Well, thats it. We put the finishing touches on the new website and released it to the world. How exciting, yet scary, all at the same time.
The new site will, hopefully, be easier to navigate, plus have a fresh new look.
The web address and everything will remain the same, so no worries about changing your bookmarks.
I would love you hear what you think of the new site!
Happy sewing…
Okay, here goes another attempt at adding the free funky Chicken quilt pattern to the site. Theoretically, if you click on the Funky Chicken link in the previous sentence it should open a .pdf file you can print.
Who knew it would be so complicated 
I’d like to add some other designs for you too, but need to figure out how to do one first.
I saw a funny quote the other day, the Superior Propane store in the area always has great sayings on their signs – I don’t know where they get them from, but some are very funny. The most recent on I saw was “The less someone knows, the longer thier explaination.”
Enjoy your chicken pattern!
Wow, what a storm.
The power went out here about 3pm yesterday as the thunder started rolling in.
The wind picked up, the lightening flashed and the thunder boomed. My dogs were underfoot and the chickens were in the yard.
The storm raged and carried on for a couple hours then it was over. Having only the portable phones plugged in no one was able to get through.
Found the stationary phone plugged it in…oh I have messages. Thats when I found out a possible tornado had touched down just up the road in
Durham. Sheesh. No damage here, the storm was just a bad thunderstorm. Makes your blood chill knowing it was so close and hearing the reports
on the radio. Thankfully no TV here so we don’t have to see the devastation too. Sort of odd how after the storm was over, the sun came out and blue sky were shinning.
They say severe thunderstorms are going to become more common, lightening strikes (of people) have apparently risen this year, they say its the
global warming…
Have you noticed that the thunderstorms as happening more often during the day now? I remember the majority of them used to happen at night,
but over the past little while you see them during the day.
Kinda reminds you of the movies you see about the end of the world…
On a lighter note, I’m still trying to figure out how to add the Funky Chicken file here so you can actually access it…
I will keep you updated on the progress and hopefully it will happen soon
Well as much as I don’t’ want to admit it, fall is coming. But, with the coming of fall comes quilting season!
I’ve just released my newest course schedule for September to December. So if you live in/ around the Flesherton/ Hanover area have a look. You can look if you are in other areas too, but it might be a bit of a drive
The last couple of days I have been doing an experiment with my chickens – don’t worry its not really animal testing. They have started to eat there own eggs, silly chickens, but I can’t get rid of them because of one little problem. So, I’ve been doing a bunch of research on the topic and it seems as if there is other people that have had the same problem and tried to solve it.
Currently they have a “curtain” hanging in front of their nesting boxes (apparently they like it nice and dark, plus they say they won’t climb under to eat the eggs, just lay them). There has still been one or two pecked eggs, plus I think I might need to add more bedding into the boxes as a couple of the eggs have been totally crushed…
I’ve also been gathering the eggs more often again. I was getting lazy and only collecting them twice a day, so now everytime the dogs go out for a pee I go check for eggs. And I read somewhere that chickens don’t like mustard (go figure) so if you take an empty egg and fill it with mustard after eating that a few times they will stop.
So, I guess now its just a waiting game to see.
Oh, speaking of chickens I’ve designed a Funky Chicken Applique block for you. The funkiest chickens are the brightest ones. The next block I might use a less busy background fabric…
Happy Quilting!
Ahhh, finally 5 minutes to sit down and concentrate on my blog. It seems when the work gets piled on its the fun things that get pushed aside 
Oh well, I am reasonably caught up, at least for the moment. Things would get awful boring if I wasn’t running in 5 different directions all the time…maybe one of these days I will take the direction and go visit my parents, tsk, tsk, I’ve been a bad daughter.
Last weekend was the Just Around the Corner Event in Priceville. An arts and crafts show and sale featuring all local crafters. All but one was from the Grey/Bruce area. There was 18 vendors total all with unique items. It wasn’t one of those shows with wall to wall attendants, but it went pretty well for being the first show there. Although in doing some brainstorming with some of the vendors the August long weekend possibly isn’t the best time to hold an indoor show. I thought about holding it outside, but the weather is so unpredictable…and if it rains, then what? A lot of the “seasoned” vendors were very supportive and want to be invited back next year…which means I have to do it again. Although I decided that I will be getting help with it next year. I must say, running two business, working part time out of the house and being the one doing all the work to organize and run an event takes a bit of time, and energy. I must have slept for almost 2 days straight after the event was over I guess I need to start working on next years event…I wonder what weekend it should be held? and where?
