Quilt Festival! My featured quilt...

The quilt I'm going to showcase is probably not my best work, nor my favourite.  But it represents a point in my life that I'm very excited about - the time that I took control and found something completely "selfish" and all about me.  

I'll start with the beginning.  I took a beginner class in quilting and completed a rail fence quilt, in colours to match my home decor - browns, reds, some greens.. earthy homey colours.  

Beautiful, but it just wasn't my thing.   I loved the class because it taught me all of the basics such as straightening fabric, cutting tips, mathematical tips, basting, binding, etc.   I recommend anyone to take a beginner course just for that head start.    I found the quilt boring though. And I think it's the fabrics that totally uninspired me.    

After discovering the plethora of fabrics online, initially through ebay, I purchased a few charm packs and strip sets in a bunch of modern colours, modern designs.  Ones that excited, inspired and motivated me to get started.  This is where my featured quilt comes into play.

I saw an online tutorial for a disappearing 9 patch and went with it.   I pieced together, and improvised my way along until I used up all of my fabric and I had a square quilt top done.  And alas, it was too small and needed more fabric.   

 Taking it to my local quilt shop, the owner there helped me choose the turquoise, green and brown borders to highlight the inside blocks.   What was really motivating is that she had never seen a quilt done in these colours before and she just loved it.   So much in fact, that when I returned to the store about a month later,   lo and behold a  quilt with the same colour combinations on display there!  Coincidence or not.. I don't know, but I'll make it my story. 

The quilt is simple - it shows my first stipple around the border, and I did straight echo stitching around the outer blocks.    The cotton chenille was a pain to work with - the fluff was everywhere - in my nose, upstairs, in my clothes...but I love the texture it gives.

This quilt is my favourite, not because of the fabrics or the pattern or the final effect, but more of a personal one.   It represents a turning point for myself personally - finally finding something that was my joy (aside from husband, kids and family of course) that was all about me...not pleasing for someone else, or benefitting someone else, but all about me.  Becoming a wife and mother is one of the most incredible gifts I've been given in my life, but in the process I've lost a bit of myself and my own interests in trying to juggle my "roles".  Quilting is something only I know how to do in this house, I get to choose the fabrics and patterns, I get to splurge and have a little shopping guilt.  I no longer hide behind my passion and call myself jokingly "granny Andrea" with that little bit of embarassment because I like to quilt.  Now, when I quilt, I am Andrea.  I love to quilt.  I am a quilter.    

This quilt represents the time when quilting became my passion, and it marks the beginning of my quilting joy and journey, of me living my life a little more for myself.   *remember to click on the photos for more detail 

 

and of course, you may be thinking...well, if this isn't her favourite quilt, which one is? 

It's this one. It made me feel like a real quilter.  The blocks were super simple, the colours totally fun and bold, and the machine quilting is what I'm so very proud of.  

Vintage Bed Linens for quilts

I have been obsessing, well, browsing at this etsy shop for the past few weeks.   I've never thought about making quilts from vintage sheets, but some of them look so pretty.  This favourite bundle and especially this favourite right now look so charming bundled together.   The shipping on them are a bit much for me at the moment though, as I ponder buying brand new all cottons vs vintage poly cottons.     I just love that lemony yellow combo though!  Perhaps I'll just need to find some yellow new stuff for my stash. 

I think I need to wait awhile though, as I just purchased a motherlode,  kona shot cottons,  wonderland charm packs, and katie jump rope fq bundles in geranium and blue.  

Please help me stop building my stash, and get me using it now!!! 

Participate in the Online Bloggers Quilt Festival!

This is hosted and dreamed up by Amy and it sounds like alot of fun. There are prizes too! I'm a new quilter and I don't have lots of stories, but I'll try and think of something!

Log Cabin Practice Runner

Just practicing doing a log cabin block from scraps in a different way than precut and measured pieces.  I'm in total need of some inspiring fabrics to do projects with, as these just did not cut it for me.   Yes, black, browns and dashes of brick are in my house, but making quilt blocks in these fabrics didn't feel inspiring at all.  

I've purchased some Katie Jump Rope fabric bundles, and I've been spying on some Kaufman aqua and reds that seem to be nice.    Also, I NEED to get a quilt done for my mil (still need to purchase that blue/white fabric, but I get the feeling it will be a blah feeling to quilt)

Maybe it's just a blah time for quilting, and I just need to continue my reading and soaking in of all the gorgeous blogs out there.  I'm in awe of what people create.   

I may need to do some fabric giveaways soon.  

