Our theme this year, CHAOS TO CONTENTMENT!!! I don't know about anyone else, but I have lost my way lately. No drive, no ambition, no love of what I'm doing. I "think" it has to do with being in a constant state of OVERWHELM! I have not managed time well and wind up with crunch projects -which are never fun. I've packed my list of "want to accomplish this month" so full that when surprises pop up that are either fun or an emotional wipeout - there is no chance of completion and then a sense of failure sets in. Ugh. After much thought on this and a great deal of chatting with the lady in the mirror - I've come up with this theme for 2025. If you didn't get a chance to check out the post explaining it all --- here is the LINK to the initial post. I'm looking forward to the direction this can take us all, but especially myself, if I give it a fair shot. Sometimes stepping out of comfort zones is challenging, but it almost always allows for growth. For the month of February - the way to control the chaos (for me) is to Learn to Let Go. That can be material in nature (selling stuff, for sure, and donating as well) or spiritual (find peace inside - no one can provide it for you). I'm going to be working very hard on BOTH aspects this month. January was a heck of a ride - gotta reduce the stress. Join me?
Now, if you are new to this blog, you may be asking, "just what is a monthly update?" I decided long ago that I just can't keep up with blogging daily. I just can't. Sooooo, what happens is I document each day in my life within one post and if something special happens, a separate post takes place. See, you can stay caught up with a once a month check and then, if you're interested, see the other posts too. It's a great system for me. There will be links throughout this update that go to related posts of MINE. They will open in a new window so that you can keep your place here. Just click on the hyper-links if you wish. There are NO ADS. Never have had them, don't intend to start unless my whole world gets turned upside down.
In years past, I have set goals for each month that I NEVER was able to reach. However, I NEED that guideline to follow, so I will continue to do that simply to keep myself on track. UFO mode is still a part of my life and I have set a definite budget for fabric in order to not create more things sitting around for "someday." The "hopeful attempts" will change each month and will always show up at the bottom of the update if you read that far - and they are joined by links to the previous monthly updates for the year.
Now, grab a cuppa and sit back for a fun read and perhaps a new idea or two. (P.S. I format on a computer, so if you are reading on a phone, well sometimes the pictures will be before or after the story. It is what it is.
1st - Hello February!
Months just go zipping by the older I get. February is here and our UFO number for this month is Number 11. For me, that is a wall hanging I started at a MSQC retreat several years ago. It says, "A Pieceful Place." All part of my plan to reduce chaos and create peace in my life.
We are still in Montana and here is the Week 2 LINK to our snow and adventures and time with family. Loving on my great-niece and nephew.
2nd - It's Groundhog Day and apparently the little guy saw his shadow once again. Does this surprise anyone? Six more weeks of winter put us at March 16th and isn't that just a few days short of the first day of spring? I'm so confused sometimes.
Time for a bit of game play.
3rd - Well now - I am down to just five full days before I go back home and I promised my mother a new quilted bedspread. Better get busy. Layer cake squares are laid out and quickly webbed and sewn into a center.
That gets followed up by LOTS of cutting of fabric. Ten yards cut into 10" x 2 yard lengths. These will be the ruffles. I then sew six sections together for each ruffle - total of 18 sections. You do the math.
4th - I neglected to bring any special feet for my sewing machine and so this is going to be very old school sewing. First a narrow hem - all done by eyeing it. I didn't even press the edge under. That gets followed up by LOTS of basting stitches on the machine and then hand-pulling the gathers.
By the time the day is done, I have three piles of ruffled fabric.
5th - Round two of the shoveling.
6th - Since I lost a day yesterday - I am pushing forward on this project today. Ruffles are going onto the interfacing backing.
By the time it hits 2 - I have all the ruffles attached. It goes across the whole room. Next, I piece the backing and sandwich the center with it - that takes glue basting and pins and lots of patience as I'm working on a carpeted surface.
7th - I am up VERY early and quilting begins and is finished by 9 a.m. so that we can head into town for pedicures. When I get back, the ruffles get pinned on and sewn.
We do a quick fit to the bed and then I add the binding to the top edge.
Dinner out with family!
8th - We fly today, but it's a late flight so I have time to still finish up some items before packing everything up. Mom has some seat cushions that need a little TLC - so that happens.
