Tolentreasures

  Every now and then it is interesting to see where blog visits come from.   I was really happy to see the link to make these bags come up on this page.   Great use of directions!   Hop over and take a look!   Maybe there is something that you want to make!       http://soldiersangels.org/Sewing-and-Crafting-Team.html     http://tolentreasures.blogspot.com/2010/04/walkerwheelchair-bag-tutorial.html      

We are heading into one of the busiest times of the year. My house and business are a mass of lists, deadlines, appointments... It's enough to make your head swim.   You say, "Who has time to take on anything else?"   And I agree that it sounds overwhelming, however, so many of you that read this sew, knit, crochet, paint, craft, encourage, uplift, you name it. We all have a gift! Share it this season!   Below, I am going to list all my favorite service projects from years past.   What will I do this year? Right now, I have no idea, but I do know that there are a lot of crafting supplies calling my name!   This is the most popular post on my blog, close to 12,000 hits!  Shocked?  I was and am as it continues to grow. Thrilled? Yes! That means that there are all the more people receiving these much needed bags!   http://tolentreasures.blogspot.com/2010/04/w...

Remodeling, Painting, Knitting, Painting, Wrapping, A Birthday Party, A Christmas Party, A Steeler Game (on TV), A Giveaway... And don't forget Church Nursery, although the hour spent with five two-year- old children was almost the relaxing part of my weekend. More orders finished, Although when I saw these sleds that a customer brought to me, I was skeptical of their condition, this one didn't turn out too bad. Hopefully, the next two will work out as well. Yes, that is two more that need done for Christmas. Where was my head when I said, "Of course, I can paint those for you." And if anyone remembers the walker bag fiasco. They are done! All thirty of them! Again. THEY ARE DONE!!! And another order for a customer. One more of these needs finished for Christmas also. Again. I hear my mouth saying "Of course, I can paint those for you." And some wrapping. Well actually all the wrapping of everything I have bought so far. I am not quite done shop...

Buttons, Buttons, sewing and sewing buttons. More walker bags added to the finished pile.  Sure will be glad to see these finished! 

I have myself in quite the mess. I am calling in the Never Ending Project Syndrome. You see, I started this before the Open House and never quite got it finished.  Now it is in the way and needs done and out of there but, I paint and paint and paint and there seems to be no end to it. And then I got myself into this project.  A man at our church goes to two nursing homes every Sunday and worships with the residents. What a ministry he has! I offered to make walker/wheelchair bags for his (what I thought was a little) flock. Two Sundays ago, I told him that I would have them in a week for him and oh, by the way, how many do you actually need? My mind was wrapped around the number 12. THIRTY!  was the number I heard him say. "THIRTY!" I repeated just a trifle louder and more panicked than I probably should have. Thirty it is.  I offered. So I am sewing and sewing and sewing and sewing. And then these little buggers. I had my Dad cut these way back in January....

Some of you asked for this. This is literally one of the EASIEST, most appreciated projects that I have ever made. I timed myself while I made this one and it was finished in under 1/2 hour and that included refilling bobbins, taking pictures, and searching the button box for two matching buttons. They are even faster if 1.) you don't do all of the above and 2.) you make them on an assembly line. Step 1. Cut a piece of fabric for the straps 4 inches wide by 14 or so inches long. If you have a very lightweight fabric, you can double it or use press on interfacing to back it. Step 2. Cut two coordinating rectangles approximately 12 to 15 inches by 15 to 18 inches. This is very loose, you can use vary the size of them. Pin those together on the bottom and halfway up the sides. Step 3. Press the 4 inch rectangle in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and sew around raw edges, then zig - zag the edge. If the fabric frays really bad, you can go over it again. Step 4...

Voted Most Popular Girl at Dialysis. That would be my mother-in-law. She is passing out these bags to everyone there. I finished these up yesterday morning just in time for her to take a new batch in to hand out. Who would have thought that there would be such a great use to all those heavier fabrics? That is my justification for why I don't get rid of anything. Hoarder's Unite!

Both of my grandsons were at work with their mother and I. Both of them were wound up, kicking balls, throwing balls, running, laughing. We hated to stop their fun, but well, it was getting a little out of hand. We gathered all the balls, we encouraged them to play something else. That actually went better than you would think. Later in the day, Tyler spots a golf ball on my desk. In a perfect, organized world, you would not have a random golf ball on your desk, but that is obviously not my world. Tyler asks for the golf ball. The conversation goes like this. Tyler: Gramma Cathy, can I pullease have that golf ball? (notice how when pleading, please becomes two syllables.) Me: Promise me that you will not throw the golf ball. Tyler: I promise that I will not throw the golf ball. Me: Promise me that you will not kick the golf ball. Tyler: I promise that I will not kick the golf ball. Me: If I see you kicking or throwing the golf ball, I can take it off of you. Tyler: If you...

And entire FREE day! Woohoo ! Really! Nothing at all to do, no where to go, no one to see, nothing! Those just don't happen too often, now how to fill it up? Oh, there was laundry to do, several trips up and down the driveway to my MIL's since we still can't wash at our house, and there was some vacuuming to do and wouldn't you know the sweeper quit sucking. Several nasty words, some banged up fingers, a knitting needle shoved through the hose to unclog it AND the "wash every six months, I just found this after two years" filter cleaned, the sweeper was back up and running. By then, I was out of the mood to sweep. So I retreated to my sewing room and the guest (otherwise known as another place to store your stash) room and I played, ALL DAY! I dumped out cupboards, I sorted and stacked and cut. Found these already cut, two inch squares. I can see pillows or maybe pin cushions. And cut. Four, five and six inch squares, some for me, some for the lad...

who needs toys? These two entertained themselves with cardboard tubes, and cardboard boxes. They also managed to pull all the shirts out of the cabinets and jump in them like leaves, but we won't go there, that might not make them appear quite like the little angels that I would like you to believe they are. Another new project. Because of all the time spent in hospitals lately and because my MIL now has a walker, I realized the need for these. There were tons of patterns on the internet for them, apparently many other people have always known there was a need for them. What a great way to use up some of the heavier fabric that I have accumulated. These are walker bags. I hope to make some "manly" ones also. Another fun project, using up fabric and going to a good cause. And last night, we had our get together at the church to make dresses. It went well and I think everyone had a good time. We are planning to do it again. It was fun to see all the designs tha...