A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

... but I have to tell you I miss the written word. For a while it was all about Instagram...instant message, short and sweet, one after the other after the other after the other. But I have to tell you it just is not like blogging. I miss blogging, and even more I miss my blogging friends. Call me nosy but I miss hearing all about their day or week or what project they are working on or how Grandpa is doing and what you are making for that new grand baby. Yes it is more work, it is more time consuming

 And takes a little more thought to actually form interesting documenting of each subject but so much more rewarding. Sooooo once again I am going to try to get back into the habit of blogging. I don't have a huge following but I do have people saying, "when are you going to blog" or "I miss your blog posts" and that feels good. Call me what you will but I like the compliments and I kind of like knowing I was missed, so Hello! How have you been. I can't even begin to tell you all that has been happening In my world, because #1 I wouldn't have the time to write it, #2 you wouldn't have the time to read it all, and most importantly #3 I can't remember it all! Hey I am no spring chicken you know and I can barely remember what I did yesterday never mind the last 6 months.

I can tell you I have taken several trips. I was back to see my old friend Jenny at Missouri Star Quilt Company, and this time I took a friend with me and we had a ball! We visited Mama Hawks Bakery cafe and it was wonderful! The decor, the staff, and the food. 

The men had a comfy place to sit and wait for us while we shopped, although that was short lived...they decided to go exploring instead and then when we went back the next day for the whole day...yes the whole day from opening to close, so they went golfing and our day flew by, shopping, looking, touching and being inspired by everything we saw around us, so much so that I was inspired to buy certain things and then when I got it home and unpacked it, I couldn't remember what I bought it for...it was information overload and inspiration overload  but it was a wonderful experience shared with a special friend and it was fun. Now I know I said words are important but so are the pictures...and I don't know about you you but I like a blog with pictures!

 

 

 

I have taken a cup of coffee and a snack to my sewing table and I have stood at the counter grabbing a quick bit, I sat on a blanket on the beach eating, but I think this is the first time I have sat on a stool eating lunch at an ironing board. I was definitely a Kodak moment! I saw some great ideas to incorporate into my sewing studio. Mr O has offered to make me a cutting table island on wheels, so that when necessary I can move it out from the wall and of course I want  need storage space under it, I am always kicking my trash can as I move around so I noticed at all the MSQC cutting tables they had a trash container attached directly to the cutting table whic I thought was ingenious! Their tables are modified kitchen islands from IKEA and the trash bin flips out from under the table when needed and it too is from IKEA, I noted it in a photo and put it on my list for my next IKEA stop. 

I cutting table island, and 1 tilt out trash bin. I looked and looked but could not find it at IKEA so I asked, and no one really understood what I was wanting so I pulled out my phone to show them exactly what I was hunting for..."Oh You want shoe storage bins" was their answer to me. Me: "Ummm yeah that's what I meant; tilting shoe storage bins not tilting trash bins, how silly of me!"

 

All neat and tidy and tucked away...

 

Tilted out and ready for use...just slide all the remnants and scraps into the TRASH   SHOE bin. I have had one of those RASKOG rolling carts from IKEA for several years now and I have to say I love that as well.

Want to see another great idea?

 

Isn't this coffee table a great quilt storage/display piece? I love it! It does double duty, clean dust free storage and display. Guess where it came from? Yup! You guessed it...IKEA

Just so you know I am not being paid to say this, I just think it is such a clever idea! My shopping list was getting longer and longer by the minute and my big dilemma was where I was going to put these things if I got them on the way home. You have to understand I do not have easy access to an IKEA store. The closest is 8 hours away and so I try to stop in to make my purchases on my way home.

 

I had a problem though...and no it was not all my doing...

 

It was her fault! No! It was her fault!

Oh my we had fun and we hit about four or five more quilt shops after this picture. Thankfully Mr O is an absolute magician when it comes to packing a vehicle and we were able to manage a few Thrift/Vintage Shop  purchases as well...even a bird cage and footstool!

Oh my we can laugh now but it would not have been a funny thing if we had been made to unload at the border crossing back into Canada. 

We had a wonderful week in Branson after this and it was such a great way to celebrate our 46th anniversary with friends. Earlier in the year we had travelled together to San Antonio to celebrate their 40th anniversary, so it really has been a fun time. We live 1000miles apart, and really appreciate the times we get to spend together.

4 days after returning home I had a quilt retreat to attend so it gave me good opportunity to use some of my fabric purchases. You will have to wait until after Christmas to see them though just in case some of the recipients see this post.

