Progress on the UFOs

I love how we are all working together to keep our houses neat and decluttered. YES—I have an older laptop and a desktop that both need cleaning up; it shouldn't take too much time (right?), and then we can donate them. There is no sense in keeping them. I also kept my desktop "just in case." Actually, the old desktop was needed to print things, but the new computer prints just fine now. So both can go. They are in the office and will have to wait until I can get there. 

Elle - you can continue to regale us with your decluttering stories! Somewhere along the line, you got it right from the start. The rest of us are playing catch-up! It's "nice" to know even you struggle to get rid of some things. You are human after all! Thanks for the stories -- no need to stop!

But here's the thing—once we let go, we don't regret it. We relish the new freedom, the new table and chairs, the new empty space, or whatever it is, and then we know how good that will feel next time, so getting rid of things becomes so much easier. 

I spent a good part of the day working on some homework for an October class. If I showed you, that group would eagerly jump in to start sewing. And well, the purpose of the class is to show them the trouble areas—oh yes—a seam ripper was required, along with a few other tips. So those homework pictures are safely stored in the appropriate folder for October.

I needed some show-and-tell for you, so I finished off the two winter quilts. Remember, these are relatively small - they are wall hangings. 

Quilt number one

Quilt number two

And so you don't think I cheated (LOL) and used the same picture twice, or the same quilt with two different pictures, here's a picture of both! 

YES -- there are two quilts!

I even made the binding for both. 

Binding for the two quilts and the pattern

But then, do you think I could find the backing I pulled the other day? Absolutely not! It was nowhere to be found. Then I opened the project box to find some 3D bells to put with this quilt, and VOILA - there was the backing - in the project box, where it was supposed to be. Funny, I didn't find the 3D bells in this box, but I found beads I can use instead. I will put them in a small bag and attach it to the quilts, but not stitch the beads on until they are quilted. 

The missing backing

I'll organize the backings later today. One pattern, the summer one, remains in this box, and I would like to make that (two of them to keep the sets) happen in 2027. In the meantime, I'll put away all the bits and bobs I won't use for the winter quilts, then keep the summer pattern and a few buttons in a smaller basket. I can reuse the project box for something else on that table. 

I started these quilts in 2004, so they definitely qualify as UFOs; I had one made (or parts of it), and I used the other to demo the parts while teaching them in person. I think I did that for two years (five quilts in total), and I never did that again! 

I didn't take a picture, but so far, the only things on those two extra tables are the current projects for classes - that are three of them. The scraps are on a different table. And on the second current-project table are the T-shirts for those quilts, plus a couple of tubs of things that could be easily accomplished in 60 minutes. Funny—since I set those out, I haven't had a spare 60 minutes to make one. 

There is still some stuff on the floor, and I won't have time to deal with it for a while. I'm OK with that. 

Murphy is often the one you get to see, but let's not forget our beautiful Lexi. She loves to sleep in her bed beside her DAD while he watches TV. I think she would still like to be on the sofa beside him, but it was looking pretty bad, so it's been gone for a couple of years. This works just fine! And yes, she is a cutie, and she knows it! 

MOM - no pictures, please - I don't want someone to steal me! 

Do you get Country Living? There was an article about quilting in the June/July 2026 issue. 

Country Living June/July 2026

The article is actually a bunch of snippets about various things related to quilting, celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary. Quilting came to America from Europe, but the US has definitely made a huge mark on quilting's success and progress. 

Quilts carry a lot of heritage and history, and here is one of the more famous quilts. 

Reconciliation Quilt

OMG—I went to find a link to that quilt, and the first thing that popped up was a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle. Do you think my search engine knows me or what? It's amazing how quickly those search engines (and even quicker if they have AI attached) learn your habits. So even though you are doing the searching, you are not really. And then are we only getting to see what the algorithms want us to see? That's the scary part. When we did manual searches in a library, we were 100% in control - we are no longer in control. 

I did a second search, and here is the information about the quilt. 

There was a brief timeline over the last 250 years, and this was the final entry. I'm hearing this over and over again from lots of different sources. I can only hope that this is happening, and I applaud the younger generation for stepping away from their screens. If you have ANYONE who even breathes the words, "I want to learn to sew," grab them and sit them down with fabric and a sewing machine! 

Can it be so? I sure hope!!!