Good-byes are said and we are heading home once again.
Hello Dallas - nice to see ya.
9th - So the usual recovery day.
10th - Computer time - pictures, paying bills, finishing up blog posts, and went to post office to pick up mail with a stop at grocery store. Big day for me. Hahahaha.
When our Crabapple Hill retreat was cancelled last month, I ordered the patterns I was most interested in and the mail greeted me with them.
11th - More computer time working on upcoming Arizona trip - finished itinerary there and back and booked hotel/AirBNB's. Went to Costco with Mister in evening.
12th - Crazy lazy day - struggling a bit with get up and go. Made New England boiled dinner with corned beef and cabbage, worked on trip by renting car (took 2 hours and three browsers to get the reservation to stick) and printing maps. Not much else.
13th - Off to the vampires in the morning and then more computer work. I am so struggling with mojo --- worked on blog. Gotta find some motivation. I think I used it all up on the bedspread.
14th - Happy Valentines Day! I am starting out with a dentist appointment first thing. They have gone to digital so I arrive a half hour early in order to get all the paperwork completed. It gets turned in at 9 (my appointment time) and I sit farming for 45 minutes. Yep - then the assistant takes me back and tells me they are doing x-rays. I explain that this is just a cleaning, but she is adamant. So, I just go along with it. As she readies herself to do bite-wing x-rays, I calmly ask if she wants dentures in or out. The look on her face is priceless. She says out and then looks in my mouth and understands that bite-wings don't work. A quick disappearance and my hygienist arrives. She starts asking me questions and I tell her that she did pano x-rays 6 months ago and she looked them up. Yep. No x-rays today. Just a cleaning and off we go. When she finishes, the doctor arrives and gloves up to do an exam. I start laughing and explain that this is just a cleaning and get another dumbfounded look. She's gloved up so peeks in anyway. I think the digital upgrade needs some attention paid to the appointment process. Two hours later, I am finally back home. Uff da.
When I walk in the door, Mister comes out from the office and makes me a lovely Valentine breakfast.
Back to work he goes and I actually make my way to a sewing machine. My last paper-piece project from last year is going down today. Applique and quilting happen, followed by binding and hanging sleeve attachment. It is TA-DONE.
My sweet Mister made reservations at Thai Opal for tonight and it was WONDERFUL. We had such nice time and just enjoyed every second - plus the food was divine.
Treats on the house for dessert - scrumptious.
15th - It's a quiet day around the house. We made streusel muffins, watched some Twilight Zone and Repair Shop episodes, and I finished up the beading on Forever My Valentine. It is TA-DONE!!
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Now, it's 1:15 - what else can I work on today? Settling into my chair, it's back to the pillow project. All the remaining embroidery and beading are finished and this is ready for me to (fingers crossed) soak it in water and remove the printed pattern. Buttons now? Not sure. I'll figure it out tomorrow.
16th - One last look at my project from yesterday. Buttons are on and I'm about to soak this in water to remove the printed guidelines. Will it work?
At this point, Mister and I got out of the house for a bit. Here is a little LINK to our outing. At stop at the DMA for a Frida Kahlo exhibit, followed by dinner and a beer or two at Manhattan Project. It's the Birthday Season for Mister.
Back home, Mister finds a show about Frida Kahlo to watch and so much of the information is different from what the museum had. Strange. While watching, I stuff my pillow and get her sealed closed. TA-DONE. I really enjoyed working on this.
17th - Lots of vegies and cold weather coming - seems like a pot of soup day. While that brews, I'm sewing.
18th - Today's sewing needs to focus on the blocks for my UFO. They are all sewn and ready for setting by the time I walk away from the machine.
It's about time to get started on January and February Ingrid's Wildflower blocks. Tonight's progress.
19th - This month is more than half over and I've made minimal progress on my UFO - back to the machine I go - borders, binding, setting -it's all happening.
20th - First thing, I posted pics of my sale items and then had to go to school, it seemed. There was such a great response and I was sooo unprepared. An account with usps ensued as well as locating shipping supplies and my kitchen scale. Whew. I'm thankful for the sales, but on a high learning curve. Meanwhile - Mister's view is gorgeous this morning. So many pretty colors.
