Before and After House - 2023

 Hi Friends!

Hope you are starting to get into the holiday groove.  I am so excited for Thanksgiving.  I love it more than Christmas honestly. I think there is more work involved with Christmas and it just makes me tired.  With Thanksgiving, I really get to enjoy my time with family.  Everyone brings something for the meal so I don't feel like I do it all.  Really no pressure, just fun.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had windows and siding put on the house this summer. This house was built in 1896.  My parents bought it in 1972.  I was 2.  It's the only house I've really known.  My dad put lots of time and money into redoing the inside.  They put a metal roof on about 12 years ago.  Any time he changed a window, he just put rolled siding around it.  Nothing ever matched.  It was time to update and make it my own. I bought it 5 years ago.  It was really bittersweet though.  It no longer looks like the house I grew up in.  Here it is before:

And here is the after:

I still have a lot of work to do on the outside and the inside.  I need a new railing for the front porch and I need to clean the limestone rock around it.  I need to find something to cover the foundation on the front and West side of the house. I need to paint around the trim of the windows on the inside. I hope you all like the changes as much as I do.

So along with the goals for sewing for next year, I have house goals too. My biggest for next year is flooring in the downstairs and a deck on the North side of the house.  I would like to also check out the price of having gas put in the house instead of fuel oil. I do need to do some landscaping but that may have to wait another year.  My sidewalks need work too.  It's always something with a home, isn't it?

I am hoping to share one more post before the holidays, but if I don't, I hope you all have a blessed holiday season.

Blessings

Amy

2023 Goals

 Hello Friends

I was reading another blog and she was updating everyone on her 3rd quarter and what goals were accomplished.  That got me thinking about my goals for this year. Here it is October and boy have my goals changed this year.  Here are my goals for this year.

• Finish all started quilts - this did not get touched
• Paint the kitchen cupboards - still have the paint and need to do before Christmas
• Clean out the small garage and have a sale - it's organized but still need to have a sale
• Carpeting in 3 rooms - money spent on windows and siding instead
• Make 3 scrap quilts for gifting - not yet but there is still time before the end of the year
• Table runner for my Aunt in Winter/Spring - have not thought about this at all
• Bed runner for Aunt's SIL - no clue what I am doing

Little did I know that in May I would contact a contractor to put new windows and siding on the house.  I met with them May 2.  Signed the contract and was told siding in 4-6 weeks and windows in 10-12.  I decided to put all of my sewing things away so they could do the window in that room.  I worked on a quilt for a retiring friend and made a baby quilt but that was it for this year so far. I called the contractor each month to see where we were in the process.  Supply chain issues are still a thing when it comes to siding and windows.  They decided to do the windows first.  August 28th they replaced 13/14 windows. One was ordered wrong and we are still waiting on that one.  A week later the siding was delivered and they started that.  I will make a post about that soon.  They still have some small things to finish.

So my summer was spent getting ready for the contractors.  My mom ended up in the hospital for 3 days too.  She is fine. I spent time with my son at concerts and seeing musicals with my mom and sister.  So it's been a great summer.  Just not what was planned.  And sometimes you have more fun with no plans.

So I am going to make a short list of goals to tackle before the end of the year:

• write blog post about house updates
• baby quilt for coworker
• clean and organize sewing space
• put together at least one scrappy quilt

I will leave you today with this picture.  This is the quilt I made for my coworker/friend.  She retired in July. I didn't get a good picture of the quilting, but it came together very well.  This is a pattern by my friend Trish and can be found at Blue Bar Quilts online.

Are you working on your goals for 2024?  I am just trying to get through this month.  It's going to get busy with the holidays but then Winter really hits and there will be more time to sew.  I hope.

