Thursday, April 16, 2020

Day 29 - A Refrigerated Hotpad

I am not a soup person, but my husband is. Big time. So much so that he makes it several times a week. Sometimes it's completely from scratch; other times he uses a can of soup and adds to it. With all the soup he makes we almost always have a pot in our refrigerator. At times I might even find two pots of soup in there. 

I was getting tired of seeing pots sitting on a couple mis-matched potholders (dirty ones at that because he can't keep anything clean) every time I opened the door. So today I fixed that. A new, made-to-fit hotpad - with enough space to hold two pots - is now a permanent fixture in our refrigerator. And wouldn't you know, the hotpad is already being put into use.
I do believe fabric can solve almost any problem.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Day 28 - Spicing it Up

As I've said before, when we're not traveling we're cheapskate, boring, stay-at-home people. Our lives are definitely more exciting when we're cruising! We get to visit with crew members we love, see new places around the world, and eat and drink things we wouldn't get to at home. While I'm sad cruising is off the table now, I'm realizing we need to spice things up around here. The Mystery Treat Bags were a start. But I'm kicking it up a notch.

With alcohol.

We don't keep alcohol in the house. We don't go to bars and very rarely have we ever had an adult beverage outside this house. But when we're cruising? We I drink on three occasions:
  • When our favorite bartender is on a ship. He makes sure these rheumatoid arthritis joints feel pretty darn good. (Not surprisingly, we follow him ship-to-ship.)
  • When we're in a warm weather port. Having an alcoholic beverage on a beach - or near a beach - can't be beat.
  • On a snorkel boat in the Caribbean. As soon as the time in the water is done, the rum punch starts flowing freely. And that stuff is strong.
Maybe it was all of those things making me decide to go to the liquor store today. I've only been in a liquor store four times in my life. Today made number five. I figured if I was going somewhere I never go I might as well go big! As I finished checking out the cashier said, "Have a Good Month!"

I think I will.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

How to Sew Scrub Laundry Bags for Medical Personnel or Essential Workers - Tutorial Tuesday

It's Tutorial Tuesday (yep, it really is Tuesday this time) and I have another easy project you can make for others. It's called a scrub bag. We've all heard about medical professionals and their worries about bringing COVID-19 into their homes. Well, scrub bags are something we can be making for them or for other essential workers. It's basically a laundry bag just for their work clothes. Throw dirties in the bag, cinch it up, and toss the whole thing in the wash.

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

Easy Fabric Homemade Drawstring Laundry Bags Sewing Project

For this project you will need:
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 sewing and crafting content.

You'll find the step-by-step how to tutorial for sewing a homemade drawstring fabric laundry bag right here:

Monday, April 13, 2020

Day 26 - Sack Lunch Mystery Treats

When we were teaching I used to pack school lunches for us. But now since we left work we only pack lunches for traveling. It's always nice having something prepared at home for those long flights to wherever.

Now there will be no flights. No cruises. No road trips. No travel anywhere. No leaving the house ever. Which is probably why this sight in my sewing room was probably so unexpected.
When I did my grocery pick-up a couple weeks ago, I wasn't questioned about why paper lunch bags were coming into the house. No strange looks when all these individual serving size snacks - chips and popcorn and cookies and mini pies and more - were being piled into the sewing room. If he had asked, I would have told him about this idea I had. Something completely out of the ordinary for us.

Mystery treat bags.

I put two salty snacks and two sweet snacks in each bag, mixed all up so no two were the same. Now each night after dinner but before bedtime (during those times the munchies hit) we pick out one bag to share.

It's a surprise every night and a welcome distraction from our ho-hum stay-at-home life.

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Day 25 - Sew In Sunday for Box Cutter Boy

Ed is definitely not the fix-it guy around here. Never was, never will be. And why he thought he should try and cut up a box for recycling without me being there, I'll never know. What I do know is where he placed the box when he was cutting it. I also know the aftermath of cutting a box in such a place.

Our old Coleman camp chairs have been through a lot with us. Spring Break Oregon Coast trips and Idaho mountain trips when our daughter was young. A cross-country Idaho to Maine and back tent-camping road trip. The chairs were put to use when we needed to sit and rest when painting walls or staining fences. When pruning roses and shrubs. Recently they have been put to good use for our pizza picnics and for sitting in the sun, soaking up the warmth.

