"Chenille" Baby Blanket

About a year ago I saw a tutorial on making "chenille" baby blankets. They are kind of really cool. I've wanted to make one since I first saw them but never liked any one's baby enough to make the effort. KIDDING. But seriously, I still haven't finished Eleanor's baby blanket, so let just realize my short-comings and go from there. Recently I saw this tutorial pop up again and I thought I would try it for our little one soon to come. I bought some cotton flannels and got to work. It's kind of a fun project. The original tutorial is here and the one by Dana over at Made is right here. You got to love Dana and all that she does. Is she on crack, or meth do you suppose? I know I am going through a nesting phase right now and finishing a lot of projects, but these professional bloggers are out of control productive. In my early days of blogging I kind of wanted to jump on board the whole "I can do that- I should be making money off this!" mind-set until I realized that I really don't want a full time job being crafty. These women are intense! I appreciate what they do, but anytime I try to do what I like for a living, I don't like it anymore. I just want to be Eleanor (and bambino #2)'s mom. That's enough for now.

Anyhow. Why am I rambling? Oh yeah, cause I am due in 10 days and everyone has to let me do whatever I want. So. Back to the blanket. I took about eighty pictures, because as Dana said- it's just neat looking at every stage. Here it is all cut up.

Here you can see the backing fabric that I adore, but that doesn't really match the other stuff, but once it's washed and fuzzy it's not such a big deal. Also- after about two hours of cutting and only being about an 1/8th of the way through, I went and bought a chenille cutter. Wow it was worth it. I went from thinking that this would be the one and only blanket I made this way, to now wanting to make one for everyone I know. Big difference.Here is the binding that looks like yet another shade of blue that doesn't quite gel. As much as I like decorating and fashion and what not, I really don't have that quilter's gift of picking amazing fabrics to go together. I'm having the same problem in my bedroom right now too. Three different shades of gray and they are not getting along. Grrr.

And here it is after going through the wash. I wish I had thrown a color-catcher in there, as the red makes the light blue look a touch lavender, but I'm ok with it. It's done, and lately that has been my drug of choice. Done projects.

Would you like to know what else I want to finish this before baby? Oh good, cause I want to tell you.

-Finish painting the dresser I bought for little baby-boy's clothes and stuff. I naively thought I could have them share a dresser, nope. Too much stuff. I bought the dresser for $7.44 and it's really cute, just needs some refinishing. I sanded and primed it today and also did a heavy primer on the inside- as once I got it home I found that it had a broken sample of men's cologne inside. It was sooo strong! I don't want my little boy smelling like a man until he is one. So after two weeks with baking soda treatments, I got out the Kilz Primer and sprayed the insides of all the drawers. Now it all smells heavily of paint. Hmmm and ugh. I hate when projects take 7 more steps than you planned on.

-Take in my bed sheets and bed skirt. We recently bought new "good" sheets since the ones from our wedding registry are literally falling apart. We know we will be leaving this bed here when we leave in a year, and would like to upgrade to a King size, soooo I got King size sheets for our Queen sized bed. It's more annoying than I thought it would be. I'm tripping all over them and they come off way too easily. Want to fix each day, but each day comes and goes and I still don't take the time.

- Make two Mexicali dresses into shirts. I've had these for years and don't wear them as dresses as they look a bit costumey. I did one about a month ago and love it, so I just need to do the other two. This is low priority.

- Finish 3 or 4 other sewing projects that I started ages ago and haven't finished.

- Clean out our spare room so my mom and Clayton's mom have a spot to sleep when they come. My cute mom keeps saying that is why she is coming, to do this kind of thing. Mmm, no. Nothing is less welcoming than having a cluttery room with no where to put your clothes and no bed to sleep on. Hey! Thanks for coming! Now go sleep in a corner on the floor.

- Deep clean out our car. Oh my gosh, it is truly hideous right now. This is on the agenda for tomorrow.

- Finish painting a side table of Clayton's. I sanded it today but ran out of paint halfway through. Durr.

- Start painting my sewing desk. I bought the world's cutest green color in the inspiration of THIS awesome bit that I saw ages ago but I have yet to sand or prime, so this one is getting lower and lower on the list as well. All I wanted to do last week was paint outside and it rained all week. So I sewed instead. This week it's beyond hot and muggy and all I want to do is sit inside and eat generic Otter Pops. Guess which scenario is going to play out more?

- Rent a steamer to clean our downstairs couch, all the carpets and mattresses and maybe the car interior. Do you know how hard that sounds? Super hard. Just saying. This has been on my to-do list for about a year.

- Get the brakes fixed on the car. Think this maybe shouldn't be mixed in with sewing projects and painting dressers? And should, I don't know, just be done? Yeah. Me too.

- Take the hospital tour so that I will know where to go should this baby come anytime soon.

- Eleanor's 2 year pictures. So we're three months behind. Two is two, right?

- Cover some pillows I've had for ages.

-Pack a hospital bag.

- Get Clayton's dental appointment made, and soon. Poor C.

- Start the recipe book I bought from a friend on one of those scrap booking sites. Wanted to support her at the time, now just feel like it will go to waste. Send me your best treat recipes folks. I'm making it all desserts.

- Sleep.