Pomegranate shadowbox

This is my shadowbox for the Pomegranate Guild 25th anniversary. The theme of the exhibit is "Threads of Identity". The outside perimeter of the box is approximately 10" by 10".

I chose to make my colour theme blue and white because of my strong ties to Israel.

The upper left hand corner is assorted family buttons -- my mother's, my sister's and my aunts'-- which have been beaded. Just below that are five chamsot. A chamsa is a good luck amulet.

Below that on the left is a piece of my cousin Ruthie's wedding dress. The flowers in silver were original to the dress. I outlined the flowers in blue to go with the blue and white theme.

The middle piece, is a tree on a white background. The white duppioni silk is from my sister's wedding gown. The tree trunk is from one of my father's ties. The tree top is a "sandwich" of two pieces of tulle filled with snippets from family fabrics -- my wedding dress, my mother's wedding gloves, a tablecloth my mother had embroidered, and again my father's tie. The three birds in the tree signify my three children. The sandwich technique was something I saw demonstrated at one of the Guild meetings.

The right hand light blue piece is embroidered with silk ribbon, a technique I also learned at one of the Guild's workshops.

The blue piece to its left has two Judaic and biblical symbols -- the dove and the pomegranate.
(The shadowbox picture was taken flat on a table--the pomegranate is suspended by beads and should hang vertically).

The final piece, the white wedge at the bottom is from my wedding dress. It is embroidered with the Hebrew word "shalom" and I doubt any explanation is required for it.

I still need to sign and date it.

And if anyone has any suggestions how to decorate the wooden box itself, please let me know.

Challah cover

This is the challah cover I've started on. The centre will be cut away to accommodate a centre piece, most likely decorated but without writing. (I mean, if it's covering the challah, isn't it pretty obvious what it is?)
And today, while surfing at work, I came across Soduko quilts and thought that might be a neat idea for the back. I just have to do the math correctly.

Finished wallhanging

Not hanging properly because I haven't done the sleeve yet, but this is the finished product.

Details

Here are the Auf Simchas square details.

Auf Simchas II -- Finished, well almost

So this morning I finished the binding on Auf Simchas, in time for Penina's birthday today. I still have to sew on a hanging sleeve and add a stitch or two to the mitered corners, but in general, I'm done. And it is a beauty if I do say so myself.

I think I will ask Penina to lend it to me. I may just enter it into a show if I gather up enough courage.

Now I'm thinking of backing for the challah cover I'm making. I may just use the some fabrics from the front but in a different configuration.

I will post photos later.

Pomegranate shadowbox stitching finished!

Yesterday, I put the final touches on my shadowbox cq square. On the white wedding dress fabric, I chain-stitched the word "Shalom", in Hebrew, and filled in the chain spaces with sparkly white and blue threads.

Now I have to decide what to do with the shadowbox itself. It is unfinished pine. Should I stain it blue? Paint it white? Cover it with quilting? I don't want to do anything which is going to detract from the stitching.

While I was mulling that over, I pinned the binding on Penina's piece. I actually am using a larger backing piece and folding it over for the binding. I was flustered with the corner mitering so I've left it for now.

And then yesterday afternoon, I had a spurt of energy and decided to make a challah cover from the blue and white cottons fabrics I had previously thought to use in my shadowbox project. I cut 2" and 3" strips, then cut them length-wise diagonally and arranged them radiating from the centre of a 20" square, alternating blue and white, and 2" and 3" pieces, so it's somewhat random looking but actually not at all. I started sewing yesterday and finished this morning. Now it's trimmed and waiting for the centre to be cut out and replaced with a centre piece. I don't think I will use lettering "Shabbat" or "Chag". I think the centre piece will be decorated with braiding, ribbons, or something similar to what I did for the twins. Not jewellery though because I want it to be washable.
Next project is to sew borders on the two cq hangings I'm making from the leftover squares from Penina's piece. And then embellish them.

You may have noticed that I'm procrastinating with respect to the homework from my course. I just can't get into it. I haven't found a theme or a saying yet. Once I have that, I should be able to catch up quickly.

We've been decluttering at home, mostly stuff that was downloaded from the internet for future reference. But by the time you go to check on it again, it is already redundant. I want to get the computer room set up so it can be used as a guest room.

CSNF report

I was too tired to write yesterday evening after I came home from the Canadian Sewing and Needlecraft Exhibition. Hence this morning's post before I go into my studio to work.

Yesterday morning, I went into my studio, looked at the Pomegranate project and finally figured out what to do in the last square -- I wrote, in Hebrew, "Shalom" in script. Now I am embellishing it. And then I will be finished with the textile part. And start angsting over the frame...

At around ten, I left for the CSNF. Menachem took me to the Finch station and I took the subway down. (Yesterday was also the CN Tower climb in which Gwen, the friend from work who climbs stairs with me, participated. If I had known I may have gone earlier to cheer her on. Next year, I may just join her...)

Anyways, mixed reviews for the CSNF. There were fewer exhibitors and a lot of the same old stuff. I did find out that there's a quilt store in Stouffville on Main Street but I really don't need any more fabric until I use some of the stuff I have. I enoyed the quilts which were exhibited although I was horrified to see some of them hung with the bottom lying directly on the concrete floor. But no cq. I did buy some more blue beads, some blue and white variegated thread, and a pack of 4 fat quarters. I think I may have outgrown the experience. I can see (and purchase) new things on line and at the merchant malls at the local quilt guild shows.

Anyways, when I was finished, I was to meet Menachem at a board meeting at Davenport and Ossington. Having absolutely no knowledge of how to get anywhere downtown, I asked the TTC person at Union Station how to get there and he said there's a bus from Dupont Station. When I get to Dupont Station, the TTC person there says no bus. So I walked. In addition to the four hours I had walked at the show. So my feet still ache and I think I shall spend most of today sitting.

Off to work in my studio.

SRE

SRE is silk ribbon embroider, just in case you were wondering.

So this morning, before work, I managed to get a little SRE done on the shadowbox project. Between this post and my Pomegranate Guild meeting tonight, I hope to add my French knots, beads and stitches.

That leaves me with one piece of my wedding dress mileage/kilometrage from it) which is as yet unembellished. For a mini dress, made from less than metre fabric remnant, I've sure gotten a lot of needlework/sewing mileage/kilometrage from it. I have used pieces on numerous projects and still have some left over.

So yesterday I broke down and went to weight watchers. I have been unable to lose the pounds I put on since my last (and first) successful weight loss. I feel that now that I've got the exercise part of the health equation going, I should try the weight part as well. I find that by tracking points, it does keep me more aware of what and when I'm eating. I don't like the idea of being preoccupied with food all day, but hopefully it will fall into second nature status after a while.

I took off early from work today. Yunkie picked me up and we went to my mother's because Lenny and Eyra Fritsch are visiting from Israel and my mother had them, Joe and Yvette Podemski, Yunkie, Penina and me for lunch. Menachem couldn't come -- he has a bad cold, is feeling miserable and didn't want to spread germs. It was a lovely afternoon.

Anyways, off to stitch.

Snippets, continued

I had zigzagged the snippetted circle in dark blue (same colour as tie) and it didn't look good. Also, proportionwise, it was too big for the area it was intended for. So I cut a smaller circle out of it, finishing the edge in white and then added a white boucle yarn to the perimeter. It's smaller size allowed me to put it on a white dupionni silk background where it's definitely a tree top and I used another piece from my father's tie for the tree trunk. I then put 3 birds in the tree top and a few sparkly beads from a beaded bag my children gave me for one of my birthdays. I only used the bag once and decided it should go to better use. In the meantime, I have used the beads on several projects, including the family chuppah.

I had to take the subway/bus home from work yesterday and since the subway station is at Empress Walk, I popped into the Fabricland store looking for variegated blue and white thread (which they didn't have -- I will get some, I hope, at the Canadian Sewing and Needlecraft Show this weekend). They were having a sale -- aren't they always? I bought some trims, not in colours that I can particularly see myself using any time soon but they were made from tiny shiny square sequins. And one blue wispy thing that isn't really a match to what I'm doing. Oh well.

Snippits

So I'm excited. I'm in the midst of trying out a new technique for the Pomegranate shadow box.
I took snips of fabrics from family stuff: my father's tie, my mother's wedding gloves, my, Bat's and Devora's wedding dresses and made a sandwich of them between two layers of blue tulle. I arranged them in a circle which will now become either a tree top or a flower. It's not as polished looking as I would like but it still is interesting, unique and meaningful. And blue and white.
I like the tree top idea because I can then put 3 silver birds in it, one for each of my children. And embellish with beads from Penina's wedding and other beads. I just have to figure out how to make the edges which are now just zig-zagged more polished looking. Perhaps blanket stitch?

A little creativity every day, somedays very little

So it's the weekend and that's the time I get most of my needlecraft done.
Yesterday, we went to my mother's in the morning because someone came to appraise some flutes. Then we came home and went to Mintzy's to remove a small desk attached to the wall in her kitchen so she can put in a new piece with three double drawers in where it stood. It took all of 15-20 minutes to remove it. The wall behind it was damaged so Menachem did a 10 minute plaster repair which requires 24 hours to dry. Mintzy and Rafi went up to Dori's mother-in-law's in Orillia and we decided to put together the Ikea piece. Those things are complicated. No wonder people pay to have them assembled. (We're putting it together as a symbol of our friendship).
I did get a little stitching done -- in particular a button cluster on the Pomegranate Guild piece.
This morning, I took out stitches on the centre of the same piece. I didn't like the way it looked. I am now trying to figure out how to incorporate fabrics from my father, mother and siblings without straying from the blue and white colour scheme. And also, I want to sew them together some how using my grandmother's hand cranked sewing machine. (The theme is Threads of Identity).
I also bit the bullet and am in the midst of my online course homework. I finally chose two fabrics that I don't particularly care for their colours and decided to go for it using embroidery threads that I have but will never use because I don't like their colours. Perhaps my embroidered motto should be something to do with negativity -- and I usually am very up and positive.
I also would like to put the backing on my blue Auf Simchas and finish it in time for Penina's birthday (the inspiration for the piece was the trims from her sons' bar mitzvahs.
So instead of going on and on here, I will go back to my drawing, or rather, sewing board.

