A Doll's Skirt Completed

 Yesterday was fairly sunny with a high of -4C (windchill -9C). This morning it is cloudy and -8C (windchill -11C). Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of -2C (windchill -7C). We are under a weather warning for snow starting tomorrow. 

Lifestyle

I fiddled with the blinds and have them working. Up and down without any stopping part way. Only one drove me nuts while working on it. This morning it is paired with another blind when I opened them. I'm leaving them alone for a couple of days and will get back to them when I have more patience. The three in the window were hooked up to charge the motors. 

Once done the blinds, I tucked into the front closet. It was a job that needed to be done. I went through everything tossing what I didn't need into donate, trash, or recycle piles. I then cleaned the shelf and put back what I needed onto it. The coats were put back on one side along with one knitting bag. The others will be used for groceries. I mopped the floor really well and put back what I needed. The end result is much tidier and more organized. 

I need to buy Command hooks to hang the broom. I also cleaned up the floor space in front of the closet. That included clearing off the top of the little fridge (which needs to be moved). In the end, I had more stuff to put into the trash than I had to donate or recycle. 

I also laundered the sheets and made my bed. By the time I got all that done, I was ready to stop cleaning for the day. 

Sewing

I did go downstairs to relax and sew. I sewed the waistband facing onto the skirt, serged the hem, and sewed up the back seam. I sat and hand sewed the waist facing and hem down and added a button to each pocket flap.

It is very nondescript as the 3 tops I am making are the focal points. 

With this project done, I will be making 2 lengths of piping next. 

Knitting

First up, when cleaning the closet, I found 5 balls of yarn in one of the knitting bags. They have been in there forgotten for at least 3 years. They have been added to the inventory and put away into their proper bins. 

I cast on the stitches for the first sleeve on the doll's sweater. I knit 18 rows and am ready to start increasing. 

When I finished those 18 rows, I knit 32 rows on the scarf. It measures just under 28" now. Just over 11" to go and it will be done. 

When it is done, I will start a pair of socks for daughter. She sent me some lovely yarn to knit her a pair. 

Thoughts

    I am working my way through the upstairs purging and decluttering each space. It is helping me think about what I do need and what I don't. I also realized that I am not ready to move yet. I am too independent to be in an apartment. I am not shelving the idea totally but will work towards it over a long period of time. Right now I need to enjoy myself in this house but get ready to move when the time is right. Preparing to move in 7-8 months is not going to happen. Thinking about it has made me feel somewhat stressed and anxious. 

    I am realizing that I am a bit of a pack rat. I don't think about going through things that I don't see. The front closet is a prime example. I ignored it for a long time and what I found in there that needed to go or be put into its right place was embarrassing. I know I will need to be on top of my game when I go downstairs. I had a pep talk about doing the next purge down there while I was hand sewing on the doll's skirt. 

    I am not thrilled about the snow storm blowing in tomorrow. I had hoped we were done with storms. Guess Mother Nature has a different idea for us. Oh well, I better be ready to shovel snow tomorrow. 

Today

I am out to make sandwiches this morning and then will go from there to the doctor's office for my appointment. Once done that I will head to family's to get some broccoli casserole daughter-in-law made. I need to get a few groceries. I want to cut out and make 2 lengths of piping this afternoon and knit tonight. A busy day for me. 

Until the next time.........................................................

Installing The Blinds Frustrations

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of -4C (windchill -9C). This morning it is cloudy and -8C (windchill -14C). Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with a high of -6C (windchill -17C).

Lifestyle

The living room is clean. I was down on my hands and knees scrubbing tiny paint splatter off the floor which wasn't a hard job. I mopped sections of the floor and put the furniture away. Items that needed to be trashed are in bags in the garage. They go out Wednesday. The room is done. 

After lunch son and daughter-in-law came over to install the blinds. Once the instructions were figured out, the first blind was installed. Son did the one over the sink which was the hardest one to install. The rest were easy to install. The most frustrating part was finding out the blinds were already synced to the remote with no information telling us that. By the time they left, we were all frustrated and on edge. Son had 3 done with one almost done. The issue was us syncing them to their own station caused issues. A blind would go down and a blind would go up. Or a blind would go down using the up button. It was enough to drive you nuts. 

Once they left, I got 3 of the blinds charging. They were working properly. I got the last blind to work properly which took me over an hour. It tested my patience as I had to google each time something went wrong. The instructions are basic with nothing to help you with issues. I just kept trying until I figured it out. 