Winter Woes

It's cruel punishment.   The past week has been in the mid teens (celsius) and sunny here.  Out came the sandals, the capri pants and the patio furniture.   The garage was swept and power washed of all the sand and gravel gunk that drops off the winter cars.  Bikes came out and we were ready to begin our summer.   We even had a fire on Saturday night with a glass of wine sitting out on the adirondack chairs and some blankets.  (quilts one day...I can't let them get dirty yet.)

What a cruel trick ole man winter played on us today.   It's just a freak storm, and should just last for the day, and back to nice weather by the end of the week, but still!!!!! 

Plain Spoken, Plain Complete

Binding complete, washed and dried and crinkly goodness included.

Fabric Purchase

Feeling rather confused about what to do next project wise.  Another ADD week.   I went to my favourite local quilt shop that has some of the modern prints that are out there, but not all of them.   And again.  Awestruck by the prices.   15.95 per meter.  Fat quarters were 4.95 and 5.95 each, depending on the line.   *shaking my head just thinking about it*

They did have some older Anna Griffin Christmas fabric on for 1/2 price, so I picked up these: I liked the limey green and the brick reds.  Stash builder for Christmas.

And they had this adorable bird fabric (16.95 per meter, gasp!) but I had to buy a bit of it.  Coincidently, it went really well with the christmas red and lime colours.   I may be able to put them together and disguise the Christmas part.

So, I really need to figure out what to sew next.   I think I need some shopping therapy and build some stash projects.   my problem is that I love everything out there, and can't focus in on a project.  

My Vancouver week in a few snapshots....

Met up with "Ned"'s new owners, Lorena and Baby Alexander.  Lorena shrieked when she opened Ned and started to cry! (hormones are still kicking her!)

This was at Buntzen Lake...they were filming a movie that day, and I'm guessing it was the Twilight series, New Moon, as the signage on the way in said N.M. Crew  and all the trailers, etc were all set up in the parking lot.  That and it's just the perfect spot for hazy, cloudy, misty vampirish stuff.  Buntzen Lake is where they filmed Lake Placid and Freddy Vs Jason.   It's a 10 minute drive from my sister's place in Port Moody.  It's gorgeous!  Ethan skipped his first rock on the water!  What a pro :-)

A cool shot of my boys at the Vancouver aquarium..

Drove through the rockies to get to Vancouver.   It was gorgeous. Photos just don't get the closeness of what the mountains really are.  They are truly magnificent. I love how you can see the glacier marks that have carved the striations in the rock.  Here are windshield photos:

Met up with friends and family each day,  Trent's grammy, my dad, my sister and brother and their families, my bcbabes (group of friends) whom made my heart strings tug way too much!

Spent a lot of time driving around and really really letting it sink in if it's where we want to live again. OMG the traffic is insane now! In 3 years, the congestion and skyrises and new developments shaving off the mountains are insane.   Coming back to Alberta, you could literally feel the stress of traffic and big city stuff go away.

It was an excellent visit.  A beautiful city, but I think I'm getting spoiled by my smaller city now! Even though we are the capital of Alberta, with all the big city ammenities, there's still so much more room here.  I just miss the forests, lakes, parks and outdoorsy stuff.  If only I could move them here, and bring my family and friends.  Life would be perfect wouldn't it?     

Hit some quilt stores, with much disappointment.  I resign myself to the fact that I'll be shopping at more online stores if my favourite local shop doesn't carry what I want for a decent price. wahh. 

I'm off to get some quilty inspiration and perhaps do a purchase or two for my next projects.   It's great to be back...

I love mail!!!

I have always loved getting mail.  In fact, I often wonder if I shop online just so that I can get mail.  Back in February I did a giveaway for some fabric, and I got a sweet surprise in the mail from one of the recipients.   It was so uncalled for, but I have to say...it really brightened my day and made me look so forward to the Spring (if it ever arrives!)

I love to garden, if I could intertwine it with quilting, my life would be set.  In fact, I just came home from the library, with "How to be a Hobby Farmer". Ya, Alberta is wearing off on me.

Look at the gorgeous goodies that arrived for me!!!  I am really touched at how thoughtful it is to share your garden with me...and I even received instructions too!  My coasters are mine...they will be my bedside tea coasters for when I'm leafing through my piles of quilting inspiration.  Thank you so much, grendelskin.  It was totally unnecessary, but so wonderful too :-)

A few things to share..

