WIP

This is what I worked on when my sister was here. I had about 12 blocks left to make and then worked on the lay out.




This is about half the quilt top laid out. I ran of room and had to pick up the first half and then lay out the second half.

I'm making this out of some vintage sheet squares that I had won and an Ikea sheet. I'm very excited about this quilt and can't wait for it to be done. If I did my math right, it should be close to a full size quilt when it's done. I'm hoping to put it on my bed. If I ever get it done. I've been wanting to craft, but just haven't had the energy to do it. I've been so tired by the time the girls go to bed, that I haven't been getting much done. Maybe I'll get something done today as I am home with a sick kid. Even though she insists that she is all better and is fine to go to school.

Here's hoping that your day is starting out better then mine.

I've been reading.

Well I've gotten sidetracked off the spring cleaning. I did start the bathroom and well there not much left to do. Just need to take down the light fixer and wash it, then just a quick sort of under the sink and then take measurements for a shelf. Then that will be done. But unless I work on it during the week, it won't get done until next weekend. This past weekend my SIL and her kids were over. And this weekend will be crafting weekend #2 with my sister. I got one project I really want to make some progress on. So here hopeing.

But if I haven't been crafting and I haven't been cleaning, what have I been doing? READING!!!

More specificly I've been reading this series:



Now I read the first book of this series back in July. I liked. I put the next book on my to read pile. And then got caught up with reading other things. Now in the past 3 weeks. I have read #2 and #3 and the graphic novel. And well the graphic novel is the only one that I think I could have skipped. It tells part of the story from the first book, just from a different point of view. Well I would be reading more of this series right away if it wasn't for the fact I have 2 borrowed books on my nightstand waiting for me to read.

We've also started working on a bunk bed for The Monkey and Squirms. Not what I originally wanted but I think it will work out better for them. The boys made it last weekend. Once it gets home I get to fill in the holes and paint it. Agian not the color I wanted. I was going for a nice teal/turquios color but Monkey wanted purple. And since she's the one sleeping in it. Her voted out ranked mine.

Now that the end of winter is in sight, what plans do you have? Are you starting any new projects?

Cold

It's cold and well there's not much more to say about that. It was -11 this morning when I left for work. I think I'm still cold.On the plus side by Monday we should have a 40 degree increase in high temp for the day from what it is today. We will see. I'm hoping.

I don't think I've ever really minded winter as much as have lately. But I was talking to a claims adjuster at work today who lives in Sioux Falls. We're thinking the older we get the less we do outside when it's cold, the more we dislike winter. I used to do stuff out side all the time during the winter. Now it's only what I have to do.

Well I did get the living room cleaned on Sunday. Not that anyone can tell the difference. We got rid of a lot less then what I wanted to. One shopping bag of baby toys and maybe a dozen movies and video games. But every thing got wiped down or vacuumed off. And five things got put on a project list. I would love to get new furniture for my living room. The stuff I have is 2nd time hand me downs. It's 23 years old. It needs to be replaced. The problem is I don't think what  I want to do will fit into my living room. So it's taking measurements, and making drawing to see what will fit. And well furniture cost money. So I'm trying to hold off as long as possible. I would rather hold off until we get into a house or find something that I like that would work any most any space.

This weekend I think it will be the bathroom's turn to be spring cleaned. This should be another space that's fairly easy to get through.

Early Spring Cleaning

Good Morning all. How has your weekend been going? Ours has been pretty quiet so far. Just did a couple of errands yesterday. Now today, hopefully will be different. I hope to crack the whip and get some house chores done.

It is all quiet here still, everybody still sleeping or just laying there playing quietly. Which is amazing. But my mind isn't. I have idea's rolling around in there like crazy. So I decide to stop by and spill some of them out to you.

I'm a horrible housekeeper. Most of the time I feel that I just barely do enough to make it not gross. Most nights the only thing that gets done is hopefully the dishes. Now I know what I see out in Blogland, is what people choose to share. That their houses are not always perfect. But when I look around my apartment, I don't see much of promise of it looking good.

So on that note, I've decided that the months of February and March are going to be spent in doing a deep clean. Just taking it one room or part of a room at a time. The goal is to clean and minimize some of our junk. Then make a list of all the things that I would like to do for that room at this time. Then when we have the time or the funds to slowly start working on those things. Then if I can get myself through this process now and get myself motivated I'll go through and do a cleaning, toss and re-evaluate my lists again in September and October.

