I've reached my Decluttering Goal of 50 bags but the job's not Done!

Today, with the 3 us tackling the basement for 1 1/2 hours we were able to rid ourselves of 5 bags of garbage and 3 boxes of stuff for Habbitat For Humanity.  Steve dismantled his model railroad... smashed it to smithereens!  We also got rid of old painting supplies, some counter top laminate and old tools, nuts, screws, bolts, etc.

The thing is, now I've already gone past my goal of 50 bags of stuff, but the decluttering is only about 1/2 done.  Now I have to rethink this one... double or nothing?... well double it anyway... aim for 100 bags decluttered... sounds like a good idea... after all I don't turn 50 for another 2 1/2 years!


Reached my goal of 50 bags today!
Decluttered 53 bags so far ... now aiming for 100!

Yea! We're Going to Vegas!

On Monday night, my husband I had a "meeting" to book our next vacation.  He still has some vacation time to use up and while we wanted to go somewhere warmer, we weren't enthused about going to the Caribbean during hurricane season.  We both have always wanted to see the lights of Vegas (hey, I grew up in a small northern city far from any big cities) and marvel at the wonder of the Grand Canyon.  Now it looks like we will do both.

I must admit that I'm a little nervous about it all.  Neither of us have been in an airplane since our Honeymoon 23 1/2 years ago.  Now we have booked flights with a stopover both ways (4 flights in all!).  Up until now, I've always booked our hotels through Expedia mostly.  This time we were booking flights, hotel rooms, car rental, theatre tickets (Phantom of the Opera), travel and medical insurance all at once!  It was a little overwhelming to say in the least!  It actually was quite easy to do on Expedia, but I am still a little anxious and second guessing myself...  I'm usually more slower paced and methodical when it comes to vacation planning.  We plan to leave in a couple of weeks!  Yikes!... I mean Yea!  I think.

More New Foods

5.  Shanghai Bok Choy and Baby Bok Choy

Our family tried Baby Bok Choy about a year ago and loved it!!!  This time when I went grocery shopping, I bought Shanghai Bok Choy.  We loved this one also!  I can't say if I noticed a difference between the two, but both are great!  This is the recipe that I use.

2 lbs Bok Choy
1 cup chopped bacon
2 cloves garlic
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb sliced leeks
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Clean and prepare the bok choy.  Set aside in two groups, leaves and stems.  (If you cook bok choy too long it becomes bitter.  The leaves cook faster than the stems, so I remove the stems and slice them like matchsticks.)

2.  In a wok or large skillet, over medium heat add olive oil, chopped garlic, mushrooms, leeks and bacon.

3.  When the leeks and mushrooms are about half cooked, add the bok choy stems.  Cook for 2 min.

4.  Add bok choy leaves and cook for another 2 min.  (avoid over cooking the bok choy).

5.  Season with pepper and salt to taste.

Serve as a side with rice or rice vermicelli if desired.


6.  Fennel and Anise

As far as I can tell, there isn't really any difference between these two.  But we love them both.  This vegetable has a mild licorice flavour which is really great in a stir fry.  I have also found many recipes for fennel on allrecipes.com.  One of the best is "Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel".

Making Progress

Now we're actually able to move around in 2 out of 3 rooms in the basement.  Our progress is clearly visible.  On Saturday we spent another hour down in the dungeon and removed another 10 bags of stuff... 3 garbage bags, boxes of religious books of my Dad's, old sports equipment, some unused craft items, bag of clothes, boots... etc.  Why on earth do we hold on to that stuff???  It's amazing me at how quickly we can actually get rid of it if we don't allow our emotions to get in the way.  Anyway, more of it is gone and I feel soooo much better!

Decluttered 46 bags so far ... aiming for 50!

8 bags worth... GONE!

On Saturday, my husband, son, and I were able to tackle some more cleaning in the basement.  This time ... the tool section... scattered all over the floor... duplicates, triplicates... etc.  Not any more.  They are neatly put away back on the shelves or hanging from the wall.  Surplus, outdated / antique tools have been donated.  Are we foolish?... Maybe.  But now there is room to actually walk on the floor... that has gotta be worth something!

Decluttered 36 bags so far ... aiming for 50!

Yeah! It's Done!

Yup... it's finally done.  Actually, this Comfort Quilt has been completed for nearly two weeks... all except for the label, that is.  We were encouraged to put a personal message on the label and I just needed time to ponder what to say.  I finally got my inspiration from a baby card I saw in the drug store while hunting for an anniversary card for friends.  The wording is not exactly the same, but I liked the idea of tying in how baby quilts can be used to bring comfort.  I got around to sewing it on this afternoon... just in time for the Kempenfelt Quilter's Guild meeting tomorrow night!

Goal # 26 of 50 Completed!

Goal #7 Make a cookbook of family favourites

I started to make a family cookbook about 2 years ago and had all but 9 pages left.  I needed it make it one of my 50 goals or it may have never been completed.  What a shame that would have been.

 

 

 

I just got the books in the mail on Tuesday and am excited to see them in print.

As I look through the completed book, there are two distinct page layout styles... so its not hard to tell which pages I started off with and which recipes were added towards the end.   Oh well, it wouldn't be me if it were consistent from start to finish. lol

This cookbook is 61 pages in total and has 76 recipes.  I ordered the books from artscow.com and am pleased with the results.

Perhaps I will start another cookbook using the newer / healthier recipes that I have been collecting... we'll see.

Goal # 7 0f 50 Accomplished ... at last!!!

Family Photo Shoot

One thing I regret as the kids were growing up is that we did not take many family photos.  To book a portrait sitting requires planning ahead and I'm much to spontaneous of a person for that.  So as a result most of our family pics are of a spontaneous nature... hey we're all here... lets snap a quick photo.

Fortunately, our daughter, Katelyn, is very much interested in photography.  She is the one who made this goal become a reality.  On August 29, 2010, a Sunday afternoon, she suggested that we pack a picnic and go to a park to take family photos.  She picked a location which is part way between home and University residence so that we could drop her off afterwards.  Thus, we ended up at a wonderful location... Bronte Creek Provincial Park near Burlington, ON.



Favourite Family Photo


The weather was perfect and we were all in a fun cooperative mood.  Katelyn had fun setting up the tripod and running into the shots.  The park used to be a farm at one time and had some apple trees. 

My goal was to take the best of those shots and make a photo book.  I had two of them printed by Artscow.com and got them using free credits plus the cost of shipping from Hong Kong to Canada.  The whole order came to less than $20 Canadian!  Amazing deal!  Great quality books too!

Goal # 6 of 50 Accomplished !

Sewing Baby Gifts

14.  Double-sided Receiving Blankets

I know several expectant mothers and thought I should restock my stash of receiving blankets.  They seem to be really appreciated as gifts.  They are two-sided; made of soft, warm flannel; and are large ... about one square metre.

Between yesterday and today, I made these four...

I love the expressions on the frog faces.... so happy!

3.  Snow Peas
 

  Although I have had snow peas served to me in restaurants before, they are not something I've ever bought and prepared.   These particular snow peas looked so good, I couldn't resist.  We all ended up liking them very much and I would definitely do them again. 

  Stir fry them in 1 Tbsp canola oil, 1 Tbsp butter or margarine for about 8 minutes until tender crisp.
Add 1 tsp cornstarch mixed in half a cup cold water, 1 pkg chicken OXO, and 1/2 tsp sugar.  Cook for approx 3 - 5 minutes until sauce thickens.


4.  Beets
    
  A friend of mine gave me some beets from her garden last week.  After battling a flu bug for the past 5 days, I finally got around to eating them today.  I have only tried them once before... last year... also from the same friend's garden.  I found a different recipe for them this time... and while they tasted OK... I think they will remain a once a year vegetable for us.

  Wash beets thoroughly.  Cut of roots and stems.  Boil covered with water for 40 minutes.  Rinse in cold water and rub off skins.  Heat 1 chopped onion  in 1 Tbsp butter, until tender.  Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp honey, grated lemon zest,  and grated ginger root.  Add sliced beets and heat for approx. 5 minutes.

Prairie Sampler Block of the Month Quilt

When I joined the Kempenfelt Quilter's Guild two weeks ago, they were starting a mystery block of the month program that members could sign up for a $5 fee.  I've never done a BOM quilt, nor have I done a mystery one.  Every time I've come across a mystery quilt on line, I've always peeked ahead to see if I liked it or not.  This time I'm just determined to blindly leap in... enjoy the process... and just wait and see how it turns out.

