Sorry I missed you!

Oops, sorry I missed you last week! I was laid up on the couch with bronchitis once again and fell into a small pit of depression from coughing and springs disappearance. Furthermore, in my haze of fever, I noticed some of my seedlings were suffering greatly. They really need to be planted, but what can you do when it's still -10c at night? Fortunately, I managed to recuperate pretty quickly and this weekend I spent the last two days transplanting my tomatoes into bigger pots and an improved soil mixture. Sadly, everyday I get up and notice I have lost a few more plants. This is very painful and I am not sure what more I can do. I 'told' them they have to hang in there for a couple more weeks and if any pass away, well, then they get tossed! No further measure will be taken to keep them going. abut tough. I'm not sure if heirloom tomatoes are less hardy, or if I have planted  them too soon. This is my first year growing from seeds, so its' all a learning experience.

 

Then a miracle happened last week - the weather warmed up, all the snow is all gone, and the robins are back! Imagine that!!! I love the smell of summer don't you? There is a freshness about the smell of summer and the sound of robins. It always takes me back to a favourite childhood memory I have of my mother ironing in the kitchen. I am reminded of that smell every summer. The hot iron on the clean sheets, with a slight breeze of clean fresh grass wafting through the window. Mmm heaven. That same smell also reminds me of my own life, when my children were small and I faced the endless chore of folding laundry and ironing. There is a peacefulness about this chore in the summer when our senses are aching for sensual fulfilment. Somehow its not the same in the winter! Maybe these memories are partly what attracts me to sewing. I love the smell of ironing fabric and well, add a summer breeze through the window and there I am, transported back through generations and living memories.

 

So having been sick for over a week, I have not done any sewing or knitting. All week, I remained nestled on the sofa, in our den, with the blankets piled high and Scruggs, my kitty, curled underneath the covers with me. I spent time alternating between sleeping and reading through all my old issues of Interweave Knits. I love the older issues more I think. I have some back to 2003 and they are all dog eared and marked up. Not sure if it's just me, but the newer ones seem to be lacking something, although I couldn't tell you what! Regardless, I do treasure my issues and it was comforting to look through them all and fantasize about future projects. I saw an article about Ravelry and decided to add all my favourite patterns into my library. Whoohoo! Now I don't have to search through old issues to find a project because its all saved in my very own library. I haven't used Ravelry for anything else yet, but it certainly looks like a great system. If you haven't checked this site out yet, I recommend you do so. Do you have any experiences using Ravelry? Do you depend on it for keeping track of your stash? Anything else you use it for?

 

What else did I do while sick? Other than coughing and steaming? I ordered more fabric from Ann Steeves of Gorgeous Fabrics! Oh yes! Nothing like shopping online when you're sick because it gives you something to look forward to when you feel better. Right? Yes, I think that's good logic too!

  

I am now planning out our garden and how to plant everything in a symbiotic manner,you know like 'carrots love tomatoes' sort of thing. Do you have any special plans for your garden this year?

 

I was working on my Etsy shop just before I got sick and am in midstream of some big changes. I changed my shop name to be more consistent with my product so now I am "HelgasHandbags". I love my new name! But I must change my avatar etc this week.Stay tuned and check my site out.

 

As always, I would love to hear from you!

God Bless!

 

 

 

Sunday Sunday....

I haven't accomplished much this week as I mostly spent it glued to Fox News watching about Boston. What a nightmare! Prayers go out to all those in the Boston and the USA.They are facing some tough issues and my heart bleeds for them. Thank heavens they have peace today for time to worship and heal from the events. I pray the truth comes out about events so even more healing can occur. Twitter is the best for these kind of events as you get updates from all over telling you whats really going on.

I had to transplant more herbs and plants! It also looks like I will be needing to put some of my tomatoes into larger pots. Some of them are getting quite big! Snow please melt!!

Here are a couple of pictures of Christmas projects I made as gifts for people from patterns.The first is a tea cozy that turned out very lovely, mostly due to the beautiful fabric I used. It has a side pocket for tea packets and four little circle coasters. The pattern called for piping also around the coaster, but I had too much difficulty making it look decent. I would make this again. It was a pattern from one an issue of  American Patchwork and Quilting. If anyone wants to know the issue just let me know and I will find it.

Here is a bag made from an AP and Q pattern as well.These are quick to make up and you can easily adjust the size by changing the length of your strips.

 

My goal this week is to begin curtains for our living and dining room before summer gets here and I escape to our cabin again. I just finished Jennifer Chiaverini's new book "Lincoln's Dressmaker" and its fabulous as usual. I have read them all eagerly await any new books of hers. I think my favourite book of hers is the very first one about the Elm Creek Quilters, but they are all awesome. Do you have a favourite quilting novel?

 

I'd love to hear from you anytime!

 

God Bless and talk to you soon.



Do you like my new look?

I am all about change this spring apparently! Working on my Etsy site to improve my look and on here too!

