OUR ANNUAL POT LUCK SUPPER.

 Well our second annual pot luck supper went off without a hitch once again.


This little package of goodies was provided by the "Prydes" with enough packages for each of the families in attendance.  It's a "Christmas in July" gift.  Mary, my co hostess distributed the packages
to each family as they were leaving. Everyone thought it was so cool.  


Considering that Pauline's husband damaged his knee in the morning and wasn't able  to attend, however Pauline, the maker of it all did come to have drinks.


The count this year was 69
so that says it all.  Everyone
brought wonderful foods and
the tables were overflowing which as it should be.


The table photo which is empty in the photo was so full, unfortunately so much was happening that I didn't get a good photo of the feast.


My sweetie wore his Jam's shirt.  I think next year we may do a contest for the loudest shirt which his was.


But that's not what we do.  We do hats!


This year the hat was a 
fastinator won by Evelyn
which was the fastinator of
all fastinators!


It was a no contest!  She won the helmet that the winner from last year presented her with instructions that it must be displayed in a prominent place at her cottage.   

As you can see, there were a lot of people in attendance which made for great conversations.


The party was over by about 8:30 when all boats departed to see the fireworks.  The fireworks display was fabulous with about 40 minutes of non stop action.


The highlight for me of the day was seeing about 350 boats bobbing in the water, with all the families awaiting the booms of the spectacle.  Then when it was over the lights of all the boats turning and heading for home...just a wonderful day.

WONDERFUL SUMMER DAYS!

Last week I started a new quilt block which was the same as this favourite quilt that I have.  Every time I bring this baby out, there are raves for the look of it.

So, I decided to make another that is more suited to the "new" decor at the cottage.

I used  some greens that I had from
my stash.  I used the centre block of blue with brown and green dots to set off the rest of the blocks around it.  I've laid it out the way it will be finished as there are only nine 18" blocks that make this quilt up.  The quilt is from a design that was in a magazine that Helen gave me a few years back. 

It's from Quilters Newsletter, April 2009 issue in case you wanted to know.
It's an easy peasy block and goes together so quickly because of the cutting techniques. 

I have some fabric left over so may do some fancy back which could make this quilt pop.

The weekend temperatures were just perfect!  The water temp was at least 80 degrees F and wonderful for jumping off the end of our dock.

To get people to really jump into our lake, I take photos of crazy jumps, dives, and cannon balls!  This is our nephew who brought his family up for three days of fun!

Their cottage doesn't have a deep dock, so all of this was new to them and they practiced jumping for the camera with many funny shots.  But since Jamie brought his family to us, he gets the first photo.

We have finally had rain.  Today it's humid with more rain expected.  We have a total fire ban on in our area despite this rain as it's been almost a month since we've had a deep rain in the area.  We are lucky that no fires have errupted what with the lightning we've had.   Don't you just love a good lightning and thunder storm?  Our dog doesn't even move, although some dogs just shake with fear.  We have a westie....no fear from this terrior...he rules the world!

FAV. THINGS. FRIDAY! FANS!

 We have had a massive heat wave for the passed week in Ontario and the North Eastern US.  At the cottage we don't have air conditioning because except for this year, we've never needed it.  Maybe one day each year it gets really really hot.  Well this fan that is in the sun room does it all.  It gives air.

Isn't that what fans are supposed to do?  Well I put the fan on high yesterday.  It is the first time I've done this, ever.  The temperature reached over the 100 degrees F.  The humid weather made it so uncomfortable that even
the birds weren't flying.  Except this little
woodpecker that was obviously learning the "fanning" techniques to enable him to stay in the air.  He flew by me so close that I felt the wind from his wings.  Very cute.  He is on the tree on the right.  Looks like a little branch, but he's there.  Hard to take a photo of birds. 

The humming birds were even scarce because of this heat.  What is
with that!

Well, with the fan doing its job, I started a new quilt.  I love this pattern as it just uses up fabric!  I have odds and ends of fabric that I swear I'm not buying anymore till the colours are used up.  Except for white, which I love.

I love black too, but I find it hard to see when sewing.  I've seen a navy fan quilt which I just love, but know the dark colour will not work with me.

Have a great weekend all.  Ours will be busy as we are expecting three kids who love to fish!  Should be fun.

