Holidays

Wow - three weeks of holidays goes fast!  So nice to have the time away from work and all of the duties that call us every other day of the year!  Since my hubby was gone during the first week, I was fortunate to spend some time having coffee, lunch, visits, and day trips with some of my good friends and sisters.  I managed to see quite a few people.  As well as visiting I took the time to just sit on the deck, listen to the birds, read and have my morning cup of coffee.  The simple things in life.

Could life get any better??

I also managed to squeeze in the quilt show in Strathmore as you can see in my previous posting.

Good friends of ours invited us to join them in Radium for an extended long weekend.  We took our time driving up there and stopped at all of the neat places along the highway.

Refreshing and rejuvenating.  Weather wasn't the greatest but we did manage to get a few rays of sun in.  Had lots of laughs, good food and fellowship, but I found out that I suck at Mexican Train!  Thought the deal was to collect points??!!  Not!

Brian and Jan brought Boomer with them.  Isn't he cute?

 On my last week of holidays, hubby and I went to Airdrie for the day to the Antique Mall there.  Took us forever to go through all of the displays.  At one point we came around the corner and Peter spotted a Bessie Guttman picture - my favorite artist.  He bought it for me and now it is hanging on my wall in our spare room.  I had never seen this particular print before and am tickled pink with it!

With working full time, I never have time to bake so one last thing that I did on my holiday was to whip together some cookies.

So all in all, a very busy and productive three weeks off.  No quilting during these three weeks but just enjoyed 'being'.  Nothing wrong with that.  Somehow I think that the sun rejuvenates our outward self but ultimately the 'Son' rejuvenates our soul.

I am blessed!

Quilt Show in The Country

Country Creations out of Strathmore had their annual quilt show on Saturday.  Weather was perfect - hot, dry and sunny!  Here are a couple of pictures from the show.  Sorry, some of my pictures are a little fuzzy.

Have been looking for ideas for a Christmas quilt . . . this one might be fun to do!

 Love these funky chickens . . . .

Wildflowers anyone??

Quilt on the right is made by one of my best friends at the quilting retreat we both went to in January.  Isn't it gorgeous?!  Unfortunately I didn't get mine quilted yet.  Perhaps soon.

Quilt on the left is done by another friend from Vulcan . . . met her at the show on Saturday.

Look at that gorgeous sky.  Couldn't have asked for a better day!

Hope you all enjoyed my trip to Strathmore with me.

Shauna

My Grandma and Quilting

I have always been in love with quilts. 

This is a picture of my Grandma's sewing machine.  Nothing fancy or complicated but boy could she sew.  She would make quilts for everyone in the family as well as the MCC (Mennonite Central Committee).  Many people have be fortunate to have a quilt or pillow made by my Grandma.  I've had my quilt from Grandma for almost 50 years now!!  Sure it's tattered in places but it has been loved and is one of my most cherished possessions.  Grandma's quilts were never made from elaborate patterns nor did they have fancy applique on them, but they were made with love.

I was not a quilter while Grandma was alive and that is sad to me.   I would love to sit and chat with her and learn all of her tricks.  She was a master at picking out colours and putting squares together.  Her mitered corners are next to none!

Inspiration for my quilting has come from my Grandma as well as the myriad of books that I love to look at and read and blogs that inspire me.  I have a niece who is now learning to sew and hopefully one day I can share some of the things that I have learned along the way with her.  That would make my Grandma proud!

New To Blog Land

I never thought I would have my own blog but here I am.  It will be interesting to see where this takes me and who I will meet along the way. I have been inspired by many of the quilting blogs I follow and hope to share some of my creations.  
With me being new to blog land, it will take me a while to figure out how to add pictures, gadgets, etc.  An adventure for sure!