Quilt Canada 2012- Shows, Shows and More Shows

Although Saturday is my day to really go through the major quilt shows at Quilt Canada. I wanted to stop in to both the National Juried Show and the Invitational Show to see the impact of so many beautiful and amazing pieces hanging in one single space. Neither of these shows disappointed. After seeing things on a grandiose level I will use Saturday to really get up a clsoe up and see the details and workmanship of the pieces. Again, amazing! There are no cameras aloowed in the NJS show, you are not even allowed to have pens in the show (not to mention food and drink) and NO touching the pieces. if you want to see the back, you must ask the women in the white gloves to lift pieces for you. Good quilt show etiquette! The invitational show cameras are permitted; I will try to credit as many artists as I can remember but just in case please refer back to www.canadianquitler.com for more of the completed listing of teachers, artists, and participants.

1. Heather Stewart included a muted down Broken Dishes pattern that I have to feel connected too as I share of love a smaller, repeated pieces jsut like Heather. I took her postage stamp class yesterday and can also claim to ahve a done a very similiar Broken Dishes quilt using a Kaffe Fasset design a few years ago (it showed at GNAF that year). Heather's piece was made of textured Japanese fabrics... amazing!

2. Elephants- This piece was catching many people's EYES at the show and so I took a detailed photo of the EYE of the elephant. There is a lot of detailed and small scale machine quilting on this and it seems to be them of quilting recently/this year. Many of the NJS pieces have it also and it must be what judges are looking for; note to self. remember this is not your grandma's quilting!

3. There was two great pieces by Jo Diggs, including the under the sea images that caught my eye. People LOVE quilting fish and under the sea themes and they usually do NOT interest me at ALL but this one captured my attention.

4. Finally, a large scale photo and a detail of a piece that I have HUGE respect for. I amazes me when artists focus on abtract peices AND hand stitching/embellishments. I could sew a straight line with aneedle and thread to save me life and I am sure my hand would start cramping up after a few stitches! Big props to textile artists who explore this type of work!

Enjoy... and keep encouraging creativity and art!

Quilt Canada 2012- Northern Participation

I am planning a few posts tonight as today has been a busy, busy day at Quilt Canada 2012 in Halifax. All the photos and information included and added tonight is meant to inspire creativity and give a bit of an idea of where/what quilting is today. Don't think for a second this is sewing squares together like what your Granmother and/or Great Grandmother did!

I started a 2 day class today which is a first for me and I highly recommend it. I think I have moved beyond the 1 day classes where you only learn one or 2 specific techniques. A day 2 day class means that the instruction concluded on day 1 and now I have a full day of sewing and designing on my own. My 2 day class is Lines, Curves, and Wonky Log Cabins with Maggie van der Weit and so far she has been great. I have entered this class and have dove in with no plans or idea where this piece is going. For sure it is a sampler project as with each technique today I jsut added another strip to an ever expanding collage of things... don't laugh at the colours and design 'mistakes'! Included is also a start of chakra petals that I am experimenting with as I am really thinking of a class that combines yoga AND textile art. Again, I sooooo wish i could be an art therapist! I think the pieces could be use with an alter, meditation space, energy work area, etc.

I am very proud and a bit shy that I also have a piece in the 2012 Invitation Quilt Show that is held at Quilt Canada. This is a show where individuals are asked/invited to participate in based on their involvement with the CQA and/or Quilt Canada. Many people have commented on my piece including my instructors and I am very honoured by this. I know the piece is not perfect and is not ready something like the National Juried Show but respect that art is a journey and I think this is a good step/space to be in right now. It has given me a big of confidence to keep progressing and experimenting with things.

Although, I am the only person from Inuvik we have a big group of Yellowknifers and ex-Northerners here. They are so inspirational and encouraging and obviously, great company. Yellowknife Quilters has always been a strong Guild and many of these women were core to this Guild over the years. I have included all the photos of their show and tell from Judy Farrow's class. Fingers crossed that we will soon be going to Parksville, BC for a retreat/5 day workshop/studio time with Judy!!!!

Quilt Canada 2012- Day 1 of classes is complete!

