One cold week!

Last week was a little slow with the craftiness.  We had a smattering of snow, enough to be white outside, and chilly. But not enough to cancel school.  I got a few nooks and crannies in the house cleaned out. They aren't looking like I want them to yet, but some of the miscellaneous clutter is gone.  My closet in the master bedroom was the highlight of my housework.  We had so many bookcases that there were some in front of the closet, which involved climbing over or around! I never say no to bookcases since everyone in the house is a bookworm.  So after moving them out of the room, and clearing all the stuff out of the closet, I realized they would fit IN the closet beautifully.  So now they are being put to use holding my sweater and hat boxes!  I've been looking at it every night and every morning, and it motivates me to keep working on the rest of the stash-n-dash spots in the house!

My down time was spent working on a couple little cross stitch projects for the tree.  Both of these little kits I dug out of a box of "someday" projects. First was a lovely little dove ornament.

It originally had a little red hoop to go in, but I don't like those for finishing.  I rarely use them for stitching!  So I stitched down some lace I had, and made a stuffed ornament with a little bit of cedar shavings in it.  It smells and looks lovely!

I also stitched up this little robin.  It thankfully came with the little red felt frame, which is rather cute, and much better than a hoop!

Now, we just need to get our tree.  I usually wait until the weekend before Christmas to decorate.  There's enough stuff going on in I'd rather not try to cram it in.  But after the kids are out of school for the holidays, everything slows down quite a bit and we can enjoy the decorating!

I also worked on this lovely quilt, although I'm a bit away from finishing.  I took this before I started stitching the rows together.

The rows are in the process of being joined, and I may be ready to baste on Wednesday! With the cold weather, it'll be lovely to cuddle up under it and stitch down the binding this weekend! 

This week is all about the quilt, and few other little random projects.  I started a pair of wrist (or arm) warmers for myself, and the kids are teasing me since they cover my hand all the way to my upper arm.  And cozy!!!  I finished and made up the first one last night, and was wearing it until dinner!  It worked great with the sweater I finished last week.

Months and months in the making!

My last two November finishes were both a long time coming!  First up is the sweater.  I started it back in April.  Since I only really knit or crochet when waiting, it didn't get worked on regularly.  I love it!!!  It is so warm! 

My second finish was a little cross stitch project.  This was a kit that I had sitting around, and had sort of started.  A couple months ago I found the perfect frame at the goodwill.  So I finished it and framed it. 

It's a little pink for me, but it works on the shelf I have it on.  I think I like working on cross stitch this time of year.  Curl up with a blankie and supplies, and I can be warm and get something done!

Thanksgiving was full of turkey, pie, and family.  I think I need to change some things up a bit around here, for sanity's sake. DH likes it the way we do it now, but he has a crazy work schedule the days leading up to Thursday, then another crazy week after. I think he's happy as long as he has Thanksgiving off.

This week I have a couple of quilts to work (maybe finish?), and I may try and pick up yarn for the next knitting project.  The kids went through all the patterns with me, and we tagged the ones we wanted, and got rid of the rest.  Thankfully, my step-mom is a spinner and knitter, so they went to a good home.  She kept the ones she wanted and passed them on to her knitting group.  Two magazine holders worth of patterns are gone!  I just have two magazine holders left that the kids want done! LOL, all in good time.  If a sweater takes me 9 months, I've got YEARS planned ahead of me!

And the holidays begin!

Well last week was pretty good.  I finished the second cat quilt, and it looks amazing!

E should be getting it today!  I think it may be her favorite new blankie!  Next up for quilts is an other scrap quilt, that also follows the ROYGBIV. 

I also finished and mounted the cross stitch kit I had for the frame I found in the garage.

 

The kit came with one of the issues of Mollie Makes, and while I really liked it, I had nothing to do with it when it was done, so it just sat in the package.  When I found the frame, the light bulb went on!  I did repaint the frame from green, to a chocolate brown.  I left some green visible, and under the green was a creamy white.  Now I just need to find my chicken wire.  I know we have some left somewhere!!

