Daylight Savings Time

Every year when we change the clocks it takes me about a week to start to function normal again (what I call normal for me). I have never been a morning person, and on the weekend I have been known to sleep in all day. Daylight savings time is like a mini jet-lag, is it like this for you?

If you want to learn more about Daylight Savings Time

Just call me a Lurker

Yes - I am some what of a lurker these days. I am out here in the land of the living but haven't blogged much lately. I could not get to my computer. Why you ask? Ahhh the saga continues - the remodeling of the master suite took longer than expected. Kind of like those programs on HGTV that show how when doing a remodel and it takes longer and cost more than the person expects. Well at least I can say we are nearing the end, and did not find any bad things we had to fix. All of the walk in closet was placed into the sewing room and in front of the computer so that we could paint and lay tile . The tile is down and it is sooooo lovely!! The wood floors are down and gorgeous!! BUT the house is still in shambles and the closet is yet to be put back to use.

I am so sad, my camera broke. I loved my Fuji 3800, it wasn't anything special but I knew how to use it and it took great pictures until the lens locked. So now I have to use my husbands little camera, and it feels a toy to me as small as it is. Maybe if I whine to my hubby he will get me a new camera for my birthday.

Where have I been.... in the kitchen of course

It's not oatmeal and I haven't been cooking- What is that funky looking stuff? Well it's popcorn ceiling. We have a house full of this stuff and my DH, DS and I all agree its not very pretty. So we have started in the kitchen and removed it.

It is really very simple to get off the ceiling. Just wet and wait a few minutes then scrape away. It is a very messy job, but the end result is a beautiful look.

i found a lot of info on the web, check out Jason"s site.

Here is the end wall color, Sherwin Williams Optimistic Yellow - very cheery yellow. At some point we will be painting the cabinets.

A new fan in the kitchen will help in the summer when cooking and Florida temps get a bit uncomfortable.

I made the new curtains, using a fabric that has all the colors of my favorite Fiesta ware dishes.

This week we are removing the popcorn from the ceilings in the master suite. We are also painting the walls a lovely pear green color Sherwin Williams Hearts of Palm. And if that wasn't enough we are laying 12" tile in the master bath and walk in closet, then laying beautiful Indian Tigerwood Pergo in the master bedroom. If I don't blog much you'll know I am busy at it.

Bias Tape from a Fat Quarter

There are so many resources for how to make bias tape, you could read for hours.

But for today I just need a little bias binding for a table runner. It's really simple or so they say - some how every once in a while I manage to screw up it up and end up with NOT bias - bias tape/binding. So I am showing how I keep from making that mistake.

For a small project one fat quarter will make 110 inches of 2.5" wide bias binding or tape. One good thing about doing this small of a bias is it's good practice and then when your good at it move on to the bigger squares or some yardage.

I start with 1 fat quarter (about 22" x 18"), iron it well. Trim off the selvage and fold up one corner to help create a 18" x 18" square. Iron a crease in the diagonal fold and trim away the excess creating a square. Open up the square and cut on the fold to make two halves of a square, or two triangles. This cut is made on the 'bias' of the fabric.

Here's where I usually get confused, so I found the dot labels to be very helpful. I place a dot on each long edge of the triangles (diagonal of the square) and mark the grain of the fabric. You can see here I made a '+' to show which way the threads are running on the fabric.


Now moving the fabric gently make a parallelogram by aligning the opposite ends of the triangles placing the dots away from each other. Basically you pick up one triangle and move it to the end of the other one. Then pin this new center together, when you pick this up to take to the sewing machine you will notice the dots are now on top of each other but facing away. (see the pic above) Sew the edge together.

Next iron this seam open.

I have a long quilting ruler I use next and a wash away quilting marker (I have used a pencil before), I mark the 2.5" wide strips. I use the dots again to help make sure I mark the correct edge. You want to make sure you are marking on the bias, not the strait of grain! I place the ruler down and look to make sure the '+' now looks like an 'x' between the line and edge of fabric. I draw all the way from on end to the other and continue on until I have marked all of the fabric.

Using the lines marked I can now pin the edges together to create the next seam for the continuous bias.

I have to remind myself that I need to leave one line away from where I start pinning otherwise its not continuous but just loops of bias. So just off set it one strip away as in the picture.

Pin and check to make sure the lines are matching up. I pin in the fabric at 1/4" and see if it matches on the other side

A little fabric juggling at the sewing machine - this is where pinning well is a great help! Then press the seam open and grab some scissors.

Starting at the offset strip I cut and cut until I get to the end.

I like to use 3" x 5" index cards and as I iron the bias in half I roll it on the index card, then label the width and length.

Charming Table Runner

That's what you can do on a Sunday with a pack of charm squares and some strips of fabric.


It was warm and sunny and as the boys worked on making a wooden picnic table I was looking at a pack of oh - so pretty 5" charm squares from Moda Daydreams collection by Deb Strain, then remembered I needed a table runner. So what other way to show off these beauties!!

After looking at the layout of the colorful squares I pieced them together,then sewed some strips together for the border, trimed away the pokie points, added the borders and practiced some mitered corners. The mitered corners were not all that hard!

Now - this lovely runner sits atop the table, along with the uneaten candy canes from Christmas.

I will see about working up a tutorial if you'd like?

(hmmmm - now what charm squares should I use next)

My guys did a mighty fine job too!!!!