Been working on a few little things this week as I try and mend my body.  It's finally feeling alot more normal, and I've got my zing back!   Here's Ned #2,  that I made for my best friend Lorena.  She was coveting the ugly dolls when we were on our New York trip last May.  I told her in no way was "my" baby going to have an ugly doll as a stuffy.  He or she would be spoiled with perfect ones.  LOL.  So here is one I made for her...

Okay,  looking at this one, I need to squish the stuffing a bit, because HE looks a bit like a SHE! 

LOL. 

I also wanted to make one of these pillows for baby Alexander.  You know when you do a project and the effort it requires just doesn't feel satisfactory?  This was one of those long stitching projects, which wasn't very gratifying to me.  I'm glad it's done.  Embroidery certainly isn't on my list of pleasures.  You can click on the images to get more detail...

And here's the two together. The backing of the pillow is the same fabric as the stuffy, so they coordinate.   

Once I meet Alexander next week (!!!!) I'll get a feel to what kind of quilt he deserves. :-)

On that note, I'm off for Spring Break. We're driving to Vancouver through the Rockies, and will be "home" visiting family and friends.  Looking forward to it, but hoping for not too much pull of the heart strings.  

still sick

it's been bad.   knocked off my feet since monday.  high fever for 5 days. super huge and painful swollen glands.  thought it was the mumps or mono.   finally have some penicillin to wipe out what's going on, but it's still slow to go.  my poor baby embroidery pillow isn't getting done, my binding not done, my ugly doll for my friend's baby not even drafted yet.

i leave for vancouver for spring break in 4 days.  and i'm still not better yet. 

*insert pity music now please*

will post soon.

and the kicker -  winter storm warning today. 10-20 cm snow expected. today.  gah.

Tips from the inexperienced quilter

So the sickies have left the family and finally travelled to my body.  I was all confident and cocky that I hadn't gotten sick!  Welcome home little guys! ;-)

I'm the type that it takes a few days for something to sink in.  So on Friday I had the achey body, Saturday not so bad, Sunday I thought "that's it??" and this morning, it's back - head in a vice, really swollen glands, chest hurts.  Woe is me!  I need to quilt more.  That's what I did this weekend, and all those symptoms magically  went away!

So here's a sneak peak.  I finished machine quilting.  I thought at first it would be a disaster.  And it turned out just fine.  Actually, I'm really pleased.   

Things I learned:

1. get a pair of gardening gloves with the sticky dots on them.   I bought mine at the dollar store.  You can buy the same ones at the quilt shop for 10x the price if you'd like.  

2. get a pair of gardening gloves that fit a little snugly if you can.  I sewed my glove to my quilt.See the hole in the finger? hee hee! Actually, mine were huge, and after awhile of getting used to them, I figured things out, and had no more oopsies.

 3. After about 2 hours of quilting, I was in a lot of pain.  My wrist, forearm and shoulder were giving me warnings and so I took a break.   I looked on the net for some ergonomic tips and found this one, which made the rest of my quilting a breeze!  Turn your machine perpendicular to your body and quilt that way.  It made pushing and pulling the fabric back and forth so much easier and I wasn't twisting my wrist at odd angles anymore!

 

4.  Prefill about 8 bobbins of thread prior to beginning your work.  It really helped.  I usually don't do this, and it made things go so much smoother.

5.  when changing your bobbin,  take the moment to rethread your top thread entirely from the spool down to the needle.  Somehow, the tension may get compromised with the change of the bobbin, and ripping out stitching is no fun.  Especially with a cat that likes to eat thread.

Today, I'm hand sewing the binding!

Meet Ned

Ned is inspired by the Ugly Dolls I see at the specialty toy stores.

He cost $7.00 to make, and I have enough fabric left over to make about 10 more.  So, really, he cost about 50 cents.

My kids are fighting over Ned.  He's not even had his stitches put in yet, or his final touches of stuffing adjustment.

He's so weird and ugly.  And Ethan loves him.

Stash.

Since I started quilting about a year ago, I've been accumulating fabric.  My tastes have changed so much.   What do you do with the fabric that you don't like anymore?   I can't get rid of it, yet it doesn't inspire me enough to make anything with it.  

I look through my stash, and there's really only a few pieces that shout out to me as ones that I love and want to keep.   I hate accumulating lots of stuff.  Do you keep it in thinking that if tastes have changed in a year, they will change once again?

curious.

I'm learning that I'm the type of person that needs to buy for the project I"m about to embark on, not buy and then save it for future use.  

Progress..

