Disaster Averted or Making Busy's Table Runner

Its done, its done, its done and I am so happy. Its been such fun to make this runner because I tried paper piecing for the first time and I am hooked on that now. I have bought a pattern book now that I have tried it and I will be practicing up my technique on this. I see many lovely creations in my future.

Back to the runner. I was happily tootling along with this project and then CRISIS OF ASTRONOMICAL PROPORTIONS!! I was six inches short on the main colour. ARRRGH!!!! What is the problem you say? Go to the store and get some more you say?? Pfft!!! Well smartypants, I bought the material more than a year ago and I bought it in another province. I was doomed!!! I cannot believe that this happened to me, I always buy too much material. (Banged head repeatedly on sewing table). Then I remembered that yes I had not purchased enough of the main colour but I had over bought one of the lesser colours. Once again I loved me and my excessive ways. The sun came out, the angels sang and all was well with the world again.

Here is the finished project my very first paper pieced creation. There are some flaws but all in all I am happy with the results and I will be doing this technique again. The pattern is called Midnight Cactus ( the pattern said to use black, blue and  purple, I went with Busy's home decor colours)

See all those pale green triangles, they should be beige but don't tell anyone I screwed up

All in all I am happy with it and I am hoping that she will like it as well. Best of all it is finished and ready to be delivered on Thanksgiving weekend.

Another wonderful thing that has happened in this house is that I have finally figured out how to fix the drain  that I managed to yank right out of the bottom of the shower. I am a tad rammy at times when I go to do something and then I am left with a mess I need to clean up. I know how to clean this one up now and I could not be happier. No calling a plumber and no replacing anything. I can use what is already there and get the drain to stay put. It just took a trip to the basement yesterday to check things out and a little googling and I know what to do now. Currently the drain is soaking in the kitchen because it is rather yucky and I want to give it a good clean before I put it back in place. Another trip to the basement is good because I can shut off the water to the outside tap that I forgot to look after yesterday.

Last night I and about 40 other people headed to a local British style pub to celebrate Teddy Bear's birthday. The No Cook gals were there and some folk from the building I work in and some people I know from my old job. We had a lovely time. Got to met the Banker's new man and he passed muster, brave man that he was sitting with all the No Cook Ladies.  He seems to be a very nice man and she seems to be thrilled with him. It is a lovely thing to see her so happy. The party was a complete surprise to Teddy Bear, she was speechless and totally pleased. 

Speaking of my friend the Banker, she is off to Toronto today to do the edge walk at the CN Tower, the nut burger!! She is taking her grandson with her and it will be interesting to see if he will manage it. He was more scared than she was. I just hope they both come home in one piece.

Today was quiet. The Hostess and I went to an open house just so we could snoop around a house that her nephew built. It was lovely!! Then a spot of shopping and we rounded out the day with an iced coffee. Yum. I bought myself two new shirts for work and left a lovey red number at the store because it was not really a work thing so to buy it would have been just an indulgence. I cannot afford to do that right now. Still paying for the school reunion weekend fun 

I have had a lovely weekend!! I hope your's was as well. 

Toodles

Linda

Purging, Purging, Purging

I have finally started!! My weekend plans changed so I decided to make very good use of this gift of time and I would start on this purging project that I have pondered on and fussed over and obsessed over for longer than needed to be. Today I started. Hummingbird got me going bright and early. Thanks for the kick start.

She needed to borrow my air compressor. Borrowing the air compressor means a trip to my basement. In any other house this is quick and easy, in my house its an adventure. So I was up early, moved the eleventy million things that sit on the celler door, organized all the stuff that needed to go down there and hauled the compressor up. FABULOUS!! (in the best sense of the word). I got stuff put away, I made room, I got the smoke alarm battery changed, its was glorious and I did a little dance of joy. Then I decided while I was up and going I would purge the bathroom. Step one of the plan.

Like any other female in this world I have tons of stuff in my bathroom that is old, out of date and should not be used on one's person. It was time for it all to go. I have two lovely big cupboards in my bathroom that are full of said stuff. I present to you the before pictures:

Yikes

Oh look empty spaces

So armed with a garbage bag and a donation box, I went to work. It did not take long, as usual. You would think I could remember that little tid bit of information from one project to the other but I never seem to. I like to think its going to be a massive job and it will take hours. I get to be more of a martyr that way. So jumping in with both feet first, I got stuck in  and this was the end result.

Lots of empty spaces

Now the "not often used" stuff is tucked in the far cupboard.

It is a far better use of space.

Now in my last blog post I mentioned moving a tiered table into the living room. I have this space behind my favourite chair that is wasted real estate and in my small house all the storage space I can grab is greatly needed.I moved this little white metal table from the laundry room to its new home, a perfect fit. Dance of joy ensued.

For a long time I had been looking for something to fit back there but could not find anything to buy. This is something I have to work on about myself. I am so quick to think I need to "buy" something, Instead of looking around the house, taking some time and not being so quick to flash the cash. The metal table was a perfect fit and it saved me some money.I figured I would have to go buy some baskets or something to use on it to store stuff and make it tidy. There I go again, quick to the mark to think I have to spend more money. Stop it already!!

