February Blues

Ho hum. I think February is the most depressing month of the whole year. I think that's why they only made it 28 days long. Thank goodness for that. I have been feeling kind of down lately and thus sewing minimally, sleeping lots, and doing nothing in particular.

Here are some of the reason I have been feeling glum:

• My grandfather is rather sick. Not like a cough. Pretty sad business.
• I love my job but is is stressful at times, especially in February (or before big vacations). I want to feel like I am doing my best and doing everything with 100% effort but sometimes/ most of the time I feel like I am putting 100% effort into staying afloat and not forgetting something really important. 
• It's cold. I am sick of the cold and mostly sick of the wind. I want to go running and be outside but the wind makes it unbearable. It also makes my apartment cold which makes me cranky.
• I'm still searching for friends. 
• Planning a wedding when you are the most indecisive person in the world is very hard. It's even harder when your fiance is the most decisive person in the world and can make decisions in .2 seconds when it takes you 4+ hours of deep contemplation to figure out the exact same thing.

Here are some things to be unglum about:

• I got to see my Grandfather, Frank, today. As well as my Grandmother, Grandmother, and my brother, Garrett. It was pretty fun. They even said my cooking was good.
• On a whim I bought a new (to me) sewing machine. It's a used model with a new engine. It's wicked snazzy. I have been slowly trying to figure it out and absorb as much information as I can in short sittings.
• There are only 5 more days until school vacation. I am going to spend it in Maine, and do some wedding stuff, hang out, relax, read, snowmobile, have a party, and maybe see a brand new baby, if he comes on time. 
• All of my squares are done for the quilt. 

• I love the fabric I am using to make the quilt so much that I bought more this weekend to make this skirt.
• There are only 27 more days until spring at which point I can wear my new skirt.

 Now if those aren't unglum things I don't know what are. Thanks for reading my soppy nonsense.

Lauren

p.s. I know unglum isn't a word; but it should be.

p.p.s. Here is one of my most favorite pictures in the whole world:

 

That's me on the day my brother was born. Looking at this picture helps me remember that even if you aren't happy about something in the moment you might be happy about it later.

Call Me Crazy

 I've signed up for Wapack and Back, the trail race that nearly killed me last year. Here's the legal mumbo-jumbo I had to "accept" in order to register. I almost never really read the agreements, but I decided to read this one and couldn't decide if I should laugh, cry, or never think about running this race again. Instead I decided to post it here so you could laugh, cry, call me crazy, etc. Here it is:

"I know that running a trail race is potentially hazardous activity, which could cause injury or death. I will not enter and participate unless I am medically able and properly trained, and by my signature, I certify that I am medically able to perform this event, and am in good health, and I am properly trained. I agree to abide by any decision of a race official relative to any aspect of my participation in this event, including the right of any official to deny or suspend my participation for any reason whatsoever. I assume all risks associated with running in this event, including but not limited to: falls, contact with other participants, the effects of the weather, including high heat and/or humidity, traffic and the conditions of the course, all such risks being known and appreciated by me. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and in consideration of your accepting my entry, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the organizers, sponsors, property owners, public entities and their representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event, even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons named in this waiver. I also grant full permission to the race organizers and sponsors to use any photographs or other records of my participation in this event for any legitimate purpose."

After signing up I also realized that Richard (farts in your face Richard) is also signed up. My main goal is to beat him, and beat him by enough so that I won't be within 1 mile of his farting.


I hate being farted on.

Lauren

Baby Shower Gift- No Sewing Necessary

What's with people in their 20's having babies?!? Jeeze. Seems like everyone I know is having a kid, or two. My good friends from college are having their second baby in less than a month. Seems like just yesterday I was making their first kid something. Their first was a boy and they're expecting another boy, so I knew they wouldn't need anymore clothes or toys. This got me thinking, what would a second child need or want? Or more specifically, what would the parents of a second child want or need?
Something personalized! I found the idea and materials at the craft store. When I got home Charlie asked me why I needed a giant "L" for our house. He's funny. I painted the frame yellow and the "L" blue with light brown dots to match the scrapbook paper behind it, added some Mod Podge Luster, and some hot glue and it was done.

I shipped it off and had nearly forgotten about it until I got the thank you card in the mail today.

Now all that's left is to have the baby, but not just yet!

Lauren

Valentine's Day Decorations

The chain quilting I did the other day made me think about other chaining projects/ideas (and no I don't mean the bunting that I now realize I should get cracking on if I want it to be done by July). I mean Valentine's Day decorations. 

I saw an idea on maya*made last February, after Valentine's day had already passed, and stored it away until now. While working on a painted project (more to come soon), I remembered the idea and was able to locate the tutorial. Pretty easy. I painted some of the hearts in different ways and also crumpled some of them. After the red paint dried I used Mod Podge "Luster" to seal them and make them a bit shiny without having to add glitter; yuck. Did you know I hate glitter? (I won't steal Demetri Martin's joke about glitter but I will provide you with a link to it...well upon searching I couldn't find a short clip, just skip to minute 3, or enjoy the whole thing, or don't click it, I'll never know.)

Back to the project. Instead of gluing the hearts to a string I just chain stitched them with a sewing machine. Now if only I could decided where to hang them, because outside the closet isn't a very good spot.


Happy Sunday!
Lauren

Chain Quilting

Yesterday at 10:30 while I was working with two students the principal came onto the intercom to announce that there would be a snow day on Wednesday (today). I think my outburst of excitement was louder than the two students combined. I mean, what's better than finding out in the morning that you don't have to get out of bed because there is a snow day? Finding out there is a snow day before you even go to bed. While the two students planned to stay up late watching who knows what on the Disney Channel, I planned to do some serious sewing. 

And that I did. I used this technique and finished chain piecing all of the squares for the quilt I'm working on. I just had to get a picture of the long chain before cutting it apart and making it into pinwheel squares.

Pretty huh? It makes me think of the bunting I have want to make for decorations for our wedding.

Now all of the chained pieces are cut apart and most have been sewn into squares. I stayed up far too late last night working on them, then stayed up even later watching several episodes of "The Office" on Netflix. Did you know Pam and Jim kissed?! We just had to watch more to find out what happened. Today I thought about doing some more sewing but Charlie and I went skiing instead.

Just a few more blocks to go and then I can start sewing it all together.

Lauren!