Meanfingful gifts

You'll be happy to know (and I'm thrilled) that I made excellent progress on the samples, and I'm almost done. Yes, a bit more stitching is needed, and they will be finished. Thank goodness. I didn't think the process out too much in advance; I may have overdone it. But I'm learning lots while making them, and that's all that counts!

I know that many of you are in the process of decluttering right along with me. There are all kinds of 30-day plans, and on each day, you tackle a different area. I got a chuckle the other day when someone posted that the task was to match up the lids of the plastic ware and then the junk drawer. I can happily say that both were done several years ago and the best news? They are still in good shape! 

If I wanted to take a look, if anything was amiss, it would take less than five minutes to tidy it up! Technically, we no longer have a junk drawer, as we deal with it or it goes into the office. I don't let that happen anymore. We don't have much plastic ware, so that's also a non-issue. Hmm - I should take pictures for tomorrow. 

But getting to that point takes time. 

Why are we doing all this? Yesterday, I started a new Storage magazine (2008), with eight well-known organizers contributing. Hey, this stuff doesn't get dated. The junk was the same then, but only now, because we ignored the magazines—we have more! I don't have more—thank goodness—but if I had completely ignored it, I'd have more!

For those who don't think you should declutter, here are some quotes from the magazine that say it all. We all remember Peter Walsh. 

And how about this one. 

And this

And this one I thought hit home. What we own NO LONGER fits our lifestyle! 

This one is an absolute YES for me. Also, the cluttered home is no longer my lifestyle. I like a minimalistic look. I just wish I could get there faster. Yes - I could hire someone to help, but I don't want to do that yet. I know what to do and how to do it. I'll get there. Next week, I hope to get some of these boxes and bags out of the house, making me feel better about the decluttering. Then, once I've cleaned up Studio U, I can take more stuff up there to sort. 

I'm slow and methodical, and just whipping through the house and throwing stuff in the recycling bin or garbage would stress me out. What I need to improve when I get started on a new area, especially with paper and magazines, is not to read everything! That's my downfall! But I had a thought as I finished one of the Storage magazines. Each one says the SAME thing, so do I need to read them all? I do not! As I said, if I had thrown them out, I wouldn't have realized that. Wish me luck! 

But I also wouldn't have found those quotes or some of the pictures that make me laugh. I'm good with slow, methodical, and CONSTANT! 

The biggest thing is that I've made the move to make this a priority. I fiddled with it for ten years, but now it's my priority. I want guilt-free time and space. 

The weather is bizarre these days. When I left the house for my walk, the sun was out, and it was a beautiful day. Then, before I knew it, it was snowing, and the cloud coverage looked like we were in for a significant snowstorm. By the time I returned to the house (less than one hour), the clouds were gone, and the sun was shining. What was that all about? 

But I was good - I had my afternoon snack and worked on the jigsaw puzzle, but only for one hour! I set myself a limit because I had work to do. 

However, when someone called me, I took the opportunity to work on the puzzle while I chatted. That requires more concentration than I realized, so I may have focused too much on it. Here's what it looks like. 

The jigsaw puzzle

I should be able to finish it later today. I talked about the sorting trays the other day. I'm not a good candidate for the sorting trays. All those pieces are now crowded down the sides of the puzzle, which was easy because they are on a smooth table top. As I did that yesterday, I realized I've always done that. I like the pieces close together and as close to me as possible. 

If they were in sorting trays or on a felt board, I'd have to pick them up to move them. I don't think so. Based on that, I should get rid of the puzzle mat in the basement, as I don't use it. Does anyone want a puzzle mat? I'll check the size. 

After this one is complete, I may make another 500-piece puzzle. The 500-piece ones are easy, so I can do them fast. However, I need some definite downtime to make a 1000-piece puzzle. 

I mentioned that we don't give gifts except for M and Dillon. As I mentioned, I want the gift to be meaningful (for both us and them) and something they will enjoy. 

I scored three for three this year! We gave them a gift certificate for storage, which they needed to organize the last room in their apartment. They were very excited about that. How could I say no to storage? 

But they finally opened the box with the remaining two presents, and I keep getting WOW texts from them. We bought them the AURA frame, and once they set it up last night, they loved it! The pictures are super easy to add and share, and I got an invitation last night to share photos with them. They love taking or getting their photos taken, so this is a perfect gift. Again, thanks to Susan for that suggestion—it was a good one. 

The last thing I gave them took a LONG time to make, but it's cute, and they LOVE it. I got this idea from Maryke. Take a 365-day calendar and write notes in it. I started a wedding (2026) countdown! Then, I added little messages on days with some meaning. As I said, writing all those notes took a long time. WAIT - writing the notes wasn't hard; it was thinking of things to write, finding those special days, or counting out the days for the countdown. 

