Today's project: Crazy quilting

A friend and I are working on an idea for a craft showing coming up, and this is not about that.  It's about the leftovers.

We've been collecting tshirts for our other project, and have a lot of scraps left over.  And I decided to do something with them since I'm sitting here monitoring a very quiet boy who is not feeling well but doesn't want me to speak to him or otherwise throw food at him on occasion.  So I'm sitting here close but not too close, and doing something with my time since my "real work" (ie accounting) is done for the morning.

It's a bit crazy, a bit scrappy, and hopefully, in a bit, will be a lap quilt.  I'm using the same techniques I picked up last year making two photo quilts and the year before making my first tshirt quilt.

The Joy of Sixth Graders

I know you probably read that title and think "Oh boy, what did they do now".  Middle schoolers get a bad rap sometimes I think.  But this is truly a story of joy....of sixth graders.

I was lucky enough to join in on a six grade field trip yesterday to the Big Meadows Visitors Center in the Shenandoah National Park.  The forecast was for a beautiful fall day; it was foggy, overcast, and rained.

I was so impressed with these kids though, that a little bad weather did not dampen their spirits!

We started with a literal "field" trip to learn about the Civilian Conservation Corp.  During the Depression, the CCC was established to create jobs and help build what we are now enjoying as the Shenandoah National Park.  We toured the field where one camp was located and read about the CCC on many plaques.  We ran around a field enjoying a scavenger hunt and learning.  Our feet and pants and heads were wet, but we had fun.  And sadly, I have to admit that this was the first time I had heard of the CCC, so I enjoyed it a lot!

Next we walked with the ranger out into the meadow and ran into this fella.  He was one of many we saw, and one time we were privileged to hang out and watch four bucks at one time.

We get to see deer on almost a daily basis; still seeing them in their natural habitat on such a beautiful foggy day was a real treat.

Our last stop was a hike.  Here's where it got really fun!  Just before we started this part of the day for our group, I ran into a few moms that said "good luck!" and "wow...it's really, really steep" and "you're going to break a sweat".   I was getting nervous.

Off we went down the Dark Hollow Falls trail (I know, sounds awesome, right?).  And by down, I mean every step took us down a trail for a total of 440' feet in a half mile.  Just trust me: it was steep. It was like walking down a staircase.   Every step down was felt in my knees, and honestly, I started to get more and more nervous.  Every step down meant the return trip was going to be straight up.  I decided to just not turn around, stay positive and focused.   But I was scared.  The Ranger said they do have to rescue people, and I did not want to be "that old mom" that had to be rescued on the field trip.  I can just hear it now: "Remember that field trip in 6th grade where the mom had to be rescued by the Rangers?"

We got to the bottom of the trail and oh my, it was beautiful.  It was well worth the trip down.   And as soon as we got there and enjoyed it a bit, we found out that we were really behind schedule to get back to school on time.  It took us 20 minutes to get down, and we had 25 minutes to get back up.  The teacher I was with asked if we could make it and I shook my head....no. No way.   Not gonna happen.

She took the front of the group and I happily brought up the rear.  And by rear, I mean last man up.  But I wasn't alone, and enjoyed the company of these awesome kids on the way back up.  It was not easy, in fact, it was the most strenuous thing I've done in a long time.  About 1/2 way back, my last two buddies were really starting to complain, getting light-headed (we breathed together) and I realized I just needed to distract us all to make it to the top.

So I just started talking about random things.  All kinds of random things and I can't even remember what most of them were.  But at one point, I shouted out

"Hey, how much older than you do you think I am?" 

And this is where I fell in love.  My group of two grew to a group of 8, all curious as to this lady just throwing out this age question at random, and I was so tickled at how energetic they became!  I expected to hear 60 or 89, but instead they guessed 25, 31, 40.  And I kept them guessing for a long time as it was really entertaining us all.  I finally fessed up and told them my fabulous age.  They did not believe me.  They all but accused me of being a liar.  One kid said even if I pulled out my driver's license, he would know it was a fake.  The final consensus was that I was not a day over 31.  

So for one day,  I learned, laughed, got wet and made it up the hill without having to call out the search and rescue team.  

And I was not a day over 31. 

Dumpster Living?

I definitely couldn't go as far as this professor did by living in a dumpster, but I do like his style!   University professor Jeff Wilson moved into a 36 square foot dumpster on the property of the university where he works to prove that having less really can make you happier (well, at least that's my take on it!)

No, I can't go that far as I really do like indoor plumbing (which is coming to his abode).  But I do like cleaning out and living with less.  I've started with closets.  We "needed" more space in our master closet, but first I decided to take everything out and start fresh.  Yesterday I took two more bags to Goodwill, and added 9 and 14 pounds to my running tally for a total of ((drumroll please))

45.5 Pounds!!  

Guess what?  We have plenty of space, just less stuff "stuffed" in there.

We are not major shoppers or clothes hounds, so this sounds like a lot to me.  But now that's it's gone, I really don't miss it, and realize that our closet is plenty big for two of us.  A friend asked me what in the world I gave away (knowing that I don't hang onto clothes) and I honestly couldn't answer her!  Out of sight, out of mind.  And for those 45.5 pounds of stuff I gave away, I did treat myself to a few new pieces that I love: 4 new in, 45.5 pounds out!

My goal is to have empty space in every space....one closet at a time.

5 things Friday and an updated decrapify total

It's been a busy week!

1)  I added to my "decrapify" total and took another bag of clothes to Goodwill today.  Today's total: 14 pounds, for a running total of 22.5!

That bag of clothes came out of here, the master closet.  It's amazing the things you find when you pull it all out.

2) I jumped in (against my own head telling me to finish one project before jumping into the next).  I've been itching to redo the master closet to better fit our needs, and there's no better way to clean out the extra clutter than pulling it all out and seeing what you have!  It all comes out, and only what is really used is going back in.   Hence, the 14 pounds (so far) of stuff that is already gone.

3) This.  People on my roof in the middle of a really hot day and walking three stories up like they're on the ground.

4. Leaks.  Ah yes, the glories of an almost 20 year old house.  A little leak in the dining room is connected to porch issues which is connected to roof issues, and decaying fascia boards are connected to shot gutters.  Let the quotes begin.  We are lucky as this house is generally very solidly built, and these are normal things to take care of in a home at this age.  #fabulousandtwenty?

5.  It feels like summer in September, and we're all getting tired of it (including the roofers).

Giveaway tally in pounds:De-clutter your house

Over the past few years I have worked to de-crapify the house and get rid of stuff we don't use any more.  If I don't stay on top of this and de-clutter the house bit by bit, it would get ahead of us in no time.

I have no clue how many bags of stuff that have gone to Goodwill or passed along to friends. Most of the boy's clothes has gone to a teacher friend that works in a lower income part of our county, and those outgrown items have gone to someone that needed it.  Once I took a bucket of things to a consignment store, but the payout was not worth the work, and they took only a fraction of what I took in.  I ended up bringing most of it home.   We have done a yard sale, and it was a little fun, a lot of work,  and again, a large amount of stuff that then had to be piled in the van to take to Goodwill at the end of the morning.

The point is, though, isn't where the stuff went, but that it went.  Away. Out of our space, and into someones hands that have a use for it.  Whether you give away, yard sale, consign or Freecycle, just DO IT!

De-cluttering on a regular basis, closet by closet or shelf by shelf keeps it under control.  You can de-clutter your house without taking on a major project.

I keep a bag close at hand, usually in my closet, and anything I put my hand on that needs to be passed along goes in the bag.  When the bag is full, it goes in the car and is given away.  

I wish I had kept a log or tally of what has gone OUT of the house in the past few years (I've been brutal).  So I thought I'd start today, and keep track in pounds.

Today's "declutter the house and decrapify" total is EIGHT POUNDS!

Now if I could just lose weight as easily, we'd be in business.

Middle school and deconconstruction

They don't have anything in common as there isn't anything being torn down at the middle school.

But as I spent the day yesterday deconstruction the loft bed in the boy's room, the two seemed to be more similar than I imagined.

Letting go. And being excited about it.

Seeing the boy head off to a new adventure and challenge with a smile made me feel excited for him.  Yes, I could mourn the days of him being little, or I could embrace the excitement of seeing him grow.

