Saturday night hockey

Saturday night hockey
Saturday night hockey

Monday, December 31, 2012

Book reports and Easy Street

What have I been up to?  Well DH and I took a whirlwind trip to Prince George (approximately 1600 km) so we could see his sister and two nieces and a nephew prior to Christmas.  We decided to take the bus – way cheaper price and not much longer time wise.  The trip down was great.  We had seats to ourselves most of the way and I read and slept.  We had three and a half days in Prince George and were due to leave on December 21st at 11 pm to arrive home in the very early morning of the 23rd. 

Well coming home was a typical Christmas travel time night mare. The bus was 2 1/2 hours leaving and we were about three blocks from the bus station when the driver announced that he had no high beams and no speedometer and he was going back to the station.  We spent the night on the bus sleeping while waiting to see if a) the bus would get fixed, b) there would be and alternate bus or c) there would be some other solution.  Over the course of the night we were told a) the bus would not be easily fixed, b) we could take the morning bus 1/3 of the way and would have priority seating on it, c) if we took the morning bus then there would be a bus that we could take to the 1/2 way point and d) there would be no bus going all the way to Whitehorse until the next scheduled one that was to leave Christmas Eve at 11 p.m. 

So we went back and spent the day at my s-i-l’s and were fortunately able to get out on a plane that evening – both to Vancouver and then up to Whitehorse.  We were supposed to have two hours between planes but the first plane was late and we had about twenty minutes to traverse the whole length of the airport to the gate for the second plane.  We did make it though and got home at 1:30 in the morning. 

The next day DH got us a little tree.

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We spent Christmas Eve at DD # 1’s home in Whitehorse, had a mad present opening session the next morning, then went home for Christmas evening.  On Boxing Day we had our big family meal with twelve attending and a ton of food. 

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I did read four books over the last week and here are my reviews. (All photos from Amazon).

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This book is in Mr. Grisham’s usual style.  An easy read, interesting, well written but not too deep.  It gave me a much clearer picture of how litigation works in the US of A.  Worth reading.

 

 

Product Details

The Night Circus by Erin Morgensten.  The book is about a night circus and all the magic and mystery it holds.  The first 7/8ths of the book are fascinating as the circus and it’s many fabulous offerings are richly detailed and the story line is intricately woven.  I found the ending to be a let down.  It felt like the author just got tired of the story and wrapped the whole thing up in a few short words just to have it done.  I read this on my e-reader but would have liked a hard copy so I could easily go back and check dates and places. It is set in the 1800s. Worth reading.

Product Details

I listened to this book on tape while I worked on my Easy Street blocks one afternoon.  It is a mystery story with a female heroine who solves the case.  Well written and gutsy it is a fun book to read.  I definitely will be looking for more in the series.

 

Product Details

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay was a fantastic read of the “don’t want to put it down” variety.  Set in the 1800s in New York it follows the plight of one young girl from the poor side of town. The writing is wonderful – making you feel like you are there at that time and place.  Ms McKay explains how she got the idea for the book through her own family history, which makes it all the more interesting.  Definitely worth reading.

And here are my Easy Street blocks so far.  I’ve worked on Steps 1, 2 and 3 so far. 

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Janet

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Reading and giveaway winner

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and gave me book recommendations.  I have put them into a spread sheet and I have 111 different authors – some with specific book suggestions and some who have all their books recommended.  If anyone wants a copy of the spread sheet please let me know.

The most suggested book(s) are the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich with SIX recommendations.

I am off on a 26 hour bus ride tomorrow and I downloaded three of the suggested books onto my Kobo from the library:

The Litigators – John Grisham

The Night Circus – Eric Morgenstern

The Virgin Cure – Amy McKay

Don’t feel left out if you didn’t recommend these books.  They are just the ones I could get from my library. I’ve got a bit of sewing to do as well, and some crossword puzzles. And a pillow and blanket Smile

I also have:

One for the Money – Janet Evanovich – first in the Stephanie Plum series on a CD, and

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows  on order from the library.

