Back on track?

I should be very careful about what I say - I don't want to jinx anything. While I'm back to work, I'm NOT on track - not yet!

But yesterday was a good day. Heck - there aren't many days that aren't good. You know how it is - there are those half full people like myself. Even if something is wrong, I try to find the silver lining. I just suck it up (OK - so I do vent from time to time!) but for the most part, I try to be positive. But boy oh boy - there are a few Debbie Downers in the world. They get something for free - there's a problem. They look at the world with DARK glasses on. They carry the woes of the world on their shoulders when no one asked them to!  I couldn't do that - I'd be in a severe depression before I could open my eyes in the morning.

Anyway - enough of that philosophical musings - let's get on with the day!

I was busy all day, but still had time to walk to the mall - that's a wee bit further to walk than the library. I hit Indigo to see if there was anything exciting. Nope! On to the mall to get some tea from David's for my tea press. AHA - the kind of tea that I wanted is 50% off. Now that's a good day. Thankfully it was 50% off. Tea is NOT cheap.

And I hit the post office and mailed something to the west coast and that's all I'm going to say about that. I love sending care packages but don't send them often enough. The darn thing cost me TWENTY dollars to send. Granted it was a wee bit heavy but still. Anyway - it's gone. I still have one more care package I want to put together so I guess I had better get myself organized and get it out the door.

I even had time to finish my book yesterday so now I have two reasons to walk to the library today. I can return my book and copy some more files from CD to my USB. Gosh - I'm a crazy one for sure.

I had a number of errands to do and was waffling between driving or walking. I could also have taken my bike. I even opened the car door and then thought - for god's sake - get your feet in gear and walk. So I did! I was close to 14,000 steps yesterday. I think it's the outdoor time that really gets me in a good mood. If I stay in the house all day - I'm cranky (sometimes). And thankfully this knotted muscle in my butt is getting better each day. Still hurts like heck, but it's better.

Yes - I was sitting at the computer for a couple of hours in the morning to get dratted paperwork done. But I made good progress and even did some filing. OH my - does that mean the end of this mess is in sight? Well, it is, but it's a long ways away. I'll get there. But of course, I now have a few things to do today that came in yesterday. All this administration!  And TWO more quilts got picked up by the magazines. It seems that as fast as I can get the finished quilts out the door, they request more. I'm OK with that. While I love to make the quilts, I do love the design process as well. Especially if it means working within a very specific parameter - like do something with a pre-cut. Sometimes - it's a theme. I've got a bunch more designs that I have to come up with and submit.

I did manage to get some quality time in the studio as well and this is what got done.

I went through the tin of binding and selected a bunch of "solid looking" bindings. They got joined together.

Scrappy binding

The joins were pressed flat and the whole thing was wound up into my figure 8. That a HUGE roll of binding, but then it's for THREE quilts.

Binding for THREE quilts

I don't think I made a dent in the binding tin, but at least the lid fits on properly. Anyone want to make some scrappy bindings?

Binding tin is still full

I managed to make the four missing corner blocks. If I counted correctly there are now enough blocks to make the third quilt.

Four corner blocks for the scrappy quilt

This one is up on the design wall and ready to sew at tomorrow's Sit n Sew. 

Quilt blocks on the design wall ready to sew

 BUT the best news of yesterday? I fired up the long arm and the computer to see what would happen. The DAMN thing didn't hiccup once. I mean seriously?????   I was starting to doubt myself - maybe I was the cause of the whole issue?  I don't know, but it's a pain because I don't think I did anything differently. The machine covers are still hanging off the machine or held in place with string. I'm afraid to put them back on, but I might attach one of them today, then another tomorrow and the last one after that.

It disturbs me greatly that it's working and I don't know why. Will it fail again and if so when? In the middle of a quilt? Trust me, I watched this one like a hawk - and that's how I could finish my book. I stood by the machine and kept one eye on the stitching and one eye on the book!

So this is my quilt that got done. Not that I didn't want to put a customer quilt on the machine. Trust me - I did, but I didn't want to have issues in the middle of it. Everything worked perfectly.

My quilt - DONE

 Because this customer quilt was little and the customer had asked if she could have it to take with her on vacation so she could bind it, I threw that one on as well. Again - everything was perfect.

Customer quilt - DONE

 There is some question of a couple of wires (attached to the computer) that can't handle ANY friction (just found that out on Tuesday this past week). It's very possible that one of them was dragging on something. I didn't attach the small clip that holds them in place very well and one wire does keep falling. I need to walk to the hardware store and get a new clip. If it's that simple to fix, I'll - well, I'll just be happy.

As I was taking pictures this morning, I noticed this under one of the sewing machines. A pair of shoes. My shoes. This happens very frequently. And I would bet that my running shoes are parked by the chair in the living room. No wonder I end up wearing my rubber boots around the neighborhood - because I can't find a pair of shoes because they are all over the house.

So that's where those shoes are

Anyway - what can I say. Life is good, but then life is only what you make of it. Since I'm not going to get a second chance, I want to have as much fun and happiness and positivity NOW as I can cram into each day!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!