The final quilt is supposed to fit together like puzzle pieces.  It has a Prairie Sampler theme.  The first block we had to make is a windmill.  We were to make 4 blocks and join them together.  I worked on mine from start to finish today.  Total time was about 4 hours.  That includes having to take apart one block and redoing it... the windmill blades rotated in the opposite direction... something we weren't cautioned about in the pattern.  Guess I'll have to pay closer attention.

I'm not really sure what direction I'm taking with the colour scheme... except that I like the scrappy look... I find it more interesting to look at than just a few fabrics.  So far I am using fabric that I already have in my stash.



SEPTEMBER 2010 BOM - windmills



Adventurous Taste Buds

The start of 50 new foods...

1.  Okra

I have been in the habit of trying new foods for about a year now.  Generally I pick something at the grocery store, write its name down, and look up recipes on the net when I get home.  Okra was one veggie that I did in reverse.  I read about its nutrient value in a magazine, looked up and printed out recipes, and went to the grocery store, only to find out that they didn't carry it.  I did some more research and found out that it is very popular in the Southern states of U.S.A. 

When I went to Florida last may, I tried deep fried breaded okra as a side dish in a restaurant.  It was good, but its preparation method was not part of my new healthy lifestyle... so I only ate it the one time.  Two days ago, I was doing some grocery shopping for my daughter in Hamilton  (a 1.5 hour drive south from where I live in Ontario, Canada) when I came across some okra in the produce section.  I picked out 10 pods for my family to try.  Even the cashier had to ask me what they were... she hadn't a clue... had to ask me how to spell it.

When researching cooking methods, there was all kinds of advice on how to cook the okra so that it wouldn't be slimy... ewwwww... this stuff gets slimy?... Now I'm really not sure about it.  But I bought it, so I better try it... right?

I washed the okra.  Dried it thoroughly.  Cut off both ends.  Drizzled a little lime juice on them.  Fried them for about 20 minutes in my electric frying pan with a little Canola oil, some pepper, basil and tarragon (just because they're my favourite spices). 

The end result was not slimy (I understand that's mostly because I did not slice the pods) and tasted alright.  Just mediocre... no rave reviews from my family... they did politely eat them... and promptly informed me that they liked many other nutritious vegetables better... that we didn't need to add okra to our regulars list... or maybe even our ever again list!

But, hey, we gave it a try. 


2.  Sweet Dumpling (Heart of Gold) Squash

So I thought we'd be super adventurous and try two new foods today... both the okra and sweet dumpling squash.  I thought this squash looked inviting... both because of its stripey pattern and its unusual shape... these are just Thanksgiving decorations... right?... apparently not... they're for eating too!

This vegetable came with a bright pink sticker on the bottom with a recipe printed on it.  Sounded good... we'll give it a try... saves me a step of having to hunt for a recipe... besides it's printed on the label so it's got to be good... you'd think... we have to disagree.  While we were OK with the taste of the squash, I would definitely hunt for a different recipe.  After cooking it for more than 1.5 hours the potatoes were still raw and the milk ran all over.  Fortunately I had the foresight to precook the ground beef or I doubt any of it would have been safe to eat.

I will include the recipe from the label, just so that you know what NOT to make.
"Cut out stem end of squash and remove seeds.  Fill cavity with diced potatoes, onion, hamburger, salt and pepper.  Fill with milk.  Set in roaster pan with 2 cm of water.  Bake for 1 hour or until squash is soft.  Top with cheese slice before removing from oven."

My husband ate the squash skin and all.  The rest of use used a spoon to eat the fleshy part.  Is it OK to eat the skin?  Lots of fibre there!

Retro Gal at Heart

11.  Fun Retro Purse ~ for me... Because I love it!!!

I've heard it said, that if you have already done a decade you shouldn't revisit it!  But really... come on... I can't help it... So ya, I'm a retro gal at heart.  I found these fabrics in the merchant mall at the Simcoe County Quilt and Rug Fair... and well, they are so me!  I've had this purse in mind for a while and was just waiting for the right fabrics... and... bam!... there they were!

The purse design is based on the Sherbert Bag pattern by Melly and Me with some design modifications made by myself.  I am pleased with the results.  It is the first time I have used fusible pelon on the bag and I'm still not really sure if I like it.  It does help the bag hold its shape, but the fabric loses some of its suppleness.  Maybe as the purse is used, some of the stiffness will come out and I'll like it more. 

It is also the first time I have used a magnetic clasp.  It was so easy to install and works really well.  I would definitely use them again.