And on to the winner!  I used the random number generator this time and it chose # 163….

Katherine December 13, 2012 10:47 AM

who said…

I'm a new follower” and “anything by Shirley Rousseau Murphey, Janet Evanovich or Laurie King

I really wish I could give something to all who entered.  Thank you all so much for the fantastic book list.  I have suggestions to keep me going for quite a while!

Janet

Sunday, December 9, 2012

BLOG HOP PARTY WITH GIVEAWAYS

The giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for entering.

My it’s been a long time….. but I have been busy.  With what?  Well….
I finished up my additions to blocks for the Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin and for the Quilt U Be Mine Round Robin and sent them on their way.  I can’t show them to you but them involved some of this….
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I created these two blocks for Julie in the 6 Inch Block Swap.  She wanted grey, orange and white. 
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I finished the binding on this quilt.  A nice tumble in the washer and it will be ready for gifting.  It is for my ex-boss who retired at the beginning of November.
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And I decide to play along with Bonnie Hunter for her latest mystery quilt “Easy Street”.  She is already on to step three but I’m still working on step one. 
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Today I made some shortbread cookies.  DH has decided that we should stop eating wheat after reading the Wheat Belly book and I’m willing to try it out because I think wheat is largely the culprit behind my reflux problem.  These shortbreads are made with rice flour and are quite delicious.  The recipe came from Andra Banting’s blog The Brighter Side of Gluten Free.  I’m going to try a wheat free Christmas cake as well.  The fruit is soaking in the whiskey as we speak.
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And we had visitors today.  They arrived around 1 p.m., ate a bunch of fireweed and willow sticks then proceeded to bed down behind our sauna.  They didn’t leave until around 9 p.m.  DD # 3 was visiting with her two dogs so they and Zeke had to stay in the house most of the day.  And yes, she was eating sunflower seeds out of my bird feeder! 
Someone had told me that there was a rumour one of the calves had been killed by wolves, but they were both with her.
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And now for the giveaway.  Quilting Gallery is having their yearly blog hop party with giveaways.  This year they celebrate their 5th anniversary!   I am giving away one yard of this fabric.  The blocks are 3 inches square and repeat every fourth square each direction.  It is very cute.
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The giveaway is open to anyone in the world.  It will close on December 16th at 1 a.m. PST and I will draw the winner sometime later that day. 
1.  Leave me a comment suggesting a book I should read.  I like mystery, true life adventure, historical novels, biography, older fiction and any new fiction that doesn’t just follow a formula plot.
2. Followers can leave a second comment for a second entry.
Edited to add – I have received three anonymous spam so far.  So, sorry for those of you that don’t have an id,  but I’ve removed anonymous commenting.  Join Google and you can comment with your id….
I do like to try and answer any comments on my blog, but I still haven’t finished answering the comments from the last giveaway, so please forgive me if you don’t hear back from me.  I really appreciate you visiting.
And please check out the other participants in the blog hop at Quilting Gallery.
Janet

Monday, November 26, 2012

Sew Sisters Giveaway Winner, Sundogs and I’m Sewing Again

Thanks for all the comments on my Blogathon Canada post and your entries for the Sew Sisters Quilt Shop giveaway. 

Sorry for not getting the winner posted before now.  I was at a course on Non-Violent Communication.  It feels a little cult-like to me (peace will be created in the world one person at a time through this method), but I feel that it might serve me in finding peace for myself – a very interesting weekend.  Check it out here if you’re interested in finding out more.

And on to sundogs…. lots of people asked me about sundogs.  Here’s what Wikipedia says:

Sundogs may appear as a colored patch of light to the left or right of the sun, 22° distant and at the same distance above the horizon as the sun, and in ice halos. They can be seen anywhere in the world during any season, but they are not always obvious or bright. Sundogs are best seen and are most conspicuous when the sun is low. (Go to the link to check out more.)

