busy busy busy

Last weekend was the yearly scrapbooking weekend. It started early on Friday and ended just before supper on Sunday. I have to say a fun time was had by all.

I guess you could say its not a hobby for the less than dedicated. All of this was just for me to use on the weekend. Well the basket with the cushion, one box and the blue bag were raffle and auction items but I still had a ton of things to take with me. Paper,  punches, tools and necessities weigh a ton. I could not do this without the Banker. She is a fabulous friend and its due to her playing my pack mule that I get to this thing. I could do it myself but by the time I got it all delivered I would be having to pack it up and go home.

Oh yeah you need to be committed and we are. We have gone from a group of four of us to a group of eight, who go and join 38 other women for a scrappy weekend. I got over 70 pages put together for my yearly album. I am up to October and I had the best time. We raised $1000. for the Safe and Warm Shelter and that did not include the quilt raffle. That was donation and the bucket auction items. Princess Diva is in charge of this shindig and she does a top notch job.

The Banker's sister and sister-in-law joined us this time and The Sailor came as well. We go from 8:30 in the morning til 11:30 at night and the time flies!! Nearly a full work week in three days and not a complaint from any of us about how long it takes!!

We had lunch out on Friday and Teddy Bear joined us. Teddy Bear does not scrapbook or card make but she does like to join in on the fun as she can. We went to a new local bakery and OH MY the soup and sandwich were excellent!! Definitely have to go back there again soon. At the end of the weekend we did the traditional Chinese food supper before we headed to our own homes and back to the routine of everyday life. Teddy Bear came for that meal too.

Book club was another evening out this weekend which is always fun.  KitKat, Teddy Bear and I did supper out on Tuesday and then Thursday Teddy Bear and I did supper and then coffee. She stopped to get some things for herself for Christmas and picked my up some stocking stuffers at the same time. Tomorrow we (the No Cook Gals) are going out for brunch and then to a matinee performance of Mama Mia. Princess Diva is in the cast and we all want to see her perform. Lots of eating out this week.

CR was tickled pink with her finished quilt. I was so chuffed that she was tickled. it was gorgeous.

Today I did a smidgen of Christmas shopping. I got some supplies for a Christmas project and then I came home. I was not in the mood to fight the crowds today. So I bolted for home at the first possible chance and stayed there for the rest of the day.

I spent the rest of the day just putting things away. All the scrapbooking supplies, I put the finished pages into their album, I put boxes back into cupboards, found new homes for things, hung the lantern in the living room at long last.

I worked on the kitchen and I started to do the laundry. I hauled two bags of recycle out to the dumpster and I did some mending on a wall hanging I have at work. I worked on organizing my pictures on the computer and then got more ready to order. I had a nap. I was suppose to go pick up my prescriptions but I will do that in the morning before we head out for brunch. If I had gone for the prescriptions I would have wanted to get something for supper and I really needed to just stay in and finish off the hamburger stew I made last week. I had wanted to decorate the veranda today, I have the new garlands all fluffed and ready to hang but I really needed to get stuff put away. Things were getting out of control again and I will not let that happen.

There is lots more I could keep working on if I was staying home tomorrow but I have memories to make with my good friends.  I will probably regret not getting my prescriptions tonight but it will get me out of bed tomorrow morning.

I need to get the Christmas shopping finished so I can get things mailed.I have to mail my doily and I have several knitting projects to get done for people at work. Suddenly  I have knitted hats to make. I could be doing that or at least get it started but I am not in the mood. SO that will all go on the agenda for next week. Plus the Christmas decorating will begin next week. So exciting!!

Oh yes life is very good!!

Toodles
Linda

Like Sands Through the Hour Glass

Time keeps getting away on me and the next thing  I know its flown by and I have not accomplished as much as I wish I had, but what can you do. So lets wind the clock back a bit and I will ramble on and on about nothing until I am up to date

Last weekend I finally got at finishing the quilt I had been commissioned a year ago to finish. As always once I got going the process swallowed me whole and I got very little else accomplished. It was great fun though. I got to take a stab at something I had never had the nerve to try before. I sewed a curved seam. It turned out rather well, if I do say so myself. for a first try. I did a trial run first.