Since I brought puzzling back into my life, I am scrolling less, and I'm loving it! I'd rather be an active participant in something (solving a logic puzzle or putting a jigsaw puzzle together) than mindlessly scrolling. 

Now here is something else that warms my heart and makes my head happy. Now that I'm seeing the cognitive issues in my family, I'm not worried, but it does give me pause to think. And this is certainly NOT a scientific test. There are five children in Mom's family - she is the eldest. Four girls and the last one is a boy. They are between the ages of 83 and 90 - I think that is right. 

All of them know how to use their hands, but only one of the girls became a quilter. A true and true quilter like myself needs to figure out patterns, cut small bits of fabric, and then sew them back together again. Of the five, she is in the best physical and mental shape, although I didn't get a chance to see her these past two trips. Life was not easy on our aging bodies in my family. Knees are the worst!

The moral of this story is: become a quilter, and you won't lose your marbles! OK -- so I love to generalize like that. BUT wait -- have a look at this that I spotted when I did take a few minutes to scroll through social media. I think you can click on the pictures to enlarge them. If you can't read that, there is a link here to the same kind of information. 

Seriously? If I were of any age and I spotted that, give me a rotary cutter and some fabric. I am quite happy to be a quilter, and if it's going to help prolong my mental health, I couldn't be happier. So the next time your family says, "Mom -- why do you keep making quilts? You tell them that not only is it your therapy for your peace, but it's your therapy to keep your marbles! And then offer to teach them to sew! I would hand out copies of the above so they get it! And then tell them, it's none of their business how you spend your time. 

One other thing I want to share this morning. I also spotted this on social media. There were many other pictures, but this is so true. What the heck is happening to our society? 

While I'm not sure I want green fixtures in the bathroom, you can add color with accessories. But this neutral business is a bit much for me. We have a red car, and as long as we can buy a NON-neutral car, we will. I really need to wear more bright colors, as I tend to wear black a lot, but I'm not afraid to wear color and can sometimes be seen in the summer with orange shorts and a pink top or vice versa. Why not? 

I typically wear my orange flowers in my hair. For the wedding, I wore pale green that matched my outfit, and I look like a washed-out old lady. I'm OK with it - it can't be changed, but I wish I had not changed the color of my hair band! It was for M that I did it, but I won't again. I'm OK with it - but drat -- the pale flowers in my mousey hair? Boring! Looking at the pictures, I see that pale green is not my friend! I need bright colors to make my hair and skin shine. We do things for our kids, but now that she is married, I can wear whatever I want, when I want! 

I must get myself organized for the day. I did NOT get to the gym - there is a good reason for that, and I'm not prepared to share with you this morning. I have a doctor's appointment today, and all will be revealed. It's ridiculous. 

Plus DH and I have a BIG adventure this afternoon. I can hardly wait to see what all the hype is about. We have Dillon (new SIL) to thank for that. I'll give you all the details tomorrow. 

It's going to be a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Make rules - take CONTROL!

It's another day! Of course it is. Well, if I take the book I'm reading into account, who knows what day it really is. It's called My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney, and — well —it's bizarre. At first, I thought it would be boring, but then there was a plot twist, then another, and then another. And I'm now so turned around - well, I'll just have to listen to the last 5 hours to see what happens. 

I have a road trip today; however, I have company, so I won't be able to listen. That's OK -- there's always tonight. 

As I surveyed the mess on the floor in Studio B after moving the tables filled with "current" projects, I came to a conclusion about how to solve the problem. I also found another hidey hole on a shelf, so that is three decent-sized spots to put things. 

I made a few rules so I could take control! If the project is listed on the Visual To-Do list, then it stays on the tables. If it's one of the "less than one hour" items, it stays on the tables. Anything else will find a home in a storage spot. It's going to be a challenge to do that sort, but really it shouldn't be - it fits in one category or the other, or it doesn't. It sounds simple!!

I may need to make a few more rules along the way, but I can get it cleaned up! 

The main thing here is that I am taking CONTROL of the situation, because otherwise it's driving me mad that I never make progress on what's on those tables. The other plan is to take one small project a day OKK - that may not always work out that way) and actually finish the darn thing. Seriously? Do I expect someone to stop by in the night and do the work? 

So when I get home this afternoon, I have a few things to tidy up, and I'll continue with my sorting. 

Let's start with technology because technology is never far from my mind. The first issue is the CD-ROM drive. I have no idea why my computer won't read the darn thing, so I headed off to the library to see if theirs would work. 

