I'm Ready for Spring

I am so ready for Spring. I shouldn't complain, but I'm going to anyway. So far this year we haven't had any major snow storms like all my friends in New England. Sheesh you all must be really tired of snow. Anyway, every year about this time I get sick of being cold and having to stay inside. I long for the warmer days, hearing the birds chirp, and let's not forget the sun coming up earlier and staying up later.(sigh) I know I know I'm just torturing myself thinking about it. Because I am so ready I decided to decorate my living room for Spring. I just skipped on over winter decorating. It's too late to do that because I'd just take it down in a month anyway. So I thought all of you would like a little pick me up today.

Enjoy... just a little preview

















Last but not least is my new shelf Steve built. I'm not done decorating it yet, but I thought I'd show you anyway.




Have a great weekend everyone.

Using My Scraps

Well, well, well, here we are again. I actually worked on two projects yesterday. Believe it or not neither of them are finished...yet... I also looked for another project online to start to take to work with me. I bet you are thinking uhhhh hello how about finishing some other projects you started and never finished. Well you see... I have to have several projects going in case I get bored with one and can leave it do something else. BUT... then when I come back to the first project I don't remember where I'm at and what I was thinking so I start something new. It's vicious cycle here in my little world. lol.

Anyway, I stayed home and did NOT go to the fabric sale at the thrift shop. Aren't you proud of me? If that weren't temptation enough, one of my Facebook friends told me that the Wal-mart in Parma (Ohio) is getting rid of their bolt fabric so they are having a 50% off sale. Then another one of my crafting buddies told me at another thrift store they had a ton of fabric in too. Seriously, it is an omen. I need to go fabric shopping!!!! ARRRGGHHH But I have so much I need to use up first. (sigh) Oh well... This is just torture sitting here thinking about it. I need my fix... LOL.

OK back to my projects. So there I sat staring at the original project I was going to do, but nothing came to me. A complete and total brain block. So I thought to myself let's quilt. Yeah that's a great idea other than I have to cut my fabric. lol. You all know me I have a very hard time cutting fabric. So I said "self let's dig into our scrap boxes and tubs and make a scrappy quilt." So I hunted through and picked out some fabric and got to cutting. I had no problem cutting them because they were well scraps. I just couldn't stop myself and cut enough for two quilts plus a little extra.

This is my blue and brown one. I still need to put a border and quilt it obviously... lol



Like I said I just kept on cutting and had enough for a second quilt top so this one is a true scrappy quilt. I used lots of colors on this one. I'm still deciding what kind of border I want to use. I'm kinda not liking the blue thrown in there, but it's too late now.



So I was a busy little bee yesterday in between running laundry and running kids here and there. For now the quilts will go on my rack in the dining room designated as unfinished corner. I really need to clean up my crafting/dining room. It is a mess. Then I'd like to redecorate my living room. I still haven't touched it since all the Christmas stuff came down. I know I know L-A-Z-Y. lol. I think I'm just going to jump straight to Spring decorating. A girl can dream right? Today we are having a heat wave here at the homestead so it feels like Spring. It is a whopping 34degrees outside. Woohoo!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Good Monday Morning and New Offerings

So far my 5 days off in a row hasn't been very productive. Grrrr... I have today and then tomorrow, which is the BFF gathering. So that means I need to get my behind busy. I did manage to finish some really cute Valentine yo yo mats that are for sale on my selling blog. Which reminds me I will be adding some new wood goods today for your viewing pleasure. This is just a sampling...

The Gettysburg Mercantile







Remember my new resolutions? Well, I have stuck to one of them so far. LOL. The paying off my debt one. Did you really think I could keep them all? You all know me too well. Which leads me to hang my head again. I bought some more fabric from a gal on Facebook. These are just plain solids. They remind me of colors Amish would use in their quilts. And lucky for me I picked up an Amish quilting book last year. Ha so it doesn't count this year for breaking a resolution. Wow! I got off track here. Back to paying off my debt. If you haven't read this book I suggest it if you need some help with debt.



I have managed to pay off two bills so far. Go me!!!!! I am working hard at whittling away my debt. When I get my taxes done I want to pay off a couple more. HOWEVER, I will be creating some new ones. (sigh) My son needs braces. I just need to find a different orthodontist then the one my daughter goes too. But I won't get into that. Of course the new year starts for my insurance so anytime I use it I have to pay my deductible of $2000 first. Who has that kind of cash lying around??? Certainly not me. Hence paying down my debt. DUH! Then of course I will be done paying for my car in August, but now things are starting to break on it. I need to fix the passenger window so it goes up and down. It's only been broke about 1 1/2 years. And now whenever you go down the road you can't hear anything because my driver side door is leaking air. So that means I have to sing louder because my music is up louder and that just ain't pretty. LOL. I'm sure the people I pass can hear me. It's either the hinge or seal going bad. When it rains it pours right? I just jinxed myself didn't I?

