Chuckling here,

I ran across this poem I saw somewhere out in blog land which I  saved while sorting through documents.  Since it's rather humorous considering my recent purchases and I am chuckling  wondering how I can ever mention purchasing another house to DH!


To Create a Stash ...
by Carol Coski

1. Buy fabrics that you like
2. Buy enough to do anything you might potentially think you want to do with it
3. Buy a little more because you know by the time you use it, what you have won't be enough and you will need more
4. Buy patterns and colors you know your family will simply love
5. Always buy extra
6. Did I mention to buy more than you think you will need?
7. Sit down every so often with your fabric, and assess what colors/patterns/designs you need to compliment and contrast what you already have
8. Buy the contrasting fabrics
9. Buy the coordinating fabrics
10. Buy extra of all of them, because when you sit down to piece you still won't have enough
11. Always buy enough backing fabric to back a California-king-all-the-way-to-the-floor bed quilt
12. Add a little more to that backing estimate
13. Use backing fabrics that can be integrated into other quilt tops
14. Buy a little more to make sure you will have useable pieces
15. If you see a design you think you might like in the future, buy it now before it disappears forever
16. Buy a little more just to be sure you have enough for what you haven't decided to make yet
17. Repeat above steps until there is no room left in the house for the inhabitants
18. Buy another house and repeat above


LOL, I'll need to sew faster!   Jane

I won!!! and some retail therapy..

Lookie at this beautiful oak notion rack I won from Carole's giveaway. Isn't it great! Her husband makes it out of oak, cherry or walnut and he is a seriously wicked woodworker. He has a great eye for details. Thanks so much Carole and Steve, I love it! Of course I had to dig out one of my favorite thimbles to proudly let it be displayed on the pedestal made for just that item. Ingenious and so convenient, it's perfect!



Now I just need to clean off the table next to my sewing chair so it can be seen without all that clutter! I took a sanpshot of it on the keyboard drawer so you wouldn't see my mess and then of course I had to tell you about it anyway. lol Oh well, I'm an open book.
The scissors that came packaged with it are great too since with all the scissors I have in my scissor collection, I didn't own a pair of this style. Can't say that any more, Lucky Me!



Next up are some recent stash acquisitions.







Between local quilt shops, ebay and then Hancocks having a discounted sale that I couldn't resist, I really out did myself! Thank goodness I am not on the No buy program for stashbusters this year. I do heart the "Pom Pom de Paris" by French General so I scarfed up quite a bit of that in different packaging, layer cake, Fat quarter bundles,etc..... Some of the other fabrics in the stacks are also French General's other lines but I feel they will go well with the pom pom's coloring. Not exactly sure how I will work this into a quilt, but of course I have some ideas. lol! I think I did some serious retail therapy with all that has happened recently. the plan is that now I will get real and continue to use up what I have on hand, Promise!

A recent finish is a bracelet I made without any pattern. I really am so proud of myself for this one. I saw a similiar bracelet in Florida several years ago and when I inquired about purchasing the pattern, I was told there wasn't one and that it was a class they were offering in a couople of weeks time. Of course that didn't do me any good since I was flying back home in a week. SO, I looked at it and then shopped at the store and purchased the 3 row spacers, the clasp, and 6 beads of the 4mm different colored Swarovski crystals. I recently ran into them while finishing up the St. Petersburg bracelet and thought this needed to be done. AM I glad!



It's great to have a quick project! I started this on Sunday and finished it last night. A bit of a record for me in getting any beading done in that amount of time. Of course it was relatively easy since it was only stringing.
Notes to self, I used a 6lb fireline, some small silver crimp beads (without any crimping done) to finish the silver look on the ends and then stacked the crystals in a pleasing manner. At the ends, I strung back in towards the center of the bracelet tieing suare knots and half hitches intermittently along the way. At the end, I used a small dab of super glue on the fireline and snipped off the surplus, hopefully it will last fine. If you do another, double check and make sure you use an even number of colors and also play with the silver crimp balls beads to finish. perhaps the next could be done differently.

Two weeks ago for the hub's birthday celebration the youngest grandchildren were driving their jeep in the driveway.



This past week, this is what we woke up to:



It didn't stay long but there was enough that the snow plows were going by again. Pleeeeze hurry spring! Hopefully the Easter Bunny won't freeze!