I also finished these cute keyrings.

I thought about stuffing them with catnip, but decided that the cat can my error projects instead.  These will hang on the wire in the frame when it's done.  They are so darn cute, but a little big for putting on keys.  Again, these came with our Mollie magazine.  And sat around because i had nothing I could do with them when they were done.  So getting this frame done will help get a lot of little things taken care of!

With Thanksgiving this week, I have no idea what will actually get done.  We don't do Thanksgiving day at home, we go to dinner at our church, followed by dessert at the in-laws.  The kids have so much fun at the church dinner, I have to wonder if I have ruined adulthood for them.  Gathering with friends and family, tons (literally, I think) of food, room to play, and nothing they can break. It's an amazing event.  I haven't been able to pick a best part yet.  Every year the whole event is my favorite.  Even when we clean up and pack away the left overs, it's great.  The first year there was so much food, they were packing meals to send home with everyone.  Someone then called one of the homeless shelters the next week to see if they could use the food. So from the second year on, there is usually a caravan to take all the leftovers down.  I get weepy just thinking about all the wonderful, beautiful things I've seen happen at the church dinner. 

Life without a computer!

Was, well, pretty great!  Our computer "lost" a file, and we couldn't use it for a week.  It was quite possibly the best week all year! I wish I had gotten more done, but we had a weird school week.  I got quite a bit of house work done, as well as starting and almost finishing a quilt.

I love how bright and colorful this is.  This and the cat quilt I finished last month were commissioned by a friend who loves cats and brights.  She STUFFED a box with her selected fabrics and sent it to me.  And by stuffed, I mean fabric popped out when we opened it.  It is now a little pile scraps! 

With the computer being down, I did some rummaging around the house, and found these frames in the garage.  I painted them and gave them a wash of green, and I hope to have them done by this weekend. 

The big one will get cork.  If the kids get the fridge, DH gets the basement, I think this is perfect for ME!  I think I have decided were it will hang, but I need to make sure there are studs in the wall first.

This little one is getting a cross stitch piece in the upper opening, and chicken wire in the lower opening.  I'm not sure were it is going yet.  I really just wanted someplace to hang little projects that I've accumulated over the last couple years.  Most notably all those cute little Mollie Makes key-chain/charm kits that come with the magazine.  Maybe I'll finish them if I have somewhere to put them! 

This week I am finishing the quilt, my goal being to mail it on Friday, as well as these frames.  I'm not sure what is next.  Christmas projects?  Digging around in the garage some more?  I may find other neat things to play with!

Bazaar is this week!

Carnival is over!  It was great, but it took a lot of time and energy and we are still recovering.  We didn't get a lot of stuff done around the house at all!  We were getting home at 10:00 each night, everything else fell by the way side.  I did get some more dishcloths made.  After this is posted, I'm going wrap them and get them ready to go.  Bazaar is this weekend, so I'm hoping to get some more done. 

I'm also trying to get some dry soup mixes made up for bazaar, and I have the supplies. I just need to get the stuff lined up and done.  After that, we are gearing up for the holidays!  That list has been made and amended several times, so we'll see what the final projects are.

At least the quilt is bright and cheerful! ;)

I am going nuts.  And I may go postal if I hear "since, you're, well, more available" one more time.  It's code for "you don't do anything else all day so you can do this project because I have a job."  I was telling a friend about that comment and she was shocked that people actually say this.  (She works, so it's not something she hears)  I told DH that someday, when I have time, I'm going to get network t.v., buy some bonbons and sit around watching soap operas all day.  Just to see if it can be done.  But maybe that's my inner witch talking.  In my free time (not really, but we'll go with it!) I finished another quilt!  I loved how this quilt came out! 

I also finished this little basket for myself.  A few weeks ago I had made one for E, and never bothered to finish mine. So one stressed out, sleepless night I finished it!  I think it turned out cute, although I had to eliminate a ton of batting.

I also finished some more dishcloths.  I think I am almost out of  cotton yarn, but who knows.  I'll keep making them until I run out, and then see if there is time for more before bazaar.

