WIP - oh so many projects

Let's start with something that has moved forward maybe the most.  The nursery for baby Thea.  Everything's painted except the trim.  I have washed a million little things.  I got the decor hung up.  And her little rocker out.  I am still sorting through donated clothes we don't need and figuring out where to put things.  This is why this side of the room looks like this.  I am also on the look out for bedding for the twin bed.  But alas we got a bed.  My hope is to get the clothes to re-gift moved out, and new bedding by the weekend.  I do however love how it's coming together.  

I also have been gathering Thea's quilt fabrics.  But I need a few more.  Finding just the right pink is a real challenge.  I do have a plan for what I want the pattern to be however.

Speaking of quilts I have moved ahead on this gift quilt. I am actually quilting it now.  Such a sense of accomplishment to finally be working on a creative project again after being sick for over a month having almost zero energy and just generally feeling yucky.  Sorry for the junky photo can't be showing the whole thing though.

I also have been working on Jones's baby book.  As I do it I am so grateful for this blog and the little posts I have written since he was born.  Moving forward I want to make sure and write more stories and share more little snips of our life. So I have moments to include for him.  I want him to know that he calls apples app-balls and bananas bee-nannies and how he's been practicing his basketball game and is attempting further away shots and making them from his knees like daddy.  These are important things.

I probably have 8 other projects in the works but no time to recap everything these are some of the biggies.  

Procrastination at its Best!

We have majorly procrastinated thru this pregnancy.  Part of our procrastination was busyness, part of it was lack of extra spending money, and toss in a little just being tired to the mix and we aren't really ready to have a baby in the next month.  We're ready mentally and probably physically as well and the doctor is telling us any day she could come.  But ...

We haven't finished her room.

Her dresser is not painted.

I haven't washed her clothes donated by a friend or jones old things we saved.

We have not replaced the baby seat with one I don't hate.

I have not written a birth plan.

We haven't bought new bottles to replace the ones we've lost/broken.

We don't have a double stroller.  

We need to buy a twin bed frame.

We still have the full bed occupying her room (craigslist buyers have contacted me like 10 times but yet nobody comes to get the stupid thing).

Purchased a winter cover for her baby seat.

I haven't made her a quilt.  

Oh and things are majorly misplaced in our room while we do the floors in her room.  

Ahhh Procrastination.  

I did make a handwritten list so we could start knocking things out better. On the bright side we have -

Brought her new dresser to Indy.

Removed the nasty carpet.

The floors were not needing repair.

Cleaned the Rock and Play.

Received a whole bunch of donated wintery girl clothes, towels, and blankets from my coworker. 

Received lots of cute clothes from friends and family.

This weekend we are focusing on working on finishing her room.  

Hopefully she stays put a while yet.

WIP - Quilts

This was supposed to be yesterday's post but I got sidetracked and then fell asleep instead of blogging.  Oh well I mostly blogged every day in November.   Anyhow here's what's in the works...

My block of the months.  Several months ago I cut pieces for three blocks.  Sadly I didn't label them I didn't put the pieces in a separate bag so it's really hard to tell what piece goes with what.  I did finish the May block though although the finished dimension is funky but it's too big so I will trim it.  These are the BoM that Thea and I are working on.  http://www.sewmamasew.com/2012/05/modern-block-of-the-month-bom-may-sew-along/

My Michael Miller Challenge which I need more black solid fabric to finish.  This is really much bigger than this photo in real life.  I do love how this neon gingham worked with the rest of the prints though.

My rainbow scrappy quilt.  I need a larger piece of batting to baste this.  I think the quilt will be for the new baby though.  I am going to make her a quilt for her room too but I want to keep this one as well.

Thanks to my little helper who sat on my lap as I finished the May block. 

I have my improv quilt almost pieces too but I put it away, before I took photoshop.  Also I have two gift baby quilts with pieces cut.  But I also want to make our baby a quilt.  Too many projects too little time.

I think it's time to finish a project.

Works In Progress - Quilting

So I have several in project projects. Actually more like 50,  when you are trying not to spend money you stay in and quilt or read or clean.  

Anyhow here are a few projects I am working on...

Indy Modern's Low Volume Charity Quilt:

These need a good ironing and trimming but I started on them and I cut pieces for more.  I seem to have lost my yardage bin of white gray cream fabrics as I only had scraps to pull from.  Some of my scraps were a little borderline low volume but they will be fine in the mix.  The blocks were so fast after I cut the pieces I  hope we can get the 60 blocks by October as needed.

