Mothers Day

My mothers day began with breakfast in bed today compliments of my youngest daughter Katie. Eggs and toast and tea all very yummy. Followed by my very first experience horseback riding...





I have what I call a running list of things I need to do before I die...and riding was one of them. Katie has been riding for over a year now, she's the one dressed in pink. She pretty much lives and breathes horses now and plans to have her own someday. I have to admit to feeling abit nervous at first but once I got on and going I was fine and it was a great experience.

As you can tell from the pictures it was pretty wet. The week had been cold and rainy, but after our ride the sun found its way out and the rest of the day was nice and warm. The girls even complained that the house was too hot last night.

My older girls gave me cards and gifts and hugs and time. I really do cherish time with my daughters and have made it a point while raising them to find ways to spend a lot of time with them in ways to really know them. As they get older they get so busy that time with them isn't as easy to get but they still make the effort.

We also paid a visit to my Mom. This is the first time in 25 years that I've been able to actually spend time with my mom in person on Mothers day. My parents have moved back here this last year.

Family is such a precious gift!

Child and Youth Worker Quilt

This quilt was made to be raffled off in support of the bursary fund for Child and Youth Worker Students at Confederation College. The CYW's that work at the Childrens Centre in Thunder Bay are so dedicated in the work they do. My daughter Mary 14 yrs is holding the quilt.




The blocks are part of a leader ender project that I started a few years ago after Bonnie Hunter shared hers with the Stashbusters group. The blocks are comprised of 2 4 1/2" half sq triangles and 2 4 1/2" four patches. The first quilt that I made using the same blocks is a king size and the raffle is a lap quilt. My 16 yr old daughter Emily is using a lot of the left overs for a baby quilt which I'll add to this post when finished.

Silver Islet

What a beautiful afternoon! Today a friend and I went to visit Silver Islet and also the Sea Lion.
This once small mining town is now a home to many summer camps. (as they are known in the Thunder Bay area others would call them summer cottages) The camps are all close together and many are within a few feet of the narrow road that winds through the area. They all enjoy a spectacular view of Lake Superior. Many of the camps date back to the late 1800's and have always fascinated me. This is an area so rich in history.









I spent some time there as a girl with a friend and her family and I have so many memories of it. Back then the store was an abandoned building and now its been restored, and now opens during the summer

now restored:



This was such a fun place to explore and one place I really liked to hike to was the Sea Lion, we used to like to climb it, which looking at it now I realize wasn't such a smart thing to do... The picture I found of it isn't quite how it looked today, we still have snow and there are no leaves. The lake looks inviting but it is always freezing. The hike was great and only a little challenging at times.

My Guys

The girls and I have 2 special guys that live with us. Data is 4 yrs and is Mikey's dad. Data is the Buff Cocker and thinks he's the man of the house and also follows me everywhere.



Mikey just turned 3 and is our little Mr. Goodtime guy. Always ready for action and always starving. Last weekend he was in the Argus Dog Show. His dad is retired from the show ring, as the above pic shows.

Shelley Whiteman did an excellent job handling Mikey. In the background of the second Picture is Kathy Lingman, owner of Birchcroft Kennels and Breeder of Ashenafay American Cocker Spaniels. Kathy has not only become a good friend but her care and help in owning her pups didn't end at the door when we brought them home.









Last winter was a long and busy one for me and I let the guys go longer than normal between grooms. They really had the shaggy look happening.



Heres a pic after they were groomed. I don't usually strip their coats but I think they still look pretty handsome.

Seaside Rose

Every spring break I like to drive down to the states for the day with some of my girls. Its a rare thing these days to get all of my girls together for such an outing. There are 3 quilt shops I love to visit and there are also gift shops and the nicest place in Beaver Bay MN called the Lemon Wolf that we like to have lunch. Last year I found the Seaside Rose collection, the owner had just put it on the shelf and when I saw it I knew I had to have it and make myself a bed quilt with it. Then she showed me the Summer Wind Pattern and that was that...the end of my no buying season...and the beginning of what I call collection quilting.
I did the piecing in a couple of days, I was dealing with some heavy stress and piecing always calms my nerves. It looks perfect on my bed and is so warm, it has a wool batt.


My youngest daughter Katie also loves this collection and so I bought the pieced fabric and quilted a simple quilt for her.



