Feb Goals

First and foremost...I need to make it through next Tues.  By then the class play will be over.

Right now, I'm running on almost empty and my co is out with the flu.  Just trying to hold it together one more week.  Then I can get sick if I need to.  Til then, just keep going...just keep going...

Also, I pulled the muscle in my shoulder.  My stressedness isn't making it relax.  Can't get to the chiro til Thurs...workouts on hold.  Trying not to eat my stress.

Blarg.

Tonight's insanity was sewing a stuffed sheep pillow for Little Bo Peep.  I *hope* it's the last thing I have to make.  Have to check the list tomorrow.

I have a bajillion things I want to be sewing that I just can't do right now.

I'm thinking of using up scraps to make thank you cards for the post wedding thank yous.  If I start now, I have ample time to finish making them.

Anyway, this is just me rambling...sorry for the incoherency.

Back to Feb goals.

For my ONE MUST DO project for the year of lovely finishes, I'm picking the Project Linus Monster quilt.  I've got all the bits.  (It's a really simple quilt.)  It just needs to be basted, quilted, and bound.



(It's farther along than this, I just can't find a pic...or my photo card.)

In terms of the FAL, I've gotten 10 out of my 33 done.
My Feb goal for that one includes:  the Monster Quilt, the rainbow skillbuilder quilt, the superhero EPP (soon to be a tooth fairy pillow), and fixing the Pirate's apron (which I really should do before V day).  I'm aiming for 20 out of the 33 if I can make it...spoiler, March will include the Malka quilt, the monkey quilt, the 2 skirts, the star block and the hope valley projects.  If I can dent the March list this month, twill be glorious, but really...it's not likely.  Feb is admissions month, which means I work a 6 day week...and my parents are coming in early March, which is going to mean a MAJOR cleaning must occur...which means the sewing room will be on lockdown, since they'll sleep there...it is a guest room, at least in theory.

Anyway, if you made it this far, bless you....

still here...

but madly working away on class play stuff.  Getting close to the end.  (Show in a week.)

Today The Pirate came with me to load in the set in the theatre.  Even working non stop, it still took almost 3 hours to attach the faces to the tower frames and wheel the thrones there.

I am still on the hunt for green tights to finish the piranha plant puppet.  (*sigh* still not done with that one)

I finished my Madrona Road challenge for the Guild.

I think I like it, but I'm not sure I'll keep it.







I haven't really been doing much other sewing...a bee block.

I'm still behind on a couple of those (which almost NEVER happens).
It's paper piecing, so I need to not have play mind (aka swiss cheese head).

I have a billion projects I want to start, but I really should be finishing things from my UFO list.
Must finishes in Feb from the list are the rainbow quilt, the monster quilt, the superman EPP.

I'm trying to wend my way through at least half or more of my FAL list.

I feel like I'm in slow mo.
Trying to get some exercise back on the regular, since I gained a bunch of the weight I lost back.  LAME, I know.  I went back to Weightwatchers on Thurs.  BACK ON TRACK, Y'ALL!  Even though I want to stress eat an entire bag of Reese's.

Blarg.

Ridiculous!

The projects I've been working on this week, that is.

For the class play, I have:

constructed a warp tube.  (To be assembled tomorrow once the green sleeve is in the same room as the hula hoops....I still have to attach handles)

a Mario hat.

A stuffed mushroom/toadstool (aka Super Marios).

Knitted an Oscar the Grouch beanie.

Sewed the liner for Little Red's basket.  (Have to hot glue it into the basket tomorrow.)

Made a Peter Pan hat.


Left to do this week:

Fit the Godmother's dress.

Sew felt onto the Scarecrow's costume in lieu of straw.  (Waiting for the Scarecrow to give me her shirt.)

Get a feather for Peter's hat.  Alter his shirt.

Attach wings to the Big Bird costume.



Left to do in general:

Decide if I'm making a cube for the Mario scene.

Figure out how to make a  piranha plant puppet.

Assemble fairy wands.

Choreograph a dance number.

Choose all the sound cues.

Figure out how to make a magic harp costume.

Hunt up a Capt. Hook coat.



Geesh.  So, not so much quilting sewing this week.  Oh, yeah.  The play is the week of Valentine's.

Crazy Productive...

Well, I haven't gotten all I planned to do this weekend done.

Saturday, I was so queasy that The Pirate made me lie down for a few hours on the sofa.  I think it was virus #2 on top of antibiotic #2.  Ugh.

