OH HAPPY DAY!

Well, I have to admit that if you looked outside of my window, you wouldn't think that the title of this post makes any sense! It's yet another rainy, chilly day in my little city. I remember when March would get here and it would be scorching hot. This memory is coming from somewhere way back about 10 years ago. It's just so gloomy that all I have to keep me warm on a morning when I am home alone like this are those memories of being outside eating ice cream on a hot, March afternoon. I know that Spring isn't officially here yet. And I know that the raccoon or whatever the animal...Paqchatway? The little squirrel thing that looks for a shadow. I know it didn't see it this year, so that is a good sign! I am anticipating that Spring is just a few weeks away. And the good thing about Spring here is that it's really, really warm!

The title that I have shared has more to do with the projects that I have been working on.... and e-hem, the one that I FINISHED!!!!! Yes, that's right! Me! I finished something! For once in... well, let's not put a number on how long it's been since I've started and finished anything. I could do cartwheels and sing cheesy songs from musicals. That's how proud I am of myself!

Unfortunately.... I am going to make you wait to see what I have finished. Ha! Of course, you could just scroll down, but that wouldn't make any sense. Then you would have to scroll back up and read my post backwards. Trust me, I read magazine articles backwards all the time (an improvement from reading them upside down, I suppose) and I know that it takes some serious skills!

In my last post, I mentioned something about getting a little more creative with African Flower hexies. Well, I was at work the other week, and I started to work on this.


What is this? This is a sketch for a tote. My sketches are super terrible for someone who has a Bachelors in Fine Arts from an accredited university! The thing is, I am extremely visual, but I don't waste time perfecting the piece of paper! It's the doing that gets me excited!


So after toying around with these African Flower hexagons that were originally going to be for a scarf, I managed to piece the puzzle together into a tote. You would think that would have been easier, given my sketch, but you saw it yourself! Could you understand and follow that diagram?! Please, pay no attention to the mess at my work desk. I always have my laptop, phone, and snacks readily available. I like to watch a movie and text while I work. Makes the time go by much faster and makes me feel like I'm with people all night. And although you can't see it, I am usually reading an art/craft blog or two while working as well. Do I read the blogs backwards like I read magazine articles? NO! I read them in no order at all. I find the most interesting picture and start there and then skip around until I have finished the whole post. Try it! It will blow your mind!


This is what I have so far. I just need to finish sewing a few hexies together and add a handle for the tote and then decide how to line the bag....Should it be fabric? Will I do a crochet lining? I have seen crochet linings before. I think that may be too much of a commitment for me! It looks like a lot of tedious work...row, after row, after row.... I have a magical closet filled with fabrics. I will pick one and sew it in the bag. Stay tuned to see the finished (and yes, I shall FINISH! this bag) product!

However, I have to admit I had to abandon this project for a moment in order to work on a more time-sensitive project. I will get to that in a bit.

First, I am excited to announce that I am doing something for myself! I never make anything for myself... ever... under any circumstances whatsoever. Anything crafty or artistic that I make is always given to someone. Go figure! I don't even think to sell my works. I am perfectly happy with handing them off to someone. I like the smiles!

But I put my altruism on hold for a moment for this project


It will be a table cloth. I have had this dream of having this painting of a Bartlet pear and eggplants together and everything in the dining area will be this dark brown, aubergine purple, and limey-pearish green.


It seems a little colorful, but I think I am OK with that. I like color, and I am always playing it way too safe anyway. For the longest, I have been working to change everything to Black in my living room. And the walls are blank. For someone so artistic, I really don't take the time to utilize any of my creativity to save my apartment from looking as though we just moved in! I am hoping to change all that with my new table cloth! I am going to put a sheet of thin plastic over it. This thin plastic, of course, can be located in my magical closet of items from the fabric store! It pays to be a collector of random artsy thingies!


When it's all said and done, I will have the table cloth, some place mats, a runner for the table (I cook elaborate family dinners on most nights and everything is set on the table), some chair cushions, some pot holders, and let's not forget my painting of pears and eggplants! I am also thinking of a nice centerpiece for the table as well. I love the idea of fresh flowers, but my allergies prefer silk flowers. That final decision will be made at a much later date!

Oh! And that's the first granny rectangle I have ever made! WOOPIE!

This week, I noticed something important.... I really can't sew! In my grand finale of my finished project, I planned to include some sewn items. the truth is I can't sew anything more than a straight line... and even that usually looks like a question mark or a semi colon on some days!

I decided that my next order of business is to teach myself to sew!



Lucky for me, Hobby Lobby;, my local and all-time favorite craft store, has Simplicity patterns for just 99cents! Some of these patterns are over $15!!! And who said it would be cheaper to make your own clothes? By the time you have bought your $15 pattern and your $70 or so of fabric and notions to complete a single item in the pattern collection... You really start to wonder if it's worth it.

Of course, I have the answer to that question! HELL YEAH!!!!! It's SO worth it to see my Little Darling in a fresh Spring Collection of dresses and happy little ensembles made by her mother. That means, she will pick the patterns and decide the colors and which ribbons! But first I have to get over something......

I am terrified that my sewing needle will BITE ME! Laugh if you want to, but I have seen enough fashion design competitions on TV in which someone is getting eaten by their sewing machine. The screams. The pain. The blood... Yea. HELL NO! Not for me! My machine is not taking a notch out of my finger! And because of this minor phobia, I can't even sew a straight line. I keep moving my hand and watching the machine devour the fabric on its own. I guess I must admit--- I am not smarter than my sewing machine!

I have been dreaming of designing and making my own clothes since I can remember. So I stocked up on "easy" patters and I will begin teaching myself to sew as soon as possible. I did plan on giving an "easy" skirt a try this afternoon. We will see if I have time for such things. Something tells me I can find something safer to do!

As I am the Queen of Random Thoughts, I just had one... I will make another post dedicated to my finished project.... Hopefully it won't be the last.

Ha! And to think! You made it all the way to the end of this post.... expecting to see a little something, didn't you? Well, I will give you a little appetizer, a sneak peak.... but just a taste! You can check out the next post for the whole meal :)