dinner is in the oven finished one figure, was going to start the next one but DS is asleep, so I can't double check the color for the tunic - will do that after dinner instead. It feels great to have it this far! I *think* that's everything??? No shopping w/Middle, but that was optional anyway. Maybe another day?

Clothes are folded, and the ones I'm responsible for are put away. Checked on all the children -- Oldest got hired for the summer job he wanted (yay!!), so texted that good news to DH. Got the main part of the quilt background made (a small border around the part that is mattress sized; will add the outer border to make it quilt sized later on). Checked school stuff - everything is set for tomorrow. Checked on Grandma - trip is going well so far! Grabbing a snack/taking a sewing break, and then I promise I will tackle making the figures.

napped (much needed) went down to check the mail & mail my aunt's card/invite - a package I was expecting (the mis-ordered, then corrected, order from last week) arrived -- they really did fix it and send the right size! Yay!!! Eating lunch/folding laundry now and *then* will get to the rest of the list.

Home - got the eggs, and some rolls & meatballs to add to dinner instead of the chx sausage. Gassed up my van. Picked up the pictures. Got home before DS came down to cook his breakfast. Yay! Measured his bed and his current quilt so I can figure out the quilt top thing. I think it will work well! Yay! Need to sit down and kind of draw it out to be sure the exact plan before I cut, but it should all work out. (the issue here is that the fabric I'm using only comes in 2 yd cuts, b/c they cut it into 2 yd sections before dyeing it; trying to decide if I needed extra added to the ends of that or not, or if keeping the 72" width (the length of the 2 yds) will be fine) Wool stuff is drying, and I'm debating to nap now, or later. :yawn:

Get some rest & feel better, @ScoutTN! --ordered some math books for both tutoring girls, w/free same day delivery --remembered to send and order prints for DS - our co-op does a senior table, so needed one for that, and some options for his senior board for graduation --sent an email I needed to send --feeding the birds, getting dressed, and will head out - grocery, gas, and by then the pics should be ready to pick up

Good morning, all! DH is off to a work conference all day today (and again tomorrow, but luckily it's local so home overnight) so I am up *early* even though I have the day totally off! Yay! So, what shall I do on my day off? So many things. ...coffee ...fold & put away laundry ...wash my wool stuff ...grocery store for eggs, b/c we forgot last time ...decide exactly how to put together the quilt top and do that (will be quick once I decide) ...create the next 2 figures/last 2 figures for the quilt ...start fusing the figures into place?? At least get them pinned in place? ...make sure everything is all set for tomorrow's class (should be, but double check) ...possibly take Middle to some resale shops near us (was offered as a "cheer you up" thing over the weekend; the need for cheering has passed, so we'll see if we still go or not) ...cook dinner tonight (roasted veggies, feta, and probably chicken-apple sausage as a sheet-pan meal) ...eat, veg out - DH will be home late (he has a dinner out at 5:30, that will likely easily go till 7:00, means he'll be home after 8:00 sometime...) ...go to bed If there's still time &/or during breaks from the sewing, get the kids to help me hang stuff, and remember to go mail my aunt's grad invite. Also, text with Grandma, she's heading on a road trip starting today w/a friend (friend is driving), so just keep up daily check-ins while she's out & about. Somewhere in there, take a nap. Oh! and order a book/find a book for tutoring kiddo who has requested a math book to work through vs. math worksheets.

Starting us off early....

Four down, two to go - stopping there for now. DS is pleased with the way everything is looking, so that's good. Going to help DH with shrimp for dinner, eat, relax, etc., and depending what all we do after dinner, finish up the last two. The background fabric is due to arrive tomorrow, which will give me all of Tuesday to work on piecing the background and start fusing the figures into place, so I'd like as much done as possible by then.

