Projects on the home front

This is one of the last pictures I took before our camera broke. I did get a few first-day-of-school photos but was never able to download them. I can't wait for the camera to be fixed. I feel lost without it.

This was the first year we grew tomatoes. I'm not even sure where the seeds came from. We threw them in the half of the garden the boys don't use as a sand box and didn't touch them except to pluck off the green fruit. Since they ripened on their own on my windowsill, I didn't stop the kids from bringing them to me whenever they wanted. I never had to worry about staking the plants up to prevent them from rotting on the ground that way.

We had mediocre success with green beans and almost no lettuce sprouting up but I picked another two dozen 'maters today. It's kind of nice to have things still growing in our own garden as we are getting ready to go apple picking and do other fun fall stuff.

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I need to do a better job of keeping track of my WIPs. I got a new needleplate for my sewing machine a few weeks ago, and first on my list were pillows for my mom's new house made with remnants from her custom-made curtains. I forgot I had already made a pair to go in her family room and made two more yesterday. I presented them to her today and she reminded me I had already given her the others. Now, she has 4 pretty yellow and blue pillows for that room and I have four more to make for other rooms in her house.

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I found a few new little handwork projects to keep me busy while waiting in the car or watching tv. (I just wish I could show pictures!) I strung together loops of wooden beads and vintage jingle bells to sell as Christmas ornaments. And using old hair pins, buttons and ribbon, I made button-flower hair accessories. Using up my stash one little bit at a time is actually rather rewarding.

I also talked to a woman at her garage sale about the chicken scratch embroidery pieces she had for sale. Much more detailed than anything I had seen before. She uses a book she's had for years. I'm definitely inspired to try it myself. I found even more red gingham to do it on this week.

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And my least favorite home front subject -- cleaning and organizing. As I blogged over here, a termite/carpenter ant infestation meant we had to clean out our basement and garage for the exterminator. Most of my project stuff is now in my studio, and despite having 3 of 4 boys in school all day, I can't seem to make headway. Might have to get dh to take them out for a day of fun so I can sort uninterrupted.