Decision made!

I've finally made the decision on what edging pattern I am going to use for the bathroom shelves.

The pattern can be found here - Fancy Crochet Edgings

The one I plan to use is the one at the bottom - though I really like the one at the top, and may use that in the kitchen. We'll have to see how much I enjoy crocheting edgings before I make that decision though...

Random Ramblings

It seems there is a lot of thought to having a home made home...It's funny how much you don't really feel the need for if it's up to you to produce it. It's too easy to walk through a store and decide you really love, want, or even "need" an item sitting upon the shelf. Now that I've rearranged the bathroom to where there is more space - we now can use the built in corner shelves for more of an attractive display of items to be stored there. I'd like to crochet an edging for the shelves. I've already purchased the thread - a sage green. Now, the task gets seriously involved. I have to find a pattern I can use that I would want displayed. Plus, it should be one I can work into a curtain to cover the bottom shelf of the unit - since it only displays a venting hose for the heat to DD's bedroom. Hey - that's not my design. It's just a hidey hole for the kittens, and an unsightly dust collector. It will look much better hidden from view.

I would also like to crochet a bathroom rug - the one we have now is functional enough, though we purchased it with the intention of moving it to the hall between the side door and kitchen.

**Please note - this post was interrupted by a kitchen table session with my youngest - he did homework, I wrote letters and prepared for the trip to the market...and then I went to the market. Randomness of this post may therefore be intensified....**

Well, despite saving $36 and change between coupons and purchasing only items we needed that were on sale - I still feel I spent way too much money for what I got. Depressing. I did get a gallon of milk for $.99, and a $12.99 razor for $2.99 (it was on sale for $6.99 and I had a $4 coupon) But - everything else just added up so quickly. Granted, I do tend to purchase in bulk - and I did get a few items to add to the pantry for future use. I have to admit - I don't get out much. Esp. in the winter months. But, I saw jars of spaghetti sauce for $6-$8. Granted, I purchased the $.99 per can sauce. I'm only going to doctor it to our tastes any way... As always, a trip to the market further solidifies my determination to have an extensive garden...well, as extensive as we can get with our postage stamp of a yard. Bordering more on the side of intensive gardening, I think.

At the market, I did qualify for a $10 gas card I'll have to mail away for. Even though we do not drive ourselves - the card will still come in handy for when we catch a ride, or for Dh's carpooling to work. Ten dollars is Ten dollars. I'm really not sure how that fits in with my tracking our spending though...I guess, it counts - we will spend the gas card, saving us the cash...

Fun as it's been. I think I'm going to put this randomness away for now, and start searching for the edging pattern I started the day out thinking of...

Well...

it's been awfully quiet around here. Hubby is home between jobs for a bit. It could last until the season officially starts - or he could be called in come this next Monday. Who knows. In the mean time, we're working on getting the house set up a little more productively for us. Cleaning out the basement - it's the only place any of us have for storage for either apt. in the house. We had the Total Gym down there - but once the boxes and totes started piling up it was more of a work out to get to it.
So, now the table is back in the kitchen, and the total gym is in the living room. It's not exactly a decorator move, but sometimes functional ability has to take precedence. We can fold it up in the event we host a dinner or something. In time, I'd like to get a decorative screen that can "hide" it in it's corner. In the mean time - at least it's accessible for us to use it.
We're also going to be building the platform for the washer and dryer down stairs. Steve has put together my laundry tower, and we'll have to get some more hose to vent the dryer from it's new place to be. Again, we're just trying to create some workable space down there. Canning season is going to be upon us sooner than we think - and the last thing we want is to be sticking jars of preserved food in wherever we can find a spot until...later. Esp. since by then, hubby will be in full swing of his working season - and he is NOT going to be wanting to come home to more projects.

I have no pictures to post of our progress...oh, how I wish I did though. I've lent my camera out, and don't expect to get it back until tomorrow. I hope I get it back tomorrow. I think I'm addicted to my camera.
That's about it for now. Nothing particularly exciting going on here. Just waiting out the weather, dreaming of our first garden season here. Other than that. Much to do about nothing.

Home Management Binder

I'm working on my Home Management binder - no photo's as of yet - it's hardly anything you'd actually want to view at this point...plus, I've lent my camera out until Saturday. I've decided to use those pages you keep collectible cards in for my weekly routines. There is just no way for me to keep the same routine week to week. Plus, with gardening and crafting seasons - it's bound to vary. Yes, I am the type to have to schedule those things in, or else they will end up being put off until everything else is "done" ... I really should know better by now, I know.
Here are sites I am using for inspiration for my binder.

Organized Home - free printable forms, weekly/daily/and seasonal routine ideas.

FlyLady-free printable forms, routine ideas, baby step encouragement if you're just getting started in time management at home.

The Family Homestead menu planning, shopping for 2 weeks at a time, free printables, recipes for MYO cleaners, and lots of inspiration.

Keeping the Home A must see - gives a good idea of how personal a binder really is. Between them all (and there is more if you choose to google for more) it gives a good idea of the many ways they can be put together. Do take the time to look around. The idea is to create something that will work for you.
I suggest you start small - the FlyLady site has wonderful basic routines to use. Keep track of your time for a week or so - see what it is you do have done, and how often. Then take a look at it and see if there is anything you feel you are missing you need to fit into the routine. Many times I see Vacuum on a weekly schedule - this would not work for me. We live in a very small home with 2 cats and a dog...if I were to vacuum weekly we'd all be in jeopardy of needing a flea dip! Well, we'd be fuzzy for sure any way.

I'm home alone!!

For a couple of days, any way. I'm thinking I'll get finished up on my cleaning. Go through my patterns and fabric stash and see what I can get into. I have something in mind for a livingroom curtain...we shall see. May be I'll sneak a trip to the fabric store, or better yet - the thrift shops. Could be both. Dh and DD left yesterday to spend a couple of days with friends out where we used to live. No one has called me since they left - and the cell phones do not work out there. I was up until after 3am, and again before 7am. Couldn't sleep. Now, I know if anything happened (car accident, any kind of drama/trauma) I would be notified...but still, I had a hard time sleeping not getting the call of "Hey, we're here, all is well - see ya in a few." Of course, now I'm not so much worried as tired and annoyed. I'm going to get cleaning here so I can have a clean slate to work with. It will be nice to clean the house and have it stay that way for more than 20 minutes!

SO close...and yet -

No yarn needle!

I've got the messanger bag almost completed. Why just almost you ask? Because I can not find a single yarn needle in this house. I've checked both sewing boxes, my tote of yarn - nothin' no where to be found. There has to be one here - heck, there should be at least a dozen! I know I haven't used one since we've been here.

Oh well. Guess it's going to have to wait until tomorrow - here's the progress so far

The circles need to be sewn on and so does the button - oh yeah, the button Not a very good picture, I know. But it says "imagine", which I thought would be appropriate since it's for her art supplies. I just want to get it completed. It's been so long since I've really worked on any kind of crafts at all - it feels good to be able to focus on something to make, rather than runnin around trying to grab all the loose ends of life. Yarn is much more yeilding...unless you've lost your needle...

Valentine's Day Crochet

I finished this up this morning - it's the first Valentine's Day decoration I ever made (the first one we lost in a fire) and I was able to find the pattern at freepatterns.com - so it is our first Home Made Valentine's Day decoration - again ;-)
I found a few other things I'd love to do as well - we shall see. Today, it's cold and windy - so it seems to be a good day to stay in surrounded by yarn.
It's hard to beleive it's almost time to start seeds for the garden - but it is...