I am writing this post from a motel room in Ontario...yes yes I am on the road again! On my way to spend time with a sister and brother for a week, then on to Manitoba. We have book a couple chalets and Mr O and get to spend Christmas with both our children and their spouses and all of our grandchildren...no one missing! I am looking forward to this so much!

Afterwards on to Saskatchewan to spend time with another sister and her family then to our daughters' for a week and then we have booked a retreat/spa accommodation for 4 days on out way home to kick back and relax after all the festivities. 

I can't believe the year is almost done. 

There are so many things I could tell you but I might be repeating myself, so I am going to go back and see what my last few posts were about and I will try to get back with a little more news.

You know I was afraid that when I got back to writing I would be out of practice, because you know what they say...if you don't use it you lose it! Our kids are growing up with keyboard skills but their hand writing is atrocious; they can't spell because "spell check" looks after that for them, we hardly need to communicate with words because emoticons and short forms and pictures say it all for us, so I am going back to what I enjoy....words!

 

 

IF IT SITS/STANDS STILL LONG ENOUGH...

You may remember me saying many times that I need a title before the brain can get motivated to write a blog post. As I go through my day I often have ideas for blog posts that seem to evaporate into the atmosphere by the time I actually get to sit and write. And night time! When I am laying in bed and can't seem to get the mind to shut off or just before falling asleep when I have the most amazing ideas and plans and then for the life of me cannot retreive those fantastic ideas that seem to fade away in the morning light... 

Surely I am not alone with this dilemma. Please tell me that you also write the best poems, plan the most amazing quilts, come up with just the right words for the answer to a friends problem while hovering in that semi concious euphoric state just before nodding off.

By now you are scratching your head saying to yourself, what in the world is this woman getting at? 

Well, when I sat to write I couldn't come up with a title, so in the midst of a texting conversation with a friend, I said, " give me a blog post title will ya" and she did! So this title is brought to you courtesy of Sue! 

She actually said a little more than that but I edited it...writer's prerogative I think. 

In my last post I showed you a few of the things I have been messing around with that includes fabric, and paint etc.  I am at it again! Well actually, I should say still at it, cause I have not really stopped.

Sue has jokingly commented several times that if something stands still long enough around me, it is likely to get painted, and she is right on the money! 

What have I painted since we last talked?  Umm let me think...

I decided to go with red for the cedar chest, and I love it! 

BEFORE

 

AFTER

 

Not a great picture, but you can see the change a bit of paint made to it. I also took the hardware off and sprayed it rubbed bronze. 

You know what! I am falling asleep at the keyboard and these pictures look terrible and I am scrambling for my words, so I am going to bed and maybe some really clever thoughts and ideas will come to me sometime between brushing my teeth and collapsing in my bed. If so I will tell you all about it tomorrow, if not I will continue on with this evenings train of thought and hopefully some better photos.  Zzzzzzzz

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY'S ARE IN ORDER

 

Canada turns 149 today! Happy Birthday Canada! She is looking good for her age too.  

 

 

 

 

I have been to all 10 provinces, but sadly I have yet to visit the 3 territories that complete our country. One day... I hope to remedy that.

Are you up to a few Canadian Trivia questions?

1. Who was the political leader who led the campaign to introduce universal health care?

2. What Canadian figure skater was the first in the world to land a quadruple jump in a world competition?

3. What three oceans border Canada?

4. Which is highest mountain?

5. Who wrote the lyrics to Canada's NationalAnthem?

6. What two Canadian cities were part of the "Original Six" NHL teams?

7. What was the name of Canada's flag before the Maple Leaf?

8.  Name the Canadian Prime Minister who won the Nobel Peace Prize.

9.  Name the first Canadian woman in space, flying aboard the American space shuttle Discovery from January 22-30, 1992.

10.  What was the name of the route used by fleeing American slaves to get to Canada?

11.  What Canadian city houses the longest continuously operating ballet company in Canada?

12.  The Dionne Quintuplets were born May 28 of what year?

I meantioned plural birthdays in my blog title. The second birthday is that of my baby. He turns 43 today. I can hardly believe it's been 43 years since we welcomed a beautiful blue eyed baby boy into our family, but I can't imagine what our lives would have been like without him.

 

Happy Birthday "Georgie" 

In case you are wondering the projects are coming along slowly. Things are taking a bit of turn, but my projects tend to take on a life of their own when given a chance. I promise to keep you updated though. Here is a little teaser of some of the changes.

 

Before I say good night, I thought you might like the answers to the trivia questions, that is if you haven't googled them already <wink>

1.  Tommy Douglas

2.  Kurt Browning

3.  Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic

4.  Mount Logan in the Yukon

5.  Calixa Lavallee

6.  Montreal and Toronto

7.  Red Ensign

 

This is just a bit of a clue to what I am working on at the cottage.

