The Big C

I have not been posting for a while because I have been Walking my Buns off trying to loose weight to have Surgery. I have lost 78 lbs since March 25, when things transpired and I was diagnosed with Cancer. I have surgery on the 22 of September. So it is coming at breakneck speed.  I have been able to live the summer without too many worries but now as this date is flying at me I am afraid.

I am glad i waited to have the surgery as I had a great summer with my husband and boys. I've made new friends and connected with people who had drifted away. I am grateful for all my blessings which are too numerous to count. I cant even begin to thank all the friends and people in my life for all they do for me.

42 years ago

To all those Crazy Quilters use the good stuff don't save it cause you cant take it with you. I have made a commitment to get busy doing more with all the stuff I have stocked up once I'm on my feet.

A couple of years ago.
Hope to be back at her soon. 
Melisa

Current Work

Well the photos are washed out however this is what

 I have been working on these last few days.

 This is my second fan ever I quite like them.

Instead of doing each blade differently I thought Id repeat

 the stitch And just change the combination of colours. the over

 lapping feather stitch is an Idea I got from on of 

Judith Baker Montano's books.

The girl is washed out badly in this photo

 I need to add some green ribbon leaves and 

I was thinking of adding some embroidery 

on the girl's hair and face. (eyes lips and nose)

I am a little concerned that the image will fad over time.

Melisa

more purple orange and watermelon blocks

I have Some work on 8 of the 25 blocks only 17 more to go.
I am starting to get in the groove of things. I think Ill do some Brazilian Embroidery on the peachy pink in the middle yet.
I think this block could use some BE or silk ribbon embroidery on the mulberry silk and maybe the purple velvet. By the way I have looked for a fabric that would work as a border for this quilt. You would be amazed at the amount of fabric I have purchased that I have decided wont work. How ever last summer at a garage sale I found more of the lovely purple velvet. enough to make a border to set the blocks in. yeah for garage sales....
The puke coloured orange rose buds by the lace, the button and the fabric under the dragonfly are actually apricot like the block bellow. I really need to learn how to take better photos

This block was done on the quick and needs allot yet.The lace in the block above has got to be a favorite of mine. Another garage sale find I painted it though. By the way I have no idea what I am going to do with this quilt when I am done. I love the colour combination but it does not match a thing in my home. Perhaps I will donate it to my local art gallery?

More crazy quilt blocks

Sorry this didn't show up the way I planned each point is on the photos in order. if you click on the pink it will take you to the corresponding photo. Blogger is a pain sometimes...

1.This is a spray that I thought it could use some lace flowers.the colour in the photo is a bit off. They are a little pinker.

2.I really enjoyed working on this block It still needs more. I'm just not sure what?

3.I love this fabric it is not a recent print of the fairies it is from the 90's. I wish I had more...

4.I love vines. like I said the colours are off today is a really glum day here. They are more peachy.

5.This is Hunter. Also known as poopy, poop machine, fur man, and snooky. He is 10 and very stubborn. When he is mad at us he craps on the deck then he is known as the damn dog. We love him any way.

Remember

I am so very grateful for the efforts of the armed forces of Canada in keeping my country free. Remembrance Day ceremonies make me cry. I am always overwhelmed the few days leading up to it too. This year a Soldier that went to school down the street had just passed away in Afganastan at 23. Being a Mom of two young men makes watching the Silver Cross Mother place her wreath very heart wrenching. One of my sons' good friends is in the process of entering the reserves. I wish him well and pray that he along with those who serve with him are kept safe.

Thank you for Standing on Gaurd.

BOO BOO and buttons

I was hitting Garage Sales with DH two weeks ago and when we got home I could barely lift my rt leg. Some how I strained something. It felt numb and alittle achey. I went to the MD and he told me to ice and put it up and to keep up doing as much as I could.... Friday I felt great.

I noticed an ad on kijiji for buttons. Turned out that an older lady that had worked at the acution Mart was downsizing and I purchased her whole collection of Buttons. Oh my there are some nice military buttons, carved shell and glass ones. There are many vintage plastic and bakelite in all colours and many patterns.

Three days of sorting with bent knees and I am not done yet. However I have to stop sorting for a while as my leg is now killing me. Oh how could I be so stupid... I will post some photos soon.

It is a very large collection.... not sure just yet what I am going to do with it all yet...

My entry for City Park Girl's Quilt festival

I
This is a Double Irish Chain Quilt I finished last year. It is a Queen sized quilt the largest one that I have made by myself. This is my entry for Park City Girl's Quilt Festival.

Some of my more recent work

I want to add more to this Iam thinking some beads or something to the rick rac and some BE in the centre.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

Look what I found at a garage sale. A lovely thread cabinet. Seven drawers 2 1/2 inches deep. If I had planed it I would have put in 9 one for each colour and black and white but for $15.00 who can b*+(h.
Unfortunately the inside of the drawers were really rough and damaged so I had to line them so as not to snag my beautiful threads. Now to wind all my thread. I am trying to use Sharon Boggon's idea for storage of my threads as I just cant imagine a better one that doesn't take up tonnes of space.


I plan on keeping my BE threads separate though as they are steamed to straighten them and I think winding them on skeins defeats the purpose of steaming them. Plus I cut them into ~ 1 m. speaking of which I have so much BE thread now I simply must get to work on it.

Boy am I glad blogspot has a spell checker as I can't spell or type.

