Oh Baby!

Well November is past and I did manage to complete the 50,000 word NaNoWriMo challenge. I’m currently working on the third go around of editing. Most exciting, terrifying really, is one of my readers has returned a marked up copy. I haven’t had the nerve to open it to see what they said. My goal is to come up with an actual marketable novel. To that end, I guess I’ll have to toughen up and see what kind of edits are suggested.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to celebrate with friends the upcoming birth of their first baby. Naturally I made them a baby quilt. The best part of quilting is giving the finished quilt to someone and seeing their happy expression.

 

The company Christmas Party gave me an opportunity to clean out the notions box. Yep. Ugly sweater competition. Lest you think, just for a moment that this sweater is not that bad (I have heard this) you might be missing the fact that it is completely covered in plastic rhinestones in red and white, red sequins, red paillettes, and about a million red jingle bells. Well, if that were not enough, don’t overlook the stunning and realistic poinsettia and the topper, blinking lights. The overall effect was stunning, like a phaser. I found it hilarious when I came home just a little late and attempted to stealthily creep in so as not to wake those sleeping… jingling all the way. You can see we did not have a bit of fun.

 

Finally a view of the ever full closet. It is beginning to feel like Mary Poppin’s Carpetbag… an amazing number of things can fit in one closet. With Christmas coming I need to get busy. I’ve got some shirts to make for some small boys.

A Fine Day for Procrastination

There are just two weeks left of NaNoWriMo. You’d think I’d be frantically typing away at my ‘Great American Novel’. Instead, I’m resting on my 45,225 words and procrastinating about the rest. While this annual competition, scratch that, event, challenges the writer to complete 50,000 words, reading submission guidelines tells me 50,000 is woefully short. Sigh. So, I’m working to write an actual, full sized, adult novel, not stopping at 50,000 because that is the challenge, but stopping when it’s really decent. Good, I don’t know.

To that end, of course, I’m procrastinating. In a very creative way, but procrastinating all the same.

I was inspired by http://foundthispaintedthat.wordpress.com/. When my friend asked did I want a pile of spray paint she decided not to use, I said: YES! I’ve been spritzing up all kinds of fun stuff.

This little shelf was a thrift store find priced under three dollars. Originally a dirty chipped white, I sprayed on a bit of mocha colored spray paint, then rasped around the edges for a distressed look. The white paint made the ‘antiquing’ easier. It’s perfect in the sewing room. I pulled some wooden spools out of one of the boxes in the closet to display.

 

I’ve been saving jars that have an interesting shape, thinking that one day I’ll find a use for them. I painted the lid, glued on a large bead for interest and scrubbed off the label. The most difficult part of this job is getting the glue off the jar. These will make perfect Christmas gifts filled with a sugar scrub or bath salts or candy or hot cocoa mix or…

 

Now I have only a few minutes left to write before I get ready to go to work. Excellent job procrastinating.

Tubs ‘o’ Wonder

Tubs ‘o’ Wonder are those plastic storage bins that I often purchase in the hopes of being more organized and less cluttered. These usually lead to the wonder… Wonder what made me save that…wonder what is in this box… Wonder what possessed me to buy this plastic bin which is just opaque enough that I cannot tell what it contains, when there are so many other attractive storage options.

You will note neatly organized bins in the above photo. These bins become a catch-all for unfinished projects and various other things I’m loathe to part with or just don’t know what to do with yet.

Out of the  depths of bin number two came a partially made quilt project. This started as a class sample for a quilt as you go technique, and didn’t get too far beyond that. Originally this was to be queen sized, and therefore the blocks had to be reordered to be crib sized. You know I had to make a coordinating diaper bag. (no gift wrap required.)

There are several blocks remaining which will wait in a tub until further inspiration strikes.

Next up a tote for my sister who has been eyeing a piece of fabric on the shelf with extreme interest, and another baby quilt. (most of my coworkers are in their twenties and starting families.) I’ll start those right after a little trip to the beach.

A Package for Dad

I should really do this in the other order, but I’m testing the theory that my dad actually reads this. Spoiler Alert! Dad, if you want to be surprised when your package arrives, stop reading right now!

Oftentimes, when making garments, it’s just as easy to make two as it is to make one. Fabric can be stacked for cutting and the project becomes rather an assembly line. I would make simple knit pants and tops for my daughter three and four at a time. It’s fun when all the pieces are so small. So, Dad, after waiting all this time and dropping such clever hints, you have not one, but two shirts coming your way.

Of course I couldn’t forget Chris, so I whipped up one of my favorite projects, the quilted tote. I carry a huge satchel with me to work everyday as a combination purse, lunch sack and flight bag. A ring on the outside to attach keys so one doesn’t lose them in the bottom. This bag is made from the remnants of a shirt I made for my daughter a few years ago.

So I’m off to the post office today. You should see these by weeks end. Hope you love everything as much as I do. Love to you as well.

How does the closet look after my crafty organization and all of this production? The change is now very apparent. It is motivating!

Post Christmas Confessions

I must confess, getting ready for Christmas did require a trip to the fabric store. After all, I didn’t have any fleece in Baylor green and gold.and while I was there…really only one extra piece of black fleece as it is so versatile and at such a great bargain.

A scarf and head band to keep my daughter and her husband warm at those football games.

Naturally, I used extra fabric as packing material! I am trying to sew our give it all away!