Merry Christmas From Calgary

My favorite time of day. This afternoon we're having Santa's Sleigh cocktails (from Food Network).
DH and I are in Calgary spending Christmas with my brother & s.i.l. I'm pretty sure lots of money changed hands when DH actually got on a plane. Sadie has been left at home to hold down the fort and guard the quilting machine. It's a good thing she loves her dogsitter.
We left warm 15 c. weather to come here where it is -18 and snowy. The company and the food are making it worth while, though. Turkey dinner tonight!Tomorrow we are heading up to Canmore for a few days, then back here. Home in time for New Years with the pooch. 🐶

A Sampler Quilt and Ennui

I love Sampler Quilts.  This was done as a Block of the Month at the Caledonia Guild last year.

Cable border design.

Dresden Plate.

Gorgeous feather design.

The hull of the boat was quilted with simple, straight lines.

This is my favorite block.

So.  Ennui.  From Merriam-Webster:

ennui

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of ennui

1. the state of being bored ennui that comes from having too much time on one's hands and too little will to find something productive to do>

Synonyms blahs, doldrums, ennui, listlessness, restlessness, tedium, wearinessRelated Words cheerlessness, dispiritedness, joylessness, melancholy; languidness, languor, lassitude, lethargy, lifelessness, torpidity, torpor; dullness (also dulness), monotonousness, monotony, sameness; apathy, indifference, unconcern

That is how I've been feeling for the last couple of weeks, and I don't know why.  I turn off my workroom lights at 4, 5, or 6 o'clock depending on that day's events.  And I have no interest in doing anything after that.  Seriously disinterested.  The evening will consist of finishing the last few words of the crossword puzzle that DH has been working on, then doing the daily Sudoku puzzle from the newspaper, then either t.v. or a book, or both.  Bedtime can't seem to come fast enough.  I hope it's just the time of year, although the weather has been so incredibly warm it's more like October than December.  Even the stupid thistles are still growing in my flowerbeds.  Grrr.  I also wonder if the MESS of STUFF around me has got to the point of overload.  The old windows are still here (listed on Kijiji for sale), the old stereo equipment is still here, Mom's stuff from the nursing home is still here, furniture from DH's parents' nursing home, empty boxes from electronics purchases, and on and on. Weeding out is an awful chore.  If I dispose of pictures I feel like the devil's right hand man.  Silly, but true.
I am eagerly anticipating a visit with my brother & s.i.l. over Christmas.  If anyone can get my mojo working again, he can.  And she's a super-tidy neat freak who will whup my ass into shape.  I hope.  Stay tuned.

My New Toy and A Shot Of Colour

Yes.  I need to have my head read.  This is my idea of a new toy. 

The last time I bought myself a vacuum was in 2008 - see here.  The new one is cordless & rechargeable, and intended strictly for my workroom, to deal with the approximately 12 pounds of cotton lint dust I produce every day.  (ok that might be a BIT of an exaggeration.  But it's a lot of dust.)  It will only run for 20 minutes, so I don't have to worry about getting carried away with TOO MUCH cleaning.  It also has a removable hand-held vacuum thing for doing the stairs and window ledges, etc.  I don't have to beat my way through all the stuff in the closet to haul out the central vac hose that weighs a ton.  It was on sale through Costco.ca for $115.00.  If you compare that to what I paid for Threddy Krueger (the Roomba), this was practically free.

Here is your little shot of colour.  Mmm, mmm, mmm.  Love the orange with the variegated thread!!!

Scrappy Split 9-Patch Quilt & Entertainment

As you know, I love scrappy quilts.  I could seriously keep this one.  It might be my favorite out of everything I've quilted this month.

Did you know I also love yellow?  If you've been to my house you'd have noticed that my living room is yellow.

In keeping with the sunny theme, I quilted this with butterflies, using thread in a mustard colour.

Several people have asked how the quilt sale went last week.  Well, it went.  I sold some quilts and DH sold one of his cute little Christmas trees.  I came out ahead, but not enough to make it worthwhile.  It was too much money, too much effort, and too stressful.  It's now on my list of "don't do again".  I am glad I made the attempt though, otherwise I would always wonder if I should have.

