Rinse and Repeat

It's another beautiful day outside, so I repeated what I did last week. Rake the leaves, fill up a couple of dumpsters. It really didn't look like there was that much outside; I even debated just mowing them, but they filled up both of the dumpsters. Luckily trash day is tomorrow. Then I went back out with my camera and took a few pictures.


For art yesterday, I started working on this project that Tanya gave me. I couldn't find the thread / floss she gave me - it's tucked away in a special place. I decided it is better to do it than waste my time getting frustrated looking for it. I am using a quilting thread. This is obviously the before picture, so you can see how pretty it is before I get my needle to it.

And for those of you wondering if following a pattern is really art, hey, I chose the thread! No, eventually sometime this month, I will make something of my own creation. Most of my ideas involve pulling out fabric, and since my sewing space is relatively neat right now, I'm trying to keep it that way.

Luggage Tag

It's a good thing I didn't find the rum yesterday, because I decided to make a luggage tag, following Morah's tutorial. My daughter will need one for her upcoming travels, and I have this fabric that I didn't want to chop up into little pieces.



The crane's head isn't chopped off - it is heading off to the horizon! I found some packaging plastic and it wasn't slippery even without a teflon foot. I had trouble with the buttonhole because the machine was feeding the fabric through, so it pretty much stitched in place forever, but since that part was going to be ripped off anyway, I guess it didn't do too much damage when I had to rip that out.



Whenever I make these - the basket and the tag - I feel like I should make more than one at a time, but I'm glad I restrict myself to one, so that I can learn from my mistakes. The plastic isn't on straight, and there is a bump on the inside by the plastic, but it is still usable.

Marooned Without a Compass Day

It's Marooned Without a Compass Day. I'm not quite sure how to celebrate. I think when you get marooned, you are generally on an island, and it's probably deserted, because otherwise you could ask for directions. And if you are marooned on a deserted island, I think the best thing to do is to look for the rum. So I guess I'll have to find some rum to celebrate the day.

Don't look it up - you'll have to learn how to navigate using stars and the sun and directional signs.

I suppose you could make a compass block, but that's kinda hard to do if you've found the rum.

Three Needle Bag

I know you are supposed to change your needle frequently, but probably not three times a day, in the middle of the same project. This beautiful bag ate three of my needles. The needle was set for zig zag when I first started, and when I put in the quarter inch foot, there went that needle. Luckily I bought a package on sale the last time I went to Joanns. Then I set it for zig zag to add some embellishment to the handle, and when I put the quarter foot inch again for the lining, there went another needle. To make the same mistake twice in the same day is just not right. The third one just happened because the machine got in the habit. I might have pulled too hard when I was doing the last stitch around the top. I like the finished product, so all is forgiven. The machine is still not in the mood to do free motion quilting. The friendship bag is slightly too small for a CD.

Thank you for the tutorial, Rachel.

The fabric is a finishing kit in one of Joann's block of the month projects. I don't participate in BOMs generally, unless they are free, and this kit was on clearance. The photo on the package isn't enticing, and I almost didn't get it, but the fabric is pretty, and I figured I could use it for something else. The lining fabric is from Ames, from when there was an Ames.

It hasn't taken me all five days of Art Everyday to make one bag. I've also made a couple of ATCs, and added some words to my Bridal Wishes quilt. This one seemed appropriate for the slide show I made my daughter. I took it to her this weekend, and she was really touched. I wound up using "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. I think really it was a better song choice than any one about a smile anyway.

Art Everyday

I've been thinking about Art Everyday Month, trying to think of what artsy thing I could do for a whole month. I think the basic plan is to add something to my crazy quilt everyday. This will keep the project manageable, since I don't actually have to finish anything everyday, or even this month. And it will get an old UFO moving along.

But there is also something about starting a new project. Especially the projects which aren't very practical for me. I've seen many bag tutorials, and many times I wanted to do one, but I have more than enough bags as it is, and I'm not sure my friends or family members would need one either. I decided to let this Art Everyday Month serve as an excuse to make a bag. After all, it is art, and doesn't have to have a practical purpose. I am using the tutorial from Rachel at P.S. I Quilt.

Goodbye

I have been a Nielsen family for the last few years. I've had some paper surveys they sent once in a while in the past, but this time we became an official family. They hook up equipment to all of your televisions, VCRs and DVD players, and monitor your usage. This helps advertisers see which shows are popular, etc.

I received a phone last week or the week before. "We're calling to set up an appointment to pick up our equipment." There is no notice or announcement that our relationship is being terminated. After I asked, she said that the maximum they keep a family is 5 years, and at 3, I've had a pretty good run. When they first put it in, I was surprised they didn't call me in six months to take it out, so I guess I am happy with 3 years.

They come once a year to check on their equipment, and at least one other time in the year, something or other went wrong, so they had to come in and fix something, and once I wanted to move the tv to another room. It was nice when I got the converter boxes, they installed everything, and I didn't have to figure out which wire went where. There is no pay, although they give you a small amount quarterly to pay for the additional electricity.

They took away the stuff yesterday. The picture is clearer now on my televisions. I've had my share of paranoia over the equipment. "Is this station fuzzy today because they want me to watch a different station?" "Am I sure they aren't recording my conversations?" Stupid things, so now I am wondering if I was rejected because I didn't watch the big shows like the Super Bowl game or the Academy Awards.

Or maybe it is my willy nilly television watching habits. I don't look for particular shows anymore. Even my favorite shows, I won't make sure I watch every week. Whenever I want to watch tv, I just turn it on, and flip through the stations and choose the best one. If there isn't anything I want to see, I'll put in a DVD. If I've already watched the same show last week or yesterday (why are they doing reruns so soon?), I'll watch it again, particularly since I can do other things, like clipping coupons, cleaning out paperwork, or handwork, while I watch tv.

I should have taken photos of the equipment before they took it away. There were a lot of wires! It is strange watching TV now. Nobody cares what I watch anymore.

Eastern Standard Time

Welcome to November, and back to Eastern Standard Time. Goodbye Daylight Savings Time. I always look forward to this time change. I wish we could keep it this way. I woke up earlier than I usually do, and with the extra hour gained from the time change, I have had a leisurely productive day. I am getting lots of things done, even though there is no stress or pressure. Everyday should be like this.

Instead of bringing out all the sewing stuff and bringing my house back to pre-party mode, I am still trying to organize and do some more cleanup. I'm focusing on my basement, and cleaning out the kitchen. I do this from time to time, limiting my grocery shopping and see how much I can eat out of the contents of my kitchen. There was a turkey breast in the freezer taking up room, so I'm baking it now. After the freezer, I will tackle the canned goods. A big purge before I stock up for winter will be good.

My sister said it is Art Month. She actually said it is Art A Day month, where you do something artsty everyday. Although I saw several reference to to October being declared Art Month, I couldn't see a reference to the Art A Day Month online, and you know it is only true if it is online. Now that you have seen here, it is real. Seeing how well I did with Blogtoberfest, and I'm not sure I can commit to art everyday, especially when Scanfest is about to resume, but I do have to make some ATCs today, and any effort is better than no effort, so we will see how it goes.

The photo is of something Tanya made for me a while back. I took the photo, thinking I would use it for the slide show somehow, but I didn't, and it is art, so it works here. It looks a little lumpy and shadowy because I didn't lay it down flat, and I cast a shadow on it.

edited to add: It is real. It's Art Everyday Month, Here's a site for ideas and to join Creative Every Day . Here's a Sacred Circles Mandala from last year, so apparently this might be an annual or a monthly event.