12.  Quack!  Duck Feet Baby Socks

These are so cute!!!  I found the pattern in a library book (Cute Knits for Baby Feet, by Sue Whiting)  and just had to make them!   I have been collecting gift items that go with a rubber ducky theme and these would be perfect!  I had some difficulty understanding the directions for shaping the heel but I think I got it... or at least close enough.

I used 1 ball of Paton's Astra (a sport weight yarn) and have enough left over to make at least one more pair.

13.  Coin Purse

This is a coin purse I made for Katelyn to match her book bag.  I will give it to her for her birthday with a peace necklace in it.

Small Comforts

Recently I have been compelled to make a quilt for charity... but , which one?  One of the great things about joining a quilt guild is that they all seem to have some quilting project on the go for a charity.

Small Comfort Quilt Kit

When I joined the Kempenfelt Quilter's Guild last week, they had a table set up with quilt kits for members to take home, make, and return.  The quilts, "Small Comfort Quilts", are made 40"x60" to cover the isolettes for at-risk premature babies in the neo-natal unit in Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), Barrie.  I selected a kit with cute baby prints and a deep purple backing.

Wanting more of a challenge than just joining 70 blocks together, I came across a pattern called "Wiggles and Giggles" in Country Woman magazine, April/May 2009 issue.  I had to add an extra row of blocks so the quilt would finish to the correct dimensions.  I also chose some of my own fabrics to coordinate with the baby prints given to me in the kit.  I cut out the pieces on Monday and sewed the blocks together yesterday and today.  This is my progress so far...
Now all I need to do is find a border fabric to match.
This one has been exciting watching it come together.

Simcoe County Quilt and Rug Fair

I attended this event on Friday (Sept 17, 2010) with my Mother-In-Law.  It is something we have done together many times over the years.  It has always been a secret ambition of mine to display one of my own quilt creations in this show... so I have added it to my list of 50 goals... who knows...

This wonderful event is held at the Simcoe County Museum located just outside of Barrie, Ontario, Canada.  The show features a room full of amazing quilts quilted by various guild members throughout Simcoe County.  There are also displays of Rug Hooking, Weaving, Embroidery, Lace Making, Teddy Bear Guild, a Craft sale, quilted items for sale, a Merchant Mall, and refreshments for sale. 

I always manage to find something at these shows that inspires me.  This time it was a hand appliqued wall hanging of the 1998 Peacemakers calendar.  I also loved a full sized Teddy Bear Quilt.  The quality of the machine applique, fabric choices, and cute bear blocks really appealed to me.  Another one that I loved had cute cats, mice, and bees all over it... also a machine applique.   Both the Teddy Bear and Cat quilts used a fine satin stitch  to applique the pieces in a thread colour to match the fabric.  I usually use a machine blanket stitch, but I really liked the look of the satin stitch.  Perhaps I will give it a try.

 I have noticed that with each passing year that the number of hand quilted quilts is dwindling.  There were very few in this show.  On the other hand, there were some lovely intricately machine quilted ones.

My most exciting find today were these four matching fabrics that I purchased in the Merchant Mall.  They are so me!!!   I had in mind to sew myself a purse with them,  but I am wondering if I will have enough left over to sew myself an apron as well.  (Hopefully I won't think of baking every time I carry my purse! lol)

I can't wait to sew...

The Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas

I have seen the Atlantis Resort on a few kids movies and travel shows and have always wanted to see it in person.  When I found out that the 4day cruise went to Nassau and that one of the Port Excursions was to the Aquarium at the Atlantis Resort... all I could say was... "Sign me Up!".

The Atlantis Resort was the first recognizable building outlined against the horizon as we headed towards Nassau.  Its silhouette is very impressive!

From our cruise ship, the "Disney Wonder", we were taken by tour bus, through the tourist attraction areas of downtown Nassau.  Our friendly driver gave us a lively narration along the way... pointed out government buildings, churches, shops, famous hospitals that celebrities have used, a banyan tree that stretched for two blocks, and historical sites such as Fort Flincastle and the Queens Staircase... and dropped us off at the Atlantis Resort. 

We were met by a guide who gave us a 1 hour tour of the Aquariums.  She impressed us with her knowledge of the marine life housed there as she walked us through "The Dig", The Reef and Underwater Viewing Tunnel", "Stingray Lagoon" and various other lagoons.  The whole resort was impressive.  The architectural and landscaping details were amazing!






