The Rut Gets Deeper

I have been working all day and not sure what, if anything, I have accomplished.  Still working on the foundation pieced patterns, making adjustments, redoing them and then going back to the original.  I think, I hope, I have finally finished that part.
Hubby, dear man that he is, is getting supper again.  I think I will take tomorrow off and work on a baby blanket that has already been sold.  There is also a craft sale in the village that I want to see and some shopping to do for pot luck at church on Sunday.
I worked right through and didn't realize how late it was getting.  I didn't take wee Heidi for her walk and, as I was out yesterday, she didn't get to go then either.  I will have to play chase the ball with her so she can get her exercise.  My body is out of luck.
The roads are going to be bad tonight when the temperatures drop again.  If you are travelling, please be careful,
Blessings,

Another Injury

Just a quick post tonight as I am having a couple of women over for a quilting lesson.
Hubby went to the doctor's today for his pre op checkup and to find out what he did to his side when he hurt it.  He was carrying a chair and banged it into a tree,
Apparently, he has a cracked rib.  Just one more injury to add to the list.
All our snow has gone again and we have 6 degrees plus and rain.  I hate it when the season doesn't settle in.  It will eventually, of course, but right now it is like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I only have a bit more work to do on the quilt that is on the frame and am making good progress on the foundation pieced top.  I have made a mistake on one section which has to be taken out but, fortunately, I hadn't got many of them done.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who live to the south of the border.
Blessings,

Free Tree Ornament Pattern

 

 

 

Fabric Ornament

You can make numerous ornaments all the same colour with strip piecing method or individually as scrappies.  Instructions will be given for both.
Fabric amounts aren't given as they can be made from small amounts of left over fabric.

 

Strip Piecing:

Cut 2-1” X 15” strips of dark or medium colour fabric (A)

Cut 1-2” X 15” strip of light fabric. (B)

Sew a   1” X 15”  strip on either side of the 2” strip.  Press toward centre

Cut into 6-3” X 2” pieces.

 

Cut 2-1” X 15” strips of  bright fabric (C)

Cut 1-2” X 15” strips of (A) fabric

Sew A on either side of C

Cut into 12 3” X 1” pieces and sew onto the top and bottom of the 6 pieces.  Press toward the centre.

 

 

Scrappy Method

 

For each ornament:

Cut 1- 2” square of . (A) light fabric

Cut 4-1” X 2” strips of (B) medium or dark fabric

Sew 2 B strips on opposite sides of A

Cut 1-1” X4” strip bright  © fabric

Sub cut into 4-1” sections and sew onto either end of the 2 remaining B strips.

 

This next step is the same for both methods

 

Cut a 3” square of fabric for backing

Cut a 5” length of ribbon for a hanger.

Fold ribbon in half and place in the center (on the right side) of one of the pieced squares with edges even with raw edge of square.  Pin or baste in place.

Place backing square on pieced square, right sides together, sew around leaving and opening at the bottom for turning.  Trim corners, turn right side out  Lightly stuff with batting and sew opening.

Place a decorative/seasonal button in the centre of the ornament and attach by stitching through all the layers.  Hide end of the thread by pushing needle through top layer and trim.

 

The Invisable Dog.

Our significant weather advisory has changed to a snowfall warning.  We woke to snow on the ground this morning but it had melted by afternoon.  However, it has started again so we should get a bit of accumulation.  This lot isn't likely to stay either as we are predicted to go up to plus 8 by the end of the coming week.
I really wish it would stay.  I feel so more at peace when the ground is snow covered.  I am not sure why this is but winter has always been my favourite season.  I know I am in the minority but I find it both relaxing and invigorating.
I am going to have to buy another of the little lights that clip on to a dogs collar as Heidi is so difficult to see in the snow when she goes out at night.  She is on her rope but I still like to know where she is just in case there is a critter around. Right now, she is doing a good imitation of the invisible dog.
I got quite a lot accomplished today on the foundation pieced top.  I have run out of paper but have enough to finish another section.  I have an order in at my wholesalers for more paper so am in great hopes of finishing all the sections by the end of next week.
Our middle son is coming for a few weeks early in December so we are starting to get things ready.  His plane arrives in the middle of the night so we booked a motel room for him and then we can pick him up the next day.  It will be the first time he has been here and he arrives just after one of hubby's operations so it will be nice to have help doing the heavy lifting.
Enjoy your weekend.
blessings,

