Best of Show CQA 2016

Election Night Euphoria by Helen Fujiki from West Hill Ontario was the winner of best of show!!  This quilt was inspired by the Canadian Election this past fall when the Liberals swept the nation. 

Ironically our previous conservative premier Garry Filman bought this quilt for his wife Janice!!  Perhaps they are closet Liberals?!?!

Awards at the CQA NJS in Toronto

Congratulations on the award winners at this year's quilt show. The Canadian Quilt Association's National Juried Show held in Toronto awards were presented tonight. I was pleased to pick up Coreen Zerr's award for her. She won Excellence in Threadwork for a snowy owl that she made using a photo of Don's for inspiration. 

Also, kudos go out to other friends through FAN (Fibre Arts Network) that won awards tonight. Cathy from Winnipeg, Terry Aske from BC and Jaynie from Weyburn. Wonderful work!!

Sorry Coreen. I didn't get a photo of your quilt in the awards presentation as I was running up to accept your award!!  Lol. 

Quilt Camp - On Point Bag

Marj showed us the shoulder bag that she makes that has a twist in it. Interesting!

Quilt Camp - Show and Tell

During the retreat people shared their projects. Neat quilts.

Beth's 50 Shades of Grey Quilt

Faye's altered Storm at Sea quilt.

Marj's colourful Ribbon quilt.

Cynthia's 50 Shades of Grey quilt.

Faye's 1900 Meter quilt with a gorgeous border.

Zandra's quilt of older fabrics modern quilt.

Quilt Camp - Happy Villages

We had a blast at our own person quilt camp retreat again this year. For three years s group of seven of us get together at Camp Assiniboia to relax, visit and sew on our projects.

Our mascot, Ozzie.

Four of us decided to try a project called Happy Villages in a book by Karen Eikermein.  To begin this project, you cut out specific shapes from ten different blocks of fabric and collage them together to make a background.  The most important choice at this point is to choose a colour palette that you like for the village you wish to create.

Marj chose earthy Tuscan village colours.

Beth chose bright Happy Village colours.

Yvonne chose pale Provence Village type colours.

I chose red rock Pueblo Village colours.

After the collage background is built you add windows, roofs, doors, paths, trees, etc.

Yvonne village comes to life.  A very peaceful looking place!!

  

Beth began to add black and dark blue roofs and windows.

I added windows, ladders and a rock arch to mine.

Marj only added a few roofs before she went on to other projects.

Tempe Symphony Spring Concert

The city of Tempe sponsors the Tempe Symphony.  The members are all volunteers and the city pays for rehearsal and performance space at the Tempe Center for the Arts allowing the four concerts per year to be free to the public. 

Don and I attended the spring concert. It was outstanding!  A beautiful auditorium and we had front row centre balcony seats. Couldn't have been better!!

Desert Botanical Garden

Don, Joyce and I went to the botanical garden to view the blooming cacti and later, after dark, to see the light display. It was a gorgeous late afternoon and evening. Didn't even need a sweater!!