GOODIES IN THE MAIL !

Just a quick post today.  A few minutes ago my mailman delivered a package that I had been waiting for with bated breath.  If you have never ordered from Quilt Fabric Closeouts I would suggest you scoot over there as fast as your little fingers can type and take a look at their FABULOUS fabrics.

Their website is:  http://www.quiltfabriccloseouts.com.

I was a little worried when I placed my first order.  How could I possibly get nine (9) good quality half yard cuts of fabric, plus one (1) panel for only $27.63...including shipping?  Nah....can't be done...or so I thought!

Imagine my joy when I opened the big puffy envelope to find nine of the most GORGEOUS fabrics imaginable...and the panel?  Well, it is just sweetness to die for! 

Quilt Fabric Closeouts has now risen to the top of my "shopping" list and I am sure I will be buying lots of fabrics from them in the future.  (Oh, by the way, they have no idea I am writing this post so no worries that this is a paid endorsement, lol)

So grab a nice cool iced tea, or hot cuppa if you are in the lower hemisphere, and spend some quality time surfing their website.  I guarantee you will find lots to love!

GRRRRRrrrrrrrrr.....RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!

It is 6:38 on Sunday night and I am hiding in my sewing room, more for my husband's safety than anything else.  For some reason I have descended into a dreadfully foul mood.  I don't know why, really.  I had a pretty good day!  I slept in this morning...NO alarm at all.  Ahh.... it was total bliss.  Then I enjoyed a wonderful steaming mug of free coffee, accompanied by some delicious English Muffin Bread spread with home made cherry jam.  Yum.....  I spent the morning doing laundry, which is my usual Sunday chore.  Nothing there that should have triggered such a mood.  I haven't folded the laundry yet, that would be just too much for one day.  While doing laundry I assembled three blocks for my guest room quilt...something I haven't worked on in at least a week!  THAT made me happy!!!

When I was done the laundry I finished up my yellow button container and placed it into my cubby, eliciting more grins; and then I cut the 2.5 inch squares for the next container in line...pink.  All in all, a great day!  Even my tremor has been pretty good today!

At 4:00 I went into the kitchen to make dinner.  Yesterday I had planned out the whole meal...steaks on the counter-top grill, sauteed garlic mushrooms, packaged garlic noodles and canned peas.  I even found a peanut butter pie in the freezer yesterday.  I honestly don't remember when I bought it as it was buried under packages of frozen chicken, but a skinny slice for each of us would make a nice dessert.  It is really RARE that I make a full meal...even one incorporating several prepackaged items!  Completely from scratch is a total impossibility.  But Dear Hubby and I were spending the day in the house and I wanted to make him a nice quasi home-cooked meal. 

It was while making dinner that my mood plummeted.  After doing the laundry and some crafting I'm tired.  Totally exhausted really.  I guess I should have been intelligent and not planned a meal for laundry day.  I should have left the "meal" go until tomorrow and just suggested cheese sandwiches for dinner considering my physical exhaustion. But I had already defrosted everything, and it is likely the last time Dear Hubby and I will eat together for the rest of the week!  His work schedule and physical therapy schedule is NUTS!  So I pushed myself to do it and now I'm miserable...both physically and mentally.  Every time hubby talks to me I have to bite my tongue to make sure I don't snap at him.  Poor guy.  There is no absolutely no reason why I should snap at him...but I just know I will if we have too much contact.  The front doorbell rang a few minutes ago and I didn't even go to answer it.  I just ignored it completely.  I don't want to see or talk to anyone!  And if it was some type of solicitation at my door, I doubt I could have maintained my temper if they were a little too pushy.

So I have banished myself to my sewing room in a much needed "time out".  Not the upbeat writing I hope to post on my blog, but this is life (my life anyway) and it's important that I am honest in my representations.  Life isn't always fun, or easy, or fair and no matter how hard I strive to maintain a positive outlook, Pollyanna I'm not. I CAN understand the physical exhaustion...I pushed myself too hard.  But the emotional state I am in is a bit surprising.  I have the horrible urge to pound my fists, stomp my feet and scream at the top of my lungs.  Yea...a real "terrible twos" type temper tantrum. And I don't even know why!

So, in order to avoid such a ridiculous display,  I think I am going to snuggle down in my rocking chair and try some relaxation techniques.  Hopefully some deep breathing and visualization can pull me out of this funk.

