books tell you how not to eat any of it"

Excitement, and love....

 'Logan John' Richardson,

born at 7 pm last night.

Quilting......of a sort

Everybody knows that crazy quilting is my 'thing' and sane quilting doesn't enter into my realm very often.  I stumbled across this cute 'bug' fabric in our local store and just HAD to buy it for our grandson.  Daddy (our son) is rather strange in his likes and threatened me that there was to be NO baby blue or baby pink for any kid of his.  Well - bugs outta fit the bill, don't you think?

Please don't look at my quilting efforts too closely!

Above is the front.

Wonder of wonders, I happened to be in another

store and stumbled across a buggy flannelette

which was perfect for the backing, and found 

a pretty iridescent  pre-made bias binding.  Bonus!!

Here you can see a little of both the front and the

back fabric, as well as the binding...

Now all I have left to do is hope that the baby

isn't scared of bugs!

(if he is, maybe his daddy will need a security blankie of his own?)

Today's quote, author unkown, ....  "Life is not a someday thing or a one day thing.  It is a right now, every day thing" 

Mumbling today

First of all I want to thank those of you who took the time to make suggestions about tracking down the crazy quilt hussif/pursif pattern by Julie Craig.  It appears she is still in business, but unfortunately doesn't seem to have a web site.  I will keep trying!

The weather is finally warming up here and today it's trying to rain.  Never thought, after all that snow that had to melt off this year, that we'd be hopeful for rain!  It's a good day to stay inside with needle and threads in hand (and also wait for the superintendent to arrive to instal a new ceiling fan/light in my studio).  Hopefully he comes today before it gets too hot!

From E.E. Cummings.... "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight --- but never stop fighting"

Searching for.....

I have been searching all over the internet to try to locate a copy of a pattern that was issued pre-2004 for a combination Hussif and Pursif  designed by Julie Craig of Attic Heirlooms Designs.  I will finally resort to throwing it out to you to see if any of you would happen to either have a copy or know of how I could locate one.  The pattern has a lovely needle hussif that fit inside a purse (which could also be carried as a normal purse if you wished). 

The now-defunct CQMagOnline magazine had at least a couple of articles about different people creating their versions of the pattern and I would love to create one as well.  I know, before you say it, that I could come up with my own pattern, but there are elements of the original that I just love and would like to learn how to make.

Today's quote is from Dan Zadra....  "Take action on your ideas.  Procrastination is the mortal enemy of spontaneous brilliance"

Errands, errands, errands

B-O-R-I-N-G!!!

I do hate errands.  

I hate grocery shopping.

I hate hauling the groceries inside

and I hate putting them away.

Oh,

and even more,

I hate the manufacturers of toilet plungers,

who can't seem to get their heads around

the fact that we really do want

said toilet plungers to actually,

(gasp) PLUNGE!!

 Oh, the concept!!

 *
*
*
*
rant over.

And the quote for today from Marie Curie:  "Life is not easy for any of us.  But what of that?  We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.  We must believe we are gifted for something"

Button - of the Dorset kind

Yesterday was our monthly CQTeers meeting and Irene showed us how to make Dorset buttons, something I've been intending to try doing and hadn't gotten around to it.  Here's my effort...

Definitely not perfect, but not bad for a first effort!

Today's quote is from Benjamin Franklin...  "To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals" 

Nuttin, Nada, Zilch

Yep, that's all I have to post about. 

SO....

Photo credit is unknown.

Today the quote is, once again, from Anonymous....  "If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again"

Planting our garden

Yes, we do have a garden, despite living in an apartment.  Here it is...

Yep, it's a huge garden!! 

Our entire crop (we hope!) will

consist of tomatoes, lettuce (two kinds),

cherry tomatoes and herbs.  

Looking forward to having a few lettuce, peanut butter & mayo sandwiches and some tomatoes fresh off the vine.  There's nothing like a sun-warmed tomato, freshly picked.  

And yes, I can see you all now....curling up your noses and saying a resounding 'yeeewwww' to lettuce, PB, & mayo sandwiches.  All I can say is don't knock it until you try it!  

 Today's quote, from Anonymous....."  What someone thinks of you is none of your business"

A couple of announcements....

I'm still working on my not-to-be-shown-YET project, so I thought I'd send you off to visit elsewhere. 

Today's quote, from Arlee Barr.... "There is no emergency exit in life, no escape route, no tunnels laid out with a string of lights to guide, no end but the life lived in wonder, finished in love"

Lucky me!

I have to be the luckiest person in the world!  I am always so humbled when someone gives me something that I can use with my work and I am definitely blessed to have such good friends who think of me when they come across something they know I will like.

First of all, one of my friends brought me back this treasure trove of goodies (she brought me back more and this is just what was in one of the little baggies).....

The fabrics you can see are gold and silver lame (at least I think that's what it's called) and the other piece is a beautiful gold satin.  There are ribbons, and beads, and buttons, and some gorgeous trims.  She also brought me some beautiful sequins and a package of milliner's needles.  Am I blessed, or what?

And,

I was gifted with these on the weekend...

I don't know how old these things are, but they came from a lady who is nearly 90.  They could have been from her mother, so even older than that.  The apron is made from a fabric very similar to gauze...certainly one that would have been used for Sunday best.  The other piece is an envelope...perhaps used to hold hankies.


Click to embiggen the photos!

Some beautiful collars, as well as a little pouch that is crocheted using very heavy thread.  I would assume that the ring must mean that it could be hung up.  I have no idea what it would have been used for originally.  Do you know?

I have to say that I have the nicest friends on earth!  Thank you Mary Ellen and Kelly.

Today my quote is about friends, and comes from Arlo Guthrie.... "A friend isn't someone who will carry you to your destination so much as someone who will walk along with you for awhile"

Do you know?

Here's a question for you.  Do you know what a group of bears is called?  You'll have to read to the end of this post to find out!

Reason for the question is that I wanted to show you this...

These little critters, also known as 'lovies', are seemingly all the rage around the internet.  They combine an animal, in this case a bear, and a security blanket.  There are lots of free patterns on Ravelry (which is where I got this pattern) if you want to go and check them out.  They also come up under 'blankies'.  If you aren't familiar with Ravelry, you should be!  It's a marvelous resource for knitters and crocheters and you can join for free.  There are tons of free patterns available there, as well as those you can pay a nominal sum for.

I don't know if you will remember about a month ago me showing a picture of the 31-year old cradle that we were sprucing up for our soon-to-be-born grandbaby (you can go HERE to read the story behind it).  Yesterday we delivered it to our #1 son and daughter-in-love and here it is, all set up and ready for Logan to arrive....

The quote of the day, from Diane Grant.... "It's better to walk alone, than with a crowd going in the wrong direction"

Oh....and the answer to the question?  A group of teddy bears is called a 'hug'.  Fitting, don't you think?

Ta dah!

One Ted E. Bear, completed!

Here's a quote from Anonymous.... "Usually it's a lot easier to nod as if you agree with someone than it would be to explain why you don't.