More projects around here

I did a little sewing project on the 4th of July.  It was super hot and I didn't feel like gardening anymore (really though, when do I feel like gardening?) so I decided to make a new drying pad for my dishes.

I bought the one I have now and it's too small so I always end up adding towels all around for the dishes that don't fit.  It's also the wrong color.  I can't seem to find a picture of it though..but, really, who takes pictures of your dishes drying on the counter?  I thought the answer would be ME but I don't know where it is.

Anyway, I got some fabric that was more neutral with some green in it for the new one.  I also made it the exact size of the small countertop by my sink.

Here's my confession:  I did a crap job.
It's wonky...not square.  It doesn't lay flat.  The fabric pattern is slightly askew.
You'd think for someone with OCD tendencies, that I would be more conscientious and make sure things are straight since I know they will bug me later.  But no.  I tend to kind of wing it especially when I am sewing.

When there are no dishes on this towel I can fold it up and put it in the drawer.
But, let's be honest, there's almost never a time when there are no dishes on this towel so it'll be out in perfect view.
It will also have dishes all over it though, so I doubt the imperfection will bug me much.
It's just a dish pad for goodness sake!

If it does bug me I will just ask my perfect sister to make me a new one that isn't as sucky.
Because she, unlike me, actually knows what she's doing with a sewing machine and it will come out perfect.
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I also recently finished repainting my bookshelf.
This is the piece of furniture that used to be a TV armoire that I cut in half and made into a bookshelf.  It's funny how attached I am to the furniture that I have worked on. It's just a bookshelf and yet I rearrange to make sure there is a place for it...and for the other things I've worked on.

I originally painted it an antique white about, gosh, 12 or so years ago I'd guess.  It's been a long time.  It was past time for a refresh!
It's made of pine and there were lots of knots showing through and the paint had yellowed over time.
This time I painted it a bright white, the same color as my kitchen cabinets.
I didn't wait for good lighting to take this picture though.

I got some new hardware at a garage sale (50 cents baby!) that I put on the doors. I just had wood knobs before. 

I can't decide what to put on it now though.

Should I make it a useful place?  Put cookbooks and such on there? I've done this in the past.
Should it be mostly decorative?  I have a big(ish) collection of 50's glassware that was my grandmother's that is hiding away in my cupboard.  I think it would be fun to bring that out into the light of day.
I could also do a combination.  Cookbooks on one shelf (I don't have that many) with miscellaneous stuff on the other shelves. I've done this before too.

At Christmas time it's full of nativities.  That is my favorite! It should just be Christmas all year.
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My next project is the curtains in the family room/eating area/kitchen.  I'm still looking at fabric swatches so it's a little up in the air.
I'm going to use electrical conduit for the rod, like I did in the front room.  So I've got some work to do to get that all ready.
I keept thinking I will go outside and get started and then I open the door and remember that it's 100 degrees out there.
So the curtain rod will have to wait!
Guess I'll go read a book...