Hmmmmmm.  I just looked out the window and the skies have darkened and deep thunder is rumbling through our neighborhood.  It matches my mood exactly.  But maybe it is a partial explanation?  I know my pain level increases as the barometric pressure changes, maybe it can also impact my mood.  I can only hope that the clean and refreshing post-rain atmosphere brightens my spirits!  In the meantime it might be best if my Dear Hubby runs for the hills as this bear is far from a happy camper!


 

BUTTONS, BUTTONS...WHO'S GOT THE BUTTONS?

ME!  And they are getting organized!!

 

I hate to admit it, but I have finished VERY little this month.  Whether the result of days of inability, laziness, or a generalized feeling of being pulled in too many directions at the same time...little has actually been completed.  Started?  Yes.  Finished?  Not so much.  But I have set out a goal of organizing one of the most frustrating aspects of my sewing room storage.  Buttons.

 

Many moons ago (1986 to be exact) Dear Hubby and I went to Walt Disney World on vacation.  We bought this adorable glass container filled with candy as a remembrance of our wonderful vacation.  Once the candy was gone I began filling the jar with buttons.  All kinds and all colors of buttons.  

As my collection has grown, so has my frustration with trying to find just the right button for any project.  It means pouring out all of the buttons, searching for the right one and then putting all of the buttons back in the jar... invariably dropping quite a few in the process.  Doing any type of fine motor action when I am having a bad tremor day is like trying to catch a greased pig...dang near impossible.  But I really didn't have a good solution in mind. 

Then I went to our local thrift store's monthly sale.  My biggest score was three matching cubby units.  At the time that I bought them I really didn't know WHAT I was going to use them for...I just knew they HAD to be mine!

Shortly after bringing them home I began working on the prototype of an idea that had been floating around in my head for a while...a collapsible craft container that could be used as a thread catcher, and a host of other things! 

After completing my first container I happened to glance at one of the cubbies and realized that the container would fit perfectly!  But what to store in all of those little containers?  BUTTONS!!!  

I decided I would divide my buttons by color, each hue in an individual color matched container.  EUREKA! An easier way to find just the button I wanted.  And if I dropped the container I would be dropping a WHOLE lot less buttons to be picked up!

Yesterday I finished my first button container.    Red.

Doesn't it look cute?  

Each cubby is capable of holding two of the containers so I have room to expand my button collection. 

And with all of these cubbies I have more than enough room to store LOTS of different colors!  (Please excuse the slightly blurry picture...I'm really shaky today and I have yet to figure out how to enable stabilization on my new camera, lol). 

Hands willing, maybe tomorrow I can start on my yellow container, then pink, then green...

Anyone recognize the pattern?  I'm sure I can't be the only one who remembers singing the song, same time every day...

"Red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue.  I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, too!"

PUTTIN' IT TO THE TEST...

Back in February 2013 I began work on  Hand Stitching Bags and Accessories for my shop.  I fell particularly hard for this purple, orange and green combination and decided to keep it for my own!

It didn't take long to finish the Stitching Kit and I hung it on the door in my Expanded Sewing Room waiting for hand stitching inspiration to strike.  And there it hung...

Then in June 2013 an idea for a Collapsible Craft Container began to take shape in my mind.  After completing my prototype and being very happy with the result, I set about to make a Collapsible Craft Container to use as a thread catcher in my Hand Stitching Kit. 

Ah...more purple, orange and green love!

Then in July I began to "doodle" on a piece of scrap paper.  My "doodle" became a full fledged design that I scanned into my computer and printed onto a piece of light gray cotton.  Finally!  Something to hand stitch.  But, could I do it?

 

Several years ago when my Essential Tremor became worse I gave away the last of my embroidery and cross stitch supplies.  I didn't think I would EVER be able to do hand stitching again.  But, I have discovered that my ability to stitch comes in tiny "steady hands" chunks of time.  Five minutes here, 10 minutes there.  I can't do much at any one time...maybe four inches?  But I CAN still hand stitch...just differently!  

I decided to use my "doodle" design as the centerpiece of a throw pillow.  I went to the store and purchased the appropriately colored embroidery floss to match a charm pack of "Happy-go-lucky" fabric, which would make up the pieced portion of my pillow cover.  I used my Sizzix Big Shot to cut out some embroidery floss cards to hold my thread. 

 I then found a small plastic sleeve (it once held a fold up embrella) to hold the floss inside of my Stitching Kit. 

 

Last evening I spent a few minutes with my Stitching Kit and completed about 4 inches on my project.  I have to say, the kit worked wonderfully.  Everything I needed was right at my hand and it was easy to set up and get started and easy to put it all away when I finished.  Hopefully today I will have another chunk of time to do a bit more stitching.  

If I do, I know my Stitching Kit will be ready and waiting for me! 

