Had to keep quiet!

The past week I have been very busy at home trying to get the house in order!  There were two reasons, one is - I'm thinking very seriously of putting it up for sale and Number Two - I was Getting ready for a house guest!  (That by far was the more important reason)

I actually had the air conditioning on most of the week while I was working and when asked "How the air conditioning is?"  my darling son replied, "Too cold?"  - If that doesn't sell the house I'm not sure what will!  His room is in the basement and it was so cold down there we had to close most of the registers, but after taking apart my bed on Monday, without air-conditioning on, and removing "two Bosley's and a Simon" in volume of hair with the shop-vac I decided I deserved a little pampering and turned the air on.....luckily the second bedroom and the rest of the house were less of a challenge.

Friday night we had our monthly Applique club and although (seems to be the norm) I didn't get anything done there were some great pieces being worked on....we missed you Annadel!  ....and Teresa, one of these days I promise - you will see me sew!

This is one of Suzie's and I have to say I love it!  (Put it on the list!)  She also did something very innovative which I'm sure some of you have tried.  Some of her background fabrics were too dark so she turned them around and used the other side!  What a great idea!  Sometimes when you are looking for the perfect colour that really is the solution!

Nancy is working on her Piecemakers Calendar Quilt - she is doing a class at Hobby Horse with Elaine and it is just coming out spectacular - check out the bears.......

My "surprise" guest arrived Friday afternoon so Richard suggested that I replace the barbecue - that prompted a trip to No Frills on Eglinton (at Black Creek) for the perfect meal fixings.....If you have never been to this No Frills - you have to stop in!  First of all their produce is to die for!  I am not a Loblaws/No Frills shopper but I think I may soon become one!  I prepped the meal and Richard cooked - it was divine!  Fresh corn on the cob which was so sweet it didn't need butter, lamb chops seasoned with a cracked pepper vinaigrette, red, yellow, orange peppers, portobello mushrooms and a spanish onion seasoned with the same vinaigrette and barbecued and a tossed salad with baby red onions!  Nancy waited very patiently until after 7:00 P.M. to have her dinner delivery but she said it was worth the wait!

Saturday was a beautiful day and although I feel like I got nothing done - it was still a great day!  We had barbecue again, hot dogs this time - also really good!

Today was the reason my "surprise" guest had come to visit.  She was taking Carolyn's Nine Days In May class.

Can you guess who this is?????

Our own Libby came for the weekend and we have had a great time surprising all her friends at the store and fellow quilters...........

Here are some of the blocks all the girls made in the class today....they are really having a great time!

....and a few more.....

...and the ladies very busy at work!

...and leave it to Libby to find something to buy?!?!?

Not sure what we're doing tonight, if Libby has anything to do with it - it will involve quilting!  The poor women has had withdrawal symptoms since she moved 3 weeks ago.....couldn't find anything and I believe her rotary cutter is still missing......I have no complaints - could use some relaxation!

I have been sorting and cleaning and de-cluttering all week so I could really use some R & R - which for me is any form of quilting!  Speaking of which, I have decided to pare down the home library and have brought a (truckload) of books to the store for sale.....figured I would offer up all the good books I've managed to accumulate over the years to my friends before I threw them in the yard.....so it's called the "First Dibs Sale!"......check it out if you're in the store - there's other great stuff too!

Happy Quilting!  (I'm off to play with my friends!)

Jo-Ann

It's all my fault!

I can explain!  When I decided to have a "Sale" in May - I wanted it to have a name.  If you remember - the first week in May (actually the first 10 days) were really, really cold!  So I went online to check the weather predictions for the month and they said it was going to be "really cold" all month......okay, so I name the sale Cold Days In May - well, the day after the newsletter and e-mail went out suddenly it's the middle of summer!  I imagine most of you want to thank me for the sudden weather change......so I'll take it!  Your very, very welcome and we are all enjoying it!  I was actually sitting out on the bench in front of the store for a little while today and over the weekend stitching....very pleasant!

