I did get all the loads of laundry done and was halfway through my ironing when Papa Pea said he was going back to the wood pile, and I was welcome to join him. (How could I resist an offer like that?)
After putting in some profitable time there, the sunshine we had had was disappearing and since rain was forecast for this afternoon, I thought I'd better hie on out to the garden and attack the weeds in the strawberry plants while I could.
Got almost all of them beaten into submission before the rain drops made the decision for me to quit.
Last weekend I kinda sorta tore my quilt room apart in order to do some rearranging. (It's still in progress, can you tell?) At the same time, I've started to go through all my quilting and other handwork books and am getting rid of A LOT of them. (Feels good.)
Although the room is a first-class disaster, I'm sitting down now and then to put in some time on machine quilting a 60 x 72" quilt that is getting close to finished.
Last week I finished the second wool applique piece I've done.
Although there are several things I wish I had done differently on it, I'm not going to point them out to you. Or anyone else. There is a learning curve to this new art form of mine and . . . I'm learning. Slowly, perhaps, but I'm learning.
I also recently finished a spring/summer quilted dresser scarf (Table runner? Dresser runner?) for the top of our chest of drawers in the bedroom.
Birds and blossoms and butterflies.
I made it reversible so it can be used during the fall season, too.
Purdy autumnal colors. (Have you heard it said that we all wear the colors of our favorite season? I know I do.)
I'm really, truly-duly making a conscious effort to balance my days so I can do special things I want to do; things that aren't classified as "work." I think I may actually be starting to feel like a more balanced person. Well, maybe I shouldn't go that far. Let's just say I may be on the right track.
Good for you MamaPea. Finding balance is so hard. I go for so long without doing any enjoyable things that when I can I go full out and OD on them. Life is too short to not enjoy things.
ReplyDeleteYOU IRON????? And you sew, and quilt, and create too. I think I've got a ways to go.
ReplyDeleteSounds like excellent progress to me! I don't wear fall colors, but I sure like the fall side of your dresser runner. Great idea to make it two-sided!
ReplyDeleteI love that you made the dresser topper reversible. Just love it. I wish my dresser top was as clean as yours. I have yet to find balance this month. It's been crazy busy, yet we've had some fun too. I should be tearing apart my closet on rainy days here, but yesterday we had sunshine, and that meant outside, outside, outside. Glad you are finding balance in your days!
ReplyDeleteSeems like we have gone through similar changes to our way of thinking about the way in which we use the hours of our days. I also am crafting a lot more, and do not tie myself down to the routine of housework. It gets done when it gets done, and if I want to do something else I go do it. In other words, I have stopped pressurising myself, and it sounds like you are also doing the same. Been a long time coming for both of us. In love and light, Vx
ReplyDeleteIroning is something I rarely do. Maybe I just don't wear a lot of clothing that requires ironing. Getting rid of stuff really does feel good, so yay for you! Let's not even discuss weeding, though. I have weeding anxiety right now. If only it would stop raining and warm up a bit while I'm available to do yard work. Have a good day, MP! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteLisa B. - Yep, life is too short for doing ALL the things we want or need to do! That's why finding this balance thing is sososo important!
ReplyDeleteLeigh - Yeah, I iron. I almost have to apologize for it these days. Having a lot of all cotton clothes accounts for the need for a lot of it. And when I can hang clothes out in the nice weather, they need it even more than drying in the dryer! Crazy thing is I love to iron. It's a soothing, calming, settling kind of thing for me.
Michelle - Thank you, ma'am! The dresser scarf is so simply made that it was perfect for making reversible.
Kristina - Great to hear you've been able to get outside recently. I think we've all had enough of this rainy spring! We had rain yesterday afternoon but it was warm enough that I do believe the chives, rhubarb and asparagus visibly grew a couple of inches!
Vera - Good to hear from you! We gotta keep supporting one another that's it's okay to let other things slide a bit so we can let our hungry creative side come forth. There sure doesn't seem to be time for doing EVERYTHING. Have you noticed that? ;o)
Jenn - You working full time away from home makes not having good weather (when you're home) for outside work very frustrating, I know. It's even hard when I can do that stuff any time it's light out because of either the still cold weather (mowing the lawn in a down jacket?) or precipitation falling on one's head!
Great! I'm glad you are feeling more balanced, it brings on such a feeling of peace of mind...I have to work on balancing myself these days, I want to do EVERYTHING all at once now that the nice weather is just around the corner! :) I love your runner, especially the fall side! Hmmm...I wear red, black, white, blue, beige and green...what season would that be? :) I think I'm a mix of all the seasons because I love them all! :)
ReplyDeleteRain - If one believes in it, you should be an Autumn with your coloring. But you need to get more orange into your color of clothing!! ;o) I love winter, too, besides autumn, and black and white are definitely safe bets when it comes to looking sharp. And you must understand that I try to make a fashion statement every day. (Cough, cough, chortle, snort.)
ReplyDeleteHee hee hee...I make a fashion statement as well, I choose a different pair of pj's to wear each day, one must vary their wardrobe. ;)
ReplyDeleteMama Pea you are most certainly styling!
ReplyDeleteLove this post . Wish I could join you in fiberish pursuits. Still overwhelmed and short staffed. Spend most of my day wondering how I ever got so far behind as I work.
Rain - Last week when we were in the big city, I saw a grown man shopping in pajama bottoms. Okay, he probably called them something else but they were not sweat pants. They were pajama bottoms. Period.
ReplyDeleteGoatldi - My dear, you do not have to wonder how you got so far behind. You've just gone through what ranks at the top of a stress list and I so admire the way you're managing it all. Fiberish pursuits will return for you, I promise. Hugs.