Shared at:   <a href="http://www.myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.com/p/needle-and-thread-

THE WEEK IN REVIEW...

This week has flown by in misty blur.  We have had rain, on top of Rain, on top of RAIN...accompanied by ridiculously high temperatures.  Tomorrow is supposed to be the cool day of the coming week.  Round about Wednesday we could have real-feel temps around 104-105 F.  That is unheard of in this area!  To make it worse, it will likely be a muggy heat too, not the beautiful dry heat of the Southwestern part of our country.  This hot and muggy weather has even led to some tornado warnings in our area!

This hasn't been a particularly good week for me health-wise.  After a three day bout of Trigeminal Neuralgia (someone please numb me from the neck up!) I finally got relief from the TN only to be hit with a day long migraine!  I went to my family physician for a routine check up yesterday and told him I have also been having more "all over" pain this past week...without even starting any weaning of my medication (that starts in 2 weeks and I am DREADING it)!  My doctor wisely pointed out our horrendously hot and muggy weather and commented that many of his patients with rheumatologic disorders have been having a particularly hard time of it this week.  Well....DUH...I made the connection between my pain and the weather over a year ago.  I will blame my memory blip on my Fibro fog, lol. 

I have accomplished a few things this past week.  Remember the doodling I mentioned in my last post?  Well, I finished my "doodle", scanned it into my computer and printed it onto some light gray cotton.  I have decided to use it as the centerpiece of a new pillow...sewn with the super fun fabrics of "Happy Go Lucky" from Moda.  Making things even better, a few weeks ago my Dear Hubby threw out a shirt that was wearing out a bit in the cuffs.  I rescued it from the trashcan and just discovered that it is a perfect match to the green and navy in the "Happy Go Lucky" charm pack.  I think the front placket of the shirt will make an adorable back for the pillow.   Dang, I just noticed that the interfacing I used is wrinkled from folding the cotton.  I sure hope it irons out eventually!


My hope is to embroider the design, although I know it is going to take a very, VERY long time working in teeny "steady hand" chunks.  So yesterday I went to JoAnn's and bought a few skeins of embroidery floss in bright and happy colors...red, yellow, orange, green, gray, navy, and aqua.  They were so bright and cheery that I smiled all the way home from the store! 


When I began having problems doing hand sewing I gave away all of my embroidery supplies.  I was going to buy cards to wind my new floss onto and then thought I would look and see if my new Sizzix Big Shot could supply me with something suitable at no further cost.  The Sizzix is my birthday present from Dear Hubby, but he insisted that I begin using it now rather than waiting a month for my birthday.  Cutting shapes with scissors is really problematic sometimes so he wants me to take advantage of the Big Shot.   

I found just what I needed!  My Big Shot came with a free assortment of dies and embossing plates.  I found the PERFECT frame die in the bundle of accessories.  So I tried out my Big Shot to make sure it works (I can now throw away the shipping box) and I made myself cute little embroidery floss cards in the process! See!  Aren't they cute?  I just wish there was a way to have the Sizzix cut the little slits for starting and ending the winding.  Trying to cut those were the PITS.  I had to squeeze my arms against my sides and press my arms on the tabletop to steady myself enough to cut just those little slits.  Phooey!  My tremor has been really BAD this week; typing and texting has been rife with wrong letters and double strikes.  It just KILLS the transcriptionist in me!  To think I used to type 130 words per minute with 98% accuracy.......ugh......those days are definitely GONE.

In better news, a few days ago I was reading the blog, "Jenny of Elefantz" (fabulous blog by the way!).  In one of her posts she mentioned a delicious Irish Tea Bread that she had found on another blog.  So I followed the link and printed out a copy.  On Thursday night I started the raisins and sugar (I reduced it by about a third) soaking in the tea.  Friday morning I only needed to add some flour and one egg and pour the batter into my cast iron bread pans and bake. 

I hate to admit it, but by last night one whole loaf was gone.  Even Dear Hubby liked it!  In all honesty I probably should have only used one pan instead of two as it made rather short loaves.  But, it was FABULOUS. 

I had a piece of the second loaf this morning with my coffee.  The recipe said that the bread gets even better the longer it sits.  Oh yea....it was even yummier this morning!  I am going to try to eat just a skinny little slice with my coffee every morning to try to see at which point "post baking" it reaches its peak taste.  Do we think it will last that long?  Hehehe...I doubt it!  The next time I make it I am going to reduce the sugar even further and maybe even cut back a bit on the raisins.  I have found that most recipes can be adjusted quite a bit before it starts to mess up the end result. 

