Second quilt of 2009

Here is the second finished quilt of 2009.



There wasn't much I could quilt on this one because every design I tried distracted from the original intent of the blocks.

A simple stitch in the ditch around the letters of the border.

Then a tiny feather design on the color corners.

This isn't what I usually put on quilts from this lady but there just didn't seem to be any design that looked right. The intent of the design is to showcase the memory blocks not the quilting.

2009 quilting has begun!

Like it or not I had to go back to work. The same feeling a lot of people have when the vacation ends. So what have I been doing the last few days? Setting priorities of course. First was this quilt that must be finished by February. I thought I could finish it in only a day or two. It's driving me crazy!! I like the effect of the shadows and the box but it feels much too busy.

So I tried a different background. I'm not sure I like that either.

So I tried a different border. I don't like that either.

After a lot of agonizing; I put that aside for awhile to think of other possibilities. I went to the machine and quilted to get my mind flowing in the right direction. So here is the first finished quilt of 2009.

A close up of the quilting. Unfortunately these are the only pictures. It's been picked up already.

So next was opening the boxes that arrived before the end of the year. 5 arrived in one box and one in another. These are marked onto my waiting list as having arrived.

Then it was on to doing end of year inventory. Threads are the most time consuming for me. As you can see I have a bunch of threads.

While doing the thread inventory I decided to clean up the thread display wall. It had gotten out of whack during the rush. The color tags on the wall weren't right anymore because some colors are no longer available. I made some new tags.

I want to change the thread wall to something different..... someday. Maybe a closed cabinet? I'll see what I can come up with as I ponder options.

So the next quilt is on the machine waiting for me. I also have two custom made tops that must be frog stitched and made over again. My fault actually, I was so rushed during the xmas season that I made mistakes. I know better than try doing things much too fast. Thank goodness for forgiving customers!

I had wanted to reorganize the studio, reorganize my webshots, reorganize my blogs, reorganize my kitchen, make some window quilts, make some organizer boxes, make some cardboard furniture, spend time with my kids and grandkids, spend time with some friends....... there is more but I don't want to bug you too much. Needless to say these things haven't happened yet. The overflow of work that didn't happen before xmas has taken priority over lots of things. All I can do is all I can do. I have 3 1/2 months before the next rush season begins... maybe I will get some of these things accomplished by then?

Reuseable toilet paper!

Eeewwww! Well now that I've grossed you out. That's what this could be if you want to cut your budget back to the very bare bones or if you are a refugee from a natural disaster.

This is a stack of soft cotton pieces zig-zag stitched around the edges so they don't ravel when washed. I guess if a person can use cloth diapers for a baby... why not washable cloths for adults? Think about it. What if these were only used for #1 then put into a bucket to soak before washing like cloth diapers used to be? Saving the paper for when needed for #2. Eeewww again!





Hee, hee, hee. Ok, no more grossing you out. Those are actually some basic, no frills, hankies I made. Between my grandaughter and myself with a constant runny nose lately; I found I often run out of tissues. It's not convenient to bundle her up to catch a bus for a box of tissues and my daughter can't bring me any until she picks up the baby. That's when I begin to use toilet paper to wipe noses. Which is where I came up with the title of reusable toilet paper. Had you going there for a minute didn't I?

Seriously, have you seen the price of tissues and toilet paper lately? The same size boxes contain fewer and the price is higher too. Even from Big Lots and the Dollar Store they are getting expensive. While these things are getting higher, my budget isn't. When I was young; no respectible lady would ever leave home without her hankie. She carried several hankies in her purse if she had children with runny noses.

So when did we become convinced that paper hankies were better? When the manufacturers wanted us to start spending, spending, spending of course. They wanted to convert us to convenience living and to being a throw it away society. Paper hankies certainly were more convenient. Just use and throw away. Then along came paper dishes, paper feminine products, paper diapers..... and on and on. There is also plastic throw away stuff too. You only need look around you to see all the throw away convenience stuff you use everyday.


I know there are people who will be grossed out by the thought of some reusable items; but, if you have absolutely no money to buy.... what's the alternative? Do without? Well yes; but how can you do without diapers or feminine pads? Or maybe you have a little money and you must make a choice between baby formula and feminine pads. What do you do then? You see my point? When you absolutely can't buy a convenience item.... there are alternatives. In my youth we didn't have disposable feminine pads. We used rags. Where do you think the phrase "on the rag" came from? Do an internet search for directions to make feminine pads and you will find a bunch of them. I'm not the only person thinking like this.

How much you want to cut from your budget by using reusable items will depend on how grossed out you're willing to be. You will only be grossed out because you are convinced that it's gross by the spend for convenience mentality. In my youth we didn't think of cloth diapers as gross.... it was just what it was. Well, ok, back then, none of us liked putting our hands into the soak bucket to rinse out a doo doo diaper but we did it anyway. Our family didn't have inside plumbing.... we had an outhouse. We couldn't use the toilet to rinse before soaking.

You don't have to go this far to save money unless you just want to or need to. You can cut out paper plates and learn to wash dishes. You can make cloth hankies or cloth dinner napkins or use cloths instead of paper towels. Hmm.... so maybe you aren't a sewing person and you don't have a stash of fabrics? Two possibilities. Go to a thrift store and look for some reusable items there. Or ask a quilter friend to help you make some. Lots of quilters are looking for ways to "bust" their over abundant fabric stash. I'm sure they would be very happy to help you.

