Sleepless in this place

Why can't I sleep? I like sleep....it feels good to wake in the morning refreshed. Why can't I shut my brain off at times. I have slept one night on my own...(no advil pm) in the past week. Even when I did take Advil pm....I still wasn't really sleeping....I was "groggy thinking".

Oh, to those of you who sleep well, who fall asleep and have a still brain and wake refreshed....Don't take it for granted. Appreciated every morning you wake that way.

Fibromyalgia is no fun, I'll tell you. I didn't think it was going to be any big deal, but it is. When it messes with your sleep and makes you feel achy and hurt all the time, it's a bummer. But we trudge on (those of us who suffer from it), we keep going, try to keep smiling, trying to sleep where we can and wait for the times when we sleep like a rock.

This makes my vacations coming up, look a little scary. No sleep makes me a very cranky girl.

So as I sit here typing and you are all sleeping peacefully, I will try not to be jealous....instead, I'm going to go back in there and give it the old college try....and try to catch some zzzzz's

4 Finished Quilts by fall?

Well, I'm so excited to announce that after approximately a year after starting Amy's

"13th Birthday Quilt" I am almost done....all I have to put on is the binding strip...woo hoo!!!!

There were times while making those blocks that I didn't think that I would ever get done or that I would ever get to see the light of day....after being in the basement for so long. The original pattern called for 80 some....I don't think I quite made it...in fact I only made half, but it was close and plus bigger quilts are getting harder and harder for me to finish with such lack of room. At least that is my story and I'm stickin to it.

I was looking for something colorful for her, since that is what she is all about....colorful socks, colorful sheets, colorful clothes. I love it. I was browsing through quilt images when I ran across this one. Once I showed it to her, the excitement started to grow...for a while (I think even she thought it would never get finished ). So to start, I had to cut out pages out of an old phone book. You heard me right....actually it was a new phone book, but I didn't like it. That is what I pieced them on for a foundation. I thought that was very clever of the woman who thought of it....which wasn't me, by the way. So you start with placing a white strip diagonally down the middle of the square, then place your next color strip or string down on top of the white, but face down. sew the edge a 1/4 inch and then fold it back (face up) and press. and just keep on going. Once you do one side, then you work on the other side of the diagonal square. It was a very time consuming project. First there was purchasing a ton of different fat quarters and some whole yards of fabric, then cutting them into strips, which I think were 3/4 in? There is even some fabric in there from my neighbors mother's house dress. (she died about 5 years ago at the age of 93)

I think it was well worth all the effort.

Now for the other 3 that are still in progress....oh boy! I am really going to try to get them all done this summer, that is if I don't get burned out. I have been doing "quilt as you go" which is nice because once you are done....You are DONE! But, that too is time consuming with all the border cutting of both front and back fabric along with the batting. It's funny that we homeschool mom's think of summer as a break, but really it is just a break from the school books. You still have all the other "mundane" tasks you normally do, but now, in my case I have all the things I've put off all school year to try to get caught up on. Speaking of that there is a bookshelf still in the box, just calling my name and asking if I would be so kind as to put it together so it will actually be of some use. hm..... And by the way...I know that none of these things are earth shattering necessities...but if I didn't have some sort of creative outlet, I think I'd go mad. lol

I'm sure we are all in the same boat........closets that need organization, floors that need to be scrubbed, basements cleaned and organized, garage sales to have, lawns to mow....oh and outside of windows to be cleaned. My mother use to come and do that for me once a year and even clean the screens....wow, was that nice. But the list can get endless. If only the world would stop and we could go in super hyper mode for one day....o.k., maybe two days...oh, I can only dream of all that I would get done! But until that day happens....hee hee.... I'll keep dreaming and plugging away.

DEALS

I love getting deals....today was Goodwills 1.23 sale....all clothing $1.23. I got tons of great deals.

All this for $15....and that is with tax!!

and I love how they are name brands that you'd pay big bucks for in the store....Like Liz Claiborne, Dressbarn, Croft and barrow....I love it!!!

