Where does the time go?

Yesterday was a pretty great day.

I got to meet Loralee.

And yes, she's even more amazing in person.

I made her look at all my projects, and my craft room.

And we talked, and talked, and talked. And drank a lot of diet coke. A lot.

You know what? I think she likes me. Heh.

She's coming back Friday and I'm going to teach her how to make rolls.
Yes. Rolls. It will be a very good day.

Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Husband worked from home today. Meaning I got nearly nothing done.

I did manage to use my new serger to finish seven 20 inch x 9 foot table runners for one of the preschool teachers.

I persevered and got my nails done.

Dinner was take-out as tonight is The Boy's first Tee Ball practice.

Tomorrow? Tomorrow I'm meeting Loralee.

And I'm just a little nervous.


...

I'm in love

On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again,
And I can't wait to get on the road again...

Here it is, that time of year - running time. Some runners are able to don their ninja-like garb and head out into the worst of conditions. Not me. I found I prefer to hibernate in the winter making cookies and crafts.

But spring? When the grass is finally green, and the temperature heads up I like to lace up my shoes and go out. I enjoy running the same route throughout the season, watching the changes. Especially along the fields of corn. Something about seeing it go from a bare, tilled field to swaying tassles above my head does my country-mouse heart good.

I've gone so far as to buy myself new shoes. I pretty much beat the crap out of my old ones with my first marathon. They have not only lost their 'cush,' but they smell rather suspect. My new shoes are a very close model to my old, only they are 'Raspberry' - dark pink.

You see... Training starts today.

Twin Cities Marathon October 5th.

Only 163 days to go.

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Can you stand it? More sewing...

Thanks to all that participated in my Earth Day Giveaway! Our winner, as chosen by random, is Joansy! Email your address to swiperbootsdora (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your yet to be determined prize!

Here's a teaser:

The silverware is just for show, yo. But something like this will end up in the giveaway winnings.

I would have gotten more done, but lately I've been obsessing about 'a quilt for every kid'. I'm working on one for my oldest. She's been rather patient while I make one for each of the naggers, I mean younger kids...

It's still in progress, but she's pretty pleased.

This is my favorite part of quilting - it really starts to look like something.

And speaking of looking like something - I finally finished The Boy's. This one had been in my craft stuff for the last three years.

Not much else going on. Spring has finally come to Minnesota. The grass went green in a day. Though windy, the kids can play outside with a light jacket, or no jacket at all. They are totally beat when I call them in at night. The Boy has noticed the days are getting longer, and it's still a bit light out when the need to be going to bed. Bedtime has never been easier - their little bodies are so tired from outside play, they hit the pillow and are nearly instantly asleep. I love this weather - the promise of spring is finally here.





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Earth Day Giveaway

In honor of Earth Day... It's a giveaway!

Here's the deal - I'm not quite sure yet what it will be. Perhaps some cloth napkins? Maybe a Cutlery Roll for picnics in the park? A market bag? Though not specifically 'green' - an apron? All four?

I just can't quite decide, but know that it will be hand made by me!

And in honor of Earth Day, I'm trying to figure out when, exactly, I got so "crunchy."

Using cloth grocery bags, recycling to the hilt, shopping for 'greener' products and less packaging, turning off the tv, heck - the last two trips to the grocery store have been on my bike! Who is this girl? Maybe I've been watching too much alarmist TV... Maybe Not.

Ok... Back to the contest:
1. It's today only and closes at midnight CST.

2. Leave a comment on a "green" change you've made (or would like to make) in your household.
3. If you win, be willing to send me your address.

That's it - easy peasy.

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First Quilt

This weekend, the weather finally took a turn for the better. Though windy, the sun came out to play.

Friday night we had a neighbor's 40th birthday party. Saturday? I wasn't on top of my game. By the afternoon though, I was ready to 'do something.' Just barely.

My oldest was moping about, wishing she had a friend to play with. Note: she had just gotten back from a birthday party with 20 of her closest friends. I asked if she wanted to do something with me? Would I do?

Once I mentioned The Craft Room, she was all in. We decided on a quilt for each of her webkinz.

I am amazed, and impressed with the choices she made. On both quilts, she did came up with the design, and I pieced it. After the top, batting, and backing were assembled, she did the actual quilting, and I put the binding on (for speed's sake, after stitching on one side, I wrapped it around and zig-zagged it rather than hand stitching). Truly, a collaborative effort.

