The Latest Craft Projects

Amidst all the attention to the puppy, Kristy has found time to be very active in the local Project Linus chapter in El Paso.

Starting in January, I became the official Pick-up Girl for our chapter. My job is to go to the 5 different drop-off locations around the city to collect any blankets donated before the monthly meetings. So far, it hasn't been too big of a job, despite one Saturday having to retrieve 100+ blankets from a local quilting shop!

I've also been involved in making additional kits for the meetings. One of my friends volunteered to be responsible for the donated fabric and kit making. A few times a month, she has invited a few ladies over to sort, match-up and cut out fabric for our various kit patterns. It has been fun to socialize as we decide what looks good with what and to trade cutting techniques and tips.

My final act of volunteerism has been helping to label, sort and bag all of the blankets we collect from the drop-off locations and at the meeting. At February's meeting, we collected over 300 blankets, which meant 5 ladies (myself included) spent an entire Saturday afternoon/evening prepping them all for delivery to the local hospitals' ERs and NICUs, the Child Crises Center, the Homeless shelter and police stations.

When I finally found time to sew this past month, I made 4 quilt squares from two Project Linus kits that, with the others donated, will be turned into several group quilts made by our chapter. I completed another kit quilt as well as two flannel blankets that were shipped off for the Haiti disaster relief.

Pink and Blue Quilt Squares

Scrap Quilt from a Project Linus kit

Pink Soccer Balls for Haiti

Blue Alligators for Haiti

I'm hoping to get at least two more quilts completely done for March's meeting. I have them cut out and one top is almost sewed together... If I really push myself in the next week, I might also get motivated enough to finish quilting and binding two more tops that have been done for a while and sitting, gathering dust! Wish me luck!

Home Improvements, Stage 1

We decided to start our Home Improvement plan on our new house by tackling the small projects first. The first order of business was changing all the outside locks and door handles and replacing the outdoor light fixtures with sensor lights. Cam was able to accomplish all this in two Saturdays.

We then moved on to painting. It's been 10+ years of renting WHITE, WHITE, WHITE apartments/houses and we were more than ready to add a little color to our lives! We decided to start on the smallest room and selected a sage green paint for our upstairs "guest" bath. It turned out a really nice shade (even though the pictures look "minty" it is really a light sage tone!) and matches our IKEA art perfectly!

Cam painting test spots

Kristy priming over the test spots

Finished!

Finished!

Finished!
(Note the curved hotel shower rod, Mom L!)

P.S. On a slightly mushy tangent, note the t-shirt that Cam is wearing. When I questioned his fashion choice for the evening, he stated that this is his "painting" shirt. The last time I saw this shirt was when he helped me paint my bedroom at home in Vancouver ... when we were Juniors in High School! All those years ago, I helped him get his painting shirt a little dirty by adding the smiley face!