This week is carnival, so I may not get much done by next week.  We'll see. I may be able to sneak in sometime in the mornings before the kids are up!

Well, I thought we had our new schedule down, but I was wrong.  It seems every time I turn around, there is a new project.  Which is fine, sort of.  It will all work itself out eventually, I'm sure, I  just might be a bit scatterbrained in the meantime.  I finally got some projects done, although the first one was a rather complicated one!  Sadly, my camera batteries died when I took it picture, so  the photo is on DH's phone. I'll have to add that when he gets home from work.  THe other projects I finished are four more dishcloths! We had dance again last week!  This is what I do when I wait for the kids at the dance studio.  It's quiet, it's small, and I can usually finish a couple in the time we are there!

(Yes, there really are four there, I just went ahead and wrapped them before taking the photo.)

Plans for the near future include finishing a quilt, and of course starting another.  My best friend and I did the local stash dash to all the local-ish quilting store last Friday, so of course I came home with new patterns and fabric.  I picked up lots of I Spy fabrics for my nephews' quilts, as well as a Tilda Winter Ideas book and the Amy Butler poof pillow pattern.  I am hoping to make that first! The best part is we both made it home with in our budgets!

Well, all the craziness from school starting up is over.  We are one our first "real world" schedule for the year, and it looks like blog updates may be moving to Wednesday.  Which is fine, I think.  We'll see. 

Last week I finished some more dishcloths.  That may be an everyday thing as long as we home school.  It is the perfect project when supervising tests.  Part of me would really like to do something else.

I think I have 10 sets ready and wrapped for the Christmas bazaar.  I have no idea how many they usually sell.  And, I finally ran out of the yellow.  So I bought a ball of turquoise to make some with.

I also finished my set of coasters. It took me a while to get them all slip-stitched closed.  I'm not sure I love the coasters, but I do love the fabrics in them. 

The rest of this week is more grading and testing.  Which amounts to more dishcloths.  I have a few other things I *NEED* to finish as well.  Here to them getting done!!!

Still in school year warm up mode

Well, we are in to week three of the school year, and it still hasn't settled down.  I am craving a routine!!!  We didn't get much done in the last week, with meetings, "welcome" events, and orientations.  One more left, that I know of, and then we are done.  I hate meetings, and I think that the increase of meetings, orientations, trainings, committees, and other like time suckers may explain why people don't do as many things as they used to.  My grandmothers were always at "meetings" and "conferences", but they were actually doing things.  I go to a meeting now, and they decide to do something, set up a committee, who sets up sub-committees, who plan a meeting, to talk about what they want to do.  But one more. Then we are done.  For now.  In keeping with all these, well, blocks of time lost to real life, I got several dishcloths done. 

 

That's it. Seven dishcloths.  I am really hoping this changes by Friday.  I have a lot of other projects floating around my head I would like to get started on, as well as getting ready for the holiday bazaar.  We'll see what happens by the weekend! 

I don't want school to start!

But it does.  Tomorrow.  We had an amazing summer, and I don't want it to end!!!!  There was no post last week since we went camping.  In the rain!  I kind of enjoy camping in the rain.  I wouldn't complain if it was beautiful and sunny, either. It was fun, as the kids played in the river and lived off of roasted marshmellows and hotdogs!   And I got a ton of stuff worked on!

First up are some pillow covers I made using scraps.  My goal is "no-new fabric." Which didn't work out too well.  But maybe as long as I use more than I buy, I'm fine.  The blue border fabric I had to buy, but that was it.  I have another set in another color scheme for our own house. 

The basket and coaster were also scrap projects, made with out buying anything except the interfacing.   The stash of blue and yellow fabric had developed overtime as I made things for my best friend's kitchen.  I have another of each in different colors to finish this week.  It's kind of fun to make all these up, and then put each pile together and see where our tastes diverge!

  We have also almost finished painting the house!  All we have left is the trim and a little bit of cutting!!! YAY!!