I then bit the bullet and gave it a go with the really good material. It worked out just fine. I had to go slow and steady and it paid off I think

I quickly made up one more last square and then got the top all sewn together. I could now move onto actually quilting it. I love this quilt, I love the blues and greens. The lady that made it has done such a good job on the other squares, I am pleased she decided to get it finished not let the thing languish in a box.

I have the last of the gremlins made. Three of them were created in total.

I made a special order puppet and worked on the housework in between times. The house is sliding into that horrible messy area again. Need to get the nipped in the bud asap.

If course the quilt is tugging at my attention and that is all that I want to do. I did manage to get out of the house to get some necessities and have coffee with the Banker last Saturday. Monday night Teddy Bear and I went to Bohemian Rhapsody with another friend. Excellent movie. Then supper out on Tuesday night with KitKat, had a migraine on Wednesday (such fun!!) then Thursday night the No Cook gang went to a Jann Arden Concert. She gave an excellent performance. I need to learn how to down load music one of these days. Between the movie about Queen and the concert I have realized that I don't have a lot of music that I like. I have never owned a lot of the music I like. SO I need to learn to download.

The time changed last weekend. I love this time change. That hour makes such a difference in my life, its like a little gift. Makes me feel normal again. Once a Saskatchewan girl always a Saskatchewan girl.

I managed to get the fall decorations off the veranda over the last week. They looked a little sad being out there in the snow. Now I just need to remember to get the snow shovels out of the shed before the door freezes shut and my three shovels are trapped for the winter. I was going to do that today, however I never went out of the house at all today. Today I finished the quilt!!

Maybe tomorrow I will liberate the shovels and put the last of the wine bottles into my car and get them delivered to a co-worker who wants them. I have an errand to run so that will get me out of the house I hope. I have been known to talk myself out of such things. I did not get all the things done on Saturday that I had hoped to.

Saturday morning I went to go run some errands and discovered that my battery was dead. No problem, I have CAA so I got a boost. Well nothing is that simple. Turns out the battery was toast. SO now my car has a new battery. I got a few of my errands done and really I did not need the rest of my pay cheque anyway. Sigh.

Next weekend is scrapbooking. Honestly November is an active month for me and thank GOD the events were paid for earlier in the year otherwise this gal would be sitting at home while her friends were out and about. Jann Arden, scrapbooking weekend and Mama Mia tickets were all bought a long time ago.

I'm not sure there is much more to tell. Quilting has taken up most of my time in the last couple of weeks. Now I can move onto all things Christmas. I need to get the Safe and Warm raffle going, make some posters, make some tickets and get going on selling those tickets.

Tomorrow is a day off so I am hoping to get some things done. Who know what will happen but I really hope that one of them is getting some housework done and a few loads of laundry taken care of.

Toodles
Linda

Catching up

Saskatchewan is, was and always will be "home" as far as I am concerned. No specific town or place but its just home. I have not lived there for more years than I did live there but whenever I speak of it, I call it home.

I love the flat open, miles and miles of miles and miles. That big beautiful sky and prairie. It gives you room to breath, has its own special sound and feel. You can see for miles and its my home!!

I was there to spend some time with The Carpenter, Busy and their family. I have not seem them since Christmas. Since my last visit we have added to the family tree. I got to meet Sweet Pea!! So cute, so adorable, and such a good baby. Tater Tot and the Wee Girl have grown so much. Being little can be a challenge when so much exciting stuff is going on and so many people are around. You are out of your routine but they did awesome. They are also super good with Sweet Pea. Lots of hugs and kisses, and many requests of "can I hold her?".

What really impressed me was that request did not go unanswered. The adults always said yes. Lets get a cushion, lets get on the couch and you can hold her.. It was so sweet.

It was a fun weekend. It was so nice to get out and go somewhere. The roads are great, the weather was good and there are lots of places to stop along the way. The car was in good running order so I did not have to panic every other minute that something may go wrong. The drive home at Christmas, the brakes needed work so it did cause a bit of a panic. So good to see everyone and spend a good weekend catching up.