Long since faded and covered in years worth of paint splatters, they are pretty sorry looking these days. But they do the job so we haven't even looked for new ones. Although, thanks to Box Cutter Boy, we probably should. The evidence of where he put the box when cutting it is clear.
Right across the seat. Seriously???
My Sew In Sunday task today was trying to figure a way to fix the chair. The fabric is in bad shape so there would be no restitching of it. But thanks to some duct tape and a couple cut up Boise Hawks seat cushions,
a bit of Velcro, and some of his favorite Cincinnati Reds baseball fabric, we have a seat cushion to cover his messy cut-up mess. 
He's a happy camper now. Happy camp chair, too.


Saturday, April 11, 2020

Day 24 - Face Mask with Nose Wire Sewing Tutorial

The popularity of my face mask tutorials has made me determined to make them even better. Thanks to lots of good feedback, I think I'm getting pretty close to a perfect fitting mask. Today I delved into using wire for the nose section. It's a great fit, and now hopefully Ed will be more willing to wear his out in public. (Not that we go out in public, but just in case we do.)

And yeah, today's not Tuesday but who really cares?
Easy Pleated Cloth Fabric Face Mask with Nose Wire Sewing Project

For this project you will need:
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.

Check out all my other face mask tutorials:


Looking for other travel accessories ideas? Check out these projects!

You can find the step-by-step how-to tutorial for the cloth fabric face mask with nose wire right here:

Friday, April 10, 2020

Day 23 - Ladybug, Ladybug

Another sunny 70 degree day and my list was a long one.
  • Wash outside windows
  • Scrub screen doors
  • Hang laundry outside
  • Thin volunteer sunflowers
  • Spray weeds
  • Get the BBQ set up
  • Figure out a story to tie into the broken winged ladybug who landed on Ed's hand

It was a great to-do list and I had every intention of checking everything off of it. But the sun felt so very good as we sat in camp chairs in the backyard.

And just like that the window washing, screen door scrubbing, sunflower thinning, and BBQ setting up was pushed to another day. Added in? Another spontaneous pizza picnic like the one we had last month. Camp chairs, little metal table, and a cheap pizza in the backyard. This time we tried Little Caesar's with their free delivery on orders over $10. Total bill, including tax and tip, was $12.20. Not bad for two people and we have enough leftovers for another meal tomorrow.

Something removed completely from the list? I didn't need to figure out what to say about the broken-winged ladybug as I had my own ladybug visitor today. She looks mighty fine, just like our day.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Day 22 - Sunshine on my Sunflowers

On a beautiful and sunny 70 degree day the windows in the house are finally opened. Getting fresh air inside the house is such a wonderful thing. Being able to breathe fresh air outside isn't too shabby, either. Lucky me getting to soak up the sun, and lucky that my sunflower quilt is finished, too.
Sunshine + blue sky + fresh air = aahhh...

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Day 21 - A No Pleat Face Mask Tutorial Day

Due to the overwhelming popularity of yesterday's pleated face mask tutorial, I've decided to go ahead and show off the other version I've been working on. No pleats required for this one.

Today may not be a Tutorial Tuesday (heck, do we even know what day it is anymore?) so we'll just have to pretend it is.
Easy No-Pleat Cloth Fabric Face Mask Sewing Project

Looking for more sewing and crafting projects? 

For this project you will need:
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 sewing and crafting content.

Looking for a different mask? I have several other tutorials to choose from:

Looking for other travel accessories ideas? Check out these projects!

You can find the no pleat cloth face mask step-by-step how-to tutorial right here:
Thank you, volunteer model!

Remember, wash the maks after each use. And wash those hands and keep social distancing. Stay safe out there!

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

How to Make Easy to Sew Cloth Face Masks - Tutorial Tuesday

For today's Tutorial Tuesday I have a cloth face mask sewing project. With so many of us being asked (and in some cases, required) to wear them these days you may want to make several.
Easy Pleated Cloth Fabric Face Mask Sewing Project

Looking for more sewing and crafting projects? 

For this project you will need:
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 sewing and crafting content.
Looking for a different mask? I have several other tutorials to choose from:

Looking for other travel accessories ideas? Check out these projects!

You can find the easy to sew pleated face mask step-by-step tutorial right here:
Remember, wash them after each use. And wash those hands and keep social distancing. Stay safe out there!

Monday, April 6, 2020

Day 19 - Even More Sunflowers

My sunflower wall quilt project isn’t the only place you’ll find sunflowers around here. Look what I found in the garden today.
After a standard winter of cold weather and last week full of nothing but rain, today the sun came out. And so did the volunteer sunflowers, sprouting from last year's leftovers.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Day 18 - Sunflower Sewing on a Sunday

After putting the sewing room back together and after getting my fill of The Waltons on TV, I got to work on a new sewing project.