HOT, HOT, HOT....

 I know it's summer and it's supposed to be hot!  But this is crazy...weather is in the high 30s, or high 90s for those that follow different readings.

With the humidity its in the 40/100 range,  that's hot.  

The dog is fully recovered from surgery and has been on the hunt at
our friends' house which has the
beautiful pond with lots of fish that
also hunt.   The pond is home to about 7 frogs and 20 fish.  It certainly makes for a peaceful coffee place in the mornings.

We were in the city for our summer family wedding.  Our niece was married last Saturday in the city.

The affair was fabulous, as was the bride of course.  It was the happiest day in the life of her father.  The mother of the bride could become a wedding planner....I swear!

I took front and back photos of the dress.  A beauty of a dress and the bride could move in it very well to dance and walk about.  Some brides are enveloped in their dresses.  Not Carlie...she changed to summer flip flops as did the bridesmaids and they had a ball.

The groom who is the step son of an old
friend...how small is the world?...said that
all he had to do was buy a new suit and
show up!

 That's about all we had to do too...show up!

As we have returned to the cottage for about ten days of company, we are resting  as we prepare...also it's too hot to do much.  

It may be too hot to sew, although my head is spinning with an idea for a quilt, so I may go to the matt!

TEENY TINY SUMMER STUDIO! ...

This is the summer studio.  How tiny is that?  See the green antique suitcase?  Well it holds the threads, needles, extra notions that just works fine for me.

The two bins hold fabrics and batting.  On the wall are hung the rulers, scizzors and you can't see it but the extension cord for the iron.

The black quilt I finished this week
from the Wallmart jelly from the
winter.  I have the larger one to finish yet.  I can't find the batting which I packed, I thought.  So I must buy batting unless it surfaces.

I decided to do a yellow backing and give the back a bit of a boost also, which makes the whole thing very
cool for a kid I think.

When I was quilting, I thought I'd try the elusive walking foot which made me happy that it works fine.

It certainly looks better in real time, but don't they all?


The room has another large piece
of furniture which stores every-
thing from soup to nuts as storage is at a premium here at the cottage.  I have no idea where to put my finished quilts!  There isn't room in the cupboard which has about a dozen cans of spray glue.  I forgot that I had so many and a friend gave me two which she thought she owed me....I will need to store these come winter as I don't think they freeze well.



Then, I thought, why not do the Helen
trick and put the quilts on the line.

The one little problem was that there wasn't a wind.  Typical of my thinking.  In any event, here is the last nine patch that I think I will ever make.  I just decided this, as I have been making one each summer.

The back of it is white.  No point in boring you with the details of white
background.

This little quilt is for my friend who belongs to the red hat society.  Actually more pink than red, but I thought the lake layout was pretty.


Typical of me again, I'vedownloaded the great room and quilts all mixed up, but since the photo op took about a half hour to download, here is the other
side of the room.


It's a sunny afternoon so I should be outside.  I'm going there now.

I even bathed the dog today as we are going home Friday for our wedding of the summer. 

The brave little guy is back to being stupid as Westies can be.  Actually, not stupid but very stubborn, not too much different from this owner's point of view.

Have a great weekend.

Helen's Quilts for Newfoundland

I just want to post this photo of Helen's artistic
thinkin for the photos of her quilts she and Andrea
were taking to Newfoundland.

She has been busy making these for god children who live there.  I think the fact that she and her daughter do this together is bliss for Helen.

I am quilting a nine patch that I did last summer.  Why I chose such a "girly" quilt I don't know.  Anyway it's almost finished and it does look better quilted than not.

Do you find that too?  I think I like the finished product much more than the original top.  I have also finished one of the black colourful quilt tops from the winter.  I have two to go to get quilted but honestly, I like to spray baste so must await a calm day at the lake.

We have had humid humid weather.  I know it even reached Arkansas this humidity, but we can't complain really as winter will make us moan of the snow!
  Last night without winds, storms or change in the lake pattern, the humidity lifted to the point where I put a sweater on.  My sweetie is loving this morning.

Yesterday was my daughter's 50th.  I can't believe this!  I'm not that old!  She had a wonderful dinner with friends who have known her all those years. 

WEEK END PROJECT AT THE COTTAGE

 Last week I did ask for a few hints regarding the recovering of sofa cushions.  Well, my friend Helen gave me the best lesson in making square corners.