Well, the quilt top is done.  I was sailing along on it thinking, ah no problem on this one, piece of cake.  Until I started ironing it...and I found one mistake.  Two thin strips of the same colour butted next to each other.  How I didn't see it prior to piecing it, I don't know.  Me thinks the little leprechauns were around....  after debating, I had to rip it apart and fix it up.  

I need to purchase backing fabric for this tomorrow, but in the meantime I did pieced binding with the left over fabric.  Shameless photo with my littlest guy, but the lighting was so perfect and so was he.  Look at his lashes!  Why can't I have those?

Plain Spoken colour thoughts

When I initially received my colour palette for my Plain Spoken quilt, I was enraptured by the beauty of them together.  When I cut out the pieces and started piecing them randomly (as was instructed) I started thinking uh oh.  This looks gross.

Here's what I mean.  These are only 6 of the 16 colours in the quilt.

And now, after having the 120 something blocks laid out on the floor in the midst of leap frog chain piecing, I'm enraptured again.

When combined with a multitude of other colours and placed randomly together, they look stunning again. 

So, look at the homely combinations above, and stay tuned for the finale later on...

Have you ever pieced colour combinations together that you thought would not work, and in the end they did?   I bet that happens with pattern and texture as well. 

Blue Palace by Johnny Karwan colour/print palette

Oh thank heavens!! I found blue and white!!  It's not quite the navy I was hoping for, but it's a new whole collection of blue and white prints.... a delft blue.. So pretty!   Now I have to figure out what to make with it before I order it all up!

I have been yearning for it for awhile, and finally, it's come alive!! I'm all giddy!

Fat Quarter Shop is where I spotted the two lines.  Now I have to do further research and see which one is crisper.  The blue palace looks like the blue has some white in it.  I like the crisper look of the bluework/redwork line.   We shall see. 

So, to all of you readers,  who lurk and don't... where do you buy your fabrics online? 

Here in Canada, at my quilting shops, fabric is at least 14.95/m .  Seriously. We won't even talk about charm packs or jelly rolls.   I gasp out loud when I see the $24.95 price tag on a charm pack.   Seriously.   Trying to find the modern designer quilt fabrics is also so difficult.  the selection here is murky.

I really don't know why there is such an inflated price as opposed to the US.  It really irks me. I want to support my local shops,  and do, but when I see what the prices are online it just makes more sense to buy online.  

So readers.  Where do you buy your quilt fabric online?

Kona Cotton Solids. Yummy.

My Kona Cotton Solids arrived yesterday from Pink Chalk Fabrics .  I highly recommend this store...beautifully packaged, reasonable shipping to Canada, and it was quick for international shipping!    Look at how gorgeous these fabrics are.  I can really imagine that I may be ordering more...  I'm going to start the cutting of my Plain Spoken quilt today, and hopefully get something accomplished.  My eldest of the wee two is home sick, so we won't be venturing outdoors today.  That, and the fact that it's -31 right now. without. wind. chill.  brr!  I so can't wait to move back to my beautiful west coast!! Soon!

Anyways...here is some beautiful eye candy. 

Trying to decorate. What's wrong with white? ;-)

Well, I'm trying to spruce things up around here, and in the process of an hour of fiddling with html (yes, I really have become adventurous), I'm leaving this blog white until I can figure things out.

I found a great tutorial for decorating your blog  with all sorts of backgrounds, new fonts, etc.

I really love black and white with splashes of colour.  This is the theme I like, but do you think I can make it happen right now?

  

Perhaps there is something to be said about the simplicity of white.

Scrappy Square Quilt

I am also addicted to viewing other people's crafting projects.  Therefore I don't get my own done.  Here is one that I really love.  What makes me giggle every time I read this post is the quote below:

Scrappy Square Quilt

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The major upside of it's (the quilt's) general visual offensiveness is that when visitors to our house catch sight of it and exclaim "Dear god, what is that monstrosity?!" my lip can quibble for a moment and then I can run from the room and throw my sobbing self dramatically down on a chaise longue like a 40's starlet while the husband explains to an uncomfortably silent room that I slaved over "that monstrosity" for months.

Not. Addicted.

really.  I have to stop.  I've gone on a project and crafting spree and I haven't started any of them!!  They're all trapped in my head...or in my little moleskine notebook that carries my list of crafty things to do.

After I bought my Last Minute Patchwork book, I also purchased my Kona Cotton Solids set for my plain spoken kit.  You all know about that one. 

