Le'ts COVER some things

Ok, cheesy title, but it's true.

I made this awhile ago, and as my current trend with blogging seems to go,  I didn't blog about it. Sooo, now I'm remedying that.

I had the idea to document my quilting/sewing/creative adventures online, but also in print. For nostalgia, posterity, so I can look back when I'm old and see the pretties I made. So my future kids and grandkids can look at it after I'm gone to see the pretties I made. So when the internet finally takes over and we're mindless machine-zombies I'll still have hard proof of the pretties I made. And so I can look at my progress, improvement in skill, and have fun.

I used this tutorial from http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2011/09/fabric-covered-composition-notebook.html. 

It was fairly easy to make and follow the directions, though I did admittedly have some trouble sewing the flaps to the main body of cover, hence no close-ups of that part because it's pretty messy. But that's more to do with my still-learning abilities than the tutorial.

I've written in the journal exactly 3 times with pictures, but the cover really is beautiful and I fully intend to add more soon....

The fabric is Joel Dewberry, from one of the Aviary lines I believe....... The inside polka dot is another Hobby Lobby find I think. Or a remnant from Jo-anns. I've got to start writing stuff down. Another use for the journal! Enjoy.

To do list....

It's cold and snowy here in The Mitten. Friday night and I'm home with my dog Maple who won't stop whining! This isn't new for her, it's just annoying for me :) My boyfriend is out with his friends, and as I'm a perpetual hermit and lately prefer the company of my sewing machine, I figure it's a good compromise to stay warm inside while he battles the snow and icy roads.

I had to replace my sewing machine belt this afternoon so I could finish binding a quilt I was working on. (No pictures yet as I wait for said boyfriend to take some decent pictures on his fancy camera). After the quilt was finished, I finally decided to clean up my sewing/craft/junk deposit room. I live in my grandparents old house and use my grandma's ancient Kenmore with built-in cabinet. I love this machine. I learned to sew on it a few months ago, and it's sturdy, and sentimental. I feel close to Grandma when I sew on it. But it's still frustrating, unpredictable, and finicky. The room the cabinet is in is in our freezing cold basement, and is tiny and cluttered. When I moved into this room, I put every single bit of craft-related anything I had accumulated over the course of the past year that I've lived here and none of it it has moved since.

Empty jars, bottles, spray paint, vintage sheets I've collected, boxes of...stuff. All sitting under the stairs and making me feel cluttered and claustrophobic. So I decided to organize tonight. I feel better when I clean, but avoid it like the plague... such a conundrum. It only took an hour or so of shifting, moving, hiding, and organizing, but it looks like a whole new space. Now, I can walk around the room, sit and stare lovingly at my growing stash of fabric and sheets, and open drawers and boxes that have never before been opened. Such a great feeling!

As I was feeling so inspired but not ready to start a new project tonight, I decided to make a list of projects  I'd like to tackle sometime in the near future. Here are a few:

• make burp cloths for a friend's baby shower
• Attempt a "Swoon" quilt block 
• Make (several) mini quilts/blocks to hang around the house
• Learn to read a pattern so I can make bags/purses
• Make more drawstring bags with this amazing tutorial 
• Learn how to paper piece (very hesitant about this one)
• Make half-square triangles --sounds simple, but I can currently only measure 1/2 and 1/4 inches so I have some issues to work out ;)

That's kind of it for now. There's more, but I think this is long enough. I'll (hopefully) be able to update and post pictures as I tackle each of these items. Hope you stick around to see my progress....