Friday Favourite - Granite Balloon Animals from Paul Slipper and Nadine Stefan

Balloon Animals made of granite. I almost feel like I don't need to say anything else.

A series of animals all made to look like classic balloon animals - dogs, swans, horses and the like - are part of a public art installation on the Thunder Bay Waterfront. And how cool is it that kids were part of the decision making process on picking the final installation?

The installation is called Naturally Inflated and is by Paul Slipper and Nadine Stefan. I could have stared at these things for hours (except for the creepy guy that launched into a tirade about the waterfront development and kept getting too close). But I can't get them out of my head. Best public sculptures ever.

Hubby is also obsessed now and we're wondering if we'll ever have the budget to commission one of these for our yard...

Superior Quilt Show

I'm not sure how many people go to Thunder Bay and say they had an awesome time (unless you are from a town in Northern Ontario and Thunder Bay counts as the big city) but I am officially one of them.

Last weekend I spent three days in Thunder Bay. Three very intense and fun days. I met some wonderful people who were incredibly generous of their time and spirit. I taught such an eager group of students that I was jazzed at the end of each day when they were tuckered out. And they all learned to embrace their scraps. I laughed in front of a crowd of over 100 as I told my stories and shared my quilts. I eagerly walked the show floor (and spent money) to take in the full range of quilts from thread painting to modern and everything in between.

(Made and quilted by Wendy Currie)

I walked on the waterfront of a still iced over Lake Superior (at least by the shore) and took pictures of the most awesome public sculptures ever. I drank beer with an air traffic controller/quilter. And all while keeping company with a carousel horse.

Thank-you very much to the Thunder Bay Quilt Guild for bringing me to your city, your show. it was wonderful.

Gum on Concrete

Gum on Concrete

52'' by 68''

Another quilt from Sunday Morning Quilts, done with my scraps in a totally new colourway. This quilt, quite honestly, reflects the journey I've taken since the book came out a year ago.

... It is me, sewing up a pattern Amanda Jean created. I feel a bit of her, her friendship and enthusiasm, in each stitch.
... It is my never ending obsession with grey. And yes, I only 'made' a few scraps to complete this quilt.
... It is a name that came from someone in the audience at one of my first trunk shows, where I shared the quilt top last summer.
... It is the last quilt I finished before travelling across the country for teaching and another trunk show - something I was never able to do before the book came out.
... It is the quilt I photographed at The Workroom, while there teaching and taking advantage of their perfect for photography light and backyard.

Without Sunday Morning Quilts nothing about this quilt would exist. For that, I am grateful. And although the name has nothing to do with the joy the quilt brings me, I do love it too.

Quilted with a combination of Wonderfil Konfetti and Aurifil 50W thread. Swirls and pebbles and squared off spirals making this quilt heavy and dense. Perfect for a cuddle. Helped out with the use of Quilters' Dream Request batting in 100% cotton.

A scrappy binding in grey, so nothing stands out. Just a growing expanse of concrete.

Friday Favourite - Blueberry Park Wash Bag

Sitting in a hotel room this morning. I've worked out already, done a bit a work, and am packing up for two full days of teaching at the Superior Quilt Show. Needless to say, I am feeling quite productive! It's amazing how that is when there are no diapers to change, lunches to pack, or walks to school. But then there are no morning reading sessions, nekkid butts to pinch, and walks to school.

Small consolation on this trip is my new wash bag/toiletries bag from Blueberry Park. I've been following Karen, the artist, on Instagram and drooling over her screen prints. I adore the designs she uses. Then she was selling scrap bags... And well, to make the shipping totally worthwhile I added this bag to the order. It only made sense.

With a lot of travelling this year for teaching and the like it was time to upgrade from my standard black drugstore version of the toiletries bag. This one makes packing so much easier! Fits all my stuff - hair, teeth, skin, and my one tube of mascara - and is pretty to boot!

Karen has had a rough past week or so with the passing of her father. Send hugs, if you can.