End of Play

Funny how your outlook just depends on the situation at times. On a normal work week, I look foreward to the weekend. Two whole days off sounds like a luxury and are greatly anticipated. Now when it was Friday this week, I was panicked, I wanted to stop time, ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT. I am sure I will get over it and manage to go back to work, but I shall not be incredibly happy about it. I never lost the Sunday night dread of school the next day that so many of us had. I really like to be at home.

I have enjoyed my two weeks off. I got some things done, did not do others. I am comfortable with the things I did manage to complete. I even did some things that I did not plan, like cleaning up the laundry room.  I am nearly done binding the black and gray quilt, I may get it done tonight but it will need washing and it will need to have its picture taken then I can send it off. I have the first coat of paint on the little cabinet I had made. I will share pictures when all is done.

I actually baked for book club. Cream Cheese Pound cake. I usually run to the grocery store for my contribution but this week I actually baked. I love my Kitchen Aid mixer!! Not to mention I had the makings on hand . I also made a rhubarb crisp. !! I am baking and its not even Christmas. Yikes.

I finished my scrap books. I have them embellished, journaled and all the pictures tucked nicely onto albums. The Maritime trip: One album per province, and I am sorry the picture is upside down. I have no idea why.

and the No Cook album is now the same. All done and dusted. I think from now on if I want to scrapbook I will do each year per album, unless its a special vacation or event.

I have stared yet another quilt, This one will go to the church at home. I have intended to have a quilt completed for this event but once again all I did was pave the road to hell with my good intentions.

Same pattern as the black and gray quilt just done in colours. I think its going to look rather nice and I plan to have the large solid squares each a different material.

I have done laundry until I look like it. I have washed bedding for three beds, blankets, quilts, towels, tea towels, cleaning rags, cat blankets and cat towels not to mention my own clothes. I tend to let some of this pile up and it was time to empty the hampers and wash the mountain if stuff.

I am sorting out magazines and passing them on or I am recycling them. I could use a few more weeks at home but duty calls tomorrow. I have made a big pot of chicken soup for lunches next week. I will do a pot of porridge tonight for breakfasts next week.  I think I am in good shape to face the coming week.

Give me strength!!

Toodles.
Linda

Dripping Water on a Stone

This is how I feel about my attempts at getting things done around this house. I carry on though, I keep puttering and eventually things do get done. Slow, steady and progress can  be seen.

I finally finally FINALLY got the shelf painted, modified and hung in the kitchen. This shelf has been forever in the making, its been lost, found, unwanted, wanted and now finally is hung in its new home over the stove.

It gives a home to the Twinings Tea cans, provides a light over the stove and that makes me happy. It was plain wood when I found it at a local second hand store. Now there will be light in the dark dark kitchen in the evenings. I added a small light and the slat of wood across the front to hide the light plus I put a small quarter round piece at the top to keep the tins from leaping off the shelf. Phew, so glad that is done.

The granny square pile is growing again.

Desi is clearly impressed with my efforts.

I have a few more to make then I can clean out the last tote box of yarn in the hope I will find more odds and ends to make squares with. Last year I went mad making knitted dishcloths, this year its granny squares. I will go back to the dishcloths because I can sell those suckers.

I am in my happy place today, I finally started to quilt. This one turned out rather nicely and I cannot wait until the quilting is finished and I can see the completed project.

Had an email yesterday wondering if I would donate a quilt to the church at home again this year. I think I will, I think I will do this pattern again  but in nice bright colours with a cream background. I think it will look very pretty. 

I tried a new cleaner today. I found the recipe on pinterest. A litre of vinegar with orange peels stuffed into it. Let that sit for two weeks then when you go to use it, I did one cup cleaner and one cup water in a spray bottle. I loved the way it cleaned up the grease, nice fresh smell and little to no cost. Plus it cleans without harsh ugly chemicals. I will definitely add this to my homemade cleaners list for future.

Toodles,

Linda

Weekend Roundup

No pictures in this post, I am too lazy to organize them, but I promise some in the next post.

Half the vacation over with and as always, its going far to fast. I have accomplished some things, not accomplished others and have enjoyed each minute. All systems are normal. I have done the initial purge and clean up of the craft room. The work surfaces are visible once again and you can walk in without fearing tripping. I do have the actual sewing table to clean off yet but it really is so much better. I cleared out two garbage bags of material that I shared with a fellow quilter. I also cleared out two garbage bags of recycling and one garbage bag of actual garbage. It was like a treasure hunt, I found things that either made me say "oh there it is" or "what was I thinking". I now hope to start a second purge. Which means going through the containers and purging out some of that stuff. But that will happen at a later date.

In the vein of "purge and use it up" I have been crocheting granny squares to use up my odds and ends of yarn scraps. Too much to throw out but not enough to actually make a project on their own, they have been piling up. To make use of them,  I am making granny squares and donating them to Blankets for Canada. I took 150 squares to them last week. I have still lots of stash to work through but I am so glad it will be used and not wasted. The yarn that is. Not to mention it makes more room in my house. The other great thing is that I have actually got those things to the people and they are not sitting in my house waiting for the mood to hit me. They are gone and I am doing a happy dance. Next week two boxes are headed toward my favourite second hand shop. I am getting better and not keeping things just for the sake of having them. Its a slow process but Rome was not built in a day.