Amy was in need of warmer sweatshirts and Casey needed pajama pants....and woo hoo!! a few extras for mom and Jeremy and you're all set. Praise the Lord for bargains...I don't know how people with bigger families do it...how do they keep everyone clothed?

Spring has sprung

Well I had to write even just a little bit on here to get rid of the wintery quilt picture below.

I have been very busy trying to catch up on last years scrapbooking. I printed off a whopping 1,000 pictures from last years adventures and they are waiting to be creatively (maybe) entered into the 2010 adventure books. I once had a friend tell me after looking at my scrapbooks..."oh, you scrapbook life!" Yes, I guess I didn't see any other reason to do it. We don't have many huge special events happening, so we rely on the little things for our entertainment. Baseball games, Birthdays, thunderstorms, pool times, time with friends, that sort of thing. ( And it is a good reminder to all of us, if we thought we never did anything or went anywhere....I have the proof...or when I forget when something was....I look at scrapbooks to find out what year it was.) I have been working at getting last year done, because more pictures are piling up in my camera and on Shutterfly and needless to say I haven't done any of those yet. (Although I have vowed to myself not to take so many this year)

I have one full 12 x 12 book from last year all done but two events and have started the second album. I'm in a bit of a brain freeze though and have turned my attentions momentarily to card making. Anyone who has scrapbooked before knows that it can take a lot of brain power to think of new and exciting layouts. (o.k., maybe not exciting....but oooo wouldn't interactive pages be cool?)

Anyway, I've done an overhaul of the craft room trying to organize it while we're on spring break...but with the organization comes things that get me side tracked...like wanting to work on quilting that was laid aside in November or making a cover for my sewing machine so that it doesn't get all dusty or trying to get the old computer to work so that we can hook it up to the Cricut (my hubby bought me one for Christmas, but I will never need any cartridges...woo hoo!!) ....but I need to try to keep focused and get back on track and get back to the scrapping. ho hum.

While we were doing the organizing I decided that since I am doing more stamping at the moment, that I needed to keep my stamp pads out so that they are easily accessible. So Casey and I made a rack for them out of a shoe box, popsicle sticks and hot glue and then covered it with paper. I also took a hint from other peoples craft rooms and stamped a little sticker in each corner of the stamp pad with that color ink. Wow is that easier than digging in a box for them. Thank you Casey for your help. We definitely used team work to get that accomplished, although she did all the hard work of measuring and cutting.

it may not look any better at the moment...I should have taken a before picture....what a mess it was....scrapbook paper on the floor and pieces of fabric. yikes! it is much better now.

Lots of sewing has been accomplished

My wonderful husband got me a sewing machine for Christmas last year. I felt guilty for getting such an extravagant machine (to me), I was frustrated by something new....for many months....but finally once I learned some valuable advice about some of these temperamental machines....like using "good" thread, not just Wal-mart thread and changing the needle between projects (I never use to change the needle, unless it broke and almost hit me in the eye).

Once I learned these things.....I've had that baby just a hummin. The latest project to be finished was a lap quilt that started with blocks given to me by my neighbor. She had purchased them at a garage sale years before for 50 cents and now they were in her sale. So being they were blue snowmen...I set to work trying my "quilt as you go" method I had just learned this summer. And I can't believe I actually finished it before Christmas. I can't believe that I finished a lot of things before the end of the year..... Baby quilts, aprons and pot holders, bookmarks, and now this quilt. Maybe spring will include focusing on Amy's quilt before her next birthday rolls around....I only have about 40 more blocks to make....eeeks!

Here are some of the other things that met the completion stage and were shipped off.

A quilt for my sweet and growing great niece. (Jeremy was my photographer...he has a pretty good eye. can you see the control freak on my face....like...are you sure you're getting the whole thing in? )

aprons...Left one for my sister and the other one is mine. I'm hoping my other sister will send me a picture of herself wearing hers. (hint hint) This pattern was soooo easy and I think they turned out cute. I also made potholders to match them.

