MURPHY....AGAIN!!!

I keep reminding myself it is only "stuff".  Not the things I really care about, my family and friends.

Around noon I went upstairs to bed.  I was physically exhausted and needed to lie down. It felt like I had just fallen asleep when my Dear Hubby called me on my cellphone.  "What are you doing?"  Me: (annoyed) "Sleeping!"  Hubby:  "I hear water.  Did you flush and maybe the toilet is still running?"  I went and checked both toilets on the second floor.  "Nope.  They are fine". Him:  I hear WATER!"  Dear Hubby races to the basement.  Long story short...a pipe in the basement ceiling burst and water was shooting all over Hubby's office!  The carpet, walls, hubby's desk, five bookcases and all of my hard back books are being doused with water!  Hubby raced to the main water shutoff.  We called the plumber's emergency number and $283 later he left.  "I hope not to see you again for quite a while.", he says.  This is the same company, and man, that spent 8 hours unclogging my sink ($850).  I called our ins company.  We have a $750 deductible and the plumbing repair is not covered.  Grrrr....if I kill "Murphy" and his damn laws will you visit me in prison?

Thanks, Mom and Dad...

Yesterday my Dear Mom and Dear Dad came over to help me a tiny bit around the house.  Mom did some shredding for me (I swear my paperwork multiplies overnight!) and dad hung a clock in my ESR. 

Dear Hubby had bought this clock for his office at work, but he didn't end up using it.  He brought it home and I promptly confiscated it for my ESR.  The colors are perfect and I needed a clock in that room!   

The only thing that DID get completed by me yesterday was the pillowcase to cover the body pillow that Dear Hubby bought me for Christmas.  FINALLY I can use my new body pillow.  I've really missed sleeping with it (I threw out my old one already), but I couldn't get the pillowcase completed!  It was easy to sew...I used a flat sheet for the material... but I just couldn't get myself in front of the sewing machine to finish it up.  I slept with it last night and it was wonderful.  Having my body braced keeps me from hurting as much while I sleep.  Less movement equals less pain. 

Of course I woke up this morning feeling HORRIBLE.  I hurt all over, but especially along the costochondral junction of my chest and it even feels like my LUNGS hurt when I breathe!  I sure hope I'm not coming down with the cold Dear Hubby had last week.  I think most of today is going to be spent wrapped in a quilt watching TV...a "Pamper Me" day for sure.

EEEEPPPP....HAPPY DANCE....I'VE BEEN NOMINATED!

 

Thank you, Mary Ann, from Little House On The Dairy for nominating me for the Liebster Award!  Before I go any further I suggest you click on the link above and check out Mary Ann's blog.  Her blog is just chock full, with two adorable kiddos, a beautiful home on a former dairy, sewing and homemaking stuff galore!  I know Mary Ann's goal is to focus her blog on her creative sewing, but.... oh how I just love to read about all of her other "homey" stuff too.  I would have loved to have lived the life she is living when Dear Hubby and I were her age!  Yes, Mary Ann...I'm jealous, lol. 

On to the Liebster Award.  I'm going to be quite honest.  Until Mary Ann nominated me...I hadn't a clue.  But, the thought that she chose to nominate me for ANYTHING is quite an honor.  My little blog is but a small extension of my life...and sometimes it still totally amazes me that people choose to follow along!  Thank you, Mary Ann, from the bottom of my heart. 

Anyway, back to the Liebster.  Liebster Award nominations are given to "new" blogs with the intent of generating more readership.  I did a search for information on the Liebster Award and discovered that there are "numerous" variations on the nomination process.  The process that Mary Ann is following is actually quite simple:

• Inform the person who nominated you whether you "accept" the nomination or choose to "decline".
• If you choose to accept the nomination:
• Write a blog post announcing your nomination and include a link back to the blog that nominated you.  
• Answer the 10 questions the nominating blogger posed to you. 
• Also within the blog post list 10 blogs (with under 200 followers each) that you nominate and list the questions you would like them to answer.
• Notify the 10 blogs you nominate of their Liebster nomination.

It's that simple.  Then sit back and enjoy the new blogs you will discover and watch as your "readership" grows.  It is a "win-win" for all involved.  I know I am always on the look-out for new blogs to give me a creative spark, and new followers to provide me with feedback and fellowship. 

So here are the questions Mary Ann posed:

1.  Why do you blog?  Back in October 2011 I retired from work as a result of health issues.  I originally began my blog as a way to chronicle the ups and downs of my day to day life (figuring I would need the information for my Social Security Disability claim).  I soon realized, however, that by focusing on what I could accomplish, no matter how small and no matter how long it took, I was feeling less depressed and was appreciating the life I still had more...even though it was drastically different from the one I envisioned.  The blog was keeping my outlook positive!  Recently a follower who also suffers from disabilities contacted me to thank me for being an inspiration to him.  It's amazing to me that my tiny sliver of the vast world wide web has proven to be a positive influence on another.  The world wide web can be a web of support, and for that reason alone I will keep on blogging.   

