Friday, September 16, 2016

All week I intended to start quilting one of my donation quilts; I was looking forward to trying some Sashiko quilting on some of the blocks. But this is going to be a busy weekend (Fall Fair, a workshop and concert, and the Terry Fox Run) so I decided I’d finish something that wouldn’t overlap too many days.

The Guild program was revealed last night; there are some interesting demos and a few classes that I might take. We have two challenges this year – a member challenge and a Canada 150 challenge. We’re doing another block of the month; although I didn’t want another sampler I decided to play along. The colours required are light, medium and dark throughout all the blocks so I’ll use my colour wheel to determine colours and, for many of the blocks, I’m sure there will be fabrics I can use from Diane’s box.

I didn’t intend to do the Canada 150 challenge. Even though there was a prize draw involved just for signing up there was no way I even wanted the fabric square in my sewing room. And if I made something with it there wasn’t even anyone I thought I could give it to. But as the program was revealed we heard that the blocks we make would be put together for a community quilt and I could live with that so brought the fabric home with me.

I’ve heard it said that if your fabric is ugly you just haven’t cut it small enough! I’m not sure I improved on the original piece but at least it is done.

That block was done before lunch so I moved right on to the block of the month. Although I suspect it will use very traditional blocks their theme and naming is quite cute.

It is only mid-afternoon but there is still lots of finishing to do. Because of the meeting last night there are Guild updates to take care of, there is business arising from the Cranberry Hall meeting a couple of days ago, and I think I’m ready to put together Pat’s year-end package for the accountant.

The ukulele and cross stitching always call to me at the end of the day; with luck I may get to one of them.

September 15, 2016

Sawyer takes possession of his new home today. It’s a tricky business getting a card sent for a specific date in the future but not getting it in the mail too early. So, as a compromise, I’m posting the card that is due today but it won’t go into the mail until tomorrow. Hopefully it will be among the first pieces of mail that Sawyer receives at his new address.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

I thought today was going to be an easy day – boy was I wrong!

I started my morning with grocery shopping. I have a Guild potluck tonight; I’m taking Deloise’s Corn, Black Bean and Mango salad and I required a few ingredients. I went to Quality Foods because I know where things are there – or at least I thought I did. No problem in the produce section but when I looked for beans in the Mexican aisle I had no luck. There were lots of refried beans but no black beans. I found brown beans right next to rows of chocolate bars (!) so I had to look for someone to help. He told me to look for beans in aisle 6 (they turned out to be in aisle 8) and when I asked about the beans and chocolate he told me that was their British food section. I never did find the chopped ginger I was looking for but I was glad to get out of the store with what I really needed.

I didn’t think I had a lot of paperwork to do today – wrong again. I was mostly caught up on Cranberry Hall work and there wasn’t much Guild work to be done. My own paper and e-mail (and Pat’s accounting) took me until well after lunch. I’ll have to spend a bit more time on Pat’s books as his year-end and GST reports are due before the end of the month.

I’ve got four cards ready for the mail tomorrow. I have to meet someone at Cranberry Hall tomorrow at nine so I’ll take them to the post office on my way home. Every now and again I like to weigh the envelopes I’m sending just in case I’m not putting enough postage on them. I’ve only had one returned, but I felt badly that the card was late.

I don’t have much time before I’ll have to get started making my salad. What shall I do? Ukulele, cross stitch, paper piecing, continue with paper work? The choices, as always, are endless but some are more appealing than others.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Although today was a card day I had a bit of paperwork to gather together for the Cranberry Hall board meeting tonight. The accounting work was done and my reports were printed but I needed to spend some to organizing my thoughts and making notes about questions I need to ask. Once that was done I finished the last of my September cards – it’s done except for hand stitching the binding.

I practiced a bit on my ukulele this afternoon. I paid some attention to getting my chords sounding clearer and there were some strumming pattern changes that I struggled with at the club. I’m a bit more focused on wanting to get things right, particularly when I’m sitting beside someone who is a much better player (which is most of the time). I make lots of notes on my music sheets but it doesn’t help that when I get home I can’t make out what my notes say!

I pulled some fabric to start work on the donation birthday banner I want to make. It will be in three parts – a paper-pieced birthday cupcake with flags, the words happy birthday that will be appliquéd and a bottom portion that needs to have a slot for a photo to fit into. I’m still unclear on how I’ll make the bottom part work but I’ll worry about that once the other two pieces are together.