First off, we have Fluffy's quilt. The squares were already cut from a long ago project. The backing is a flawed dirt-cheap remnant. We managed to avoid the flawed part in the design.

Next, we have Tommy's quilt. Tommy is a boy and likes sports. She had fun digging through my stash of purchased scraps to find these:


Again, the fabrics, the colors, the placement is all hers.

Finally, we turned the corner up to show off the back:
She was much braver with the binding choices than I would have been, but I love both finished products. This just shows that if we don't hinder kids with our own preconceived notions, they come up with some fantastic ideas.

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You Go Girl

Danica Patrick made history today and became the first woman to win an Indy Car race.

Rock on.

What do I owe you?

The last couple days I've done work for friends. And they ask, "What do I owe you?" Truth be told, I don't really know.

When I make things for etsy, I can easily calculate the amount of material and time it takes to complete a project.

But when a friend asks me, I run into trouble.

The pink sweater pillow from yesterday? I had all the stuff at home. It the only thing it really 'cost' me was my time.

The girl's dance costumes? It was an easy fix - literally one swipe with the machine, and twelve hand sewn stitches. Again, the only thing it cost me was my time.

When I worked I could tell you what my time was worth down to the penny. Now? Now it's not so easy.

To be honest, I make the things I do because I enjoy it. Even better when I can help out a friend. The money? It's just a bonus.

...

Tonight we have a 40th birthday party to attend down the street. We're sharing a babysitter with some neighbors, and having them over for home-made pizza before. Here's to good friends, and good times.

Projects finished, or...

How to make a grown Mama cry...

My neighbor and I were talking this winter, and she mentioned a couple of sentimental sweaters she had. One was her mother's and another her daughter's. She gave them to me a couple days ago, and wondered if I could do anything with them. Rather than put them in a box, she wanted them to be a somewhat functional item - like maybe a pillow.

And I looked. Sometimes it takes me a day or two (or more) to get a feel for it. I decided to start with the daughter's sweater. She said that this was her favorite sweater on her daughter, but she'd given up hope as there was banana on it and she didn't quite know what to do.

First step, get the banana off. I accomplished this by using OxyClean carpet spot remover. Strange but true. It took two washings, but it came off.

Second, I cut the sweater into manageable pieces: the sleeves, the two front sections, and the back. Then I ironed on craft weight fusible webbing to stabilize the fabric.

I lined up the part with the buttons (after taking the buttons off), and the button holes, and decided they should overlap. Four seams later, I resewed the buttons back on and stuffed it.

After sewing the final seam, I was rather pleased with the finished product:


My neighbor loved it and even teared up a little.

Also on the docket - three dance costumes and a dress for both of my girls. All Done. Whoot!

Well I look in the mirror - what the hell happened to me?
Whatever I had has gone away
I'm not the young kid that I used to be
So I push the hair back out of my face
That's O.K., I knew this would happen
But I was hopin' not today
Hey Baby, I'm not running anymore
But I'm on my way

Things are never really as bad as they seem, especially with a good night's sleep. Yesterday I took the day to try and go over what was really bothering me. So I did what I do. I called my mom and over-analyzed everything. And she did what she does: let me know it's all ok. And it is.

On another note...

Today is "Finish Up the Lingering Projects Day." I have a couple dance costumes and sentimental sweaters to deal with. Also, I have a nearly finished quilt - just need to hand-stitch the back of the binding.

Wondering...

What's the deal with Twitter?

Finally...

A good friend of mine is in from out of town. We've been friends since early elementary school. Though our communication isn't the greatest right now - we both have three kids - it's just like time never passed when we get together. She came by for a couple hours last night, and we talked and talked. As my oldest is five years older than her oldest, she likes to see where this is all going. And as questions. She's bringing her kids by Thursday, so that should be a hoot.

Have a great day!

Hives

Last night, I managed to work myself up in such a state that I broke out in hives.

Yes. Hives. On my face.

They're mostly gone today, but I can still feel the itching. Took a Claritin, hope that helps.

It wasn't one thing that got to me, but a slew of them.

This morning I sat down and created a game plan for dealing with my 'stuff.'

It's a start...

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Good Morning Sunshine!

Beautiful day today, considering I was plotting my escape Saturday while it was snowing. Let me see... I have a full tank of gas in the Suburban (32 gallons) it gets 18 on the highway (or so) how far could I get on one tank of gas... or better yet two.