The last two blinds are giving me issues. When I put one blind on to its number, I can make it go up with the down button. I tried everything I found on google search. I decided to try the last blind as I thought it was working. Well, it works but the previous blind is also on the same number. It is synced to both numbers which left me confused. And a bit angry. I walked away for a while thinking what I needed to do. I think I need to factory reset those two blinds first and then synced one of them with a number before I even look at the other one. 

Do I like the blinds, yes. They look great, the colour matches the paint and they only allow 3% light in. What I don't like is the instructions on installing them and the setting up of them to the remote. They also don't tell you they are ready to use and you don't need to do anything but point the remote at them and figure out which one is synced to which number. Though the price was great, if you aren't ready to do it yourself, I'd go with a company that installs them for you. 

As a thank you, I ordered dinner for the three of us and we had it at family's house. I was home early as I needed to do a few things before I could sit down and knit. 

Sewing

None done yesterday as it was spent on the blinds. 

Knitting

I did get to knit last night and got another 40 rows knit. The scarf measures 25" now. About half done. 

I will be finished it before I know it. That means I will have to add another project to my knitting list as the doll's sweater won't take long to knit once it is cast on. 

Thoughts

    I am continuing with my purging as I see that I need to do it in every room. I have let things creep in to the house and didn't get rid of some items that needed to go. How much stuff does one person need is my question of the day. Not as much as I think. 

    When I expressed my thoughts about selling the house, I got one definite statement -- will you have the room to sew in when you rent an apartment. I know that I have a lot of sewing stuff and am not sure if it will fit into the room. I will not sew in the main living space. At the moment, I am now rethinking if I will move or if I will stay here. I do love my house a lot and know I would miss it if I sell it right now. More on it as time goes on. 

Today

I have to fold laundry, do more laundry, and clean the front entry. That includes purging a closet which is another place I put things I should have gotten rid of. I have a few things to put away and I need to work on the last 2 blinds. I want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

Until the next time........................................................

Letting Go of Stuff Once Again

 Yesterday was more cloudy than sunny and there were lots of snow flurries during the day. The high got to -3C (windchill -7C). This morning it is cloudy and -7C (windchill -12C). Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with flurries and a high of -5C (windchill -12C).

Lifestyle

I started the morning out cleaning the little hall. I then opened the doors to where the washer and dryer are kept and did a major clean in there. I did find one item that is on the couch with the idea of giving it to a friend. Once that area was cleaned, I mopped the floor and dusted a small table and started in the dining area.

I purged the little server and I got a lot of stuff out of it. Some was old, some was not needed, and some stuff is between 50 and 70 years old. Family can decide if they want those items or if I will give them away. With the server cleaned, I turned my attention to the rest of the area. I did a lot of cleaning in that area and by noon I had the floor ready to mop. I was tired but happy with what I had gotten done. I found the purging and decluttering the hardest as I want to keep things I know I won't use again. When it is done, I am pleased with the results. 

I ended the day cooking dinner for last night and for 3 more nights. I do enjoy having dinners prepped and ready to reheat. I also cleaned up the kitchen as I had made a mess while cooking. It didn't take long and everything has been put away. 

Sewing

I spent quite a bit of time sewing yesterday afternoon. I had a lot of fun making an Edwardian period skirt. What I thought would be difficult project, was easier as I spent the time measuring and hand basting. 

My first job was to cut a bias strip so I could bind the back seam of the skirt. I am so happy I have started to do this on a regular basis. 

I spent a lot of time on the front of the skirt. That is where I did most of the measuring and hand basting. I was going to do the pocket flaps correctly if it killed me. 

Once the pockets flaps were done, I read the pattern and started on the pockets. It was a bit of a puzzle but I got it done. On the pocket back pieces you had to add a piece to the top that was slightly curved. Once I had that figured out, it was smooth sailing. I am ready to attach the waist facing. 

The pins in the front are holding the pockets in place. I have the waist facing to put on, sew up the back seam, hem, and add a snap to close the skirt. At this time, I am not sure what I will do for the front. I will put buttons on the pocket flaps but am not sure if I will add a bunch of buttons down the front as the designer has done. I will see what it looks like before I make a decision. 

I have 3 blouses cut out for the Edwardian wardrobe. I also have to cut out the bicycle skirt and jacket. When those 5 pieces are sewn, the wardrobe will be done. 

