Tag: Quilters Connection Mag

Posted on

Winner, Gift Exchange and Christmas (entry 50)

Entry 50 already, WOW where does the time go *smile*

Hi all, well today I have a winner to announce, Vivian from Northern Needles Blog entered her favourite Christmas story for my Quilters Connection Magazine Post, here’s what she entered:

For some odd reason I cannot remember any memorable childhood Christmases. How crazy is that? I must be blocking or maybe I just can’t think tonight LOL. Surely I would have remembered if something terrible happened.

I do have a Christmas story, however it takes place when I was all grown up. I hope you don’t mind but I want to share anyway!

We live quite a distance from our whole family, definitely not a short jaunt. It was my daughter’s first Christmas. As I’m the oldest, she was the first baby in the family, so it was quite an exciting time for everyone. Everyone wanted to be together, to hold her, to be there when she opened her first gifts (she was 11 months at the time) and just enjoy her since our visits were rare due to distance, etc. So we took some extra time and went home for a couple of weeks. Days of visiting and nights of card games and board games, lots of pop and junk food and dainties and fun.

Christmas Eve morning came and something was definitely wrong. I figured it was just the travel, the food, the excitement. Until I sniffed some meat. There was only one other time that meat did not appeal to me. I put 2 and 2 together and made a mad dash to the nearest town with a drugstore. I was on pins and needles all night, just waiting for the morning.

Christmas morning came and with it came the results. Before the mad rush of present opening, I got to make my announcement to the entire family. Little Lisa was on her way!

It was a wonderful day of celebration, although there was no way I could have any of the turkey.

That was my best Christmas. I had my little girl and a new one coming soon.

Thanks Vivian for your story, I know quite a few women who would agree with you :). Please send me your mailing address so I can get the copy of the magazine out to you, Thanks for following my blog & Merry Christmas.

++++++++++
Since no one is posting their quilting bit of goodness right now as we have all of these secrets we are keeping from our family and friends…I thought I would have a scrappy non-quilt related post.

Cookie Exchange with my MIL, SIL and my Sister it was sure fun and we made some awesome cookies
These were mine, whipped shortbread with cinnamon chips in them, so delicious.
My MIL, thumbprint cookies and they were my favourite. I actually had to make a deal with DH so he would save these for me *smile*. She scrap-booked her recipe card – so cute!
These were my Sisters, Ginger Cookies, scrumptious!!
These were my SIL’s they are lemon, cranberry shortbread. 
We were kind of joking about having to make 4 dozen cookies amoungst all of the other Christmas stuff going on…but it worked out and it was such a nice down home visit with the ladies – thanks Colleen for making it happen.
++++++++++
Here’s my MIL’s Christmas card for this year. Every year she water colour paints her card then gets it printed onto photo paper…this year was probably her best yet, but then again I really liked the Christmas decorations she painted one year…
For me, this little bird is all puffed out trying to stay warm yet enjoying the stillness of the day with the freshly dusted tree branches and the brisk air, how re-freshing she would say…Love it!
++++++++++
Last but not least, I thought I would share a picture of Tig. Since we rescued her from the pound 8.5 years ago she has never really enjoyed winter and is always cold during this time of year but hey who isn’t :). In the winter months, she can be found either a) under the tree or b) on a heat register…it’s really quite cute:
{not one piece of the register vent is exposed, she has it covered LOL)

I have one gift left to make for our “homemade” Christmas and it’s for Jeff’s Nannie (mom’s mom), if anyone has any ideas please send them my way as I’m kind of struggling here…thanks so much.
Until next time, have a happy creative day…
Posted on

WIN: Quilters Connection Magazine (entry 45)

Hi everyone, I just received the new Addition of Quilters Connection Magazine and I must give a shout out to Heather, “Great Job!!” I read it from cover to cover and wanted more 😉 For those of you who are from far and wide reading my blog like Rachel D may not totally get us Canadians and our love for Hockey and winter nights but then again you may love it as much as we do! 

My cotton thread cones have also been featured under their “Favourite Finds” section I’m so excited!! My first magazine spotlight!!

I have one available to WIN, so to WIN what you need to do is send me your favourite Christmas storey. Tell me something about when you were a kid and your strongest memory of what Christmas was to you and your family. Also, for all of you readers who feel shy to leave a comment, please just for this one time even, leave your storey for all of us to read.

For me, it was hunting through the wilderness searching for the “best” tree we could find with my Grandpa. All of us Grandkids trudging through the snow…seems like we picked every tree…but Grandpa always got final say :). We would decorate it as a family listening to Christmas Music – great memories.

I’ll draw the winner Monday December 14th.

Thanks so much for all of your support and comments with my other blog postings as I love the feedback.

Until next time…Valerie

Posted on

Quilters Connection Magazine (entry 27)

Fall of 2009 Quilters Connection Magazine: a magazine for Canadian Quilters written by quilters for quilters put out their first issue. I was so excited to get my first issue of this magazine, I’ve wanted Canada – someone out there to produce a magazine that all of us Canadians can relate too…we read so many awesome American and Australian magazines (that we will no doubt continue to read) and now we have our very own – thanks Heather McArthur.

If you read about Heather and her mission for this magazine it is truly inspiring. I love so much about this magazine, from the way it’s laid out – so easy to flip through – I really think the colours are fabulous that she has incorporated as well as all of the content.

I found out about this magazine through Michele Foster from Quilting Bloggers as she wrote an article in this first issue of the magazine called “The Virtual Quilting Bee: how quilters connect online and outlined everything I’m going through starting Pastimes Online – thanks Michelle – so easy to understand it was like you wrote this to me;)

Here’s the front cover image to give you a bit of an idea for the feel…

 

isn’t this so adorable?

she’s included different projects from all sorts of people, charities etc. She has some adorable patterns, a shop review (Veronica’s Sewing Supplies, Kindersley, Saskatchwan)

Currently you can only purchase this magazine from local quilt stores and boutiques (there is a listing on the back page of the magazine – please visit her website for details & subscriptions. I will carry the next issue of the magazine as I’m advertising in it & she is featuring my cotton thread cones so stay tuned:) I will more than likely carry it on an on-going basis also just because I am so proud that we have it!

Our very own Quilters Connection Magazine for Canadians.

She also features a “Show & Tell” page…if you have something you want to tell or show here’s where you can be featured for some special you’ve created – this issue is was on Cathie King (Pentincton, BC) Nice job on the portrait quilt Cathie!!

She has a “favourite finds” page showcasing all of their favourites…some good books and ideas here. Quilt Shows and Events Listings…so far no Alberta Shows are listed…hmm we might have to fix that for the next issue. If you know of or are hosting a show yourself in Alberta – please email me your dates and times and I will add them into my Quilting in Alberta under Alberta Quilt Shows – also send Heather an email as well and she will add them to her list.

Last but not least she also has a newsletter – you can sign up for it on her website here and it will be emailed to you – it’s a bi-monthly newsletter with some great stuff in it including a free pattern.

Here’s her initial blurb at the beginning of the newsletter to give you a taste of what in store:

“Dear Quilting Friends, 

Welcome to the first ‘official’ issue of Loose Threads, Quilter’s Connection Magazine’s newsletter filled with tips, techniques and projects to inspire all quilters.  In this issue, we have a great article on labeling your quilt, a scrappy little fall project, a list of upcoming quilt shows, and a sneak peak at what’s in our Winter issue of the magazine, due out December 1st!

Happy Quilting! ~ Heather”

I don’t think it can get any better than this – Quarterly Magazine…Next Issue will be ready to purchase Dec 1st-09, bi-monthly newsletter…it is twice the fun. Enjoy!!