Baby Girl Half Squares:

The baby arrived so I am a little behind on this luckily I cut enough squares to make a much larger front and now I have enough for the back and front.  And with any luck I can quilt and bind this before we take the new parents dinner this weekend.  Thank goodness for baby quilts.

Rainbow Quilt:

This one was going to go to a friends baby but I like it too much so I decided to keep it myself.   I cut the backing but need larger batting.  I love these super scrappiness.

Other Projects:

I actually have been working on my improv quilt and attempting to piece the front somehow I got that jumbled and I now need to refigure how to do it.  I also have cut pieces for two other baby quilts.  I am hoping to get done before said babies arrive later this month or next month.  

WIP Wednesday - Lots of Projects

It's been a while but I want to get back in the groove of blogging regularly again.  Here's a few work in progress projects happening:  

First up my rainbow scrap quilt.  I finished up piecing the top.  It's way too many tiny pieces.  But I do love scrappy rainbows.  I am not sure if I want a solid back or if I want to use some rainbow yardage I have, or piece something.   This was going to be a gift but I may opt to keep it.  

Also in progress this random IKEA fabric quilt.  It's not particularly beautiful or soft so I was thinking it might end up as some kind of outdoor playmat and I may skip the batting.  

Also on my table are my Improv Blocks project with Thea.  I started squaring up the blocks and deciding on a layout it's very hard to decide between framing blocks and mushing them together into a cluster. I sent Thea back her blocks the other day so I can't wait to see how it turns out.  

Also on deck is my Riley Blake Modern Quilt Guild challenge quilt.  I am really starting to question my ability to finish this quilt.  It's a little further along than this but I didn't take another photo.  I had grand plans for this but with the timing I may opt for just finishing it.

I am behind on my blocks of the month I think that might be the next priority. 

As for non quilt projects - I do have my master bedroom on the list and the new wardrobe project.  

Bungalow Bathroom After

Here are the after photos of our bathroom, see the before here http://katajone.blogspot.com/2015/01/bathroom-remodel.html?m=0 Our new vanity and reused mirror.  I panted the mirror this olive after nixing the Tiffany blue. I love how it's like a little surprise even though the paint is not perfect note to never spray paint in 10 degree weather.  Doesn't this random tile look great it was also like $48 for the whole room of course that doesn't include installation and the grout etc but still we could have laid it ourselves reasonably (but it looks better when the contractor does it).

We are using hooks rather than towel bars because towel bars are spendy (seriously they are like $30 for a bar WTH?) And honestly I like the look of hooks.  I also really dig the crystal hooks and knob on the mirror, not that you can see them very well in the photos but it's an interesting touch.

I even spray painted the frames and register cover.  The photos are pictures from our trip to Ireland.  I plan to also paint the back of the door but it's still too cold for that. Anyhow I love the end results I think it's completely different and much nicer.

Bathroom Remodel During

When I first started working with our contractor on this project I am sure I drove him crazy pants.  I might have sent him and Dustin this picture and asked them to pick a white.  And then I came home taped these paint chips to the wall and asked them both several times again which of these lovelies?   Meaning of course the whites at the top.  

And then when Ryan (our GC) was like did you pick a white yet Katie we're painting tomorrow?  I in a panic went to lowes without any paint chips and just bought a color called Hertitage White.  Does it ultimately make a difference?  Not really but it did brighten up the room like a 1000x.

I also must have exchanged 100 texts with them about the tile.  I really really wanted penny tile.  It's so pretty and trendy.  And the room is tiny so it wouldn't be terrible to install.  Dustin was like yes yes.  Sadly even with only needing 40sq feet the penny tile was going to cost me about $300 without grout tile board etc and I was going to have to order it which would take about 4 weeks.  With my bathroom already out of commission waiting 4 weeks wasn't in the cards.  But look at the amazing potential...

I think the contractor secretly rejoiced when I went another route too.  But once I finally made a decision then I needed to pick a grout color.  I think he had the tile about 3/4 laid before I decided on grout.

And then there was the new vanity which proved to be the most annoying of my purchases.  I really wanted a vanity that was taller.  That had a bigger sink and that was not just boring orange oak (this is what all the cabinetry in te bungalow was).  We'll once I made the decision Ryan picked it up and tried to install it only to discover that the drawer was bumping into the plumbing.  This was going to cost more than the vanity to move the pipe.  So back that one went.  Then we got another one which was defective back it went only to discover no more in stock and finally I ended up with like my 6th choice because it fit in the space and it's virtually the old vanity with a new top, different stain and like 1 extra inch.  Whomp whomp!  People when building  bathrooms think about where those stupid pipes are especially in relation to the bath tub and toliet.  Seriously though I never want to look at vanities again unless it doesn't matter where those pipes are.

