Doing Our Part

I got a text message from Linda asking me if I was making masks. I told her no.
That night I got a call from my stepson Brian asking me if I would me interested in making some masks for his roommates place of work. They needed some.
I then thought jeez, Karen why are you NOT making them?
You have the material. You have the elastic. The neighbor saw to that.
What exactly is stopping you?
I told Brian I would give it a try, so he sent me a specific pattern they were looking for.
I did some research on what people were using for the filters.
Interfacing seemed to be the material of choice. Good Luck with that. Everywhere I looked - Sold Out.
Brian brought over a box of Swiffer dry clothes to use. He saw it online as a substitute.
They weren't looking for masks that will take them into a war zone area. Just precaution for the work place.
Of course, I called my partner in crime (and everything else that matters). Sharen came over and we tagged team this project.

Hard at Work

Feels good to be Helping

Sharen cut out the material with the pattern Brian had given to me and I sewed the pieces together.
We took this on like the serious crafters we are and had a great time doing it.
We both agreed that it was a feel good day.
Spending the afternoon together laughing and talking and doing something important was just what we needed.
We made 2 for Linda and Deanna. and I'm sorry I ever told her I wasn't doing it.
My gosh, if you can't do something for the ones you love the most then shame on you.

Yes, I finally got rid of that crappy Cubs material

All the masks are reversible and washable.

Self Isolation

What is a quilter to do when you are in self Isolation and you run out of thread?

Bucket of empty spools

Order some online and wait, I guess!

Lights On - Doors Open

Its no secret that I love to have a fire in my fireplace.
I love everything about the process - Splitting and stacking the wood. Hauling and stacking the firewood up on the back deck during the season.  Starting and feeding a good fire to take the chill out of the family room. Staring into a fire and enjoying the warmth.
I sometimes will have a fire going into the late hours. I have been known to fall asleep in my recliner watching TV and wake up, get up and head off to bed.
Sometimes forgetting to close the doors on the fireplace - and sometimes not. I would wake up in the night and have to get up to check because I can't remember if I closed them or not.
I came up with a plan (and it looks pretty) for fire season.
Lights On - Doors Open.
I decorate my mantle for each season and add colored lights. Orange lights among the autumn leaves. Red lights in the holly for Christmas. White lights in the batting to look like snow in the winter.
I'll turn the lights on whenever I have a fire and then I know the doors are open. If I head off to bed and the lights are on there is good chance  that the doors are open too. I know - Genius right?
Spring is in the air and it's time to break out the flowers for the mantle. The only problem I didn't have colored lights for spring. And I'm not ready to give up my fires.
I'm thinking yellow.
I find some online at Walmart. $7.50, $7.57 with tax, so I ordered them.
I go to check out and could NOT stop laughing.
Yes you are reading that right. A $7.50 item can be shipped for $80.00.
I, of course, choose the free shipping and got the lights in 4 days. How many people would actually pay $80 for next day for decorative lights.

And now I can enjoy a fire knowing I will shut the doors before going to bed. Hey Karen, the lights are on - close the fireplace doors.

Yellow lights for Spring