And Now For Something Completely Different:

Lighten Up would ya? OK - OK - it's gotten very serious around here lately - what's up with that?!? BUM-MER!

Works-for-Me-Wednesday OR Me, Working-for-Wednesday - some crafting updates:

The yo-yos are still taking shape and will make their debut next week (they are very excited and cannot wait - they've even been giving me photo tips - the divas).

I've got 4 current (we won't discuss the long-time UFOs) sewing projects in various working stages:

1. Placemat Set #1, 2. "Nest" Quilt Top, 3. Coaster Set, 4. Placemat Set #2

2 sets of placements - these again need to be quilted and bound, but are also simple to finish so I'll work on them this weekend.

Coasters - I have several sets of coasters at the 50% mark - they need to be stuffed (tedious therefore unfinished) and quilted.

A Quilt top - finished the top just need to buy backing/binding fabric and then do the quilting, etc - I like th patchwork process so much better than the quilting - wish I could afford to pay someone to do ALL my quilting and finishing, but I have to save that for the really fancy ones.

I'm also cleaning out the craft room (again) and purging LOTS of stuff including books, misc. crafting items, maybe my knitting machine (maybe), and more. I have too much stuff and I can't use any of it because I have NO room to work.

On Deck for the rest of the summer/fall are the following projects (many for holiday gifts):

• Finishing 3 quilts (did I mention I stall out after piecing the tops?)


• Making 2 new quilts


• Reupholstering the couch & chairs


• Reupholstering the chair & 1/2 for craft room


• Making clothes for the children


• Embroidering dishtowels and napkins


• And More

Between all that crafting, homeschooling, cleaning, and new activities for both the children and myself - I'm excited. I know this will be a busy and productive time and I can't wait. What have you got planned for the fall?

I learned something new this week too - I'll show you tomorrow.

Be sure to leave a comment about your plans and be sure to check out Works for Me Wednesday links.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

WFMW: The Bees Have It

So I'm still making yo-yos and I cannot WAIT to show you what I'm making, but as the project is still rather amorphous wait I shall.

I was making yo-yos and dealing with knotty thread - UGH! So I went out and bought this:



Quilter's Beeswax.

I was so desperate that I even paid full price at Jo-Ann's - which just isn't done (it was not pricey - it's the principle).

It is all natural beeswax and if I was in the neighborhood I'd have picked up a small bit at the healthfood store, but - you know - desperate!

The Bees have done their duty (thanks Bees) and now my thread glides through the fabric like a dream.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

WFMW: Yo-Ho Yo-Yo?

(a Pirates life for me!)



This week what's working for me is my Yo-Yo maker.



Seems silly, but I totally LOVE this little plastic contraption.

I love fabric yo-yos - they are happy and I always make them in the traditional way - you know, trace, cut, turn the hem under whilst sewing, etc. I've seen the yo-yo makers and poo-fahed them thinking - "I already do that" and "why fix something that isn't broken?" Let me say something that you won't hear from me too often (quirk of being a control freak) I WAS WRONG! This little plastic wonder makes creating yo-yos literally a snap - as in you snap it together trim your fabric, stitch stitch stitch and tie - DONE!

Now I realize that the yo-yo makers are not that new, but as I stated I was reluctant to change (a recurring theme in my life) AND I'm cheap so the circle pattern I had (cut from an old notebook cover) seemed preferable - boy was I wrong (did I just say that again?). Enter last week the convergence of a Hobby Lobby sale and a friend having a rough time = IDEA and all sizes of the yo-yo makers in my bag.

Currently I am turning 5" squares (which I already had - that's the "green" part for today - use what you have) into hundreds of yo-yos for a surprise project I'll tell you about soon and I'm having more fun than I should (it doesn't take much huh?).



For some really astounding yo-yo creations please look here, here, here, and here.

Please check out more Works for Me Wednesday ideas HERE - it's a great group of bloggers with some good ideas.

Speaking of great bloggers - help a friend of mine out and treat yourself to some really beautiful handspun yarn. AmyN has been working hard and posted lots of handspun in her new Etsy shop - guys this stuff is GORGEOUS and so soft. Go. Now. What are you waiting for?

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

WFMW: Cheap & Cheerful

It's not a new idea.
It's not my original idea.
It IS a good idea.



It's just an old muffin tin that I picked up at the thrift store. I only paid a quarter for 2 of them (its friend is around here somewhere). The kids love choosing a paint color for each cup and I love not having to find and deal with lots of separate jar or cups (just waiting to spill). Also, with the low stance and wide open access both kids can use the paints at the same time - one less thing to bicker about - Yay Mom!



I love "re-purposing" ideas that are so easy and helpful and CHEAP on top of everything else. The muffin tins are simple to clean (just give a rinse) and if they get too grimey I just toss them in the dishwasher.

Please check out LOT of wonderful "Works for Me" tips HERE.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

WFMW: 5 Ingredients to a Clean Green Home

Everyone and their brother is out to sell the good, better, BEST do it all, kill it all, clean it all product. While those two imaginary maids are scrubbing your shower for you what exactly are they doing to the environment? Do you REALLY know what's in there? Are all those chemicals really safe? Sure they WORK, but at what cost to the environment, your body, not to mention your wallet?

There are many many people out there who can tell you exactly which chemicals are harmful and which are safe and what products to avoid and how it's all affecting our water and air and body; I am not one of them. I do know that my family (meaning mostly me) is sensitive to petro-chemicals and artificial fragrances. I have allergic asthma and tend to get migraines so I am really careful about what I bring into our home.

I need simplicity in my life as much as possible and using the same products all over the house is much simpler than trying to figure out what to buy for which application, etc. When I can keep things simple, safe, AND cheap then you've got one happy mommy! Here is what I use to clean my entire house:

1. Vinegar (about $2.00/gallon)
2. Baking Soda (about $3.50 for a 4 lb box)
3. Borax (about $4.00/box)
4. Salt ($0.50 the cheapest you can find is fine)
5. Lemons (or lemon juice) (about $1.75 for lemon juice)

oh and one more ingredient - a little elbow grease.

So for less than $12.00 I have all my basic cleaning needs covered AND I'm not going to die from mixing bleach and ammonia ie: comet and windex (yes you really will die if you do that. Chlorine gas IS fatal) or have chemical soup in my home. I also don't have to buy some marketing genius' (really true marketing genius) "green" cleaners @ $5.00 a bottle.

For natural home cleaning "recipes" and methods look here, here, here, and here.

small confession: I do use those clorox throw-away toilet cleaners because the thought of a germy toilet brush sitting in my bathroom is more than I can stomach eeeeeewwww!

I'll keep you posted! AmyDe

WFMW: Go Stuff This In Your Pants

Problem: Plastic shopping bags - we all want to save and re-use them, but they seem to multiply in the pantry.

Typical Solution: One of those cute hang-y things to store them in (nope - don't have one and won't ever get around to making one).
OR
One of those mount-it-on-the-door-so-it's-always-in-your-way plastic contraptions (nope don't have one of those either).

My WFM Solution?


Toddler Pants!

Years ago I pulled the pants out of give-away precisely for the purpose of rounding up all those pesky plastic bags - it works and it was a good re-use. On grocery day it's the kids' job to "Go Stuff This In Your Pants." The children also like to hear me tell them about the pants and how they were first Anna's and then Toby's, etc. I didn't really expect that part - I thought I was just being cheap and clever (ok and a little lazy). And hey - now it's "Green" and that's hip right (yeah right).

It might be weird, but then so am I.

You can see more Works for Me Wednesdays ideas HERE.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe