WIP Wednesday - time for catching up

Summer is in full swing here and things are finally starting to settle down a bit. I realized this morning that I haven't posted a WIP Wednesday in...well...forever!  I actually have several things to share and my posting is further behind than my projects - which is nice for once!

My last update was February.  Yes, February.  I'm such a slacker...  So, I'm going to go beyond what I've done in the last week...but don't worry, I won't let the post get that long.  :)

In Progress

Oh My Stars QAL:  Yes, the actual QAL finished a long time ago, and I still only have a few stars.  I've completely changed direction here, though.  I've exchanged the white backround I was using for a dark gray.  Can't remember the color...one of the Free Spirit ones.  Still using Terrain and I've managed to create quite a stash of it in the past few weeks.  Fat Quarter Shop had it half-price and I also snatched up some at a local fabric shop.  I may qualify as a hoarder now.





Paintbox Quilt:  Squares are steadily coming in from my TwitterB group.  Only a few more outstanding.  I'm going to have to supplement with my own blocks, but I'm good with that as I need to dig into my stash to make room for new fabrics.  :)





Tangled Webs Pattern:  Still working on this, but I have made a big decision.  The pattern will be FREE.  I've debated it for several weeks and "decided" I should charge for it because of the time involved, but it never felt right.  I've grown my skills thanks to the generosity of other bloggers and I feel that my first pattern should be a thank-you gift of sorts.  So...be watching for my pattern soon.  :)

Sherbet Socks: The initial motivation for learning to knit was socks.  No matter what time of year, my feet are always cold.  I hate cold feet.  I want knit socks.  Warm, toast, colorful knit socks.  Well, I've finally (five months later!) started a pair.  I love the fun colors. (BTW - the pic is old...they are halfway down my foot now. )  :)








Sewing Room:  Work has started on finishing up my sewing-room re-do.  All of my stuff is out of the room and I hope to finish pulling border down tonight and paint tomorrow.  I made a little schematic on Monday so I could play around with furniture placement.  (I told y'all I'm a little OCD...).  The back page is the room - to scale, of course - and the top is my furniture pieces.  I then cut them out and move them around.  Like a puzzle, I guess.





Finishes

Charmed Prints Quilt:  I actually finished this in April, but haven't posted.  Pics and a full write-up soon.





Prince Charming Quilt Top:  I finished my Quilt Top last month in hopes of having the quilt done in time for Tula Pink's visit.  No such luck on finishing the quilt, but she did sign the label I made.  Now, to get to the long arm!





Tropical Tote:  This was last week's easy Saturday project.   The boys left on a two-week trip to Michigan and I needed some sewing therapy.  Tutorial will be up next week.






and finally.... Baseball!  We finished up the Spring baseball season on Friday.  Both boys' teams finished in second place in their divisions.  So proud of them and all of their hard work.  They both want to be pitchers and are well on their way.  It's wonderful to watch them excel at things they love.  :)






Would love to hear what you've been up to... don't forget to link up with Lee!!







 

39.... and holding?

Today is my 39th birthday.

Truly.  Not a 39-again birthday.  But I can't help but think of how many people really do have 39-again birthdays.  I almost feel like I have to say "for real" or "honest" afterwards because so many people stop at 39 and well... hold.

But I don't think that's for me.

The last 39 years have been amazing.  I can't even put into words how much I've been blessed.  And the last decade has simply been the icing on the cake.  And if you know me, you know that's my favorite part of the cake!  :)

Thirty saw me coming out of newlywed stage with a 2 year-old.  Matt threw me a surprise birthday party and I still remember the shock nearly 10 years later.  We'd been living in this house two months when I turned 30, and we've slowly made it a home, but still aren't done.  We've welcomed another son and said goodbye to some wonderful people, both young and old.  I've cried with friends over babies who died the same day they were born and celebrated 90th birthdays with others.

I finished grad school and now prepare to go down that road again in the fall.  I started my current job and began to move up in my career, including some amazing leadership roles that I still can't believe I hold.  Makes me wonder what is ahead, though I must admit I'm looking forward to a slow-down.

In that same decade, we started homeschooling and changed churches.  We teetered through the awkward months of settling into me working and Matt staying home.  Worth.  Every.  Minute.  We found our niche at the new church and became active without being exhausted.  Such a fine line.

We started our annual Hatteras trips.  Need I say more?

We've made new friends, and stayed close with old - and I cherish them all.  A few will be at my house tonight, my birthday wish.  Really.  It's what I wished for when Matt asked me what I wanted.  I adore my friends.  They're real.  They're honest.  We share our struggles and heartaches and we share our good times, too.  Tonight, I'll just soak it all in.  I just wish they all could be here.

But with all that said, if my thirties are any indication of how my forties will be, I say bring it....I'll be ready to celebrate.  :)

Blowing out 12 candles - 3+9.  No way I was putting 39 on there!

so stinkin' busy

Ever had those periods in life when it seems everything is happening at once?  Yeah - I'm there. 

A snapshot of May, so far...

Baseball.

Study start-up at work.

GRE studying (done now, thankfully).

Yard work.

Baseball.

