To goal, or not to goal?

Today’s million dollar question…..   Seems like every mid-December people start talking about their “new year’s resolution” or what their “goals” are for the upcoming year.  But how many are attainable?  I try, I really do, but each year I struggle to hit the target.  Maybe I set my goals to high?  Maybe other projects get in the way?  Whatever it is, most years I’m just happy to have completed something on the list!

I suppose something is better than nothing, so I’m working on my 2017 list.  There’s one thing I know for sure….Learning how to say “no” will be top dog on the list!  Its existence is barely represented in my vocabulary – that has to change!  Once I throw a few of those “no’s” around, I think I should have more time to work on my projects.

Speaking of projects, I’m trying to complete the sewing room reno.  I’ve hauled up the rest of the cheap-o cubbies/book cases and the baby set of drawers from the basement.  Now that they’re in the same room as the snazzy double stack cubbie cabinet, it was clear more updates needed to be done.  Make It Stop!  I just couldn’t help myself, over my holiday break from work, I started cutting more bead board (wainscoting) for the smaller cabinets.  Instead of having all 4 cabinets lining the walls, I decided to extend my sewing area out behind my machine with dresser and book shelf.  Fingers crossed it doesn’t look tacky! 

 

These are the cabinets I’m working with…..after this project – I AM DONE! I’m tossing the chop saw for needle and thread.  Sven (my Husqvarna Viking) and I are going to get reacquainted.

 

 

Cheers to a New Year and a new beginning to completing projects!

 

Sewing Room Shenanigans

With the Boutique behind me, I can get back to working on my newly remodeled sewing room. Wootwoot!  Seeing the newly installed sheet rock instead of knotty pine, and hard wood instead of the ratty carpet made the fabric cubes looked cheap.  I’ll admit they are cheap, but I didn’t want them to “look” cheap.  Purchasing a snazzy new fabric storage system isn’t going to happen, especially when my budget spreadsheet literally laughed at me.  So, I had to improvise.  Where do you go when you’re unsure about what to do?  Pinterest.  Yep, once again, it didn’t let me down.  Searched billy (ikea brand – although I had the Walmart brand) shelving and viola, lots of redos, remakes and renovations.

Lately, I’m not allowed to say the “P” word (Pinterest) around my sons.  They know this means some kind of project is in the works and I’ll be calling them for assistance.  But being budget minded, I have to work with what I have, right?  So, I decided to give them a break and work this one on my own. 

 

 

 

This is what I started with – 2 sets of cubbies.  Since I have limited space, I wanted to stack them.  The only purchases I made: 1 4x8 sheet of beadboard (wainscoting) and trim board.  Bolts to connect the two cubbies together.  The rest I had leftover in the garage – 2x4’s for the base, base trim and crown molding (from the remodel).   

In no way will I pretend this was easy, after building the base and attaching one cubbie, I did have to ask my younger son to assist with stacking the 2^nd cubbie on top.  Plus I screwed up the crown molding and had to cut twice.  Filled the nail holes and painted.  I love it!  I’m done and accomplished this project on my own!!

 

 

 

**Since I have an outlet behind the unit, I left the bottom 3 cubbies open.  I ran a power strip over to the left and tacked to the side of the cabinet.  Plus ran an extension cord to the top for a small lamp. I’ll either fill the bottom with fabric cubbie containers or baskets to hide the wall. 

 

 

 

 

Talkin' Turkey

 

From one who enjoys a wonderful fall “comfort food” meal, Thanksgiving rates right at the top.  Is it all about the food?  No, I’ve got a great family and a handful of close friends I would never want to be without, but I hope I let them know how special they are to me all year long.  So, to have one day when all my favorite comfort foods are set upon one table is flippin’ awesome!   My mom doesn’t cook, never liked to cook, so my sister-n-law and I divvy up the menu and each bring half of dinner.  I think my mom lives under the principle “if you want a traditional style meal, you’ll need to bring it”.  So we do. 



Is it wrong to bring a pie to a family gathering with a piece missing?  Now before you judge, I was able to purchase a pecan pie cheaper than it was to make.  But once I got home with my favorite nut pie, it occurred to me, what if it’s not as good as my ho’made pie?  What if it’s not up to par to take as a dessert offering?  Was I about to start the comfort food eating early?  Um, yes.  I couldn’t stand it, I dug in.  It wasn’t a total disappointment, the filling is good, but the crust lacked.  So once I arrive tomorrow, I’ll let everyone know I “took one for the team” and to stay away from the top edge of the crust. 

 

 

Since we’re on the subject of “birds”…..this little guy didn’t sell at the Quilt Boutique.  All of his other coop buddies “flew” off the boutique tables.  Not my colors, so this little chicky will go to my granddaughter Amber, she’s enrolled in several sewing classes this year. 

