Lots of Things Going On Today

First of all it is time for a Sky Watch Friday photo. We have not had much sunshine until today, but it is too cold for me to go out on scooter to look for interesting shots. So I am entering this 'sun shot' taken from a local parking lot a few days ago. I didn't even get out of the car - just rolled down a window. The sun was a great big hazy blur.
If you want to see more Sky Watch photos please go here.

Second is a sort of photo challenge that Pat at A Little of This and a Little of Pat issued this morning. to kind of take our minds off winter. We were supposed to pick the fifth photo from the fifth folder from five years ago. There were only four photos in this folder, so I took the fourth one. It is a shot taken when we had Japanese students staying with us for a ten-day period during that summer. Two of the girls stayed with me and the other two stayed with my DD, who is on the right. The two girls in the middle came back to Toronto a few years ago and stayed with me while they attended an English language school downtown. This is a really fun photo. It brings back lots of wonderful memories for me. Thanks Pat, for suggesting this!

And finally, Barb from Bejeweled Quilts had a Thimbleberries Day yesterday. Quilters from all over the world worked on Thimbleberries patterns. I thought I didn't have any of Lynette Jensen's patterns, but it turns out that I have two books, full of them. As I was looking through those books for something to sew, I came across a pattern that I started a long time ago and never finished - Ahhhh, the story of my life! I don't even know where this quilt is hiding. Now that I have a 'taste' for it again, I am trying to find it. I hope to join in next month and maybe even finish the lost quilt, so stay tuned. But I have to find it first........... Wish me luck!

I've Been AWOL

Hi Everybody!

I think I'm back - for good this time. Had a toothache all week! I went to the dentist last week Monday, and told him that I was experiencing pain when I ate hot or cold foods. So he fixed a filling that had fallen out. He told me that he had to drill really close to the nerve and I might have to have root canal. Oh, no! The dreaded RC word! By the time the freezing had gone out of my jaw the tooth was hurting. It continued to hurt all week long. I tried to manage it with pain killers and oil of cloves etc., but nothing worked. In the end the tooth that had pained me when I ate hot or cold foods, was hurting me all the time! So I called the dentist yesterday and he sent me to a root canal specialist - need I say more? Now I have a hole in my tooth, an abscess that has to drain and I am still in pain! Also, I am not supposed to chew anything on that side of my mouth because food will get into the hole and prevent the abscess from draining. Am I making you sick yet? I have to wait two weeks until he can finish the rest of the root canal. At least he gave me a prescription for Percocet!

We not only had to deal with my toothache, but also with an ailing Oscar as well. We took him to the emergency animal clinic early on Sunday morning. I feared that he had a bladder infection and maybe some crystals as well. It turned out that it was only an infection - no crystals. After a bill of $365.00, we took him home with medications - which he refused to take. But there is more than one way to treat a cat! The way to Oscar's heart is through his stomach, so I bought him his favourite, most expensive food and I am crushing the pills and adding them to his dinner. He has faithfully taken each tablet with a smile!

I also finished his cat bed. I found a pattern on the internet, but did not use it. Instead, I made up my own pattern. I used some awful Red Heart yarn that was in my stash. Right now Oscar is too suspicious of me and he would have nothing to do with the bed. But Felix loved it! Mimi did too, but Felix wouldn't let her near it. When I first put it down on the ground they all sat around it as if it was a giant feeding dish! Wish I had my camera ready at that moment!

Not much quilting has gone on around here, but I did finish the Block Party block for this week. It is called, "Odds and Ends 2". It was quick and easy. And I really like it. The pattern was written for an 8inch block. I made that one in batiks. Then I upsized it to a 12inch block and made that in red, since I have Valentine's Day on my mind......

And here is a shot of Mimi in the bed with Oscar looking on. I am sure she is trying to tell him that it is safe to go in it. Aren't you girl?

"Meow! No way! I want this thing all to myself! Meow!"

A Cloudy SkyWatch

Cloudy with the odd sunny break.

I took this when I went out on my scooter last Thursday. By the time I got home the entire sky was covered in a thick layer of grey clouds - no sun anywhere and even a snow flurry or two. This has been a very dark and dismal winter so far.... but 1/3 of it is officially over today! Hurray!

Want to see more SkyWatch photos? Just click here.

