Facebook

I just uploaded a whack of images to the shop's Facebook page - mostly stuff I made.  Some stuff PITA and I made together.  I accidentally deleted the whole page last week and am having to start from scratch - which might be okay because it can be neat and tidy!

Have a look - I would love to know what you think of my work.

:o) Tina

Photo a Day, Day 1 and 2

I hate to wait.  Hate it.  Well maybe hate is too strong a word (it is not one I like to use) but I do strongly dislike it. It is why I don't clean my oven - and I know that sounds like a really crappy excuse but it is the truth.  I can never wait for the Easy Off to do its job before I am in there scraping and scrubbing and breathing in all those toxic fumes and cursing myself for not waiting until the cleaner did its job.  Every time, I am not even joking.

I am currently sitting at my desk waiting for a phone call that I do not particularly want to have feeling as if I would like to take what is left of my bottle of Ativan and maybe a T3 or two to ease the pain created by my morning massage and my frayed nerves.   It is a phone call where I have to ask someone, who I love, who loves me by default (we are related) for help.  I strongly dislike asking for help as well.  (I sure have a lot of issues I am making a counseling appointment as I type!)

I still have not finished my 31 Days posts, but I promise you I am working on them and they are getting closer.  I made a list - that is always a good step in the right direction for me.  Today is the second day of photo a day, I suppose I need to catch up on that too!  I was down for the count yesterday with a nasty headache, the likes of which I have not felt since I discontued my wine habit back in 1999 or there abouts.

April 1st Photo - My Reflection

Looks like me.  Acts like me. He is a reflection of me (and I don't care if that is cheating!).

April 2nd Photo - Colour

I took this ages ago at a quilt show and have been waiting for the right time to use it.  I have another colour photo that I could have used but could not find it - I think it is lost in my old Instagram account - if I find it, I will post it later.

Anyway, I could go on and on just for the sake of rambling today, I have lots of nervous energy built up. You know, the kind that makes your feel like your whole body is stuffed with little fluttery birds and you have a hot brick on your neck.  Still waiting... once it is done, I will feel so much better.

I think I will go search for something funny for a wordless Wednesday post.

:o)  Tina

31 Days of Pinterest, Cute Little Owls on Day 26

I am only three days behind!  Yeah me! Perhaps I will get caught up and be done by the end of the month.  I am going to participate in a photo a day over at Fat Mum Slim (and when I say over, I mean it, she is in Australia!)

#26!  Yeah 26!  it is sort of a duplicate of another day's post but I did legitimately make these this month and they are not bags but stuffies so I think it counts! Pretty cute too if I do say so myself.  Big thanks to PITA for the donation of Mr. PITA's comfy sweater to re-purposed and to NAG for stuffing them - I don't like that part.

31 Days of Pinterest, Something Pretty for the Cork and Magnet Boards on Day 9

Seriously, how could I not?

{via}

So this pin is actually for magnets, but I did some magnets and thumb tacks as I am putting a magnetic board above my desk (or rather PITA is, the next time she comes in) and you saw yesterday's post - it needs something pretty - and, well, I had the glue gun read to go.

I already had everything I needed for this one so it was FREE.  If you had to buy stuff to do it, it would be about $1 for six magnets and about another $1 for a package of thumb tacks at your local dollar store.  And everyone has buttons, right?  (I have a thing - I AM a button hoarder.)

When we were getting the cutting room at the shop organized, we (me and PITA) covered some cork squares with fabric and attached them to the wall behind the cutting table, and then put a metal circle in the middle - lots of places for me to put all my little notes and such... once we are settled in our new spot that it is.  It seems like the last 10 pounds when you go on a diet - it just doesn't want to get done.  I still have half a dozen boxes in my office of general junk that need to be sorted and tossed, sold or put away and now I have a cold so all I have planned for today is blogging and staring blankly at the computer screen (so far so good).  Anyway, here are mine. The butterflies, birds and flowers are little wooden embellishments (also from the dollar store) that we glued to magnets.

See yah tomorrow.  Hopefully I am not too sick to come up with something good.  :o)

Tina

31 Days of Pinterest, The Cork Boards on Day 8

I saw this idea and instantly knew I wanted to do it for the cabinet doors in my pretty pink office.  I did it today since I am getting close to being able to see all of the floor!  Finally.