I’ve also been spending a lot of time working at Pioneer Spirit, my soap and candle business Its amazing how much time and effort goes into making soap and candles. Then once its made you have to let the soap dry for 6 weeks! I have quilts that I’ve made in less time. Its fun though, and the testing is a great perk. I love having beeswax candles burnings. Plus, did you know that it is possible to use soap and not be all dry and itchy afterward? I always thought that was part of being clean…turns out its not 
I snapped this neat picture last time I was making soap, little beeswax flowers ( I think they look like flowers, atleast they did till they melted)
Don’t worry I’ve found time to squeeze in some quilting too. Yesterday I was sewing together some blocks and cutting out socks…yep, socks…I’ll tell you why when I’m a little farther along in the project.
I’ve also been spending sometime converting my patterns into e-patterns for youcanquiltthis.com, a spin off from youcanmakethis.com. What a great bunch of sites!
Oh, and I finally got new batteries for my camera. I don’t know what the life span of rechargables is supposed to be, but for the price I paid for the last set it wasn’t near long enough. But, I’ve got now ones so I can take pictures again!
One of the first things I took a picture of with my new batteries was my soggy chickens. They got caught out in the rain yesterday (I told them to get inside, but they didn’t listen) and boy are they a sight when they are wet! You think a soggy cat is comical! Unfortunately the picture isn’t the greatest, but I’m sure I will have the chance to get another…they really don’t seem too concerned about the rain – I guess thats when the juicy bugs come out…
And of course since my camera is in working order again there is lots of pictures of Magnum and Ella. I think they are just the cutest when they cuddle together. Magnum is so careful when Ella is sleeping on the bed, don’t think I’ve seen him kick her once…ok, maybe that one time, but I’m pretty sure he was dreaming
Happy quilting!
I was just about to contact my mother to see if she could send me some of the pictures she took of the gardens at the Quilters In Bloom. I opened up my e-mail and there they were a bunch of pictures. I will post a few here for your to see. The plan is to hold another tour in two years…so get ready for 2011. I guess I should get quilting
Boy oh boy, I’ve been very tardy with my blog updates, I think I need to start getting into the habit of doing daily enteries again…I was doing real good for a while there…back a few months ago. Maybe I’m just too busy, so busy I don’t even have time to type about it heehee
Right now most of my focus is on Pioneer Spirit stuff. And the last month or so I’ve spent much of my time working on the Summer Just Around The Corner Event. It has come up fast – this weekend already! There are a few more things that still need to be done, but for the most part I am “ready”…I think.
Two weekends ago I took my quilts down to be apart of the quilters in bloom garden tour in Clinton. It turned out to be a pretty neat show. The weather was a little iffy for a while in the morning, but there was no major downpours throughout the day. I only made it to two of the gardens, but they ones are saw were fantastic. The quilts were great and the gardens were great. One day it would be nice to have a garden like the ones I saw. It seems like everyone grows these giant plants…many of mine are far from giant. Although I noticed the otherday that one of my hen and chick plants is flowering….how strange. I will try and snap a picture of it if it ever stops raining.
I did pick up some new batteries for my camera recently as I think my rechargeables are done. Two minutes out of the charger and they need to go back in. I don’t know if it was the batteries or the camera that killed them. But now I will be able to take some pictures again. There has been a few times that I would have like to have a shot, but no luck. Actually, speaking of taking pictures I still have some on the camera phone that I really should get off one of these days. Problem is I don’t really know how to do it!
In the quilting department I finished up a nice green garden table runner, simple yet elegant. I’ve also started putting together a list of classes for the fall so will post that once it is finalized.
Well thats enough words for now, later today I will try and get the pictures off the camera phone to liven up this place!
Happy Sewing
Sheesh, has it really been almost 3 weeks since I updated you on my progress? Where did the time go? Can I have it back please?
Lets see here…what has been keeping me away from the computer…
Well, I’ve been working on the Summer Edition of the Just Around The Corner event I held in November. I have the floor plan ready and most of the vendors arranged. Although there is still room for more I am thinking to have some quilters arranged around the building to add a bit of a feeling of home. Instead of tearing my house apart this time I have rented the hall in Priceville for August 1, this will allow a few more vendors too. If you are in the Grey/ Bruce area it would be great of you to stop by. There is no admission fee and should be a nice collection of arts, crafts and goodies.