This month we are studying focus (Sewing With Cinnamon). We are to sew something that uses this element. One of the blouses I have to make has gigot sleeves and I am going to make it as those sleeves are a focal point of the shirt. This shirt goes with the Edwardian wardrobe and can be worn with the skirt I am making. 

Knitting

I knit on the scarf last night and did 40 rows. The scarf now measures 19" long. I am getting there slowly but surely. 

I don't have to finish it until sometime in March which I keep reminding myself. I do need to get the yarn and needles up for the doll's sweater so I can work on it at noon. I've been so busy that I forgot. 

Thoughts

    The decluttering and purging yesterday was successful. I realized that I have been keeping things that I don't need or use. I tend to put them away and forget I have them. Making myself go through every item while I am cleaning is making me toss what I don't need. I was a bit of a pack rat last year. I am not sure why I was but I was. It wasn't big items, it was small ones that I tended to buy and forget about. 

    The barometric pressure has been bouncing up and down causing me to have a lot of joint pain. The muscles are sore also and it is causing my SI joint to be tight. I did a good stretch last night and it released. The reason we are having changes in the barometric pressure is from all the flurries every day. I should stop calling them flurries and call them mini snow storms. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet first thing and then do laundry. I am going to focus on the living room area as it is next on the list. I will be sorting and purging items in there. I may even get started in the front hall closet. Family is coming over to hang the blinds so I doubt if I will be sewing this afternoon. I will be knitting tonight. 

Until the next time.....................................................................

New Thoughts and Old Plans

 Yesterday was mainly sunny with a high of -5C (windchill -11C). This morning it is cloudy and -6C. Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with a few flurries with a high of -2C (windchill -7C). 

Lifestyle

I was ready to go and pick up daughter-in-law (DDIL) at 9 am. We were off to go shopping in New Minas. The trip was wonderful, the roads were bare and dry, the sun was shining and we talked the whole way. 

Our first stop was the pool place so DDIL could get the hot tub water tested. With no one using it for 7 weeks, the bromine level got really high and the tub had to be emptied and refilled. Lesson learned; either get someone to use the tub or don't put bromine in it. 

Our next stop was Home Depot. I got 2 light bulbs and the door handle for the linen closet. I will be returning the door handle as we got them way cheaper. DDIL returned some items and got a couple of items needed for a project. 

We moved on to Michaels and looked at the crafting paper. None in the colour I need for a project. Then it was to Giant Tiger. We got several items at prices there. That store never fails to impress me. When they put items on sale, they are great prices. 

We drove over to Marks which is an outdoor shop. I tried on coats. The one I loved made me too hot too quick. I settled on the one I had looked at online. It is warm but not so warm that I will get hot real fast. 

Walmart was our last stop. It was for what we needed and nothing else. Groceries mainly. 

We got home and I was really sore. The barometric pressure was falling and it was causing joints to hurt like crazy. I rested with heat on my sore joints. Late in the afternoon, son arrived and I was up on the counter putting in light bulbs. I put in one and he did the other one. He put the anchor plugs into the bathroom wall and we hung the mirror. So nice to have that job done. 

We looked at the new blinds and he knows what he needs to bring with him on Sunday to install them. We checked to see the motors on them and they all need charging. I can do that after they are hung. It will be nice to have them hung. 

Sewing

None done as I was sore and then got busy helping son with projects. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and have 120 rows in total done. It is 14" long now. I am slowly getting into the rhythm of the pattern. I do have to count as I knit on the even rows or I will make a mistake. 

I will be bringing up the yarn and needles for the doll's sweater and will knit on it at noon. This scarf is my evening project. 

Thoughts

    I am seriously thinking of selling the house and moving into a 2 bedroom apartment. I don't need all the space in the house and I don't need the yard. It is time for a family to enjoy this space. I won't be making a decision quickly as the apartment I want is not available until October 1. I can still be independent but not have all the extra worries that comes with owning a house. I can afford to live here but it is time to think about having less worries that owning property brings. Honestly, I have been thinking about this for quite a while. 

    As I am not in a hurry, I am slowly going to go through everything and get rid of what I will not take with me. I will also get a few more things done in the house. I want it to look nice when it is put on the market but I also want to enjoy living here in the meantime. I also want to enjoy sewing and knitting so I will not be working on the house full time. 

