Received gift

One day last week the mailman bought me a little box of fun. It was the prize I had won from Susan Elliott's giveaway. Anyone who reads her blog -plays with needles.com will understand when I say I looked the box all over before I even opened it. In her usual artistic way she had decorated it and covered all seasons. When I opened it I found a beautiful card with a lovely note from Susan and a heart shaped container that she had decorated. When I opened it she had filled it with lots of little goodies that will be perfect for embellishing both fabric and paper if you so desire. Lately I have been getting into the paper mood. Maybe I need a change from the needle and thread. I have joined a Alice In Wonderland tag swap and am getting my feet wet practicing to make something good enough to send. When I get a finished project I will take a pic and post it.

I have seen all I want to see of the Olympics and am going to take the night off and watch some of the programs I have tvod?. Harv will probably watch the hockey game and of course tomorrow he will be ready for the US/Canada game. It should be super.
Have a good night.

Packed up the pillowcases and went to the post office this morning and mailed them on their way. I also mailed a small box to Deb spincic who has been organizing our end of this project. She is putting together a beautiful vintage 50's basket including a quilted tablecover with napkins that she has made. I sent a tin of Hedley's English Breakfast Tea along with a beautiful english tea cup and saucer to go in the box. I also included the organdy apron with the rickrack flowers that I showed pics of a few weeks back. I knew I would never wear it but was intrigued by the flowers. I thought this was a good item for the 50's basket because this apron would have come from this era. Better then languishing in a drawer at my house. When someone sends pillowcases their name will go in the drawing. All details to come next week.

Still beading the four corners of my quilt while watching the Olympics. I would not have thought coming up with ideas for beading would be so hard. I also included sequins so I could mke some sequin flowers that Jo in NZ taught us. Not a piece of thread on the triangles except for beading thread which you do not see.

I don't know if I mentioned about ordering beads from a place called Artbeads.com that charge no shipping. I just received another order today and I really like their beads and their fast service. Last week it was also free shipping to Canada then today I found out that normally it is only $1.00 to ship to Canada. Give them a try gals.

I cannot believe a week has passed so fast. When your son calls you up and says Mom you haven't blogged since Monday then you know it is time.

I have had a busy week between housework, a luncheon, the Olympics, sewing pillowcases which I will show you and life in general I have hardly been near the computer. Just a quick check of emails and that is it.

I mentioned making pillowcases and this is for Operation Pillowcase I heard about through Deb. Spincic. They were trying to get 200 pillowcases made to be sent to a unit in either Iraq or Afhganistan. I said I would make some and I am happy to say I made 15. I will show a pic of examples. I made: 4 nascar print, 2 hockey print, 2 football print, 2 dog print and for the ladies (we forget they are over there also) 3 star fabric and 2 from a length of mock crazy quilt fabric for a total of 15 cases. I will be mailing them off this week. Stay tuned for a great giveaway basket for gals making cases for the next group which will be for 500 soldiers. You do not have to buy fabric. I did because I had nothing down here except fancies but the quilters are using up their old stashes and they are looking great. More on this in a week or so.

Also included in my busy week was a few hours at the January Extravaganza at Renningers flea market. It was finally a nice sunny day and I did buy quite a few different things BUT the thing that tickled me the most cost 1.00. It was a pair of rick rack earrings hand made. I took pics but had a hard time getting good shots. I was in a hurry making dinner at the same time. They were made out of 4 layers of rick rack - ist is pink rimmed with silver, next purple then another layer of pink & silver and purple on top. There are flower spokes going out in a metallic thread with a pearl in the middle. She had 3 pair but these were the prettiest. They were the old screw backs so assume they were made awhile back. Funny what tickles the funnybone. I also took a picture of a card of mother of pearl buttons I got. The very large purplish one at the bottom left did not come on the card. I just put it there for the pic. I bought it to go on my quilt I am working on and a couple of the others will likely appear there also. I am signing off to go watch the skating coming up.

Well the computer is finally up and running 24 hrs. a day instead of when the router felt like letting it connect. I was a very unhappy gal again this past week but Harv finally got both his new laptop and mine connected back to the new router and (touch wood) it is all working. I have been not far from the tv since Friday and enjoying every minute of it except for the terrible accident on the luge track. I have been a fan of Appollo Ono since he first came on the scene I guess 8 years ago. this is his 3rd. Olympics.

