Soul for the Funk I'm In

Not a whole lot happening in the sewing room this week.  I'm cutting some strips for a pieced backing for the kaleidoscope quilt.

I need to get some more solids to finish the back, and decide on a binding.

I've been in sort of a funk otherwise.  I could blame Twilight withdrawals (not even kidding), the weather, shorter days (time to break out the SAD lamp), PMS, etc. 

Orphan blocks from kaleido quilt leftovers.  

Maybe I'll put them in the backing, maybe not.

Saw this guy, Allen Stone, on Conan last night.  Wow.  Just...wow.  Made it all better.
 

Sunday Sundry - Vol. 8

I had the nagging feeling, as I was describing my affinity for yellow and green yesterday, that there was something else that I was fond of in that color scheme.  What was it?

Thanks, JKP, for reminding me!

The Packers play the Bears on Monday night.  With any luck, I should be home from work in time to catch the second half.

A Little Less Thought and a Lot More Action
Why is it that the older I get, the more often I feel like my mother I've told someone something, but I haven't?  Well, I have, but apparently only in my mind.  Which is neither very practical nor remotely helpful, in case you're wondering.

This goes for other things too, like blogging.  Oh, the posts I have written in my head but never committed to Blogger.  And quilting—if you could see the quilts I've made in the space between my ears!  

There is probably a name for this condition, and it's probably in the DSM.  Kreskin-itis?  Whatever it is, I'm sure overthinking is a concomitant problem.  Come to think of it, I read a book several years ago called The Hamlet Syndrome: Overthinkers who Underachieve, which was something along those lines.  I found myself described on many of its pages, yet by the end of the book, I was just like, meh.

But what if we could put just a fraction of those transient flashes of brilliance into action?

The Ponder-osa
Recently, I've been enjoying Crystal's blog on minimalism, A Prettyish Kind of Wilderness.  You may know her from her quilt blog, Sonnet of the Moon.  It's got me thinking about the stuff that we surround ourselves with.  So many questions come to mind about the things we buy/collect/can't imagine living without.  

I wonder, for example, what my life would look like if I concentrated on collecting interesting experiences versus things? 

And Now...Things!
I haven't been to a thrift store this week, but here are some things from previous weeks that I know I haven't told you about yet.

Remember those three black and white aprons I fished from the depths of the domestic table at Goodwill several weeks ago?  Well, about 10 days ago, lurking below the surface of the same domestic table were two more aprons.  

I have a hunch they were made by the same person who made the other ones, though I'll never know for sure.  Anyway, I thought they were cute and well made and deserved a good home (mine).

Found this set of Pyrex casseroles at St. Vinny's last Saturday.  They're in perfect condition and came with all the matching glass lids.  Despite the fact that I don't exactly have a place to display them at the moment, I did buy them for $6 for the set.

Turning Dreaming into Doing
The flooring guy came out and measured and quoted us a price for new resilient vinyl flooring this week.  Looks like we're going to go with this, from Mannington.  It's called Macedonia.

Since the half bath is one of the rooms getting new flooring, this seemed as good a time as any to undertake a little renovation project in there.  Let me show you what I'm talking about.

This is our tiny half bath, three feet by eight feet, to be exact.  Seriously, there are larger facilities in most gas stations.  And how about that wallpaper?  I did not choose it, the previous homeowner did, in approximately 1985, by the looks of it.  My daughter's old boyfriend called it the jail cell bathroom.

So the plan is to remove the wallpaper, paint the ceiling and walls, and replace the light bar.  I may need your input on what to do with the cabinet there over the throne.  New knobs?  Repaint it?   Replace it?  Stay tuned for more details as this project evolves.

We Need the Funk
Though it might not make for a hilarious blog post, being in a bit of a funk can sometimes have its upside.  A little introspection is good from time to time, I think, especially if it motivates one to make beneficial changes.

Musically, a little funk never hurt anyone either.  So let's let the Isley Brothers take us into the week ahead.  It's your thing...do what you wanna do!

Of Funk and Foundation

Things are progressing on the wall hanging made with Lantern Bloom fabrics.

Jane and I finished the background. I love a good foundation.

It's like a good bass line, which Sly & The Family Stone provided as I bobbed over the ironing board this afternoon.

What? You don't bob at the ironing board?

Maybe it's been a while since you've felt the funk. Here, let me fix that. (Click the Play button. It's free.)

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice ...

You can thank me later.

Next, I've got to do the applique on this. I've got to take it higher.

I Want To Take You Higher - Sl...

Boom laka-laka-laka, Boom laka-laka-laka.