Tolentreasures

            Continuing to finish items.  I had these started before the New Year, but managed to finish them yesterday. I always have a bag with unfinished hats. They are ready for riding in the vehicle.  Another one finished.        So the tally 6-12. boards 13. Hat   Now lets see what today brings!   

  People are picking words for the year.        They have deep meanings.  Thought was put into them.   So I thought.    My word(s) DECLUTTER DESTASH FINISH!    Not sure which one I want to use.   Finishing would declutter and destash though.    So maybe  FINISH!      I have so many unfinished projects.    So many supplies for projects.   So much stuff!        Did you ever think about how many projects you manage to finish in a year?   Social media for me is somewhat of a record of them for me.    However, I don’t want anyone to ever think i am being showy or bragging,  so I am going to (hopefully) keep track here for the five or less people  that follow me!   This blog has always been more about keeping my records  and memories than followers anyway.    So here goes.    1. Temperature Blanket 2. Donation Baby Afghan 3 and 4. Aprons that I sell in Smicksburg and Punxsutawney 5. Bias flowers using up scraps.        Let’s see where th

  It’s been another week of running and lists.    Chores and obligations and things that have to be done.   There doesn’t seem to be any down time built into all this.  I thought today was going to be the day and  last night, reminders came in for  orders that people want …yesterday!    This vine was a gift item,  that needed done.              The tree in Ford City needed decorated.  Not my best work,  but checked off the list in the freezing cold!  The half hour ride home with every heating accessory in my car on full blast, didn’t quite thaw me out!          This is one of the seven or eight quilt tops stacked up in  need of visiting the quilter. When I got this one back,  I gave her three more and said to space them out a little  for my pocketbook’s sake.   This one just needs the stitching around the edge.  It will be nice to start to get them all finished.                Still working on samples for art class.  I thought this on

    Friday started with work.   The students were working in watercolor and crayon,  doing a crayon Batik resist project.  It should not have been that messy.   A little Kindergarten boy raises his completely paint covered hands and tells me,  “Mrs. Strate, this is when you know you are having fun!”  I could not agree more. Sometimes you find kindred spirits in small children.   JWS and I then traveled to Hershey, Pa in a  rainstorm of very hard to see roads.    We are at the Hershey Hotel for the CCAP conference.   When JWS got the info, he apologized that it would not  be at the Lodge where we stay for the PSACF Convention,   I assured him that the Hershey Hotel was going to be a  huge treat for me! It has not disappointed!   It is beautiful and relaxing and just what we needed  after a year of campaigning!          Our first stop was Troeg’s Brewery. It is a must stop on every trip to Hershey.  I would go just for the Rosemary Olive Oil popcorn.   

Another tree up this evening,                     I had some amazing little elves helping me.   We decided that Kamden’s strong point was not putting lights on the tree,  so he was sent to the yard to do some winterizing tasks. Kendall ended up with two baby Jesus.    Apparently, she had two complete nativity sets set up as one.  We did a little editing and back to normal.  Jesus was not a twin.        Insomnia set in and I finished aprons  and hemmed a pair of pants for JWS.       

  This happened on Saturday Night.   A modern ballet performed in Armstrong County featuring eleven artists from the county.  I am in the red in the middle.  I seriously dislike being in front of crowds and public speaking.   It was a challenge, but I was honored to be chosen and to sit alongside such amazing talent.  I have been singing, in my head, the song from A Chorus Line,  At the Ballet,  for days.          Back to reality, I am nursing a sore throat and spent much of yesterday resting in my chair and working  on catching up my temperature blanket.   My new years resolution already is to not take on any year long projects next year.  The year before I did a Block of the Month quilt and a sampler afghan.  Too much pressure and seriously over estimating how much time retirement would give me.             Sunday morning was spent decorating this tree in Kittanning Riverfront Park.   I skipped church, too much talking for an already raw throat.