Weeds. Lots of weeds. And, being in southeastern Arizona, weeds that want to hurt you. Prickles, thorns, brambles....I grow 'em all!
Hubby sprayed weed killer, but got too close to my zucchini plants. Grrr! They may make it, but most of the leaves turned brown. Don't get me wrong, the weeds turned brown, too. But it just isn't worth it.
I have taken to soaking the ground for 10 minutes with a little sprinkler, then pulling up the whole weed by the roots. Yay! But I hurt. Really hurt. Makes it kinda hard to sew (or clean for that matter!)
I figure an hour a day would get rid of all the weeds in less than 2 weeks, so I will continue to work on weed abatement. But I have to go out early in the day. I am currently a little too pink for comfort! Hopefully the cooler temps will make it so I don't collapse, and can sew. I have so much stuff I want to sew!
Think of me when you do fibery things!
Cathy B
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Working on a Found UFO
Now that I have made a commitment to myself to work on things I love, I have been sorting through boxes. I am sorting the things I love from the things that are 'eh'. In the midst of the sorting I found pieces for 2 pillowtops I worked a little bit on when we lived in Minnesota. They have been entombed for about 3 years, and I didn't even remember that I had them!
They are based on the old Cathedral Windows pattern, but the updated version with circles and squares. You can find my tutorial at: http://www.puppetsandprops.com/BlueJeans.html
The first picture is closer to the actual colors. Deep chocolate brown heathery fleece, and autumny velvet. They are both upcycled fabrics. The fleece was from a thrift store blanket, the velvet from a size 6 skirt from a friend (yeah, like the size 6 was gonna work! lol). In the photo you can see that I have some of the border placed around the pillow top. The border and backing will be chocolate suedecloth that I have JUST enough of to finish!
I was going to finish these and put them in my Gifting Cupboard. DH saw them and claimed them for our sofa. I love it when he feels strongly about what I make!
I am showing these, even though they are not finished. I have taken the Process Pledge (see the button on the right), and want to show things as they go along.
I am fighting a bug of some kind, so will close for now.
Take care!
Cathy B
Friday, August 26, 2011
Sometimes I Just Get So Tired.....
Tired of making things to sell instead of making things for the enjoyment. Tired of making things I don't particularly LIKE to make.
Enough! Enough, I say! (Dramatic, huh?)
After talking with hubby, I have decided to stop. No more making things for etsy or other venues. (Well, I did promise to make a quilt on commission for a friend....but I get to pick everything about it! More about that later.) I will let the items on the venues stay until the end of the year, but I'm not gonna promote or list more items.
I have been making stuff to help out financially. Dear Hubby said it isn't worth it for me to lose my enjoyment of what he calls my 'gift'. He said we should make enough when he finishes another couple of new projects for the business that it won't be necessary. And he said that he needs me to run the office and shipping parts of the business anyway. And I sew the arms and legs for the puppets. And he wants me to be happy.
Boy, I love that man.
So.....expect to see projects that I love instead of what sells. Scary thought, huh?
I have some pics to post, but will get to it tomorrow.
Take care!
Cathy B
Enough! Enough, I say! (Dramatic, huh?)
After talking with hubby, I have decided to stop. No more making things for etsy or other venues. (Well, I did promise to make a quilt on commission for a friend....but I get to pick everything about it! More about that later.) I will let the items on the venues stay until the end of the year, but I'm not gonna promote or list more items.
I have been making stuff to help out financially. Dear Hubby said it isn't worth it for me to lose my enjoyment of what he calls my 'gift'. He said we should make enough when he finishes another couple of new projects for the business that it won't be necessary. And he said that he needs me to run the office and shipping parts of the business anyway. And I sew the arms and legs for the puppets. And he wants me to be happy.
Boy, I love that man.
So.....expect to see projects that I love instead of what sells. Scary thought, huh?
I have some pics to post, but will get to it tomorrow.
Take care!
