What goes on behind the scenes.........................

Oh there is so much that goes on that you have no clue about!  Sometimes I think I have no clue what is happening as well!

So much to share today - I have to laugh because I know there are bloggers out there that struggle each day to "talk" about something. I have no end of stuff to blog about.

Let's start with Monday. It was another great sewing day despite the fact that no one seemed to have gotten a good sleep the night before. We were all too excited?  I doubt that - while I like Monday's they are NOT that exciting. Oh who am I kidding!  They are exciting because you never know what is going to happen, you never know what show n tell you are going to see and the direction the conversation takes - well you just never know.  I am LOVING our new seating arrangement. It means that no one is left out of the conversations.   Thanks so much Karen!!!!!!

Joyce was buying this beautiful table runner from Joyce (yes - they are both Joyces!)  Anyway - the binding was not quite done and so Joyce on the left was finishing the binding so Joyce on the right could take it with her. Turns out Joyce was leaving sooner than Joyce expected. So literally the hand stitching got completed and it was GONE.

This is the OFFICIAL photograph, but

I like this one better - you see Joyce is getting ready to bolt out the door!!!!!

The table runner is beautiful. Good taste to both Joyces!!!!

Lynn was also doing some hand stitching and binding a quilt. This is a mystery quilt that I designed and it ran last year at one of the local guilds. 

Among other things I got these blocks sewn and trimmed!  I did get other stuff done, but not picture worthy yet!!!!

Yesterday was DECEMBER ONE. In our house that is a BIG DAY. Why?  Well - it is Advent Calendar day!!!!   And I had NOT prepared a thing. I had been thinking about the calendars for the last couple of days, but just had no time to get them out and "loaded".  I got home - pulled out the Christmas boxes (which was NOT an easy feat since the storage room is a bit jammed these days with quilting projects).  But the boxes were labelled and so it was an easy task to know what was where!!!!

Then off to the mall to get stuff to fill the calendars. Back home - and like a mad woman - I managed to get all EIGHT calendars up and functional before M came home from her internship.  Oh yes - I was running around the house like crazy since I put inspirational quotes in one of them and I had to find and print the quotes!!!!!

Opening up one of the advent calendars - this one had chocolates!!!!

This was easy - a piece of chalk (but I had to find the chalk). When I put it away - the chalk goes in a small bag taped to the back!!!!

This one took a bit more time - had to put up the garland on the staircase and then attach the string of stockings. I'll take a close up for tomorrow.  Then I put an inspirational quote in each one. 

The "loot" for day one including the little gift on the tree

See the quote?  I printed them on brown craft paper and then tore them off the page.  M LOVED it!!!!!

And after all that hard work of opening the advent calendars - one needs a bit of energy. Good grief !!!!

 On my way home I also had to stop at the library and there is always LOTS of books for sale. I always have a peek. Never to buy a book to read, but books to rip up!!!  Yesterday was a BONANZA day as I found FOUR books.

Four books - useful for collage

Perfect for collage!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then it was back home where I am about to give up on ever getting the studio back in shape.

Oh yes - it seems to get worse every day, not better. But I have TEN people coming for a workshop on Sunday.  I think I will have no choice but to tidy it up.  Hmmm - laundry baskets and IKEA bags - let's get them out and fill them. Whisk them into a corner and VOILA - that space will be clean!!!!

This past Sunday I went on an adventure. I have been curious about two things and I was able to satisfy my curiosity for both in ONE day. I had never been to The Workroom in Toronto. I think it started out as a sewing studio? They have classes on clothing and quilts. And beautiful quilting fabrics, books and other things. I had also been curious about The Modern Quilt Guild. Just so happens that The Workroom hosts the Toronto Chapter of The Modern Quilt Guild and the meeting was on Sunday afternoon.

