My Friends are Talented!

This past weekend I had a chance to go down to a quilting retreat 

just south of Cardston with some really talented ladies.

What a nice set up the Mountain View Lodge has with lots of room to spread out.

 

 I was able to get a lot done on projects that were already in the works.

Worked on Graham's quilt (my son).

Just a couple more rows, a border or two and quilted and it can be his.

I also worked on this insanely small block quilt but  . . .

I love it!!

 Not too much more to go on it.

 And for my third project that I made some head way on is my double wedding ring quilt.

One row put together - only 5 more to go!

A picture to keep it straight in my head how to sew the curves together.

 And here's what some of the very talented ladies at the retreat were showing off.

 It's always so much fun to see what everyone else is working on 

and to catch up what has been happening in everyone's lives over the past year 

or half year if you are lucky enough to go twice a year to this retreat.

This retreat would not be complete without the snow coming down outside 

and making it a winter wonderland.  

Thankfully it didn't stick around and the roads were fine to drive back on.

Unfortunately we didn't get to see Big Chief Mountain this year.

This picture was pulled from last year's retreat.

Have a good week!!

Shauna

 

Tessellating Crosses

Last weekend was spent at a lodge outside of Caresland

with a group of sewing friends our annual January quilting retreat.

I think this has been my fourth year in a row that I have been able to go.

It's a lodge that is right on the Bow River and is in an idyllic setting.

The sad thing is that the current owners are not 

continuing with the running of the lodge themselves 

so it looks like this will be the last year.

There are other events planned with the some of the same group 

so that's good news.

Just last night I finished the center of my tessellating crosses quilt

that was started at the retreat.

I'm thinking of framing it with a very thin red, a wider cream 

and then perhaps a darker brown border.

I'm very happy with the fabric that I chose for this pattern as I think it suits it well.

What's not to love with a pink and brown combination?

Almost like a valentine theme?

mmm . . . crosses remind me of the ultimate sacrifice of love.

At this point in time, I'm not sure who it will be for.

I am trying to get a few lap size quilts done up this year.

I think they are just right size if you need a gift 

for someone going through a tough time 

or just nice to have on hand.  

We'll just have to see where this takes me. 

From my window tonight I can see this beautiful sunset.

Beautiful mountains peaking through.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Shauna

Survival of the Fittest

Last week that definitely was the tune around here.

The temperatures ranged from anywhere from -15 to - 29 

and it even felt colder with the wind chills.

Not to mention the loads of snow that fell.

Just over a year ago I moved into the city and 12 blocks from work.

The roads were so bad and I have a thing about 

starting up the car and wiping the snow off

and I figure by the time I do that, I could be half way home.

So I bundled up and walked all except the one day.

It really is refreshing and only takes a half hour.  

I think I should be 20 pounds lighter due to all this effort but,

alas it doesn't seem to work that way.

I do feel better for it though.

Last time I posted, I was debating on putting up the Christmas tree

since I'll be the only one home for the holidays.

Well, I caved and decided to put it up.  

I truly do like sitting by the lights of the tree.

 

I only put about half of the ornament up on the tree 

and only a couple around the living room.

A good compromise, I would say.

Since last week, I was exhausted with all my walking, 

I watched lots of lame Christmas movies while cutting out material.

I now have all of my material cut out for my January retreat 

and also an extra kit that I had bought a long time ago.

So it hasn't been a waste of time.

My blogger friend, Jen at Glinda Quilts, put up a tutorial to making her 'famous' pants bag.

Drop over to her site to check it out.

I have been very lucky in that I have received one of her pants bags.

I'm about half way done in making one. 
I'll post once I have it completed.

Not sure where this week has gone. 
It'll be Christmas before we know it.

Have a good rest of this week,
enjoy your weekend,
take time to breath
and enjoy the season and all that it means to you.

Shauna

Mini Retreat Quilting Weekend

It's always so much fun to spend a weekend with a quilting friend!!

My friend is part of a group of quilters who get together regularly to quilt in a

community hall in a small town called Kircaldy in southern Alberta.

One of the gals was hosting a tutorial on a double wedding ring quilt.

It was a chance to learn to sew curves 

and have fun with others who share the same passion of quilting.

It started off with a cup of coffee and a lovely gluten free pumpkin loaf.

One would never have known it was gluten free - it was that good.

There was much cutting of material and Brenda was determined 

that we would get to a certain stage in our progress 

so we would know how to sew those curves and put pieces together.

I'm so glad that she did that as now I have a completed first block.

I had agonized over my colour choice and now I don't know why

'cause I am lovin' my choices.

