A Great Week!

Today is Friday....already!!!  I have made my to-do list and must get cracking!  Tomorrow I'm taking a class at the quilt shop on how to make the coiled fabric bowls.  It should be fun and I hope it inspires me to create lots of them!!!  Great way to use jelly rolls and 2.5" strips of scraps!

Last night Sue and Deb came over for some stitching.....Deb really wants to make a Yoko Saito project out of her Houses, Houses, Houses  book and needed some help getting started.  It's hand piecing and hand appliqué which Deb hasn't done.  So we figured three heads were better than one!  And who doesn't need an excuse to get together!!!!!!?????  Earlier in the day I had made a spice cake with cream cheese icing to serve to the gals.  It...was...delicious!!!!!!  Here's a piece I am enjoying today!

All from scratch so I was pretty proud of myself!  Hahahaha!

The other night we had the most beautiful sunset.  

Look at those mountains....hazy looking.  The colors were amazing.  Yesterday morning was pretty too.  Love the blue sky...and there are those mountains!

The sun is shining again today...it's another nippy one but it is the middle of November...in Alberta!

Off to tackle that to-do list!

Another Blog Hop

Here's another blog hop to follow and get some great ideas for quick and easy crafty gifts!

                            http://stitchinbythelake.blogspot.ca/2014/11/twas-night-schedule.html

I did a bit of sewing this morning.  I had bought this flannel from the quilt shop to make a pillowcase.    Well today was the day...I grabbed the fabric and the old pattern I have and whipped it up!  Cozy, cozy flannel and I love me some chickadees!!!  Next up, some hand stitching...first a binding on a quilt that was gifted to me in some craft supplies and then some blanket stitching around small appliquéd letters....an old UFO that really needs to be finished!

It's cold out there but the sun is shining.....a pretty winters day!

Mojo?

Today was a very nice day.  I shoveled snow, cleaned floors, baked a dessert, had Deb pop over for coffee and was my guinea pig and tried the dessert, then Sue came over to sew.  We set up at the diningroom table and worked on a block Sue signed us up to do for Darlene at A Needle Pulling Thread quilt shop.  I made a block I knew was going to be too small (they were to be 12 1/2" unfinished) and put a small border on it.  Sue made a block which the pattern said 12" finished.  Now wouldn't that mean 12 1/2" unfinished??  Nope, turned out to be 12" when done!  She's going to find more fabric and make another one.  Mine will be sent off!  Here's our production: (my block is on the table in the front)

Sue is holding her not-quite-finished block.  We both decided we need to do more piecing so that maybe one day we can turn out a perfectly square, exactly the right sized block!!!  (It will never happen for me in my lifetime!!!  Sue will likely have much better luck!)

Can I say I got my mojo back???  Hmmmmm not sure about that but tomorrow I might try again.  I think Thursday the fall decor will come down and be put away so that Friday can be a big cleaning day and I can contemplate winter/Christmas decor that will start to go up in a couple/three weeks.  That's a much bigger job!!

Christmas is coming........

I thought this looked like it might be fun to follow along.  Makes me think if I want to craft for Christmas I'd better hurry and get my "craft on"!!

                     http://thermoweb.com/blog/welcome-to-the-handmade-holidays-blog-hop/

Winter has hit southern Alberta (again!!) but I think it might stay this time.  Wish it didn't come overnight again!  Hubby was out clearing the street with the quad but he's left for up north so I hope we don't get too much snow before he returns.  :-). I have the fireplace on today.....I'm thinking it will be a great sewing day!  Gotta find my mojo!

A Couple of Finishes

I spent Thursday in my sewing room as I wanted to feel as though I accomplished something this week...and I did!  Block one of A Patchwork Year BOM is complete (I forgot to grab block two from the store yesterday)

I love it!!!!  So fun to do, especially the stitching....all one color!

Then I had an apron that I was commissioned to make. 

Doesn't look as good without my model but she wasn't home!!

This weekend is a hockey weekend.....Daughter2 played last night, plays tonight and tomorrow.  Whew!  Hubby goes back up to work on Monday and I have a long to-do list this time and not of sewing unfortunately.  I do hope to fit some of that in though.

The Snow

Well, it's still here.  A lot of it melted off the streets yesterday....trying to shovel was a killer as it was so wet and heavy!!  A neighbor came and used his snowblower and cleared the driveway....we have some fantastic neighbors!!!!!  I managed the front steps and a walkway to the sidewalk!

Yesterday (it was a dull day but eventually the sun came out!)

Last evening.....I thought it was a pretty sunset.

This morning!

The geese are still here!!  I thought they had packed up and moved south but not yet!!

Hubby is home tonight!!  It's his birthday tomorrow.  I asked where we could take him out for supper and he said he just wanted quiet.....I think just to be home.  So home it is!!!

I'm off to find today's purpose!  It will likely involve some vacuuming and a bathroom cleaning!  Hahaha. Fun times!!!!!

November!!!!!!

Okay...why is it that I cannot believe how quickly time goes....and every year seems to go faster than the one before?????  November 1st today!  A mix of rain and snow.....and yesterday was +18C!  Nuts!!!!  Here is our daschund Zoey loving life in front of the fireplace this morning:

Yesterday was Halloween and my boss asked if I would dress up.  I needed to be comfortable enough to wait on customers so this is what I came up with:

Hahaha!  The helmet lasted until the first phone call then "clunk" so it came off for the day!  Lots of fun and the store was very busy yesterday!!!!

Earlier in the week I made an Apple Spice Bundt Cake....it was delicious and I took some to the shop and also shared with my friends.  That way it doesn't sit here and get eaten by only me!!!

My Aunt Helen in Ontario gave me instructions on making cauliflower soup.  She uses a hand held immersion blender, which I had to go buy!!!, and also got the ingredients......I haven't made it yet!!

I've started on the new Block of the Month at the quilt shop...A Patchwork Year.  I've made progress on the stitching:

I'm having fun!!!

Ugh....looking out at the snow coming down does not make me want to drive to Calgary to Daughter2s game this afternoon...........but as Daughter1 said, I have to get over my fear!  Oh to be young again!!!!!