I left you with a trash can...

...and mentioned nail polish. I, in my never-ending quest to avoid celebrating holidays the way "normal" people celebrate holidays, decided my Easter would be spent with people I love and my red trash can. That particular trash can is where I toss my quilting scraps when cutting quilt pieces. (Garment scraps get a completely different treatment. Usually the real trash can.) I used to save everything I though might be usable someday. I had a taller, Rubbermaid-type kitchen can that I tossed the scraps from every project in and, periodically, I'd sort it out and trim and toss. Scraps got closer and closer to the top and I kept packing them down so tight that trimming and tossing became too time consuming and I dreaded the chore. That can was finally overflowing one day when it was Jacie's turn to collect trash. She emptied that can and all those scraps were gone forever. I wailed, I freaked, I---- couldn't remember a single fabric in that can. I stood looking at the emptiness and realized that life would go on. It was just fabric. And the boys could really use a larger can in their room so I gave it to them. As much as I love my stash it is just fabric and I need to use it or lose it. Not long after, I brought home this old metal schoolroom style can from a theatre space I was cleaning out. I cleaned it, spray painted it and dubbed it the new scrap can--- but this time I vowed to do something with the scraps before it was too much to deal with. I also introduced it to every member of the household so there would be no more mix-ups on trash day. The can was filled with addition of the flannel scraps from "Bear Tracks" so I figured a lazy Easter afternoon would be a good time to trim and toss. I know most people hunt gaily colored eggs. Blecch. I rotary cut while waiting for the grandkids to arrive~

Scraps cut to strips or squares and an occasional tumbler:

And I played with this new (to me) ruler/template I picked up at the Mid-Atlantic quilt show on a scrap from the Joseph coat:

My can, while not quite empty, has lots of room now for new scraps!

    Once the kids arrived we set about the fun stuff; such as throwing toys all around, eating a wonderful dinner, taking a walk and decimating an overflowing candy bowl. Today we visited the zoo and played in a park. A lovely weekend that culminated in the painting of the toes. This is not a ritual. Jacie has not painted her toes since she was too small to argue about it and Ashley and I usually paint ours in the spring and re-do them when they are just too horrible to look at anymore. Like in September. Obviously, pedicures are not our thing. But I read about a sweet program called http://www.tealtoes.org/  that raises awareness for ovarian cancer. I have been blessed in that this particular killer has not touched my life as lung, breast and bone cancer has, but I am surrounded by women that could be someday. Painting your toes an unusual color like teal opens up an opportunity to talk and help spread awareness of this horrible disease.  Check out their website to learn more about the symptoms and the great work this organization is doing!

Here are our three generations of teal-toes~

                   (Yes, one of Jacie's toes is red. It's a long story. And unusual. But so is Jacie.)