A Block and Some Strips

I didn't get a lot done this weekend. Too much visiting, shopping and entertaining! I still have some quilting to do on my Christmas table cover. Also haven't finished quilting my mother's 9patch. I hope to work on the table cover as soon as I get off the computer. I did finish the Friday Block Party block for this week. It is called 'Another Star'. But it looks just like a sawtooth star to me - only it is not constructed the same way. According to the pattern on the Quilter's Cache, it is done with flying geese and HST, but I made mine all in half square triangles. I had a lot of triangle pieces of greens (from the table cover) and I didn't want more triangles from making the flying geese units, so I just pieced them and this is what I got.

Not my favourite block, but I am sure that it will be fine in a sampler quilt at some time in the future.

While looking through my stash bin for the triangles, I found more strips than anyone is supposed to own! I'm not kidding. They are in two huge bins and I am not able to close them anymore! So I started thinking ways to use them up. I saw that Stephanie from Loft Creations has issued a quilt challenge, but I did not really want to join that. I am so bad with keeping up with things. However, it seems that I am making these strip units anyway. I made 23 of them this weekend! And that was just in between all the other things I did. It was very relaxing work. Just sewing strips together without much thought. Now I have run out of muslin for the foundation of these blocks. It's a good thing, because I think I need to get back to my quilting! I hope to get some more muslin on the weekend.

Tonight I am going out for dinner with a group of teachers and friends from a school I worked at over 20 years ago. It's kind of like a dinner club. They go out once a month. I have not been able to go for over 2 years because of my 'condition', but tonight one of my wonderful friends is going to pick me up. I think I am ready to start doing a bit of walking and get back into my regular routine. I am really looking forward to it!

Spring in January?

I went out on my scooter today. The temperature was around 3C! Almost like spring! Not much sun though and lots of water. The sidewalks were full of puddles. And I got splashed by every car and bus that went by on the Lawrence Avenue bridge. So I decided to cut my trip short. I stopped off at the Giant Tiger store on my way home. I bought some body wash. Since I was wet anyways, I figured I'd be able to use it!

Yesterday I showed you Felix's enthusiasm about the Winter Olympics. Mimi is getting all excited about them too! Just look at her, oozing excitement!

Hey Mimi! What event are you training for?

I'm napping!

That's not an event!

Well, it should be! That's the thing I do best!

SkyWatch Friday - Bluffer's Park

Last Sunday at Bluffer's Park in Scarborough. This was taken at the public boat launch. It was very cold, but sunny that day. Notice our snow - or lack of it? It seems to be snowing everywhere in the world except here in Toronto. I took this photo out of the car window. That's as far as I got. It was too slippery.

Want to see more SkyWatch Friday photos? Just click here.

More 'Quatrefoils'

I made two more 'Quatrefoils' blocks from week 2 of the Block Party. I posted the orange and green one yesterday. It is a 9in. block. The two-colour green one on the right is a 12in. block and the little purple one with the hearts is a 6in. block. I think I might make that one into a little hot pad for Valentine's Day.

Because the Winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver in less than a month, we, as Canadians, are very excited! We have never won a gold medal in our own country. Hopefully that will change.

The torch is being carried across the country and here at home Felix is busy exercising for his big downhill event. You can see how active he is! I am sure he'll win!
"What exercises are you doing Felix?"

"I am posing for my photoshoots! Do you think this is my best side?"

Bee Night!

Monday evening was Bee Night at our Guild. We made these really cute placemats! It was a lot of fun and for a good cause too. They will be donated to Meals on Wheels. I might even make one for myself. This is the one I finished on Monday evening. They only take an hour or so to make - start to finish!Here are a few more that I have started. Still have to add backing and batting. I have already cut out the fabric for several more. I just love this project! And the fact that the finished placemats will go to folks who are unable to cook for themselves is a big bonus. A nice 'heart' thing to do for Valentine's Day!

I also met a lovely lady who sat across from me. When I heard her talk about computers, I asked her if she was a blogger. And she said 'Yes'! She has a really interesting blog. Her hobbies are crazy quilting and cake decorating. To see it go to Dianesdecoratingdiary. She made a lovely pastel placemat! It's on her blog too.I also finished this week's Friday Party block. It is called "Quatrefoils" and is 9inches square. I made it using kids fabrics because all of my 9inch blocks are done that way. It's an easy block to make up and I have already cut out the fabric to make one in a 12inch size and a 6inch size. I will post them when I have them completed.
If you want to see a beauty, go to the Block Party and see Julie's. She made hers into a small spring quilt! It';s just lovely!

So far I have not worked on my UFOs this week. That is going to have to change! I need to complete a few things in order to feel as if I am getting ahead. But I did work on the Jacob's Ladder scrap quilt. I am trying to do one block a day. I posted it on my sidebar, so that you can see my progress.

