Easter Weekend

These chicks are sitting on a stash of  Pearl Bracelets fabric from Lizzy's House .

The Easter bunny's surprise.... Suzuko Koseki fabric from Japan.

Bugzilla on canvas

Taking a break from fabric I am cross stitching my way through Johanna Masko's  Insects pattern.

You can buy this pattern on-line here.

The framed insects are displayed around a cross stitched alphabet and I used my favourite Cosmo floss.

Having some spare minutes this work travels with me everywhere.http://shop.theworkroom.ca/product/insects-cross-stitch-pattern-by-johanna-masko

Ranunkel on my windowsill

I can't wait anymore for spring!

Yesterday I met my friend Linda, who grows all kinds of flowers and drove home with a huge bunch of flowers.

Swoon quilt finished!

My goal was to finish the top in a week - well I was a couple of days over and last weekend I went to our cottage to finish the last blocks. Our loghouse lies right in a snowbelt and I had to dig a trench for my dog to come into the house. I placed my ironing board facing into the snowy landscape - pure silence!

Today finally the sun came out and it was time to unveil the quilt. I took it with me on my early morning walks to the ravine.

I had Skip sit in front of the swoon quilt. How bored she was to pose here, but watching joggers go by was much more interesting!

The sunlight hitting from behind.

my quilt girl!

The first cut....

The first cut starting the swoon quilt was so addictive. Camille Roskelley from thimble blossoms is the creator of this so very popular quilt pattern.

 Last Friday I spent the afternoon getting my fabrics together. That's the fun part where you discover tons of other fat quarters you bought a while ago. As it looks so far I will complete all 9 blocks in 7 days. Getting up before 6 am  making myself a strong cup of coffee and I am ready to sew. Here are my first three, the other ones are spread out on the floor to be assembled.

After the first blocks I have my production line in place....

 cutting and ironing the half square triangles with my favorite iron from oliso

one block is pre-cut while the next is assembled...

I love the contrast using Liberty floral fabric and Joel Dewberry & Anna Marie Horner.

waiting to be cut

Antigua Part two

 Before I left on my trip I prepared a little bag with some small hand-pieced hexagons. I learned  now what goes in my carry-on bag - actually everything! Welcomed with rum punch and caribbean music I found out minutes later that my luggage never made it on this direct flight. What a bummer! Standing in jeans and shoes at the beach I tracked straight to the next shop to get overpriced items like flip flops, shorts & t-shirt, bathing suit and lotion.
 Half through my stay it arrived which made me very happy. Here are my cute little hexagon flowers.

and that what relax means to me

Visiting the local fish market in St.John's

These were my favourite photos of the day.

( that photo looks so staged but it's not taken with my iphone)

and of course fabric blowing in the sun

That photo was taken with the Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.8.
I took only this lens on the trip. I love this fast prime lens - super sharp for taken portraits and larger groupings. I do have a 35mm lens but for macro close-ups I prefer my 40mm macro lens.

Recharge Antigua part one

I am sorry to have neglected my blog, but it was time to recharge, pack my bags and head south. Antigua was our destination for swimming, scuba diving and just lying in the sun. I took my Nikon tried my new 85mm lens. This is my absolutely favourite shot.

Wherever I turned there was C O L O U R ...

Who can say no to this silky turquoise blue water when back home Toronto had -15ºC or 5ºF!

......and then there was Sam, a weaver at the beach. He showed me how to cut and weave a palm leaf to make a bowl.