I had checked before, and there was no need to book a computer - there were lots available. I spoke to a person at the desk and asked if they had a CD drive, and he said no. So I was hoping mine would work. On the way there, I realized I needed TWO USB ports to connect the CD drive AND my hard drive to copy the files to. 

Thankfully, the computer had two open USB ports, but it was a challenge to connect them because they were hard to see. 

I attached my CD and external hard disk to the computer.

I took FOUR machine embroidery patterns with me, and I got them all copied into the appropriate spot on my SEWING external hard disk. I swear that breaking my files up onto three external hard disks was the best thing I ever did. It's easy to travel with them; no need for USBs and then transferring to the computer when getting home. It's brilliant. 

Transferring files

There were a lot of files, and it took quite a while. The first two groups were fast, but then the system slowed down. Anyway, while I was working, the person from the desk came over and asked how it was going. I said fine, and he said they do, in fact, have a CD drive, so I could use that in the future. That is good to know!!

So those machine embroidery files are now usable, and I should keep going to the library once a week or so to transfer the files I need. It's a nice walk to the library, so on a day when I have no other errands, I might just do that. 

Hmm—I should always do that on a Tuesday, and then I'll have no excuse to go to the thrift shop. Oh good grief—I noticed a sign the other day—the Mississauga Symphony Used Book sale is this weekend, and they have puzzles, books, games, etc. Should I go? I always find a treasure or two, and it's supporting a good cause! 

My other technology woe right now is my Google Drive, which is FULL. I got a notice yesterday that if I don't do anything, I will lose the ability to get email in 29 days! Yikes!!!! The first thing I did was turn off the photo backup on my phone. I do NOT need a backup of my photos, so I have no idea why that is there. And can you believe that when you start to clean up, it helps you! Here's a look at my BLURRY pictures. 

What Google defines as BLURRY pictures! 

Yes—there are a LOT of photos my camera takes on its own, including a couple of long videos taken from my pocket. So I'm getting rid of those, and I also tackled my email. I do not know why it is taking up so much space. A simple email shouldn't consume a ton of space, but I suspect it is all the emails with presentations/pictures attached. I need to delete everything that is no longer relevant. I've done that in the past, but I've never seen my email storage decrease.  

And I don't know why email does funky things. It's been keeping a duplicate, or almost a duplicate, of everything in an "important" folder. For heaven's sake - I don't need that. Again - it's going to be a matter of taking control and just deleting stuff instead of thinking that I will one day have time to read some of the stuff. 

I'll figure out a solution, but I need to take charge NOW!! Some of the backup photos I'm coming across are at least 10 years old. Why is all that there? I move all the photos from my phone to a hard disk, and then everything gets deleted, but it doesn't get deleted from that damn drive. Why? Because then they can sell me more storage instead of me dealing with it. I don't need more online storage. 

We discussed this the other day at lunch. Technically, why would you want ANY online storage? I'm certain that the big companies use that data for whatever purposes they deem worthy - training Google to detect blurry pictures, or identifying other things. We are so afraid of having a presence on the internet, yet if you let Google back up your photos, EVERYTHING you take is online! 

And don't worry—if you don't use Google, I'm sure Apple has all kinds of crap in its cloud. I also don't get this new trend of tracking people! Why the heck would you want that? I know several people who track family members or friends. Seriously? That is an invasion of privacy - I don't care if you are my mom or my sister - it is NONE of your business where I am at this point in time. And if I can track you, then everyone else in the world can track you as well. It's just darn creepy! 

Now -- if I were a risk because of mental health or whatever, then it may have a place, but in the unlikely event you are kidnapped, the first thing they are going to do is take your phone away, so what's the point? And your phone is constantly pinging a cell tower, so if you were kidnapped, they would use that to help locate you. 

I struggle with the overload of data as it is - I certainly don't want more! 

Back to the email - I'm going to try and eliminate everything except my current projects from online. NOTHING needs to be backed up, and nothing needs to be shared with anyone. Then I'll be in charge of my data, and my storage costs will be cheap! 

It was another fabric sorting session last night. I need some batiks, so I sorted through my batiks to see what I had. It's part of the road trip today. Thanks to a friend who gave me small swatches of the fabrics needed for a certain quilt. They were VERY helpful!! 

Sorting batiks

While searching through the basket of red fabric the other day, I spotted this rather large piece of fabric. That would make a great backing, so I measured it, labeled it, and put it on the shelf. 