The wedding countdown calendar

My writing sucks, but I ignored that and at least made it legible! That's all I wanted, and the gift was a success. The OMG Facts are also interesting! I did NOT write every day! I guess I could have counted down every day. Anyway - I hope they continue with it for the year - it's a quick flip of the calendar page. I know these things get abandoned, but let's hope!

Speaking of pictures, here's someone who tries very hard to have her picture taken EVERY DAY. She's not happy to just lie on the blankets, but she has to play with them first, and then she'll lie right in the middle of the mess. That's our Murphy! 

MOM - at least I'm active! I'm not a lazy dog!

There is so much to do today, and I have my list of three priorities. I have two presentations to prepare, and while I have pictures of my own to add, there are a few more things that I want to finish so they can be added. Don't worry—I'm double-dipping, as one of them is a sample that needs to be done today! All is good!!

Here's an update on the leg: While this issue is still present, and I have my moments, I'm at a dull ache stage, NOT an acute pain. There is a massive difference, and I can live with the ache until we figure this out. I wanted to get over the holidays before I pursue it, so on Monday, I'll be on the phone with the doctor to see where we go next. 

And on that note, I'm off to the gym to see Brooke. I wonder what surprises she has for me today. Stand up/Sit Down. I'm stunned at how simple yet effective this exercise is, and it gets your blood circulating! Who knew that, along with my cluttered house, I wasn't focusing on my physical well-being as much as I should have. I thought walking was good enough, but it wasn't. That only worked part of my leg muscles, and while spin class was supposed to take care of it, it wasn't enough! 

If you want a specific decluttering assignment today, have you finished all the drawers in your house? It's amazing how many of them there are! If you need something else, why not take a bathroom cabinet? Get under the sink and see what's there! It all has to go! Or most of it anyway!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Sampler Quilts

I know that I shouldn't be reading all these old magazines. I'm above that - toss them and be done with it. Buy no more than you can read. However, I have to say that I LOVE reading them. They are almost more entertaining than reading the current ones, which tend to be filled with patterns I'll never make. 

Here's what I learned from a quilting magazine that is over 25 years old! The magazine is called Sampler Quilts by Quilt and has a copyright date 1999. 

Sampler Quilt magazine

Didn't everyone make a sampler quilt when they learned to quilt? There were blocks with piecing, Y-seams, applique, paper piecing, and as many techniques as they could squeeze into 12 or perhaps 20 blocks. Remember? 

I don't know if anyone would even consider making one today. Can you imagine those "huge" 12" blocks in a mishmash of shapes and styles? That's horrible. 

However, I got a kick out of this article. GASP!!! Make a sampler quilt with 6" blocks? Make four times as many as needed if you had made 12" blocks? That's just crazy! This was a novelty (not original) in 1999. 

A sampler quilt with 6" blocks

But wait—let's stop and think about it: Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, Farmer's Wife, Tula Pink 100 Modern Blocks (or any 100-block project), Dear Jane, and so on! Yep—they are all sampler quilts, except we no longer call them that! 

It's hilarious that we have made more work for ourselves, but I love creating and looking at a sampler quilt with 6" or smaller blocks than 12". 

So a couple of bad things happened at my house yesterday. It's not super bad, but you know how easily I get distracted. 

I was in Studio U, and this puzzle was calling my name, so I laid out all the pieces while I had my afternoon snack. I left a space to work and lay all the pieces around. YES - I know I could get puzzle sorter trays and might do that one day. 

The next puzzle is laid out

Then, I pulled all the border pieces. One MUST always start with the border. Not a border person? You are brave! 

The border pieces

The border is all together except one piece. That was easy! I'm still eating my snack. 

Done except for one piece

Oops. Then I got involved in my audiobook, working a bit longer than planned. I tore myself away, and thankfully, it's upstairs where I won't be tempted to stop and put in a "few" pieces as I walk by. It's a 500-piece puzzle. Oh, can anyone guess what the name of the puzzle is? It's a building in the US. 

The state of the puzzle

While in Studio U, I also finished cutting the blocks on the agenda for the SAMPLER quilt. The fabric bins got put away, and I need to walk these bags of pieces downstairs so they can be sewn. 

My sampler blocks are ready to sew

That was a good thing that happened. 

The other naughty thing I did was purchase an Aura digital frame before Christmas. I didn't post about it because I bought one for M and Dillion. Neither of them reads my blog, but I wanted to be sure it would be a surprise for them. Purchasing the frame wasn't the naughty thing—it was what I put on it. You'll see it in a minute. 

Well, it took me a while to get things prepped so I could send another package to them, and I needed this one to arrive before New Year's Day. The package arrived on time. It was picked up Friday night in Mississauga and delivered to West Vancouver around noon on Monday. Except they were away, which I didn't know they would be! And so was their landlord. So a neighbor took charge of the package, and they only opened it last night! They LOVE it, which I knew they would. 

It's Bluetooth, and I started with a few pictures of the girls. But then I've added all kinds of pictures, which is the bad part. 