Sorry about the short post, but I have things I need to get done today. Not sure how I will fit it all in, but I'm gonna try. I will hopefully have some things to show you tomorrow that I have whipped up. I have some great ideas. Or at least I think so. LOL. So have a great day and stay warm if you have been having cold temperatures like we have. Nothing like having your nose hairs freeze when you go outside. LOL.

New Offerings

I just wanted to pop in and let you know a few new items have been added to my selling blog tonight.

The Gettysburg Mercantile

My Newest Treasures

You all know I have been buying fabric because, well, I'm a fabricaholic. I think I figured out why I love fabric so much. In college I studied fashion. Which included a lab with different types of fabric. We learned the weaves, types, and burnability of them. This was so we knew what types of fabric to use in sleepwear or other garments. HUH... who woulda thought I'd actually be using my knowledge I paid for for fun not a job. LOL. I just LOVED that class. I also took a class on how our clothes evolved over the centuries. Very interesting class too. Anyway, I thought I would share what colors I've been gathering to hopefully make some quilts or goodies for your pleasure.

These first ones were what I bought online from Primsfolks by Judy. I don't really have blacks and greys and I just LOVED the patterns in these. These can be mixed with other colors very easily.



The next set I got at the quilt shop over the weekend. I figure the purple will blend with the black and blues I have. I bought some colors I normally wouldn't have but I just LOVE purple (which is not a prim color to me so I don't use it). I also bought orange, which the lady warned me and said, use it in small quantities in the quilt because it can be overpowering. Yet again not so prim color, but it was in the civil war repro section. Another thing she told me was that a rule of thumb for her is to buy 2 1/2 yards of fabric at a time. That way you have enough to do borders if you don't already have a plan for the fabric. I thought that was good to know. Of course I needed to some tan to add to my stash. The second one is greenish. It's hard to tell in the pic.



These are the awesome books I got. The pioneer one caught my eye first. You can combine all the patterns in one quilt or make them separate. It tells about how each pattern got it's name. Scrap quilting... who doesn't have scraps they want to use up right?



Of course I'll show you the fabric I found at the thrift store too...

The red things are eagles... LOL... very patriotic but it's a heavier fabric by Waverly. I have some great fabrics for some red white and blue items in my stash. This is 1 3/4 yards for $1.75.



LOVE this fabric. Don't know what I'm going to do with it yet... but for a $1.00 I couldn't walk away.



A week ago Steve took me to the antique store in the town where he lives and I found these for $2.50 a piece. Yes, they are cracked, yes they are dirty, but I can wash them and turn them so the cracks don't show. They were hidden with the flower pots.



We also went to the Goodwill and I found this book. I have sat down and read so much interesting stuff and it explains quilting, stitching, needlework, crocheting, knitting down to a level I can understand.



This kit was a quilt kit on the month, from Jo Annes, that was just the setting for the quilt. But for $2.00 it has precut triangles and strips that I can add to other quilts. Yellow's blues, and dark reads can be thrown in anywhere.



I bought a few other things that I forgot to take pics of. But I got a quilt pattern for a really prim quilt with stars on it. It looks like I could make it in a weekend other than quilting by hand. Hmmmm... some other things I'm going to make over, but need Steve's help. Ohhhhhh.... yeah I got one more thing I'll will show you another day. I need to work on it today. This I am so excited about. It will be functional yet awesome to display!!!!

As for my table runner project. I am at a stand still. I finished sewing on all the yo yos, but now I can't decide how I want to proceed. Uggghhh... I have an idea and it's temporarily on it so I can look at it and see if it grows on me. Today I will work on that and getting my other thrift store item ready for your viewing pleasure. LOL. Steve on the other hand needs to sand a few things and stain them. I really want to work on my bedroom and get that going. Lots of things I need to get done so I better get started and get something accomplished since I work tomorrow.

A Little Stir Fry

You all are in for a fun ride today. We had a long 24 hour shift with 2 hours sleep and I am on my second cup of coffee. So, I apologize for many random thoughts that may be thrown in today. LOL.