Well my computer worked but blogger didn't. I had a nice long email and it did not save it except for the above paragraph and would not post pics. I will try again today.

The book I am recommending today is Punchneedle The Complete Guide. Saw this book as I was in the checkout line at JoAnnes and still had an extra 50% off coupon so I grabbed it. The cover just grabs you. It is the best punchneedle book I have seen for guiding you through all the trials of getting started - what fabrics you can use and many hints on how to use very unusual ones plus some beautiful ideas in the gallery section. It is wire bound so opens flat for us sewers. You wonder why more do not do this. I had a bunch of my books cut off the binding and add this feature. I had them done at Office Depot and it was really not expensive. Watch for coupons. I think it was only around 1.50 a book a couple of years ago. Here are the pics I hope and you can judge for yourselves.

How many Canadians remember Barbara Ann Scott. She was my idol when I was a child in Toronto. Well she was one of the ones carrying the flag all dressed in white with Bobby Orr, etc. just before the lighting the torch. She was a figure skater for those who don't know the name. Still alive and well and lives in Chicago. When I first moved from Toronto to Chicago after being there a number of years I was invited to join the Canadian Woman's Club and when I received my membership book for the year whose name did I see but Barbara Ann Scott King as a member. I was so excited until I found out no one had ever seen her - not even the consulate's wife. she apparently was an honorary member. She leads a very quiet, almost recluse life, and you never read a thing in the social pages about her.

1st corner finished

With Harv off volunteering with taxes at the library on Tues. afternoon and all day Wed. I spent a quiet afternoon yesterday sitting and beading. I don't usually sit and sew much in the daytime. I usually do it at night while listening to tv and glancing up for important parts. Last night after beading all day I finished the first corner. It doesn't look like much time but it does take time. I will start on the 2nd. one tonight.

For my friend Pam Kellogg the robins are coming. Harv called me the other day and said look at the birds on the back lawn. There were hundreds of robins. I don't remember ever seeing a whole flock of them like this. They must be migrating north and used our yard and pond for a days rest. Harv said some of them were having a bath in the pond. Next day they were gone. Usually you just see one or two at a time so it was quite a sight. Spring is coming Pam.

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Tonight I am going to give you my opinion of Ann Cox's new Book A-Z of Silk ribbon Flowers. This is a beautiful book and she gives instructions for making 32 different silk ribbon flowers. She also goes into detail about painting backgrounds and painting the silk ribbon flowers once they are made. I would not recommend this book for beginners. I would say that this is more for the experienced silk ribbon embroiderers. I myself would be nervous painting the petals of a flower once it was all done and down on a cq block. What if you messed it up and had to rip it out. I think I would do my flowers first on a piece of fabric, then paint them and when dry sew them into your cq square. Tthat is probably just me - nervous Annie. I bet Allie and Barbara B. could do a great job on these.

I have Ann Cox's other books and think they are more geared to the beginner.
It is wonderful eye candy and I am glad I received it.

I was asked by Queen Bee's Musing what color butterfly was I going to put in the middle of my quilt. Here is my answer" Thanks for visiting my blog. I should tell you that about the only thing common to the butterfly quilt and my version is that I liked the way they laid out the blocks and did the triangles around the center. I do not think there will be a butterfly in the middle. I am thinking of an angel or fairy that I would make wings for and embellish it down to a background. First I have to find a good size pic that I can blow up and print to 8 1/2 x 11 - then think about adding wings. We will see what happens when I get all the blocks done.

Rick Rack Flowers

Just a quick post to show you an apron I bought at the flea market a couple of weeks ago. the only reason I bought it was I took a second look and discovered all the flowers were not embroidered but made with rick rack. We have had some conversations on CQ Embellishers about how to make them.

The apron only cost 2.50 and I washed it up and pressed it. It was made with a very good quality organdy and ironed up very well without even spray starch. I put it on and had Harv take a couple of pics of it. Just dawned on me that I should have taken a closeup of a couple of the flowers. Next time I have the camera out I will do that and post them.

This was home made and I assume the sewer was left handed hence the pocket being on the left side. Being right handed it felt funny to put my left hand in the pocket.

