A Day for Organizing and Cleaning the Sewing room

I must say, this is BEFORE Christmas morning... so what you're seeing here is including Christmas packages to be wrapped and delivered. However, other than the 'corner', it's all my mess for sewing. I'll hope to show before and after photos.To the left and right of this photo is the design wall (left) and the double closet with fabric stored in tubs on shelves(right), so I guess that's pretty organized.(This is after).

As I walk into my sewing room, this is the walkway in (very small room with pitched ceilings). To the right, I have to go around a card table to get to the closet and that's a mess too.

Before...

After...

I try and store my carrying case for my machine under the cutting table and the white box under there has thick cording in it in case I want to make a rug---wrapped in fabric strips. Haven't tried it yet, but had a deal on some cording (like clothesline stuff).

This corner is pretty neat, but things tend to get piled up in front of the drawers.

Before...

After

I can't remember my cutting table so clean!!

There is a bag to the left of the design wall, sneaking under the backing...(forgot to take the backing material off the design wall prior to taking photo shoot...)

This is a pile of strips for my Strips and Strings Log Cabin project in Jan. (nicely ironed) I figured I'd make a few 'samples' of the blocks. I ended up sitting down and sewing (diligently, since my DGS kept interrupting all afternoon) a few blocks. I got 12 blocks done!! Whoo hooo.....

And I got the rest of my 'sewing bags' done for the ladies at church (Peace by Piece Quilters). They all save me their selvedges, so I thought I'd make them all a small bag (the white paper hanging from each is their name). I asked them to pick out three selvedge strips from my collection and I'd add 3-4 more to match them (this way they didn't know what it was to look like). I gave one lady hers before Christmas, but the others I hadn't finished (needed the zippers). Now they can have them for the next mtg.

Scott's party 2009

This is always fun, since we get to see my in-laws from FL. Scott is Lee's oldest and he usually has it BEFORE the holiday, but this year my MIL wasn't coming up until the Monday before Christmas, so we were left with the Christmas weekend to see her. I got to see all my grandchildren which is always wonderful!

I think the pom-poms were a hit! I loved making the pillowcases for their 'wrapping paper'.

The food is always great! and my MIL is still able to get around at the age of 82 (she's in the red sweater), but she even admits to moving much slower than ever- hip problems...

There is the annual (tradition) Jenga challenge... I've never sure who wins, but boy, do you know when it's close to getting ready to topple over!! AND who's turn it is at that stage!

This is the newest addition to the family. Paula and Kyle's son, Evan Osga.

The boys are loving the trucks, even if they are pink and Barbie's! Who CARES??!! They're TRUCKS!

Here is Papa at the Christmas grabbag... with the 'elf'' helping .... well, actually she looks as though she doesn't know what Papa's doing with the wine. (I don't think he did either- it's not what he would drink).

It's always nice to have a photo of Lee and his only remaining brother, Bruce. AND the fact that this is the only time I'll have a photo of Lee with his face shaven clean! (He did this Thanksgiving weekend and 'surprised me' with something no one had seen in 25 yrs!-- A clean face). He get a rash so he'll probably let the short beard grow back.  

Here is a nice photo of four generations...

This is always the traditional family photo...except that we all aren't in it....(minus Malakai, Kayla)

Now I think we even have a few that AREN:T really related, but who cares.... It's all family. (And this is the year, that a family walked in the back door and realized they were in the wrong house...!)

Christmas Day...one to forget!

There are very few photos of Christmas day since I awoke with a migraine at 4:30am... snuck downstairs in the dark to take some medicine (Leslie and Scott were sleeping in the living room). It didn't help. How hard can it be to look like you haven't 'thrown-up' while going back and forth to the bathroom, and the back room (den)? I must say I tried to do it in between each present, but everyone knew I was sooooo sick! We have a little house... hard to miss what's going on in ANY part of the house.

I tried to take a photo of the Christmas tree with presents under it, but it didn't come out too well. It looks as blurry as I felt.

This is NOT an attractive photo of these two, but what did I know? I need to go again....bye....................

Usually, Les & Scott head back to MA to his folks for Christmas breakfast around 8-8:30am, and as much as I would love them to stay, this morning I couldn't wait for them to leave so I could crawl back into bed!

I did get a couple of shots of Kai opening presents, but not much else.

I LOVE this shot!! He was trying to 'fix' everything. The only problem was that the drill  made noise!!!!

OH! And let's make sure that stocking has everything out of it, okay?

(Daughter Julie and her beau, Rich were coming over later to get Malakai and to open their presents. I missed that, although I vaguely heard them underneath my bedroom,,,, called down to them, then slept until 6:30PM!!) I still wasn't too good for a few hours, but after trying to eat ice cubes, and a little applesauce, I started to be better. Weak, but better.

Thankfully, it didn't happen the day after Christmas as that is when Lee's son, Scott had his party this year.

Busy Holidays, as usual...Christmas eve

Well, this year was a little crazier than normal. You see, MY side of the family does this "Christmas Eve' rotational thing. After the death of my dad in 1993, my sister and I thought it would be nice if the four children rotated who does the Hosting of Christmas Eve. At this point, my youngest brother is OUT of the rotation due to his wife being a teacher and they go to Brazil to see her family when she is on the week off from school.

My sister Janet, had it at her house.... appetizers, and desserts and games and lots of fun! Here my oldest daughter, Leslie-Anne with her uncle Tom. She came from MA to visit us. She's to be a lawyer, so I think the talking with her hands will suit her.

My niece, Jenny and my brother, Bill, and step-son, Josh. My sister-in-law, Karen is checking out a new drink my sister was concocting.

Of course, then the little cousins get together and while he could, Malakai tried to hoist Zachary up to check out the tree and the outside lights.

Isn't this fun???

Not sure if they were looking at the lights at the neighbors house, or looking for Santa...

Daughter Julie had her (fiancee) Rich up from Tampa, FL for the long weekend.

Here is the other daughter and her fiancee Scott. And here is third daughter, Amber (Lee's) and her family, hubby Jason and cute little Zachary. She is looking really good!

What IS Malakai doing to Zack???!!!!!

Here is my mom and her friend Amby, with my sister Janet. The hostess with the mostess... Niece Kathy's beau, Adam and Janet's hubby, Tom is in the background.

Nephew Nick and his friend, (I don't remember her name,,... OMG!), and mom and Amby enjoying the games.

Competition was fierce in the games, but a fun time was had by all....

I had to go home with little one (we were babysitting Malakai), Lee had to acolyte at the evening church service and I still had wrapping to do...! LOTS!!

More renovations.... smaller scale

Even though these closet innerds look as though they are a color, they are really a gray... the first one is off the dining room, no window in closet.

The other one is in the foyer with a window... maybe that's why the difference in the shade of grey.

They were painted by a friend of mine (since he was out of work and I was too busy). Well, worth the money I paid. Hey, ... they're DONE! and actually, they are filled partially with the stuff I took out of them. What do I do with the rest of the stuff?? St Mary's May FAIR!