I also owe you all an apology for my "lack of communication" the past two weeks - I do like to keep everyone up to date on the blog but have been feeling a little "under the weather" (no pun intended) for a little while so once the day is over I am done!  Home, rest and bed!

However, although my hands have been somewhat idle - others are very, very busy - Nancy completed her two pillow covers and they are absolutely adorable.....

The Cow

The Sheep

Alas, I am still working on my hen.......however, I have completed the quilt top for the Mystery Quilt on July 30th!  Aha - way ahead of myself!  Just need to get borders on and it will be ready to quilt!  NO PICTURE - It's a Mystery! Duh! (By the way there are only a few spaces left in that class - so if you're interested - get your name in!)

Barb finished quilting an adorable Baby Quilt but she's taken it home to bind so we won't see it for a few days (we're going to kit them)!  The best part about it is it can do for a boy or girl, so you can whip one up and have it on hand for that next 'Baby gift"!

That's about it for today - Laurissa is in the classroom working on a really cool quilt top while she teaches Patchwork Sampler and the ladies are definitely enjoying the "cool" air conditioned classroom tonight.....I will soon go back and do some more work on my Sweet Tea Block of the Month Quilt.....need to get those borders on so I can get it quilted.....

Oh my goodness - I can't believe that I didn't remember I had pictures from our Friday night Sit & Sew that I wanted to share (until I saw them on the camera).  As usual it was a full house and Barb was on KP duty again......

What I really wanted to show you was what Linda has been diligently working on for months......Oh my Gosh!  - no that's the name of the quilt and seriously the name is very appropriate!  (Mind you - I could have come up with a much better name and GOSH would not be the keyword!)  It is stunning, what else can I say!

From afar........(that's Elaine's Bargello on the left - class August 22nd and Elaine's T-shirt quilt on the right - class July 7th)

Closer...........

And close-up.........

Like I said - Oh my Gosh is not my first reaction.......those are really, really, really small blocks!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

I have an excuse!

I have an excuse!  Barb tied me to a chair until I finished the newsletter!  Phew! It's done - I'm allowed out to play now!!!!!

A Belated Happy Mother's Day to everyone!.  I really meant to get on last Sunday and blog but things got really hectic - however I can show you what I did most of the day.......

Oh no - that's Simon (doesn't he look comfortable)!  I was on the other couch (this was a better picture!)  Actually, Mary came over to help me paper my kitchen cupboards so I was busy all day - but Simon had a lovely rest!

Today was Sit & Sew and Raili was kind enough to share her before and after pictures......the before picture was taken April 30th, the night of the Mystery Quilt - she was feeling challenged that night......

Today's picture puts it all in perspective - she even increased the size of the quilt - it looks great!

I won't bore you with what's happening in the store when I can send you to our fantastic NEW Newsletter!!!!  Check it out - it's up on the website now!

www.cockadoodlequilts.com/newsletter.html.

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Oh no, not again!

I started something new!  Again!  What is wrong with me????  NOTHING - I am a quilter!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  Besides I have Libby and Nancy to blame for this "little" project!

At the end of March we had a booth at the Etobicoke Quilt Show and in the booth next to me was one of my pattern salespeople so, while I was looking at new and fabulous patterns to buy - Libby was looking over my shoulder and this is one of the one's she "insisted" I have.......

No sooner did it come in to the store than Nancy absconded with one to make the Sheep and the Cow pillows.  They are coming along great but I didn't get pictures of them yet.  She is going to B.C. next week for her son Cam's volleyball tournament and figures she should have all the hand work done by the time she gets back so I will post it then, but guess who was delegated the Chicken.......and I can show you my progress!

It really is adorable and hopefully I will spend some time on it tonight although Barb has a trip to Michael's in mind (I must need something there?!?!).  But after that - I'm home free to work on my little project.  I also have some Big Stitch quilting to do (which I had forgotten)! 

Looks like the newsletter will be out early next week (finally), we always seem to be waiting for class descriptions and photos but all is in now so there's no excuse!  You will love the great stuff we have planned and I hope you can all come spend a little time with doing the stuff we love!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

We're a little sad today........

