Weekend a day early!

Happy Friday everyone :)

No, really!

Every year the dealership I work for does a physical inventory of its parts department on the last Sunday of October - or this coming Sunday. I don't have to count parts - instead, I have to do all the data entry - yuck. Since I have to work an extra weekend day, I get the preceding Friday - tomorrow! - off! Hooray! :)

I've got big plans for the day - hopefully finishing up the quilting on one of my gift quilts, making a TON of binding tape, and starting on co-worker gifts! I'm thinking I might make a bunch of zippered pouches (I've never done zippers before! - or maybe some little fabric baskets? I don't know. Gotta use up the stash, though, as it's gotten a little, um, out of control.

Then I want to make one (or 90) of these bags:

From this tutorial by Freshly Pieced. I figured out that it takes 8 fat quarters for the outside, and, um, I may or may not have a zillion of those lying around. Nothing too matchy-matchy - but perfect for the remaining few kids on the "make gifts for these people" list. Or the grownups. I dunno - would you use one?

Edited!

So I really am pretty terrible at gifts and gift-giving in general, so I just asked what kind of homemade project they'd want - the two of them who are here said place mats. Super! I can do place mats! I'm thinking I'll make them like my friend Dianna made hers, from the first Sew Liberated book. Hers turned out really well, and I'm pretty superb at this style of quilting, so place mats should be easy-peasy!

Aren't Dianna's place mats pretty? :)

Sold! One of them wants red and black, another "forest colors" - I can do that!

To Dos

More with the to-do lists - they never end, do they? Sewing, quilting, stuff around the house, presents...ack!

So here's some boring lists. Without any pictures, even. Bo.

Sewing:
-Work on the box of pant-mending Jeff has accumulated.
-Christmas presents - JP, D, L, T, Mom, M.

Quilting:
-Gift quilts: A (piece, baste, quilt, bind), K (quilt, bind), J (quilt, bind), P (baste, quilt, bind), A (baste, quilt, bind), C (um, think of an idea first?), T (piece, baste, quilt, bind)
-Kitty Quilts for humane society
-Bind our quilt - honestly, Steph? Can't even finish one for yourself? Ugh.

House:
-Finally finish painting bathroom, finish the darn thing already! (paint walls, buy - paint - install baseboards, install switch plates/outlet covers, finish painting toilet/sink, finish drywalling skylight thing / paint that, paint door, buy-paint-hang door trim on both sides)
-Clean up shed tear-down project
-Order new shed, arrange for its installation
-Just keep adding things to this list, really it could probably be 80 miles long

Blog posts:
Just write a million and keep it up to date, honestly, Steph, you like writing, is that so hard?

Read books. Just keep reading. Read while quilting, if possible? Srsly.

Oops.

So one of the gift quilts I'm working on was supposed to come out like this:

Tutorial available here

a bunch of chevrons. Pretty cool, right? Well, it would be, if, um, I hadn't completely screwed it up.

Instead of being a nice set of chevrons like that, mine's about 1/3 chevrons, 2/3 squares-on-point. I'm not sure what exactly I screwed up, and I'd rather not think about it *too* much, LOL. The whole top is done now, though, so that's how it will stay.

Right now my WIPs are include:

-Queen-ish sized quilt for Jeff and I, about 75% quilted
-One gift quilt, basted about maybe 15% quilted
-Two gift quilts, top finished and backings prepared, but not yet basted
-One gift quilt, top finished, backing not yet acquired/prepared
-One gift quilt, pieces sort of cut into triangles
-One gift quilt, still just a bunch of fabrics in a heap
-Nine patch squares and charm squares bounded in white; nine-patches sewn into rows, so far. Not sure what the plans are for this one.
-Tetris quilt - fabric acquired, still uncut
-Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Elk Creek quilt, fabric chosen, book acquired, but that's about it.

Um, I think tha'ts about it, other than fabric combinations I've vaguely put together.

Anyone wanna go to work for me so I can catch up a little??!? Hopefully the weather will stay cooler so that ironing or quilting doesn't seem like such torture!

Back!

Back from vacation, and I'm exhausted! Up for only a few minutes before heading to bed before my first day back at work since last Wednesday.

I've got plenty of posts bubbling in my head - including chatting about how well we did at crossing items off the August to-do list before going, how well we did at crossing things off the vacay to-do list, the stack of fabric I snitched from my aunt's stash (okay, okay, she gave it to me!) and my plans for it, and the reading I got done! Hooray!

