Well....I sort of fell off the Blog Wagon

Yes, that's exactly what happened this last year.  Every time I would attempt to find some "Normal" another crisis would present itself. "Normal" whatever that means, seems to have eluded me. I am one of those people, who loves the ordinary, simplicity of everyday life. Holidays and Special Occasions aren't on my list of highs. It's the days in between that touch me. So the drama of the last year or two have definitely put a damper, on my ordinary days. 

 

Coping with loss is never easy, but we usually aren't given a choice. Some of the aspects of my life which I thought were strong, were in actuality quite fragile and oddly enough some the aspects that I thought were fragile were in essence very strong. To find strength in weakness and experience brokenness in what I trusted to be strong has both broken me and strengthened me at the same, odd as that might sound. It's left me spinning in different directions and it shows in my creative life as well.

 

 

 Today, I had a lovely ordinary day. I had the afternoon to myself, which seems rare these days and spent it playing with my fabric. I'm back in Victoria and hoping for several more lovely, ordinary days.

 



 



I'm not sure where this is going..........but oh my, it felt good to play.

 

Yesterday we took a little road trip to Nanaimo.....

a bit of a shop hop.

 

 

 

As you can see, I might have fallen off the Blog Wagon but I certainly haven't fallen off the Fabric Buying Wagon....even though it might be a good idea if I did!!!!

 



 

Yummy Quilters Linens

This is what happens when you spend the day hanging out with your quilting buddies....enablers the whole lot of them.

Note: The lovely coloured solids are "Quilter's Linen" by Robert Kaufman. They are not an actual linen....they just have a linen look. I have a large supply of neutrals in these, which I have used a fair bit  and love working with them.

Approximately 58 Meters Later

Let me explain......in the aftermath of a "Creative Frenzy" the doldrums hit. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. After spending weeks immersed in a project, to the point of obsession, at times, one is left feeling a little lack luster, when all is said and done.  

A little shop hop was in order. Climbing into fellow quilter's car she casually (well, not all that casually) mentions, that one of our favourite shops is moving....and you know what that means, deals are to be had. 

The author, of this particular sale, is ingenious...I mean she knows us quilters. The more you buy the greater percentage you save.....who does that to a fabric junkie???

Well, fifty eight (give or take a few) meters later...... 

 

Does that even look like 58 meters???  

Notice, I'm being very restrained in my choices...if not in my amounts. The majority of the yardage I bought is somewhat neutral with lovely texture and of course a few funky prints, thrown in for good measure. 

After all, there has to be some sort of restraint when buying in such an uncontrolled manner. I know, it's a bit like going on a chocolate binge, only much more expensive.....hmm, chocolate sounds good, right about now.

Last but not least, I casually threw this book, on top of my pile....I'm a bit of a book junkie as well.  My plan was to take a quick browse, before I headed off for bed, last night.....well I was still up at 4:30 am, with all kinds of creativity rattling around my brain.

I quickly made a little test sample.........I think I feel another "Creative Frenzy" coming on. I'll keep you posted.

Just Because My Machine is Resting....

Just because my machine is taking a rest, doesn't mean my fabric addiction is asleep.

 There is nothing better than finding a deal.

Fabric for $6 a meter....

and my favourite Valdani thread at half price.

 

 Good thing I wasn't sleeping.

Thankfully Out of Control or Where Are My Friends When I Need Them

It's Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada and I'm so thankful for the following:

• Jessica and Jeff are in from Montreal for the weekend
• A sweet little 18 month old, with big blue eyes, is having a sleepover with us tonight....and did I mention she has dimples and wears pigtails!!!
• My mom, all my kids and my two adorable granddaughters will be having turkey dinner with us on Sunday
• My husband, Jessica and Jeff will be doing all the cooking
• Soooo very thankful that my husband doesn't read my blog

• Last but not least....thankfully I'm still out of control in the fabric world. That would be why I'm thankful that my husband doesn't read my blog.

About this last "little" acquisition I was with a friend........I asked fellow BLOCKHEAD "Why aren't you stopping me???" She just replied "When did that ever help?" Then she just wandered off and left me to me to my own devices.....what kind of friend would do that???

Lynne over at Lily's Quilts likes to carry around her new fabrics around for a day or two (we understand) but I'm afraid I'd keel over if I tried carrying this bunch around.



All You fellow Canadians...Happy Thanksgiving.

It Was Meant to Be

After spending a lovely day of sewing and visiting, fellow Blockhead and I headed for dinner. Can we help it, that our local quilt shop, is just a hop, skip and a jump away? Just a little browse, what harm could it do.....after all I was almost out of basting spray. Well, you know what happened....a whole shelf of those beautiful Kaffe Fassett stripes, I mean a whole shelf, aren't they just lovely with the project I'm working on. That very morning I was longing for some turquoise type stripes......I rest my case...it was meant to be. Oh, by the way, in all my excitement, I forgot to purchase the basting spray, that I came for, in the first place.  So guess where I was this morning???? Did I buy more fabric....well maybe just a little.  Just so you know, I did remember to buy the basting spray.

