Back to Quilting

Just realized I never posted the finished Plus quilts.  They are sooo cute!  When I made these I was a little bored and just needed a quilting project.  It is always good to have some baby sized quilts on hand for gifts and donations. I love that I didn't purchase a thing to make these.  All from material I had in my stash.

And of course, I had to dress the 'twins' in them....

Recently, I purchased a rug for our bedroom.  It was kind of an impulse buy.  While the hubby was gone, I was really focused on doing some decorating. I mean, when he is gone, I don't have to ask!  I love the rug but it throws a kink in my quilt decorating, just because I love to change out the quilts in our bedroom, often.  The mostly white one looked ok with it.

 But I kept thinking I needed to make something with these colors.  I picked some random pieces of fabrics, that mostly didn't work, then I bought a civil war reproduction fat quarter and picked some out of it to use.

The resulting quilt is...well, not my favorite.  I like the pattern but it is too busy really to actually go with the rug.  The pattern is Cathedral by Lella Boutique.

 I guess it doesn't look awful folded up at the end of the bed, but then again, not great either. Actually the mostly white looks best to me.  Jim really liked it and asked if it could be his.  Ha, of course, you can have it.

So now, I get to try again.  Not a bad problem for someone who loves to make quilts.  I'm thinking of making a more classic blue and white quilt.  I've even designed a pattern with a lot of white and some little 9 patch blocks of blue. I might end up submitting it so I can't show it yet.  I've only made one test block.

Often I like to think of my grandchildren or great grandchildren one day reading my blog books.
 So, here ya go, kids, this is some of what we cooked and ate in the year 2020.

I've been making some sourdough pizza crusts and they are the best, but tonight I decided to top that yummy crust with a pineapple and ham pizza.  Jim likes to get these when we go to the local Gondolier. I make my own pizza sauce, which is super easy.  Topped with some leftover ham, some cut up canned pineapple chunks, cheddar and mozzarella it was delicious. Yum.

I'm trying to do better at documenting my reading.  I am reading all the time using the Overdrive app for library borrowed audio books, and using my Audible subscription.  I love to read this way.  I can read while I cook, clean, sew, run, and drive to and from work.

One of the more interesting books read lately was The Disappearing Spoon.  It popped up on the Overdrive app.  And at the time I was getting ready to run and didn't have anything so I borrowed it.  It is really an interesting read about the periodic table of elements -- who discovered them, when, and
  some stories about what they do, stories about their
discoverers, what they can be used for, etc.

I admit, a lot was over my head, the non-chemist, that I am, but I still found it very, very interesting.

Of course, I am definitely a life-long learner and truly
enjoy reading about all kinds of things.

Lately, I've also enjoyed a couple of books based in World War II era.  One was A Gentleman In Moscow, and the other was The Nightengale.  Both, really, really good.

I am going to try to do a recap of my reading at the end of this year.  Another thing my great grandchildren might be interested in 40 years from now.

And that pushes me to print my blog in book form every couple of years.

Rod Rack and Picture Ledges

A couple of other projects I've done while the hubs is gone......got his rod rack hung...

And made these little picture ledges.  Super easy using two 1x3 boards and one 1x2 board, nailed and glues together then screwed into the wall at the studs.

Faux Printmaker's Cabinet

When the hubby goes on his fishing trips, I do projects.  Sometimes, big projects.  I drive him nuts with the tools and sawdust so I plan projects around his trips.  That way, all my junk is out, and I can just close up shop when I get tired.  I ambitiously decided to make this cabinet in the two weeks he was gone.  It is finished.  First, a comparison with the inspiration piece - a $1600 Restoration Hardware piece. I used a free plan created by Ana White. You can find it on her site www.ana-whitediy.com and search for Faux Printmaker's Cabinet.

I am such a novice that I didn't know you should make sure all the 2x2's are squared up with the top/bottom/sides before continuing.  I had a small square and thought that was what I needed to check.  Sometimes it was every so slightly off, but I thought ok.  I learned 'ever so slightly off' at the join can mean an inch off at the top. Oh my.  I had the frame all built, but after building the doors and drawers, and them not fitting correctly, I realized I had to do something different.  I adjusted and adjusted the drawer slides to make them work.  I rebuilt two of the drawers and made sure they were square.  But before you think I'm 'so talented' check out the back - ha!

 When your center supports are crooked you get to shim up the sides of the drawer slides, or the drawers pull out crooked. And here you see another mistake. I had to cut this drawer down, hence the half pocket holes.

 This one is pretty messy, but it worked!  Obviously, I am not a perfectionist.  My motto has always been finished is better than perfect. The piece has no back, of which I am glad. Easier to get to, to adjust the drawers, and I'm still thinking of how I could take it down to those supports to make them straight, but then I'd have to remove all the rigging I did....goodness.  It was a job trying to experiment my way to making it work.

But, when it was all said and done. I do love it. This drawer turned out well.

 I had to get two different kinds of hinges before settling on one that would be completely concealed. Then I had to practice mounting them by screwing them in spare boards and playing with them.

 I used Varathane Special Walnut stain then went over it with Weathered Oak to tone down the red some.

 I originally bought the cup pulls like the inspiration piece, but realizing they would have to be screwed in from the inside with a countersink bit, I changed to these little vintage ones. I love them and think they really make the piece special.  Easy to install and cheap at only about $20 for all of them.

 I tea stained card stock which was printed with numbers in the typewriter font.

So there you have it, not perfect, but something I learned so much from, and am glad I attempted it. And it looks great in our room.

Cabinet project

Pretty sure I bit off more than I can chew on this project.  I've worked very hard the last two days.  My legs are so sore from constantly being up and down.  My whole body is sore.  I've made over 100 pocket holes (the slanted hole for hidden screw joinery) and I'm just now to the "hard part."  So here is a play by play...frame of 2x2s half built...

