Do SomeTHING: day 21

On with my anniversary project...

First, I had to paint the empty canvas...just in case I have hole in between the pictures of my collage.

Next, I will have to set up the pre-trimmed pictures (I did them last week) to be placed onto the canvas. I found tons of great pictures that represent the my relationship with my hubby, Peter.

And...this is the picture of my very impatient sickie's foot. Today is D's second day home. He will probably have another day or 2 off from school due to the fever that keeps spiking at night. During the day he is totally fine. Completely energetic and only wanting to do things that involve a screen.

Totally annoying!

Anyway...on to the sorting and arranging.

Do SomeTHING: day 16

I've skipped a whole week of this. I know...Bad girl!





Right now I am headed down in the basement to get a new project started to give to my hubby on our 20th wedding anniversary which is on the 22...Thursday...i know. I have waited waaay too long to get started.

That's me. The procrastinator. Gee...I guess that is where my son get's it from...

Anyway...

Basically, I will be trying to chronicle our (25 total) years together in one special gift. And, no...It's not a scrapbook. But it does include pictures.

I'll post a picture of it when it is done.

Do SomeTHING: day 8.5

Well...

My dinner actually came out and I got compliments all around!

I didn't think to take any pics.

But, I started with leftover grilled chicken that had been marinated in a mix of lemon vinaigrette and basil pesto.

To that I added (mind you, thrown together without looking in a cookbook):

*Cauliflower (frozen) lightly cooked and doctored up with garlic lemon, olive oil and Italian seasoning (the seasonings actually made the frozen veggies taste great)
*White rice (yes white, D won't eat brown) cooked in chicken broth
*Onions caramelized in olive oil with a touch of butter salt and pepper
*and finally red, yellow and orange peppers sauteed in olive oil.

*...each of those to be combined to however the eater preferred.

I think Pete said to me twice..."This is a really good dinner!"

Hooray! I can't remember when that happened last.

Oh...and the topper...I only used two pots! It's the first time I've made a nice dinner and Pete did not complain about how many pots I used!

Do SomeTHING: day 8

Today's someTHING was going to be cooking...only it ended up being a big cleaning project instead.

Really? Ugg!

Instead...

I had to dump the onion skins out of the crisper. Then I had to look to see if there was dust/crumbs on the floor of the fridge. Instead, I found a hard, stuck on mess on the back of the fridge. It must have been  a really old spill that either nobody noticed or thought that it just needed a little bit of wiping up on a higher shelf. I couldn't just leave it could I? Of course not!

First, I tried some "409". Then I thought that the "Mr Clean Eraser" was going to be my best friend...NOPE!

OK...will it scrape off?

Yes, thank you!

It all started out because I just wanted to start some onions caramelizing to try to make some leftover chicken a little more interesting.

Now...a half hour later, I finally have two clean crisper drawers, a clean shelf (thank goodness they are glass or the mess would have been even worse) and the back wall and floor of the refrigerator are sparkling clean. But still no caramelized onions!

I guess I better get to chopping some onions!

Do SomeTHING: day 7

Well, since yesterday was the first day of school for my 2 boys, 7th and 9th grade, I haven't gotten a chance to do "someTHING" in particular to note. I've been just trying to catch up a little.

It was the first time in 3 weeks since I hit the gym, for one thing. Then I pushed myself too hard that I ended up needing to veg for a bit and then get dinner started, bathrooms cleaned, etc. Everything very mundane and not much to speak of by itself.

Today, I have organized...once again. (I'm hoping that I don't have too much of that left to do...besides my sewing supplies.

This morning, however...

I decided that I was going to hit the 7th grader's room looking for things to toss. Not only did I find things to toss but I also found things to recycle and things to reuse.

And I certainly hope that he doesn't see this particular blog post. He won't miss any of his old stuff if he doesn't know that I made it disappear. If you read this AND know D...Please do not tell him!

Recycle

The "Recycles" are obvious but maybe a bit confusing. D thought he was going to make something with these pieces of cardboard. I think it is time for me to give up hope on that thought for these particular pieces. They were full of cobwebs! Yuck! And I did actually touch them after I searched to make sure that the critter who produced them was nowhere in sight.

Re-use

Now the "Re-use " pile...

I have decided to add these to the goodies that I have found around the house to have kids choose from on Halloween night. I will still give out some candy but I gave out some "prizes" last year that have been found around the house. They were all left over from old goody bags...extras that never made it into the bags to begin with. The little ones loved it!

So I decided that instead of tossing out D's old stuff (that has been hanging around for eons), I'd let the little cuties pick their own again. This time however...I will be turning over the goodies that D had received in many bags from years ago and has not looked at in those same many years. Now some new children can enjoy them for a few days just like D did once, long ago.

I have to tell you...

Before, there were many things spread out under his bed. All that was not in the  storage boxes were collecting cobwebs.

Now, there are only the 2 boxes, a roll of posters and his RC plane under there. Not only did I clean up under the bed but I managed to get some things from under his stool and his desk into the under-bed storage boxes as well. I think that even D can't complain about this clean-up session. I think it should turn out to be a win-win!

I hope!


Oh, and I almost forgot!

I found D's boy scout fishing merit badge blue card. He's been looking for it for two months. This house-cleaning was definitely a win-win!


Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: day 4.5

I'm not sure if I'll have time to do someTHING else today.

Update on yesterday...

I did end up gluing the cover shut. It's not as well constructed as I had hoped I would be able to do. I was planning on putting a drawstring on the top but I figured it wasn't worth the trouble (since I was sans a sewing machine).

Pete asked me where it was going to go. I think he was afraid of where I was going to stick it. He did end up talking me out of storing it in the basement where it might get mildewed...something I hadn't thought about. So...it ended up behind the door (and obviously the mirror) in the study. If you can't find it...it's the white thing behind the mirror.

And the best part of the new hiding place...It is in one of the rooms that I am likely to be using it. So it's even better  Thanks Pete!


Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: day 4

Today's THING is to both sew and organize (being done with the same item). My home-made collapsible photo box. Do you see the big white thing with all of the tabs? There are five pieces and they need to be contained and protected.

Before (Donna, this is for you)

This box has been sitting in my study (computer/sewing room)...forever. I have been trying to get my whole house organized. Sewing a cover for this thing, will allow me to store it in my basement, along a wall, away from all harm and out of everyone's way. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway)...it'll make Pete very happy to see it gone.

I have a very large piece of white fabric, that is just going to sit around with nothing else to do, so this will be perfect for this project. I know, not the best color for storing in a basement but I don't care what happens to the cover, as long as it protects my box.

Two hours later...

I have the fabric all cut and pinned.

...and the sewing machine is not working right! I tried changing the bobbin tension. I tried changing the top thread tension. I just can't get this to work!

I hope that this is not the beginning of the end. This is how my last machine died...

UGG!


Well...at least I have the project ready to sew...I did something.

Hopefully, I will get the machine ready to use before my next blog post.

I just thought of something...maybe I can glue it?


Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.