June 29, 2008
May 08, 2008
back and forth
I enjoy doing too many things. I can't focus on one activity or project. Right now I want to look at some Japanese craft books, crochet a summer scarf, sew a bag, finish a great book, and read blogs. Tomorrow it will probably be drawing, knitting, cleaning, and cooking. Eeek! I like doing it all, but I should probably be more focused. I bet I could get more done!
Doesn't that OJ look good? Fresh squeezed!
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March 24, 2008
Redo
I've been doing a lot of cleaning/ reorganizing over the past few days. My poor little front room was a little worse for wear. It's looking a lot better already, so hopefully (fingers crossed) it should be done tomorrow. The Easter Bunny brought be a regular, full sized ironing board, so that was the start of this whole redo. I needed a place for that board. So I switched around some bookcases, cleared out the fabric shelves, fiddled with the walls. It's getting there. With a few breaks in between. Like that little Moleskin I did. I actually fused the trees to the book before stitching, so they're really on there! And then today I went to the thrift store, and found that cute sheet. Also a cute Pyrex too, with some pretty flowers on it.
The thrift store was fun. It was just really in an out, and I barely spent any money. Good entertainment. I would like to find some more around here, but there are just a lot of expensive vintage stores around here that aren't really worth my time.
I've also been playing around with Photoshop. I've had it forever, but never ever (ok, rarely) use it. Do you know what I use if I need to edit? Paint. I'm not kidding. That's why my pictures never look good. I was going through Alicia's blog and found this older entry which is basically a picture tutorial. It seems like the minimum, but wow it works wonders! Those flowers on the Pyrex up there just popped after I fiddled with it for a few minutes. Now I want to go through all of my picture folders and play around.
This wasn't a very good picture to begin with. It's got the evening sun and nothing was really that clear. The top picture was my Paint version, the bottom Photoshop. Not too bad! Those hangers are from the $1 section (2 for $1 actually) at Target. The flower thing is an old pin board that I covered with some Swell fabric. I don't know if I'll use it as a board or if I'll just leave it as-is as 'art'.
Tomorrow it will be off to Home Depot or Lowe's. I need a few container-type things and think I can get some inexpensively at one of those places. I'm only bringing $20 to spend so I hope so. This room switch is not something I need/want to spend $ on so we'll see!
March 08, 2008
Yep,
I'd say it's a blizzard.
A pretty one though!
February 14, 2008
(happy) v-day
I hope you all had a happy valentine's day. I did, and I didn't. Here's the happy part:
A stitched button card for Derek, along with a warm pad:
Cosmo tested it, and he loves it. I will need to buy some more rice and make some extras for us too. I did what some people mentioned in the comments; I made little rice compartments to keep it from shifting in there too much.
Now the not so happy: something very unexpected and sad and awful happened to my mom today, something she didn't deserve. I found out early today, and my boss was nice enough to allow me to leave. Cosmo and I drove home to spend some time with her and everyone else of course. Be cool tomorrow, and then stick it out til the end of March. Then we can have some fun and do our own business - haha, yeah right, but we can dream right?
February 02, 2008
keeping busy
I've just been puttering around here...sewing a little, cleaning, fun stuff. I made this apron last night:
The fabric is so cute - little teacups! This was part of the sweet "hive" package Debby sent me over the summer. I liked it so much I've just had it sitting on my shelf! So I chopped it up and made this for myself. I cut out another one too, so maybe I'll make it as a gift? Start stocking up now for x-mas '08?
Speaking of hives, I've still got them, but I did finally see an allergist this week. He told me the hives aren't from any products I'm using, and not from any foods. I've just got them...and they could last years! He gave me some medicine to try, and for now it seems to be working very well. I'll have to keep my fingers crossed. It is nice though being able to use lotion and perfume again though.
Look at this adorable lightswitch plate I bought from Jen! I couldn't pass it up. It fits my switch; I just need to get longer screws. This is where it's going to go:
The scissors holder thing was just put up. By me, and just with nails...but Derek said it should hold just fine. My scissors aren't very heavy. I would like a pegboard, but I already had this coat rack, so it's use what you have and no need to buy!
*edit to add* I totally forgot to show the cute little extras that Jen sent me! That was so nice - thank you!
Alright...back to cleaning!
January 29, 2008
stop and smell them
I got some flowers tonight from Whole Foods! This is a big deal because I never get flowers. But my mom got some this weekend, and I decided I needed some too! I love them, and I told Derek I want flowers all the time now.
I finished up a few little things today. They were things that had been sitting around waiting for awhile, so it was nice to wrap them up. This little sachet was embroidered in Florida, so all I had to do was sew up the rectangle and ribbon, and fill it with flax seed and lavender. Door hanger for V-day, and hanger-hanger the rest of the time!
I also went to the dentist today. I've been very bad - this was my first appointment in a long time. I had 2 wisdom teeth out the summer of 2004, and I think I had a check up around that time too. Of course I've got excuses: living in NY, school, no insurance, hives...but none of them are good enough. I've got great insurance now, so there really is no excuse. The dentist was very nice, and everyone said I've got great teeth, but no dental attention is bad. I've got 3 appointments coming up- a cleaning and then a visit to fix up the left and then the right side. Again - great insurance...but I'm still left to foot a $600 bill at the end of it all! Buh-bye sewing machine savings! Oh well. So visit the dentist!!!
December 25, 2007
wishing you all...
a very Merry Christmas!
December 19, 2007
We're back!
What a wonderful vacation! So lucky to get (paid) time off, so lucky to have a condo waiting for us in FL! Gas and food are really the only expenses, and quite manageable. We had great weather for the drive down and back, and FABULOUS weather at the beach! In the 80's and sunny the entire time, except for the last day which was 60. I had time to embroider and craft, Derek had time to read and play his games, and Cosmo got to sleep in a new place! Here are some pictures; more to come about the trip later but for now it's time to eat!
Cosmo loves balconies, and this is the first time he wasn't scared of the one in Florida. Usually the sound of the waves freaks him out, but he was a very big boy. Only problem was the Red Tide which came a few days in, and made us all a little sneezy and coughy. Me and D could handle it, but not this little guy. Only a few minutes on the deck at a time, and only a few walks.
Here's proof of the Red Tide - if you look closely you can see Cosmo's about to sneeze!
December 05, 2007
holiday time
The tree is up! I've got lots of favorite ornaments on there this year. I think the best is a potato masher! And look at all the presents under the tree already!
Martha Stewart Crafts had a marathon on Thanksgiving day that I taped. One of the projects was glittered pine cones, which I had to make. I watched my brother and sister for a weekend, and they helped me collect these baby pine cones from the yard and then string them on thread. Katherine and I then glued and glittered them up. Love the way they ended up! I also got some pine cones from some trees around my apartment and made large glittered pine cones for a bowl on my table. The glitter sure is glittery!
Here's what I did yesterday:
I finally laid out the gift quilt and quilted it up. We moved around the living room, so there's not really any room to lay out a large quilt anymore. This was a tight squeeze. I taped the backing to the carpet--but I don't think I'll do that anymore. I think it actually caused puckers instead of keeping everything taut.
I guess you can't really see the puckers, but there are a few here and there. I think they'll be less noticeable once it's washed. I've done the binding and now all that's left is the hand sewing. I think that will be left for the car ride down to Florida.
We had our first snow last night/this morning. Let's just say I take one road to get to work and it usually takes 12 minutes. This morning it took 45.