Short post -- not much to say

I started couching down a lovely white thread/wool using a contrasting blue thread to couch it but I didn't like the way it looked nor the "wave" for lack of a better word at the moment to describe the pattern. I am too pooped to stitch tonight but maybe tomorrow morning, I'll get in a stitch or two.
I'm off to watch Coronation Street and then make some phone calls for the Pomegranate membership committee.

Blue period

It looks like I'm having a blue period. The wallhanging is not finished yet. The center cq is. I am still debating what backing to put on it and whether I should free-motion quilt the borders before I bind it. And what colour (i.e. shade of blue) the binding should be.
The other photo is of the materials I have gathered for the Pomegranate shadow box. The cq square is not terribly visible but it is sort of in the middle, surrounded by the various threads, findings, beads and other stuff I will use for embellishing.
I actually got started on it this morning and embroidered several of the seams. I'm on a roll...

Not too bad for a Monday

I just noticed that I started blogging a year ago, more or less. I should try to keep up with it more regularly.

So, since the plan for this weekend was to sew the borders on Auf Simchas II, and I didn't do it yesterday or the day before, I am pleased to announce that I got up early today, bit the bullet and voila -- borders. I always procrastinate when I'm not confident that I will succeed to sew straight lines... It looks quite impressive and once the digital camera is juiced up, I will post a photo.

I also pieced the Pomegranate cq piece. I will perhaps also post the naked square and some of the threads I purchased on Saturday. I'm not sure if I'm using ribbon trim on this one. That's what I like about cq. I let it dictate to me what needs to be done.

Tomorrow is lesson 2 of the online course. I usually do the homework immediately upon receipt of the lesson. I'm stalling on this one. First of all, I'm not sure where we're going with it and that will probably influence my fabric colour choice. Secondly, I'm not sure I want to make a full three piece sandwich. I may make an "open faced" sandwich because I have a problem with the messy back showing.
We have to come up with ideas for sayings or designs. I came across some Jewish Haiku. "Lacking fins and tails, the gefilte fish swims with great difficulty". Or perhaps just a phrase in Yiddish. I'll see.

Anyways, pictures later and if anything else blog-worthy happens, I shall write again.

Show and Tell

This is what I've been doing so far this weekend. Saturday, I purchased all of the fabrics for $4 (Canadian!) at a garage sale. I have now washed and ironed them. The bluish fabric on the right is actually a lovely white batiste. I'm not sure what I'll do with the zig-zag fabrics but cheap is cheap.
This morning, Joy came over with her mother-in-law's costume jewellry. The colours, especially of the beads, don't show too well but there are some interesting and challenging pieces. And the price was right... So I'm happy.
Tomorrow I will tackle the Auf Simchas II and maybe start on some other cq squares. I have already sane pieced them but I want to gather threads, and bits and pieces so I can take them to work and work on them, time permitting.

Long weekend

So in Canada this is a long weekend -- Monday is Thanksgiving. So that's a short work week to look forward to.
Yesterday evening was Erev Sukkot. Menachem picked up my mother and we had a quiet dinner together. My mother is having dental work done (root canal, new crown, etc.) and is limited in what she can eat (chew). Menachem made lentil and rice soup, garlic mashed potatoes, and sole almondine. He also made a gorgeous "soccer ball" challah substituting silan for honey. It was delish, as usual. And my mother took home leftovers...
The Thanksgiving weekend we usually go up to Perth to do some maintenance work at camp and then do the Autumn Studio Tour. This year, Menachem went up last week so there was no point going all that way (3.5 hour drive) just for the tour. And since Carmit went home and we don't really feel like doing much, we decided to have a low-key weekend at home.
This morning, we woke up late (8 a.m.), Menachem surfed, etc. I fondled my fabrics.
We had plans to go down to my mother's place to try to fix the lights in her basement. On the way, well really out of the way but not far from our house, we went to the needlepoint store which sells all kinds of embroidery threads, silk ribbons, etc. I wanted to show them Penina's Auf Simchas hanging because I had purchased some threads there. I received some very encouraging comments. There's nothing like being validated by people who know how much effort goes into making these pieces of art.
I stocked up on threads for the Pomegranate Guild shadowbox. I am calling it Kachol v'lavan (blue and white). My starting point is two pieces of blue dupionni silk left over from Dori's chuppah. I'm not sure yet which whites I'll use but I'm getting ahead of myself. More about kvl in another post.
We went down to my mother's and Menachem fixed the lights.
From there, since we were already halfway downtown, we thought we'd drop in to visit Judith (she wasn't home) or Corinne (she was home but was busy). So we headed north to visit Mintzy and Rafi who were entertaining/being entertained by grandson Noah.
On the way, I asked Menachem if he was hungry and we decided to stop in at home first and have a bowl of soup and some challah. (The last sentence is only relevant to explain how our hunger resulted in me increasing my fabric stash.) As we turned onto Snowshoe, we saw that there was a garage sale. We stopped and it turned out there was a suitcase full of fabrics at 25 cents a "piece", a piece being either a meter or more, or several pieces attached together (factory samples). I bought eight pieces. Then at home I reconsidered -- for that price, I should pick up any others that looked half decent. So we went back for seconds... So now I have a whole basket full of fabric which I will launder, iron, fondle and get ready for use (and post photos I hope).
And now we are back home and vegging.
Tomorrow morning, one of the ladies from my office is coming over with her mother-in-law's jewellery box. She saw my first Auf Simchas piece and offered me the stuff. She was thrilled that someone can put it to good use. I can't wait to see what goodies there are!
Monday afternoon, I am meeting with the Pomegranate Guild president to go over the membership lists. I am the official keeper of the list because I know how to update it in Excel and I can get Menachem to print labels. Since she lives near Alissa and Mel, we may pop over there for a visit too.
OK. So my plan for this weekend is to finish sewing the borders on the Auf Simchas and maybe quilting it, and to start/continue some other cq projects.
And did I mention the weather is fabulous? A little chilly but sunny.
Off to take a nap.

More plodding

I haven't written for a while. I come home from work exhausted. I stitch for an hour or so each evening and an hour or less each morning before leaving for work.
So my current project is coming along nicely, but nothing so exciting that I feel compelled to write daily. It's six sane crazy squares (i.e. pieced sane, embellished crazy) inspired by my nephews' bar-mitzvah invitations. I am just about finished with the embellishing and perhaps tomorrow will have time to go to Fabricland to buy the border and backing materials.
I was at Fabricland this week to buy fabrics for the Pomegranate Guild's 25 anniversary project. The theme is threads of identity and I have decided to do a strip quilt in blues and whites and then embellish and/or quilt. Since I prefer to work on small pieces in general and the guild project is an 8" (or is it 6"?) shadow box, I really didn't need a lot of fabric. I only bought 25 cm. of each of five patterned blues and 3 patterned whites. But now that I have the cotton fabrics, I'm wondering if I should perhaps stick with the "fancies" I have: royal blue and powder blue dupionni silk and a whole bevy of white fabrics from various family wedding gowns and sources. The fancies would be better suited to embellishing with fancy threads. Don't know. I will finish embellishing project "a" before starting on project "b".
Last week, Menachem and I went up to Newmarket to Evelyn's to look for the blue and white fabrics and avail myself of on sale really price slashed fabrics. I bought a bunch, none of which coordinated with each other nor with most of the fabrics I have at home. But good quality cotton at $1.99 or $2.99 Canadian a metre was just too good to pass up.
I really must stop buying fabric and start using what I have.
I got my supply list for the Fiber Collage online course from Joggles. I must say that the supply list really doesn't give much idea of what we will be doing. So I will wait to assemble the supplies until after the first lesson is posted. Hopefully it will give me a clue as to what fabric I should use for the base. I may just use a natural colour muslin or white linen.
Yesterday actually marked the end of nine months that I have been stair climbing. Someone told me that they can see a difference. I can't. True, I have muscles that I never had before. And muscle weighs. Especially since I've added in a morning walk of 20-25 minutes. But would it hurt the scale to pay me a compliment?

Where does the time go?

A week has gone by since my last post. Since then:
a) Carmit, middle child, arrived for a three week visit on Monday
b) Had lunch with Carmit on Tuesday and started catching up a little on what's happening in her life
c) Wednesday evening was the Pomegranate Guild's first meeting for this year
d) Planned for Rosh Hashana and invited guests (the kind who wait for an invitation because our policy is "kol haba, baruch haba" (whoever comes is welcome). So far, we're expecting 16.
e) yesterday spent the day with Menachem, Carmit and my mother at Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara Falls is only about an hour and a half from our house. No matter how often we go, summer or winter, we never fail to be amazed by it. Yesterday, unfortunately, although "promised" nice weather, it wasn't very nice. There was little to no sun, it was windy so the mist from the Falls was almost like rain and we couldn't really see the Horseshoe Falls because of the mist. And although I wouldn't have minded standing longer in the rain, Carmit hadn't dressed appropriately for the weather and I didn't think my 85 year old mother should stand outside in that weather very long.
The ride to Niagara-on-the-Lake was nice but the main strip was disappointing. There were no bookstores and most of the other shops were very touristy. And no quilt or fabric stores that I could see...

Today, Sunday, we have the following planned:
Menachem is at Chaim L's for a meeting about camp expenditures made this summer, then in the early afternoon we're going to Yunkie and Mindy's. Yunkie, Carmit and I will pop over to Roselawn Cemetery to "visit", as is the custom before major holidays. Then we'll shmooze at their place.
I had wanted to get to the Evelyn's (quilt shop) in Newmarket this weekend and perhaps Needlearts (embroidery threads) but both are closed on Sundays. Bummer.

