Procrastinator JoAnne - NOT!

JoAnne has been one busy procrastinator. Look at all the projects that she's finished up. The scarves in this photo were done, but needed the finishing touches...fringe. She's finished all 5 of them. She's also made these adorable pillows...
and these wonderful pillows.

In her entry she said she had several areas that she needed to tidy up. Here's a hutch that she organized.

Another entry that she finished - her kitchen curtains. I love them, my favorite color!

Here are the updates as of today: JoAnne - 9 completed projects (a couple of these include numerous items - like her 5 scarves), Cathy - 6 completed projects, Nicola - 4 completed projects, Sheri - 2 completed projects, Linda ????, Ann 2 completed projects. I've been working on mine and will post later in the week. Keep up the good work ladies. JoAnne, you are really pushing me - Thank you. ~Ann

Fly Lady Wanna Be

Do you all remember (or still subscribe to) the popularity of The Fly Lady a few years ago? She sent out several emails everyday to try to help, by "baby-steps", to organize and clean your home, car and purse! I found the emails to be yet another thing I had to clean up! Loved her philosophy though. JoAnne, one of our Challengers in the Procrastinator's Challenge entered her craft closet into the challenge. Here's the before and......... the after.... WOW! JoAnne, you inspired me to clean up my basement basket weaving room so...

I'm so embarrassed by the before that I'm posting the after photo's first! In this photo you can see my collection of miniature baskets that I've made in the shelf. On top of the shelf, standing in a row is a collection of antique potato mashers that I will weave into catch-all baskets.

Okay, here's the MESSY room before. Basket weaving is not a neat hobby. I hope Pam from Baskets 'n Prims echo's my statement, if you are a basket weaver you know that this grows into a hug tangled mess. I make between 100 - 150 baskets every year for the living history museum where I work here in Ohio. I try to rationalize the mess with the fact that it brings in a nice income in the summer when school is out and I'm not getting a paycheck!

This brings our standings to: Cathy - 6 completed projects, JoAnne - 5 completed projects, Nicola - 4 completed projects, Sheri - 2 completed projects and Linda - where are you Linda? Ann - 2 completed projects. I still have more projects to post from JoAnne, which I will do this weekend. Watch for the standings to change just a little bit! Hope this inspires all of you to pull out your UFO's or organize your crafting area! ~ Ann

Gourds & Dried Potato Garland

My friend, Melissa at http://farmfieldprimitives.blogspot.com/ posted the directions for drying sweet potatoes. Thanks Melissa. I didn't have any sweet potatoes, so I used good old Idaho's. I purchased the dried gourds from a local gourd farmer this summer with the intention of making this garland, it only took me 6 months to do! (And this isn't even one of my entries into the Procrastinator's Challenge.)

Up close, you can see the color of the spices on the potato pieces. My only advice would be, cut the potatoes BIG, they shrink quite a bit. Be careful drilling the holes - I thought I was going to go through my finger at least once. I used a dremel for the dried gourds, I found that easier than the cordless drill. Hemp cord is the string. I love the way this turned out. I'll have to make another one for a different room. ~Ann

Today's Challenger Updates

Here are today's updates from our Challengers. Sheri from www.sherisscribbles.blogspot.com posted this photo on her blog. She made herself a pair of slippers. You must visit her blog to read her description of making a pair of slippers! Sheri, I'm glad you made something for yourself. Sometimes we feel guilty making something for ourselves don't we? We shouldn't, but... The next 2 projects are from Cathy, www.tolentreasures.blogspot.com. She painted the bookshelf for her daughter. Cathy's final entry into the challenge is the bread pan. If you scroll through and look at her photo of the plain pan and compare it to the finished pan, you will see just what she did. Beautiful.

Here are the current standings. (I still have projects from JoAnne to publish that aren't included in the count) Cathy -6, JoAnne - 4, Nicola - 4, Sheri - 2, Ann - 2 & Linda - 0. Great work Ladies. Keep working! ~Ann

Valentine UFO's

JoAnne has checked in with her first finished projects. Aren't these Valentines Day quilts beautiful? These are 4 of the projects that she submitted for the Procrastinator's Challenge. Keep up the good work ladies! I'm so happy that you've inspired others to pull out their UFO's too. Many comments from people finishing up some projects that have been sitting around for a little longer than anyone wants to admit to. I do have other updates to post from Cathy, Sheri, JoAnne and me. The standings at the moment are:



Finished Project Numbers -

Cathy - 4, Nicola -4, Sheri - 1, Linda - ??, JoAnne - 4, Ann - 2. Keep sending me updates Challengers.

More completed UFO's

Wow! We are flying through our UFO's. Cathy http://www.tolentreasures.blogspot.com/ has finished 2 more wonderful projects. Way to go Cathy! I should share with you that not only does she have this Challenge to motivate her, she is also going on a mission trip this weekend and wanted to complete her items before then.

The framed piece is one of my own UFO's. The pattern is free and can be found here http://www.cottonshoponline.com/images/freeblackbird.jpg I did take off the bottom few rows of the printed pattern. I wanted it to fit into the frame I used. I think it is going to hang in my bathroom, I'll have to try and see if I like it there. I printed the pattern on 1/27/05. Wow it's almost 4 years later that I've actually finished it.

This basket is one that I bought the pattern and supplies from East Troy Basketry in East Troy Wisconsin last March. It's called Remembrance by Vinie Hinson for those of you who are basket weavers. I really like it since it is a double wall basket. The inside is reed and the outside is reed, black walnut and maple all mixed together. The black walnut is beautiful. I stained the handle with black walnut stain to match the outside of the basket. I usually stain completed baskets with either a black walnut stain I boil myself or a mixture of Minwax. I like this one as it is and it won't be stained. The contrast between the colors is appealing.

Looking inside you can see the double wall and the great black walnut base.

I'll post more photo's this week. The Challenge as it stands is:

Cathy - 4 completed projects

Nicola - 4 completed projects

Sheri - 1 completed projects

Linda & Jo-Anne - send me an email with some photos of your completed UFO's!!!!!!!!!

Ann - 2 completed projects

Challenger Update

Here are some more updates to the Procrastinator's challenge.

Sheri from http://www.sherisscribbles.blogspt.com/ finished a sweater for her Dad's dog. You have to check out her blog to see other pictures of this dog and his sister. They are hairless and need the warmth of a sweater. I'm sure doggy is very happy with the sweater as cold as it's been lately.



Cathy from http://www.tolentreasures.blogspot.com/ finished this milk can. This is absolutely gorgeous. It would look wonderful on my front porch. I see that there's another milk can sitting in the background....

Nicola from http://www.clasheen.wordpress.com/ made this wind chime. I don't know if it is meant to hang outside or not, but I'd want it undercover to protect it from the elements. Very nice Nicola.

I do have more updates to share from Cathy. Just wait 'til you see the other items she's painted. I'm drooling over all of them. I will post later this week along with the items that I've completed from my stash of UFO's. Don't forget if you are a challenger, send me an email with photo's of your finished projects. Stay warm. ~ Ann