The other big news around here is that I have gotten my half of our anniversary gift...an IPAD!  I have wanted one that I can use when I am out and about, or when I'm waiting in doctor's offices, etc., and on our vacation every year.  I have been using a Netbook that Dear Hubby won a few years back, but it is not working properly and has a mind of its own...usually losing whatever I am typing or reading!  As it was a very inexpensive, very low end model (hey, what did I expect it was a door prize!) I can't say it owes me one penny.  I have used it long and hard for quite a few years and it has earned its retirement.  Dear Hubby will also be getting some type of tablet for his half of our anniversary gift.  However, as he wants to use his for doing work on our vacations (yes he works every day we are away, lol) and for traveling to the UK for work, he has to wait until the IT Department tells him the exact specs he needs.  They are doing a lot of upgrades and he doesn't want to buy his anniversary gift and then find out it isn't compatible with the specs.  

So, that is my week in a nutshell.  I am sure there are a few other "happenings" that I have forgotten to mention.  Knowing how bad my memory can be, I had intended to keep a running list of things I wanted to tell you.  But, thanks to my lousy memory I forgot to start the list, lol.  Oh well, no big loss.  It's not like I hit the lottery and forgot to mention it!

A SNEAK PEEK (and a request for direction)

Many, many years ago I was very involved in crafting of all types.  I crocheted oodles of handbags, afghans, hats and scarves.  I made enough to keep my family warm twice over!  I also loved to embroider and cross stitch.  I made a glut of tea towels, Christmas decors, framed pieces to hang on the walls, etc.  I doodled constantly (ask my mom about the covers of my school books, lol) and even embroidered some of my doodles!  

Then I grew up, life intervened and, despite loving handwork, my interests changed.  I was a wife, mother and business owner.  Crafting took a back seat to living.   Thinking back over the years I realize that I have not embroidered anything since 1988! WOW!  I can hardly believe it has been 25 years since I have picked up an embroidery needle!

Now that I am retired I have re-discovered my love of handcrafts.  Of course the timing is LOUSY (never let it be said I do things the easy way), given my Essential Tremor and inability to hold a needle most days.   Occasionally, though, I will have a short tremor free period and during those rare instances I have once again picked up a needle...CAREFULLY, lol.  I haven't accomplished very much hand sewing, but...Oh!...the joy in holding a needle and thread once more.

A few days ago, while talking on the phone, I found myself doodling.  As the doodles grew I began to fall in love with the design.  

Maybe it is time to turn my doodles into pretty little stitcheries?  I know it will take months and months and MONTHS to finish this tiny design by hand, but a small voice inside says it is a joy worth attempting....even in teeny, tiny bites (Band-Aids at the ready, lol). 

So, for now I will give you a sneak peek into a creative endeavor that brings back joys of the past and hopes for the future.  Will I ever be able to complete this tiny stitchery?  Only time will tell.  But the excitement of seeing the designs swirling through my head flow onto paper may be all the incentive I need!

Just in case I am unable to hand stitch this design, if anyone out there in Blogland knows how to digitize a drawing to a PES format to use on my Baby Lock....please leave a comment and point me in the right direction to transfer my designs.  I would love to know what is involved in the process.  Thank you!

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS 2013 GIFT IS DONE!

My mom's sewing box is one of those padded boxes, with a handle on each side, that can be used as a footstool.  My Dear Hubby had given it to me years ago and, although I loved it, it was just too bulky for me.  When my grandmother's sewing box finally fell apart last year I offered the footstool type sewing box to my mom.  She loved it and the cute apple pattern it was covered in.  

The day I finished my prototype Collapsible Craft Container my mom and dad happened to be over the house.  They both loved it.  I told my mom that I was going to use it as a thread catcher in my EPP box.  We commiserated on the problem of the tiny pieces of thread never staying where you put them until you eventually tossed only half the amount of threads in the trash...and then spent the rest of the day picking up the tiny runaways!  A light bulb went on above my head (good thing they didn't see it, lol)...I could make one for my mom to match her sewing box!  

About a year ago I received some material from a fellow Freecycler.  I knew I had some scraps of apple material in the mix and was pretty certain the scraps were big enough to cover 1" hexies.   I had just enough of the apple pattern to cover 14 hexies and my mom's Christmas gift started to develop.  

It took quite a few days to complete, but I can now chalk one gift off my list.  Now to find a place to hide it so mom doesn't accidentally see it when she comes into my sewing room, but it is a logical enough location that I can remember my hiding place, lol. 

Five months to go and Christmas planning has finally begun!