I am plodding along on Auf Simchas II. It has six cq blocks, two of which are pretty much finished -- for the first pass.
I wanted to get fabric for the borders to be quilted.

I also wanted to get fabric for my the Pomegranate 25th Anniversary members' shadow box project. The theme is "threads of identity". Our meeting was about decorating the shadowbox frame itself (i.e. gilding, painting, staining, etc.) and it struck me that I could do something like the diagonal bat-mitzvah wallhanging in blues and whites with touches of silver (for the 25th) but with embroidered and embellished seams (instead of machine quilted). I need to make the "naked" project before I can start tinkering. Don't know when I'll make it to a fabric store now. Maybe I should try online shopping.

Anyways, I'm off to try some "Word" manipulation that I can use on fabric, maybe even some word clouds, so that's all for now.

Bat-Mitzvah wallhangings

So I (i.e DH) changed photos from img to jpg so I could post the photos of the wallhangins I made for the Bat Mitvahs. They look very orange in the photos -- they're more brown, rust, and gold.
I (i.e. DH) also hooked up my new cheap ($30 CDN) colour printer and started printing out the class lessons from Sharon B's Encrusted Crazy Quilt course. (If you don't know about cq and would like to learn, or if you know and would like to learn more, I highly recommend the course.) Mid lesson 3, the black ink from the colour cartridge ran out. Have to buy another so we can continue printing.


Did I mention that Inbal and I registered for "Fibre Collage",another online course at Joggles.com? I have taken university courses with Carmit but we were both in the same city at that time. Here we'll be taking the same course but on different continents. I find that pretty amazing.

I am also making progress on a second Auf Simchas wallhanging, inspired by the lavish ribbons and tassles on my nephew's Bar Mitzvah invitation. It is actually an encrusted embellished sane quilt. I also found in my hang onto that trim it may come in handy some day drawer ribbon and a tassle from her older son's Bar Mitzvah.

If she likes it, I'll give it to her. If not, I will donate it to my brother's kids' school (Heschel) for their annual fundraiser. And I have material left over to do another one. I will try to post a photo soon. I have to buy fabric for the border, backing and binding. We will probably travel to the quilting store in Newmarket to look for some because I'm looking for something blue, gold and silver and doubt if I'll find it locally. The Newmarket quilt shop has an amazing array of fabric.

Today is garage cleanout day because Wednesday is no tag garbage day. So that should take care of all the stuff we have been putting in the garage until we decide what to do with it for the past two years...

Has it been that long?

I can't believe that it's been so long since my last post.
My summer was hectic. Working four and a half days a week, taking the 4 hour train ride up to camp for the weekend, working at camp, train ride back -- exhausting.
Then I spent two wonderful weeks at camp, babysitting the site while it was rented out. I had hoped to do some stitching but got very little done.
Since I'm home, however, I have been busy.
Remember the twin bat mitzvah gifts? Well, my original plan didn't work out -- I couldn't get the printer to print properly so I partially scrapped that idea and made two small wallhangings which are now completed and will hopefully finish uploading shortly. And now that they're finished, I figured out how to print on fabric... So I made labels. Once the labels are attached, I will be ready to send them to the bat mitzvah girls. (So what if the bat mitzvah was last weekend...)

July 26, 2006 -- 13, 559 steps!

That's it.

July 25, 2006 -- 11,703 steps

Yesterday, I decided to up the number of steps. Instead of taking the subway from Finch to work, I walked. In addition to my up and down the office building staircase, I walked down an additional 18 flights.
Alissa invited me for dinner so after work, I walked to Sheppard to the bus station and instead of standing and waiting for the bus, I kept moving by walking around the station until the bus came. Then there was a four block walk from the bus to their house. All in all, my steps increased by about 2000. I figure a half hour walk on the way to work and a half hour walk on the way back, and maybe another round of stairs, I should be able to keep the numbers above the 10000 and closer to 12000. The true test will be what I do on the weekends...
I had a lovely dinner at Alissa and Mel's. Just very relaxing. Their new kitchen isn't finished yet but the laminate floors and cabinets are in so it looks lovely. Alissa drove me home afterwards and I gave her Sari's chuppah and the family fabric quilt (auf simchas). It feels weird, kind of like when a child leaves home...

Inbal -- easy come, not so easy go

Inbal went home Saturday. It was lovely having her for a while but mostly because I can see how great she looks and the confidence she exudes.
I hope she had a good time. I tried not to be too clingy, not always successfully but hey, I'm a mother.
Yunkie took her to the airport and I tagged along. Then after a short visit at my mother's, he dropped me off at the subway and I went down to Union Station to catch the train to Perth. It was a later train than I'm used to but I slept a little, read a little and time passed. I may have passed up on what was left of the weekend and stayed home but it was Isais' bar-mitzva party on Sunday and I didn't want to miss it.
Sunday morning I put in a few hours in the camp kitchen doing mindless pot-washing. But someone has to do it and I don't mind mindless. I can think about other things, silently hum songs in my head and the time flies. I did have a bit of a problem with some of the background music -- they don't listen to classical... And I left when they started making bug juice. I cannot stand inefficiency and laziness and the current camp way of making bug juice irks me.
The bar-mitzva was great. David and Dee have a farm with a large yard. They arranged for food which kids like -- pizza and a chip wagon, a snowcone machine, and cake. They arranged for entertainment that kids like -- inflatable sumo wresting outfits, inflating jousting stages, and an inflatable obstacle course. That's in addition to their regular pool, swings, and trampoline. And did I mention the water cannons? Anyways, the campers from Isais' group and older were all invited and had a ball.
I know that Isais likes music so asked Dee if she thought he might like a darbouka (drum). I was able to get a great darbouka through my mother's (and late father's) musical connections.
And Dee was at camp today and told Menachem that he really likes it so I'm happy when someone gets something they can use and enjoy.

10000 steps a day

So I see my cq mentors/friends joining the 10000 steps a day program and think here's an excuse to do a little more exercise. (Right now my daily weekday exercise consists of climbing 22 flights of stairs and then descending them again, something I started in January this year and have fairly compulsively doing.)
So I buy a pedometer. Of course it requires programming and I have a mental block against reading instructions. (We had a power outage of several hours about two weeks ago and all of the lights on the electrical appliances -- video, microwave, oven, clocks, radios, etc. -- are still flashing. My "in-house" technician is away at camp so they'll continue to flash until the end of August...). I took the pedometer to camp this weekend and he set it for me.
This morning, I clip it on. Without altering my daily routine, I did 9500 steps! Just the stair climbing and descending was 1200. I figure any shortfall, I can just walk down the office building stairs several times.
It turns out I do a lot more walking at work than I realized. And it's an office job!
But seriously, I will consider upping the daily number of steps in order to have health benefits from the endeavour and justify the cost of the pedometer ($25 CDN).

Weekend in Lanark

Further to my previous post, we arrived at camp in the early afternoon. After spending a little time down at the waterfront, we decided to go into Perth itself, for a walkabout and then dinner.
Perth really is a lovely town. Stewart Park, the main street (Gore) with its boutique stores, the Tay River running through town, the fountains, old stone buildings -- quite charming. And the weather was gorgeous. We finished off with a nice meal at Goodwood Oven. They headed for their hotel in Smiths Falls and we (Ami, Menachem and I) headed back to camp.
The evening/night was not restfull. Friday nights are "no curfew" nights. There's a noise curfew and the kids were quiet -- no yelling or noisy running around BUT the cabins' wooden screen doors have springs on them and unless you hold these doors as they close, they bang noisily. And 150 campers and staff going in and out of the cabins, it's a constant concert of banging doors. We tried putting felt tabs and weatherstripping to soften the noise but it doesn't help. I have to figure out something or I'll go crazy.
Saturday morning, we met the Smiths Fallers and headed off to Merrickville. It's a town about half an hour from Smiths Falls, again on the water and with nice shops. It's uniqueness lies in the hand-operated locks in the centre of town. There are 3 or 4 of them. It was another leisurely day, watching the boats using the locks, visiting the shops, etc. We drove down to Gananoque, gateway to the St. Lawrence seaway, but by the time we reached it, my mother was tired (and cranky). Ami, Menachem and I headed back to camp. Bat, Sandy and my mother took another drive along the Ivy Lea Parkway and returned to Smiths Falls.
Yesterday (Sunday) morning, they picked me up at camp at around 9 a.m. and we drove the 3 hours back to Toronto, in time for the final game of the World Cup.
And it's a good thing it's over. Enough already.
Now we're back to a "regular" work week. Inbal's coming back on Tuesday, Bat and Sandy are off to Rock on Wednesday for three weeks. I'll be busy at work and then weekends going to and from camp. I'm tired just thinking about it.
I'm finding it difficult to get into stitching mode. And I did want to tr the 100 stitches in 100 days "challenge". At this rate, I doubt if I can get caught up, but I will try.
Off to work for now.