My Aura Frame

I've loaded pictures of my Camino walk, and as I relive the memories, I need to go again. It was such a fantastic trip, and it was such a great feeling to be there. I think it's the peace and quiet, the solitude, the need for very little stuff, and just pure heaven! I'll go back - just not this year. That's the naughty part! 

If you invite friends, they can share photos on your frame and vice versa. I know I'm going to love my Aura Frame. Check it out—it's a fantastic gift. I will remove all the other picture frames in my house and just use this one. Thanks to Susan for letting me know about it. 

How did I make out on the sample making? I made good progress but did NOT finish, and it was not even close. However, I got over the things I was procrastinating about, which was good. 

I had to dig out my serger for part of it this morning. You have to LOVE an air-threading serger. 

Air-threading serger 

I had to switch to cover stitch (it took a minute) to make that happen. The hardest part is changing the needles. The rest is a breeze. And then loading the thread into the openings and touching the SWOOSH button, and in milliseconds, the serger is threaded? It doesn't get any better than that!! 

I love it when the thread comes shooting out!

That one is the Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S600, and I wouldn't be without it. However, when I opened it up to thread it, I was SHOCKED at how dirty it was inside. I think I need to get the vacuum out! The poor thing. 

A bizarre thing happened yesterday morning. Murphy is so much better on the SAME route every day. She gets less excited, and we pass a gas station on that route. The price of gas was 155.9 at 7:45 AM. Lexi and I can take any route we want, and yesterday, we just happened to pass by the same gas station about 40 minutes later. The price was now 151.9. It had dropped FOUR cents in less than an hour. Then, when I walked to the grocery store at about 2:00 PM, this was the price. 

The fluctuating gas price

The price had dropped another 3 cents. I laugh because in Saskatchewan, or at least in the North Battleford area, the price doesn't change for weeks, probably months! 

The moral of this story is that if you live in a large city (I assume this applies to all large cities), fill up your tank in the afternoon or evening—never in the morning when the prices are premium!

The weather was very bizarre yesterday. There was a little snow when I took the girls out, but as we got home, it started snowing like a blizzard. The flakes were big and fluffy, and visibility wasn't great.  

MOM -- this is my weather!

The girls were in their glory and having a blast chasing each other. It's hard to get pictures of them doing that because if they see me, they stop! So I enjoy watching them and sneak a few photos when I can. 

Hey LEXI -- I can see you! 

Then the snow stopped, the sun came out, and the sidewalks and driveways were bare. What was that all about? 

Thanks to someone who has identified two states I might have missed in my US trek; I'll check that later today. I zoomed into Google Maps, and I'm starting at the MGM Grand in Detroit. 

The start point of my US virtual trek

Traveling virtually around the States over the next three years will be super fun, and wouldn't that be a fantastic real road trip. If I were doing it in person, I'd want to stop in different cities. I just picked cities to ensure I had a stop in each state and to keep the distance down as much as possible. 

In case you haven't figured it out, I'm very goal-oriented. I also like numbers, so when I checked out my stats on Goodreads (yes, I know who owns them), here's what I found. 

I read 73 books (actually 74, but I never logged the last one yet). That book with the 944 pages? That was because I read that on my phone, and the book is huge in any format! 

I have to laugh at this stat. I read Harry Potter - Goblet of Fire, and so did 5,737,402 other people. Seriously? This book is over 20 years old or close to it, and are there still that many people reading it? Incredible!!!!

The other book was about the Camino, written by someone from Sudbury. Only 57 people read it, but those 57 people are important! That book was published in 2018. 

I set the goal of reading 52 books in 2025. If I read more, that's great; if I don't, I'm not worried. 

I started reading one of the books loaned to me, and I'm intrigued. It's a good book - I'll tell you when I'm done. 

I also managed to do a lot of writing and editing. I should get one more assignment out the door today and try to finish those samples completely. I am my worst enemy because I can't stop making the darn things. I need to have a cutoff for the number. I swear I did, but then I ignored it!

I have two clubs on Sunday, so I'd better organize myself. I've been working on stuff, but I need to finish it! 

I try to set a goal of three things each day, but most days, more than three must be done! So, I prioritize three things, and anything else that gets done is a bonus!

On that note - I'm out of here. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!

The light show!

It was a very productive day. It was one of those days that fit me to a T. Minimal planning for the day had been done, but yet, it was like the stars were aligned, and EVERYTHING And EVERYONE we wanted to see or do got done! I was mentally exhausted at the end of the day, but so much progress was made. 

And everywhere you go, you meet people! That's the beauty (or not) of living in a small town. It doesn't matter where you go - you meet people! So, all around, it was a great day. 

Although you have to watch people. I took in some papers to be shredded. At home, they wheel the bin right over to the counter (after they weigh the paper), and I have to shove the paper into the narrow slot. It's a pain, but that's OK. Yesterday, the guy took the bundle of paper (it wasn't much), set it on top of the bin, and said he would do it later. 

