This month I am linking up to One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts. It is difficult to choose only one, but this quilt won. It needs to be quilted, bound and labeled. So that is January’s goal. So stay tuned as I try to get this done.
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Category Archive: Life
A pretty valentine pillow
My first project this year is this pretty valentine pillow which is stretching my comfort zone. I purchased the fabric and ribbons in Jan 2007 to make for my mil, and then it didn’t happen. So ten years later, seems an appropriate time to get it done.
Today we worked on fencing (photos tomorrow if I remember) and then DD and family came over for a visit. We always love to see them. The 13 year old is now taller than I am and his brother will be in 2 years. DH was showing them how to play cribbage, so now they went home to really learn the game and will be back in 3.5 weeks to win a few rounds.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! a time for scheduling
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Today I finished scheduling the lists of what I really wanted to get done in 2017. There are more things, but I knew there were too many to realistically get done. I settled for a dozen in each category. Then I spent the rest of the day putting together a kit for each item.
This is 12 pair of socks with the pattern and yarn in each. The list is under “Construction” at the top
This is the fish quilt and the bear paw, both time consuming and needling many parts.
These boxes hold the other 10 quilts and the 1/2 of the sewing projects. DH wanted to know how I managed to get 10 quilts in there, but the batting is not in there and that makes the difference.
I did not fair so well on the embroidery projects. I have two projects with the designs copied onto a jump stick, but I still need to find the fabric I purchased for the one and I need to purchase 3 fat quarters for the other one.
Over the past few days, I have been making these chia seed crackers. So we’ve been enjoying munching these during the day. Vary the vegetable and the seasonings for fun.
- 2 cups chia seed
- 1 large onion
- 3-4 stalks celery
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (I used shredded)
- 3 med garlic cloves
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- braggs or soy sauce to taste
- 1 cup water
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Mix all in blender or food processor. Let set 8-12 hours the optionally you can add 1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds which I don’t think I’ll add next time. Spread thinly on the plastic trays or parchment paper in the dehydrator and start checking them after 10 hours.
- The original recipe that I took off from was from Lorraine Godsoe in the book Raw Inspiration by Lisa Montgomery. There are several good cracker/bread type receipes in this ook
Small things take big time
Today was a good day to get small stuff done that I keep putting off. I had 10 things on my list and all but one is completed.
These are the sun chokes also known as Jerusalem artichokes that I have had on my list for a month to check. They are best dug after a good frost or two. I planted them in large pots as I was warned they could take over. It is difficult to get all the little pieces out. So today I dug through one of the pots and brought in a large bowl of them, scrubbed them well and then sliced them to add to our salad. They are a high protein, high potassium food with a taste somewhere between raw potatoes and water chestnuts.
Then I checked on the water chestnuts and they are too small. Next year, I’ll have to find a larger tub to plant them in. They are only the size of a dime and I’d like them bigger.
I put more salt out for the sheep and brought more hay down from the barn.
I reconciled our bank accounts and filed receipts.
I have my lists made that I want to get done in the coming year. A list for each: sewing, quilting, knitting, embroidery and there are things that aren’t on those lists because I just have too many things to be able to do in one year. So I just put the things on the list I think I can get done. They are under the heading 2017 Construction goals (at the top)
Then I weeded the front, which now looks rather bare and needs some nice summer color spots.
I watered the greenhouse and by the time one adds making a couple meals and sweeping the floors into the day, it – the day- is basically gone. So though it seems I didn’t get anything done, I was busy all day. So that must be what happens to other days when I come to the end and wonder where they went. They went to “small” things that need doing.
Wishing you a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Double star duo finished top
After spending some of each of the last 3 days on this Double Star Duo paper pieced top, it is ready to go to a hangar until its turn.
Getting to this point was fairly easy, if time consuming, it was tearing off all the paper that took me so long. And then I found the red runs bleeds. So I tried washing some of the left over pieces and eventually the red does quit bleeding. I will finish this and wash it with a color catcher which should handle the problem. I chose these colors years ago, so am not sure why I chose to put those white squares in there or why I didn’t choose to make each star different. But this is what it is, and it will be cute for an infant. AND it is close to leaving the ufo pile.
There are left over pieces of the tissue with the pattern printed on them. If one of you would like to make this little quilt, I’ll gladly share the pattern. Just let me know.
