Studio cleaning

It's been another whirlwind week. I did finish my "autumn cross-stitch", but still needs some finishing touches, so I'll post that soon and get it hung up before it's winter. I've also been cleaning my craft studio, I just need to dismantle the day bed and get rid of it. Thinking about Craigslist, but I don't know, I feel like calling up the Goodwill to come pick it up. Once that is gone I can set up another table so that my daughter has a crafting area she can call her own and also a spot for my Cricut (which I haven't bought yet, but as soon as there is a dedicated spot I'm going to get it!). These are a few random books on my bookshelf.


Oh, and I'm so exicted! I have an "art table"! Well, technically, it's a laptop desk, but it was being miss-used as a "catch-all table", so I cleared it off and rolled it over to my side of the bedroom and now I use it for my embroidery/cross-stitch table. I usually get up around 6 am and use to watch the news and drink coffee. Now, I can watch the news, drink coffee and be ready to stitch. I could put my laptop there, but I'll never get anything done if I do that! We've had this table for years, I don't know why it took me this long to put it to good use. This table is really nice, because I can tilt part of it and use it to look at my chart. The other side can be tilted, too, but I keep it level for other items. I can also sit at it as a desk, but I just keep it at the side of the bed for now. I bought this from Frontgate, oh look it's on sale! Actually, I saw a cheaper one at IKEA which looks a little different, but would serve the same purpose.

Weekending

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Mine has been one big chore, but I have to put on a big smile and just do it! I'm still painting and I feel like I'm way behind on this project. Even though I'm doing it on my own and it's just the kitchen and dining area, I should be further along. We have no "dining room", just a very large kitchen with a designated area for a dining table, hutch and other bits of furniture. What makes this a longer project is that I have to clean, sand and primer the walls first, plus move furniture around. Remember my project was put on hold because of jury duty. I had planned to do this during the week after work, I only work from 6:30 to 10:15am, so I had plenty of time to paint. Now, I have some subbing to do next week, so who knows how long I'll be at this. I do have a vacation coming on June 20 through the rest of the month, which I plan on continuing with my home improvement projects. So I hope you don't mind me rambling about it, I promise to keep it short. I do wish I could afford to have professionals come in and do everything, but that's not going to happen.

Oh, I've also been decluttering and packing away some of my favorite dishes. They are just in the way right now. It's my Franciscan Starburst and Echo collections.

Sorry this photo is a little dark, but they are beautful dishes and does not go with that hutch they are resting on. While I was packing and storing these little gems, I started to go through some my other retro dishes and what-not that have been packed away years ago and forgotten about. I've decided that I no longer want them and don't need to be hidden away in the garage any longer, they deserve to be in some one else's prize collection. So I think those will be the first items I put in my etsy shop, whenever I get that going, there is so much to learn. Here is a sampling of what I have. Yep, more Franciscan dinnerware!

As for the jury trial, it ended on Thursday, 4:30pm. It was a criminal case and very interesting. We had a great judge, who kept everything moving at a steady pace. I was back at work on Friday morning and it didn't look like I was missed. Oh well.

Have a great day!

Moving continues ....

Yes, we're still moving my daughter back home. I never realized how much "stuff" she has! Oh wow, what have I created? Anyway, it's okay, it's made me think about what we have and what we don't need and should be tossed. So I've been throwing out alot of garbage, or what looks like garbage to me and also donating boxes of clothing and household goods to the AmVets. I guess I should have done this years ago when she was in high school, but life can be busy and the last thing I think about is "spring cleaning". We still have boxes and piles of bags stacked around the house, but not as bad as last week. Yes, eventually it will be nice and neat around here again.

This morning I managed to work on those curtains I mentioned a week ago. I thought about them all week and all I wanted to do was get going on them, but between going to work and then heading to the gym every day, there is not much time left in the day to sew. Oh, lets not forget the decluttering I'm currently doing. Here is a picture of the ruffles I sewed, which is laid across the curtain fabric. It's a start, anyway. Excuse the poor quality of the photo, I used my cell phone and then text it too my daughter at work. She liked them, she wants curtains made for her next. This afternoon we have company coming over for a bbq, so I doubt I will get much done today. I need to organize the kitchen, the kitchen table is a disaster. I feel like such a slob lately, very frustrating. I'm glad I have Monday off, I have an extra day this weekend to clean house!

Spring Cleaning

This month has already started off on a busy note. Not only have I started clearing and straightening out the backyard, but I'm also trying to get a grip on the inside. Luckily, I worked part time last week, so I was able to do something everyday. Of course, I never made it to the gym, but there is always next week. Next week is going to be hectic, because I'll be working at additional schools, plus a staff meeting. I'm just going to have to make the time.

My daughter has been sewing alot lately. We bought her a sewing machine last year for her birthday and now she's into sewing clothes, besides purses for her friends, which I think is very cool. She's a big fan of Project Runway and wants to design and create. She has inspired me to dust off my sewing machine and make something. I've been wanting to make a purse, or just a simple tote bag for a long time. I know an easy project, but I just haven't been in the mood to do anything crafty. Well, the bug finally bit as I was cleaning and reorganizing my sewing room and I came across fabrics and notions that needed to be used or given away. So I've started making children's totebags to put in our "treasure box" at work. The children (at the school I work at) have the opportunity to earn tickets as positive rewards, then when we have shopping day they can choose something from the "treasure box". Believe me, those tickets work!

I'm currently finishing this top that my daughter started. I think the inset was frustrating her and she had to get back to work and college, I offered to finish it for her. She likes Simplicity's "Built By Wendy" collection and has sewn one of the other top from another pattern, but this one is a little bit more challenging.

Okay, it's late and time for me to get to bed. I will try to have pictures in a few days. Goodnight.