Besides school starting, I'm not sure what will happen this week.  Everyone's schedule is just a little messed up right now!!

If only I had the RIGHT color of ribbon!

So I got a bit of sewing done last week.  And I was on track to finish the projects by Saturday, but then came the part where I stitched the casing and threaded the ribbon.  I had made a couple of drawstring bags to carry my yarn in, as well as a couple for wrapping Christmas gifts and one for my best friend.  They were the perfect size to hold the yarn and crochet hook when waiting at the doctor's office or for the kids to finish their activities.   I had ribbon to finish ONE!

 
The other four need ribbon that matches so I can finish. I'm pretty sure that doesn't count as grocery, though.  I am planning on finishing them this week.  I also finished another dishcloth, and I think there are more around here somewhere. However, after school shopping, I can't find much else besides packs of paper and pens and markers!

This week, aside from the bags, I am planning on doing some quilted boxes, and more dishcloths.  I have a big bin of blue/yellow/green fabrics I am working my through, almost all bought for projects for my best friend. So now she will be getting an assortment of handmade household things that all match! I'll probably do two of each project since I probably want one to, just in different colors.

Exciting things going on around here!!

The most important is my patio.  I never really wanted a patio, and if I was picking a spot for a patio, it would be somewhere near the kitchen.  But my husband likes split levels.  So there is absolutely "near the kitchen".  But what we did have were 2 two-car garages and 1 two-car carport.  No one needs that many vehicles.  And DH is *NOT* a car guy.  So they were filled with *stuff*.  You know, the *stuff* that needs to go to the dump or the Goodwill.  So you put it in the garage until you have time to get it all loaded and dropped off.  So the carport is coming down.  And I'll have a patio whether I want one or not!   I don't have a 'before' picture handy, but since Friday, that is what we have been working on!

After stripping the lights and electrical.

 So we learned about turning off and disconnecting electrical.  And had a grand time getting the lights out!  That mostly S1 and me, with the others upset because they couldn't reach the lights to help get them out.

The pile of shingles.

 Stripping the shingles and felt paper went pretty fast.  The kids were very proud of the pile that resulted!  It was somewhat like jumping in leaves.  I was pretty sure jumping in it like leaves would have been a bad idea!

 

 

It'll be a nice, sunny patio!

I am already planning what I want to do with the patio.  It'll be a nice size, with good sun.  And DH hasn't had to do anything in this project!  Which is good since it's his busy time of year!

I also got some projects done! 

 I finished the garland for D2.  She got really good at weaving in ends when we assembled it!  It did come out longer than I had anticipated, which is good, since she ended up wanting long enough to go around the room!

 I made a dishcloth in MY favorite color.  I'm sure it'll get lost as soon as it goes through the wash, LOL!

And I made myself a dress.  DH really likes it, and D2 wants when I grow out of it.  So it's a winner all around!

This week I want to finish taking down the carport.  Aside from that, I don't know!

Big plans, little time!

I finished nothing last week.  Came close a couple of times, but either ran out of time or ran out of supplies.  We got most of the carport painted, and then we got rain.  Which is a good thing, we needed it. But....it messed up my plans.  So we sort of started getting the house ready for canning, but didn't get around to actually canning until yesterday.  A whole three jars done.  And for the first time, I had jars not seal.  So I haven't decided whether to let the kids eat it all up, or if I want to re-process them.  It was a shame, as I only had enough goodies for 1 batch of strawberry-kiwi jam.  I guess we'll see how much the kids like it, and go from there. Today was cherry-raspberry jam, and again, we only ended up with enough produce for one batch.  I am really hoping the blackberries are good this year. 

I have a dress to finish this week, as well as some Christmas presents to get started on.  And D2's flower garland! Must not forget that!  But I have no idea what will actually happen.  I had plans last week too! :)

No, August isn't almost here!