Today

I am going to be cleaning the dining area and hall. I need to get it back to normal as it has become the dumping ground for tools, old notebooks, and anything else I have been using. I do want to sew this afternoon and will knit at noon and tonight. I also need to make some meals for the next few days as I will be busy. 

Until the next time.........................................................

Cleaning and Researching

 Yesterday was mainly sunny with a high of -2C (windchill -7C). This morning it is clear and -15C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of -4C (windchill -11C). 

Lifestyle

I had a busy day yesterday. First thing I did was to make a pot of cheddar broccoli soup. After cleaning up the kitchen, I set about cleaning the bathroom. 

Most of my day was spent either cleaning the bathroom or researching. The bathroom needed a good scrubbing to get rid of the tiny paint splatters. I scrubbed everything including the light fixtures. The tub was the biggest job ever. I ended up scrubbing it with a scour daddy. Being in it on my hands and knees made my hip area hurt. I survived. The last job of the day was to vacuum and mop the floor. I emerged from the bathroom around 2 pm. 

The research part of the day was finding out how to rehang the mirror. The plugs came out because of the weight of the mirror hanging on cheap plugs that were in the drywall. It seems as if the memo on putting in drywall plugs was clear. Don't search for a stud first just put in a cheap plug and hang what ever it is you want hung. My rant for the day. 

I have been working on ideas for the bathroom also. It looks very sterile being grey and white. I do know I am adding navy blue to the room but want another colour. I have done some searching on Pinterest. It has me thinking. I will have to do some looking when I go snoop shopping later this month. 

I was out to family's for son's birthday dinner. It was a fun evening with friends coming for dinner also. My treat for the family was to clean up after dinner and get all the dishes into the dishwasher for them. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday. I did think about what fabrics I could use in the bathroom. I have a William Morris fabric in navy and white with big chrysanthemums on it. I bought it for backing on the runners in my bedroom but didn't use it as I had enough of the grey fabric that I had bought for the quilt.  I also have a navy fabric with a taupe stripe in it. I bought it before we moved here. Either one would be great for a valance on the window. I could add another colour like a light taupe (not yellow toned) and maybe a sage green. Thinking about that. 

I could buy fabric in blue and do a stripe and fern printed fabrics. I need to look at those fabrics and see if they are what I want. I can still add another colour to the bathroom. 

Knitting

I did knit on the scarf last night. I have 80 rows knit in total which is 9". 

I am about 1/5 done the scarf. 

Thoughts

    The temperature is colder than expected this morning. It was a bit of a shock to read that after seeing a skiff of snow fall during the night and it being so nice yesterday. The sun had enough warmth to it that it melted the snow on my driveway. 

    My brain is in full motion thinking about how to decorate this house. I am trying to focus on one room at a time at the moment. At the moment it is the bathroom. I have a list of items I need to buy and ideas on what I want the room to look like. Other rooms keep popping into my head but I have to shut them out or I'd be going crazy. 

Today

I am picking up daughter-in-law and we are heading to New Minas. I have a list of things to get at several different stores. Once home, I am going to sew this afternoon, make dinner, and knit tonight. It is rest day from cleaning the house. 

Until the next time......................................................

Another Busy Day

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy with almost continuous snow flurries. The high got to 0C (windchill -3C). This morning it is cloudy and -3C (windchill -6C). Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of -1C (windchill -11C??).

Lifestyle

I started early cleaning the kitchen. It was a full on cleaning job to make sure all the dust, dirt, and what ever was gone from painting. I got all the covers put on the plugs and switches, the window washed, the appliances shined up, and the floors vacuumed and mopped. It was a great time with me climbing my ladder to get the jobs done. The room was dusty but the floor was dirty. 

Daughter-in-law came over to see how bright the house looks and we took out the blind for the kitchen. The colour is a perfect match to the wall colour. The blinds will go up as she has time. No rush. 

Later in the afternoon, I did climb back up on the ladder and counter and removed light bulbs from the light over the eating bar. The light is really yellow when turned on. I also cleaned the light fixture. New LED light bulbs will be bought for it. 

I watched the One Notebook system yesterday and I was disappointed. It was promoting her course which you need to buy. I was disappointed but understood what she was doing. Build you up so you will buy her course. I had time to reflect and I won't be buying it. I do something similar already. Maybe a bit more rustic in nature but it works for me. I have a note book I write in daily which includes my daily to-do list, thoughts, etc. and a small notebook for grocery shopping. I have been working on having plans for sewing and knitting this year and I am now working on a plan for the bathroom. It includes what I want to buy for it. I also do my balance sheet weekly. I find that is keeping me organized. I can look back at everything quickly and decide on what I will be doing. I don't think I need more than that to be productive. 

