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Post by choney2 on Apr 15, 2019 10:54:29 GMT
Good morning and Happy Monday!
All crafters are welcome here as we discuss crafting, life and our weight loss journey. Crafting includes actual hands on crafting, such as crochetting, knitting, sewing, quilting, needlepoint, painting, jewelry making, etc.....plus reading craft catalogs, craft blogs, watching craft you tubes or other crafting videos, chatting here about crafting,chatting with another person about crafting, reading craft emails, thinking about crafting, organizing crafting supplies, going into craft stores or the craft aisle in a store , attending craft fairs,or any other activity that inspires or directs your mind toward a crafting activity. We welcome newcomers to our friendly discussion.
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Post by choney2 on Apr 15, 2019 11:38:45 GMT
Good morning!
Happy tax day too. Yuck. We had to pay the federal government this year- but we lost several deductions in 2018 now that Dd#2 has graduated college and is filing for herself. Our check went out last week...
CJ- yes I am also going to use Best Press- it was part of my Joanns order that came last week. The LQS that I am taking the BOM class at suggested it and I figured I might as well get serious about this and use the stuff By the way, they also suggested a mister that hairstylists use....you pour the best press into it and it provides an even stream of mist as opposed to a more sloppy spray that the Best press sprayer provides. Indeed you are inspiring with all the stuff you have gone through to down size and eliminate items left by your parents. How did you ever resolve all those framed items that your dear father hand crafted? Thanks too for the poshpooch link- while back I thought it would be a nice idea to get rid of extra yarn and make a simple (emphasis on the word simple)dog coat for my best friends pooch. Perhaps I will find a nice coat there. Hope that the rain ends quickly for you and some good weather follows!
Sue, that is a bummer that your Dh’s caregiver is going to be leaving you. He sounds like such a special man, who has really risen above and beyond the call of duty. Of equal importance is that Dh likes him. Being a caregiver does not pay well, I have another friend whose daughter worked for an agency in adult caregiving and also had to take on another job because it does not pay well. I hope that you are able to find someone else to fill in as needed. Its important for both you and Dh. Funny that your mom was actually OCD....and a bit of a perfectionist, as evidenced by her perfect organization and storage of slides/pictures. My mom was the same way. Her house was a dreadful bomb out zone- the realtor who saw it before we did our extensive and major cleaning/painting/repairing said it was the worst case of a house in stress that she had ever seen. But yet- it you opened my mom’s linen closet it was perfectly organized. And my mom’s crochetting/knitting/crossttich was perfect. She was incapable of being perfect in her housework and therefore chose never to take that on. Sounds like your mom was the same way. Hope you can see some more yard as the temps increase and spring spreads...
Ruth, bet that felt amazing that Dd wore the dragon scarf the whole time you were there! Sure seems like DGS is in that growth spurt period- which is a challenge to keep him in clothes that fit and shoes! I know you are still working on the bunny, do you think it will be done in time for Easter? How many tomatoe plants do you hope to have? Is there a variety that you prefer over others? When is the new shed supposed to be delivered?
Yesterday just ran away from me....I wanted to post last night and was just too tired. Got to church in the am- where I had nursery. Then we went to the wedding venue to finalize the details for the reception. Which worked out pretty well. On the way home we stopped at the place that we are ordering the wedding favors from, and took care of that detail. I decided to make a fire in the firepit- over the past few months I went through some of my mom’s paperwork that can now be elminated- tax returns from the 1960’s and 1970’s. So, in with the wood, I burned that. (It was a good night to burn with low winds and rain on the way to make sure the fire went out). I still have 4 boxes of papers to burn, so that should keep me busy for awhile. Think today, because its supposed to rain, Dh is going to work on sanding the little bathroom, so that I can paint it. The walls and ceiling needed some work...and I am hoping I can convince him to let me get a new light fixture to update the look a bit. Hope I can work on my quilt block a bit when he is sanding.
