March Begins As A Lion

March has begun a as lion so I'm hoping it leaves like a lamb!

 There's still the snow that needs to disappear. It is still quite white outside.

 But the sun has been shining these days & the bay window has been the spot to indulge in the sunlight! Big cat in a little basket. lol

I just love the way Tommy's so careful with my yarns...

 Unlike Rexton that knocks things down just to chase them! She glides over the furniture with those long legs. Both cats are enjoying the cat grass, I keep trimming it & throwing the clippings over the hill for the rabbits.

Rexton enjoys watching the birds & squirrels at the feeder, and Tom enjoys sleeping.

 This antique oak bookcase was my find this week at The Red Door, thanks Sandy for holding it for me while I figured out if it would fit. And it did just like a glove! Right behind the bakers' rack.  Now to organize more, the shelf dept is 7", perfect for those fat 1/4's. And the CD holder fits on top to hold more!
My dad's wooden toolbox holds sewing items too.

A Mother's Proud Day :)

                                                                   Stay Safe My Son xo


Mitchell's Drapes

 His drapes have arrived in Elnora Alberta & he has installed the rods.

 His place is really coming together.

 I lined with black-out lining & they'll be handy this summer to keep the sun out.

 Very nice Mitchell!

This is a pillow cover that I started for Mitch. The other side will have the pleated tuxedo look from the drapes I made him. I saw the technique on YouTube's  Missouri Star & I'm going to give it a try.
That way he'll have two pillows in one, just by turning it!

I played with a technique that Elizabeth from Escuminac has tried to get me to do...

 It's a jelly roll sewn end to end - again & again. I only had a dozen strips & wanted to try it.

 IT was fast & fun, I made on very long table runner, it looks like Easter colours to me & the chocolate colour  reminds me of yummy rabbits!

I used my duck fabric on the back, the feather stitch as my top stitch, & chocolate brown binding. And I finished it in a day!

Bill's Photos From China

 He saw this flowering bush & thought of me :) In Canada with the snow!

 The blooms are lovely & the colour yellow is so perfect.

 Once the sun goes down the house is cool again.

                                 When the fireplace goes on, the pets gather to worship the heat.

                                                Rexton has claimed the top of the fireplace.

 Boris likes front & center, while Tommy just stays to the side watching the flames.


While organizing my studio I found a muslin rabbit I had started years ago & this Daisy Kingdom doll pattern. I'm going to make this dress fit the rabbit.

 Since it's called 'Victorian Tea Dress'...

I made a fancy hat to go with it! I saw a tutorial on gather ribbon & gave it a try, gorgeous with satin ribbon. This will be an Easter bonnet soon!

 Frustrating that I can't find my container of eyes & noses. I've looked three times & just can't find it!!

 I put on leather boots with trim on the legs & stuffed the arms. Everything will be on hold till I find those eyes & nose! I'll begin with the dress as it's going to be a lot of work. I'm underlining it & having tulle & a slip for fullness under the skirt. Grrrrrrrrr I need to be more organized!!

 Spring Clothing ---

 I found some denim fabric pieces that look great with this cotton that I purchased years ago to make a dress or top with. Cynthia Norris had this pattern that I always loved of a jacket made with fat 1/4s or solid fabric. I'm going to use the denim & line it with cotton, it's going to be perfect for the cottage this summer.
But first I'll sew that rabbit her Easter dress. lol

                                                            How cute is this shamrock?!

 I saw a tutorial on Shabby Fabrics to make it & tried it scaled down 50%. It was quick & easy!
www.shabbyfabrics.com -

 I was going through my piping to accent the rabbits' dress & found this perfect mini-sized piping. How old is this piping?! 5 yards for 25 cents?!!

 My Mystery  BOM - February is now done. www.buttermilkbasin.com It's FREE! And a new one comes out the 15th of every month. Thank you Bev for printing it off for me. :)
The squares so far are 6" x 10", I'm curious to see what the finished quilt will look like.


Have a great week, we've now sprung ahead with our clocks. It won't be long before Mother Nature will show us the miracle of our earth coming to life. But first, this snow must disappear! I never thought that I'd be so happy to see Slush. lol
Thank you for visiting.