Day 1 of classes is complete and I believe has been a big success for not only the students and instructors but also for the organizers of Quilt Canada 2012. I honestly did not see any big issues at all over the course of the day.

I attended Heather Stewart's You've Got Mail class and if you are a quilter who likes little pieces and lots of repetition (like myself) then this class is for you. Just Google postage stamp quilts and start reading/learning about what this 1 1/2" technique is all about. Watch out Inuvik; as I am bringing this back to Inuvik for a weekend session!!! Sorry, but I cannot stay at home sewing that little of pieces together by myself! The photo attached is a detail of Heather Stewart's sample quilt and you check out her website at: www.heatherstewart.ca. I really great instructor and lots of knowledge and information on colour and design. She would be a great person to bring North.

Lots of the other 'northern' or 'ex-northern' quilters here attended a class with Judy Farrow which is a 2 day class. I am hoping that they show and tell all their projects for tomorrow's blog post. Judy is also an 'ex-northerner' and has created an amazing quilting career for herself and which is only expanding with an upcoming teaching session at Empty Spools in California. Yes, Google that too in case you want to quilt in a national park right on the ocean. I have included a photo of all the 'northern' quilters at Quilt Canada as I know how we all like to keep tabs on people who come and go from the North.

I also managed to do a quick walk about at the Merchant Mall today and boy is there a lot of 'stuff' out there to purchase. I always say that if you think of something (gadget, tool, book, fabric, supply) you can guarentee in the quilting world it has already been invented and retailed. I managed to find a really need little needle holder that for most people would be boring to hear but for all you quilters... I think it might mean the disappearance of the pin cushion sometime soon! :) Lots of good booths at the Merchant Mall, not as many as usual but still good in quality. Stitches is there from Salt Spring Island and their work and materials are always so inspiring. There is also Pippa Moore (and Joan) who work with ladies in Africa to produce some amazing quilting materials and fabrics. Pippa gave me a big hug this afternoon as I have previously taken a class with her and I really recommend people check out her blog at:  http://kitambaa.blogspot.ca/. She is such a warm and friendly person and is great for a new, modern approach to quilting. I use this Blog lots just to get a good boost of creativity.

I think that is all... day 2 tomorrow and the start of a big 2 day class that I have big hopes for!!! Enjoy!

I am Begging You All (35 and under)...

This Blog post is going to be the sound of me begging anyone 35 and under to take up textile arts and if you have already done so to really research the options and ideas out there for expanding your interest in it! Pleeeeeeease.

Day 2 is now completed on my trip to Quilt Canada. What I can report: Grey hair EVERYWHERE! This is normal for Quilt Canada but I am really noticing it this year and it has me concerned. For real! I have a real respect for the older quilters as huge leaps and bounds have been within quilting in the past even 10 years thanks to people pushing this area of art and design BUT I am worried about the future. Maybe not full on worried but at least somewhat concerned for sure. We need more younger quilters and not just those who take a beginner class and never go back but younger quilters with a real interest in the history, techniques, travel and organization of quilting. I honestly believe that every individual has a creative side to them and one's approach to quilting/textile arts should be no different than those exploring photography, watercolours, pottery, oils, dance, etc. And the more and more I indulge myself into the yoga the more I see our wellness activities intertwining into art and creativity.So come on people!!!!!

I began quilting in about 1999 through my godmother. I was someone with very little patience and I needed to correct this AND I had a good, solid background in art and design (Thanks to Betty Wilcox the art teacher at Sir John Franklin high School in Yellowknife!). What other high school art program do you know of that has regular art history lectures; no different than those at universities?!?! I taught myself to quilt with one simple book which was a Double Irish Chain pattern. At that time even, the variety of fabric was VERY limited. I remembered I used only 3 fabrics and all the quilting was done with clear acrylic thread. We all know now that this is awful thread to use, even for a small amount of quilting. From there I started building a fabric stash and colelcting quilting magazines. I still think magazines are the best resource for learning about design and colour in textile arts. I started going to classes once I connected with the Yellowknife quilters and the rest is history.

With 3 others I started the Inuvik Quilting Guild in 2006 and became the NWT Rep on the Canadian Quilters Association in 2011. I have worked with some of the best teachers in North America and know my bucket list of activities and classes that I still wish to teach. I am proud to say that our Guild is one of the youngest (participant wise) in Canada but I think that has to do not only with promotion and welcoming young members but also with our town's demographics in general. I encourage other Guilds to follow this lead.

Yes, I don't always admit to people right away that I quilt (or that I am off to Quilt Canada) and I really wish I did this more freely. There is a lot to say about promoting those things that we love.

So for now I encourage everyone 35 and younger to tag along with an Aunt, your mother or you Godmother and discover the world of quilting and textile arts.... but use your own young eyes to see things through your own perspective and to leave judgement at the door. It is time we start moving this artwork into our own Generation Y.

Think... next year Quilt British Columbia is in Pentiction, BC... we could quilting by day and drinking beer and houseboating by night!!! Yes, this could be the new reality of Quilt Canada and textile arts.

Photos to come in the next post!

Quilt Canada- Arrival and Reasoning

Here I am at another edition of Quilt Canada. This is my thrid time to Quilt Canada if you include the smaller regional events held between the bi-annual Quilt Canada. And we are in.... HALIFAX! Which to date has already really impressed me.

First, it is hard to admit that I quilt but yes, I do. And not only to I quilt but I have a full time dedicated sewing room, have learned from some of the best quilters in Canada and the world, Chair the Inuvik Quilting Guild and sit as a Regional Representative on the Canadian Quilters Assoication. This is more than just a hobby for me. My curling off-season means quilting seasons starts and ends.

I know quilting is stereo-typed into an old lady activity and for sure by the most part it is but there is a small group of young-er quilters like myself that are desperately trying to change this image. Many cities now offer a 'Modern Quilt Guild' which moves away from some of the traditional pieced projects and encourages a more contemporary approach to textile arts. Then there is the whole art quilting arm of quilting which younger artists are really entering into. There are even college and university programs dedicated to textile arts (as opposed to Home/Human Economics). That being said the sad reality is that if we do not continue bringing young-er people into quilting it could easily become a dying hobby. Sad but true.

So my reasoning for attending Quilt Canada beyond trying to keep quilting going and being quilting obsessed... I think we NEED a national quilting body.... in whatever form and organiazation. Period. And for quilting right now it is the CQA (Canadian Quilters Association). It is similiar to any other sport, hobby, or group in this sense. I know some people are a bit apprehensive or question-able when it comes to the CQA but for me this organization's focus must be; promotion of quilting, encouragement of development of artists, and sharing between regions of Canada. Like any other national organization I think sometimes politics, funding and other issues might be in the way but at its core the CQA must remain and be present to organize and encourage quilting in Canada; for individuals, Guilds, artists, and retailers. I feel very strongly about this.

As for my reasoning why I quilt... I believe that bringing creativity and artisanism into your life is as important as being physically active. I know this sounds a bit crazy but I honestly believe it. I look at rates of heart disease, mental health issues, stress, alzeimers, etc and I can only hope that some of my time quilting is helping decrease my chances of some of this. In addition, I think imagination, dreaming, imagery, colour, design, geometry, etc are huge impacters when thinking of wellness and calm within ones self. We do a lot to encourage art and creativity in young children, and some of us get to experieince art classes right through high school but as adults it is something we lose time for or shy away from. EVERYONE is artistic and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

So that in a nutshell is why I am at Quilt Canada for another year and why I quilt. Maybe somedays I quilt just because a fabric had caught my eye or that I want a neice/nephew to be wrapped a warm and comforting quilt or that I have an image or feeling that needs to get out of my head and into fabric but health/wellness and belief in quilting as an art/movement is what keeps me volunteering and promoting quilting.

Happy quilting to everyone at Quilt Canada...

