April Showers

April showers are possibly going to drown the May flowers!  :O

I ventured out in the wet and the mud and was rewarded with the package from Fabric Spot that I won on the first quarter of  2013 Finish a Long. Thanks, Karen!   This is a Canadian fabric shop and I will be visiting the shop as I get my finishes Finished!

Now the rest of the showers aren't quite as colourful.   And I do believe more are to come and possibly mixed with snow.  :(

Flinging the Five

I am onto count down for the upcoming trip.

We had a wonderful weekend away.  I am anxious to set a few new things in motion but I'll wait the the NYC influence to be added and then...

But firstly, today is Rooster work.  He was on the prowl for work overalls  which he wasn't finding here so we got about five pair in the states and he is optimistic that Nina and I can get the job done ASAP!  :O
If I ever need a new rooster I will be getting a standard.  No more of this short legged breed! :)

He also took today off which slows my forward motion.  While we were away the snow disappeared.  We won't talk about the weather forecast.  But he is walking about making plans for the next two years worth of work projects!  I'm really trying not to think about grass, weeds and spring plantings!  But he is very welcome to start without me! lol

Secondly, I need to plan the Creativity 101 lessons.  The girls and I are are making bracelets.  I needed more crimp tubes but all I could find were a few packages of findings and spacers.  Creativity is all about improvisation so we will be very creative.  lol

I explained to Nina about the overall alterations and then we conferred about the possibility of a quick tote and maybe a jacket.  This would be my third thing to do this week.

Then I am faced with past, present, and future for my journaling!  I can't believe that I'm facing May and I haven't even prepped the April pages.  I have one more month and then June starts my new year of journaling.  It will not be quite so involved as this has been. I feel I'm doing dual entries with this journal.

And the fifth and final thing is packing!  I will be trying not to be last minute with this as I want to spend my money on art supplies not forgotten items like tooth paste! ;^) I will definitely be taking the pink lady.  Nina looked hopeful as it is a sewing machine case but she doesn't fit in it anyway.  Maybe I can find  a new sewing gee gaw to soothe her sighs of longing!

Four to go...

There are a few things to do before I go.

I did a quick run through at the local second hand shop and it must have been my day because I got a couple of really cool things. Well, actually quite a few.  I need to look for a spring coat and walking shoes but I have the basics covered.  I'm going with brown and black and pops of colour!

The zipper on this old suitcase is questionable so I might need to take the sewing machine case I won two years ago.  It is bright pink!  That will kinda undo the elegant and sophisticated city slicker image I was going for!   But I'll be able to identify my suitcase!  lol

I want to make a tote.

I need to get things caught up here so I can fling myself into spring when I get home but I must admit I'm a tad distracted!  But first a trial run with the new wardrobe!

I really am going.  The Rooster and I have a weekend retreat we attend at this time of year so five will just have to wait till next week and then I'll really be flinging fives all over the place!  :)

Three to get ready...

Spring time in New York City

Who would have thought!

I am invited to take the extra bed in my friend's hotel room.  At first I was trying to be a responsible and thrifty gal.  There is always a first time, right?  ;^)  Well,  the Rooster didn't think this was the time to start. I doubt I will ever have an opportunity like this again. So...

 The conference is May 6th to the 9th.  We'll fly in with only enough time to grab our baseball hats for the Sunday night game.  :)

Then we just 'have' to see a show and I think that will be Lion King.  I think I'll be able to keep up with the plot! ;) ;)

And then there are all the sights to see.  :0

My mind is quite boggled.  All those clothes/shoes/jackets I've postponed getting are now glaringly apparent gaps in my wardrobe.    
And then what will the weather be like.  We still have snow but when I wear my boots to the city I'm in the minority.  What do I want to spend my money on?  Will I get lost?  Gee, I hope I don't forget anything!

Two for the show

And I need two pinches because it is official;  I now have two tickets. One takes me to New York City and one brings me home again!  eek!

One for the money

A very long day that revolved around the truck.  It needed an oil change and new boots!  Guess who was delegated!  :(

We'll be rolling off to the city for new work boots for DS#3 as soon as he limps home. I also hope to grab a few necessary things for throwing into a suitcase for a soon to be announced special event.  That will be after I recover from ONE very hard pinch to assure myself it really is true.

Starting with...

What a start to my week.   Lots happening.  DS#3, who has had to move back home, has a job starting tomorrow morning.  Hmm, too bad that wasn't on my list as I could have crossed it off but it does mean he isn't rearranging my own list quite so much!  lol

I have an exciting curve ahead that was not on any list at all but I will be adding it to my list very shortly.  Sorry to tease but I need a good reason for not accomplishing too much today.  Hard to focus when faerie dust is falling all around and decisions need to be made asap!  :^)

I did get the vacuuming done and some laundry ready for tomorrow's lift off!  I shall be trying again tomorrow to get a plan written down right after I get some errands done and I am 'home alone'!  vbsigh

The rule of fives

I forgot my rule of  fives. :(

On Monday I did the next things first and I started again doing the next thing first on Tuesday but then...  As I lost my focus I proceeded to 'lose'  most of the week! :(  Five days in fact.  I lost count of what needed doing most.  vbsigh

I may have done five things.  But five cups of coffee, five books, five waits in waiting rooms, five phone calls, five....  well, they weren't productive. I had more than five cups but less than 5 waits.  So my math is bad! ;)

I started out with important and necessary 'first' things and degenerated into not so important.   I could point out that my plans were rearranged every day but still....   I could have linked up things to do and regrouped but I fluffed.  I could wish for consistency but I'd want to qualify that with mindful, purposeful consistency.  I'm going to pick myself up,dust myself off, and start all over again.  Sheesh, I'm sure this is well past the fifth time!  :o
                                       
So next week there will be a PLAN!  Five things!  yup, I'm back to my fives!

