It has been all about getting stuff crossed off the old project list around here this past week. A lot of it is stuff that I need to do for school and not all that exciting. But I managed to finish up those drapes I put out to the internet universe last week. I knew if I said that I had to finish them I would feel compelled to actually do it.

Crummy middle of the night photo again, but you can kinda get the idea of the brown silk – and the “puddling.” I was really happy with how they turned out and even happier that all six windows are done. My friend Jamie remarked last week that I’m good at execution, and I guess I am. The more things that are on my to-do list, the more I get done. But, If I don’t have a lot on my plate, I don’t seem to accomplish anything.

Speaking of executing…Jamie used the tutorial I did for Em’s birdcage dress and Addie’s all-time favorite t-shirt that was getting too short and she made this fantastic dress for Ad’s birthday.

Do you think Addie loves it? She wore it to a birthday party moments after she put it on, and has been asking when it will be out of the laundry ever since. Yes, I think she does indeed adore it.

Well, I am off to finish up Halloween costumes. Guess what Emma has decided she wants to be? I’ll give you a hint, or two. I’m off to find orange make-up, dye a wig green, and I just finished up these overalls…

Any ideas? (Oh, and she is on a total Roald Dahl kick, if that helps.)

Projects, projects, projects. It is all about getting some projects finished, or rather…started, around here this week. Even if by getting them “started” just means digging out the fabric and moving the stacks to my ironing board.

The first project probably looks a little familiar for it is version 2 of last week’s project. I just gave it to my friend Jamie to beta test for me. I think this one works much better than mine from last week. I like the loop better – it is better secured, and I lined the lines up (front and back) a little better, they are still not perfect. And, yes (Kimberly and Arizaphale) – the material is just felt and I stitched the lines on. Although I’m thinking you could use up bits of fabric if you wanted to and just interface them to make them stiffer. Also don’t really need the stitching detail – and can customize the appliques for just about anyone/anything! It is a fun project.

Anyhow, I’m much happier with version 2 and I think we already have some additions/changes for version 3. I do think I need to heed the advice I’m always passing along to Emma. “Slow down and think it through…” I’m always in such a hurry to see the finished project sometimes I get to a step and realize, “hmmm…should’ve probably done that before I stitched those last two somethings together!”

I also told my friend that I would put together some vintage pillowcase dresses for her Boutique in December. So I dug into my stash of pillowcases and found 23 that will work nicely. I washed them, sized them, and cut them out…but that is as far as they are right now. I’m hoping the stack will remind me to work on them.

I’m also determined to make some of these little “study quilts” for Christmas for some girlies I know. I ordered this fabric to try one for Em, but now that it is here, I’m feeling like it is a little baby-ish. Not that I can’t use it to do a quilt for a baby who might come along, but I’m not sure I want to use it for hers.

Addie’s, however, I think that might be just fine. It is puurrrrrfect!

And I’ve got some fun fabric for pillows for the playroom.

But my most pressing project (the one that I’m posting here in the hopes that it will propel me into action and finally get it done) is the living room drapery. I had been hunting for fabric/drapes for awhile, since we had ugly blue ones in here and then we inherited some cool red chairs from a friend and well, that blue and red just wasn’t working out.

So I started the living room makeover many months ago and finally found these cool drapes at a ridiculously low price (never EVER could have made the drapes for the cost). The only problem was they didn’t come in the 108″ length I need for all SIX windows.

See? Just a wee bit too short. (Yes…I know they also need a pressing. I was kinda hoping the wrinkles would “fall” out, but nooooo! Couldn’t be that easy, right?)

But, like I said the price was really right, and I found some chocolate silk duponi fabric that matches perfectly, so I’m doing a horizontal stripe of chocolate at the bottom of the drapes to make some of that cool fabric “pooling” that I really wanted in there. In theory it all sounds good, but it is just so frightening cutting into all of that silk. Not to mention, it is incredibly slippery and puckery.

We’ll see. But now that I’ve said I’m doing it…documented here in “internet stone” I feel like I really have to do it.

Three soccer practices, one game for Em, one game for me, and a 24-hour “layover” at home for J. in between his travels – so soccer and travel preparations pretty much took over our life the past week, and not a lot of crafting, unfortunately.

And my cousin is coming to LA to visit today, we are soooo excited but I’m thinking I won’t have a lot of time for crafting this week either.

I did mess with a little iPhone pouch after admiring these many weeks ago, and then my friend lost/had her phone stolen and I figured it was time to work on some of these for all of my friends – maybe as Christmas gifts?

This one is very unperfect, so it will remain mine, but I think I figured out how to do them much faster and easier…

…next week. There is always next week.