Getting to know the new us!

Feel free to tell me (us) a little about yourselves, I'm excited to get to know the newer members.

I'm Vivian and I live in the Yukon Territory in northern Canada. I'm nestled in the mountains on an acreage that holds fox, and moose (we have willows so we usually get a couple of moose stop by for a nibble), we have a ravine go through that's a natural corridor for the local black bear and wolves (the wolves come by twice a year on their migration route...around Christmas and in the late spring...keep the little dogs and cats inside!!!). I love my view of the surrounding mountain tops, currently covered in snow.

I'm a mom to two girls, 10 and 11. They are my joy and I can't wait to see the people they grow up to be. They are quite the little fat quarter collectors, and Lisa (my 10 y.o.) is collecting 6 inch square food fabrics...and not just any food...desserts and sweets...she's got cupcakes, and chocolate covered strawberries, bagels and donuts, oreo cookies even. She hopes to make a food quilt this winter. I had a proud momma moment this summer when we stopped at a quilt shop in Alberta...Lisa heads for the counter with two bolts of food fabric and asks the worker to cut her a fat quarter of each please. The worker knew she was dealing with someone who was serious. Jennifer is more into socks and sewing dog toys. No sock is safe in our house, she turns them into bunnies and snakes. I have a rice filled snake (made from a striped knee high ) on my desk at work to use as a paperweight. I love it. My significant other and I have been together for 19 years now...sheesh...where did the time go! I'm 39 now, and my guy still thinks he's 32...hmmm, when did I pass him?...he'll be 48 this year so someone better break the news to him, somehow, I don't think he believes me.

I've been quilting for almost 2 years now. My local shop is Bear's Paw Quilts (www.bearspawquilts.com). I've visited the shop for many years to pick up GAST threads as I've been a needleworker forever (and a freelance designer). I would pick up a fat quarter or two and matching GAST and go home and design a pillow or something. The owner, Ruth, has been threatening me for years that she'll turn me into a quilter. Once day she convinced me to sign up for Quiltstart, a 3 evening class where we were taught all the basics, terminalogy and came away with a rail fence table runner: pieced, quilted and bound. I was hooked. I've signed up for several classes each term and am hoping to finish "quilt school" in the next year. I love it. Although my least favourite thing to do is needleturned applique.

We also live with two dogs - old Lady who's about 13 and she's a black lab/blue heeler cross, and is starting to feel her age, and Zeva who is a 2 year old Carmacks mutt - she's a tiny bit of everything small in the town of Carmacks...there is a lot of chihauhau, a lot of corgi, and a bit of jack russell or some kind of terrier in there, we've heard even maybe a weiner dog but that's an unconfirmed rumour, and finally, there is Crammer the cat, pronounced kraymer, who is in charge of everybody. When Zeva was a baby (imagine, full grown she's 10 - 11 pounds...as a baby she could fit in my pocket) and I would take her for a walk around the property, Crammer would follow calling us back b/c don't you know it's dangerous out there for a baby.

Currently, my favourite colours are purple batiks...oh and orange! I'm loving orange, I recently made an orange bag (pic on my blog) and I can't get enough. Did you know orange and pink look fantastic together? I didn't until I decided to sew them together.

I look forward to having fun with everyone during round 2. Happy quilting!!! Viv