I hope to be back on track next week with a high five!  I gotta finish my book first.  I did get five from the library discard pile!  :(  

WOW, but where is the thread?

                                    

I finished my class on Printing the Journal.  I really enjoyed it.  I learned that it is best if you can concentrate on the class and have life grind to a halt while you do so.  Ha! That isn't going to happen.  Normal in my life is 'anything'  can happen at any time.   lol  Especially when life certainly has a tendency to 'happen!

I do like the instant gratification that comes with paper and paint.  But my first luv is fabric and thread and I need to learn take the time to incorporate that into my mixed media projects.

 I need to make that a goal for an upcoming quarter.  Goodness knows I have enough books on the subject! And thread. And fabric!!!

I did learn in class that screen printing, which was one of the techniques, is first and foremost suited to fabric.  SEW...

I have had paper and paints on my work table pretty much these last couple of weeks so it is time to spread out the fabrics and do some mark making with thread!

Perhaps I can use my new pocket journal to record notes on fabric and thread in mixed media. :^)

And perhaps The Needle and Thread Network will have lots of inspiration for projects.

White for starters

The neighbours south of the border have sent us some more white stuff! 

This is NOT conducive to good lambing.

But the snowy downpour didn't really matter as I was not going out. I was also not even going to commit to put pen to white paper and make a written plan; I was just grabbing the vacuum and starting on my housework as I have a lot to catch up on.  I'm just doing the next thing first!  lol

I did get the table stained.  Dark walnut didn't do it but ebony did!  Now I noticed while vacuuming that the table leaves show their underside when they are down, which is most of the time.  :(  I shall up end the table tomorrow and give them a quick coat on their undersides.

With the main floor restored to whatever normal looks like these days and the laundry started, I shoved the vacuum into the first room after I sucked up the bigger dust bunnies on the upstairs hall carpet.  Stage two is tomorrow.  The playroom is such a mess so I have today to do all my wet stuff.  I shall continue cleaning and then do dry stuff tomorrow.

Margaret Applin's class ends this week and as I save the lessons I've been reviewing and there were a few things I forgot.  The last and third journal we make is an 'everything' journal and she gave us 12 page starters with a variety of techniques for overcoming the white page.  Here are three that I forgot and am now trying and I will be developing them later.

Doing this mixed media art work is just so much fun.  I am sew glad that I have the Finish A Long to keep reminding me about my 'other' projects.

:)

2013 Finish a Long Second Quarter

I really felt the benefits of this Finish a Long.  It isn't even about any prizes it is about committing in a public way and then trying to keep from being shamed!   When I was near the beginning of the end of the first quarter I read the comments on my commitment post and I was inspired to do my best when my motivation was flagging.  Thanks very much to my commenters!

Sew:

I got these two bunk bed quilts quilted but not bound so that will be first.  There are two and this photo shows one front and one back.  I will be trying the binder again and the fabric is starched nicely and is peeping out between the two quilts.  I am hoping a slow job will produce stellar results.

I would like to get some sewing done and these fabrics are grouped together for blocks to compliment the  3/4 bed that is also in the room with the bunk beds.  The goal is to get the blocks all made.

Spring will be in full bloom and I need this quilt for a guest room bed so I will be basting it and machine quilting it as a prep for 'that' quilt which you will recognize later in the line up. ;^)

This quick project is the companion quilt for grand daughter #3.  Her brother and sister each have a lap quilt and I need to get hers done.  Her fabric has insects on it but in the same colourways as her siblings.  I use most of the theme fabric for the backing and place some squares in the front.

I should then be ready to machine quilt this top which is only needing basting and some straight line quilting.

Then I guess it is time to face the quilting of this one!  Maybe I should move it to the top of the list.  vbsigh

I might be ready after this to finally finish up my art quilt from a Jane Sassaman class.  Hmm, I might just try it in a portrait orientation as opposed to the landscape position.  It is embarrassing how long it has languished in the closet. :(

The scrap trip along is also on the list as a reminder I want the blocks ready for the last quarter.

These blocks are listed to bring things up to an even 10 projects. Heaven forbid I should have weeks with nothing to finish! lol   These are for my bedroom.  I came up with the plan all by myself so I really am anxious to do it.

I shall link these to the Finish a Long and I guess it is "Ladies, start your machines!".

What a week!

This has not been the week to try multi tasking!

I did get my series journal completed in the Printing the Journal class through Joggles.  I really like the concept and I will definitely make more of these journals.

One side is simpler as I got the hang of things.

The second side got much more elaborate as I got in the 'zone' of creating a story!

 I chose a days of the week theme and I decided to hide faeries in the backgrounds making them more visible as the week progressed.

Then I realized there are six pages for a seven day week so Sunday got the whole back.  lol

No faeries.  It is a day of rest!  :)

I'm not sure if this is totally finished.  I may go back and add a few more images as I feel Sunday needs a bit more glorifying! ;^)

But that is all for this week.  I need to post my Finish a Long list for the second quarter and we have a birthday boy at our house!

I decided not to post the picture of the Rooster reading the instructions as his comb was in the crowing position!  Ha!