Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Sew my quilting has become derailed.

School play time. I have been helping with costumes for the past five plays. This year I have to make smock aprons and maybe a robe.

I have the material and have started cutting out the smocks. I picked a nice pastel gingham check in mauve, pink, and green apple.  Motivation does not seem to be coming into play. My innner sewing muse has to kick into play today.

I need to have them done soon... Sew off I go!

Monday, April 12, 2010

I talked about inspiration on Wed. and then I had such a inspiring weekend.

Thursday we went to Dundas, Ontario where we shopped in this delightul small downtown area. We had supper at the local Thai restaurant, visited the Carengie Art Gallery http://www.carnegiegallery.org/ , shopped at the tea and chocolate shop, kitchen store, gluten free bakeshop, cheese shop and some inspiring clothing stores. The evening was spent at the Dundas Art School Annual Art Auction where local artists donate items and they have a silent auction and live auction to raise funds. Most of the art was paintings, pottery or jewelry but there was some fabric art as well.

Friday I was to go to a relaxation class with my friends at a local Cancer Support Center. I found out they have a quilting group that sounded quite interesting and will be having a show at a local gallery to display art quilts in August. I think I might have to check this group out as they make bags to support the centre and I still have some fabric to make into head pieces etc.

Friday night was spent at the James North Art Crawl in Hamilton, Ontario http://www.jamesstreetnorth.ca/ where every second Friday of the month the local art studio's open to the public for this crawl. It was fun, eye opening and inspiring. A friends sister has just moved her art studio from home to the Hotel Hamilton and had her grand opening on the Thursday night. It was great fun to see Julia's showing of her paintings. http://www.juliaveenstra.com/  I have a print from Julia that my wonderful daughter gave me for Christmas a few years ago. The painting I love is a watercolour of my friends daughter in a Muskoka Chair on our dock. Julia has moved to acylics and the friends I was with loved her new creations. I am a detail person in my pictures so things that are more abstract are not as appealing to me. Or perhaps it is the soft water colours that I enjoy more.

Sometimes I wonder as what others pass off as art. I guess that I do not have the technical skills or training to know but some things were not my style that's for sure.

I did meet a lady who was in the Hotel Hamilton space who was a local fabric artist. I lost her card on the trek but it was great fun to talk with her. I don't know if I will go back next month but I am sure I may meet up with her again.

Saturday I had a very pleasant day helping a friend at a book sale at the Bob Rundall Centre for the Deaf. It was a Christian women and men conference for the Deaf. It was a challenge for us to keep up. Fortuately they were very graceful and patient with us. It is interesting to be the one who is impaired and can not speak their language.  K and I were the only ones who couldn't sign and we had to have translators.

Sunday afternoon was spent at a fundraiser. Talk about inspiring. The concert Hearts Gathering Children Concert was held to raise funds for Adrie's House of Hope for orphaned and abandoned children in South Aftrica. It is sponsered by The Lincoln and Niagara on the Lake Rotary clubs. They put on a concert of local children preformers from various groups and donate all the money to the orphanage. This year Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo fame ( http://www.bluerodeo.com/ )  about the concert from Wayne Petti of Cuff the Duke fame (http://www.cufftheduke.ca/) and volenteered to help out. They sang for the second half of the concert and if I didn't love these guys before I do now just for their generosity and stage presents alone.

But the greatest supprise was how good the local children and youth talent was. It was well worth the price of admission and more for the diversity and skill of these kids. Of course I also went to hear the choir from my DS2 school. They did a great job and sounded wonderful. It is a small school but they do wonders! ( http://www.sdch.on/ )

Now is is Monday and to the real world.......

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Inspiration...

What inspires you?

Inspiration for me comes in many forms. I have been thinking a lot about being more positive in my outlook and living more in the moment. Not selfish just enjoying living in the today moment.

What inspires me?
1. Laughter - with good friends, clean humour, funny movie, watching my husband laugh especially at brit coms, laughing with my kids who have developed the same twisted humour as me!
2. The outdoors especially when I take time to smell the roses and go for a walk. Especially with Di who makes me laugh while we discuss the twists and turns of life.
3. My family. All have overcome obstacles and are an inspiration to me. They show me so much compassion and teach me so many life lessons.
4. Thursday night craft girls. Although we are now only 3 sometimes four when my DD is home we have a great time even when we don't get much done.
5. Passing on my crafty/sewing knowledge. I love to see someone pick up and enjoy creating.
6. Fabric. Mine, others; looking, touching; buying, watching someone else buy (cheaper on the budget lol)
8. Cottage - if you have ever been to mine you know why this is inspiring. It's my happy place.
9. Hugs from my loved ones. Kids give the best hugs but I am discovering that I like them from others too! I have always enjoyed them from DH.
10. Reading. Whether it is my sewing/quilting/crafting/knitting/murder mysteries/ Christian fiction/ my bible/cereal boxes etc. It calms me and centers me. I am an information junkie!!! and I love it.
11. Friends/ girl friends/ guy friends you are the best!
12. My best friend DH no matter what you are there - maybe not knowing what to do but you are there....
and did I say fabric.......

Whats up in Quilt land?
Started a Stack and Wack with my mom for my B and SIL. Had the material for 5 years and just started the quilt. Mom made 1/2 the blocks and I made 1/2. We need a day to sew it into a top. Then I think I will see if we can get it basted so both our backs do not kill us. Here is a picture of one or two of the blocks.
This is a fun quilt to do because all the blocks are different and look like a kaleidoscope. It is done by layering the fabric in exact repeats together and then cutting the fabric. In this case it was 8 repeats and then cut in cuts across the fabric then into squares then triangles so that you have 8 triangles of exactly the same.
See the stack and whack book on the shelfari for more details of where you can buy this book.

I am also making a quillow for my great niece but need to take pictures of it.
That's it for now.
Jo