Stay well and enjoy your blessings.
Happy Easter!
Jane

Shopping to Maryland and back

While away the shopping was fantastic. LL Bean and Coldwater Creek are 2 of my favorite stores. It is so nice to own a top and then have a catolog delivered to my home and viola, the shirt I fall in love with in the catalog is hanging in my closet already. Too cool! The LL Bean was an outlet store and the deals were wonderful. I am not a shopaholic, but seem to turn into one when the possibilities are present. It's probably a good thing that I live a rural life.
On the way to visit my sister and on the way back home, I stopped and shopped at several stores for my breaks from driving that distance and realign my back and spine. At The Stitching Post in Cantonville, Maryland my quest for linen for a CXS (Counted Cross Stitch) fabric that I needed for a pattern I bought several years ago was realized. Besides that, I acquired a couple more skeins of The thread gatherer silk threads for another project, Alpine Sesasons by Martina Weber aka Chatelaine Designs. I also purchased some other items and kits. Oh, I do wish that a needlework shop was closer to where I live. Of course I had googled some quilt shops for the ride and to have something to do for my frequent stops and I picked up a couple of items at those too. But really did keep the spending down at those sights. Since becoming a stashbuster, I do shop my stash first and this has really stopped my frivolous expense because a fabric caught my eye. Now I let the quilt stores store it for me. When I need something, I'll shop fabric then.

One thing I tried and found out that I love, love, love is the hand lotion called "Gloves in a Bottle". It's amazing how great my hands felt after a couple of applications. I guess I should have purchased some when I saw it but wasn't sure how it would work. This will be my next quest and perhaps I'll get a bottle for my Mom too. It's not greasy and will not soil your textiles supposedly but protects your skin, leaving it fresh as a baby's bum.

Well off to get the baby quilt done that is being given away tomorrow. Enjoy your day.

Jane

What I'm Working ON.....

This little tidbit is currently on my sewing table. I finished an embroidery in the Spring of 2008, and it's been hanging on my design wall since, even repositioning it when needed. I found some inspiration today while looking at it and here's a sneak peek.


There is no pattern for what I want to accomplish, so I'm trying to plan it out ahead of time that way I'll hopefully eliminate any errors. Wish me luck.
I love having finishes and proceeding on my quilty and needleworks but I'm at a loss to explain ultimately why I keep setting them aside. Years ago I know it was because I was taking too many classes, that I wouldn't have time to finish one project and then I'd be jumping into the next project wholeheartedly. So after that realization, I have been able to slow down in classthat taking, almost to a screeching halt.
Another attempt was going as far as bringing scraps to quite a few classes so I could learn the technique but not have another project started. As soon as the class was over I would literally throw it away, since I learned what I wanted and it really was only a scrap fabric or would file it in with the paper work for a reference if needed. Quilting has been a process not only of my creativity but also has shown me glimpses of my authentic self. Sometimes that has not the best picture, but even then I am grateful for what I am and have been learning and the many friendships made along the way. Love the journey.

This is a current picture of the design wall in my sewing studio. A sight that has not changed in over a year and I'm sick of looking at it like that so....it's time for a change! Stay tuned and I'll show you shortly what I have done.


While ebaying recently, I was fortunate to win a few treasures for my want to do someday stuff in CXS. Maybe I'm switching my spending to that now instead of fabrics and quilting. I hope not. Usually these patterns run for $8.00 or more each. Of Course, I bought them recycled so no where near that price. Now to start kitting them up until they can be stitched. I like to package them with the appropriate fabric and thread so they are ready to go at any moments notice, yet at the same time, I only want one or two going at a time.

Most of the family got together since we celebrated another Birthday today. DH made a great carrot cake (not from a box). Half decorated with a cream cheese frosting and the other with an orange rum glaze. YUMMO! Both wonderful and not exactly what I've been eating lately. But it's a celebration and I thoroughly enjoyed all parts of it. Enjoy your day, I'm enjoying mine.

Jane

Ouch, OOOHHH! Fell off my No Buy Wagon!

Hi all, while reading some favorite links I ran across a notice of a $50 gift certificate for Superior Threads. They have the best thread and are the best thread makers around. Anytime I go to a quilt show, I always treat myself to more thread from them. I think I have all their thread charts too and would love to get the stitched out examples they offer. King Tut is nice, but I'm starting to favor the lava thread line, it seems smoother and so nice to fall into the fabric.

Well today is a mixed up kind of day. Yesterday, I did not feel well at all. Wasn't sure if it was the flu on top of my neck back injury. While visiting Mom in FLorida, my pain had lessened. Now that I'm back at home, it seems worse. Why? I think because I need to do more. Dishes, laundry, shopping, etc..... I really and truly relaxed while on vacation and was actually spoiled too. The only "House work" things I did were to make our bed and dishes after dinner. Mom was so organized that all meals were prepared well in advance (even before most of us were awake) in her house. But back to reality.

Yesterday DH and I went to a LQS named Dreamcrafters for their annual 25% off sale. I had a list of needs (fabric and stabilizers) for completing UFOs and quilt kits that were already in my stash. It seems great that I'm shopping my stash first. I have many mediums and prints, but the stabilizing pieces of solids and such are surely missing. I am trying so hard to behave with quilty purchases. Despite behaving, I still spent $160. Yikes!

With the traveling, I think the frost heaves on the road trip were horrific for my spine. I hurt so bad with the trip that when we got home, I went to bed after taking my meds. Contiued to hurt throughout the night and even this am, I am in pain. Need to watch our 2 month old grandson (PGS#3) this am and this evening. Well off to lie down again while I can.
Stay Well
Jane