I am a Farmer's Wife...

So just to warn you if your reading this, that this post will be a marathon, and because we are hitting close to 50 degrees here in sunny Toronto, I may also ramble a bit. Blame it on the heat.

So...I jumped on the band wagon and joined my first flickr group this past week, the "Framer's Wife Quilt Along". I must say when the book came in the mail I felt a bit anxious about my ability to make these blocks. It looked like a lot of tricky sewing, and I have been a bit scared about trying anything this involved, but I have to say that it's been a blast! I can really see the progress from block to block as I have become more comfortable with the templates. So, one of my many flaws is, when I decide to do something I go all out and within the first week I had made about 6 blocks! It is also the only thing I am really thinking about!! I have decided to calm it down a bit now that I am caught up to the rest off the group.

So here they are starting at "week one", blocks #6 and #66.

"week two", blocks #83 and #105

"week three", blocks #39 and #85

"week four", blocks #60 and #103

"week five", blocks #20 and #86

"week six", blocks #17 and #107

"week seven", blocks #56 and #69

and at last "week eight", blocks #82 and #101


Pheww, well that's all of em' so far, I love how they are all so different, but they really work together. I am just working through my stash of fabrics, some that I have had sitting around for a few years, and some bits that I cant part with because there might be just enough to do something with.

I hope this post finds everyone well, enjoy the rest of the week, keep cool! Please leave any comments you may have, I am always happy to get them!! Also, check out all the other blocks being made over here.

on all things wet...

I know I should probably be complaining about another weekly forecast with rain in it but, I just cant, I LOVE the rain. This Thursday night, after watching the American Idol finale, yes I am a junky for junky tv, a thunder storm moved into the city. I love the puddles that are made in the street, the sound of the drops hitting the bedroom window, the thoughts of how lovely and green everything will look in the morning. I love putting my feet in my pink elephant print rain boots, and going for a walk under my umbrella. When it rains I think of Gene Kelly...so on this rainy evening I leave you with this video, and if it is still raining tomorrow, maybe it will help put a spring in your step!



We can't control it, so we might as well sing and dance in it! Goodnight.

beautiful day....

Spring is in the air today. The gardens, both front and back, have plenty of things popping out of the ground, I am so excited to see what has survived the winter hibernation! The birds even seem happier with the day. I am always trying to keep busy so here are just a few pics of what I am working on right now...Enjoy your spring day!



I joined the Umbrella Prints competition for a challenge, and let me tell you it has been! I look forward to seeing what everyone else has come up with for the contest. I am still sewing things up even though we are very close to the deadline!

OH MY, has it really only been a week....

Well I find it funny the last time I posted a little snippet on this here blog, was another day of unexpected snow, today is the same. What a week we have had, so crazy I cant even believe it has really only been 7 days of crazy. We both feel like we have aged about a month or so, we need a vacation just to recoup from the stress of this week.

It started last Sunday, when we ended up with our big hairy beast, Fergus, at the 24hr Emergency Vet downtown. After finding blood in a few spots all over the house we discovered that the tumor on his tail, that we had been told to "monitor" had ruptured! Or as James liked to say exploded!! Yep, ick...and after about 4 hours and a really stressful visit with the vet we left with Fergus' tail bandaged up and the thought that we may have to amputate his tail!! Yep, they actually said maybe have to CUT OF my poor beasts tail!! On the Monday our vet gave us a much better prognosis, but it still meant surgery. It was a one day in and out and the poor guy came home groggy and still wagging his tail early evening on Tuesday. We moved the spare bed down to the living room and will be camping out until the staples get taken out of his tail in a couple of weeks.

I am posting a picture of his incision for posterity, so you may want to quickly scroll down if you don't want to see something icky, we find it quite interesting and stomach flipping at the same
time.

It was such a upsetting few days that we both didn't think to get a snap of his tail when it was wrapped up so here it is after we took off the protective bandage. On a funny note, the hairy beasts hair has already started to grow back!

The crazy start to the week was helping to keep my mind of my final driving test, but come about Thursday morning I was really starting to freak out again. When I was young I grew up close to a subway line and never really needed to get my drivers license. Plus, if I am being totally truthful, it always freaked me out. I have had my current learners permit for the last 4 1/2 ish years and had done the G2 test but needed to go back for the final G license test. Well I know it is already to long for a "long story short", but I PASSED!! Thank goodness, I tried to relax while waiting for the test giver to get in the car by blaring Adele's new cd in the car, it worked a bit I guess. Then after about 20 minutes of nerve racking, anxiety causing highway driving, parallel parking it was over, and I felt like I could just throw up from the anxiety!! BUT, it's over and I will not have to do another driving test EVER!!

