Finished!

I finished the last scissor pouch.

The full outside...

The inside....

and folded....

Yesterday was our visit to the eye doctor and I came away with an explanation as to why I'm not seeing the computer screen as well as I did - I have what he termed as being 'fast-growing cataracts'.  Nice.  I know cataracts are no big deal these days and it's something that's not unexpected and I'm not worried about the process.  However, I am facing six months of further degeneration before I can go back and see what's what.  I *could* cough up a ton of $$ to buy new lenses for my glasses that would help me to see better in the short term but odds are I'll be replacing them again in 6 months or so.  No, that's not in my budget, especially when we had to pay nearly $800 for glasses for Resident Chef (who up until now has gotten away with cheap dollar store readers).  All in all, not a fun visit with the eye doctor!!

Here's your quote for today (multi-faceted this time!)....
1.  Once all villagers decided to pray for rain.  On the day of prayer, all the people gathered but only one boy came with an umbrella.  That is faith.
2.  Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set the alarm to wake up.  That is hope.
3.  We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future.  That is confidence.
4.  We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children.  That is love.
5.  On an old man's shirt was written:  'I am not 80 years old, I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience."  That is attitude.

Slow and steady

The progress has been slow on the latest scissor pouch and all I have to show you today is the incomplete 'innards' for the blue one.  At least one thing, it's using up some of my hankie stash!

Today's quote comes from Mary A. Radmacher...Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow"

More progress on #3

Over the weekend I got more done on the third scissor pouch...

I want to add a bit more around the image and then it will be ready to put together.  

Today's quote..."You never really know the true impact you have on those around you.  You never know how much someone needed that smile you gave them.  You never know how much your kindness turned someone's life around.  You never really know how much someone needed that long hug or deep talk.  So don't wait to be kind.  Don't wait for someone else to be kind first.  Don't wait for better circumstances.  Just be kind, because you never know how much someone needs it"

#3 beginning

Here's the start of a third scissor pouch...

This one will be mainly blue and white with

small amounts of green and gold.

Your quote for today..."I'm at that age where my mind still thinks I'm 29, my humor suggests I'm 12, and my body mostly keeps asking if I'm sure I'm not dead yet"

Just a quick drop in and out....

I did manage to finish the second scissor pouch over the weekend...

The out-ards above, and the innards below...

If you embiggen the photo you can see the

beaded scissor fob as well

I'm afraid I've fallen down on the job and I don't have any links to share today.  I will try to make up for it on Friday!

Today's quote is from Antoine de Saint-Eupery..."Loving is not just looking at each other, it's looking in the same direction"

Dull day = oops

Sometimes my ability to waste time on something astounds even my low expectations of myself.  I should know better than to choose colours on a dull poor-lighting day as this photo will definitely show...

Do you see what I did?  The green on the right does NOT in any way blend even remotely with the embroidered part on the left.  And before you make any comments that ALL greens go together OR that it's the inside of the pouch and therefore won't show - it hurts my eyes.  So there will be some frogging happening here at Chez Magpie today.  

However, on the good side, I did finish the embroidery for the front...

The lighting is much better today so hopefully the re-do of the 'innards' will be more pleasing to the eye!  Never let it be said that your Magpie is afraid to show you her mistakes.

Today's quote..."The best kind of people are the ones that come into your life and make you see the sun where you once saw clouds.  The people that believe in you so much that you start to believe in you too.  The people that love you, simply for being you.  The once in a lifetime kind of people"

Happy Valentine's Day!

After much faffing about I finally got my camera to play nicely with the computer so I have a picture for you...

For some reason the camera and the computer didn't want to play in the same sandbox this morning so it was a struggle to get even this to show you.  Maybe they're cold - it's *only* -21 Celsius outside this morning (which, for those who use Fahrenheit, is about 5 below zero).  We won't discuss the windchill factor.  

Sorry there's not more to show you - but I've been too busy being social and doing mundane things like errands to get much time to pick up needle and threads

Today's quote is from Erich Fromm...."Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love"

Update

A wee update on the previous rant about Canada Post - the parcel arrived late on Monday, remarkably unscathed despite all the adventures it had.  Phew!  I plan to become best buds with UPS from now on - Canada Post has burned their bridges!

It's been a busy couple of days so there has been absolutely nada done on anything creative so I don't have any photos to share.  

Here's a little smile for your day..."Not to brag, but I just went into another room and actually remembered why I went in there.  It was the bathroom, but still....."

Progress - and a rant

I've started on another scissor holder/pouch - #2 of what will be 3 I think....

It's been awhile since you've been subjected to a rant here at Chez Magpie but sometimes a gal has just gotta vent.  Scroll down if you're bored already!

Back story - You've watched the projects unfolding that were/are destined to be gifts for the newest addition to our family.  You've seen the Baby Yoda - and you've seen the extra things that were for his big brother.  Well,  the author of this rant hauled the rather large parcel to our local post office two weeks ago and paid an exorbitant amount to have it sent to their doorstep.  Delivery, they said, would take 6 business days.  Key word here - they 'said'.  The doorstep in this case is over 4000 km away from here.  According to the tracking information the parcel has been on a rather interesting journey.  It went from here to Toronto where it is sorted and put on a plane bound for British Columbia where it next surfaced in Richmond.  So far, so good.  The next appearance put it in Regina.  Regina???  That's half way BACK in this direction.  Hmmm.  Oh, and isn't it good to know that the parcel thought it wanted to also see Calgary?  Which is STILL in the middle of country and nowhere near where it needed to be.  Oh look - it's BACK in Richmond - that's at least in British Columbia.  Oh oh - just look - it's back in Calgary.  Fast forward two days (spent compulsively checking the tracking web site) and it's BACK in Richmond, where it's spent the last four days 'in transit'.  In transit, to where I wonder?  Oh the mysteries that make up our illustrious Canada Post!!!    (Oh, and the web site still says it will be delivered last Thursday!!).  

Rant over

Instead of a quote, how about a housekeeping tip instead?  "Always keep several get well cards on the mantel.  That way, if unexpected guests arrive, they'll think you've been sick and unable to clean"

Another finish!

Yes, there's another finish here at Chez Magpie and an addition to the 2020 Christmas box.  Several of you 'almost' guessed what I was creating!

Above is the outside and below the inside 

(clickable to embiggen)

I fell in like with some beautiful embroidery scissors and simply HAD to create a special pouch to hold them.  This is number one of a series of three.  And here are the scissors that started all this in the first place....

They measure 4" long

Today's quote..."Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created"

Embroidery is done

The embroidery part of this project is complete I think so here it is...

And here are closeups ....

This afternoon I hope to put it together

so there *might* be a reveal on 

Wednesday (don't hold your breath tho')

Here's a quote I found that bears thinking about...."Handmade gifts are NOT cheap.  If someone has given you a handmade crocheted (or knitted)  afghan, the average cost to them (not including time spent) for materials averages $45-$50.  Each skein costs about $6 and each afghan pattern requires approximately 8 skeins.  If someone made you an afghan, it took them a month or more to make.  They love you"

Getting closer!

Yes, it's getting closer to the reveal of what this particular crazy quilted 'thing' might be turned into....

Now the big question is....will it turn into what I envision....or not?

An interesting quote I found (courtesy of a book called "How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind' by Dana K White)....regarding decluttering...."Do the trash first"  (in other words - just get rid of the trash first and the rest will follow and be much easier).