When I opened Cock A Doodle Quilts in November 2006 it was a dream come true for me!  Three and a half years later I am still in awe of the fact that I am living my dream.  Over the past three and a half years I have met so many wonderful people and enjoyed so many moments that I have to pinch myself to see if I'm awake or still dreaming.....I actually dream about quilts!

One of those wonderful people is moving away, Libby has become over the past few years a good friend as well as a regular customer and I can't tell you how much we will all miss her.  When Nancy came to me with an idea she had come up with for a gift for Libby - well it was just the perfect thing!  Naturally, it had to do with quilts!  Libby has always like the "Shipshewana Blessings" quilt - so Nancy had a plan!  Below is a picture of the original Shipshewana quilt that Laurissa made up and hangs in the store......

The past two weeks have been a flurry of "secret" activity at the store.......  She organized a private Sit & Sew so that we could get the blocks done for this great quilt idea and then she single-handedly put the quilt top together along with designing and stitching the appliqued centre block!

After all the planning, knowing the truck would be pulling out today with Libby and Lorenzo in tow, we had to plan a little gathering on the fly to present her with the quilt top, so last night, all the girls who worked on this masterpiece headed over to the store, parked in the back parking lot and waited for the guest of honour to show up.....

I baked and decorated a cake......

We blew up balloons and set the stage........

Nancy package the gift in a beatiful keepsake box and we even added a picture from Libby's Bachelorette Party last June......

Those of us who could manage to get to the store on such short notice arrived at the specified time and parked at the back of the store.......

.....and we waited, and we waited, and no Libby........Finally I called to see where she was????  She thought I was coming to see her at 7:30 P.M. --- A little quick thinking and I explained that what I wanted to show her was to big to lug over to her house which by now was just filled to the brim with boxes.......so she made her way to the store.....

...and opened up her gift.......

....and she was thrilled!  Shipshewana is one of her favourite quilts!

This, of course, would be considered the Cock A Doodle version of Shipshewana.........Nancy designed and stitched a very appropriate block for Libby to remember all of the great friends she made at the store....as well as other friends who she's known from before......

Everyone was amazed at how beautiful this joint effort turned out to be.....raiding the Batik stashes and putting together absolutely gorgeous blocks.......but, now it's time for some cake - Libby wants the piece with her name on it!

We all had a piece with the proverbial tea and coffee.........

......no dainty little piece of cake here, look what's left!  Libby doesn't believe in leftovers.......

There is an advantage to being friends with the owner of the quilt store,  after hours shopping!  I mean honestly, how do you come to a quilt store and not buy something!  Suddenly everybody remembers that they need something or other......So Sharon and Barb put their working hats on for a few minutes and helped out.....

Then a photo op in front of the quilt........

......and finally a great shot of the Cock A Doodle version of Shipshewana - check out the "bling" on the rooster........

I also wanted to share with you the label that accompanies this quilt, Nancy really designed a very beautiful label......

You'll probably have to make this larger to read it - but it's really worth it!

Of course we couldn't end the night without a lot of laughter and Lisa sucking on helium and then singing was definitely a highlight.......

Libby will come back to visit and we certainly will make our way out there to see her and Lorenzo but we'll miss her all the same!

In the meantime.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann and the Chicks

Fun, fun,fun!

As many of you know, who know me and/or read the blog I do not keep "bankers" hours.  Last night Barb was busy working on one of her student's quilts (more about that later) and I stayed to work on a "secret" project!  Well, by the time we left the store it was after midnight and I still had to do some food shopping.....so, off I toddled to Metro and headed back to the store about 1:00 A.M. with the groceries.....

When the police car pulled up behind me and the officers started "grilling" me about what I was doing there so late it took some convincing to explain I was just dropping off groceries.  I even invited them for lunch but they weren't buying it!  However, when they saw I had the key and knew the alarm code - they were a little more convinced!  I told them I was just going in to drop off, put away the groceries and marinate the chicken.  They actually waited in the parking lot until I came out again about 10 minutes later.......They obviously don't work the late shift often or they would recognize the car in the parking lot until the wee hours of the morning......