Shona

Day 3- Under 18 Optimist Championships

We are into day 3 already of the Under 18 Optimist International Curling Championships. It feels like things are going quickly although we still have three games to get through. The boys are doing amazing and truly I am impressed. The games/scores have been a bit lopsided but we have had moments where things have really come together. Chris made 2 great draws to the button to score a deuce against Manitoba tonight. In that same game we played a textbook first end to get the force and had a steal set up properly (although Manitoba made the bail out shot). This is the same Manitoba boys team that if you check out YouTube you will see the big runback hit for 6 that he made to win Canada Games gold (on TSN). I think this Manitoba team has a real future in curling so look out Mike McEwan; there might be some New Kids on the Block soon enough (once Stoughton, etc retire). Not only are they a good team but they have also taken the NWT team under their wings a bit and it has helped us a lot this week already.

The Sakatchewan girls and BC girls are also impressive. Watching coach Tracy Steifel (who is a good curler in her own right) has been interesting this week also as her approach to her junior girls is very similiar to that of a women's team and I think this team will be transitioning into women's play quickly as well. The BC girls seem like a well oiled machine and have their routines down pat (which of course the OCD part of me loves).

As for our Team NWT boys the positives continue. I don't think there has been a moment that has surprised them or thrown them for a loop yet this week. Everyone thought they would be wide eyed when they got here but I have not seen this at all. I think a lot of this had to do with planning and although I don't want to take all the credit (thank you parents!!!!!) I think my own curling experience has helped us. We have the proper snacks, a great schedule/game plan, and had reviewed all the small things also (pin cards, 10 minute practice, LSD, uniforms, hydration, etc). For any other competivie curlers out there things of coaching; jump in and share this information/knowledge with others. The teams mentioned about have experienced curlers as coaches (BC- Ken Brown) also and I think it makes a difference. I over heard other coaches talking that they do not believe the hype about the EQ heads and the 'new' sweeping research (WHAT?!?!?!?). Sure there will be better and bigger developments along the way but in the past couple years this THE biggest change in curling (get with it!). I know I am not the first curler to try their hand at coaching and so also kudos to others who have already taken this on. Again, take on the challenge all you 'retired' competivie curlers!

And of course, despite all this seriousness there is a lot of fun going on. The Go Karts were a hit as between draws activity today; both for our young boys and the older front runners!!!

And so two more games tomorrow... BC and Alberta. We will keep on trucking along and of course making fans and followers along the way!!!

Day 1- Hitting the Ice!

Well, we hit the ice today at the Under 18 championships and it felt great. We had a huge team practice at the Dixie Curling Club and the boys represented themselves well. They were throwing great, we had out team practice all organized and they had a good understanding of the ice (breaking points, curl across the centre line, draw weight and knowing the importance of control weight). It was like everything we talked about during the year all clicked together. I could not have been more proud of them. We also found out the draw this morning (although apparently it was posted Monday night). We play Manitoba, BC, Alberta, Washington and Japan. There are some pretty good teams in Canada and the States right now and seeing all these young curlers on the ice this afternoon was a good reminder of how positive the future of curling is right now. Lots of energy, enthusiasm and I am pretty sure they are WAY better than I was at this junior stage!

Of course, a day would not go by without a little adventure from Team Nerysoo. As I went for a run this morning (5K outside with only a t-shirt on!!!) I let the boys sleep in. Then we went for a good, healthy lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant (which was amazing) and I learned that we are sticking to Tim Hortons and Subway from now on as the boys had no appreciation for something different. I should have realized this ahead of time!!! But they did love the mango milkshakes and I figure that got some vitamins into them. Then of course we went to the pool and I am sure we are the only team small enough to do cannon balls at the hotel pool!

So tomorrow is a new day.... development camp and then Game #1 vs. Japan. Fingers crossed that the boys hear their alarm clock at 545am! This schedule is worse than the Scotties on the east coast! Loving every minute of this trip so far.

Toronto and the Under 18 Championships here we come!

I have officially started my curling coach career! In November the Inuvik junior boys curling team asked me to help them out and I am so happy that I said yes. now a few months later we are in Toronto at the Under 18 Curling Championships. This is a really young and green team but they make me laugh and impress me every single day.