One more backing

A customer's quilt got quilted—it was a big one, but it went very smoothly. You can't see the whole quilt because there isn't room in front due to all the project boxes on the floor. 

Customer quilt - DONE

And I think I now have the magnet situation under control for one side of the backing. It freaks me out to think it's just some magnets (albeit strong ones) holding the tension on that quilt. But no fabric slipped through, and it was pretty quick to remove this side of the backing when I was done. 

The magnets holding the quilt backing in place

I must work on the leader for the other side of the backing. But that's a project for another day. I have a couple of customer quilts to finish, and I still have FOUR of those community project quilts I want done! ASAP!!!! But I have to make backings for them, and since I'm using scraps, it takes time! 

I went to the gym yesterday, and as I was walking down the stairs, I spotted a beautiful rainbow in the sky. Why a rainbow since we hadn't had any rain! I went to my locker to get my phone, and by the time I got back, it was fading. But it was a full, bright rainbow. 

The rainbow

I had to zip into the rock climbing area to get that picture. I've never done rock climbing, and I don't think it interests me. I don't have the upper body strength required. 

Rock climbing at the gym

But that brings me to something else. While I was doing my stretching on the floor, I saw a woman - maybe younger than me, but not super young who was doing push-ups. The full-blown ones from her toes. Hmmm --- that looks hard. So after she left, I tried to do them, but only from my knees.OKK -- that wasn't half bad! I think we are aiming for a 90-degree bend in the elbow, and I was able to do a few more than 10 with not quite a 90-degree bend. 

Last night, I tried from the toes, and while I can do 10, I don't dip too low. But I can add that to my repertoire and see what happens. It's a good measure of increasing strength. By the way - a woman in my age category should be able to do 10 push-ups in one set, and I'm assuming those are from the toes. 

The other thing I've been working on is the ability to get up and down gracefully, or somewhat gracefully, from the floor. I do pretty well, but I was curious what the difference is between me and someone else. So I watched and AHA—it's the added use of the arms. I can get up very well, but I use my arms to assist. Younger people do it with just their legs. I am determined to turn back time - I already have by going to the gym. 

I have to tell you the story of the car and air pressure issues. We have the sensors in our tires (both winter and summer) that indicate when the air pressure is low. I don't know how much the pressure has to drop before the sensor triggers. Like most passenger cars, our tires need 32 PSI per tire. The driver's-side front tire started acting up about 6 weeks ago. 

Now we all know that sometimes on a cool morning, the pressure is lower than later in the day, and so I waited a few days OKK - weeks) to see if that made a change. It did not, so I went to the gas station and put air in the tire. It costs $2.50 to get air these days! 

The sensor stopped registering a problem for a few days, but then it came back. So I waited a week and booked an appointment to get the tire checked. Then I filled the tire with air again. 

This time the silly sensor did not come on, but I went to the appointment anyway. I explained the situation to the service intake person. He asked me where I put air in my tires. Hmmm --- isn't there only one place? The gas station - I certainly wasn't going to use my bicycle pump! Aha, he said - you can't trust the gauges at the gas station. 

DUH -- I know! I have my own gauge, and I check the tires from time to time. 

My tire pressure gauge

That still didn't faze him. He told me about the cool mornings. Yep -- I know about that too. The damn sensor was on, and I was pretty sure we had a leaking tire, but they temporarily fixed it the last time when I had the tires swapped in the spring. 

I totally get his point of view, since I bet MANY people don't have a tire pressure gauge in their car, and if they do, they have no clue how to use it. Mine is older, but it seems to work just fine. 

Anyway, he saved me some money. But dang it all - I had bought a fancy tea, and I had my computer with me, and I was going to clean up files while I waited! Alas - it wasn't to be. So now I'm going to watch the tire pressure and see what happens. Sigh.....................

And he didn't log that I was in the shop because I got a call later in the day asking if I made it in. No invoice, no appointment! I explained what happened. 

Here are my words of wisdom for the day. 

We had this discussion at lunch the other day, too. If you are in an evacuation alert, what do you pack? It's a very hard question to answer! 

I must run, as I have to pick up my passenger at a specific time, and I don't want to be late. 

It's going to be a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!

Do you believe in coincidences?

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. While it wasn't my most exciting birthday, nor my most productive, I was happy to just putter around. And that's what life is like when you're as "old" as I am! 