They had family pictures taken and I even got in on it. Miss Mouse's friend did them and she did a first class job of it. There is an old weathered house on their property that is just a perfect backdrop for the pictures.

It was a little chilly but lots of snacks and warm coats helped us gt some good snaps and capture some lovely memories. The littles did well and we did not push the limit of their patience.

I now have lots of lovely new pictures to scrapbook. I am really looking foreward to my three day weekend of non stop scrapbooking in November. The Banker's sister and sister-in-law are joining us and so is the Sailor. This will make for some good fun.

Now its nose to the grindstone on the Christmas projects. I am back to the day to day routine of life. Back to work on getting myself back to a good place. One day at a time, one step at a time. I can see progress, the odd slip backward but progress.

I have been kicking things off the "to do" list which is good. I am making myself go and do more things for myself. Pushing myself to walk farther and stand longer. Its slow but I am making progress. This last Saturday, I walked all over Michaels, then made a trip around Giant Tiger. Neither are huge stores but I got the things I needed for myself. I did not ask anyone else to do it for me. This means the world to me, I do not like to have to ask for help. I hate asking for help,actually, I should be able to do for myself and its not up to anyone else to take care of me. SO baby steps foreward mean an awful lot it my world.

I still have quilts to make and Christmas things to create. It keeps me happy and busy. I have started my Christmas shopping and I got rid of three big boxes of donation stuff.

Sweet Pea's quilt and bumper pads are finished and delivered

Kit Kat, the Sailor and I had a card making day this last Sunday. I got a dozen greeting cards made that I will add to our donation basket. We always have a silent auction on scrapbooking weekend and The Banker and I are getting a basket of goodies together. I want to make a table runner to add to it as well.

I think that is all my news. I have missed updating the blog lately but now I think I am up to speed.

I am going to go and spend the rest of the evening crocheting then knitting.

Toodles
Linda

Coming soon

I am a bit behind on my posting and I plan to get back on track soon. So I will be posting soon and getting things back up to speed. I promise. Its just that at the moment I feel like crap and I need to get to bed. Just had a nice hot shower to try and warm my bone. I have been freezing all day.

So blog post soon!!

Toodles
Linda

Thanks

Lots to be thankful for, lots that could improve and lots that brings me to my knees but that's life isn't it? Up and down, good and bad. but in all of it, there is lots to be thankful for. Lots and lots.

Its a grey cold weekend. A good weekend to be in the house, sewing up a storm. I want to get Sweet Pea's crib quilt and bumper pads finished. I also want to get her loot bag sewn up. Christmas will be here before we know it (yes I did say that) and I want to get going before the last minute.

I spent yesterday quilting. Its was soothing to the soul. I find quilting one of the most pleasurable things I do. Spending a day at it was heavenly.

When the material is pretty and its for someone extra special, it makes the job even better. I am not quilting "x's" like I normally would. This is different and I have to say I do like the end result. Just a row of quilting down each side of the seams. Simple but effective.

I am more than half done, another good days go will have it finished except for the binding. I also got this done today.

The colour in the picture is not good at all because it is a lovely pale lilac colour. Just needs the ties and the bumper pads are ready to do another go round. We recycled the one I made for the Wee Girl. The innards were still good. so off with the old material and on with a new covering.

So that little project is chugging along nicely. I will probably spend tomorrow finishing up the quilt, doing laundry and maybe sew up the loot bag. Ticking things off the list left, right and center. It feels good to be getting it done.

I have a gremlin made but I need a bit of fun fur to finish him off. Two more of those to be done, then an Elmo puppet.

Other than that not much going on. My kitchen is a mess, its always a mess, a battle I never seem to win. The rest of the house is not that bad.

Its Thanksgiving weekend but I stayed homw, no turkey dinner for me today, I thought of getting a small one but I will save that plan for another day. Chicken breasts to the rescue  I cooked up some chicken almondine  which made up for it.  No pumpkin pie either but thats not the end of the world. I had a lovely supper, in my own home, going over all that I have in my life that makes me feel blessed. Its been a good weekend. Another thing to be grateful for.

