Retreat 2014

Its another typical Saskatchewan day,

 

Cold and windy

 

But if you dress for it, there's no problem.

 

That's why I found a project for Christa to complete

 

Next weekend at retreat.

 

 

If we need bundling up surely they do too!

 

Stay tuned . : . There may be a new business ' Calf Cozies by Christa'

 

 

 

My friends feel this would be my mom.

 

 

Stay warm out there!

 

Justin



Kids and Quilts??

I've been doing some cleaning.

 

Trust me, I've tried leaving it for a few more months

 

But it couldn't wait for 'spring cleaning'

 

I found a few things. Of which I knew I had but just where.

 

One of which is a lil' piece of history.

 

Its not much, definitely used, EXTREMELY used to be exact.

 

 

 

 

Mom doesn't, er um didn't know I kept it.

 

She said to toss it but just imagine

 

If that ragged & tag along piece of fabric could talk.

 

Would it speak of the  many forts created?

 

The thunder storms and blizzards it has survived.

 

Or the many stairs it navigated

Would it be proud of the ten pound it lost

 

Or the days of a fresh wash & flapping dry on the line

 

Eagerly awaiting the next nights' adventures.

 

None the less it has grown up like its owner,

 

The day of forts, afternoon naps, and early night mischief are over.

 

Maybe when we both retire we can resume our careless and spontaneous adventures

 

The kind that will always be remembered.

 

 

Justin

 

 

Speaking of kids . : . : . : . This made me laugh.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hacked 2.0

Well its that time of year again

when you get to hear from your favorite guest blogger.

 

If mom wasn't on her warm weather rendezvous

what would she be doing?

 

 

Road trip of course cause we never stay home!

 

5 O'clock Tuesday morning

 

Tim, Jolly and Myself hit the road

 

 

 

 

It was time to head to Brandon for Manitoba Ag Days

 

Canada's Largest Indoor Farm Show

 

Over 540 Thousand square feet dominated 

 

 

 

 

 

 by 500+ enticing exhibitors

 

 

 

Nothing sets the tone to the show than being greeted by

 

550 Horse Power on Tracks

 

 

This beauty boasts over 85 square feet of glass!

 

 

 

Remember the crank machine on the tractor buddy seat video?
 

Well this tractor trumps that!

 

Go get that treadle up on in there and still have room for the grandkids!

 

Mom would have been all over this!

 

Technically a very small grain vac but imagine what it could do in your house!

 

Portable, self contained 25 hsp Honda with 4" pure suction.

 

You wouldn't even need to dust!

 

Following the show a quick drive through Brandon

 

 

I would go to university with building like this!

 

 

 

It was soon time to hit the blizzardy road home via Souris MB

 

It may have been cold but they had warm spirited plans!

 

 

 

Don't forget your masks!



Just imagine it in Hoffman Challenge 2014 fabric

to match that handbag.



Any one up for a road trip?



Justin 

It's a Beautiful Life

Most people who know me would say I live life to the fullest 

Some people have said it looks like I have the perfect life

But I think I make my life what it is 

It is far from perfect

I have tragedy in my life all the time.

In the last couple of weeks, my dog, Elliot was run over
and
 I killed Winny when I closed the garage door

Got to say, I cried for a week after Winny...still makes me tear 

up

I think I have VERY good intuition and I follow what my gut tells me.

So last night(we are in Florida), our 'neighbors' in this hotel had a lot of ......

Let's say....unusual activity. They were opening their safe a zillion times all night 

Late night visitors.

That sparked me to book a new hotel for today!

I have tried to talk myself out of this 'silliness' but my gut is saying GO NOW!

So to prevent the possibility of being a character on the next CSI..

We will be on an adventure to a new hotel.

My life is not perfect..

.I am handed a lot more lemons than you'll ever know

AND 

I do drink a lot of lemonade!!

Staying safe

Christa

Canada Tote Bag

Doesn't that smile just start the day off on the right note??

 

Jaxon is growing like a weed....

 

ok... more like a tree...weeds are bad....

 

 

He is such a good grandbaby!!

 

On to my third tote bag.....

 

I thought I would make this one for my sister,

 

Larissa who is going to ENGLAND!!

 

 

I love everything Stonehenge and this Canada fabric is beautiful!!

 

I love the panel representing all parts of our country...

 

They will know where she is from on first glance!!

 

Hope she has an amazing trip!!

