Twisted Roses

 Hi There!

Where have I been???

What have I been doing???

Well, I've been busy and yet, relaxing and ...

at the same time, I haven't stopped

for a very long time, either!

LOL

These past few days, I've been playing with my "Twister Tool"

and the book that I had purchased,

to make a BIG lapquilt.

I'll be using this as a demo or for possilbe classes, as a trunk show and then, when it gets "retired", it will be gifted to a relative.

*grin*

I decided to use the left over fabrics 

from my friend Elaine's generous gift.

A while back, she had sent me some April Cornell's Decadent Victorian and some other fabrics that matched this line very well.

 For this quilt, I started by making my 4 patch blocks, 

with its outer border.

I don't know HOW many times I read the instructions in the book AND muttered a LOT to myself!  I mean, HONESTLY, 3/4 of a yard would NEVER be enough for all these 4 patch outer borders, right?!??!? 

THANK GOODNESS I had a full YARD of that outer border fabric for the 4 patch blocks!!!

*insert LOUD, THEATRICAL GROAN*

Look closely - it took me possibly 6 times, of picking up the darn book and re-reading it and ....

THEN, it sunk in!!!!

They're calling for THREE and ONE/QUARTER yards of the pinwheel's outer border!!!

Sooooo, I had to make the outer border scrappy-ish.... 

Here's my design wall with the 4 patch blocks...

And here's the finished quilt top,

minus the 2 outer borders around the quilt.

I have this book on how to paper piece different labels.

Gilbert likes a "built-in" label.  In other words, he prefers the label ON the back of the quilt, before he LongArm quilts it.   Me?  Doesn't matter but I'm beginning to like HIS way better 'cause then, I don't hem and haw and the label's ON the quilt, it gets quilted and I don't gotta worry 'bout puttin' that darn label on it!

It's already on there, right?

*grin*

For this quilt, the "house" is the actual label.

Gilbert wrote on the window and on the roof.

Now, sometimes bright ideas aren't always so bright and sometimes they are!

My theme or goal rather, these past couple months is to USE what fabric I've got and STOP buying!

I've culled some older or non-shop quality fabrics and passed them on to someone who doesn't care and is using up what I'm giving her.

I've also culled my quilting magazines and as quilty friends come to visit, I let them select ONE magazine from my box.  The ladies seem to enjoy this and I'm happy to pass my magazines along!

So, when I realized that this fabric was diminishing, I decided to use it all up for the back of the quilt.  And YES, it took longer but I DID enjoy myself AND, without any planning, this quilt has now become reversible!

A "win-win" for sure!

(a section of the back of the quilt)

Forgot to take a final picture but the quilt top and quilt back have now been put away and hopefully will get quilted in January, when Gilbert and Bertha both get a chance to breath.

*grin*

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Here, we've got a Wet Wednesday....

Perfect for playing in my Studio!

Rosa

I Love Bling!

Gilbert and I had to go to Cyber Solutions for a new power supply and WOW!!!

I had to pick up this 8 g USB Memory Stick!!!

Ain't it purty???

Rosa

The Princess Will Have No Heirs.

Hi There!

This past Wednesday, Gilbert and I left the house REAL early with Princess Zelda, our 10 month old German Shepherd puppy.  

Our destination?  

Zelda was going to the Vets to get spayed.... 

FINALLY!

Zelda, that's literally TERRIFIED of her own shadow, falling leaves, compost bins that - God forbid, someone left on the sidewalk in front of their home, a tool box that Gilbert had put on the kitchen counter, bedding on our clothes line...

 and the list goes on and on and on.

Did I mention she HATES or is TERRIFIED of cars????

Strangers are also a no-no.

Anyhow, we managed to get her into the car, for her trip to the Vets.  We would be picking her up the next day.

From there, we took off to Prince Edward Island.  

I had a meeting to attend, that same day.

I was presented with a 10 year "pin" by His Honour, H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island.

The next morning, Gilbert and I packed up the car and went to 3 quilt shops.

First store we went to wasn't far from our hotel room.  It's called "Quilting B and More".  Here I bought some Anne of Green Gables fabric.

This quilt store is called "Island Fabric Outlet" and here, Gilbert bought a 120" measuring tape, I got an extra long ruler... the kind that sharpens your cutter's blade as you use it?  I also bought a 1/2 meter of red and white stripped fabric for that "Peppermint Twist" quilt that I'm gearing up to do.

Here's a picture of painted quilts on the side of their building.

Cute, eh?

I had to use the bathroom, while there, and I'm sorry but I just HAD to take a picture of their wallpaper border, as well as a matching(?) picture.

I just HAD to share with all of you!

Too adorable!

And this was the 3rd quilting store that we went to. Its called "Bargain Fabric Outlet".
 

Gilbert took a picture of me, besides their bolts!

Here, I bought polar bear fabric - 5 pieces of polar bear fabric, actually!

 We also went to the "Cows" store.  

I saw a "50 Shades of Hay" t-shirt but didn't buy it.  

They didn't have my size.  :-(

We also went to one of the Paderno stores.  

Gilbert and I LOVE the Paderno brand!

We also went to a PEI liquor store and picked up a couple (different) bottles of dry, red wine... made on the island.   

They've since been put aside for a special occasion.

When we got home, we quickly unpacked our car and went to get Zelda.

BOY, was she happy to see us!!!!

And whine and yip and howl and lick our hands and wag her tail and more whining and "speaking".  I would have LOVED to have understood, TRULY, what she was saying!