I did some digging on-line, and looks like the fencing thing should be fine -- another division had their qualifier the week before, and on the records-keeping website it shows "DNF (for did not fence), Name of Fencer, Qualified for Div 2, Div 3" *but* on the event listing website (where I'd looked earlier, b/c this event was not posted on the record-keeping website), that same one shows up as "Fencer Withdrew" -- *so* it should be good, and appears to just be a difference in how the one website reports things. Whew!! ate lunch, had a mini-nap, grocery shopped & went to the nursery with DH, and completed one minor character for DS's quilt. Taking a mini-break and onto the next one. Two down, four to go. Whew.

For general crafting (love the model train club idea for miniature specific!), check your neighborhood/city/county civic centers. Ours host craft days, etc. often (regular occurring ones, like every Weds, or every 3rd Sunday, or whatever). Your library may also offer that already. Does your area have an art league? They may have something similar. What about the hobby shops where you buy the materials? Often they have a bulletin board or similar with craft classes, groups, etc. posted - you may ask there.

first figure (main character) is done aside from details, which will need to be added once the background fabric is here, and it's fused to the background (so I don't overwork the fusible) eating, then heading to the nursery w/DH

Just wanted to add that many of the respectable merino wool clothing brands are sourcing non-meuslinged wool, &/or adding "where does our wool come from" pages, etc., in an effort to be as transparent & ethically-sourced as possible. So, it is possible to find ethical merino, despite the (still happening) bad practices of some farms/farmers/merino production.

Thanks! I'm sure it will be (and there is an appeal process if not) but it was a bit of a "ack! what on earth?!" moment this morning to see it listed like that. My coach said probably that's just how they entered it in one website, which automatically uploads to the other website, but will NOT be how they submit the official stuff. She's checking on it and I am sure will get it fixed - it affects everyone who went yesterday, so would be a LOT of people very upset if they do it wrong (including many fencers from the host fencing club, so they should have a lot of motivation to do it properly).

Have fun, @HomeAgain!! My day today: ...coffee ...make sure everything is all set for classes tomorrow (do I need to cut anything? etc.) ...go to the nursery w/DH, buy a bouganvilla the right color ...iron the fabrics for the applique figures ...get the main character transferred to the fabric ....get at least one more character transferred to the fabric (but as many as possible) ...check the size of things to see if I need to order more of one color that I got wrong when picking fabric (if so, order it) ....figure out a plan for dinner??? ....check on Grandma, see if she talked to Dad - she is going out of town w/a friend, and Dad was likely going to be annoyed by it ....if Dad is annoyed, talk to him today to talk him down ....check on the fencing non-tournament yesterday -- the one website, they listed the results as "fencer withdrew" -- if they leave it like that, we are all out of luck and won't show as qualified; I've contacted my fencing coach who is also division chair to make sure they correct it (she's checking on it) ....after dinner, watch something and relax until bedtime Have a good day, everyone!

Dinner was very late b/c DH & Middle ended up in a serious conversation (all is well; just some deep dad & kid talk). Once finally done, it was very good. Got the idea figured out for DS's grad board thing. Watching a (shorter) movie and heading to bed.

How very cool, @mom31257! What a fun thing for your dad to do and to have! @ScoutTN, glad you were able to get out into the sunshine as well! I'm popping in after a mediumly busy day. So far I have: ...fencing Divisional Qualifier, in which I did not have to actually fence b/c there were only 3 competitors, and the rules state that for anything from 3 to 12 competitors, the Top 3 Finishers all qualify. So, only 3, we were thus all "top 3" and thus automatically qualified. yay! (this is so I can fence Division 3 at Summer Nationals) ...regular fencing practice, where I did actually fence ...LONG nap, which was much needed ....sorted all the fabric for DS's quilt -- it was a big bag of many colors, now sorted by character and layered into a tin/bin/thing stacked in order of how I'd prefer to approach them DH & Middle are cooking dinner, so once that is done we'll eat, and then I think watch a movie (maybe?) afterwards. If we do not watch the movie, I'll work on ironing the fabric and getting figures cut and put on fabric (if we do watch the movie, I'll do that tomorrow) Also need to send pictures to be printed for DS's senior table/display board/etc. and plan that.

