Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Best Laid Plans ...

So I've been working on my secret project for about a week now and it would be completely finished if it wasn't for one minor detail ...


Meet my re-useable menu board. I loved this idea because it cuts down on writing my weekly menu on paper. I saw this somewhere when I was trolling round in Blogland and naturally can't recall where- dear person who had the original idea - I'm sorry I can't give you proper credit.  Anyway, it's cute and adds a pop of colour to my kitchen, and nobody else I know has one. There's just one small problem.

I added 8 magnets to the back thinking that would be enough to hold it to the fridge. Nup- slid straight off ...so I figured 16 magnets would do the trick . Twice as much is always better. Apparently not in this case - I'm pretty sure that those extra magnets added dead weight and yet again the menu board slid down the fridge. Now I'm stuck with a non magnetic menu board that has 16 useless magnets stuck to it with Tarzan's Grip that I have no idea how I'm going to get off...

In desperation I contacted the magnet shop dude ( or it could be a dudette for all I know)  to ask them exactly what kind of magnets I should use because the ones I bought from the craft store kind of stink.  So if you could all just pretend this is on the side of my fridge looking pretty that would be great - thanks. I'm rating this project 10/10- and my execution of the project at about a 5.

Oh and I made one for Miss P too. Hers wont stick to my fridge either...



In other craftiness this week, I finished piecing Little P's Alphabet quilt.  


Ta Da! The Front

And I did the back too. Goal achieved.

I took the bull by the horns and started putting the Snowball quilt top together. This is number 3 of my PhD projects from 2010. I'm half done and I like the way it's turning out. Miraculously some of my seams are matching up . As usual some are not.  I am beyond thinking about perfection and am only focusing on a finish.


It wouldn't be Sunday without  a Dresden update. 3 more done except for the applique which I'm hoping to get done before bedtime tonight.


4 left to do. I will confess I'm starting to get a bit tired of Dresden's.

I must admit since I've been doing No Fabric February my mail has been a little dull this month. This was rectified by the arrival of exciting mail this week. I recently won a giveaway over at Taradiddle and Malarkey. My book arrived this week and it was wrapped in these cute fabrics. Thanks Ms. Taradiddle. I can see these adding some zing to a spiderweb or other scrappy quilt sometime this year. Thanks for thinking of me in my month of fabric-less-ness.  I pretty much rolled around on top of the fabrics for a full 10 minutes after I ripped the package open. Mr.P said it was sad to see a grown woman acting that way .


Oh and I dropped by the op shop this week and this was calling my name.  If my kitchen dresser ever gets finished this will look fantastic as a display piece.  The little things often make me happy.

It's going to be a busy week at Maison Pyjamas. Miss. P finally exits the teen years Wednesday, it's the end of Frugal Grocery February tomorrow,  Autumn starts Tuesday ( I can hear my Northern Hemipshere friends perk up in anticipation of us Southerners returning the sun )   and I am going to try and squeeze 5 working days into three and half days. Should be fun! 

Goals for this week:
Decide which project I'm going to start next while I contemplate my navel fluff
Finish the remaining Dresden blocks -then shove them in a box for a while
Put the rest of the snowball quilt top together
Order new magnets !

26 comments:

Jennifer said...

Love your pretty op shop buy! How big are the boards which won't stick to the fridge?

Helsie said...

I'm rather liking the snowball quilt too. After all the angst it caused you in the beginning you must be pleased.
Don't put the dresden away too long , I'm dying to see it finished , it looks like it is going to be lovely.
Cheers
Helenaffil

Deb said...

I am loving that magnetic board my dear Miss Shay. I am feeling the need to hunt out some red with white fabric or paper for the inside behind the glass and Bob's you uncle, my kitchen will be sweet!! Once its tidied and painted of course. ..........3 years down the track no doubt. (sigh)

Kirsten said...

My oh my..you must be wonder woman or you are related to Hermine Granger and you know how to double up time....woman how do you do that. I love, love love, the snowballs, they would look awesome in your computer romm, of course you most likely will not need a quilt there..well anyways. I ver much like like your menue board and am debating whether I need one to. But be careful - any more magnets and your fridge might tip over cause the magnet board will be too haevy :-)

Unknown said...

I Love your Snowball Quilt the Fabrics are Great...
I've had one of those damn magnet boards that prefer to slide down the fridge...there was only one place for that....
Yours looks too pretty for that place....
Hope your working hours go as planned...
cheers

melissa said...

Well i love your menu planner board but im more impressed with whats on it! Gees you guys eat well! I know you have your slack teas occassionally but you sure make up for it!

I LOVE love love little P's quilt , im tempted to buy some punctuation and copy yours!

Cant wait to see the Dresden Quilt finished - Please dont put it in the cupboard!

Sara said...

Firstly, I'd like to say that I've hardly see the bloody sun and those damn northern-hemispherians can keep their grubby mitts off it for a few more months at least.

Now that that rant's over, I have some sympathy with regards to the secret project - I bought all the fabric for mine, sketched out a design and got bored and went to do something with prettier colours.

You have a magnet shop? Like a whole shop for magnets? I see now why you ran away to the big smoke.

I've shoved a damn lot of projects into boxes lately, but they haven't gotten any further because my new shed has failed to arrive. That's right, I am waiting for a shed that I can put all my loose tops, chopped up fabrics and stray stash in. I have quite a lot.

While I'm waiting, I have a tablet stand to build. Maybe I'll make it pretty, like your menu.

A Plain Path said...