The few people that knew I was also taking down the loft bed  were surprised.  They wondered how I felt, if I was disappointed, sad or mad even that he didn't want it in his room after a year and a half.

Nope, not a bit.  When he was hinting that he was ready for a change, I jumped at it.  Out with the lumber and in with a bigger boy's room that suits him now.  And if he wants to paint over the batman wall, that's OK too.  I'm not attached to what was, but embracing what is to come....it's exciting!  Now we plan for a bigger bed, new shelving, and a new installation in his closet.

 Yes, those are patched holes on the walls, and a snake in the floor, but wow....how huge is that room?  For now we are just using the single bed from the guest room, but that will probably be upgraded to a larger size.  When I asked him about his "theme" for his room, he looked at me like I had three heads.  Theme?  Oh no, this will not be a themed room.  I was just trying to get a feel for direction....sports? Orioles? Superheroes?

I think yes, that will be the theme.  All of the above, and whatever else he likes.  Within moderation, I like to let him do what he wants to liven up his own space.  

And we won't talk about the spare room....oh no...and it's worse than it looks.  I just couldn't bear to open the door any further than this. 

New projects.....new rooms....new schools.  

No looking back.  It's all good.

5 things Friday

I'm not sure I can keep this to 5 things, but I'll try. Here goes:

1. Today is my 27th wedding anniversary.  Yes, we were children (not really, but I like to think so....it makes me feel younger!)
2. With school starting next week, we're busy with back to school shopping, back to school night, and enjoying our last few days of summer. 
3. My mind is going 1000 miles an hour realizing that I'm on my own again next week during the days.  I hope to increase my work hours/client load, but in the meantime, I have many many projects in the plan already. 
4. The boy decided he's ready for a "real room".  That means the loft bed is going to be moved and/or converted.  I've sensed it coming, and I'm fine with it.  The great thing about building things from boards is that when you're done, you are left with boards that can be resized or reused.  You aren't left with a piece of furniture that needs to be moved or sold or given away.  
5. On my "needs to get done short list": clothes shopping for my mom, master closet reorg, loft deconstruct, bedroom redo, more decrapifying, clean eating planning, decide if using a few coupons is worth the time and more.   

So is that technically five? I'm not sure, but it's all in there in neat numbers!

 And no, I'm not one of those moms that goes dancing around the aisles of the store singing and happy to be rid of her kid.  (Ok, well I did do that at Target last week, but only to embarrass him. It worked).  I enjoy the days and our time together;  there are the times of incessant "I'm bored" that drives me bonkers, but mostly we just had fun.

But it's time to move on to the next adventures, and I'm excited for whatever it brings!
 

How to bond with a pre-teen boy

On the even of starting middle school, we went by the old elementary school to check out some construction that is going on there. And if you see a huge pile of dirt you have to play 'king of the mountain', right?           I went around to the top, and he climbed straight up. I stood and waited for him (it was quite the climb!). He got to the top with two feet and no flip flops. One was visible, and he scooted back down and got it.                 The second was not as obvious, so I climbed halfway down to help in the search. We dug and dug with sticks but couldn't find it. We NEVER found it.     The flip was flopped, and we actually had to finally give in and give up!   The dirt was very loose, and when you stepped down, you really sunk....that flip flop is buried somewhere on the playground along with a tooth he lost in 2nd grade.    We can home filthy dirty and happy.  You really can't climb a huge dirt pile and not laugh.                                       It's really not hard to bond with boys....meet them where they are, even if you have to get a little (or a lot) dirty to get there.

5 things Fast

I know....I'm missed the last couple of Fridays (seriously...has anyone seen them?) and with only two more Fridays before school starts, I want to get back on some type of schedule.

So here is the best I could come up with: 5 Things Fast for Wednesday:

1. The skylight above my acupuncturist's table is in a perfect flight path to the airport. 
2. I have had good hugs and loves from all our missed pets in the last 2 days: we missed them so much being away, and we know they missed us.  
3. Did you know that cats, in addition to being able to purr, really snore a lot?
4. The dirty laundry from last week is still sitting in front of the washer.  Busy work week and the last days of play before school starts take priority.  Well, anything and everything I can find takes priority over laundry. 
5. I'm hoping to have a more fun "5 things Friday" back in the rotation soon, along with some new ideas to keep me on task as winter approaches.  

