Hi Everyone, for today I have so much to update you on but I don't want to go crazy and make this post too long so I'll try and capture the highlights of my last week. Also don't forget to get your vote in for our amazing 100th blog draw

Quilt Canada was amazing, I had the privilege of volunteering in the SAQA booth and I'm so glad I did. The fibre art was so inspiring and incredible that I was overflowing with creativity.

So, are you full of inspiration or what? These quilts are I think 20" square max and the detail is almost implausible. So thank you SAQA for having me volunteer...Check out Anna Hergerts website as she is the Western Canadian Rep for SAQA and you'll be forever changed :)

Now onto the Chestermere Quilt Show, can I say "WOW" we had the best turnout of quilts EVER and the best turnout of people. Thanks to everyone who took the time to come out to the show and made it a success for all of us a Lakeside Quilters.

This was the first show that I entered in Pastimes Online and I can't believe the amount of ladies who came up to me and said they heard about the show through my blog - how great is that? Thanks to all of you that came from all over the City to meet me and check out my store goodies, it meant the world. 

 I couldn't find a cute cash box so I had to make my own...

My car was stuffed full of goodies, this was so fun for me...

  proud moment for me hanging my finished banner, for my first show, bliss...

My adorable Sister, arranging and re-arranging my tables, cute shoes Li, thanks so much for your help and hanging out with me, I loved it!

I finally got my iron in I've been waiting for. It's a gravity feed iron by Sapporo and I LOVE it!! It has amazing heat, nice sharp point, teflon coated base, perfect steam, good weight and it's pretty good-looking too :) 

(notice my cute ironing board cover?)

Because of parent-teacher interviews, I didn't instruct last week, but I was back at it this week, the students finished their dresden plate blocks at home, we worked on squaring up the blocks...slowly and carefully..then onto the raw edge applique (block 4) and started block 5 flying squares...I put some pressure on them but they loved it :) Here's all of the blocks, just working on finished this top for next weeks class...we'll see how close I get.

A recent shot of my studio and store

Have a FAB weekend everyone, I'm off to St. Albert for their Quilt Show tomorrow after my guild meeting so I'll have that to report on shortly...

Until next time, stay happy and creative

Sew...I've surpassed 100 blog posts and feel totally awesome about it. Thanks to all of you who've followed me through the beginning of this new book in my life...yes a book as the previous book consists of my old professional world that has moulded me into the person I am today and I'm very thankful for that.

I would like to do a GIVEAWAY!! The winner will receive a tin of Quilters Tea and a Scissor Keeper Kit & Pattern and a bundle of 4 FABULOUS Silk Quarters for you to drool over :) How does this sound?

Here's a picture of the Scissor Keeper Kit Jen E created!

Didn't she do such a FAB job!!

Here's what your kit will consist of: fabrics, silk quarters, thread, silk floss, letters, buttons and needles and of course the pattern...colours may not be exactly as shown. The Winner will be announced May 15th!!

A Bundle of Silk Quarters colours to be picked my MOI and trust me this is something you will adore in your collection!!

What do you need to do for this great prize? Leave a comment, Refer people to this blog posting and have them leave a comment including your name, the more people you refer the better your chances of winning :) Sound Good!!

Because it's a bright and cheery morning here...I have a pile of stuff to do today:

- get brochures, patterns, newsletter ready for my show May 1st

- Piecemakers Guild Presentation on Monday, need to prepare for this

- finish my Pastimes Online Banner for my studio and my show..here's a sneak pic since this picture, I've completed the applique and now onto the stitching of my adorable spool from my logo then onto the quilting and finishing...yikes time is of the essence :)

 Here's the pizza box block I did for SH...

here's the finished pieced block 4 for Journey of a Quilter...I'm so in love with this project it is so beautiful!

Here's block 2 for A Kittens Tale, arn't the pinwheels adorable?

So as you can see I have a few things on the go and I'm loving it!!

Update on my class, the second class went really well we completed this pinwheel block and now onto the dresden plate, needle turn applique.

The colours I've chosen come from two fabric lines

Little Palm Paisley and Metro Blue Remix

Any questions about my projects, the GIVEAWAY or anything else you see in this blog please email me valerie@PastimesOnline.ca. Good luck to you all!!!

Until next time, have a happy and creative weekend!!

OH Yeah, don't forget to visit my Photo Blog when you have a chance as it's a collection of pictures I love...

I think 55 is a good entry number to re-cap the year 2009 and getting the idea for this from ParkcityGirl Website - thanks Amy.