Love the magnet boards, hope you find ones that will keep it. The dresdens are pretty!!

Lorraine said...

Ok miss smarty pants...I know your secret...you don't sleep do you???? Love the magnet infested board that won't stick on the fridge...just drill a hole in the wall and hang the sucker up there?

Kate said...

Little's P quilt turned out great. Has he seen it yet? Love the snow ball quilt, I thought you had sworn off pastels?

Seems like your quilting mojo came back?

Larri said...

Look at you, busy busy lady! All these wonderful steps to final finishes...wow! Love P's quilt. How fabulous...I'm totally digging the flip side of it.

I'm stealing your stolen idea for the magnet board. Love it! Super-cute op shop find. I've read Save the Date and really enjoyed it. The grandmother's friend, Julian, was my favorite character. He's sassy and snarky. ;o) You'll have to let me know what you think of the book when you've finished it, though I have no idea when you're going to have time to read in between all the sewing!

Your Dresden's are gorgeous. I can only aspire to have your applique and quilting talent.

Happy Sunday night, busy friend! :o)

Donnie said...

You could put the menu board on the wall with picture hangers or on the counter in a plate display holder thingy.. I won one from Tammy at TypeA Decorating to use as a recycled calendar but I put my menu on it. It stands on my counter to encourage me to cook..lol...

AnnieO said...

Cute menu board! It looks good propped up on the backsplash too, Shay, and the tiles don't care if there are ugly magnets on the back. Yay for finished quilts and quilt tops! And of course, Dresden fabulousness.

Happy birthday to Miss P. My DD has a birthday next week too but will be a year older than yours!

Mr. P is right, rolling around with fabric is a bit much, but only if you do it EVERY DAY.

Marg said...

Happy birthday to Miss P.
I love your menu board, but I do wonder about the authenticity of this menu, I know for a fact that you don't like ice cream, just saying..........
I like the sound of Tequila Lime Chicken, and Mr P must have enjoyed the Turkey meatballs as they are back on the menu again.
I like the idea of the recipe book stand to put it on if you can't find enough magnets to put on the back to make that little bugger stay.
Little P's quilt is gorgeous, I'm determined to make mine sometime this decade.
I still love your snowball quilt, I'm glad you are keeping on with it, and just think at least some of your seams are matching up, IF I ever do mine, none of the seams will match up.
Still loving the Dresdens, it's going to look beautiful when it's finished.
I'm just glad you posted this on Sunday night as it tires me out reading about all the things that you have been up to, I'm sure you don't sleep.

Baa-Me Kniits said...

Yumbo I am coming for tea! Bugger about the magnets, maybe some of those ones from big W in the stationary section with the cute little glass tops to them, just take off the glass tops and superglue them to your boards, they hold lots of things on my fridge??

Angie said...

Way to kick that snowball quilt around, I know you two have been going at if for a while. ;)

Kirsten's Cooking said...

Again, you leave me wondering what it was that I actually accomplished this week - all I can think of is my daily chores of laundry, running the dishwasher 3x a day, refereeing kids, and making dinner.

Truthfully, though, it's very obvious that you have a love for all things crafty and that you are one talented lady. I echo the sentiment that we are all proud of you for sticking with the snowball quilt and that the back of Little P's quilt is gorgeous. I would have lasted about ten minutes on those Dresden things!

And, lastly, dang - but you can cook, too! Your menu looks fab - especially because you're pillaging from the depths of your freezer to come up with these gourmet meals!

If I didn't like you so much I'd hate you :)

Unknown said...

Seams are supposed to match???? Oh shit, back to the drawing board!

Happy birthday to Miss P! Baby P's quilt is beautiful!

Mrs A said...

hi shay i have some super strength magnets hubbie got somewhere, nothing falls down with these little monsters! I will ask him where he got them, the boards are a great idea, i might have to do one too!

Brenda said...

Love the boards, so sad that they're not sticking!! They are much cuter than my white-erase board that I use. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I think your snowball quilt is going to be way prettier than mine (if I ever get it together). I like all the pastel colors.

I love Little P's quilt. Oh if only I were brave enough to try something like that.

thea said...

I too am in amazement .. the only thing I accomplished this week was washing windows .. you, on the other hand, accomplished soooooo much. You are indeed the queen. Little P's quilt is adorable .. the snowball quilt is beautiful and the dresdens, what can I say ... I hope you are able to figure something out for the menu boards .. so cute.

Glad to see you are still doing slack tea thursday even if you aren't sharing with us about it ..

Have a great week!

seabreezequilts said...

I have faith I am sure eventually you will get the project to stay on the fridge. Great movement on all your projects. Love the opshop find, think I need to do more opshop shopping. I have managed to do nothing this weekend except finished 2 books which didn't go down well with the kids because they expected me to get wet during the weekend away... something which was never on my agenda especially when I looked at myself in the mirrors with bathers on it wasn't going to happen lol.

Mistea said...

I'd want to plan a meals if I had a cute menu board like yours.

Loving the quilty goodness, Little P's quilt it looking wonderful.
Put the dresdens aside for later, too much of a good thing can spoil it! Ha.

Cute cake stand.

Paulette said...

Sorry the menu board doesn't stick with magnets, but it really is cute. Love Little P's quilt! I don't think I've commented on your Dresdens, but they are such pretty, happy looking things. That quilt is going to be stellar.

vawriter said...

I covet the op shop find. Apples are kind of a theme for me, and I love display stands, too.

One question: what is an op shop and how do I find one in PA?