Can life get any better?

 

The air in our house is much calmer! Why? I was on Zoom for about 5 hours yesterday, and I had no issues. Again, the lag time for my slides was ZERO. Could it have been our original crappy line that caused some lag and some instability? And now the new line is PERFECT? I almost feel let down (NOT!) that the presentations go so smoothly! My Logitech camera works amazingly well for live demos on the sewing machine or close-ups. I wish that I had a second Logitech camera, but the price has gone up significantly, and I'm not going to shell out the extra money. I still do lots on PowerPoint, and the new mic works like a charm as well. And I'm good to go when I need to use my phone as a camera or share what's on my phone with the class. I'm a happy camper!!!

Not only in the film studio area am I a happy camper, but in the sewing studio as well. I feel like I'm actually getting ahead of the game. Phew! I haven't had anything to get ready for magazines for a while. I just didn't have time to submit anything, but I see new calls for submissions, so I might get busy and dream something up!

Last night was our Aviatrix Medallion class. I got the final border on this quilt! Yeah! It's hard to see in the picture because the last border is cream. I sorted out the backing last night and had JUST enough in the piece that I had pulled out from the stack of yardage for backings. It's so nice to be able to quickly locate something appropriate. There were two pieces, and I seamed them together. Now to cut that very long piece in half and sew back together (side by side) to make the backing. That will make sense to you, but not to someone who doesn't sew. I need to find some fabric for the binding, and then this one can get put into the "to be quilted" pile. Which seems to be getting bigger and bigger! December is when I can get back to my own stuff. 

Aviatrix Medallion quilt top is DONE

I don't have a show and tell from the class as I'm letting some of them catch up, and there'll be one more show and tell next month. 

However, something happened last night that made me appreciate the NEW format for class delivery. About 6:30 (about the time I would be heading out to the shop), it started to POUR rain. And it's DARK - very DARK. I just laughed and went downstairs and opened up the Zoom meeting. We discussed that and the others were just as happy as I was. Ten minutes after the call was over, I was in bed reading my book! 

Do I love Zoom? You bet!! Do I feel isolated? Not in the least. There are some days when I'm happy to shut the Zoom down - simply because I'm talked OUT! If you can believe that! And then I chat on the phone while I'm walking as well. So I NEVER feel alone or lonely. I couldn't chat long yesterday as that wind was howling, and when I turned the corner and was walking into the wind, the person on the other end couldn't hear me!!!

I have two more lectures today on Zoom and a meeting later this afternoon. I think I Zoom pretty much every day now, and I LOVE it. I've got way more than my money's worth from my subscription!

So if you are reading this blog and you feel isolated at home and need someone to talk to  - why not join our Virtual Retreat. The next one is scheduled for November 21 and 22nd. With the way the numbers are going, the restrictions are NOT going to be loosening anytime soon. And I might open up another day or two, but it won't be until December as I'm booked almost every day with something. It's totally FREE to you, and it's been a LIFE-SAVER for many of us, and we've been able to stay in touch and meet new friends as well. 

Actually, my schedule got changed around a wee bit, and I had a few things canceled, so that's good - well and bad! The next two weeks are crammed, and then it tapers off! 

My goal when I started this year was to stay somewhat organized. It was often a challenge to find the project boxes for these ongoing classes. AND the book where I write all the assignments. This year, I made myself keep everything in ONE spot! And I followed my own advice. I NEVER once had to search for something, and that felt great. It's a bit overflowing right now, as I transition from this year to the new round of projects. But it's all in one spot, and I love it!!! 

The pile of ongoing projects

I LOVE my little system with the five bobbins. I had to clean the machine and wind the five bobbins at the last retreat, or was that Monday sewing? I don't remember. Anyway, the bobbin ran out this morning, and I just popped in a new one. I keep the bobbins on the spare spool pin on the Designer EPIC 2. Obviously, the fifth bobbin is in the machine!

My five-bobbin system

One other thing that I LOVE about this machine, and it's so simple that it's ridiculous. I LOVE the clock. I can easily glance at the screen to see how much time I have until I move upstairs to write the blog! I know - I told you it's ridiculous, but if I'm sewing on another machine, I keep glancing at the screen and miss the clock. I'm so spoiled - it silly! Yes - I have a FitBit with the time, but this is easier. 

The clock on the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2

Here are my trays of stuff that's cut and ready to sew. I'm now down to a small one and one big one. There isn't much left in the way of sewing, and that's a good thing! That means I can move onto something else soon. Ooops - not before those UFOs get done, and they MUST be done by tomorrow at 10:30 when I need to take a picture and slip them into the presentation! 

My stack of sewing

Thanks to Rose, who bound these placemats that I had made a while back. I had found a panel and some Christmas fabric. I ended up ignoring the panel and cut them using the front fabric. Now they are ready for Christmas. They will be donated to the local Food Bank, who is willing to take them, and I feel great that we've found a home for them. 

Placemats to be donated

I snapped a couple of pictures of curious stuff on my walk yesterday. 

So what is this? An article of clothing, I guess, and someone dropped it, and then someone else stuck it in a tree! Amazing how much stuff people lose along the way. 

A lost thing in the forest

This photo just doesn't do justice to the color of this tree. It's stunning. However, after the rain and wind yesterday, I wonder how many leaves are left today? Although these trees are the LAST ones in the neighborhood to lose their leaves. 

A tree in full fall bloom

And this is my front yard. We have mulch in the open spaces, and the ENTIRE space is filled with little holes. Is it the skunks? Rabbits? Squirrels? that are digging for stuff? There are no bulbs in this area, and I suspect that the planter near the house where there were some bulbs is now empty. The entire area has been picked over. What are they digging for? Grubs? Worms? Hiding nuts? I have no idea. 

Little holes in the mulch

My Dad and I had a grand conversation about speed and bandwidth! I know - it's silly, and he had never really thought about it, so he was going to do some research and ask his computer guys! I love it! I LOVE being curious about how stuff works, and then I get to share it with you!

So we have one house on our street, and these people have NO CLUE about how to deal with their garbage. A stove has been sitting in their driveway for weeks. At least it's not at the curb. But now, they think it's OK to just dump their cardboard boxes at the curb. There are now FOUR of them. They don't break them down; they don't bundle them and put them in their recycling cart. With all the rain we've had this week, it's a mess. I was going to place them on their recycling cart, which is also in the driveway, with a BIG note. But I don't think they would get it. They are renting, and it shows!!!

Well, that's it for me today! It's brisk outside today, and that's a good thing. Get bundled up with a good coat and mitts and get some fresh air. Think about that nice cup of hot tea or coffee or hot chocolate when you get back in the house!! Oh yes - just because it's colder doesn't give you the right to sit in the house. Just walk to the end of your street and back. You MUST get outside!

Have a SUPER day!!!!!

Ciao!!!