It's TIDY up time!

While I am VERY HAPPY with the way my studio looks - yes if you happen to drop in - I do NOT clean up for you unless you need the tables or the design wall. But I have so much on the go that I leave the CURRENT projects out. After all that is the purpose of having a studio!

And I know I do this for a living (if you can call it that!), but I hear people talk about - I have FOUR projects on the go. Hmmmmmmm - I may work on FOUR different projects (or more) in any given day and barely skim the surface of what needs to be done that day!!!!

As the month draws to a close (and my Dear Jane class is tomorrow), I am in a panic to get everything done. And this weekend which was supposed to be a calm relaxing weekend all of a sudden became jam packed when a class I wanted to take but couldn't because it was sold out - well yes - a spot opened up and now I have to get ready for that and Monday is the Halton Hills meetings. So much to cram into so little time!!!!

But next week - ah next week is WIDE OPEN. Can't wait!!!!!    DO NOT CALL to book up that time because while it is wide open - I have plans for all those days. I mean there are NO DEADLINES and NO APPOINTMENTS - that is what wide open means to me.

Here is the thing about the studio - although to the UNTRAINED eye - you would think this place is a mess. But no - there are quilts piled up that are finished and ready to be delivered to the customer, there are boxes filled with fabric waiting to be cut into tiny little blocks called Dear Jane and so on. In order to keep this place functional it requires CONSTANT cleaning. Oooops - I should say tidying (although I seem to pass the Swifter VERY OFTEN to keep the dust down).

I get ready for a guild meeting - so stuff starts to accumulate for that. Then I get home and I have to UNPACK the bags and that can take a while. Not that I am complaining - I actually enjoy the process of putting things away. ACK! Did I just say that??????  And I always try to come home with less than what I went with.

Neat fabric - a DOG holding a quilt!!!!!   Who would have thought?????    Thanks Cathy

And yes - more selvedges - thanks Elaine

Although I do not have an official capacity with the guild this year - the meetings are still crazy. I have library books to return. Drop off my tinners, pick up the tinners, pick up library books (I did NOT last night), hand stuff into the community projects group, buy tickets, talk to one person about this, oops - talk to someone else about that and before I know it - I really had NO time just for socializing!!!!!!!


I have resurfaced Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt. I am using it for enders and leaders.

Got this many done on Step 5 - yeah me!!!!!!!

But yes - it happens. Look at what I did. And you would think I would have noticed the mistake when I sewed the first piece on. NOPE - had to sew the second one on before I realized I had made a mistake!!!!!

Still have this much to do!!!!!!

 Oh yes - I guess I was sewing those as I worked on the TWO quilts for the Halton Hills Guild challenge. The jelly roll challenge. Well the good news is that BOTH quilts are COMPLETELY QUILTED. They are BOTH TRIMMED and the bindings for BOTH are made and will be sewn on - maybe today - I doubt it though. And it is only Friday. FRIDAY - that is DAYS before they are due. Of course, they need to be hand stitched, but I am hoping that someone will stitch them for me. I am sure there are people in the guild who prefer hand stitching and they can take them home to finish them off. I am so slow at hand stitching.


Now I just have to get the President's challenge done - also for Monday. Haven't started that yet. I know - but I am confident it will get done. No - it HAS to get done.

There will be a whole lot of revealing going on next week!!!!!!


I had a few minutes to spare the other day and stopped in to Michael's.   Good thing M was NOT with me cause I caved and bought a book!!!!!    I know - I could NOT help myself.

A SMASH journal. 

What is a SMASH journal? It really is just a book to throw stuff into. And I really really like the idea of these - I just can't get started.

Remember when I quoted from the Dirty Secret book, that some of the hoarding comes from "waiting until we can do something perfect". Well something to that effect. That is ME. I want to scrapbook, but I want it to be PERFECT from day one - I don't want to learn. So I bought this book as therapy. I am going to cut stuff up and glue it in the book with NO REGARD for what it looks like.

Here is a quote from one of the pages. It says - DO NOT BE INTIMATED - JUST SMASH THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY. See this is ME!!!!!    These books INTIMIDATE me because I have never done it before. 

So I did - I cut out those great quotes from Life Experience magazine and glued them in. OK - so I was very RIGID in how I placed the stuff in the book, but I am LEARNING. And I will be happy with it!!!!!!

Now that I seem to have things under control (yeah as if - I have so many delusions about my life!) - I may try to schedule some SMASHING time into my schedule. And wait until next week - I will have NO EXCUSE.


Yesterday, I noticed the FIRST bloom in the pond. The buds close up at night and I searched for more buds coming. Could see nothing and then look this morning - there are TWO.

Two buds in the pond

Like everything in the backyard - the pond has exploded. Both the reeds and the lily pads. But the bad news - I am thinking I have a hole in my liner (bad Kaylee???? - see likes to walk on the rocks behind the reeds - but she could have punctured the liner because she goes in the water) because I seem to be filling it up very frequently or it could be just the weather. Well something to keep an eye on. 

Well that is it for me. Time to get back to work. It is going to be a LONG day.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!



And thanks Margo for the confirmation of the date for Underground Railroad.
Helen Anne - you should aim for completion of ONE quilt. But then who am I to talk!!!!