There was also a bit of "ooooo...shiny" syndrome.
I got caught up on my blocks for the Sisters' Ten.





I didn't get Pile O'Fabric's blocks done yet.

I decided to put my nose to the grindstone instead and hunker down on some UFOs.

To that end,  I finished quilting and putting the binding on the Scrap Vomit.  (#1 at least)



I did the two pillows to match it.

Scrap Vomit pillow #1



Scrap Vomit pillow #2




I finally got the binding on the Postage Stamp quilt.



I quilted and bound the Mystery Quilt.




I did the Christmas bunting for my mom that matches her Christmas tree skirt.



I pieced the Monster Quilt.  It still needs to be pinbasted, quilted, and bound, as does the Rainbow Skillbuilder.  Honestly, the only reason they aren't done yet is I had to go in to work and paint.

Three lollipop tree flats for the class play...oh, and much shopping for props and costumery still to do, but some done.

The washer guy fixed the belt on the washer.  We took the recycling to the center.

AND....I got my Save the Date cards finally addressed to mail.

Yup....CRAZY amounts of stuff done.

Woooo!

Handmade for Newtown

When Rachael from Imaginegnats asked if I wanted to contribute to the






auction, I said yes!

It took me a while to decide what to make.  Since The Pirate has loved using the shopping bags I made him, I decided making a special one was in order.

It will have other 80s related/inspired secret items inside.
Here's the auction link.

Bid big and often!

100% of the money goes to the Newtown Parent Connection.
The auction is open until 10 pm EST on January 18.

Weekend update...

So, we didn't do a picnic even though it was crazy insane hot (in the 70s) here.

We opted to sleep in instead.  Since I'm still fighting the ick, I didn't argue.

I had trouble getting focused today.

So, my list didn't get done.

I did finish as much of the hand quilting as I'm going to do on the How Far Will You Go quilt.  (Seriously, I could keep quilting it forever.)



Closeups
 

I also got the binding machine sewed on the Postage Stamp quilt.  No pics of that.  It will get done this week sometime.

Pinbasted the scrap vomit.  That thing was a BEAST to pin baste.



I should have taken pictures of the back which is this gaudy pink and chartreuse Hawaiian shirt material.  It's so hideous that I love it.  Plus, it was like $12 for all six yards.  The Pirate said it would be a lovely picnic quilt.  Which I think was his way of saying it's busy!

I still have to finish my long overdue Running With Scissors block....but it's going to have to wait til tomorrow, since my attention was crap today.


Because Jess co-sponsored the lovely QAL that the top quilt was from, I wanted to repost an appeal she made:

In the last week, we have had some major bush fires in Tasmania, and over 200 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged. I'm organising a quilt appeal to donate quilts to the kids who've been affected by the fires.

All the pertinent information is in this blog post: http://theelvengarden.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/tassie-bush-fire-quilt-appeal.html

If you could spread the word I would really, really appreciate it.

In addition to this, The Handmade Library is hosting an auction of handmade items. If you would like to donate something or publicise this, it would be greatly appreciated. THe Facebook group can be found here:http://www.facebook.com/groups/412433122165832/

If any of you want to help or bid, please check it out!

Dragging a bit....

I still have some finishing to do on my How Far Quilt (aiming for a finish tomorrow).

 This past week has been action packed:
lots of math one on ones with students who are confused
casting an hour long class play (that I wrote over winter break)
then helping kids deal with being disappointed (or learning how to be respectful with their celebrations)

Oh...and I got strep for the second time in a month (or never really got rid of the first pre-Christmas round)
 So...I'm not at 100% by any means. And many evenings this week have been spent snoozing with the dog. (Though I did get a dance class in once.)

 I did get some things accomplished. I am working on some bee blocks:

 Running with Scissors
 

 Boo Bee


 4x5 blocks
 

Heal Blocks
 

I finished an auction item for the Handmade for Newtown auction.
It's going to have some surprises inside.



It's got a very 80s vibe to it.  I LOVE IT.

I assembled my Anna Maria Horner belt.





My goals for Sunday:
Possible picnic with The Pirate
pin basting Scrap Vomit #1
Finish the Running with Scissors bee from Oct that is messing with my spatial probs
machine sew (as in one side) the binding on the postage stamp quilt
send in my Save the Date card order
but first, and foremost, finish the How Far Quilt!

I'm trying to stay on the momentum I've got going....and eat gobs of yogurt.