Wandering Wednesday

Errand day again.  Went to Penzay's to pick up some spices, etc.  I LOVE that store!  One of my new favorites is the dried celery.  I don't use enough in cooking to make it worthwhile to buy fresh - always goes bad.  This stuff is dehydrated and puffs back up when put in liquids.  I like the flavor much better than using celery seed.  And a little goes a long way.  Ask me how I know.  lol  Picked up more fresh eggs from my girlfriend.  It has warmed up enough that they have started laying again.  You get spoiled real quick with fresh eggs.  The ones in the store pale (literally) by comparison.  Faded out yolks and whimpy flavor.  

I will tackle part three of the "great sewing room cleanup" tomorrow.  I will sort thru the stuff on the shelves and get rid of what I will probably never use.  If I haven't used it in 20 years, I probably will never use it, you think??????  Sis has expressed an interest in my gingham (which was gifted to me by a friend who's sister used to make square dance outfits), so will box that up for her.  I need more shelf space and the only way I will get it is to get rid of some stuff I don't use.  Real estate is too valuable in there! 

A new book came in the mail today.  "Colour Confidence in Embroidery" by Trish Burr.  Mary Corbet reviewed it on her blog last month - http://www.needlenthread.com/2011/12/colour-confidence-in-embroidery-book-review.html .  Sounded like just the thing to finally teach me about color.  Haven't gotten too far into it yet, but so far I really like it.  If you like embroidery, Mary Corbet's Needle 'N Thread blog is a must-visit.

I must apologize to those who have left comments on some of my blogs.  I have it set up so they have to be approved, and I forgot where to go to find pending comments.  My bad.  I will be more prompt from now on.  :)

I Did It!!

Cleaned everything out of the sewing room, well, everything that was on the floor and chest.  Made sure all projects were bagged up so all parts are together.  Piled everything on our queen size bed.  The bed was completely covered, a foot deep in many places.  Vacuumed the floor!!!!!!!  Put all my vintage linens, etc inside the chest, then piled all the bagged projects on top of the chest.  Boy do I have my work cut out for me!!  I still need to rearrange my shelves and get rid of some stuff and shelve stuff I want to keep.  Put a bunch of stuff in the truck to drop off at the Goodwill tomorrow when I'm out for errands.  My sewing table is loaded up again, but that should be rectified Thursday.  Dh goes back to work and I will have a long day home alone to work in there again.  Friday is the Quilt and Craft Expo at the fairgrounds.  That's my annual selfish shopping spree.  I have so much I don't find much I can't live without anymore.  Bummer.  :)  Saturday is quilt study group.  Uncovered two of dh's old quilts that his grandmothers made (may go back farther, he doesn't remember, may need to ask his mother).  Also found the quilt that my grandmother made for my son 40+ years ago.  Taking all three to quilt study for show and tell.  I think I did good today.  My back hurts something awful from all the bending and lifting, but it is looking good!!!!!!!

The Big Sewing Room Cleanup

I finally got into my sewing room this evening to start cleaning it up.  It was so bad there was no bare floor.  I had taken my sewing machine in for repair and while it was gone, I loaded up the sewing table with yet more junk so there was no place to return my machine to.  Nor my serger.  Sigh.  The sewing table is cleaned off and the machine is back in place.  I was surprised at how thrilled I was to have it set up again.  Can't wait to get in there tomorrow to do some stitching.  I still need to clean the other 3/4s of the room, but progress has been made.  I will have to pull everything out and sort it on my bed.  And make some hard decisions about getting rid of stuff.  I just have too much stuff.  No, scratch that.  My sewing room is too small.   Yeah, that's better.

I have been following several needlework and quilting blogs this year.  With the coming of the new year, most are taking stock of their WIPs and setting goals for completing them.  I know I should list my UFOs and WIPs so I have an idea of what I need to do and maybe come up with some kind of order of progress. But maybe not, I might get too discouraged. Reading others' lists of to-dos makes me feel not quite like such a failure. I am good at starting, not so good at finishing. I love to finish - it's a good feeling. Wonder why I can't seem to do it more often. Maybe it's like reading a good book, you want to see how it all turns out but you're kind of sad when you get to the last page because you have to "leave". Make sense? I have next week planned to get into my sewing room to get it organized and cleaned up, then see what projects need to be finished. Maybe start with the ones that are closest to being completed...  I think my oldest project is one I started while still living in VA (that was over 20 years ago).  Pretty bad.  It's a gift for my sister and only needs the outlining completed.  Maybe a week or so, working on it a bit every day.  Not so hard.  So why do I keep avoiding it?  It's a beautiful project and will look great hanging in her house.  We're not getting any younger......  Last year was the year of no new starts.  This year will be the year of completions.  I have projects in cross stitch, crewel, needlepoint, quilting, garment construction (an 1880s sac coat for dh), crochet, knitting.......  And list upon list of new projects I would like to start.  Only one new start this year and that is a sampler I have had my eye on since 2010.  I fell in love with it when I saw it in Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly and broke down and bought the supplies for it.  I HAVE to have this one!  lol 

I realized the ACQP will be winding down this year.  Some big events happening this year - all coming to a wonderful culmination during Arizona's centennial year.  Hard to believe we are finally reaching our goals.  I think I will be a bit sorry to see the project end.  It has been an amazing journey.  I have met some wonderful and talented women with whom it has been a great pleasure to work.  Retirement does indeed open new doors!  :)

I have also been part of an amazing group of women who love quilts.  They are all so willing to share both their knowledge and collections in our quilt study meetings.  I am making an effort to attend more meetings this year.  I am also working on encouraging a girlfriend to attend with me.  She does day care and her weekends are mostly taken up with family, but she has expressed a desire to do some things "just for herself".  Don't we all need some of that?  I hope she will be able to be my "quilt buddy". 

Normal Wednesday

Errand day today.  Sprouts ( health food store) was packed today.  Picked up 3 books from the library.  Went to Target for toiletries and sundries.  Picked up milk (we get raw milk - delicious!).  Stopped by friend's for eggs but her chickens aren't laying well right now.  Did leave her another egg carton.  She will need all she can get when they start laying again.  Then by grocery store.  Picked up three magazines: Threads, Chickens, and Victoria.  Oh, also picked up a reloading magazine for dh.  Made meatloaf for dinner, so he gets a meatloaf sandwich for lunch tomorrow.  I read and caught up on my emails after dinner.  He worked on a wallet he's making for his bil for 70th birthday.

I Solemnly Resolve....

Last year I promised myself not to start any new projects.  I kept that promise.  Well, except for the small quilt that I started in a quilt class that my sister treated me to, but that doesn't count, right??  I was hoping this goal would help me finish up some projects.  Nope.  So this year my goal is to finish some projects. Now that I have said it and put it in print, I hope it will happen.  I am almost done on one project that I started in 2008.  I should finish it this week.  At least the stitching part.  I want to mount it on a box lid.  We'll see how long that takes to happen!!  I hope to post pictures of my projects, at least as I finish them, maybe while I am working on them.  We'll see how that turns out.  :)  The road to where is paved with good intentions??????????