Gratuation Cards

Today is a big day in Hubby's family as one niece and one nephew (cousins) graduate from college/high school. I'm never sure which applies here in Iceland as our kids attend for ten years what we call foundation school and then at 16 they go on to other schools (if they choose to go that route) and then graduate from those schools between 19 - 22. (20 is most common) In those years they can learn and get the foundation in whatever they want to study at Universities or they can learn to be Nurse Aid, Carpenter, Painter, Electrician, Chef, Fisherman, Farmer and so on.

Anyway, I had no cards for this day and needed to make them. When the kids (who are now 29, 27, 25 and 22) were little and invited to LOTS of birthday parties I made loads of cards every few years, then the day came for each of them when they (and their friends) got to old for this birthday thing. Duh Mom!!! you get my meaning and that's when I ended up with a box full of cards, which only recently got emptied. Besides, those cards were not good enough for a stand alone cards for graduation (we are giving just the cards with money inside).

So last night I sat down and made two cards, our Flag pole is down (the foundation needs repair) so I decided to raise the Flag for the young graduates on the cards and they each needed a little bouquet.

I can safely say that my skills at card making have not improved. But those will do the job. Now I'm off to the celebration.

                   Sunna.

Spring Retreat

Last Thursday was such a beautiful day. I loaded my car with sewing stuff and went into town around 10 am to fill my car with gasoline. This was the view in one direction.

Here is the opposite direction.

One more direction.

On my way out of town I took this photo of the mountain that our farm sits under.

Then I started the two hour drive, didn't take a photo in the first fjord, but here is a hole in the cliff so you can get into fjord no. 2

After I drove through the hole I took this photo, here you see into the Deep (translation) the Northern Westfjords all open up into the Deep.

Looking to fjord no 2. I wont write the names here, there are Icelandic letters in most of the names and that's just problem.

Here is what's left of a village that an avalanche fell on years ago. No one is allowed to live in the houses that are left from November 15 to May 15. 

The village was moved to a safer location.

I took no photo in the next fjord (small crooked fjord), but this is in the bottom of fjord no 4.

The bridge in the bottom is a single car bridge, we still have some of them left, but every summer there are new bridges built.

Here I am between fjord 4 and 5. On the island (Vigur) in the distance is a farm.

In the bottom of fjord 5.

The bridge over fjord no 6.

Fjord no 7 is so tiny it didn't get a photo taken.

Here is the bridge over fjord 8

And taken at the same stop, my destination. An old boarding school that's been turned into a Hotel. 

Just look at the beautiful weather.

And the GREEN grass, due to lots of geothermal activity.

The swimming pool that uses the hot water that pours out of the ground.

Another view of the swimming pool and some geothermal activity.

So why was I driving all those fjords, not to sew over a pin, that's for sure, I can do that at home.

No, my guild finishes the winter with spring retreat and then our meetings start again in October with another retreat. Although we have started to have one Saturday meeting in the beginning of September.

Just a few members here and already there is work on display.The owner is on the right.

Those are tiny, tiny hexagons.

More hexagons.

Wall hanging.

Ironing stations. Here only few women have arrived, I was the fourth woman to arrive.

FINALLY, my centre for Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice.

On Friday night we had the mystery and yes this is taken in the evening with daylight outside. The women always place the half sewed mysteries on their heads, certain they must be some kinds of hats or caps.

Here is one.

And another.

This is coming along nicely.

Don't let me disturb you ladies.

Ooooh, I got a smile.

The result, there was one more, but it wasn't finished at the retreat.

On Saturday morning the lady with the shop showed up, she had a few things with her to show us. But I forgot to take a photo of the shop that is always set up in the old chemistry room,.

There was show and tell on and off all weekend. Sadly I didn't get a photo of all the quilts when they were shown. Here the owner is standing in front of her beautiful quilt.

Hey!!! you can only see my feet!

Here is the finished top with the owner/maker.

Some used the weekend to finish up OLD UFO's. I really liked this one.

On Saturday night we had our gala dinner, here the ladies are sitting out in the sun at 7.25 pm, waiting for dinner to start at 7.30.

Forgot to take a photo of the wonderfully delicious food.

Here is one of the projects I worked on, the pattern is here.

This top was made over the weekend. Some women are so productive.

We were asked to make a little cell phone bag for a boy on a neighbouring farm. It had been a long time dream to own a pieced bag for his cell phone. One of the ladies made this for the boy.  

The back.

I totally forgot to take a photo of the two school rooms (there is a false wall between them that can be removed) full of sewing machines and women, but here we are clearing out.

This was a wonderful (extra long) weekend, sadly I had cold/flu so I din't get to use the swimming pool at all. 

The school is heated with the hot water that is all over the place, but it is also built over some of the hot spots so some rooms are uncomfortable hot. The reception is so hot that all the autumns we've been going there  (this was the first time for our spring retreat) the front door is ALWAYS open. Same as this time. And the steam from the hot spot under the reception area is let out on the top step in front of he door. Just behind the lady, although in this warm weather you can't see the steam well. I think some of the hot spots came after the school was built though.

                  Sunna.