Just say NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These days it seems that I am married to the quilting machine. I have no idea how this happens. EVERY YEAR I say that come December I will be DONE and then I can leisurely work on my own stuff. BUT every year, I seem to be going full steam in December. Now part of that is my fault because I slacked off in November and then everything has to be done this month. Part needs better scheduling and some - well people just expect that I can do a quilt "like magic" for them. And I am too NICE to say NO!!!!!


Well - this is the LAST TIME!!!!!   I'm making a schedule, keeping that schedule and any customer who tries to mess up that schedule will have to pay the price!!!!!!!!!   So far "I" am the biggest culprit in this situation so I can't yell at anyone but myself!!!!    (this year!!!)


But I am making good progress so I am not worried. Everything that has to be done before Christmas for the customers will be done very soon. The rest can wait a bit while I try to get my stuff done for Christmas.

Customer quilt number one

Detail of quilting 

I absolutely LOVE this quilt and so want to make one of these. Hmmmm - I thought I said that the other day!!!!    This one is on my radar screen, but I was going to make it bigger, but now that I seen the small spider webs - I 'm liking the smaller size!!!

Customer quilt - Number two

Detail of quilting

Got to remember to iron them differently because there is quite a lump in the center of these blocks which made it a bit of a challenge to quilt.

The top is FINALLY DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Got to piece the backing and make the binding, but that will have to wait for another day. 

Here is my company while I quilted. Yes - there is a dog hidden way in the back!!!!    Sparky loves when we cover her up and will sleep the afternoon away all snuggled up in her quilt!!!!!

Mary and I made our annual trek to The One of a Kind Show last night. Oh boy - I could have spent a LOT of money. There were so many neat things - it was hard to choose what exactly I wanted. Thanks to Margo - we tasted the vinegars and OH BOY - they were amazing. Some of the chocolate, jams and jellies - YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Beautiful paintings, collages, iron work, textiles, clothing and jewelry. There was a bit of everything!!!!!

It really is a super show to go to. I picked up a number of cards and THIS YEAR, I intend to check out their web sites and put the items on my list of things to purchase. I see the same things year after year and keep saying - I should buy that. But I could make it - then I don't and in the case of this one item - come spring - I REALLY wish I had purchased the item. This year - I BOUGHT the item. And what is it????

A wire ball that you can put suet in for the birds in winter OR put bits of yarn in for the spring when they are making nests. I just thought this was such a neat idea and I could envision several of them hanging from the trees in the backyard. But I got ONE!!!!!!

We saw this fabulous artist - she is new to the show this year.   She had this amazing series of snowman paintings and all have stories that come with including the snowman who was building his wife!!!!   (It's at the bottom of the main web page)  They were very cute. I didn't see my favourite on her website, but she probably hasn't had time to put them all up. Anyway - I would take ANY of her stuff and she lives VERY close to me so people (hey family!!) could go and pick up one of the paintings!!!!   I especially like the long skinny horizontal winter one!!!!)

Brianna's Artwork


The other artist that I LOVE and I see her every year, but just do not want to cough up the big bucks. Anyway - have a look at her web site..............


SAVARIA

My favourite with Josee is the Seascape pieces. They are bright and remind me of patchwork!!!!   I would take ANY of them from the Seascape series!!!




Well - I had quite the EYE OPENER this morning. You know I started to organize THE shelf. Well I started to make a list of things that I promised to make for other people, bought a kit to make for them or whatever. Bottom line - these are NOT MY QUILTS.   ACK ACK ACK!!!!!    I was trying to jam it on ONE shelf, but I am going to need TWO shelves to put it on!!!!!!!!!!!!     And there are about TWENTY FIVE ITEMS!!!!!    (so far)   Oh dear - what have I done to myself??????     The shelves are not completely together or I would take a picture. That HAS to be a focus this year. It just has to - I want all of that GONE by the end of the year. Now some of it is easy to do so it is a question of picking a project and working on it.   FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think there are now SIX projects in the retreat box - these are cut, marked and ready to sew projects. And there is still a ton of other stuff on the rest of the shelf, on the tables, or on the floor in storage. This is a mind blowing situation, but at least by identifying it and committing to myself to do something about it - that is the only way that I am going to actually make a dent in it!!!!!

I was thinking of what classes I could teach in the new year and I am thinking - NO - we need some sewing days and LOTS OF THEM.   I am going to book retreat days for MYSELF and I may need help from you (god - I might have to PAY someone to sew with me so I keep myself motivated!!!!)   So I am thinking there will be VERY LIMITED CLASSES in 2014 - but LOADS of UFO days. And from what I hear from everyone - that is more practical anyway!!!!!!!!!!!


On that note - it is time to get the next quilt loaded. And it is HUGE.


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



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I hope that everyone is starting to get an idea of what direction they are going to take next year??????   There isn't a lot of time left. If you are still having trouble - ask yourself this question "If I got PROJECT X done, I would feel amazing, relieved or whatever"   I don't care if you pick one item - but PICK SOMETHING.