I'm just kidding—someone mentioned that old is ten years older than you actually are, and I think that about sums it up. 

The good news is that my leg, sciatic, and knees seem to be doing so well. Knock on wood! We don't want to jinx anything. But I'm feeling so much better from the stretching. Being able to sit for those long drives was a miracle, and I dreaded long drives because of that. Everything is going in a positive direction, and let's hope I can maintain my stretching routine to keep it up. 

Hmmm --- do you believe in coincidences? I'm listening to a book called Signs by Laura Lynn Jackson, who is a psychic. Do we really get signs from others who have passed? I don't know, since it's never happened to me, but some of what she talks about is profound. If any signs have happened, I wasn't paying attention. She is finishing up the book with just general "feel good" things like prayer, meditation, eating, etc. 

One of the things she talks about is positive energy. And I strongly believe in this. You wake up, and you didn't sleep well, or there is something terrible you have to do. By telling yourself that today is going to be a good day, you can really have a great day. Positive outlook is a wonderful thing!

How do I know this? BEFORE I read that in her book this morning, I told myself that very thing as I lay in bed planning my day. I said, "This is the day you are going to get your mojo back. This is the day when you are going to start to be productive again." And you know what? I have probably done more this morning than I have done all week! 

The other thing that happened is I took a picture of some fabric that I purchased at Michaels wherever I was last. Regina, I guess it was. 

Harry Potter fabric from Michaels

Over the years, there have been all kinds of Harry Potter fabric, and I thought this was subtle, yet, you know exactly what it is if you are familiar with the books. 

I took that picture this morning because I was going to tell you this story about Harry Potter (it's coming), and then Laura mentioned Harry Potter in her book! It's amazing how when you spot one thing, it seems to be everywhere. 

Did you know that Tim's is sponsoring some promotion with Harry Potter? You can buy donuts with an edible sticker for each of the four houses. The icing and sprinkles match the house color. They don't look too exciting, but I snapped this picture in North Battleford last week. Wait—each donut has a different flavor. Check out the link. 

Harry Potter donuts at Tim's

And you can buy a snitch (the golden prize in Quidditch, which is the big game in Harry Potter) that can be filled with Timbits. 

The snitch!!!

And when I was at Peachtree Quilting (also called Northgate in Regina), I spotted a Harry Potter apron. I did not get a picture of it, but I found it online. 

It's just so bizarre, and after reading about messages from those who have passed, I wonder who is sending me the sign of Harry Potter? Who is trying to communicate with me? It could be true—do you know otherwise? 

Remember the jigsaw puzzle that I'm working on. OK - the one that I finished last night. The artwork is by Diane Phalen.

Jigsaw puzzle is complete.

This morning, I happened to be putting some cards away and VOILA—Diane Phalen artwork. I also have a couple of tins I use constantly (sewing machine needles), and some other supplies, and both tins have Diane Phalen artwork. 

Diane Phalen artwork on cards

That puzzle is done, and I MUST wait a day or two before I open the next one. The biggest reason is that I need the table space to hoop some fabric for machine embroidery. 

OK -- I admit it - My name is Elaine, and I love to hoard jigsaw puzzles. OK - I'll hoard anything I can get away with, but I have a bad habit of acquiring jigsaw puzzles faster than I can make them. 

I bought several things earlier in the month from the local thrift store, and if you spent enough, you got a $10 off coupon. I can never say no to a coupon, so I went to the thrift store yesterday just to check out the puzzle section. Imagine my dismay when a lady with a cart was also browsing the puzzle section. And GASP—she had four very nice puzzles in her cart. 

Hmm - do I take one and run? Do I get a cart and run her down? I decided not to make a spectacle and let her quietly shop for more puzzles. BUT I scooped up a couple that she may have wanted. There was an excellent selection yesterday. I have not run out of space in the storage cabinet where they are stored, and if I arrange things nicely, I'm sure I'll find more room!

I still have one more coupon to use before the end of the month. THEN - I will stop. And I hope to get myself organized to attempt one puzzle each week. I find I am getting faster, and that is a good thing since I have those three speed puzzling events coming up in October and November. 

There are times when you think it's nearly impossible, as I had several moments with this last one, but once you separate the pieces or shape-sort (no need on this one), you are good to go. It's amazing how your eye can pick up such slight color and shape differences, and it's all a good use of the brain! 

I'm glad I resurrected that hobby. 