While I was upstairs kicking hell out of the bathroom I wandered into the spare room to find something. There on the floor sat a pile of DVD storage boxes I purchased at IKEA some time ago but no longer needed for the DVD's. Pretty tidy little boxes, piled on the floor, doing nothing but being in the way. Hmm, something in my head said they would fit on the white table. I had my doubts but tried them and they are a perfect fit. (Third dance of joy of the day) So there I had what I needed to do what I needed without having to spend a dime.

Made to measure,a perfect fit AND free,

not a bad deal.

The boxes are currently empty but trust me they will find things to hold soon enough. No doubt about that in this house. Well I need to go rustle up some lunch and then get a finishing off Busy's table runner. Whoot, it is  such a good day!!

Toodles

Linda

Farewell to the Regional Big Guy Boss Man

Our regional director has retired, the big guy, the boss boss has moved on. So we had a little send off for him tonight at the local golf course restaurant. It was a lovely evening. I am thinking there was probably 100 or more people gathered to eat, drink, laugh, make speeches, sing songs and bid him a fond farewell. It was a nice night.

The food was good, just finger foods but very good none-the-less. Cupcakes and fruit for dessert. The speeches were just the right length and not too many as to have everyone wanting to bang their heads against the tables. Just enough. His last farewell speech was perfect, just long enough, funny and sentimental in just the right mix. He got a standing ovation from everyone for a job well done, for being a fare and just boss and just all around good guy. I hope we get someone as reasonably good to replace him.

So that was my evening. My weekend plans have changed. Best Friend's plans have gone astray so she will not be coming until October now.  I no longer have to panic that things in the house are not as they should be. As much as I would love to have seen her, I have many things to do that will be done easier now that I will have time to actually work on them. Busy's table runner for one and all. I will actually get it quilted now and ready to take with me for Thanksgiving. Maybe I can start some of that purging that I have been itching to get at.

Another down side to her not coming is I need to do some grooming on my cat and I was looking foreward to having another set of hands to hold onto her. She has a mat of hair in a rather delicate space, so she is not going to take kindly to me snipping at her. Oh well I will have to man handle her on my own. Should prove to be a fun time for all. She will be loving me again like she did the day I washed her feet. Poor baby.

So I suppose I can kick my feet up for the rest of the night. I do not need to be running about all bat shit crazy trying to do everything at once. I kinda like that idea. It does not take much for me to abandon housework for a night in front of the telly and my knitting on my knee. I'm funny that way

Toodles,

Linda

UFO's Have Taken Over My House

Before you get all panicky or start thinking I have lost what little mind I have left, I am not talking the little green men kind of UFO, the Un Finished Object kind. They are everywhere. I have always sort of known that they lurked around every corner but with my usual pigeon hole style of ignoring things I do not wish to think about, I have pushed them off to the blurry edges of my reality and gone on my merry way. However tonight as I am doing my impression of a cleaning maniac, I have had to acknowledge them, stare them in the eye, gasp in horror and hang my head in shame. Blargh!!!! I need to get this under control.

So what do I do when I have to make a plan, take charge, win back some sense of normality? Well I made a list. (Surprise!!) then I pinned it beside my computer on a very teeny bulletin board I have and I have promised myself that I am going to start working on these things after Thanksgiving and I am going to get them under control. Unfinished projects mean stuff piled up waiting to be used, which means, mess and clutter and I am determined to purge my house of as much of this as I can.

I don't know if its the coming of fall or what, but I want to get things organized, purge out the crap and make it look tidier. Tonight I have been cleaning, I have been going like mad and it still is not done but I am gaining ground. I finally got that little metal cabinet that rode around in my car for a week and a half, put into the spot I wanted it to be in. It works well because now the odds and ends are hidden behind a door.

Yes I know its a cupboard sitting in front of another cupboard but I need the storage space right now and the little cabinet is very easy to slide out of the way. The things in the other cabinet I do not use a lot and its on the list of places to get purged. I had a three tiered metal table thing here but I have moved it into the living room. I will show that in another post.

I love this little cabinet. I will in time paint it and put new handles on it. I think I have the perfect one in my stash of door handles. It came from the home of a dear friend and I will treasure it. It holds a multitude of sins.

So I cleaned tonight, I was a whirling dervish. I whirled, I dervished, and still I am not done. Crap. I had hoped to get off work early today, I did lunch duty but with a meeting and people coming and asking for stuff, I could not get away. I am hoping now to get away early on Friday.  On the up side I may not have gotten off early but I have got the laundry finished. I have also managed to fill a garbage bag with junk from the laundry room. I have 3/4 of the kitchen table cleared off and I made my UFO list. Now I am having a break and once I am done this I will tackle the  dishes. I have gathered some things to take to a charity shop for donation and I have a load of recycling to go out. Not bad but it could be better.

I have taped Modern Family and I will for sure be watching that before I go to bed. I love that show. I was late coming around to watching it but its one of my favourites now. Well my break must be over. I need to hit the dish pan then watch Modern Family, hang up the laundry, make the spare bed and then go to bed myself.