It's Definitely Back to Business!

I have a lot to share with you today! First of all........ A very terrific package came in the mail today. It was a present from Nynke, the Dutch Purple Rabbit. She sent me this gorgeous necklace. OMG! I just love it! Thank you Nynke! Blue is my favourite colour!



She says that she sent it to me because I am such a good blogging friend. Awww! That's so nice, Nynke. You are one of the best too! Here is a close up so you can see some of the pretty beads!

Next is a charity quilt which will be donated to Quilts from the Heart at our Guild Meeting in two weeks. I have had it pieced for a long time. I even sandwiched it before Christmas, but I never got around to quilting it. Then I saw Laurie's quilt on A Yankee Quilter. She had free motioned her quilt and that seemed like a perfect solution to my quilting dilemma. As you can see, it turned out quite nicely!Here is a close up. I hope you can see my quilting. I sewed the binding on last night. Now just a label and I am finished - two weeks before it has to be! I'm smokin'!

Last week I perused the Quilter's Cache site for some interesting blocks for the Friday Block Party. I found Jacob's Ladder and fell in love with it. I decided to make the four patches that I started last week into this block. This what I have so far. I have lots more pieces cut out and I hope to make a block a day. I think I will only make it as big as the one that is pictured on the Jacob's Ladder site. I should have enough fabric for that.And lastly, it was a beautiful sunny day yesterday. The temperature was very cold, but it was fresh and clean. I know a lot of folks are dealing with horrendous winter conditions at the moment, but here in Toronto we welcome the snow and ice. Well, at least I do! We haven't had much snow, but it has been really cold. I made my DH drive me to Lake Ontario. I wanted to take some photos of this winter before it is gone.

But when we got there, I realized everything was covered in ice and I couldn't walk there safely with my canes. It was also impossible to push a wheelchair through all that snow, so we just drove around with the windows open, welcoming the fresh air. I took this photo of a boat ramp down in Bluffer's Park. There were thousands of gulls, almost as many mallard ducks, hundreds of Canada Geese and even a dozen or so Swans. I have no idea why these creatures don't fly south for the winter! Maybe they stayed this year, just for my enjoyment!

SkyWatch Friday and a New Start

It's time for SkyWatch Friday again. I was going to dip into my archives because I have not been outside this week. It's too cold and the sidewalks are slippery. So I'm sort of confined to house arrest. But I did go out for a couple of minutes this afternoon to put some peanuts out for the squirrels that live in my backyard. When they come to get them they provide endless hours of fascination for my cats. It's like television for felines! So here is my neighbour's Chinese Elm tree with a beautiful blue sky! It's around -3 degrees Celsius (26.5F) so that's not too bad.

If you want to see more SkyWatch Friday photos from around the world, go here.

On the Quilting Front

I have been busy cleaning up my sewing room. Also spent a couple of hours quilting my Christmas table topper. I ran out of thread so I had to stop. I cut a few of the 5inch squares that I showed you yesterday. I know! I know! I have no business starting anything new right now. I have so many UFOs to finish, but I just couldn't help myself!

I used a couple of pieces of fabric from my stash. I think they will work very well with the squares from Barb. Can you tell which ones are mine and which ones are from the Bed and Breakfast package? I knew you couldn't. I think I will make a four-patch or something similar with these squares.

Feeling Better!

Thank you to everyone who left well wishes on my last post. I am feeling much better today, although not perfect. My sinuses still aren't cooperating. It is cold and dreary out. On and off snow flurries all day and when I look out my kitchen window I can't tell where my neighbour's roof leaves off and the sky begins. Everything is white.

But my day has been brightened by Barb of Bejeweled Quilts, sent me these nifty little squares of fabric. There are 28 of them. And she even included a spool of thread. Thank you Barb! I have no idea what I will make with them yet. I might even have some fabrics that would go with these. Anybody got any ideas?

Also, while I was recuperating, I knit my son a new scarf. He wanted one in black. So I just cast on 39 stitches and did a knit three, purl three across the rows. I changed the knit and purl stitches every three rows to create a sort of basket weave effect. Maybe you can see it if you click on the photo. I love this pattern for a scarf. A friend of mine suggested it to me many years ago and I still make a lot of scarves this way. It is an easy pattern and gives me just enough of a challenge to be able to watch television or just recuperate from a cold while I knit.

Back to Business Soon

I have a head cold. My sinuses are blocked and I can't breathe. Sewing stuff is not possible at the moment. I am making too many mistakes - in cutting, and in sewing pieces in the right order etc. So I am taking it easy. Good thing I went to the library last Saturday. All I need now is my Vitamin C. Where is my Vitamin C anyway? I guess I'll have to ask my DS. I'm sure that's where it is.

But I did finish week 1 of this year's Block Party blocks. It's called 'Wheel of Time'. It took a lot unsewing, but it is done. It's a 12inch block. Want to join our Party? Just let me know. I'll add you to our list of members. It's going to be a great year!

SkyWatch Friday and a Happy New Year!

The sky over Pickering Ontario on the Winter Solstice of 2009.

I was at my daughter's house. Her house is on a hill and faces east. The sun was just beginning to set on this, the shortest set of daylight hours of the year. Unfortunately there are tall trees on the west side of her house and the setting sun could not be seen. But I did get a nice photo of the eastern sky from the patio deck off her kitchen.

For other SkyWatch photos please go here.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Some Friday Block Party Blocks

We have had a wonderful Christmas! Lots of hosting, visiting, cooking, baking and eating! And now it is back to 'sort-of' normal. I have finished the last three blocks in the Friday Block Party. I thought I'd better get them done seeing as how I am the one who is posting the blocks each week for the year 2010. If anyone is interested in joining our party, let me know. I have no idea how to add you to our blog, but I'll figure it out.

This first block is called Double Hourglass. It was for week 50. It is a 9inch block. I didn't follow the instructions very well. I made the hourglass units in groups of two, so I ended up with four of them. I only needed three, so in order not to waste a unit, I put a novelty print in the centre and put the hourglass units around it. This created a whole new block, but it is in keeping with the novelty 9in. blocks I have made in the past. I hope to make all of the 9in. blocks into a baby quilt soon.


The next block is called 'Four Square'. It was for week 51 and it is a 12in. block. This one has lots of HST and 2 1/2 inch units. I like it, but I doubt if I will ever make it again.


And this is the block for week 52. It is called Double Cross. It is a small 8in. block. It was easy and quick. So now I have finished all of the blocks for 2009! That means I have 52+ orphan blocks in my collection. I think it's time to put together some quilts. Don't you?

Merry Christmas!

"May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace. The gladness of Christmas give you hope. The warmth of Christmas grant you love."

- author unknown

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Celebrating Our 43rd Anniversary

Today we are celebrating our anniversary. We have been married 43 years. Does that seem like a lifetime to you? Gosh I feel old! I wish I could post a photo of our wedding day, but unfortunately, there are no photos. The ones we had taken by a family member did not turn out. The film broke (old days before digital) and all of our photos were gone! We did take a few more a few days later, but they are all slides. (I think that was the most economical way to take photos back then) Although we had several slides made into prints, we gave all those away. We always meant to make photos for ourselves, but it just didn't happen. So I am including a photo of the two of us on board a cruise we took to celebrate our 25th anniversary. I still have all of the wedding slides and after the holidays I will go through them and have some printed to make up a little wedding album for myself. I asked the guys at the photo place if they still make photos from slides. They told me it only takes one day to get the photos made. So how come it has taken me 43 years?

The Spirit of Christmas

If you came for SkyWatch Friday, please scroll down to the next post.

Today I want to share some of my Christmas decorations with you. My tree is completely decorated in homemade ornaments this year. I did include a few very special ornaments which were given to me over the years and hold a lot of sentiment for me. The rest have all been made by me over the years.

This first one is part of my Folk Art Bear collection. I cut the shapes out on my scrollsaw, then my DD and I painted them with acrylics. I have given many away, but luckily I still have some. Maybe one day when the time is right, I will make some more.

The next two are part of my Stained Glass collection. A few years back, I made these little angels in all shapes and sizes. I also made several other shapes, like trees and candles, but I have given them all away.
The little bear was bought in a craft shop, but his little sweater is made out of no.10 crochet cotton.

Here is another stained glass angel. I think she was the first one I ever made. Also in this shot is another folk art bear in his pajamas.

Sorry, the lighting was very bad today. I have all of my lights on because it is so dreary outside. This snowflake should be a very bright white, but I was experimenting with and without the flash. This one is without and it looks kind of pink. I made literally hundreds of these little snowflakes. They make a nice carry-along craft. They fit into a purse and can be worked on any time waiting is involved.




