So You've Had A Bad Day

What's on your short list?

I'd like to dedicate this post to my husband. He's just had a couple crap-tastic days at work and I am trying everything I can to support him, love him, and show him that I care so much about him. I wish I could take his bad days away, but since I can't, I just fill them with things that make him happy.

Without further ado, here is our short list.

Baby Quilt: Finished

Last night I decided it was a fine time to finish the baby quilt. Love ended up staying WAY late at work and it gave me the opportunity to push myself to see what all I could get done. This is a light baby quilt backed with a light yellow flannel. I'll admit, the size is a little unconventional, but I don't care; I love this quilt. Finishing at 33 x 47 inches, it is just the right size and weight for a soft blankie.

As with any project I've done lately, I definitely didn't use a pattern. That's my downfall. In this case, I got distracted at some point and forgot to put in additional separating strips between panels. Either way, I love the way this one turned out. And it has a basic pattern....

Tonight's Project

Catch-Up

Yesterday was a pretty great day that didn't include any projects. Or at least, not really. After a successful work-out at the gym with my husband, he went off to work and I went and enjoyed some much needed girl time. We went to a spa and got PEDICURES! I don't frequently have people do my nails for me because I feel I can adequately do them myself most of the time. Yet sometimes, it is TOTALLY worth it to go out and enjoy a little pampering.

Afterward, we went to this quaint little (or not really so little because there were about a million people waiting to be seated) restaurant for dinner. Now, I've definitely heard stories about how good the food is, etc., etc. I'm not sure why, but I just never decided to eat there until last night. IT.WAS.AMAZING. They had an eclectic, small menu, but it had some good choices on it that sounded wonderful. I ended up picking a burger and chips. WOW. One of the greatest burgers of all time.

As for projects, I didn't get much done yesterday, like I said. A couple nights ago, I'd remembered a tutorial I saw while web-browsing and decided to do that for more flair in the dining room, but once I started, I realized that I'd need my husband to help with the spray paint. So, that might wait until he's got time on the weekend.

But that didn't stop him from waking me up this morning so I could help him with a project he's been bugging me to do. I'm not gonna lie, I'm kind of impressed with his ingeniousness, but it took me awhile to figure out what he meant and where he needed things stitched. And this is what he came up with; a tactical tourniquet.

It has a cinch buckle on one end with a clip sewn in about an inch away. On the strap, there is a floating "D" ring and then a sewn in "D" ring as a stopper through the cinch.

As in his example, once you get the tourniquet in place and cinched on, you can tighten it by moving the floating "D" ring close to the clip, twist to tighten and lock with the buckle.

Well, now that THAT project is temporarily finished, I'll go back to working on a baby quilt. P.S. I also bought more fabric and am excited for what it is going to turn into!

I have a rapidly growing "To Do" list of projects. Next up will be to finish a couple of things I've started, design and construct a rifle ammo case for my husband, make myself a Christmas stocking, and finally make a tote bag of some kind. I'm excited for that!

Life In Black And White

Inspiration

I feel like I'm lacking a bit of inspiration today.

So, this cup of coffee is it.

My husband and I purchased this batch of coffee when we were in Costa Rica on our honeymoon. As I was cleaning today, I came across some more honeymoon pictures that had become a little displaced from the rest. That was such an amazing trip for us. I'm not sure that any of the places that we went would be permanent homes for us; WAY too humid in the rainforest and TOO busy and closed off in the city. But, still a fabulous trip.

That's the other thing that's been on my mind lately. Taking another trip. The weather is making it REALLY hard to want to stay here. Sewing and coffee keep me warm and entertained, but I'd like to spend time somewhere else. The scenery here is starting to get tiring. All I see is snow, fog, and life in black and white. It is time for some color.

Check Me Out

Two projects in one day?!

What?!

Ok, so after I finished my color wrap earlier, I felt that I was on a roll. Haha. Pun intended. Color wrap... roll.. haha. Nevermind.

But I had a hard time keeping the momentum going. So after a Chinese take-out dinner with my husband, I was able to get my groove back and start cutting again. I think that is the worst part. Cutting. Or getting poked with pins. That sucks too.

Our "new" dining room that we just finished needed a little bit of coverage. By coverage, I mean putting up some curtains or something because we have fairly nosey neighbors. Not everyone gets the cops called on them by the neighbors when friends come to visit like we do.

The paint color I chose for the dining room is called "Beacon Falls", but since that isn't really a color description, I'm gonna call it light blue. Funny story about the "Beacon Falls"; when I got back from the store after picking it out, I lined up about a dozen color swatches for my husband to guess which one I picked. He responded with, "I bet you picked the one that's called "BACON Falls" because it sounds crazy." Haha. Right in the fact that I picked that color... but it wasn't because of the bacon.

Anyway, it is light enough that in pictures, you can't REALLY tell that it is blue. But it is. Especially at night. So, we decided on a simple curtain to cover the window that is a medium brown. It has a nice light pattern on it of some foliage.

Here's the finished project!

Open:

Closed:

I'm still trying to decide if I should make a matching panel so that there are two hanging panels or just leave it the way it is. I'd also like to make at least one tie-back so that when it is open, it'll stay open.

Now I just need to make one for the door to match!