Today? The sun is shining and the promise of no snow makes it all better.

How'd the weekend go otherwise?

Seems when people find out you 'know' how go sew, they bring you their projects...
Two dance recital costumes, two sentimental sweaters to turn into pillows, and a few miscellaneous clothes make up the pile. Interesting.

In cleaning out my craft room, I found this:

A quilt I promised The Boy three years ago. I'd started it when I knew even less, so I ripped out all the old quilting and started fresh. Those little yellow dots? Pins.

Lots and lots of pins...

Finally, if you've paid for your Market Bag (THANK YOU!!!) it's in the mail.

There's a lot of work in these bags...

The binding is first opened and straight stitched on...

Then flipped and zig-zagged shut...

It makes for a tidy end result.

Also, I've decided to work on three main colors for the bags (brown, green, and pink) and four colors for the binding (brown, green, pink, and blue). That way I can have a stash of pre-made bags, and put the bindings on as necessary...

That's about it. Have a great Monday!

Sunday

I took advantage of the shitty weather yesteray and worked on my craft room for about four hours, give or take.

The result? I'm nowhere near done, but four giant bags of trash, and three boxes for good will leaves me feeling much, much lighter. I cleaned out, and then took out, the dresser. The desk is nearly clear, and all the boxes and baskets are off the floor.

Now I'm down to the hard stuff -the kids' ancient papers.

I figure if I go down there fifteen minutes a day and sort them, I won't turn into a weepy mess.

The weather's cleared up today, but it's still cold.

My husband leaves again Monday, but unlike the last two weeks, he'll be home Wednesday, versus Friday.


...

One word for Spring...

Snow.

It rained all day yesterday, all night last night, and this morning.

Now?

It's snowing.

The forcast tomorrow?

Snow.

My husband was gone again this week, so today will be spent trying to right the house.

I'm trying to decide if I want to finish up my other quilt this weekend, or do another 'quickie quilt' like the yellow one.

The weather looks like inside activities... Bah!

Oh well. Happy Hour with the neighbors starts in a few hours. Tonight? Vodka Tonics.

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Market Bag Update...

This morning, I jumped up to check my comments, and low and behold, the brown was popular...

Who knew?

Sarah - Don't despair! I found some chocolate brown fabric, and blue bias tape - enough for two bags. Email me at swiperbootsdora (at) gmail (dot) com if you're interested.

Kim (Anon) - please email me at swiperbootsdora (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your green bag!

Yesterday, I decided to work on the quilt and just a few short hours later:


My youngest claimed it as hers.

Ok. Back to the sewing machine.


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The difference of twenty four hours

Yesterday after a questionable self-highlighting session, I wrapped my hair up in a ponytail and didn't let it down before I went to bed.

Of course we had a girl scout meeting. Of course.

Not that I was ashamed, mind you, but just surprised every time I looked in the mirror. I generally like to avoid the "what the hell..." moments as much as I can.

What's funny about this is I've always wanted to 'go red' but never really had the gumption. Sure, my sister helped me several weeks ago. But compared to this, that was subtle, and more importantly, expertly done. See, my sister's figured a lot of things out about her hair the hard way. And I'd like to use that to my advantage.

Anyway.

This morning after a vigorous scrubbing, conditioning, blow dry and the flat-iron...

I don't hate it nearly so much. In fact... I rather like it.

In other news...

More Market Bags are about ready for sale.I thought I'd give my lovely readers first crack before the go on Etsy in the next few days.


Here we have an orange and yellow, green and pink, and pink and orangey flowered.

Closeups of each:

The orange will be edged in yellow, the green will be edged in pink, and the pink will be edged in a rust color that matches the darker flower. Both the orange and the green are 100% cotton; the pink is a linen poly blend that is absolutely yummy to the touch. There are two of the pink bags, and one each of the orange and the green.

Also:


All of these will be edged in black. The first is a red/orange/blue with a black background, the brown has mottled black mixed in, and the black and white? It's my favorite. It's also a decorator weight damask fabric so I may have to charge a bit more for them. The other two fabrics are 100% cotton. There are two of each of these bags - so six total.

The seams are flat-felled (so no rough edges) and there's an attached tie so they may be rolled up and kept tidy. All the fabric is pre-washed, so if they do get dirty - just throw them in the washer.