Double star duo plus Christmas
This ufo has seen some activity this week. I worked on it a bit Christmas and then again today. So far these pieces are done
With as many pieces as it has, I was happy to get this far.
Then since DH wasn’t up to going to the party yesterday, surprise! the party came to us. There were 5 of them who came bearing gifts and a party atmosphere. We enjoyed this unexpected treat. Above is an essential oil diffuser that changes colors and lasts 8 hours. We will use this quite a bit as we have several oils. There were a variety of other gifts (that didn’t fit in the same photo)
Not pictured: DH got 2 cribbage boards, a tiny one for travel and one for home. So we had to stop there and try them out. (much fun) Plus he received books and other items. In this photo the center pieces is a plate from Israel, on the right is a pair of massive rubber gloves to protect one when using the fireplace or oven (how did they know). In the back are some plates for hors d’oeuvers. The orange pieces in the back are fingerless mitts made from recycled sweaters. In the forefront left is a cute little purse and behind it a DNA test form telling us the kit is coming. The blue Doxie is actually a cute little pen. All items were totally unexpected and appreciated. Now it is on to preparing for the New Year which is so close. I need to finish my planning calendar so I can get more done.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Merry Christmas
We spent the afternoon shopping and at the doctors and came home with lettuce and celery. Who else does that? The next few days will be intense cleaning and more shopping, so I am taking a break from the blog until Monday.
Tiny Christmas gifts
These stockings are so small only very tiny Christmas gifts will fit inside. Green stuff is tiny so should fit just fine. Have you ever looked for hours for something you know you have somewhere. I wanted to make the stockings double the size they are, but after much searching, I found many more uncompleted projects, which I am pretending that I did not see. I found boxes of yarn that I am also pretending I didn’t see, but did I find the craft felt? No, and that is why these will have to do.
Honu quilt is hanging!
The Honu quilt is now hanging in the family room! Yes. it is up on the wall. I sewed eyes on the turtles and it really made a huge difference in how cute it is. I thought it cute before, but this is even better. Thanks Lisa, for insisting on the eyes.
Then I opened the little quilt package from Sanibel beach that I found in one of the boxes. I’m not sure what happened. It is supposed to become 7 x 8, but when following their directions it is 10 x 12″ which is fine by me.
This technique is interesting because they want you to bunch, pleat, whatever to get the white fabric to look like sand, very uneven, with bumps etc. Now I get to hand sew all the little fish, shells and whatever else is in the package. Oh, yes and sew the binding to the back.
It’s been a busy day, catching up on animal chores, trying to find homes for various items around here that somehow show up. And we spent some time figuring out how to put the new attachments on the quilting machine. I’ve had the attachments for 3 months, but until today, did not take the time to read through the instructions. And the new pieces were not that easy to attach.
Remember last week when I said I made a list of every project in the boxes and had photos to go with so I could immediately know what is in them? Well, that was last week, and when I finish this, I’ll go hunting, because I do not know to where those papers ran.
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Boxes hiding – box 3 and 4 contents
Spidron table topper, cut out.
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Fabrics and patterns from Shop Hop 2004.
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Advent calendar of houses – fabric and pattern.
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Blue flannel binding – not sure for what.
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Bag full of 1/2 square triangles sewn
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Heart potholder with one started
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Hedgehog placemats – book and fabric
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Owl sampler pattern started – one owl done.
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Churn dash with pieces cut, but needs centers
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Tulip quilt with one block done plus pattern
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More quilt leftovers saving because they are leftover pieces from last years birthday quilts and who knows when a patch will be needed.
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Started black clutch – 1/2 done, but done in a fake leather which was flaking off so tossed that one.
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Tiny Sanibel beach picture/kit that I purchased when we were there.
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Unfinished sweatshirt/jacket that I really could use.
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Poinsettia embroidery – a class – maybe next year.
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Couch fabric leftovers – why am I keeping these. The couch has been recovered.
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Stocking pattern, wanted to make some of these – maybe next year
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Margaret Moorehead projects – I think 2 still to do.
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What are these supposed to be?
I think this is enough, I’m not looking into any more boxes. I know others have boxes like this, so I’m not alone, but this is ridiculous! I’m making a list with photos of what is in these boxes so that they will get done or discarded.