Sunday, 6 May 2012

The Cloth Shop, Granville Island, Polka Dots and Flowers.

My favourite quilt shop where I took my first classes has moved after more than 25 years in the same location.  They are now located down on Granville Island in Vancouver B.C.
 Follow the signs and they are easily found at 1551 Johnston Road on the island.
 Maria and Barbara welcome you to their new shop.
 They are having fun decorating it and the doors had just opened a few minutes earlier.
 The shop is full of colourful fabrics and helpful books.
 Their fat quarter wagon is tucked into a natural light corner.
Love the light blue walls with the cream and white accents.
 Check out the displays high above you, love the lamb.
 Kaffe Fasset has come and taught at their shop several times and they have a lovely display of his books and fabrics.
 Sharing a smile and a few words with their customers, still setting up displays.
 Around the corner is the large Public Market with lots of fresh vegetables for purchase.
 Lots of fresh local seafood.

 Lots of berries waiting to be taken home.
 Tarts from Stuarts Bakery if you are too lazy to make your own.
 Lots of vendors with wares for sale.  These are Pots & Panzies by Nellie Vlaar; I love all the polka dots with black white and strong clear colours.
 Crows and Scottie dogs, two of my favourites.
 Tea for one?
 Great serving bowls and unique designs.  Check out her website at www.gidva.org  Next time I visit something will be coming home with me!
 Love the signage around the market.
 The Salmon Shop is one of the original vendors along with Duso's Italian foods.
 My on line Mary Lou Weidman group is doing a polka dot teacup exhange.  Here are some of my inspiration.
 Two more with the reverse theme.
 I couldn't pick just one colour so I decided to make mine rainbowed coloured.
 Hints of strawberry teas to be happening soon.
 Poppy buds ready to break forth into bloom.
 Here is a yellow one!
 The Fraser River is tidal, here is a sand bar in front of my condo.
 The tulips are on their last days.
 Look at all the colours.
 Yellow and pink almost look like feathers.
 The classic tulip shape with a splash of red.
 Peonies in full bloom already, with more promising buds.
Enjoy your Sunday!

Saturday, 28 April 2012

April Flowers and Hoochy Mama Bugs

I've been taking some photos over the past few weeks and finally sat down today to put some on line.  I love this checker board bulb, I'm not sure what it is called but it looks like it should be in a quilt.
 This lovely tulip that appears to floating is from my friend Rita's garden.
 Love the bumble bee centres on these flowers.
 These four tulip blossoms are from the same stem!
 A slightly closer look.
 Forget me knots in pink, blue and mauve tones.
 One of the first bees of the year.
 Here is another busy bee.
 Daffodil.
 A lovely magnolia.
 Another variety of magnolia.
 Just coming into bloom.
 The view from my condo a couple of weeks ago.
Some delicate bells blowing in the wind.                                                                                               
One of my checker board bulbs coming out of bud.                                                                             
 What a lovely two coloured tulip against some ornamental grasses.
 A visiting sea lion swimming up river with two other friends checking out the neighbourhood.
Another two coloured tulip with a bit of a ruffle to it's edges.                                                                 
 A peony coming out of bud.
 More two coloured tulips with a some water droplets.
 One of our rhododendrons in the courtyard.
Hoochy Mama Bug exchange blocks!                                                                                                  
 This bug is by Rebecka Shafer.
 Linda Lee Ahn sent along some bug buttons for us, thanks Linda.
 Deb Green made us selvage butterflies.
 A dragon fly by Sharon Buford.
 Carmen sent each of us a butterfly for her first swap!
I think Mari  Linfesty sent this bee.
 I think Claire Marland sent this dragon fly.
 Nancy McCain sent this chenille tailed dragon fly.
 I think this is a firefly buy by Gloria Gowan.
 This is the dragon fly I sent to the swappers.
Thanks to all the swappers, now to put them together as a quilt.  Thanks to Mary Lou Weidman for putting us all together with her online swap group!