A Wristlet Key Fob and Atlanta's BIG/LITTLE Snow!

Wristlet Key Fob


Although, I made it yesterday, I had bought the hardware at Christmas time to make gifts and ran out of time, procrastinated, didn't get to, gave up.  I really have no good excuse for why I didn't get to making them. Yesterday, we were iced in so I had plenty of time to relax and sew.  I took time for both!  This project is fun and uses a small amount of fabric and batting.

A Wristlet Key Fob!

Originally, I was disappointed with the hardware.  In December I drove everywhere, and I mean everywhere (Hobby Lobby, Michael's, JoAnn's, Hancock Fabric's numerous fabric stores) and couldn't find the hardware everyone else was using.  So, I gave up/gave in and bought what you see in the picture.  I was sure I wouldn't like it but I really like it now that it is put together.  Sure could have saved myself a lot of diesel fuel - don't tell my DH!

Making a Zipper Pouch Change Purse

My grand kids go to two different schools this year.  Next year my GD will go to the same school as my GS.  Each weekday my GD and I wait in the carpool line to pickup my GS.  There is a very nice parapro who organizes the pickup of the students and she always comes over and talks to my GD as we pull up for our turn.  Consequently, my GD is very excited about going to the BIG elementary school next year.  Well, we heard it was this persons birthday on Monday and said GD does not have school on Mondays.  We always find something special to do on Mondays so this time we spent the day making a zipper pouch change purse for the parapro's birthday.  Here is my GD sewing.

Sewing the zipper pouch change purse

Please excuse the very blurry picture.  We realized on the way to carpool, we hadn't taken a picture.  We pulled it out of the gift bag when we got into line and I tried to take a picture with my cellphone.  It is very apparent I did not get it in focus.  We quickly re-positioned all the pretty tissue paper in the gift bag.

Zipper pouch change purse - loved the bright cheerful fabric she choose!

Tuesday was Atlanta's BIG/LITTLE Snow Day!
I say this because here in the south a little snow and ice goes a very long way.  Everyone is laying blame on someone else.  However, everyone really stepped up to help each other out.  People took food to stranded motorists.  Others drove people if they had 4-wheel drive or 4-wheelers, ATV's, or other means of transportation that could work in snow and ice.  A facebook site was even set up to help people get help and scores of people were helped through it.  People were amazing!

Snow can be so peaceful and nice!

I am responsible for my two wonderful grand kids during the day.  One is 7.5 miles away on hilly windy roads and one is just under 2 miles.   When I saw the first snow flake I called the furthest one (a preschool and asked what their plan was)  the school district was releasing 2 hours early but didn't know what that meant for the preschool.  They were trying to make a decision as we spoke so I just headed out and picked up the youngest.  Soooo glad I did.  In the 30 minutes it takes to get out there and get her buckled and headed back the roads were already icing.  I slid three times and it had only been snowing for 30 minutes, it was crazy!  This put me in line for the other grandchild as he was getting out at carpool on early release but there was quite a delay.  Luckily, we are very close to the school and the only spot the road has curves and hills is our street - and it wasn't too bad.  Only two of us picked up kids from our street so I was driving on fresh snow.  Easy, peasy!

My husband left work 35 miles away at noon, he arrived 5 hours later.  Our son lives just 6 miles from his house it took him 2 hours.  Our daughter works 17 miles away but left at 3:00pm it took her 6 hours.  She couldn't get from her house to ours to get the grand kids because they closed the road between us.  They had a Snow Sleepover at Nana and Papa's house.  It was fun!

Sledding - this is the bottom of the hill!

Fun in the snow!

 Also, this week I made some progress on the Quilt on the design wall.  Here is a picture of my progress.

Added three more diamond shapes to the quilt layout.

My Mom made this coaster on her loom. 

I keep it by my sewing machine for my water.

Today started off very cold with icy roads.  They cancelled schools because the buses couldn't safely get to the kids.  The grand kids and I have had a lazy day.  However, it has really warmed up and the snow has all but disappeared.  Next week everyone will be back at school and I can get some more sewing done.

Have a great weekend.

Karen

I made a Design Wall

I needed a design wall to stage my blocks for my quilts and more importantly to get them off my cutting table.  I needed to come up with a way to hang it and I didn't have time to run down to Ikea to get their nifty hanging hardware.  So, what's a girl to do.....well in my world you come up with your own and improvise!   I wanted some of those cool little clamps.  It took me several days and a lot of trying to explain to various store personnel what I wanted.  Every time I would get a blank stare or a completely wrong item.  Finally, I found what I wanted with these.

I only needed the clamp and hook not the ring.  It came apart easily.  Plus they were on clearance at Target.   I attached them with wires to the dropped ceiling in my quilt/sewing room and attached white vinyl tablecloth yardage.  (I still need to trim it to size). 

I'm so happy I finally have a design wall and on the wall is my current project.

The Strip Tube Ruler Quilt.  I haven't named it yet, it needs a better name. I love these blocks - so pretty.

Strips pressed and pinned.

Strips ready to sew.

 

My helpers!
My GS matched up all the colors for the quilt.  You can see the strips hanging in the background.
My GD  likes to help with the actual piecing.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Karen

My Sewing Room and a Strip Tube Ruler

I haven't posted since the last day of summer and we are well into winter!  We've had birthdays, Veterans Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day and not a single post from me.  All of those events were great.  I kept busy, mostly doing all sorts of activities with the grand kids.  Christmas was a joyous and wonderful time for our family.

Now we are well into the New Year and I hope you are all doing well.  I do visit your blogs and thoroughly enjoy all of the knowledge you impart and seeing all the wonderful quilts, crafts, food and activities you all are doing.

As for me, I have a new sewing/quilting room.  For several years our daughter and grand kids lived with us.  Consequently, the entire downstairs was their home.  We are fortunate enough to have a separate kitchen, laundry and bathroom downstairs so they were able to have their own space.  But we had to fit all of our stuff in half of it's usual space - no easy task.  Last February they moved about 6 miles away.  I still watch the grand kids five days a week.  However, it is very nice to have peaceful evenings with my DH.  It was also nice to be able  to  finally create my own space.  DH has a nice new office, too.  Here are pictures of the progress on my sewing/quilt room:

Before (the carpet was maroon - yuk!)

After paint and before new carpet. I wanted a bright color. It is a sunflower yellow - love it!

With new carpet! Not the best picture but you get the idea.

Now this all happened last spring and I have been working on setting it up for  awhile.  I have changed the arrangement of the sewing table, cutting table, two shelving units and ironing board at least three times - probably more.  I am driving DH crazy!  Just this week I finally stumbled upon a setup that I think is going to work.  As soon as I get it cleaned up a bit I will take a couple pictures of it.  I'm sure it will always be a work in progress.  Plus we still need to make a cutting table.  I have a folding one I bought at JoAnn's years ago but it's so wobbly and drives me crazy.

I am currently working an a fun project involving a Strip Tube Ruler and Batiks.  It is sooo much fun!  Here is a sneak peak at what I have on my work table.

Tube after it is cut into a triangle.  When you press it open it is a square.  See below.

Four squares make this.  This is so easy. 

I will try to post more often and update you on my progress on this project, too.

Have a pieceful week.

Karen