Then, I bought The Modern Quilt Workshop  and Quiltmakers Color Workshop.  It's coming this week.  NONE of the quilt shops here in my Alberta city carry either of these books, so I ordered it online.  

THEN, I took a quick peek at my favourite quilt shop here and picked up a pattern book that was backordered for me when I was making the baby rail fence.  It's  The Best of Weekend Quilts .  I almost didn't get it but then there were a few patterns in there that I thought would be perfect easy ones to do...and since I need guidance on measurements for making blocks, etc, I figured another pattern book would be fine.  Also, they had in their clearance section, big freezer bag packs of scrap fabrics (coordinating) for $5.00 a bag.   One had a whole bag of the same fabrics I used for the baby rail quilt  (combined with what I have left over from the project = another quilt! )  Another bag had coordinating fabrics, among them some amy butler and similar!  Another was a bag of scrap cotton chenille in a rose colour that would coordinate perfectly with the Amy Butler bag of scraps! 

These were wee scraps - they look like leftover cuts from sample quilts!  There were pieces as big as 1/2 meter!  Great find!

So.  Aside from trying to find some navy/white cotton prints, I am banned from buying more until I make at least 2 quilts. 

Enough spending.  More quilting.

Quilt Planning

Okay, so I've order a bunch of Kona Cotton Solids from Pink Chalk Fabrics .  I want to make a Plain Spoken Quilt from The Modern Quilt Workshop  .  

A million other quilts in my head.... (maybe that should be my new blog name!) lined up, but in addition, I'd like to make a quilt for my inlaws.  They're home is decorated in whites, navy/indigos and cranberry.  I was thinking of going ballistic with the kona cottons in a variety of dark blues, a few lighter blues, whites and berry shades, and making it into another Plain Spoken quilt.   Any thoughts?  A different pattern?  I just dont' want it looking american flag-ish.  

Wow, have you ever seen an improvement in my links?  LOL!

I'm so over the top with ideas right now.  I feel like my wheels are spinning and I'm going nowhere!  It's the ADD of Quilting!!

New Books and Ideas

I just purchased this book on the weekend, and am in love.   

Oh my gosh, if I wasn't on craft crack before.  Now I am.  I want to do almost every single project in it.  Be prepared.

In my quilting and sewing adventures, I've also developed a yearning to make cute kids clothes.  Except I have boys.  Has anyone figured out how unfair the clothing and pattern market is on boys?   I mean, you have boxer shorts, pajama pants, pull on pants, and buttoned sleeve shirts. 

For girls, it's incredible.  It's eye candy everywhere! 

And the fabrics too...it's a total female market out there!  If I had any sense of how to design or develop this concept, I'd go for it.   The boys market is way underdeveloped.

Daisy Quilt

Taken in -20c weather with glorious sunshine.  This quilt has all straight edges and lays nice and straight/flat as well, but with the breeze, it wasn't cooperating in the pictures!

I got this idea when I was blog cruising - I saw a quilt with a strip of squares down a white quilt, and the woman quilted it in long lines as I have.  I wish I could give her credit for her idea, but I have no clue which blog it was that I saw it on! (anyone?)  I saw this daisy fabric in the new spring line of the store, and had to have it.  It's been so cold and cooped up here, and the first sign of spring just made me want to make one similar!

Edited to add : - Oh my gosh, I just washed and dried it and it's all crinkly and soft and perfect!! Way more perfect than before!!  

Well, as much as my vision in my head was brilliant, now that my quilt is done I find it ho hum.  Maybe it was dh's comment when it was done - the blank look in his eyes when I asked him what he thought and his response was "it's a simple one, right?" I can laugh about it.  Sometimes, men have no clue.  LOL

I'm still learning alot about piecing and planning, but I think this went pretty well.  I did this without mathematical formulas...just winged it.  I really enjoyed the new type of machine quilting - long straight lines (actually it was very boring to quilt, but I love the effect).  I have these adjustable bars on my walking foot that helps to keep the lines straight.  I was worried part way through that I would experience puckering, etc, but it went very well, except for a few tiny ones. 

If anything, my cat likes it.   And I do too.   It will be my quilt for my corner chair when I watch my cheesy shows. And Shatzi can sit on it with me. ;-)

I've also learned that during these past few quilts, I love do hand sew the binding.  I thought I'd hate it.  But I love how relaxing it is, and that I can watch/listen to a show while I'm sewing. 

My cup!