When I was a junior curler they did not have the Under 18 Championship and so we ended up at junior nationals probably a bit earlier than we should have! I am excited to get to experieince with event and the benefits of this curling stepping stone with Chris Nerysoo, Kaidan McDonald, Deklen Crocker and Connor Sullivan. What a crew!

We spent day 1 of the trip at the Saville Centre in Edmonton. Coach Gary Coderre was great with us and had lots of tips and also praise for our little team. He said the boys were sponges and are eager which I think is a good combination. Then with a little luck and a lot of patience we have moved from Edmonton and are now in Toronto. AND we went to a Raptors game!!!!! It was amazing and they won! I am sooooo happy and appreciative that the parents treated us with such a thrill!!! Thank you, thank you and mahsi cho!!!!

So now to bed and to have a good rest before heading to the ice tomorrow. We are at the Dixie Curling Club which I have already been told won the Amarula Team Koe contest!!! Don't worry Kevin and Co.... I don't think the juniors will be wrecking the place too much before you all arrive!

Scotties 2012- Top 10 Moments

I have not been Blogging as much lately as I think I forgot how busy things at the Scotties get mid-week. We have pretty much been eating, sleeping and curling and as you all know... trying to get over the flu! But the curling for us is now over and the 2012 Scotties has been amazing as usual for team Galusha. Yes, we came up a bit short at meeting our original goal (7 wins, 4 losses) but there are still a lot of great moments to look back on. Here is my list of Top 10 Moments (some good and some bad).

#10- Team Manitoba vs. Team NWT/Yukon- Yes, this game was a loss for us but to me it shows just how good of a team J. Jones and company are. We actually curled fairly well and got rocks in some good positions but there was nothing we could do to even keep the game close. In my opinions this team continues to be the leader of the pack in ladies curling. They are definately beatable but deserve a lot of recognition for their success.

#9- Opening Banquet- We picked out some great dresses that made us stand out from the other teams (bright blue) but in all seriously this banquet was one of the most entertianing I have attended. The speeches were short, food was amazing and the entertainment was really good. There were even Cirque de Soliel type acrobats hanging from the ceiling of the banquet room!

#8- Uniforms- It is always stressful to get our uniforms on Day 1 of the Scotties as you keep your fingers crossed that everything will fit. The problem is that you never know if the sizing will fit bog or small and this year it was SMALL! I ahve only included this as a 'moment' in hopes that someone from the CCA reads this. We NEED new uniforms! Players this year referred to them as scuba gear or the sauna. The minute that you zipped up the skin tight jackets you immediately began sweating. And the internet chatter seems to think that the NWT/Yukon needs new colours from red/grey. I don't mind the colours but they seem to bring out negative opinions from others!!!

#7- Our Fans- One we reason were so excited to get to Red Deer was that we knew this would be as close to a home town crowd as we would ever get and it was!!! The fans from the NWT have been amazing. We have seen so many friends and family during the week but we have also seen pockets of NWT fans that are there without any real connections to us! Just real, genuine fans of NWT/Yukon. You can see pockets of fans and flags all over the building and can feel the support on the ice. There was even one Nunavut flag there for the duration of the week... I think they were the Nunavut mixed champions.

#6- Team Galusha Parents- Yes, they were everywhere this week and as usual their support in unconditional! Wendy parents were into the emails/phone calls/Facebook from NB as last year in Charlottetown they were our only fans!! Sharon's dad made us feel welcome in his home between games and offered up many meals for everyone through the week. Lynda was there, nervous sitting high in the stands as usual. Tex was an A+ babysitter to Kobe while Megan was on the ice. And Patricia was there for every game; pacing back and forth along the pedways. It doesn;t matter how old you get, you still need this parent support.

#5- Little Miss Sydney and Mr. Kobe- Our two littlest fans did a great job of behaving for their families and they were super fans in the crowd. Sydney got her curling debut on TSN... of course, chugging out of a water bottle. And Kobe seemed to like the view from way up high. I think both these kids will look back and be so proud of their mommies/

#4- Team Quebec vs. Team NWT/Yukon- We curled with 3 and for that I will always remember this game. As everyone knows our team was struck by the flu and this was the draw when it was the worst. Kerry and Wendy watched from their beds as we took on Quebec with only 3 players! This might be the first time this has ever occured at the Scotties. We kept it close until the 9th end but I really thought we might pull out the win. The crowd was soooo behind us and it would have been amazing to do the impossible and win this game.

