Initial Heart Swap

mailed out, on time. I sure hope it arrives in time, cause you just never know!

Thank you Cheryll for organizing this swap. It's been at least 3 years since I participated in a swap, and I had forgotten just how much I enjoy them. Hoping I didn't go too overboard and that my recipient enjoys the tiny parcels. I also pray that my one tiny fragile insert has safe travels!

God speed little package!

TUSAL - January 30

Okay, January 30th is here, and it is time to join DaffyCat for the TUSAL. Go here for a full explanation and/or to sign up and join in the fun!

This has been a pretty productive month! Included in my jar are bits of sewing thread, dmc floss, yarn, and batting from all the various projects I have worked on since my last post.

I often take my smaller projects with me in the car, or to work, or anywhere I will be sitting for any extended length of time. I will need to find something to take with me to store my bits in while I am out and about. A glass jar just does not travel well. Right now I am using a small ziploc baggie when I bring my hand stitching with me. What do you use? Any suggestions?

Here is my jar:

Guess I will empty this into a ziploc and begin again. Next TUSAL check in is March 1. Happy stitching till then!

Bee Social

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Don't forget to Bee Social today....go check out the great link ups at Sew Fresh Quilts.

Also, are you looking for a fantastic project for your young children or your grands?? Check out Thread Riding Hood...who is showing off her wonderful Quiet Book...

post 1
post 2

And of course today is Day 3 of the She Who Sews Blog hop with !Sew We Quilt. It has been amazing so far!

January 29th

Why-Knot-Kwilt

BumbleberryStitches

 Quilt Doodle Designs

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Thimblemouse and Spouse

Words & Stitches

The Cosmic Quilter

 

Want to see all the projects to date in one spot? Click here..

Smalls SAL - January 29

Got this as a free project from www.comastitch.co.uk (site no longer available), but Vickie Ramage can be found with other x-stitch projects on Craftsy.

Here is my finished small:

My son loves watching Dr. Who so when I saw this little stitchery, I just couldn't resist. I'm pretty sure I'm just going to frame it and hang it in his room.

FNSI, Quilty Stitches, & On The Needles

Got busy yesterday at my quilting guild meeting, and having the cat shaved, and didn't get around to posting until now. Had a productive FNSI but as you will see in the photos, it really doesn't look like much. Forgot how slow going larger-sized projects can be. Plus it has been a long time since I worked on 14-count aida. So much smaller than the 11-count I've recently been working on for my smalls! Oh, my poor aging eyes!

I chose different colours than Corey at Little Miss Shabby, mostly because I didn't want to wait until my order from Herrschners arrives. Love blues, greens, and purples so that is likely what I am going to continue to go with. The fabric is 14-count Aida in Antique White, so the white stitching doesn't show up very well. I figure it will show more once the other colours fill up the interior. And I'm likely to backstitch my project as well.

Also worked on some knitting and crochet projects...

This is the January mid-month cloth. When finished, photo will be added to my monthly dishcloth KAL page.

Always wanted to crochet in the round. So I've decided to make some round scrubbies. Once I work these out to my liking, I'm going to make some to add to my Christmas box with dishcloths and dishtowels.

Oh, and here is the progress on Sock 1 of my first pair of socks. Bit of a standstill cause I dropped a couple of stitches and picked them up but 1 or maybe two rows down. Guess I was too excited cause I was on my last round before starting work on the toe. Oh well, will pick it up again when I catch up on some upcoming deadlines LOL

Well, that was about it for FNSI and Friday on the Needles. Linking up with Wendy for FNSI and Judy for FOTN!

For your viewing pleasure...

Here is Harpo sleeping being disturbed while trying to sleep along the back of the couch. Yikes his ear is dirty; probably from hanging out in front of the woodstove.

And here he is again in all his furless glory...

