I wasn't posting last year, but my resolutions were to: 1. Spend more time in the garden, not just to work out there, but enjoying it (COMPLETE) 2. Design a pretty spot to help hide the utility trailer that we have (COMPLETE) 3. Redo the front fence so the utility trailer isn't sitting on the driveway and in the pretty spot (INCOMPLETE) 4. Fill out back bed with plant materials (COMPLETE) 5. Create a veggie garden (COMPLETE) 6. Gate off around the back of the shed so the dog doesn't run at the garden at full tilt from behind (INCOMPLETE) Overally, my garden got a lot of use last year. I had tea parties with girlfriends, birthday parties for my hubbie and stargazing parties with friends. I was able to build a veggie garden and with the remaining soil (I way over estimated) was able to build a mimicking flower bed (with no plants yet) on the other side of the patio. I bought over 100 plants to fill in my garden over the year (we have a local grower that sells any plant, all plants for $5 in a 1-gallon pot so I didn't manage to break the bank too badly either). My husband got into the veggie gardening and has told me that it's off limits to me now...LOL For this year, I want to finish all the things I didn't get done from last year as well as filling in the new patio bed and rearranging my front deck and putting new gardens around it (whether or not I fill them this year is yet to be determined). I have some expansion plans in mind for the back, but again, I'd like to have them dug over in the fall ready to be filled for the next year....excited to see all that 2011 has to offer.

I love this thread, too!! Wow! I've had building materials stacked around my house, including all my windows for years. A while back I realized that the only way to get rid of these things as to work to have them installed. Since 2008, everything I do, every penny I make goes into getting something installed. The windows were first and the space it made was AMAZING! Plus, then, without heat, it was still a million degrees warmer in here than it was with just Tyvek paper covering the windows!! My current whammy was taking a cabinet apart and retrofitting the drawers into another, reach-in base cabinet. I got rid of the 1st cabinet (making space) and was able to sort that bank of 3 cabs (reach-in, drawers now, and reach-in) so I could actually put my towels and linens in them, in the MBR and bath. Those are now out of boxes stacked against the wall. I have to cut down some 36" drawers (reuse center) and put the casters on the bottom for underbed storage. This will get make space for the few quilting projects I just cannot part with, but am not working on. That is my weekend goal. Someone, on another board, called these projects "broken teeth". You take care of this "tooth" and 5 other things get done, plus everything looks so good. AND it was so darned easy, you wonder why you didn't do it sooner. :)

Dody, all I've done is practice samples, but it IS fun! Carol, thanks for the website. Those samples are where you sew 3 layers of fabric into 3/8" bias strips, then cut the top layers. In Re-Inventing Chenille, you cut bias strips in 3/8 or 5/8" strips & sew on as many strips as you want; 1 - 3 layers. You can make designs with them--criss-cross, crossed over, straight strips on something, curve them into designs such as hearts or flowers, etc., & lots of other things. It really looks like the old chenille bedspreads when done. Our library had the book. Yours may too. It's worth a peak. I'm the only one that sews in our family, so I have GOBS of baby items yet to sew. I'm saving the quilt for last, but will post a pic "somehow" when it's done. Gram Here is a link that might be useful: Book at Amazon

I would need to see the house in actual pictures . Not all homes can or should have crown molding.I happen to like white trim so that would be my choice as for the stairs not matching the main floor wood that can be done for sure with some elbow grease and patience.