It's been a while

I can't believe three weeks have gone by. Life's been hectic and I've been busy. Since I can't remember most of the lost time, I'll start from Inbal's arrival.
Inbal arrived a week ago Thursday and with no time to recover from jetlag was catapulted into our family's life cycle events.
Friday night, Alissa hosted a dinner for Sari's out of town wedding guests. (Inbal was the guest, I just tagged along.)
Saturday morning was the Aufruf (synagogue service where the groom is called up during the Torah portion reading), followed by a kiddush luncheon at the synagogue. We got home in time for Inbal to take a decent nap.
Sunday was the Sari's wedding. Inbal and I got up early and went to the synagoue to hang the chuppah. It looked lovely and I am quite proud of it. From there we went to Sobie's (local kosher grocery store) to meet Bat and Sandy and buy the food for Monday's 80-85-90. More about that later.
The wedding was at 6 p.m. at Pride of Israel synagogue. The sanctuary was beautifully decorated and because the chuppah was on a raised platform, it was visible from down below. My only problem was that it was over lit from above and the stray fuschia and purple threads were visible from up close. Of course everyone was looking at the bride and groom so the only one concerned with the stray threads was me...
The dinner and dancing was great. The band was really good and had almost everyone on their feet. I had had a long day so left at around 11 p.m. so I wasn't there when a wedding guest tripped and fell through a plate glass window. She's OK, but it's the kind of excitement you don't need at a wedding or any other time for that matter. Luckily, the bride and some of her guests were doctors and the patient was well cared for while waiting for the ambulance.
Monday afternoon between 2 and 4 p.m. there was a birthday party for my uncle (80), my mother (85) and my aunt (90) at the party room at my aunt's condo. It was thrown by my cousins, my siblings and me (there's 9 of us).
Bat came over to my place at about 10 a.m. and we started cutting up fruit for the fruit platters. We had been shopping the day before and the food was in my fridge -- I have two fridges standing side-by-side in my kitchen from the days when we had a house full of children and entertained more frequently. Now the second fridge is only used on the major holidays. At noon, we rushed over the party room to set up.
Did I mention that instead of renting tablecloths or using paper, I sewed and iron fifteen of them from an old bolt of fabric I found? Did I mention that the fabric was apparently cotton, the kind that you look at and it wrinkles?
Anyways, we set up the room, decorated and kudos to Inbal. She used crepe paper to decorate the table where we had the three birthday cake slabs. And we sprinkled the tables generously with shiny confetti. The kids made the wall decorations including signing boards for each of the honorees guests. And Judy, a cousin from New York, brought photo boards.
Anyways, it was very nice. The speeches were short and each of the three honorees received a certificate from the organization to which a donation had been made in their honour.
In all, it was a pleasant although hectic weekend.
On Tuesday, I was back at work, but on Wednesday, Inbal and I went on a craft excursion. We started out by going to the needlepoint store up in Richmond Hill. They have all kinds of velvet theads and shiny threads and silk ribbon and embroidery flosses. I loaded up for my current project. From there, we took the subway downtown and went to Bead Junction, a bead store on Roncessvalle way out in the west end of town. It's a really nice store and the stuff is displayed really well, all set out according to colour and type. Needless to say, we bought stuff. Then we hopped on the streetcar to Queen Street and hit the fabric, button and bead stores there. Not to mention the art supply stores. Inbal is into the paper crafts but hasn't purchased any supplies yet. By the time we finished with a late lunch, Inbal's feet had gotten the best of her and since she was leaving the next day for Vancouver, we called it a day and went home.
Thursday Sandy and Bat took Inbal to the airport and then we went into work.
Friday, Sandy and Bat took my mother and me up to camp. They stayed at a hotel in Smiths Falls.
Oops. It's getting lat and I have to get ready for work.
I'll tell you about the weekend later.

Off to camp, again

If this is what my whole summer is going to be like, it's going to be hectic. So things may not be chronological but as I think of them.

I went into Fabricland to buy a backing for my Auf Simchas. I found a purple material, a shade or two darker than the border from Elsie's mother-of-the-bride dress. I sandwiched the cq and the backing with a polyester batting I had and used the backing as the binding. I had variegated purple-mauve thread and I just machine sewed two parallel rows of stitches to bind and sandwich at the same time. It looks fine but note to self: learn how to do proper bindings.

While in Fabricland, I saw this amazing trim with tassels in the colours of my cq class project. So I finished off the cq block and it looks pretty amazing.

So I am ready for next week's Show and Tell at the Pomegranate Guild. I have Sari's chuppah, the Auf Simchas, and the cq block finished and ready.
Now I can start on other projects and finish up a few WIPs and/or UFOs.

Flannel materials were on sale with patterns so adorable that I couldn't resist, so I bought three different metres to make receiving blankets. I hope the colours aren't too gender specific for whomever will receive them. I already finished one and will do the others next week.

I've booked my train ticket for today (Friday) at 12:20 so I'll only be in the office for an hour or so. Then down to Union Station and a 3.5-4 hour train trip to camp. We'll probably go out for dinner tonight -- Perth has some very good restaurants. And tomorrow, weather permitting, I think we're going to the Orchid Festival. There's a wetland area with natural setting orchids not far from camp and the height of bloom is around this time of the year and they hold a festival to boot. Sunday, I think I'll just relax at camp. Maybe finally venture down to the lake.

I'm thinking of photo transferring onto fabric a photo of the lake and embellishing, embroidering it.

And I really want to start on the quilts with the fabrics I have been collecting, so I won't feel guilty about buying more...

Back from Camp

I got back last night from camp, late and tired. We got a lot done getting camp organized but my plans to work on cq fell by the wayside, mostly because I didn't really have the room to spread out my stuff. I guess cramped quarters aren't really conducive to cq.

Anyways, it was lovely in Perth as usual. The weather wasn't that great -- there were one or two nice days and the rest it drizzled, poured and was cool to cold. As far as Ami is concerned, it's winter and he's having a hard time adjusting to that. Hopefully it will heat up soon.

We did go to Almonte to the Crazy Quilt exhibit. There was very little cq in it (and the sane quilting wasn't all that outstanding either...) I asked the curator about it and she said "The quilt group's name is "Crazy Quilt". I was worried that someone may be misled". Oh well. I was miffed, so much so that I didn't even visit the local quilt shops in Almonte or Perth.

I want to finish several projects before next week's Show and Share at the Pomegranate Guild. After work, I am taking Auf Simchas to Fabricland to find her a suitable backing. I need binding for for the cq online class project. Of course, did I remember to bring it with me? No. Either I will guess at a binding colour match or have to bring it in tomorrow and hit Fabricland again. It's a good thing (or bad, depending on how you look at it) that it is on the way home.

Having been away for a week and a half, I also have to mow the lawn, water the plants, do some shopping, read my mail, do some cleaning, etc., etc. So I will leave the office early today
(3 p.m.) and get started on all of the above.

Off to Camp

I may have mentioned that my DH, Menachem, is the technical coordinator for a summer camp. So today, we're off to camp. Camp doesn't start until July 2nd, but the camp is boarded up in the winter and needs to be reopened and the water, gas, electrical, etc. systems put in place. He is also supervising some construction work done by a local contractor. I usually go up with him for the first week or so, so that he isn't overwhelmed by the physical work and the administrative aspects. This year his brother, Ami, has come from Israel to give him a hand so it looks like the month of preparation in June won't be totally hectic and we may even have a chance to enjoy the lake and the area.
There's a town, Almonte, not too far from us (we're near Perth, Ontario) which has a textile museum. I haven't yet had a chance to see it although I've been in Almonte several times. But this time there is a crazy quilt exhibition on and I absolutely must visit it.
I've taken some cq work to do in the evenings. It's a six square navy/ blues and gold/beiges inspired by the ribbons and trimmings on Yoni's bar mitzvah invitation. I've already pieced it here because I'm not taking my sewing machine up to camp but I've taken a whole bunch of beads, embroidery threads, charms, silk ribbon, etc. and hopefully I'll be sufficiently inspired and not too tired to stitch on it.
When I get back, I intend to finish my "Auf Simchas". I am pretty much finished embellishing and now need to find a suitable backing, sandwich it (with polyester I already have at home) and find a nice binding to finish it off.
I'll be back in town on June 11th and then will go up to camp every weekend. I hope to have computer access but may not.

Sari's chuppah -- finished!!

I finally got the finished chuppah hung up so it could be photographed. Here it is. It's doesn't really show that well but the tree trunk has the wording "simcha, sasson, chatan, kallah, gila, rina, ditza, chedva, ahava, achva, reut, shalom" appliqued and beaded onto it. The berries in the tree top are beaded, and the flowers on which letters spelling out "mazal" and "bracha" have been appliqued and beaded. The whole chuppah perimeter has ribbons which will be tied into bows on the chuppah frame. The photo doesn't do it justice.
I now have to finish the "Auf Simchas" crazy quilt but that shouldn't take too long and then I can stitch to my heart's content without deadlines looming.

Bar-Mitzvah

This morning was Yoni's Bar Mitzvah, at least the religious portion of it.
It was at the Kehila Centre, the main Sephardi synagogue in Thornhill. It was very interesting because although the prayer text is the same for both Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews, the melodies, traditions and even the synagogue's architecture and decoration are very different, and that's even without going into the Orthodox (which it is) vs other Jewish religious streams.
Did I mention that I had to go out and buy a skirt for the event because women don't wear pants to Orthodox synagogues and the last time I wore a skirt was at Rafi's Bar Mitzvah a few years back. And shoes because my runners and black loafers didn't go with the skirt...
Water under the bridge. Yoni had a very long and difficult parsha (Torah portion)and also read the Haftorah. He did a great job and I'm sure made his parents and grandparents proud.
The only thing I didn't care for was the Kiddush luncheon. Food is set out on long tables in the most unappealing manner. There aren't enough plates, cups, cutlery and the food was all greasy. I'm sure that the party celebration tomorrow night will be organized much better because Penina put a lot of work into it.
Wednesday after work, Menachem took me to Fabricland and I bought the right colour thread for the chuppah and some fabric for Ami's curtains. Thursday morning before work I put the final stitches into the chuppah and it is ready. Sari might come over this evening to see it but she has such a busy schedule, I'm not sure she'll make it. And this morning before shul, I sewed Ami's curtains, so that's one less thing to do.
I didn't find fabric at Fabricland for the Auf Simchas perimeter and it's a good thing because I realized that I have enough fabric left from Elsie's mother of the bride dress so I cut the pieces and sewed them on.
I also sewed on Elsie's buttons. And now I am adding a few sequins here, a few beads there, and I think I'll forego the silk ribbon and maybe just quilt the perimeter instead.
We've started putting all the stuff we have to take up to camp in the living room and it's starting to pile up... I am doing laundry and getting all the bedding, blankets, pillows, towels, etc. ready too.
Anyways, it's gorgeous outside so I'm going there to sit and soak up a little sun.