#3- Stealing!- I am not sure why but the steals against Saskatchewan stick out as a moment for me. We stole 5 consecutive ends and tied a recond for stolen ends in Scotties history. I think this was the result of finally feeling healthy and curling how we can!!! At fifth end break Fred alluded to stealing... and we did! A great team effort and a great result (WIN).

#2- Saskatchewan/Canada- This was the final day at the Scotties and we played two tough teams Team Canada and Saskatchewan. We can out played how we could and WON two great games. Kerry made a great last rock against Canada that resulted in a stealing the win. And we pulled it together against Saksatchewan to make it a double win game. Then came all the attention over what could have been if the flu had not hit. And thanks to TSN we also got the extra exposure over this story.

And a tie for #1!!!!

#1a- Team Alberta vs Team NWT/Yukon- We did it right off the bat! We beat the home town team in the opening draw and took the wind out of their sails a bit. It went into an extra and Kerry made an amazing shot for the win (yes, swept by Shona and Wendy and line called by Sharon too!). This was a big goal for us that we set and it was great to meet this goal early in the week.

#1b- Hot Shots- Kerry won the car and how can that not be amazing! Not only that but her scores in all the rounds of Hot SHots were incredibly high. She really stayed focused and Wendy and I just kept sweeping. Yeah, we were all tired from this at the end of the same but the energy and the buzz around this was amazing. Kerry said she didn;t realize how big of a deal winning Hot Shots was!! now to figure how and when to get the new Ford Focus!

Thanks everyone for a great week in Red Deer! So many moments to remember.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Team Galusha seems to be in the winning spirit right now and we NEED to keep it that way. As most people know Kerry won the Ford Hot Shots competition on Saturday morning. This seems to be the big story in the newspapers. We also had an amazing win against team Alberta in the first draw. I can't say that we silenced the hometown crowd as they seemed to be cheering for us and for good shots during the whole game which shows just what a knowledgable crowd is in Red Deer. The crowd also went crazy when they showed Kevin Koe (Kerry's brother) and his family (Carla, Ava and Lila) on the jumbo-tron. Not sure what people thought when the reigning Alberta men's champion was celebrating a win against the Alberta women!!!

We then came out really flat against PEI and suffered a loss. This was a combination of a few things going wrong and we had a good team meeting afterwards to correct these things and to continue building our awareness of what we need to be doing to win.

So Sunday afternoon now and I can report another win against Team Nova Scotia. We did a lot of things right and it felt really good on the ice. Megan is back and feeling great and we are definately trucking along full speed again! I think the final score was 10-5 and that made the fans happy. Lots of Northerners in the crowd, also family and ex-Northerners. The support we are receiving is amazing.

So one more game tonight against Newfoundland. We'll need a win in this one for all the transplanted Newfies in the NWT! Remember to check us out on Twitter @teamgalusha

We have a HOT SHOT!

What a great start for Team NWT/Yukon at the Scotties. Friday was incredibly busy and we survived AND thrived. First were team practices in the morning and we are happy to report that we LOVE the ice. Coach Fred told us if we love it so much we should make out with it! Bahahahah....

The official team meeting went great with Head Umpire Brenda R. She has been at many Scotties and I feel and secure knowing she is in charge! We also have Janie Hobart as an official (on ice/Game Umpire). Janie is the mayor of Fort Smith and a long tim curler and curling volunteer.

Next on the agenda was Hot Shots... I got us off to a bit of shake-y start (9 points... oops!), then Wendy lit it up with a big 20 points. 20 points can usually get you into the mext round so we were pumped about that. Sharon gave us a good showing also and then Kerry anchored our team as usual. AND... Kerry produced a whopping 26 points which is incredible in Hot Shots. If good little Kaitlyn lawes hadn;t produced a record breaking 28, Kerry would ahve for sure been the leader of the preliminary round. So Kerry moves onto the next round on Saturday (following the opening ceremonies) and will be fighting to win the Ford lease.