Alright, so Saturday we went to my favorite quilt shop who of course was having 40% off all the sewing stuff. OH my word..... that place was so stinkin busy. They had three ladies cutting fabric constantly. It felt just like Black Friday. They of course had no time to put away fabric bolts that they had already cut off of so you had to look in those stacks plus the bolts on the wall. I was body blockin other ladies so I could get to the repro fabric first. LOL. You know it's interesting that when you go into a fabric shop that those people are some of the most friendly shoppers and sales associates. I spoke to a lady who creates primitive crafts and sells them through an antique store in Gatlinburg. She says she works on her stuff 14-16 hours a day. Seriously, I would get burned out. Anyway, she was buying the civil war repro fabric... sigh... she had me at hello. LOL. So as she was having her stack cut I was looking through the fabric she had. Another lady at the checkout told me welcome to the club of fabric hoarders!!! Seriously!!!! How did she know??? Ok I may have said something about being unable to cut my fabric and that I had good taste because I was buying some of the same fabric as she did. Nonetheless, I got some awesome fabric, but didn't go all out crazy because I bought two quilting books too. I will show you that another day. well, of course I had to go to a thrift store too since it was around the corner. HOLY MOLEY... I found out Jan 24-Jan 27 that thrift store is having a fabric sale!!!! Woohoo!!!! $4.00 a yard with over 700 bolts of fabric. Someone donated a ton of fabric. Are you kidding me??? I'm going to be good and not go. I'm sure all the Mennonite and Amish ladies will be there buying it up. It is only certain hours that they are doing it. But if you are interested hotel Mary will be up and running. LOL. Needless to say I found some treasures there to buy too. Seriously, wasn't that my New Years resolution not to go to these stupid shops. But my son and Steve wanted to go too. So really I had no choice and it was much to cold to sit in the car. (ha justifying it always works lol) Of course I found none other than fabric and embroidery floss!!!!! LOL. Imagine that... BUT Steve found some Woodworking magazines with some awesome projects in them.

Well, I found out that you can't feed Steve stir fry for dinner if you want everything done that day. LOL. I guess it may have helped if I would have made it instead of him. AND he had been working all day before we ate. But it was HIS idea to have it again. We were both busy on Sunday creating. He was sitting at the dining room table and I at my sewing machine in the same room. You know it was weird spending that much time with him in a room without fighting... BUT maybe that had something to do with us not talking at all. LOL. It wasn't that we were mad we both had our mojo on. My mojo was a little more than his... :P (I know you are reading this Steve LOL).

Steve finished up all of the following...

Our customer special order...





All of these are going to have to be for sale because I have no room at the inn for them.





Hey how did that get in here???? LOL... I hope you all are happy he's gonna kill me when he sees this. LOL. He looks just like Vanna don't you think?



ACCKKK naked rabbits!!!! LOL... I tore off their clothes that they had and and haven't decided yet if I'm going to redress them prim em and sell em...



Now on to more important things... what am I going to do with all those fabric circles in my last post.... well.... I think naked twister is out way too many colors... lol... hmmmmm.... they could be like bread crumbs so I can find my way home. Orrrrr.... really small doilies... naaaahhhhh....

You make yo yo's!!!! LOL This is my newest obsession. This is my Valentine project that I'm working on plus now you know what you can do with all those left over scraps. I have cut all mine 4" around. I got this piece of grey wool at the thrift store for $1.00. It is going to be a table runner. Don't you worry you will be with me every step of the way. Or otherwise I won't finish it. LOL.





Wanna learn how to make yo yo's? I found this one most helpful... Yo yo's Anyway, I need to get moving... I have made another bird pinkeep for my website... if you like Robin's then you will like this one. I need to finish it along with a special order bluebird pinkeep too. Just so you know I have another 5 day weekend off coming up. I am hoping to make some new things for my selling blog. I'll keep you posted.

I Didn't Do It!!!!!!

Seriously, I didn't create the mess that you are about to see. Picture this... you left your beautiful home 24 hours ago to go to work. You are working hard (on your crafting project...shhhh) at work. When suddenly your phone vibrates... you pick it up to see this...

WHAT????? Why in heavens name would someone be painting a project in the middle of your living room of your rented duplex!!!!????!!!! What if the paint can tips over???!!! AACCCKKK!!!! Steve decided to get motivated and do some of the projects that were on MY list. Needless to say my hands could not type quick enough back to him on my phone. I will not tell you what I said in that text... LOL



Now that I'm home this morning. It looks like this. I LOVE the shelf on the bottom. I just need a basket so that I can put some of my bazillion magazines at my fingertips. :) He saw a picture of one and decided I needed one. Hey I'm not complaining mind you.



I was NOT prepared for the following which is all in my dining room where the table has been pushed around and covered...

