Two Weeks Until Time Change!

Two weeks today we will 'spring ahead' with our clocks & the days are already noticeably getting longer. The sun is bright these days which helps lift one's spirit & with the month of spring just around the corner, excitement is building with the thought of Mother Nature coming to life once more & the thought of colour other than the colour of winter is exciting! Snow stays in the NE corner for a long time, last year it was the 1st week of June when the last of the large snowdrift was gone. The thought of the sight, seeing the ground for the first time after viewing snow makes the heart sing.

 Pink is such a soft colour to look at with everything white outside. This Arymalis find has lastest for weeks of enjoyment for me. The best $3.00 I've ever spent!

Then the Brampton kids, Leslie & Nicholas, surprised me with this spring gnome, she is adorable holding her carrot. Who loves carrots? The Jim Shore rabbit does & they look great together!

The great room table has a new covering for the upcoming Easter, a place that we can entertain with tea, coffee & goodies with the bright sunlight in that room.

I don't think I shared my wee cat that is made from scrap strips then cut out in the shape of a cat. The pattern is a Kim Diehl from her book Simple Charm.

The crochet christening gown is coming along nicely & I've reached the 14" skirt length & then a lacey edge is added. The sleeves are made next but I'm thinking to do the sleeves then see what is left to get another few inches into the length of the gown. I think I want to make the bonnet too but only have what is left on that ball of cotton crochet thread. Decisions, decisions.
I have mastered the 'V' stitch doing this!

 The spring/Easter pillow for the guest room is now finished! It's a Bonnie Sullivan pattern from her book A Change Of Seasons, something for every season. If you love working with wool, this designer is for you!

 I love how it enhances the silk April Cornell bedding in the room with the warmth of the hand appliqued, yes, no machine was used putting the applique pieces on the wool. The 2008 Babylock sewing machine is in being serviced & awaiting a new hook. Last time I had it serviced it needed new feed dogs, I wore them down & they were round! lol, the service tech said he'd never seen that before! I sew nearly every day & that machine is my favourite!

I used unfinished batik for the edging, it is tightly woven & has a light edging look that coordinated beautifully with the bedding. I added butterfly buttons among the flowers & pastel beads to the rabbit's bow.

Needle Felting A Badger

 I've been looking for a badger pattern to needle felt as Bill loves the badger.
I found this on Pinterest & had the challenge of translating it to English & to figure out the order into the way it was to be sewn together. It also needed a seam allowance.
The pattern was small so I used felted wool & hand sewed it together.

 I had a small nose that would compliment the badger as the pattern had on that was gathered & sewn to the end.

 Rexton was upset that I was using the foam for felting the black & white wool roving onto the badger. She was enjoying the soft warmth of that foam on the granite counter!

 I added beaded eyes & felted the ears pink & felted in a top overcoat to the badger. Bill really likes it!

I've been felting curly sheep wool loosely onto the sheep & I'm pleased with that effect too!

 Staying with the black/white in this house... Baxter & Bridget have new spring collars made from chintz samples that I've had for years.

 Bill is always taking them out in the truck & I want them to look dapper! lol, They adore him & shadow his every move once he is dressed, they figure a truck ride will soon be for them!

They listen to every instruction that he may have for them & await the words 'Truck ride'.

 The Stained Glass Newsletter had this cute snowman pattern in it so I made him.
This is the silver sodering side before the black patina...

 This is the side with the black patina & the edging that reminds me of a postage stamp.
I really like the black patina as it makes the colours & composition come to life.

I took on two new students this winter & they too are doing the same tulip as last year's students.
I enjoy seeing the colours that they choose for their flowers. The copper foiling is done here & the next class will be fluxing & sodering, ending with black patina. Great job so far!

 Heather & I were on day-tripping & I found these two candle holders at Open Door Antiques. I knew as soon as I saw them that it was Williamsburg VA pottery. Bill & I have been to the colonial village a couple of times visiting his sister & family. I looked at the bottom of the holders & sure enough, it was from there! What a find that day s everything was 30% off, two candleholders for $7, my lucky day!

The candles are from Crabtree & Evelyn's warehouse sale, a whole box for 95 cents! A box of each colour was purchased back in the '90s & now are enjoyed in these candle holders!

Aloe Plants Breath Again!

With Bill home every other week, we are doing so many projects together. This one project was a big one for me to take on alone & I'm so glad to have a handsome & handy husband!

 From two aloe plants, these are the pups! There was so much crowding in the pots & I know the original & the pups are happy to breathe their stalks out again!

