I haven't been sewing

I've been cataloging ideas, but since we are replacing all the carpet in our downstairs livingroom and den with hardwood, I have been pulling up tack strips and sanding- but not sewing. I have to confess that I hate carpet. Hate. Carpet. With two large dogs, I feel like I get nothing done other than cleaning carpet. So, as our valentine's day presents to ourselves, DH and I started ripping out the carpet last weekend. Our hardwood came on Wednesday, but we are still leveling floors (a pain), but today, we begin to actually put the hardwood down. I am excited, but it is keeping me from some sewing inspirations like this little number from Alabama Chanin

I had a perfectly hideous yellow polyester that has a raised embroidery design similar to this. I tried to dye it red, but it came out salmon colored. Next, I'm trying a blue dye in hopes for a more purple hue. I have an eyelet that is also yellowish, and I was thinking of tea dying that one for the bottom part. I don't actually have any intention of wearing this, but I do want to make it. Does anyone else feel the need to sew things that simply seem cool, and have no practical application?

What does one make with orange lace?

I don't really know. I bought it anyway, of course. Fabricmart had this rosette lace on sale, and I simply couldn't pass up the...well the possibility of this very different fabric.

I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet. At first, I was thinking it would make a great skirt overlay, and I suppose that is still a possiblity, but I don't wear skirts very often. I'd like to, but since I teach in a public high school, I am often climbing on desks, and under them, and it isn't very compatible with skirt wearing. That being said, there are many things I'm looking to change, so maybe an orange lace skirt is just the thing...