Plans

I have lots of plans. Plans to make things for my daughter, my niece to be, a friend's birthday, another niece, and even for myself. First, I have to find my work table top. It is there, you can see a couple of inches peeking out. It actually is cleaned off now. Thanks to a friend visiting and needing to stay in that room. Here's what my immediate plans are for sewing:

Making a short sleeve version in 3 month size for a niece-to-be.

A dress for same niece to come home in, a plain batiste fabric.

This for my daughter for spring/summer. I really love this fabric...part of the Swell by URBAN CHICKS for moda.

And an apron...for someone...from the same fabric line. It may not end up being the same pattern. I may wing it on the design.

That's what I have immediate plans for, meaning to do within the next month or so. I have several other things I'd like to make and a few things in process with the knitting/crocheting. I'll share those another time. The good news is it's cold and rainy out which keeps me in. I might just get to all these projects!

I hope to be better at finishing projects this year and start fewer. I have enough yarn for a year's worth of knitting/crocheting. I hope not to buy much of that this year. I do know myself well enough to say it won't happen at all. You never know what kind of incredible deal you'll find somewhere. I'd also like to work down the fabric stash a bit. The moda fabrics above are from the stash, almost 2 years old now. The others, I bought recently. It's not the kind of fabric I buy to stash. I buy with a particular project in mind, because it isn't cheap and rarely goes on sale. These are, hopefully, going to be heirloom garments.

Then there are all the house/yard projects that have long been on a to do list. Sometimes we dream about moving, but really, we wouldn't escape a to do list. We have good schools, close to shopping, decent commute for the husband, our church is close, and we have good neighbors and great friends here. There is much to be thankful for. And that is the biggest plan of all: Remember to be thankful for what we have been blessed with and do the best we can with what we are given.

Recycled Gift Bags

I thought I'd share one of my 'green' ideas. I recycle shopping bags as gift bags. I'm sure it's not a new idea, but I love some of the bags I get places and think it's a shame to just put them in the recycle bin. So, add some wrapping paper, mono adhesive, and off we go.
This one just has writing at the bottom, so I took a roll of $1 bin wrapping paper(last year at Target) and roughly measured a length. I folded the paper in half length wise, not quite making the sides meet and the long side to show. You can use a little adhesive to make the halves stick together. Then lay out the paper so your start will be on the short sides of the bag(not the front or back with writing). I then put adhesive on the front along the edges and where the top of the paper will be(using the paper laid out as a guide). Then carefully fold the paper over and adhere.

Do the same for the other sides, making sure to put adhesive along the crease lines on the sides to help the paper fold with the bag.

For the end, I folded the last edge over on itself, making sure to use adhesive to make it stick to itself and then again to make it stick to the rest of the paper.

Now, a perfectly generic gift bag. Just make sure to color in the name on the inside with marker. Or, if it's printed, use a piece of ribbon or scrap of paper to cover it up.

This one was printed across the middle. Used big scraps of a favorite paper from years ago.

The bag in the previous photo is the bottom left one. The beauty at the back is a Paper Source bag. Just LOVE that store. Their paper and paper ribbon to make it a fabulous gift bag.

New Calendar/Bulletin/Photo Frames

Here are the new and improved frames from before. The photo one has scrapbook paper backing, which allows the pictures to stick better. I just wrote the scripture with dry erase marker on the outside of the glass. I know it's not straight, but I'm too lazy to fix it.
This is the bulletin board. I took out the glass(well, in truthfulness, that glass broke when I was attempting to put together the calendar the first time. But I was planning on the bulletin board anyway) and used spray adhesive to apply cork roll to the back of the frame. Then spray adhesive to adhere the fabric to the cork.

The calendar is just floating between the glass and the fabric. I wrote the days of the week on the stencil blank that I used to make the grid on (artist's tape). I just fill in and around with dry erase marker. Now the calendar is easier to read and I have made a new valance and door curtain to match these fabrics. Some throw pillows for the den are next.

I have made progress on some of my sewing to do and knitting/crocheting. Will be back with more of that later. School is going well and we are well into scouts and Wed. night church begins again tomorrow. Busy, busy.

School's Back in Session

YEA!!!!

Now, I can begin on some home projects again.