I am not even going to bother with the Pinterest version of (this is the link because I like to give credit where credit is due), I actually like my photo better (toot toot). This was a super inexpensive project, the cork was from the Dollarama $2, for 2 pieces... maybe I should put my cost on all these posts, I know I would like to know.  :o)

:o) Tina

PS  The Maxine tacked up says "Don't believe everything you think." I have posted it before here.  I LOVE it.  It is totally me.  :o)

31 Days of Pinterest, From to Trash to Treasure (Is Not Always This Easy!) Day 3

I love it when you stumble upon something and know exactly what you are going to do with it.

From blogs.babble.com via
Tina on Pinterest

When we moved the shop, I had this instinct to keep all of these old drawer that were in the basement but had some aesthetic value.  Then, I saw this on Pinterest.

I put this together. It took about 2 minutes. I cut fabric to size, double checked to make sure it fit and used spray adhesive to attach it. I would have used paper instead if I had any but I am a sewer not a scrapbooker so fabric it is.  I am pretty happy with it but have no idea what to put in it.  The flowers where filler for the picture.  :o)

So what is next you may wonder?  Hmm...  I have the day off tomorrow so we shall see if I cook and clean or sew...  I have a couple of things up my sleeve, now however, despite the hour, I am going to do some blog clean up and see if I can find a relatively easy way  to create a page for selling stuff...  yeah, the nasty business of that.  I know I know, I don't want to but now with Josh home I have yet another mouth to feed.  :o)

Talk to you tomorrow.

:o)  Tina

Nag

Sorry.  I have been busy. And quite honestly a little bi-polar and didn't want to spread it around.  I have a loan that I cannot afford the payments for and need to re-do my mortgage so that I can afford to live in my house and work this low (read no) pay job and I am super stressed about it as my credit (thanks to a divorce and then starting a business in a downward spiraling economy) is in the toilet...  see this is why no post.  Hate to be grumpy and complain - dump my crap in your lap  - so I was avoiding BUT Nag (my new name for Jen) keeps asking (nagging, some might say) about a new post and since I have been slacking I have been starting to worry that you won't want come to read anymore. Don't worry I have an appointment with my councilor tomorrow.

Aside:  I have tell you I am sitting at my desk in my new pink office (thank you PITA) surrounded by a huge mess of stuff (thank you again, PITA) that needs to be unpacked and sorted through and at the same time straightening my hair, using my iPhone as a mirror. And those who know me think I can't multitask!  (which is true in the case of chewing gum)  :o)

So I have been a bit gloomy but I have taken a few really great photos with my iPhone and the help of Instagram.  See....

On Monday CH cooked dinner for the whole family... grilled cheese.  Yummy.

We gave all the rooms at the new shop names, this is the fabric room.

First finished quilt to leave the new shop.  It was a kit put together by one of our
Wilters and machine quilted by me.

This is the hallway at the shop which leads to the notions room , the needlework
room, my office and the family room.  We call it the magical hallway.

Outside the family room window last Friday night after Quilt Til You Wilt.

The Sports Hall of Fame at the Trail Memorial Centre

The dark corner of the fabric room....  CH just brought a really cool
old light to hang in this corner... 

So Nag, hope you are satisfied.

:o)  Tina

Things...

First of all, THANK YOU Jen and PITA.  You are single (double) handedly making this SO much easier for me.  It has been a really hard decision to scale things down - I am not saying bad, only hard, and both have you have made it significantly easier.

Second, do you think that $108 is too much to spend on whiteboards to make a wall into a calender in my newly painted beautiful office? I am not so sure I do.  I am also going to buy a new chair, it is pink, for $250.  I am going to wait and see how the week goes, but I really want to.  Jen is the most amazing sales person ever (maybe because she practically gives stuff away) so my chances are good. Did I mention, the white boards are also magnetic...

Third, I am so excited for a new(ish) start.  Please God, let my new plan work better than the old one did. Please.  I will be so sad if I have to give up the dream altogether and this one seems so much more comfortable and feels so much more right - and the best part is that I don't have to beg, borrow or go into debt to create it - it will rise from the ashes of the old dream.

Fourth, I am excited but I am also nervous.  I do not want to be forced to sacrifice time with my kids to make money in a rigid, scheduled environment.  The thought of having an employer TERRIFIES me and I am not exaggeration.  Scares the beans out of me.  For real.

Fifth, I want this (and the yummy looking cold coffee drink inside of it) but I am SO not paying $7.99. If you have ever seen it anywhere for less, please let me know.

Source: fastcodesign.com via Jane on Pinterest

Sixth, PITA and I have been working hard at painting and creating an inviting and functional new space and have found a lot of really good ideas on Pinterest.  PITA LOVES to organize things so I am going to get her going on a few more projects such as these...

