new beginnings

OK - so I have been meaning to come back to this blog for some time and I just never seem to have the time to do a proper post, so I never bother. I think I am going to be revamping this little blog, deleting some of the old content and starting fresh. Stay tuned for some awesome changes (hopefully) soon!

In the meantime, enjoy this face:

the birth of a quilt

Happy Sunday night! How is it that I usually only find time to update this blog as I am laying in bed getting more and more tired and incoherent? Perhaps today it has something to do with the fact that my ass got completely whooped in a Bikram yoga class, and I spent the majority of the daylight hours preparing for, engaging in, and then recovering from it. I have always been curious about this form of yoga, but up until now I have been too scared to try it since it is practiced in a room that is heated to over 100 degrees, and you are in there for 90 mins doing strenuous activity the whole time. My friend has been taking the classes for a few months, and she highly recommended that I go with her to try it once...the jury is still out on the experience at this point. While the feeling after was indescribably wonderful (maybe more of a "thank god that is over with" type of feeling than anything else), the class itself was almost unbearable in my opinion. It was definitely one of the most trying things I have ever put my body through, but I wouldn't rule out another go at some point in the future, maybe once I have lost some weight...

Ass-whoopery aside, I was still able to make some serious progress today on a quilt project I have had in the works since last spring. The quilt is made from this pattern from Oh, Fransson. I have slowly been plugging away at this quilt as a background WIP, but I finally decided it is about time I finished this guy. I finished piecing and trimming the top yesterday and pieced together a wonky star-infused back today (which of course blogger won't let me show because it is apparently being a dick right now).

Now all that is left is to sandwich, baste, quilt, and bind....ugh - now that I type that out it sounds like a lot more work than I thought! Oh well, its all about the process, right? I really haven't done a whole lot of sewing for myself - this will only be the second quilt that I have kept for myself so I am pretty anxious to get this one finished. Luckily the new sewing machine is an absolute dream to work with, and progress has been fairly swift.

That's all I have for now, next time I hope Blogger will cooperate and let me post more pictures. I have updates on my teal dresser makeover, some decorating projects I've been working on, and more quilts!

The beast says: TTFN!

the new hottness

Just a brief post here before its off to bed. I have so much to update about, but so little time, so I figured I would cover the biggest news for right now: I have a new sewing machine!! I have been researching machines for quite some time, but haven't really been in the market to buy due to some lingering financial challenges. Well...between a hefty tax rebate, a large unexpected bonus and raise from work, along with some budget changes over the last few months I somehow miraculously accumulated enough money to pay off all my credit cards, and create a bit of a financial safety net for myself. I decided it might finally be time to safely invest in a new machine. After calling around to every sewing machine dealer within a 200 mile radius I found a trade-in deal on my old machine I couldn't pass up from a nice independently owned dealership, and I was able to purchase this new beauty:

I have to say I am utterly thrilled with my purchase. I was very scared I made the wrong purchase at first since I brought the machine home on Saturday and I immediately started experienced some problems with the 1/4" piecing foot...many tears were shed as this is probably the largest single purchase I have ever made in my life so far, and it appeared to be broken. After a quick trip back to the dealer today I am happy to report they have adjusted the machine, and it is working flawlessly! I haven't had much time to play with it yet, but I have gotten some work done on a few projects.

I won't go into too much detail now, but next post I will update on some of the other crafty activity that has been going on around here.

a fresh start

I am posting this from my NEW MACBOOK PRO! Hell yeah! No more waiting 15+ minutes for my computer to boot up, or frustrating blue screens of death! I have always wanted a macbook, but they have always been too expensive to really consider. Thanks to the powers of Best Buy price matching and interest-free financing my dream has come true.

I feel like a lot has happened since my last posting, but I really haven't had the time to just sit down and write about it. I recently decided to quit my pipe band, which has been a very difficult, but freeing decision. I had to return my uniform and my chanter, which was a bit surreal since they have been travelling with my for the last 10 years or so. I miss the people in my pipe band, but I have to say I have not yet been pining to go back to a practice. Its a relief to have an extra evening in the week to relax and get stuff done. You would think that with an extra weeknight free now I would be able to keep on top of the housework, but alas, that is not the case.

