And so the madness begins!

I have a class and a club today, and am I prepared? NO!! 

Why? Because I was doing something else yesterday instead of prepping. There is NO ONE to blame but myself. Part of what I was doing yesterday was sewing for today, and one of the presentations is completely done - I just have to load some pictures into the second presentation, and I have time for that later this morning. So while not 100% prepped, not far from being finished. 

In case you wonder how I can get so many steps in a day -- here's the thing. As I was sitting here prepping the presentation, I realized that I needed a picture. So I run downstairs to take the picture, then back up to the computer. Ooops -- I need another picture, so back downstairs. It adds up, so without even leaving my house this morning, my FitBit has clocked almost .5 KM!

But I MUST be a bit more focused to PREVENT that rush in the future. 

However, there is good news in all this. Here is the latest customer quilt. This one was HUGE and took a long time because I had to babysit it for the bobbin. One problem with the new software is that the bobbin will NOT last for one zone. But I can insert a stop at the halfway point and check it that way. I am in a good position with the customer quilts for this month, which is good because the next three weeks will be busy, and I won't be home for a good part of those three weeks. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I was hoping to get the next quilt loaded, but it was already way past my bedtime when this one came off the long arm. I started early in the day but had a lot of interruptions. 

I also worked on my embroidery project to get as much done as possible for show and tell today with the embroidery club. So while I was at the long arm, I could see the embroidery machine screen in the distance! It was perfect! Lorraine suggested a baby monitor for getting a visual on the embroidery machine, and YES -- now that you can have the images show up on your phone (I'm sure that's a possibility), it would be easy to set up. I wonder how much those video monitors cost? 

Working with automation on multiple machines! 

I have SEVEN of 15 hoopings done, so that is a HUGE accomplishment. I hope to get two more done later today, and then I have some prepping to do, so there will be no long arming done today. This will be the first day I haven't long armed in a MONTH. It's been pretty steady, and I got lots done, but time for a break. 

When I went to bed, my ears could still hear that embroidery machine working, even though it was turned off. 

I am trying to get a wee bit of sorting done in the garage, and we have this hanging system to hang two bikes. I think I've mentioned it before because you need a key to operate the pulley system, and the key was missing for a while. Well, it wasn't missing, as it was sitting right on the table beside the control Sigh...

So I brought the tub down the other day. It doesn't have a lid, so what good is a tub without a lid? \It was empty, by the way. 

A lidless tub

Then I spotted this label on the tub -- Lifetime Warranty. Hmm -- I wonder if Rubbermaid could get a replacement lid for me? I've e-mailed them and waiting to hear back. 

Lifetime Warranty to replace a lid? 

I delivered the Quilts of Valour quilts yesterday, so that got a huge stack of quilts out of the staging area in the living room! But now there's a box that I'll be sending the two RCMP quilts off (the recipients are already identified), so I need to get that binding on the second one and get both of them washed. I'm washing it because the one has been in my house for a while, has a flannel backing, and there's a bit of Murphy on the quilt! 

Sorry -- no updated picture, but trust me, the staging area is looking a lot better as a couple of customers were able to pick up their quilts. 

And can you tell me what is wrong with this picture? Yes -- little dog - big bed, big dog, little bed. They seem to love it this way. 

Big dog, little bed, little dog, big bed

And Lexi, the princess that she is, would NEVER consider sleeping in that small bed, as that is beneath her! But they seem to have no issues sharing that big bed, but NEVER together. They love to play with the quilt and are quite content! 

So have you been able to walk around your neighborhood and look at the leaves? There's no need to drive up north --- the colors are right here and NOW. 

This is one of the entrances to the forest. I swear you can feel the calm as you approach. Forest bathing -- there's a lot to be said for it! 

One of the entrances to the forest

Look at how intense that red is. It's stunning. 

The intensity of the colors is amazing

When you see all these colors together, it makes me think of a quilt. WAIT --- I made a tree quilt with all those colors. Can I find it this morning to take a picture? Probably not -- I just saw it the other day, but I had to move a lot of quilts around, so not sure that will happen. Inspiration for quilts is everywhere! 

And this is just spectacular. I'm sorry to post so many pictures, but I want to remember all those brilliant colors 

What is interesting is the INSIDE of those trees near that picture above. Yes --- totally green. So is the color changing affected by how much sun the leaves get? 

Inside the forest

OK -- just ran upstairs and found the quilt. See what I mean? This forest inspired me to make the quilt with a wonky diamond pattern resembling the bark of some of the trees. I just quickly snapped that in my hallway, so the lighting is terrible -- it's super brilliant in person. 

That quilt was designed for A Needle Pulling Thread -- Issue 55 when the theme was trees. 

Well, that's it for me today. I have a ton of work to do - I love how motivated I am and am not sure where it is coming from, but I love these long days. I'm doing what I love, and that makes me happy. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!