These will be planted next week once they dry up a bit & we purchase more soil for them to be planted in.

 Here is the aloe plant after the pups left, it is huge & will enjoy having space & new soil added to it!

 This one had two very large pups in it & it too will enjoy the space & soil that it now has!

Thank you for stopping by & I hope you too are looking forward to the time change & longer days that are just around the corner. It all begins two weeks today on March 8th with the time change(except Saskatchewan)! I've so many clocks to change & I know it is just one hour of change but it does affect so many, I think Saskatchewan has it right!
 Let It Be.

Something to make you laugh!

Have a great week wherever you are!
Cynthia

February Focus - Fun!

I'm trying to stay focused on finishing some UFO's but oh my goodness, so many ideas are swimming in my head that I just have to get them out!

On the weekend the Alberta kids asked if it was possible to have a signature quilt for their wedding this October? Absolutely I thought & Bill was on Pinterest looking for ideas & I loved what he found!

 The white spots have signatures on it. This is probably from the USA as it looks very God Bless America. I'm thinking Muslin for the signing & Civil War reproduction with the colours of the fall.
Burgandy, gold, browns, greens, cheddar & some maybe some blue? Colours are in the planning stage right now.

I wanted to try the pattern!
Here it is in the fabric Farmhouse  Jellyroll that I received for Christmas from the Brampton kids, Leslie & Nicholas.

I had some yardage of Robyn Pandolp's fabric that looked good with it & used it for the signature squares. It finished 40" x 40" with one hundred squares made up. A great little table topper for Easter!

 Bill had a good idea with the center block being for the parents, then family around them, then more family & friends. I will make the signature blocks for the wedding & iron freezer paper to the back for easy signatures & the fabric will stay stable till it's ready for the quilt's construction.

 With the pink in it, Bridget thinks it is for her or she just wanted to photobomb my photo! lol

 I like this pattern! And it is so easy to do!! A four patch & half a snowball block, that is it!!

 This is not large enough for the wedding signature quilt, I hope the kids like this pattern.
It reminds me of the Barn Raising in with the Log Cabin. My girlfriend Cecile had a great idea of placing their wedding photo in the center, another idea!

 I did finish the kitchen drapes & I'm pleased with the look of framing the window with the Buffalo check. I used a Buffalo check tablecloth & lined them with an old Gluckstien flat sheet.

 Doesn't Bridget make you laugh?!! She has her tongue out when she's relaxed in a sleeping mode. lol

 The Blue Jays out east are huge! On some days, there are up to eight at a time at the feeders!

 This is February's Snow Moon, it was incredible to view on the morning of the 10th.

 The Snow Moon was over the Bay du Vin Island & wow I do believe I live in a paradise as my England friend Janine had said!

 Each season has its own beauty & this one was February's awe moments as well as the glittering snow on a sunny day!

Winter Wool Project - Sheep Knitting Herself

 I've been looking at 1981 Thread & Needle magazines that were given to me years back & found this project. It was love at first sight & I had to make her!
I used Dorin wool for the body, the horns too were wool & because I didn't enlarge the pattern because I did not want her to be that big, those horns were a challenge!

 I then started needle felting the body parts with roving & leftover rug hooked roving that fellow rug hooker Katie had removed from one of her projects years back.

 The used roving worked beautifully, thank you, Katie!

 How sweet is she?! I loved the way she turned out, just her glasses & knitting needles with her knitting is left to finish now. I'll post that next time, she should be finished by then.

 Baxter wanting something...he stands up to beg for his wants. lol

 And that want would be to have the firebox lit, the Boston terriers just love the heat from it. Me too!

This is an unusual moment because these two never sleep side-by-side, Bridget is exhausted from her day of play with Bill & truck riding when he's ploughing. Busy winter days.

Thanks for popping in for a visit. I hope you too are finishing up some UFOs of your own & being sparked with the creative bug & go into your own kyrotime - when time is suspended & minutes vanish into hours of creativity.

Remember: You don't stop playing when you get old - you get old because you stop playing!

Health & Happiness to you.
Cynthia

February Fondness & Memories

Wow, this winter is flying by & the nights are showing hopefulness with the sunsets glowing into 6pm now. In our NE area, the weather has not been as harsh as last year, however, it is the last of February & first of March that I remember the deep snow & time will tell.

 I'm looking forward to spring & found this cement robin in Open Doors Antique Shop. Bill placed it next to the wool needlework & it really came to life!

 We are still unpacking our moving boxes & finding many treasures. These are encyclopedias dated 1888 from a yard sale in PEI on our 1995 visit.