We've had an old wall quilt we picked up at the Idaho Youth Ranch Thrift Store years ago. It cost us no more than a couple dollars (cuz cheap is how I roll) so we didn't feel like we were wasting our money by hanging it outside. It has been on one of the walls of the front porch every summer, getting a little bit of rain and a whole lot of sun. Being it's now pretty well faded, Ed's been bugging me to make a new one.

I thought I'd only get so far as picking some bright new fabrics for a new one, but once I put on my headphones I really started to get to work. (Yay me for having batik fabrics to work with.) I knew I wanted to change the design so I looked at patterns in books and on the Internet. Even Ed got in on the action, sending me photos of ones he liked.

I went with none of those ideas and went with my own design. I still have more work to do, but I was able to make some good progress on a Sunflower Sewing Sunday.

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Day 17 - A Leaky Faucet = A Messy Sewing Room

Well, what a topsy-turvy day it was. Or a mixed up room it has become. Or maybe it’s just a doggone mess I have on my hands. All thanks to the dang shower faucet.

This one...
The hot water side has leaked almost continuously for the past couple years. I’ve replaced it a couple times, had periods where I kept a screw driver in the shower so I could easily pop off the cap and tighten it (see the rust?) and even had a plumber come out to try and fix it. But he couldn’t get it. 

He did have a recommendation, though. A big expensive, $1,600+ recommendation. Thankfully today we were able to work around the high price tag, but not around the hard work. The day started with my sewing room being torn apart so he could access the shower - from the wall of my sewing room.
Since he was already tearing things apart in there to contain the leak we decided to upgrade to a single faucet handle. Pretty, isn’t it?
What’s not so pretty? The mess I have to clean up and the work I still have to do to make the wall look somewhat normal.
Oh yeah, and then I still have to put everything in the sewing room back in the right place.

What. A. Mess.

Friday, April 3, 2020

Day 16 - Back and Forth Sewing

It was a back and forth day of sewing. My mom and I did some back and forth texting about sewing, that is. Measurements, suggestions, and photos went both ways as we worked our way through our sewing project.

(Although I didn't send my messy photo. Probably shouldn't even show the mess I got myself into.)
What were we making? Face masks for ourselves for those times when we have to go out in public.

My mom used cotton fabric on the front and an old sheet as the lining.

I used the same fabric for both the front and the lining. My red and white floral one with the red binding doesn't fit as well so I'll give myself an F on that one.
I think I'll make a couple more of the good ones. If so, I'll turn one of them into an upcoming Tutorial Tuesday.

Stay safe out there. Wash your hands and keep those hands away your face. And wear a mask if you think you need to. Just don’t take them away from medical personnel and those who truly need them.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Day 15 - Do It Until You Can't Get It Wrong

A while back I heard a quote I really liked. I'm familiar with the practice makes perfect and practice makes permanent. This new quote made even more sense to me.

Do it until you get it right. Then do it until you can't get it wrong.

I searched everywhere today to find out who said it. I found several variations, but not the exact quote. (I'm thinking it was on an Oprah podcast but can't be sure.)

I wish I was getting close to living the quote when it comes to making throw pillow slipcovers for my daughter. I still have to measure and remeasure. Sketch and resketch a pattern. Turn the paper over and try again. Cut out paper patterns and arrange. And rearrange. And rearrange again. Sew seams and rip out seams. After the couple dozen slipcovers I've made her in the past year I should at least be able to get one of them right the first time through.

It still takes me most of the day to finally get two pillows done. Glad I have the time (and patience) to make pretty things for her house. I'm also glad I have a daughter who appreciates the work I'm doing.

Up next on the sewing machine is a project I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I'd have to make. But after seeing the doctor this week, it's one he thinks I should be wearing when leaving the house. 

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Day 14 - The Longest Month Ever

March started out great. I taught my Cruising with Confidence class to a full house, only needing to spend a few minutes talking about Coronavirus. During those first few days of the month it was a distant issue on a distant ship in a distant country.

My, how things have changed.

I don't know about you, but March was by far the longest month of my life. The speed at which our lives were upended - and continue to be upended - is mind boggling. Exhausting, too. I'm afraid April won't be much better, but I am so very glad March is done.