Being Fabulous on vacation

We spent the last week on a (30 of dh's extended) family vacation in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.  This is us living large on the ropes course and feeling good!  It had 5 obstacles and ended with a  small zipline.  The next day, I joined my niece and nephew for the larger zipline course and had a blast.

 We fished, kayaked (love to kayak!), rode waverunners (56 mph!), tubed and more.

And yes, there was a lot of this by the lake.  

C'mon you #50andfabulous ladies, don't let the numbers hold you back. Get out (or up!) there!

#fiftyandfabulous: deals alert

Purchase a large drink (or XL), get a free donut.  Oh yeah....this is how you get 11 year olds to not be embarrassed when mom lays down the card. 

And it puts new meaning to the phrase "being carded".

Donuts.  #50andfabulous

The little things #fiftyandfabulous

I kept saying "where are my keys and phone and purse" and the boy started to say "you need to keep track of your own things mom".   Where could he have heard that?

But it's so true.

And as the fabulous years approach more and more, I need to do everything I can to keep track of  my own things.

 This simple hook from Target does the trick.  It's right at the top of the steps, and now the only thing I have to do is to remember to hang my stuff there.   If I can keep at it, I want to add a little basket to hold my phone too.

I thought about making a cute little place in the kitchen or piano room to house these things, but honestly, they need to be right in front of my face to make it work.

......

An added perk is it makes me appreciate this picture every day.   These are my three beautiful first kitties; the artwork was done by a former co-worker I knew at the time.  Now that they are all gone, I really treasure this all so much more.

The saga of building a cat friendly indoor doggie gate

Here's the issue: (and a look at the final outcome)

We needed an option to keep the puppy out of the basement without limiting the kitties access to the litter pans down there.  We've used a combination of baby gates (both leftover and purchased) and it's all been a pain.  Plus I'm over having baby gates around the house with an 11 year old, you know?

So I thought about looking for a dutch door, or cutting our existing interior door in half.  Then I would have to install a cat door in that door, and it would block sight to the basement.  I really just wanted a more open look, so I kept looking. 

I really didn't find any good options.  My DIY brain immediately goes to "just build it" but my working more brain goes to "just buy one".  But when buying one doesn't pan out, you go  back to building. 

I had the plan in my head of course (as I always do) and went off to buy lumber.  I think that happened back in April or May.  My plan was to build a frame from 2x4's, miter the corners and  screw them together.  I think I had the wrong screws (leftovers, no box) and they just wouldn't cooperate, and I got frustrated.  The gate and I broke up, and I left it in time out in the garage for three months. 

Here's comes July, and the door sat, and we still had the same dog/cat/litter pan issues.  And we were falling over the baby gate most days and it would go clanking across the floor and be a pain. 

So I went back to make up with the gate.  

With the right screws and some good clamps, I was able to secure the four corners.  The next step was the vertical slats, which I made to the same size as an opening in the basement to the litter pans: cats can go in, dog can't. 

Then the test: The dog walked right through.  #failnumber1

Horizontal slats came next: Hooray!  The dog was contained!!  She wasn't happy, but I was thrilled with myself and dancing the happy dance.

Test #2: A cat.  Mardi walked right through, got the deal, and had no issues.  Yay!!  Cat through, dog not, happy dance around the kitchen.  And if Mardi can do it, Raleigh would have no issues either.

Test #3:  Chocky.  OK, Chocky is a bit on the *heavy* side.  Honestly, at 18 pounds, she's downright fat.  I put her on the opposite side of the gate to make sure she would be able to push through (since it is the same opening size at the litter room opening, right?). 

#failnumber2.   And yes, I do think she was trying to melt me with her eye lasers.

But I get ahead of myself.  The gate is attached to the frame with great little magnetized latches.  I wanted something that would close easily and without any extra steps involved for the human members of the household. 

OK...back to the Chocky test.  She knew the deal: she approached, she started through, it was going well.  Then the back half of fat kitty got stuck.  As she pulled herself through, the awesome magnetic latches gave way and the door started opening and the more she walked the door just went with her.  She started hissing....at the door, the air, at me trying to help.  Hiss hiss hiss.

HISS.

