Getting Things Done

I have a lot of projects on the go and I have to admit that time is running out on me. I need to knuckle down and make good on my promises.  Best news ever is that today I made the last of the puppets for the Craft Sale in October. I finished right on schedule and have been patting myself on the back most of the afternoon.

I sewed up the top for another donation quilt yesterday. I ran errands in the morning and then got at the quilt top. The local fabric store was have a 50% off sale so I bolted over there and got four quilt batts and enough white material to finish the top. Today I washed up the backing material and now its ready to quilt.

Right after I finish the first donation quilt. A quilt for which I sewed the backing yesterday. There was a lot of sewing going on yesterday, my machine got a work out and a half for the first time in a long time!!. I got going on it while the backing for the second quilt had its bath and blow dry. I figure one weeks quilting and this one will be finished then a week to do the second one and they will be ready to be delivered to the people they were promised to.

So things are perking along quite nicely if you ignore the fact that a whole lot of yard work that should have been done was not. Shed doors were not finished and the last shed wall was not painted but hey at least something was getting done. There is a big to do list and I only seem to be chipping away at it. Not enough hours in the day for me.

So its gonna be a short post today. I have quilting to do and that gets first priority at the moment.

Toodles
Linda

Busy Week and now Back to Work

So my two weeks of vacation time zipped by in the blink of an eye. Funny how work hours move so slowly and vacation time zips by like the Road Runner on Speed. Yeesh. I had 23 things on my list to accomplish whist on vacation and I got to 11 of them. I should have stepped up my game but it didn't happen. My physical energy does not come anywhere near my mental energy.

I FINALLY got out to visit with Mommybug, Ladybug and Babybug. Daddybug was in the field so I missed seeing him.  I have been trying to get out there for ages!! So long that I am ashamed to admit to it. Anyhoo I got there, and got to see the new addition they built onto the house, got to spend some time with the kids. I know my opinion may be suspect but they are the cutest pretend grandbabies a gal could want. Ladybug is friendly, chatty and so cute. Babybug is a bit shy but not to the point where he makes strange. He just is cautious but we got along just fine. I spent the best part of the day out there. We visited, I inspected the house, looked over the pinterest inspired projects and all in all had a lovely day. I must do it again sometime and not leave so long in between visits.

Me and the Bugs, just hanging out. I told you they are cuties!!

I spend some time working on the puppets for the craft sale. Right now, as it sits, I have four little ducks left  to make and I have enough for the show. I have, in the meantime, received an order from a school for 17 puppets. They use my little critters to help children to learn to love reading. This tickles me pinker than pink. I love to read and to think I have helped inspire that in a child is just so gratifying. This order is a boost to the "new carpet for my bedroom" fund.

Brown cow puppet, there are black and white cows too!!

Thursday I spend a good portion of the day with Teddy Bear putting down flooring in her grandchildren's room. We did her bedroom a while ago and so we knew what we were doing with this one. It actually only took us three hours to do the flooring once you minused out the one break we took.

I think it came out just fantastic. I wish I had taken a before picture. 

She treated me to lunch and then I headed home to get ready for The Banker, KitKat and Teddy Bear to come over for dinner and movie night. Not really a movie, we are watching the second half of season one of Outlander. We ordered pizza, The Banker brought popcorn and I supplied coffee and dessert. We had a great evening.

The weekend was No Cook Friday as usual, then the rest of the time was spent on errands. I was so proud of myself because for the first time in ages I brought the groceries in and did this:

Not only did I clean and chop the vegetables, I portioned out the meat into serving sizes before I froze it. Past history tells me that when I do this, I will use the stuff and not let it go bad as it my habit. Prep work done before hand  makes cooking easier after work when I am tired and not in the mood to make like a chef.

 Saturday night Teddy Bear and I went to see Mr Holmes (another movie) at the university theater. Sunday I did nothing but work on puppets and sleep. I found myself a cold somewhere along the way and its knocked the stuffing out of me. No immune system after the shenanigans with my leg this year so I think I will be up for getting every bug that goes around for a bit. 

