A sign of good organization - everything in its place

LOL --- you are so right! Facebook seems to be the worst for getting you in an algorithm loop! Just keep on deleting! But now I'm hooked on Sean The Sheepman, so if you get sheep reels - it's because of me. Sorry! 

It's also a shame how many popular videos are hijacked by someone with a similar name so they can get the likes and the money! For instance, someone has hijacked Sean's Instagram page and called themselves sean the sheepman. What's the difference? No capital letters and no watermark on the video. Beware, and don't feed the scammers!!

I noticed something peculiar when I sat down at the computer this morning. My monitor sits on a hinged stand, and the stand is the computer. There is no big box. And the hinge that attaches the monitor to the stand is tired! The monitor won't stay in place. I've had this computer for many years, and I guess it eventually wore out. I will not replace it because of a tired hinge, but I may want to prop the monitor up slightly. 

All three presentations for yesterday went off without a hitch! Everything was as prepped as it could be. OK - so I didn't have time to make any blocks for Dear Jen, but I went through all the homework. I sometimes do that when pressed for time. I know how to piece them - I don't have to make them. But I do want to, but that won't happen until April when the chaos of my calendar is gone. 

The three presentations for today are done despite the stragglers who sent pictures late last night! 

The big question of the day is: Did those cushions and pillow shams get done? Wait, and you'll see. 

As soon as I was done with Zoom, I hopped in the car to get those invisible zippers. But since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped at two places to find a longer cable to connect my video camera to my switch box. I couldn't even look online since I didn't know the one connector. AHA - the helpful people at the camera shop informed me that it was a MINI-HDMI, and the other end was HDMI, which I knew. I should know that - DATA is what you need for a video stream. 

They did not have the cable at the camera shop, but Best Buy had it. And it was in the CAMERA section, not the computer section. I had to ask, but someone helped me, and everything was good. This one is 8 feet, giving me more flexibility in positioning the cameras. 

Mini HDMI to HDMI cable

When I stopped at Fabricland for the zippers, I ran into two staff members I knew, so I had to chat! Something caught my eye when I reached the cash register with my zippers and matching thread. The lady showed me where they were, and I bought one. Shoot, there were two colors: flesh tone and black. I wanted black, but none were left. What does it look like? 

The rolled-up mat

It's a mat to put under your sewing machine. The bottom has a rubber surface to prevent the machine from moving. My machines are big and heavy and don't travel, but this mat looks nice. 

A sewing machine mat

When I was prepping my work this morning, I had to clean off the two sewing machine work tables. They were a mess, and I couldn't do anything. I needed to get the serger up, and hey - this mat would be perfect for the serger. 

Clean work tables!

The serger fit beautifully on it. It was nice to have my open space back! Don't those machines look fantastic? They match in color and style. 

Matching serger and sewing/embroidery machine

See how the serger fits perfectly on the mat. 

The mat is perfect for the serger

Even better, the colors match!!! 

The colors match!

The other fabulous thing was that everything I wanted was in its place and organized in a plastic bag. That means I'm doing something right, and things will be even better once my time crunch is over. All the samples and other stuff will get put away. 

When I wanted my invisible zipper foot, I went to the drawer of presser feet. All the zipper feet are in a plastic bag. 

Bag of zipper feet

When I wanted my needles to weave in the serger seam ends, I found them in a plastic bag with the serger supplies. 

The needles for weaving threads

When I needed the corner template for making cushions, the template was in a labeled plastic bag on the pegboard. 

The template for the cushion corners

That made my life much less stressful this morning as I worked on my projects. The key to that is to put things away when you are done. WAIT - first, everything needs a home, and then you can put it away. I've done a decent job; this morning was proof of all my hard work. 

Oh - I should mention something about my schedule. It's not so much the chaos of all the events. It's more when I have a project hanging over my head with a deadline that makes my brain shut down. The decorator is coming to pick up these items today, and that pressure just shuts my brain down and often prevents me from working, which doesn't help the situation. The same happens when I have a writing deadline. That can put me in a funk, and I can't do anything else because the task is hanging over me. It's so weird - if I were to focus and do the project, I'd get along better with everything else! I'm trying!

Let's talk about pillow shams. It was a beautiful day, and I took advantage of the open space in Studio U to cut the pillow shams there. The front of them is quilted like a quilt. I quilted extra fabric so it would all be done once. 

Cutting the pillow shams

Of course, I had a helper, and she wanted to watch out the window. Oh boy --- I'm sure some neighbors got a chuckle from that view! 

MOM - the view up here is excellent! 

While I was on a roll, I cut the fabric for the accent cushions as well. I wanted to get that done before it got too dark, as the lighting in that room isn't the best. 

Cutting the accent cushions

Once they were cut, I was done! I just couldn't face the sewing machine or the serger. So, I got the presentations ready. 

This morning, bright and early, I was in Studio B and hemmed the back of the two pieces for the pillow shams. 

The pillow sham is ready to serge together

Then they were serged, turned inside out, corners poked out as best I could, and pressed. 

The completed pillow sham

It's hard to see in this photo, but a 3" flange is stitched on all sides. Both pillow shams are DONE!!!

The flange

Then, it was onto the accent cushions. After trimming off the corners to prevent dog ears, it was time to put in the invisible zipper. I know how to do it; I've done several but had a mental block. But there was no time to dwell on it, so I forged ahead, and those zippers went in like a duck to water. 

Sewing in the invisible zipper

The first side is always easy - the second one requires more care, so the two pieces are the same length. Mission accomplished. 

Invisible zipper 

One of the cushions is completely done. The second one needs serging on three sides, turning inside out, and pressing. I could have completed it, but I was getting hungry and had already worked for a couple of hours, so I'll get it done before the Zooms or right after the second one this morning. There's nothing like leaving it until the last minute! The third Zoom is later this afternoon, so I have some breathing room.

The accent pillow

They turned out pretty OK. A touch smaller than requested, but the pillows are not that puffy, so I'm sure it will be OK. I'd rather a tight fitting cover, than one that's floppy. 

And how does this happen? 

Where's my slipper?

As I shut the machines off and was ready to come upstairs, I realized I only had one slipper. And it was the right foot. What happened to the left foot? I couldn't find it downstairs. When I came up, I found it at the bottom of the stairs to go to the second floor. I had made a trip up there, obviously with one slipper, and took it off (too dangerous on the stairs), and good grief - when I came back, I left it there. 

All this happens without my even thinking. I never know where those slippers will be. It's a good thing neither of our girls is a chewer! 

What a whirlwind day! But things are getting done. I still have a few emails to send out as follow-ups and many emails to prepare for this week. That's the job for this afternoon, in addition to embroidering some samples I need tomorrow. Yes -- the merry-go-round just keeps getting faster! 

There are more classes to prep for this coming weekend. There's also a virtual retreat because I'm away the weekend, so I would usually host it. That weekend away has put a considerable money wrench in my calendar, which is why many things got shifted around this month. But all is good!

I don't know what's wrong with the girls, but they've been asking to go out for the last hour. We had a lot of snow last night (one more thing to do today - shovel!), and I think they want to go and play!!!

On that note, I''m out of here!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!