My sewing room is finished and now the big job of sorting out and de-clutter all the stuff that came out of there has begun. I've spent the better parts of three days going through stuff, sorting to sell, give away and just plain throw out to the trash. It's amazing how much one piles behind closed doors, under tables, hidden in cupboards/closets. Things you haven't seen in years, have no idea why you have it and probably wouldn't use it anyway. So far I've culled almost 50 quilting books, blocks, patterns, emptied 2 totes and listed a bunch of antique sewing machine related items that don't even belong to any of the machines I have. I've found things I can use, like a plaid matching foot that is nothing more than a short shank walking foot with a fancy name and will fit my old black Singers.

Along with the sewing room makeover, the whole inside of the house is getting a face lift of sorts. We're installing a wood stove, propane prices have rizen so high it's more cost efficient to heat with wood. We picked out a "green energy" stove, have an install date so it's shift furniture time. My desk top puter goes to the new sewing room, all the furniture from the living/dining room moves to the den, the den furniture to the living room, the dining table to the kitchen and my huge roll top desk will live in what was the dining making a nice little office area. It's going to be nice to have all new arrangements. This furniture has sat in the same spots for 16years and it's time for a change. vbg

I joined a roundrobbin group some time ago and signed up to participate in the current RR's. One is an Add-a-Block with embelishments. I've never really embelished anything so for me this is way outside my comfort zone. The hummer is my starter block for this exchange. As the mail date arrived before I was finished I was able to send it on to the next person and will be able to add beads and what nots when it arrives home in the fall. It will make a nice wall hanging for my sewing room.

The second exchange is a Row Robin. Another first for me. I tried out a new to me technique, machine applique. I think I spent as much time cleaning the fusable webbing off the iron as I did stitching arund those teddy bears. I don't know if I will ever do it again, trying to get around all those curves with a satin stitch boggled my mind, but it was fun and now I can say "I've tried it out". I really liked these little teddy bears and thought they would make an fun quilt for my gr-gson Elias to snuggle up to.

Day 2 in the Sewing Room

My new sewing room is coming along nicely. It's been painted and the new pergo flooring over half done. Yesterday, Marcie and I pulled all the carpet, padding, mouldings, then painted the walls. At the end of the day we still had to cut in where the walls join the ceiling, the windows and doors. Thinking I would reward myself after finishing the painting I put a toddy or two in the freezer and then left them there for two hours before my brain kicked in. Needles to say, I had ice, rather than the liquid refreshment I was looking forward to.

Today we started in early to lay the flooring. After a bit of my help, Marcie banished me from the room, suggesting I go play with EQ6 and the quilt she wants to make this winter so that's what I spent part of the day doing. I'm not any better at flooring than I am at painting.

She picked out a wall hanging pattern called "Gone Away" wanting the fish to swim up/down her quilt instead of across it. I added another border of fish to make it large enough for her bed. I rather like it and had fun playing with colors. I auditioned the border fish all different colors. It was too busy.

How do you save a project as a jpg? I couldn't figure it out and took a picture of it on my monitor. lol I haven't played much with EQ6; am learning new things each time.

The rest of the day I spent washing down the louvered closet doors. I like the looks of the louvers however they sure are a pain in the patootie to clean. I'm so looking forward to having my room done so I can set it back up. I hauled so much stuff out of there, I couldn't believe it all came out of one little room. There's going to be a lot of donating going on. DH's room is full, the living room has stacked drawers full of fabric and for the first time I've got stuff under my bed. vbg.

Happy Birthday Mikie

Today is my middle son Michael's birthday. 48 years ago he came into this world, 6 pounds of screaming, fiesty, independent baby. I know you're not supposed to play favorites with your children but of my three son's he's my favorite. He's most like me, not a dreamer like his older brother and not like his younger brother who calls once a year to let me know he's moved yet again. He remembers my birthday, calls me on every holiday.

He shows up every year for our family renunion, hasn't missed but one in 15 years while his brothers show up sporadically.

He's his own person, marches to his own drum. I don't have to entertain him when he visits, he entertains himself. I don't have to look after him. I hand him my house keys, the truck keys, the tent and he takes care of himself. Not like my older son , and his wife who expect and need to be entertained the whole time they are here with their three sons and not like my youngest son who thinks every wrong thing that happens in his life is somehow my fault. He accepts me with all of my faults and loves me unconditionally. He's very special to me, and I love him dearly.

Pieces of the Past

The family raffle quilt is moving along quite rapidly. We gathered at Mom's, had a great time, and stuffed ourselves with Chineese. Now that we have all the parts in one place, the colors aren't so drab looking. I actually think it's going to turn our rather nicely.