I cleaned the laundry room!!!  A trip to the basement was warranted so I thought I might just as well move everything out, wash the floor, wash the mat under the litter box and just have a general tidy up. I rootled through the boxes and baskets and pitched out the unnecessary. I pulled out the deep freeze and rescued a number of things that had slid down the back. It was not in the plan for this holiday break but I am darn glad its done.

Next week I have a couple of things to paint and a quilt to start quilting on. I am having lunch with The Banker before she heads off to Mexico with her Sweet Baboo. We had such fun at her place last Monday, scrapbooking. Teddy Bear joined us, she is more trying to get her photo's in albums than true scrapbooking but she is dipping her toe in. The Sailor came too, but she is a scrapper of some years, she just never has joined us. Us being The Banker, KitKat and myself.

I am finally finished my Maritime albums and my No Cook Album. The Sailor got me hooked up with a free office program on the computer and now I can do titles and printing at home again. Oh how I have missed being able to do that. From now on I may just do albums of each year. I will do big trips separate but I may just do a yearly album. It makes more sense that way.


I have two new puppet orders, one for a dragon and the other for 9 puppets for a school. So I have lots to keep me busy. I am loving being at home, but then I always did.

Toodles,
Linda

One Step foreward and then Several Backwards

IT s been an up and down sort of time around here. The saddest thing is my phone died. Died a quick and painful death that took with it a number of pictures, videos and contacts. I had three choices, replace the phone in three months, find an old phone for three months (when my contract runs out ) or just replace the phone. I choose poverty with texting privileges. I am still mourning the loss of the pictures and videos but I will get over that. I am currently gathering back the contacts I have lost. Its a pain in the arse, let me tell you and I shall be more vigilant in future about backing things up.

This little hit to my finances coming hard on the heels of the car repairs makes sure that my bank account is whimpering under the bed in pain. The lottery gods could fix this for me in a heart beat but they are fickle things and so far have ignored my efforts to appease them......... The bastards.

On the upside I am on two weeks vacation which is wonderful. I had made no plans to go anywhere, I am just wanting to do some things about the house. I do like to be at home, something I may have mentioned a time or two.  I started a new quilt top this last week and finished it this day. I rather like it and cannot wait until its quilted and finished. That process shall have to wait until next week after pay day.

I found the idea on Pinterest and I love the modern, clean look of it. I will now start on another one, like I do. |One of these days I may even get to make the new one for my bedroom.

Had my three month visit to the Doctor this week. Once again he is happy with my numbers and blood work. I gained a little weight but it was over Christmas and I am thinking I can get this corrected before the next visit. I am always glad when these visits go well.

I am going scrapbooking tomorrow, which will be fun. The Banker, KitKat, The Sailor, Teddy Bear and I are spending the day at The Banker's place. I am almost packed up and ready to go. I have a lovely pie to take for dessert. The Banker likes to feed us but I like to contribute something to the pot.

Teddy Bear and I went to a movie last night. I have mostly been at home this weekend, staying warm and puttering about the house. Next week I plan to start to clean the craft room. A monumental job in any form.

Today I worked on the laundry, finished the quilt and actually baked a johnny cake. I was thinking about taking a stab at making scones but it never happened. Maybe later in the week. I go want to learn to make them. I tend to over mix the dough and then they get tough and hard as hockey pucks. I am determined to master the art. I love scones. One with a cup of tea makes me very happy.

Toodles,
Linda

Sunday Stuff

Another weekend nearly finished. I got some things completed, worked on others and started a new quilt, finally. I have only talked about starting it for a week or more now but its under construction even as we speak. (shut up I know I have gone on about it longer than that but let me have a delusion now and then)

I found the pattern on Pinterest and really liked it. Its going to be a donation quilt so I think it works. Its a modern looking pattern so it will appeal better than the typical old fashioned pattern.

I am very pleased with the look of it so far. I should be able to do another row of blocks tonight before bed then I will have the top half sewn. As I have some vacation time coming up I will be able to get it quilted, delivered and then move onto another one.

That has been my weekend. Teddy Bear and I went out for supper last night and other than that I have been at home puttering. Its what I like to do. I have promised myself the first couple of days of my vacation I am straightening out my craft room. The creative process is totally messy at times and I currently must have being REALLY CREATIVE.

I have a scrapbooking day with the No Cook Girls. Four of us scrapbook and one is coming along to just hang out with us. I need to order pictures for that. I am still obsessed with making granny squares so its rather busy at my house these days.

I am continuing on with my quest to sift through the detritus in this house and the garbage and recycling bags that go out to the bins are proof that I am doing it. I just wish all my efforts were visible to visitors. Sigh. I shall keep on keeping on until the battle is won.

Toddles,
Linda