Victoria Visit

I also had the opportunity to head back out west to Victoria, BC for work. We got back from our San Fran vacation on Sunday morning and then Monday morning I was back on a plane bound for the west coast again. I was there to visit CFB Esquimalt and provide assistance for the planning efforts. It is great doing work for the Navy with sites on either coast and Quebec City, as there are plenty of other bases across the hinterlands of Canada.

It was sooooo beautiful there! Everything was in bloom, there were beautifully planted gardens everywhere, and many flowering trees I don't think I have seen before. At the waterfront, across the Straight of Juan de Fuca, you could see the Olympic mountains in Washington state, it was lovely. Given the opportunity to move out there, I think I'd say yes!

A future home perhaps?

Me with Olympic Mountains in the distance, their peaks in the clouds.

A heron in Beacon Hill Park, close to downtown! I think I was the only one amazed to be so close to the wildlife. 

The inner harbour, "Welcome to Victoria" spelled out in flowers!, and the Parliament Building in the background. My hotel was just to the right, a perfect location.

San Francisco - Fabric Purchase!

While in San Fran, I got to go to Britex Fabrics! Matt was tuckered out after walking one morning so I took the opportunity to do a little shopping on my own. This store was pretty impressive with four floors of different kinds of fabrics and notions. I ended up buying a remnant of Amy Butler's Midwest Modern 2 Olive Optic Blossom (left below) and a half yard of Heather Ross' Westhill Forest Green Pond (right below). I think they were both a bit pricier than I might have been able to find them on other internet sites, but they're both so pretty, I think it was a good impulse buy :)

San Francisco - Food

coming soon!

San Francisco - Sights

coming soon!

Before/After

Voila! One of my first sewing projects is finally complete. (Well, half complete if you include the other window in our bedroom). I need to buy the curtain rod first for that window and hang it up as motivation to make the curtains. The reverse appliqué turned out well, done both by machine and by hand for a little variety (detail in an earlier post). 

Upcoming projects / Summer outfits!

Fabricville was having a great sale on some Simplicity New Look patterns, 5 for $5! So, I've decided to try and update my summer wardrobe with a few handmade items. Above are my initial thoughts for fabrics to go with the patterns (Click for a larger image). It's been a gorgeous weekend in Halifax, so it's almost time to break out the summery clothes! 

Fabric purchases

Some recent fabric purchases to update the blog with... The lovely bright pink fabric with hand-drawn buildings from NYC on it would make a great skirt. The yellow fabric with vegetables could make some fun boxer shorts. The green and blue ferns in the middle is from the Wild Bunch line which has beautiful hand-drawn botanicals. True Up also did an interview with the designers which is pretty interesting, apparently they worked from a collection at a botanical garden in Chicago. I think I might have to request that my Mum go back to Marden's and pick up some more fabric in this line to make a quilt or duvet cover. They had a lot of it, in many of the different patterns, and for so cheap! And lastly, the polka dots I thought would make a nice summer shirt - at $5/metre, it was the most expensive fabric I've bought! 

For my next trick...

I haven't even finished my first sewing project, and I am on to (and almost finished) the next! This project used new and old fabric, and a couple of old towels to make a bath mat. I followed the general pattern from Sew Liberated, in that it's squares and has a towel backing, but I also incorporated some towel squares on the front for extra moisture absorption. Though, it might not be as absorbent (or as cool) as this moss bath mat. I've just got to finish it off with some quilting or ties to keep the two layers together. But in the mean time, it is useful and useable - in fact, it's already been tested this morning. 

Plant experiments

We got two avocados last week to make these "Chicken Burgers," which didn't actually happen cause we didn't get the chicken. So, as the old saying goes, when life gives you avocados you make guacamole. Which we did. Afterwards though, I decided to embark on the age-old experiment of trying to grow avocado plants from their pits. Here goes!

Progress!

The past few days have seen a fair bit of progress made on my first sewing project. I have sewn up two curtains (enough for one window), and done one reverse appliqué pattern on said curtains. I was a bit excessive when pinning the back fabric on to the front (image 1). I sewed around the pattern either by machine or hand (2). Then cut out the pattern very very carefully to reveal the fabric underneath (3). Success! In fact, the most difficult part of this project so far has been trying to secure the curtain rod holder into place!

Starting a Stash

I took the number 2 bus for my first expedition to Fabricville, to purchase fabric for some bedroom curtains which will employ the reverse appliqué technique from the  Alabama Stitch Book.  The selection was a bit overwhelming (quantity) and underwhelming (quality/stylish-ness) at the same time. After 10 trips up and down all the aisles and around the store and attempting to figure out all of their sales schemes (buy 1 get 2, 20-50% off, club discounts, etc) I ended up with the above fabrics (click on the image to enlarge). I'm planning on making the curtains out of the solid brown on the bottom left with the blue forest as the appliqué bits. 

Blog note: This is not travel related at all! But I thought this would be the perfect place to communicate with more family and friends on what's going on here in Halifax or when we're out and about. I'll probably do some "blasts from the pasts" on travel undertaken since the previous post here. On the right hand side you'll notice in addition to planned/completed travel I've added started projects around the house...unfortunately none of those projects have yet been completed! I'm great at starting a crafty project but tend to get bored and stop. Here's to trying to complete those projects and and having a place to show them off!

Thanks for stopping by & welcome back :)