June To-Do List

June 2011 Goals and To-Dos

Reading:
-Finish 7 books - mostly things that are wished for on Paperback Swap:
     -Book 3 of George R.R. Martin series
     -All the Names, by Jose Saramago (recommended by Allison)
     -Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress, by Debra Ginsberg
     -School of Dreams: Making the Grade at a Top American High School, by Edward Humes
     -A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America, by David K. Shipler
     -The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes: And Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and Their Patients (I'm finally going to finish it, honest!)
     -Gracefully Insane: Life and Death Inside America's Premier Mental Hospital, by Alex Beam

Work outs:
-Ride my bike 100 miles total
     -Progress:
-Keep up with calisthenics (every odd numbered day)
     -1 -   PU SQ SU AC B L

Sewing:
-Sew together all hexes - hopefully into full top!
-Pin half-square triangles
-Find more fabric for boys
-Finish PJ shorts
-Finish shower curtain

Working:
-Keep up with binders for Dan - no more than three day turn-around (provided his PC is working!)
-Schedule next day off (6/13)

Gardening:
-Finish weeding side garden
-Weed back garden - attempt not to make fence fall over in the process
-Dig out agave plants for Janet
     -Find out if Janet wants the cactus, too; dig that out, if she does want it

Home Improving:
-Save up money. And then save up some more.
-Bathroom remodel:
     -Have Mark complete work (installing/fixing outlets, install light switch, install drain/hot water line for washer, dryer vent!)
     -Repair area of wall that was opened to do Mark's work with scrap drywall
     -Repair window area in wall
     -Install light fixture
     -Get rid of shitty looking texture in room
     -Prime, paint walls 
     -Come up with some sort of solution for area under the sink
-Find, frame, hang up diplomas

May recap

So these were my May Goals and to-dos:

Reading: - Accomplished! I read all five! It was really helpful, for wahtever reason, to pick books and say "This is what I'm going to read this month!
   -Finish 5 books:
     -Deer Hunting with Jesus
     -Another of the Martin books
     -Grave Secrets, by Kathy Reichs
     -Adam's Navel, by Michael Sims
     -The Red Leather Diary, by Lily Koppel

Work outs: - I started out the month well, but things went downhill after that. I'm SO strongly affected by the weather, which has been absolutely crazy this month. Hopefully it will clear up and turn into a real summer so I can get back to bike riding.
-Ride my bike 150 miles total
     -Progress: 64.9/150
          -Date:  4/26   Miles: 6.9
          -Date:  5/2     Miles: 16.4
          -Date:  5/6     Miles: 8.0
          -Date:  5/8     Miles: 8.6
          -Date:  5/10   Miles: 17
          -Date:  5/18   Miles: 8
-Keep up with calisthenics (every odd numbered day)
     -1 -   PU 45 SQ 100 SU 45 AC 107 B 55   L 35
     -3 -   PU 48 SQ 75   SU 47 AC 120 B 80   L 35
     -5 -   PU 45 SQ 90   SU 60 AC 125 B 80   L 24
     -9 -   PU 62 SQ 105 SU 75 AC 150 B 100 L 38
     -11 - PU 35 SQ 105 SU 65 AC 150 B 120 L 27
     -15 - PU 55 SQ 79   SU 80 AC 150 B 175 L 19
     -21 - PU 37 SQ 60   SU 55 AC 110 B 130 L 16

Sewing: - I started quite a bit this month - the PJ shorts are one step away from being done (just need to do the elastic); I have pieces cut for two of the surprises, and have one set of pieces pinned together. The big quilt for Jeff and I is pinned together, waiting for me to develop the courage to actually start quilting it. I made several skirts for a friend's daughter. I did my first swap - though was admittedly disappointed because I didn't get an item back, like I was supposed to. :( The shower curtain isn't finished yet, either, but then again, neither is the bathroom it's supposed to go in!
-Cut pieces for one quilt, start pinning/piecing
-Put our big quilt together, pin
-Start quilting big quilt!?
-Mug rug swap - mail by May 14!
-Make pajama shorts for self
-Cut, work on PJ shorts for presents
 Make shower curtain for back bathroom; add buttonholes for hooks, hem to length

Working: - I did pretty well with this, considering Dan's PC was having trouble for a large portion of the month. Still haven't scheduled the day off, though... not sure why! LOL.
-Keep up with binders for Dan - no more than three day turn-around (provided his PC is working!)
-Schedule next day off (6/13)

Gardening: - The weather held this one up, too. Who wants to dig in the dirt when it's all mud from the intermittant rains we've still been having! I did make some progress, though, around the garage, and got Jeff to agree to help dig out some of the persistent, extra big plants, so that's good!
-Finish weeding side garden
-Weed back garden
-Start sunflowers, other plants to plant around garage?
-Weed around garage (fence side, yard side, driveway side)
-Dig out agave plants for Janet
     -Find out if Janet wants the cactus, too; dig that out, if she does want it
-Trim grapefruit tree, fig tree off fence

Home Improving: - This took longer than expected, also, but because of issues with the estimates we received for the bathroom. The project, however, starts (hopefully) tomorrow and should be finished by mid-month! I cannot WAIT to do laundry at our house!! :)
-Save up money. And then save up some more.
-Plan, work on bathroom remodel
     -Choose colors, buy paint
     -Get fabric for, make shower curtain
     -Finish drywalling skylight shaft
     -Repair/mud walls
     -Get quote for moving switch, moving outlet, repairing existing outlet, moving drain, checking for hot water; get work done when feasible
          -Get a second quote, from less-unreasonable contractor
     -Purchase, Install light fixture
     -Purchase primer, prime walls
     -Purchase paint, paint walls 
-Find, frame, hang up diplomas