 Frame finished....

Board for drawer fronts and doors cut.  Got the doors put together.

Whew!  getting that top on was a job.....cause the corners and boards weren't exactly square.

 Figured out several ways to make things work.  Clamps are a must.

 Played with stains....decided on special walnut.

 This Kreg tool is 'da bomb for making pocket holes....

 One side going in....

 This is how the doors and drawers will look when the hardware is installed.

Making progress. The plywood pieces are in.

 On one board the grain goes horizontal.  To get all the plywood pieces out of only one board, I had to cut it like that.

 PLENTY  of mistakes were made, but that is how I learn.  Forgot to check the size of the nails in the nail gun. Oops.

 That's better. Nice and level.

Some of the problems I had to deal with were because of the imperfect boards.  However, if you are going to use the cheaper stock lumber from Lowe's or Home Depot, this is what you have to deal with sometimes - warped boards.

Ran out of the 1x6 boards, so decided to end the day with a little stain.

There are three different types of wood on this project so it will be very 'rustic' due to the imperfect wood and the different way each wood takes the stain.

The doors are just leaned against the frame below.  Just wanted to get a visual of how it is going to look.

Only one minor injury today. Honestly, I don't even remember doing this.

Tomorrow I plan to take a break on this project.  I'll get back to it on Monday and hopefully I'll have some ideas of how to get those drawers built and mounted, and the doors hung.

Cold MLK Day

It was a cold, cold day and a good one to stay inside.  I admire those who were out celebrating the life of Martin Luther King. "The time is always right to do what is right."

I celebrated at home sewing, decorating, and enjoying the day.

First up, I finished the sewing and quilting on the new Plus quilt.  Just need to do the binding.

I've really enjoyed making these quilts.  It's always fun to make one using nothing but scraps and stash.  Not too long ago I began adding some curtains and shades to some of our windows.  I am really liking the look.

 I've also been changing up the master bedroom a little and wanted to soften the look by adding the sheers in that room too.  Here is the before curtains.

 And here is after I got one set hung today.  I really love the difference they made.  :)  It is subtle but so nice.

 Jesse, the one-eyed kitty, also enjoyed staying in the warm house today.  He wanted to go outside but each time we opened the door, he got a sense of the cold and turned around. Nope, not today.

 My son and family are currently in Oxford.  He was invited to be a guest lecturer. Yes, this momma is proud of her son.  They were able to do some sightseeing while there, and visited The Eagle and the Child, the restaurant where famous authors such as J. R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis would meet to discuss their writings.

Working tomorrow and dreading getting out in the frigid air.  Brrrr.....

2020 is Here

Hard to believe we are in the year 2020.  I read the other day that we are as close to 2050 as we are to 1990.  Crazy!  So, I have a lot of things planned, but first wanted to document some photos.  I've got the "twins" dressed for a new season...

 I've got a finish for the new year and this little pattern is addictive.  I've already started another.  And all from scraps, which is the best kind of quilt!

Like the quilts on the twin beds, these will be a boy and girl version that I will eventually use for gifts or donations, if I can part with them.  :)

I think I've finally got my wild yeast sourdough bread down pat!  This was a boule version. It is now to the point where I only feed it once a week.  I split a 1/2 cup out on Friday evenings, feed it, then feed the mother and put her back in the fridge for another week.  The part split out will make bread for that week....or rolls, or muffins, or cinnamon rolls, etc.

I also have a woodworking finish to start the year.  The hubby got me a jig saw for Christmas so I made him a fishing rod storage rack.  Hopefully we will get it mounted on the wall today.

He has a two week fishing trip coming up and I've been wanted to build a console table to go under our TV.  I found this plan and have decided to make it.  Eek!  it is really out of my building comfort zone as I've never done drawers and doors.  It is a faux printmaker's cabinet.

 It has three drawers at the top and three doors, that look like small drawers, on the bottom part.  Jen Woodhouse www.jenwoodhouse.com build the piece in 2012 (if you don't follow her, and you love wood working, you should!).  She asked Ana White (of DIY fame, another one to follow) to write the plans.  They are free on her website, www.ana-white.com

 This piece from Restoration Hardware, below, is the inspiration for the piece.  It will set you back over $1600.  I think I can build it for about $300 in supplies.

I found this pic on Ana Whites website of one someone made.  They adjusted the height some, but isn't it beautiful?? I love the texture of the wood pieces....and her pulls!  I can't find these pulls that are not crazy expensive so I decided to go with the small black cup pulls like in the inspiration picture above.

Stay tuned....I hope to have this baby build in about 3-4 weeks.  I won't start until the hubby is out of the garage....

I'm still running to prepare for a half marathon.  I am signed up for one in Cambridge, England with my daughter in law, but right now not for sure I will go, since I made a visit just in December.

I'm experimenting with the decor in our master bedroom.  It needs some work.  I also plan to paint an old dresser while the hubs is away.  I picked up these two lamps yesterday.  I'd love sconces but the bed is so big and sits away from the wall enough that it wouldn't be comfortable to turn them on and off.  I thought about putting these on the night stands but they fit fine on the headboard.  Not sure if I'll keep them.  I have plans to put up curtain rods and sheers so I'll see how that looks before returning them.  I actually like them a lot, but the hubby doesn't like change so he is.....not a fan yet.

 So this morning I am sitting drinking some hot tea and enjoying the views around me. I don't know what it is but it really does bring a smile on my face to decorate our home.

I'm one of those people who get my energy and peace from being at home. Hope you are enjoying your space as well, or if you are one of those who gets it from being around other people and out and about, enjoy your day as well!