Katie and her quilts back





This is the quilt that lives under my seaside rose quilt and on top of my duvet (that my oldest 2 girls gave me for Christmas) I used the Sisters Choice pattern from Bonnies site. It was the first quilt I pieced after a 5 year break due to starting the new life. My youngest really pushed me as she wanted to sew and once I got going...this is also the first bed quilt I quilted on my longarm, I was just playing but in the end I love how it turned out.

Bread Day

I've been reading Patty's Blog Morning Ramble for awhile now and have really felt inspired to get back to my bread baking.
My Grandma Peters taught me to bake bread while visiting her on their farm I was 12yrs (I live in the city). I've never forgotten that day, she showed me how to make butter, right from the milking of the cows and then how to make bread. Well she didn't show me she told me how and had me actually do it, thats a great way to teach, in my opinion.
My Grandma was probably the strongest woman I've ever known and even though I didn't spend as much time with her as I would have liked she has had the largest impact on my life. Her faith in the Lord never waivered and she never gave up on telling me about Jesus and what an answer to her prayers when as a mom of 3 at the time I found him. My Grandma passed away 14 yrs ago and I still miss her so much, and yet she's here with me in so many ways like when I bake bread.
I have what is called a bread pan. Its a huge bowl with handles and a lid that is big enough for me to mix enough dough for about 18 loaves of bread.






I used to make bread every week and a half and my daughters often talk about it. How much they loved the smell in the morning of the yeast and later the bread baking. They loved "making" their own bread and buns with the dough I'd give them. When I was first separated I stopped making bread, life was really turned upside down for awhile, I went back to school, had to move and then took an office job. Now that I'm working at home quilting I'm feeling that pull to keep the freezer full of things that I've made and I know that my family really appreciates it too.

Home

I've been longing for spring but spring won't arrive here for at least 6 weeks. This winter has been mild for the most part and lots of snow. I always like the look of nice clean snow, it makes my home look abit like a ski chalet. I live in whats called a housing co-operative which has worked out really well for a single mom. All of the maintenance is taken care of and we are encouraged to make our places our own. Which I have, I love colour so I've painted every room, some more than once, change is a good thing sometimes.



Thats my back yard, my view in the winter from my bedroom and living room. I can imagine that I live in the country without so many neighbors close by and yet I have the convenience of people close at hand too. My youngest has been making full use of the skating rink this winter as do many of the children and big children as well.

My ism

The other night I was telling a friend of mine about my fabric buying habit. I had calculated what I thought (at the rate I'm going) what I might spend on my habit this year...ouch. Thats when she said oh thats your ism as in my addiction. Which I admit is true, but its an ism that doesn't really hurt anyone and does help out the local quilt shop as well as a few online shops too. My daughters never complain or question my need for more fabric and they love getting new quilts.
Two years ago, I decided that I couldn't buy anymore fabric until I busted a signifigant amount of my stash and got the rest under control. I made several scrap quilts that I love and when my longarm arrived a year ago I had tops to practice on. I give alot of credit to getting my habit somewhat under control to Bonnie Hunter, her site is a great place for others who have my ism and need to get it under abit of control.







So was there a cure? Well I still have a wonderful stash and there are still pieces in it that make me wonder what I was thinking when I bought it, but those are the pieces that make scrap quilts interesting. I feel like my stash is under my control now and I've learnt how to use it. So....

A year ago last March I ended my no buy rule when I saw the Seaside Rose collection and the Summer Wind Pattern to go with it. I went on a binge with that collection, something I've never done before (buying a collection) but I love the quilts that I've made and they are fun to show at guild to showcase my quilting.


The next collection I saw and loved was Wuthering Heights, I started off with the charm packs and made the charm quilt from the pattern from thefatquartershop.com while shopping there I saw the Elizabeth pattern and fell in love with it so after a couple of months thinking about it I ordered the kit (another first) its still a work in progress.
I've had fun with these collections and I'm now in a club getting a new kit/collection every month. Not something I'll do every year but for now its fun and managable and I will be willing to part with some finished quilts by the end of the year if anyone wants to buy one.
My love of scrap quilting hasn't left me, I'm still working on a couple as leader ender projects or just for when I need to relax and chain piece.
My work as a Longarm Quilter keeps me busy working on other peoples quilts but also thankfully enables me to finish my own tops.