I really do not care what the calender says!!!  I can say that I really don't remember last week.  Every time I THOUGHT I had a day at home, I didn't.  And somethings you have to leave the house, like grocery shopping.  I did get one project done.  Last year's Christmas present for my bestest friend ever.  I lost it after cutting out all the pieces, and for some reason kids thought it would be helpful to "put away."  Under D2's bed.  Not sure of the logic there, but we found it!  In July.  So after the chaos of camps, and getting S1 home from West Virginia, I got time with my sewing machine.  She hasn't seen it yet, and she may check today so she can.   But anyways, here it is.

I made it fully reversible, so the inside is yellow with a blue ruffle.  Her favorite color since we were 16 is cobalt blue, a rather difficult color to find in fabric.  The apron is all wrapped up and ready to give, we just need to work out a day for a visit.  She's only a 3 hours away, but catching the ferry in tourist season is, well, there are no polite words for it. (And that's just the ferry, it's worse when they start driving!!!GRRR!) (Can we tell I have an issue?)

I also started a new crochet project for D2's room.  A flower garland.  Right now I am still making the flowers.

It's one of those great little time fillers.  Waiting to leave? Make up a flower.  Waiting for someone to get home?  Make up a flower.  We have 11 out of 20 done, and then I'll crochet the ribbon they will hang from.

We also got a huge portion on our carport cleaned out, so I could finally get to the demolition work that needed to get done.  DH wasn't impressed.  He isn't ready for the thing to come down, and I've been waiting for YEARS!!! So the kids and I started with all the bits and pieces that had no purpose,  like the wood nailed to the frame, 6 inches thick,  to do what?  Be there?  5 HOURS later, we called it quits for the day.  The next day, I primed all the parts of the attached wall (for a different building!) I could get to.  Then came the cloudy weather.  But that's okay because I have tons of inside work to do as well. 

After yet another discussion about the carport, I think he has agreed I can take it down, however he wants nothing to do with it. Which I am really ok with, because the man has a tone of his own house projects to work on.  Which is what I've been telling him, but he thought I wanted *him* to take the stupid thing down.  Now, to learn about disconnecting electrical.

Who knows what this week will bring.  I am hoping dome more good weather, as well as a really short errand list!! 

Cubbie Camp is over!!!

Well, we barely made it through last week.  The boys all did amazing, learning new things, and meeting new people.  Our cub scout got his first bull's eye in BB guns, as well as improving his sewing skills during leather crafts.  We are losing our program director as his boys move into boy scouts, and he will be irreplaceable! But now it is time to get our house in order.  And MAYBE find my sewing machine!!!!!

An almost empty house

So I accomplished nothing over the last few weeks.  However, I did have some kids who accomplished quite a bit.  D1 went back to her mom's, and managed to pack everything she was supposed to (which can be quite a challenge with teenagers, LOL), S1 finished raising the last of his money for National Jamboree, and out of $4000, only $500 was birthday money from his Grandpa.  S1 didn't know about that (and neither did I) until after he held a last minute, 4th of July weekend yard sale AND he spent all day working the yard sale.  And Grandpa was here to see that he did it.  D2 had a bunch of summer things to take care of before she went to her dad's, and S2 decided to take take dance lessons.  So while part of me is a little frustrated that *I* didn't get anything done, I am pretty happy with what the kids have accomplished.  Now, I just need to get everything back in order after the series of whirlwinds that are yard sales and packing have passed. 

I'd like to spend some time at the sewing machine this week, but with cubbie camp, I may have to wait until next week.  Or September. 

a long project finished!

I have one very exciting finish from last week, as well as another not quite as exciting.  The smaller project was a mixer cover for my MIL.  She had redone her kitchen, and had room for mixer to be out.  And available.  But that leads to dust.   After she saw my sewing machine cover, she commented that she love something like that for her mixer.  So, she's getting one!

And my big finish for the week!  This has been 3 (or more) years in the making.  A charm quilt for my best friend.  And no, I didn't use charm packs.  These are real scraps from real projects. 

 The grand total for fabric, incuding backing and binding, is 206!  E  loves it!   I loved how the edges looked after binding the sides.

So now I need to finish mine.  Which has smaller patches, so will take a bit more everything.  Maybe  I will work on that this week.