I guess it is the sun low in the sky and the moisture in the air because of cold temperatures and open water that makes them common in the Yukon.  There are some fantastic pictures on the web – but here is one more of my humble pictures.

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I have finally done some sewing – the first since returning home from my trip.  My six inch hexies for October/November that are overdue to be sent to Robyn.  She wanted a mixed block in any colours with a touch of blue.  They will be in the mail tomorrow.

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And the winner is…. 

I wrote out 214 slips with names on them (there were five which were “third” comments from individuals), cut them up and folded them….

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DH mixed them up in the bowl, then pulled out a slip…

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And the winner is…. 

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Amy wrote “Hello - nice to 'meet' you! I've never been to the Yukon and would love to go one day. I grew up in Ontario :) Fabulous giveaway - thanks for the chance!!!”

Congratulations Amy.  I’ll send you an e-mail.

Janet

Friday, November 23, 2012

Blogathon Canada (There is a giveaway)

The giveaway is now closed.

Thanks to Carol from Sew Sisters Quilt Shop for inviting me to participate in my first ever Blogathon!  It is a round-up of Canadian quilt blogs and I’m here representing the Yukon Territory, along with Vivian of Quilting Under the Midnight Sun. 

I have lived in the Yukon for more than 35 years, coming here first when I was 24, meeting my hubby here and settling in to have a family.  My daughters are all grown; two of them live in the Yukon, not far from me.  The third one lives in Newfoundland.  Talk about the apple falling far from the tree!  Hubby and I have three grandchildren – two who live with their parents in Whitehorse and the third is a step-grandchild on the east coast.  I love having grandchildren!  

I started blogging about three years ago.  I have sewn since I was a young girl and love all forms of stitching and fabric.  Once long ago I started a quilt, but it burned in a home fire before I finished it.  About five years ago I took up quilting again, making baby quilts first, then bags and bigger quilts.  I am not very prolific, because I work full time and drive two hours to and from work.  But I started looking at blogs and decided I wanted to be part of the big world of swaps and showing quilts on line. 

My blog also features lots of pictures of nature.  I suffer from depression and nature helps me to find some reprieve.  And the Yukon is so beautiful – well all of Canada is really.  So I post pictures of sundogs in the winter sky..

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And a Hairy Woodpecker on my feeder…

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And sometimes I even show some quilting Angel

I participate in lots of swaps, make quilts for babies in my town and make about five big quilts a year.  I’ve given them all away so far, but one just for me is coming soon.  I also make lots of little things, bags, mug rugs, hot pads, wall hangings.  I love to play with scraps more than anything else and I have three or four scrappy quilts on the go right now.  Here are some of my small pieces along some pieces I’ve received in swaps.

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As you can see I love colour!  I don’t have anything recent or new to show, so I decided to put up my squares from the six inch block swap  The block is called Cathy’s Campfire and I’ve asked for yellow, orange and red, with the odd touch of brown or blue.  I am thinking of a blue sashing but would love any suggestions you have.  I am still collecting these blocks as I think I need quite a few more. (The white dots are the maker’s names.  I haven’t figured out a better way to keep track.)

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Thanks so much for stopping in.  Please check out my blog and please check out the other blogs in the blogathon.  I only have a couple of Yukon blogs to list….Sad smile

1. My friend Dahn blogs at The Wilderness City Quilter.  She loves fabric dyeing and thread painting best but we make a few quilts together as presents for co-workers.

2. Danielle blogs at A Geeky Crafty Life.  She e-mailed me a couple of months ago and asked me to give her a hexie flower lesson.  Wow, was I flattered!  It was great to meet her and she is full of exuberance.

3. I don’t know Nita from Nita Dances, but she has a cabin at Fox Lake as does my sister, so it’s like I know her. Laughing out loud

And if you haven’t already been by the bloggers from earlier this week, please check them out by clicking on the Sew Sisters button or the Blogathon Canada button.

