The Rib-Off

The Day Family

Annual

This has become an annual event in Mo's side of the family.  We all used to go to the Labour Day Long Weekend Ribfest at Burlington's Lakeshore Park.  But gradually more of the family participated and the lines at the Ribfest got longer, so we decided to do our own.


Each adult couple provide either one or two racks of ribs and their special sauce (many special secret ingredients) and take turns at the barbeques at Gary and Bonnie's place.  Voting takes place and there is a winner and a special Rib-Off plaque for 1st place.           

Mo and I adding our sauce.  Mine is very spicy, his fairly mild.

Too much fire!

Nine different saucy ribs.

One of each, then cast your vote.

Winners!  1st Jimmy (middle), 2nd Bonnie & Gary (left), tied for 3rd Mike and Ben.

Thanks Gary and Bonnie for being great hosts to this Annual event.  Same time next year....????

Flowers - finished

I'm finished.  I took out the little bit of coloured flowers and kept it all green at the bottom.  I also  took Sharon's B's suggestion of using buttons for the flower centres. I was lucky that I had three the same size in the right colours.

More progress - flowers

I've finished the petals on this 5 1/2" x 4 1/2"  piece of embroidery for the Sumptuous Surfaces course.  This is our final week and I'm trying to finish on time!  I have some long green leaves to add, the raised stem stitch border to complete, and to decide the centres of the flowers.  I also need to make up my mind about what to do along the bottom - just green foliage or green with some small flowers.  I'm leaning towards just green.

Sumptuous Surfaces

We got to use colour for the second project in Sharon B's Sumptuous surfaces.    

I chose an analogous colour scheme and picked these threads. 

It's not easy for me to draw a design out of my head, but I kept it simple and was satisfied with this.  It's about 6" x 8" and it's on the same linen as I used for the rabbit.

Now I'm having fun!  The edge is going to be a raised chain. I'm filling in the petals very heavily, with any stitch I can think of!

All About Angels RR

I am in another CQI Round Robin - All About Angels.  I have a thing about angels, so I was extra happy to sign up for this RR.  At Christmas my tree is decorated mostly with angels that my children have given me as gifts over the years.  I can't show you that, but above is a picture of my front door and the angel wreath that stays up all year.  All of them are hand made, the top one my daughter made in kindergarten many years ago from a styrafoam egg carton.

I also had a run at ATC's, and traded with Margreet and Annet (second and third from the top). 

This is my contribution to Debbie's block:

A row of tiny angels.  The halos are bullion stitch.

This angel has centre stage.  Her wings and face are mother of pearl, her hair is needlelace.

In the lower right corner I tried some heavy duty sumptuousness!

Sumptuous Surfaces

I've been taking Sharon B's Sumptuous Surfaces on-line course.  This little stone bunny rabbit is the subject of my first project which we were to work in monotone.

Here he is with suitable sumptuous surroundings!

Tone on Tone DYB RR - Rita's Block

This was my first DYB experience and I really enjoyed working on the small (6" x 6")blocks, and having a whole one to do myself.  The blocks I completed all turned out differently, even though three of them were beige tones.  

Here's Rita's block finished.  

Top left section, each of these are about one quarter of the block.

Top right section.

Bottom left

Bottom right

Cheryl's Tone on Tone DYB RR

This is Cheryl's Tone on Tone finished. I really love to use my scalloped ruler, and I did here on the bottom section with the chain and roses. You will see it pop up in many of my blocks! 

Tone on Tone DYB RR - Ritva's Block

This is the DYB I did for Ritva.  All her blocks were beige tones.  

These little beads look like berries.

My button and bead cluster.

A gathered lace flower

Grape vine

Monster Rose - Part 2

Two more layers of petals have been added to my Monster Rose.  I'm still using the same sized cutter.  I added five petals onto the previous six petals, tooling them a little more at the edges.  Five more were added with a slight curl.  The rose is now 2 1/2" from side to side and the same measurement high. 

Progress on the British Flag Block

The Rose of England

The Irish Shamrock - I used Gerry K's tutorial and made it on emerald green felt, outlining the shape with tiny chain stitches, then cutting out the shape after beading.  I used two strands of DMC and buttonhole stitch around the whole thing!

I was so lucky in two ways with my thistle.  I found this variegated dark green/purple thread for the leaves and stem, and the beads which look pretty good as the calyx.  

Monster Rose

I can be so tempted when it comes to cake decorating tools.  And this set of rose petal cutters is my latest indulgence.  I visualize a marvelous monster rose, stunning on the top tier of a wedding cake.

The largest of these petal cutters is 4" across, the smallest 3/4".  The bud is 1 3/4" high.  

Here is the bud with it's first four petals.  And to show the size, a  quarter. 

I'll post more photos as it grows bigger.

All About Angels RR

This is my naked block for the CQI All about angels RR.  I began with a cute little impressed angel image on the centre velvet patch, but it was too small.  I checked through my "angel" stash and found this perfect angel.  I put her on a cloud of tule which covered the velvet image.  I fiddled a long time to get my picture on point, but it's still a little off.

MISSING QUILTS

Thank Goodness, these have been found.

CT Publishing has recently announced that a few quilts, in their guardianship, disappeared after Spring Quilt Market. They've done everything they can do to find these quilts and are now asking for our help to find 3 cover quilts and a table runner.

The quilts have gone missing from a quilt show. Please take a good look at the photos, and watch for these turning up somewhere.  CT Publishing, who had these quilts in their possession, has offered a $4,000.00 reward for the return of the quilts.  If only one quilt is found, the reward will be pro-rated on the appraised values of the quilt.

Six cheeky monkeys!

It doesn't happen often enough, but this past Canada Day weekend, all six of my grandkids were under one roof!  From left, Jack (8) and his new sister Emily (4 weeks); Caleb (4-1/2), Josh (3-1/2), Brynn (2-1/2) & Elijah (1-1/2). Caleb and Brynn are brother and sister; Josh and Elijah are brothers.