Birthday Give Away for Crazy Quilter Winner

Congratulations Diane Baby Cake!
Dianne from http://dianesdecoratingdiary.blogspot.com/ wrote :

Happy birthday! And many more! My favourite cake was a lemon cake I made for my daughter's baby shower. She wanted a baby so much and waited so long. When the time finally came for a shower I put my heart and soul into that cake! http://tinyurl.com/o4zy3h

Your name was chosen from a hat. So you need to contact me with the link on my profile with your snail mail address so I can deliver the goodies. By the way I love the baby cake you made. My sister is having a baby in January so I have some ideas for her shower.
I will post a photo of the stash tomorrow Sorry not sooner Dh took the camera fishing and Ididn't get to it.
Melisa

places to find Books for BE

JDR has some books and they describe them a little for U.S. people they also have Brandie's Video.DVD
I have this book JDR Brazilian Embroidery Book 1 by Ria Ferrell.
The video has much of the same things. what is not in the video By Brandie is explained in the pdf files on the DVD. The only flower Iam not sure of being in there is the carnation.
I have North American Flowers in three dimentional embroidery also and I think you want to try some simpler things first at least that is how I feel.

Satin Blanky

When I was a little girl I had a pale blue grey satin blanket. One side was satin and the other was flannel and it was bound with white satin blanket ribbon binding. I just loved it. If it was hot when I lay down for a nap Id lay under the satiny side and the slipperiness was cool against my skin and if I was cold I used the flannel side. Who ever made it embroidered some flowers in two opposite corners simple lazy daisies and some french knot centers I think.

I was talking with Mom about baby/ small child blankets the other day and asked her about it. She told me she washed and washed it and it held up pretty good. So I thought Id make one or two some day. Well the most beautiful yellow satin came into my posession today from a garage sale so It looks like Ill be making two. Im making them bigger than the typical crib blanket cause I want them to be more of a nap blanket for an older child.

Today's Mail

More mail today the skeins have 50m on them. Soo there is lots of stitching in them.

Where to go for resourses for BE. Search your local library. If you find a book on the internet try to get it through inter library loans. They really help the pocket book.

what came on Monday

Here is some more threads that I ordered. There are some Brazilian discontinued threads that are similar to edmar. I want to do a fair bit of BE this winter.

Blog giveaway update the squishy has a fair bit of moire samples several in blues and a couple of other colours too. There are some braids and fancy damask ribbons and there will be more too. Remember to enter on my Birthday post.

Brandie's Brazilian Embroidery Video

Here is a run down on what is on the video:
Hoop and thread tips; Basic stitches; Leaves; Bullions/pistils/Lazy Daisies Cast on Stitch/double cast on stitch/double caston stitch 2 needles/detatched buttonholes/chainstich/ padded saver stitch/satin stitch blanked /satin stitch;

Geron Daisy and Bud/ Calyx/Cast on flower and bud/Maria's Rose and bud/Rolled Rose and Bud/Peach blossom and bud/ Lazy Daisy and Bud/ Calyx on flowers/ Fushasia and Bud/Japanese Violet and bud/Boucle Rose and bud. There is also some pdf files that describe other flowers and diagrams 80 pages worth.

It is really clear and has tips that really help.
Other places carry it But dont beat her price especially if you live in the great white north.

You can order it from Brandie here: oberon1@telus.net

Birthday Give Away for Crazy Quilter

Today is my Birthday and I would like to have a Give away so here goes. Post a coment on this post telling me about your favourite cake. The give away will be crazy quilt related. Comments sent in before the 28th of August will be placed in the draw which I will draw on the 31st of August. Good luck. more about what is being given away later.

My Rant about Moms at pools

My husband and I go to our local pool quite often and the Pool provides Mats for Children to float on. Lovely it is fun to float great... what I hate is when the shoot the mat off and hit people in the back of the neck right at C4.
A mom was with three children in the deep end and she had no consideration for any one not even an older gentleman that had a physical disability. She and her heard floated down to where we were and before I knew it Her son jumped off his mat and it hit me in the back of the neck. I said that hurt and my husband looked at the kid and said don't let that happen again.
The Mom said freaked out and said he is only a child and told him to tell the lifeguard if any one talks to you like that.

My husband tried to tell her that you can really hurt someone like that and he works with spinal victims. She said you shouldn't come to public swimming then.

I cant believe that she didn't then take her children away from my husband if she felt offended and I and that she didn't even think to teach her child that when you hurt someone you need to try to make it right like say sorry .

To make matters worse her other lovey little angel hit me a couple of minutes later.

I wish people in this world would realize the world doesn't revolve around you and your little brats. Public swimming Means Public and you look out for others as you share the pool. Not Kid you can go wild cause I cant and wont control your behavior swim.

Okay I had my rant...

Lazy Daisy Flower

Lazy Daisy Brazillian Flowers are my favourite so far. I just love the tips on the bullians. Tonight Im working on the Rolled Rose maybe Ill have a new favorite tomorrow.

Brazilian Embroidery supplies

Look what came today. This Video is most excellent. Brandie Milka is the instructor on the dvd and she sells it herself for 24.50 cnd which is cheeper than I have seen. She also sells Edmar Threads and supplies. she doesnt have a web page yet but her email is oberon1@telus.net for those of you who are from Canada she is in Edmonton. It is nice to order and not have to worry about duty. Now to get at that pillow.

New Beginnings RR Block Home

Here is One of my blocks from the slide show on the right back from a cqi novice Round Robin
I think the ladies who worked on it did a great job. I am so in love with how it is going I just have to add a bit to fillin the blank spots and Ill be cooking with heat. I hope you all like it too.