Let me know if your interested in any (or all - ha ha!) of them either by email or comment. First come, first served. They're $20 each, and if you buy them now, I'll throw in free shipping and a crocheted washcloth with each. You can pay via Paypal (I'll send you my 'other' email ) or check (but I'll wait until I get it before I ship).

Now. A dilemma. As the queen of starting one project before another is even finished...

My neighbor's mother in law is a hoarder. They're trying to help her make sense of her basement. On of the things she hoards is fabric. Vintage. Fabric. I told her I'd be happy to 'help' her with them. She brings them by the big, black, garbage sack. For nothing. Some of it is crap, some of it is really fine...

I found the yellow striped flannel in one of the bags...


I found the medium yellow floral in the $2/yd bin at JoAnns. I had the small yellow floral in my stash for binding. It would make a darling baby blanket for the new mom that desires something a little different. Either that or for a leg cover for a septuagenarian in a wheelchair.

Having no other commitments (besides the small loud ones), I'm tempted to try and do a simple quilt today.

Decisions, decisions...

Note: If anyone does want a Market Bag, I will make that my first priority!

Some things are best left to the experts

Yesterday was day one of my husband being gone. Again. Another week, his second in a row - gone. That's part of the gig, and one must go-with-the-flow or some nonsense like that.

I started in on the Market bags, and got eight cut and all laid out. Then I remembered that I had the Toddler's "Spring Conference" for preschool. Needless to say, she's doing all the things she's supposed to do and more. Yes, I'm very proud of my three year old.

Then we had a birthday party at Nickelodeon Universe! The new theme park in the Mall of America. One word: overpriced. The kids had fun, but the 'medium' soft drink for $3.50 about threw me over the edge. Anyway...

I had determined sometime between the conference and the birthday party that I 'needed' to freshen up my hair color.

This was not the desired result:
For what it's worth, the picture was taken first thing this morning. Right out of bed.

I was not going for The Bozo, but it's what I ended up with.

Now...

How do I fix this before Friday?


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The most sacred time of all...

And no, I'm not talking about sleep!

Last night my husband took the kids to the circus. Alone. They left at 4:30 and didn't get home until 9:00.

That left me alone. Alone in my own house.

I managed to get one project done that's been haunting me a bit. I sorted my fabric projects. I was able to lay them all out. Put each project in it's own bag, and then stacked in a laundry basket.

Oh boy. Do I have a lot.

Today I'm working on Market Bags. Hopefully to Etsy sometime this week. Or at least a notification here.

Otherwise...

We had a great weekend with my parents. They brought back the quilt I made Grandma for her 95th birthday in October. Selfishly, I made it knowing I'd get it back at some point, and that she would have used it.

We talked about her quite a bit. But not nearly with the melancholy of the last time we saw them. Fond remembrances, I guess.

When by the time our oldest was one, my husband and I would shoot out the door nearly the moment my parents arrived. Not because we didn't want to see my parents, and not because we wanted to run away from our child, but so many of our friends still went 'out.' And we still wanted to.

Now though, even with all of Friday night stretched out before us, we chose instead to hang out with them. I cooked a fabulous meal, if I do say so myself, and we had wine and talked. Told old and new stories and jokes, just like when we used to go to my grandparents. There was something very comforting in that.

Saturday morning I woke up to this:
Good times, I tell you. Good times.

Say it with me now... Friday!

Very nearly done...
All that is left is the toilet paper holder and towel ring. I'm "letting" my husband do that. My work here is done. Not too sure about the stuff on the shelves, but didn't want them to be blank - also there are two little doors covering the bottom shelf - great place for extra tp and 'girly stuff'.

Not much else to add today.

I was planning on a run, but my nail appointment got in the way.

Took the kids on four errands: meat market (yes, for steak!), Target, the bank, and the liquor store.

Guess where I spent the most money?

Have a great weekend, I know I will!

Are you weary of my projects?

I am. No... I just wish the weather would cooperate more.

Here's the new mirror I put up. I realize it's a little off center, (by about an inch) but by doing so I was able to put one of the screws into the stud.

I like the new wallpaper as well. It's funny, because there isn't a lot of frou-frou in the rest of the house, but for some reason I really like it in the half bath.

There are even new outlet covers - if you look carefully, you can see it in the picture, just above the sink on the right hand side. They very nearly match the light fixture.

Only one thing stands between me and my finished bathroom:


The only issue is that it's white. I'm thinking a little spray paint will do the trick.

Except...



It's too cold. The can says it needs to be in the 50's, but we're only supposed to get in the high 30's today.