21st - So, I spent most of the day shipping out orders. I had no idea it would be so successful. I've managed to turn the living room into a shipping center and Mister just shakes his head. I even had some people come to the house to pick up orders and was afraid to let them in to see the craziness.
Finished up the day with some Birthday Eve relaxation.
22nd - Happy Birthday to my sweet Mister. He has a whole day planned and we are up and out bright and early. Here is your LINK to our very good day. It explains all the pictures.
While Mister napped, I got more orders ready to ship on Monday and worked on pics from today and blog posts. Kalachandji's and Boxcar for nighttime fun.
23rd - Mister's Birthday continues and I've got this wonderful LINK for you to check out. Some zoo fun and some exploring new places.
24th - For some reason, I just can't get warm today. Not feeling wonderful and taking a day off.
The one thing I do manage to do is move the plants back outside. We are supposed to be done with freezing. Time will tell.
25th - Finally put my stickers onto my new tool box. I know I have more stickers somewhere, but . . .
26th - Dear Jane sewing - prepping for applique. This pretty much took all day. Worked on another Enchanted Christmas block and managed to get the cardinal on it finished. No pic though.
27th - More Dear Jane Blocks in the morning and then I went out to the studio to find it. You may laugh but it's been buried for MONTHS. I couldn't quilt if I had the desire and I'm struggling to find that. Back in the house and all the applique is done/papers removed. Dear Jane is ready to post.
28th - Well, it's the last day of the month and I'm still not feeling the quilting fever. That means my UFO won't make it this month, but I'll have it done before long. I DID get back to applique and made progress on three separate projects.
Nope - I'm calling this month done. See ya in March.
Hello March. In keeping with my Chaos to Contentment plan, I am focusing on Controlling My Surroundings. I am still purging like a crazy person and gathering items for sale, donation, etc. It's a continuation of last month's physical letting go. I want LESS stuff and MORE organization. All of this will help my focus and happiness. It'll happen. What can you do this month?
Thank you for reading this far. If you made it here, kudos to you. Hope you have a great month and find a way to bring joy into your life. Stay creative Y'all.
I've tried to make a COMPLETE list here so that I have only one place to look it all up. I apologize in advance for the boring nature of this to y'all, but it helps me. I've made quite a few category changes this year - anything to help stay on top of things.
Projects ready to quilt by me:
Ruby Jubilee - Loaded on frame and ready to quilt
Sophie-Claire -
UFO's to finish: *means on UFO Monthly Challenge sheet
*Alphabet project from MSQC 2022 - Ready to quilt
Second Half Moon Rising project from MSQC 2022 -
BAD blocks as leader/enders -
*Rhododendron Trail -
*Sandcastles - set, backing, label, binding, quilt and bind
*Midnight Flight -
*Daybreak -
Row by Rows -
*Rachel's Sewing Room - quilt borders and attach all parts
*Desert Sky -
*Orca Bay -
Ruby Jubilee - Loaded and ready to quilt
*Feathered Star BOW -
*Scrap Crystals -
*Periwinkle Squared - MSQC 2022
Pumpkin Pillow -
Halloween quilt with Jen -
MSQC quilt 2024 -
MSQC table runner 2024 -
MSQC wall hanging 2024 -
Sew Sampler Projects -
Dopp kit
Current Projects:
Dear Jane - September blocks DONE
One Block Wonder -
Looking Through the Lattice -
Periwinkle Squared -
Paper-piece Project each month - December DONE
Ingrid's Flowers - January and February blocks done
Enchanted Christmas - January and February blocks done
From Simple Things pillow - DONE
Mon's bedspread - DONE
Teapot blocks -
Attic Windows -
Woolie Mats -
New for this year:
Turtle Items
Penguin Mug Rugs
Ruler Wrap
Yoyo Pillow
More Rope Trees
Joanna Bag
301 Boxy Tote
Mountain Saddle Bags
Double Flip Bags
Charade Purses
Just need final finishing
Forever My Valentine - beads need to be attached DONE and hung
UFO Handwork Items:
Hand Quilting --
Hand Quilting --
Stocking - in Montana, will work on there
Links to Previous 2025 Monthly Posts -
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