February 11 - Saturday

Well...it's out to the garage I go today!  Man...this is such torture!  We've emptied our storage unit and it's time to go through the boxes... and SORT!  Yes... sort.. some goes to Goodwill, some goes to my auction house (I take things to an antique auction...they sell better and I don't have to mess around with having a yard sale... I HATE hosting yard sales...don't you?), some we keep.

Now... here is the issue... I have high school yearbooks... how long do I want to keep these things?  I have NO contact with any of the people I went to school with... I honestly don't know half of them (BIG school) ... the only picture of me in the yearbook is HORRIBLE... SO ... why in the heck do I keep them?  I wonder if I could use the pages in some nifty craft project... hhhmmm... I may have to google or "Pinterest" that.... you never know what I might find.  It would be my luck I would toss all of them and then find something unique and fabulous to do with them!!  I'll have to report back to you on that idea.

So... after the garage deal is finished... I plan on doing NOTHING!  (well....maybe sew... or work on my bracelets that I'm making...)  I'm parking my "hinnie" on the couch and watching the boob tube and just chillin' out!!  I have some wonderful wool blocks I can stitch on too.

So... today's subject is HEAD BOARDS... I've been thinking of how to re-do my guest bedroom... I'm just torn between so many ideas.  So...I went to my computer and look at the ideas I have found... so simple and so unique.  Now... some of these would .. no way .. fit my style...but I thought I would share them with you.  Never know... it just may be something that you fall in love with!!!

Take a look....

This is a metal fence gate!!  It looks as though fabric has been attached... But I honestly think it would be adorable just plain!  You could even spray paint it to coordinate with the colors in the room!  What about an adorable PINK????

Now... my friends... yes.... this is a chalkboard!!!  Wow... this is something else.  DO NOT put this in a child's room... can you see them playing all night on the chalk board?  You would find them in the morning with eraser in hand...sound asleep...covered in chalk dust!!  It is adorable though... I LOVE IT... of course - I am partial to chalk boards.  I have a collection of children's antique chalk boards (the kind they used in school) hanging in my sewing studio!

Now this is simply AWESOME!  Can you picture this at a cabin..or at a lake house... or a beach house?  It's simply adorable... The soft color of the walls with the accent pillows makes it both a manly and feminine room at the same time. Wish I had a lake house... this would surely be in one of my bedrooms!

This.... most of us can relate too... I think I may have shown this before (can't remember) but it's perfect to hang that favorite quilt on and now have it be your headboard.

This is so cute for twin beds.  I think the background of the headboard are bi-fold doors... then they hung a picture/painting on top of it... now how clever is that?

Ok...I'll admit... this is NOT the headboard for me.  I can just see all of these things falling down on me during the night...can't you?  Scary....very scary!!!

Of course... being the primitive/shabby chic girl that I am... I love this head board!!! What character and texture it has.  This piece of wood probably cost a fortune.  Architectural pieces are HOT items in the decorating market!!

Then... we have these wonderful shutters.  It reminds me of the shutters we had in the window at the Olde Green Cupboard.  (((sigh)))  I loved that window... and decorating it was SO MUCH FUN!!!  Especially in the fall and at Christmas! (remember our snow machine?... and Lumpy and Bumpy - the snowmen Heather made?  They were so cute... and still LIVE.  Our friend Marti has them in Kentucky!)

Then... for those of you that are romantics... or "newly weds"... this is pretty darn clever.  Look at that 'pop' of yellow!  And... grey is the NEW black these days... it's a very popular color!!

So... have I given you the desire to completely change your bedrooms? 

No... are you shaking your head NO???  Well, I do understand...changing out an entire bedroom is a bit much isn't it?  However... the center of attention in a room is the bed and just changing the headboard can be a piece of cake... as you've seen.

So... here is our sweet - little- feel good photo for the day....

I thought is was perfect for February... and so adorable.  I just want to kiss this kitty right on that sweet little heart.  Simply.... TOO CUTE!!!  Can you imagine picking out this kitten and seeing this heart under it's chin.  I'll bet it took a whole 1 second to say yes to this cutie-patootie!