Blessings

Amy

Home Remodel

 Hello Friends

So, exciting things are happening on the home front.  In May I met with a company that does siding and windows.  My house is over 100 years old and needs some updates.  My dad had remodeled most of the inside for the past 46 years.  When I bought the house in 2018 I quickly changed the paint color in all of the rooms.  Well, most anyway.  I still have a few things to paint.  This house really needed new windows and siding.  Dad didn't want to spend the money for siding so the house has had the rolled siding on it.  Many years ago, Dad had put a small door on the little garage where a big overhead door had been.  He bought a really big air compressor and the only place for it was the front part of the garage.  The back of the garage held the wood burning stove.  I got rid of the stove and had a friend move the compressor to the back of the garage.  I met with a company to replace the garage door with an overhead door again.  This only took them 5 hours to built and install. Here is a before and after:

I have also purchased a new light for above the door.  They will be siding this little garage when they do the house too.  I can't wait to show you all that too.  Stay tuned!

Are you doing any house projects this summer?

Blessings

Amy

Always crafting

 Hello Friends

I have something different to share with you today.  I have discovered why I don't get much quilting done.  I am a crafter not just a quilter.  If I see something I really like, I try to figure out how I can make it on my own.  Don't get me wrong, I do support other artists and will buy patterns and other items.  Recently, ok, last October, I saw a deco mesh wreath.  I had been to my local Dollar Tree and bought some supplies.  They usually have a great selection of signs.  I watched a few YouTube tutorials and made this:

It hung on my door at work for the season.  I then made this for at home:

Then I made this one:

Then I took a break and made this one:

Then I made this one for my mom:

My sister was a big fan of this so I may have to make one for her next year.

I have a big tote of the deco mesh and a few signs yet.  I am going to work on finishing a few more this summer when it's too hot to quilt.  I also need to just stop doing other things and stick to quilting!  I have so many patterns and fabric to use.  I am currently working on a quilt for a coworker who is retiring this summer.  Hope to show you the finished product soon!

Are you a multi crafter?  How do you keep everything organized?  How do you manage it all?  I love to do other things, but I am missing quilting.

Blessings

Amy

Word of the Year

 Hello Friends

I can't believe it's already March.  I wish I could say that I have been busy making quilts but I haven't.  I have been working on a cross-stitch piece for a friend and that is taking up most of my free time.  I do have 2 finishes to share with you later though.

Today I wanted to share my word of the year. This is a good reminder for me also.  We all need kindness.

I wanted to make something in orange this year but the pink was shouting at me to use it.  I did not want to cut into the background fabric but then, the fabric is there to use so use it!  I am not saving fabric for 'someday' any more.  I am going to use it up!  There will always be my favorites but what good are they if they are sitting in a drawer waiting to be used.  I have more fabric than I will ever need.  Time to put it to good use.  

Whenever I cut into a fat quarter or yardage.  I will cut extra for the scrap bin.  I cut some at 1.5 and 2.5. Trying to build a scrap stash for some much needed scrap quilts I want to make this year.

This is all I have for you today.  Much more coming.  I have been crafting if not quilting.  Will share those things next time.

Blessings

Amy

Goals for 2023

 Hello Friends!

I know it's been a while but I have not had much to share.  I have finished a few baby quilts and other crafts and will do a year in review later.

I follow a quilter/cross stitcher named Judy.  You can find her blog here. She is doing a 23 in 23 challenge.  The goal is to finish 23 projects next year.  You can check out her site for directions.  I am choosing to do this with all things I need to finish.  Painting the kitchen cupboards, cleaning out the garages, finish a quilt, etc. It would be fun if you would play along.

I still have not decided on my word of the year for next year, but I have a short list. 

Here are a few of my goals for next year:

• Finish all started quilts- this is doable, as I only have a few that need quilting.
• Paint the kitchen cupboards- I have the paint just need the time
• Clean out the small garage- I will be having a tool sale to get rid of my dad's tools
• Carpeting- I would like to replace the carpet in the living room, spare bedroom and hallway
• Work on building a stash of finished quilts for gifting- especially baby quilts
• Work on a table runner for my Aunt- she would like Winter/Spring reversible 
• Work on bed runner for Aunt's SIL- never done this but might try

I think this is a good list to start.  I will be adding to it.  What were my goals for this year?

