idhtbptbb

My favorite blog that I've mentioned many times is The Nesting Place http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/ and I've forgotten how to hide that! Naturally! I'm not a technofile...but I'm diagressing! The whole point of today's post is "idhtbptbb" which translates into "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful"... well that pretty much sums up my life...

See my version of "This Old House" ala redneck style? We're not rednecks you know! but you can't tell that from the outside of our house... One thing we learned fast when we started renovating is nothing will ever be perfect in a house over 100 years old! So... that's the underlying theme of our entire life "imperfection" and I gratefully accept it! Oh by the way that hideous satellite dish was a left over from our renters and we've since ripped it off the front of our house I've just not updated my pictures in a long time... Yup, no where close to being perfect!

And I just tried to upload another picture but it keeps loading the top of my post! I have no idea how to stick it in the middle like right here.... lol So just one picture... but that's one more picture than I've been able to manage so far so that's progress right? lol

I let too many out of whack expectations of perfection ruin a good many days, projects, friendships, etc and I've missed out on even more wonderful things because I feared what someone else would think. No more! I'm through with that foolishness, it robs the joy from your heart and if you don't have some joy in your heart then what's the point? Everyone around you will suffer for it. Life is too short and too precious to squander on a senseless, unattainable goal of perfection. I learned this lesson years ago and every so often it doesn't hurt to remind myself of it. So here's my perfectly imperfect home...the siding is buckling, the front porch sags, the neighborhood is redneck and the grass ain't grass at all but more like weeds but it's our home and it's close to being paid off. Which makes it beautiful in our eyes.

weekend update

I didn't finish my apron in time for Friday night's dinner preparation but after working Saturday evening I burned the midnight oil and managed to finish it. It's stinkin' cute! The ties are extra long according to the pattern so I have plenty to go around me and tie in front. I still need to add two buttons as accents for both pocket and apron neck flaps but that's minor.

While at Hellmart I picked up fabric for my second apron project. I managed to cut out most all the pieces required Sunday afternoon. I can't wait, it's going to be so cute and funky!

I don't get in much of a hurry when sewing. I've learned patience gets me farther with less mistakes. Not that I'm all about having it perfect, far from it. But the less I use my seam ripper the better.

Right before vacation I decided to focus on doing more creative things. Whether it's needlework, yarn work, sewing, painting, decorating, daydreaming & sketching, paper crafting... I just felt I needed to get more accomplished, not as in production, but rather as in just spending more time crafting vs watching tv. I feel better when I'm creating, inside and out, more whole.

I'm helping my coworker reset her dept which is Needlework and Saturday evening I was in the book section. I finished it by the way but I noticed this really cute book "Modern Country Primitives" for embroidery. I don't embroider... but I so would make one of the projects in that book! They are THAT cute. Dare I take up another hobby? I have most everything already for it though as I cross stitch. So what all do I do anyways? Let me make a list. I love lists.

1. Scrapbooking
2. Rubberstamping
3. Floral crafting
4. General crafting
5. Sewing
6. Cake decorating
7. Painting/DIY
8. Crochet
9. Knitting
10. Counted cross stitch
11. Latch hook rug making
12. Reading
13. Gourmet cooking
14. SCA
15. Blogging (that counts right?)

I'm sure I've missed something and while I don't do each of these every week I do cycle thru them during the course of the year. And I have several projects in the works, such as my latch hook rug and a cross stitch picture both for Christmas decorating.

I like seeing my list too.

an apron of her own

I've been wanting to make an apron for quite some time, months actually. Must be my bad habit of procrastinating. Wednesday morning I unwrapped the pattern tissue and started cutting out my pieces. Then I rooted through my stash of rolled up fabric remnants looking for just the perfect piece. I found a rather feminine floral fabric, black background, not the sort of design I'd make an article of clothing out of so it's perfect for my "test" project. Each time I attempt to make something that I think I'll make a lot more of, I like to call it a test. Don't know why, just me being me.