Here's one I got yesterday, and I bought it because of the town name it depicts. 

Petty Harbour

I know someone who is a puzzler, and that name is special to them. I'm sure they already have this one, but I'm going to offer it to her when I'm done. One of our upcoming monthly themes is a destination. I have quite a few now, and it will be a challenge to know which one to pick. I might pick this one so I can get it out of the house when I'm done. 

This is why things take me so long to complete. I took the handles off that small tote bag and realized that the stitching was very loose and the binding on the edges was crap. So I took the bag completely apart. Sigh.............

Then I noticed some holes in the plastic, so I decided to fuse some interfacing on the wrong side. Well, the entire thing is plastic, so that was a challenge, but with a press cloth I was doing great. Then I decided to press the top (hem) over, and that worked, until I turned the iron temperature up and part of it shrunk a wee bit. 

A small amount of shrinkage

No worries—that's the hem on the inside; no one will notice. I found new strapping in my bag-making supply box, and I want to put new binding on the bag. The original is just strips of plastic that are deteriorating. I don't have the width of bias tape maker that I need, so I'll just find some double-fold bias at the fabric store and use that. I have some errands near that store, so I'm all set. But it's ready to sew the new handles on! It shouldn't take long, and now - I'd better use that darn bag after all this work. But it's so pretty - I hated to throw it away!

Part of my "reluctance" to get downstairs and work is the total mess that the room is in. The ironing board has stuff, as does the cutting table, and yes, there are things on the sewing tables. So this morning, I got myself in gear and put away all the fabric and felt on the ironing board. I had pulled it for a project that I likely won't make now, so it's all back where it belongs. 

The mess on the ironing table

I found a basket in my stash of containers (this was the last basket, so it's not like I have hundreds) and put all the half square triangles that need to be pressed and trimmed in it. As I did, I found these wires, which were remains from when the electricians were here. Oh boy—I am still cleaning up the debris. And that makes sense, since I never totally cleaned up Studio B from when they were here. By debris, I mean little bits of wire that they missed --- this is the only bit I missed, and it's because it got buried in the crap on the ironing board. But the floor and table surfaces need to be swept or wiped. Some of that happened this morning. 

Some wiring debris

I even got some half-square triangles pressed and trimmed, so those can be put away. 

Trimming half square triangles

Plus, I would like to get that farm quilt together and off the design wall as I'm going to need that soon for some other projects. I was certain that I had some farm fabric in my farm fabric pile that might work for the border. This is what I found! 

Farm fabric for the border

It's perfect and might require some fancy piecing as the fabric is directional, but that's OK. I think there will be enough, and I'll do a bit of math and make it work. The border will be as wide as the quantity allows, up to a maximum of 6 inches. 

And I still have all this farm fabric in my pile. Some of this will be great for backing, and I might pull the orange one for the backing. But FIRST, I need to remake that turtle block, and perhaps I can do that today. 

My farm fabric stash

If you ever want something you think I might have, be sure to ask!!! Someone asked me the other day if I had any tuffet kits left. I taught tuffet making many times and got into manufacturing the kit (foam, legs, upholstery batting, buttons, etc) that you needed to make the tuffet. I was happy to sell the last of those kits, and I think everyone finished the tuffets. 

But WAIT—I have one more, and it happens to be square. I promised to dig it out for her, but I wasn't 100% sure where it was. This morning in my fit of tidying up, I found the box. Oh my -- it's a big box. 

What's in the box?

As long as we agree on a price and I'm sure that won't be a problem, here is the kit. It appears that EVERYTHING is in the kit except for the fabric you want to cover it with. The legs, the button, the batting, EVERYTHING. Oh my!!!!!! 

A complete kit for a square tuffet

Now, when I opened that box this morning, I thought, OH MY—that is too nice to get rid of; I should make this. That thought quickly disappeared from my thought path. I've had it for about 9 years, and I haven't made it. The tuffet I made is stuck in a corner of the bedroom, so why would I want to make another one? I'm happy to part with it for a price, of course. 

So, if there is a pattern or anything else (sorry - sewing machines are NOT mine to sell, but I can get you a deal on a PFAFF Creative Icon 2 if you want) that you think I might have, ask away. I'm in a get-rid-of-things mode, and it will be wonderful to free up the floor space that this kit occupied. 

