Random winter stuff & Almost at the END of the January Challenge

In no particular order...
I have a headache today.  This is very unusual for me.

Here is the Binbrook Fold/Rip/Snip Challenge quilt.  Our meeting was cancelled last night because of the sh*tty weather.  Stupid winter.

Here is the back side of the quilt.  Hopefully we will donate these all to the Catholic Children's Aid Society for those poor kids who come to them with nothing but the clothes on their back(s).  What a horrid way to spend your childhood.

This guy was NOT my friend.  Ultimately, he drowned.  Too bad, so sad.

The kitchen can be a very dangerous place.  Hell.  I need a manicure, or something.  Photo was taken while I was quilting Guild placemats for Meals on Wheels.

Fecking winter is not over yet.  I much prefer July weather.  Give me 30c. any day.

Since it IS still winter, I thought I'd share this with you.  I totally LOVE those ornaments in the blue/white border.

MY PERSONAL JANUARY CHALLENGE
In case you missed it, the challenge was to stop eating/drinking after 8 pm.  I blew it one more night - two Saturdays ago we were out playing cards at a Boy Scout fundraiser in Mississauga.  When we got home at 11 pm, apparently I needed to eat a piece of apple pie.  I also kind of blew it last Saturday but that was TOTALLY Martina's fault.  She forced (!) me to eat a frozen chocolate/sherbet stick at 8:15.  Yes it was good. 👅 I only have two nights to go.  I certainly SLEEP better so I'll probably try to continue my New.Good.Habit.

Quiltville's En Provence Quilt and the 2018 Update

Several times during the year I work on quilts that I hope never go home to their owner.  This was one of them.  It's the Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville) mystery quilt from 2017 - En Provence.

The maker used a beautiful selection of greys to offset the golds, greens and purples.

She's also a very exacting piecer.

Beautiful show of the quilting on the back side.

An update on the painting:

• The hallways from the front door, leading down the stairs to my workroom and also up the stairs to the bedrooms are all finished.  Because I KNOW you are curious, there are eleven - yes ELEVEN doorways that needed to be cut in.  Jesus Murphy.

An update on my 30 day challenge:
What, you missed my last post?  Nothing to eat or drink after 8 pm for 30 days, starting on January 2nd.

Since I started on January 2nd I have been 'bad' three times. 

• Saturday the 6th was a late-night dinner reservation.  I was not leaving my delicious Butternut Squash Ravioli to go back to the kitchen.  And I was not skipping dessert.
• Monday the 8th DH and I went to the movies after our shopping excursion at Costco.  I needed a glass of wine when I got home to wash down the pizza and popcorn that was masquerading as supper.
• Wednesday the 10th, after the guild meeting.  When I get home from a guild meeting it is mandatory (in my weird little head) to have a glass of wine.  Sadly I had potato chips too.  WHICH WAS THE WHOLE REASON TO DO THIS CHALLENGE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

To my knowledge, there will only be one more evening when I will be 'bad', and that's the 29th, after the Binbrook Guild meeting.  I'll keep you posted...

What I Did On My Christmas Holiday, and Happy New Year

If I was a slightly more normal person, I'd be posting photos of myself on a beach.  However...taking two weeks off gives me the time to attend to some slightly more practical chores.

This was the neighbour's barn.  I painted it many years ago when I was still working for RBC and going through a great deal of stress.  I'd come home from work, open a bottle of wine and get rather snockered while I painted the evening away.  Maybe not the best way to handle stress, but it worked for me.

Going.

Going.

Gone.

Since I had about 3/4 of a gallon left over from last winter's paint job in the bedroom it seemed sensible to use the same paint colour for my workroom.  Next up will be the hallways that run from the front door down into this room, and also up into the second floor landing.  I'm taking a breather for a couple of days before I tackle that.

As I have for the last few years, I spent New Years Day stitching with some friends near & far.  Near came and sewed here, shared a lunch of hamburger soup & sourdough bread, then stayed for Chinese takeout for supper.  It's like a one-day retreat for both of us.

This is the baby quilt she was working on.  The gals from a distance were in touch all day long via email.  We were nine in total this year, from the Soo, Manitoulin Island, Ennismore, and here in southern Ontario.

I was working on the Binbrook Guild challenge.  I added the borders today, so it's ready for quilting now.

NEW YEARS CHALLENGE

Since this is the time of year to make all those silly resolutions (which I am NOT doing) I thought it might be ok to give myself a little 30 day challenge.  Starting today, January 2nd, there will be no food or beverage consumed after 8 pm.  I've gotten into a bad habit of having a second glass of wine around that time of night, and then deciding I need some potato chips or cheesies, or some other unhealthy food item to go along with it.  All this excess consumption is showing up quite nicely on my arse.  I'll keep you posted as to my progress.