Yikes!!

Last post, May 10th? I hadn't realized it's been so long. I do have a valid excuse, however. I had a very bad cold, sinuses, cough, etc. which totally zapped my energy. I came to work because Josh and I are alone in the office but I didn't last more than half a day each day. I'm finally almost better -- still the occasional cough, blocked head, etc. but much much better.

Friday afternoon we went up to camp. We usually go up the Victoria Day weekend, do some work and enjoy the surroundings. This weekend was raining, cold and miserable so scratch the "enjoy the surroundings". But we got our room set up so when Menachem goes up June 1st for the summer, we're all set. Our primary aim this weekend was to get the floor in the room next to ours (it's a duplex) painted. And we did. We also made an inventory of what needs to be done to have the room in good working order so that Ami, Menachem's brother who is coming from Israel to help him this summer, won't be roughing it too much.

We also did a few other things in preparation for our going up June 1st. But the weather was just plain miserable so we were out of there by noon on Sunday and home by late afternoon.

Monday morning, I got up bright and early because I wanted to finish Sari's chuppah. I got the ribbons and backing sewn on. I had hoped to take it with me in the afternoon to Sari's bridal shower but I need to put a few rows of stitching around the perimeter and on the fuschia bands so the backing is connected in the middle as well as at the perimeter and didn't have the right colour of thread. Never mind. Sari and David are in town next weekend for Yoni's bar mitzvah so we'll get together at some point and I can show them the finished piece. Quite lovely, if I do say so myself.

I would also like to finish the "auf simchas" crazy-quilt to give them for the wedding. I need to buy fabric to sew around the perimeter of that one too. I'll try to do that this week and take it and the embellishments up to camp so I'll have something to do in the evenings and also because I'm running out of time. While I'm at the fabric store, I have to buy material for curtains for Ami's room. Nothing fancy, but something to give him a little privacy.

My mother and Devora and Noam and Charles are going to Israel right after the bar mitzvah for two weeks. Mom and Charles will be staying with Inbal. I hope she enjoys them and isn't too stressed out about having them.

OK. Josh isn't here right now but I still have to get back to work.

And I'll try to post more often to keep myself on track.

Yes, I'm still here

I haven't posted in a while because I wanted to post photos but it just hasn't worked out.
Had a very productive weekend. Did I mention I finished sewing the borders onto the chuppah top? Well I did. And I beaded it as well. The lettering on the tree trunk was a little pale so I beaded it in golds, silvers and bronzes, both round and bugle beads. Then I beaded the mauve petals of the flowers and the flower lettering. And I finished it off with beading the berries in the tree. Does this make sense without the photos? Of course not, but this is a journal for me more than for you so I'll have a record of what I've done. Now I have to find ribbons for tying the chuppah to the poles. Not sure what colour or width. I guess I'll know when I see it. I want to have it totally finished for the bridal shower on Victoria Day. Guess what I'm doing this weekend...
I also did all the cutting for the blue cq quilts. One fabric I cut out backwards so I had to recut and had almost enough fabric. One piece out of the six will be wrong side, hopefully not terribly visible.
Oops. Gotta run to work. I will post photos. I promise.

End of April

It's been a week since my last post and time has flown. I can't believe it's already April 30th.
Last weekend, I "framed" my class block by sewing a 1" burgundy/rust trim around it and sewing the block as a diamond on a similar coloured background. More on this later.
I also worked on Sari's chuppah. I sewed the three panels, separated by two fuschia duppioni silk 2" strips and added purple side borders to bring the width to fit the 72" chuppah frame. I pinned the top and bottom borders (same purple) and pinned the whole thing up on my design wall to see what else to do with it. I was going to drape ribbons from the birds' beaks across the top of the two white side panels. I was auditioning ribbons and Alissa was over and said she didn't think they added anything. I wasn't sure so I removed the ribbons and left the "canvas" blank. I still wasn't sure but Mintzy was over today and I said that I thought it looked a bit naked. She convinced me it didn't. So tomorrow I will take it off the wall, sew on the top and bottom borders and bead the tree top and trunk and flowers. I'm not quite sure yet what fabric to use as backing. Probably just plain lining material. I am going to attach coloured (fuschia, purples, pinks) ribbons at 12" intervals all around the perimeter for tying the chuppah to the frame. I may attach metal charms -- birds, chamsot, etc. to the ribbon ends.
I also decided to finish the second baby quilt. I had machined quilted a few rows of "waves" previously and decided one evening to finish it. It wasn't until I had finished sewing about 2/3 of it that I realized my waves were going top to bottom instead of side to side. Oy. But I wasn't about to pick out the stitches, so top to bottom it is. Then I made the border but didn't make it wide enough. Oy vey. I mean it was wide enough to sew on the quilt but another 1" of width would have made a more pleasing proportion. Never mind. It still looks quite nice because the fish fabric is lovely.
I will try to take and post photos.
Let me try to remember if anything interesting happened at work this week. No.
Friday was my mother's 85th!! birthday. We had a family dinner at Devora's house to celebrate. Penina and family were there for a quick visit before Shabbat started but couldn't stay for dinner. It was very nice. And in July, the day after Sari's wedding, we're going to have a joint birthday celebration for Shloimeh (80th), Mom, and Ethel (90!!!) in the party room at Ethel's building.
Today I picked out the stitches of my class block "frame" and removed it from the backing. I had machine stitched it and because of the encrustment (encrustage?), the trim got sewn down crooked. And the background was too dark. I think I will presew a frame from a lovely damask type off-white fabric I have and hand sew it to the block and then embroider the seams between the frame and the block.
Once that's done, I will allow myself to start on the blocks using the fabrics I bought to match the trim from Yoni's bar-mitzvah invitation.
I also did some organizing of my stash. Menachem hung a dowel last week to hold my ribbons and this week made me a thread holder which sits above it. So there are a few less containers lying around on my tables.
I also edited a bit on my shelves -- found the instructions for the correct border width... Reviewed my UFO's (WIP's) -- I really don't have that many.
I also am reworking (i.e. letting out the seams) of a black floor length skirt to wear to Yoni's and Sari's affairs. I need to buy black lining fabric. Or maybe I should buy something sparkly -- the black is a sheer type fabric. Then I still need a top -- probably something goldish because I have a lovely black and gold shawl which was Aunty Nechama's. Note to self -- make sure it doesn't have holes in it!!
This afternoon, we are going down to Queen's Park (Ontario legislative building) to attend a rally for Darfur. Aside from the importance of taking a stand for the cause, the rally is being organized by members of hadracha and we want to support their efforts. Afterwards, we're going to Shaul and Malcah-Margaret's.
And that's about all for now.

Post matza stress

Ha ha. No such thing. I'm matzah'd out.
Can't believe it's been a week since my last post. Where did it go?
The second seder wasn't. Rachel and Adi came for dinner (i.e. leftovers)and it was a nice and quiet evening.
Last Friday, Good Friday, was a day off work. We did nothing. It was lovely. Rafi and Mintzy came for dinner (i.e. leftover leftovers).
Saturday we drove up to Perth. Discovered another breakin at moshava. No visible theft, no major vandalism. Still, it's annoying. Menachem met with our local contractor and the electrician about work to be done before camp starts. He fixed the broken lock on the chadar ochel and we took inventory of the dishes and cutlery. And when we went to Canadian tire to buy the new lock, I bought a unit to hold my beads. So now there all on the wall beside the embroidery thread and buttons.
Sunday, we went to visit with Dee and David. Dee showed me the quilts she's working on now. I didn't take in my quilt -- I figured she has enough to do without it. It's waited until now, it can wait a little longer. We came back Sunday afternoon.
Good Monday was a work day for me. But only half a day since we had a funeral to attend. On the way, we stopped in at Fabricland where there's still a draw for a new sewing machine. And I picked up a few meters of fuschia and dark purple duppioni silk to continue on Sari's chuppah.
Tuesday evening was the Hashomer Hatzair third seder at the Bloor JCC. Not too many participants, but it was nice.
Yesterday, we were invited to Ethel's for lunch. Bat and Sandy and Yunkie were also there. Considering the lady's going to be 90!!, she did quite well. And the food was edible... When we got home, we took the patio furniture out of the garage and filled the tires on my bicycle. Must use both soon.
Today was a regular work day. Before work this morning, I dug an old long skirt (black crepe material) out of the closet. I took off the waist band, ungathered the waist and am planning to regather and put a new waist band on it so I can wear it to Yoni's bar-mitzva do and Sari's wedding. Then all I have to do is get some sort of a top which will go with a black and gold shawl and/or several fancy black shirts. And I need new shoes -- flats but without holes in the soles... And a skirt to wear to shul. Oy.
Tomorrow is Friday already. No plans other than work, so far.
And then the weekend. I've got an itch to stitch. I want to work on Sari's chuppah, maybe quilt the baby quilt, turn the cq square into a wall-hanging, and be outside, if the good weather holds up (the forecast is, of course, rain).