We were fascinated by this extremely large grouper - about 6 - 8 feet long!










Gotta love those architectural details!



Part of our admission included the freedom to explore the resort on our own following the guided aquarium tour.

We explored the resort grounds at our leisure; walked through the casino; wandered through the shops at Marina Village; and, ate the most expensive sandwiches ever at Murray's Delicatessen -  cost about $17 US each!









Atlantis Marina



Posing for the required photo to log our Virtual Cache find.


We also hunted for and found 2 geocaches. 


All in all, a very unforgettable day!

Accomplished #5 of 50!

Out with the Old... A lot of It!

Wow, I'm exhausted!  We spent the whole afternoon tackling our basement and have managed to clean out one of three rooms.  Learning to let go of stuff is so difficult.  Thankfully my son was helping me and convincing me that we don't really need all this stuff.  It is so liberating to be finally rid of it!  The room looks so clean and empty... finally roomy enough for the plumber to replace our pipes.  It's a great motivation to continue on with the rest of the basement.  Perhaps in a few days or weeks.

For now, my front porch has 4 recycle bins that are overflowing.  The garbage pail is full, with extra bags lined up next to it.  The van is packed full of stuff for charity... there is only room for a driver.  All in all, we have removed the equivalent of 22 bags of stuff from our home today!  That combined with my previous total of 6, brings the current count to 28 out of 50.

Decluttered 28 bags of stuff out of 50

Yup! I signed Up!

So last night I went to the Kempenfelt Quilters' Guild meeting and became a new member.  I went by myself, which was a little intimidating, but at least I was going to a place where everyone had the same basic interest - Quilting! Yea!

The ladies were friendly and welcoming.  The club is really large!  I'm sure there were between 120-150 people there.  There were so many club activities going on, it was a little overwhelming... but I loved it!

Upon registering, I was given a welcome letter and a Chatelaine kit to make.  Never heard of a Chatelaine before... it is a scarf-like thing in natural muslin on the front and backed in red.  The ladies wear it to Guild meetings and attach their name tags and quilting pins to it.  I am encouraged to embellish it however I wish.  This is the hard part because if I go all out, I might attract attention... no longer be anonymous... set a reputation I might have to uphold.  Oh Phyllis, just let it go... enjoy.  That's what its really about.

 No sooner had I paid my membership... walked 2 steps... and was invited to join the block of the month club which starts today... sure!  Why not?... another $5... not bad for all the photocopying of instructions involved...  What this; its a mystery quilt?   A Prairie Sampler Block of the Month.  Well, who doesn't love a good mystery?  I just hope I don't agonize over my colour choices... Left the table with more papers in my hands.

Next table... Quilts for charity... The community project for this guild is "Small Comfort Quilts".  They make 40"x60" quilts to cover the isolettes for at-risk premature babies in the neo-natal unit at RVH.  They had several quilt kits made up for members to take home, make, and return.  So... Why not?... After all its on my list... #26 of 50... May as well get started... Selected one with cute baby print blocks.  Now my arms are getting full, must find a seat.  Two ladies that I met when coming in, Isabel and Brenda, have saved me a seat.  Very kind of them.  I drop my stuff on the chair and head to the other side of the room. 

Hmm... sign up for an all day class on Nov. 6 just to play with threads and learn new applique techniques.  Sounds very tempting, but it is the weekend closest to my son's birthday.  Maybe I better not.  I'm tempted just the same.

Next table... used quilting magazines on sale. $1 each. Great price!  I flip through some... do I really need another project?  I've just taken on 3 and I've only been here 10 minutes.  Head to the next table... the Guild's library.  Some really great books to sign out, but its the same story here.  I really must complete some of my projects before taking more on.

I head back to my seat.  The meeting is about to begin.  On the chair is a sealed envelop marked "President's Challenge".  We are directed by the President to open them.  Inside we each have a different paint chip card of about six colours which we are to match our fabric choices to.   We have until the December Guild meeting to make a quilt, placemat, table runner, bag, etc.  using at least two of the colours.  The colours I have are Peachtree, Rio Rose, and Tibet Tan.  Not my favourites.  In fact, I doubt I have anything in my stash to match.  Do I accept the challenge?... hmmm... that remains to be seen.

