Row by Row

Row by Row this year have the theme of Music.  It makes it timeless, gender neutral.   Quilt shops have outdone themselves this year, with patterns for the Row by Row.

A friend sent me an email and asked me to pop into A Great Notion.  Their Row by Row is super cute.  When hubby said he needed to go to the fishing shop,  I asked if we could stop by the Quilt shop.  One to pick up the Row by Row and also to have a look.

 They carry a wide variety of fabrics, kits and notions.

 Also a selection of stabilizers and lots of different bag making supplies.

Spot the sample of this year Row by Row on the wall in the shop, it is a happy one and just makes me smile.

Stumbled across a few things on my wish list and fell in love with some baby flannels.

 This was their 2016 pattern for the Row by Row.

Mount Baker (at the top) can be seen from many spots in Abbottsford, BC.  It is in the USA.

" If Music be the food of Love, play on." William Shakespeare

Summer works in progress

The Hertfordshire quilt finally has another round.  Had very good intentions to get this round done in May, time ran away and it got placed aside.  Summer has been very busy so far, spending time with family and travelling to new places.  We had really good weather and that has been an unexpected bonus.

 A 21st quilt needs to be done as well for September, so that will be my next project. Have the fabrics all ready,  just need to do the applique.

Diane's 2018 Stitch-a-long:

 This is the part for August.

 June and July just above it.

From January to August, what a feat.

This quilt is one which a lady from BC needs to get done, while she is on holiday.  She decided to pop into The Sewing Cafe. They have machine's which one can use and then one pay a flat rate per hour.

The Hertfordshire Quilt:

 The progress so far, the black border strips sewn on.

Last but not least, the round of diamonds and the wide black border is added. This one will be put aside for now, until the 21st Quilt is completed.

Elbow Lake, Alberta.

Linking to:  Esther's Blog

The Farmers Market.

Very many small towns have a Farmers Market one day of the week or in most cases on a saturday morning, from June to October.  They set up their stalls and sell their fruit and vegetables.  Including honey, herbs, flowers and handicrafts.  Knowing the produce is locally grown and has a smaller carbon footprint on the environment,  makes it a easy choice.  The fun of going from stall to stall to find just the bits one need for this weeks meals, not to mention meeting all the people who grow the produce.

The market filled with people, if you want to miss the crowds, you have to be there early.  Not only do you get choice on what is on offer, you get to stroll at a leisurely pace.

 A few new vendors arrived this weekend.

 Imperfect 10 is a newbie, with its own unique characters.

 So for those special cuddly friends, here you will find just the one.

 The local artists, had one of their annual displays.

 They offer courses online, which is amazing.

 A friend started to go for weaving lessons, she now spin her own yarn and weave beautiful creations.

 Learning to do something creative, feeds the soul.

 The painting groups can be found all over the old town, painting all the different houses and buildings.

 Bounty from the market, got turned into Blueberry pie.

Cowboys and Cowgirls!

Over the summer we became cowboys and cowgirls for a day.  We went to the Calgary Stampede and our first Rodeo.  Watching the bull riding and barrel races live from the Grandstand, is truly a sight to see.  The best part, we got to spend it with our family, which we have not seen in a while.

Bull riders must hurt after a ride on one of these beasts.

 A rider have to stay on the bull or the bronco for eight seconds.

Those bulls mean business, the clowns have to be on their toes to distract them, to keep the riders safe.  The clowns will hide in this barrel to protect themselves when need be.

 A clown waiting on top of the barrel.  He knew this bull had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Cowgirls, doing the barrel racing, they were amazing!

One thing one discover, all the food is deep fried.  Anything from pickles to funnel cakes. If there is a way, they will find it and do it.  It is not called:  The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth, for nothing.  If you get the chance to go, it is great fun.

They had so much to see and do at the Stampede, a day is not enough.  While we walked and took it all in, we decided to cool off in the Stampede Corral.  What I did not expect to find was this:

 This was a quilter who was selling bags and all sorts of quilted pieces. (you can find her on Instagram @leslie_westlake or @marguerite_and_lee). Her work is full of quirky designs.

Kate this one is for you, Lori we finally made it to Calgary!.

A Hot Summer is here.

There is nothing better on a hot day, than a cold ice cream or sorbet. On our travels we make a point of supporting  our local.  Be it at home or away.  Sometimes, it is just a place we pass through. We will stop for a while, to catch our breath.

We happened upon the Mighty Moose Ice Cream shop. One scoop is massive, thank goodness we did not go for two scoops.  Next to the Mighty Moose was a very interesting shop.  Inspired Arts and Crafts sold arts and crafts for a variety of local artists, with very many unique creations.

 Pottery.

 Quilts.

 Birdhouses.

 Puzzles.

 Hand painted cards and art.

 These beautiful glass hummingbirds was just so special. The one thing we discovered was the abundance of hummingbirds everywhere. We are talking about the real live birds here.  They seem to be a bit of party birds, because after dark we could still hear them outside.  Their favourite trees are the willow trees.  Needless to say these tiny birds are very protective of what they consider their area. If another hummingbird dare to cross their airspace, they would meet mid air and have a "vocal" chat about it.

Summer is here.

Just love the smell of roses and sunshine.  Time to spend outdoors, exploring nature.  After finishing the wedding quilt, taking a break from sewing for about six weeks.  Giving me the chance to allow me to relax and give my creative muse a chance to take a holiday.  Will be spending time with family and creating new memories to last a lifetime.