More Downsizing

I've got my sewing machine set up on the dining room table and I am going great guns like a single person sweat shop. I might finish these Amy Butler bags for my MIL yet. (Did I start them last year or two years ago?)

Sunday was my turn to make dinner but I wasn't sure how I was going to get my father into the house because of all the snow. They did a lousy job plowing our street because the neighbors at 1 and 5 (next door to each other) left their cars in the street. Apparently walking to the backyard driveway is too far {not}. So we brought the mountain to Mohammad meatloaf to my sister's. I made Mandajuice's teriyaki meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad, and the dude made Pioneer Woman's peanut butter pie for dessert. The meatloaf is a big favorite; last year I bought everyone the Soy Vay to make it. My mother (who never cooks) confirmed that even she made it, but the "recipe is complicated." Turns out, old hand cooks like my mother aren't big on photographing every step of a recipe. My sister also put in a special request for Chile con Queso which around here we call crack dip.

Anyway, as I made my lunch by scooting the dirty dishes out of the way--including the skillet with dried on Velveeta--I was thinking something along the lines of Spinster Stitcher's post only I was worried those British birds from "How Clean is Your House?" might show up. I don't know how I am getting on a plane in five days.

In the continued downsizing, my sisters-in-law have gone from being proud owners of quilted messenger bags to proud owners of beaded jewelry.

This one is for the dude's sister. When I think of her, I think of neutral shades. Her husband is the geologist and hiker and somehow I think of her as being a natural, outdoorsy sort, though I can think of little evidence for this conclusion. I do know she wears these colors.

The dude's brother's wife, however, wears a lot of bright blue. I had trouble putting something together. I thought I wanted to make something like this necklace, but I couldn't find a donut that lent itself to being matched with bright blues. The turquoise donut was all wrong. I was wandering around the store and thought there was something very cool about the large beads I ended up using. I'm not going to lie to you, it is bright. This may be a miserable failure. Or it will become a treasured possession. I'm pretty sure there are no in-betweens on this one.

What am I doing here rambling on? This bags aren't going to sew themselves!