I like sewing most of the time. When all is going well....although there were an infamous pair of slippers that I tried to make that didn't turn out so well....because I didn't follow the teachers suggestions. ;-) live and learn. have a good day all.

Christmas Memories

Well it is that time of year again. I never really look forward to all the work it takes to keep all the family traditions we started...as far as the tree and all the decorations. But after they are up, it looks pretty and makes winter just a little more bearable.

One extra special tradition, is our Christmas village. To just your average "joe" on the street it doesn't look all that spectacular but to me it is very special. You see when I was just 9 years old my Daddy past away from Cancer. My brother and I were the only children still at home. He being 9 years older than me usually had the obligation of caring for me while my mom went to work....so, how do you keep a 9 year old busy on long winter nights when life will never be like it was and take her mind and probably yours off the events of the past year or so? This was what he did.

I'm not sure where he got the idea, but he constructed buildings out of 2/4's...gluing them together and cutting other pieces of wood to make the chimneys and things. He also made cardboard roofs. He gave me the task (with supervision) of painting the buildings. He painting the stained glass for the church windows and the more tedious things.

we made a tiny wreath out of styrofoam and put in the window of one of the buildings. He painted a Christmas tree in the window and cut out little velvet letters that said Merry Christmas, on the post office. We made the school where all my siblings and I attended. I'm not sure how long it took us, but I'm sure it must have taken some kind of patience. We use to set it up on the mantel of the fireplace on the farm and now it has graced my mantel for many years and has become a special treat for my children. They get so excited to watch it go up.

There is another hidden memory in that Christmas scene. They are little painted clear plastic skaters and sledders and horse drawn sleighs, lampposts and snowmen. They are stuck in little pieces of styrofoam to make them stand.

My grandmother use to set up a little skating scene on her table. I was always fascinated with them, so she passed them on to me before she died. They are getting very fragile after all these years because they are made of clear plastic and the plastic is getting very brittle. But they always remind me of the dreamy days I sat staring at the tiny figures imagining I was there with them in that time of long ago.

So, it is so nice to see the two elements combined together again as they have been for many years and remember the days gone by of love and life, together as a family.

Thank you Randy and Grandma S. what special memories you created for me. I love you both ♥

The modified Envelope system

I should have taken before and after pictures of this deal....

Before, my purse looked like an envelope factory blew up inside, with all the flaps crinkled and folded every which way and envelopes turned this way and that so you didn't know which was which....You know what I'm talking about, surely some of you have been on this financial pinching system... ;-)

Well I couldn't stand it anymore. I went to different places trying to find a wallet that I thought would work, but wasn't going to pay $8 for a wallet when....HELLO, there is no envelope for buying wallets....

so...I sat down yesterday morning and started scribbling on paper trying to figure out what size I was going to make this "prototype" and low and behold, it worked out so well I think it's actually going to be the real thing... I sketched out a 1/2 inch wide border around a dollar bill and then went from there.... one thing I found out is that receipts are not the same size as the money.... What is up with that???? They really need to change that for all of us who are suppose to save the receipts to see if they add up to what was in the envelope. Scott was even shocked to find out such a thing.

The envelopes themselves are business size envelopes cut down to be just a bit bigger than the bill and then covered with duct tape to make them sturdier....(good ole' Duct Tape) ;-) I also fusible webbed two different kinds of fabric together before I sewed them, to give it a little more thickness and to make it look lined. We'll see how long the whole thing lasts.

I think if someone had more time to fuss with the thing....it could look a lot nicer.

like using a label maker to label each one.....and actually getting to take your time with the duct tape to make it look nicer....or you could use contact paper. But for my crunched time schedule, with people demanding my attention all through the day it's the best I could muster at the time.....it really only took me a couple of hours from the beginning design stage till the end. Oh as you can see....I also dug out one of my Grandma's cool buttons for the front and stole one of the girls hairbands for the button "hole"....I think I will be changing that part as soon as I find a nicer looking hairband....that one has seen it's day..... eeeeks!!!