A New Week...

Whew!  I am so happy that this past week...the week of the lazy butt...is over!  I did feel better after reading a few comments and emails about my last post...and decided it was just a recharge going on.  So.  Now I feel rejuvenated and am rarin' to go! 

I got my sewing area set back up again this morning...had it all cleared away when I had company here 2 weekends ago.  And, I got out some fabric that I will use this week.  That's all I'll be doing on sewing-related things for today.  I need to do laundry and run a few errands and get some knitting done.  

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Watching tv the other night...just kinda vegging (norm for last week)...and Tag decided that he needed to curl up next to me in my big easy chair.  He does lay next to me on a regular basis, but he normally stretches out...back end on the chair and front half on the ottoman (that is pulled up close to the chair).  Granted, it is a chair and a half, but he is a big dog...makes me laugh.  The yellow in the bottom corner is my pajama bottom...the pillow corner that is showing is laying on my lap. 

 He is a funny boy.  Definitely knows what he wants.  

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Remember when I was making strawberries for the pincushion swap?  Well, I had some leftovers.  I gave a few to my company last weekend, and still had some left.  Mostly red ones.   I looked around for a suitable container to keep them in...but had nothing here.  But, oh my gosh, when I was at the grocery store, I saw the perfect jar!  It's the Bonne Maman strawberry preserves jar!  And, I gotta say, the preserves were the best I've ever tasted!  Perhaps even better than homemade.  

I need to make a few more strawberries to fill the jar, but here's what it looks like now...

 

I scrubbed the ingredient sticker off the back of the jar so that the strawberries can be seen better.

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Tonight is a big television night...DWTS, The Voice, Hostages, The Blacklist and Castle.  I typically watch DWTS and Castle and have the others recording on my dvr. 

What is your fave Monday night tv program?





"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Eleventh Hour...

You know how sometimes you think you have something all figured out?  Well, I thought I did, for sure...up until 2 days ago.  That's when I started having doubts.  So...a complete change of plans.  At, ya know...almost the Eleventh Hour!

I am talking about the Strawberry Pincushion Swap. 

We had two weeks from the time we were assigned our partners until the mail out day, which was today.  I started working right away, playing around with some ideas I had been thinking about.  As of Tuesday afternoon, this is what I had put together...        

The redwork piece is a pattern from Bird Brain Designs.  I made this same piece awhile back for Sharon.   It needs to be stuffed, but it's kinda big...about 5 x 7 inches.  The wool pink strawberry with the little one is a gift I received several years back.  I have never used it, but it has always been on my shelf of favorite things.  I thought, what is more perfect than this!  Then, I used a bit of Briar Rose fabric with strawberries to make the round gathered basket.  The tutorial by A Spoonful of Sugar can be found here.  Quick and easy to make!  And, of course, strawberries...lots of strawberries. 

I was thinking that this was a nice package to send my partner.  But, then I began to think that this package was too 'cutsie'.  Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to do more than cute.  Ya know?

While browsing Sharon's blog, I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.  Seriously!  I was so inspired by it...and this is what came of that inspiration!

The strawberry is stitched with linen floss on linen fabric, bordered top and bottom by a polka dot fabric.  It measures about 2.5 x 3.5 inches.  The bitty strawberry - about 1" - is made with the same polka dot fabric, has linen leaves stitched down with linen floss, topped with an antique button.  It is tied to the pinkeep with linen thread.

I made something else that I think is kind of special.  See the dog stitchery with the bone in the corner?  She has a Corgi named Taggart...she calls him Tag.  Is that fun, or what? 

I am now feeling pretty good about this package I put together for my partner.  And, it did get mailed today...~whew~!

Now, on to other projects that are patiently awaiting my attention.

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Speaking of Tag...he isn't feeling well.  Vomited a few times this a.m. and is somewhat lethargic.  He has a high normal temperature.   Didn't even ask to eat supper...this from the boy who starts bothering me and looking for his supper an hour (or so) ahead of his normal feeding time.  ~sigh~  I am sure he will be okay, but still...I worry.

I hope you have a great weekend.


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Sunday Sundries...

On sewing...As I've mentioned before, I joined the Strawberry Pincushion Swap.  On Friday, partner assignments were received...and I am quite excited!  Whilst stalking her checking her out, I noticed that we seem to have a few things in common.  How fun is that...especially when partners were randomly assigned!  I have several ideas floating around in my head...which one to do?  No clue, and we have only two weeks to get our pincushions in the mail.  What to do?  I think I'll make each of my ideas and then decide which one to send.  Or...perhaps I will send all of them.  ~grin~  

In the meantime, I thought I would spend some time making strawberries.  I gathered up fabric, ribbon, lace and buttons and have been happily putting them together.  Here's what I have thus far...

 

Some with lace, some with buttons, some with both, some with leaves...all of them different.  I have everything I need in a basket here at my side table, so whenever I have a few minutes, I can put one together.  Fun and easy to make...delightful to look at!!

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On fun things...I found the best app for my mobile device...one that helps me to take my medications on time.  I take one med twice daily and the other one once daily.  I never remember, so this is very helpful to me!  It's called MediSafe Virtual Pillbox.  With it, I can name the medication, choose what it looks like, select how many milligrams each pill is, indicate how many to take and when, mark that it was taken, as well as tell me when to call for a refill.  Now, how fun is that!  When it's time to take the medication(s), my mobile device pings, even if it is asleep.  Then, every 10 minutes - until I go into the app and mark the med(s) as taken - I get a reminder.  That reminder is the sound of a pill bottle being shaken.  Cracks me up!  When one is in the app, it shows a round pillbox divided into morning, noon, evening and night...with the pills that you take in the appropriate compartment.  It's so nice to have this!  To date, this is the best app!!

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On health...I was not feeling well yesterday morning, so cancelled Kaylynn's overnight visit.  I was very disappointed.  I took a nap in the afternoon, and then I seemed to feel better.  Hope it was nothing more than a little bug.

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On tv watching...I am on episode 13 (of 16) of White Collar, Season 4.  The new season will begin in October, but alas, I do not have the USA channel.  I'm hoping it will be available somewhere so I don't need to wait until next year to watch it.  Love that show!  And, I have just 3 episodes left of the final season of Burn Notice.  As each episode becomes available on Hulu, I watch it here on my laptop.  I am going to miss that show...it was a good one.  Looking forward to seeing how it ends...no spoilers, please!  The new season of fall shows starts this week.  I have my dvr all set to record several series.  I sure don't want to miss anything!

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On Snow Days...still planning on working on that in the near future.  It's my 'sit in front of the tv and stitch' project.  Now that I have all the pieced blocks made for the borders, I need to sew the stitched blocks to the pieced blocks and add the extensions of stitching lines to the pieced blocks.  And...stitch them.  Then, I need to make all the blocks for the center portion of the quilt.  ~sigh~  So much to do and so little time.  Course, if I would push myself a bit, I could get everything done that I want to.

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On that's all there is...that is all I have!  

Hope you are having a good day.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11