I usually only shave him in the Spring, but this year he has begun shedding en masse already. Every time I pick him up, I get a nose full and shirt full of fur...so off with his fur! He doesn't go out so he is plenty safe snuggled up near the woodstove. I actually have to shove him out of the way in order to add wood LOL

Grow Your Blog ~ 2014

Hello, and welcome!

I'm grateful to each of you who have taken a moment to stop by. My name is Shari, and you are now visiting Quebec, Canada. I'm an English Quebeccer in a quickly growing town...we are no longer rural, certainly against my wishes, but we certainly cannot be classified more citified until we get us a real fabric or yarn store lol.

Blogging...I love to read the blogs of others, especially those of you who create things and post pretty pictures of them. I'm very  good at collecting projects and things to try. I don't do a lot of anything very well, but I love to play and learn new things...cooking and baking, knitting, crochet, sewing (clothes and home decor), cross-stitch and other hand stitching, gardening, especially starting from seed, pets (not all at the same time)--rabbits, birds, cats, dogs, fish, invertebrates, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, chickens. Tried my hand at homeschooling my son for two years. Loved it!

Why do I blog? I'm not really sure LOL I enjoy a space to share my thoughts out loud. I love getting feedback on my projects from likeminded individuals. I love the opportunity to learn from others and to connect with those who share my creative passions. I love to be inspired. Being part of the blogging community just seems to make the world so much smaller, and yet it expands my own world vastly to know that I can be sitting in my living room and chatting with those on the other side of the world as though they were sitting right beside me. Blogging is a means of personal growth...so thank you to each of you who are a part of that!

Started learning about quilting this year. Something I thought I'd always want to try my hand at, just never got there. I've always wanted to make a traditional type postage stamp quilt, found the PSQ swap with The Curious Quilter last year, and signed up as a newbie. Wow! Now I just have to start sewing the pieces I received together, and making cuts for upcoming swap in March so I can pay forward the love I received.

This also led me to find Mdm Samm at Sew We Quilt. I have participated in and thoroughly enjoyed her hosted blog hops. I've met many kind and generous quilters through these hops and made some new friends.

The name of my blog is Living with Purpose...so named to remind myself that everything I do is for a purpose, and that purpose is to glorify God in all I do. Thanks for stopping by! I so look forward to meeting more people.

A big thank you to Vicki at 2 Bags Full for hosting this great event and all the work required to make it happen!

Upcoming Blog Hops ~ Jan 27 thru Feb 7

Our host, Mdm Samm of Sew We Quilt and head cheerleader Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks are leading the next simultaneous hops... She Who Sews and Don't Let the Door Stop You

 She Who Sews

Blog Hop

Schedule

 

January 27th

 

Joy Studio

 

Marjorie's Busy Corner

 

Tea Time Creations

 

 Just Sew Quilter

 

I like to Quilt Blog

 

Shepody Mountain Crafter

 

Creatin' in the Sticks


January 29th

Why-Knot-Kwilt

 

BumbleberryStitches

 

 Quilt Doodle Designs

 

Sew Incredibly Crazy

 

Thimblemouse and Spouse

 

Words & Stitches

 

The Cosmic Quilter


January 31st

More Stars in Comanche

 

Stitchin’ By The Lake

 

selina quilts

 

Jane's Quilting

 

Baa's Amazing Adventures!

 

Quiltscapes

 

 Grandmama's Stories


February 4th

Just Let Me Quilt

 

Hill Valley Quilter

 

Sew Much 2 Luv

 

My Whittle Adventures

 

 Kids and Sewing

.

Moosestash Quilting

 

I Piece 2 Mary


February 6th

Lixie Makes It

 

How ART you?

 Seams To Be Sew

threads on my socks

 

Quilted Delights

 

Life in the Scrapatch
 

krislovesfabric

 

Sew We Quilt

Don't Let the DOOR STOP You
Blog Hop
Schedule

January 28th

threads on my socks

How ART you?

