No Time to be Crafty!

Well, I'm hoping that's about to end actually. It's taken some adjustments, but I'm finally settling into a routine with the new job. I'm six months in and I really like it. At first, it was exhausting, but slowly but surely I've managed to get used to getting up in the mornings again.

I have nothing crafty to show right now, but definitely check back. I have my first opportunity to create a scrapbook for someone other than myself! I took some of my scrapbooks to work, and one of my coworkers "hired" me on the spot to create a scrapbook for her 18-month-old daughter. I've very excited because I get to use girlie colors and embellishments. With a little boy, it's mostly been primary colors or "boy" colors, so it'll be exciting to do something different.

I'm also trying to talk myself into picking up a paintbrush again. I'm waiting for a Michael's coupon so I can purchase a canvas and paints, and we'll see what happens!

You really have to work a little harder to make time for the things you love when you're working full time and also taking care of a 6-year-old, but I'm really blessed with such a great kid. He was chosen as his school's good citizen and was on the school's television program this morning. In 5K they have what they call centers where the children participate in different activities. When asked what his favorite center was, he said ART! Made his Mommie proud, he did!

CROCHET GIVE-AWAY WINNER!!

AND THE WINNER IS....RACHEL!!!

I tried to paste the outcome from Random.org, but couldn't get it to work. Anyway, it came up #1 and that's Rachel. I have your addy so I'll get these out to you!

Thanks for playing, ladies!!

FINALLY FINISHED!

Over a week and 4 garbage bags later, I'm finished cleaning and reorganizing my office/scrap room! I'm so glad to have this done, knowing it would be the toughest room in the house to work on. I'll admit, I still have a rather large stack of papers to sort through that is now in the living room, but hey, not bad, right? All right, all right, there's also some unfinished projects on top of my scrap desk. I'll get to them eventually.

Want to see the pictures?


See where the single paper cube is? The plan is to add more there to hold what's in the clear plastic bins under the second desk there. I could use a framed picture on this wall, too.

I probably could have gotten rid of a bit more, but you know how it is.

I'm debating over selling this computer armoir. Since I won't be working at home anymore, I'm seriously considering it. Thought I'd get another desk top to go with the storage cubes to put the computer on. Ignore the "orb" in the corner...not sure "who" that is! LOL

The space where the stool is I plan to also put more storage cubes, but these will be for my crochet and quilting. I can get those things out of tote bags or large Rubbermaid boxes that I can get rid of or use for other storage. That dang orb is still there! Notice it's not on the first couple of pics! Okay, I'm scaring myself.

I guess, since I'm starting my new job tomorrow, that I'll take a room a week and reorganize, rearrange, or just plain clean it up. I'm such a slacker at cleaning anymore. Really though, I'd like to sit and scrap a bit....make a big mess in my clean room!

CROCHET GIVE-AWAY!

Do the colors yellow and blue make you happy? I love yellow and blue together!

These 100% cotton crocheted cloths would be great for dusting or washing your dishes. The set includes three sizes as you can see in the second picture ranging from 8 x 9 inches to 9-1/2 x 12.



If you'd like to have them, all you have to do is leave a comment! Just tell me what you love (or at least don't mind) cleaning and what you'd rather eat a worm than clean! I'll randomly choose a winner Sunday evening, September 13.

"Nostalgia" Photo Challenge on I "Heart" Faces

Week 33 - “Nostalgia” Photo Challenge!

I just adore this photo I took of my little guy, Jake. I worked on the color just a bit and it truly says nostalgia to me. I guess I've even been a little nostalgic since he's started kindergarten this year. Thanks for looking!

OH, THE MESS!!!!

I decided I would begin another purging of the house. I figured if we should go ahead and put our house up for sale and downsize, then we HAD to get rid of some of the extra crap we've been holding on to.

I knew my office would be a big issue so I have started there. I have this large work top/cabinet thing. It's big and unless it's completely empty you can't move it. Even when it is empty, it's heavy. I put it on Craig's List, but no bites yet. My mom was here the other day and said she might buy it. I am wondering where the heck she is going to put it though. Talk about a house in need of some purging!

I moved everything out and from on top of the work station and moved it out of the office. Now it's sitting in the dining room and who knows when I'll actually sell it.


In it's place is one of the smaller desks I have for scrapping with the cubes you can buy from Michael's or Target. Very nice and neat, right? But, whatever you do, DO NOT TURN AROUND!

Does it count that the vacuum cleaner is at least in the office? It shows I'm going to use it, right? And that is a garbage back in the lower left corner where I've thrown things out. So that's good, right?

Okay, so I haven't made a place yet for everything that came out of the work station. I'll get to it though...this month? Oh wait, August is almost over. Geez!

Okay, I told you it was a big mess! Half complete projects, a basket of Tally kits, and oops! some trash still on the floor that I didn't pick up yet.

I haven't unpacked these two totes since I went to a crop blah blah weeks ago.

I just keep looking at this...hoping the cleaning fairy will pay me a visit!

Quilts

I think I've mentioned that my grandmother (my mom's mom) was a quilter. For years she worked in a textile mill and after she retired, she started quilting again. If I can get my hands on some of the quilts she did with my great-grandmother back when my mom was a little girl, I'll post some pictures of those. My aunt has most of them and I'm going to go begging one day soon! For now, I have a quilt she made me for graduation. I took it to Atlanta with me when I went off to school and for ages I used it on my bed. Now I keep it put away to protect it.

She primarily did applique quilts. Some of her favorite patterns were the dutch doll and dutch boy designs and this flower pot design that she did for me. Every little pot, stem, and flower were appliqued by hand. She then sewed the squares together using her old pedal sewing machine most of the time. I don't recall ever seeing her pull out an electric one even though I know she had one.

After she passed, I was able to go through some of her craft items and I came across another quilt top she had started. Once I get it finished, I'll post it. I'm hoping I can do her justice.

My dad's mom also quilted some, and one Christmas she gave her two oldest granddaughters, my cousin Lisa and myself, each a quilt top she had made back when her husband, Bob, was in India during WW2. She had them quilted for us by a lady who lives near her in time for Christmas. It's probably THE best gift I've ever received. Up until recently, I used it, but I've noticed some wear and tear that needs to be repaired so until I can do that, I keep it put away as well. I'm not sure of the design. I know I've asked her, but I need to ask again. Basically it is squares made up of scraps and then all sewn together. The colors are so pretty and some of the fabric came from dresses that she and my great-grandmother wore at one time.

The back of this quilt is made from sugar sacks. I'm sure you've heard how flour and sugar came in bags and women reused the fabric for whatever needs they had. It looks a little like muslin to me.


This quilt is super heavy and super warm and once I get it repaired, I'll continue to use it for sure!

And now for one that I made. I'm by no means a great quilter or even a good quilter in my opinion. In fact, I pieced this top and then tacked the squares at every corner instead of quilting it. A lot of people do this, but my reasoning was that I didn't think I could take on actually quilting such a large piece. Just call me chicken! I also had to get my mom to help put the back on since I'm not much of a seamstress either. This pattern is called Sunshine and Shadows because of how the squares go from dark to light and back again. It's a good summer quilt with light batting inside. The back, which I forgot to photograph before I put it away is a solid piece of the mid tone floral square you see in the fourth square from the left on the bottom row.

I really enjoy quilting or should I see piecing the tops together? There are so many beautiful fabrics available for quilting now and if you've never seen what people can do with fabric take a look at some of these art quilts. I think they're awesome!

Thanks for looking!