Shells

This and That

I saw the post category "this and that" today and had to laugh...I think most of my posts could fit under "This and That!"

I got some sewing done tonight. No wardrobe refashioning, but finished up a project, started and finished two others, and fiddled with a third. All in all, I'm quite pleased with myself.

I made a simple dresser scarf of sorts for the bureau in my work space using up some stash! Hubby should be so proud of me!

My shash of partially or mostly used materials is bursting from it's container! I put sandwich-size and gallon sized ziplock bags in the top compartment so I don't have to run upstairs every time I want to stash some cuttings.

I finally decided on two materials. Mostly based on the size of the remnants!

Is it just me or is there something deeply satisfying about holding pins in your mouth? I don't know, makes me feel all domesticated.

I decided awhile back to make my own "Made By" tags. I picked up some Offray antique white grosgrain in 7/8" and planned on doing a free-form cross stitch kind of thing. I finally sat down and doodled some ideas,

then tried a few out. I learned that I'll definitely need to do the initials first, then the outline. I purposely picked very pale colors. When I'm "signing" actual cross stitches, I typically will use a thread just a slight shade off from the color of the base cloth.

This whole file is cross stitch patterns and I have another one filled with back issues of cross stitch magazines that I finally cancelled awhile ago.


And my lovely *cough* stove and yard saled cookie jar/kitchen rag holder.

I also got the rest of my hankies made and another notions bag which is larger and made from tulle...we'll see how it holds up over time! I used a tripple stitch and crossed my fingers...

In over my head? or brave enought to attempt it?

Okay, I have a new idea. I was thinking about my open shelf unit for the sea shells I have collected and was feeling a little precarious about the whole thing. The thing is, our property directly abuts the railroad and our house shakes just a little every time it goes by. Thankfully it creeps by at about 20-30 mph, but still...it's enough that we are very carefull about properly hanging pictures and breakables.
So here's a free tour of "How MJ's Brain Works:"
Without a glass front to the shelves, I'm thinking the shells may not be so safe inside the shelves.

Then I got to thinking about securing them within the shelves or on/in something different than the shelves, which lead me to recalling how I sewed my hubby's aunt's weaving to a canvas which I painted first.

Except not all of the shells have holes in them which will lend to being attached to some material by simply stitching a loop around it.
Then I recalled one of my favorite beaders' work. Triz is a magician with beadwork! The technique I'm thinking of now is called Flatwork. Check out her site as well as her Etsy shop... absolutely incredible work!
Now I'm thinking...I'm a baby beader. Flatwork is like WOW, way ahead of my level. Do I dare attempt it? Or do I plunge in and learn as I go?
Still mulling it over...

Getting organized...

Last night my hubby and I went out to eat for our Eighth Anniversary even though today is the actual anniversary day. We used to go out to dinner all the time until we plunged ourselves into debt and wondered what we'd spent all our money on!
Now the rule is that we only go out to eat when we have a gift certificate to the place. Personally, I'd never previously heard of giving a gift of dining out, but apparently it's a big thing in his family because that seems to be the gift of choice among them. So we took one of our gift certificate and went to a favorite Italian place on main street and ate WAY too much! One of my hubby's favorite deserts is a plain canoli and he gets it every time we go to this particular restaurant. I chose the molten lava cake ... mmmmm! (But with whipped cream, not ice cream!)
Another highlight of our dining experience was the table side Caesar salad for two! They bring this cart out and the server makes the dressing in the wooden bowl with fresh anchovies, "egg product," worcestershire sauce and everything else that goes into it, then adds the lettuce and serves it up! It's a fantastic experience! The first time we did this was on our honeymoon at Peppe's Ristorante in East Stroudsberg, PA. Now, it's a special thing we splurge on from time to time...like on our anniversary!
I promised pictures of my newly reorganized craft space, so here they are! This reminds me...the large rose painting in the middle of the wall was a total find! I was driving home one weeknight and it was just sitting on the side of the road...not 10 houses away! I grabbed it up, dusted it off and hung it on my wall! I also scored two stools for my breakfastnook in the kitchen. They are perfectly well constructed, not falling apart or needing touch up paint at all! Just cast offs for no obvious reason! Very cool scores...but back to my space...
The ironing board is usually folded up against the wall, but my hubby had taken it out to iron his shirt for our dinner out. (yes, I'm so blessed...he knows how to use the iron!)





Part of my reorganization project was to find a place for all our NASCAR themed hats. I think there's a Red Sox one in there too, but for the most part, it's all NASCAR! We already had a couple nails holding a hat or two on this beam, so I just added a few more in uniformly spaced intervals and voila...a place for the hats out of the way and it also is another element delineating mantown from craft corner! (Note the two rolls of duct tape on the top of one of my shelves...still waiting for a time that we can make my duct tape dress form!)



I also used clear packing tape to hold down an extension cord leading under the bureau and straight to an outlet. The sewing machine power cord is taped under the table top to reach the power cord. I still haven't decided if I'll keep the iron on the table all the time. I think the next project I do will be a cover for the bureau top so I can use that surface without being paranoid about ruining my hubby's family heirloom any more than I already have!



