New Project Gone Bad

The new project that I've been working on has become a pain in the neck.  After fighting with the embroidery designs and then the embroidery machine, I finally managed to get four of the new Busy Buddies put together.  It's a little item that will be good to keep kids busy in church, in a restaurant, on a plane, in a car, or just waiting in a doctor's office.  The front cover is machine embroidered.

The back cover and the pockets inside are from a themed fabric.  And the Busy Buddy comes with a small notebook, a click pencil, and an 8 count box of crayola crayons.

The tutorial on which I based mine, called for fusible batting.  I chose to use fusible interfacing, which left them flimsy and the pockets over sized.  I finished 4 practice Buddies, all but the buttons.  Today, my job is to tear out the stitching on those so that I can try again tomorrow - this time with the fusible batting.  Then I will rest and try to beat this head cold that I'm fighting.  But like any busy bee, I will not give up, I will persevere, and I will win.  

Stay warm!

Starting Something New

It's always so much fun to start a new project.  I've been wanting to start this project since before Christmas, but the holidays interfered.  Then I had orders coming in and had to finish them.  But Monday I was finally able to get it started and it made me happy.

 It has been a frustrating experience to be sure.  It's a sort of kit for kids, and I wanted to use some of the licensed fabrics that I've accumulated.  And I wanted to incorporate embroidery designs for the cover.  I've done more internet surfing than ever before and have found most of the designs I was looking for.  But some of them show up on the computer and not on the zip drive.  Some of them have stated that were for a 4x4 hoop, but when I load them into the embroidery machine, it tells me that the design "exceeds the embroidery area".  Most of the people from whom I purchased have been patient, and so helpful.  They have either sent me the size I needed, or refunded my purchase price.  One has yet to be resolved.

So this week I've been working with the embroidery machine.  I figure I'll stitch our 20 or so covers, and then this weekend I can get started on the kits.  I'll post photos once they're finished.

Happy New Year, Steps to a New Me.

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, because I have a history of breaking them within the first week or two.  This year I've decided to work on "goals" instead.  Over the last few years as my physical condition deteriorated (too much sugar and too little movement), I have relinquished control of my household to others.  My main goal for this year is to take it back.  I know it won't be easy, but hopefully by achieving other small goals along the way, I can do it.

Over the past two weeks, Rod has helped to clean my sewing room.  To say it was a disaster is an understatement.  I have a horrible habit of taking boxes that arrive and just tossing them into that room.  I don't put things away when I should, and the task of cleaning it up was just too overwhelming to think about.  Rod came up with a plan.  He took a large box into that room and began picking things up off the floor.  He brought it to the living room, and we began to sort it out.  We folded the fabric, sorted through all of it and threw out small scraps and ugly pieces that I knew I would never use,   It wasn't easy - I am a fabric hoarder.  It took two or three days, and we managed to clean out two large boxes and four garbage bags of trash.  I still have all the "stuff" we saved to put away, but it doesn't seem like such a daunting task now.

It has instilled in me a need to "de-clutter" other parts of the house.  The first area that I'm going to tackle is the kitchen.  I have more cookbooks than any one women should ever need, and I rarely ever use them.  Most of the cookbooks are going to be donated to Goodwill.  I have a baker's rack that is just loaded with junk and it's time to get rid of all that and put the rack to good use.  Today I started a new Weight Watchers journey, and I need to clear off that rack and make room for all my Weight Watcher's cookbooks and the new one that I got from Skinnytaste for my birthday.  I think that having all my weight-friendly recipes at my fingertips will be a big plus.

I want to try to find healthy snacks that will make me feel like I'm getting sweets.  Last night daughter Kristin brought a peanut butter dip made with Greek yogurt, peanut butter and honey.  It was very healthy, but tasted delicious.  She brought apples to eat with it, but I think it would also be good with pretzels or celery.  It's a keeper.  She also brought a pear-pomegranate salsa that tasted amazing on baked tortilla chips.  I need to get that recipe from her.  Another delightful discovery that I made last night was that I love snow peas raw. I have always loved shelling and eating raw peas from the garden, but never was brave enough to eat the pea pods.  With a light ranch dip, they were so good, and I can see myself having them for a snack.

And that's how it starts.  Eating more healthy will be a plus, and hopefully moving a little will lead to moving more.  Happy New Year!