Little Boxes

I have been watching too many episodes of Weeds online lately while marking and sewing - and the theme song is that old folk favourite, "Little Boxes".



Anyway... something must have stuck in my subconscious because I made my own little boxes. It's a good thing I came up with some idea to use all these:

I'm a little addicted to this cheese.

So, this is what we're going to do with these little boxes:

Step One - Measure the diameter of the box and add 3/8" all around (this will be the diameter plus the side that needs to be covered).

Step Two - Cut two circles from scrapbook or wrapping paper. Luckily for me, my Creative Memories circle cutter set had one the perfect size, so that was easy!

Step Three -  Apply glue (Mod Podge works well) to the bottom of one of the pieces. I used a flat paintbrush to do this.

Step Four - Set the gluey bottom right in the middle of one of the wrong sides of the paper circles. Then use a pair of scissors to cut slits in the paper from the edge to the box about 3/8" apart all the way around. I know this is a terrible picture, but I hope you get the idea.

Step Five - Using that same flat paintbrush and more glue, press down all the little paper tabs, overlapping as you go. Lots of glue will seal them.

Step Six - Brush glue all over the paper and set aside to dry. Repeat with the other side of the box.

When you're done, you should have a cute little box that can be used for gift cards, jewelry, or other small gifts.

You can also glue ribbon around the edge if you don't like the white strip showing (just be careful not to glue the two halves of the box together!) like on this one that I made for Kaye when she won my giveaway last month.

If you've got any cheese boxes just lying around, why not give this a try. Let me know how it turns out.

Today, I focused

I try to revisit my "word of the year" every once in a while. My word for 2010 was "Focus", something that is very hard for me to do most of the time. There seems to be too much going on for me to give my full, undivided attention to any one thing for any length of time.

But today I focused.

Yesterday and today were Teachers' Convention days. I went to sessions yesterday and met friends for lunch. I went to sessions this morning, then skipped lunch and went to the Art Gallery for the afternoon. There was a free tour for teachers, but we were also encouraged to stay after and enjoy the gallery, which I did.

It's a brand new building that just opened on January 31, and it's caused somewhat of a controversy in this city.

I love it! I thought it was a bit strange looking when I saw the architect's proposals before construction began, but my visit today made me a convert.

I freely admit that I'm a wannabe, a dilettante. I know a little about art - I took some art history courses in university and I have a degree in Medieval and Renaissance history, which included the study of quite a bit of (mostly religious) art - but I'm no expert.

I loved the Degas sculpture exhibit.

I loved the Yousef Karsh photography exhibit.

And I was enthralled by the audio installation of The Murder of Crows (until some noisy kids came in - who talks in an audio installation? who?).

I sat in that dark room for half an hour, listening. I felt what I was feeling and though what I was thinking and focused on just being there.

It was amazing.

I will go back. I might even buy a membership - unlimited visits for a year. (The OnlyChild has one.)

And when I was done at the Art Gallery, I went shopping. I spent a store credit I had been hanging onto for months and used it for two cute spring tops. And then I went next door to another store where all sale items were another 50% off and I bought two tops and a pair of dress pants for $18.36.

Good day!

Everywhere I look

... I see another cute little project or challenge that I want to do.

This time, it's Pat Sloan's 2010 Black and White in Paris Challenge.

Black and White. In Paris. How could I resist?

So, I signed up and Pat sent me this in the mail:

How cute is that? The polka dots. The yellow. Those buttons and ric-rac. And that postcard for inspiration. (That in itself was enough to make me jump at this.)

The challenge is, using the items above (except the postcard), to create a 30"-40" square quilt. I get to design my own using any method I like, but it must be inspired by Paris and it must use the items in the kit.

Quilts finished and posted by April 15 will be entered in a contest.

I think I'll make this for my friend, Sandi, who is also my travel partner. Her birthday is April 22 - wouldn't this make a nice gift?

An hour or so...

... and I finished the Tisket a Tasket quilt top!

So now I have two tops to quilt...

No one wants advice - only corroboration.

John Steinbeck might have been right when he wrote that line in The Winter of our Discontent. But, me... well, I really did want your advice. And so I asked. And so you gave it. Thank you!

And then I went ahead and did whatever I wanted to anyway. As usual.

Maybe I should have gone with the Red Paisley.

I could have used the Love Notes Scroll - I would have had enough after all.

Instead, I dug through my stash and pulled out this tiny red-on-white polka dot to use for the sashing posts.

I think it's just fine, and it looks nice next to the Red Checks and the Love Notes Scroll (which I started adding last night until I got distracted by a present that needed to be wrapped and a new episode of Big Love).

At least now I can move ahead with this quilt top and get it finished sometime soon.

Getting it quilted... well, that's another story altogether. I haven't even pin-basted my Checkerboard quilt top yet because, as it turns out, I don't have enough fabric for the backing. I want something plain and simple - and I don't want to have to piece it this time. I guess I should have got out of my pajamas and gone to the fabric store yesterday after all.

It's after 8:00 pm now and I've yet to get the last borders on A Tisket A Tasket. That's not to say it's been another wasted night - I got creative in the kitchen tonight instead of the sewing room. Hey, it happens... sometimes. I made this for supper. Oh yum! I halved the recipe since we're a small family, but next time I'll make a big batch and freeze some. No photo from my oven; we ate it right up.

Oh... maybe just an hour on the sewing machine before bedtime...

Giveaway!

Jandi just moved her blog to Blogspot and is having a giveaway to celebrate. Go over and say "hi!"

I'm sneakily reading blogs and posting this while at work, so I can't talk now. But I'll be back later. I want to show you the progress on my Tisket a Tasket...

Decisions, Decisions

I received my package of RED fabric from the Fat Quarter Shop on Friday. "Ne touche pas," I told myself. I wanted to finish the Checkerboard quilt top before I got distracted by another project - in this case, finishing the Tisket a Tasket quilt top. And I didn't actually take the fabric out of the bag until yesterday, although I did gaze longingly at it through the plastic.

Yesterday was a day of no sewing - there was some cleaning, some grocery shopping and even a bit of fighting conversing going on, but no sewing. I cut a few sashing strips from the Red Checks fabric, but not much else.

Since I can't do any more on the Checkerboard quilt until I have it pin-basted, a job I have to do at school because I have no floor space that isn't hardwood here at home, I decided to work on A Tisket a Tasket this afternoon.

Screeeeeech... that's me coming to a halt after sewing on some sashing strips.

Why?

I just can't make up my mind what to use for the "posts". Have a look.

Here are the rows of blocks with the Red Checks sashing in between:

I set up a few scenarios to help me decide.

When I ordered my fabric, I intended to use the Red Paisley for the outer border and the posts. Now I'm not so sure... Although I like it, I'm worried that there isn't enough contrast between the sashing and the posts.

I could use this pink polka dot fabric. I have included a little bit of it in each of the blocks.

Or... there is the Love Notes Red Scroll. I like the look of this the best; the only problem is, if I use this I will have to buy another fabric for the inside border (which would mean another decision) because 1) I didn't buy enough to do both, and 2) the posts and the inside border are next to each other in places.

What to do? What to do?

If I didn't have to stop and make (or remake) decisions, I would have this done already... okay, maybe not, but there would be a better chance of it getting done soon.