Significant Weather Predicted

We are supposed to get our first 'significant' snowfall tonight and tomorrow.  We are ready.  Hubby just got his snow tires on today, mine are already on, we have wood cut and stacked and a freezer full of food.
The wind has been howling on and off since yesterday and I have been expecting the hydro to go but, other than a flicker, everything is fine.  We don't get as many outages as we did when we first moved here.  In 2008, the power was always going out.  Since then, poles have been replaced and trees trimmed back from the lines.  I would think that is cheaper to do this that pay crews hours of overtime.
I started quilting the crib quilt that is on my frame today but most of my time was spent baking.  I have enough bread for almost two weeks, breakfast cereal that should last almost as long and a huge pot of chili. I need to replace a zipper in my dressier winter coat so will take that out tonight while watching television.
Time for us all to adjust our driving to winter conditions.  Greater following distances from the vehicle ahead is one of the best ways of avoiding a collision  Stay safe.  You are the world to someone.
blessings,

Buds on the Lilac

 

 

 

These photos were taken at the beginning of November last year.  Today, as we are in the middle of the third week of November, I finished winterizing my roses.  As I was raking up some more leaves to put around the various bushes, I noticed that my lilac was starting to bud.  I know that everyone has been enjoying the weather but I am concerned about what it is doing to the plants.  They need a certain amount of dormancy to produce the following years.  Also, if they are budding now they will certainly be harmed when winter does arrive. We are supposed to get snow on Friday so that should stop any further advancement of bud growth.

 

I got another crib quilt onto the frame today.  I haven't decided how I want to quilt it yet but at least it is loaded and ready.

Hubby went in to see the surgeon who is going to do his hip replacement today and he is ready to go as soon as he has had his hernia operation.  This is good news.  We are anxious for it to be done as soon as possible so he can start healing and get back to life without so much pain.

We thought he might have to wait a while before he was able to get scheduled so are thankful it isn't the case.  A big thank you to those who have been praying for him.

blessings,

Shopping. UGH!

Is there anything more tiring and unrewarding than grocery shopping?  You have to go through the pantry to determine what is needed, make your list, drive to the next community, shop, get everything on the checkout counter making sure to put all the perishables together so they can be packed first and watch to make sure the clerk puts them in the provided freezer bags.  You have to keep an eye on the  till display in case an item you thought was on sale isn't, while loading your cart with the filled bags.  Hand over the club card, pay for your purchases, load everything in the car, return the cart to its proper location and drive home. 
You want nothing more than to have a cup of tea and something to eat as you didn't stop for lunch but those groceries have to be put away.  Everything is finally finished and you hear the dreaded words "what's for supper'.  Ugh!   I have cook this stuff, too?  Fortunately, my dear one is happy with the half prized salad kit and some home made burgers.
I know I am fortunate to be able to afford groceries and have a vehicle to get to the store and back but shopping is one of my least favourite chores.  I invariably have a problem.  Once it was a clerk who put all the perishables in regular bags and the dish liquid etc in the freezer bags.  I had been talking to a friend and not paying attention.  When I unpacked at home, it was to discover that my ice cream had returned to it original form.  I phoned the office but their suggestion of returning the item didn't help when it involved an hour round trip.
I had another clerk today who wasn't happy with her job and she tried to put toilet cleaner in with fresh produce and then, despite the fact I had enough bags to do everyone in the store, she just put a number of items on the counter for me to load into the cart.  I placed them all in a couple of bags and silently hoped that the rest of her day went better.
I am now enjoying my tea and watching the birds flitter around the feeders.  I am sure they are a bit confused as to what season it is.  We have plus 10C today.  Last year at this time we were knee deep in snow.
Shopping is finished for at least a couple of weeks and I know what I am serving for supper so my world is, once again, rotating smoothly on its axis.
Blessings,

Family

We are getting a bit of snow falling this evening.  It is a nice change from the rain that seems to have been non stop for the past week.  Now that the Christmas craft sales are well underway, a little snow will help people get ready for shopping.  I have all my items ready for the sale I will be at tomorrow and only have to make my lunch.  I will do hat tonight as I will be leaving shortly after 8 a.m.
I had a lovely visit with my sister.  We watched a music DVD with hubby while I appliqued and she crocheted.  A very homey and peaceful evening.  She is now back at her son's but I am so glad we had a bit of time together.
I missed my brother's and sister's growing up years as they and my mother moved to England when I was 16.  I had already left home and was working so, although I had the chance, I didn't go with them.  Of course, I thought I was all grown up and could manage on my own.  I did manage but it wasn't until I went for a visit more than 10 years later that I realized what it was like to have a family.  It is still a wonder to me when I notice family traits like my sister and I were winter boots without socks.
Dreadful news coming from Paris this evening.  I have a nephew and his family in France so I will be worrying about him until I hear he is alright.  He does photography in Paris as well as other areas.
What a world.
Blessings,

Colouring for a Stress free Life

I bought a colouring book for adults a while ago and yesterday I located some crayons I got for quilt marking.  I started colouring one picture but found that I really need to use pencil crayons as the lines are too close together.
Apparently, this is a new craze-adults colouring.  A lady in my on line group mentioned that the staff where she works keep some on hand to give to those who are feeling fretful as it helps them become calmer.
I haven't noticed that I feeling any differently while doing this but perhaps because I have only done a little bit.  I am going to keep the book handy for the next time the hydro goes out as it will be something I can do without a lot of light.
Tomorrow, my sister is coming for a visit so I probably won't be posting.
Blessings

The Big Wind.