Ah? No! I brought that paper in so it could be shredded and keep it from prying eyes, which includes yours! So I made him put the paper in the slot while I watched him. Seriously -- the bin is on wheels - just wheel it over or let me inside to shove the paper in the slot. Some people don't get the idea of confidentiality!

I got an update from the girls at home. They were mesmerized by something outside the front window but absolutely hilarious in the pecking order. Lexi is NOT keen on anything new, and while we've put her on the window seat, she jumps down as quick as she can get away with. She is NOT ever going to jump up there. Well, I'm pretty sure she won't. So, she is happy to take a back seat to Murphy. Silly girls -- the bed is large enough for both to sleep in. And yes, I had to put the metal bike in front of the window because otherwise, Murphy would jump on the window, and that's not good. 

MOM - we're watch dogs while you are away

Now, if I need a new chair at home, why not this one? Good grief -- the thing flashes psychedelic lights, which any gamer would want to add to all the lights on the screen. I think I'll pass. I know some people use these for sewing chairs, but my sewing never gets that intense in length or otherwise that I need this kind of chair. I should have checked the price. Good grief -- I just checked online, and the cost is about $250 and includes a massage! And LED lights. I'll pass. 

A gaming chair

I took some trips down memory lane yesterday and probably posted this picture before. But what a cute baby! Look at the swirl on top - I look like an ice cream cone! 

I'm an ice cream cone

What's old is new -- look at the spirograph! I didn't look closely at the box, but I used to have one, and also the spirograph deluxe, which got you working OUTSIDE the circle ring. Oh yes --- and now I can create spirograph designs in my Sewnet embroidery software!!!

What's old is new - Spirograph

There was a small gathering in the apartment last night to celebrate Christmas. Dad popped down for a bit, but I knew I would have to go and "rescue" him, not from the other people, but from himself. My Dad is a talker --- so you know where I get it from. And it reminded me of many shopping trips to town when Mom would be waiting with the kids for Dad to remember that he brought us to town and needed to pick us up!

It's not like I didn't want him to stay and visit, but we had plans! We were off to see the lights at the Museum. 

This is the front entrance, and I had to laugh because the structure that everything is sitting on here used to be a tower for the TV antennae back at the farm. It got cut up and repurposed. You cannot let anything go to waste! 

The entrance to the light display

Dad made the frames for this train and the cars! He simply bent wrought iron strips into the shapes. They got welded together, and someone strung the lights on them. Yep -- making stuff is in our blood! If I remember correctly, my brother also made some of the outlines. And that was many years ago. 

A lighted train

This is the main street of Pioneer Village. It was hard to get pictures of the lights in the dark. And someone was always creeping on my bumper, so we went around twice! But they did a great job on the display, and I got the full description of where the pieces came from. Great bonding time!

Main Street in the Pioneer Village

I'm going to refer back to that magazine I mentioned yesterday - The Art of Craft. And if you're a maker, you already know this. We need to make - we were born to create things! And we all know that making things and being creative is the BEST way to stay active, fight depression, and maintain strong mental health! 

Two other things to note -- you are NEVER too old to learn or try something new. NEVER!! Don't forget my Dad, who taught himself how to take a simple piece of clipart and take it into THREE different software programs in various steps so he could create a file that he could use to cut metal on his plasma cutter. He's 90, and he learned how to do this during COVID. By watching YouTube!!

I have a few things to learn, and we will have a computer session later today so I can write down the steps for the first part. Because the files he creates for the plasma cutter simply take the SVG that we use for digital cutters one step further to make a cutting file for his cutter. Yes -- this CNC technology works the same for all devices - you just need to translate the language into the correct format for your tool. 

The thing about it is digital cutters, embroidery machines, and computerized long arms (I got all those), plasma cutters, laser cutters, 3D printers are ALL based on CNC, and as long as you can translate one language to another -- they all do the same thing! 

Yep -- I will enjoy my three weeks of downtime when I'm home because I have much to learn. 

On that note, I'd better get moving. I lounged in bed for a bit this morning, and now I'm behind. I never did get out for a walk yesterday - there wasn't time. And do you know that at 9 AM, it was still dark here? Good grief!!! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

In the neighborhood!

 It's amazing how energized you are in the morning when you have a good night's sleep. If only we could bottle that. The previous night, I had a terrible time getting to sleep - last night, no issue. Now, why is that? 

Well, it doesn't matter - you take the good with the bad and move on! 

I like where we live. I like our neighborhood and our house, and even though the weather can be wild, I don't have to go to sleep with these thoughts on my mind. 

BC fires at night

This is a photo my cousin took off her balcony two nights ago. She lives in Vernon, and while the fire is across the lake, that means nothing. They were NOT on evacuation notice, but many others were, and apparently, RVs are parked everywhere as displaced people flee their homes. While forest fires are part of life, they have increased in severity, and lack of rain isn't helping. So for those that say global warming isn't real? Tell that to everyone who has lost their home. But I won't go there. Let's pray for rain for Western Canada. 

