Thursday, May 19, 2016

Pinch Me!

The past week has been (insert favourite excitement laden adjective here).  I confess I am at a bit of a loss as to how to describe it.  Exciting?  Surprising?  Glorious?  Remarkable?  Fantastic?  Encouraging?  Thrilling?  Joyous?

Perhaps I should just roll all those descriptors into one:

SUPERCALIFRAGELISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!



Let's start with last Wednesday, shall we?

That day I had lunch with Maureen MacKenzie of the City of Lacombe, and two of her colleagues on the Art Collection Committee...and ended up with a venue booking for Mark on the Body -- which will hang at the Lacombe Memorial Centre Gallery from October 20 through November 17...including an Opening Reception set for October 26 (time to be determined)...and press...and etc.
Stay tuned to the MOB blog for details!

Through Facebook I made a connection with the local Fundraising and Development Coordinator for the Central Alberta chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)...and we'll be chatting next week about the Project.  Meanwhile, I've done up some kits for stitching MOB II squares, and have permission to give them out at the meet-and-greet in Stratford, to anyone who might be interested...

MOB II Kits

I'm not particularly adept at shameless self-promotion...but I'm learning, and willing to keep trying, as this project means a great deal not only to me, but (I hope) to everyone touched by Type 1 Diabetes.  There is a good deal of misunderstanding about this type of diabetes, which is distinctly different from the much-more-prevalent Type 2...and it is my hope this project will help not only with much needed funding for research into a cure, but also with educating the general public.

On Sunday I travelled to Edmonton to see my kids, and to attend a shower for sweet Chereena, my son's fiancee.  I got the Grand Tour of their new rental -- a condo apartment that is absolutely lovely!  -- met my newest grand-cat, Yami, and then drove off to the shower with my daughter, Gina.

There was a buffet of amazing food -- and the obligatory shower game.  For this one, the guest were divided into teams of four to create the perfect wedding gown and slippers for Chereena's big day -- out of newsprint!



Then came the gift opening -- during which our lovely bride-to-be received a multitude of fabulous kitchen and bath items, and gift cards to add to those items on a shopping trip or two with her DH-to-be.   I had two gifts for her: one for her up-coming graduation from U of Alberta, and one for the shower.

The first, the shawl, was definitely a success:

"MoMarg, I think I'm going to cry!"

As were the chickens!



The looks on her face were enough to fill my heart for a good long time.  

On the way home, I delivered my Fort McMurray quilt tops to Tara at Trinity Quilts in southwest Edmonton.  She gave me a tour of her studio; I was very impressed by her fine quilting -- both over-all and customized designs.  What a blessing that Beaver Creek Mercantile of Caroline, AB, donated a bolt of batting to help Tara get all the donated tops quilted so they can be sent where they're needed!




The rest of this week has been spent Getting Things Done so that I can leave tomorrow for Stratford* with a clear conscience: everything from laundry to mowing the lawn to cleaning the cat box, to doing the dishes, to actually quilting...!

My 15 x 15 Group piece is finished -- except for the accompanying Artist's Statement -- as the "Reveal" for the "Circles" theme is only ten days away.  Here's a hint... ;-)



The collection of my work at Gracie D's Antiques, Collectibles and Giftware has been changed over to minis with a 'summer' feel, just in time for the Victoria Day weekend activities.  Gracie will be open extra hours, so I hope something will sell!

Now about Stratford (Ontario): the twin exhibits for SAQA's "My Corner of the World" -- the International and the All-Canadian -- open there this weekend at the Stratford Perth Museum.  I am so excited about joining many of the other artists and the SAQA President, Lisa Ellis, as well as Micaela Fitzsimmons and Bethany Garner, the curators, for the Opening Reception and SAQA "Meet-and-Greet" to follow, that I could probably fly there without much help from Air Canada!

It's Still About the Sky
(C) 2016


Before I go, I'm linking this up to WIP Wednesday over at The Needle and Thread Network...hoping you pop over there to see what other Canadian stitchers are up to...and wishing you a wonderful Victoria Day weekend!




3 comments:

elle said...

Wow. You have been having a great time. Bring on summer!

Judy Warner said...

What a wonderful week, Margaret! Hope you are having a great time and have good weather back East!

rtquilter said...

How exciting, Margaret! Enjoy!! Hope you have a grand time in Ontario!! I have to tell you that the Hollyhocks you so kindly sent me germinated last fall and are already about three feet tall and all have big stemsful of fat buds!!!! SOOO exciting! Photos to follow eventually! Safe trip!