Cathy B
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
More Destash
I have culled some more books on sewing and quilting. If you are interested, they are:
A Quilter's Companion by Dolores A. Hinson. Softcover, 282 pages. Some wear, my name on a bookplate on title page. All pages firmly in place. $6.00
Quilt in a Day Pioneer Sampler. Softcover, 88 pages. Good condition, cover has mark where price tag was taken off. $6.00
Picture Quilts by Joan Masters. Hardcover, 122 pages. Good condition, dust jacket has a few small tears. $9.00
I am trying to organize everything. Whew, what a job! Organizer Peter Walsh says that you can't have more stuff than you have room for. You can't put 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag! I have WAY more stuff than I have room for. A lot of it is my fibery stuff. I want to make a bunch of stuff for gifts, and I want to finish decorating our new house (moved in April). After that, I need to access what is reasonable to keep.
For every item that comes in, at least one other like item needs to leave. Yesterday I bought the Audrey Hepburn dvd of Sabrina (love it!!), so 4 vhs tapes are leaving. That's a start!
A Quilter's Companion by Dolores A. Hinson. Softcover, 282 pages. Some wear, my name on a bookplate on title page. All pages firmly in place. $6.00
Quilt in a Day Pioneer Sampler. Softcover, 88 pages. Good condition, cover has mark where price tag was taken off. $6.00
Picture Quilts by Joan Masters. Hardcover, 122 pages. Good condition, dust jacket has a few small tears. $9.00
I am trying to organize everything. Whew, what a job! Organizer Peter Walsh says that you can't have more stuff than you have room for. You can't put 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag! I have WAY more stuff than I have room for. A lot of it is my fibery stuff. I want to make a bunch of stuff for gifts, and I want to finish decorating our new house (moved in April). After that, I need to access what is reasonable to keep.
For every item that comes in, at least one other like item needs to leave. Yesterday I bought the Audrey Hepburn dvd of Sabrina (love it!!), so 4 vhs tapes are leaving. That's a start!
Take care!
Cathy B
Monday, August 22, 2011
Weekend Pillow Sewing
I finished a bunch of pillows this weekend. Yay! They are made from some silkscreen panels I got in the 90's. The design has been percolating in my mind for weeks. I knew I wanted something simple and asymmetrical, and this is what I got!
Sometimes I like working on simple designs. It is a visual break from the crumb blocks I usually like to work on.
Do you find that you need a break from your usual techniques?
Take care!
Cathy B
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Inherited Quilt Magazines--Woo hoo!
As promised yesterday, I will tell you about the quilting magazines I am going through. Lots of quilt magazines. MOUNTAINS of quilt magazines.
A dear older friend of mine is at the point, healthwise, that she needs to be by family to take care of her. She is 'gifting' things she isn't going to move. She has been a quilter longer than I have been alive, and has the stash to prove it. I got all of the quilt magazines and quite a few books. I will probably get fabric when her daughter in law comes out next week to help sort stuff.
Now, getting her magazines and some books was great! But wait, there's more! She also had the complete magazine and book stash of a fellow quilter who passed away 3 years ago. And that quilter had complete sets of 8 different quilt magazines, as well as tons of other quilt magazines. 9 big shopping bags, each at the limit of what I can lift. And guess who has them all now.....
I am sorting to fill in my own collections, and the rest will be sold or swapped to other quilter's to fill in their collections. It has been so interesting seeing the history of modern day quilting as it has changed and progressed. And the international quilts!
It has been fun. Thankfully I am keeping less than I am passing on. My dear husband paled when he saw how many bags I was bringing into the house!
Take care!
Cathy B
A dear older friend of mine is at the point, healthwise, that she needs to be by family to take care of her. She is 'gifting' things she isn't going to move. She has been a quilter longer than I have been alive, and has the stash to prove it. I got all of the quilt magazines and quite a few books. I will probably get fabric when her daughter in law comes out next week to help sort stuff.
Now, getting her magazines and some books was great! But wait, there's more! She also had the complete magazine and book stash of a fellow quilter who passed away 3 years ago. And that quilter had complete sets of 8 different quilt magazines, as well as tons of other quilt magazines. 9 big shopping bags, each at the limit of what I can lift. And guess who has them all now.....
I am sorting to fill in my own collections, and the rest will be sold or swapped to other quilter's to fill in their collections. It has been so interesting seeing the history of modern day quilting as it has changed and progressed. And the international quilts!
It has been fun. Thankfully I am keeping less than I am passing on. My dear husband paled when he saw how many bags I was bringing into the house!
Take care!
Cathy B
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