I was expecting to end the month by finally getting myself to the doctor's office. I've been putting it off way too long, worried about being in a place with a bunch of sick people. With my primary doctor sharing space with the urgent care clinic my fear was warranted. They've just started sending patients with respiratory symptoms to another clinic so with March wrapping up I had to get in. As you can imagine, just like my grocery shopping last week, going to see the doctor was a surreal experience. Thankfully I came away with 10 more days of antibiotics.

As I was driving home from picking up my prescription I had a little talk with myself. I told myself I needed to really look around me. With traffic very minimal (at rush hour, no less), I could spend more time paying attention to the world around me and not the road. I paid attention to all the trees in bloom. To the spring flowers beginning to bloom in yards. I studied the dark clouds moving in.

Once home, after dinner and after dinner dishes were washed, I put my feet up in the recliner and we settled in for more episodes of The Waltons. I finally could relax, knowing March was about over and April would bring a fresh start. And that's when it hit.

The earthquake.

The 6.5 one, with an epicenter northeast of Boise.

As we each braced ourselves under the nearest doorways my only thought was we had picked the wrong doorways. I was on one half of the double wide and Ed was in a doorway on the other half. If our manufactured home slipped off the blocks he would go one one and I the other.

Thankfully the home stayed put.
Thankfully only a clock and picture fell.
Thankfully it was a rolling, not a shaking, earthquake. A movement like being on a cruise ship.
Thankfully our daughter was safe and her gas lines were intact.
Thankfully so far all the multiple aftershocks haven't required doorway protection.
Thankfully March is over.

I am working hard at going into April with a clear and calm mind, body, and soul. Let's start it with the colors of my world from yesterday. Yep, even the dark clouds. Because today is a new day and the sun is shining.

Let's keep it that way.
 
 

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Make a Denim Heart Potholder - Tutorial Tuesday

Make Your Own Homemade Denim Heart Potholder in Minutes

For today's Tutorial Tuesday I'm up with another heart sewing project with recycled denim. We all need a little love right now so let's coordinate it with the heart coasters we made a while back.
Homemade Heart Denim Potholder Sewing Project

For this project you will need:
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.

Looking for something else? 
Check out some of my other Valentine's Day sewing and crafting projects!

Ready for the directions? You can find the step-by-step how to tutorial for the homemade denim heart potholder sewing project right here:


Monday, March 30, 2020

Day 12 - Slowing Down the Machine

As I was sewing along on my machine today, I realized I sew too fast. It’s not because I like sewing fast, but because I usually have set myself an unrealistic target date. Or I’ve gotten in over my head, trying to get too many charity kids quilts or stockings for soldiers sewn. (Remember the year I made 625 of them? Yikes.) But not today.

Today’s project was another one for my daughter. I regularly supply her with themed throw pillow covers for her couch. Slip cover pillow covers, if you will. Being I most likely won’t be able to see her until after the lockdown, I took my time with my sewing. In fact, I didn’t even do all four today - just the reds. The flower ones will have to wait. It was quite a nice feeling to be able to take my time and not feel rushed.
Slow and steady wins the race today.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Day 11 - Not Exactly Olivia Walton

Between the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and tending to the children, many times Olivia Walton could be found doing some hand sewing. But me today? Between the cooking and laundry and scrubbing of cabinets and washing of dishes I could be found with my feet up in the recliner, watching The Waltons marathon on the Hallmark Channel's free preview.
If you’ve never watched The Waltons, you should. It’s a TV series from the 1970's set during the Depression. The lessons they learned back then may wind up being relevant to our lives in these tough COVID-19 days.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Day 10 - Below the Clouds

Today should have been the day we would be looking at the clouds from above. We should have been on a flight to San Francisco on our way to join the Grand Princess tomorrow.  But as we know, not only were all cruises cancelled, the ship is still under quarantine and anchored off of San Francisco. Our crew member buddy is among hundreds still onboard, locked down in passenger cabins, with temperature checks twice a day.  Thankfully he’s stayed well (at least physically) throughout the ordeal. An ordeal with an unknown head-home date.

When I look at those I know around the world, I’m thankful I’m safe and sound in my own home. Whether I am able to see the clouds from above or below, I know I’m one of the lucky ones.

Friday, March 27, 2020

Day 9 - Cancellations x 2

As I mentioned on my weird Monday, the one where mayonnaise splattered everywhere at the checkstand (and on me) at the out-of-the ordinary grocery store trip, we had a plumber come out and take a look at our shower. We've had a leaky faucet for a couple years now. I've replaced it myself more than once and it seemed to help, but many months ago it started up again. Everything I knew to try (or read about on the Internet) told me the permanent resolution was above my pay grade. We've been traveling so much we're never home long enough to worry about a permanent solution. Since we're not going anywhere anytime soon it was time to tackle the issue.