Was she complaining 'cause we left her behind?

Or simply telling us about her ordeal?

Or.... Trying to tell us how happy she was to FINALLY see us?

I guess we'll never know....

But she sure has been acting "different", since.

For example, once she goes out and does her "thing" before we go upstairs for the evening and once upstairs, I give her a small rawhide bone and she plunks herself down and chews on it.

Usually.

This time, she was happy to get the bone but I figured she was just too exhausted to chew on the bone - she put the bone aside.

The next morning, I saw her with the bone in her mouth, acting really "weird".  Finally, she went under Gilbert's desk and started to "dig" in a corner.   HUH!?!?

Yup!  She left her bone there 'cause she had hidden it!

LOL

A closeup picture of her bone that's "hidden".

*wink. wink.*

That was Thursday evening.

Yesterday evening - Friday - same routine.  She does her thing outside. We come upstairs. She expects her rawhide bone. I give it to her.

This time, Gilbert saw her hide it - in plain site - behind the vacuum cleaner!

LOL

And another thing - Zelda used to follow me closely, before.

Now, I think I've become her obsession!

*chuckling over here*

We love her dearly!

Quirks and All!

And NO, there will be no heirs to Princess Zelda's lineage...

Thank GOD!

As for today's news?

Gilbert HAD a cold which he is almost over.  Actually, he very effectively passed it on to me.  This morning, with runny nose and eyes... as well as having my sinuses congested... I'm hoping this will be the worst day and then things will get better.

Have a great weekend!

Rosa

A Few More Pics to Share

 Hi There!

Well, I sorta finished a UFO and

 I forgot to blog about it.  

Probably 'cause I really didn't do 

much work to it, 'cept bind it.... 

and even then, I bound it by machine. *s*

Anyhow, it was a panel that I had picked up 

at Mardens, in Calais, Maine... a year or 2 ago.

Gilbert did an AWESOME job quilting it!

 Here's a picture of me,

 the week BEFORE our office closed down.

 

And here's what I had to work with during the last few days.

A chair, a phone and a makeshift table.

 

 Well, as you probably know, 

my last work day was Friday, the 28th of September.  

The very next day, Gilbert and I left to go to a quilt show in Calais, Maine.

We usually stop at Dunkin Donut's as soon as we arrive in Calais.  

This time, we stopped as we were leaving.

Gilbert, the driver, needed some coffee

for our trip back.

*s*

And NO, that donut had waaaay 

too much icing for me - I brushed it off!

 I really wish the picture had turned out better, on this pic....  There were cob webs ALL OVER this pay phone!!!  I told Gilbert, "This is so sad.  It's a sign of the times.  No ONE is using this payphone - everyone has cell phones!"

Well, that's about it for now.  This afternoon, I spent a bit of time Chillin'.  Thorougly enjoyed it and did NOT feel guilty, in the least!

LOL

Yup!  I managed to do that today!

Happy Thanksgiving, to all my Canuck Friends!!!!

Rosa

Day 7 - It Could Be Worst...

Hi There!

Yep!  I'm still "off" and lovin' it!   Busy trying to maintain the laundry, dish washing, errands and as well as bank business and such (re: my new un-employed status), etc., etc., etc.

And YES, I am playing in my Sewing Studio!  Not as much as I'd like, but still getting a few minutes here and there, nevertheless.  *grin*

I'll be giving quilting classes, starting October 13th and I'm definitely all set and prepared for this month's class.

I'm hoping to give different classes every month. Sooooo, I'm already working on November's classes, as I need to prepare notes AND have a few "examples" of what I'll be teaching, right?

Anyhoooooo, this week, Gilbert happened upon a new-to-him internet radio channel. Well, I knew that he "liked" the James Last band, but little did I know.... after 12 years of being together.... that he actually LOVED them!

Here's the web link:

http://tunein.com/radio/J-Last-Radio-s158908/

 They play James Last music.... CONTINUALLY!!!   and with little to no commercials s'far as I can tell.

 And while Gilbert is being on the Gammill and listening to his James Last, I'm trying to work in my studio.  He likes his music rather loud and I'm here, in my studio... listening to this band.  And, between you and I, I think they're starting to get on my nerves.... It's like a cross between elevator music, piano bar music and  movie (background) music.  Right now, "Moon River" is playing.

Nice to listen to at first, but....   *sigh*

At least I'm off, right?  And it could be worst, right?  Rap and pan flute music would be the ULTIMATE nails-scratching-on-a-chalkboard WORST!!!

*grin*

 Hope you're all having a Fantastic Friday!!!

Rosa

Happy Mail!!!

A good friend subscribes to "American Patchwork & Quilting".

Lucky for me, this magazine gives her a 2nd subscription to share with a friend!

Yup - She picked moi!!!

Received my December issue, today!

Thanks my friend!!!

Rosa

Day 3....

Hi There!

Well, Day 3 of being un-employed.

This morning, I cooked a Shepherd's Pie for dinner.... that's our noon meal.

In the afternoon, I picked up my Avon order and went to Future Shop to pick up an external Hard Drive, for our monthly backups.  Gilbert had shopped on-line and found the best price for what we wanted.  *s*

And, later in the afternoon, I got to play in my Sewing Studio.

Supper was around 6h30 and OH MY GOD - where did the DAY go?!??!?!?

Will try and keep you all posted on my "new" chapter.

*grin*

Rosa