Our guest speaker was Anita Zobens, owner of The Cotton Mill Threadworks.  She educated us on the various sewing and quilting threads available and the sewing machine needles compatible with them.  She only sews with titanium top stitching needles.  During break, I headed over to her booth.  By now, I'm just about broke... but I really must have those needles... open my change purse and count out the coins... even parted with my lucky Olympic looney... must have Titanium... Yes!  Kinda silly really... Reminded me of my husband's enthusiasm over new golf clubs. lol

Near the end of the evening, there is time for show and tell.  We all Ohhhhd and Ahhhhd over some amazing quilts, some of them Comfort Quilts for RVH.  So much talent, all collected in one room.  Inspiring!  Now I really won't be able to sleep.

#8 of 50, Join a Quilt Guild, Accomplished!

The Wonder of "Disney's Wonder" ~ A 4-Day Cruise to the Bahamas

Ever since I was young and faithfully watched every episode of "Love Boat", I've wanted to go on a cruise.  It has taken me until this past May 16th - 20th  to overcome my uncertainties... mostly of... "Will I get seasick?" and "Won't I feel trapped and restless being confined to a ship?  Thankfully the answer to both is a resounding NO!  Now, I'm hooked and can't wait to go on another.




The Disney Wonder


A lot of people have asked me "Why Disney?"... simply put... "Because its the Best!"... or so I've been told.  (My husband and I certainly think so.)  "Isn't it for kids?"... while Disney excels at kids, there are plenty of adult only areas and late dinner seating times... we weren't bothered by kids at all.  What we liked best was the family atmosphere instead of the party scene (there aren't any casinos aboard ship).

The most comfortable deck chairs ever - I could have easily fallen asleep. 
As it was, we sat and chatted until the wee hours of the morning.



Definitely Romantic!



A Stunning Sunset as we depart from Nassau.

 "Is it Romantic?"... sort of... parts of it definitely were... depends on what defines Romance for you... but we were already empty nesters, so that wasn't of high importance...  I'd have to say that Disney definitely brings out the kid in you and we probably needed that more.

Disney's Extravagance.

The food aboard ship was absolutely amazing, especially the creme brule... to me that was worth the cost of the ticket alone! lol   The evening shows were Broadway quality and the special effects spectacular!  Our favourite evening was the Pirates of the Caribbean night.  We came prepared with costumes.  It was fun to dress up... haven't done that in a long time. 


Pirates of the Carribbean Night.

Arriving at port in Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas

Relaxin while waiting for our Port Excursion to the Atlantis Resort.



We had two ports of call, Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay (Disney's private island) followed by a day at sea.  Castaway Cay was especially beautiful and extremely hot that day... 100 degrees F!



Disney Wonder docked at Castaway Cay.



The Flying Dutchman from the Pirates of the Carribbean movie.



We rented bicycles for the morning and explored the Island.
We even found a geocache hidden in a coconut!



Coolin' off at the Adult only beach on Castaway Cay.



Me sporting my new swimsuit.  Sexy Mama... ha ha!

Goal # 4 of 50 Accomplished!!!

First Steps (#8 Join a Quilt Guild)

Quite often when I go to a quilt shop I am asked when making a purchase, "Do you belong to a Guild?  We give members 10% off".  Hmm... That's incentive. 

I meet every Tuesday with two friends (sometimes more) to sew... mostly our own quilting projects.  We each take turns hosting it in our home, while the others bring their sewing machines and projects.  Quilting is such a small part of what we do... we laugh, share our joys and sorrows, our struggles and triumphs, and most importantly, pray for one another.  Basically, we keep each other sane.  Somehow, we also manage to complete numerous sewing and quilting projects as well.

So I got to thinking, why not just give our group a name?  Make membership cards and pass ourselves off as a guild.  I did some research on the Internet, basically to see what a guild membership card looked like.  I found out that we are more like what some guilds call a kindred group.  What we do, isn't really what a guild does at all.  But what I did find out was that its not that expensive to join, isn't really that big of a commitment (I hope), and there is opportunity for your finished quilts to be exhibited in an annual show.  There are guest speakers, demos on techniques, show and tell times, a lending library...the list goes on.  Sounds good to me.  Sign me up. 

I did some research on 3 guilds, Simcoe County Quilter's Guild (which is best for me time wise, but I understand its so full that there's a waiting list),  Kempenfelt Quilter's Guild (which meets at the place, but in the evening) and Orillia Quilter's Guild (which I've heard is a lot of fun, but is much farther away).

