Apples, too!

Carrots!

Hey there....I'm debating on whether or not I should attempt to catch you up or just jump right in as if no time has passed at all. I guess I can "nutshell" it and we can move on....

In a Nutshell: thought I would graduate in May....won't graduate until December of NEXT YEAR...have had to re-evaluate all my time-frames....have been depressed (even before the bad news)....feeling better now. How's that?

So, one of the up sides of this whole thing is that I have a little more breathing room during the Winter break. I have a few more paragraphs to revise before Jan. 1 and of course I have A LOT to read to fill some research gaps, but....I can slack off on the thesis a bit and FEED MY SOUL before I begin writing in earnest in January (the plan is to have the first draft finished by mid-April).

Today I spent most of the day in my sewing room....I just made things up as I went along and surprisingly everything went perfectly....no seams to rip, nothing too wonky to live with, no frustration, which was just what I needed.

The Muffin (my niece) is getting a play kitchen from xmas and I made her an apron, a hot pad, and some stuffed carrots and apples....I still need to make a hot mitt and finish up the apples tonight or tomorrow, but I can't even begin to describe how amazing it feels to create something in a day, to be able to show you a finished product, something I can hold in my hand and be proud of. Some of my issues with writing have to do with feeling like you aren't moving forward because there is (as of yet) no product....just digital files and I'm a tactile sort of girl.

One of my resolutions for the new year is to come here more often and I hope I can do that. I feel pretty disconnected from everything as there is only enough time to do the necessary chores and the school work. I hit the ground running every morning and I read until bedtime each night during the semester and while I'm kind of doing that now too the difference is that I can hit the ground running in the direction of something creative! See you soon.

Little Dish Rack Quilt

Forever and always we have used this ugly green towel under the dish rack. When I deem it dirty and it isn't laundry day it gets replaced with a clean towel that is even uglier.....tan and raggedy. Awhile back I saw a great idea for a dish rack quilt in MaryJane's Farm magazine....and true to form I stored the idea away for another day. Though I used the magazine article for inspiration I didn't follow their directions except that I bought the recommended June Taylor polyester fusible batting.

I had the center star block pieced....you know one of those, "that's looks cool, I think I'll try it" things. So, I try it, make just the one block, and put it in a pile of lonely solo blocks. I decided to make it the center and then I just rummaged around for something that would work with it. Since the center star was American Jane I found some 2 1/2 strips of the same and a little rectangle that was just enough for the corner squares. The yellow was about an 1/8 of a yard from the "stash" and sadly, the binding is a lovely yellow with bird tracks on it....the bird tracks aren't really in keeping with the American Jane style, but being binding you really don't notice the tracks....had I not used that I would have had to purchase something and I'm really trying to bust the stash down a bit.

I did this in the "quilt as you go" style meaning I (sort of) fused the backing to the batting then sewing the top together right there in place. It was the perfect project for me today and met all my current criteria for sewing and crafting.....

1. Doable in a day

2. Pretty and Practical

3. Make from things I already own

Frugal DIY: Using leftovers

Whew, I love a frugal project. After completing yesterday's Budget Closet Curtain. I went back to working on the guest bath makeover. The guest bath is my least favorite room in the house. Long and skinny, the sink, toilet, and shower are all jammed at one end and the vanity is long. It totally could have been spread out more. It has the feel of a hotel bathroom....you know the toilet and tub are just inches apart! Yuck! Couple that with the brown on brown on brown on brown color scheme she had going and I HATED it.

Since I can't do anything about the arrangement of the fixtures I decided to tackle the things I could. First up, paint. The walls were a brown reminiscent of the Legg's Egg pantyhose color "suntan"....kind of pinkish brown. HORRIFYING! I painted it creme....the same creme as the rest of the house. The fixtures are all white, the towels are white, the shower curtain is white, and I'm working on a wall hanging that will be muted shades of rose, mauve, and yellow (sounds ugly, but I promise it isn't) so, the screaming bright curtain hooks had to go, but I'm on a budget and I didn't want to spend precious dollars on new hooks when the old ones were perfectly good.

I thought it over and eventually lit on the idea of covering them with a yo-yo like cover using the leftover painter's drop cloth. Within an hour, "Voila", new shabby chic-ish hooks.

