Quilting and Vacuuming

When I was at the fabric store, I found some fabric that I thought would make great table runners.  And I was given directions for a quick to make table runner.  So this is the result:

It doesn't scream Valentines, but there are little pink hearts on the red fabric.  I like it!

Then I went to my monthly Groovy Girl Class, and we were making table toppers.  I didn't have time to pick fabric from my stash (bummer) but found another set of black and red fabrics.  I'm not really a black and red person, so go figure why I'm picking out black and red. This table topper is "round", and will work great on a round table, or even a rectangular one.  It came in three sizes, and I made the small.  (The large is almost 4 feet across.)  Again, I don't think this screams valentine, but it was fun, and took about 6 hours to make and finish, including figuring out how I wanted to quilt it, and getting it quilted.  Both of these are on my floor for being photographed, and the wood strips are about 2 inches across, so you have an idea of size.

Now vacuuming does not sound very exciting, but I have a new "toy".  First, if you have not discovered "Woot", you need to if you do any on-line purchasing.  Woot is a site that sells one thing a day, except for the days they have "Woot-offs".  My new toy is a robot vacuum.  Like the Rumba, but this is a Neato.  The reviews I read, people who have had both machines like the Neato better.  And the Neato has more of a plan in it's vacuuming.  It does not just bounce off and go the other direction.  I've run this little gem twice now.  And it REALLY works.  Now my house has a great room, with furniture on the sides, and recliners in the middle.  The Neato tries to recognize doorways, and it thinks some of the areas between furniture are doorways.  So it does the first little "room" first, then on the the next "room" and so on.  It is not quiet, but not that loud.  When it has done every room that it can get into, it turns off it's vacuum, and works it path backward, and finds its recharging station, and carefully backs into the recharger.  I can program it to run at night, but have not done that yet.  I'm watching to see where it has problems in the house.  But so far, it has not had any problems!  So now that I've bragged about my little vacuum, I bet you want to see pictures.  Oh, it also makes it up onto throw rugs, and vacuums the rugs.  It does have problem with the two rugs I have that have an extra cushy no-slip mat under them, but it gives moving onto them a try, and then goes about it business elsewhere when it can't climb the height.  Now for pictures:

 Above, it is working along the wall and below it is getting under the toe space in front of the sink (sorry, I think I should have rotated the picture first!!).

OK, I can hear the comments "yea, it's cute, but does it do anything??"  Well I'm almost embarrassed to show you the results.  My story (and I'm sticking to it) is that I have two dogs, and it had been about 4 days since I vacuumed.  But this is it's dirt bin when it was finished the first day:

And I had already emptied the bin about half way through (there is a pause button).  Yesterday when I ran the vacuum, I got about this much again!!  WOW!

And the best part?  Yesterday, I did a load of laundry, vacuumed the floor, and made dinner all at the same time!  I think my little Neato is going to need a name, don't you??