April Fools Day

Can you believe that it is April already? This year is flying by. Today was 80% WOW. I have been looking for a job and not having much luck. Kelly's temp [where I had to call for Whirlpool] told me that I was not qualifed for a job there because I have never worked afternoons or midnights and because I have always sat at my job. I haven't heard from any others. I only wish I could make what I would at a job at home quilting without alot of cash invested. My friend Judy just opened a longarm shop and said she would hang some of my quilts and put a price tag on them but I don't have any of them quilted yet so I am in a stand still on that. Does anyone else save bits of ribbon that comes on candy and other things? I do and as Gabby and I was in the barn putting things away we decided that I would find a glass gallon jar to put them in. That way we could see them as they are all colors. I have some silk flowers that came on some summer tops but I took them off that will go in there with the ribbons. My DH empted his dill pickle jar last night so guess where that is going. GAbby and I was going to go out to the barn but she fell asleep so I will wait till tomorrow and let her fill the ribbon jar.

Barn Sweet Barn

I am not all the way moved in but I have been sewing in the barn now for about 2 weeks and I love it. I still have somethings to put away and I still have the things in the garage to move in but I am getting there. The top picture is of the end of the barn. I have my cutting table and ironing board is there. I really like my big ironing board[thank you Uncle Henry] but I am having trouble with it because it is too wobly. I think that is from the little board under it. Someday I want a stand built for it. With a shelf under it so I can put a small fridge there. The green and red storage totes go in the loft. I have block of the month kits in them. Gotta get them done one of these years.

This is my sewing area. This also shows that I still have the drop cloth down on the carpet. It has been too wet and muddy not to have it down. I would have a mess without it with the littles helping me move things out there. I have been working on my retreat quilt so I can get that done. I only have to sew the blocks in rows and then into the center of the quilt. After that I have to do the outside border and it will be done according to the pattern but I think I am adding a border of just fabric on the outside to make it big enough for our bed. I am trying to figure out what to do with my thread. In the house I had it on racks hanging on the wall behind my machine. I really like seeing it there but it was getting dusty and I didn't like that to much. It is much to pretty to just hide away somewhere. Anyone have any ideas? HEY Kare, look no beer cans!

Ta-Da

We went from this broken down cabinet that we had to redo, with gorilla glue and some brackets to keep it together to this.

All set up and ready to go. I did sew a few pieces of fabric together so I could say that I did sew in the barn already. After we finished the cabinet today I had Donny drill a hole in the top of it so I could run my foot cord down through the top because it wasn't long enough to come out to where I needed it to sew if I run it down the back. Now it goes down the middle and I can have it come out as far as I want it to. I might go back out there later tonight.

This is the newest member of our family. Mom's new puppy. He is pretty cute.

Moving In

It started yesterday when I loaded up the kids with stuff and sent them to the barn. Yep we were moving in this week end. This mess is mostly in the barn. I have put some fabric and other things away so we could move in more. Nick did more today. Butch emptied my beanie baby bookcase so it could be moved out there. Then the handyman was coming over to fasten cabinets to the wall. After Shawn and the handyman moved the bookcase out to the barn I was out there with Donny to show him where I wanted them fastened in I looked out the window in time to see Shawn and his girlfriend, Jamie moving my sewing machine cabinet across the deck. And then it happened...............................my cabinet fell apart! After they picked up the pieces and carried them into the barn. Donny was trying to figure out a way it could be put back together. We think he got it with a little luck and a lot of gorilla glue. I will know tomorrow. Two hours later I found out that Jamie had Shawn sitting on top of it so she could give him a ride which probably would have worked better if they would have unlocked the castors so they could have rolled across the floor But no they didn't so she just drug it which pulled all of the fasteners out of the wood. It kind of P--sed me off because the cabinet is not that old. True I didn't pay that much for it but I don't want to replace it yet. I wanted to sew tonight but that will have to wait till tomorrow now.

More Barn News

Nick and the 2 kids from Hell went out to the barn tonight to help me put the last cabinet together. Big mistake!!! We did get the cabinet together but I had to send the 2 little ones back in. I did not want to get my head bashed in with my hammer or my eye put out with a screw driver. Nick did help me with it and he did a lot. My big board ironing board will go to the right of this one. My uncle Henry made my big board for me. I want to have a stand of some kind built for it so I can put my fridge under it. Gotta keep the cans of Coke cold some how. {or beer}

It looks good where it is at and yes I can get into the big cabinet. My butt still fits between them. These two cabinets add lots more room for the stash. I think I will have to paint the insides because it is bare wood but that can wait for warm weather.

Mom got me the three drawer units for christmas 2 years ago and they fit in there very nicely. I will use them for some smaller things like velcro, elastic and that kind of stuff.

My new cutting mat fit on top and leaves me room to stack my parts when I cut them out. The only thing with this cabinet is that when you lean on the front of it, it tips forward so I have to have the handy man come and attach it to the wall. I wonder how long it will take him to get that done. I have to do something with the big crack in between the doors too.

Isn't this the cutest little night light you ever saw? One of my secret sisters got it for me and I saved it just for the barn. The kids and I am going to start moving some things in tomorrow and I hope I can get some son help to move my sewing machine cabinet. I don't think that the kids can help with that. It is way too heavy for them. They can carry books and fabric though.

What A Great Deal

Can you believe this? My mom was shopping at Wal-Mart the other day when she found 2 of these cutting mats on the bottom shelf under a bunch of other stuff. They were marked down to $13.00 half price. She didn't buy them! She was telling me about them and said that they looked like some one had walked all over them and asked me how you could clean them. I told her you could use a dishrag with soapy water and if it didn't come off with that it probably wouldn't come off on the fabric anyway and what did you mean you didn't buy them? Well she went back on Sunday and they were still there, this time she bought them. They came clean with soapy water so now we both have a new cutting mat[she gave me one as an early birthday present] They are 22"x 36". It will fit on the top of the cabinet that I bought to use as my cutting table for in the barn. I needed a new mat cause I have my old one almost cut in half. I have had it a long time I like these ones that are pink and yellow because it is easier for me to see on when I cut.

I am almost ready for the retreat. I did some shopping today and I still have a little to do but I have to figure out what else to buy. I plan on getting some of the things sorted out tomorrow and the rest on Thursday.

Where does the time go? I always have good intentions of doing my blog every couple of days and even though I am not doing much I never seem to have time to do it. Maybe its all of the books that Aunt Mary gave me to read or the quilt sample I am working on for the guilds retreat. Maybe I am just lazy and don't do it because then I would have to sign in. I don't have a clue! So anyway I have all the books read and the sample almost done, I only have to put the sashing on the sides yet but I made a mistake and cut the parts a 1/2" too small so I had to rethink what I was doing. It just made me sew more parts together before I cut them to lenth. It still works out the same. I spent a whole week playing with a 50lbs of sand. I can't say what I made yet as it is a suprise for all of the retreaters. I think they are cute and I hope they do too. Tomorrow Butch and I am going with my stepdaughter to see Brittany at school. It is our first time to visit her. I hope I remember to wear my other coat. I don't think I want to visit Ohio State with a big M on my coat. We have most of the gifts bought for the retreat but not done up yet, good thing I have another week before it. I can't wait cause it is a lot of fun.