Love your table/dresser runner!! And very clever to make it seasonally reversible like that. I see nothing but creative perfection in your wool applique. Your stitches are so even. And the quilt you are quilting is gorgeous! Is that for you or a gift for someone? So glad you are taking time to 'stop and smell the roses', so to speak.
ReplyDeleteThe wool applique is so pretty. I think I'll look up some info on it, might be fun to try something new.
ReplyDeleteHope your weather is improving as ours is - finally!
Just the fact, that a gotta'-be-doing-something-productive-every-minute-of-the-day-and-night person like you, is working on more balance, between work and play...... Is a huge step!!!!! Good for you!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAbout washing... I do a (small) load a day. Easier to wash/dry/fold.
About ironing..... Here, there are only 2 of us and we don't "go out to work." So we need nothing ironed. Just something, when he goes to a Rotary lunch, some of the time. Other wise....... No ironing!!!!!
So I wonder, what do you have to iron...?
Nosy, always nosy! I know! I know! -grinnnn-
You've managed to get alot accomplished. I bet it feels so good to have worked on the things you love to do. They look fantastic! Do really like the applique work. It reminded me of the penny rugs they use to make. I hand hooked a rug that looked like that. My original design. Keep it up. The runner is very nice, especially that it's reversible. The wood pile must be getting higher and higher. Take great care!! xo
ReplyDeleteLisa - Thank you, thank you for your nice words! The quilt is for me . . . so far!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth - Even though I have a lot to learn about wool applique, I do think it's very enjoyable. I've never been crazy about regular applique work, but for some reason this appeals to me. :o) We had another sunny day today. Felt so good!
wisps of words - I iron all our bathroom towels and underwear and socks. (KIDDING!) In the summer, hubby wears cotton work shirts and I wear cotton blouses which I iron. In the winter I iron my turtlenecks and sweatshirts and jeans. Hubby is easier then as he wears wool shirts that don't get washed or ironed after every wearing. I iron tea towels and the bandanas I wear when I don't have to fuss with my hair. Don't iron sheets but do iron pillowcases. I probably wouldn't have to do so much ironing if I were better about taking things out of the dryer at the "right" time. When I can hang things out on the line to dry, they are even more wrinkled. Bottom line, I'm wrinkly enough. I don't need my clothes to be. ;o)
Lynne - We got in more wood work today. When we finished I stood looking at the logs already cut and the ones yet to be cut and considering we've worked our way through about half of it, the cut ones don't look like they would equal half of the load! How can that be??
I hate laundry day, but love ironing. I miss quilting. But then I've never done machine quilting. Too difficult with one hand. I'm in the process of dealing strawberry runners that have taken over the yard thanks to our free ranging chickens. It's a never ending task here, but our rabbits love it. Cockeyed Jo
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea - the reversible, seasonal runner! Clever, clever, clever! I am so glad to hear this news. It gives some of us hope. (Well, me.) I think moving anything 'chore' from Monday to Tuesday makes perfect sense. After all, Mondays are a chore within themselves. That quilt in the works looks mighty beautiful.... xo
ReplyDeleteYou iron indeed? I ditched my face linen blouses when I realized how much time I was spending. Permanent press! Still keep my iron for random sewing projects. Pretty sewing!
ReplyDeleteCockeyed Jo - From free-ranging chickens to free-ranging strawberries . . . interesting things you've got going on there! ;o} If I let our chickens anywhere near our strawberry patch, we'd never get any for ourselves!
ReplyDeleteSusan - It was down right disturbing how much I balked at changing my laundry day. I've ALWAYS done laundry on Mondays. The earth will shift if I change the day. Well, nothing calamitous happened so I think I'll chance doing the laundry again this coming week on Tuesday. ;o}
Nancy - Yeah, I will never live down the fact that I still iron. Hey, maybe I should work on changing that, too. Nah. I like doing it too much. :o)
Balance and more balance in our lives. Exactly what does that mean? You and hubby are old. What shall it profit a man (to live out his whole life thinking he has done his best) and then lose his own soul? You both are loved by many. You have enriched our lives by your spirit of hard work, love for the land and what can be done with it. But, what have you done for HIM, the one that has given you all of your knowledge, wisdom and strength....the giver of that very life that you have been allowed to live out? This is the most important question of ALL? All your hard work over an entire lifetime. What and where has it gotten you?...to old age is the answer. Your good and hard works will be as the seed covering. It is blown away in the wind...it is as chaff. Only your true belief in the great God of Creation (the God of the Bible) is truth. Come to Him please Mama and Papa Pea and also Chicken Mama. From someone who cares about you enough to be tough in words.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I've chosen not to discuss my beliefs regarding religion or politics here on my blog. Both are topics which throughout history have caused much pain and suffering along with a steadfast grounding and faith that have sustained people through difficult times in their lives.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your caring comment which was written in a very kind way.
So glad to see someone else take a picture with a vacuum cleaner in it! LOL! I always have mine out plus lately the rug shampooer AND the spot bot. The quilt you're working on looks gorgeous! Dresser scarves and table runners are great and I need to make some. I made a couple doll quilts I use for the same purpose. Love your smart idea to make them reversible for the seasons. I have to take breaks every once in awhile so I keep some handwork close by and spend time on it so I feel 'balanced' too and make progress on those projects. For sewing though I need more than 15 minutes. I need to just plan an afternoon when I can just sew otherwise I will never get any sewing done! You got a lot accomplished...good for you and they are permanent items you can enjoy time and time again every time you look at them.....not like housework...which has to be done over and over again. You go girl!
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