So on top of regular chores, I'm starting with the living room today. I feel this will be the easiest room to do.

Well here good luck to whatever you have planned for the day

January Crafting Weekend

After my last post I got to thinking of all the things I wanted to get done craft wise or with my home. There are so many times that I plan on working on something after the girls get to bed, after I get this chore done. By the time I actually sit down to work on something I'm so tired. So since I can't afford to go on a crafting retreat, I would create my own.

I called my sister to see if she was game. We decide that we would take one day or weekend a month to get together and craft or work on a project of some sort. So last weekend I went up to her house on Saturday night. Then on Sunday morning we got up and I crafted.

I got four Lizzy Dish towels done. I also started on potholders, but gave up on them once I started arguing with my sisters sewing machine. It drew first blood. Time for something else.




I also brought along some of my blocks for my Sweet Pea Quilt. Most of the stitching on these were done. But I recently decided to stitch the flower block instead of appliqueing a flower on. I also decide to skip the circles on the dot fabric as well. What do you think? Me I'm liking it.

I know not a lot done for a days worth of crafting. But it's a start. Now in February my sister is coming over to my house. Hopefully by then I'll have my Lizzy Dish potholders done as well. The Lizzy Dish stuff was going to be for gifts. But I changed my mind. I thought I need something cheerful for my kitchen. They don't match what I have, but I like them anyways. They are so bright and cheerful.

Well hope everyone is have a good weekend. This weekend The only thing that got done, was that we picked up lumber for one of my other projects. Which by the way I changed to a different one.

Goals for 2011

. . . crafting goals that is. I have three goals this year that I really want to try and meet.

I want to finish this:


This quilt is at this same point in doneness. And well this picture was taken in July of '09. My plan is to undo the hand stitching and re-baste, then machine quilting with some simple in the ditch sewing.

I also want to finish this:

This is Squirm's Sweet Pea baby quilt. She's 1 1/2. I know better get busy.

And I also want to finish making my hst blocks from some vintage sheets and a Ikea sheet, so I can turn them into a zig zag quilt.

I'm really good at starting projects but not so much on the finishing part. So my goal is to at least finish these three. I've got lots sitting on my crafting shelves and in my idea book, that I want to make. But I would like to see some finish projects as well.

Here's a small (okay part of my list) of things I want to make this year (okay I realize that some of these are actually on the hunny do list, but someone has to make that list right?):

• Hour glass quilt (like this one) -- I already have some Little Folks fabric set aside for this
• Christmas stockings -- I adore these
• a Hex afghan (this one from Attic24) -- I've got yarn all picked out for this just have to buy it.
• This quilt in that fabric too -- anybody know if there's a pattern out there for this? Otherwise I'll have to figure something similar out myself. But as a treat to myself I plan on buying a layer cake of the fabric.
• a bed for the Monkey
• a bed for the Boy/grown up playroom (and well that not as bad as it sound, it's the office/craft/game room)
• two down and dirty dressers for the girl's room -- this one will call for a little modification
  

And well that just the start of what I wish I could make. I just wish I could find more time to work on things. But by the time I get home from work and do the whirl wind of activity that comes from being a mom/wife, I just don't feel like doing much of anything. Oh well here's hoping for some more energy at night to get at least one project done this year.

Do you have any goals or projects that you want to make or finish this year?

Books of 2010

Happy New Year!!

Well I hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday season. Ours were good. I did wish for more quite time, but I'm still glad I got to see all of my family.

I was on my goodreads account. And can you believe it. I read 50 book last year. 50!! That's two books short of a book a week. So I figured I give you a list of the best and worst that I read.

Well lets start with the worst (in no order):

The Maze of Bones (39 Clues #1) by Rick Riordan --
I found that this book was lacking something. I love the idea of the story but even for a kids book it was just fell short.

In a Far Country by John Taliaferro --
I thought this non-fiction work would be more exiting and and contain more adventure then it did. It ended up being a very slow account of what happened on an Alaskan mission trip.


The Gunslinger by Stephen King --
I found this book to by very dry reading. And well it just reminded me why I don't read Stephen King.

Okay now for some of my more favorite reads:

Giants in the Earth by Ole Edvart Rolvaag --
I loved this book. It was long and a little slow on the reading. But I found it to be a grown up version of Little House on the Prairie or Meet Kirsten from the American Girl collection.

Well okay coming up with the favorites is a little harder but here's the list of runner ups: