Quilt Show Entry and Tutorial

I can not believe our Guild's Quilt Show is next Friday! It has been a whirlwind the last few weeks pulling everything together (thanks to many volunteers) and I have to say my Big Girl Job has not helped much - terribly busy (want some cheese with that whine.....). Anyway, I figured this year I really should enter some thing. I persuaded my Mum to let me enter her quilt (Birthday Violets) which you can see in this earlier post. I also got creative and did a Fabric Collage which I thought I'd share how I made. This was a technique we learned at Guild a couple of years back (I also used it in a recent ATC).

Start with a piece of fabric (this was old upholstery). Adhere a layer of adhesive (I really like Steam A Seam) on top of the right side.

Layer bits and pieces on top (lace, thread, shiny stuff) - what ever gives it texture...

Iron a piece of tulle on top to keep everything in place (use the paper your removed from when you adhered the adhesive and iron on).
Then start decorating on top of your background! It is SOOOOOOO easy to do.
I copied my picture on to fabric. I also added a lace collar piece, metallic ribbon, buttons and beads, some silk and other pieces of lace - all mounted on another piece of old upholstery....

I really had a hard time deciding how to finish this off - use for a Journal, create a wall hanging, or ???

Then after a good Thrift I happen to sit it on top of an old frame I picked up - looks like a good match to me. Rather then put it under glass I decided to place it on top...Of course I've been looking at it for so long now I've developed a love/hate relationship with this piece - but Carol gave it the thumbs up (thanks my friend!) so into the show it goes....
If you are interested, find out more about what is happening this week for our Show at my other blog!

Cheers Jewels

Latest Haul

I've been curbing my thrifting of late...which has not been difficult to do simply because there is not a lot of good stuff out there ...so I really was not looking to pick anything up

but every now and then I will "brake" for a Church Rummage Sale

I have to say I was not to hopeful when I first walked in - tables and tables of clothes - But then I started poking around and came across a few treasures.

I love the books (as you know) ... Mrs. Linscott published this in 1905...

.. How about holding a Spinster Tea like the one described here - HOW FUNNY (or maybe sad) - bring with you an old-fashioned picture of a man supposed to have been refused by you...

This particular text (1929) provided details...
on How to Argue - while I like the idea (though hubby probably thinks I don't need any help with this), not so sure about the practice example "It is more important for girls to learn to cook then to learn to sew "(HUH?)
The nice Mother Goose Book (1948) and Vintage Fabric scraps are a favorite...



..but best of all was this framed print (Carol thought it was quite cool - and she should know as she has some real lovelies like this at her place). It's great to have good thrifting days don't you think? Especially when the final tally is only $6.00! Hoping you have a good thrift soon...Jewels.

Into The Woods

I may have mentioned Maple Hill sits on two acres of woodlands...

Looking out from our Sun Room all you see are trees...

Today, being so nice and warm (we had snow yesterday!) and trying to avoid yard work I decided to go into the woods to see what I could find...
It's a little early yet to find wild flowers (one Spring I found the prettiest pink Lady Slipper all by itself). It is a little to wet still - especially along what are deer trails in the Winter - had to jump a lot of puddles today.
But there were lots of examples of what I call Nature's Art
Every thing natural - no special set up
The Spring sun flickering on moss
How did this trunk know to land right between those two trees?
Obviously the bugs got to this trunk - look at the patterns they etched
I can imagine a little "fairy hut" under this stump
Sigh, unfortunately I did have to go back (today it was cleaning windows - all the better to see my woods!) but it was nice to spend some time just taking in the scenery. Hope you enjoyed coming along with me on my little hike. Cheers, Jewels.

Spring Break

The weather was beautiful (unseasonably warm), the drive there was totally uneventful, G&G were well behaved, very few people around so wonderfully quiet ....and I was sicker then can be - what a waste of vacation time! Unfortunately I managed to get hubbies nasty cold and it hit me full force for most of our time at the cottage - very disappointing.

I did manage to get some snaps when I could drag myself about - even though we have had the place for several years I still come across new things...the first thing I noticed was the remains of woodpeckers (on several trees) getting their next meal!This old piece of farm equipment sits out front of one of our neighbours drives...

Hubby and I went "snooping" while out walking and checked out properties for sale - only to find this windmill (pretty neat).
I noticed some folks really like to lock things down...I guess their cottage is their castle (get it - LOL)...And some have pretty fancy mailboxes....
The good news was that we were able to sit out on the deck and sun ourselves - and see the first flowers coming up...
I also have some "odds and ends" to share - have you ever see this kind of teapot (it's actually bright orange)? My cottage neighbour gave it to me - and of course of I've lost the piece of paper with the details about it - so if you recognize it let me know (and if I find my notes I will let YOU know!).
We have lots of "British" pieces about the place - like this old tin from Queen Elizabeth's coronation.
I also have another one of those "how did that happen" collections - of teaspoons! I try to keep them to Canadian themes - as many local locations as possible...
Old postcards on the Fridge
Truth is, I found I did a lot of this - just drinking warm fluids, some writing, and taking in the scenery -

When we go back in May we hope to have had a lot of exterior remodeling done (doors, windows, siding) - so here is a "before" picture - will let you see the "after" then! Cheers, Jewels...