These two sofas were an impulse buy about 10 years ago.  I hated the backs as they were so bulky and out they went.  I have had different pillows over the years to put along the back and people makethemselves very comfy smooshing pillows behind themselves.

I also have made different seat covers over the years.

Well this spring, I really noticed the wear and tear of people and of course the dogs....so, this is what I did.

I bought a solid piece of foam for the seats.  Then, my sweet cut the former seats down to seventeen inches for these to become the back.

We used a table saw, which unfortunately had to be cleaned afterwards as the glue from the batting and the foam really made a mess.  I didn't have an electric knife here as I know this is really a good way to cut foam.

Saturday, I only managed to do the seats, but Sunday, I was a whirling girl....I actually measured, cut and was able to sew the five backs. 

Not only that, but looking through a magazine, I noticed this fabric is also part of the Lazy Boy collection for their reclyners.  How good is that?

Her is Brooke Shields, sitting on the same fabric.

The total cost for the project was about $240.00.  I bought the fabric on sale, once at 30% and then 50% when I decided to do it right.  The foam was the most expensive. 

So, now that this is done, I'm going to try and get some quilting done. 

SUNNY SUNDAY SENTIMENTS!

I always just love to post one of my dear friend Helen's quilts.  This is for a young guy in Newfoundland where Helen and family are going to visit.  A lucky little fellow with his name labeled on the back.

Helen loves little fiddly works; so she copied a label to paper then copied that by fine pen onto cloth.
I couldn't post the photo, but needless
to say it's perfect.

It;s  a sign, strawberry season is almost over here in Ontario.  OMG...we are half way into July already.  Where does time go?

This year we didn't have much rain so the berries weren't very big, however these babies came from a Menonite farm that sells produce from other local farms.  No pesticides here as all their produce is done organically.  We noted that they do buy from wholesalers at times and the woman at the counter said that yes they did, but, when their products are available they use local farmers.

My little brave puppy is doing well.  His eye is black but there doesn't appear to be any discomfort anymore.  He still bumps into everything being a conehead till next Saturday, but he's doing well.

I'm making slip covers for the great room.  I will post the event when done as I worked for about two hours on the first cover yesterday trying to figure out how to make a square corner.  The first was easy, it was the second one that was a dewsy.  Helen arrived in the afternoon to guide me through my problem....Oh now I know how to do it!  Honestly, I do have to be shown visually so many things.

Cottage weather is fabulous, although we could use some rain I think as everything around us is quite dry.  Yesterday, the traffic on the lake was like Grand Central Station!  The first two weeks of July, and the first two of August are the busiest on the lake.  After those two weekends, people from far away, close their cottages and put the boats away.  A shame as many cottages are only used for a couple of weeks.

Our (formerly new) neighbours are enjoying the season immensely, and one knows that there are young children around, when around 9 am the boat starts up and off they go tubbing  which brings peels of cheers.

I'm off to sew..wish me luck.
ps. does anyone use google reader, and if so let me know about it.  I need to send instructions to a friend.
thanks in advnce.

BRAVE LITTLE GUY!

 Nothing like having a house closing that goes simply is there?

The sale of our house finalized today.  It's goodbye to six years of much happiness because of our neighbours that we were lucky enough to have across the street from us.

Bob and Mary have become family.
It's that simple.  People come into our lives for a reason.  This couple came to us so that we could have fun at the cottage and extend our family as well as theirs.  So the move is sad on that level, but on the other, we are at the cottage and a new adventure begins.

We were going along so well and boom, things happen.  My sweetie
fell about a foot off a ladder, broke
a bone in his foot, sprained an ankle
and that was all with about 15 minutes
left of us leaving the house after the
movers.

He has an air cast on so at least he has been able to move around.  And thanks to Bob and Mary, we have
lived with them for almost a week
while we settle our affairs.

The top photo of our brave little guy with the awful eye is the result of a cyst on his eye lid, which grew quite quickly and so, Wednesday he was operated on.  He also had his teeth cleaned....don't ask how he is feeling, suffice to say he is a brave little guy and only has groaned a few times...not like us who are moaning just looking at him.  He has a stitch on the lid which has to be removed.  We were so worried about him, till we docked the boat and off he went chasing squirrels...he will survive.

