A Whisper of Spring?

Good evening, friends! February is racing by isn't it! Already I am searching for hints of spring. And nothing says spring like a cold dark drizzly day---and daffodils! 

Aren't daffodils just the very best most happy flowers? These appeared in the grocery store after the last of the scorned Valentine roses were carted away

Two bunches of 10 stems for $4.oo, imagine. Twenty flowers. From Ireland. They were furled tight, like skinny green bunches of asparagus, but they uncurled in glorious profusion in a couple of days.

Makes up for the  very dark Monday here.

Not exactly spring cleaning, but after I finished Westering Women, and even though Fall Festival is still in pieces, I decided my little sewing sewing space and equipment all needed a clean up/ tune up.

The good sewing machine got carted off to the sewing machine spa for a very expensive fix-up. Somehow the shuttle that holds the bobbin case popped out! I replaced it but then couldn't get the machine to sew. It's okay, it needed a good cleaning and oiling anyway, and my old Brother machine is actually better for upcoming patchwork sewing as it has an exact 1/4" seam allowance. The Janome is metric [?!], and while is sews beautifully with varying speeds, good stitches, and needle down option, the metric set up means 1/4" seams are a guess at best.
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Sometimes other quilters show their sewing spaces and I always marvel at the perfect neatness they maintain. No wonder their quilts are perfect, I think.

I spent a whole day dusting, sweeping, organizing, and afterward, things looked about the same as they did before I started.

Bins for fabric stashes,

then deep baskets for in-work projects' fabric choices. I also like low trays or baskets for the actual quilts in progress. Silent Night on the left, Fall Festival on the right.

I know where everything is! Really.

These shelves hold my collection of pinkeeps, plus Mason jars of buttons, and other treasures.

I have my big ironing board, then small board I set on top of it for small project sections. Standing and ironing is still very difficult for me and leaning over means painful joints after only a few a minutes, so even the extra 2 or 3" of the little board are helpful.

I worry that the floor, no rug, will be too cold for Mo, so I have a big dog bed that is about 5" thick, then on top is one of Mo's plushy donut beds. He will use this lavish set up for as long as it takes him to gobble a duck jerky kebab [4 minutes?] then off to his plastic bin he goes. I left him some shirts there and blankies and got a new bin for the rest of my recycled plaid shirts! It is stored in the cupboard, safe from snoring little pugs.

In other news:
Kel wanted to see my Fiesta Ware. I didn't take it down but here's a picture of it, top shelf.

Sorry this one is messy, I have to climb up and redo it. It's the cupboard that things fall out of anf hit me in the head!

Pineapple cutting board: I washed it thoroughly and dried it well, but thought it needed to be oiled.

My friend brought me these products, he uses them on all his cutting boards.  Mineral oil [food grade] and beeswax. Worked really well!

My hands liked it too!
And winter sales: These are UGG snow boots! Look at the pom! sigh. How cute is that. I love them.

Happy Presidents Day!

love 

lizzy

 gone to the beach....