Then it was time for for the Opening banquet and we were dressed up in our bright blue dresses (see photo above). The banquet was amazing with acrobats, theatre groups and short and sweet speeches. Plus, we all got our diamond jewelery back and it looks great. Sharon and Wendy got their first diamonds in their necklaces, Kerry and Sharon continued to fill up their tennis bracelets and Shona completed her necklace with a fourth diamond. Fan Appreciation Night at the Heart Stop was packed and it was great to start to see out fans arriving in Red Deer.

So Hot Shots today, two games against Alberta and PEI and cramming meals and R&R between it all..... we LIVE for this!

The

Day 1 at the Scotties... or Pre- Day 1?!?!

Today is one of the most exciting days at the Scotties although it has not officially begun. Today is the day we get to see the arena for the first time. This is exciting as everything looks so new and fresh. It is hard to even find a speck of dirt on the carpets in the arena. We have 800am practice this morning which means we are also the first group of curlers on the ice. Then it is one activity after another for the rest of the day.

We got settled into our hotel and the rooms are great. Shona's mom brought us lots of dishes, toasters, etc that has made our group of rooms feel a bit more at home. This is helps us with breakfasts in the morning as we don't have to waste time waiting at restaurants. For a 6 person team we have 4 rooms but the roommate situation was planned out ahead of time and we know it works!

We also received our uniforms. Once again red and grey and made by Mondetta sports wear. Upside they are really nice... downside they fit a bit tighter than last year! Or rather they are made smaller; we have not grown!

It was great to see the other teams around the hotel and settling in too. You can tell that excited is in the air and we are lloking forward to getting 'on with the show'. Note that the photo above is from Hot Shots 2011.

We have arrived in Alberta!

We have arrived in Edmonton and the travel all went smoothly. It felt so good just to take one flight to the Scotties. Our last Scotties travel (getting home from Charlottetown, PEI) resulted in many missed flights and all team members in different cities (Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver)! Thanks to Canadian North (Team Galusha sponsor) this year was much easier!

Today is a fun day for the team as we go shopping for team banquet outfits. Yes, we all have to match for the opening banquet. You might think that this would be a huge challenge but we have gotten good at this. We know the stores to go to (think lots of options and plenty of sizes) and we just keep trying clothes until someone walks out with something we all think might work. I think 3 hours might be our record and if you have ever gone shopping with 1 or 2 women you know how amazing this is for 5 women! FYI... Fred just gets out his trusty NWT Curling Association blazer and a beaded/moosehide tie and he is ready to go.

If anyone are Twitter followers both Kerry and Wendy have Twitter accounts. We also watching other team's Tweets as everyone is starting to merge into Red Deer. Team dinner tonight and then off to Red Deer in the evening!

Again, thanks for all the support and keep it coming!

2012 Scotties... here we come!

Well, Team Galusha is now Team NWT/Yukon and we are off to the 2012 Scotties in Red Deer, Alberta. As Kerry's little girl Sydney would say, "We are going on the airplane today!". We have had a busy and successful curling season this year and we are very much hoping that this continues into Red Deer. There are many teams going to the Scotties that we have played this season already and we are hoping that we can have some good battles and close games with these teams.

The Yellowknife Curling Centre had a great send off party for us last night. The cake was super, yummy and Kerry did a great job thanking everyone who has helped us this year. We also received lots of send off presents from; Gail and Dan Daniels, Team Wendy Ondrak, Team Ann Gillis, Heather McCagg-Nystrom and Dawn 'Dawny Mo' Moses. Of course, Dawny gave us nail polish!!!

So now to get the show on the road. We head into Edmonton tonight and get the kids (Sydney and Kobe) settled. Then it is shopping tomorrow for our banquet outfits, a good team dinner altogether and then then to Red Deer in the early evening.

I am going to try to keep up with this Blog throughout the week... we'll see how dedicated I can stay! Plus, will try to post some behind the scenes photos also. We'll see how good I do this!