Source: organizingmadefun.blogspot.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: unplggd.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: re-nest.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Tina on Pinterest

I will post some pictures of the new space when I ahve found my camera - I packed it and my trusty side kick, iPhone, doesn't do it justice.

Talk to you soon,  :o)  Tina

It's Offical! We Are Moving!!

By we, I mean me, PITA, CH, and Jen (poor Jen needs a nickname) - and the shop.  It has been a long hard road and a BIG decision but we are taking the plung and going to be directing our efforts toward becoming a crafting studio more than just the Mom & Pop sewing shop we are now.  I am VERY excited about these changes and invite everyone to stop by our new location at 1338A Cedar Avenue over the next few weeks to see what we are up to!

Many, many pictures to follow!

On another note, as perviously mentioned, Penelope received a Barbie Dream Townhouse for Christmas. Yesterday, I saw this:

It is Architect Barbie!  She comes with her own teeny weeny little dream house model!  Love it!

:o)  Tina

Half Rectangle Triangles...

So I teach a beginner class for people who aspire to become quilters.  I love it as it provides me the opportunity to watch new quilters blossom and it also makes me feel like I actually know something which is fabulous!

Tonight we are doing 54-40 or fight which is the block that has always been a thorn in my side with those long triangles, perfect for beginners to stretch and distort - I am determined that these ladies will be given an easier way so tonight I am going to introduce them to half rectangle triangles...  I will let you know if it worked out the way I am hoping it will.  Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

:o) Tina

The Name Game

I often get asked why the shop is called Sugar Shack Quilting, and I tell people the story but I am not so sure it satisfies them...

When my first marriage ended I was so sad (duh) and I assumed that, that was it for me.  I thought I would live my life by myself, just me and the Little Man.  Eventually just me.  After some convincing, my Mum talked me into moving back to Trail to be closer to her and my Dad.  I will never forget how defeated I felt on my way back here - the place I ran from so many times.  It was awful.  No more awful than staying in Christina Lake was right then.

So, my Mum and I found a nice little house for me and my Little Man and we moved in.  Next door to CH. Yep, that is a Saturday Story for sure! CH and I started off relatively slowly compared so most of my other relationships and after about three months of being neighborly, he went away to work for what was supposed to be a few weeks and ended up being several months.  During that time I decided to buy a house.  When he came back from working away we moved into it together and it became - and still is - our home.  Our little love shack - our sugar (as in give me some) shack.

I am happy to say that it is still a happy home though our family has changed in so many ways over the last 8 years we started with a good strong foundation and stress seems to bring us closer together rather than further apart. (Thank Goodness for that!)  I have a wonderful life and I am so very grateful for all that I have been blessed with.

SO, the blog name is a much simpler answer. PITA came up with it to compliment the shop name - Sugar Shack Quilting - as the original plan was for the blog to be an ongoing ad for the shop - the things we do, new stuff, etc. (not the ad for me that it has become).  I loved it and went with it - well, I actually stole it directly from her when blogging turned out not to be her thing.

So there it is.  Any questions?

:o) Tina

Fill in the Blank Friday One Day Late Due to Big Road Trip!

What a weekend.  We made it.  CH changed the thermostat in the car at the side of the road between Salmo and Fruitvale and, voila, all good from there on out.  We made it to Wasa Lake safe and sound... and two and half hours late!  Oh yah, did I mention that I forgot about the 1 hour time difference?

Anyway, all is well that ends well.  CH and I had a great time, sold lots, got kissed by Alpacas (see the slide show for more!) and had a night away from the kids.  I took lots of photos and have added a slide show of the quilts and other fabulous people and things (see the side bar on the right), here are the highlights (I even took a few snaps of the food - by far the best ever at a quilt show! Thanks ladies!).

I really enjoyed this show as it had a lot of variety.  Hand quilting to professional long arm quilting; hand applique to machine applique.

There are only 16 or so members of this guild, which makes the variety - and the quantity and quality of the work - even more impressive.

Thank you all so much for a nice weekend, I will look forward to your next show!  Perhaps I will see you in Golden in April.

So here is are the blanks we missed on Friday...

1. Somewhere someone is  being born. And pretty soon that someone will be a member of this clan! October 21st!! Woot! Woot! (Thank you PITA! xxoo)

2. My children are my muse. They inspire me is ways I would never have thought to be inspired before I was blessed with them in my life.

3. It would suck if Etsy was no more because, it is such a great source for all things handmade - and crafty inspiration!