Chasal Seder Pesach

So last night's seder was good and fun. We had twenty-four people at the table!! Aside from the immediate family (my mother, Bat & Sandy, Devora and Noam, Yunkie, Mindy, and Alana, Jeremy and Michelle) we had Aunty Ethel, Alissa, Mel and Johanna and Matty, who I guess are pretty close to immediate family. And then we had my mother's "entourage" -- Chaim (formerly known as Charles...), Noam and his sister,(I can't remember her name at the moment), Ori, and his wife, Tali (formerly known as Stacey), and Ori's mom and brother, Tzvia and Oded. Sandy joked that my mother travels with her own minyan...
Even our two tables put together were still a bit short so we improvised by adding a board between the tables to provide another 4 table settings. The atmosphere was festive and laid back. The Israeli contingent was very musical so we had a lot of singing.
And the food was delish as usual. Menachem's gefilte fish turned out great. He also made an aromatic roasted vegetable soup with Odetta's ugly but yummy knaidlach, roasted chicken (very moist, so I'm told), roasted potatoes and yams, roasted vegetables, and tsimmes. Devora brought two types of green salads. My mother did not disappoint with her veal roast or so all the carnivores tell me. We finished off with a wonderful sponge cake Alissa made, a chocolatey cake Bat-Sheva brought, my mother's matza anti-dote, compote, and a gorgeous fruit platter Menachem made with melons, pineapple, grapes and strawberries.
I have to admit that by the time the last of our guests left (after 11 p.m.), my back ached and my feet were throbbing. I got one load of dishes done while people were still at the table, put another into the dishwasher before I went to bed and did another two machines this morning. So now everything is clean and ready for tonight. No, we're not doing another seder. Just a quiet meal with Mom, Rachel and Adi and us. I doubt if we'll finish the leftovers, but hopefully we'll make a dent in them.
Tomorrow, nothing is planned. It's Easter Friday so everything will be closed. I hope to get some sewing done.
And then Saturday we're going up to Perth to make our initial spring camp inspection and meet with contractors. Sunday, we may drop in on Dee. And that's about it.
I'm going to take a nap before I put away the last of yesterday's dishes so that's all for now.

Countdown to seder

Well, I've done as much cleaning as I'm going to do. Just about everything on my list was finished. Yesterday, Menachem cooked. I came home from work to my end of the bargain -- washing the dishes. I put most of them in the dishwasher and did the rest by hand so by Coronation Street (7:30 p.m.) the gefilteh fish and tsimmes were in the fridge, the soup and kneidlach were cooling down, the chicken was in the oven, and the kitchen ready for today's cooking: baked potatoes and yams and roasted vegetables. Menachem made a delicious charoset but the hard-boiled eggs didn't peel nicely and they are all pocked. We'll spin it as part of the hardship of our forefathers in their haste to leave Egypt...
So my jobs today are: peel potatoes and yams, clean and cut vegetables, cut up celery (karpas) for seder, set up tables for 24, set table, last minute cleaning.
And if i get a chance, straighten up sewing room, although I have several wip's going so a messy (but clean) sewing room is allowed.
OK. Since it's 3 a.m., I think I'll go back to bed.
Chag Sameach

Housework

I have been busy doing neglected housework. The plan was to do the main floor (kitchen, living room, dining room, bathroom, front hall) yesterday and the upstairs 3 rooms and bathroom, and sublevel TV room today. How am I doing, you ask? I am pooped.
I started yesterday with the front hall. Cleaned out the hall closet, throwing away stuff which will never be used, putting away winter boots, hats, scarves, etc., washing the rugs (in the washing machine, thank you very much. If it isn't machine washable, it's very unlikely you'll find it in my house), and organizing the hall storage unit. Then the baskets on the three stairs up to the living room. I bought these lovely baskets so there's a place for Menachem's briefcase, papers, etc., my purse, lunch bag, etc. and the third one was for Carmit's purse, etc. when she still lived here. And it does keep the mess contained. Only recently, there started to be an additional buildup of books, papers, things. So that's all sorted.
Then I moved on to the kitchen. I wasn't going to do the whole empty all the cupboards etc. because when I do, I usually end up getting the top done and am too exhausted to do the bottom units. So this time I did the two units over the oven, the floor to ceiling pantry, and the bottom units. I was really only going to do the fronts of the bottom units and the kickplate under them, but I decided to do a thorough clean, also threw out stuff we don't need (three cans of beer -- neither Menachem nor I drink beer so who knows how long they've been here), utensils that are grubby looking, etc. So now the cupboards are clean. Did I mention that I dusted everything in the dining room, cleared off the top of the credenza so there'd be room for the three loads of Pesach plates I ran through the dishwasher?
By the time I was done, I was too tired to do anything else.
This morning, I cleaned the bathroom, sort of, I'll redo it on Wednesday, dusted the living room and wall unit, and washed the floors in the kitchen, hall, bathroom, living room and dining room. So when company comes, at least the areas they frequent will be clean.
Today, I still want to do the TV room, although I honestly don't know where to start. There are books and video tapes and crap all over the place. I rarely use the room. I have never liked it. It is Menachem's TV, DVD, video room. And it has the treadmill which doesn't work taking up half of it. Oy. I will just top clean, considering that only the kids will be going down there to watch TV. (and the adults all know I'm no balabusta)
I would like to get the upstairs done also, but I am not going to kill myself. If it happens, fine. If not, not. There's always Wednesday. I'm going to take the day off work so I can give Menachem a hand. He will have done most of the work on Tuesday anyways, but if I peel the potatoes, yams, carrots, etc. on Monday after work, it will be one less thing to do.
Anyways, if I'm talking, I'm not cleaning, right? So I'm off to tackle the upstairs hall bookshelves.

Equarelle's trunk show

Last night we drove out to see a trunk show of a fantastic fabric artist, Elaine Quehl, at the Mississauga Quilter's Guild. Before I get into the trunk show itself, I belong to the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textile. We have about 100 members and we usually have around 30 at a meeting. There were approximately 150!! members there.
I learned of Elaine's work while surfing the net for art quilts. Her website is www.equarelle.ca, just in case anyone wants to check it out. She lives in the Ottawa region so the chances of me taking a course with her are slim unless she comes to our guild. So when I read on her website that she was coming to Mississauga, I made plans to go.
She brought, takeh, a trunk full of quilts and walked us through her personal growth in the world of quilting. On the web, her quilts are gorgeous, up close they're unbelievable. It was well worth the trip and inspiring.
Unfortunately, my inspiration will be on hold for a week or so until after Pesach (Passover). Wednesday night, is the first seder and starting tomorrow, we have to get ready. We are having anywhere between 18-22 people, that we know about. We have an open door policy so if someone calls and says their cousin/friend/stranger has no seder to attend, we say bring them here.
Fortunately, Menachem does most of the cooking (my mother brings her veal roast and although she said she wouldn't make any, compote, and my siblings bring salads, side dishes, etc.) So, Tuesday and Wednesday he will be making clear vegetable soup (he roasts the root vegetables in the oven first which makes them very tasty), knaidlach (a very light and fluffy version of matza balls which don't look like balls at all), his mother's gefilte fish, chicken, baked yams and potatoes, roasted vegetables and that's the menu so far. He often makes a delicious layered meringue cake as well but it depends on how he's feeling. It's hard for him to stand on his feet all day. I will try to take off Tuesday and Wednesday to give him a hand. He cooks, I wash the dishes and pots.
This weekend, my job is to make the house look like it's cleaned on a regular basis... Aside from regular cleaning (which I rarely do -- it's only dust...), I have the Pesach plates to take out of storage and run through the dishwasher (about 3 loads), enlarge the dining room table to accommodate the numbers, do a few tasks that aren't on my *cough, cough* regular cleaning schedule.
So that's what I'll be doing this weekend.

Fabricland's birthday

I don't generally celebrate birthdays for commercial enterprises, but along with a great sale, Fabricland is having draws for new sewing machines. So I stopped by after work -- I walked and it's on my way home -- dropped off my ballot and bought some fabrics to match the trims from Penina's invitation. Four colours of blue, one silver and a lovely unrelated almost beige with blue green flowers. I only bought 15 cm. of each because cq doesn't require much more. And five meters of various lace trims and a meter of absolutely gorgeous gold, cranberry and moss green trim. Grand total? $12.39. Now there are two weeks left on the sale and two more ballots to be dropped off. I wonder what I'll buy next week...
I don't expect I'll get any stitching done in the next week or so. I can't seem to drag myself out of bed in the mornings and am too tired in the evening, and this weekend is Pesach cleaning and then there's Pesach prep, even though Menachem does all of the cooking. But the following weekend, chuppah.

Da veha again

It's been a few days since I posted. Things have been very hectic at work. I've been staying late hours so by the time I get home, I'm too tired to stitch.

I'm still debating how to finish the class cq block. I have a nice burgundy trim and an off white jacquard type fabric. I think I want to simply make a larger square using the trim around the block itself (I need to cover up edges and mistakes anyways...) and then the jaquard fabric which I may or may not embellish but probably I'll just sandwich the whole thing and then quilt the jaquard. Decisions, decisions.

We received our invitation to Yoni's bar-mitzvah. The invitation is very fancy and calligraphy done by Penina. The invitation has lovely fabric trim, three kinds!! in white and silver, and a silver tassel. The background paper was a silver-blue. I have already deconstructed (sorry Penina) and will now search for suitable silver, blue and complementary fabrics for a new cq project.

This coming week there is a trunk show at the Mississauga Quilter's Guild of a fantastic fabric artist, Elain Quehl from the Ottawa area. I am hoping to get out there to see it. Her website, in case anyone actually reads this blog (other than my family) is www.equarelle.ca. In my opinion, well worth the visit.

Tomorrow Menachem has camp-related meetings -- hiring committee and board meeting. I may or may not accompany him. Haven't decided yet.

Plans for today? None. I may do some stitching, may go domestic, may go out. Nothing firm yet.

I didn't get to climb stairs yesterday (too busy) so I may just try to make up for it today. Or not.

I am suffering from joggle forum withdrawal. Am trying to get into the flickr mode but not enamoured just yet. Did pick up a wonderful idea from Linda at www.chloesplace.blogspot.com for covered button embellishment.

Enough rambling for now.

Creative checklist

I don't really know how to say it in English but I guess what I mean is how far I've come along creatively since I started blogging.
First of all, the blogging sort of holds me accountable to "do" creative. I am inspired by work of others. I "borrow" wink wink ideas and even have some of my own...
I look at things differently. I see something someone else has made and instead of just admiring, say "hey, I can do that" and do!
I see materials (not just fabric material)in a new how can I use that? wouldn't that be great in a collage? light.
And although I still envy those who are more creative and talented than me, I have started considering myself creative and talented.
I've come a long way, baby!