Sewing

I did get the two doll blankets sewn. They were very easy to do. I had both of them done in an hour. 

They are about 17.5 x 20" and will be perfect for the dolls. I have the next two fat quarters chosen and both can be sewn with the red thread on the machine. 

Knitting

I knit and unknit last night. I found a mistake and had to go back and fix it. I now have 57 rows knit and am almost finished the part ball of yarn I started with. 

I will be getting the yarn up to start knitting the doll's sweater at noon. 

Thoughts

    The painter was back yesterday morning to finish the bathroom. As I looked at that room, I came up with a detailed plan for updating it. I did a lot of research for new taps, towel bars, towels and counter top. My first purchase will be a new door handle for the linen closet. I am going to buy the new items as I can afford them and then have a person come in and do the work when they can fit it into their schedule. 

    The upstairs is really bright and the lights bounce off the walls and I am getting use to it. It has been a long time since I had that nice issue in life. I have had to struggle getting the upstairs bright enough to work in. Now it is "sunglasses" as it is so bright. 

    I thought I would be sore from all the cleaning I did. I am almost pain free this morning. I think that this is actually helping my muscles. I did have to sit for a few minutes when cleaning to let my SI joint relax. I did not have to release it yesterday. I may have to clean house every day so I keep my muscles from hurting. 

Today

I was going to go shopping in New Minas but I have to shovel snow this morning. I want to make a pot of soup first thing this morning. Once those two jobs are done, I will tackle cleaning the bathroom. I want to sew this afternoon and may get some knitting done tonight. I am out for dinner at family's as it is son's birthday. I do have to get the cake before I go over there. 

Until the next time.................................................................

Children's Socks Finished

 Yesterday was cloudy day but not depressing. The high got to -1C. This morning it is cloudy and -3C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with light snow this afternoon. The high is to get to 0C. 

Lifestyle

The painter arrived in the morning with the wrong paint colour. It was darker than I had asked for. She went home and mixed white into it and got a perfect match. 

The painting team is a husband and wife. They are very careful and do their jobs without fuss. By 4:30 pm they had the main part of the house painted and only need to put another coat of paint on the walls in the bathroom. 

The main area of the house looks huge now. And it is very bright. We did talk about how the old tan colour made the area look small and depressing. The contractor who built this house no longer uses this colour as his "contractor's white". 

The One Notebook course is interesting. I am doing some of what she talked about already. I already schedule appointments and some other tasks on calendar. I have recipes in binders in one cupboard and knitting patterns on my iPad. I put my daily list in one notebook and then add everything else I think of in that book also. Some notes I take need to be put into a central location that I can access easily. I am looking into a couple of ideas she suggested. I also need to figure out if I have reference information that needs to be stored. I am further ahead than I had thought. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday but I did clean up my sewing room. It was fibre dusty and a bit messy. I also tidied up the cutting table. I have fabric on it that I am unsure of what to do with. The person I was going to make it for has separated from daughter. I need to talk to her about what I can do with the fabric. I will put it away and get out the fabric to make her a quilt. I also have to talk to her about piping. In the meantime, I have doll blankets to make. 

Knitting

I finished the children's socks last night. I was so close that I pushed through and got them done. 

I am struggling with how to deal with the yarn I knit in the spreadsheet. Do I adjust the amount I have left and move on or do I create columns that tell me how much I have knit. I want to keep track of how well I do knitting the stash this year. 

Thoughts

    Taking this course has made me realize how long it takes me to process ideas. I have downloaded 3 apps to look at and see if they I want to use them or if what I have in place is good enough. Having the painters here also slowed my thought process down as I was thinking about how to quickly and efficiently clean the house. 

    Cleaning the house is also a priority. I need to get floors cleaned, counter scrubbed, and all the little things I did to get ready reorganized. I figure it will take me 3-4 days to do as I am wanting to do a good job. 

Today

I am going to clean and set the kitchen back up. It will take me a bit of time to do. I have the course to take after lunch, Sewing with Cinnamon to do while I eat breakfast and I'd love to sew this afternoon in my tidy sewing room. I will knit on the scarf tonight. I will be busy today. 

Until the next time............................................................