The plumber tried. He really did. But even after running to the plumbing store for additional materials he couldn't get it. His only recommendation was a biggie, one we didn't expect to be such an expensive and time consuming solution. It would require working inside the wall behind the shower - from the other side of the wall. After being shell shocked at the $1,600+ price tag from the plumbing company we came to another arrangement. A plumber willing to work on the weekend, me doing some prep work beforehand, and a cash only job.

As much as we wanted the plan for tomorrow to go ahead, I had to cancel. I’ve thrown DayQuil and NyQuil and some antibiotics from Mexico at whatever it is making me feel not the greatest. As my symptoms don’t qualify me for you-know-what kind of testing I’ve decided to try and keep plugging along. And cancel any human interaction for now.

Cancel like the cruise line did on us earlier this month. (Which I completely support as the right decision, by the way.)  I check my account frequently to see if we've been credited for the cancellations. While no credit is yet showing, they really don’t need to be rubbing it in our faces. When I logged in today I see they are still showing the upcoming cruise on our account. Dang them!

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Day 8 - Window Quiz

Back for the second week - Day 8 of my picture a day project - and I'm already having to tell on myself.

We purchased the house we're living in over seven years ago. My mom occupied it for the first year before we made the move, so technically we've lived in it for only six years. I need to say "only" six because it tempers the sting of how little I really know about it. Yep, if I took a How Well Do You Know Your House? quiz I just might flunk. Or at least flunk the window section.

Now I don't wash windows much in this house. We're either usually getting ready for a cruise, on a cruise, or just home and catching up on the must-do's before heading back out. When you travel all throughout the year, there are plenty of things getting pushed to the bottom of the list. For us, windows is just one of many things getting shoved to the bottom of that list. The list that never really gets completely checked off.

With lots of time at home, today was the day to put window washing at the top. With a full roll of paper towels and brand new bottle of Windex in hand I made a discovery as I tackled the very first window. The sliding part of the window comes out of the track so I can take it out and wash both sides. Surprise, surprise.

Some way, some how I never knew it was even a possibility in this house.  I can now pass the window section of the quiz! I can also now see the crazy tree out my sewing room window.
Believe me, it'll look better in the summer.
My goodness, what else don't I know about this place? Guess I have plenty of time to find out.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Day 7 - Vintage Sewing

Will you make me an apron?

It was a strange request coming from our hard-working daughter. Not the one to wear an apron or be much concerned about housekeeping or baking or cooking, she isn't the apron-wearing type. But she, like so many other people in American, has been laid off due to COVID-19. (Kudos to Kohl's for paying their employees two weeks' worth of pay.) To keep herself occupied during her empty days she's decided to focus on her home. (Kudos to her as well.)

That's where I come in. Any time an item of clothing needs repairing she calls on me. Need a wallhanging or pillow covering or appliance cover or quilt or something she saw on Pinterest? I'm on it. While I've gotten rid of so many patterns (not even close to what I had here!) I did find I still had a few apron patterns in my collection. After several back and forth texts and me sending pictures of the patterns and different fabric choices, she settled on one.

A vintage one. Like 1950's old. A falling apart, barely held together old pattern. Boy, following the directions in an old pattern is hard! It didn't help that I needed to add additional fabric to make up for the difference in female figures between then and now. And not surprisingly, kiddo requested the pockets be big enough to hold her cell phone. So an adjustment here and an adjustment there and just like that, she has a brand new apron.
She came by this afternoon to pick it up. We wrapped up in blankets, sitting under the carport while maintaining our 6 foot social distancing separation, as the wind blew and snow spit from the sky. Brrr, it was cold! We visited just as long as we could. Long enough to hear all her stories she's been holding onto since the last time we saw her. Long enough to even hear the story behind why she wanted an apron. During her time off from work she's being a tradwife. But without the submissive part. Huh? Tradwife? “Trad" as in traditional. This old lady had never heard of it before. It sounded like it's basically a stay at home wife. Rebranded by Milennials. Go figure.

I learn something new every day, and so glad she could explain it to me in person today. Because just a few minutes ago, Idaho has become the latest state to issue stay at home orders, whether sick or not. 21 days. Starting...now.

So thankful for being able to see our daughter when we did.