Sunflowers and Joy

This past couple of days has been all about cleaning, cleaning, and cleaning!  I think my family is in shock that so much was done in such a short period of time.  The plan is that if I don't have so much to clean then I will have more time to sew and spin.   Now they just need to jump on board and help me keep it this way.

Today, I found time to sit back down to work on the sunflower. My lighting is not as great as it was at the workshop.  My husband has been talking about installing better lighting in the basement for me.  I have a washroom to fix so upgrading lights may be pushed aside for a while. With a few task lights set up around my machine I think I was able to achieve what I was hoping for.  What do you think?

How should I finish this?  Some of the thoughts that I have are:

a) do a variety of other flowers to make a small wall hanging

b) a journal cover

c) frame it as is

Part III ~ What Brings Me Joy

21.  Finished Sunflowers

22.  Starry nights

23.  The sounds of brooks and small waterfalls

24.  That look when a child figures out the answer

25.  Spring Peepers

26.  Making preserves just like mom

27.  Relaxing at my spinning wheel

28.  Freshly dyed skeins drying on the line

29.  Clotheslines full of freshly washed sheets and clothing

30.  Lightning storms

Making New Friends and What Brings Me Joy Pt II

Today I made new friends!  I attended our first workshop of the season (my first workshop with my new guild). What a great way to meet other members and other fellow quilters from nearby guilds.  I walked in, set my machine down (my first workshop with my new machine...not always a great idea but eventually I found the zigzag stitch), and introduced myself to the ladies at my table.  Ironically, not one of them was from my guild but we had a great time getting to know each other (meaning me getting to know them and vice versa since the three of them were already friends).  It often amazes me that any of us walk away with anything to show after a workshop.  It is a great social event!  Early on in the day I realized what I have been missing so much since moving from our home in Ontario...it is that sense of community and having other people that share similar passions.  I even found some fellow weavers in the crowd.  I left the day with some phone numbers, email addresses, and a new fabric store that I didn't know about...even a sewing play date offer.  YAY!!!

It was wonderful being able to participate in Kathy's class.  I mentioned before that I have volunteered in her class at CQA and what a wonderful and patient teacher she is.  I learned so much...first, you must keep breathing! I wish I could go back for tomorrow’s class on birds.

This will not become a UFO because I LOVE THIS TECHNIQUE!!!  This is my first attempt...

Thread Painted Sunflower with Kathy Tidswell

As you can see I still have work to do.  Maybe if I chatted less....forget it that would have been no fun!

10 More Things That Bring Me Joy

11.  Spools and spools of coloured thread

12.  Sewing machines that work

13.  A room full of women equally as passionate about fabric, thread and fibre

14.  Listening to my children laugh hysterically

15.  Walks on crisp fall days

16.  The smell of autumn apples

17. A husband willing to run me to quilting and spinning workshops

18.  Big Bang Theory

19.  A freshly painted room

20.  Learning something new! 

CQA Conference 2013 and What Brings Me Joy

What's this...two blog posts in two days?!  I must be ill!  Actually, I joined Blogtoberfest 2012.  Kari over at The Purple Quiltapotamus (I love her blog name) told me about it and I thought...why not?!  

I am always so excited when the information starts showing up for the Canadian Quilter's Association Conference.  Although I have never been able to participate, I have had the opportunity to volunteer in class with Kathy Tidswell at CQA 2012 in Halifax. She is an amazing teacher and I learned so much simply by assisting in her class.  Tomorrow, I am so excited to be taking her Thread Painting Workshop hosted by our Guild.  I also volunteered at CQA in Ottawa working in the Professional Workshops.  This is a wonderful opportunity to meet amazing quilters and textile artists from across Canada.  This year, the conference will be held in Penticton, BC.  If you live in the area but aren't able to commit to a class, I highly recommend volunteering in a class, as a greeter, in the juried show...there are so many jobs that need doing to run a successful conference. Here is the link for CQA Penticton, BC 2013. If you aren't able to volunteer then consider submitting a quilt for the National Juried Show or the Trend-Tex Challenge.  For me, the cost of travelling from Nova Scotia to British Columbia is rather limiting.  I wasn't even going to consider this but then I went to Google Map...You see, shortly after moving to NS from ON my parents, my brother and his family all moved from ON to BC...That was over 2 yrs ago.  I haven't seen my brother and his family since; I haven't met my new nephew.  Penticton is less than three hours from his front door!  I am now pricing things out!  

I really want to go to see my family and if I can work in a class and the National Juried Show then I will be a very, very happy person!!  Dear Santa.....

As an aside, I feel like I've been going non-stop for the past few years and things are slipping by me.  At Thanksgiving we each shared what we were thankful for.  A lot of discussion resulted from this.  Over the next 10 days, I'm going to share 10 things that bring me joy simply because there are times that we need to stop and remind ourselves of what really matters

1.  My children turning around multiple times to wave good-bye as they walk to the bus.

2.  Finding my girls curled up together sound asleep.

3.  The colours of the autumn leaves reflecting in the lake.

4.  The smell of fresh baked bread.

5.  My husband taking over the task of after dinner cleanup so that I can take a break.

6.  A new box of crayons

7.  My children believing that I am the best artist in the world and how they encourage me to just do what I love.

8.  The sound of my spinning wheel when I spin.

9.  Fresh homemade soup on a cold autumn day.

10.  Phone/Skype calls from family and friends.