We finally get a day at home!

Usually we are home a good chunk of the week.  But the last week and a half we have been all over the county!  We've been getting in the door, and falling over!  It's been mostly good stuff, with the regular household stuff thrown in.  S1 has had two camps this week, and we finally told him he better start finding rides.  Carpooling is good!  So we may be picking kids up at the end of the week.

I did squeeze in some sewing time in the (really late) evenings.  I finished a pillow for my stepmom's mom, and a basket for shoe supplies. I just got really tired of extra shoelaces everywhere.

 I also finished three dishcloths for my friend's mom.  I love these, and apparently so does everyone else.

This week I NEED to get another quilt done.  It is a charm quilt for my BF, and she has been waiting so patiently for the last couple of years while we collected the 204 different fabrics to make it.  So now that it is pieced, I NEEEED to get it done before I see her this weekend.

Summer break has started!

And I am all sorts of confuzled!  But I did get a few things done last week.  First off, a few more dish clothes.  I really like the red and white, but it makes me think of Christmas!  I love these fill little bits of spare time, and I may get a ball of yarn to keep in my purse or in the car.

THIS!!!!!!

This is the big super secret project I have been working on!   A couple weeks ago I had posted some fabric chosen for a special surprise.  You can find it here.  Well, the big day came and went.  Our beloved teacher has retired! As her big retirement surprise, we made a quilt for her.  The kids in D2's class did a skit about an infamous quilt not finished by a specific lady's 16th birthday.  Nor her 18th, and not her wedding.

I'm not sure I ever heard so much laughter at an awards assembly!

The skit ended with the students presenting this beloved teacher with her quilt.

She is now retired, and the infamous quilt top is still not finished! 

However she now as a quilt that is hers!  And if she can get her unfinished quilt top from her mother, we have volunteered to finish it so she can least enjoy the memories associated with it.

I am not sure I have ever completed a project that brought so much out of so many people.  Between the giggling kids and the laughter (and some tears) from the grown ups, I realized THIS is why I love sewing.  

And to Mrs. H- for all the years you've put into our children, THANK YOU!

It's the end of the year as I know it...

...and I'm not fine. That, to the tune of REM's End of the World, is what has been going around in my head lately.  All the end-of-the-year stuff has got my brain on overload.  Awards ceremonies for everything each child has ever done, with every child getting a ribbon for something (I am so not that parent.  Sometimes you win, and sometimes you don't.  (Oh, do I really need more to dust?? Really? Just for showing up??))  One activity did not have an awards ceremony (yes, I'll sign up again just for that!!)  Dance class had their recitals this weekend.  It was really cool to see the little ones doing and how they were just happy to be there, as well as the graduate solos.  It was a lovely evening, but it made for a chaotic week end!

I had one finish last week.

That's it.  One dishcloth!

Well, one is better than none.  Unless we're talking about bills!  The next few weeks should be better, I have at least 1 project that has a firm deadline, as well as a few that are SO CLOSE to being done.  

I LOVE this apron!!

So I made my apron last week, and have pretty much lived in it when we're home.  Here's the photo from Monday.

Even if it is for working in, it still needs something pretty about it!  So I added some crochet trim to the pockets.  They may only last a few months, but that's fine.  I'll just add something else to replace them!

 And it is so long!!!  It was great for baking cookies in.  The flour blends right in with the pattern!  The kids think it's funny when I'm in the kitchen or garden with this "pretty" work apron and they see my airwalks or romeos peeking out the bottom.  They burst into a chorus of "it doesn't go together!!! Please don't pick us up in that!!!" But I think the girls are almost to the point of wanting me to them one!  They like the "all the dirt goes away when you take it off" approach. Which was the whole point.  More more shedding threads and bits of fabric when I run errands!

The pattern was one of the Making History line I found at Joanns.  There's a pajama pattern that is now in the "someday I'll get it done pile"

Sharing this at Shabby Art Boutique

A surprise in the works....

Last week, I started a secret project.  I won't be able to share details until the middle of June, but until then, here's a peek at the chosen fabrics!