Needless to say I didn't get in at the crack of dawn but when I did I cooked up a storm and the Monday Sit & Sew crew had a fabulous lunch!  They actually suggested I would be hard pressed to top it......

Chicken Fajitas with all the toppings, Black Beans with Lime & Cilantro and lovely Mexican Rice - it really is one of my favourite meals and worth the mess and the effort......Got a picture before they "dug in"!

 

After cleaning up my mess (yes I did it myself!), and it was a real mess!  I was off to run an errand.  On my way out to Nancy's to drop "something" off I stopped at Libby's for coffee and they seem to be all packed and ready to move on Thursday - we are going to miss them so much!  They stopped for a few minutes and we visited and then I was off......

I didn't get back until around 6:00 P.M. and Barb was waiting for Sara to come by and pick up her quilt.  Sara is one of Barb's Beginner Hand Quilting students.  Barb helped her by sewing on her sashings and borders as Sara is from Germany and will be leaving to go back home on Friday.  She did a great job on piecing her quilt and now it's ready to be hand quilted.  After the summer Sara is going to China to be a social worker there.  Here's her completed top......

In the meantime I've been busy getting things done in the house.  After Bosley left we took Richard's heavy duty ShopVac and started cleaning upstairs - I won't tell you how many Bosley's we threw out.  After 6 years Rich finally put up my curtain rods (last year I said I would get curtains up in the living/dining room) and last week I picked a fabric I loved in the store, enlisted Judith's help and voila I have curtains......I am so pleased the way they turned out - I just love them!  Not to mention, it's really nice to have a little privacy.....

They really seem to match the whole mish mash of furniture I have in both rooms........

I am really pleased with them.......

Simon seems to have adapted well to Bosley not being around too!  After dinner at my mom's tonight I went home (early for me) and while doing some hand applique and watching a little TV I turned my head to see this picture (which I couldn't resist taking)!

Actually he got so comfortable, he decided to take a nap!

I'm thinking of calling it an early night too, for a change!  May even get to bed before midnight!  Tomorrow I start on the kitchen at home and also need to get that newsletter you've all been asking about finalized!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

Jo-Ann

Finally!!!!!

I can blog again!  I was on a roll, blogging every day and then suddenly everything I was doing was a "secret"!  Working on a lot of secret projects at the store, the Mystery Quilt, the Newsletter (not really a secret but not ready for publication!), and another "Secret" project.  So all week I have been literally "biting my tongue"!

First, as I mentioned last week- I completed (?!?! Jo-Ann completed something!) the Red Work quilt top and because I want it to be a special gift to Sharon for doing all that amazing stitching, I decided to have it "professionally" quilted by none other than Linda Robertson.  Okay, yes there was an ulterior motive here - I wanted to see Bosley (Linda, Matt, Ainsley and Morgan have officially adopted him).  His first reaction to seeing me was.....

It still hurts me when I see him lie down like that, I mean how does he splay his legs like that!  Ouch!  However, he did start to warm up and I got some great kisses......

He also got a brand new red collar, he ate the old one, along with one of Linda's socks and a shoe!  He also likes Matt's Blackberry - No Bosley No!  He seems to be a bit calmer and lets Linda use him as a foot rest.....

He actually stayed like that for quite a while, until Matt came upstairs and he had to see what was up!  The next picture is why I miss the big gallut so much - but I know he's in a much better place now and he really is happy!  This makes me happy too!

I promised Annadelle that we would go see the Hog's Hollow Commemorative Quilt when she came for Sit & Sew on Thursday and so after lunch we hopped (yeah right!  Last time I hopped I was 12!) into the car and set off on a Road Trip!  The quilt, designed and orchestrated by Laurie Swim, resides at the York Mills Subway Station and it is really a MUST SEE!

Here are the photos that I took and Annadelle and I were very grateful to the TTC employee who did not charge us a token fare to get in and take the pics, the quilt is on the other side of the turnstiles as you can see from the first shot!