ENTERTAINMENT
Movies:  If you haven't seen The Martian yet with Matt Damon, you really should.  It's a great movie.
Books:  The Girl Who Saved The King Of Sweden.  A crazy, preposterous caper.  Very (!) entertaining.

What Do 50 Quilts Look Like?

But don't take my word for it.  C'mon out and see for yourself!
Today - Caledonia Kinsmen Hall, 151 Caithness St. E., Caledonia, 10 am - 6 pm.
And yes, I take credit cards.  :-)

Shakin' the Dust Off For the Sale (and the stash report and the UFO report)

This is how I spent my day.  So far I've let Mother Nature 'dust' over 30 quilts.  There are at least another 10 to go, but I hit my daily limit of trips up and down the stairs.  It's not like I pretend to be even quasi-fit.

Yes, I have too many quilts and I'm having a sale.  If you happen to be in town for the Christmas House Tour which is run by Grace United Church, I will be across the street in the Kinsmen Hall.  Stop in for cookies!  Bring your credit card!

You will find quilts and pillowcases, made by moi.  Shaker Roads is bringing blanket boxes, cutting boards, step stools, and foot stools.  Vignettes Decorum will be bringing some of her refurbished furniture.  DH will be selling steel quilt racks, steel Christmas Trees, and perhaps one or two pieces of garden art.  Even if you don't find anything you simply must take home with you, you can at least have some refreshments and a free quilt show.

STASH REPORT
I was updating my stash report today, and discovered that I have not even looked at it since August.  What the hell????  Note to self:  smarten up!
Used since last report:    27 m (this is ALL pillowcases)
Used YTD:                     85 m
Added since last report:   6 m
Added YTD:             41.25 m
NET YTD:             (-43.75 m)  Hah!  Such a good girl!

UFO CHALLENGE
If you've been following along, you would have seen the ONE ROW I added to the Double Wedding Ring quilt at the Tobermory retreat in October.  So, I met that quilt challenge for the September/October period.  Now, for November/December I need to complete one block on the Piece 'O Cake applique quilt.  Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I will get a block marked and pieces cut before Friday.  Then as I'm sitting in the Kinsmen Hall this weekend I'll have something to work on.  What's that saying.... "idle hands are the devil's workshop".

A Christmas Story (the movie) and Annoying (!) People

Apparently, this is a movie that I have somehow never seen.
S.I.D. the borders, sashing, blocks.

My customer watched it so many times with her sister that she cannot STAND the movie.
X-hatch the upper and lower green leg lamp fabric.

But her sister LOVES the movie.
Christmas ornaments down the red sashing.  Outline and fill the leg-lamp panel, add lines to the lampshade, and curve-x-hatch the fishnet stockings.  Stitch along all those crazy circles in the background.

So this year, the sister will have a quilt to snuggle under while she watches the movie.
Outline quilt the words.  Background quilted with eyeball-ey style filler.  Stitch along the plaids in the narrow yellow border.

That is true, sisterly love.
Outline the pictures, straight lines in the 'word' blocks.  More eyeball-ey fill in the green background.

This should be a big hit on Christmas morning.
A special order border - lampshades - for the upper and lower red border.

I can hear you asking (or is it the voices in my head?) "What has her all riled up this week???"  Well.  We bought a new tv yesterday, to replace our 20-year-old Panasonic 32" GAOO.  That tv still worked great, but DH wanted some new technology.  As most men do.  There was no point trying to sell the old tv, but I am always keen to put stuff out at the road for free.  Since that tv is so friggin' heavy, DH and 1-800-LUKE got it onto a pallet, and DH got the tractor with forks (like forklift things) and forked that baby out to the road.  I added the sign "works fine" and took the clicker out.  Why do I always get the hard jobs???  So, not an hour later there is an old guy and his girl who stop and load this tv into their car.  Only they can't really lift it.  So they drop it.  And smash it to smithereens.  And leave that unholy mess in our  driveway.  Really?  Must people be such assholes?
Sigh.  The new tv is great, though.  And spending several hours with the best. nephew. ever. was a bonus.