I am still working on Craig's room, which will be revealed when all is complete.

But, I want to redo these:






The picture is not the greatest, but you can see my dry-erase calendar/message board on the left and corkboard to the right. In the middle I have photos. That have not stayed put on the fabric backing. The fabric needs to be lighter so it's easier to read. I need to have paper backing for the photo one and the corkboard needs help(let's just say the spray adhesive isn't too great). Also, the hooks you see in the wall....not going to stay there much longer. The backpacks are too heavy to hang and have made them loose and the wall will need repairing. I found a great shelf/hook unit for $15 at Target this summer and plan to hang it where the dry erase board is. The photo frame will move to the hallway and I'll have the 2 frames over the desk area. I also have a great bench that has a custom cushion(by me) that is just a little too long for the space and I'd like something that can hide the shoes, not just hold them. And maybe some cubbies for the backpacks. This is in my breakfast room. The door to the garage is just ot the left of the picture. The kitchen is on the left of the door. No entryway, mudroom. Just come right in to where we live. So, I've been hunting for fabric and new curtains. Pottery Barn has the perfect ones, but when you need 6 panels and an extra to make the door cover....have to see if bonuses happen next year. I do love the light I have in the house, but with 34 windows....it's hard to have them beautifully covered. so, stay tuned for the new boards...just don't hold your breath!

Yard Work

Landscaping in front of the house. Looks soooo much better than nothing. See, the drought the previous 2 years killed our shrubbery. So we had the dead removed and I tried to figure out what to do there. Now, there's Japanese Boxwood, Bleeding Hearts, Nandina, hostas, ferns and coral bell. Also, there's one rhododendron. Still more work to be done in the rest of the front yard and we are getting an estimate for a stone patio in the back. Love to be able to work in the yard!

Working on Projects

I am working on the long list of projects I blogged about earlier. I can check off :
Master bathroom painted
Landscape plan(for the front)
installing landscaping is underway
Easter dress for Megan
matching dress for doll
and am cutting out pink shirt for megan

ah. progress. slow but sure.
And new ones:
getting the garden ready and growing(is happening now!)
upload pics to snapfish and do the digital scrapbook.
updated email account for new address. (I didn't change anything...they did...ugh)

I also completed a painting earlier this year. One of the few I've done just because.

I'm off to plant some more and hope to take some pics later today of what is new!

New Year, New List

My resolution for this year is to finish all outstanding projects. My hope is this translates to a finishing of all projects I start. But as I need some accountability...here goes the unfinished lists:
List 1: House/Yard Projects
Repaint master bath(have to do trim on one window and repaint the 3 doors)
Install crown moulding in a:Megan's room, b: new hall, c: laundry room, d: figure out whether it needs to be in stairwell, bonus and master bedroom(funky ceilings in all 3)
Landscape plan for yard,
install landscaping
patio for back yard
Hang new curtain rod in dining room
get rods and hang them for curtains already purchased for office
repaint all trim inside house(dining room, office, foyer, half bath, hall, Megan's room)
Sewing Projects
starting with the oldest project waiting:
re-bind craig's baby blanket
sew jacket for me already cut out
size 4 dress for Megan already cut out (who is now a size 6...guess it will go to someone else!)
finish 2 other dresses already cut out for gifts
finish Megan's easter dress and coat
finish matching easter dress for Elizabeth(AM. girl doll)
Cut off shorts for M and J
pillows for den
coasters for den
Bonus room curtain(we won't discuss that 2 of 3 are finished and HANGING!!!!!)
finish black pull on shorts for under skirts for Megan
megan shirt with pink material
blue polka dot dress me
xmas material aprons
new dress for spring/summer Megan(fabric is sooo already purchased)
2 jumpers for Megan brown and one aqua.
new shirt megan...pink
oh, and some tapestry panels that are waiting to be made into xmas pillows. I've only moved them 3 times. One day.
Sooo...as I've also started knitting...a lot to accomplish this year.
and we won't discuss the scrapbooking that I'm years behind on.
2009 begins the all pics will be put in books...by snappy. Not me.
I will mention that the list was longer...but I did check 2 things completely off the list, and am close to being done with the bathroom paint job!
Happy New Year!