I've Lent 40 Hours in 40 Days.......

I don't have any religious connection to Lent but often it's good to have a focus and recently I've had little focus or concentration. I'm not surprised at all as it's winter and the following on from the very busy period of Christmas and New Year and of course recovering from removal and treatments for a third cancer so I've happily allowed myself plenty of down time.

However time for a little kick up the bum! For the past few years Daughter has run a Facebook group where members should devote 40 hours during the 40 days of Lent to something extra they normally don't get round to. She is giving her time to piano practise. So this year I've decided to join in. Posting an update every day will definitely give me focus.

I'm giving my time to being in my craft room, because...

1. There's a huge pile of ironing in there I keep ignoring
2. I need to rearrange what's where so I see and use more of my stash
3. I can't get to any surfaces to keep it clean
4. So many "ongoing projects" that I need to find and get on with and finish
5. I need to find all my missing tools (crochet hooks, knitting needles, sewing things which are no doubt hiding with the "ongoing projects")
6. I need to remind myself it's a nice place to be with great desk, comfy executive office chair, sofa and tv etc

And now, at the end of the challenge, I've a good little list of my achievements!

I took a little of the spare interfacing from deconstructed ties and cut them up for makeup pads to save using cotton wool. I could have made them the traditional round but then all those corners would have only gone into the bin so I left them square. They work really well. Now I need to find a bit of netting to make a bag to collect the used ones in so they can just be thrown into the washing machine.

Couldn't find any suitable netting or loose weave fabric so I played around with lace work knitting and used 2ply cotton yarn and big needles and think it made quite a successful laundry bag. 

I honestly did try to clear some of the clutter on the desk top but failed, will keep trying.

I'd a jumper that was quite thick and a bit too warm for most occasions so very rarely got worn. I decided to brave the scissors and turn it into a jacket. Roll on spring weather so I can test it out.

With our surname Shepherd it seemed ideal to repropose a toy sheep as a doorstop! It used to have a sound box inside that I removed and in the cavity it left I filled with small stones to give it weight and sewed it up very securely. I added a little non-slip rubber under each foot and it works beautifully.

M has found the perfect premises to build his own school, realising his dream. It took months of negotiating, the owner to build toilet and kitchen, the council to approve change of use to an education establishment and M having meetings and presentations to get lots of corporate sponsors on-board. So the day he received the keys was a big deal. I made a card.

Daughter asked me to shorten her new curtains, she did all the measuring, cutting and pinning and I did the machining. With the huge amount cut off I made four cushions and two small table cloths, making the cushion pads from a sheet and duvet both long ago retired.

And while I was still putting those bits away, for myself a small neck cushion. 

While having a little sort I found a large piece of shower curtain fabric and turned it into a huge waterproof tote bag.

I'm also having a go at sashiko/boro stitching, which is the Japanese art of visible mending.

And yes I've done some of the ironing many times during 40 days but it's only done till the next lot of laundry is done!

This has added up to about 44 hours for the 40 hours challenge. And definitely got me crafting enthusiastically again 😉
.