And she was mad.  I needed to try it again so I could get a feel for how much larger the opening could be to let her pass.....#failnumber3

And there she sat.  No way was she getting close to that gate. 

So I have a cat that either needs to stay in the basement where the litter pans are (not acceptable to her), or a cat on the wrong side of the litter pan access (not acceptable in any way to anyone).

So at 7:30 last night I headed back to Lowe's.  They didn't carry the  stronger magnetized latches I saw online.   They didn't know how a latch rated for 12 pounds force converted to 18 pound cat-force anyway.  (Really Lowe's...your people should be better trained. I need a magnetic latch rated for 18 pounds of fat-cat force....how does that compute?) 

After I talked to the Lowe's guy (he was really helpful) and showed him my pictures and explained to him the dog and the cat and fat kitty issues and latches not rated strong enough for 18 pounds of cat force, we just decided on a regular old boring latch for the top. 

Four screws and a hole in the wall, and it worked.

Dog out, cats through, no hissing. 

I'm exhausted.

5 Things Friday

1. It's taken me three years to figure out our puppy's eating preferences.  I've always said she prefers cat food to the expensive dog food I've tried to give her.  Well, I was wrong.  I had her bowl separated from the cat bowls (to keep the peace), but finally moved her bowl beside the cat bowls.  She has eaten dog food ever since.  She just didn't like to eat alone.  We're still in training.
   
2. The puppy screen door is working great! I'm hoping to get a video of her going in and out soon to share. 
3. This has been the first week it's really felt like summer here....no schedule, no baseball, more pool time and playdates.  Working with nerf battles going on around you is challenging, but happy.
4. Snakes...I hate them.  Stood outside talking to a friend the other day and about 6 feet beyond the puppy (who was oblivious) was a nice little garden snake just hanging out, pretty well camouflaged.  That puts my gardening fun on hold for a bit until I get over the willies.
5. I've decrapified my hall closet.  It feels awesome.

Happy Weekend!

Easy summer jewelry: Stretch bracelets

Making bracelets with stretch cording is a fun and easy way to make some jewelry.  These four little cuties are headed to my great-niece today.  She loved the one that she wore in a wedding recently, so I decided to add to her collection.

Stretch bracelets are so easy and inexpensive to make: you are looking at less than $5.00 worth of beads (and I have leftovers that could easily make six more), and the stretch cord is just a few dollars.

This one is mine.  These beads were less than $5.  Will they last ad infinitum? Nope....but neither does my taste in jewelry! 

 These beads had holes in each side, and you just string them twice.  I use a gossamer stretch floss (.5mm) and a collapsible needle.

 Put a drop of glue on the knots to secure them...although I did wear this one a few times before I did that. 

I have a small wrist, so bracelets bought off the rack just fall off.  Making your own stretch bracelets gets rid of this issue! I love being able to make one that is just the right size and snug, which is the way I prefer them. 

 

I plan to make more...it's quick and fun!  And....it also detracts from the age spots on my hands!  #fiftyandfabulous

 

 

 

 

 If you don't have a beading store locally, here is a source list for your reference: (AMWN is an Amazon affiliate)
gossamer floss       collapsible needles     hypo cement

Privacy

I started blogging in 2004 as a way to share pictures of my son with family that was out of town and out of state, mostly his grandparents.  It was an easy way to get pictures online that they could see him as he grew, and I could add stories of our adventures and his accomplishments as they happened.  It helped them feel connected, and was a great option. 

I joined Facebook way before most people in my generation did.  I joined to stalk my high school and college aged nieces and nephews (and yes, I told them!) and keep in touch with family.  Then the boy came along and of course I shared the cuteness that he is there....doesn't every mom want to do that?

But we're entering a new season.  He's 11...headed to middle school. 

Last week I posted a picture of him with a new catcher's mitt and something probably about starting All Stars.  All public, non-intrusive information I thought. 

But he came home from church and said "You know mom, it's a little weird that people know so much about me before I tell them". 

Stop.  My heart just stopped. 

I asked him if he wanted me to completely stop posted about him on Facebook, and he said no, that it was just "weird".

But I've stopped.  If that wasn't a clear message that I should stop, I don't know what is.  It's weird.  Would I want other people to post stuff that I did (however surface) before I got the chance to share it? No. 