I need to do more of that, says me who is buying puzzles like it's the end of the world. But I have no intentions of keeping them. I do them, and they are gone! By the way, does anyone want a Diane Phaolen quilt-themed puzzle? It's yours for the asking, or it will be donated back to the thrift store. Bought at the thrift store and all pieces are there. If the pieces are NOT in a plastic bag, I always put them into one. That makes it less likely a piece will go missing. 

We need to have one of those free libraries, but for puzzles. Hey--- they exist!!! Can you imagine? OH MY GOODNESS -- I found one that is about 40 minutes from my house and in a city (Georgetown) where I visit, especially if I want to buy from the Puzzle Warehouse. DO NOT go to Georgetown! But puzzle swapping could be fun! 

Here is the blurb about my Facebook Live on September 9. Well, good grief -- that's a crappy picture. And it's not posted on the website yet. Let me get a better picture tomorrow. I'm running out of time. Studio B is going to need a major overhaul to prep for that event. I need to get started on that later today. 

My Facebook Live event on September 9

Here are the links to the Virtual Retreat;

Saturday - August 29 - from 6 PM - 9 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89610782501?pwd=7dCrhiL5t8Xa4TVwZPvhL6cOymbcjK.1

Meeting ID: 896 1078 2501
Passcode: 148311

Sunday, August 30 - From 3 PM - 9 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89869001291?pwd=h57kT9axwTnd2xtJvuO0z2UOmUo45w.1

Meeting ID: 898 6900 1291
Passcode: 136711

Working on the distribution lists. Hope to get most of them out today.

Have a wonderful day --- just say it -- Today will be a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!

Murphy is on the mend!

Yes --- so true about the words of wisdom. There are times when we feel compelled to criticize a loved one - usually our significant other. But was that absolutely necessary? NO -- so the next time you want to be the backseat driver, or mention that the dishwasher shouldn't be loaded that way, just be quiet. They are loading the dishwasher - be grateful! 

Not saying things that you know will cause issues can improve a situation by 1000%. Don't be the one who invokes the negativity! As they say in Frozen - "let it go!"

OK -- I confess - I was a slug for most of the day. I did get some work done, but I'm in slow motion mode, and I'm OK with that. The rest of the week, I can kick it up into high gear, although I have things to do that aren't work-related.

I had a few "spare" moments, so I ended up in the garage. This is the workbench, but as you can see, there really isn't much space to work, and it's just cluttered. I took this picture this morning, AFTER I tackled part of the shelves. Everything is coated with years of dirt and grime. But I made a start. I would love to get through the entire shelf before the end of September, and that is doable. 

The garage workbench

Even if the stuff only gets separated by category, put in boxes, and the junk thrown away. I'll see how I make out with that. 

BUT - look what I found. A good pair of scissors and WHAT???? It's that gardening tool that I have coveted for a while, but this one has a handle on it. Are you kidding me? I already had one of those tools? I bought the second one for the same purpose, but since it was buried under loads of debris, I didn't even remember buying it. Sigh...................

Finds in the garage debris

We have a wooden deck and lots of debris gets trapped between the boards. There is a gap to allow for expansion. The debris mostly collects on the joists below, and if it isn't cleaned out, it will cause rot faster. The wood on the deck is not treated. 

At last - Mom is cleaning the debris from the deck.

It would also help to get rid of the weeds growing between the flagstones. 

The weeds are back

I'm not surprised to find that tool, but I'm stunned that it's been so long that I don't even remember buying it. 

While I was in the garage, I had my helper with me. She was snuffling around, and next thing I knew, she was digging through the open top of a garbage bag. What the heck is she after? Oh my goodness - she found an old bone of hers that I tossed. When we went back inside, she immediately took it to the backyard. 

MOM - you threw out my bone!!!!! 

I'm not sure what was so important about that bone. I threw the old one away because she got a new one last week. Now I have to find a way to get the old one back into the garbage bag! I've heard some people mention their significant others have done similar things from time to time! 

My name is Murphy, and I'm a bone hoarder.

She is definitely feeling much better, which is a relief. That whole episode was a good wake-up call, though. I caught her flipping her NEW outside toy around. She managed to escape the house with this one, and well, I'm not bringing it back in. 

MOM - this bear needs a good shake! 

To top it off, when I was sitting outside in the gazebo, I saw her hanging out by the fence and wondered what the heck she was doing. 

MOM - I need a new stick

Oh great -- pulling a stick into the yard through the fence. That girl!!! As if she doesn't have enough to play with! What a goofball. 