This has three arms like a blanket crane that I will be hanging my fabulous wonderful fabric,textiles, or whatever on in my bedroom. This was a redo from the thrift store. It was a yucky oak heart bearing three arm towel rack....gag gag gag... I made Steve rip the back off because of the heart and made him burn it. LOL Not really. Oh did I tell you I hate stuff with hearts on it. LOL. As if you couldn't tell. Then he added the sides and shelf to it.



One of my NEW stencils that will be available for signs. Alright no beating around the bush here... YES you can purchase or order :) LOL



A half done customer order checkerboard on one side Tic Tac Toe on the other.



A bowl rack that is half done... LOL And the kneeling bench will be placed beside my new bed to be able to climb up in it. Some of us vertically challenged people need some help. Again Steve saw it in a magazine and I HAD to have it. (shaking my head). All I wanted was one of those steps to put beside the bed. shheeesh.



Another project Steve started was this sign (again a new stencil available for purchase on a sign). He is painting this one on a table top we found in the trash. I LOVE the unique edges of it. I have no idea what is going above it yet. Don't know where I'll be putting it either.



After I had a heart attack when Steve told me he had all this stuff going on I asked him where the motivation came from. He said he didn't know but that he had made some stir fry for lunch. UMMMM HHEELLLLLOOO I guess I will be buying stock of frozen veggies if that's all it takes. WWOOOHHOOOO!!!! LOL. Hey maybe he will finish some other things to sell on my selling blog. I'll keep you posted. Oh wait any requests while I have him motivated???? LOL.

So now that Steve has taken over the projects I was going to do I don't feel so bad telling you I started a new project!!!! LOL. OK well you see I had some Valentine fabric that I want to use up that I found while I was cleaning out. Before you ask... Yes it has hearts on it... BUT they are tiny and you would never know. I thought I'd better get moving and make something or get rid of it. I will show you what it is a little later in the week when I figure out how I want to execute it. This is brand new to me never been done, but I am so enjoying it so far.

OK my fabric hoarders, who almost had heart attacks, when I said I was throwing away fabric. Hanging my head in shame... I went through the trash bag and pulled out the scraps that I could make these... ummmm there is about 60 4" circles. I know I know... what was I thinking???? You were right I was wrong... there are you happy??? LOL



Can you believe I almost threw away all that fabric??? LOL. OHHHHH I have plans for all of this. Just what I need another unfinished project. Right??? I know I know. Pretty soon I'm going to have to hold myself accountable and make myself work on this stuff and show you finished projects once a week or every two weeks just to make myself do it. You WILL be holding me accountable. I don't want to let you all down just because I'm ADD and a procrastinator.

Anyway, I hear the coffee pot calling me... these dang voices in my head I tell you. That and I ummmm ahhhhh NEED to go to one of my favorite quilt shops as they are having 40% off today. What did someone say SALE???? For those who live near Kidron Ohio you where I'm talking about. That and I have some items I need to ship to customers so while I'm out another 15 minute drive wouldn't hurt right???????? LOL. Besides it probably wouldn't be appropriate to skip around the store giggling to myself and rubbing the fabric would it? I'll just blame it on the voices in my head. So if you see me there you'll know who I am :)

My To Do List Is Shrinking

Alright everyone... get your behindy (word compliments of my kids) in gear. Write your to do lists and get moving. I am three ahead of you already :P Don't hate me because I'm motivated... not so much of the beautiful part like the saying normally goes. LOL. I have been finishing up projects so that I can start new ones. And man o man do I have big dreams and projects in mind. I'm not sayin I'll do them, but hey go big or go home right?

First, I actually made my lined fishtail swag for my living room window. I apologize for the grainy picture, but my camera would not allow me to take a pic during the day. This is my favorite seat where I sit and stitch or quilt. This was my Grandmother's chair she always had in her living room. Anyway, I think the curtain made a huge difference instead of having a bunch of fabric puddled on the floor.



Then, I had to go get one more skein of thread to finish my newest sampler. It just needs to be framed. I know I promised I wouldn't buy anything more, but hey I already broke the resolution of not buying fabric right? Plus I had to finish this up so I can start another. hmmmm... I was thinkin of maybe makin up a pattern for the next one since I can't seem to stick to them anyway. If you'll remember I added to this one and changed a few things....



Of course my third thing off my list is I got my new offerings on my selling blog. I know I know it's about time Mary. I have a few more ideas I'd like to try. I found something really awesome the other day on the web and forgot to favorite it. GRRRR So now I have to try to figure out where I found it. I don't have time today though because my NEW beautiful fabric arrived and I just have to roll around in it.... mmmmmm.... heaven.... ooppss sorry did I say that out loud. LOL. I mean I need to fold and stack it and redecorate once again. Darn it...(notice the sarcasm). As you all know most of this fabric will sit as I have a hard time cutting my fabric because when I do it screams... seriously it does... oh that could be one of my other personalities in my head too. Oh did you all see that Jo-Annes is having a sale on fabric... I'm just sayin... I am on the email list. I am in no way condoning if you feel the need for some new pretties to add to your stash... you know you want too. Oh wait that's me!!! LOL.