Weekend to-dos

My friend Dianna is really good at making to-do lists. I used to do it a lot, and find it really helpful at work (sometimes), but have found lately that they do make overwhelming lists of things (like everything I want to do before the family comes for my party!) way less...overwhelming. So this weekend, here's the list:


friday evening
-buy cleaning supplies, more plastic containers at target
-mop all moppable floors
-pick up dianna from work

saturday
-get jeff to install ceiling fan in bedroom
-get office closet wall patched
-paint patched areas
-get jeff to put in that last piece of laminate in the closet
-clean up porch - store stuff that can be stored, sweep, clean patio furniture

sunday
-go to breakfast and to joann's with aforementioned dianna on sunday
-come home and stow purchases in newly purchased plastic things
-get two accounts done for dan, if possible

By-the-end-of-March to-do list

-Finish two binders I currently have for Dan (Nor Cal, Chiro)

-Finish making all quilt squares into long quilt stripes

-Finish Comfortably Numb, start George Martin book

-Clean up weeds I've already pulled out of garden.

-Pull the remaining weeds.
     -The rain has not made this very do-able. :( 

-Get garden set up - the long ties are in the garage, all ready to go, just have to get them laid out!

-Buy plants for garden - peppers, a tomato plant, herbs (?), raspberry bush and plant them. It kind of has to stop raining for more than 5 minutes for this to happen. Possibly buy grass seed.
    -This may wait until April - Discover's doing 5% cash back at home improvement stores, April through June, so it would be more effective to wait until then! Keep an eye out for coupons, though, in either case!

-Go shopping at Old Navy when gift card arrives (yay!)

-Plan birthday party? And by this I mean set up the "event" on Facebook.

That seems like enough, especially since there's only one weekend left!

Weekend

I promise I didn't forget about y'all. Just been busy. Our kitchen floor is ALMOST done being tiled - I had to go buy more tile last night, but still ended up being short two of each color, so I have to send Jeff over to the tile place this morning to get the last few so that, hopefully, we can get it done by this evening, except for the sealing part. Hooray! What a relief that will be, to have that done.

This weekend's to-do's:

-Get Jeff to move stove and fridge back into place
-Epic cleaning of stove, so that it doesn't look quite so much like a biohazard
-Finish second cat mat
-Read, dammit. I've been so lazy about this! - See post!
-Finish data entry for Dan
-Laundry
-Get copies of front-door key made
-Sweep living room and dining room
-Vacuum couches thoroughly

March To-Do list

March 2011 To Do List

(Maybe I'll make these a monthly thing, just to keep myself on track. Inspired by a good friend who seems to do well with lists) :)

-Design/sew/stuff/finish cat boxes for front windows - think window boxes like for plants, but for Molly and Wrench. They LOVE sitting in the living and dining room windows, but they can't steal the fleece blankets all the time! I have fabric that matches our living room (even some cute piping to go around the edges!) and the plastic canvas I'm going to use to make them a little more sturdy than just fabric would.
     Utter disaster. Let's pretend it didn't happen.

-Finish Pride & Predjudice & Zombies, the IRS tax collector memoir I've started, and at least two other books - I think I've fallen behind a little on my goal to read 52 books this year (one a week), but I'm confident that I'll catch up in summertime, when I can sit on the patio and read all weekend instead of staying inside freezing!

-Get kitchen tile installed, then finish the kitchen - purchase/paint/install door trim, purchase/paint/install chair rail, purchase/paint/install baseboard.

-TAKE A DAY OFF! Friday, March 18th - already submitted for it. :)

-Keep working on couponing - "save" $150 at Safeway over the course of the month. This will coincide nicely with my Discover card's 5% cash back at grocery stores even this month, too!

-Piece together the bedroom quilt - I've got all the squares cut, and even have the backing for it now - now I just have to put all the squares together, and go from there! I think I'm going to make the pattern pretty random - literally just drawing the pieces out from a bag as I go along.

-Continue attempting not to buy remnants at Joann's - epic fail on this part so far, though, as I bought FOUR MORE pieces last night - though to be fair, two pieces are for the cat beds!

To do list - February 2011

To do list, now through end of February:

-Finish all currently assigned work from Dan (side job, oye), bill for work when completed, return items to Darcy

-Finish book I'm currently reading (The Short History of a Prince: A Novel by Jane Hamilton) (didn't actually complete, but gave up, because book was no good.)

-Start and finish Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! so I can discuss it with Chad at work

-Complete at least 5 items for posting on my Etsy store (!)

-Post said items on said Etsy store - yes, I decided to go for it!

-Get money out of bank to pay Ralph

     -Arrange time with Ralph to shop for supplies and for completion of kitchen tile floor project

-Finish watching C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete First Season with Jeff :)
     -Now halfway through second season! 

Edited to add:

-Ongoing project: aside from today's purchase, buy no more fabric until something is sold via aforementioned Etsy store. Free fabric does not count as buying. Buying from Joann, eBay or even a thrift store does count as buying.