If you live in Ontario you probably heard about,  or were affected by, the severe winds that blew through our area early Friday morning.  Our hydro flickered and went out just before 10 a.m. and didn't come back on until mid afternoon on Sunday.  Some people waited for a day longer than that. 

We have one phone that works during such times although it was sporadic and that made the situation  a bit easier.  A friend who lives in the village called to say there were a half dozen hydro poles down just north of the community.  There was also a lot of trees and power lines down in other areas so about 80,000 people were affected.

I decided to go into the village and do a bit of shopping and send off a parcel as most businesses have a generator.  Couldn't buy dairy products at the store because they didn't want the cooler's opened and couldn't send my parcel and the computerized stuff wasn't working so I came home.

I had had a bit of a delay before I could leave the house as we had a tree across the driveway.  Dear hubby went out, as you can see in the photo, and removed it for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was quite exciting when the power came back again and we went around flushing toilets, adjusting clocks and trying to remember we could turn on a light when we went into a dark room.

Today, I have been finishing up the last of the items for a craft sale on Sat.  The final baby quilt is on the frame and only needs a couple more rows to be completed.  I want to add a bit of red ribbon and a few more additions from nature to the table decorations and they will also be finished.

 

Tomorrow we go into the village for the Remembrance Day service.  It is a priority for us.

Blessings,

The Batting Cupboard??

I got a lot accomplished today again although the day didn't look promising at first.  Last month, I had prepared a craft project ready for assembly and that was one of the things on today's agenda.  However, I couldn't remember where I put it.  I remembered putting it in a shopping bag and that was as far as my recall went.  Searching all the logical spots, followed by the illogical ones failed.  Hubby did a bit of poking around as well without any better result.
I decided to go on with the other things I needed to do and as I got ready for one of them, I had a thought.  And I was right.  I had, for some reason, put the bag in the batting cupboard.
I've spent the rest of the doing crafts and getting a quilt top almost completed.  All these items are for the Christmas craft sale on the 14th.  There is still more to be done but I wanted to get a good start as my sister is visiting from England.  We will, of course, be getting together and I didn't want to be worrying about a craft sale instead of enjoying our time together.
We have had another gloriously warm day which makes it difficult to stay inside.  Heidi and I went for our usual walk and then stayed out a bit longer visiting the chickens and taking to hubby who was puttering around.
Blessings,

Walking the Line

Hubby was saying today, as we returned from his appointment with a specialist and doing some shopping, that our social life seems to be more focused on the medical than anything else.  As he was saying this, he was noting down his meeting with the surgeon that will be doing his hip replacement.
As much as I hate to admit it, there is a lot of truth in what he says.  When I look at the calendar now, I see that more of the days involve doctor visits that anything else; and they aren't all my husband's.  I realized today that being out nearly seven hours is exhausting.  Especially when you still have to take care of getting a meal and cleaning up as well. 
I am still quite active and healthy but there are days when I am aware that I am almost at another of those birthdays that end in a zero.
We are experiencing some remarkably warm weather.  There were a lot of motorcycles on the road today getting in one more ride.  One year, while we were living in Edmonton, hubby and I had our bikes out for a ride on New Year's day.  The temperature dropped and snow arrived the next day but we had earned bragging rights.
I bought a new bird feeder today that is much bigger than the one we had.  I filled it up this evening so am looking forward to seeing the birds enjoy it tomorrow. I was talking to a lady at the store who was mentioning her problems with squirrels getting into her feeder.  I told her that I turned a wire coat hanger into a hanger that has a hook on either end.  One goes over the clothes line and the feeder hangs from the other.  The squirrels have never bothered the feeder.  I think the clothes line might be the deterrent. 
Blessings,

Foam Board Ruler

I am going to be going out in a few moments but thought I would take time to post a few words before dashing out the door.  I had a rather long list of things to get done today and got them all accomplished plus visiting with our neighbour and taking the dog for a walk.  It has been unseasonably mild and the neighbour was working in her garden wearing a tank top.  Usually, this time of year we are into winter wear and often have snow on the ground. It is supposed to get colder by the weekend but no snow predicted yet.  I have made an appointment to get my snow tires on next week though as it will arrive before long.
I saw an interesting idea on line today.  I have been wanting to do some quilting using a ruler but haven't got the right tools.  While checking out a sight on a different subject, I saw a post from a lady who had made rulers using foam board.  Great idea.  Minimal cost and easy to do.  I have quite a bit of it left over from another project so am going to start with a simple, gentle curve.  I won't have time to do it just yet but will let you know how it works.
This is another reason I enjoy quilting: there is also ways something new to learn.
Time to dash.
Blessings,