Car repairs (read "borrowing car from parents").  Twice.

A out-of-country trip to prep for.

Meetings for said trip.

Baseball.

Cookouts with friends (love!!)

Shopping...for said trip.

Operation Christmas Child activities.

Baseball.

Vaccinations (again, for said trip).

Birthdays (not mine, which is too bad).

Doctor and dentist visits, both involving pain.

Mother's Day.

And it's only May 11th.

Unfortunately, because of this job thingy that I have (don't worry, I'm grateful!) all the non-work activities have to be shoved to the evenings and weekends.  On top of typical maintenance work...cooking, grocery shopping, coasting into the gas station for a refill.  You know, that stuff.

Which leaves next-to-no-time for sewing.  Boo.

At least all the work stays here when I leave for foreign shores.  But that's a whole other level of work...humanitarian work.  Can't say much now, but I promise to show pictures later.  It's gonna be good, but I'm gonna be exhausted.

Through the years, June has become a respite month, and more so this year than ever.  Two weeks at the beach with friends.  Really good friends.  Waves, sand and quiet.  Ahhhhhhh.....

ETA: Blogger is weird. This post disappeared (along with it's comments), came back with screwy labels and no comments. When I updated the labels, it published it as today's post (the 16th). So for all of you wondering why the double post - I don't know, but I'm not crazy - really. Well, not this crazy at least. :)

landscaping - the quest begins

I love a beautiful yard. I love everything about it.

But I hate, hate, hate the work that goes into it.  Therefore, since I'm not independently wealthy, either my desire has to go or I have to cowgirl-up and do the work.

Hence yesterday.

I'm almost too embarrassed to put this out here. It's hideous, it's shameful, it is the product of my laziness. It's the walkway to my front door.

We had sprayed Round-Up (as can be seen by the dying vegetation), but the ongoing problem is that we have no plants there. Well, no "real" plants. So in a surprisingly successful bout of afternoon spontaneity, we decided to shape up this area during a visit to Home Depot yesterday.

Here's how it looked as the sun went down.

Already a kabillion times better. Sore back included.

I probably over-did it with the little green stakes, but just like in quilting, pins are my friends. The only thing I hate as much as a weed-infested garden is little flaps of black fabric (or worse, plastic!) waving at me from between the plants.  Yuck.

All in all, we bought nearly $200 worth of perennials (remember the laziness comment?) and I'm likely headed back soon as they are on sale here, 3 for $10. Not bad for plants that will keep coming back. I see it as an investment, really.  :)

Oh, and for the record - beyond the overgrown forsythia in the top left corner is a neat little shade garden that I planted a few years ago.  So, I know I can do this, I have proof.  It's just a matter of willpower and persistence...things that often run as low as my patience.

Hubby is helping a great deal, and between the two of us, I think we have a good chance of getting this job done by the end of the week. Stay tuned for more pics.

my cheesy mac

I'm a terrible mother. 

Well, ok, maybe not...but some days I sure feel that way. 

I had full intentions of coming home tonight and making an incredibly delicious looking Cheeseburger Macaroni recently posted by Amanda. It looks crazy easy. But life happens, and to top it off, I didn't have all the ingredients. So, this is what we ate instead...

I cooked a pound of ground beef and made two boxes of Trader Joe's Organic White Cheddar Shells. (Um, separately...but you probably figured that.) Once done, I prepped the shells according to the box directions adding the standard butter, milk, and cheese, and drained the beef. I added about half the beef to the prepped shells, tossed in a pinch or so of garlic powder, onion powder and seasoned salt and...Voila!. My cheesy mac. 

Not counting the time it took to heat the water, I'd say I spent a grand total of 15 minutes on it. 

No running to the store, no spending even more money this week at a restaurant. (And a cooked half-pound of beef to freeze for future spaghetti!). Not fancy or gourmet...just necessary. 

Perfect for the days you have to get up at 4:40 a.m. to take your hubby to the airport (90 minutes away) for an unplanned trip, drive back, and work a full day in the office so all you want to do at dinner is collapse. 

Yeah...that kinda day.  

But my kids are laughing on the sofa, we're all in our PJs, and one of our favorite movies is playing. 

Maybe I'm not such a terrible mother after all.  :-)

coffee

My parents surprised me Tuesday night.  Out of the blue, they came over with a Keurig coffee maker.

My mom has one, and I love it.  I have debated getting one, but just couldn't justify the expense.  After all, for the same price I can buy fabric for two quilts.  (Everything is measured in fabric-worth these days.)

All of a sudden, boom.  I have one. 

And about 40 little coffee pods, with a carousel organizer.

My folks rock.

Now I can stay up later and sew.  (*heehee*)

sewing space

I have the best father-in-law ever.

He made me a counter-height table just for my sewing space.  The space I've been dreaming of for quite some time.

Obviously, I have to work on the lighting a bit...it is a basement, afterall.

Oh yeah, and heat.  Need more heat.

But, it's my space. 

My very own place that I don't have to clean up whenever I sew.  I sit down, stitch a bit, and then stop.  No taking out, no putting away.  My space.

(*love*)