1. Finish On Ringo Lake- needs backing and quilting-Finished
2. Finish Grassy Creek-needs more piecing-Finished
3. Finish Unity- needs to be taken apart and remeasured-still working on this
4. Make 3 scrappy quilts for gift closet-not one started
5. Make the Scandinavian flags quilts-there are 5 just need to decide on size-not started
6. Finish all little projects that were started or need fixing-there a quite a few-only a few left to finish

I have a list of house update goals also:

1. Flooring in dining room and living room-not this year, hopefully 2023
2. Paint the kitchen-done
3. Paint the kitchen cupboards-need to do
4. Asphalt the driveway-still deciding on that or cement

Well, I finished 2 big quilts and a few baby quilts this year.  Not to my goals but they are going on the list for next year.  I bought a new sewing machine but have not used her much yet.  Next year we will really break her in!

I will work on my 23 in 23 list in my next post.

Hope you all have a joyous holiday season!

Blessings

Amy

New Car

 Hello Friends

I am sorry it has been so long.  This morning I could hear a cricket in my house.  Not sure where it is exactly but it makes noise.  Hopefully it will find its way outside. Anyway, it got me thinking about this blog and how you must be hearing crickets also.

Not much to report on the sewing front. I did take a quilt in to the quilter.  She informed me that she is quitting long arming.  So now it's back to finding a new quilter.  They are not easy to find in my area and I don't want to send it out if I don't have to.

I did start the #Kimsquaredcreative challenge.  Kim Lapacek from Project Quilting and Kim from Go Go Kim, are doing a sew along.  They are using Tula Pink's 100 Modern Quilt blocks book.  I decided it would be a great way to use up scraps.  I started on Aug 23rd with block 1. 

Of course in true Amy fashion.  That is the only block I have made.  Ugh!  Some day I will stick with these challenges.  I do still have my machine ready and the fabric ready to cut.  I just need to take a day and catch up.  With the holiday weekend I thought I would have time, but now I have plans to do other things.  But I will catch up!!

I did also finish painting a part of the kitchen that has needed it.  My job this fall is to paint the 'old' kitchen.  I will explain in pictures when I take some.  My dad added onto the house through the kitchen.  So we have an old section and a new section with a half wall in between. 

In other exciting news, I bought a car.  I had my car in the shop last Thursday.  It was making a loud muffler sound.  It needed part of the exhaust changed.  Then I had them put new breaks on the front.  A noise in the engine I had told them about was still there when I picked up my car.  I asked what it was and they said valve train.  That basically means you will need to replace the engine.  I was able to drive it all weekend with no problems.  Monday I leave for work and it sounds like I am killing a bird under the hood of the car.  Then my battery light comes on.  I try to do a Y turn to turn around but the steering is not working.  I was able to straighten the car and pull over.  Gathered my thoughts and turned it around.  It was no longer making the noise.  But I did not feel safe so I took my van to work instead.  The van is my mom and dad's but when I bought the house, it came with it.  I use it for hauling things.  It's a 2005 and on its last leg but it gets me where I need to go.  Anyway, I worked for 2 hours then went looking for a new car.  I tried 3 places with no luck.  Hardly any used cars and new cars are too expensive.  I have wanted a Buick Encore for a long time.  I just like the look of them.  I had a Buick Century many years ago and loved it.  I found one and was able to purchase it.  She does not have a name yet but she sure is pretty.

I am very happy with her.  I am also nervous.  When I come to work in the morning, we have deer.  Usually they walk across the road and you can stop, but sometimes they just run.  Ugh!  I got 2 raccoons with my car so I am extra cautious. 

So I am making a list of things to work on this winter.  I don't have it finished yet so I will wait to post that another day.  Do you sew more in the winter time?  The Almanac says we are expecting a very snowy winter.  I will not drive if the roads are bad so I will take those snow days to sew.

Tell me about your September sewing plans!  I need ideas (like I need another hole in my head). :) It is National Sewing month!

Blessings

Amy