Play Date

Three friends and I got together for a 'play date' to quilt, card, sketch and flower pound. Glorious day outside!

Beth is transferring a sketch she drew onto fabric.

Shirley is pounding flowers onto paper.

That one will make a beautiful card!

Beth takes her hand at the mallet.

Lots of flower colour on that paper.

Sofa Shopping

Don and I need new sofas for the Treherne home that we are moving to. We've been looking around. We want a contemporary, non-bulky, fabric style. Any suggestions of where to go?

Here are some photos of okay sofas, but we have not found the just right one yet. 

Golf Wind Up

The ladies grout from the Delahunt Golf Course enjoyed a gorgeous night of best ball fun. Thanks to Robyn, Shelly and Leslie for setting up activities at each hole. Crazy fun!

Book Launch

Congratulations to Sharon Selby who launched her first novel at the Manitou Opera House.  There was a great turn out at the event.  A high school teacher of Sharon's spoke of Sharon and her love for writing.  Another person gave a review of her book.  The Sharon read an excerpt from the novel.  At the end of the reading Sharon answered questions.  Also in attendance was Vanessa, the artist who created the art work for the front of the book.

It was a wonderful event!  Bravo Sharon!!  Congratulations on the launch of "The Storyteller's Daughter:  Where the Story Begins"

Sharon reads from her novel

Sharon signs dozens of books for the audience!

Cutting the cake.

Cover of book designed by Vanessa.

Fibre Art Divas Meeting

Traveled to Winnipeg to meet with some fellow Fibre Arts enthusiasts. Each member of the fibre arts group is an amazing artist in her own right and we each exchange ideas and bring pieces we are working in for show and tell. It is very inspiring for me!

I took photos of the many pieces hanging in Pats studio. (Pat volunteered her studio for the meeting place this month.)  it is fun to see each artists studio space too. Gives one ideas as to how to organize a studio. Pats work is very precise. She often incorporates beads and fibres. Exquisite. 

Strip piecing with added fibre and beads.

Shibouri, dyed, pieced and quilted.

Background fabric is hand-dyed.  Symbols are added by thread work only.

Snow drifts.

Abstract snow drifts.

Detail work of abstract snow drifts.  

Pat's favorite book for basic beading on fabric.

Also, here is a picture of Judith's creation for the upcoming FAN exhibit called Canadiana, that is touring in Australia. Gorgeous!!

Judith is peaking from behind her piece.
I love the colours used to show above the water (blue) and below the water (greenish).

Picking and Carding

The temperature was 29C with 95% humidity and we were working outside with wool fleece. Just imagine how sweaty and furry we felt!!

Lisa, her friend, Josie, and I triple picked and carded some wool into batts for spinning. Lisa had some white Samoid Husky dog fur that she blended in with some white wool fleece. It looked gorgeous!!

The triple picker and carder, both hand made by Pat Green in BC, are gorgeous tools that make our job easier, but the process is still very time consuming. 

I am picking and carding some grey alpaca fleece that I then blend with black merino wool and black silk to make a batt to spin yarn for a cardigan I plan to make for Aaron. Sure hope he cherishes it. It will be an heirloom for sure!!

Lisa is carding on the drum carder.  Josie is preparing fleece for the carder on the triple picker.

Notice the fleece before Josie puts it through the picker.  It is packed and dense.
After it is through the picker it is separated and lofty fluff.  Easy to card with!

Lisa is taking a batt off the carder.

Lisa's gorgeous batts of wool and dog hair.  Let the spinning begin!!

Happy Everything

Joan and Norbert had a pleasant surprise. Joan planned a surprise retirement party for Norbert and he planned a surprise 65th birthday party for her, and their kids, Joanne and Paul, planned a surprise 45th wedding anniversary for them.  Same day, same time, and same place; and both of them ended up being surprised!!

It was a wonderful afternoon to spend in Joanne's back yard. Paul got together some of the cousins and played music for about 45 minutes. Joanne provided delicious food for everyone and also had activities to keep the youngsters entertained. A wonderful way to celebrate!  

Congratulations to Joan and Norbert!!

Paul sings and plays guitar as cousins accompany him.

Joan and Norbert at the hitching post with their scarecrow selves.

Saying thank you to the crowd.

Left to right:  Don, Joanne and Beth.
Joanne able to enjoy a few moments during the afternoon

Gorgeous (and yummy) cake.

The family celebrates:  Paul, Joan, Norbert and Joanne.
Notice the Maple Leaf napkins?  Norbert is a big fan!!

The happy 'surprised' couple!!

Joan and granddaughter, Faith.

Don's Birthday

Don's birthday, being in the middle of August, is often lost among the business of harvest. Traditionally he gets a chocolate zucchini cake in the field for supper. This year the combine had finished the winter wheat in time for a bonfire with friends on our deck. (Sorry, neglected to get bonfire photos.)

The traditional chocolate zucchini birthday cake once again!!

Dyeing Day

Yvonne and I did manage to do a bit of dyeing one afternoon as Marj looked on and gave suggestions. Annette also checked up on us once and awhile!  We tried some different samples. Here are my results.

Leaves on top of the dyed fabric.

Look what happens when the leaves come off!
The dye darkens where the sun hits the fabric, leaving the leaves as a print.

This was a blot off the plastic covered board after a previous dyeing.

Perhaps this can be quilted to reflect a stylized version of a Monet watercolour.

This colour-wash had a large leaf in the centre, but it didn't seem to print very well.

After we dyed, I tried out some flower pounding.
You put a flower on a solid board covered with wax paper, then place the fabric on top, and pound with a mallet.
Voila, dyed fabric in the colour and shape of the flower.
Some flowers worked better than others.

Crazy Day

Marj drove out to Holland from Winnipeg for our dyeing day today.  The entire day seemed to be doomed from the start.  Yesterday, JoAnn decided not to come out as she was doctoring with Sam.  Last night Lynda emailed to say her mom had fallen and she needed to go to Brandon today.  Then when Marj got out she told us she had fallen down the stairs during the night and hurt her hand and knee.  Jeesh!

I drove Marj to the Treherne Hospital's Emergency.  Dr Vorster requested X-rays and discovered that she had broken a bone in her hand!  Yikes!  Then he put on a slab cast. 

She also has sprained a ligament in her knee - the meniscus.  Hopefully, if she stays off it, the ligament will heal. If it is torn she will not recover fully.  Only time will tell on that I guess.  

What a crazy day!

Marj awaits her cast.

Swelling and bruising on Marj's right hand at the fourth finger.

Dr. Vorster puts on the cast.

Leaving the finger and thumb out so some movement is possible.

All bandaged up and ready to go.

Improvising a cane with a putter!