I have been on a huge redecorating kick as of late, and I've been pretty much been coming home most nights and working on various art/craft projects late in to the night. There have been nights (when Andrew wasn't home) where I didn't even eat dinner because I was so focused on my work. I am hoping to have pictures of the final products soon.

I don't usually make resolutions for the new year, but this year I am going to try to abide by some rules I set for myself. The first, and most important rule, is going to be organization. I have come to find that if I am not organized my life becomes 10 times more stressful. I am a huge procrastinator, and I'm not sure that will really change, but I need to start organizing my daily routine, and my housework or I will probably crack one of these days. The second rule is going to be exercise. I NEED to exercise more for medical and mental health reasons. I bought myself a treadmill from a friend, and I need to start using it. To start the year off on the right foot with the organization I decided to start working on small spots of clutter around the house. The first place I hit was the medicine cabinet. Using some discarded baking mix boxes I turned our medicine cabinet from a jumbled mess to this:

I also started a massive fabric stash reorganization project. Right now all my fabric is in droopy piles in a closet, but with the help of some comic book boards my fabric closet is going to start looking more like this:

So far the year is starting off well. I am going to try to simplify things this year, and do my best to enjoy the ride. Its going to be a very busy day, so I better stop there for now...plus there is a certain beast who would like me to stop typing and come play with her...

a pretty amazing weekend

Some weekends really rock. Andrew and I took Friday off to relax, and I managed to get some reorganizing done in the craft room. I took out a bookcase to make room for an armchair in the corner (if I can afford one sometime), and did some redecorating. I refurbished an ugly old cork board (which Stella was very interested in chewing on), and a few other magnetic boards I had.


I finished all the piecing on the Christmas Quilt, and finished the cutting of a new 8 bit quilt.


I also have another decoration project in mind using some of the old embroidery hoops I saved from my grandma leenie's house a few years ago.



I don't have any pictures from the rest of the weekend, but I went on a massive impromptu pub crawl that started at the mall of america, included a stop at an irish pub and a ghetto karaoke bar, and ended at a zombie bar at last call, followed by Perkins at 3:45am. There was much NutLiquor to be had. It was awesome. Bed time now, since I only slept 4 hours last night.

fleeting craftiness

Here are some projects I have been working on:



The Goomba quilt - almost done now, just a few more feet of binding to sew on.



Halloween bat pillow and weighted pincushion/scrap bag device



New purse with lots of storage made out of IKEA origami animal fabric (amazing, btw)

Future projects:



1) Pile of aqua and red fabric scraps - I'm thinking these are destined for a star quilt at some point. I am waiting to get a few half yards of Moda Bliss fabric to start this project since I am completely in love with the prints (may be awhile since I am *completely* broke). 2) Dresser/vanity I bought on Craigslist. I have been sanding/disassembling this in the garage to paint, and discovered that it is from 1915 (at least the mirror is). I am very excited for this to be a bluish-green masterpiece when I'm through revamping it. I am also utterly thrilled about the claw feet. Pictures to come as I work on it.

Other than enjoying a few fleeting spurts of craft time, I have been pretty much just doing the same old thing: working too much during the week, and partying too much on the weekends. I am trying to get myself a second job somewhere to save up some money to help pay down my crippling student loan bills, and some other minor personal debt I have...not to mention paying for the things I have been putting off like new tires, oral surgery, etc. I have applied to several places close to my house and full time work, and it seems this job market is so bad that even places like Kwik Trip are not calling me for an interview for part-time work. What a huge bummer, and kind of a punch to the old ego...I'm really not "good enough" to get an interview at the Kwik Trip?? *sigh* We won't even go into my search for another full-time job...

If anyone knows of any other ways to save up an extra few thousand dollars on the side please let me know. P.S. Prostitution is not an option. I've thought about it, and ruled it out.

(wish I was) listening to: Light Chasers by Cloud Cult

We Are the Robots

Not much time here, so I will be brief. This week I: bought an antique dresser that I am going to refurbish (pictures to come later), did some decorating for Halloween,



made a Pokemon bag for my friend,



was a pickle,

and a drunk flower child,

enjoyed the perpetual cuteness of the beast,



and tonight, made some robots for my favorite twins (almost finished.)



I took Mon-Fri off from work, so I am hoping I will have something interesting to report by the end of the week.