Hey... while our minds are still in the bedroom... here's your organization tip for the day!

CLEAN OUT THAT UNDERWEAR DRAWER!!!  It's time... go through those panties and get rid of the ones that you've been wearing for 10 years!  It's time to treat yourself to some new ones! 

PLUS... if you get in the mood to continue on with the organizing... tackle the SOCK DRAWER - YOURS... (we'll deal with the spouses' sock drawer at a later date...).

How many of you have socks that you NEVER wear (I'm raising my hand right now...).  Here's the deal - I HATE WEARING SOCKS AND SHOES!!  I really do... I love to be barefooted.  With the exception of in the winter when socks are oh-so-wonderful!  Have I told you I've always wanted to knit socks?  You may be asking... WHY??? especially when you don't like socks?  It's just one of those things on my bucket list that I want to accomplish.

Ok... back to the socks. ... (I've gotten off track..).  Here's the deal... if they have been in your sock drawer FOREVER and you've NOT worn them... YOU ARE NOT GOING TOO!  Pick out those that you do NOT wear... carry them to the garage... and put them in the Goodwill box (make sure they have no holes in them).  You will make someone very happy that is shopping at Goodwill - that needs socks!  (let's don't do that with your unwanted underwear...they go in the trash please...)

Ok... now that our underwear and socks are in perfect condition... it's time to say goodbye!

BREAKFAST IS READY!

Chat tomorrow...

Gloria

February 10 - Friday

Another wonderful day here in Jacksonville.  I tell you... no one would ever know this is winter.  The weather is absolutely gorgeous!

This afternoon I get to sew again... aaahhh... life is good!  Cinnamon's has a wonderful thing - twice a month... we go to the classroom and sew from 2:00 pm to midnight!!  Of course.. I'll admit.. my little peepers get pretty tired before midnight and often...around 10:00 pm... I'm heading home. Gotta go to bed!!

Hey.... look at this funny fellow! Just sitting here on the window sill checkin' things out!  What a silly kitty...!!!

Today... the blog is all about sweaters!  Once again... I'm amazed at what all people do with sweaters!  Take a peek at some of these ideas!

They've cut squares and rectangles from sweaters and sewn them into an afghan!  Hey...that sure beats knitting it... takes a lot less time!  I just love this...it looks so cozy.

This was one of my favorite uses... I just love these stockings!!  It looks like they've taken a combination of sweaters and made the cuff and heal!!!  Can't you just see these sweet things hanging on your fireplace????

Now this is clever!  Let's make pumpkins!  Never would I have thought of this ... but they are pretty darn cute.

Check out this belt!  This would look so cute on my Heather... she has a waist! (mine has disappeared.... )  It looks to me like they cut strips, gathered them... and pulled them into flowers.  I would think you may have to use the bottom band or neck band for this... or it would unravel... right??

I've seen all types of pillows made... these are a bit fancy... but then they've also taken a simple cable knit sweater - covered a pillow form and added a big beautiful button to the center...pulled it tight (tufted look) and it's adorable.

or... take your wool sweaters (Goodwill is a great place to find them) and felt them.  (wash them with SOAP and hot water - then dry in the dryer - they will get VERY small).  Then you cut out the shape of mittens... with the bottom ribbing of the sweater... or the cuff of the arms as the cuff of your mitten!!!  Isn't that awesome???

Then of course.. you could make this cool purse !!!  These wooden handles can be purchased from craft stores... attach them with some pretty ribbon... line with temtex and fabric... you now have a one of a kind purse!

And the last idea I have is .... bracelets!!! 

I have no clue how to make these... I couldn't find the instructions... but I just had to show them to you.  I think they are too cool.