Den syende himmel

Moosestash Quilting

life, quilts and a cat too


January 30th

Just Let Me Quilt

Quilted Delights

Meadowbrook

Hill Valley Quilter

Pampered Pettit

Life in the Scrapatch

Seams To Be Sew


February 3rd

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Shepody Mountain Crafter

Lydsfire Sewing

Creatin' in the Sticks


February 5th

More Stars in Comanche

Buzzing and Bumbling

Sew and Sow Farm

Purl Buttons Blog

Carretel E Agulha

The Quilting Queen

Pig Tales and Quilts


February 7th

GrammieQs

Pickles Quilting

Made by Me in Red

A Passion for Applique

Living With Purpose

Tipsy Teacup Creations

Sew We Quilt

FNSI

I realize my time zone is only Thursday, but experience has shown that this is frequently a better evening for me to sew. On the Friday's I work (graveyard Thurs into Fri), the morning or afternoon is the best time for me to catch up on projects. I figure, Thursday or Friday, there is always someone sewing with me.

So I'll be joining in with those in Australia for FNSI ;)  sign-ups are over here at Wendy's! Scroll down, add your name, and join us...

New Stitch Along with LMS

Have you seen this?

Little Miss Shabby is hosting a cross-stitching sampler along...The Quilty Stitches Sampler Along. This is without a doubt my kind of quilting...

It is just such a beautiful sampler that I cannot help but join up. Visit here to sign up and for a materials list and here for her suggested colours list.

The sampler-along is scheduled to begin next week, with a new "block" every two weeks, for a total of 16 blocks. I'll have time to order my missing DMC thread from her list of suggested thread colours.

oooeee...my squeals of delight to have found such a fun project! 2014 is off to an amazing start!

Goodnight Irene ~ January check-in

Well, incredibly, we are mid-January already. Had a really difficult time trying to decide upon fabric for this project. My local Fabricville barely has fat quarters never mind jellyrolls, charm packs or any other lovely precuts. My local fabric store Club Tissus had no charm packs and only a single Stonehenge jellyroll. Being a newbie quilter I really don't want to spend a fortune on fabric (just yet LOL). So what's a girl to do?

I went to Walmart (more than once) hoping for a little variety and finally bought this fabric. It's not something I would normally have chosen, but for a quilty education, it is more than adequate. Best of all it was cheap affordable.

In future, if I cannot find what I want available locally, I will be purchasing online. There is some fabulous fabric out there if I just look for it (and can make a decision - so many lovelies!)

Okay, back on track. We were to make up 5 blocks...3 patches and 2 x's...here they are!

This was a jellyroll from Walmart. Good solid cotton fabric (a nice weight to it, and not see through), just not a bunch I would have put together. My aim is to improve my accuracy, but I sure am enjoying this SAL.

Thank you Terry of Terry's Treasures...where I will be linking up...this is lots of fun! In Terry's right hand sidebar is the link up to see more of the wonderful work of other participants...well worth a few moments time!

My List of Smalls 2014

It was brought to my attention as a good idea to list the projects I wish to accomplish for the Smalls 2014 SAL.

So, in no particular order:

1. Port-a-Potty
2. I (heart) (heart) Gallifrey
3. a) Princess of Perpetual Projects
    b) Queen of Procrastination
4. Stork scissors square fob
5. Stork biscornu
6. (a) Stork scissors case
    (b) Stork needle case
7. Sorry Gone Stitchin
8.Rejoice, Rejoice O Christian
9. Give Thanks
10. A Trifle from a Friend
11. Adore Him
12. Autumn Blessings
Extra: Count Your Blessings (in case I feel a need for a change in my lineup or...incredibly so if I find myself with extra time on my hands LOL)

If during any particular month I have the time to complete two of the projects, then I will double up and add another project to the queue. I've been wanting to do the stork items for some time so by adding them to this list, God willing, they will become a reality this year.

FNWF ~ January 10

Been working on quite a bit this week...Kona EPP needlekeep, my socks, a new lace scarf, my cross-stitch mini for Smalls 2014.