Toodles
Linda

Come and Gone

Another week come and gone, Its Sunday already and the next week starts in the morning. Its been a quiet week. Slipping by quickly and quietly with not much to recommend itself. I am struggling to find anything to blog about.

I did forget to mention that last week I managed to straighten out the shed. I got the desk tucked into a corner where it will stay for the meantime, until I find a place for it in the house or I manage to convince myself to get rid of it. I also need to get the last of the wine bottles sent off to Princess Diva so that will free up some more space.

This week I really did not do much of anything at all. I finished the doily, its currently waiting for a wash and a starching. KitKat and I did our weekly supper but we went to her place and started to watch the first season of Animal Kingdom on Netflix. Its a money saving measure, I don't want to give up my social outings but I need to find some ways to cut costs. Pot luck is one way to do that.

I got the top sewn up for Sweet Pea's crib quilt on Saturday. Before I did that I had the most lovely sushi lunch with The Hostess. She treated me, which was very generous of her. We had a nice catch up over green tea and spicy crab. We managed to chatter for two hours before we parted ways and I headed home to the sewing machine.

I kept my nose to the grindstone, put Ozark on Netflix and did not come up for air until I had the top put together. Today I washed up the backing and I will start to quilt it this week. I also started to make the crocheted Gremlins for The Sailor and KitKat.

Laundry, soup making, and some general house work filled in the rest. Not a very action packed weekend. In short it has been a quiet week. I have not even got any pictures set up so I can post them. Never fear I shall post as soon as I have moved them from my phone to the computer. The few that there are.

I do not see anything changing much in this coming week. Month end will have slowed down so work should not be so hectic. I am going to try and get my "one room per day" cleaning schedule back into action. I like having a reasonably tidy house. I want to keep it this way.

Ok I am out of news, I got nothin'. Its time for bed anyway, so I will say good night.

Toodles
Linda

Short and Sweet...... or Short an dull ........you choose

So I finally got a picture taken of the quilt I will be using in the Safe and Warm fund raiser raffle this year. Princess Diva found the top in a charity shop, I quilted it up and hey presto, its done and ready to raise some cash for a cause dear to my heart

Its a pretty bow tie quilt and it worked up so quick and easy. I am very pleased with it. Now I am going to move onto making the crib set for Sweet Pea. I am in charge of the quilt and the bumper pads because that is what I like to give to the new babies.

I have been busy finishing some Mosaic tile projects. I got my grout on on Sunday and got three out of four done.

One set of house numbers and then a set of stars. I would have got the bench grouted but I ran out of black grout. I have a lot of white but white just is not going to cut it for the bench. So I need a pay day before that happens.

|I sold three puppets and got an order for one more. I also got an order for a doily. I have not made a doily in years. Took some doing to get my fingers used to working with that fine yarn again but I managed. I have an order for three gremlins as well. Never made a gremlin so that will be  challenge.  I will be busy from now to Christmas. Oh yes I have three dishcloths to knit as well. I have my own things I want to make for Christmas so all this should keep me out of trouble for a while.

We had snow on the weekend. Not much but snow on the first day of fall was not at all funny. If it was not dusting down snow, it was raining and cold and grey and windy and well fallish. It was a good weekend to be snug in the house, doing crafts and watching things that have been taped for ever. My PVR has never been so empty.

I cracked and turned the furnace up a hair. I also need to finish that sweater I have been knitting myself for years.Yeesh.

The Banker is home from her vacation down east with her Sweet Baboo. Its fun to be able to relate to where she went. I have been there and its nice to participate in the conversations, not just be on the sidelines saying "I want to go there someday". I want to go back of course, but I have been there once at least. Its nice to have her back again. We had a lot to catch up on.

Book club started up again after the summer off. Its nice to see everyone again and catch up on how everyone spent their summers. A bit like school starting again but so much more fun. We are going to an author reading for our next meeting so there is no book selection this month.

That's all I got. Short and sweet with nothing very exciting in the mix.

Better luck next time

Toodles
Linda