Little Miss Muffet.......

Before I forget, I should tell you about the other gift that I received last week. Because of my first gift of time, I arrived home on Wednesday about noon instead of 5 PM. Before DH left that morning, he had said that Lexi was in the backyard. When I backed into the drive, I can see that the two gates were OPEN!  "Oh no", I don't need this. About that time, a young man came out of my backyard with a leaf blower. He was cleaning up my backyard. I asked him what he was doing - I know - dumb question. His answer? "doing a leaf clean-up". Hm - not at my request. He confirmed the address - but I didn't hire them. We have a private gardener not a garden company to do our garden cleanup and I could see their truck across the street. 

The poor guy (there were three of them in total) went back to the truck to confirm the address and they made quick time in leaving our house. And our cleaning lady was in that day so all the dogs were in the house. Bottom line, the dogs were fine, the house got cleaned which I paid for and the leaves were almost all cleaned up from the backyard and we have a LOT of leaves as we back onto a forested area. So that was a wee bit of a pleasant surprise!

The more people that I talk to, the more I realize what I gave up by going back to work full-time and that perhaps I can bring some of that back into my life. Movies on Tuesday! Embroidery on Wednesdays!  Sewing on Mondays! I'm definitely doing the sewing on Mondays - that's a given - I started that group years ago - probably 15 - 16 years ago. Lots of change in membership, but still going strong and a couple of people are still there from the beginning. I'm already packed for tomorrow!  See how excited I am about that?

Don't worry - I'm not rushing into anything - I'll be taking the next week to evaluate what I want to do, what I need to do and what I've been offered - oh yes - I've got contract work to make decisions about. I hope to have most things finalized by the end of the week. 

BUT - let's talk tuffets! Paul (our guild president) and I were teaching a class on tuffets yesterday. This is our second time doing it and honestly - every time we come up with new ideas. We had the students sew the top at home - that's the easy part. It's the upholstery part that is the hardest. Fortunately, Paul has a fully equipped workshop (although you don't really need many tools) and he's made a few tuffets so he had a few more perfected techniques, although I came up with a super finished technique yesterday that really makes the bottom of the tuffets shine. 

The participants had a great time and EVERYONE walked home with a finished and ready to use tuffet. That's the part I like about this class. Normally in a class, you go home with a partially finished project - not so with the tuffets because the finishing is the worst part of this class. 

And what do they look like?

  

Finished tuffets from one angle

Finished tuffets from the opposite angle

Let's have a closer look at those tuffets.

This is one of Paul's. He brought it in for show n tell and to use as an example.

 Teresa was making this one for her daughter. Well, that was disappointing as she used bicycle fabric and I swear she was making it for me! She brought her husband who was a great help as there is a lot of physical work involved in making these things happen.

This was Jane's. I love the swirly effect on this and the colors are very soft.

Martina used larger wedges which makes for less bulk in the center and less sewing!

 Sonia used very soft colors. I love how people tend to make things in the colors of their personalities. It's pretty funny.  Sorry, the picture is a wee bit blurry!

Darlene with her vibrant personality made this gorgeous sunflower tuffet with that spectacular shiny button in the center. Not only that but she stitched a spider down the side. It's very hard to see in the photo below. I need to start getting better pictures now that I have more time to post them.

There a spider on this side!

 Wendy made a tuffet using softer colors, but look how that blue pops out.

 Margaret made a tuffet using some traditional colors, but look how that orange pops out. I love it!

Cheryl made hers with two colors. It looks gorgeous!

They all turned out beautifully and huge THANKS to Paul for the patience of a saint to pull that cording through the foam which is the hardest part. He's got it down pat now.  Let's just say that Paul is a perfectionist. You know you meet people and you think thank goodness I'm not married to him. Paul would drive me crazy! Thankfully I'm not married to him! But he's a great person and we all love him and he's very talented - just a tad too much of a perfectionist for my taste! Of coruse, on the flip side - he would do more work around the house because he would want it done his way!

I';l be posting a tutorial in the next week of how we made these tuffets easy to assemble and how we can help you make a tuffet as well. I think we're contemplating doing tuffets as a two-part class at The Hobby Horse. I'll let you know if we proceed.

When I got home, I had lunch and proceeded to finish this book that I've been trying to read for weeks. I finally got into it and had to finish it last night which I did. Only to find out that it's the SECOND book in a series. I HATE that!  I like to read them from the beginning. I'll order the first one from the library and tidy up that loose end.

Watched a movie and then it was bedtime. I can't tell you how exciting it is to not have to rush things today in order to get them done for tomorrow. I still have things to do - don't worry - I'm working on a quilt for a magazine. I just don't have to rush because I can finish it tomorrow. Oh - the beauty of time! I'm remembering not to squander it!

On that note - I'm out of here.

Have a super day!!!


Ciao!