Where's The Thaw - Only Recorded Breaking Cold!!

We never had the January thaw this year in southwestern Ontario. It's just so cold with record breaking chilly temperatures nearly every day, week after week. The records date back to 1904!
I'm going to be so appreciative when the nice weather arrives.
You truly don't know what you've got till it's gone!

                                                              On the upside...

                                               The sun is shining & the sky is blue!

The 'blue' wallhanging is now done!

 The carrots & flower stems add a touch of colour but don't conflict with the blue theme.

This is the pattern by Lori Smith & yes I did use fusible web & DID NOT reverse the patterns first.
It was had but I worked in the daylight & taped the picture above to the window to see the proper placement. Hindsight I would have reversed the pattern!

Dark HST.

 When putting it together I didn't know which colour would look best in the center basket...

Light HST

The camera is your friend when your in doubt. The dark looks so much better! And the basket is facing the wrong way for the mirror image!

 I just love the movement of the rabbits around the fence.

 Now it needs to be quilted. There's snow coming this afternoon so I may just settle in with a hot cup of tea & machine quilt it together.

 With the William Morris blue scraps, I framed in some embroidery work. It's a free download from Bird Brain Designs. And the saying is oh so true!


The Pet Update

From the oldest to the youngest...

Tommy is sleeping the winter away & only makes an appearance to eat & use the grit box.
He's usually asleep on my bed. The great thing is he sleeps where I sleep & the bed is always warm for me at night when I get into bed! Thanks Tommy!

This is still Boris' favourite pastime until he get get outside to enjoy the warm sunbathing days.
If not here he's under his blankets sound asleep.

Rexton on the other hand...

 She loves the baskets & follows the sun in the rooms.

 She too hibernates her days but is very lively when awake.

                                                             She just loves the sun on her.

She now wears a Ducks Unlimited collar. It was a bracelet that my son Mitchell gave me but I think it looks perfect on Rexton & adds a girly touch to her. After wearing that head cone for two weeks this was nothing when I put it around her neck. She totally accepted it!

 We took a trip to IKEA last weekend.

 And purchased the cupboards for storage in the laundry room.

 The cupboards are stacked one on top of the other, perfect storage & more cupboards to come!

 Two over the dryer/washer will be a custom install that will be done this weekend! I just love this little room. As Bill put it it went from the ugliest room in the house to a very nice room! And oh so functional too!

Where's the spring?

 I've been adding a touch of spring through colour. The pink placemats were transformed into pillow coverings & the tablecloth was made into a inside curtain!

 Even though you look out at the snow, you first view the flower bouquets in the drapes!

                                                           Then you see the snow!

 I also finished the round crewel piece I found at a thrift shop. Someone did some beautiful wool embroidery on this & it reminded me of Mary Englbriet styling.

 When I was at the grocery store these mini rose bushes were on sale from Valentine's Day. I removed all the red packaging & added them to the empty clay pots I had. I'm going to take them east to put in my garden there. I've got them around the outside here & they've survived. Fingers crossed these too will make there home in my cottage garden.

 Here's a FREE BOM that I'm doing from Buttermilk Basin Design www.buttermilkbasin.blogspot.com

This is January's BOM...I'll be working to get caught up. New FREE patterns are released on the 15th of every month! I'm enjoying using my rug hooking wool with the quilting cotton. The two fabric textures really compliment each other in the primitive styling.

Thank you for stopping by & if your in the Baie-Sainte-Anne area this Wednesday evening at 7pm - do stop in for the first EBH Garden Club www.ebhgardenclub.com, at the firehall.  I wish I was there to hear all the talk of gardening, something that will be happening when the snow is gone.

I find spring to be the most God like time of the year, everything coming to life & the beauty of all that colour & texture that comes with it. Truly a time of thankfulness...that we survived another winter here in Canada! lol

Thought for the week.

Realize that life is a school and that you are here to learn. Problems are life lessons from which you learn.

#15 of the - 40 Pieces of Advice