Still Cleaning

Each and every box of fabric has now been emptied.  How did I buy so much that I haven't used???  It's a sickness, I'm sure.  All this fabric has been folded neatly (the key word here) and sorted by color.  I have one stack left to put away on the shelves.  Finally, I can see the light.  I found some quilt tops that I had forgotten about, and they have also been noted, folded and put into a case where I won't forget them again.  I swear I could sew for the next ten years on projects, kits and quilt beginnings that haven't been finished, and not have to buy a thing!  It's a sickness, I know.  I cleaned out a shelf behind the large door in the sideboard, and I put my fusible batting and my insulated batting in there.  Out of sight and yet well within reach.

I downloaded four books of doll clothes last week.  It was a great bargain purchase, but that meant that I had to print them out.  That is done, all the pages have been put into plastic page protectors and then into vinyl report covers.  You would be so impressed!  I took some fabric which resembles interfacing that I had purchased to trace patterns.  I have the patterns from one book traced, cut out, and put into an extra page protector that I stuck in the back.  One down and three to go.  This morning while I was folding fabric, I surveyed the fabric stacks to try and decide which fabrics would look cute for the doll clothes I'm planning to make. I have to make a trip to Walmart this weekend, and am planning on buying a clear vinyl shoe bag to hang on the back of my door.  I have a good size plastic box of trims that was given to me by a friend when she moved.  The box is cracked and barely holding together.  And I have no idea what all is in there.  I figure by sorting all my trims into clear pockets, I can see what I have and where best to use it.

My next job will be to sort out my patterns, which are in another plastic container.  I can use my label maker and label the hanging folders (which I do still have) and categorize them by subject - aprons, purses, wallets, potholders, doll clothes, baby clothes, and hats.  I love hats, have a number of patterns for them, but have never made one for myself.  That will change.  And so, I continue to muddle through.  It's nearly time for a photo!

Making Progress

Sunday, I put my nose to the grindstone and started the cleaning and organization of the sewing room.  My first project was to clean off the table that we brought in to hold the overflow.  I folded fabrics, separated them by color and put them neatly away.  All my Disney fabrics went into a plastic container, and the fruit and veggie fabrics went into another container.  And soon the table was ready to take down.  The serger and the Brother embroidery machine that I rarely use went into the closet.  And Rod swung the sewing cabinet into position in front of the closet.  I have two of these art bin cubes that are stacked and on casters.  They hold thread, notions, and projects in progress.  We moved them into place under the side window, and Rod moved the filing cabinet into position vacated by the stacked cubes.  He made a base for the filing cabinet, complete with casters, so that it can be moved to access the luggage stored in the corner of the room. One of the racks for my GO dies fit into the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet, as I had hoped.  There were quite a number of dies that wouldn't fit into the drawer, so the other rack is on top of the filing cabinet and the dies fit there quite nicely.  So far, so good.  It all came off without a hitch.

Next, I have to clean off the top of the sewing cabinet.  My case of embroidery threads will sit on there, along with the Janome embroidery machine.  There's an electrical outlet close by and I will be able to use that machine right from there.  All the patterns that I ordered for Christmas gifts have arrived, and I'm hoping to start sewing some time tomorrow.  I will continue to work an hour or so each week on organization, but the room is finally taking shape.  And now, as I stand in front of you with my right hand raised, I say,  "On my honor, I will try to clean up and put things away when I finish a project and before I start another.  So help me God."  I certainly don't want another mess like this one!

Friday Wrap Up

Although my thoughts have been on Christmas gifts, I have not forgotten about my need for organization.  Yesterday, I found the cutest doll clothes patterns at  https://www.youcanmakethis.com/.  I had been following the blog of "The Scientific Seamstress" and noticed on the sidebar that she had directions for making princess dresses.  I downloaded the patterns and now have to print them out.  My plan is to put them in brightly colored report covers by use of plastic page protectors.  I ordered them online from Walmart.com and paid minimal shipping.  Not worth using the gas, and eliminating the temptation to spend more money.  I haven't done much physically with the organization, but have been spending a lot of time thinking about it.  Hopefully I can get started this weekend.  Saturday is Izzy's 4th birthday party and I've been elected to make German potato salad, but I hope to get started on Sunday since the Steelers don't play until Sunday night.  I have been organizing the fabric into "piles by type".  Some of the piles will go into plastic boxes and others will be put on the shelves.  I had looked online for filing cabinets, then learned that my "old" filing cabinet is in the twins' basement -- still in good shape and not being used.  So, it's coming back home.  I think all the hanging folders are still in the cabinet, which will make it nice for organizing my papers and thin books.  Today, while the kids are here, I plan to start printing the doll clothes downloads and maybe tracing the patterns onto some pattern-making fabrics that I have.  I have to start doing something besides Facebook and I Phone games.

On the Christmas Challenge front, Nancy posted this site for "pouches"  There are some really good tutorials here for some pretty cool items.  I'm bookmarking it for sure.  Have a great weekend. 

Challenge

As I contemplate making gifts for Christmas, I thought it might be a good time to issue a challenge.  Nancy, made a few suggestions in the comment section of my last blog post  for things I could think about making as gifts. This posted comment got me to thinking that maybe we could share ideas with each other.   You know  kind of a "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours"  thing.  So, here's my challenge.  Over the next week, search out some things you think might make great gifts, and post in the comment section with a link to these items.  If anyone has ideas for guys, it would sure be appreciated.

My first few items are as follows:  A great tomato pincushion for your sewing friends from Bee in My Bonnet;  I had told you about the 1 yard apron, but how about this idea also from Bee in My Bonnet - put the apron kit into a jar.  It would also be a great gift for a grab bag or guild gift.  I love pot holders, and here's some of the patterns that I've purchased and hope to make soon:  the owl pot holder; the cupcake pot holder, and here's a tutorial for a heart-shaped pot holder.

Well, here's a start.  How about adding your two-cents worth??!!

Back to the Real Life . . . almost

I promised you a picture of Bubby's "Goofy" hat and here it is.  Also, a great photo of Krissy with another pair of her "ears".  These ones are black sequined with a red bow and go just perfectly with her Minnie Mouse shirt.  Mary's family is so photogenic, and the pictures of Disney still make me smile.  But vacation is over, and now it's back to the real world.

With having spent so much money on a vacation, there's not a lot for Christmas this year.  So, I've been mentally sorting through the bazillion dozens of patterns that I've purchased and done nothing with and trying to figure out what I can make for Christmas.  I've got a huge stash of fabrics which I'd like to whittle down, so why not now.  Mmmm, what should I make???  Pot holders - I've got cupcakes, owls, and just very sensible pot holders.  Perhaps aprons?? - I just ordered a pattern for a one yard apron.  If you haven't seen this one, click on the link.  Bee in my Bonnet has some incredible photos of this apron pattern on her blog.  I hunted out my pattern for the Simply  Charming Quilt.  It makes use of 5" squares and some sashings.  It's a great little scrappy quilt and I can use up a lot of smaller pieces.  And then there are the doll clothes patterns.  They make great little gifts for the granddaughters.  Kris and Izzy still play dolls with each other.  And I've promised daughter Kristin a "doggy quilt" for a raffle at the open house at the veterinarian office where she works.  So, I'm gonna be busy.  I'll post photos of the finished projects.  Have a good week.

A New Blog for Me

Check out my new blog http://lindabee-thechubbybee.blogspot.com/.  It's not replacing this one, just adding to it.

Wishes Fireworks Cruise

This year as a special treat, I booked us a cruise for the Wishes fireworks.  Our cruise left from the Polynesian at about 8:00 pm.  The boat is a 26' pontoon with seating for 10.  Since we were only 8, we were quite comfortable.  Bagged snacks, bottled water and cans of soda pop are provided.  I had heard mixed reviews about the cruise, and was hoping for the best.  Our driver, Juan Carlos, was a very personable and well-informed young man.  I had requested that the boat be decorated for Bubby's and Krissy's birthdays, and it was complete with a banner and balloons.  We boarded the boat, and settled in for our cruise.  After a short cruise around the lake during which Juan gave us the history of several of the small islands, he moved us to a point on the lake where we were directly in front of the train station with the castle in the background.  Since I had booked the deluxe cruise, the sound was piped onto the boat.  And then the fireworks began.  They were more impressive than you can imagine.  Just beautiful.  We were so sad when they ended.

 Then Juan Carlos informed us that we were heading for the Grand Floridian.  He showed us the Wedding Pavilion and talked about the cost of a "Disney Wedding".  And then positioned the boat so that we could see the Electric Boat Parade.  We had heard of the boat parade, but had never seen it.  The Parade consists of 7 barges with screens of lights.  There is a fire breathing dragon, a whale, a turtle, a dinosaur, dolphins, and King Neptune complete with his carriage being pulled by sea horses.  Suddenly the music stops, the lights go out, and when the lights come back on,  some of the barges are American flags and others are multicolored stars.  And a medley of patriotic music plays in the background.  It was a wonderful evening.

What was the cost?  I was $346.00, which seems like a lot for a two hour cruise.  But we all agreed that it was worth every penny.  Juan Carlos was a fantastic captain, with a great sense of humor.  He teased all the girls, winking with every tease.  He regaled us with stories about Disney, its history, showed us some "hidden" animals in some of the resort lights, and made the time pass so quickly.  I had heard that you captain could make or break your cruise.  And we had the best!  Last year we had done the Wishes Dessert Party.  It was about $26 per person.  The eight of us were crammed at a table designed for four, the desserts left a little to be desired, and you couldn't see the fireworks unless you stood up.  We swore that we'd never do that again.  The cruise was a little more expensive, but we got our moneys worth.  It's an evening I will never forget.

Ooops!

 I guess that I should have added that Rod figured out what is wrong with the scooter.  Seems that there is a wire  broken, and he had no tools to fix it.  When he "jiggled" (and that is the technical term) the wires the scooter would work.  So, now it's just a matter of fixing it.