My brother lives in Penticton on the hills surrounding the city. They had to evacuate some years ago as the fires were literally on top of them. It was surreal, as when we drove up the roads after, houses were burned to the ground, and others were not. 

I believe I mentioned that a friend moved to remote Northern Ontario. Well, it's not the most northern that you can go, but it's NORTH for me. I sent her a postcard -- do you remember what it looked like? Here's a picture to refresh your memory. Little did I know......................

Postcard for Heather

Here's a picture that was taken in their driveway the other day. 

The welcoming committee

Hmmm -- I don't think I could have created a better postcard for them!! I laughed when I saw the picture. I'm not so sure that I'd like to live there. While I'm pretty adventurous, and I like to walk and, for the most part, don't think too much about wildlife, if I knew the bears were that prevalent, I might think twice. And can you imagine walking dogs, especially Murphy, in that area? Not happening in my lifetime!!!

Speaking of our mild neighborhood, this was the most exciting thing I saw on the walk yesterday. The previous day, I had noticed a Dad trying to bounce an empty stroller through one of the secondary paths in the forest, which are filled with roots. Did I mention that he was on his cell phone as he attempted to maneuver the stroller with one hand? Why? Why don't people use headphones at least? The kid was wandering off into the forest by himself. The dad was saying, "come back, you're too far away." Well, I won't go there. 

A lost shoe

I bet the kid finally got back into the stroller, and eagle-eye Dad didn't notice when the shoe came off because he was on his phone. Sigh..............................

And I see that they have tried to fix the path once again. Well, the next time it rains (and we have had some pretty hard rains here), all that loose sand is just going back down the hill. They need to pack it or put larger stones on top or pave it or something, but it's just going to do the same thing again. And this is only recently that this has started to happen. In the past 18 years, they've never had to do this. More people walking? More erosion because of more foot traffic? The paths, especially the secondary ones right through the trees, are getting quite worn compared to when we first moved here. 

The repaired path

One more thing about the neighborhood. Should I or shouldn't I???  Do they even know these tomatoes are edible??? 

Tomatoes ripe for the picking

The plants are loaded with tomatoes, and they don't seem to be picking them. The birds don't seem to be touching them. It would be a shame to let them go to waste. These plants are along their driveway in the front of their house. This is the same house where their beautiful flower gardens (and many of them) are totally overgrown with weeds. It's quite messy and a shame because the previous owners really took pride in that house. 

It's time for me to get back to work on my presentations for the fall. I have wanted to revamp some of the content in them for a while - take new photos, make new samples, rearrange the order of the slides, etc. So I started to do that yesterday. I also need to have some of them translated to French. Yep -- I'm going for it - let's do these presentations in French. Don't worry -- I'm practicing, and there's quite a bit that I need to brush upon. But I'll be ready. 

I like to include screenshots of the sewing machine in my presentations since it's a challenge to do some of the stuff live. And you know what they say - a picture says a thousand words. Now, if you've ever taken pictures of the screen of a sewing machine, which I'm sure you never have, it can be a challenge. The PFAFF creative icon is particularly troublesome because of the black screen and its angle. 

Have a look. This is what the photo looks like if you just take a picture. Tons of reflection and not very professional. 

Loads of reflection

What to do??? Well, I now tuck something black on the bed of the sewing machine to cut the glare. I could also turn down the lights, but just covering it is fast. Then I put something black on the table right in front of the screen. But that's still not enough. I finally had to wrap my phone in black fabric to prevent the phone's reflection onto the images. And lastly, I use a giant black reflector to cut the glare from the overhead lights. Thank goodness, I can use voice commands for my phone to take pictures. Oh -- the phone is on a tripod. It's quite complicated but well worth it. 

Taking screenshots of the PFAFF creative icon

Here's the raw shot - no glare. 

No glare!

And then I crop out the excess to get a nice shot. I know it looks a wee bit crooked in the photo, but that's an illusion. I think the angle of my camera is just slightly off from the angle of the screen. 

The cropped photo

Wait --- these are for a presentation in French, so I have to switch the language in the sewing machine and then retake the photos. I have to do that for ALL the photos in the future. Twice the work! But hey --- it's worth it. Learning lots every day. 

Same photo - en Francais

My other big learning curve yesterday was this. I bought a new speaker. I really just wanted something like Susan and Katheleen had with Bluetooth. But DH said NO - I need Bluetooth AND Wi-Fi. OK -- so he's right - better to get both connections. 

I thought it would be simple to set up. But NO -- I have a separate account from him, and well, that wasn't happening. I get so frustrated when technology doesn't work. 

New Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker

So he called their support, and they ended up connecting to my phone to see the log-in process, and we had the support person on speaker on DH's phone. All while we were sitting on the deck outside. And it took several tries and about a half-hour, but by golly -- she made it happen!!!!  I still have to make the Bluetooth connection, but I'm sure that'll be easy. 

