Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Quilt Finishes & Some Babble

Pink/Green Star Top; Quilted with a Leafy Swirl (freehand)



Multi-Colored Hexagon Top; Quilted with Puzzle Piece Meander (freehand)
(sorry the pic is kinda dark!)

Turtle Top; Quilted with Stippled Water (freehand)



Sorry I've been so lame at blogging lately! I'm restructuring my days, so I hope to be attending to tasks more regularly now. 

I've been quite challenged finding a balance between work & family & friends & household obligations. And I know I'm not the only person looking for the most efficient way to work from home while not getting too sucked into what's going on IN the home at the same time!

I admit I've always been one of "those moms" who was more apt to drop those chores to go have some fun with the kiddos (and maybe even let them drop theirs as well.) I still hold that it was a great way to raise our kids~ not perfect, but we've made lots of terrifically fun & meaningful memories with our kids. So yeah, over the years I've had neighbors or family drop by & have been embarrassed by the strewn toys or laundry piles waiting to be folded, but... well, what can I say?? 

That stuff is easier to get to now that the girls are older. HOWEVER, the myth that older kids don't need or want their parents like younger kids do should really be put to rest. 

Truly lots of older kids are still vying for their parents' attention.

Well, I'm off on a tangent... What I'm trying to say is that there are still lots of fun things & household things that come up ... rides to/from places, games, Coach bag shopping, nails, Algebra homework help, lessons, bike rides, clothes shopping, lunch dates, proofreading papers, finding lunch money, finding missing belts/braces wax/shoes/etc. orthodontic appointments, pet care, running for project supplies at the last minute, food gathering, shopping, shopping, and more shopping. 

Then there are the piles of dirty laundry & dishes calling to me as I walk by them... the stack of bills waiting to be paid... the random stuff that seems to grow in my house which needs permanent homes "somewhere"... the letters to penpals to answer... a sewing project I *should* work on... the sewing project I *want* to work on... dirty floors that should be swept or vacuumed... meals to prepare... garbage to gather & take out...

When you "get" to be home all day, how do you go about organizing yourself to make sure you get certain things done on a regular basis?? 

I've designated several days a week as absolute work days, and a couple days as errands/household duty days (that can also be work overflow days.) Saturday is a work day, and Sunday is our Family Day. We're not necessarily doing anything together, but we're NOT running all around in separate directions either. 

I would love to hear from other's on this. What's worked for you?? And how do you deal with those around you whom don't understand *how* working from home works?? 

p.s. Stay tuned for pictures from my Shop Hop this past weekend = Eye Candy!!

Monday, April 09, 2012

Quilt Finishes & Easter Noise

A Pioneer Quilt Top
Quilted with a simple Puzzle Piece Meander (freehand)




Blue Pinwheels Quilt Top
Quilted with Swirly Leaves (freehand)




Did everyone enjoy their extended Easter break? We surely have!

I began Friday quietly with my nose in a devotional & thanking God for the gift of His Son.

Then I had a mini-date with my hubby running errands, whereby we picked up more paint for my sewing room. He's been fixing & patching walls & the ceiling, and painting & working on the trim work. This is all in preparation for some replacement carpeting since being flooded in September. (It's been a very long process.)

I spent most of Saturday quilting for the shop, then I cleaned the downstairs in preparation for Easter day.

Easter was fairly quiet in it's beginning, but surely ended in bursts of happy noise. We went to my brother & sister-in-law's home for dinner & celebrated with their two boys & my parents.

At the end of the evening, I got to fulfill a heart's desire to try playing drums. My brother is a musician, but I didn't realize he had a drum set sitting in his studio that I could try!!

All I can say is that it was EXTREME FUN! And my hubby said I'm "allowed" to put one on the 3rd floor :)