Isn't it crazy how we can like little things so much?  Here's the little cup I found at the "boutique" as I call it.  It will be making a home next to my sewing machine, and will hold my snips, seam ripper and pencil/pen for now.   Now that I look at it, I don't think it's vintage, but more retro age.  It's transferware, from a company in Bavaria called Shirnding.    I wouldn't want a whole dinnerware set of it, but the appeal is that it was just the one lonely piece on the shelf all by itself.  The mystery is what it's name is (pattern) and I'm still on the hunt for it.

Dogs and sunshine

It's -20c again this week, so of course the dog hates to go outside.  It's a pee and dash situation when she needs to get out there.  But she LOVES the sun.  I hate having my window blinds or curtains closed at any time of the day..they're always open wide.  And with it comes the glorious sunbeams shining into our house.   It feels good.   And someone else thinks they do too.  I caught her this morning laying on the stairs because she found a sneak of sun.   This afternoon, she caught some beams shining through the back windows.   Note how in this first pick she only can fit her nose in the ray...she's THAT close to the fireplace.

She got smarter a few minutes later and was able to turn her body and warm her back... *LOL*

And the following three are just priceless...look at her wrinkled forehead!

Getting comfy...

Heaven!!! ....

 

Loving Vintage

Each week I try to make a stop in at my two local 2nd hand shops (not consignment, but the true pick-your-way-to find the treasures shop) to pick up some toys of the moment, puzzles, etc for the kids.    I've been spending more and more time at the housewares items, in particular the pottery and china.   Today I spotted the coolest creamer in vintage pattern red, black on a white background, from Bavaria.  It was only 3bucks, but I put it back. What would I do with that thing anyways.  More dust!  So, now it's been calling me ever since.  It's little, and doesn't match a thing I have, but for some reason, it's sticking in my head!  

They also had an old vintage ironing board.  It was really rickety - but had a solid wood top, and the wooden creaky legs. I LOVED it, but it was $20! I thought, for that thing?   If I lived in my new place (when we finally get to move back  to Vancouver) I would make a spot for it.  Here, I have no creativity for some reason.

My quilt is almost done.  I'm doing straight line quilting at about 2 cm apart down the lengths of the quilt.  It's taking forever.  But looking cool.  My tension got weird in two lengths of it, so I spent as much time ripping apart the stitching.  My favourite part?  When you pull the other side of the thread and it's that one looooonnnnnggg zip.  

If I pick up that little creamer, I'll post a pic.    

Sneak Peaks

We took the kids to Drumheller, Alberta to the Royal Tyrell Dinosaur Museum this weekend. My little paleontologists loved it there.  It's an incredible drive....flat flat flat and then all of a sudden the earth opens up and you drive down a steep hill into the badlands, or the hoodoos as they call it.  Very cool.   For some reason, my camera was on blurr mode for most of the shots.  I have no idea why.  :(

Sneak peaks...

Thoughts on the blues - oh my gosh, do I really have THAT much fabric?

Thoughts on the daisies - oh my gosh, I really need to plan this better and learn my math calculations better. 

Congratulations to the winners!

I have contacted each via email, if I don't hear back, I'll re-draw :-)

The winners are:

Earthy stash - grendelskin 

Thomas stash - Meg Larsen

Shimmer squares- Amy-Park Girl

I wrote down all of the names and picked the names out of a mug.   The thomas ones were a little wonky, as I went to re-fill my coffee and discovered that my 3 year old had dumped the Thomas name strips into the Earthy names cup.   luckily, the Thomas entries had asterisks!

congratulations to you all.  I had a really difficult time with this, and drawing names out of a hat was easiest.    

Some of the comments were really funny!   The ReneSimard comment made me spit out my tea!  I haven't heard that name since I was really young! LOL!

Maple syrup was the common thread - believe it or not, I don't have any in my pantry...don't even have a liking for it. 

And no one mentioned that the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Canada - in my hometown of Vancouver!     (I'm not there at the moment, but will be there before those games start!)

Anyways, what fun!  I hope to do this again!

Oh what fun this day was!!

Oh my gosh, today has been so much fun, blog hopping and disocovering SO MANY CRAFTERS out there in the world!   

I can't wait to draw names and announce the winners!  Still time left!  

I purchased more fabric today.  It's so cute.  All white. Going to use it as backing fabric.  One has large 3 inch embroidery lady bugs scattered every 10 inches or so.  The other, ivory gerbera daisies!  The gerbera daisy one has a plan already - with gerbera fabric I need to go back and get!   What do you think?  Again, my photography is terrible.  The first two show the detail of the embroidery, the last one shows the nice white.  It's 150cm wide, 100%cotton.