What did I learn?? If there's a screen on your phone that you do NOT want, including during the log-in process, you can swipe DOWN to get rid of it. That may not work for everything, but it's what I needed to do to connect to my account. Who knew??? 

Well, I've run out of time. The next quilt is loaded on the long arm. I have more pictures to take today, embroidery samples to make, presentations to whip into shape, and I have to finish cleaning up Studio B. It's rather messy at the moment. 

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!

Another sewing marathon completed

 

Phew! I did the impossible. I am READY (well, almost) ready for the classes today. I had one last night, and everything was prepped for that. There are three today, and while I didn't quite get all the sewing done, I got enough to show what we're doing. There are a few more pictures to take this morning and add to one of the presentations. 

I decided NOT to do the demo live. Nope - I took a bunch of pictures and videos yesterday. And I was on a work call for nearly three hours - that consumed a lot of precious time, but it was worth it. 

It started to rain in the afternoon, and well, I was busy, and I didn't get out for the second walk yesterday. That's OK - I have a few extra miles banked, so I'm still on track to meet my 6-month goal. 

If you've read John Cleese on creativity, he's big on how your subconscious solves problems (hence being creative), and I couldn't agree with him more. So I was out walking one of the girls two days ago, and in the middle of the forest, it HIT me. I knew where that missing quilt top was. I had tried to find it for my color class last month, but it wasn't where I thought it should be. 

Then I realized - it must be in the boxes (2) of quilts that need borders or backing or binding made before they get moved to the "to be quilted" pile. I came home, and sure enough - there it was!! The backing is with it - so that's probably why my brain thought it was in the "to be quilted" pile. 

I took a picture which I'll share with you tomorrow. I guess it's not as bad as I originally thought, but it's not my favorite!

There's been no time to work on more backgrounds for the art project, but it is Virtual Retreat tonight and all day tomorrow, so maybe that will happen. I also want to finish off the bits and pieces that have been hanging around the sewing table for months. I'd be a happy person if I could get that done, as well as what's hanging out on the cutting table. I'll have a few weeks of breathing time - well, not really, the next big writing assignment is fast approaching. 

So let's talk about Urbanologie. This is the curved piecing quilt that we're working on. OH -- before I get into the show and tell, here's a dilemma. I'm using a layer cake of Tula Pink fabric. I checked her website, and the collection was called Elizabeth. Hmm - I don't know what year it was printed, but let's say that it's long gone. 

Tula Pink Elizabeth collection

I did a Google search, and Oh boy -- I doubt that I'll be buying any of it either. RARE  and OOP (out of print) are descriptors of this collection. And guess what that means? Yep - the prices are sky high!! I'm not that desperate to get more. Unless someone out there has some of it, feels sorry for me, and is willing to sell at a reasonable price. I'm not even sure if I'm going to need more, but I have a feeling I might - or my last couple of blocks are going to be totally mixed up with fabrics, and I guess that's OK. I might pre-cut the rest of the blocks to see where I stand. 

I guess a half meter for $23 isn't bad if you REALLY want it. I don't think I want it that bad!

I don't know where I got this layer cake, but I'm not fond of it! Oh well -- a lesson learned. Never again. I'm using a cream with it, which helps to tone it down, but seriously - this is such a hodgepodge of prints. No offense to Tula - the collection has merits, but well - let's leave it at that. 

I must be having a year with my color selection! This is a block from SchoolGirl Sampler - another ongoing project. Two colors don't have much contrast in this block, and I was OK with that. But I decided to use the dark fabric as the sashing, so this one needed to be made over. 

Schoolgirl Sampler block

I don't think my new block is any better. I'm using my scraps, and well - I'm running out of options. Thank goodness, there are only 20 more blocks to make. I may end up remaking it, but I doubt it'll make a difference in the quilt in the scheme of things, so I'm leaving it like this. It's all a learning experience anyway. This is what happens when you do things fast! I did buy some lighter backgrounds, and I should have used one of them. 

The same block - still not enough contrast

Do you want to see my new toy?? Actually, I had purchased this a while back and never got it out and used it. Do you know what it is???

Mini-photo booth

It's a mini-photo booth. There are colored backgrounds you can put inside - I'm using the white one at the moment. There's a ring of lights around the top opening. You turn the lights on and then insert the camera lens into the opening and take the picture! Oh my -- ZERO shadows on the pictures. I'm in love with the darn thing. I have a few more pictures that I need to retake, so I might play with that a bit this afternoon before the virtual retreat. 

Oh, shoot- I'm going to save Urbanologie for tomorrow. 

So I'm working hard at getting these medals for the Virtual Challenges, but where are the medals for the sewing marathons? I want a medal for each time I get my crazy assignments completed. And every time there's a class, I'm supposed to be sending out homework. I need to try and clear one or two up this afternoon. 