Well, before I talk your ear off, because I know you have better things to do I better get moving. I just got off work and my kids school was delayed 2 hours because of the snow we got overnight. They were suppose to bring down their dirty clothes, but ummm I know they didn't. So if you'll excuse me I need to go hurt two children. LOL :) Have a great day everyone!!!

New Offerings

I have finally added some new items to my selling blog. Hop on over and take a look. Email me if there is anything you can't live without.

Gettysburg Mercantile

Am I Done Yet?

Welcome back everyone to the life of a fabric hoarder. Alright first off... do as I say not as I do. I'm sure you've heard this expression. Here at the homestead we use it quite frequently. LOL. So guess what, you are now part of the family. After we last visited and I complained ok smiled from ear to ear about how much fabric I have I uhhhh ummmm bought more... (Insert lecture here).... yeah yeah I can see your mouth moving but I can't here you... my fingers are in my ears lalalalalalalalalal still can't here you... Feel better now??? Now that you are done I will justify it to you. LOL. I can justify just about anything to make it favor me. Anyway, Prim Folks by Judy was selling some of her fabric for $2.00 a yard. She had blacks and greys, which I don't have much of. So with shipping I bought like 9 yards of fabric was less than $30.00. Not bad if I do say so myself. I always grab fabric on sale if I can or at the Goodwill. Which I forgot to tell you I will also buy old bed sheets if the pattern is awesome and cut it up to use. Another Mary tip :) So now that I have redone my dining room I will be redoing it when the fabric comes.

Speaking about my dining room. I bet you stopped by to see whether or not I have a disaster or it doesn't look half bad. Well, in between my bouts of ADD I managed to get some done. I really like it at this point. I think. I haven't really been home to enjoy it yet. You know my bosses seem to think I like or need to come into work to fill a spot on the schedule. LOL. Let me tell you it's purely selfish on my part I only go to work because we need to eat and have warmth and I need to feed my habit. The cardboard box would be a tad cold right now in our 9 degree weather. See what I mean about the ADD???? GRRRRR it's a wonder I ever get anything done.

So I'll shut up and show you some pics.



Notice the tweeds under the basket...



My neutral cabinet...






I am not done with this red side... I don't like the huge stack of red fabrics. I think I'm going to split it up somehow. That top shelf is going to change when I get my new fabric.



I know it's hard to see but in the right lower corner under the red basket is a black box. I put all my stitching junk in there. Easy access hidden from sight.



I just LOVE my green/blue/black side. Again all changing when I get my new fabric.



The mini quilt I just finished...



This is going to be my not quite done corner. I can just hang the items I'm working on over the rack to get it out of the way. For now it has some finished quilts on it.



I absolutely LOVE how it is turning out. I just look around at all the colors and imagine the wonderful things I will be making for the rest of my life since I can't seem to finish one project before I start another.

Hence this project... I'm starting on a swag for my living room. Which by the way I decided I HATE ironing. I had to iron all 5 yards of this stupid wrinkly fabric. But I digress. This has been on my to do list since Steve hung my fabric over the rod. The picture coloring is awful but it is black and mustard. I will be attempting to line it with my muslin. This should prove interesting. LOL.



Then I have been trying to finish up my stitchery and of course ran out of one of the colors. GRRRRR.... So I need to pick that up today. I have like a bazillion (yes this is a word) things I want to start and do. I need to paint the things Steve built and stain a few other things. My only saving grace is my garage is too cold and messy to paint in. I finished taking down the rest of the Christmas decor yesterday too. Steve says it looks bare now. I have not redecorated as of yet. Once again another thing I NEED to do. I think my to do list keeps growing hour by hour. (sigh) Oh and I promised to get some new things up for sale on my selling blog. It is saved and almost ready. I had to take some pictures because I didn't like any of the ones I first did. I will try to load those up and get my prices in. Now that I'm completely depressed at my to do list I better get moving. I have another massage today because when I fell a week and a half ago my leg is still sore and my shoulder is giving me fits.

Oh we also set a new BFF Crafting Day for January 25th. If you live in or near Wayne County Ohio and want to come shoot me an email for info.

Uggghhhh ADD kicking in I better get busy as I go back to work tomorrow.