In order to save a little money I repurposed the mirror for the bathroom which wasn't horrible just needed some updating.  I again was on the struggle bus with paint colors. I finally found a winner.  But painting in fridgid temps don't help the paint dry.  

Oh and just to record it originally my floors looked like this. Ack. I almost wanted to preserve them.  

Bathroom Remodel Before

So last year we had several major construction projects new roof, new drywall, new guest room ceiling, finished hardwoods.  And while we were at it we had the contractor redo our main bathroom.  

This poor room was in despite need of some love.  The floors were straight from the 1990 lowes vinyl that I think every house had at one point.  the drywall had never been primed and when the wallpaper was removed it also removed the drywall - hello bumpy walls. The sink and vanity were ugly wood that was warped at the bottom.  And while I couldn't spend $5k and get a new tub we did basically everything else and for roughly about $1k too.

Anyhow I wanted to share a few snaps from before because well next week I am going to share afters (I just need to hang the frames and get the cleaning lady to polish it up nice).

Oh yes I forgot to mention the towel bars were gradually "falling down". And the toliet paper holder bit the big one like 5 years ago.  Oh and look there that toliet is two tone.

Isn't that vanity sexy?

I sanded and taped off that door in 2004 (obviously I got it painted).

And here is my husband who just yanked out the vanity about to rip out toliet and all the drywall but first a selfie.

Just an FYI one of things we did to save money while having a contractor complete the work was we did all the demo work. So we stripped the walls down to the studs and removed the vinyl and the sexy asbestos tile under it.  It probably saved us about $400.  I also saved money using lowes coupons, Menards rebates and buying tile that was the end of the lot. 

WIP Wednesday - End of October

I have been making progress on the Michael Miller Chalenge Quilt.  I am about 75% done with the quilting with any luck I will finish by this weekend.  I made the mistake of quilting it with some kind of thread in my stash and it keeps breaking which is way annoying but I no longer can win the challenge so it is what it is.

I also am mostly finished wih jonesy's halloween costume.  I need to make some adjustments so it fits him better can't wait to debut it this weekend.  

Also our roof is done and we are now working on the porch roofs and the internal repairs.  Anyone have ideas for how to make 1950s aluminum awnings look less 1950s?  I am tempted to repaint the trim piece the siding color and have them install it when they do the work.  Otherwise it will just be white.

And in other news playing catch up with project life too and the baby's book watch for a post on those. 

WIP Wednesday Hello October

So a few things in progress around here.  

We are getting a new roof - permits are up shingles are selected and arriving with work crew tomorrow.  So yes that's happening.  After the roof we have some internal repairs that need to get done like the ceilings in the guest room, bathroom and kitchen too.  So that will happen soon too. 

I bought and had peg board trimmed for my home office space. (Huzzah for my pickup truck driving brother returning from Australia).  I am envisioning something like this only with my notebooks and stapler and postits etc hanging on it.  And I think neon orange or lime to match the almost finished quilt for Dustin instead of white.  

Also printed about 100 photos for project life and jones's baby book too.  Planning on that this evening.  

And last but not least working on these puppies... 

Improv Blocks for mine and Thea's improv quilt project.  I did 8 more for hers and started 6 for mine.  I think maybe this might be the last set of them so I might make a few more too.  (I desperately need to iron these). 

Finished Quilt Top - Michael Miller Challenge Quilt

I have been meaning to post this work in progress for several weeks on Wednesdays but I never got pictures.  

This is the top for my Michael miller Challenge quilt with the Modern Quilt Guild.  The challenge was to use the fabric sent by the guild adding only solids or other MM fabrics.  

When I started this I knew I wanted to make rectangle blocks because lately everything seems square.  This whole quilt was going to be triangles in rectangles but I was not into paper piecing and ran out of aqua fabric.  So I improvised.    

I am making this one for Dustin his first quilt made by me.  Now to finish it off starting with ironing it.  I ordered fabric for the back specifically for Dust they are in violation of the challenge rules but I will miss the deadline anyhow.

Quilting Collaboration - Thea's Improv Quilt

Thea and I started a little collaboration project.  We each are making Improv Quilt Blocks for quilts made from scrap fabrics.  I worked on a few blocks for her quilt this weekend.  These are fun to put together although my machine was struggling with staying threaded.  

I like little pops of yellow and green in these.  

Here's what the five finished blocks look like.   When they are all finished they will be fun to determine where they go in the top.  It's funny how the red seems to be in the center of each block somehow.   Anyhow I will share mine soon when I finish the blocks I started.