Medway Head Lighthouse Art & Craft Show 2022

'Coastal Life’ is the 11th annual event that features Nova Scotia artists and raises funds for the restoration and maintenance of the Medway Head Lighthouse. Last year, I was asked to participate.Two framed pieces, a Fibre Lace Scarf and Shimmer Ornaments were sold.

This year, I took two framed landscapes and the Fibre Lace Scarves (shown below) as well as a variety of Shimmer Ornaments. The opening was Friday, August 19 and closes on the 28. Saturday, the two framed pieces were sold and a request for more was made. This photo was taken by my quilt friend, Gail S. during the opening reception.

Three more framed landscapes were taken to the exhibit on Sunday.

Enjoy!

Update: a complete kitchen renovation is currently underway! When we purchased our Nova Scotia house almost five years ago, that was the plan. Now that plan is underway. A new wall oven is in the garage ready for installation when the cupboards for that side of the kitchen are finished. I can hardly wait!!! Did I mention that we opened the kitchen up to the living room? 

Muffins & Stuff!

Yesterday on Facebook, I posted three photos about my blueberry muffins. Since then, there have been quite a number of people making comments about them, especially the small amount of sugar used.

I used parchment paper liners which don't stick to the baked muffins. 

The recipe came from The Treasury of Newfoundland Dishes. My mom has several of her favourite recipes printed in this book. This is my second copy as the original one that mom gave me decades ago, is literally in tatters!

 Here's the recipe:

These muffins use little sugar. If your sweet tooth isn't satisfied, cut one in half and spread some jam!

The cookbook is still available at Chapters and Amazon.

• Pinterest HERE has a few ideas for quilted muffins / cupcakes
• Cupcake applique HERE
• Template HERE
• Free Cupcake / Muffin Oven Mitt HERE 

Enjoy!

 

Spring into a Project!

Today was a gorgeous, warm, spring day with the birds twittering in the trees and new growth in my garden. At least I hope spring is finally here as we woke up to an inch or so of snow on the ground yesterday. However, by lunch time it was all gone.

We have had more snow this year than the previous three winters since moving to Nova Scotia in 2017. The up side (if you can call it that), there was no wind to speak of. Of course, coming from St. John's, NL, that is no joke. According to a CBC report a number of years ago, St. John's takes 3rd place for having the most wind on the planet. In fact, I bought my first jacket without a hood when I moved here. 

Anyway, I'm a bit off topic but such is life! In February, I needed a spring like project and settled on Birds of a Feather from Kim Schaefer's book, Cool Cotton & Whimsical Wool Quilts. This book has 12 contemporary folk-art projects using colourful whimsical characters. The largest wall quilt in the book is only 20 1/2 x 20 1/2 inches, so very doable. Unless, of course, you decide to do your own thing! Which I did.

I don't have my Birds of a Feather finished yet and the next photos show why.  I decided to use this piece as an embroidery sampler. In other words, I'm hand stitching every leaf and critter with a different set of stitches. Instead of using felt for the branches, I embroidered them with pearl cotton. I still have a fair amount left to do but I'm pleased with the results so far. It keeps me out of trouble in the evenings.

 

 

Here is  the stitching so far.

 

This will eventually be quilted and hung on the wall for spring. However, at this time, I'm not sure which spring that will be. When it's completed, I'll post more about it.

Have a look at these links:

• Buzzworthy is a cute free pattern using wool felt applique
• Lots more ideas from Pinterest HERE
• Check out the felting HERE.
• Hungry anyone! 
  

Enjoy!

Napkins, Anyone?

If you have an extensive fabric stash, making a few napkins is one way to use up some of that fabric. Christmas before last, my daughter asked for a bunch of them which were quite well received. This year, I decided to add to my napkin stash. We try not to use paper towels as napkins. 

The other night, I rummaged through some boxes of fabric that haven't seen the light of day for awhile and made my selection. After washing and ironing, the cutting began. I have a small stack of ready cut pieces for napkins. It's my go to project for times when I don't need to use up any more brain cells!

I did all mitred corners, which I particularly like and are easy to do. To find out how to make these for yourself, check out my other blog for the tutorial. 

Here's four napkins that I just finished! They are sort of colour coordinated. In any case, they call for Spring! Aren't you tired of the snow and cold weather! I know I am.

I will try to post on both blogs. The new one is still a challenge as it requires quite a learning curve, but hopefully, before too long, I won't have to ask for assistance. In any case, the old brain is getting a good run for the money, which is a good thing as we get older.

Here's a few non-napkin links for your enjoyment pleasure!

• Connections Fibre Artists  
• Dimensional Weaving
  
• Eve Botelho Fibre Artist
• Quilt Art Collage  

 Enjoy!!

 

 

It's Been a Rollercoaster! Update - it's been awhile . . .

I've had to put most things on the back burner for the last few months. Nothing new was done to the new blog and nothing was written here. Plans were to have had the Christmas Shimmers photographed and put on the new website, other art pieces added to the Gallery and a shop designed. This was my husband's area of expertise but due to his health, all that was benched for the time been.

It all started about a year ago. My husband was having some health issues and attributing it to his asthma, which he's been living with for over thirty years. He finally decided to see our health care practitioner last May and had tests of various sorts scheduled for whenever. We were told it might take 6 to 8 months or more to get them. Luckily, he had them in July and August, which resulted in him needing heart bypass surgery. We were very concerned that he might have to wait for it due to COVID-19. However, after several trips to emergency, he was finally kept in on the last visit and taken by ambulance to Halifax. He was fast tracked for the heart bypass surgery on October 8/21. 

Needless to say, life had been a roller coaster ride up to that point. He just passed the third month since the surgery. Things have now settled down and we are getting back to our normal routines.  He is feeling great and can't wait to get back to working on his workshop and designing new products for the laser machine. He is also my business partner.

I did attend two craft fairs just before Christmas, one at White Point Beach and the other in Lunenburg. These were well attended and everyone obeyed the health protocols of wearing masks and using hand sanitizer. I don't know what this new year will bring but we all need to be vaccinated and hope life will start to get back to some form of normal.

Here is a closeup of a Reversible Fibre Lace Scarf  that was created last fall and was purchased at White Point Beach. I love how the colours are similar to the mossy rock in my back garden. A full version is shown in the next photo. You can just see a hint of the reverse side with turquoise and salmon showing.

My husband's newest venture: laser cut ornaments.

More laser cut ornaments. Most of these are taken from our Shimmer designs. 

 

Coasters were also a new item at both craft fairs. Again, Shimmer designs were used. Most of these were sold.