Now I needed a contrast for the ruffled flounce and pocket so I found a piece of black and white gingham which I think goes perfectly with the black and cream floral print. I cut out the pocket pieces and actually managed to sew them together before having to abandon my project to go to work. I returned too late to work on it as I needed to be up early yesterday to go open the store. But last night after dinner and a movie I was finally able to spend some time with my apron project. Then I discovered I didn't have a single piece of anything I'd be willing to use as lining for it, UGH

I'm off today so after a visit with my sewing fairy godmother to relieve her of a truck bed full of stuff-n-fluff I'm going to dash into Hellmart and find something suitably cheap to use for lining and I'll have this Betty sewn together in time for wearing during tonight's dinner prep! Hide and watch!

Junkin'

My darling Mister took me junk shopping Saturday. There was an antique shop on Main Street of my little town which I call Mayberry with a touch of affection which is another story for another day. But this shop I've eyed for well over a year now and never made it downtown during store hours to visit, that is, until Saturday. Wowser was it full of stuff! Most of it grossly overpriced for my taste and budget. We did manage to score a few treasures though.

My Mister found some vintage comic books and an antique compass, very cool looking. I found a chippy red wire basket that my Mister says went into a Hoosier cabinet. I'm going to use it in my creative room to hold papers, etc. I'd rather it wasn't red, blue would be perfect but hey, it's old and chippy so who cares? And I found a collection of old sheet music for $3. Everything was also on sale for 20% off which helped. I had this idea I'd use the sheet music in crafting on collages or whatever.

Then we went to Habitat for Humanity store. Outside stacked against the exterior wall was loads of old chippy windows! And they were marked $1 each! I so wanted one in particular but my Mister said no as they contained lead based paint. UGH! I explained what I was going to do with the window but still he was unmoved. Then he relented enough to say "measure where you want to put it" meaning he would find me one sometime. The rest of the store contained junk, not the good kind either.

Finally our third stop in our junk shop tour was Salvation Army. Again lots of junk with very few treasures and the prices on some things were surprisingly high considering the condition of the items and the fact they were donated. It was half price day so I picked up a few booklets with cross stitch patterns that I liked.

OK, it's obvious if I'm ever going to find some really great junk stuff for fabulous can't pass it up prices I'm going to have to find a new locale to shop in.

Spring Fabric on sale!!!

OK I've been eyeing this piece of brown paisley print seersucker like material forever, well maybe not forever but since it arrived at my store. It's been as much as 30% off but finally I've received word to mark it down to 50% off... OMGosh, I better hurry up and decide what I want to make from it before it disappears forever...

Two posts in one day

Update on my chair covers, I finished them and they are stinkin' cute! LOL Now I definitely need to make up a table runner for myself. And an alternative set of chair top covers as these are way too matchy matchy but I love them anyway. I'm thinking some lovely prequilted fabric in white or ecru would look fab. Plus a little monogram on them, oh yeah, tres' cute. Then I'm thinking something in a black and cream homespun or a toile would be a nice addition.

You didn't seriously think one set would be enough for me did you?

A nightmare for me

I finished the much dreaded table runner from hell. I'm sorry but I just absolutely hate sewing for profit for other people. It's torture for me. First off I never know what to charge for a thing. Secondly I hate being told what to do. And finally thirdly, something always goes wrong!

I seriously need to learn how to gracefully and graciously say NO. My coworker brought a customer over to me so I could give her some advice on fabric to match her decor. No problem. I show her several things while inquiring what said fabric was for. Next thing I know I'm designing a table runner on the spot and explaining how very simple it is to sew one. Somewhere along the way I missed the deer in headlights look from the customer and was hijacked into making this for her. UGH! I am way too helpful... I need to learn KISS as in Keep It Simple Stupid so I can avoid this type of hostage taking situation in the future.

I'm resolved though, this is it, no more, absolutely not again. I swear it! Seriously, I mean it. I admore making a gift for a friend or even making something with an eye towards selling it. But to do custom sewing is not my thing at all. I stress out, I obsess, I procrastinate, I dwell, it's awful for me. And I do not care to impart the item with all those negative feelings, bad crafting karma!

So after much trouble and a few very slight alterations to the project, the table runner is finished. I'm charging $20 for it and whether that's too much or too little, I don't care, I just want out! I'm giving it to my coworker to deliver and collect the money for it. And to be honest I could careless if I get anything out of it, if they love it or not, I'm done with the blasted thing!

All future sewing for others will be confined to gift giving or inventory to sell, no more custom! EVER! I mean it now!