So many unfinished projects and so little inspiration. That’s how it is around here right now. Above is an apron I started in December. All I have to do is add a pocket, but I just can’t seem to get to it. Here’s the pile on of unfinished projects on the sewing machine:

And speaking of unfinished, I still haven’t painted this room, although the great de-cluttering project of 2006 and 2007 continues into 2008, and I did get a little more cleaned out of there last weekend.

What do you do when you get like this? I have so very little inspiration, and zero motivation. I feel like I’ve been coming home from work and staring stupidly at the TV, and there isn’t even anything good on. I hope this rut doesn’t last much longer.

I have continued taking pictures, however, and since January is yearly bonus time at my place of employment, I treated myself to a Photoshop upgrade (from v6-super old skool-to CS2)! And I have been playing around with it a bit, because I can do that while stupidly watching stupid shows on TV, so I guess that’s something. I picked up The Photoshop CS2 Book, which I highly recommend. So far I have learned how to apply a vignette, and to lighten too-dark photos using Curves, and create a dreamy glow-y effect. And some color adjusting stuff.  Reading Pioneer Woman has introduced me to the world of Photoshop actions, which are just brilliant, and now I want some. Better yet, I want to make some. I better go learn how to do that now.


My pins and needles are ready and waiting for me to get my mojo back. Even the addition of a squirrel lamp isn’t enough to get me going.

Santa came early, and I must have been really really good this year, because I got something I’ve been wanting for a very long time. Santa also said that I could start playing with my new toy right away, so I have been. So far, I’ve just been using the auto settings, but the results are pretty darn good. My little Olympus point-and-shoot has served me well the past four years, but this little baby is just amazing. I took some pictures last night, which I never would have attempted before, and then this morning, it was grey and drizzly, but I still couldn’t stop myself from snapping away. I can’t wait to try it in full daylight. Click on all the pictures to see them big!

This is a cross-stitch I did years ago, and always pull out for Christmas.

A light supper last night, under the Christmas tree. I got my swap package from Yvonne yesterday, and did I rip open the caramel-ly stroopwafels? The spicy-sweet speculaas cookies? Oh no sir-ree, it was the beautiful wedge of cheese that I had to dig into right away! When Yvonne asked if I had any special requests, I jokingly told her Leidsekaas, please! And she sent a nice big chunk of a similar cheese from her home town. It is so good! There was much more in that pretty pink box, but it will have to wait until I can take some daylight pictures to truly do it all justice.

Today is our secret Santa gift exchange at work, and I was lucky enough to draw the name of a fellow knitter, so I made her a needle roll, the first one I’ve ever made. It came out pretty cute, I think. I hope she likes it. There’s also a yarn store gift certificate, so even if she hates the needle roll, she should be pretty happy with the rest of the gift.

Last week I picked up a frame at Ikea for my poster from Victoria. I was going to hang it in my laundry room, because I could use a little reminder not to get all worked up when I have to spend my Saturday doing five loads of laundry, but it looked so good in the guest room, that I think I’ll leave it in there. I do need to take it in and get the mat trimmed down a bit.

And one last picture. Every time it rains, the logs from the tree we cut down a couple months ago get all mossy and green. I love that color.

No ugly things today, only pretty. The bathroom is nearly ready for it’s big debut. I need to find just the right mirror to hang over my little dresser, and a small hamper or basket for dirty clothes. I may also add a shelf, and I do need to finish caulking the baseboards. Oh, and I’d love to find some small, simple artwork. I think I may head to one of my favorite antique shops this weekend for the mirror and whatever other goodies I can find.  Decorating is really never ending, isn’t it? But it’s actually a wonderful space, just as it is right now. I think I’ve had a least one, if not two bubble baths every weekend for the past month. Here’s a pretty bit:

I think I may paint this little dresser. I’m just not sure what color yet. I love love love what Victoria did with hers. I could do the same color as my tray, which is really similar to that succulent green she used. I’ll just be thinking about that for awhile, it’s not going to be done anytime soon, I have too many other things to do. Like embroider pillowcases (click for a bigger view):

I think I’ll be doing a lot more of these. For those who were asking last time I posted about this little project, I washed it, and I don’t see any of the markings at all, they seemed to have come out quite nicely.

The transfer was dark grey, and you could definitely still see it through the pale pink flowers before washing, but not now! Two thumbs up for Patternbee! Floresita has a great site for free vintage embroidery patterns, including these little birds (thanks to the commentors for that info!), as well, but you have to print them out and trace them onto your fabric. I’m too impatient to do that for something this detailed, so I really like the iron-on versions, but I may print up some simpler designs and try it out.

And lastly, I’m doing a little selfish knitting:

I actually have no time for this at all, I have some Christmas gifts to work on, but still, I’m sneaking a few minutes here and there to work a couple of rows. This is the Hanami Stole, from Pink Lemon Twist. I love the beaded cast-on, even though it takes ages longer than any regular cast on. The yarn is from yarnchef, who I cannot recommend highly enough. This colorway is called flourite, and it’s really beautiful. Katy even included the prettiest little stitch marker that matches the yarn. Sadly, my camera didn’t want to take any good macros this morning, so you’ll just have to believe me. It puts my green plastic Clover markers to shame. 

This is my first real lace project, not including the embossed leaves socks or the Misty Garden scarf I’ve made. Those were just small potatoes compared to this. It’s taken me awhile to figure it out, and there may have been a little spat when I was trying to carefully keep count of my stitches, and somebody, who shall remain nameless, walked into the room and started talking to me. The nerve! He completely threw me off and I gave up and started over. I had to unpicked a few rows again a little later (I only had myself to blame that time), and there’s still a little mistake, but I can live with it. Now that I’m a few rows in, I’m getting how the lace pattern works, and there shouldn’t be anymore problems. I hope not, because this stuff is not fun to un-knit!