8.  Lester B. pearson

9.  Roberta Bondar

10.  The Underground Railroad

11.  Winnipeg since 1939

12.  1934 

 

Our grandson is visiting us from Saskatchewan and he and Mr O went kayaking today.

 

I stayed home and held down the fort; repainted my vintage step stool/plant stand and puttered around planting some more flowers.

 

 

 

However you celebrated Canada's birthday, I hope you enjoyed it!

MY MAMA SAID...

"Tomorrow never comes".   Did your Mama ever tell you that?

I know I said I would finish my blog post tomorrow, and yes I know that was 3 days ago, but I am doing it today instead. <grin>

I think I said I would tell you about a few of my current projects. Good thing I am going to keep it to a few or we would both be here for a long time. Surely I'm not the only one with several projects on the go at once. 

Earlier this winter a friend and I went to a introduction class to Annie Sloan paints and techniques. I was enjoyable couple of hours and has given me so many ideas for projects that need to be done around the house. The first project I decided to tackle was a small wooden bench/storage chest that I had purchased at a consignment shop on our last trip to Ontario to visit to our son. I actually purchased a few items that trip and here is a before shot of the chest alongside a large metal can that also came to live at our place. It was in terrific shape and although it was not a fine antique I knew it was just what I wanted for the foot of my bed. I had been wanting a small bench and the fact that this one had storage in it was an added bonus! 

 

In progress with just paint

 

But how much richness the wax adds to her look. Here she is dressed in her new coat of Annie Sloan  "Emperor Silk"  red paint and finished with dark wax. 

 

I also purchased a couple chairs from the same store and hauled them home from Ontario...poor Mr O! He just shakes his head...

In my haste to start this project I for the before pics so you will have to trust me on this one that they look WAY better with the makeover. I painted them in AS Graphite, again this totally changes it's look once the wax is added. The seats were covered with very black cord type fabric so that had to go. I have always been quite smitten with linens and toiles and ticking and although I have some in my stash, I needed a particular colour of ticking for this job. One very rainy day a couple weeks ago 4 amigos went on a road trip to do some fabric shopping and to pick up Ruby from her very long stay at the sewing machine hospital. We were able to score some great purchases at terrific prices across the border in Maine. I had the perfect piece of ticking for my chairs!

This is what they look like finished...well, almost finished. It needs a few more staples in the fabric, but as luck would have it I ran out of taples in the stap,e gun and with Mr. O away I was a bit of a loss as to where to find them, but you get the idea from this shot. 

 

No I didn't miss a spot. I distressed them a it after painting and before the wax went on. I cant have them looking too new, they won't match anything else in the house! 😳

I had a couple projects in mind while shopping and was able to get one of them almost completed last weekend while at the cottage.

We have 2 futons in the guest house/quilt studio for overflow company. I was really feeling crowded with 2 of them and with a grand daughter getting her own apartment this fall while away at university I was able to pawn donate it to her. She is happy, and Nanny is happy! ( She was also happy to take a  coffee table off my hands as well)

I kept one futon but was not totally enamoured with the fabric so I decided to make a slip cover for it in red and white ticking. Yes I know summer is tick season but for me this summer is ticking season! I wanted this to be as easy as possible to make and change as possible so the plan I cam up with was to make a large tube and then sew twill tape ties along the edges to keep things closed and secure. I am quite happy with the results. Unfortunately I was not able to purchase as much twill tape as needed so once I am able to get a few more meters of it I can complete that job as well. In the meantime it is working out just fine.

FUTON BEFORE

 

FUTON AFTER

 

I have several cushions that I brought home to recover so that will make it look a lot better once they are done.

I have an old Queen Anne chair that I love but has seen better days, so I shampooed it and am now in the process of covering the seat cushion. The original plan was to make a slipcover for the whole chair, (😱 what was I thinking!) however after shampooing the chair I came to the conclesion that covering the arms and the cushion would be sufficient. That is now a work in progress. I started out with a floral fabric, then switched to ticking and yesterday I decided that I wanted something different. I have been struggling with the piping. Not only have I never done that before but I am trying to replicate the method used by the original makers of the chair where the piping is not a piece unto itself but it is fitted into the seam while the top and side are sewed together thus making less bulk in the seam...I know I know...that explanation was as clear as mud and you are scratching your head saying, "what in the world is she talking about?"

I know what I need to do but fabric is limited so I may have to go at it ankther way after all...tume will tell.

This is my chair 

 

She looks much better since her shampoo, but the cushion was realling hurting so this is what has happened to her.

