Sunday, September 26, 2010

What I've been up to this week

So it wasn't all work, work, work this week, although that accounted for about 25% of the week. Sleeping accounted for another 25% . I'm not sure where the other 50% went.  Surely I don't blog and sew and surf the Internet 84 hours a week? I'm going to do a  time and motion study this week to see exactly where that 84 hours goes.

I blitzed the string blocks for Indy and Lola's  Quilt. 10 more done. That's 35 finished and 37 to go. I'm almost halfway.


I painted the first top coat of THE  BLACKWOOD CHAIR . I think I slapped the paint on too thick because it's been drying for a day or so and is still tacky. Just imagine it like it looked last week, but shinier. How many times can I post a picture of a chair painted white and still thrill you?

The picture frame got a  coat of paint as well...ditto on the tacky paint.   I was itching to finish it. It's not quite done but it's not going to look any done-er  so here it is. I may or may not add black ribbon criss crossing it.  What do you think?

I finished quilting Little P's quilt and made the binding and machine sewed it to the front of the quilt. Now I just have to get jiggy hand sewing the binding to the back. I can't wait to get this done and in the wash so it goes all crinkly. I might even lash out and make my first quilt label (looking round for the quilt police because apparently it's a crime punishable by death not to label your quilts )


I needed something quick and easy to finish this weekend so I started making mug rugs. These are cute and quick to make.  Yep-I'm using selvage from my stash.


Miss P gave me some cash for my birthday (in addition to an actual quilting book she picked out for me herself) and so I bought  these other books I've had my eye on for a while. Thank you Miss P and Little P.




I added to my stash (again) I've been itching to buy this fabric for a couple of months. The excuse finally presented itself when I got birthday money some of which was spent on this 5 yard  pile of lusciousness. Thankyou Brooke and Mark.

Spa by Rosemarie Lavin

I'm turning into a crazy cat lady and buying obscure things for the house. I just loved the lines and detailing on this old door. I have no idea  what we'll end up doing with it. It'll either be a pantry door, a screen door for the laundry or garden art.


I continued sanding the desk. (I last touched that in March, which is officially a long time ago...eeeeek )  I'm sure I've mentioned my love of sanding in the recent past. I loved it just as much today when I  sanded drawers and bogged up the handle holes. I have spared you pictures.  I nearly got eaten by a Redback though. Excitement plus. I smooshed him with the palm sander. I know he  was one of God's creatures but he was venomous.

Lola and Indy discovered they like Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, so from here on in I have to share. Could Lola get any closer to the jelly beans without actually being in the box? Indy was behaving himself and laying on the floor. Good manners Indy.


Mr. P watched the AFL Grand Final. It was a draw. They'll re-play next week. Ridiculous.  Just to put it in context that's like re-playing the Superbowl.

Most of you know I am not  a gardener, which is unfortunate since we have a lot of jungle  garden at our place. When we put pavers down earlier in the year we didn't use enough sand between the cracks so look what happened. I've been able to ignore it all winter but with the advent of Spring decided I needed to do something about it. There were spiders and bees and slaters and millipedes shaking their little insect fists at me as I destroyed their hidey holes. Sorry insects. You're creepy and need to find somewhere else to live. I hear next door is nice this time of year.

Before



After
One of these days I'll do something spectacular with my garden. Like concrete it over or something. Meantime just to show you I'm not a complete dud and can be a responsible plant owner here are some things in my garden I haven't managed to kill. My Mum is reading this and laughing her socks off because she has seen the garden in it's entirety. These and dirt are pretty much the only green things left besides the weeds.






I wish I could like gardening more. I'm just not sure where to start.

Mr. P tiled the splashback in the kitchen. We're getting those final touches done slowly ...More tiling to come.




And that pretty much rounds out my week. I hope you all had a fabulous week and found some time for crafty stuff.

My goals for this week are :
20 more blocks for Indy and Lola's quilt
Get 20 Windmill blocks finished
Finish Binding Little P's quilt
Make 3 more Mug Rugs
Prime the desk drawers



P.S. Thank you to you all for your well wishes. I am feeling a lot better and  just need to learn that I don't have to go at everything  at 100% all the time. I'm trying!

18 comments:

Deb said...

Good grief woman, how on earth did you manage to get so much done. Absolutely amazing.

Larri said...

You are too fabulous! How you accomplished so much this week...all with the whoopy cough! I had to look up "Redback" and found it's gotta be the wicked cousin of our Black Widow. Eww! My kids found one 3 weeks ago, along with 2 baby sacks. We put them in a jar (along with some crickets) and waited for the sacks to open. Overnight, they exploded with hundreds of baby black widows. I hate to say it, but it was then spider genocide. So, I guess killing one little Redback isn't as bad as the mass murderer's we seem to be. :o) Happy Sunday almost Monday! Larri at Seams Inspired

Helen McNaught @ AuntyHennys said...

I'm tired just reading about it all!!! These mug rugs are all the go - think I'll have to make some myself!

The picture frame looks fab and just so he doesn't feel left out..... the tiling is absolutely marvelous!!!!!!

Have a great week - hope you are feeling much better!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

What the hell?! You feel a lot better and just have to learn that you don't have to go at everything 100% all of the time? This week was not at 100% and you still did all this?