Anyways, after patting myself on the back, back to my mundane life.

Last week I was at the doctor's for my annual checkup. My mother always says that she was perfectly healthy until she went to the doctor... So I'm doing the annual additional tests and hoping that I am perfectly healthy. Today was a test involving the drinking of a small ocean an hour before the test. Did I mention the not going to pee until after the test part? Who invented that one? Wait, I know. The same person who invented the breast flattening like a pancake test. I have a feeling that neither were invented by women...
Fortunately, unlike some members of my family who are worriers, I am not. So I don't wait anxiously until the test results come in. I'll worry if I get a call with bad news.

So this evening I am going to just relax.

Finished (I think)

I have finished because I could keep on fussing but it won't make that much of a change. The bottom hamsa is not attached backwards -- it's attached on a sort of hinge and flipped when I moved it. Some of the elements aren't terribly clear but you can get the picture. Anyways, it's been a very interesting experience and I hope to continue in this vein. However, I do have the chuppah to finish so I'm going to give it a rest for a bit until my other commitments are finished.

Quilt show

I wasn't planning to do much today. (Not true, I was planning to clean the kitchen cupboards, ha ha.) Some stitching and that's it.
So that's what I did this morning. I took out one embroidered seam that I wasn't happy with and replaced it with another which I like. Besides, I noticed that I don't have that many embroidered seams and that most of my treatments are trims. (Note to self for next time--more embroidered seams).
Then I remembered that the Etobicoke Quilter's Guild was having a quilt show and my mother wanted to see it. So I called her and my sister, Devora, and Menachem took us. (I have the most supportive DH). Well, it certainly was time well spent. There were some lovely quilts, all sane and mostly traditional but there were a few quilters who drew outside the lines using interesting techniques and embellishments, though no where near the embellished cq I'm in love with.
There was also "stuff for sale" -- either recycled stuff (buttons, lace, hankies, etc.) or new (fabrics, threads, beads, etc.).
And in spite of my alleged craft supply diet, I picked up some unusual buttons, some lace and some beads. I also picked up some free ideas... And my mother told me that she has some cq-type fabrics for me -- embroidered tablecloths with either holes or stains that would be perfect for cutting up. So all in all, the quilt show was quite enjoyable.
And Menachem and I were discussing the sane quilting thing when we got home and it turns out he may be interested in taking up machine quilting, not the piecing and sewing the tops, but sewing the sandwich. And that's the part I don't feel comfortable with. So we may just have an additional marriage made in heaven.
I came home inspired and did some stitching. I did one cluster which turned out so so and used another button for a button/bead combination. I literally cannot sew on buttons. They're always loose. And I must reread how to do the clusters in the course notes because no matter how many variations I lay out, they just don't look right.
Anyways, I am almost finished and will do the final touches tomorrow and then post a photo.
In the afternoon, Mintzy and I are invited to a wedding shower where other than the hostess and her sister, we don't know anyone... But Mintzy's not shy so it should be fun.

Fabricland

On the way home from work yesterday, I went to the dollar store to buy some gift bags. I was also looking for a new transparent shower curtain and laundry bags. When I need a dollar store, there are two equal-distanced from my office. One is in the mini-mall with the cheap jewellry I sometimes buy for cq. The other is in the mini-mall where the Fabricland store is located. I went to the Fabricland one. So I found my gift bags (I tend to buy gift bags rather than wrapping paper because the bags usually get reused a few times whereas the wrapping paper, unless the recipient is particularly crafty, ends up in the garbage), no shower curtain or laundry bags, and some red flower shaped rather large sequins, suitable for my class block.

I cannot pass by Fabricland without going in. As I enter, there's a big basket with button cards: $1 for 10 button cards. Who can resist? They had pearl white, off-white, moss green, red, orangey-brown -- remind anyone of the colours of my class block? So I bought 20 cards. I also found some trim I liked.

This morning, I did a little auditioning for my block. The colours are great but after I place them, I feel like the block may seem a little overcrowded. I will place them, photograph and upload to ask for opinions from my joggles teacher and classmates.

I was at the doctor's office for my annual physical today. It went well. She sent me for the usual tests -- bloodwork, mammo, pelvic ultrasound, bone density. I am always healthy until the results come in...

The mother-lode

We went to Chaim and Miriam's on Sunday night. Menachem met with Chaim to discuss the camp budget and I took my cq stuff to show Miriam. Miriam was very impressed and immediately went upstairs and came down with one of Amy's dresses -- a peach and white affair which is very frufru. I'm not sure of the fabric types but will figure that out and how to use them later. She also brought down her jewellery boxes and gave me a ton of earrings, necklaces, brooches, and watches. I have been diligently taking them apart and sorting. I can't wait to use the stuff!

This evening, we are going with Mintzy and Rafi to Positano, an Italian restaurant. I am also looking forward to it.

I have added a few bits and pieces to my class block. I am just waiting for lesson number six on Thursday so I know how to finish it off.

Anyways, I brought some of the stuff to the office to pick apart so that's all for now.

Home stretch?

Well, it kind of feels like this block is drawing to an end. I searched my button box and really didn't have anything suitable for a cluster. I used one pearl-like button and a lot of pearl-like beads and I kind of like the result, even though the button looks somewhat forlorn by itself.
But I used real pearls on the green trim. And used a few findings: the birds and the chamsot.
I was having trouble visualizing the finished square so I "framed" it with the burgundy/red trim. I now see that the embroidery on the brown bottom right corner is off kilter. I think I'll pick out the stitches and do something else there.
And then a bead here, a bead there but I think I'm pretty much finished.
Anyways, from a leisurely weekend with no plans, we've had a busy weekend. Yesterday I went with Mintzy to Cayne's and we got a shower gift for Yoni and Julia. Actually a few gifts. We took several small items from the gift registry. Menachem went to Home Depot to buy some stuff so we can paint the kitchen ceiling. In the afternoon, the cable guys came to fix the internet wire. Then Devora came for a visit.
Today, we were invited to Eddie and Nafisa's (next door neighbours) for brunch. Then in the afternoon we were invited to Rafi and Mintzy's for dessert in honour of Rafi's birthday. This evening Menachem has a meeting with Chaim L. to go over the camp budget. I'm not sure if I'm invited or if I am, if I'm going. We'll see.
And the phone may ring any minute with an invite for coffee at Rachel's who called earlier. She was in Cuba over March break and wants to shmooze.
That's about it for today.

Slow day at the salt mines

Things are slow at the office today so I have time to post.

I am looking forward to a lazy weekend. Other than leisurely stitching, there are no plans. I should try to walk to increase my exercising. But if it's cold and windy, forget it. I'm not a martyr.

Yesterday I took a break during work and went with Menachem and Alissa to the shul where Sari is getting married to measure the chuppah frame. It is 72" X 72". I know the width of my three panels is about 62" so I will have to insert two additional panels between them to fit the width. Lengthwise, I haven't measured. I'm pretty sure I have the 72" but if not, I'll do the same thing -- add panels at the top and the bottom. I'm thinking of maybe doing colourful dupionni silk squares. I'll have to think about it. Anyways, now that I have the measurements, I can put it together.

I also have one more week of my online class. Once I finish the class block, I want to frame it. And then I want to go back to Auf Simchas and continue embellishing.

I am also thinking about taking another online course at joggles. It's fabric collage and it's not being offered right now but maybe I will invite someone to take it with me. It's more fun when you're sharing it with someone. Any takers?

This and that

Last night I was at my Pomegranate guild meeting. The program was a hands on demonstration and workshopr for making an afikomen bag (Passover related, for those who may be wondering). I am at my worst in the evening -- tired, eyes hurt, not focussing, etc. So I usually end up taking the instructions and materials home where they accumulate. If the project doesn't grab me at the workshop, I'm not going to suddenly be enamoured of it when I get home. Sometimes, I get good beads or threads or stuff I can recycle into other projects. Sometimes not. Last night's was a not. Never mind, I had a nice evening with friends.

Today is Class 5 of the cq course. The photos of Sharon's work are amazing and the light bulbs are going off in my head. I would share the info, but I think it's copyrighted. I know what I'll be doing in the next few days.

A little later, Menachem and I are meeting Alissa at the shul where Sari is getting married. We're going to measure the shul's chuppah frame so I can finish my sewing accordingly.

Did I mention that we had a very nice get together on Tuesday night at my mother's for Purim?

Two views of the class block

Here are two photos of the class block. The first one shows the colours better than the other. the other shows a truer picture of the trims. I'm still trying to decide where to put stuff.

Lost internet connection

We haven't had internet at home for two days. It's amazing how disconnected I feel without it. And yesterday I was too busy to surf at work so it's just now that I'm getting caught up on my email and visiting the sites I'm used to visiting.

Here's what's new:

Course block -- I did my SRE and it looks quite nice. I still need some beads, french knots, etc. to finish it out but it's coming along. I had to go to Staples/Business Depot yesterday to pick up something for the office. Fortunately, there is a Fabricland right there so I went in and bought a few trims. I'm now auditioning their placement (photos to follow when the internet service at home is restored). And I unpicked some other trim which no longer appealed to me. I'll post at the joggles forum and get feedback. I have to remember that the trim goes beyond the outer border of the square so I have to make a "frame" of paper so I can see what is going to be exposed when I finish.

Purim -- last night I was going to go downtown to the Kiever shul with my mother to hear the Megilla read by Ori. Yesterday, it was cold, windy and stormy. I opted to stay home.
Tonight, we're all at my mother's for a Purim get together. I'm looking forward to it.