She has no issues coming in the house at night now, but she needs to be upstairs with us, and she is currently still upstairs. I'm OK with that. I was getting a little freaked out by her need to be outside. I'm not sure what that was all about, but we seem to be moving forward positively. 

And what about Lexi? She is just chilling all the time. She loves sleeping under this table in the hallway, and it's OK to stick your head between the legs. What a silly girl. She's a little turned around because her buddy is not with her at night, even though they never slept together. But she looked a bit lost this morning, wondering why Murphy wasn't bothering her! 

MOM - I'm low maintenance

I finally got my new addition for the backyard. I was tempted to buy a new chair, as this zero-gravity chair has been around for a very long time and the seat canvas was getting a bit scratchy. I realized that I could buy a cushion for that chair and OH MY -- I may never leave the gazebo. It's super comfy. 

A new cushion for my zero-gravity chair

It was supposed to be delivered before I left last week, but only arrived when I got home. It had been compressed into a very small package that neither of us could figure out what it was. Then DH let the air in the bag and the thing just grew. It's a great way to resuscitate my chair. 

And then it was time to move downstairs. This is what I have to deal with. While the cutting table is NOT clear, I made good progress on clearing part of it. I don't want to put some of that stuff away because I'll need it for my Facebook Live, but I need to clear the space so I can work. It's all easy to access and pull out when I need it in two weeks. 

Trying to clear the cutting table

I also left some of my samples out because some of them need to be finished. And even if I get one a day or week done, that is better than not getting them finished. Some of them only need the edges serged to look a bit more presentable. 

While I was at Heather Bell's Sewing Studio, I stocked up on green thread. This is a color I seem to gravitate to, and I was very low, so now I have five shades of the same color, and I'm happy. 

My new green thread colors

Before adding those colors to the box of green embroidery thread, I did NOT have this color. 

My box of green embroidery thread

Over the years, I have used and taught MANY of the Marti Michelle template sets. I spotted this one on the shelf at Heather's that I didn't have. So I bought it. It looks pretty funky! 

A "new to me" template set

And now it's added to my shelf of the other Marti Michelle template sets. 

The rest of my template sets

When I dug my bike out the other week, I found this little tote bag in the basket. Once I park the bike, I need a small bag to carry things. The handles were eaten off? I have no idea what happened to the handles, so I'm going to seam-rip them off and resew them on. They will be slightly shorter, but that's OK. 

Handles to fix on my small tote bag

OK—so I need some discipline to deal with the latest puzzle. Instead of working, I was tackling this. 

Progress on the latest jigsaw puzzle

Yes - that is a quilt on the puzzle. This one is dated 2008, and the artist is Diane Phalen. Remember how her artwork was on everything!! Boxes, bags, puzzles, tins, cards, etc. I was trying to work on the flowers, and finally gave up and pulled the pieces for that quilt. Then I went back to the flowers. I got a few more pieces in and gave up, and now I'm working on the other two quilts in the picture. 

I MUST put the design boards ON TOP of the puzzle, so I won't get distracted! I need to get to work today. 

I managed to get a couple of the distribution lists together and am starting to review the patterns we will need for the classes. I need to go through all the emails before I send out the lists, as some people signed up for more than one class in one email and it's a tad challenging to sort that. But no worries—I'm catching them all, or so I hope. By the end of the week, you should all have your confirmations. If you're missing a confirmation, just send me another email, BUT don't send me something if you have already signed up. Only if you haven't!

Here is the list of classes again—and if you know someone who might be interested, forward this along. 

There is a Virtual Retreat this weekend - Saturday from 6 PM - 9 PM and then from Sunday 3 PM - 9 PM. I'll post the links later, but this is just a reminder. 

And I'm sure by now that you've heard about Dolly Parton. She was such a classy lady, and her nephew (part of her security team) posted the official video about her death. The video was amazingly well done. We were fortunate enough to meet Dolly's design team (a team of 3) who designed her clothing and helped with her onscreen image. 

Steve had been with Dolly for over 30 years as her stylist! You get to know someone very well after 30 years. All three of them couldn't say enough about how amazing Dolly was and that they were family. It was kind of an emotional moment to hear them speak about her. They will be devastated, as will many other people. I feel very fortunate that we were able to hear them speak. 

And on that note, I'm out of here! There's a lot to be done, and I feel a bit more motivated! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!