You can see my progress on my socks in my previous entry, as well as the picture of the scarf I'm doing.

This is a finished cross-stitch, but I have not included the full stitchery as I will be posting it again at the end of the month for the Smalls SAL 2014. Also, I'm not sure whether or not my ds has begun reading my blog on the sly and as this is for him, I don't want him to see the finished project just yet. I believe I'm making it into a notebook cover for him...but don't quote me on that just yet. LOL

This was a really fun project, and I just finished the last bit of backstitching this morning. Phew!

Was fun sewing with y'all. Looking forward to joining you again next month.

Linked up with Cheryll at Gone Stitchin  I'll do my visiting tomorrow morning after I finish work. Have a great weekend!

Friday on the Needles ~ January 10

Still working on the first sock, but pleased with my progress...

I certainly feel as though I am achieving a better rhythm.

I have/had a couple of ladders near the beginning, but rather than frogging (as I normally would have rather than learn to repair) I pulled tighter and forged on. This time around, my goal is not to achieve perfection, but rather, just to complete a pair of socks!

I am also working on a new project by knitheartstrings.com   Jackie's patterns are amazing!
Love this beautiful yarn...merino and silk. Does not frog well though LOL

Does the fact that this has already been on and off the needles three times count?

My ort jar for TUSAL is also filling LOL

Wake up to Kona - Day 2

Hello and welcome to my tiny corner of the world. I have been learning a lot during the last couple of months!

1. I learned of a Canadian fabric store called Sew Sisters.

2. I learned Sew Sisters has a couple of monthly clubs, one of which is a small 4 x fat quarters per month.

3. I've met many amazing sewers/quilters out there in blog land which continually amaze and inspire me with their creativity. (Have you seen the length of my blog list...and it continues to grow)

4. I caved to temptation and joined the Sew Sisters fat quarter club and...received my Kona solid cotton in avocado, spice, putty, and paprika.

5. I learned about and drooled over the hexihop of Mdm. Samm's last year.

6. Learned about english paper piecing.

7. Fell in love with Debby Kratovil's EPP Pin and Needle Case and purchased the pattern.

And finally...joined the Wake up to Kona hop by Mdm. Samm with encouraging head cheerleader Carol of Just Let Me Quilt.

When my fabric arrived from Sew Sisters, I just  loved it. It was just so pretty, I didn't know what to do with it...I was afraid to cut into it. LOL

Any way, this was my first time doing EPP...love it!

A small project to get my feet wet for the hugs & kisses upcoming hop with Soma. I absolutely love this needle case. I am beyond please with these results; sometimes it is all about simple pleasures. I'm also still getting accustomed to my new sewing machine.

I love these colours and am going to finish up the leftover pieces for some other sewing objects. The first of which is a wrist pincushion, and if enough leftover fabric, the pin cushion for the arm of the sofa. The wrist pincushion is about half way complete...if I don't have enough time to complete it, will finish it up on FNWF.

The lineup for today is: spread some comment love!

January 8

Stitchin’ By The Lake

That’s SewJulie

Living With Purpose  (you are here)

Nini’s Patchwork Blog

Quilts My Way

Jane’s Quilting

Quilt Matters

A big THANK YOU to our sponsors:

Amanda Murphy, Robert Kaufman, and Aurifil threads!

A late Friday on the Needles

We had someone here working on our electric baseboards yesterday so I had plenty of time to sit here knitting. With -30ish degree celsius weather over the last three days, the fact that we had no heat in the basement was really beginning to show. We had also unhooked the heater in the living room when we installed the wood stove, just until we could put in a shorter length heater. Suffice it to say that it was chilly, but more than bearable, we did not use the portable plug in heaters this year because of the wood stove I guess. All the same, it is nice not to have very cold floors. Oh and the basement wasn't as bad as all that, because my potatoes and things I store down there did not freeze LOL.