 

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

 

 

 

 

Boutique Baby is put to Bed!

Elvis has left the building….the Quilt Show is over and the Boutique has closed its’ doors on another successful year.  At least I think it was successful…..we took home about a third of the items we brought in.  Not gonna lie, Sue and I were a bit nervous.  You never know if you have enough items to display.  Will the attendees be interested in these types of hand-made quilty goodies?  Priced too high or too low?  In the end, we did a fine job displaying, and hopefully the donations sold covered most of the expenses of the quilt show. 

 

 In all the craziness, I was able to “finish” a quilt for the Show.  Now mind you, I started this quilt in 2013 – I’d applique a handful of Dresdens, then toss aside (hide in the closet) for a while.  Pull it out of the closet, applique a few more Dresdens and toss it back in, well out of sight.  There comes a time when enough is enough and I sucked it up, and finished it. 

 

 

My finished Edyta Sitar basket framed wall hanging.  Did they have to put it right next to Sue's (quilt buddy, co-director of the Boutique) kick-butt zillion paper pieced star?  Can a girl get a break?

 

By the way – Sue received 3^rd place in the small quilt category for this lovely!! 

 

Boutique on the Brain

 

A touch of bling pincushion

I need an intervention - our quilt show Boutique has taken over my life.  Now, it could be a life sucker because this is my first year in the guild with such responsibility.  After all, I shot my big mouth off about updating and bringing the Quilt Show boutique area into the new millennium.  So, I’ll own this chaos – I bit off more than I can chew.  Thankfully, I have a co-director I can blame who is a tremendous help!  Spreadsheet Sue is the queen of organization.  I’m sure I don’t say it enough, but I appreciate Sue more than she’ll ever know.  I hope the blend of my wackiness and her business sense will produce a fantastic Boutique.

 

 

Since I still have a full time day gig, it limits my sewing to evenings and weekends.  Let’s face it, most evenings changing into my loungewear before melting into the couch is a challenge.  So, I’ve kept my boutique donations small.  I’ve mastered the “square” pin cushion, so I’m sticking with it.  Plus I need to keep my projects small, if I can’t get it finished in one sewing “sitting” I seem to drag it out for days.   

 

 

A pin cushion isn’t complete until it has a Starlight Sparkler pin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boutique & Beyond

 

 

I think I pulled a muscle patting myself on the back for this one!  I’m giddy over this Snuggle Bunny I put together for the Quilt Guild Boutique.  I’ve seen little blanky snuggles with heads attached or the corners tied in a knot to resemble a cat, dog or whatever little animals’ paws…..but I like the flat snugglers.   I’m working on Kuddle Kitty as well and will have pics to show next week.  Finished size is about 17 x 17.

 

 

A soft striped flannel was used on the front with a printed cotton on the back.  Once I have a few more for the boutique, I need to work on snugglers for my 10 month old twin grandies. 

No good deed goes unpunished?

One of the leaders in our quilt guild - Donna, loves to make kitty blankets for one of the area Cat rescue shelters.  Donna is so sweet, she thinks every kitty should have their very own cuddle blanket – so she schedules a sew day for the guild to whip up some cuddlers for these orphans.   Since my granddaughter Amber volunteers to clean litter boxes (yuk!) and love on the kitties at a local pet shop, I asked if she wanted to join the Kitty Blanket sew day.  She’s all over it!  Wouldn’t it be nice to get this much enthusiasm over yard work?  Hmm, I digress.  The golden ticket for Amber was after the sew day, we get to drop the blankets off at the rescue shelter and she could snuggle with the kitties.  Now I’m not totally daft, I laid the ground work before we left the house…….If I said it once, I said it numerous times - You cannot have another cat, your dad will have a meltdown, you cannot have a cat at my house, I am allergic. We are donating blankets, you can have snuggle time, but we are leaving without a cat. 

So, I think everyone reading this knows where I’m going…….about 15 minutes into the visit, Amber notices a mixed adult male Maine Coone cat and immediately starts hyper ventilating. 

Amber:  OH GRANDMA – this is the very cat Sam (my 26 yr old man-child) has been looking for! 

Me: Wha-what? 

Before I can finish what I’m saying, she’s firing off texts and sending pics to Sam.  Not a minute later my phone is blowing up, Sam (beyond excited) wants details about the cat.  oooh.   Before I knew what hit me, I was stopping at the store for cat food and allergy pills.

 

Big Sam and his Big Cat named Moose

 

 

Moose is a handsome feline

 

 

 

The troublemaker - Amber whipping up a kitty blanket

57 Kitty Blankets donated