 

 

The cover has been removed and dismantled so I could use it as a template for the new cover and yes that is ink on it! Don't ask!

I am really labouring over this project because I want it to look good. This chair is an old favourite of mine and she deserves it.

Mama also used to tell us, "whatever you do, do with your might. Things done by half are never done right."

While going through my decor fabrics I discovered a piece I had purchased while vacationing in Spain and I think it is just crazy enough that it might work with the blue fabric of the chair and the red and white ticking and the Union Jack throw quilt for the futon. It is a Queen Anne chair after all so this British themed fabric should be fun!

Come on now! Keep an open mind!

I purchased an antique dresser/cabinet this weekend as well and I am trying to decide on a colour for it. It will be residing in the beach studio and will probably house quilts and blankets. I think she will add some character to the place and I want her colour to reall "sing". My first choice was the same red as my little bench chest but I am also leaning toward an English Yellow. What would you pick?

 

I made several jars of stewed rhubarb this week and 11 jars of Heavenly Jam today. 

 

 

 

See that little zip lock bag of rhubarb? I'm saving that to make another rhubarb loaf just like the one I made a week or two ago. It was without a doubt the best rhubarb loaf ever! I mean E-V-E-R! Really. I also made it into muffins for our fabric buying road trip. A tasty snack.

This is the loaf minus a slice or 2.

 

This is the recipe in case you want to give it a try. I used the zest from the whole orange not just the requested tablespoon and I also added a cup of chopped pecans.

 

My weight loss journey has taken a bit of a detour and I really need to focus and get back on track. ( please refer to the previous paragraph and photos to help you to understand about the afore mentioned detour) In all fairness with all the bad weather, walking has been difficult and any excuse to eat is a good one, which is ok if you offset the damage with physical activity but things have been a little lopsided lately and I need a good kick in the pants to get me motivated. I started out today fully intending to walk...got my hiking shoes on and then realized I better get my rhubarb washed and cut for my jam, so the apron went on instead, but I have to say I was really rocking this look today; ruffled apron over my skirt with hiking shoes! 

 

Something else my Mama used to tell us was, "be yourself. Don't worry about what everyone else is wearing." 

I'm pretty sure this is not a look everyone else is wearing! How am I doing Mom?

Word Of The Day : PLUVIOPHILE

How many of you know what a Pluviophile is? No cheating! I know your first instinct is to Google it, or maybe check with old Mr. Webster, but be honest. Did you know what it meant? Have you ever heard the word before? I hadn't and quite frankly I stumbled on it just recently but a Pluviophile is.....

Definition of Pluviophile

a lover of rain;someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

If there are any Pluviopholes in our area they must be absolutely euphoric! We have had nothing but rain for the last 2 weeks. I'm not talking of an occasional shower or a light drizzle, I am talking RAIN! Every day! Cold rain, and wind; the kind of weather that had me turning on the furnace in the middle of June! I spent the weekend at Winterpast with a quilting friend and I had thought we were to have some decent weather, and we did for a few hours but before the day was half done it was raining again and Sunday was gloomy and windy and blowing and so soggy, I thought it could not get much worse. Boy was I wrong! Monday we had the most frightful weather you can imagine. It was so dark and windy, with absolute downpours for hours on end! I not only turned the furnace on, but I was so tired of the dark gloom, I went all around the house turning on lights...It was an all in all revolt! I went to each and every room...bathrooms, entries, hallways, bedrooms, dining room, kitchen, all three lamps in the living room, everything that had a lightbulb and a switch got turned on! I just could not take the dark and gloom another minute! It didn't change the weathr outside but at least it was brighter inside. 

I took a few videos and photos of the effects of the rain around the house and neighbourhood to send to Mr. O. 

 

My poor rhubarb patch was pounded into the ground. 

NOTE:  I have been fooling around on my ipad for the last hour trying to enlarge the font and to insert a video of the nasty weather but have had no luck...maybe later.

NOTE #2 : I get very frustrated with all the updates to apps etc. It seems I just get used to doing something one way and they change it and leave me muddling around again!

NOTE #3: This is one reason I have been so slack at blogging...it takes me forever to get things done on this app. I have tried 3 different ones and still have issues!!!

Ok! Enough whining.

I will post a few weather related shots of the shore areas on the way to our cottage. These are not my pictures. I retrieved them from afriend on my Facebook.

 

 

 

A few more taken around home

 

This was a lawn a few or so ago.

 

Farmers fields

 

This was not waterfront property last week!

Needless to say we have been a Pluviophile's dream location! I on the other hand have had enough!

This post has taken so long to put together that it is far past my bedtime and I will have to tell you about my current projects  tomorrow.