EMERGENCY!! CALL 911

My scooter is busted!  Yep, busted!  It happened at the Magic Kingdom on Sunday, Sept. 11.  I hit a big bump, and suddenly it stopped and wouldn't go again. And I was devastated.   As a special treat for all of us, I had booked a Wishes Fireworks Cruise for Sunday evening, and without my scooter I had no way of making that cruise or dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Kona.  I began to cry, and got off the scooter.  One of the kids walked me over to a bench so I could suit down.  And then my emergency crew sprung into action.  Jimmy sat Bubby on the bench with me, and went to get him some popcorn.  Rod and the twins unloaded the scooter and turned it up on it's end to see if they could find out what was wrong, and Mary began making phone calls.  Bubby sat there munching his popcorn and telling me not to cry cause it was making him sad.

And then the popcorn spilled.  Great, another emergency.  Clean up in AdventureLand.  And suddenly, the clean up crew arrived and began to clean up the popcorn mess.  Bubby and I sat there and watched as this couple made the sidewalk look "just ducky" again.  It seemed like an eternity until someone came to talk to me.

Pat came over and said, "OK here's the plan.  I'm going to get a wheelchair for you and we're taking you to the car.  Daddy and Pam are going to push the scooter to the car.  Mary has all the information to reserve a scooter for you.  It will only be $120 for the rest of the trip and they will deliver it to the resort within an hour."  What they didn't tell me is that we were only allowed to take the wheelchair to the front entrance of the Magic Kingdom.  And we were parked at the Transportation Center.  I'm glad I didn't know.  When we got to the front of the park, Pat went over the the young lady working the wheelchair rental, and explained the situation.  Ashlee, that wonderful young lady, told Pat to take me to the Transportation Center by way of the ferry, and leave the wheelchair there.  Someone from Guest Services would bring it back to the Magic Kingdom.  Disney really does provide the best customer service I've ever experienced.  The ferry boat ride was incredible.  Mary and her family also took the ferry, and when we arrived at the TTC (Transportation center), Rod and Pam were there to meet us.  So far, so good.  I called Apple Scooter Company and gave them our room number and my credit card number and we were all set.

The scooter arrived in plenty of time for us to make our dinner reservations for Kona, and the cruise afterward.  So, what seemed to be a major disaster was just a hiccup.   I'll tell you about the cruise another day.

I'm Back, With a Hat or Two

Yes, I'm back from Disney, and normally I would be sad.  But  not this time.  I was more than ready to come home.  We had a wonderful time, but it was so hot that I felt like I was melting.  Unfortunately, that is not the case - I don't think I lost a pound.  But it was so hot and humid that I think my sweat was sweating!!!  This photo was taken on our first full day at the parks.  This was at Animal Kingdom, and you can see my "sexy" hat.  It probably would have looked better had I turned it inside-out.  But if you think it looks funny here, you should have seen it after I got caught in a cloudburst later that afternoon and then sat on the hat.  No really. . . not only did it knock the hat out of kilter, but I had a wet bum to boot!

So, I bought a new hat.  Not sure it looks any better, but it was cooler.  My only worry was that it I got sunburned in this hat would I look like a leopard???!!!  No worry -- didn't happen!  I'm not sure why I am a sucker for hats.  Maybe in a former life, I was a British Royal.  But whatever the reason,   I love hats. . .  big hats, little hats, and, at Disney, there are hundreds to choose from.  I know what you're thinking.  Surely she could have picked one that was a little more complimentary.  Hey, Rod thought I looked good??!!

Kris prefers "Ears".  And she has lots!  This is the leopard pair she wore in Animal Kingdom, and and Bubby is sporting his "Safari Ears".  Kris also had silver sequined ears and black ears with a red and white polka dot bow.  During this trip, Bubba bought a huge green hat with Goofy's ears attached.  He looked hysterical in it, and loved it.

Mary bought a Disney bucket hat, which she thought looked ridiculous.  I, however, thought it was adorable.


There are other photos of our hats,  Rod's, Jimmy's, and Bubby's Goofy Hat, but I don't have them at my fingertips at the moment.  More on the Disney trip tomorrow.  Still, it's good to be home.

Gettin' There

Remember the wheelchair cover??  This is the wheel chair that I was making the cover for.  Not very impressive, huh?  But it folds, and that's a big plus because his brand new shiny chair doesn't.  So, if you recall, I was given the task of making a new cover.  And after much thinking, sketching, and remaking, I came up with a cover that everyone seems to love. Here's the before. . . . .

And here's the after!!!  Bubby loves it, Jimmy loves it, and suddenly I'm SuperGrammy.  And it's a nice feeling.

The chair is ready. . .   the neck coolers are finished and bagged. . . . I have gotten my makeover. . .  Rod has cleaned (I guess the new term is "detailed") my scooter. . .  and now we're getting ready to pack.  So, this probably good bye until I return from a much needed vacation.  Of course, if I get bored, I may be able to do some blog posts from my new best friend, my I Phone.