You may be saying okay well that is not so bad, what are you whining about? Well we also have a two day wedding to attend this weekend. It is going to be a very interesting experience. Neither of us have ever been to a Sikh wedding and we were looking forward to a beautiful and new experience. The anxiety comes in because I decided to wear a sari! Yep, a sari! So yesterday was the ceremony part and it was beautiful, the rich culture, yummy food, warm people and rich colours were amazing. Tonight, is the reception with lots more food and people, and a chance to wear my sari once more.



On a side note I have been up to some crafty goodness...I will post again soonish to share pics from the wedding and to talk about this trimmings contest I joined...

Enjoy your snowy day...

SNOW...it's kinda nice.

Somewhat wordless Wednesday...
Yep today we have snow, which I am pretty happy with. Winter never leaves without a swift kick you know where, and lets face it there are worse things happening in our world right now. Luckily we were a bit lax on getting the snow tires switched out, thank goodness for that. This is the colour we painted our fireplace mantel...I love how the pigments have seperated...I must say the colour was rather shocking at first but now we LOVE it. With the super cheesy electric fireplace insert we bought it looks great. The reno is almost done!!

peanut butter cookies and warmer days

This last few weeks I have come to a few realizations...

- this blog thing is supposed to be fun, and is not supposed to make me feel sad. So that means NO more pressure to do posts on a frequent/regular basis. To make them when I want and fill them with happy wandering thoughts.

- there is not enough crafting happening right now. This is because our small basement spruce up has become this giant purple, yes purple monster that keeps growing eyes and limbs, and has a hunger for paint samples. Oh what to do. I have been muttering, "we're almost there" for the last few months...but we ARE almost there. So that is the reason for the lack of craftyness and fabric buying, both make my heart sad. So in an effort to get crafty I pulled out my felt, embroidery floss, and fabric scraps and came up with some lovely pins.

- I really want to take a class at "The Workroom" but find it a hard place to get to on a regular basis, and I am somewhat shy about new things so opt not to try them...this makes me sad.

-I am trying the 365 day photo challenge that lots of people seem to be trying, phew, it's hard, but with the days growing longer and the air slightly warmer (some days) this self imposed challenge might get easier.

-a few other ideas have been rattling around in my head, but putting them in one of the many notebooks I have kicking around seems like more fun than posting them here.

Today was such a lovely invigorating day, the perfect mix of cloudy and sunny skies, with a little nip in the air, but also the promise of warmer times. So invigorating that upon arriving at home a set to baking a couple of batches of peanut butter cookies for the men in my life. James, Dad and Grampa, all love peanut butter cookies, especially Nanny's recipe. Here's the recipe, super easy and only a bowl, mixer, and fork needed to make them. EASY.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Heat oven to 350F. Mix everything together until soft dought forms. Shape dought into small balls, about 1" each. Place 2" apart on a cookie sheet, flatten witha a fork. Bake until edges begin to brown, about 10-15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

Since James loves peanut butter and chocolate together I tried making some mini PB cookies that I might sandwich nutella in-between!! Hmmm, sounds icky to me but I am sure he will give them a try.

a new year...

Already only 11 days in and I feel behind the eight ball!

Oh my, I have gotten a few projects finished already, and have a few more planned. Last week I had 3, yes 3, days off! With all this crafty time laying in front of me and wanting to finish an old project, that was making many parts of me twitch, I set to work. During our vacation to PEI this summer I made another quilt top using a pattern that makes you cut the finish quilt top into sections. Then re-sew them together and put borders around the outside. When it came time to lay it out and quilt it, well, it was not working at all, one word, well two, REALLY WONKY! The inside was quilted with basic straight lines, and when it came to quilting the borders nothing was laying flat. So it was put away for a few months. I pulled it out again this weekend, and beat it into submission! The borders had to be stitch ripped off and re-sewn, and then ripped off again and re-sewn, but I beat it. The binding was made and pinned on and is awaiting a needle and thread, but after a day of work I didn't want to look at it anymore.

Before Christmas I made a set of pillow cases as a gift and fell in love with how simple and rewarding they were to make. With pillowcases you also have the chance to buy and enjoy your favourite fabrics in larger quantity, which for any fabric hoarder is a good thing. Using the tutorial here, and using fabric I picked up at "The Workroom" they were done in about and hour and a bit, and to brag a little, they look FANTASTIC! I can see that there might be a whole lotta pillowcases in my future.


Oh and here is a picture of the Christmas wreath I made this year. Oops I guess last year now. It turned out a lot better than anticipated and I think will become a new obsession!


Happy sewing, and enjoy the snow, hopefully Toronto will see a lot!