Anyway, the Kempenfelt Quilter's Guild meets every third Thursday evening which would make it this Thursday night... actually tonight.  Their website hasn't been updated in a while and there is no specific schedule of meeting dates and topics listed.  So... I decided to walk over to the Knit and Quilt store and inquire there, just to be sure.  The ladies were very helpful and gave me a free guest pass to tonight's meeting (a savings of $5).  That's the first time I've gone to the store and left richer than when I entered (financially that is - I do feel richer when I've picked up a good bargain and some great advice).

Looking forward to tonight's meeting.  Also to the Simcoe County Quilt and Rug Fair on Friday.  Someday I hope to display one of my own creations in this wonderful show.  It has been a dream of mine for about 20 years.  But now I feel that I'm at a place where I can take action.  But that is goal # 11.  Here's to  First Steps....

Pushed Into Action

You know ever since I started blogging a few days ago, the realization of my goals has become a reality.  Since I have given voice to my dreams, the pace at which they are being accomplished has dramatically increased... some at my own choosing... others, not so much.  Decluttering seems to be one such goal.

I started out tackling the master bedroom two days ago and have had to switch focus to the basement.  You see, we got this call from our insurance agent last Friday saying that our plumbing did not pass the home inspection required by the new insurance company that we were switching to.  She did however find another company willing to insure us with galvanized pipes as long as they passed inspection by a certified plumber.  Yesterday afternoon was the inspection, and, as you may have guessed, our home failed miserably... hmmm... no surprise there.  Our home is 102 years old.  Guess there's bound to be problems.  Actually, a lot of them.  But we won't go there.

The plumber showed me which pipes have gotta go and the work seems to be confined to two areas of the basement.  Unfortunately, the clutter is so bad that movement is really confined.  He didn't say anything negative about it.  I understand he's seen far worse.  It just that its gotten way beyond my comfort level... to an extreme embarrassment!  Every time I go to the basement, I can't help but think of that brave fireman who died in someones basement in Barrie about 10 or more years ago.  There was a plea then for everyone to clean their basements and I did do ours then.  But, we didn't really change our habits and our basement has once again become a dumping ground.  Rather than make a definite decision about what to do with an item, we just shrugged and said, "Put it in the basement".  Well, now it has caught up with us.

After super last night, my son, Steve, and I rolled up our sleeves, and went into action.  In one hour, we had managed to fill 4 recycling boxes, 1 and a half green garbage bags, and start a pile of stuff for charity.  We moved a metal shelving unit to another location so that the plumber would have easier access to the pipes in the corner.
We had energy and motivation to do more, but had to stop due to the dust we had stirred up.  Both of us were choking and coughing and had to get outta there.  But it was a great start!

I will add today's work to my tally when the stuff is actually out of the house.  Till then, tomorrow awaits!

Other Book Covers

These are some previous book covers I have done.  They are not counted as part of my 50 projects as they were completed before May.

This is the very first book cover I made.  It is completely original - no design elements were copied.  The face is supposed to be me - minus the glasses - I look very young without added wrinkles! lol  This cover is for a scrapbook of mine that I continually add to.  It is a record of my health and ambitions toward a healthier lifestyle.
The only guidlines I had when making this cover were self-imposed.
1.  Use only scraps.
2.  Cannot buy any new fabrics.
3.  Cannot use a seam ripper - gotta learn to let the imperfections go.
4.  Be free to experiment,  and embelish with things you don't normally use, ie. beads, metalic thread, varigated thread, etc.
I am very happy with the results!

The next cover I made was for a 3" wide binder for my friend Pam's 50th Birthday.  Its intended use is for her to store her quilt patterns.  The backgrounds are all original.  The 2 trees and chickadee patterns are from the book, "Spirit of the Northwoods" by Debbie Field.

My next cover was for our Wedding Bible.  It has been well used for the past 23 years, and in need of a little TLC.  For Valentine's Day, I repaired it as best I could with tape and made this cover as a gift to my husband.

The cover is totally original.  I do not mind people using it for inspiration for their own project, but please don't reproduce it to publish or sell.





Inside cover with pocket, Back inside is same.

This is a fun little bookmark I made using the paper foundation piecing method.

This is not an original.  I don't know who to credit with that.  As far as I know, you're free to make as many as you wish.  I'd be cautious about selling them though.