See those turquoise stripes....yep, some late night, or should I say early morning sewing with my new fabric. I just couldn't wait.

P.S. Fellow Blockhead bought fabric too!!

Quilting With Friends

No trouble getting my 10,000 steps in these days (just look, that's heather blooming here in Victoria). I was supposed to go back to Edmonton last Saturday...I didn't. Sent Mr. 10,000 steps before 8 am, back to the deep freeze, in exchange for one Blockhead (other Blockheads opted to stay frozen). What is a Blockhead you may ask??

There's one right there holding that bolt of fabric, like it's the next best thing to sliced bread. Actually, The BLOCKHEADS are a small group of women, that I quilt with most Thursdays, when I am back in Edmonton. This particular Blockhead..Evonne, came to spend two weeks with me here in Victoria. We're old friends that met, when we were expecting at the same time (those two "boys" are now 34 years old). It's crazy, how later we became fellow quilters...or should I say partners in crime.

 

First order of the day...guess where??

 



 Step away from the clearance wall! Did we??....Of course not!

This is where I found all those fabulous stripes (of the previous) post.

Quilting with friends can be like the icing on the cake...here's to Lauren and Judy (frozen blockheads back home).

Mom's Out of Control!

Many years ago I went on a jacket sewing binge...a particular trend at the time. I was working, in a very large fabric store, that had an even larger clearance wall. Need I say more? I decided to incorporate numerous fabrics (and I mean numerous) into a what I thought was a very stylish, patch work embellished, type winter jacket. As I spread my precious pieces, all over the table, my then teenage son, came in the door, looked over my shoulder, rolled his eyes and said "Mom's out of control!" News Flash....Mom is still out of control. Might I mention, I did wear that jacket for quite sometime...with a few compliments, I might add. I think I was quilting before I knew I was a quilter.

 I need two small blocks, as a sample, for the QAYG tutorial/Joining the Blocks, with Narrow Strips (still working on that).......I see a whole lot more going on here, than two small blocks.....perhaps a whole quilt.



I thought It would be nice to have a few more stripes for those two small blocks....a short trip to the fabric store, and apparently, I don't know the meaning of small or few.  Hmm, anybody else, out there, out of control??



I Blame it on the Pedometer

We bought pedometers.....I'm still in shock...by the end of a very productive day, I barely managed in 900 steps. I was very busy, I had blogged and Flickred and blogged some more...and quilted...and if I could count sewing miles, I would qualify for the Boston Marathon, hands down. Oh, did I mention that I am married to Mr. 10,000 steps, before 8 a.m..... yes, I repeat, as in 8 o'clock the morning. Us night owls are usually partnered up with those early bird types....but that's another topic.

I recently watched a program that suggested 10,000 steps daily.......my 900 was pretty pathetic. So I did what any quilter, worth her salt, would do....I walked to the Quilt Shop.....not once....but twice this week.  And on those days I managed 7,000 steps hmmm.... there's nothing to this walking thing....maybe a little costly.

 What can I say I have two baby granddaughters.......

Is it my fault that I live less than 10,000 steps from the Local Quilt Shop. In all fairness, I did cut into some of it, the minute I got home.

See, It's right there, already.  Did I mention, I'm off to the Cloth Castle tomorrow....half hour drive.

Am I In Trouble Yet??

This is the fabric I bought just before Christmas and below is my January stash.... and it isn't even the middle of the month yet!!! In my defense a number of these fabrics are flannel....it's very cold out here at the moment. Good thing, I no longer have to feed lanky, over six foot, teenage boys, and their friends anymore!  Hmm...maybe I do need some sort of stash pack thingy...you think???

You might have noticed, I rarely buy anything less, than two meters. The words "I'll take the whole bolt" have been known to come out of my mouth...on occasion. Recently, I read an article, that said, if you take a picture of everything you have eaten that day, it just might just shock you, into eating healthy.....do you see where I'm going with this??  I'm  just not ready to commit,  to not buying, but I can do the picture taking thing. Here's the deal....every piece of fabric I buy this year, I will post on my blog...okay,I'll throw in the yarn too. So, what's my payoff....well there is this really expensive computerized component (for my long arm) that I've been eying.....maybe if don't buy fabric I could reward myself!!!!

Fabric Relapse

So I had a minor fabric relapse...I just went out for a short visit to the chiropractor. Is it my fault that the fabric store is just a block away? I should have gone to see him, after I went shopping, that fabric weighs a lot....I'm not complaining mind you. 

In the days when all four of my kids were home (including two very tall, lanky, always hungry males) we used shop in bulk.  My husband would always say "When you buy in bulk they eat in bulk" .  I guess I'll be sewing in bulk.

Note the ratio of fabric to Christmas presents in the car, maybe I should be getting ready for Christmas...whoops my husband has already done most of that....I know, I know I'm married to a saint.  They were a deal though....what more can I say.  Aren't they lovely??