Myers Day Camp

Every August Myer's United Church hosts a Day Camp for the local children. Each year Jean organizes a theme for the day, this year was 'The Fruits Of The Spirit'. Heather, Louisanne, Ivan, & myself helped Jean get this day underway as there was 16 assorted aged children to organize. Jean is a retired school teacher & keeps us organized, she had a itinerary written out for the day 9am-3pm. Ivan started the day with songs, he did several sing songs with everyone & even taught sign language to Jesus Loves Me!

Then the Fruits of the Spirit began. In the isles, paper was placed to have a worry free craft time...

 

 Heather talking with her group as they waited.

 Brookelynn, Anna, Katherine were in my group & waited patiently for 'the fruits' to begin.

Fruit was handed out, nine different fruits to represent the nine different spirits that we should posses.
Jean told the children if all these were used - there would be no more bullying.

1 - JOY - kiwi
2 - LOVE - grapes
3 - FAITHFULNESS - peaches
4 - PATIENCE - grapes
5 - KINDNESS -pineapple
6 - PEACE - blueberries
7 - SELF CONTROL - strawberries
8 - GOODNESS - green grapes
9 - GENTLENESS - orange

 Here are 'the beasts' that we made...

                                      Fruits Of The Spirit, eyes & mouth are raisins.

 The kids then could then eat their creations as their morning snack.

 After lunch the craft was then a banner/necklace with the 'fruits of the spirit' theme continuing.

 Craft tables were set up in the aisle

 Ivan & Jean give the craft instruction on stringing their necklace/banner

 Heather & Louisanne having a quiet moment...

 While the aisle filled with the creative activity.

 Voila! here it is the finished.

 And worn!

 Hard at work & finished ones too, to be admired!

Now some quiet time...

 The adults are the only ones standing as Ivan talked to them as they had a lie down in the pews & floor. Look at the paper in the aisle, it was a busy time! lol

Then a sing song & ice cream cones to finish the day!

 What a fun day had by all in Hardwicke! Next week they'll all be back to school & the routine of the school year begins again. God bless them all.

Plarn & Parcel Surprise :-)

Yes I posted 'plarn'...that's what you get when you make yarn from plastic grocery bags!
I've always wanted to try it & that's just what I did...
There was loads of info with Google, I used Marlos Crochet Corner for the instruction of cutting the bags.

 So many bags are needed & I thought I would have enough...

 I began with the tote bags bottom

 I just loved that the stitches 'must be loose' that made the job easier on the crochet hook.

 This is my woven  Kcup coffee holder & I saw that the bag too had a wonderful texture beginning!

The bag begins-

 More bags were needed & I needed a larger hook!

 These are the only hooks I had on hand & the larger one worker much better

 Still more plarn is needed, what a great way to use up those bags & to make something that would do the job of the plastic bag but now doing it with some style!

It's 14" now & I still needed more bags - wow who would have thought. You can see the smaller bottom from the small crochet hook. I think it my be better to hold the weight of the groceries, I'm going to use the double ply bag bottoms for the handles, adding strength to the top. I'll post when that's finished. The body of this tote has a lot of bags!!! To make 'Plarn" you'll neede a lot of bags. lol

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 Tilda gets hair & eyes. I added a flower to her styling too.

 With having no nose or mouth it gives meaning to the saying "Blank Stare". lol

 I was busy using broken tape measures making a small purse & tote. And even a kitty with friends.

 I added the bells from Maria's surprise bridal party. Every good cat wears bells to warn the birds of their presence.

 The top stays shut until you pull the handles & it snaps open.

Here it is snapped open with a few pockets to hold thing up in the bag. Thanks for the pattern Liz, I hope it's a seller at the quilt show next month!

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 The pineapple is done & hung!

 It really adds nice texture & colour to this vignette.

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Now the parcel surprise...
Mitchell sent me a parcel, he's the "Call Your Mom" son. Well this speaks volumes son, thank you for thinking of you mom on your Vancouver trip this month!
And for thinking of me during your province state of emergency as you supported your fellow Southern Albertans as they got ready for the Stampede 101.
Like it has for 100 years - through two wars and a depression - the show did go on, come Hell or High Water!

 Trying to do my first self picture

 And another...Mitchell I'll wear this T-Shirt with pride & thank you for supporting the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Fund!

 And that same package contained a spoon from Vancouver BC , Stanley Park, I collect spoons from travels. But wait there's more!  bamboo coasters - "Salmon and whale reflect the connection between all living beings." Unity by Maynard Johnny Jr. & they're in the greatroom & compliment my Emily Carr prints. Coast to coast they've traveled to their destination here at the cottage. Thank you Mitchell for thinking of your mom, I look forward to your visit this Thanksgiving. It's beautiful here in the fall & NO mosquitoes! Quite different from Your May visit.

And there you go - Plarn & Parcel! Thank you for stopping by for a view & what I'm up to!
Have a great day, It's your gift living your present, enjoy!