I sewed that with my own hand - curves and all!!

Lunch was a wonderful tasting taco salad 

with yummy chocolate cake and a strawberry frozen dessert.

Quilters not only know how to quilt 

but they also know how to put a lovely food spread together!

Brenda was so generous in letting me take home her templates so that I could finish up my cutting.  

I was going to stay for most of today, 

finish up my cutting 

and drive back later today, 

however, this is what the world now looks like now.  

Yesterday was a balmy 17 degrees in the Vulcan area.

So glad I made the choice to drive home sooner than later.  

As it was, the roads were harrowing and it was not the most pleasant of drives.  

Just was so glad to walk in the front door of my place 

and thank the good Lord that I made it safely.

I won one of the door prizes at the mini retreat.

Isn't that just the cutest tin box!!

Am going to love that little light while sewing 

and to have an extra long measuring tape with 'big' numbers is great!

Yesterday we were blessed with the most gorgeous sunset.  

There is nothing quite as beautiful as a prairie sunset!

Hope you all have a week!

Shauna

Quilting Retreat

Wow!  

What a weekend!

There is so much to blog about this past weekend.

I had a fantastic time at the quilting retreat that I went to with a really good friend of mine, Wendy.

I drove down to her place and we loaded up her vehicle with all of our quilting tools, fabric, machine and of course the most important thing . . . . snacks.

Wendy made ham and egg cups for breakfast on Friday morning with a fruit tray and english muffins... mmmm... good!

Wendy reads my blog so I couldn't show you my bag that I made for her birthday. 

We hadn't seen each other since her birthday in February.

We stayed at a lovely lodge called Mountain View Inn.  

The name is very appropriate!

Just look at the beautiful views!!

As a group we made Neonatal quilts for one of the hospitals in Calgary. 

It was so interesting to see all of the variety that was made.

Wendy taught us a new block (buggy barn star) so we used that to make our 'little' quilts 

that are only 17 x 25 inches big.

Using the block, it makes two and then we added borders to make it the right size.

When I was putting this post together, I realized that I didn't have a picture of the finished with the borders.  Our small quilting group created 25 of these quilts.

This group of ladies have been meeting for a few years now and they have been doing a block of the month.  Again, it was very interesting to see the variety of colours.

I'm excited to join in if they do more blocks.

Aren't they all so beautiful?!

I also worked on a quilt and am happy to report that I finished the top.

It's very soft and has the most beautiful pinks and light aqua colours.

 It's so wonderful to look up and see all the wonderful quilts on display.

All of the ladies there are very talented and I felt honoured to be a part of the group.

 The lodge lends itself well to displaying all of the quilts.

Just look at the variety and colours.  

Can you see mine?? (top left picture - right hand corner)

We did a fat quarter exchange - well it was in the form of a game and one could steal . . . 

but was lots of fun. 

As with any quilting retreat, you sometimes get to sneak away and go to a quilt shop or two.  We went to the one in Cardston and I ran into two good quilting friends of mine (Marge and Dorothy) . . . unbelievable!  So good to see them . . . they are creating some really beautiful and fun projects.

Being down in Cardston area, you are close to the mountains and with mountains in spring time, you sometimes get snow.  Well this weekend was no exception . . . we got 11 inches of snow.

Looking forward to my week, hope you are too!

Shauna

Road Trip

After my son went back home after our visit, I had a few days and was able to go on a road trip to visit a wonderful friend of mine in a place called Vulcan. 

Vulcan is a small farming community south east of Calgary where my husband I used to pastor a small congregation of wonderful people.  

It was in that small town that our children were born and I formed some life long friendships.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am the richest person on earth.  I have the most wonderful friends who are always there in good times and in the bad times.

When you are in Vulcan, you must visit the Star Trek display and have your picture taken as one of the crew members.

Clearly, I am looking too happy to be a crew member!  

Must make a note to be more stoic next time!

I love the prairies . . . they speak to me.  Maybe it's the open spaces and beautiful green grasses,

 

the gorgeous sunsets,

 or the yellow fields of canola.  

 

I'm not sure, but I feel at home there.

While on my trip, I dropped off two of my quilts to be quilted and I can hardly wait to get them back.  

This one is for my daughter in London.

And the other is for a house warming gift for myself.  This is by far my favourite quilt and I'm sure will remain so.  The colours are so vibrant.  I can hardly wait to get it back.

Lastly, while I was down it Vulcan it was nice to show off my quilt that I did at a retreat a couple of years ago.

Thanks for visiting and going along on my road trip with me.

Hope you are all having a wonderful, warm and special summer!

Shauna