Laundry, Quilting Fabrics and My Favorite Tip

Monday Wash Day! 
I have a couple issues to deal with in doing laundry. First, I have allergies to most perfumes. They clog my head and give me a headache. I also find them offensive to smell. Second, is getting a rash and itching from some detergents. For those reasons, I use ALL free & clear and Ultra Downey free & gentle. They work great for my allergies and sensitivities and get the laundry clean.
When I want to whiten our whites I use Oxiclean Free powder along with the laundry soap and I double rinse the load.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with or paid by any company.
Now for my Favorite tip. SHOUT Color Catcher! They look sort of like a dryer sheet only thicker. I started using them when I pre- wash my quilting fabrics, both hand dyed and commercial. I always use a Color Catcher when I wash a quilt. 
I also use it in the load when I wash new clothes with color. My laundry is always separated into whites, lights and darks. Whenever I launder a dark load a Color Catcher gets put in and it ALWAYS has color in it when the load is finished. It doesn't seem to matter how many times the clothes have been laundered. If you aren't using a Color Catcher the dye is going back into your clothes and it makes them dingy.

A little hint for any crafters or fiber artists. You can use the used/dyed color catchers in your crafting and fiber art.

Peace!

Organizing & Decorating

This week I've been doing more cleaning and organizing. Part of it through the I Heart Planner's, 30 Day Kitchen Organization Challenge. Today I cleaned expired stuff from the fridge, then organized it. That wasn't hard because I keep it pretty neat. All but four of the expired things came from the freezer. 
Christmas decorations are gone and the dining and living rooms are decorated for the next few months. As you can see, I moved my flameless candles from the living room to the dining room table. The linen undercloth is a family antique from the late 1800's. I think it was originally used as a bed sheet. The crocheted one on top was made by my mother in the early 1990's.
Here's my Winter dining room and my organized refrigerator. 

Peace!

Sunday Ride Applique Quilt

Today I'm appliquing a block of the Sunday Ride quilt, by Cherry Blossoms. This is going to be a quilt done at Bernina Sewing Centre sometime in 2015. I'm helping the owner get the quilt made as a sample. I only have part of the vining flowers and leaves stitched and fused. There will be a cat on the ground that can't be added until the inner sashing is sewn on. Here's the block so far.

Peace!

Wordless Wednesday

Putting away Christmas decorations

I've been collecting my decorations from around the house and putting them on the breakfast table and counter.  As I walk through a room, I pick up a decoration or two and add it to the table.  Now that I have them all collected I'll get the boxes out and pack them away until next December.
I do hope that I can keep the real meaning of Christmas in my heart and actions throughout the year.
Ready, set, pack!

Peace!

Decluttering

De-cluttering, simplifying, call it what you will. I feel led to simplify my life. Many people think of de-cluttering as physically removing the clutter from your home. That is only a small part. When I began this journey I pretty much thought that way.

Over the last twenty seven day's I've been doing a Bible study on de-cluttering. 

Declutter Now! 30 Day Devotional on the You Version Bible App. It's a free app with a ridiculous amount of Bible versions to choose from. I highly recommend the devotional. I've learned a lot from this study.

De-cluttering also includes, your walk with God, finances, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, and church/social activities.

I've started a little of the house de-cluttering, passing on stuff to my children and grandchildren. Some of it was even in the form of Christmas gifts. I only want them to take things that will be used or is of great sentimental value. Now that we're past the holidays I shall in earnest go through the process of de-cluttering my home. 

Here's where I'm starting with organizing, discarding and filing papers:

Peace!

A quicker way to remove quilting stitches

Today I'm learning a quicker way to remove quilting stitches from a quilt. Elizabeth has a quilt that was poorly quilted by a longarm quilter. Another friend, Erica, and I are going to help her to remove the stitches. Elizabeth will then be able to send the quilt to another longarm quilter to be re-quilted. Erica is showing us how to use a rotary cutter to remove the stitches. Here's a photo showing what we're doing.

Peace!