Total price: hmmm, free? (since I used leftovers and buttons from my husband's "retired" uniform shirts) and about an hour of my time (which I enjoyed thoroughly).

Decorating: the Den

I been finished with school for the summer for one week. I've read five books or so and begun pulling the house together....mostly this means cleaning, but I'm also doing some decorating and sewing too.

My new sewing room

We closed on Tuesday on our new house and the hubs moved several loads of boxes on Wednesday. We will officially move Nov. 5-6, but the plan is to move the small stuff a little at a time.

This is my sewing room....what do you want to bet it looks just like that two months from now when I get a break from school? Yeah, school sucks ALL my time. I miss sewing, I miss cooking, I miss being a real person.

Monkey Monkey

Mom and I whipped up this little Monkey today for the Muffin. I didn't like her at first, but now I want one for my ownself. I heart her.

Before anyone asks we used the ears, arms, and legs from a Melly and Me pattern, but made a body with an attached head, added the rough edge snout and inner ears. In other words, the pattern was merely a suggestion.

Knock-off Grammici Shorts

Being frugal is beastly sometimes. Years ago my husband's most beloved pair of shorts gave up the ghost. I had patched and patched and patched the patches and finally they had to be retired. I took them apart, made a pattern and made an atrocious pair of shorts (he is only allowed to wear them in the garage and preferably when I'm not there to see them.) I made a second, very acceptable pair. We then bought fabric for a few more pairs, but winter came and I used that as an excuse.

Last week I tackled another pair. I had forgotten what order to attach each part and had to start over with the whole process. I had a few minor difficulties, nothing major BUT I still spent 6-8 hours on them. I'm guesstimating on the time, but most of one day and part of another.

We had a discussion about the time it takes to make them and is it really worth it. I would gladly sew for my husband (I show my love with cooking and sewing and such), but the time and frustration is hard on me. The hubs agreed that maybe they weren't worth it, THEN he put them on and he really likes them and I did a really good job and, and, and....

A Tisket, A Tasket

I've finally begun my Bunny Hill Designs free pattern from last year, Tisket Tasket. I don't really want a super-seasonal quilt so I've already eliminated a snowman from the star blocks and eggs from the brown bunny block. These are just fused on, rough edge. I'm debating whether or not I want to do the blanket stitch by hand or with my new machine (which does a lovely blanket stitch). I'm a little dubious about my ability to drive the machine around all the little pieces and make it look good....I know my hand work is primitive (and I mean that in a good way), but I know I can stay on the lines by hand.

Bohemian Skirt

Barbie and I finished the skirt we started yesterday. It is another Bohemian Skirt (that's the name of the pattern) Crazy easy, full, twirly, girly and just Boho enough for me....notice the bare feet? That would be the best way to wear this skirt.

I didn't get to do any other sewing, but I painted our Master bathroom. Well, I painted the top half. The bottom half is going to be another color and I just didn't get that far. Laundry and chores took up the rest of the day.

Introducing Barbie

My hubs and mom told me a month or so ago that they wanted to get me a new sewing machine for my birthday. I test drove a few, did a lot of research, and finally settled on a Babylock Quest Plus.

Here she is helping me finish a UFO. My husband named her Barbie (because my other machine is Ken). I named his race car Mary Kate, so it was only fair that he get to name my sewing machine.

This machine can do sooooo much, but I am taking it slow. Finishing projects and learning as I go....I say "finishing"....nothing is finished, but that is my goal for this summer while it is too hot to be outdoors.

Today was a perfect day to stay in and sew at 100 degrees outside it was just too hot. I worked on a quilt top and a skirt, both of which I'm sure I can finish tomorrow (but don't hold me to it).

A little project....

The ugly yellow (not to mention, dirty yellow) pillow got a new skin. I'm loving the bright gypsy colors....nothing really matches, but yet it works! It makes me happy.

Sewing Sunday

A little elephant....

New Duds

In the MOOD for a LIST

Okay, I'm always in the mood for a list and sometimes the lists are depressing and a big burden (this list fits that category), but I find that a list gives me a purpose, a goal, and a direction. I really need the direction because I am frequently aimless....wandering and daydreaming and accomplishing nothing.