OH - before I go - you need to mark on your calendar a Facebook LIVE event. It's June 29 at 7 PM EST. Carla, Claire, Paul, and I are chatting about our experience with the Spectrum Quilt a Long. Even if you didn't do the QAL, come and check it out!!! I'm sure it'll be entertaining. 

And here are the links for the Virtual Retreat this weekend. 

Virtual Retreat - Saturday, June 26, 6 PM -- 9PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89254233911?pwd=VGQrTnFybW1HMWpleHA4M2Q2NGVwZz09 Meeting ID: 892 5423 3911 Passcode: 982797

Virtual Retreat - Sunday, June 27, 10 AM - 8 PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87246635892?pwd=VGY1cUUyLzRaRi9VUVV2ZWFINXc2dz09 Meeting ID: 872 4663 5892 Passcode: 440473

And on that note, I'm out of here to start the Zoom marathon!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

How does this work?

Today was the day we were supposed to drive up to the Fireside Retreat house. Due to the current crisis, that isn't happening. Our next retreat is June 10 - 14, but I have a feeling that isn't going to happen either. So we keep rolling the dates until ONE DAY, we'll be allowed to expand our bubble.

Let's just say that if I were going to the retreat today - I'd be in trouble. I'm still writing, although I'm almost done. Still working on the presentation that popped up out of nowhere to create. After all the work I've put into that presentation, I don't care which store picks it up, but you are ALL going to attend the presentation. I've worked very hard on it between everything else I had to do and I learned so MUCH. Then I get the pleasure of sharing with customers and anyone anywhere can be the customer! I'll let you know when that happens. We're still in set up mode. I've got a test tomorrow so we'll see how it goes.

The two studios are a disaster as I've pulled stuff from here and there to take photos or find supplies. I have some fantastic things to share with you when the appropriate time comes. Grammarly told me that I use AMAZING too much so I have to find a new word - FANTASTIC!!!

Do you know how challenging it is to switch from the passive voice to the active voice? I'm learning, but it's a struggle for me.

I have very boring walks compared to some people. Helen Anne posted a gorgeous picture of a heron that she passed on her walk yesterday. Me? I get black tulips! Are they called black or deep burgundy? Anyway - they are very pretty. And as for the heron - Murphy would just scare it away so I'll leave the heron for Helen Anne! Herons have a special place in my heart. The very first picture I ever posted on my blog was of the heron in our backyard! Cheeky fellow, but he was fishing! God knows where our two lazy (different from the current ones) dogs were at the time.

Black tulips

You have to love the internet and writing stuff that sits on the internet rather than the computer. That meant that I could work on the computer in the office and when I needed to, I could move to the laptop in Studio B and I had access to the same document. I told DH that we need a server in our house that's attached to the network, so I can access my personal files from wherever. OK -- the high-tech stuff is getting out of hand!

My office in Studio B

I realized that I like working on that table. Every house needs banquet tables. I have eleven of them and I would be totally lost without them. They make a good sewing table, cutting table, prep table, office desk, eating table. You name the task, it can be done on a banquet table. I will NOT buy those plastic ones. I want the ones made with the fake wood. Perhaps I need to rethink my computer table in the office. There's only room to work on the left and nothing on the right. Perhaps I need to switch the placement of the computer??? I like having room to spread out my stuff and I just don't have the same room here as I do on that banquet table. I'll have to contemplate that.

The Designer EPIC 2 was right behind me so when I needed a reference for the blog, I simply turned around, and there it was. That worked like a charm!

The two sewing machines behind my "desk"

I'm getting a lot of glare from the screen of the Designer EPIC 2. I have this reflector kit that I bought years ago and never opened. I dug it out and thought I'd give it a try to see if it cut the glare.

Reflector kit

I tell you there are days and there are days. This is a TWO part stand. You take the arm and stick it on the stand. Tighten the screw and that's it. Well, do you think I could get that arm to fit on the stand? Nope - wasn't happening. I even contacted the support team for the product. They got back very quickly and basically said - stick the arm on the stand and tighten the screw. I tried again and it still didn't work.

I was about to bring it upstairs to see if DH could figure it out and BAM - the arm slipped onto the stand and that was that. Now that's a total mystery as to why that didn't work the previous times I tried. 

The reflector on the stand

Gosh - the thing looks like a big sombrero!

A giant reflector in Studio B

It didn't help with the glare in the Zoom presentation, but it's going to make taking shots of the sewing machine monitor a whole lot easier because it'll remove all the glare. I should have dug the thing out a long time ago.

My fluorescent lights are on three different switches in Studio B. I tried all combinations of that and also removing lights from the fixtures to try and eliminate the glare. I think it's a camera issue. The camera is trying to compensate for the bright light of the screen on the Designer EPIC 2. I have half the problem fixed. Now I need to go into settings on the laptop to see if I can adjust the camera settings. I doubt it - it's not that sophisticated, but then maybe it is. I've no idea. One more thing to mess with.