Laurie did an AMAZING job on the design.  If you look closely you can see that on the pant legs of each of the men there is writing, it is their personal histories.  It is protected by a glass casing and the workmanship is exquisite.......For more information on the Hog's Hollow Tragedy and the quilt, go to http://dcnonl.com .

Now I can reveal the amazing MYSTERY QUILT!  But first a little preamble......I have to admit that this class is a very popular one!  Usually one of the first to fill up once the newsletter goes out!  For some people in the class it was their first ever Mystery Quilt and they loved it - others are regular sign ups for this class and they know the drill.......

First clue - everyone gets busy.......

I suddenly realize I don't have enough Spaghetti because I left the package I needed at home, so quick run to the house where Jonathan saves the day......

Then dinner is served........Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Salad and Baguettes......

 Then they start slacking off (eating, of course)......

But they get back to work pretty quickly because we don't serve dessert until they are at least halfway through the clues........and dessert was Lemon Cake, Lemon Poppyseed Cake and Blueberry, Peach, Raspberry Pie with Ice Cream.  Now - I wanted none of that because I had saved this wonderful Portugese Cream Tart for myself (there was only one left) and I was going to have that later on with coffee.......It was in a cookie tin with a bunch of other things and of course I thought it was well hidden!

Needless to say IT WAS GONE!  Whom ever "stole" my Portugese Cream Tart is in BIG TROUBLE!  (Actually, I have to admit that if it's in the fridge it's fair game - but who knew, I mean nothing else in the cookie tin was touched!)

Okay, okay you want to see the amazing quilt tops! 

First - Lucy's......very bright and colourful, a great kid's quilt!  It has animals and world maps and all kinds of stuff.......

I didn't get a picture of Heather's, she had to leave early to catch a flight to Guatamala in the morning, so she didn't get a chance to get all of her blocks done.....

Libby's I'll save for later (because she finished it later....don't ask!)

Liz's was very subdued (NOT), she always goes with the bright colours and it really came out stunning, she even picked her border fabrics.....

Mary is making this one for her son and chose a feature fabric of musical instruments........it's gonna be fabulous!  She has also picked her borders and got a gorgeous blue flannel for the backing......

Cathy's came out fabulous too!  She's giving hers to a neighbour and was thrilled to get the top almost completed (sans borders) in one evening........

Raili's is not done and she was a little challenged by the placement of the blocks but we'll get her sorted out on Thursday when she comes for Sit & Sew......she was tired, but I do love her feature fabric.....

Karen, what can I say, she's doing 2 quilts (always does!) and they are both completely different!  The Asian fabrics are soft and muted but still work well with the pattern.......

The second one is much brighter and really sings!

Patricia did really well for her first Mystery Quilt - the feature fabric was a gift from her friend and so she will be giving this quilt to her friend as a gift.......

Then there's Claire's - she calls it "Spot the Sperm"........really bright kids fabric with great contrasting fabrics........(3rd Row, centre feature fabric, left side, 3rd square down)......click on the photo to make it bigger - you'll see it!

.....and let's not leave Libby out, she used the new Tavern Signs fabrics at the front of the store as her feature......it looks great!

However, it took her until........check the clock!

Yes - it says 2:05 A.M. (well it doesn't actually say A.M. but trust me it was!)

I was busy cleaning the kitchen and getting other stuff done including some quilting on my mystery quilt - which is below!

I believe Jonathan will be the owner of this one.......if he likes it as much as I do.........  So at the end of the day, Libby picked her borders and made me open up the cash and we left around 3:00 A.M. -  When I got home I couldn't go straight to bed because I was still too wired up from the evening/morning activities so didn't get to bed until 5:00 A.M.. 

I felt like I had a bad hangover all day yesterday and didn't even have the benefit of blaming it on alcohol!

I still need to plan lunch for tomorrow, go to my mom's for dinner, come back and work on the SECRET project and then there's the newsletter and it's already 6:00 P.M.  ------ sleep, what exactly is that???!!!!

Have a great evening everyone and Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann