voile voila

 It is that time of year again.  Spring is finally here and that means the setting sun is in my dearies eyes at our evening meal.  It's enough that they have to try to choke down mom's food, being blinded from the light should not be one of their worries.   So, in the spirit of using what I have, a solution has been made. 

 I cut some cotton voile fabric I had on hand and plastered a doily on there.  Voila, a curtain that would make any home economics teacher wince.  I'm not one to follow the 'sewing rules', I pretty much do what I want in that department, but I usually get the job done!  I'm  not even sure the curtains are the same size, no worries.  It doesn't show up here, but I used a contrasting peachy coral thread and in real life it makes the whole thing pop.

As a side note, see my vignette of plates up there.  I switched them out from my white ironstone.  Yup, had all those on hand too.  Man, I am rocking this use what I have thing!   Tell me, what have you been doing with what you have on hand?

a simple gift

 

 The other day, I received a gift that I will treasure for the rest of my life.  My daughter asked me if I would help her make a potholder.  We had recently purchased these, but I didn't think she'd be into it quite so soon.  To my pleasant surprise she was!  I am a crafter after all and it makes my heart swell just a little to see my girl following in her mama's footsteps.

 

 

 With little guidance, she weaved the loops on the loom and all I did was help her finish it off. 

 

When we were done, I handed her a finished potholder and her smile said it all.  She was proud of herself.  Then she hands it back to me and says, "Here mom, I made my first potholder for you!  Will you treasure it forever?"  How sweet.  And yes, I will treasure it forever.  It's the simple gifts that are the best! 

a project of the utmost kind...

 Yes indeedy, those are yo-yos.  I won't even tell you how long it took me to make this handful. 

 I went out and bought myself a handy dandy little yo-yo maker.  Which I highly recommend so that said yo-yos don't become UFOs if you know what I mean.  Some of them made sans handy dandy maker were starting to look pretty wonky!

 

So, what am I making you might wonder.  Then again, you might not wonder, but I will tell you anyway.  It is my lofty goal to make a wall quilt.  Something similar to this, but not so big and not

really those colors.  Hmmm, I guess the only similarity between that and the one I'm making is that they are both made of yo-yos.  Good enough. 

I am in a use what you have modus operandi as of late.  Because I have found in going through my treasures ( see my last post) that I have many a crafty little bit to my name.  I sure hope I still like these colors in say ten years, because that's how long it may take me to get this done!

notes on simplification

I have kept it no secret here on this blog that I strive to simplify my life.  Constantly.  These past weeks have found me going through all of our worldly, earthly, treasure, sh*t as my grandpa would say.  We have too much stuff.  Even after going through all of it, we still have too much stuff.  But, now it is manageable.  So, what I've learned from my time doing the sh*t shuffle is this:

 * Having too much stuff is a big waste of time because 1) you are picking it up all. the. time. and 2) eventually you have to go through it when, let's say, you could be doing something productive like making a quilt.

* Kids don't need all their toys out at once.  Put some of it up and then rotate the stock.  They'll think they've gotten new stuff when you get out the packed away toys.  There's only so much stuff I can pick up while singing a merry little clean up song before I start sounding like a sailor under my breath. 

*  Going through it all is a lot of work.  Don't try to do it all in one day.  However, leave no 'stone' unturned and then when you are done, go back and look under each 'stone' again.  More stuff will be found that you can live without.  Guaranteed.

*  It's best to have time sans kids (especially when going through their stuff).  If you can't, then turn on music, make a game of it, make a pile and when they are in bed stuff it into boxes and get it the heck out of the house before they wake up, find the boxes and intermingle all their stuff together again.  Because it's always fun to go through the same stuff...twice.

* Don't strive for perfection (this is my downfall), let it be.  Just let it be.  Go with the flow and get done what you can.  While cleaning one part of the house, inevitably another part(s) will get cluttered, messed up, etc.  Take a deep breath and just let it be.  Chances are this house will never grace the pages of a decorating magazine.  Nor, is that really a goal of mine anyways. 

* Lastly, and this might be the most important one of all, treat yourself to something when the work is done.  Food is always a major motivating factor to me and so treats throughout the process kept the junk train going.

So, tell me are you in the midst of a spring clean out?  If so, how's it going?

A tisket a tasket....

there's new yarn in my basket!  Yes indeed, I've gotten myself some Swan's Island fingering yarn in Spring Green (what else?) to start a little Peasy for mama. 

 

It's time.  Time to start on a lightweight project because I can smell it in the air.  No, not my husband's work socks.  Spring!!! 


Hoping you've got a fling a window open spring day in your neck of the woods too. 

Easter

 

 

 

 

Wishing you a Happy Easter!  I'll be back next week.

a little bit of handmade





 

Lately, my workbasket has contained lighter weight projects, in anticipation of the arrival of spring.  I'm saying this of course as the ground is covered with snow.   The first is a little doily.  It's from one of my Japanese crochet books (they have the loveliest patterns).  I know doilies get a bad reputation, but I like them.  Fashionable or not, my home will always be brimming with doilies.  White or ecru are my favorites, but on occasion it's nice to bring out a little color.  I've bought all my Japanese crochet books from here.

 This is going to eventually be a blanket, also from a Japanese crochet book.  I'm using Cascade220 superwash in a grey colorway.  Some may think this blanket will be blah and boring, but I quite like it.  Especially with these pillow shams in grey mist.  Hmmm.  I might have to splurge. 

Those who've read here for a while, might think this blanket looks familiar.  I've made it in white.  One can never have too many crocheted blankets, right?   The ISBN numbers for these books are as follows:

    Doily (which is actually a crocheted placemat) on page 21 is 978-4-8347-2837-8

    Blanket (which is actually a bread basket cover) on page 52 is 978-4-415-10530-7

 

 I also copied the pattern to a vintage potholder I recently thrifted.  It was an awful green and white combo, I just bought it for the pattern and made one out of more refined colors.  I think it goes very well with my blue and white dishes.

 

     I had to throw this in the mix, even though it doesn't really fit with today's post.  It is my new Johnson Bros. ironstone pitcher.  It's made in England and it's got gold details.  Do you really have to wonder why I snatched it up?