It is official the one true blog friend I thought understood me for the real slacker I am because she shared my views has just proven I'm so far out on the slacker scale I'm tipping the balance ALL BY MYSELF.

On the serious side, I LOVE the blocks and fabric. The toddler quilt is looking so fun I can't wait to see it crinkly either and frankly, I just want to reach through the screen and sneak those horses a couple of jelly beans. :D I'm loving them.

oh, and I vote using black ribbon.

Kris said...

Okay, I have a clue about the other 84 hours and where they went. (And it's nothing to do with surfing the net!) You were busy! And productive!

Anonymous said...

And I was bitching about the one inch winter grass tufts coming up through MY pavers that I sat down on Saturday and dug up with BILOP's new screw driver set(dont tell BILOP)and then jumped around like a crazy lady chanting "die..die..die you nasty grass" while I drowned them in weed killer just to make sure. Anyways, the patio area does look great! The kitchen tiles done by Mr P looks fabuloso..love them! You make me tired as well...girl on a mission!!!

SILOP

Michelle said...

I don't know Mrs. P, but I'm pretty sure you accounted for the other 84 hours in your week. You got a lot accomplished this week. Including a lot of quilty goodness. :-)

Philosophical question...can you be a crazy cat lady when you have only dogs? Pretty neat door though. Love the arches at the top.

As for the garden, here's what motivates me. I love flowers. So in any place I've lived, I've just added and added until my jungle (yes, I actually do have one in my desert garden now) is at least a flowered jungle. So my recommendation is to start with flowers. Put the tallest ones in the back. I recommend hollyhocks if they'll grow where you are.

Brenda said...

Never (!!!!) count up the hours in the week - it's scary to think what you've been doing in all the hours you can't account for - at least it is for me. Your before and after pics of the garden are VERY impressive - sometimes I just want to make a mess so I can take a picture afterwards - so satisfying (okay, not really, I'm not THAT crazy - usually). Nice week - lots done at your house.

AnnieO said...

Very productive work week--and I'm not talking about at the office! Wowed, over here. Glad your spring mojo is rolling along. Must be the energy level is returning to normal for you after da whoopy cough had you down.

seabreezequilts said...

My god women you have been busy no need for a time and motion study it will make you tired. We looked after my MIL yesterday the stress of that plumb did me in but that is another story so no fun stuff done yesterday and I even fell asleep during midsommer murders. Good job I hit record before I did.

Baa-Me Kniits said...

Just a quick question....Are you on Speed???? ;-)

Love that new material you bought and those books look very inspirational too!

Yes I think black ribbon or you will have to use pins...Hmmmm

Love the use of selvedge for the mug rugs :-)

Vesuviusmama said...

There's so much in that post that I don't know what to comment on! You're a busy lady! I love the new door (?) you bought. And I just made a fabric covered bulletin board last week, but I'm not posting a photo of mine because yours is WAAAAY cooler!

Elizabeth said...

First things first. Indy and Lola are dogs? And you're making them a string quilt? They're cute dogs, but do they do work as investment bankers making you a bundle of money or routinely save you from falling down wells or something?

Second, ohhhh, yes, black ribbons criss-crossing the bulletin board.

Wise investment with the 'Jelly Roll Inpsirations' book you bought with the money from Miss P. I need to find something like that too, b/c until recently jelly rolls seemed like a complete waste. Now I sorta have a crush on them. Oh, and will you get Brooke and Mark to add me to their birthday list?

Love that old door you bought. I'm voting screen door for the laundry.

Also, nice work with the Redback. My rule is, if they come into my house, too bad. They get squished.

Also, your patio is beautiful and the tiling on the backsplash that Mr. P did is fabulous. I think we should seriously reconsider a spouse swap. How does Mr. P. fancy living in the states for a couple of months doing a few household projects with me?

xo -E

Unknown said...

You have been so busy! I love all the work you have accomplished. I am trying to get a lot of things accomplished before the holidays, but I am nto sure if I will make it. I need some of whatever drugs you are on!

Paulette said...

Where to begin? Look at you and all your energy! (Send some my way, please? Thanks.)

Love everything here. The framed piece is great as is, no black ribbon necessary, IMO. The backsplash-gasp-is amazing! And that canNOT be the same walkway.

Shevvy said...

Yeah, someone else who grows weeds like me! My patio is concrete, but its so old it has loads of cracks which are currently sprouting 3 foot tall weeds!
For someone who is supposed to be recouperating it sounds like you are running around like a blue arsed fly!

Anonymous said...

You make me feel like a job and a half and managing a home just isn't enough. When I look at my sewing machine these days a wave of exhaustion comes over me. How do you do it all?

Shay said...

Okay you're all making me feel like some kind of over achiever.

Shevvy once said the reason she liked hanging out here was because It wasn't all "Stepford wife". That's probably one of the coolest compliments I've ever had. So if I start getting Stepford on your arse, you'll let me know I'm sure.

Truth is , I'm one of those people that doesnt know how to do nothing, and I watch about one hour of TV a week so I have plenty of spare time. And all of this stuff is relaxing to me. Sewing isnt working!