Have a great day.... Hi to Phyl, Meg, Becky.....anyone else I missed. Ginny
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Post by gramma15 on Apr 15, 2019 16:17:16 GMT
Good morning Ginny and all who come in later. It's starting out overcast again today as it did yesterday so hopefully it clears up, again, as it did yesterday Yes we had to pay also but then we've had to pay for a long time so no surprise there.At least the amount didn't go up much Yes it does sound as though you had a busy day We don't have a fire pit. OUr one neighbor does but most of the time in the summer he can't use it because the fire ban includes firepits and even charcoal grills. As far as paperwork goes I probably don't keep mine as long as I should now but I checked with the "experts" and keep them only as long as is recommended. People always told me from even way back in first grade that I was a perfectionist but I never believed it because I was like your mom, Ginny. Some things had to be perfect and I still struggle leaving even the most invisible mistake in my crocheting and that's why I'm not really comfortable showing picture onlinne like some people do or giving my finished projects away because even when there is no mistake I always think that the other person or people won't think they are good enough. My linen closet if like your mom's and I even put labels It's a mess now. And that's why I can't get my craft cave organized because I want it to be perfect and it really can't be...at least to me it will never be. But I'm better about all that than I used to be. Looking at my house no one would think it is owned by a perfectionist. Tomatoes are cherry tomatoes. We've grown those for the last few years. This year I bought different seeds. I ordered online from a company that is supposed to have really good seeds since last year, not only didn't the zucchini get fruit but the tomatoes didn't do well either. Dh is thinking green beans in the spot where we had the zucchini last year. It doesn't get much sun so we'll see how the beans do.That could have been a contributing factor to why the zucchini didn't produce but then again, as I mentioned, we never get zucchini on our vines.We do have green bean seeds. It sounds like you are really getting things done for the wedding. Is there much more that you have to do? I know it's a huge job trying to make sure you have everything done and ordered. The bunny should be done either today or tomorrow. I didn't end up working on it last evening after all. My plans seem to change a lot. Now I need to go call the car dealer and see if that saleswoman is in today since we didn't stop there on Saturday as planned. Dh had one of his headaches so we went directly to dd's house instead. If we had stopped and picked up the car dh would have had to drive and he doesn't like to drive even when he's feeling well.That's why I asked the saleswoman if their shuttle could pick me up to pick up the car and she offered to bring it. Oh and when you mentioned that the concert was next week I was thinking, for some reason, that it was Sunday and it was SAturday. That's why I thought it was odd that they would have a concert on EAster but it's not on Easter it's on Saturdy. I hope you can attend and that you enjoy it.
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Post by choney2 on Apr 15, 2019 17:18:32 GMT
Hey Ruth, As far as the firepit goes, we are under a statewide burning ban....but when I read the law it indicated that it was for open burning of brush. I was burning some small pieces of wood, sticks and paper. And its well controlled and also covered by a spark screen. I do understand the perfectionist thing...which I overcame several years ago. Yes there are certain areas in which I am obsessive, but I get so little cooperation here that I just do the best I can and accept imperfections. I kind of figured that you were very hard on yourself with regard to your crafting, its been mentioned more than once that you had to take apart what you were working on to correct a mistake. Cherry tomatoes are great because they go well in salads but can still be used in recipes. I well remember that you have never had much luck growing zuchinni. Hope that the green beans work out in their new location for you. Here, they are pretty easy to grow, as long as the wildlife do not eat the plants. Fresh green beans are wonderful.
Little by little the wedding plans go on....think tomorrow I ought to be able to finalize the order for the favors, and then its up to Dd to order the invitations. Gotta find dresses for the DGD’s, I would like the girls to wear matching dresses if possible. (DGD#1 is a flower girl). As Dd#2 babysits for them a lot, it would be sweet if all 3 grandchildren walked down the aisle together (DGS is ring bearer). Kids are kids...who knows how that will go.
Hope that you can make an arrangement to get the car delivered- and I also hope that Dh’s headache is gone.
DD stopped by this am with the kids...we were hoping to go for a walk and then the rain started. So we just stayed inside and visited. Dgs was not feeling well so it was just as well. He is still not over the virus.....has really no symptoms other than being tired and a fever. So glad school is closed so the kids can get better.
My box of goodies came from sparrow quilting. Cannot wait to give the new toys a try- and stipplng with the templates.
Ok enough from me.... Ginny
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Post by phyl on Apr 15, 2019 17:49:37 GMT
good afternoon ladies,
in awhile I will be in my playpen. need to figure out what to take to sew day tomorrow.not like I don't have alot to choose from.lol
I have one of those spray bottles.love it.ordered it last august from the quilt shop 60 miles from here. we were up there for pie day.when they came in they only had green ones.they also have pink now.
thought about getting the pink one for water.
ruth don't so be hard on yourself .most people wont' noticed the mistakes. they do that means they are looking for them.
a neighbor years ago a great knitter ,said "phyllis even the best knitters rip out" even with quilting we make mistakes. notice some of the most expert quilters can have mistakes. I have notice in local quilt shows some quilts will have mistakes.
Now if was going to a big aqs show I would want everything perfect l have mistakes.
on another thread there is a poster who works with polymeyar clay.she is hard on herself also. she does beautiful work.
I would not have the patience to work with scale down that small.drive me nuts. god did not make humans perfect.so why do we thing our crafts have to be so perfect the eye cannot see a goof?
time to get moving. sue did j and his friend rent one of your units? phyl
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Post by gramma15 on Apr 15, 2019 18:35:35 GMT
in the summer they are very strict and don't even allow fires with spark screens. Just too many wildland fires have happened and the ones on the mountain were particularly bad and threatened houses so they don't want to take chances. I'm very sure that you are extremely careful with your fires. I think that acually most fires here are started by lightening or people throwing lit cigarettes out their car window. I'm glad you had a nice time visiting your dd and the children. Sorry the little boy is still feeling bad. Yes the wedding will be very cute with the children in it and your dd seems like a relaxed person who can enjoy her wedding even if the children do something "childlike" Have fun working with your new "toys"
Yes I can sure relate to your mother's perfectionism. I've always believed that when you are a perfectionist you realize that certain things can't be perfect due to circumstances and others around you. So sometimes you don't even try to do certain things because you're afraid that they won't be perfect or you absolutely know it won't be perfect. Like housework for instance. We know it's never going to be perfect so we get discouraged and don't do what we should.
Yes I say that I'm a recovering perfectionist because I can leave some non obvious mistakes now. For instance this morning I was working on the bunny and came to a knot that I had to cut out and where I joined the yarn back in I didn't pull the yarn tight enough and theres a little bit larger stitch opening than the other stitches have and I didn't notice that until several rows late. I was tempted to go back and do it over but then I told myself, well it's hardly noticeable and it is a toy and it's on the back so it doesn't matter. I think I mentioned once that an old friend on the old WW board made a sweater and bonnet for my youngest dgd. She said there was a mistake but she left it. Well since she mentioned it I looked for it...couldn't find it.It looked perfect to me.
Phyl, I hope you find something fun in your stash to work on tomorrow at sewing. I know you enjoy these groups. And I know you are so right about people being hard on themselves. I tell people on the crochet groups that all the time. People are always posting pictures of things they've made and saying they're not happy with it but in actuality it looks perfect.We are our own worst critics.
I spoke to the saleswoman and she promised to bring my car today. I hope she brings a coworker to drive her back there so that I don't have to go out.
Now I have the two bunny pieces done but need to put on the face. I would like to make crochet eyes rather than safety eyes but I don't have the thread I need so will have to wait unless I think of something else to use. I do have navy blue...do you think navy blue for eyes would be ok then instead of black for the nose/mouth feature I could use pink which is what a bunny should have anyway for a nose I think. Yep, problem solved.
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Post by cj59 on Apr 15, 2019 22:53:40 GMT
Hello Crafters - Hope you are doing well today
I'm glad if I've inspired any of you to do some decluttering, if you wanted to do it that is I wish the best to anyone that tackles the job.
I'd been wanting to do this for many years and it was really getting me down that I kept putting it off. So it does feel good to have so much done. There is still more to do, but I feel like I've done the bulk of it now. I've decided that I'll stop any major projects now until after summer is over. Then I'll try to go through the house again and get rid of some more things. Hopefully by then some of my parent's things will have been distributed to my siblings. I have a donation pickup set up for next week so that will be it for awhile.
Maybe now I can do some crafting I did do a few test blocks for the Warm Wishes quilt, because the measurements for cutting the fabric didn't make sense to me, but the test blocks turned out alright. So now I can start cutting into my good fabric. I think I bought some of this fabric at a store in North Carolina about 10 years ago. This store was unbelievable - they have so much fabric and I didn't have a stash back then so I was building it and bought a lot of fabric when I was there.
Look through these photos to get an idea of all the fabric they stock:
www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mary-jos-cloth-store-gastonia?start=30
I also did a little stitching on the binding of a table runner. I'd sure love to get that done - it's several years old And I have one project on my sewing table ready to baste (I want to hand baste it) and then I'll hand quilt - maybe using the big stitch. It's just a small wallhanging size quilt.
I always thought the reason I was bad about housecleaning was because I'm lazy, but I do think that being a perfectionist might be part of it too. It seems that no matter what I clean it still never looks clean, so I just give up.
The weather here is very windy today, but sunny. We got all that rain last night and high winds too.
Take care everyone!
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Post by gramma15 on Apr 16, 2019 0:07:57 GMT
I clicked the link, CJ and nothing came up but an ad for Yelp. I think it's a fantastic idea to wait till after summer to get back to organizing your possessions. Not that I'm trying to enable but you've already accomplished a great deal. It has to feel good to have all that done. And the projects you have in mind sound like good ones too. Yes and another thing about the housekeeping is when you're a perfectionist you can't do a few minute cleaning like some people do because instead we go into a room and have to clean out all the drawers, the shelves, the closets, etc. No just running in and doing a quick dust, pickup, and vacuum. When cleaning the one bathroom the other day I had to stop myself from taking out and organizing all the stuff under the sink inside the vanity which is already as organized as it can get
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Post by choney2 on Apr 16, 2019 13:17:26 GMT
Good morning, My former occupation with a split schedule forced me to reevaluate how i did my housework and break it into chunks. As I was never able to look at an entire day and say to myself-“lets clean the kitchen”- I had to see things as periods of time- that if I had 10 minutes to spare I could empty the dishwasher, another 10 minutes to sweep the kitchen floor...etc.....Had I not done that Nothing would have ever gotten done. I do well remember my mom mentioning that she never wanted to do housework because my father was a slob. Perhaps he was(He is gone 35 years now)- but my mom was far too easily distracted by stuff she wanted to do or did nothing. And she had some strange ideas about housework. When I cleaned/cleared out her house there were tons of cleaners (unopened) each promising to do their job without any work! (An appeal to her0. Of course, all housework requires work....so she was intrigued by the uniqueness of the new cleaner. Whatever. She was one funny lady, but a TERRIBLE housekeeper.
CJ- that Mary Jo’s store sounds amazing! (Gee can we all meet there?). Sounds like quite a place, and it must have been so much fun to visit. Sounds like you have a good plan to get some quilting in. I agree, you have accomplished so much, and do remember how it really bothered you that you had to take this task on. Perhaps there is still work to be done but you have proved to yourself that you can do this and not have it overwhelm you. (Although it does seem overwhelming at times). Take a break.....get some quilting time in and return to decluttering in the fall.
Ruth, I sure hope that your car is delivered today and that you do not have to take the driver back to the dealership! You have waited long enough, it sure would be nice if they gave you what you have already paid for. I wonder what has taken them so long? Yes, I think the blue eyes and pink nose for the bunny will be adorable. Problem solved.
Phyl- so the question of the day is what did you pick out to take to sewing with you? Glad you like that spray bottle too- I heard from my LQS that the best press bottle tends to spray too large a drop and clogs. THe sprayer eliminates that. Walmart.com also has the sprayer- which my LQS sold for $12, Walmart had it for $10.
Dh is sanding the bathroom ceiling (been waiting for months for this). Hope that by the end of the week I can get it painted and looking pretty. Got a little bit more done on the pillowcase last night Ginny
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Post by gramma15 on Apr 16, 2019 18:35:44 GMT
Good morning Ginny and all who come in later. It was great seeing everyone yesterday. I hope Meg is doineg ok and that Betty stops in now and then also.
Ginny, my mother was not a great housekeeper either. Looking back I realized she was depressed and also overwhelmed by the number of people packed into a relatively small house. She did not work outside the home until she was probably in her late 50's but still didn't seem to be able to keep the house as probably a lot of other people would have done.
Yes let's all meet at that fabric store. It sounds like a really interesting and fun place to be.
It's a nice day here today. Mid 60's already but it is windy.
We did get the vehicle yesterday. It was owned by one man this whole time. It's old but he kept every single receipt for anything that had to do with the vehicle except for gasoline and they were all their in the glove compartment. It's amazing the upkeep he did over all these years and the amount of money he spent for adding after market things to it and upgrading the things it did have such as the "audio system"And I can't believe the amounts of money he spent for things like oil changes! He did take really good care of all the mechanics of the vehicle...not so much the inside. I have a lot of work to do cleaning it but that was worth it to get more money off. I have a lot of time.Now that audio system is not something I'm interested in. I don't even listen to the radio as I drive.For an old vehicle it does have way to many of the "new fangled" bells and whistle most of which I'll never learn how to use in this vehicle or my new car. Why can't things be simple. Like my Ford that I just gave dd...it was mostly jump in and drive away.No navigation system, no fancy mp3's or smart phone connection,no backup cameras that I don't trust, no lane change alerts, or any of the other things my newere ones have that I'll never use.To me they're just more things to go wrong and are expensive to repair.
I did get the bunny pieces done ...there's just the back and front as the ears, paws, legs etc are all made in one piece. Haven't got the face on yet but will force myself to do that so that I can crochet the two pieces together. Then I started the hippo I'm making for my sister...long story which i think I already told you so won't repeat. I got the legs, body and half te head and what they call the snout done..it's a lot bigger than the bunny. Now the directions call for putting on the safety eyes which I did since it's not for a small child, and then sewing the stuffed snout to that lower part of the head then finish the head. So now I have ears and arms to do after I do the upper part of the head and it will be done. So that will be it for my gifts unless I decide to make her some cat potholders that I was thinking of doing. Then I can think about what yarn I want to use for te Cross throw for ds and ddil and the afgan for dgd and what pattern I want to use.If dgd didn't have such a long name I'd make one with her name crocheted into it. I've seen nice patterns for that.
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Post by cj59 on Apr 16, 2019 19:33:45 GMT
Hello Crafters Ginny - Hope you can get the painting done by the weekend, glad you are getting in some crafting. Ruth - I'm glad you were able to get the vehicle yesterday, sounds like the owner took really good care of it - I hope it will last you for years. I'm sorry the link didn't work yesterday, here's a few more to try: maryjos.com/store/ - store website www.yelp.com/biz/mary-jos-cloth-store-gastoniaMaybe the above link will work. You'd just have to look at the photos listed once you are on the yelp review page. The original owner passed away in 2017, and from reading the reviews it sounds like the store has gone downhill, or at least isn't catering to quilters as much. Too bad, there was so much quilting fabric when I was there. I had an eye exam this morning and took two older pairs of glasses to use the frames with the new prescription - but it was still an expensive trip. I can't believe how much glasses cost sometimes. I know I could find cheaper ones somewhere, so I should try that the next time. I haven't done much else today - I was out for about 4 hours and got up early so that pretty much wears me out Take care everyone!
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Post by snowsaint on Apr 16, 2019 23:40:19 GMT
I need a new burn barrel. We can burn from March 1 to November 30, depending on fire hazards in the summer when a general countywide ban can be imposed.
This afternoon I was outside and pulled some weeds from last summer. I'm sure I spread seeds everywhere! I saw some of the dwarf crocuses that are starting to bloom. They were hidden by the dead weed stalks! The areas under the pine trees were almost bouncy and were very wet. I was reminded of hikes in Western Washington today because of the dampness.
My Christmas cacti are blooming again. Plant fertilizer really helps the process. hb's plant that is over 25 years old needed some grooming today and will be repotted this week. I have two philodendron in the sunroom that need repotting as well as rerouting. I'm thinking about a trellis or a couple of hooks with some string. Some of the runners are long enough to create a drape like effect around the windows.
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Post by phyl on Apr 17, 2019 0:11:16 GMT
hi crafters, ruth gald you got a good deal on the car. hmm some people can take good care of the outside of the car and the inside is a mess.2 walkers and I don't know what else.
nita and dick are good friends, but the inside of their van is something else. don and I in it when it is the four of us.
when she hauls 4-6 of us on shop hops she has to put the seats back in.
she is not a housekeeper either. they live with their dd. they pay her waht it would cost them having lived in a trailer in Flordia nita has taken over the house with sucullets..does a good job with flowers outside.
I wonder what kay's house cleaning lady thinks.
almost did not go to sew day. got restless about 3 slept for awhile.up by4. later put hannah on the bus. came in and took almost an hour napthengot ready.
the quilt block I am working on/trying to is called a ribbon block. looks like a bow. nothing went right. came home bout 2.
I have made this block before. been a few years.
sure funny the day at he library and today things would not go right.
phyl
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Post by gramma15 on Apr 17, 2019 1:39:10 GMT
Phyl, I'm sorry to hear that your day at sewing didn't go well. It's funny how we can do something one time and then when we try it again it doesn't work for us...at least at first. I hope you can figure it out and actually I'm sure you will. Did you start the pink scarf again yet with your new yarn
Sue, I think my Christmas cactus has turned into a spring cactus. It started getting buds in Oct but the never opened and just last week what few hadn't fallen off finally opened. I did use fertilizer but maybe the wrong one or at the wrong time or something. He is one that I repotted the other day...twice. The first year I had it it bloomed right after Christmas and it kept getting later each year.
Well I finally got a couple things accomplished and have a casserole and brownies in the oven and I'm hoping to get my "crojo" back and crochet some this evening.
The one crafting thing I did today was look up yarn to help decide on which one to use for those two projects. Went to AC Moore site where they had a sale but they were completely sold out of every color of the one I was thinking of getting so I went to Craftsy ..or as it's called now BluPrint and I think I have it figured out so now I'll just order it and start one of those projects when it gets here.
Have a good night everyone
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Post by gramma15 on Apr 17, 2019 3:17:16 GMT
Well, someone in one of the crochet groups on fb just mentioned that LionBrand has yarn on sale for 10 for $10. It's all bulky yarn, thick and quick,the dreaded homespun, and woolspun..oh and one color of funfur.I think there may have been one other also. Anyway you know what happened. More added to my stash.I'd better get busy and quit procrastinating.I will have plenty now for some nice warm squishy blankets.
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