Sewing is on hold and

the creativity is happening in the kitchen.

 I am a bit late on my baking this year but it will get done....

Yesterday was a perfect day to be in the kitchen.

The Christmas music was on, the snow was sparkling like diamonds and DH kept the fire burning in the fireplace.  

These are Amy's DGD  favorites .... 

 These Christmas Squares are daughters Liette's and Yvelle's favorite...

 The meat is cooking for the meat pies and the Plum pudding is steaming 

 The gumdrops are ready for another gumdrop cake... 

More baking today with GD Amy ... and some wrapping. With the inclement weather predicted lets hope the power stays on so our baking can happen.

Update on the guild.....   

Last weekend at the guild I did a workshop on paper piecing 

 The project is not quite finished yet so in the UFO basket it goes until after Christmas .

Some of the work done at the workshop.

Because we are such a large group we have two workshops going at the same time to divide the attendance, so the second workshop was on "Quilting as you piece"   

 with teacher member Nicole 

 Here is Charmaine's pieced 

 and this is the project all done.. piece and quilted...  

ready to snuggle under♥ . Absolutely gorgeous! 

And the gang has lots of fun! 

The guild is now closed for the Holiday season and this Wednesday we will be having our Christmas party! It takes place at the restaurant  Chez La Cuisine Les Robicheau and we have the whole place to ourselves . This year we have a tea towel exchange and/or potholder. I have mine all done but I cannot post it as I know some members check my blog. I will later.

The guild had another successful year and we look forward to reconvening in 2014 with some already exciting events on its calender.  

More members want to learn paper piecing and we have member Marnie booked to do the workshop... she does beautiful work...

Another member, Shelly, is booked for a workshop to do 

     this gorgeous tote and ... 

 plans and scheduling is on the way for a bus tour to

 in St Catherines in the Niagara Region in Ontario... 

Happy sewing, baking, shopping, wrapping, caroling or whatever you have on your agenda! ♥

Taking time to sew with Friends

a turn of the page and it's December! 

The meaning of Christmas is thought about 

The tree is decorated 

The baking is getting done .....

 and there  still time to sew  

  with friends  on a chilly Saturday....

A Slim Snowman makes his appearance 

Cute little fella!

 This design is  by 

Rhonda McCray. and appeared in the  Primitive magazine Winter 2012  

More promotion

by Saltscapes 

The Saulnierville Quilt show (Expo-Couverte) is featured in their calender for the month of August. 

A beautiful gift suggestion available on their website for only $19.95

Whew it seems so far away before we turn the page of the calender to August but hey! It seemed like I had just put away the Christmas decorations yesterday and out they came again.

Our Christmas Tea event was a great success and everyone had fun.

 The members  worked tirelessly and the guests enjoyed an afternoon of superb relaxation with good food and good company.

 As you can see in the picture the hall was well decorated 

 with projects made by the members  inviting the guests to admire works of art. 

 The tree stands decorated  in the corner inviting the guests to the Christmas spirit

 Christmas music serenades everyone with " Maranatha"!   

and the projects for sale at the guild's emporium.. ready for the Christmas shopper to pick out that perfect gift for someone special on their list and boy did they shop!   

Even tough it is a lot of work to put together both 

the members and the guests are all looking forward to next year's.

Tis the reason for the season

Need I say more: 

 My Nativity wall hanging is all done  

"C'est la raison pour la saison "

Up early and what to do?

How about a sewing class in the comfort of my pj's ? 

At 

                  www.dailycrafttv.com/videos/4346_tranquil-stars-quilt/

I often sign up for the Bernina webnars but this was the first at 
Daily Craft tv and it was excellent. The list of classes is extensive and the beauty of it, is I can access my class anytime I want a refresher after I have purchased it, it remains in my account for my viewing anytime. What a way to expand your knowledge and skills on your favorite hobby! Oh! yes there is more than quilting videos. 
Once we have the computer set up at the guild, we will be looking at purchasing some of these for classes,  a perfect tool to offer the members.  


