Making a journal cover

As promised, here are the links to the journal cover tutorials I've written over the years. Note the date on these tutorials - July 2014. This is the SECOND set of tutorials I wrote for QUILTsocial. I'm sure my writing style and grammar have changed significantly!

This is the basic tutorial on making a journal cover. I think the method of adding the lining is clever, and there's no reason to leave an opening along one side to turn it inside out. 

Making a collage journal cover. Perfect way to use up scraps or create a personalized cover. 

Loads of inspiration to use different types of fabric and paper to make a journal cover. 

Here are two more tutorials for making a journal cover from your sewing/machine-embroidery experiments. This set of tutorials was written in March 2023. 

Gathering the supplies

How to make fabric (journal cover base) from scraps

Ways to search your embroidery machine for techniques to embellish the cover

Adding decorative elements to the journal cover in sewing mode. I used the THREE-HOLE YARN foot! 

Adding piping and completing the cover

And here is the link to the Virtual Retreat that is scheduled for December 24 (tomorrow!) from 10 AM to 2 PM. It may go longer —who knows—that will depend on how many are on the call. This is for people who are sitting at home and feeling lonely or alone! If you are with family or traveling, then you are one of the "lucky" ones. It all depends on how you look at it. I feel fortunate to be home alone, as the holidays can be a very stressful time of year. So I enjoy the solitude!

Zoom link for Virtual Retreat - December 24 --- starts at 10 AM EST

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88421755791?pwd=alembPc4qQybCv1ElwMvrqc400FolX.1

Meeting ID: 884 2175 5791
Passcode: 720274

However, you look at your personal time - that's up to you, but if you're around and want to drop in, there's the link!

The next virtual retreat will be on the weekend, the 27th and 28th. 

So I ran around the house yesterday, taking pictures of the projects I want to put on my visual To-do list for 2026. Oh my — I may be a bit overambitious, but I hope not. I have a wide variety of things, and I was surprised to find out which is the largest category. Can you guess? Of course you can't! But the biggest category is making or dealing with quilts that belong to OTHERS!!!! Yes -- I have some things for my Mom to make as well as a couple of other people. 

The biggest issue on that list is three quilts that belong to others that I need to deal with. I've procrastinated over them for far too long. I'm not going to share them with you at this point, but my goal for 2026 is to deal with them, however that happens. It's time to "grow up," get a backbone, and make them disappear from my life! Actually, there is a fourth quilt in that same category, but I'm not sure where it is at the moment. I'll keep it in the back of my head. NO -- I will add it to the visual "to do" list -- even the name of it will trigger that memory. 

I'm sure many other things will come up on the list as the year goes on, but these are the ones I would love to cross off the master list. Once I get them all cut out and on the rack, I'll take a picture. Then we can see at the end of next year just how far I've come or not come! 

It'll be an interesting activity! I'm OK with that. I'm not in a rush. Whatever I do, I want to do it so I enjoy it, not rush through just for the sake of getting it done. I will never forget the guides' advice from Kilimanjaro: you can rush up the mountain and be out of breath, or you can walk slowly, enjoy the view, and not get out of breath once!

 There is some truth to the way of life in other countries. I wear my POLE POLE (slowly, slowly) bracelet every day, and my motto in life (as much as I can) is to live slowly, and savour each and every moment left! I'm not dying—I just need to remind myself that slow is good!  

But I remember a bit of anxiety as we approached that mountain - I can get out of breath climbing a set of stairs fast, but not ONCE on that entire climb was I out of breath. NOT ONCE -- goes to show you that fast isn't always the best route. Think the turtle and the hare! I'm the turtle. 

I think that's why I like walking in my neighborhood for errands. It would probably be much faster to take the car, or would it? But I enjoy the walk - I get some exercise while I do my errands, and I get to see what's happening in my neighborhood. I had to chuckle yesterday because we were talking about specific places of worship, and I mentioned one right beside the grocery store. 

One of the ladies on Monday Sewing, who lives very close to me and shops at that grocery store, had never noticed what that building was! The sign is very subtle and on the building, not on the street! There are MANY things I've experienced or seen by walking or cycling. I won't give that up - I don't care how slow it is. Don't they say that life is all about the journey, not the destination? I'm trying to max out my journey! Life isn't about how much you accomplish, but HOW you accomplish it! I guess we each have our own agenda! 

And now back to reality - my dishwasher. Yep - I got another F11 error, and it's this little part that causes the problem. Or should I say, this is the area that captures the most debris? It's super easy to clean, but I think I'm going to need a new one sooner rather than later. The little rubber gasket on the end is starting to get chunky. Now that I have a picture, I'll try to contact the company and order a new one. Someone suggested I add the dishwasher's serial number to ensure we get the correct part. Good idea! 

