When do you file a police report?

We had some family over this last weekend and after they left, I realized that something VERY valuable was missing. 

I knew they had admired it and used it so it wasn't much of a leap to point a finger at them...   but didn't really want to accuse them of theft, just in case I misplaced it.   

I also didn't want to turn it in on insurance but I just KNEW it was gone!

I was JUST ready to file a police report when I received it in the mail from the family, with a note f apology... 

Yes, my red tape dispenser has been returned !!!      WHEW!!! 

Dear DIL:  It could have waited until I saw you next... 
After all, I DO have another red one...

and a stapler to match.

I SPY some "happy" and some "red" - finally

Life gets busy and things get delayed.  We finished the structure and the moving in of my sewing studio months ago but still working on the arrangement and décor.

It WILL be red based and I was working on it.   Actually, I was just THINKING about it but it was in process.

During some down time last week (I was not feeling like cleaning or quilting or laundry or anything, really), I worked on some small projects that had been floating around in the back of my mind.

To start, I dug out the wall paint I used in the house and gave the "create" and clock a quick coat.   The "create" was previously two colors of aqua and was purchased 2nd or 3rd hand.  The clock was also purchased used and was an avocado greenish (aka pukey) color.

I know the paint was not really the right type but I am not all that obsessed about things that can be repainted quickly.   

Regardless, I am very happy with the results.


Then I SPY some dark red wool blend fabric so I covered the raw wood board I was using as a shelf to display my toy and vintage sewing machines.  

I didn't want to paint the shelf as painted shelves take forever to dry or stuff sticks to it.  I didn't want any paint on my machines and I didn't want any lingering projects that didn't get done when I walked away.  

I just cut a piece of fabric, stapled it to the board and viola!!   DONE and I LOVE IT!

I still had some energy so I turned to my favorite sewing chair.  I am actually a little embarrassed to show the before but here it is in all its glory!


The chair fabric is dark enough to show EVERY snip of thread or fabric...  not to mention all the hair from our two snow white cats that, of course, love to sleep, and bathe, on the chair when my rear end is not occupying it.  To complicate matters, its a fabric that is not easy to clean...  or vacuum...  or remove ANYTHING from it. 

But its sooo comfy....

Its time to do SOMETHING with it....  

I find some red check decorator fabric for which I have no immediate plans.

Except for this chair.


I am too impatient to make a pattern so I just lay the fabric over the chair and start cutting.

I cut the fabric (double layer) into a rough shape with the wrong side out.  I separated the layers to drape over the chair back and pinned, then basted.  I adjusted a few spots smoothing out the curve over the top of the cushion, adding some small pleats for a more snug fit, and sewed it. 

I narrow-hemmed the bottom and added a couple ties to make it removable.

I was ready for a nap but felt committed to doing the bottom  cushion. 

As I had no real plan in mind, I evaluated the fabric left, calculating to see if I had enough to do another one if I screwed the first one up really bad.

I felt safe that I had enough so onward I pushed.



I draped a single layer, wrong side up, over the seat and cut a VERY GENEROUS square that draped down a good 6" off all sides of the cushion. 

I centered the square over the cushion so that the fabric hung down about the same amount on the sides, front, and back. 

I eyeballed and pinned loose pleats in all four corners of the seat to fit the cushion, but not tight.  I wanted to be able to remove it to wash it but wanted it to be cinched up at the corners. 

I then trimmed the excess fabric hanging down under my pleat pins...  my goal was for the fabric in the corner to be approximately even with the fabric length on the sides, front and back.


I ripped a piece of fabric, selvage to selvage, about 2" wide.  I removed the selvages, folded in half lengthwise, then stitched with generous 1/4" seam allowance on the right side, around the bottom of the cushion cover, securing the pleats I had pinned.  


I removed the pins as I sewed, making sure I didn't sew through any of the pins.

I ripped another piece of fabric, selvage to selvage, about 1 1/2" wide.  I removed the selvages, folded in half lengthwise, then folded the edges into the middle, and stitched down the length - I cut this into 6" lengths to serve as ties and had them ready to attach as I secured the binding.






I folded the binding over to inside, encasing the seam allowance.  As I stitched, I one end of a tie into the seam allowance about 1" on each side of each batch of pleats, folded the tie over the top of the casing, and continued stitching along.

I tied all the ties, and VIOLA once again!!

(Sorry the check messes with the photo...  and your eyes.)

Color me RED
and color me HAPPY.

Color your world in whatever makes you happy.

Because you know, I'm all about them birds... about them birds, about them birds.... no trouble!

I had previously mentioned that I stuffed pillows with my sewing scraps and donated them to the Animal Rescues around town.  It was a project that wasn't really close to my heart (not that I don't LOVE animals) as it didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.... so to do it so it was a challenge.  I just didn't remember to save the scraps.

I also previously mentioned that I am all wild and crazy for hummingbirds.  I had a hummingbird feeder...  then 3 - but they are those plastic jobbers:  red base with yellow flower looking feeder holes.  The honey bees drove me NUTS.  The feeders seem to seal tight, then slowly start leaking, and the hummingbirds, NUTS.

I needed a new plan....  Hummingbirds were unhappy because they couldn't get to the feeder...  literally 100s of bees were sucking the nectar off and out of the feeders. Fortunately, they were not aggressive.  Why, you ask?  Because they were fat and full and slow from sucking all that nectar!!!

I found these metal/glass hummingbird feeders at my local big box hardware store.  It looked like they would eliminate my peeves so I took out a 2nd mortgage and got two of them.   

REVIEW
of freaking expensive hummingbird feeder: 

Hate to say it but well worth the money. 
Does not leak. 

Bees can't get in. 
LOVE. 
May have to get more when I win lottery

Just to the right of the top half of the Shepherd's fork, you will see a suet feeder hanging from our gaxebo. 

I put all my thin strips, threads, and tiny bits of batting in it for birds to use in their nests. 

I always make sure the pieces are no bigger than what I think a bird can carry.  If too big, I lay them out on my cutting mat and rotary over the
pile in different directions to cut them up.






I get so excited looking at the nests and "I Spy"ing past quilting or sewing projects.  Looks like these birds prefer batting over snippets of fabric.

Don't forget about our furry, and feathered, friends this holiday season.
Happy Holidays!