2,  Who is the one person who can always make you smile and why?  Oh, that's an easy one...Dear Hubby.  We have been married for 28 years and he has been with me through thick and thin.  These days I am a lot "thicker" than I was when we were married, lol.  But every day it's the "little things" that he does to remind me just how much he loves me.  There are so MANY things...that I am constantly being reminded of his love (and that makes me smile)...a song (sometimes I will answer the phone and all I hear is our wedding song playing on the radio), a note, an email, a cup of my favorite coffee he stops and buys me on the way home from work, the running jokes, etc.  He is my best friend.

3.  If you could go anywhere for a week where would you go?  Another easy one...North Myrtle Beach.  It is our favorite place to vacation and it is WARM (unlike the snow outside my window)!

4.  What is the best book you read recently?  Although I have always been an avid reader, I haven't been reading much recently.  I guess my most recent book completed is The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini.

5.  What is your dream job?  I would love to own a book store, or maybe a quilt shop.

6.  What would you eat at your perfect meal?  Roast beef, mashed potatoes and green beans.

7.  What is the most challenging part of your creative process?  Technique.  My designs are always WAY beyond what I should really be attempting, given the level of my technique. 

8.  Describe yourself in 3 words.  Loving, Loyal, Funny.

9.  If you could have one super power what would it be?  The ability to make people caring.

10. Do you have any pets?  What kinds?  Due to our son's asthma growing up we have never had any pets, well unless you want to count his fish...that Mom took care of, lol.  They have been gone for YEARS already. 

I'VE NOMINATED:  (We are supposed to list blogs with less than 200 followers.  I tried to verify the number of followers for each blog, but some do not list their numbers.  Consequently, some of these blogs may have more than 200 followers, but, even so, more followers is a good thing!)

1.   In The Land of the Living Skies II
2.   Smazoochie
3.   Sister's Choice Quilts
4.   Hazelnut Deux
5.   Make It Do
6.   Liv's Swedish Home
7.   A Life Beyond Money
8.   The Yvestown Blog
9.   Dutch Comfort
10.  Bzyqltr

THE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ANSWER:

1.  Why do you blog?  (An oldie but goodie!)
2.   At what age did you discover you loved being creative?
3.   What is your most recent creative endeavor?
4.   Do you like warm weather or cold?  Why?
5.   What is your cheapest meal?
6.   Do you like to use brights or pastels in your crafting?
7.   How did you come up with your blog name?
8.   Is anyone else in your family creative?  Who?
9.   Do you prefer books or ebooks?
10. What is your favorite type of vacation...hotel, camping, cruising, etc.?

IT'S HANGING...

Over the weekend, or maybe it was Monday, my memory is the pits...I purchased some Command Brand Damage Free Picture Hanging Strips to hang this quilt and another that I made for DH that I will hang in the basement.  I assumed it would be a simple issue of sticking the hanger to the quilt and then positioning it on the wall and hold for a while.  Not quite.  I couldn't get the sticky to "stick" to the fabric!  So I finally ended up sewing the one half directly to the quilt, attaching the wall part to the part sewn to the quilt and hanging it on the wall.  I used a LOT of painters tape to hold it in place while I leveled it and when it was all done I just pressed the sticky corners to the wall.  I used two additional ones at the bottom to keep it flat against the wall.  There is a slight ripple...but that is the quilt, not the hanging technique, lol.  Looking at the futon, I REALLY need to straighten out the cover.  For some reason since washing, it it seems to be "looser" than prior to washing.  If anything I would have expected shrinking...not growing.  Oh well, I'll deal with it when I can.  Now that I see the quilt up I am SO anxious to get pillow forms for the covers, but we are getting hit with a snowstorm again today so I'm not going anywhere!  Patience is not one of my strong suits!

A BIG STEP IN ORGANIZING...

Thanks to J and his wonderful fiancee, K, we have made a BIG stride in organizing! 

J moved the guest bed back into the yellow room.  I know.  I know.  I was going to use it as my "quilt pinning" room, but it just didn't feel "right".  So it is now back to being the guest room again, lol.  Obviously the denim quilt doesn't fit the queen sized bed.  It was the twin sized quilt I made for J's dorm room back when he was a freshman in college.  Until I can finish the guest room quilt I started about a year ago, this will have to do.  We finally found sheets deep enough for the bed.  It is a pillow top mattress with a fake feather-bed we placed on top!  It is dreamy to sleep on, but regular sheets didn't fit.  We found these at Brylane Home online.  They are nice sheets at a good price.  The white table is actually our Christmas tree stand, lol.  But until we find two cheap nightstands, either painted white or ones that I can paint...again, it will have to do.  I am also contemplating one nightstand and one three drawer chest to give guests a place to put some overnight clothing.  I am also looking for a headboard cheap and will paint the black rim of the bed white also.  I am much happier with this room as the guest room, lol. 