I ordered some lights yesterday and well - it seems that Studio B is going to be a film studio if we keep this up!

I can solve a whole lot of problems when I go for a walk. I needed to find some other samples so I can take pictures today. I had totally forgotten about the samples and once I remembered them, I wondered where they were. As I was walking, I got my brain to focus and before I got home, I had located the samples. When I got home, I went right to that spot, and there they were!!! How's that for brainpower. I LOVE IT!!!!

I've been totally ignoring e-mail unless it was urgent. And I had several to deal with yesterday amongst all the other things going on. Fabric from suppliers that is no longer available. Got that worked out and hopefully can pick up next week.

I got in touch with the emergency dental contact. Good grief - that took forever. The phone didn't go through for several attempts and then finally after ringing and ringing and bringing, someone picked up. I have to go downtown to get the crown cemented back in. No appointment needed. Oh boy - that's going to be an adventure. I'm leaving that for next week since we have the Virtual Retreat this week.

Look what came in the mail yesterday?? The current issue of A Needle Pulling Thread and guess whose quilt is on the cover? Yes - that's MY QUILT. Made with Ride-On by Banyan Batiks. I love it!

A Needle Pulling Thread magazine

Here's a link to a preview of the magazine and you can read my story about the quilt.  I'm such a selfish person!!!!

OH MY GOD  - I see that a new Virtual Challenge has been released. The Camino de Santiago in Spain is now available as a challenge!!! It's 482 miles so very doable. I REALLY want to do this one in person but will settle for the virtual one. I heard Spain is opening up their doors to tourists. Maybe this is the time to do the Camino de Santiago in hopes there won't be a lot of people there and I'll get good deals???  Anyway, I'm not doubling up on the virtual challenges. What's the point? I'll just get through them quicker. Route 66 will take a year, but there aren't that many long ones and I'll rip through the short ones fast enough.

By the way, is anyone else doing any of the Virtual Challenges?? You can find them on The Conqueror website. A lot of fun to have a goal and I love checking my progress on the map every day.

Slow and steady!!!

I have to share the photos of my Cross Canada walk with you. By the way, I'm TWENTY PERCENT of the way across Canada. That's impressive. Be prepared, I'll be sharing a photo each day until I reach Saskatoon. So about a week's worth of walking.

This is why they call Saskatchewan the land of the living skies. Look at all that sky!!!! To the right-hand side is the river and it just opens up the horizons like you've never seen.

Highway 16 outside the Battlefords

I'll also share the position of the photo on the map. I'm still a big kid at heart and well, I guess I'm still a country girl at heart. See that little blip on the map that says Baljennie? That's the teeny tiny little hamlet near the family farm. Long since totally shut down. My high school boyfriend lived in Richard so you can see the distances we had to travel to visit. Totally crazy!!! And kids today think they have it bad!

A map of my stomping grounds

I think it's just kind of cool to be walking virtually through this area.


Here's the latest blog post on QUILTsocial. I had so much fun making stuff for the blog posts. I'm so meticulous and verbose at writing, editing, and putting the posts together, but I LOVE doing it. This week, it's all about learning, and like I say all the time - there isn't a day goes by when I don't learn something new. It happens every single day! I swear that's what keeps me going. If I didn't learn something new, my brain would shrivel up!

So I'll be hosting the Virtual Challenge from Studio B today just because there's a small space carved out around a sewing machine that I can use. I was planning to jump right into my laundry basket of projects, but today, I HAVE to finish that magazine quilt. It needs to be in the mail by tomorrow at the latest. I'll be finishing the top today and quilting it as well. It can't be helped - that's just the way it worked. If I'm not in front of the camera, then just holler! And I'm sure there'll be other people on the call that you can chat with.

Here's the link for today.

Join Zoom Meeting - May 27th, 9 AM EST - 9 PM EST https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85170383658?pwd=VWp5YUtTckRxY1U0VTdOZFdIMkRvdz09 Meeting ID: 851 7038 3658 Password: 431940


Here's the links for tomorrow. Remember, I have to do a Zoom presentation for my boss at 2 PM EST so I created a meeting for the morning and one for the afternoon.

Join Zoom Meeting Part ONE - May 28th - 9AM - 2 PM EST https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89125426288?pwd=TzRkMlhBQXhoT3pjQlBEMW5UV2o2dz09 Meeting ID: 891 2542 6288 Password: 734096

And here's the link for the second meeting on May 28th 

Join Zoom Meeting - May 28th - 3:30 PM to 9PM EST https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85187367927?pwd=bUkwYldJYkE5OE1IUUh5MkU4Y0daUT09 Meeting ID: 851 8736 7927 Password: 008919


On that note, I'd better get moving. I still have a wee bit of editing to do before 9 AM this morning! Catch you on Zoom later today!!!

Have a super day!!!
Ciao!!!