While my sisters were all busy stitching away, I occupied myself with my 4 yo niece helping her stitch up her very own quilt for her dolly's. She was so excited when she learned that her Auntie was bringing a sewing machine for her to use. I have a little singer set up with a hand crank on the wheel specially for the little girls in the family.

While she "drove" I steered the fabric under the needle. As we were sitting there she whispered to me....."Is this my sewing machine"? I think she was disappointed when I told her "No, it's Auntie's, but you can borrow it today".

Remember the old drive in burger joints where you called in your order and the girls delivered them on roller skates? This one has been in our little town for as long as I can remember. It's been the hang out for the high school after football, basketball, baseball games. It's going in the way of progress, to be torn down and replaced by a strip mall. The owners didn't own the land and it has been sold out from under them. It's time to retire they say, they've owned it for over 40 years and Linda started working there while in high school. We took Mom for lunch on Wednesday before they closed down for good. She'd met my sister and bil there for dinner every Friday night for the past 20+years.

Yesterday I spent dragging everything out of my sewing room preparing for Monday when my handyman sister and I start re-doing it. We'll be tearing up carpet to lay down pergo, taking all the mouldings down and painting the walls. I couldn't believe the amount of "stuff" I had tucked away in that room. I filled up John's music room leaving him a path to his closet and for the first time ever had to temporarily tuck some tote's under my bed. When I start putting stuff back, there's going to be an awful lot that is gifted to the ladies over at the Seniour Center and I've offered my sister to come shop my stash for herself. Lots of what the heck did I buy this for, lots of books, magazines, trinkets since I can't think of another name for items purchased and never used.

Today I'm off to upgrade Marcie's computor. She hasn't a clue how to do more than turn it on, has never wanted one, wasn't interested until her DH's cousin gave them their old one. The other day we hooked her up to the Internet. While she might not have been interested before, like all of us, she'll soon be hooked. vbg.

Ramblings

My Daffodils are up, the sun's been shining and spring is in the air here on the far left coast. I'm so looking forward to warmer weather, getting out in the yard and stitching up a storm. I have so many projects started that I want to finish up and get out of the way.

John's vacation is over and yesterday he packed his bags while I waved him off to the ship with visions of all the things I need and want to do dancing around in my head. Don't get me wrong, I love having him home for his 2 months off, but I'm just as anxious to see him return to the ship at the end of them so I can start my work vacation. A wonderful hubby he is, but handyman he ain't.

First comes the family raffle quilt top to be finished. Over the winter we've parcelled out sections as life had gotten in the way and group meetings to work on it just didn't happen. Tomorrow , Marcie, my youngest sister is coming over to stitch on our sections to be ready on Saturday when we 4 sisters and one niece will get together at Mom's and put all the sections into a top with high hopes of having them fit together as well as puzzle pieces should. We chose to do a kit this year and picked out "Paula Stoddard's Pieces of the Past". It's going to be a very nice quilt when done but I'm sure not impressed with the quality of the fabric the kit contained and doubt we will do another one. Besides this kit has enough left over fabric to piece a backing. There's nothing like the LQS for quality fabric where you can fondle it, pick out the fabric and be confindent you will like what you are getting.

Also on my agenda is remodeling. Nothing big or serious, just tear out all the carpeting which I hate as it collects pine needles like a magnet and replace it with Pergo and tile. I can't imagine why anyone would want an almost white carpet in this climate with all the rain, mud and pine needles to contend with. My wonderful sister Marcie is going to help me. She's such a crafty person, handy with a saw, hammer, does plumbing and roofing. A jack of all trades just like our Father was. "Sisters are those special friends we spend a lifetime with".

Added to that, the next on the list of to-do's is having a wood stove installed. Yes, this one I'm having a professional tackle; the home inspection is in a couple weeks. Propane has reached the point of no return on the money scale and burning wood is so much less expensive these days of high fuel prices. The amount of bucks we've shelled out since last September almost equals the national debt in my opinion.

My Mom has been a member of the Grange for over 50 years. Today at the monthly meeting and potluck she received her 50 year pin, a certificate and beautiful cake to honor her for her many years of membership and service. Most of the members I knew and had a wonderful time chatting with them and looking at pictures taken over the years when Grange was more active in our community than it is now. Our Grange has been in the community since 1907 and many members are long time farm families. After all Grange was initially started with farmers in mind.



Gratitudes

My Sisters who are friends first and Sisters second
A mom who is still here to enjoy her friends and family
Spending time with my Mom today
Being healthy enough to swing a wheelchair into the trunk of the car