J and K also moved the broken futon into my Expanded Sewing Room.  The store where we bought it was unable to get us a replacement arm as the futon has been discontinued, but they glued it up for us.  Hopefully it will withstand just occasional use in my ESR.  I hope to hang the Sunshine and Bowties quilt above the futon.  The mug rug is made out of the same materials and those red things on the opposite arm are two pillow covers.  I just need to buy some pillow forms. 

This morning I stopped at the thrift shop looking for a headboard and night stands.  No luck in that department, but I found an adorable orange and green metal bucket to hold my white buttons that are on cards.  I also found the three little black metal buckets.  I got the orange bucket for $1 and the three black buckets for $.25 each.   As you can see, I stopped making Collapsible Craft Containers to hold buttons when I began work on my mom's quilt.  Now that Christmas is over I really need to complete the next 8 containers. 

This horrendous pile of junk is everything that was contained in the old desk and closet we emptied when we had the yellow room painted.  Dear Hubby and I need to go through these boxes so that I can have my ESR (Expanded Sewing Room) back again, lol.  I have a set of plastic drawers that I will put next to the three drawer lateral file (where the green and white boxes are piled) for more organization.  Even though I disliked using the two small fold up tables to pin my quilts, I think I will be much happier with all of my sewing confined to just two rooms.  I tried it with a permanent table set up in the third bedroom (now guest room) and I really didn't like it.  Live and learn, lol. 

So thanks to my Dear Son and his Dear Girlfriend, my home is much more organized than it was on Saturday evening!  Love you both...

A TRIP TO HARBOR FREIGHT...

Today was my first trip to Harbor Freight.  I was really impressed with their prices and selection.  Dear Hubby and I went there to purchase two battery charging thingies (don't you just love my technical jargon?).  Since the cold snap of this winter, both J and Dear Hubby have had dead batteries.  J has had to wait as long as 1.5 hours for AAA to arrive.  Not bad if you have a flat and can sit in a warm car while you wait, but COLD if you have to sit for 1.5 hours while waiting to have your dead battery jumped!  So we purchased one gadget for each of their cars.  J's also has a tire pump attachment.  He has had a tire pump in his car since 2005 and has used it more times than you can imagine.  Just last week a coworker's car had a flat and when he went to pump it up for her he found his pump was dead as a doornail.  Since he is able to get down on the ground and pump up a low tire, or change one if needed, we felt that model was best for him.  Dear Hubby and I will call AAA if we have a low or flat tire, lol.  Neither one of us can get down on the ground to do it ourselves.

I have read on numerous blogs how quilters can find so many useful things at Harbor Freight!  I did see a suction handle (for lifting quilt rulers) for the low price of $7.99, but held off on purchasing it because, while I am sure I would love to own it, I question whether I will really use it enough to justify the storage space it will take up!  Now, if I had my DREAM quilting space there would be no question, lol.  I am EXTREMELY fortunate to even have a dedicated space to create in my home and I don't want to fill it with things that may not make my life a whole lot easier. 

That said, I saw these picks for $1.99 and decided they may be good to have on hand if there comes a time when my wooden skewer won't quite fit the bill.  I felt that $.50 for each tool was a small price to pay, and a small footprint to take up, on the chance that they will prove beneficial. 

Recently online I also read a suggestion to purchase carpet cutter blades to use as replacement rotary cutter blades.  Well, for $1.99 for 2, I am more than willing to spend the money to find out for myself.  They sure LOOK exactly the same!  Can you imagine the money we quilters will save if we truly can use these blades to fit our rotary cutters?  Shhhh....let's not shout it from the rooftops or the price of carpet cutter blades will suddenly skyrocket, lol. 

So all in all it was a really worthwhile trip...and we were able to use a coupon for each of the chargers, making it an even better deal.  Yes, I definitely like Harbor Freight and am sure I will be heading back there again in the future.  

ONE DRAWER DOWN....

 

Doesn't that drawer look pretty?  The photo is turned, lol, but it still looks pretty!  This one drawer was my sole accomplishment over Wednesday and Thursday.  I had a ton of phone calls to make over the past two days and then had a HORRENDOUS migraine yesterday that laid me flat on my back in bed with the quilt up over my head for several hours.  But I feel good that at least one more tiny portion of my home is organized.  It's my word for 2014 and I'm sticking with it!