Why we NEED to clean up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In an effort to practice what I have been preaching, I gave M something really nice.

She has been asking that we buy her a laptop case for her new laptop so she can take it to school. The kid has a thousand bags  - nope not good enough. I offered to make her a cool laptop bag - nope not good enough. Yesterday was errand day and we went to Staples to check out bags. I see her walking around the store carrying TWO black briefcases. A BRIEFCASE?????   A black one no less?????  

Where is the FUN in that????   Boring - business BLACK briefcase!!!!!!   I refused to buy it. I told her that if that was the style she wanted, then I had a NICE burgundy leather briefcase that she could have (ACK!!!)

We get home and I dig it out. Oh yes - I LOVE that briefcase very much and even though I don't use it any more, it never got stashed too far away.

MY briefcase

BUT in light of the fact that if I am NEVER going to use it - why let it sit there. So I just sucked it up and gave it to her. I hope she takes good care of it - it wasn't cheap!  AND she isn't allowed to GIVE it away!!!! OK - so I still have a problem with stuff AFTER I give it away. But I don't think people today (and my kid in particular) value things that we have worked hard for. Of course - she didn't have to work for it so maybe that is why she won't appreciate it as much. I think we need to have a chat about that!!!!!!

Better she uses it NOW instead of finding it after I am gone and wondering why I never used it!!!!!    Think 10-10-10. Giving her the briefcase will NOT affect me in 10 minutes, 10 months or 10 years!!!!!


HOWEVER the real reason we need to clean up is those UFOs. So I am working on those four seasonal quilts. And we know that there was a box of bags.

The BOX of pieces

Now if you received this box of stuff - would you dig through it to figure it out?????   Probably not and there is a LOT of work and SEVERAL quilts in the box. But while there is a lot of work done - there is still a lot to do to complete the projects. Not only stuff to do - but SHOW STOPPERS.

These are the tops of the tree blocks. I ironed the last row and then find out that the last two rounds on THREE of the four blocks shouldn't have been there. See the one on the right? That is the right size so I had to repress those seams flat and then rip off those six pieces. 

But look - all those little corners - already cut and marked with a line.

But OOOPS - we seem to be missing ONE little square. Oh know! Went to the blue box and found a similar fabric. Hey - it is a tiny piece of fabric - no one will know. 

Now the pattern isn't that well written and there are some spacers in the quilt and I THOUGHT I had the right width of strip. But NO - as I worked on the autumn quilt, I realized that the spacers are supposed to be cut 1" and I cut them at 1 1/2". So.................

Had to open up SEVERAL seams and cut off one half inch

Then I sewed the two halves together and thought I was done. NOPE - forgot the maple leaf row and the apple row that needed to be added. The maple leaf row was too long and the apple row was too short!!!!

So I had to deal with both of those, but I got them on.


Then I searched for that inner border fabric and right there on top of the brown basket was the SAME fabric. AH - for once something is going right.

Brown border fabric matches the original quilt

Hey - I am ALMOST done the autumn quilt - I might as well just get that last border on. BUT
when I cut the first two pieces, I glanced at what remained of that autumn print and then I measured and YEP - I don't have enough!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not enough BORDER fabric. 

I have a couple of places to check for that fabric, but I don't think there is any left. I have already made the binding (GRRRRRRRRRRRR) and now I am going to measure out the binding EXACTLY to see if there is any extra there that I can pilfer to finish off this quilt. When I cut the borders and binding, I noticed that I had cut out a whack of it for another project. OH - NEVER DO THAT.


Hmmmm - just checked the one project that I thought might have this fabric. Not the same, but similar.

I could piece some of the binding to make the border long enough and then use this other one (on the left) to finish the binding. Yes - I think that would work. 

I will check a bit more when I get home, but not sure that I would have bought that autumn stuff -well more of it and if so - where would I have put it?????    I don't have an autumn category. Got to think about that today.

Here are the two spring quilts so far. Still LOTS of holes. 

So you see what I mean. Even though MOST of the stuff is in the box, that doesn't mean the project is complete. Just like a jigsaw puzzle. And even though a LOT of the work is done - the next blocks I have to work on (I started at the front of the pattern and I'm working my way through in order) - anyway - the next blocks - log cabins - NOT even cut out, but the fabric is there!!!!!  

I am thoroughly enjoying the process though. I find it VERY calming (and exciting) to work on these small pieces and having to solve a problem or two along the way. That is what sewing/quilting is all about to me. While I love the look of the modern quilts and FAST EAST techniques, my heart lies in scraps and small pieces. I MUST get back to work on my log cabins - but I few projects to get cleared up first.


Oh yes - I did not have a chance to nap yesterday, but in the event that I do and I am bored with the bicycle linen set - how about this...............

Orange trimmed pillow case from Ronda and my Friendship Star quilt

I am all set - perhaps later today I will need a nap. Yesterday I had some problems with allergies. My nose was running like a sieve, sinuses were ugly, my head just felt like it was going to explode. Then the next minute, everything was fine. Two minutes later - I was back in agony. I am so stuffed up today and I am dehydrated and I am tired!!!!

Here is a picture of Sparky as she awaits her carrots!!!!! 

Made our vegetarian dinner last night. M made a hummus with baked pitas.

Hummus with pita - she cut up red onions for the top and it was DELICIOUS as evidenced by how much I ate!!!!!!

DH made a bean chili which was very GOOD - but a bit too hot and I won't go into details on why it was so hot. Let's just say that we are all willing to substitute ingredients and make stuff up as we go along. Just don't put too many peppercorns in chili!!!!

I made dessert - had to cup up and cook apples

And I made cupcakes. To keep them vegan, I made them with the only NON-dairy milk we had. Almond milk - and it was CHOCOLATE!!!!

They were EXCELLENT. Oh yes - we are pretty slap happy with the ingredient substitutions and measures!!!!   So far so good, but we must really get coordinated - I would have LOVED to have a vegetable last night. Next time - NO dessert - but a salad or a vegetable. And just so you know - vegan DOES NOT mean light eating - there were tons of calories in everything we ate. That is why we need to get a bit better at organizing the ENTIRE menu, not just randomly picking things. Hey - it is a start and we all cooked together in the kitchen. It was actually FUN - oh my goodness - did I say cooking was fun????   Well - my magic apron helped a lot!!!!


I was out on my bike in the morning and NO allergy problems. Did 66 K by myself. It was great fun and that road bike feels like NOTHING to ride. That handlebar bag is very heavy when it is loaded down. The weather was beautiful - the leaves are starting to turn. But there was a headwind - an east headwind so when I turned to come back home - yes - I felt like I was in Newfoundland.

Well - it is Monday Motivators and I must go since I now have the key again!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!