New beginnings!

This morning I changed the name of this blog, and I will have to find another photo to feature. We sold Maplecroft yesterday! We are looking forward to having more time for travel and other activities, although we will miss the house and the denizens of the B&B. The new owners are enthusiastic and will take the business to a new level and in new directions. We will enjoy watching!

We are going to stay right here at Maplecroft for a few months while we pack and figure out where we want to live. We have begun telling everyone in town in hopes that they will know of a house, walkable to downtown, that has not yet come on the market. Although we looked at quite a few houses and condos beginning in November and even offered on one, we have not yet found the right house for us. Our needs aren't that complex but we do want smaller, manageable, quiet, walkable, with garden space. Keeping our fingers crossed that something "ideal" comes along.

Productivity!

At least in the handicrafts department, 2009 has been pretty productive so far. Could be because of the very cold and snowy weather we've had. Last week, I finished knitting and then sewed together a bulky sweater I started in the fall. It looks good, and I've been wearing it almost every day because it is so warm.

Yesterday I finished a seven pocket bag that I worked on at the Calico County Quilters group Saturday. Choosing the fabrics was the hardest part, but I finally settled on black, white and a hint of red. The photo doesn't really do it justice. It has outside pockets with flaps for my cell phone and keys, and then there are several pockets of different sizes on the inside. The handles are long enough to wear over the shoulder. Quite a handy little thing that I filled right up.

This morning, I finished another bathmat, this time for our bathroom. Every time I pass the bathroom now, I smile because it's so cheery.

I had a packet of April Cornell charm squares that I just loved but didn't quite know what to do with. There weren't enough for a quilt, not even a lap-sized one. I pulled all the blue toned ones out and arranged them windowpane fashion with solid black sashing, much like the bathmat I made Chris for Christmas. Then I cut some other ones in quarters. These all went on top of an old Maplecroft bathmat with a thin piece of batting in between. Very "green." My next one will use green and yellow charm squares with green sashing.

This morning I started making yarn out of Chris' old t-shirts. I am hoping Sandy will help me learn to crochet them into rugs. I cut 1.25" continuous strips from two t-shirts and will give her a ball of "yarn" tonight. I knit the other ball of yarn on #13 needles into a potholder. It's darn ugly but utilitarian. Don't know if it's worth the effort, but it is green!

Resolutions

What can be more appropriate for a new year than the ubiquitous resolution? I have many things I'd like to do, but one I am hoping to stick to. That is, to go to the gym every other morning, to walk in the mall with Cindy at least once a week (the weekdays I don't go to the gym), and to walk downtown whenever the sidewalks allow safe passage.

In 2008, I completed quite a few quilting UnFinishedObjects. At this point, I have the following UFOs in process:

• hand quilt and bind small white-on-white and "Candy Land" pieces
• finish quilting pink Lone Star throw
• sandwich, quilt and bind siggie throw
• bind raffle quilt
• figure out what to do with the last two of Tante Wil's UFOs
• work on All-Sorts blocks (DJ, DH, etc.)
• make a DJ block a month for my secret pal
• put together 3 years worth of holiday Dear Jane blocks

Of course, there are always new projects to distract me, including the 7 pocket bag we'll be making at my Saturday group. The hardest part of that so far has been choosing fabrics, but I finally ended up with black and white scraps with a hint of red. And Chris' bathmat (Indonesian prints with solid black) turned out so nice that I want to make one of my own. Maybe for the new house!