So far it looks gorgeous!

I also finished 4 dishclothes.  There's only 3 in the photo since D2 stole the first one as soon as it was done.  She was really happy with it. They are surprisingly quick and easy to make, each one taking just over an hour. Perfect when you only have a couple of minutes before heading out the door! 

I also finished my apron!  I've had this pattern for 2 years, and kept putting off getting the fabric. More on that Friday for the Shabby Art Boutique link party.

And over the course of the week, we had some some and I got 1 yard project done.  It was kind of a lark, but I think it'll be really cute when done.  DH will bury the legs at some point for stability, since I didn't think of that.  I planted butternut squash and some kind of flower.  I think, if it works, I'm going to love the squash vines hanging over the edge.  I have no idea what flower I planted, and it may get choked out by the squash. 

I have no idea what this week will bring.  There are a lot of things going on, and the end of the school year is creeping up a little too fast!

Just little bit done this week!

Well I did it!  I finished the bathmat!  It was one of those projects that keep growing.  It was originally supposed to be 20 inches by 27 inches, and somewhere I got it 23 inches by 30 inches.  The upside is that every 2 rows equaled 1 inch.  The downside is I ran out of yarn.  About halfway through, I had to get 2 new cones of yarn and there is a nice line where the old yarn ran out!

But it feels so good under our feet, no one actually cares what it looks like! I'll make another with this pattern for when this one starts to wear out. 

I also finished a 4th of July/Memorial Day bunting for the kids' school auction.

I have no idea how much it went for.  I'm not sure how much I care.  I am glad the auction is over.  There is a lot of time and effort put into it, and this year seems to have gone rather well. 

This week I have no major plans.  I am making an apron from Edwardian/Victorian pattern set. I'm not sure which era it would be from.   I just know it goes almost to my ankles and will be very handy when I am canning this year.  I spent quite a bit of time picking a fabric that would "still be pretty with coffee and jam stains on it."  DH thought I was nuts, but the kids understood!

Another down, 1 more to go!

So 2 years ago I started quilts for all the kids' beds.  They were simple squares, with fabrics picked out by the kids.  Last January, I think, I finally got S1's finished, and last spring I got D1's finished. Last week I got D2's finished! YAY!  S2 is very happy since his is next.  I just hope it doesn't take another 6 months!  I went in birth order to finish them, since for awhile I was afraid the oldest would be out of the house and married before I finished his!  So here is D2's finished bed quilt.  She informed me it is her favorite blankie ever.

Some of the fabrics I had split up between both of the girls' quilts, so their room will have a unified look, without everything being identical. So now I just need them to get a properly made bed in the morning!

Wednesday was a themed dress day at school.  The theme was Dr. Seuss.  One child was a Star-belly Sneetch.  The only easier Dr. Seuss theme costume is a Plain-belly Sneetch.  One yellow t-shirt, one green fabric marker, and ta-da!!! Star-belly Sneetch!  The Sneetches is my favorite Dr. Seuss book ever!  However, what Dr, Suess day is complete without Green Eggs & Ham?  So S2 was Sam-A-Am.  With a red Sam-I-Am hat crochet in less then 6 hours the night before. 

I told DH I think I know how to crochet.  He said "no kidding!  When did you figure that out?" My response was "when I just finished a hat with no pattern AND it looks and fits the way it is supposed too?"  S2 was quite happy with it, and my MIL wants one! 

The only other project i finished was a sewing machine cover.  I had been looking online for patterns, and just didn't see any that grabbed me.  So many of them were a little overdone.  Pretty, but not something I would want to put to work.  So this is what I came up with instead.

DH bought me all the fabrics because they were sewing themed, and I like to sew.  And even though I am not a big yellow fan, I think it works amazing as the binding for this. 

This week I am determined to finish the bathmat, as well as a couple of projects from magazines I've been hoarding for "someday, when I have time."  Well, I don't really want to plan on doing things later right now, so much as just getting them done.  We'll see how that works out.