I have a number of pictures too, unfortunately they are on the camera phone so I will have to wait to get them for you. I don’t know what your digital cameras are like, but mine eats batteries like you wouldn’t believe. They are rechargeable thankfully so I pretty much always have to have a set in the charger. Once day it would be nice to have a camera that actually works when I turn it on…what a concept
I would have loved to get a picture of the chickens the other day – I think they must be the welcoming committee to the house. We were away for a day the other weekend and when we arrived home we got out of the car and from the back came a couple of the chickens running up to the car. It was the funniest thing to see them running up to the car. They are pretty comical to watch running around anyway..they sort of waddle.
I’ve also been working hard to get some quilts completely finished for the Quilters In Bloom event I am attending July18. It sounds like it will be a fantastic day. There will be 8 gardens filled with a variety of quilted items, plus a marketplace filled with great products. I will be displaying my quilts in one of the gardens, plus we will have a booth at the marketplace with our soaps and candles for Pioneer Spirit. I’ve been spending a lot of my time creating the soaps and candles for Pioneer Spirit as well as taking them to the markets. Currently I spend my Fridays at the market in Walkerton with the soaps and candles, and occasionally bring fabric too There is also a few stores that will be caring our products! yahoo Don’t worry I am still working on BQD patterns and getting them to stores near you! I actually have a few patterns out being tested as well as some in progress in my studio. One is going to be a lot of fun to make as there will be a lot of freedom with the sewing.
And this weekend…well this weekend I had a nice busy weekend of doing nothing! Okay, well not totally nothing. I spent the time sewing. I am part of a block swap with the Canadian Quilters Group I belong to and spent the weekend sewing the cat blocks together. It was a great weekend. Who knew, sometimes its nice to have a weekend to do almost nothing
Once I get my pictures off the camera phone I will be sure to let you see them
Happy sewing!
Back when the snow was still flying we planted our vegetable seeds indoors to get them started. We seem to have a very short growing season here so the plants need all the help they can get.
Once the weather got a little warmer we built some mini greenhouses for the plants. We started out with some recycled fence boards…
Then we added left over drop sheet plastic.
I think the plants look pretty happy in there…
They are now uncovered and doing well…most of them are doing well anyways. A few of them sucommed to the weather.
Shortly after planting them we had some reasonably chilly days. Magnum was curled up underneath his quilt to stay warm I didn’t think it was that cold!
Well I do seem to have a bit of a collection going on. I didn’t mean to get another sewing machine…actually two, but couldn’t help myself. I seem to be especially prone to the older machines, the ones with very few gadgets and metal cases.
I was recently at a yard sale and came across two cases that couldn’t be anything but sewing machines. What I found under the lid was two older sewing machines. A Singer and a White. And for some unknown reason, before I knew what was happening I had them both in my trunk…sheesh.
I gave them a quick try and the White seems to work pretty well considering how old it probably is…
The Singer ended up in my BF’s workshop as he has been after me to let him take apart one of my machines for awhile now. The singer works ok, however it seems to be a little “stiff”.
Did you have any idea how simple the inside of a sewing machine was? I figured it would be much more complicated.
He was looking to see what was inside to see if he could stretch it for me into a long arm quilting machine I haven’t heard the final verdict on that yet.
Since we have been having such beautiful weather the last couple of days the flowers have been exploding in colour. I just noticed that my mini iris’ are blooming…so pretty. I actually have some full size irises too that need planting. Oh, and the Forget-Me-Nots are blooming too…I just love these little flowers!
Purple Mini Iris and Forget-Me-Nots
Yellow Mini Iris
Now these pretty yellow flowers we have all over our yard, and what a hardy flower they are too I’m not sure who decides what flowers are weeds and which our plants, but I do like the cheerful yellow dandelion.
Something I just realized the other day is that is has been more then two months since we set foot in a Wal-Mart store. After reading the book The Wal-Mart Effect by Charles Fishman we made a conscience effort to avoid shopping at Wal-Mart. There is a lot of people in the world that say they dislike Wal-Mart, but continue to shop there anyways. If you are borderline about wether you should shop at Wal-Mart pick up this book at your library or bookstore and give it a read, it has some pretty interesting insite into one of the largest chain stores.
Well I have much more work to do. I have a table runner, a quilt, some candles and even a batch of soap on the go today!
Happy Quilting.