Now Friday's are my day when my dad goes out for a seniors socialization group, and then I pick him up afterwards and take him to visit my mom (who has Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home). It's always a nice visit, and when we leave I swing by the grocery store to pick up something quick for supper and come home to cook. Now when I got home yesterday, I took photos of my lovely project on the needles...a (drum roll please) sock. Good, that done, I wanted to upload my photos and link up to Patchwork Times for Friday on the Needles. WELL! Enough battery juice to take photos, but not  enough to import them. Ugh! I think it is time to purchase new rechargeables cause these just ain't holding their charge long enough for me!

Ok, enough chitchat...bring on "The Sock"...

See Vickie M. even my couch has roosters in the print lol!

 I cast on Friday morning. Frogged at least five times just the cast on. I'm really not good at calculating for the "long tail cast on".

I've never knit a sweater either, but I assume this is how I would do lovely cuffs as well. Loving my yarn, nothing fancy...Patons Kroy Socks in muslin. I'm also using the free pattern: Patons Kroy Spiral socks (to knit).

Feeling a sense of accomplishment just here at this point. That may very well change to "oh, and now I still have the second one to knit" once I manage to complete the first one lol. At least that is how I am with slippers.

So for what it's worth, here is my Friday on the Needles, just on Saturday. Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Oh and 's first hop of 2014 starts Monday. Let the fun begin!

Wake up to Kona!

of Just Let Me Quilt has us all cheered up and ready to go!

I took the pledge...

MAKE THE 7 STEP PLEDGE

I, Shari, will try my utmost...

To always swap on time.

To always email a THANK YOU to my partner.

To be considerate and thoughtful, when choosing a gift.

To give my partner the quality of gift that I would like to receive.

To communicate when it's required.

To NEVER over commit and let a partner down.

To advise the swap mama when I receive my gift.

This I sewomly pledge....

~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~

Swap partner information was sent out...and HAS BEEN received! 

Lurker research has begun...look out swap partner cause I'll be watching you v.e.r.y closely buahaha...to discover a bit more about you before I get to crafting you a lovely heart. 

In order to be in the mail on time, I also pledge to get it to the post office no later than Friday, January 31 for the February 1 swap deadline!

Fresh new year

Taking it easy today and tomorrow as I worked last night and will work again tonight (graveyard shift as nurses' aide). So like my empty ort jar, I'm totally useless till I readjust to day shift lol.

Many plans for projects and sign ups for stitching QALs and skill builders...but this is just not my day to be coherent...wait till Friday, I should be back to normal...in the mean time I'm linking up to...

 

Previous work.... my first quilt will be going to a new home...it will be inherited by my four-year-old granddaughter; with much love from my SIL Cathy.

I plan to complete the quilt top for my son's Dr. Who quilt. Totally missed out on giving it to him for the Christmas special, for Christmas Day, and now for the new year. Trying again for Valentines day...that should give me plenty of time lol. But I will complete the stitching of the quilt top in January.

I have sew many new projects beginning; you can see many in my sidebars. Pick any one...I will easily add another next month lol.

TUSAL - January 1

 This is my first ever posting for TUSAL...visit here for full explanation of what is considered an ORT and also to understand the fun and silliness of this stitch-along. I plan to save my ORTs for the birds later this Spring...and the rest that is accumulated for next Spring.

 I have been tossing my threads into the trash because I've been so hit and miss with my sewing, BUT, have you seen the projects I have signed myself up for? I'm going to be very busy this year...learning, sewing, knitting, and other miscellaneous stitching. Yay!

So, without further ado, here is my ORT jar for January 1. Empty, but that is only because I have been trashing my beautiful cast off threads...new year, new jar...a clean slate.

 

Here are the 2014 TUSAL posting dates...they fall on the "new moon".

January 1
January 30
March 1
March 30
April 29
May 28
June 27
July 26
August 25
September 24
October 23
November 22
December 22