Lazy Days

Yes, I know I've shown this quilt a few times already. But this picture exemplifies our lives these days. The mess, the exhaustion, the unshowered...

I was out of town for a few days last week for work. While away I got the call that my great uncle had passed away. He really was like a second father to my mom and a grandfather (in addition to his own 24 grandchildren!) to us. While I hadn't seen him much as an adult I wanted to be there to say goodbye. So we packed up and headed to Saskatoon and area for a few days. We hung out with the almost never seen giant Ukrainian family, showed Hubby and the girls the farm where Baba grew up, and said our goodbyes.

After 20 hours (total) in the car for two road trips, a holiday, the discovery that our sweet Maple (a.k.a Damn Brown Dog) is incontinent in the poop department, and continued potty training for The Monster we were ourselves literally pooped. While everyone else in the house slept on Sunday morning I busied myself with laundry and a bit of tidying. That's all I could muster.

Somewhere in there I did get a bit of sewing done. Unfortunately, the weather isn't cooperating for me to actually take a picture of anything. The Grass quilt top is done. Oh, and the fence is so close to being done. I can now use a section of it to act as my design wall - once it stops raining.

It Was a Good Idea

Oh, but how the execution sucked. This is why I don't make bags and things with lots of different, somewhat intricate ways of manufacture. Or maybe it is why I'm not one to sew anything but quilts.

I had this grand idea to make a special travel colouring book for the Monster for our upcoming Christmas vacation. Something new for the plane ride and something to keep markers contained.


It started with an idea, a pattern drafted, and some delicious fabrics. Somewhere between my brain and the sewing machine something went screwy. It looks great, but the markers fall out, it is too big for the chosen book, and it doesn't close tight enough to keep everything contained. Laying open and flat it is handy, but that's about it.

It's worth another shot, but not this week. We leave on Sunday and I have way too much to do. I think we'll just be putting the markers in a ziploc and the paper in the little backpack I bought her.

I'll Show You

I've been kicked out of the house a lot lately. No, Hubby and I are not fighting. Sure, we're stressed with the reno, but we're not fighting. It's just that I need to get one or both of the girls out of the house while he does messy or noisy work. There have been a lot of visits to friends and prep for our Christmas trip, but sometimes none of that can be done. What's a girl to do? Fabric shop, of course!

In total I went to four different local stores:

Along Came Quilting

My Sewing Room

Out of Hand

Traditional Pastimes

As you can see, I bought a wide variety of fabrics. Oh, and this isn't all of them. I saved some special ones from the photo because they are to be made into a quilt for new baby for someone who reads here. Generally, it was simply stash enhancement. A few pieces were for one quilt I have brewing in the back of my head.

It was good to go to a number of stores in a short period of time. We often get used to going to the same one or two places. Once I got out and about (yes, I am Canadian) I could see some big differences in the fabric selection. Hmm, maybe that isn't such a good thing when your money is supposed to be directed towards renos.

It wasn't all brand new fabric either. A few weeks back I swapped with Jacquie for this great retro fabric. She found it on a bolt and I begged her to swap with me. It is going to find its way on to our dining room wall, and maybe some placemats or an apron.

Speaking of walls, check out the sweet wallpaper we found hidden behind the basement bathroom's walls.

Not much quilty activity lately. Just getting the binding sewn down on this baby quilt. I'm trying to finish off a travel colouring case for The Monster. We have a 4 hour flight next weekend and I'm hoping this new treat will carry us for a bit longer than 5 minutes. Oh, and I started some Christmas baking.

Best get back to my budget spreadsheet. The girls are both sleeping, the dogs are finally outside for a spell, and Hubby is buying lumber to make some stairs. And I'm working on a spreadsheet. Fun times.

Teaching a Girl

What a treat I had yesterday. Hubby's cousin was staying with us for a few days at the end of of her solo vacation. At 11 she was into shopping and babysitting. Thankfully she got her shopping out of the way with the other cousins. So while my girls were napping yesterday we decided to make her a pillowcase to take home. She knew how to sew, in general terms. I knew how to make a pillowcase, in general terms.

I did have a pillow pattern to start from. First she scavanged my stash for her favourites. She definitely has a good eye. She picked the floral and the stripe separately and they aren't even from the same line. When there wasn't enough of the floral according to the pattern, we adapted, with happy results.

Only once before have I sewn with someone with little sewing experience. You really forget how many of the terms you take for granted. Simple things like pressure foot or needle down. But once we got that sorted out, she did a great job - sewing the whole thing by herself.

And now I have some experience with pillowcases so I can get one together for the Monster.