Back to work on Monday and then I was off again today !! The Banker and I went to an art show. One of my friends, well lets call her the Artist, had a showing at a local art gallery. Local, as it was in another town. I missed going last year and did not want to miss it again. As we do, we made a day of it. We went early enough for lunch, then soaked in the art. She is one talented lady. Oil painting, photography, mixed medium stuff.  It was fabulous. I was so glad we went and she seemed very pleased we made the trip. We had a good day. Lunch out, a little shopping then the art show. Home before supper and I got to check out all she has done to her new place. (The Banker and her Sweet Baboo have moved in together so they are combining households.)

She is so super organized she nearly has the place all set up where the rest of us would still be living with boxes. She makes my head spin.

Back to work tomorrow. Oh the Joy!!!

Toodles,

Linda

Its a Whole New Shed

If you tolerate me talking on and on about something I do eventually get around to it and it gets done. This is true of my wishing the shed to get painted. In truth its not a new shed but with a slap of new paint it looks like a whole new building.  It started out looking something like this. When I bought the house it was all the ugly brown colour until two years ago when I started to paint it. I got two sides done in a sort of cream colour. New doors were added when my leaf blower was liberated in the middle of the night and I wanted them painted before the snow and ice came.

I got two walls done and then for ages could not find anymore of the cream paint. I was spraying it and it took far more spray cans than I had intended. It sat in all its two toned glory for two years until this week. I finally got at it and made use of some of my days off to make it look like this.

A fresh coat of pale gray paint and it looks so much better than it did. I am not sure what I was thinking with the cream. It matched nothing, the house is white with green trim. The gray is more neutral and if I manage to afford to get the house painted the warm white and slate blue I would like it to be, the shed will be alright with that. The roof need a coat of paint as well but I have no idea how I will manage that. It needs a good power wash. Maybe in the spring I will sort something out. The new door only as a coat of primer on it but since the end result will be white paint you get the idea. I have the north wall to do as I thought two cans of paint would suffice but I fear I shall run short. 

Now I have an idea of how to hang the mosaic stars and moon on the shed, I need to get them finished as well. Not to mention the house number plaque. I need grout and silicone for this and like the usual way of it about this house, both on hold until pay day. I will reveal my star hanging method once I know it works.

Now I can turn my attention to my bedroom. Its project number 2 on my list. Another one that has languished incomplete for two years. It costs nothing to hunt for carpet tiles that will suit. I have started the search but have some more places to check out. The ones I really want are not available here and are $20.00 per tile. I do tend to pick the expensive things. I now need to find something that will work in place of.

Next week is a visit to Mommybug if it is still convenient for them. Then the last two days of the week are penciled in to help Teddy Bear lay a floor in her grandson's room. I will fill in the other days with looking for carpet. making the last of the puppets and quilts. I might even try to get the wall paper back up onto the wall of the bedroom since it fell off the first time.

I think I have found two colours of paint that will work for my room.  I shall consult the No Cook ladies before I make a final decision. I am looking foreward to having my blue bedroom back. It currently could not be more blah if it tried. The carpet needs to be removed, half has been done already. The night stands are going to be repainted and I think the chest of drawers will get painted as well. Its finish is badly battered from years of abuse. 

I need another 6 or 7 months off.

Toodles 

Linda

The Wee Girl

I think, like everyone. I have a list of heart felt wishes that I carry about with me. Some are for me and some are for people I know and love and some are for beings I don't personally know. Earlier this week one of these wishes was granted and she looks like this

This is the Wee Girl. The Pilot and The Teacher presented her to us and I know I am not the only one who is over the moon. Part of that being "over the moon" is because my wish for The Pilot to get the chance to be a Dad has been granted. I know he will be a just the best Daddy a little girl could want and if he had never got the chance it would have just been a sin and a shame. Busy and The Carpenter are getting to dote on yet another grandbaby, so right now, all is well with our world. We have the Tater Tot and now the Wee Girl, out family tree is growing.  I cannot wait to meet her and have a bit of a cuddle. I also have to say I love her name, can't share it here but I really like it. Good choice you people, its the sort of name that works no matter what age she will be.