My little debris catcher in the dishwasher

The third Canadian puzzle landed at my door the other day. This one is Ottawa. They are beautiful, hand-painted puzzles. Let's just say I shouldn't even consider buying another puzzle for a very long time. 

Ottawa puzzle

Speaking of puzzles, guess what? I ignored the current puzzle until just before bed. I managed to find all the pieces for the bottom border. Let's just say that these are NOT regular-shaped pieces. I swear each piece is different, and I'm not sure if I'm missing a piece on each side of the side borders. I never measured, and I'll just plod along and see how it goes. I even managed to get a few other pieces in along the bottom. I went strictly by the piece's shape, then by color! All the pieces are darkish, so it's hard to pick out colors and work with just one. 

The status of the current puzzle

In my mad quest to take pictures of some projects for 2026, I stumbled upon the pattern for the embroidered pie top! Remember that I purchased that candle in the pie dish!!! OH ---I could go to Michael's and see if there are any Christmas ones left. They will be on sale!!! It's a super-cute little pincushion with a pie on top! OK—I do not need it, but it's cute!!! OH -- I just found it on their website, and it's ON SALE!!!!! WAIT --- there's ONE left at my store! You would think I have a shopping problem!!! 

The pie crust machine embroidery pattern

You know how I always say I hate change, but that's not true. I like to make a big deal about it - just because I'm a rebel! But I embrace change. I needed to change up my breakfast routine! I have a bowl of steel-cut oats in the morning, but I found that that isn't enough. I'm hungry and can't wait to dive into my 9 AM snack with my cup of tea. How people can miss their morning meal just baffles me, but our bodies are different, and it's what you get used to! I NEED breakfast! 

Heck -- I'm extremely regimented in what and when I eat! No denying that! 

I usually put a spoonful of seeds into my oatmeal, and I was running low on them. I popped over to Bulk Barn the other day to find some, but they didn't have what I was looking for. It's getting harder and harder to find. BUT I spotted containers of protein powder on the shelves. Hmmm -- I have protein powder at home that I'm not using. 

Well, what a difference. I wasn't even hungry for my 9 AM snack until almost lunch time! I know my body is lacking in protein, so this is a good thing. I dissolve the powder in the milk before putting it in the cereal, and I'm good! That was day one. Let's see what happens on Day Two. When I was monitoring what I ate, protein was my weak spot.

Oops—the container contains a carbohydrate powder, not protein. I'll finish this container off, then move on to the protein powder I also have a tub of. Either way, I didn't feel the need to eat as much! Each scoop of the carbohydrate powder is just over 100 calories. Not that I'm counting - I don't count calories. I'm trying to count the nutritional value. 

Here are those two girls of mine. Miss Lexi was very focused on something outside. She didn't even look back when I took the picture! 

MOM -- I'm the caped crusader! 

And Murphy? She's just a goof. She slept with that bone between her legs for a long time, while I read my ebook. 

MOM - can you move the bone for me?

I have FOUR ebooks in my reader right now, which is rare. I need to switch from the novel (but it's hard!) to the non-fiction book since that one expires first!!! I must be more diligent about that going forward. It happens rarely, so I can't complain, but it's annoying to have too many books to read. 

I love reading (SLOWLY) because it allows me to visit other worlds and people in the comfort of my chair!  

Here's a quote I borrowed from the internet. My world has expanded so much by reading, even if it's a novel! 

I exceeded my reading goal of one book a week, and that works for me. I have always loved to read, and it takes me to other worlds. Now that I've opened up my world to different genres, well, the world is my oyster. I read ferociously as a kid. I was sickly, and reading was a good outlet. 

And at last, I got busy on the writing assignment that I need to finish. I sorted out the white bin with all the supplies. I rejigged some of my original plans and searched online and in person for supplies or patterns I would need. The pictures are downloaded for the first writing session, though I think I'll add a few more, and I'm pumped to get to it this morning. 

But first, I now have THREE things to do at Staples and one errand at Fabricland (again), so I'll be making a trip this morning as soon as the stores open! That errand is a car errand as the stores are about 6 KM away. Yep -- I could ride my bike, but I choose to drive. 

So this week is all about quilting and writing (and reading and puzzle solving), and it's going to be a glorious week. No more Zoom presentations to do for the rest of the year - just a wee bit of follow-up! Yeah!!!

On that happy note, have a wonderful day!!!! 

Ciao!!!!