 I removed the dust & gave the book covers a drink & they came out pretty good. I love reading history & the information that was available back in 1888.

 These books came from the USA & have a lot of their information on it, the world maps are interesting & oh, how time has changed the world. I was excited to see these books as it is information 21 years after our Canada Confederation of 1867.

 Bill enjoyed my cleaning area as his laptop table... a modern life use. lol

Bill's Handy Work

 Bill painted the vintage bed in black & wow, it looks great!

 From the finale, you can see the wood colour it once had. The bed has been through several moves & it was showing signs of wear. It looks like new now!

Great job Bill, thank you! XO

The Pop Shoppe & Our Connection

In 1998 Bill & I purchased the Pop Shoppe factory in London ON to expand the elevator business that we had started in 1988. We would put our heart & soul into this expansion until the recession in 2008.
In that factory building that were many leftover pieces & expired products. One-piece caught my eye & we've moved with it out here. Bill was never fond of it but knew my passion for its form & colour & finally this week he hung it in our home!

It is a large heavy piece that is done on plywood & has added dimension to it with the use of plaster.

 The area is open on the foyer glass railing mezzanine & gives it space to be seen from both levels.

The artist is R. Duvall & he has signed the front of this art piece. This is what appears on the back of the work & it seems that this installation has have travelled across Canada in juried shows placing 1st & 2nd back in 1979.

I sent some time with mixing paints to cover the chips & cracks that have affected the original look over the years. Very pleased with the outcome was Bill & he said it could now hang in our home.
I enjoy the history of our purchase of such a building & the use we gave it for the next decade of its life. It was purchased & used as a factory making cork products after Richardson Access Elevator Inc. And this artwork is now hung to enjoy & our story of the Pop Shoppe reno.

Happy Birthday Dad XO

Today is my dad's birthday, had he lived past 2000, he would be 92 years old. Wow, now I feel old!

I miss him & know that he is with as long as I hold on to his memory, he will hold on to me.
I had the 23 & Me done & have 57% of his DNA, miss you dad, Happy Birthday!

Valentine Day Decorating 💘

Bill brought the large red bin from the basement that had the Valentine Day Decor in it.
What fun to see some of the things that I had made years back.

These two muslin rabbits are dressed in their finest cotton velvet dress & overalls. Their little shoes are from 1988 & were Mitchell's cloth shoes when he was a baby, red velvet & white/red gingham.
They nestled quite nicely in the antique wicker rocking chair.

Back in the day, I had also made red velvet hearts that were hung throughout the house.

I loved the chocolate boxes that were given out on that special day, I still have mine. :-)

Red velvet is such an elegant lining in this metal hinged box.

The top of that metal box has a cupid taking aim & lovely flowers around the cupid.

A red velvet bell pulls that I made from a piece of Valentine satin ribbon.

I made this small quilt from Liz's collection of Yukon hangers, it is enhanced with the pink flowers.

I made this runner last week with orphan blocks & added the black/white stripe to liven it up!
An IKEA fleece pillow with a heart sends the Valentine Day message of love. I know Bridget & Baxter love being on that bench to look outside!

Hello! See me taking the photo this morning? This is a grapevine wreath that I made years back & added IKEA cross-stitched hearts & glass beaded beads & hearts from the Bombay years back.

The kitchen/dining room has the most decorating done & it really stands out with the black/white decorating that I've been doing this winter.

I've started the drapes for the bay window, so far just the center valance that is lined & made from a table runner for $12. A valance would cost much more!

I use to make these draft stopping, hanging dolls back in the '80s, her legs would spread across the bottom of the door & she was hung on the doorknob when not in use. Doors in most houses are now much more efficient, we were living in a century home at that time  & she was used!

The Royal Doulton Valentin plate, back when Doulton had things made in England. This one is dated 1977 & is lovely with floral texture & the scene of loving & caring.

The red velvet place mat holds several Valentine votive candles that add to Valentine's Day look on the table.

I've finally finished the project of the embroidered Valentine girl, it only took 10 years!

This is the hand-sewn wool project that I'm currently working on. Spring is just around the corner & I'm really looking forward to seeing the robins, rabbits, daffodils, & bleeding hearts again!
Not that I'm wishing my life away, I just love the splendour of nature waking up after a long white winter.

Thank you for stopping in for a visit.
I hope winter is being kind to you, if not, remember that 'This too will pass'.
Canada has the wonder of seasons with no two the same but each one has its own splendour. Enjoy!

Have fun with this season as it is half over with just 6 weeks until spring!
Cynthia