Phew – and now for the giveaway.  I asked Carol at Sew Sisters to pick something for me to give away as I was still on holiday when she needed to know – and she went all out Canadian! 

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Mighty Moose - Table Runner Kit and one metre of Stonehenge – Oh Canada Fabric.  Wonderful!  Too bad I can’t enter….

For one entry please leave me a comment telling me where you live – city, state/province, country.

If you are a follower leave me a second comment letting me know for a second entry.

I will draw the winner at 8 p.m. Pacific standard time, Saturday, November 24th.

Janet

Monday, November 19, 2012

Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin Reveal

It’s a party!  Back in April a group of us signed up for this Round Robin hosted by Michele at Quilts from my Crayon Box.  Well it is time for us to show our finished pieces!

When I got home from my big trip two days ago my piece was here waiting for me.  I hadn’t seen even a glimpse of it since I made it at the April quilt retreat and mailed it off to Leslie so she could add to it.

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Since then seven people have added to it and it has come back to me looking like this.

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I think it is fantastic!  The ladies all wrote me a little note letting me know what they contributed.

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So let’s have a closer look…   Leslie added the pink and black borders. Margaret (no blog) added the multi-coloured stripe.  Doris added the fantastic saw-tooth border.  I love how it frames two corners but not the other two.  Sharon added the green and yellow border; again I love the creative way she put it together. Tiffany added the skinny pink border.  Ann added the blue with the darker corner and centre blocks.  Then Sam, bless her keenness, added the checkerboard and the solid.

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I’m really not sure what I am going to do with it now.  I had thought it would be a table topper but it is quite large and wouldn’t compliment my oval table at all.  I’m still considering options – please feel free to make suggestions.

Don’t forget the Canadian Blog Hop that starts on Monday.  You can locate the posts by clicking on the Sew Sisters Quilt Shop button or the Blogathon Canada button on my sidebar.

And please stop by and visit the other mystery round robins participants listed below.

Melinda - Tilda's Twisted Life

Deonn - Quiltscapes

Kylie - My Addiction to Quilting

Wendy - Why-Not-Kwilt

Bea - Beaquilter

Jane - Jane's Fabrics, though her reveal will be posted here on my blog

Pippa - Pippa's Patch

Madame Samm - Sew We Quilt (hasn't received her quilt back home yet, hopefully in Monday's mail)

Annie - Annie's Musings

Diane - The Cheshire Quilter

Vicki - Sew On and Sew Forth

Lisa M- A Day In The Life of Raising Six Munchkins

Renae - revealing here on my blog

Kathy - Kathy's Quilting Blog

Charlotte - revealing here on my blog

Celine - Espritpatch

Lisa C-revealing here on my blog

Edy - revealing here on my blog

Ella - Throw a Wrench in the Works

Rachel - Suz Made Me Do It

Samantha - Sami's Quilts & Crafts

Karen - K's Quilting Korner

Leslie - Les Quilts

Ann - Orange Crumpled Napkin

Sharon - Dancing Through Threads

Doris - Made By a Brunette

Margaret - hasn't received her block back yet, will be posted on my blog when it arrives

Tiffany - Pink Sweet Treats

Janet - Caribou Crossing Chronicles

Michele - Quilts From My Crayon Box

Janet

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Quilt Store Shopping in Canada

I visited four quilt stores while on my wonderful trip to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Calgary.  I don’t often show my purchases of quilting goodies - because I don’t want some people to know just how much fabric I buy Smile .

But I am going to show off this time so I can tell you about these great quilt stores.

Firstly I had a quick stop at Magical Threads Quilt Shop at 25 Bareneed Road in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland.  This store is quite close to where my daughter lives so it is good to know about it – especially if she is going to start sewing now that she has a machine Winking smile

DH was waiting in the car but DD # 2 and SGD (step grand daughter) came in and looked at  the wool yarns – oh yes this store sells wool as well.  I bought this small piece of fabric that I showed previously.  There was only one small basket of fat quarters, there were a couple of women buying scads of fabric and it was all a little overwhelming for me seeing all the luscious fabric.

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The second stop was at It's Sew Time in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia.  This shop was small but there were shelves full of fat quarters and I loved some of the fabrics.  DH and DD # 2 came into the store and got into a conversation with the clerk so I had a little bit of time to peruse, but we were on the way to Charlottetown and the day was passing quickly so I didn’t stay for a really long time.

The six fat quarters on the left have a purpose in mind.  The other three were just too pretty to pass up.

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Shop number three was in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Quilting B & More.  This was the only shop I got to spend a leisurely time in because it was just a couple of blocks from our hotel and I walked over on my own.  The store clerk was busy showing a couple of women a fantastic looking Bernina and I browsed for about half an hour.  It was a mother and daughter who were looking at the machine.  I heard the daughter say “We had better consult with [the other daughter] because I’m not the one who lives here all the time.”

After they left to “have lunch and think about it” the clerk apologized for being busy for so long.  I told her it was fine and commented on the beautiful machine they were considering.  She said “yes it’s a great machine but I didn’t want to push her too much because she’s 93 years old and who knows how long she’ll get to use it”.  Surprised smile

There was lots of wonderful fabric, but not too many fat quarters.  In the end I found some Anne of Green Gables fabric and some Christmas embellishments that I wanted.

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The last shop was My Sewing Room in Calgary, Alberta.  Again, my friend and her 25 year old son were waiting in the truck for me so I didn’t have all the leisure I wanted to peruse.  This shop was huge with every kind of every thing related to quilting.  Only I didn’t find any small purse frames, a mini table topper holder or a book or pattern with different EPP designs, which were things I would have bought.  I did pick up a little collection of goodies though.

A pattern for a sweatshirt jacket, a wool candle mat pattern – I made one of these last Christmas and would love to do another one, a fat eighth pack of silk fabric (I have some pieces already and plan to make a bag with them), a little pack of coloured brads, a D ring and clip for a bag and an on sale piece of Wordplay fabric in grey. 

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On Friday I went to our local thrift store looking for some blue wool for the candle mat (they also didn’t have any blue wool in the Calgary store).  I didn’t find a single wool item.  Bah!  But I did find some silk ties to add to my slowly increasing collection.  One of these days I’m going to make a quilt from them, although I have no memory of where the pattern I was going to use is.

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Janet

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Mouthy Stitches bag

We are home from our holiday and plunged straight in to lots of activity.  I didn’t get a chance to finish the Quilting Photo a Day posts because I had very little access to the internet for the last week and a half of the trip.  I may finish up the last week later on, but right now I have a lot of other things to blog about. 

Firstly I have to show you the absolutely gorgeous bag I received from Jennifer of the Enchanted Bobbin blog and on Flickr.

Front…

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Back…

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Inside…

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Jennifer did a fabulous job of interpreting my likes from my rather over the top mosaic of colour…

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Please enlarge the photos of the bag and have a close look at her lovely embroidery detail and the fantastic English Paper Pieced flower.

I am thrilled with this bag.  Thanks so much Jennifer.

Janet

Friday, November 9, 2012

Quilting Photo a Day November 3rd–Rolled Up

The hay is all rolled up for the winter.  Different people do it differently and I’m not sure why.  There is a lot to learn in farming world.

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I don’t take pictures of my quilts rolled up very often but here is one of the quilt we made for our friend who went out for cancer treatment.

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Janet

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Quilting Photo a Day November 2nd–Kids

Ah kids.  Here is our middle daughter graduating as an advanced care paramedic. 

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Yahoo Laina – we are very proud! 

And since she has a sewing machine now, she bought this fabric at one of the quilt shops we stopped at to make a nightgown for her stepdaughter.  Aha – she has the sewing bug Smile

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Here is our adorable third grandchild…

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Janet