Day 43 - Ping Pong Ball Storm

On the first day of this month I discussed how the month of March was the longest ever. The uncertainty and the speed of which our lives were upended was exhausting. How, adding insult to injury, we had a 6.5 earthquake on that last day of March. Strong enough to require us to seek shelter under our doorways. April just had to be a better month, right?

Well, where things stand on this last day of April isn’t much different than where things stood on the last day of March. Still self-isolating, staying at home and away from others, and just like all of you, trying to make the best of it.  While there was no earthquake today (knock on wood!) we did get a warning about another potentially hazardous situation.

See that blue dot over Boise? That’s where we live. See the storm? It’s headed straight to us. We didn't hide under the doorways this time, but with a ping pong ball storm (guess it’s different than golf ball?) I did hide my car completely under the carport. 

Thankfully the damaging hail was nothing more than heavy downpours for us, and while we had strong winds, here at our house we avoided damage from the 60 mph winds. Now I can instead share a photo I took pre-storm of the neighbor's blooming tree instead of having to document some post-storm damage for the insurance company like some other Boise residents are having to do today.

Whew. So grateful to have dodged a bullet ping pong ball today.

Day 42 - Shoulda Been Panama

Spend three weeks on a cruise ship in February followed by one week in Arizona.
Return home the last day of February.
Spend the first week of March teaching a cruising class and the second week getting in some doctor appointments.
Head back out the third week of March for several more weeks of cruising.

As we know, the last one of those things didn't happen. If it had, we would be in Panama today. Hot, sticky, Panama. Checking the temperature there right now, we'd be at 87 degrees with 75% humidity. Feels like 97 degrees the Internet is telling me. But I'm not there.

I'm here in Idaho on a day that's 20 degrees above normal and the hottest day we've had in 227 days. Not since September of 2019 has the temperature reached 87 degrees. Thankfully while we're at the same temperature as Panama, our 20% humidity makes it feels like plain old 87 and not that steamy 97!

It's a good thing it doesn't feel like 97 because if it did, I wouldn't have been able to spend the day outside getting a good dose of Vitamin D. I also would have missed a good view of the sun halo.

It's not Panama but it'll have to do for my excitement of the day.

How to Sew Quick and Easy Cloth Napkins - Tutorial Tuesday

It's Tutorial Tuesday and I have a new project for you. If you are having a hard time finding paper products in the store, you might find this project comes in handy when you're needing napkins. Today we're making reversible fabric napkins. They go together super fast and last for years.

Looking for more sewing and crafting projects? 
Click here to see all my tutorials!

For four napkins you will need 1 yard of each fabric.

For each napkin you will need:

• Main fabric 
• Reverse fabric
• Pins or Clover Wonder Clips
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting ruler
• Cutting mat

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Now available in my Etsy shop as a digital download

with the written directions and link to the tutorial video. 

Looking for something else? Check out some of my other kitchen sewing and crafting projects!

You can find the quick and easy directions for the homemade reversible cloth fabric napkins right here:

Day 40 - Deb's Burger Barn

The last time I referred to the quote from Pulp Fiction we were eating at Burger Queen in Ketchikan, Alaska. Which quote? This is a tasty burger. While Ed used those words today during our BBQ picnic in the backyard, I chose different ones. 

Welcome to Deb's Big A** Burger Barn.

While pretty darn tasty, it needs more work to taste like the burgers in Ketchikan. I’ve got plenty of time this summer to make it happen.

Day 39 - Pillowcase Turned Table Skirt

One of my favorite places to buy fabric is the thrift store. Not in their craft section, but in their bedding section. Sometimes I'll buy some bed sheets but the best score is when I find homemade pillowcases. They are usually made with some kind of bright fabric. These pillowcases are usually made with over a yard of fabric each so the fabric cost of my thrift store purchase usually winds up being about $1 a yard. Had I gone to a fabric store the same fabric would have cost me $5-$10 a yard.

So when I got tired of our table today I decided to do something about it. Yes, we've been using this as our end table in the living room.

Call me too cheap to buy anything new.

I cut up a couple of those cheap-o thrift store pillowcases for a skirt for the table. Not too bad for under $3. Not sure I love it, but at least I like it.

Oops, probably should have ironed it.

Day 38 - Fabric Headaches

I’ve prided myself on my plentiful fabric stash. On my ability to find any fabric I want, for any project I’m working on, within my fabric shelves.

Yeah, not so fast.

While my shelves are full, they aren’t nearly as varied as I need for this new quilt I’m making. (Note to self: don’t start a huge new project during a pandemic. If you don’t have the fabric you want, you can’t go and buy any more.)

I’ve been through all my fabrics and this is as close as I can get. (Another note to self: if you work too long during one day, take a break from your project. Your frustration just might give you a headache.)

Day 37 - Picnic Ants

We have this old wooden TV tray we bought at a yard sale years ago. When we picked it up, my dear old hubby decided it would be his outside TV tray. Holds his drink under the carport in the summer and holds his containers of ice melt near the door during the winter.

But this spring it has been our picnic table. With our spontaneous backyard BBQ picnics I've really tried to convince him to bring out a bigger table. Maybe the card table? Nope. The banquet table? Nope. He brings out that dang wooden TV tray and we have to share the space on it. (Guess he wants me really, really close while we eat in the backyard?) So far we've been huddled over the same tray for BBQ hot dogs, hamburgers, and for one of our pizza picnics. I'm tired of the tiny table and I'm even more tired of the look of the tray.

Have I really been eating off this? YUCK.

So like almost every issue arising in the house, fabric becomes the answer. I just so happened to have this picnic fabric I've been waiting forever to use. I added an elastic edge so it's removable. When winter arrives the ants will go bye bye and the ice melt will take their place.

Now that's a surface I can eat off of.

Lunchtime!