Project bags and daffodils

Next week is a whole week of events about women in constructions. I am mostly going to participate just to be social. I will be seeing one of the ladies who I found out at the company meeting that she also cross stitches. I told her I would make her a couple of project bags and her favorite color is purple. I dug thru my stash and pulled out the best of what I had in purple which wasn't much. Purple is not a color I buy much of. I am going to make a large bag and then a littler bag to go inside each of the three bags. I rough cut the fabric out. I still need to cut the interfacing and vinyl, but at least it's a start.

The temperature dropped from 60 degrees in the morning to 25 by the time I left work with a bit of flying snow. Here are the daffodils next to the house. The flower heads are forming, but I think they will be ok until it warms up again.

Labels and it's alive!

I needed to make a couple labels for my brother for that baby quilt I had sent him last week. The date was incorrect. I made a label that could be sewn on - they would have to find someone to sew it on - and a label that could be ironed on. So he has a choice on how to attach it. I just used some heat and bond on the back of the label and cut out the center so the label wouldn't be too stiff. I didn't take a picture.  I also got the label sewn on the I Spy quilt. Now I just need to get it mailed.

I got a big surprise yesterday. I had started a snake plant with a leaf early last summer I think and yesterday I saw that a new leaf was finally coming up! I have two starts; one at home and this one at work.  So far no new growth with the one at home.  

Over the last 24 hours we have had warm temperatures and thunderstorms. We have had .55" of rain since 2:20 a.m. and a 65 % chance of rain today. Better than snow!

A long day

Yesterday was a long day. I was getting ready to leave work for a doctor's appointment and one of the guys handed me a pile of paperwork included one delivery of 100 truckloads of stone. There were other stone deliveries beside those and a bunch of concrete tickets for deliveries. I am going to be busy! I stopped on my way to my hair appointment after the doctor at the chocolate shop. They had Valentine candy 50% off. I picked up a few of these caramel hearts. It is hard to see in the picture, but the chocolate is thick and the caramel is just the right texture.

By the time I got home it was almost 7 so no sewing happened. I did get the shelves painted last Friday and have started to add a few things. I still need to caulk them.

A fun weekend

I took Friday off to get some things done for my company that was coming, but the day was a struggle. I was not feeling great and my legs were hurting. I couldn't find the right combo of OTC pain killers.  My kinesiology appointment is Thursday!  I did manage to run a few errands including using the small gift card someone gave me for some sewing I did for them. I don't hear great things about JoAnn's solvency, so I thought I better use it before I lose it. I bought a picture frame (on sale), a piece of black foam core, and a piece of mat board. I needed a bigger frame for my Springsteen memorabilia.

I finished up the cross stitch for jar lids. These were for gifts and I put M&Ms in the jars. Since I mounted the fabric on mat board it was a little to get the lids screwed on, but I managed.

Saturday morning my company showed up. We had connected thru this blog and last summer she had come to one of Michael's shows. We talked and talked and talked! I made salsa chicken for lunch. There was enough left over for me to take to work today.

Later on we made a batch of the taco seasoning that I use in the salsa chicken so I could send some home with her, filled a jar for my son because he was using the seasoning I gave him at Xmas and said it was so much better than what he got at the store, and I needed to refill my jar.

I was telling my friend about the first construction job I was on here and we decided to go on a road trip to visit the building which was the main library. I gave a personal tour and told her stories about the construction. I forgot to take my phone so here are a couple pictures from the website. I was impressed after 20 years that I didn't see any damage to all the ash paneling. They have taken good care of the building.

While we were downtown, we walked across the street to see the art museum. We didn't want to pay to go into the galleries, but there was plenty to see in the various lobby areas.

Sunday, I made us a nice breakfast and we got to work cutting out tote bags for the merch booth. I pressed the fabric and C cut. This fabric was stuff that was given to me by several people, and we were putting it to good use. After several hours of work there were 10 larger bags and handles for autograph drumheads we sell, and 49 regular 15" wide bags and handles. Having help cutting all of these was priceless!

Shel also helped me glue the frame back together on this piece. Two of the corners that are cattycorner from each other came apart. We got them glued and strapped. After I take the strapping off, I will get out my brad nailer and nail the corners. I had only glued them when I first put this frame together. C then took me to lunch at Mexican restaurant that is not too far from my house, and we had a wonderful lunch.

I had made a welcome basket for C and it included three chocolate bars that were made in the NE Ohio area, one of those scissor pouches, a couple of the pouches that were extra from the ones I made for the women at work for Xmas, a boxy pouch, along with the jar with the cross-stitch top with a C on it. She brought me a little something too! Three Harley t-shirts and one is not black which will go into this year's quilt

A couple pieces of fabric for totes

and a bunch of fabulous cross stitch charts!  I can't wait to start working on these!

We had a wonderful time and plan on hooking up again. I will go to Pennsylvania to visit her next and she and her husband want to come to another show of Michael's.  he hasn't published his 2024 schedule yet, but we are hoping there will be at least one show in PA. 

Floss and caulk

I was beat when I got home from work. What a day! I was still catching up from being off on Friday. There is a lot of construction happening with having such good weather. At lunch I ran out to Michael's and bought some floss I needed for different projects. When I got home I wound the floss on to bobbins.

The Harley quilt has had no progress

I did manage to find some caulk for finishing the shelves and the baseboards.

I am taking tomorrow off to get some things done around the house. I want to get the Harley quilt top figured out this weekend. I also am having company Saturday and Sunday so that will be fun. I am looking forward to another 3 day weekend. Have a great weekend everyone!

Sampler and spices

I had an eye doctor appointment late afternoon yesterday so I didn't get much done. It's an hour's drive one way, but I don't mind. I go to the same eye doctor where I use to live and I don't want to change. I did order a spiffy new pair of prescription sunglasses.  I get them in two weeks.  Woohoo!  The ones I have had for years broke and I have been without sunglasses for a year. I did stop at a bulk food store while I was on my way to the doctor's office and picked up what I needed to make more taco seasoning.

While I was waiting at the doctor's I was able to finish up the large font sampler. Now I just need to frame it!

Label done and working that nail gun

I got the label sewn on the baby quilt and it is now boxed up ready for shipping.

I decided to fire up the nail gun last night and work on installing the shelves in the entry to my bedroom. I'm no expert, but I know enough to be dangerous! LOL!!

First I nailed the pieces of wood to hold the shelf. Here I am on the second shelf.

I didn't have enough 1" x 1" so I found a square ruler in the garage and used that. It's going to get painted so no one will be the wiser.

I made sure the shelves fit and then added a piece to the front edge so the shelves look thicker than they actually were.

A little glue

then nail them on. The first shelf went fine, but I had the angle of the nail gun wrong for the top shelf and did this

So I fixed that and now they were ready for wood putty for the nail holes. Painting might happen tonight. After that I will caulk the gaps at the sides and the shelves will be done!  I still need to install the trim around the door and the baseboard. 

While I had the nail gun running, I decided to finally nail the baseboard that was ready. I hadn't nailed it up since I had to fix the gaps in the floor first. I did that the first week of January then my sciatica started acting up. I am so glad this part is finally done. I will need to caulk the gaps and put some wood putty in the nail holes.