WHOA - I walked into the store and I just about died. I don't think I have EVER seen so many people in a quilt store. The place was PACKED!!!!  There is a big table in the center of the room and people were madly at work - PIN BASTING a quilt.  I had to take pictures. (took them with my cell phone and I obviously didn't do a good job!)

PACKED store

Pin basting a quilt

The pin basted quilt

Burying threads on their charity quilt!!!

In addition to the people pin basting the quilt, and burying the threads on the charity quilt, there were people at ALL of the sewing machines in the store and they were working. There are two resident dogs in the store and I had no idea who worked there.  I browsed around and managed to scoop a couple of things.

One of the dogs - was so funny as the dog was resting its head on the shelf as it watched the people go by outside the store!!!

They sell COSMO thread - I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Fat quarters - beautiful fabrics!!!!   (Maria - the two on the top are the SAME as yours - just different colourway!)

And I got this as part of the festivities from The Modern Quilt Guild

I just thought it was very funny that they were burying threads from the quilting and pin basting a quilt!  Yet the girl whose quilt was being pin basted had TWO full sleeves of tattoos and tattoos on her neck.  It was weird. And I ran into someone that I knew many years ago at the Mississauga Quilter's Guild.  I didn't know her well but we recognized each other.

Anyway - once the quilt was out of the way - everyone sat around that big work table which was the same style of work table that we had when I was at Sheridan College and made me feel right at home.  I  took my knitting - that story is for another day.

The meeting was pretty loose which is OK. Not sure that I will be able to go back because of the timing of the meeting. Does anyone want to start a chapter of The Modern Quilt Guild here in the west of the city?????

But the most important link to be checking this week is QUILTSocial.  It is my turn to blog this week and it is all about free motion.   That links to the first day (Monday) and this link takes you to Tuesday post. Tuesday's post has VIDEO!!!!!

Let me tell you my video story. As you know - I bought a video camera a couple of weeks ago as Carla wanted us to try and put some video on the QUILTSocial blog. Then it was to find the time to learn how to use the darn camera. The other night I attempted to get my child to help take the video. Well she helped with some, but wasn't very receptive to the entire process. So I got the tripod out and set up the camera.

Video camera set up 

Notice that in order to get a good picture - there is NO ROOM for me to sit at the sewing machine!!!!!

You remember me complaining that you cannot find a video camera with a remote!  Well - it turns out that you can use your CELL PHONE as a remote. Seriously?????   Yep - M had found that out while watching an instructional video on the camera. Good thing we have teens who have time to play. I wasn't going to get any further help from her and I really wanted to get this video working.

I briefly read the instructions in the manual. I had to download an app to the cell phone. Then figure out which menu on the camera to use to link to the phone. And next thing I know - WHAT I WOULD NORMALLY SEE ON THE CAMERA VIEW FINDER is ON THE CELL PHONE!!!!!!

See - the viewfinder of the camera is NOW ON THE CELL PHONE

OK - I was running around the house pretty excited about that!!!!   Not only do I have my remote - but I have an incredibly awesome remote!!!!!   The other day I was shopping and saw small stands for your cell phone and I remember thinking "who needs that". Well I NEED ONE NOW!!!!!     So I set up the cell phone where I can easily reach and see it. The camera is set up. I squeeze between the camera and the sewing machine and I am MASTER OF my VIDEO CAMERA!!!!!!    I am so excited!!!!!  

Then it was quite another matter to get the actual video from the camera to the internet so it could be loaded on QUILTSocial.  Transferred the video to my phone. Then uploaded it to DROPBOX which seems to be a separate DROPBOX from the one that I use on my home computer. Must find a way to link them. Then sent an invitation to Carla so she could access the file.

The best part - I repeated that process this morning and it is so easy!!!!!   WOW!!!!!!!


So check out the videos - yes one of them got cut off - I have already redone it and it will be reloaded tomorrow.   Enjoy.  Hmmmm - what other things can I video tape??????  


On that note - I better get to work.

Have a great day!!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!