4. The warm Autumn sunshine is my favorite thing about today.

5. Life is kind of like a ride at the carnival. Some people ride the roller coaster and some people just sit on the bench and watch.

6. If I could have anything I wanted I would want independently wealthy so that I could be home with my kids all the time and still be able to help and inspire others. I would like to be Oprah, only less famous and slightly less busy and with a husband and children.

7. A funny thing happened the other day... well, everyday, I have smallish kids.  One of which is extremely funny and the other very serious - which makes things funny all the time.


Happy Saturday!

:o) Tina

Customer Photo Session...

We had a couple of ladies in from Halifax yesterday and one of them snapped some photos and was kind enough to send them to me. The first few are of "the other shop", but from our front door into our green shop... Have look...

:o)  Tina

Fill in the Blank Friday

I am currently sitting in a really bad, really 70s hotel room (very clean but not at all pretty) in a small town (city?) called Creston, here in lovely British Columbia.  I have a had a really fun day with PITA.  Laughing our butts of at the Quilt Show we are vending at here.  Crazy, crazy weekend running all over the province selling my wares...

1. I am looking forward to of so many things!  In the near future it is my daughter's 6th birthday on Monday and next weekend is Silver City Days. In June I will be going to Kelowna to a 4D ultra sound to find out if I will be having a niece or a nephew (kinda routing for the niece!) in October and I will be meeting a nephew that I have not met (more details to follow after meeting). In July I will be going to Vancouver for my family's annual Sports Day (very excited about that, very!).  AND the thing I am looking most forward to, in October I will be welcoming to the world my new little great-niece or nephew.

2. Something kind of embarrassing that I still love anyway is barbies. Maybe I don't still love them, but love them again.  Having a daughter is a wonderful re-introduction to the world of Barbie!

3. My favorite car is a Volkswagen Beetle (the old ones, not the new), old corvette (50s and 60s), any new, expensive, sporty convertible (Porsche Boxster, Thunberbird, BMW, whatever).

4. If I could pick one type of weather to live with for the rest of my life it would be 70 degrees, mild humidity so that my hair did not look like I got electrocuted all of the time.  365 growing season... that would be bliss.

5. My favorite thing to do after a bad/stressful day is sew until it is time for bed and then go to bed and snuggle up to my warm toasty husband so he can rub me feet with his until I drift off to sleep.

6. This weekend I will be running around the province participating in three different craft fairs/quilt shows as well as managing to keep the shop open.  Missing my kids and sharing a hotel room with PITA.

7. If I were a color, I'd be yellow because, I took two different online quizzes just now and one said blue and the other green - I think yellow.  After all I have a sunny disposition!

My photo for the week... Me! at the Creston Quilt Show.

Taken with on my iPhone with Hipstamatic. :o)  Love Love Love Hipstamatic

More new stuff has arrived!

I love getting new stuff in the shop - books, patterns, fabric, kits, thread - whatever it all inspires me!

We will be getting one of these little jems each month - but started off with three this month. They come with everything you need to get the project done except for the batting and the thread - all for a great low price!

Fall/Winter 2010 Quilting Arts STITCH Magazine Just Arrived

The theme for Stitch Fall/Winter 2010 is THE FABRIC ISSUE, exploring sewing projects and techniques featuring a wide variety of exciting fabrics. This is your chance to pull out that specialty fabric you have been saving for just the right project! Features 40 projects for the fall season!

Issue Highlights:

Sewing Room - Cool sewing products, tools, notions, patterns, and books.

Sew Boutique – From inspiring people to hot trends , check out the news from around the sewing world including indie pattern lines, limited run fabric, unique sewing companies/stores, sewing for a cause, and more!. Featured: launch of new Oliver + S fabric line; The Sewing Machine Project that provides sewing machines to people in need around the world; and Sewing Yoga to help you relax after hours at the sewing machine.

Technique Spotlight - Sewing with Silk -Splurge on a luxury silk fabric but afraid you’ll ruin it when you sew? Here are the tips and tricks you need to gain silk sewing confidence

Sew Connected – Get connected with online sewing resources from blogs to websites

Material World – fabric reviews, profiles of fabric designers, trends in colors, fabrics, fashion, home décor, fiber art. Featured: Galbraith + Paul husband and wife fabric design team; and fabric storage tips and tricks Sew Inspired - Essays from a variety of popular sewing bloggers and designers on how to be more creative with your sewing. Featured, Kathleen Frances of the popular Grosgrain blog (grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com)

Feature Article - Quilting the Modern Way – Learn how contemporary designers are reinterpreting the classic quilt in contemporary ways.