 Can you tell I enjoyed my class .. and all in the comfort of my home. :) 

Great fun ....

at the guild's sewing retreat ... all evening Friday and all day Saturday we sewed ...

and we sewed.... 

and we socialized.... 

and we made beautiful projects... 

a table runner in progress

Fabric gift tags

Lady bug pot holders 

Fabric bowls 

Coasters 

and here getting ready to make a beautiful primitive table runner with the gift of a Fat Quarter Bundle from Mrs P's Emporium in Amherst NS 

 All this sewing leaves us with lots of remnants... so what to do with these???? 

Lorraine has the idea... she cuts them into 1½ and 2½ inch squares  and packages them. Nothing goes to waste; some sewers will benefit from these precut squares.

  

So the guild's boutique is all stocked up for next week-end... Our big event .... the Christmas Tea. 

Next Sunday at the Saulnierville Parish Hall .... 11:00 to 4:00 .

Tea, coffee, Hot apple cider...sandwiches, sweets and lots to see. Projects on display and for sale. Lottery on a BIG basket of baking goods... 50/50 draw and a door prize. Admission $5.00 per person. 

Not to mention the fun of socializing together in a beautiful Christmas ambiance.  

Sewing A breeze....

for the guild. Tonight we begin a week-end sewing retreat to sew projects which will be for sale at our annual Christmas tea. I made a few projects this week .

a wall hanging with a whimsical look.

This fits perfectly on the door .

and the next project

a wreath table topper .

I will have pictures of our sewing retreat later. I am experiencing Blog glitches grrrrr.............

No snow but ....

there are lots of snowmen and snowWOMEN

These I made for daughter Yvelle 

 All different 

 Ready for the Christmas table

 Some come in "three's" 

Design is machine embroidered .

and now for the big revelation! I did it... I finished a project using the feather free motion quilting lesson I learnt in Karen Neary's class..  

I am now more comfortable taking on Free motion feather quilting. Of course practice is essential and I am devoting a few hours daily to practice this. 

Thanks again Karen!

Show and Tell ....Karen's workshop projects

 Another successful and fun trip to the Fibre Arts Festival in Amherst N.S.  

and a wonderful workshop with Karen Neary. 

2013 is my fifth year to attend so I thought it would be fun to roll out the previous projects.

2009 First workshop for me and my sister Simone. Diamonds are a Girl's Best friend. We mastered the art of sewing "Y" seams. 

2010 "Meadow Song"  learnt new tricks to machine appliqué.

 

2011.. "Free motion for the Absolute Terrified".. With Karen's calm demeanor we got rid of the fear of free motion.   

2012.. "Round About" ... mastering the  art of paper piecing. 

Karen's workshop this year 2013 .... Feather Quilting  ♥

And so the gang is ready.... 

 Confident we will succeed with Karen's teaching. 

 Member  of the Guild, Alisa masters the art of feathering in no time. 

 Participant from PEI. 

  Helen from Harbor Bouchie. 

 Elaine.  

 Sister Simone.

 Participant from Amherst.
( Check out Karen's blog for more eye candy on the workshop ) 
I am in the midst of completing my workshop project on 
Feather Quilting which I will post later . 

 Can't forget all the fun we had at Pugsley's Emporium  on Friday evening! Beautiful show and tell! Met new quilters and the fabric! wow! 
We shopped til we dropped :) 
What a gorgeous quilt shop. 
Believe me it is worth the 5 hour drive. The choice of fabric , the décor and the most important of all the friendly service. Not to forget the warm hugs! 
"Doesn't get better than that" 
  
Speaking of kindness, we went home with gifts for the guild. 
I cannot explain the gratitude I feel when people reach out to support " La Guilde Acadienne de Clare" and to have that support from people away from our community is simply heart warming to say the least.   

Karen sends this kit for the Junior program,
her design " Charm School". 

and another kit for the guild itself . 
Karen's  "Maritime Beauty" 

and then Mrs P's, who just opened her store, sends this 
Fat Quarter Bundle 

 the "Crossroads" line by Jan Patek♥ 

 Sister Simone made these cute 

 Thread catchers for our sale at the Christmas Tea.

 I bet when I bring these to the meeting there won't be any left for the sale. I have a feeling they will sell like hot cakes right away to the members. But she was kind enough to show us how to make them so that will be a good project to work on .   

Oh and this one is 

mine!♥

And while I was away... 

                                     

hubby was attending the annual golf banquet and was awarded a trophy for a "Hole in One" he made this summer.