Ok now, for those readers who actually decide to try using resuable items.... it's a good idea to make them look different. For example hankies in one color and size, feminine rags another color, cloth towels another color and size, etc. And wash them separately. That way you won't end up using a feminine rag to wipe a nose or kitchen counter. Eeewww!

P.S.
You know how these days many products will have a statement written on them about how much is recycled materials? Ok, so have I. So how about this? Have you ever wondered why some packages of toilet paper have this written on it? ..... composed of 50% post consumer waste .... think about it a minute.... you'll get it. Hee, hee, hee

Do you suffer from the "someday" syndrome?



Last night while talking with the twilight angels I realized just what this syndrome is. For those who don't understand twilight angels; it's the thoughts that go on in your head between first laying your head on the pillow and full sleep. The thought conversation you have with yourself about the things you need to remember to do. It might be a list you need to make, a friend you want to call, a birthday card that must be mailed, something to thaw out for tomorrow's dinner, a quilt design that you should draw out.... any number of things that you want to remember to do. The things you just happen to remember at bedtime and want to keep in your mind for when you wake.



Anyway, as I was thinking of the goals I had set for 2009 and all the projects I had set aside for someday; the twilight angels asked me when will someday arrive? I reply that someday never arrives. Someday is always in the future. So the twilight angels ask me why I have so many "someday projects" if someday will never arrive. Huh? Now where did that thought come from?



So I keep holding a conversation with the twilight angels. I think of all the things I say I will do.... someday. Maybe you have someday projects too? See if any of these fit you.



I have fabrics in my stash I will get organized or made into a quilt.... someday.







I have completed and partially completed tops that I will finish quilting and give to a family member or charity.... someday.

I have some nick knack's that were in my Aunt's house that I'm afraid to let go of or my Grandma's handmade doilies and aprons I say I will sort and pass on to the kids.... someday.

How about one of these someday sayings?

I can't get rid of that. I might need it..... someday.

I will get over it.... someday.

I will get around to it..... someday.

I will read all those books.... someday.

I will sort and give away some of that fabric.... someday.

I don't use those quilting templates but I might..... someday.

I will finish all my ufo's.... someday.

I will get it done.... someday.

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My kids can go through those to keep what they want..... someday.

There are other variations of someday that we all use; such as,

maybe next week or next month

maybe when I finish this

maybe later, I can't right now

So why is it we have so many someday projects? Hmm... I wonder...... why do I have so many?

At this time of year many people set goals for a whole year. Most people abandon the goals by February. I'm one of those people too. I set goals for the year and within a few days find myself abandoning most of them. Why? It's not because I no longer like the goal. It's not because I no longer want to do keep up the goal.

I think maybe it's because I have too many goals and too little time. Too many projects will not fit into my timebox. My timebox has a set number of minutes or hours for each day and only so many goals and projects will fit into it. I have to remember that the choices I make today will affect my future as well as the future of others. The choices I make today can cause me to miss opportunities I will regret later. Here's an example: My furkid Dylan waits patiently for me to take a break from type-talking to pet him or play with his bear too.

I can either take the sudden opportunity to stop for a moment of furkid love or I can ignore it and keep type-talking while he grows older and dies suddenly like furkid Franklin did. Uh.... excuse me for a moment.....

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Ok, that's better.

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Where was I? Oh yes, the someday projects. I've read of some quilters putting together a ufo list of projects they've had for 10 or more years.... waiting for someday. Is there some sort of fabric shortage I don't know about? Oh, I see, they are just being frugal. If they spent money for the pattern and the fabric 10 years ago, they shouldn't forget they bought it, so it must be finished.... someday.

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I've read that some people have stacks and stacks of books they must wade through in order to reach the other side of the room. All of the books are something they plan to read..... someday. I want to ask them; are all the books stores and libraries closing? Are we on the brink of disappearing books? So why are you reading this blog post instead of reading those books?

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Surely you have plenty of someday projects taking up space in your house too?? Maybe you are afraid to let go of some of your abundance? Who said we need so much stuff to begin with? Was it those people who tell us to "buy, buy, buy or spend, spend, spend" so we can keep the economy going?

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Maybe you believe that if you let go of your "stuff" you won't have the memories anymore? Do you really think you will forget someone you loved just because you don't keep everything that belonged to them on display all the time?

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If you really, really don't want to get rid of an over abundance of cherished items..... why not create some memory boxes and fill them with the items. Keep only one or two items for display. Store the memory boxes in the garage, or the attic, or some place where you can get to them whenever you need a trip down memory lane? Or when you want to change the display item to something different. This will at least give you more room to maneuver through the house while still keeping all your treasures that may not have the same meaning to anyone else. Label the boxes as memories of _______ so everyone will know whats in the box.

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If you really feel the need to keep all those books or all those ufos or all that fabric; do you really need to keep it on display? Can it be stored away for.... someday? As for me, I have many items I plan to pass on to my kids instead of storing it. I want to see them enjoy what I give them. Not wait for them to pick and choose after I'm gone.... someday.

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As you can see, I've changed the way I think about saving everything. Well, this is the year of change isn't it? I no longer feel the need to keep everything as before. I don't feel the need to hoard things for fear if I get rid of it I might need it again.... someday. Someday never arrives... it remains in the future... so... "what me worry?"

Today is my birthday

My daughter asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday. My response was nothing.... absolutely nothing. She didn't believe me but it's true. I just want to have my last day of staycation to do nothing but rest.

So that's just what I'm going to do today...... lay around in the bed and rest.