Dear reader, what changes are you making this spring and why? I always want to hear for you!

Etsy shop is open!

Just a quick post to let you know I figured out (finally) how to add a link to my Etsy Shop! Hurray! If you get a moment, can you please check out my shop? It's still in the early stages of getting set up and I have lots and lots of ideas for new products. I'm not exactly happy with how my shop looks at this point, but I have to start somewhere, right?

Here's a photo of one of my favourite bags that I worked on at the cabin during my solitary confinement ha ha! These tote bags all have various levels of beading on the flower and leaves. I spent a few hours fussy cutting flowers and leaves from a large piece of upholstery fabric. I then made a 'flower sandwich' with  organza and quilt batting and zigzagged it all together to give it definition. Beading was added to the flowers and leaves, and then hand stitched to the tote bags! The bags are sandwiched with quilt batting and lined with a heavy jacquard pink fabric. Very solid tote bag you could use for electronics or other sensitive items.

God Bless all the folks in Boston struggling with such a terrible tragedy. I know so many are praying for the victims of what is obviously a horrendous attack, regardless of who is responsible. And what is a False Flag Attack anyway hmm?

Next maybe a link to my twitter account....

That's all for now, God Bless.

Is it Spring yet?

Happy Sunday and many blessing to you!

 

I hope this finds all well and maybe somewhere there is spring happening! It's not happening here, and at writing we have a heavy snow coming this way, yet again! Everyone here is dragging themselves around fornlornly, and it also looks like many areas in my province will be hit with flooding as well.  I just want the snow GONE!

 

I have been planting seeds with an eye for spring. I wish now that I had delayed planting as I am not sure when I will be able to plant them. I wasn't sure how many seeds would germinate because I haven't done this before but look what happened...I estimated about 40 plants? Hilarious! Check this out - what am I going to do with 140 tomato plants hmm?

 

 

It has been fun to watch everything grow, and I wont have to buy annuals, as I also planted marigolds

and some other ones. By the time these little guys are ready to put in the garden, our house will be overflowing with plants! Are you looking forward to spring? Planning a garden or starting seeds? I would love to hear from fellow gardeners!!

 

As I mentioned last time, I am working on art quilts! I want a quilted wall hanging for our kitchen and planned this project out for pears and grapes. At first, I wasn't happy with my background, thinking it looked like the American flag? Well maybe a little bit?

 

 

 

So, this was what I started with, using Bali pops in various green colours, and just playing with a look I liked. I drew some pears and leaves, which I will add onto my background by applique. The grapes will be in the upper right corner. Just have to get cutting out now!

 

I managed to do some reorganizing in my studio and found that I had three unfinished sweaters that I started for myself! I have committed not to knit another thing until I finish at least one of them! Does this happen to you? I am very good as a starter, but its often the finishing that kills me. Why is that? I get bored easily and like to have different wool in my hands but ....no excuse really. I think it might be the curse of being creative...sound like a good excuse??

 

Are any readers active on Etsy? I am not sure how profitable this will be - there are sooooo many people all selling the same thing? How do you make your crafts stand out? I am trying to develop an avatar for my blog which will link readers to my shop. I am not sure how difficult this is, but will keep trying.

 

Does anyone take courses on Craftsy? (http://www.craftsy.com/) I just love their classes! They often have sales on their courses and the best thing is, your classes never disappear so you can go back whenever you get the chance! My favourite right now is Ragga's "Top down Icelandic Sweater". For the first time I can watch someone knit the same way I do! I don't know what style of knitting this comes from....some refer to it as Norwegian? I just know it's how my mother and grandmother knit. My grandmother was raised in Iceland and came here when she would have been in her twenties, I think. It is very difficult to find someone to teach you if you happen to forget. I want my daughter to learn so this gets passed on and not forgotten. Thanks to Ragga for keeping it going and not switching over to English style!! I am grateful.

 

Take care everyone and we'll be praying for spring soon,with little or no flooding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Readers,

Yes, I know its been awhile! I am going to give this one more try and if I can't keep it up, then I will close my blog, as there will be no point!! I ask your patience dear reader... well if anyone is reading!! Hah! Alot has happened this past year and alot has not happened, if you know what I mean. I have been struggling with some health issues and have been in alot of pain. Some health issues were resolved through minor surgery last August, and others are currently being relieved through a technique called "myo-facial release". It's an amazingly weird technique and you have to experience it first hand I think to fully realize. I have a new appreciation for folks who struggle with chronic pain. A picnic its not!

My beloved 14 year old kitty was also quite ill last summer from pancreatitis and IBD issues. Thankfully he is still with us, although he still has kidney issues and needs a special diet. I have not blogged due to all this making me feel rather "down" on many days, especially if I am lacking sleep. I don't want to pass these feelings onto the blog world, no matter who is reading!!

 

I did alot of knitting while sitting with my kitty when he was sick, and as a result I made many felted bags/purses. I also made some tote bags while at the cabin, with hand cut and layered applique flowers, with  beading on them. My friend and I entered a fall craft show, but that turned out to be a bust!! Probably was the wrong craft show for us, but you have to learn by doing! Although we did get our name out there and had some follow up sales. However, I don't think I am up to that level of work at this point in my life, so I have finally put all my bags on Etsy! Please take a look!! My shop is called "mimianuit".  I will have to read more about selling on Etsy because it seems like a hard thing to keep your items posted up front where people will see them and not buried on page 100! I am wondering if there is a link from Etsy that I can put on my blog?

 

This past year I picked up a sketch book and watercolour paints. Wow, lots of fun!! It's like being a kid again!! I think it will help me doing art quilting, which is what I really want to do. I have made a promise to get up every morning and ONLY do art quilting! Everything else can wait! Take that laundry and vacuuming! Maybe blogging will keep me accountable.

I also started being active on my twitter account to deal with my maddening feelings about the world. I can now openly admit to being conservative and all that this entails. Some issues really worry me and we need to act on them or be forever sorry. My concerns right now are mostly for our southern neighbours in the USA who are facing an incredibly challenging and frightening time with their long held values being chucked out the window at an alarming rate! You can follow me of course (@screamimimi)  if you are interested, but beware my lefty leanings are gone for good. These disappeared when I had my 'conversion experience' as our priest called it, in 09.

I have managed to start a collection of  indoor seeds this year, all heirloom, open pollinated for our garden this summer. My seeds have all germinated so far which really surprised me!! If they all grow, I will have about 40 tomato plants. Yikes!!! What will I do  with them all??

So in short, I am back! Hopefully I can get into a natural rhythm here, along with my art quilting! I have started a wall hanging for our kitchen wall with  a group of pears and grapes. I have done the background and am starting on the fruit. Pics next time on my progress perhaps!

Please leave a comment for me if you like. I would love to hear from you, from anyone!. I am not sure if my comments section is even set up right. So a comment tester of sorts would be most welcome!!

Here is a picture worth a thousand words and might be the cause of many people's depression at this point in time during our never ending winter!! This is our front street sidewalk  and the other is of the path beside our house. As I write, it is snowing again!!! God Bless and have a wonderful day!

 

Thinking day by day....

I have been doing alot of thinking. Thinking about service to others, as a woman, a mother, a wife, sister and daughter. Whether it's service to your family, other people, or at work. Does anyone else think about service and what it means to them? What does it mean to you and what do you think it means? I wonder if service is an outdated concept today. I worry that we have become so focused on our own immediate needs and wants that we perceive any demand on our time as an unwelcome intrusion. I am quite aware that current society places unreasonable and relentless demands on our time and that we become swept up in trying to do what is expected of us as parents, children and adults. We live on the edge of time, pursuing personal goals, meeting deadlines and paying bills.  I am just as guilty as the rest of the world. But I do know that as a mother, I have found the greatest satisfaction in service to my family. An outdated concept perhaps and not one we talk about in general conversation. For many years, I gave of my time, patience and knowledge through my work and it drained me of every cell in my body. Trying to assist people within impossible situations is a relentless and unfulfilled task that is doomed to suck you dry. Folks certainly don't appreciate your time, nor "wisdom", and are quick to cut off a slice of your soul if their own needs are not met during an interaction. Regardless, many many of us continue to do this work day in and day out. For sure, service to one's family can sometimes have the same effect, but when given freely, knowing that the return on your investment won't be quick, we perform a basic service to the one's we love by telling them our love and time is unconditional. I don't mean service that leads us to be a doormat, nor that our needs aren't important. My own self care is critically important, but not in the same way nor meaning that it carries today.

When I was growing up, my uncles were farmers and they cared for their animals first, before themselves. The milking, feeding and care  all happened before breakfast. After this task  was done, coffee was made and a full breakfast was eaten in leisure time. I think we've lost sight of this concept and what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of family or our livelihood. We have flipped our concept of service upside down, so that what "I need" or what "I think I need" comes first and others are last. If we think about it, this must be so, because how could it be that thousands of children spend more time in someone else's care than their own parents? Yes, yes I know that parents both need to work to support their families, so don't blast me too badly. I know that some would say they are sacrificing by putting kids in daycare so they can afford to buy them all the tools and gifts necessary to function in current society. But it's a viscous circle, non?  I worked for decades with families, and perhaps because of that I've gained a rather sceptical view, but I've met people every single day who disrupt their family and children because of unmet needs. We don't understand anymore that our needs can go unmet for awhile and that's okay! Anyway, I am aware that I am  drastically over simplifying this enormously, and life isn't that simple any more! Just provoking some thoughts and  playing  a bit of devil's advocate. Maybe we should think more often of service to others, and by that I include young children. Shovel your neighbours walk or cut their grass, get groceries for a shut-in, or sleep on the floor with your very sick child.

What do others think?