More Sewing

I have a nice little antique desk that was my Grandmother's that I use to work on my computer. The finish on top is a little bit worn in spots so I decided to make a computer rug to protect it from my computer rubbing on it. So I did and here it is.  I am still having a lot of trouble with binding and machine quilting. I think my machine isn't strong enough for some quilting. The back has some thread "bubbles". Maybe I just have the tension wrong for quilting. Any way the linen is lovely but was tricky at the binding and got a tad messed up at the top.  

Here it is next to my mug rug. that I made a while ago.

And lastly here is a notebook cover that fits over a sketch book. I was enjoying experimenting with the scrappy squares next to linen thing. I found out two things. One is that even if the squares don't look great next to each other when big they look fun when cut into a thin strip. Two -it is easy to get a bit too Rainbow bright looking. That's my only complaint about the cover here. Too many colors. (I should have left out the purple.) But it was fun and now I know what I like.

Tabasco

My hubby "won" a gallon jug of Tabasco. He has been doing surveys and posting pictures etc on the tabasco website and earned a bottle of reserve tabasco and a gallon jug.

Fun Barrettes

Here are some fun barrettes I made with a hot glue gun. Yep, it was a lot of work to dab some hot glue on the end of these pins and place the flowers on the end. Phew. So easy and cute and cheap. 

Books I Am Reading

 I managed to do some reading recently and hit on some gems. I read The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner on recommendation of another author I like and LOVED it and the whole series (there are 4 books so far). Joffre read them too and we both really liked them. The best part is the surprise endings!

 I can't describe them without ruining the surprises so I will just say they are super fun. They are "young adult" books and would be great for anyone over 9 or ten I think.

This book Travels With Charley by Steinback is about his travels with his dog to "discover America"via a long road trip. His insights into some of American culture (1960s America Culture) are very interesting. I am half way through and really like it.

This book, The Gift of Thanks, is sadly disappointing me. I heard an interview with her about her book, The Rituals of Dinner, and wanted to read it and this one. It is about the rituals of Thanks. So far I have been annoyed with how she is avoiding religious influence on thanksgiving rituals. I have not read much so hopefully it will improve.

December in the Garden

These were part of my Christmas present from my husband. A new wheel barrow and camilla as well as some more dirt for more beds. 

Here is a climbing rose I planted and made a cathedral window-like trellis for.

 Here are my peas finally covering my teepee poles. It looks really fun.

 Lettuce and spinach. I have more mixed lettuce in other beds too.

Garlic and rhubarb.

kale. I have cabbage growing too but they are so small I don't think I'll get any before a freeze. I am amazed how much I have growing still in December. We had turnips out of the garden with our Christmas meal.

The Organizing Has Begun

Sorry for the long silence, my friends. We got sick, went to Florida, got strep throat, and had Christmas and I just didn't feel like blogging much. We actually had a great Thanksgiving and Christmas between sicknesses. I hope you all had great holidays too.

I am resolved to get back in the blogging habit.

I am also resolving to get organized like everyone does this time of year but I have such limited closet space that I was struggling with where to put stuff. Then I had inspiration hit me. Hanging door organizers. So I started making them and haven't stopped. Here are a few of the things I've made to try and get organized.

This is a trash receptacle for my car. I used the cut off sleeves of a dress I decided to make short sleeved. The sleeve ends were tapered at the bottom with elastic. I sewed up the top ends and folded them in side the plastic.  Then I put a cut off 2 liter bottle in the tube and sewed on a velcro strap and voila!

 This is our new chore chart. Each child has 2 pockets. (They got to pick what fabric they wanted.) One pocket has laminated cards with the jobs on them. As they finish a job they place it in the 2nd pocket. They have to finish all their jobs before school time. I drew pictures of each job for the nonreading little kids (and because it was fun =).

  A shoe holder for my bedroom door. I am making a very similar one for packs of papers and craft supplies for the back of our homeschool closet. These and the chore chart are made from some plain old curtain panels I had. I have more and I am thinking of making some more for other closets.