I was going to paint my shed yesterday but for some reason it just seemed more important that I work on the quilt for the Wee Girl. I have the top finished and will start quilting it really soon.  I am not going to do that until the painting is finished. I really want my ugly brown shed painted before the snow comes again. Its been waiting to be completely painted for a couple of years now, so I need to get it done. I have all the stuff , there is no reason, besides being lazy, to not get it done.I want the shed painted and my bedroom finished this year. Two projects that have been hanging around waiting for me to get a burst of energy. I am chugging back the B12 so I have no more excuses. Paint brushes ahoy!!!

Love being on days off, as we all know because I go on and on about it none stop. Been having the best of times. Maybe not doing all the things I had thought I would get done but I am going here and there, spending time with friends, making baby stuff and doing projects. My kind of days.

Well I need to get my painting duds on and get my arse out the door. That shed will not paint itself. Yep going to become a veritable whirling dervish, right after one more cup of coffee or two.

Toodles,
Linda

What's happenin"

I am on days off, yes I am, shut up I worked for two months I deserve a break......... I do to. I usually take time off in September and saw no reason to change my habits now. I actually can use a break. Just between you and me I am not quite back on my feet yet. I still tire so easily but its getting better. That and I like to be at home, not at work, but you knew that.

So Friday started my fortnight of vacation time. So far its been a wonderful few days. The Banker surprised us at No Cook. She was back from her month away with her Sweet Baboo. It was nice to have her back with the group. We had a fun night catching up on all the news. She scored me this old lard pail.I totally loved it and gave it a home on my new entry way chest of drawers. (The purple runner is only there until I weave something that actually matches.) It belonged to her daughter-in-law and she was getting rid of it. I love it, it ticks a lot of boxes for me.the colour, age, its a tin, it has a shamrock. tick tick tick......... LOVE IT.

Saturday I had planned to do nothing. First day of vacay and I like to just have no plans. I ran some errands in the morning and was crocheting on puppets when KitKat called and enticed me out of the house by waving second hand store shopping under my nose. With a twist of my rubber arm and was out the door. I managed to find a couple of things. We looked at flooring, she wants to do her kitchen and I want to do my bedroom. Then we hit a local greenhouse that I have never been to before. What a lovely place!! its definitely on my return to list for Christmas time and again next spring. I got a trowel owl. Its an owl face made from a trowel with gears for eyes etc . I love him,( I will post a picture later. Too lazy to do it now.) We finished off the day with picking up chicken and having supper at her place. Not a bad way to spend the day. I was home just after supper and managed to finish the puppet I started earlier in the day.

Sunday I hit the road and met up with a high school friend at a near by Flea Market. She messaged me awhile ago that she was going to be at their cottage this weekend and did I want to meet up. We have not seen each other for a long time (six years since the last time) so I was super thrilled she made the effort. We had a better than good day. I managed to walk around the market and only had to sit twice. We talked, found treasures, found out about each other and groaned over all things we did not have money for or the space to store them.

My egg cup collection grew by 5 new members:

The little chicken on the right side was already here, the other 5 just came home with me. I also bought two candlewick glass candle holders ( again too lazy to take pictures). I was so proud of me, I left two milk glass goblets there. I have three, I could have had two more but I did not get them. I will have to get them another time. They are easier to find than the figural egg cups and I was budgeting myself for once.

We went back to her cabin and I have to say I am seriously jealous. Lake front, four bedrooms, its lovely. I would love to have a cabin, I could go on for days about how much I want a cabin but I won't. Anyway, we had a cool drink, I got the royal tour, we talked some more and I headed home. It was a really nice way to spend a Sunday. I hope we don't leave it too long before the next visit. I have a set of oars that are perfect for her cabin.The people that owned this house left them and now I have an actual home for them I just have to get them to her. I will do my best to see that it does not take me years.

Today, Teddy Bear and I went out for breakfast, then I came home to clean the kitchen, do laundry and work on a quilt. Well I did most of that, some got ignored and some got done. I have the teddy bear and horse puppets finished now its time top start the ducks and the cows. I think I am going to reduce the number of ducks and add in some chickens.

Tomorrow is a road trip with The Banker. I am hoping to work in a visit to Mommybugs house during this vacation time. The Hostess is on the list for this coming weekend unless something changes. Long past time I should have been to visit them. All in all this vacation with no plans is working out rather well.

Toddles,

Linda