Piece of Cake!!

Toodles
Linda

Good News and I Like It

Since I have one person who reads this blog faithfully and is a tad put out when I don't blog regularly I will try to be a bit better at it than I have been recently. However my entertaining anicdotes are sometimes few and far between but I will do my best. Let's see what exciting things can I tell you. Oh yes, I just finished stuffing my face with one of my favourite  snacks. Triscuit Nachos. How do you make them you ask, well I will tell you. Put triscuits on a plate, top them with a small piece of marble cheese, heat in the microwave for 1 minute. When they come out top with salsa, yummy!! Would  be very nice to say this is my one guilty pleasure but its one of many. I like them because they are fast, easy and ever so tasty.

I had my visit with the Hostess. We had a lovely evening. She is still sorta fresh out of the hospital after surgery so she is not quite ready to do a lot of running about. We made a trip to the drugstore and then home to her place for tea and chatting. It pleases me to no end to see her doing so well. The doctor has said all the right things, all prospects look good and that to me is an answered prayer. It is a joy to see her moving towards her old self, slow and steady, mind you, but definitely on the good path. By the time I got home from seeing her I did not feel like doing a dang thing. How much of a surprise is that???

I did do a load of laundry, set another to soaking and watched the elimination night of Dancing with the Stars. Like I said on Wednesday I will turn into a house cleaning maniac but for now I am doing my best slug impression.

Lady Bug's Mom called me tonight. She is home right now, taking it easy and devoting herself to baking up another grandbaby for me to declare as mine. I could not be happier. She is having some troubles right now and had to take things easy but so far so good and I for one have all my fingers and toes crossed that things stay positive. Nightly prayers are offered up that this little peanut stays put and grows stronger and bigger each day. She tells me she is feeling better and that is music to my ears. I have know for awhile about this good news but could not share until now as you do. All in all there has been some seriously good news this week. I like it when things go well.

Tomorrow is Wednesday already. Housecleaning will be number one on my list. Since I am having company this weekend I cannot let this slid any more. Best Friend will not care but I will.  The living room is half decent but the rest is .............well...............a disaster.

I did manage to get the cabinet out of my car that I bought last weekend from H's mom. Its now in the kitchen. Needs to be in the laundry room but its in the kitchen. Hey, that's major progress, its only been riding in my car for a week and a half!! I apparently do not like to rush into things.

So I have to clean the house, quilt Busy's table runner and rearrange my laundry room. Piece of Cake. I have  one evening this week and a few next week. Should be able to manage it. I will keep you posted!! Try not to get too hyper with all this action!! Its not good for the blood pressure.

Toodles,
Linda

Multi Tasking or Just Nuts

I worry about myself some times, I actually caught myself tonight, crocheting an afghan while watching Dancing with the Stars, while checking Pinterest while talking on the phone. I almost gave myself a headache.   I do things like that too often, I have about four to six things going at one time and I cannot really do any of them. Sometimes I wonder if I have a bit of a problem with my attention span.

Anyway, Its been awhile since I did a blog post. I have been getting back into the routine of working after my vacation. I had a busy weekend, that included a trip to the Big City to see a local theater production of Little Women, then supper out and back home. I love doing things like that, its so much fun. Its always good to spend a day with good friends. Now its back to work. Funny how the free days go so fast and the work days seem to drag.

Busy week this week as well. Tuesday night I am off to spend a bit of time with the Hostess, then Thursday night I have a retirement party to go to, Friday night is No Cook and then Best Friend should be here for the weekend. Don't know when I am going to get the house cleaned. There are season openers on tv and I cannot tape everything, I don't know which direction to go first. It will all get done, it always does. I will turn into a housecleaning maniac on Wednesday.

I almost have the table runner done for Busy. I would have been farther along with it but I misjudged the material and I ended up about 6 inches short of the main colour. This would ordinarily be no big deal but I bought the material more than a year ago and in another province. Crap. So running out to get a bit more was totally out of the question. Crap, crap, crappity, crap!!! (Insert much swearing, head banging and teeth gnashing here). Thankfully I did have some extra of another colour so I think I have saved the day. Oh I hate when I do stupid things like that. I have the top all sewn together now I just need to get it quilted. I need to kick that into gear as I want to take it to her at Thanksgiving. I will post pictures once it is all finished. I really like this paper piecing technique. I bought a book on it when I was at the Peebles Girls Reunion. The place we were has a fabulous quilt shop. I could have gone broke in there no problem.

Fall has arrived. I know that because I am wearing my slippers and my ratty old black sweater in the house. My lawn is a carpet of leaves and Mother Nature has brought out the best party frocks for the trees. I love autumn, I like the colour, the smell, pumpkins, apples, spice and the nip in the air. I may have to crank on the furnace once Best Friend gets here. Its not nice to make your friends turn blue. I need to get my fall decorations out and dress up the front of the house.

Well I need to get back to Dancing with the Stars, my afghan and then head for bed. I hope your weekend was wonderful.

Toodles,

Linda

Monday Moment With Minou

Why do you need to quilt when there are belly's to be rubbed??