Customer service was able to get my shipment swapped out for the right size before it actually departed! Yay yay yay yay yay! Got all of the figures redrawn the correct way for DS's quilt. Whew! So.much.work. Glad that is finished! @ScoutTN -- hugs & prayers for you; these kids are so rough at times. I was just talking to a friend about it - his kids are in the same phases as mine, and we were lamenting how everyone warns you about the "terrible twos" but no one really talks about the older teen/young adult phase, and how hard it can be.... @HomeAgain -- sorry you didn't get the envelopes done; the scavenger hunt sounds like a nice alternative.

On a plus side, DH found my (missing) glasses! yay!!! Gathered materials and emailed a mom - stuff for her DD for the summer & their travels. Eating lunch, maybe napping, and drawing figures. Can't do anything about the ordering error, so no sense worrying over it.

Home from my Friday gig Realized I made a very costly error last night -- placed an online order for some non-returnable items.....forgot to double check what size I take, and accidentally ordered the wrong size. 😞 I didnt' have a shipping notice yet, so emailed the help desk.....30 seconds later, the shipping notice hit my inbox. Dang it! I may *try* the other size and see, but I doubt it will work. We shall see. Dang it, dang it, dang it.

2nd grade is prepped, grabbing breakfast and heading out to my Friday gig checked in w/DS and he's on track with his school stuff

Good morning! Today I have: ...coffee ....2nd grade prep for next week ....go tutor my Friday kiddo ....make sure DS stays on top of his stuff ....draw his quilt figures (redraw) ...if time, start putting some of them into fabric ....nap probably? ....tonight, go out to dinner & a Q&A showing of Princess Bride w/friends (Cary Ewles will be doing a Q&A after the movie) - should be fun! ....come home, go to bed So, not a long list, but I need to stay diligent so I have time to get those applique's done - the background fabric is finally on the way here, and I'd like to have all of the figures onto their fabric and ready to go once it gets here (probably in a week?)

I absolutely love it. As far as I can tell, and I've not read super deeply on the topic, it's a more sustainable, and yes can be ethically sourced, textile option. I have several pieces now from Wool&, have loved every single one of them, and just dropped a small fortune to finish converting my under garments to their new merino blend items. I wear merino blend leggings & tees (and the aforementioned under things) for all my working out -- fencing 3x/week, "boot camp" style work out 1x/week, and assorted fencing tournaments (once every 6-8 wks or so? more or less?). One thing I love with that -- it's much more temperature regulating, so I don't feel overheated like when I wear synthetic work out clothes. Consdering all the synthetic layers I have to put on over my work-out gear for fencing, not overheating is vital; I won't wear anything else now. It's more moisture wicking, so I don't feel wet and gross. And I'm able to hang up, air out, and rewear my outfits for more than one use before needing to wash them. So that side of sustainability comes into play, too - less laundry. (I do NOT rewear underthings! one wear, into the wash bag). I wear it to sleep in, and haven't woken up from a hot flash since starting that. If I wear something else to bed, I still do. I find it to be a good all-season fabric, as well. Since discovering it, I've probably worn something merino every day, be it tees, long sleeves, dress shirts, pants, dresses, etc. I have some 100% merino as well, and personally I find it absolutely luscious. Some merino/linen blend stuff, some merino/tencel blend stuff, and some merino/nylon blend (for longevity). All are wonderful. Anyway, I'll let someone else talk, but yes, I love the stuff.

home from tutoring - that went well; need to do some good prep before next time, as older girl is still in the throws of STAAR testing (state standardized tests) so no homework. Also means the tutoring needs to be skills based, not too taxing, b/c, STAAR testing. Eating dinner, prepping for fencing, and heading out. Oh, and I made a list of "grad party prep stuff" to do, so that is taken care of.

Stopping there - I need some down time before I go tutor; 2nd grade can wait till tomorrow

DH says I don't need to make a side 1st Grade is prepped