Now... these are just a few of the things I saw with "sweaters".  I found sweaters for ROCKS !!  Why for a rock... I have NO CLUE!  Someone - obviously has simply too much time on their hands.  I found sweaters for birds, ferrets (why would you want to put a sweater on a ferret? I can't figure that one out...)... I even found sweaters on PENQUINS.  Now..that is just silly... penguins are supposed to be in cold weather...hhhmmm... 

ok...so...let's get organized!  Guess where I'm going with this one?  Yep..that's right... it's time to clean out that sweater drawer, or shelf, or trunk.... Take a good look... do you need that sweater?  Do you wear it?  Does it belong in the ugly sweater contest????  Remember these???

JUST SAY NO!!!!!!!

Later....  Gloria

February 9 - Thursday

Yippee!!!  Today is Thursday.. I love them... I go to my local quilt shop, Cinnamon's, here in town and sew with all the gals.  My to do list is long today (this morning) before I leave so I'm hustling around.  I've been up since 4:00 am!!!  Awake since 3:30....arg!!  It's just one of those mornings when I have a million things going on in my head and I JUST MIGHT AS WELL GET UP!  Do you have mornings like that too?

Well... I found some cute things for today's blog!  To get things started...let's all hear a giggle!!!!

 Aren't these two silly... the caption under the picture was... "Show-Off!"  !!  He's storing it away for later...that's for sure!

Hey.. the other day I was playing on Pinterest and I found two cute ideas to use your toilet paper cardboard with.  I immediately thought of my "freezer paper" that has escaped from the box (it got all mangled up in transporting it back and forth to classes)... SO ... I now have one of these little fellows on my roll!

It works like a champ! 

And look what some clever person

did with this one!

Covered it...so it looks prettier holding your cord.  This idea I really love... I've told you all this before but I hate cords lying all over.... it's just one of those things that bugs the crap out of me!

I hope I haven't posted this already... but if I did.. here it is again... it's worth checking it out again.

The reason why I brought this up... there was a gal at the retreat that had recovered her sewing chair (she had it with her).  The back - she had embroidered her initials on it and the seat was a beautiful coordinating fabric. 

So... I checked my two chairs (one at the sewing machine and one I'm currently sitting in at the computer) to see if it was time for a recover job.  The answer was NO... not now.  However, I did inspect how to take apart the back and seat... no problem.  Just get my handy-dandy screw driver and I'm in business!!  You can use cotton - or better yet a heavier weight fabric.

Joann Fabrics has the lower priced upholstery fabric (it's on regular bolts...not the HUGE rolls) that is perfect for this project.  Just find one that matches your room and you're good to go! 

Then... this idea was a BIG HIT WITH ME!!  I just don't know how people have the brain cells to think of these ideas.  Makes me so jealous that my mind does not think like this!  All this is... is a pillow case and a LARGE embroidery hoop - the kind you use when you are quilting... you know the wooden style... HOW many times have I seen these sweet things for sale in the Camp Blanding Retreat Sale Room and I've just passed them up...telling myself - NO WAY am I going to hand quilt... I don't need to buy that! 

DUH... I could have made this!  It's a great idea to hang on the back of your kids doors!  When it's time for laundry...just grab it and off to the washer and dryer you go.

However... I also thought it would be cute to have several of them (all color coordinated...of course) hanging in your child's room full of their small stuffed toys... trucks and cars...

Or... if you had a laundry room big enough... hang several of them along the walls - stitched with cute tags on the front of the pillow case that would read - "towels",  "blue jeans", etc. 

What do you think?  The ideas are endless!!

 

Let your imagination go wild!!  And... keep watching those garage and tag sales for more of these hoops!

Here is your organizational tip for the day:

Do you have a utensil crock?  (I do...love it!)  Well, it's time to clean it out!  Assess all of the tools you have in there... do you use them?  If you are shaking your head NO... it's time to put them in the box for Goodwill!!!  Do you have a box for Goodwill already in your garage or basement?  If the answer is NO... it's time to get TWO of them... one for clothing and one for household items.

I've done this and it is SO WONDERFUL!  When it's time for something to go... and it's still in good shape...still has potential value to someone.. in the appropriate box it goes.  If it's not worth anything... it finds it's way into the BIG GREEN GARBAGE CAN! 

See you tomorrow!!

Gloria