Check-In Post November 3rd 2023

[badly_knitted]

Hello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.

Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?

There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.


Today's Question: No question today.


If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.

I now declare this Check-In OPEN!

Comments

[badly_knitted]

A bit more progress putting the lights away so when I ned them next year they won't be all tangled, but that's about it. Life is being stressful and I had laundry to do today.

[wiseheart]

Oh, dear! *commiserates* We'll have laundry day tomorrow, but we are a spoiled bunch with central heating - so much easier for us than for you!

[badly_knitted]

I do have central heating, it's just that the fire heats the radiators. It has a boiler behind it, and a pump to circulate the hot water through the radiators. That's why I can get laundry dry more easily in winter than in summer because it can be dried indoors. This summer was so wet I only managed to do to loads and dry them, so now I have piles of laundry to do. This is the third load, and I have at least another 5 to do. I might be caught up by Christmas...

[darkcedars]

Ugh sorry. A little laundry here today too.

[badly_knitted]

There is always laundry to be done *sigh*

[m_findlow]

Sounds like you could do with a break after your marathon Halloween prep. Sorry to hear it wasn't as successful as years gone by, but at least you'll have plenty of goodies ready to go for next year.

[badly_knitted]

Enough for the next few years, I think.

Inconsiderate of the school system to have half-term on Halloween week. So many people have gone away.

[spiralicious]

*hug*

[badly_knitted]

Thanks *hugs back*

[wiseheart]

Being November, writing had the real emphasis, but I did a bit of crafting, too: still working on the little lavender-infused pillows. All six of them are now sewn together in the inside; I then turned them back and ironed them, so that they can be seamed with decorative blanket stitch. I love blanket stitch: it covers a lot of mistakes and looks good if properly done. One of the six pillows is now seamed and stuffed and completely finished, which is a good feeling.

Of course, for that I had to crumble the dried lavender flowers my friend had brought me yesterday. Which was finicky work and took me almost an hour. In the end I could barely feel my back. but I did it, stuffed the finished pillow and mixed the rest of the lavender with toy stuffing and bagged it in a plastic bag to have the stuffing infused with the smell.

My estimate is that I might be able to finish one pillow a day; but if I don't, they'll be still done by early December, when the fair takes place.

[darkcedars]

Fiddling with dried herbs takes ages more than it should. I like using the dehydrator but...pain.

[wiseheart]

Very true.

[badly_knitted]

I can almost smell those lavender pillows! Wonderful!

Hope the writing went well.

[wiseheart]

Better than expected, thanks. :)

[badly_knitted]

Good to hear =)

[m_findlow]

Good luck with your NaNo this month. After Spook_me, I'm doing the opposite and taking a break in November!
Love a good lavender drawer pouch! :)

[wiseheart]

Oh no, not NaNo! I couldn't bear that kind of stress. Besides, I'm a slow writer of ungodly long stories, sometimes with years of writer's block between chapters. picowrimo is a seriously toned-down version, just for people like me. *g*

[spiralicious]

Sounds like you are making good progress on the pillows. I hope the writing is going good as well.

[wiseheart]

So far it went well, thanks. I just hope I can keep up the speed.

[darkcedars]

Bunch more power washing and misc yard tasks the last couple days.

After much discussion, we have a first set of house paint colors to test. Took forever to get this far! They have sample jars at the hardware store, husband needs to get some.

[wiseheart]

Sounds like a gargantuan task - and it is just the beginning! You are very brave.

[darkcedars]

Power washing is kinda fun, if it's warm enough.

[badly_knitted]

Fingers crossed that the first colours you try will look so good you won't have to keep looking!

[darkcedars]

I have backup colors! We started this conversation over a year ago.

[badly_knitted]

Well, you didn't want to rush into anything, which is wise ;)

[m_findlow]

Hope the colours turn out well so that you can quickly get on with the main task of doing the actual painting! *crosses fingers*

[darkcedars]

Definitely want to paint the garage before it gets too cold.

[spiralicious]

Good luck!

[spiralicious]

This is technically not crafting, but I have decided it still counts - today at work I spent 6 hours finishing the financial report for the CPA. The printed summaries alone are a stack of paper that is over 3 inches tall (the full report is on a flash drive). And I made them all my very own self. I took boxes of receipts and random unordered papers (and lots of research) and turned them into 2 1/2 years of ledgers for 5 bank accounts. There were even rulers, colored pencils, and markers involved.

My brain is so mushy now though, I couldn't even really knit. On the plus side, this also means I don't have to work again until Wednesday.

I need a nap.

[badly_knitted]

Wow! That is an achievement you have every right to be proud of, well done! It's even color-coded!


Nap the nap of the righteous, you've earned it. The knitting will be there when your brain recovers.

[spiralicious]

Thanks!

I am making my best efforts at it :)