Pomegranate Guild -- tomorrow is the monthly meeting. This time it's with Haya Nativ, an amazing fabric artist. It's hands on -- we're making Pesach matza covers and/or afikoman bags.
As much as I'm looking forward to it, I don't like going out at night. At least not until it gets warmer and the days get longer.

That's it for now.

Saturday

So I got most of what I had planned done.
The upstairs bathroom is ready for use. Still need to purchase a few things but the shower curtain's up and the room's been cleaned.
I also did the bedroom and the studio -- it still needs to be organized a little more. Didn't get to the computer room and don't know where to start. It's pretty much the catch-all room of the house.

After lunch, I had Menachem drop me off at Needleart (north of Highway 7 won). I picked up some lovely stuff in the browns, rusts, golds -- some thick DMC thread, some velvet thread, and some synthetic ribbony stuff.

I walked home. This is a considerable distance (for me) so I am quite pleased with myself. And the weather was gorgeous -- 10 degrees and sunny. I stopped off at Mintzy's to gloat about my purchases and exercise...

Once home, I tackled the class block. Where I had two parallel seams, I covered one seam with a pied shaped piece of rust ultrasuede which changed the seam alignment. Then I embellished the new seams. Am pleased with the result. I didn't start on the SRE yet -- still trying to decide the spray design and the kind of flowers. I have a lovely 7 mm. gold silk which lends itself to daisies, I think. And all the other threads and silks for assorted rose-type flowers and other blooms. Tomorrow.

And I'm wondering how does one make silk ribbon? Is it simply strips, bias cut or what? There's just so many internet sites for dyeing silk ribbon but I haven't come across cutting it yet. I mean, I never need more than 12" strips at a time anyways. Just a thought.

And off to bed. I'll try to post a photo tomorrow after I've stitched.

Report on cultural activities

So yesterday evening, Rafi and Mintzy picked us up and we went downtown for dinner and theatre. The Chinese restaurant was fine -- we ordered a few dishes, some meat, some veggie -- not amazing but tasty and filling.

"The Arab-Israeli Cookbook" was an interesting play. It was based on interviews with people in Israel, both Jewish and Arab, the West Bank and Gaza. The common denominator was food. The six actors played a variety of parts, cooking on stage as they did. It wasn't a brilliant play but the premise was interesting and it certainly was thought-provoking.

And a little too long in uncomfortable chairs. The four of us came out kvetching (complaining) about aches and pains as a result of the seating. Either the seats really were bad or we're just getting older and crankier.

I am declaring a moratorium on "culture" for a while. Mindless TV at home will have to suffice.

I came home from work and re-arranged my studio. I haven't finished yet but the major bits are moved and I just have to organize the mess on the tables. I pull out the beads and threads and trims but don't put them right back into their "homes". Result -- mess. So I will attempt to straighten that out before I start stitching.

Also, the bathroom remodel is finished and I have to do some heavy-duty cleaning in there and while I'm at it, the other upstairs rooms.

I've been looking for silk ribbon for SRE and there's less and less of it available in town. I either have to go back to the place I went last weekend, north of Highway 7, or go downtown to Queen Street to Mokuba. I'm thinging maybe Mokuba because then I can hit Arton beads, the trim stores, Chinatown, etc. But then I'm thinking maybe north is better because then I can't hit Arton beads, the trim stores, Chinatown, etc....

Anyways, I have an idea for using ultrasuede on my class block. I'm thinking of a papercut design and I have to figure out how to cut it and how to attach it. My challenge for this evening. I'll let you know if it works out.

Birthday Flowers

These are the flowers I mentioned in my previous post.

Today we received another surprise -- not for my birthday. A gift certificate to Positano's restaurant here in Toronto. So another event for the usually stay at home Erezes.

This evening we're going to see a play "The Arab-Israeli Cookbook" with Rafi and Mintzy. We're starting off at a Chinese restaurant downtown.

I'm dizzy from so much culture and activity.

The new cq lesson was posted online and the photos are delicious. I think this weekend I will rearrange my studio so I face the natural light. And then I'm gonna stitch like mad. If I can find silk ribbon. My colour and width variety is very limited. I'll see what I can find.

Birthday surprises

So yesterday was my birthday. A low-key day because after a certain age, you don't celebrate as loudly as before. I went to work, came home, and in the evening, we went to dinner with my mother. Did I mention that all three of my children called me from Israel?
When I got home, there was a message on my phone. On Sunday we were at an Arts Festival for the Heschel School and I bought a raffle ticket. Turns out I won something!! I think a doll but I'm not sure. I asked my brother to pick it up. I never win anything. This is a good sign.
Then this morning, I came into work and there's a huge floral arrangement from my children. Lovely tulips. I cried. If I remember, and there's juice in the camera battery, I will post a photo.
And today, there's a new cq lesson on-line. So life is good.

Bit the bullet

Ok. It's International Women's Day today (and my birthday) so there's nothing I can't do!!
I started working on the original course block. Que sera sera.

I am taking the bullion embroidery book to work today and time permitting, will make a sampler of bullion stitches.

B-day plans? Not yet. Maybe after work. Speaking of which, I'm out the door now. Talk later.

Update

So this morning I posted a photo of where I am, course block-wise. I have received positive feedback which is always nice. Also, by posting the block, I can "see" it differently than when it's lying on the table in front of me. Still can't see any paths, but...

I was just at the library and borrowed three books: Elegant Tatting Patterns by Janet Carroll, Embroidered Treasures for Silk Ribbon by Helen Dafter, and Bullion Stitch Embroidery by Jenny Bradford.

I am determined to learn tatting. I would prefer to have someone show me but I have a shuttle and may just try it myself. I can crochet and maybe I'll just practise getting better at that.

The embroidery books look interesting. I'm hesitant to purchase any books until I'm sure it's a good book I will refer to often. There's so much stuff on the internet but that means doing my needlework in front of a computer screen.

Anyways, no stitching this evening. We're babysitting for Alon.

Progress

In the meantime

So this is where I am with my class project. I started with the squiggly line at the right centre. It kind of overpowers the whole thing. But I just started on my silk ribbon embroidery and hope that when the spray are done, they will balance out the picture a little. The purple silk ribbon laying across the hoop isn't attached and there's another thing of SR lying on top yet to be used. My mantra in life is "the big picture" and I'm hoping that it will turn out alright in the end.

Menachem is finishing up the painting in the upstairs bathroom. Once that's done, the new tiles have to be sealed, the sink drain replaced, a new shower curtain purchased and hopefully, we will be able to stop running two flights downstairs to shower.

When Menachem finished painting, we're going to an art exhibit at the Adath Israel synagogue, a benefit for Alanna, Jeremy, Michelle's and Noam's school. I doubt if I'll be doing any heavy duty purchasing but Alanna has a table selling beaded jewellry she made and I'd like to support her efforts. I'd also like to get to Chapters to buy books for Noam and Jeremy's birthdays. And I might even buy myself a cq or embroidery book.

Yesterday afternoon, we popped up to a the thread store north of Hwy 7. The place does mostly needlepoint -- they sell printed needlepoint canvas, wools, threads, etc. I went specifically for silk ribbon but didn't like what they had so I bought some DMC cottons and velvet threads. All, of course, in pinks and purples. I guess I'm kind of stuck in a colour warp. I may introduce some blues and yellows, but I'm not sure yet. It was a stretch for me to use the greens.

Last night, we went with Miriam L. to see a Hebrew play called "Wife, Husband, Home" at the Bloor JCC. I initially purchased the tickets to support the efforts of a friend (Tami, Elliot B.'s wife) who brought the play from Montreal to Toronto. I wasn't expecting a lot becauses the actors were amateur and the budget low key. However, most of the acting was very good and the play itself was excellent. Many layered and the kind of play you keep thinking about after it's over.

On Thursday evening, we're going with Rafi and Mintzy to see another play, this time in English, called "The Israeli-Arabic Cookbook". So much Culture in such a short period of time... When we moved from the farm to the city, I swore we'd be able to chose the plays and concerts we went to (on the farm, we went to see whatever the local municipality brought in). Ha ha. In the Canadian winter, culture shmulture -- we prefer to stay home in front of the TV.

So, I had to go downtown

So I had to go downtown today to legalize some documents at the Official Documents Services office. Usually this is done for documents which need to be used in a foreign country. The lawyer signs an affidavit that the document is true to the original. The lawyer's signature and seal are verified by the ODS office which affixes its own seal to the bundle. Then the foreign country either accepts it as valid or not. None of this may interest you but I had 36 documents to have verified meaning it was going to take them a while. So I left the documents there and went out to kill an hour and a half.

First I went to get my driver's licence renewed. I haven't driven for about 18 years but since Canada has no official ID card, the driver's licence is it. Note to self -- always go downtown to renew it. There are hardly any lineups if you visit during the regular work day, not before work, during lunch, or after work.

Then I would have preferred visiting a bookstore but it was too far to walk since the temperatures were quite cold with a high wind chill factor. So I went to the nearest shopping establishment, College Park. College Park has a Winners store, mostly clothing at quite reasonable prices. Carmit swears by it. I swear at it. The racks are stuffed, there's very little rhyme or reason to where stuff is. But I wasn't looking to buy clothes -- I was seeing them through the eyes of a cq'er. Oh, those sequins, those beads, that scarf. Cut up, stitches picked -- I could see the possibilities. But reasonable as the prices may have been, they were still too dear for a cq chop-shop adventure.

I spent the next to last bit of killing time at the Dollarama. I love the dollar stores but wasn't enamoured with any of their crafting/fabric/buttons/trims. Not even at those prices.

Popped into a sandwich store, had a quick bite, back to the ODS, picked up my files and returned to the office. Finished a title search and came home.

This morning before work, I picked out some stitches and sequins on my class project and did some beading. This evening I did a little embroidery. Tomorrow, I hope to make greater progress. And if the winds have died down I may just walk to the thread/wool store near the house (just north of highway 7). I need the exercise and doing it will make me feel virtuous enough to justify spending money...