**when I first wrote this entry, I didn't have any quilting projects added sometimes I'm so focussed on the project at hand and forget why I'm doing this and all of the quilting that drives me**

Here's a montage of my year in a nut-shell:

January: re-negotiating contracts with my business partner at Exhibit Studio, setting budgets for the coming year, discussing the market, reading the Twilight Series

February: high stress with the market crashing, not enough work to keep employees busy, trade shows getting cancelled, trying to figure out different avenues for Exhibit Studio, reading the Twilight Series

March: My Birthday, thinking about my quilting business, something I've always wanted to do, how can I make this work, the huge decision about deciding to sell Exhibit Studio, reading the Twilight Series (lovin it so much!!)

April: more discussions about quilting business online, partnership with another gal, hmmm, lots of debating about doing this on my own or with another person. DH showing so much interest in this new business venture for us, possibilities are endless, reading the Twilight Series

May: sold Exhibit Studio to my partner, Bye ES I wish you well :), now onto full time thinking about online quilting business, what should the name be, how can I make this work, what do I want my goals to be? May long weekend camping and waking up to 4" of snow, so much fun!

{taken the day before the snow storm, which we slept like babies through it all, lol}

June: Started training for a race to clear my head and regroup for a new chapter in my life, Incorporated my new business name of Pastimes Online Ltd. Pastimes could be used for any hobby like Scrapbooking, Photography (DH's passion), cooking, etc. and online self explanatory. Registered my business, which felt so good:) and camping (bliss)

July: Training for the race, figuring out block of the month programs and found this great site, ordering in some supplies, finding Manufacturers to do business with all over the world. Finding a great one in India - thanks Anant for all of your help & I love the silks!!, camping at Kaslo, BC - what a fab place!

{the famous SS Moyie}

August: Training for the race, placed orders for cottons, dupioni silks, threads, Gingher Supplies, Quilters Tea (our own blend) and more! Finished Pinkie Lee.

this one I'm keeping for me :)

September: Race time, 12km in 1.5 hours, my 8th Wedding Anniversary, (I love you Jeff), waiting on materials, building website (thanks Jeff), taking pictures, prepare for Podcasts, reading, reviewing, & rating websites (pros and cons) to figure out what I love the best & what you will love the best. Finding Squarespace and Squareflo - both life savers of time and money, reading Friday Night Knitting Club - touched my heart! My cousin got married & my sister and I made a set of personalized sheets. Designed my first pattern, Cutest Camera Bag.

{on the home stretch, phew}

October: My DH's birthday, ThanksGiving, spending time with Family, always a joy! Playing with my new silks that have arrived. Finding an excellent supplier for lightweight fusible materials for applique, silks etc. Our very good friends had a beautiful baby boy, Zach. Opened PastimesOnline - what a month. Started another Freebie 15 project with my LQS.

{which will be available to purchase soon}

{perfectly matching threads, beauty}

{mom and baby Zach at his baby shower}

{waiting to be layered and quilted, hopefully soon}

{official store home page}

the theme is leaves and I LOVE the colours

November: Shooting my first podcast, finished first block for the Journey of a Quilter Block of the Month and loved it! Realized yet again how much I love being part of my quilting guilds and how these women impact my life. Started work on the development of the basement, new home of PastimesOnline and my new Studio location. Quilt til you Wilt weekend to complete the two housecoats for my nephews. Quilters Connection Magazine, finally a magazine for Canadian Quilters - thanks Heather! Joined the Toyota 4x4ing Club with my DH, started reading The Book of Negros - WOW!

{where to begin?}

{almost finished and boy what a journey}

December: Marketing investment with QuiltDash and Within a Quarter Inch, hosted Christmas potluck for my Lakeside Quilters Guild, and attended the potluck for my other awesome Guild called Flying Needles, hosted Christmas Dinner for 13 plus 4 and it was probably the best Christmas ever. Permits approved, more work on the basement, dry-wallers scheduled, carpet ordered, dreams coming to fruition, *sigh* life is good.

Here's some of the gifts I made for family:

aprons for MIL and SIL

housecoats for nephews and messenger bags for nieces (silks)

silk scarf for Mum, it kind of works with the red shirt :)

Happy New Year everyone, I am so looking forward to starting an amazing 2010 and getting to know you all who follow my blog, comment and email me privately as well as all of you who's blogs I read. I would love more comments and please let me know what you would like to see and read about or ask me questions...

Until next time have a happy, warm and creative day,