The bathroom is nearly complete. I’m sure everyone around me will be pleased when it’s over, so they don’t have to hear any more about it. This week I managed to install the light fixture, which replaces a Home Depot $6 fixture put there by the previous owners. If you’re wondering how good a $6 fixture could possibly look, I would have to answer, "not very good." I had a before picture on my camera, but I guess the fixture was so bad that the camera decided the memory card should be re-formatted so no one would have to see it. The new one, from Schoolhouse Electric, is much, much better.

I can’t recommend them enough. They were great to do business with, and I love that they let you pick out the fixture and then pick the shade. That way you end up with a really custom, one-of-a-kind light. I thought the prices were really reasonable too, considering the care that goes into all their products. I think they have an interesting story.

Our bathroom isn’t a super fancy master suite spa sort of thing, but it feels so luxurious now. I may still look for a shower door, but I hung a tension rod and curtain, and it’s actually working out okay. There’s so much room now when I shower. Before, there was alway a shower curtain touching something or other, an elbow or a shoulder, but now I can practically put my arms all the way out before I hit a wall or curtain. And no more doing the limbo to wash my hair. The shower head is way, way above my head. Then, of course, there is the hot, bubbly baths I’ve been taking! Heaven!

I’ve still got baseboards to install, a couple towel bars to hang, and paint to touch-up, but when it’s done you better believe I’ll be showing the whole thing off right here!

Another little luxury item I’m working on:

Embroidered 100% Linen pillowcases. I think these little bluebirds are so sweet. These little iron-on transfers are from Patternbee, another business I highly recommend. This pattern is from the Dream Home set.

Some other luxuries for which I am currently grateful: my trusty iPod that holds all my music, so I can take it with me everywhere; fresh eggs whenever I want them; really good cheese.

What are some of your favorite little luxuries?

We’re still a couple weeks away from a completed bathroom, but the most important things are finally done!

The cats have been supervising the progress quite closely. Lucy says, "The toilet is solidly in place. I approve." We’ve taken a few baths now (ahh! to be able to get clean in my own home, rather than using the showers at work), but I think I’m going to have to put a door on there for the shower. My big showerhead sprays kind of wide, and I don’t think a curtain will work.

I haven’t taken pictures of the chickens for awhile, and I know you are all missing them, so here are a couple from this morning:

 
Unlike Edwin, who has become increasingly cranky with the wind, the chickens are just as sweet-natured as ever. They’ve been hunkered down under the porch and in the coop, but come running every time I come outside, hoping for something good to eat. I’ve made sure they had some good treats this week, lots of apples and a bit of brown rice, which are some of their favorites. The General is looking particularly regal these days, don’t you think? He struts around like the supreme leader, but he’s really such a sweetheart. When he is the first one there when I come out with a treat, he makes a particular clucking sound, as if to say, "Ladies, there is something fine for you to feast on, come at once!" And he waits until the majority of the hens are there before he takes any for himself. What a smart man!

And because stress levels are still quite high around here, I started another mini quilt:

I’m almost done quilting. I love making these little guys. They’re just as satisfying as completing a big quilt, but so much quicker.

These pictures are for certain family members who have been asking:

We started out at picture number one. Actually, that is after we’d stripped most of the wallpaper. In 1983, I would have loved that ivy wallpaper, but now? Not so much. Oh sure, it looks relatively unoffensive in that first picture, because there’s only a tiny bit left, but that stuff was on the top half of every single wall, and it was really a bit much in that small room. Also, the floor was a hideous linoleum and because the floor underneath was damaged, there were gaping tears in a couple spots.

I know a lot of people are not going to understand why we’re replacing our claw foot tub. Believe me, I really love the idea of a claw foot tub, but the reality, of ours, at least  is not so great. First of all, there is the hideous faux paint treatment. It’s not just ugly, but it has a lot of texture to it, so simply re-painting was never really an option (an aside: the previous owner also left us with the matching plunger. That’s right, it wasn’t enough to paint the tub, someone took the time to lovingly faux paint the handle of a toilet plunger). We would have had to strip it and then paint. If that were the only problem, then maybe we could have invested the work in it, but the inside of the tub is really stained and never looks clean. I’ve tried everything I could think of, even some pretty toxic stuff, and the only possible solution is to have the whole thing re-porceleined. Also, it’s just a pain in general to clean around it and we are both tall people, so actually taking a bath in there was never that much fun. I think I might keep it and if we add a second bathroom then it might be worth salvaging and re-using, but for now we’re going with a nice big drop-in tub with a rain showerhead. I think the subway tiles keep the vintage look going and the glass tile strip makes it a bit modern. At least I hope so. I hope it doesn’t say, "hey, these glass tiles are expensive and these cheapskates could only afford a single stripe." It might be saying that, but whatever. I really love the look of glass tile, but at $25 a square foot, that little stripe is gonna have to do for now. 

For the floor, I just went with a 20" pretend travertine. I thought about penny tile, but I don’t think that would be fun to clean, and once everything is back in place, including the small dresser and clothes hamper we keep in there it’s not not going to show hardly at all. So that’s the bathroom so far.

My stress level hasn’t gone down too much, as evidenced by the progress on the little quilt.

I’m just about done sewing the binding. I like it, but I think something is missing. Maybe I need to do more quilting or something. I don’t know. I used some leftover wool batting from the baby quilt, and I like how puffy it is. I took a picture in the sunshine so you can really see how bubbly the bubbles are: