It's Been A While...

I was out West visiting my darling grandson, my daughter and my family and friends all last week.  While I was gone, I took the opportunity to take my Bernina in for her checkup and service.  Finally sat down last night and checked her out; she purred along much like Bella, who was so happy to have me back sewing in the her basement!  I had started Snowflake 6 of Joanne's Snowalong before I left.  I finished it last night.

Version 1 of Snowflake 6

This is yet another background colour, a Christmas-themed batik.  Love it.  Sorry about the dark area at the bottom...didn't see that when I took the picture. 

Brianne and Brady loved their snowflake cushions.  Brianne thought they looked great together on her black leather couch, but Brady said, nope, it was going in his room, with his Christmas quilt.

He LOVES quilts.  He slowly went through the first quarter of my American Patchwork & Quilting magazine that I'd taken with me, studying the pictures and making comments.  He really liked a particular Halloween quilt in that issue (I'm behind in my reading) and has asked me to make it for him!  All right then.  What Brady wants, Nana will do!

Brianne got a little bit of Christmas in her room as well:

This is All People Quilt's Roll It Up! pillowcase pattern, free on their website.  I've made it many times.  This fabric is from O'Susannah's Quilts and Gifts in Watkins Glen.  Hey!  I see they are having a viewing of the first episode of Season 5's Downton Abbey a month early!!  Can.  Not.  Wait.  for it to start, but I will have to wait until January 4.  Don't you just love this modern Christmas fabric?

I also made Brady a new pair of warm flannel pajama bottoms:

And I made my mum a warm short scarf to be worn under her winter coat, so her neck and chest will be extra-warm this winter.

I've made two using this pattern where you knit 2 together and then put your wool forward and knit 1.  It gives it the diagonal look and drape.  The yarn is from Joann's, a 70% acrylic, 30% wool (I thought it had some wool in it, Mum!) which is made in Turkey.  It is lovely and warm!  I know I will be wearing my scarf I made last year when I walk Rocco today.  We have had 4 days of gale-force winds, about 2" of snow and temperatures down in the 20s, brrr.  We are all Florida dreaming... 

This was Monday, Nov. 17. Some melted, more fell, so it looks about the same today

Rocco will be in his hoodie, that's for sure.

It says "Don't Bully My Breed" on his back.  Keeps his bare belly warm!

Naala is the only one who isn't bothered by the cold.  Thank goodness that we are on the west end of Lake Erie, so the Lake Effect Snow means that we got 2" whereas Buffalo got...well, a TON.  Yowzers.

Not too happy about wearing my hoodie, but I'll put up with it if it means I get a WALK!

Quilting Definitely IS More Fun Than Housework!

Cynthia is sooo right.  I didn't get much done in the sewing world or the housework world today!  I spent some time on the computer, visiting a few blogs, and responding to comments on mine.  I am tickled pink to have two of my finished scrap-a-palooza quilts as well as the flimsy for another pictured on Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework!

I could have sewed for a bit this afternoon when I got home from my yoga class.  Instead, I chose to join my good friend Jude next door, reclining on her oh-so-comfy lounge chairs on the patio.  Always a good decision to spend time with her.

I started vacuuming, later in the afternoon, but didn't get it finished.  Instead, I had a phonecall from my daughter, Dayna, which was much better.  Then off I went to teach yoga.

I could have finished vacuuming this evening, but I chose instead to go downstairs and sew for a little bit.  I'm loving making these cute little 6" blocks from Tula Pink's 100 Modern Quilt Blocks.  This is the quilt I didn't realize I was going to make.  And I am making two.  Remember I said my Higher Self must know what I'm doing?!  Here are the latest ones:

I'm using scraps from her Parisville line and mixing it with some of the Acacia line

I chose to make the blue and green one this evening instead of finish the vacuuming.  Another good decision for today!  So far I've made six blocks.  94 to go, LOL!  I was able to renew the book out of our library.  I think I know what I will be buying with the remainder of a gift card I have.

I did get my two walks in with Rocco, a long one this morning, and such a beautiful morning, well, entire day, it was!  This evening, on our shorter walk, I saw a groundhog.  These are entirely foreign to me, as we didn't have them in Alberta.  They are so cute!  Rocco was oblivious this time.  However, he did find a treasure:

which, after smelling and inspecting thoroughly and only picking it up after I nudged it, giving him permission, he proudly carried all the way home!  He had to go and show Jude.  She had to show me a comic strip from yesterday's paper...

Talk about timing!

Quilting, visiting, walking, yoga. . . all much better use of my time than doing housework/schmousework I'd say!

Thankful Thursdays

That idea came to me this morning on my walk with Rocco, who, although his breed is hated, maligned, and banned by the authorities in this province, still gets, on a daily basis, oohs and ahs over his colouring, his beauty, and often his eyes... "What kind of dog IS that?" is always the question.  Now that we're back in Ontario, my standard answer is, "A mix" or "a purebred goofball".  "What an unusual colour, just gorgeous!" is usually the next comment, usually followed by, "He's so friendly!"  All are true, except the part about him being a mix.  I am so thankful for this beloved boy of mine; even if you've only read the last few posts, you probably already know!

Gratitude is often touted as being über-important.  And it is.  And I am.  So I thought I'd start a theme on Thursdays with this topic in mind.  I am thankful for so many things, the majority of which are simple, but priceless.  Here are a few on my mind today.

I am thankful for my legs that allow me to walk daily, 5 km, aka 3 miles is what I aim for, sometimes it's a little more, sometimes a little less.  I am so thankful to be able to walk a different route every day, which seems kind of "duh" for those who live in towns or cities, but we have spent 24 of the past 26 years in the country on small 1-3.5 acre lots.  Great running room for the dogs, but only one loop of a road in the subdivision.

Previous house in Alberta, Sept. 2011