This is a re-visit of my list of Un-Done "Stuff":

1. The Jungle Quilt (only 3 months to go)

2. A Super Secret Solstice Quilt (about 6 weeks to go)

3. The binding on the Jacob's Ladder (I just lack the hand work and it has been on the back of the couch for a couple of weeks now)

4. The binding on the T-shirt quilt (this one is trimmed and the binding is cut....all spread out on the table so maaaaaybeeee....)

5. Finish quilting the Orange Circles baby quilt, then bind it, then sell it

6. Quilt and bind The Little Cedar Tree

7. Piece the back for the Sanae 9 quilt, quilt it, bind it.

8. Finish piecing the Grandmother's Flower Garden, quilt it, bind it.

9. Finish piecing the Grand Canyon Batik quilt, quilt it, bind it.

10. Make a "Dad and Boogie" quilt for me

11. Tear apart the Dutch Dolls and make it smaller, quilt it, bind it.

12. Tear apart the Batik "motel" quilt, quilt it, bind it.

13. Finish the crocheted bag

14. Put the borders on the Scrappy quilt, quilt it, bind it

15. Finish the hand work on the Rusty Garden Heart, piece it, quilt it, bind it.

16. Finish the Swedish weaving and make a bag from it.

17. Finish the crochet rag rug (as materials are available)

18. Finish the binding on the Snow Globe wall-hanging (another one that is on the back of the couch)

19. Quilt and bind the Double Arc baby quilt and sell it???

Recycling

I had this ugly, dowdy long denim skirt leftover from my schoolteacher days. It was UGLY.....so, I cut it off and added this cute little owl. I might actually wear it now. I just realized he doesn't have a beak. POO!

THANKFUL THURSDAY: I'm so grateful to have the unconditional love of two fabulous bubbies (dogs).

Pile of Ponies

A productive day....laundry is done, sheets are changed, and I have three lovely ponies awaiting ears and stomach sutures. The ponies will be for sale soon.

Saturday....

This morning I went to the city with my mom and we did a little shopping. I came home feeling like crap mentally because I spent too much money and by too much I mean $70 in addition to $300 to have some watercolors framed. The crappiest part is that I feel guilty when I spend money even when it isn't a lot....yeah, I know $300 IS a lot, but the paper was beginning to discolor and I wanted to preserve them before they were too far gone. It is the $70 that is bugging me....I went to town planning to get those paintings framed....

So, I came home and resolved to get some quilts and such made so that I can: A. sell them in the shop or B. open an Etsy shop. Thus far I haven't bothered with Etsy because I only ever have one or two finished things....the goal is to get some shit finished....(huh? Hasn't that been the goal for months??) Anyway, I went downstairs and pulled out some pre-cut 6 inch squares and went to town....I did a new-school rough-edge applique thingy of the old-school pattern Drunkard's Path....The pic is just a sneak peak....I have the blocks done and tomorrow I will decide whether I will finish this top or attempt to quilt the other top I finished yesterday.....feeling more hopeful now that I have a "plan" of sorts.

Frugal Friday

I took this idea from Betz White's blog. She suggested turning tired old tote bags inside out and recovering them with new fabric, thus making the old canvas bag the lining. If you do it her way you start off with the lining and handles already done for you. I had two bags with broken handles and every time I turned around they were in my face...on the top of the washing machine, in the hamper, on my sewing table, in my scrap bin...I just couldn't escape those stupid things and I didn't want to throw them away, but they were broken and kind of gross...faded and worn out.

I ended up doing four bags and I have used them all this week (I did them LAST Frugal Friday)

This Frugal Friday I cleaned out and spruced up our guest room and the attached closet. I wanted to go buy fancy organizining "stuff", but I re-purposed some things, used plain old white labels I already had and am very happy with the results.

While I was away...

I taught myself to embroidery. I used Gail Pan Designs free BOM. She intended it for Christmas, but I took that as merely a suggestion. That is just the way I am. I used some scraps of bleached muslin and used thread in roses, sages, and a lovely aqua color. Once home I didn't want to add another thing to The Official List of Unfinished Business (that seems to only grow longer, never shorter) so, I turned my little embroidery squares into pillows.

Since, I've just posted about being frugal...the muslin was scraps, the thread was given to me by a friend, the colored fabric I used to frame each one was scraps that I bought ("fill the bucket for $5.00), the filling is leftover polyfil and shredded quilt batting scraps. The lace was given to me by my memaw....totally cost, pennies!