My next organizational project will be getting my shell collection...





into my new shelf unit. I think I mentioned this in a previous post but didn't have a picture of it yet. I found it this weekend for $1! I'm a little concerned about dust control in this type of novelty shelf unit, but I'd picked up a can of air (lol...for real!!) for my desk at work awhile back and I think it'll be usefull for this too.




And lastly, I'm so excited about my gas savings efforts! I thought I'd have lower gas mileage than last fill-up because I found myself frequently going over 70 mph on the highway, but in fact I made better gas mileage! Last fill-up I was at 31.2 something and this morning I calculated it at 31.9!!


Plus, we have it so good...the gas station right by our house is typically a few cents lower in price than the other stations in the area. I got gas this morning for only $3.93/gallon!

The Old Red Barn Quilt Giveaway and a rainy edition of Lunchcapades

I wonder if a bribe would do any good?
I keep checking back at the Old Red Barn Quilt Giveaway. The youtube videos are fantastic! At first I was completely against the notion of doing a video about why I want to win the quilt, but my creative juices got going and I think I could manage something! The only problem is I'd need my hubby's help with the camera because there's no way I can do a sock puppet interview and hold the camera too!
Today at lunch we had a bit of rain. Or should I say a "splash" of rain. I sat in a parking lot waiting to go into a store for 5 minutes then gave up, put my hair up and made a run for it! Normally a little rain wouldn't bother me, but it was the kind of downpour that makes cars pull over on the side of the road, that when you have your winshield wipers on full blast, it's still kindof hard to see...really coming down!
Come to find out...the store didn't even have what I was looking for! Rrrrrr...




And I have to vent a little about the loss of the best antique shop I've EVER been to! They tore it down to put up this...



They completely cleared the tall old pine trees and leveled the two long barns that had been converted into the store. Yes, you heard right...two of them! All of this landscaping is new, the traffic light is new...at least they kept the one hardwood tree! Now don't get me wrong, I'm totally excited about the new Michael's they're putting in and I'm sure there's a strong market for the new Circuit City, but did they have to put it THERE?!
I stopped at another antique shop though. Not nearly as big, not nearly as much charm, but still a great place to find antiques. I found these treasures:



A pack of red vintage seed beads for $2 and an amber and gold bangle for $3. Not sure of the age. It has a tag with a "Rick's" logo. Either way, I love it.



Fieldbook of Natural History, 1949 for $1.60.




Girl Scout Handbook for $4. I don't recall the age off the top of my head.





And this treasury of beads for $5!


Many of the beads I'm not crazy about, but these two blue and white ones really caught my eye! Plus there's a whole strand of smokey grey ones that didn't photograph well that I completely adore as well.

Included in the box were these pieces...a blush cameo, rose and bow pins.

All in all, I'd say it was another successfull lunchcapades!

Success!

Sunday was a success! I was to facilitate a meeting after services for a group of prospective volunteers for the furniture ministry, but only one person showed up. It actually worked out really well because it was the friend I've mentioned before that is studying poverty and really getting involved in a few ways on her own. She's going to India in October to visit the child she sponsors. I'm quite moved by her story and how she's being led in some interesting directions. We ended up brainstorming ideas for increasing awareness of the ministry because I think the majority of members at the church are unaware of what exactly we do!

I also consider yesterday a success because I did a little rearranging of my craft area in the basement. As new as it is, I was already feeling the growing pains and realizing some things just weren't working for me! Like the clothing rack. It's pretty flimsy and old (a hand-me-down from a relative) and was about to keel over from the strain! I had found a shelving unit with a closet pole in the beginning of the summer for $5 that I had meant to give to the furniture ministry for organization but just had never gotten around to bringing it over. I snatched that and put it to work for myself instead!

I neglected to take any pictures, but I am so pleased with myself! I'll take pics tonight, because I simply LOVE the area now! I love being there, looking at my new shelves; the orderly rack that doesn't make me nervous about it's precariousness; the completed feeling it has; the orderliness and uncluttered feel. Granted, I haven't worked on anything since it's been rearranged, but I'll examine that issue later!

And a bonus: my hubby approves! He's not really into change. It's totally not his cuppa tea. His reaction when I said I stopped at the thrift store on the way to the barbecue was "great, more junk." *sigh*

So when I dragged the shelving from it's hiding place and did even more re-arranging to his donated section of man town, I held my breath, anticipating the worst. And prepared to brush it off. Except he surprised me with 100% approval! Who'd have thought? Maybe he's simply in a generous spirit since it's almost our anniversary. LOL

I had a twinge of discomfort Saturday while I was driving out to the country and back. I passed about four ice cream stands. You know the kind. Homemade ice cream. Fresh, sweet ice cream. The kind you pay out the wazoo for; but then again, they pile that cone so high you don't know how you'll ever finish it. That kind. The little stand by the side of the road that doesn't sell anything else but ice cream kind of ice cream stand. Yeah. *sigh* Eight chances to have ice cream. Just this once.

And yet, I still didn't dip into the sherbet or the super rich gelato when I got home. But then I think about August. Technically, the month will be over and the challenge will be new. But my intention is to kick all lactose in August which unfortunately includes ice cream. What a dilemma. I was also going to kick the "snooze button habit" in august, but I may have some rethinking to do on that score as well!

We'll have to see what happens in 10.5 days!