Work, Work, Work

That is the theme for the day here at the old Shaffer house. If I don't talk myself out of it, I will be washing down kitchen walls and cabinets today here in short order. It's grossing me out so I have to do it. lol. We've been talking about doing some painting and upkeep in the kitchen as soon as time and money allow so I'm hoping the cleaning today will lay the ground work for that process to start taking shape. If only I had a hand sander too. lol. If I kind of "force" matters that may get the ball rolling even sooner. lol. But regardless the cleaning needs to happen whether it gets fresh paint soon or not so what's a girl to do? lol. No sewing for me today. (insert sad, sad face).

I am so anxious to get that little quilt top done, the one of many colors that only needs a few tucks and two rows sewn back on for the top to be done, yeh, that one. lol. Anyway, as soon as I get it done and find a suitable batting, I'm trying my hand at the stipple quilting again. After practicing there on Super Bowl Sunday, I think I can do it again. I did it once, on a trip around the world baby quilt I made so I know I can do it again. lol. That seems to be my primary focus but believe me I have plenty of other things I should be doing. I still have my friends quilt top to make into a full size quilt. Not eager to do it but time is ticking. Then I have a pair of drapes my son and daughter-in-law got with a bedroom set that needs cut off alot and just hemmed but I'm scared of my hemming abilities. But seeing as how they belong to the set I know they want those done as soon as possible and that's on my mind heavy. And there are several other little projects I've stuffed away for now but still I think about them from time to time and you never know when I might pluck one of those out and take a shot at it again. lol. So much to do, so little time. lol.

I asked Nora what her father thought of the pillows that I made for them and she said that it brought tears to his eyes when he seen them. She said he loved them. That makes me feel so good. And kinda sad too. I didn't mean to make the poor old guy cry. But there is enough fabric left that I think I'm just going to make up as many more as it will allow and give them to her for her daughter to have a set and whoever else she wants to have them for. But those are on hold til I get more polyfill. I stuffed those pillows with one pound of polyfill each. lol. I didn't know how else to be sure I had them both evenly stuffed so I dug out my old fashioned kitchen scale and weighed them up. One pound each. lol. Nora told me to just make some more and sell them if I wanted to but it just don't seem right. We'll see.

I'm going to get sister's pillow ready for the mail today so she'll have it by Valentine's Day. I hope she will like it and I hope by surprising her with it, it will cheer her up a bit. I have to wash it and dry it real good though before I send it. I want it ready for her to use or display or whatever she wants to do with it. I like to wash all of the stuff I make before I give it away because we smoke here in the house. It's a hassle sometimes to make sure the stuff is put in plastic and hustled out as soon as it's dry to keep it from picking up the scent again. But I am what I am and that's a smoker.

Well, oh, I almost forgot to mention. When my Mom passed away, I received my Grandmother's old Singer treadle sewing machine. It's been about six years now that I've had it and it's been sitting in my damp, musty old basement and I am not happy nor proud that it's been there that long. It has been haunting me for sometime now so tomorrow hubby said while him and both big sons are here , they will go down and get it and bring it up for me. I told him I had to be ready to clean it and put it where it was going to go though when I did get it up here. I don't want it brought up with all the dust and cobwebs and moldy, mildewing, spidery goodies on it and left to sit any time at all like that. he went so far as to tell me that as soon as we get it upstairs, we'll just get busy on cleaning it up and be done with it. Wow, that's an offer a girl can't refuse. Bless his heart. He knows how much it means to me so him offering to lend this kind of hand in the project really means the world to me. I'm scared it's damaged from being down there and don't really have a clue how to go about cleaning the wooden cabinet. Any ideas or suggestions on how to do this would be greatly appreciated. I hope it's not to the point where it will need stripped and re-varnished or anything but that would be my luck so I won't be surprised at what I find when it gets up here. I'm excited about it though. I've seen all these photo's here in blog land of how folks have them and boldly, beautifully, and proudly display them in places of honor in their homes versus being stuck in a rotty old basement for years on end. I tell you the guilt about eats me up for letting that happen. So, wish me luck tomorrow.

And I'm about to get on that major kitchen scrubbing as the boy is now leaving for work and I'm ready to get down to business. lol. Not really but it must be done. lol.

Everyone be creative today if you can. Happy Stitching to all.

Renee