I said I was packing away my butterfly quilt but it hasn't happened yet. I had done nothing on the four triangles that border the centre piece. I thought it would be different to do the 4 triangles in beads only. I sat last night and this afternoon and worked on what I will call triangle #1. Have no idea which corner it will go in but for now it is #1. I did put a piece of black fabric in the centre of each piece and now I am glad I did. I had a pretty pink stone dragonfly and it went perfectly on there. I have 2 more pretty ones I have picked up at the flea markets so will be on the prowl for one more so each triangle will have one in the same place. I have an idea for the middle piece if I can find the right print. I would like to put a lady on there with wings that I would make. A very precious lady like a fairy or angel type. I am on the lookout for one. If anyone sees one that they think I might like please let me know where you see it and I will check it out. It will be the last thing made so I have plenty of time

I thought it was about time to show some stitching on here as I am supposed to be a crazy quilter. Lately it looks like I have just been a shopper for books and a flea market junkie. Of course the junkie will not stop and I am good until the next good book appears.

I have also copied the pattern on fabric for the punchneedle pillow that I am going to make. Something easy to work on while I am watching the Olympics. This is the pillow where I had the book, ordered the special threads and the complete pattern from somewhere and she sent me all the threads and said the pattern wasn't available. I was mad at first - thought it was bad business to do something like that - then cooled down and decided to just copy it myself from the book which I did yesterday afternoon. Copied it in 2 pages then put it together to make the complete pattern. I put a lamp under our glass kitchen table and had a light box of sorts. It took awhile but now I can do it and use the threads. Will post pics tomorrow of this.

VALENTINE GIFT

Harv usually goes out to pick up the mail. The boxes are right in the circle to the side of our house so he holds court out there when people come to the mailbox. He knows more people on our end of the street then I do. He keeps coming in with packages and they are all for me. He chided me that I was the one that was not interested in learning the computer and look at me now. He said "you would never have met all these wonderful friends you have made from all over the world" and he is right.
This is now the gal who was going crazy because I could not get on line for a few days. My how times change and I do want to tell you all sincerely how much I enjoy your friendships and look forward to you reading my blog and for me reading all of yours. It has brought a whole new element into my life. I usually do my reading first thing in the morning before I get dressed and start my day and then after supper - like now - before I sit to either watch tv or read a good book.

I started this to tell you I received a valentine package from my friend Pam Kellogg of Kitty and me Designs. She sent me a valentine bag with 4 delicious cookie bars in it and they arrived in good shape. She also sent me one of her little bird nests with a darling bird sitting on it. It was again wrapped beautifully. You really hate to open her packages. This was very sweet of her and I would like to show them to you.
Needless to say the four cookies were gone that evening - I did share. I love shortbread and Harv loves anything made with candied cherries so we were both happy. Thank you again Pam.

I should also thank my 2 children who read this blog. My daughter Susan and my son David who lives in Minneapolis. This is how he keeps track of what is happening in our lives whether in Chicago or Florida. We do talk also at least once a week and he is our go to guy when we need computer help. With Susan we just chatter away about kids, thrift shops, etc. I don't think my son Mike ever reads this. He probably gets enough of me on the phone.

I am back to being a happy camper. My computer was down since Mon. due to a boondogle with our new Router. We now have our dell computer in the den, Harv's new laptop in the sunroom and my laptop in my sewing room. Well he was trying to make them into a network and something went wrong and guess who was without a computer for a few days. I could use the dell to get my email but all my blog stuff was on mine and I could not get at it. Well he just got it fixed and here I am. I may even start feeding him again.

I have a little prize package ready to send out to Teresa but her address was in my favorites and couldn't get at it. Hopefully I can get to the post office tomorrow and get it on its way. About time, eh Teresa?

Recently I went to the blog for "Haiti by Hand" and they have an etsy shop where artists are donating some of their works and all the proceeds are going directly to Haiti. Well I went and looked and found this lovely journal made by Ludid Ryu. Along with the journal she enclosed a pack of note cards for me. Very generous of her to add this in also to my purchase. As I said the artists are making nothing on this just giving from their hearts.

I have included pictures of the front cover, the very ingenious backcover and closing. She filled it with a generous supply of artist's paper for journaling. She also included a smaller piece of colored paper every third page all the way throuhout the journal. She closed it with velcro in a very neat way. The front cover has a great piece of decorated fabric that wraps around to the back and closes with the velcro and she has designed a small beaded piece also for the back. She gave me her blog address on a card she enclosed but I cannot get through to it. Will keep trying to give her my thanks.