hero and villain

We had an unfortunate happening the other night.... one that ended up working out in the end, however there were more than a few moments of stress, sweating, fear, and probably a few unspoken words of questionable endearment playing around in my spouse's brain during this unfortunate time.
a little bit of supporting information... the afternoon/evening started great! I got to spend more than a few minutes on the deck, working at finishing the jewelry started by my sister and her granddaughter last weekend. An hour had gone by, Bruce was sleeping in his favorite recliner...and the weather started to get cooler. As I was organizing my 'stuff' to return to their proper spaces, I came across the tool of the night! A find that gave me great joy because I knew I could become a hero soon to my husband... and almost on que he walked out on the deck to have his 'after nap' smoke. I retreated inside and quietly pulled out my tool.(THE VILLAIN)
I took it to the lock and I was thrilled to see that it worked like a charm.... We didn't get one with his recent buy... and Bruce had expressed a desire to be able to lock his prize possessions. (the victim? )

I was a bit smug when I walked up to Bruce and tell him I had just "Made HIS day!!!" A somewhat doubtful expression was quickly replaced by a wide smile and an exclamation of delight when I handed him the tool... something that I had laying around in my jewelry extras... Confidently I walked with him inside, and watched him approach HIS desk, and insert the tool. First left, then right, then left then right... Obviously my husband had no clue how to use a skeleton key...so I offered to work my magic... turn clockwise...nothing, maybe a little bit of contact but essentially nothing...turn to the left obviously did nothing either ..why ? well because I left it LOCKED? Who would think that my tool would so soon lose its effectiveness on this lock... THIS LOCK....??? my husband's prize possession, an antique of some value.... and all his personal stuff inside? WHAT HAD I DONE??? He in all his wisdom says.. "why didn't you try the key with the desk open? that way if it didn't work we could still access things?" I don't know, I just didn't think that way! but I truly felt awful, and realized that the morrow would bring an early trip to local antique shop looking for keys. He never yelled, or said anything sarcastic...I think he was overwhelmed with shock. I did have the thought to give him hope, and sent him on to his mother's place- if anyone had a skeleton key SHE WOULD! While he was gone ...Ben came by... a son sent by divine appointment ( he had a sliver)... I told him what I did, and he echoed his father's statement " why didn't you try the lock with it open?" duhhh... But Ben prides himself on being able to open anything, and has the patience of a saint, or a pastor... alot more than his father anyway... and after a good thirty minutes, working on the drawer below lock...examining the workings of it, etc, trying some of mom's useful tools that have helped her over the years...none worked until this!! (the hero)
YOU might not have something like this in your possesion...but I have a mother in law who kindly gave me alot of her stash of 'stuff'... and this (if you look closely) is a crochet hook... the smallest...used to make fine lace edging.... but bent at this angle...became a hero!
I can only hope I learned my lesson... stop trying to be a hero!.... and if you want to see if something locks...lock it in open position.... But also something else came out of it... We told Ben he would make a fine locksmith, and since they are few and far between...why not check out how to get certified?

Productive!

okay three wk plus 3 days post op, and I have actually completed some sewing projects! The purse I actually cut out and sewed the main pieces before surgery, I just had to hand sew the binding part..and now I have to pick a button. who would believe that this cost me less than $3??.. some upholstery samples purchased for less than $1 each at a fabric store closing ... No pattern, but I had a general idea of what I wanted...its not perfect... a couple of errors are noted in fitting of the last pieces but isn't that part of homemade sometimes? I used 2 samples cut in a diagonal and pieced together, and took off a 5 inch strip from the bottom of each and used to make outside pockets with three divided sections.
Inside the purse I used a complimentary fabric and made one medium sized zippered pocket (6" square), and one pocket to hold pens and narrow (2.5 inch) objects for quick access.
I also made a sturdy bottom with another scrapped upholstery sample... so the purse can actually stand on its own ... Oh and Thanks andrea for leaving that yardage of green heavy fabric in your apartment...it came in handy for the shoulder strap and binding. Now if I can only figure out which button to use..looking at these pictures does help..that oblong button looks actually blue..black is too stark, so I will probably go with the yellow or leather look brown. I will end up making a loop and button closure
Now for a couple of pictures for that last of the diapers for Dee
well actually they are for Bella...supposed to be for 10 to 20lb... she will use strappis for diaper closures and there will be diaper covers overtop. Sophia's diapers were made with soaker sewed in and velcro'd... I was hoping to use snaps on these, but need the proper equipment. And I made Bella's with pockets so the soaker liners can be added and removed... ALL of my diaper stuff that I made these last couple of weeks were from scraps that I had in my fabric stash... I tend to hate to throw usable pieces away, and I know my son in law would have gladly helped me along... but the flannel scraps, gauze material, and faux suede came in handy. Don't they look comfy?
oh those clips? they are from my quilting tools...heavy duty and they helped show the tab style of final product. those plaid flannel soaker inserts at the top are made from the fabric I had bought at $1/yd to make for Coffee Cabin use a few years back... the white soakers are gauze material scraps from a blouse I made Andrea YEARS ago. the pink flannel is left over from a baby quilt I made for Abbie, the yellow from some pj I made someone sometime, and the blue flannel- a used receiving blanket... and the white faux suede? from an outfit I made someone years ago... I have also made fleece covers...the fleece ? from left over fleece from hats I made for my kids and grandkids over the years...its funny to think that Sophia is wearing on her bottom what Ben has worn on his head (as in matching NOT that I used his hat to make her diaper cover...though humm maybe that is an idea???) and I used both my regular sewing machine (Bernina- my gem) and my serger- both invaluable in diaper making. Twas fun, but now I am looking forward to my eldest granddaughter coming over to help me reclaim my dining area, reclaim my floors, and she can help me cut out another project I hope to complete before I return to the working grindstone.