This is an Amigurumi Santa that I made when I was stuck in a chair and couldn't walk. I had lots of time that year. These Santas are very labour intensive! Beside Santa is a little stitchery that I made many years ago. It is also part of a collection of cross stitch ornaments. I really enjoyed making them.

Another snowflake, with better lighting, a tiny crocheted angel and a patchwork star. I drew up the pattern for this one, but I have misplaced it. I want to make a few more of these. I guess I will have to get my drafting board out again. If I did it once, I can certainly do it again.
The little pewter ornament is one of my sentimental ones.

And here is a little basket with cinnamon sticks and lace. The kit for this was offered at a local craft shop in the late 1990's. That shop has since closed, but I still have the little bear in the basket!

He who has not Christmas in his heart,
will not find it under a tree.
- Roy L. Smith

SkyWatch Friday

I went out on my scooter today. I bundled myself up really well! It was cold, -7C, but the sun was shining, so it didn't seem as bad. I took this photo on my travels to the post office to mail my Christmas cards. This tree is a magnolia. I guess what struck me as interesting was the fact that it already has buds ready to burst forth with some beautiful blooms in about four months. A long cold winter is before us, but this tree gives me hope. Spring will follow. Nature knows it and now I find comfort in knowing it too.

If you want to see more SkyWatch photos go here!

Colour in December

My Christmas Cactus is blooming! It must be Christmas.

I love this cactus. I bought it so long ago I can't even remember. It gets a bit fuller each year and blooms profusely starting in the beginning of December. I don't do anything special to it. It lives in my solarium for most of the year and gets lots of sun there. Perhaps that's the key to its success. Lots of sunlight. Then cooler temperatures as the year goes through the fall season. The solarium is heated, but in spring and fall it feels more like the temperatures outside than inside. I think that helps to set the buds.


Here is a closeup of the flowers. They are huge - measuring about four inches in length. I had this plant sitting on my basting table. I also had my batik nine-patch blocks laid out on the same table in order to move the blocks around more easily. When I got up this morning I noticed that the blocks were all mixed up. Many were on the floor and some had fallen behind the table. I know that had to be Mimi's work!

But how can I accuse her of messing up my design when she looks so innocent and cute? After all, it's Christmastime! And at least she didn't push my cactus onto the floor!

Some Quilty Things

Welcome to my blog.

If you came to see SkyWatch Friday, just scroll down past this entry.

But of course you are welcome to stay and view my quilts!

You'd think I would have gotten lots of quilting done since my computer was out of commission last week. But I didn't. I was too depressed over my computer and the weather wasn't helping any either. Lots of snow, rain, cold and wind. But today is sunny and I feel much better!

This is my block 49 in the Friday Block Party. It's called 'Cross and Ring' and it is only 8inches square. I like the way it turned out. Just left-overs from other projects, but now they have a special place in this block.
I also finished the table runner with the block from week 48. This turned out nice, eh? That's because Mimi helped me!
And finally I want to show you the finished 'Flowering Sawtooth Star' lap quilt I made for a friend's mother. I finished sewing the binding on last night. Now I can get to work on some of my other Christmas projects. It's very bright and flowery and I hope it will provide warmth and cheer for the person it is intended for.



Notice my Christmas Cactus? This thing never lets me down. It is flowering profusely at the moment and has enough buds to carry it right through to the New Year!

I'm Back! Just in Time for SkyWatch Friday Too!

At precisely this time last Thursday my computer crashed. OMG! I was devastated to say the least! I took my hard drive to Future Shop. On the advice of the salesperson who served me, I purchased an external hard drive. I had been meaning to get one for a long time. They promised to backup all my files and then reformat my computer. On Monday they phoned me to say my computer was ready to come home. But when I got it home, I discovered that they had given me a blank external drive and I could not find any of my photos and documents. I called and complained - several times and got nowhere. I had visions of all my crazy cat photos ending up on someone else's computer! Poor Mimi! Someone from the store finally called me yesterday and told me that they had found my external drive with all my back ups. Yippee! I did a little happy dance! Mimi is safe!

So I'm up and running now. At least I hope I am. Still trying to find everything and get my machine back the way I like it. But for now here is my entry for SkyWatch Friday. It's a photo I took when I was in Chicago a couple of years ago. I was on a bus trip to see a quilt show. A few of us decided to take the subway downtown. Don't get me wrong, I love nature and the outdoors, but a part of me also loves buildings and cityscapes! I have no idea which building this is, but it caught my fancy, so here it is.

If you want to see more SkyWatch Friday photos just click here. I'll be back in a couple of days to show you all the quilts I have been working on. See you.