Of course he's not old enough to have a Facebook page, and he won't have one for a long time.  In the meantime there won't be updates about him on mine.  Or here.  I'm respecting his privacy. 

But I can give him the gift of sharing his own life, his accomplishments, his excitement over getting a great new glove.  I can also give him the gift of not sharing what he doesn't want shared.  As much as I've been careful to not share personal info, I haven't been 11 in a long time, so what is personal or important in my eyes may not be the same as his at that age.

Respect. 

We can't teach it if we don't give it.

5 Things Friday

1. It's baseball week.  After a great spring season, a fun group of boys is playing in the All Stars tournament for the next week.  
2. My new favorite word is "decrapify".  It is a computer term I learned with two dying/irritating computers, but I'm using it now to describe my summer organizing projects.  Decrapify.  And it's something you really need to do if you buy a computer off the shelf. Decrapify your new computer
3. My current decrapify-ing project is the hall closet.  Coats? Nope.  Rarely does a coat or o any other article of clothing hang there, so the hanging part is gone.  Enter all sorts of new shelves......but I only have the "before" to share at this point...  
   
4. My new jewelry obsession is stretchy bracelets: so easy to make and fun to wear. My current "client" has a wrist about 4.75 inches around.  I can't wait to send these to her!  And yes, you see one in there for me.  I have a really small wrist, and normal bracelets are really too large to keep on.
   
5. If you need me, look in the concession stand at the baseball field (see #1). 

Have a great weekend!

The three sweetest words a mom can ever hear

And no, it's not "I love you".   

It wasn't those three words, as sweet as those are to hear.  It was different.

Let me set the stage: He wanted to go fishing.   We went fishing in a nearby lake for three hours, just him and me.  We drank Gatorade and ate Pringles.   It was hot, midday, and we didn't catch one fish.  We had a lot chase our lures and we could see them, but not one that we reeled in.

In the midst of all of this, I thought he might be getting hot, tired and/or frustrated.

We were moving to a new fishing spot on another part of the lake, when he said very quietly

"This is fun". 

If you see me and think I'm glowing, it's not just the sunburn.  It's coming from the inside. I'm so lucky to have spent my day sweaty, fishy and burnt.

We'll be headed back out soon.  

ps: yes, we do wear sunscreen; and yes, we still get burnt
pps: the luckier fisher-people on the lake were using night crawlers. I was hoping for luck with the fake guys. Any suggestions to avoid me digging up worms is appreciated. I've done it, and will do it again, but would rather not.  But I will.

Whew...what happened to Fridays?

5 reasons why:

1. Wedding projects
2. End of school year projects and outings
3. Baseball
4. Baseball
5. A new computer bought for work that just didn't (work, that is), and after dumping to omany hours into it, I returned it.  I decided my trusty less-than-a-year-old computer was just fine, and then that computer broke.  No, I'm not joking, and yes, I had two work clients who needed things right then.  

I'm working/playing now on a loaner computer, have the new computer shipped off for warranty work, and a new work computer is on order.  Add a full week of VBS to that, and that's where the Fridays went. 

But enough of the whining, let's see what I was up to these last months I couldn't share until the wedding was over.  Want to see?  

Project #1:  

This was the MRS. to a fellow MR. pillow (before I steamed it...really it did look better).  My niece saw these on Pinterest, and in true DIY mindset, I was all like "I can do that better and cheaper".  If anyone wants a second set, I can whip them out in no time flat.  The first set took me a little finagling and fixes.  Can we agree that we won't tell her this isn't the fabric she picked out originally?  Thanks. Let's do that. 

The "MRS" part was added using "Wonder Under", an iron on product that is sticky on each side. I bought the type that does not require stitching on the edges.  

She picked out the font she wanted and printed it out to the size she wanted on the pillow.  I adhered the WU to the brown fabric, and then cut out the letters.  They looked like this....

....and then this. 

At this point, there is a paper backing on the paper that you remove, then iron for 30 seconds on each area until it is adhered.  I had my doubts, but it really was stuck on there.

Once the letters were centered and adhered, I stitched the fabric together to make the pillows.

The Mr. and Mrs. pillows were waiting for them on their chairs at the reception, and will hang out with them at their new house after that.