Mac, the beautiful retriever who lives with the flower guy (and girl who buys the flowers for him to give me) came over to visit and noticed my sweetie's broken foot and licked the foot, then lay down to protect .  Isn't that sweet?

Mac also gave Wilson's eye a lick when he saw him today.  Awww!  Yes, I know.

The last photo is our house that was a home.  The cottage is our place now, our new home with new adventures to come.

I have so much sewing to do that I hope the season stays lovely and I can sit by my window and quilt the tops that I made over the winter.

Also, I bought foam to make seats for the sun room.  I'm not great at doing stuff like this, but I will give you before and after photos for sure.  Just wish me luck.

This is a long post as I didn't take my computer with me, so have been catching up.  I've missed you all.

WEEK END WONDERS! GREAT WEATHER.

We had fabulous weather this passed weekend.  You know that usually weather is so fleeting that long week ends end up with rain....didn't happen so we taught this young man who is one of our granddaughter's best friend and originally from the Ukraine how to water ski.  He got up on the first try!

He had amazing fun and actually
skied around the island and the lake
was rough too.  He is also a kayaker
and used to taking instructions from
his coaches, so this was easy peasy
for him.
Our cottage was a behive of activity for three whole days.  Last night after all visitors had left and all cottage visitors on the lake had also left, it was very very quiet.

We are heading home for a few days to finish up the house closing then we return to our now permanent home!  New adventures begin.

I am going to cover a piece of foam four inches thick.  Of course I shall get ideas from Helen regarding instructions, but anyone with an idea as to an easy way to make this 45"X20X4 would be great.  I did buy a piece of poly to cover the foam, but that's as far as I got.   I'm also not good at the zipper thing, but will do my best.

See you in a few days.  Isn't summer weather great?  And the Aussies are in their winter...

HAPPY DAYS....HAPPY CANADA DAY TOO!

 Our life is ever changing these days.  We have moved from our house to the cottage as our permanent home till October at least.

So, of course Bob and Mary have given us a suite in their lovely home for us to feel less stressed.  I tell you it's a spa.  The feeling of total comfort, privacy and peace was with
us the first night we slept in this
awesome space!

In the morning after, we had coffee with the fish!  Bob has an amazing pond with koi fish, and  gold fish of some kind that I managed to take photos one morning.  They are so beautiful, with the waterfall and the lilies, I tell you we were so happy to have them as friends.

On a side note, this turtle was leaning against the back tire of our truck when we last headed back to the city to pack up.  The reason I show this is the blogger (#%^%$^) you know how I feel about blogger sometime.  Well blogger put this one ahead of the next photo.  Any way, this sucker was trying to lay eggs at the marina as we were trying to leave.  We got a paddle out of the boat
to move her along.  This is the time of
year for turtles in Ontario to lay eggs and
many roads have signs "turtle crossing"
which we are supposed to stop and assist
if in fact we see a turtle crossing.  It really
happens a lot that people help the turtles
cross the country roads.

This last photo is of the dogs awaiting the activities in the backyard at our friends.  There is so much activity there what with the birds, the chipmunks, the odd mouse, rabbit and groundhog that keeping vigil is their favourite passtime. 

Mine is to laugh.  I never will have high blood pressure and watching the antics of these two dogs is enough to keep me normal.

So, we were 15 minutes from exiting our former home when my sweetie thought he saw a spot on the ceiling.  He used a two step ladder to check, lost his balance, started falling and thought that with a new knee, a hip replacement, and didn't want to break his arm falling that he forgot the feet.  He now has a broken foot, is in an air cast and is out of commission for the next six weeks.  I, am in charge!

All our friends are howling when I tell them that I am now in charge of us.  I actually drove the big truck to the cottage without the sweetie white knuckling the dash.  He couldn't reach it he said after I drove out of the driveway, over the grass and the driveway of the neighbour next door.  I had two hours to practice keeping it on the road! 

So, we are here for the long weekend.  There is family here, we are eating and awaiting the International Space Station to pass over the cottage at 9:53pm tonight for four minutes.  So, I'm signing off.

By the way, I haven't been able to blog since cancelling our former internet provider and only today after ten days have I been able to bore you with my life. 

