The Many Mini Projects (and a preview of Project #2)

It's easy to set my mind on accomplishing one thing and then get bent out of shape when things don't go as I planned. This week, though, I'm on a roll. It's been a while since that's happened (summer was crazy for us), so I thought I'd take some time to acknowledge what's been accomplished. I finished Project #1 (the Pillowcase Dress) and now I'm setting off in the direction of Project #2. (For a hint on what's to come, keep reading!)

But in addition to my "big" projects I'm tackling, I have to pause to recognize the "little" (but essential) things I've also accomplished this week:

1. I've cleaned the kitchen, bathroom, and living room, top to bottom. (Never mind that still leaves the bedrooms and upstairs baths.) The vaccuum terrorizes my daughter. Thus, she got to be carried during the event. Lucky me.
2. I've cooked dinner most nights this week, and done a pretty good job on washing the dishes. (Don't ask about the laundry.)
3. I rearranged the spare bedroom so that it could also serve as a playroom and big-girl bedroom for the little one. We've played on several occasions up there, and she seems to like it so far! (Never mind I'll still have to do lots to turn it into a little girl's room!)
4. I fixed the exterior lighting problem we were having.
5. I dropped off and picked up my husband's work shirts from the cleaners--a twice-a-year ritual. (Bonus: I brought home a pair of very large white men's dress pants that are so short they resemble capris. Unfortunately--or maybe forunately--they don't seem to be my husband's size or style, so I'll be going back to the cleaners next week to return them.)
6. I paid all the bills, balanced the budget from August, and set the financial plan rolling (i.e., made a new budget) for September.
7. I went to the grocery store and stocked up for the week.
8. I finished sewing an outfit for a dear friend's daughter, which should have been done a couple months ago. I also dropped it off, and she loved it! It is for next summer, so the timing wasn't too big of an issue.

With such a strong list behind me, I feel like I'm on a roll for the long weekend ahead. (It's Labor Day on Monday here in the U.S., and most folks have the day off.) I have a few goals to keep me busy. There's the outdoor lounge chair I've built that needs a coat or two of poly, the cushion parts for the lounge chair that need to be sewn into some semblance of a comfortable place to sit, and the screen door that needs to be framed in and then hung on the back porch. Not that I have lofty plans or anything. But I'm mainly looking forward to working on Project #2, a pillow quilt. This is a simple quilt that folds up into a square pillow. It's perfect for traveling, for gifts, for the couch, for kids, and for adults. My grandmother made me one when I was in elementary school, and I still have and use it to this day! I'll be whipping up a model this weekend and working on instructions for you. Hoping to post sometime next week!

Isn't it good to accomplish big AND little things? What little things have you done this week? What projects do you have planned for the upcoming weekend?

Happy creating, wherever you are!
Jennifer