Shhh, no peeking

Well, Grace's Christmas package went into the mail on 6 November, still has not arrived at its destination....soon, I hope...some of the goodies I made for her:

 this Santa sac is actually a nice red with candy canes on it.  I filled it with all sorts of goodies.

label for Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar

place mat, who doesn't like to eat with the snow men?

 the 'r' in merry

a table runner for mum and dad














UPDATE:  the package arrived on Christmas Eve...!  Wow that's cutting it close, next year it will be mailed by 15 October.....sheesh, I was thinking it was going by canoe....

Meet Marsh....1 year later

I am actually almost 2 weeks late with this post.  One year ago, on November 30, Marsh came to live at her forever home.  We've learned a lot since that day.  Some of her milestones:

-3 unauthorized field trips
-numerous (too many to mention) trips to the dog parks
-doggy training classes (most of which she failed)  She marches to the beat of her own drummer
-4 new gentle leaders (she chewed through the first 3)
-5 new leashes (yes, she chewed through the first 3 as well).  I now have a spare, because you know I will need it
-learning to walk alongside the mobility scooter
-making friends with his forever friend and house mate, Qtip after chewing a hole in his ear....hmm....he looks pretty cool with one ear pierced...not
-getting acquainted with Joe Bylaw (too acquainted if you ask me).  They both know that he carries treats in the back of his truck....
-she can now sit for extended periods of time, instead of pacing, pacing, pacing
-she gained 30 pounds...ooops doc says she is a little on the heavy side, he is no longer Marsh's friend
-a birthday party with all the trimmings was shared with Qtip, they both had birthdays on the same day....don't know who liked the party hats more.
-fabric may look pretty, but it is not edible, nor are socks, table legs, doors, spools of thread or Qtip's ear....

And mum....

Well, her milestones include...numerous bottles of wine. And, a lot of patience...(one of those sentences is correct, you decide which one)

Not a night for man nor beast!

This is a 4 foot chain link fence that separates my house from the neighbour.....the drift is 5 feet tall and getting bigger...higher...
Speaking of beast, my poor 2 dogs had a hard time even getting out of the back door till I shovelled a bit of a walkway for them....and the little one next door whose house this is...well, they had to take him out front....
And, it is only the beginning of December....not yet officially winter.

What I've been up to

lately , there has been a whole lot of baby quilts coming out of my sewing room, there is one more which will be posted in the next day or two. Aren't these fun?  And the prairie points were my first attempt, easy, easy...I have a feeling there will be a whole lot more in future projects

Donkey Pillow Case

My oldest daughter loves donkeys.  While browsing through a local quilt shop, I came across this cute fabric.  What to do with it? With a few pieces from my stash...a pillow case was made!

 yes, it is sideways, still haven't mastered the clockwise thing!

Call of the Loon

Look what came home!! After 2 years of hanging around the quilt shop (and one quilt show), this
this quilt from the 2012 Shop Hop is finally home.  The quilting was done by Nuala who works at 'Country Concessions' quilt shop in Cookstown.  Simply beautiful.

close up

another close up

and one more

Jamestown Landing

In pink!  Complete with one of my quilt inspectors.
Pattern by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.  All from my stash.

Tee Shirt Memory Quilt

A colleague asked me to create her a quilt using her tee shirts from her childhood to her university days.  There was a bit of a problem with the overall quilting, due to the fabrics being different weights and stretch, but overall I'm pleased with how it turned out.  And she is too!

 

 

Wasn't that a Party?!

Notes from Marsh

Well, yesterday (August 31) mummy had a party for us....Qtip is 5 and mummy is unsure of my age, so today I officially became 2....Qtip is complaining, cuz he has to share his special day.....mummy took lots of pictures





 Mummy made both of us bandannas, aren't they fun?  Qtip's is blue and mine is a lavender colour.


Aren't we good looking?  I think I look the best.


Silly Qtip is hiding in the sunflowers.   He sneezes a lot when he hides there.  Mummy says it is the pollen?  Don't know about that, I think he just wants attention.

Look at our hats, Qtip doesn't like his, but I think ,mine makes me look like a princess....(mummy calls me that a lot)

yes, some serious partying happening, our hats are falling off.....mummy says they are askew??

No pictures of the cake, cuz we ate it before mummy could focus in....

 but it sure was good, there was even a candle that I wanted to eat, but Auntie Lou said I couldn't.  I'm tired from all that fun, think I'll have a nap right here,,,yawn....thanks for visiting!

 

The month in review

Kick me when I’m down

This is really hard for me, I’m struggling and embarrassed to admit it....the ‘f’ bomb has become my new favourite word.  If my boys could talk, I’m sure they would be saying ‘tsk, ‘tsk’......

Ok so I knew it was coming (was hoping for a different outcome), but it was not to be.  My 6 month contract lasted 2 years and ended on 30 June, yep...the government lifted its hiring freeze and those who were waiting moved into their new positions...and me, well, I was a temp and let go, no seniority, no hope.

I seem to have a problem getting jobs, they are posted (or not), I apply, follow up, ask questions...still nothing...I thought when I graduated from University 6 years ago (GULP....has it really been that long??), I’d get a decent paying job and be able to move on with my life....clearly I was and continue to be delusional.

Whatever.  

If there were rugs in the house, I’d say they had been pulled out from under me...again...and I’m lying there waiting for the next kick....

I've have taken jobs with crappy pay (read just above minimum wage) for so long, I can’t relate to friends who make a decent wage, have seniority, benefits, paid vacations, paid stat holidays, some protection...

Whatever.

It is difficult to make long range plans when you know things are not going to be the same from month to month....

My granddaughter just turned one, I’ve never met her...hard to make plans for a mini vacation, when you are not sure of the job situation.

My grandson will be turning 3, I saw him when he was six weeks old. Again, hard to make plans for a mini vacation, when you are not sure of the job situation.

Yep, the proverbial rug has been pulled out from under me and I’m lying there waiting for the next kick.

I am not handling this well.  Yes, I know there are others in similar situations or worse, but for a change I’m going to be selfish and think about me.  I spent the first week wallowing in grief and self pity, all the while sending out resumes and following up.   

I spoke to an employment counsellor last week and she wanted to know how many resumes I have sent out in the past 2 months...75......I could see her eyebrows raising through the phone line.

Did I piss someone off in my other life?  If so, enough already...

I am getting better, if you call panicking better...I’ve pulled up my big girl panties and stopped sharing chips and ice cream with the boys...we now get our own bowls....and spoons...and stopped throwing things.....but the ‘f’ bomb is still my favourite word.

At some point, (probably during a sleepless night), I decided that there's no way up or over or around this situation and the only thing to do is just to keep walking straight ahead with my head held high and go through it until I come out on the other side of it somehow.  Because I will get through this.  I will come out on the other side of it.  Somehow.  Just don't ask me for details because I will lose my shi..* again and cry.

Churchill once said "if you're going through hell, keep going." 

I guess I don/t have a choice.

Quintessentially Canadian

On a highway just outside of town...happy Canada Day everyone!