Project Themes:

DESIGNING DENIM – Not just for jeans anymore, denim can be used for a wide variety of clothing, accessories, and home décor projects. These projects explore the creative possibilities denim offers in a variety of colors and fabric weights from heavyweight denim to lightweight chambray. Designers show off their embellishment skills by adding topstitching, embroidery, and trims, mixing it with other fabrics and prints, and getting artistic with bleaching effects.

GETTING FANCY – Everyone loves a little sparkle around the holidays and special occasion fabrics can add a touch of bling, shine, and luxury to even the smallest sewing projects. Special occasion fabrics include embellished fabrics (beaded, sequined, embroidered, etc.) and fancy fabrics such as taffeta, velvet, satin, lace, brocades, organza, metallics, and silks. Featured projects include clothing, accessories, and home décor MODERN PLAID – From Burberry to punk, plaid can be traditional or edgy, and everything in between. Projects show how you can reinterpret this classic fabric print in fresh ways by playing with color, graphically mixing fabrics, textures, and prints, and using it in unexpected projects.

ONE YARD GIFTS – Take only one yard of fabric and mix it with a whole lot of creativity and you have a fabulous gift for a friend or family member that you can whip up in no time. Perfect for stashbusting or just the excuse you need to buy a luxury fabric (you only need one yard!), these small but innovative projects will please everyone on your gift list.

OFF THE COUCH – Decorator upholstery and drapery fabrics can offer an exciting array of prints and textures from traditional and retro to modern and graphic. And who says they have to be used for sofas and drapes! Designers take advantage of these beautiful medium to heavy weight textiles to create a wide variety of home décor accessories, wearables, and gift projects.

To get your copy of this magazine please email us at sales@sugarshackquilting.ca

Time Flies, Doesn't It!

In June I thought I would have more time over the summer, not less.  Seems that the draw of the kids being home is too much for me and I have been getting somewhat lazy... well maybe lazy is the wrong word.  More like neglectful of my responsibilities.  Oh, well.  The kids are only kids once and it is going by so quickly!

I have a had a chance to add some free patterns to the website and new fabric arrived yesterday and there is more on the way.  You had better hurry in, the new stuff always goes quickly!

I love the saturated colours of these fabrics.  These are two of my favorite prints but there are a lot more.  One of them is a gorgeous stripe with orange and lime green and sienna - it is sooo nice I am thinking about making myself a table runner with it.  The orange flowered print shown is going to be sewing into a table runner for my dinning room table - I was working on designing the pattern this evening - measurements done, now I just need to make some time to sew.

See you soon!  :o)  Tina

Join us June 17th at Sugar Shack for our FREE Janome Education Day!

Precision, power and reliabilty make Janome the perfect machine for the beginner to advanced sewer. This is event is a must for everyone who loves to sew!

Join us and receive a free gift valued at around $15, be entered to win a fabulous door prize valued at around $250, sip coffee or tea and nibble our delicious signature cookies while learning from Liz, Janome's pro!

9:30 until 11:30 am

We will be welcome the new Horizon 7700 into the shop! Liz will be here to demonstrate the 7700 as well as all of the fabulous accessories for your Janome machines. Learn an abundance of techniques that can be done on almost any Janome sewing machine - open the door to your creativity and discover new possibilities for your next project!

1:00 to 3:00

Stick around to attend the afternoon session and let Liz show you how an embroidery machine can kick your creativity up a notch! There will be a demonstration of the basics and Liz will show you some examples of the work she has mastered on her machine. Everyone will enjoy and be inspired by this session!

Don't miss this exciting event at Sugar Shack Quilting!

Kids Sewing Class

Don't miss out on the kids sewing class we have scheduled to begin on May 22!

Time Flies...

Wow.. where has the time gone? Time sure flies by when you are having fun - my Auntie Susie told me today that time flies when you get old.  I have been feeling old, does that count?

I have so much to blog about that you have been missing over the last few weeks. I have included some images from the West Kootenay Quilt Conference - just one of the places I have been and things I have been up to over the last few weeks.  I hope you love them!

Part of the trouble is I love to read other blogs and then I spend all night jumping from one blog to another... there is so much fun reading to do, so many great projects, and such precious little time.  Hmm, if only my DH's lucky streak would kick back in big time....

This quilt belongs to Paul Hertz - he made it at the Sugar Shack Quilting Beginner Sampler Class

I love crazy quilts.  They are the reason I learned to quilt although I have yet to make one!

I like the colours and the combinations of pieced and appliquéd blocks in this quilt.