Summer Fun - Hooking & Pubbing

Last weekend was a spontaneous fun one! I wanted some R&R with some creativity, however after reading the GIV'ER Miramichi magazine & the article about Matilda Murdoch, still givin'er, I wanted to see her myself. You see Matilda is a 93 year young woman that plays in a pub in Chatham called the O'Donaghue's Pub. This was the very pub I had sent a post card to my son Mitchell, in Alberta to ask him if he wanted to go there with me on his next visit, as I've never been...then this magazine article caught my interest. And those that know me know I'm like a dog with a bone when an idea hits.
No I'm going to be creative rather 'run the roads' , I told myself. So I settled into a pattern from the Primitive Quilts magazine that Bill had brought me this month on his most recent visit,  that caught my eye.
Last Thursday I'd gotten my red dot & linen burlap at the guild, with the pattern now transferred the colour choice began.

 Lynn from London & I had gone to a rug store before I left & I brought some of the pieces with me.

 And with some left over worms from past projects the idea started coming together!

 What's that saying...'Creative minds are seldom tidy!' Yes the kitchen table was lost in the auditioning of wool colours. I saw Tommy resting in the sunporch & I too joined him with my rug hooking. It was a sunny day & the mosquitoes have been so thick & the bites they give you!! even through your clothes! I was staying in & the sunporch would give me the sun & breeze of the day without those pesty mosquitoes!

 Boris too soon joined in on the sun but his black coat attracted too much for him & he left to another couch in the shade to continue his snooze.

Then Bose, the 16 yr old cat took his spot & began to purr, what a calming afternoon I was having. As the breeze went through the eight open windows, the tuned chimes softly were heard with the purring of Bose. Very calming & restful. But my mind kept wondering back to a lunch at the pub & the opportunity to see Matilda in a kitchen party at O'Donaghue's. Tomorrow would be Saturday & Matilda would be there at around 2pm...one of my newest girlfriend's in Hardwicke,  Mary Beth, maybe she would like to go, I'll just give her a call. I don't have her number. No just hook & relax I kept telling myself. I don't do the sit/stay well without creativity but I do want to go to the pub. Like Scarlet O'Hara would say..."I won't think about it today"

 Yes I was pleased on the way this hospitality pineapple was coming together.

 And I worked some more black edging on the Stoneware Horse too. Over 1/2 way done that project, a lot of the whip stitch for the completion.

Then Saturday morning I did some socializing & stopped in on Mary Beth to get her phone number. She was leaving to go to town to do some shopping & return library books. I told her of O'Donaghue's & she said "Let's go!", you see she too had read the same article.  We did & wow were not disappointed! The meal was great & the entertainment even better!

 2pm at O'Donaghue's Pub

 The kitchen party begins...

 Matilda Murdoch plays her music

 Oh, what an inspiration at 93! She's so charismatic & has such a calm to her.

 We arrived at the pub early which was good because the Dragon Boat Race was going on too. And it did not take long for the pub to fill up! Mary Beth enjoyed her lamb stew, whilst I had some lovely fish & chips, my favourite.

 Mary Beth relaxing to the tunes, I couldn't keep still with the beat. Then a strong vocal solo, with no music was sung & it mesmerized your soul, taking you back to a time long ago. What a time we had.
We took in the Farmers Market that morning & the pub in the afternoon, we finished with some more town shopping & headed home to Hardwicke.
I think I've found a friend that is as spontaneous as myself, what fun we had!

 And as I worked on my hospitality foyer, wall  rug & felt a calm within, thinking of the fun Mary Beth & I had that Saturday & our  pub experience . It's great when thinks just come together!

Oops Forgot The Foyer Ceiling

I forgot to blog about the wallpapering of the foyer ceiling. Bill & I took on the project of wallpapering my office ceiling in the 90's. What a fantastic look you can add & this wallpaper hides a multitude of sins! It can be bought at most big box stores now & it usually comes from England. You can leave it white or paint a colour on it.

 November 2012 before shot of the foyer ceiling & great room.

Before corner shot...
And the textured after! :-)

 We tried to run the length of the foyer...don't do it! The wallpaper became tissue thin & started to tip at many of the edges, so Bill cut it in half to have more manageable pieces to work over his head.

 The only flaw that came through was the paper joining the seams of drywall, you only see it in certain lighting conditions though.

Voila!! Stepping away from the project, it looks so much better than before. I just love the texture of what looks like a tin ceiling. This cottage has come a long way in the last three months with only two months left to do some major work. Facca & Soffit quotes are still coming in, the seamless eves trough after that...then the tree stumps removed from the front so the foundation can be dug up & a membrane put around the foundation & then the weeping tile to be installed. What a summer this has been, next summer is going to be sew in's & hook in's & more play than work. It's been interesting seeing all the progress to this old house/cottage. It is very beautiful here.
Next month I start my painting class & I hope to one day be able to paint what I feel with this place.