Strawberries are in season, flowers too and the flower guy from the cottage next door let the lady of the cottage deliver the flowers this week.  We are in a happy place.  Bob and Mary are here, the gang from next door is also having fun and life is good isn't it?

ELEANOR BURNS QUILT FINALLY FINISHED!

Do you remember the April 2010 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting which featured this quilt?

As I worked on it, it became the bloody quilt because of my frustrations with following directions!  Well, it is on a bed at our little cottage, in a little room, (9'X9') .   It looks fabulous!

I actually learned a new way of making geese and do have another geese thing going now, but somehow, of course it's me you know, the geese aren't quite in formation.  They are probably Canada Geese!

We are here at the cottage, making it home because in two weeks we are out of our city home.  I have all my quilting stuff here, the fabric in a cedar chest, the rest in bins which will be marked when I'm more settled.

The weather has been perfect.  In the mid 70s all week, sunshine, no humidity and a perfect breeze.  Absolute bliss for us and our dear friends who have been helping us get settled.

We head home for our final week of packing up. 
Just a note, the blogger doesn't let me comment on some blogs.  What's with that?  Fortunately, I can send notes to my favourite quilting buddies. 
Cheers from a little piece of heaven on earth!

COTTAGE LIVING

 What time of year is it?  It's time for flowers from my sweet neighbours.  Each year Kent has brought me bouquets of fabulous flowers that he picks from his neighbour's garden.  Isn't that special?  I'm always taking photos of the bouquets because they are truly spectacular.

 You know the socks I've been knitting when recovering from operations this past winter?  Well my granddaughter and her sweetie are the proud recipients.  The sweetie of granddaughter has asked that the next pair not contain any pink!  But I told him that strong men wear pink!  He doesn't believe me, but will wear them because they are homemade.  I love them!

And finally, we have a new truck.  We've never had a truck before.  The dog just thought it was too big and wanted to attack the wheels...ok, he lifted his leg on the tires!  It's what dogs do isn't it?  So we were coming back to the cottage so we put so much stuff in the back and lots more in the back seat.
Lots and lots of room and comfy too.  I'm pleased!

I am counting  my blessings each day as my foot heals.  I know, I know, I do go on about the stupid foot, but I truly am thankful that I am walking without pain and each morning it looks better and better.

Life is good and Bob and Mary are here for the week to make it even better.

FAVOURITE THINGS FRIDAY...MATCHING SHOES!

 Ok, for the past 7 weeks, I've been wearing missmatched shoes because of the foot operation.



Well, today is my day to put my feet in matching shoes.  No more of the orthopedic sandal to keep my toes straight, no more foot so swollen that
I didn't want to go out in public (oh I
did though)  looking like a dork.

The shoes that match are geox.  I dream of wearing something as simple as those.


This beauty sandal is Italian and would be comfortable don't you think, without breaking my neck.

But, this is the one that would break my neck and is probably the reason that I endured seven weeks of discomfort, wearing an ugly toe apparatus to correct the problem that I created in my wild and crazy days when I had at least two dozen pairs of high heeled shoes!  

Only in my dreams now ladies....only in my dreams.

WISTERIA VINES...

Here in Canada there is only one of the wisteria types that grows.  It is call Lawrence.

My daughter Kel has the most amazing one that grows on her arbour.

The flowers are about 2 ft or more in places...absolutely georgous.  The flowering season is also short, about ten days.  But the splendor they afford is fabulous.

I'm sorting stuff out here at the soon to be official residence.  We have a tonne of garbage going to the dump today so that we will make room for more stuff.

I'm still not quite able to sit with the foot down for an extended period of time, but hopefully next week I can start quilting.   I have most of my quilting stash here with the final batch coming this weekend of course.

I've been so laid up that exercising just hasn't been possible.  However, in the past couple of weeks, I've cut out floured items only and this morning was able to fit into a pair of capris that I've not worn in two years.   Wahoo!  I'm so proud of myself....and they fit comfortably too!  Even better.

We have a border collie that has arrived on our doorstep about an hour ago.  A sweet dog.  It's a good thing the kids aren't here, they'd be begging to keep him.  He's well fed with a collar and someone must be working on the island so he's found us. 

We are heading into the city to finish our packing.  It's hard letting go of precious items isn't it?