Ah well. Plenty of other things to do today.

There's always laundry.

Product Review and Other Nonsense

First off, Parent Bloggers asked me if I'd be interested in a copy of Hip Hop Harry "Move Those Feet."

Knowing my kids and their love of dance (and gymnastics), I signed up.

Hip Hop Harry uses music, dance and rhyme to teach kids about language, social skills and problem solving. The DVD has three episodes: Fancy Footwork, I Like to Move!, and You Can Dance!

In the first episode, Fancy Footwork two sisters learn the importance of positive competition when they find themselves on opposing teams, and the importance of drinking water when exercising. I really like the lesson in this one - it's ok to try hard and want to win, and it's ok if the other team wins as well. The second episode, I Like to Move!, features a fitness expert to teach the kids fun new ways to exercise. In the final episode, You Can Dance!, Hip Hop Harry helps a girl with classical ballet training learn some hip hop moves.

All three of the episodes promote exercise and physical fitness as well as encouraging creativity and social skills.

My five and three year old loved it, and were eager to show off their dance moves as well. My three year old informed me after the show was over that she was thirsty and should have a drink of water.

You can win your own copy, by leaving a comment here. Now, get hoppin'!

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And on to the normal nonsense you've come to expect from me...

Thank you all for you wonderfully supportive comments yesterday. I hate to be such a turd-in-the-punchbowl, but for some reason it really bothered me more than I wanted it too.

Not so much that my friend got in and I didn't, but it made me feel like I wasn't good enough. And we all know how delightful that feels.

Part of that stems from the dozens of questions they asked with your sign up:

What shoes do you wear?

Have you run a marathon before and what was your time?

What is your projected time for this race?

Why are you running this race?

Well, they're not Nike shoes, nor will the ever be. We all know how my first marathon went. My projected time? Hopefully an hour better. Why? Why does anyone run a marathon. If you even have to ask... Maybe if I had an inspiring story of how I nearly lost my life to a giant squid or something...

Then I got the email:

"Team in Training, our partner through race beneficiary — the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, still has registrations reserved. If you would like to participate in the 2008 Nike Women’s Marathon through Team in Training, call 800.482.TEAM or check out the link below."

So what you're telling me is if I want to fund-raise for Team in Training, I can run.

Nice.

A very large part of me doesn't even want to post this. I don't want to rain on Tree's parade at all, and not just because she offered to bag the race and come run with me. That thought alone drove me to tears, again.

I am really, truly excited she's in and I can't wait to see her finisher's Tiffany Necklace. She's in it for the run, I was in it for the bling.

I also told her if she did that I would come down and kick her bony ass. Right after I catch her, which may take awhile as she is quick on her feet and I tend to mosey.

Live and learn, and next time sign up as a team. Everything happens for a reason. There's a reason I'm not supposed to be there.

Now I'm patiently waiting for Friday, April 18, 12:01 am when the registration opens for the first 10,000 crazies for the Twin Cities Marathon. The race is October 5th. Hey. I'll be done with my race, while Tree still has two more weeks!

Anyone want to join me?

...

I did manage to finish one project yesterday. It took me significantly longer and a lot more material than I was planning, but it turned out pretty well. The only question it begs is...

Blonde?

Or Brunette?

Either way, the inside pocket is, well...

The money shot.

Oy. Is it hot in here?

It just stings a little

A month ago Tree and I signed up for the San Francisco Nike Women's marathon.

It's a lottery.

She got in.

I didn't.

I'm trying to be ok with it.

I'm just a number to them, but they can't hear inside my head, "You're not good enough..."

And that hurts.

Guess I'll go back out and finish shoveling the driveway.


...

For the love of all...

Stop the madness!

This is a pretty clear representation of what it looked like yesterday - all day...

After they were all home from school, the snow beckoned them. See them? Behind the tree? The are building a giant snowman - or is it a fort?
I called them in at 7:45 pm. Still snowing.

The Boy was not very happy.



They were so wet, I told them to throw their coats in the washer. I got the coats washed last night, and realized 15 minutes before the bus came this morning I forgot to put them in the dryer. Fortunately, we have backups.

Today it's sunny, so hopefully some of it will melt off.

On the craft front, Crazy Mom Quilts is looking to finish up some projects this week. Me too!

Here's the first of hopefully many:
Loralee's March Madness Giveaway. Now, I just need to get to the post office...