 

It's her first BIG excrusion out of the country!!

 

Love yah, Sis!!

Christa

Possible Olympic Curlers??

 

My son, Justin asked me if I could make his curling team

 

 some pants like the Norwegian Team wear.

 

Sure... when do you need them?

 

Tomorrow.

 

TOMORROW!!??!! YIKES!!

 

We have very limited resources for fabric around here

 

so

 

 I sent him to Walmart for a set of sheets and some curtains...

 

 

These were the sheets....

 

Kind of sounds like Gone With the Wind, doesn't it?

 

The yellow/green stripe is the curtain....

 

 

And VOILA!!!

 

3 hours

 

 and

 

 one smoking hot sewing machine later....

 

Their olympic dreams were ready to be achieved!!

Knud,Kenny,Candace and Justin

 

I think their intention was to put their opponents into a trance...

 

Candace sporting her TRENDING outfit!

The only thing they won was the Best dressed Team!!

 

Sounds like it was a good time!!

 

Arnold and I are going on a cruise so I thought I would give this pattern a try.

 

It makes a tote that turns into a duffle bag.

 

 

I can't find anything on the internet about the pattern

 but

it is called the WOW! bag by The Dusty Attic

 

I was using two pieces of canvas

 but

 it became too heavy so I started again lining each with a lighter fabric

 

I used Pure by Sweetwater for Moda

 

 

I love the browns and blue(of course)

 

Isn't this the cutest little tag.. ps.i love you...

 

That was one of my NYC purchases!

 

You pull out the center of the tote to make it a duffle bag...

 

 

How cool is that!!

 

 

 

Now my only problem is.....

 

Which one to take???

 

 



 

 

Got to get packing!!

 

Christa

 



Scrap Squad Friday

Today is Scrap Squad Friday

 

 

Another version of Oh Sew Blue by Judy Laquidara

 

 

Anne Wiens of Seams like a Plan Blog had each of the Scrappers sign a square of fabric

 

Anne used each of our squares as the center of her blocks

 

 to make this Scrap Squad Quilt

 

 into a memory quilt for our last assignment!!

 

 

What a great plan, Anne!!

 

Great job!

 

Be sure to head on over to The Quiltmaker blog to read about Anne's creative process!!

 

 

Christa



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A Year with Quiltmaker Scrap Squad

I can't believe it's been a year

since I signed up for my Scrap Squad position



with Quiltmaker magazine

This post marks the end of my stint

 

Scrap Squad 1



 

As a member of Quiltmaker's Scrap Squad 2013

 

Scrap Squad 2

with an amazing group of 7 other Scrappers

 



Scrap Squad 3



 

Oh,the possibilities that were created by

 

 



Scrap Squad 4



 these incredibly creative quilters....

 

Scrap Squad 5

 

It was an enjoyable year to get to know my new quilting friends from all over the States.

 

(I was the only Canadian...hope I didn't embarrass my fellow Canadians too badly!!) 

 

 





 

Scrap Squad 6 - Oh Sew Blue..Gone Batik!



 

We proved that you can take any pattern and make it your own with just a little thinking!!

 

My last quilt is Oh So Blue by Judy Laquidara ......

 But mine has gone BATIK!

I decided to make this one with my favorite fabric as a tribute
and
 a keeper in memory of my experience!

It is crazy to think how a pile of cut up fabric ....

 

can lead to meeting new friends....

 

learning new skills....

 

 like my NEW favorite way to bind quilts.....

 

 

with Susie's Magic Binding technique as shown HERE

 

(I think of you every quilt, Marti!!)

 

 

 I am lucky enough to have

 

one of THE BEST Longarmer's in the quilting world...

 

as my BFF, Terry Whitman

(she doesn't have a website YEEET...but I can link you up... just leave me a message)

 

To think, I showed Terry how to thread a sewing machine.... she has far surpassed me!!

Her quilts are as stunning and intricate as her quilting is!!

Terry,left...showing her quilt

and the back....

Ombres jellyroll as a back

 

 

If this is your first time here, I hope you will stop in again!!

My therapy group of quilters are called The Block Party

There are 10 of us who meet twice a month to sew and council each other.

Hop on over to www.theblockpartyguild.blogspot.com sometime!


To read more about the making of my last SS Quilt, click HERE!!
Be sure to enter the giveaway there!!
Thanks to Quiltmaker Magazine for choosing me!!

I appreciated the opportunity!!
Christa