Keeping English Paper Piecing Projects organized

If you have ever done English Paper Piecing you quickly realize how many pieces there are, and the need to keep them all together. My solution for part of this happened when I went to a local tool shop and got a plastic container for only $2.76, better than spending more money for the same item at a quilt shop. I organized my English Paper Pieces by color and I have enough room for needle, hexagons, fabric, scissors, thread and everything else needed in this container that fit perfectly in my purse.

Since I already have a couple of rows together I did need a bigger plastic container than the one above. I tried finding one in the tool shop that I thought would work but no such luck. So I ended up getting one at a craft store, it was on sale for $11 even though it says scrapbooking, cheaper than paying for the non-sale plastic container of the same size at the same store for $20. I keep the rows that I have already attached together in this bigger container along with quite a bit of extra fabric and the small-medium size container that fits in my purse also fits in this bigger one (that way if I want to take my whole project with me I can as well). So how do you keep everything organized?

More Scrappy EPP Done

Today I worked on more of my scrappy English Paper Piecing project. I still need to decide if I want to make this into a table runner or quilt, but I probably won't decide until I at least get this into a table runner size. The last photo I had only two rows but together and now I have added another one, with a fourth row soon to be added. So what are you working on?

TBR Checkpoint 1

So far my reading challenges haven't been going to well, as for the first ten days of the year I was sick. I have started reading Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson for this month. I am not that far into it but it is a short book. The question for this month's checkpoint is, Which book on my list has been on my shelf the longest? It would be the Once A Grand Duchess: Xenia, Sister of Nicholas II by John van der Kiste. I hope everyone is reading some good books this month!

Bout of Books #12 Day One

So I have decided over the next few days during this read-a-thon to read a variety of books and to at least finish two or three of them. Without further ado here are the books, not in any particular order:

Classic Spin #8 Age of Innocence Review

 I finished reading this book last night for the latest classic spin. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.  The main characters are Archer Newland and May Welland along with her cousin the Countess Ellen Olenska. The setting takes place in the 1870's in New York's old money society with the books main focus on family morals and standards of the day. Does one follow their heart or go by what is expected of them? It took me a couple of chapters to get interested in this book. Some of the characters I was on the fence about, although I can see their point of views, so for me I was more interested in seeing what they would end up doing more than anything else. The author Edith Wharton knew society well during the time this story she wrote takes place, as her own wealthy family came from New York. I think this does add to the book as some of the society manners and etiquette was quite fascinating to learn, however some of them were quite ludicrous by today's standards. I didn't feel that I really connected with the characters though, I think this is because the book was so much about society in general. I rank this book 3 out of 5, an ok read but not one I would want to reread.

So far this year......

has been uneventful thus far, as I have been sick now for almost a week. So of course the things I thought I would be able to get done during this time has not occurred. Hopefully since it seems I am now on the corner of starting to feel better that I will be able to read more, craft more and organize my stuff more. In order to really craft more though I need to organize more, so I really hope to get that done soon. Those are really the only plans I have so far for this upcoming week, what about yours?

2015 WIPocalypse Signup

 I haven't participated in this monthly stitch-a-long really since 2013 and even then I wasn't able to due that much because of physical therapy then. I am slowly getting back to crafts trying to accomplish a little bit at a time, so not sure how much I will get done. The project that I have worked on the longest and will be working on until it is completed is below, which will be a gift for my sister, I am about halfway to the rose (I don't have a current picture). The last time I worked on this I had lost my place, eeeek!!! So I hope to get back to it and find out where I was!




Depending of course how long it takes me to complete the above, I hope to work on the following below (I may add another one as well):

Huntington Library

While in California we couldn't bypass the Huntington Library which we spent several hours visiting. This is the type of place though with various buildings and ten different gardens you need several days to see. While your a book lover (at one time this family had the largest book collection in the United States), art, or gardening there will be something to love. The had rare editions on display from Charles Dickens, Canterbury Tales, Gutenberg Bible, Shakespeare, etc. In order to preserve the books though we couldn't take pictures but at least you can enjoy a few that I took of the gardens and flowers.

What I'll Be Reading This Month - Jan. 2015

Since I will be in so many reading challenges this year, I thought at the beginning of each month I would list what I hope to be able to read.

  Germinal by Emile Zola
 Barry Lyndon by William Thackeray
 The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal
 The End by Lemony Snicket
 Le Morte D'Arthur by Thomas Malory
 Whatever book above that consists of 450 pages will apply to this challenge