OWN it NOW!!!

While I might be inspiring you, you are inspiring me, too! I hear your words of encouragement in my head when I want to quit. And then I think about how fun it will be to share the finish with you the next day, which keeps me going. 

I think starting the blog, almost TWENTY years ago, was a very good thing. They say journaling is therapeutic, and I believe it. It just took me a bit of time to get myself organized so that I knew how to deal with the physical and mental mess around me! 

But if you're not a writer, the same thing can be done with lists, whether they are handwritten or on the computer. Use a calendar, a book, a piece of paper - it doesn't matter - you have to find something that works for you! However, you decide what works best for you. I've tried multiple ways and have finally settled on a bit of visual and written content to get me organized! On Sunday, I write a list of things I would like completed in Studio B by the end of the week. I think I put 21 things on that list this week, so three per day. Oops - I forgot to check the list this morning, but I'm working away at it. I'm not sure I'll get everything done, but I would sure like to!! The most important thing is that I have goals for the week. There is NO time to even consider starting a new project. 

I know I promised photos for Colour My World, but it's going to have to wait another day. There is too much stuff happening. 

These three little wall hangings were in the UFO blue bucket for January, and I managed to finish two of them for the UFO Club date. Now all three are complete! They are about 10 inches high, and each was quilted and bound differently. Why just make something when it can become a sample! 

These were started when the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 was released to showcase the huge appliqué lettering built into that machine. Many people spelled out EPIC 3, but seriously? What will I ever do with that? So I chose three letters that I could switch up that would mean something to me. 

Won -- because that's what's happening in my life. I have WON the decluttering battle - well, I'm well on my way to winning that one. 

Version One

Whatever you do, you need to own the problem. 

Version Two

Lastly, do it NOW - don't wait!!

Version Three

I'm pretty happy with them and so glad they are now done! And more fun than EPIC 3. Thank goodness I'm a freelance educator; otherwise, I'd be in trouble having to write the letters expected of me. I handstitched the binding on that pink one, and I must have jabbed the needle into the side of my thumb because it hurts! A good reason not to spend a lot of time on handwork!

I got my Conqueror medal for 2025. This was the one where I had set a very aggressive goal of 4,400 km for the year, and had to scale it back to 3,660. You know what? I have zero issues with that. I dare you to say that I don't deserve that medal! 

However, the company sews the strap with a twist, so it loops better around your neck. I have no idea, but since I will never wear these medals, that twist must be dealt with. So I unpicked the stitches and sewed it back the way I wanted. 

Got to unpick this! 

And then I was able to hang it up with all the other medals. Actually, there are about five more to add to this, but the straps need to be fixed! I know -- do it NOW!!!! Fixing that strap was on this week's list, and it took mere minutes to change. The items do not need to be huge, but they need to have a purpose. 

Some of my Conqueror medals

Here's a close-up of the 2025 Conqueror medal. It's hard to believe that I've participated for six years in a row. My annual medals are on the right, while the special ones are on theleft. 

The 2025 Conqueror Medal

Oh gosh -- before I continue this morning, I have to share this story. When I met DH, we both worked for the same company; he was in sales, and I was in marketing/accounting. At some point, I switched to sales and loved it. But how many times did I hear him ask me, "Are you earning money with that task?" I guess I spent a lot of time doing things that weren't taking me toward my goal, which was making quota and earning commissions. He's a bit more focused on money than I am! 

But that is still my problem today. I'm happy to do the niggly little clean-up jobs that really don't take me to the end game - at least not immediately, but I find I need those little jobs to steady myself, and to learn patience and perseverance. Money - be damned!

It was time to clear out the scrap box on the cutting table, and so another pet mat was made. It was easy to whip the cover off the serger, plug it in, and then sew up the end. Then the serger was unplugged, and the cover went back on. Easy peasy! Yep- the pet mat was on the list!

One pet mat - DONE

I need to get myself busy and start taking pictures and videos, so I put up my backdrop! I LOVE that setup, and it took only a few minutes to set it up!! It looks so weird in the space, but I'm OK with that. Depending on how the pictures turn out, I may need a second one, so we'll see how that goes. But don't you just love it when an easy solution is found? 

The back side of my backdrop

For the jacket class, I'm working on a sweatshirt jacket and starting with the sleeves. Then I have to embellish the back and front, and add length to the sleeves and the body, since the ribbing has been removed. The first sleeve is done. I used chenille yarn and the three-hole yarn foot to couch the chenille in place. I LOVE that technique and could couch chenille on everything! 

But when I removed the second sleeve from the sweatshirt, I was puzzled. Why does it look like I have two left sleeves? I was tired last night, so I may have made a mistake. I'll have a look at it later today. YES -- getting the sleeves done is on the list! 

The sleeves for my sweatshirt jacket

In March of 2024, Dede and I decided to work on the Terrifying Tower - a 3D machine embroidery project. Wait a minute - let me rephrase that. Dede wanted to do the project and asked if I wanted to join her. Well, I didn't want to be left out, and I "knew" it would be a great learning experience, so I agreed. We did a prototype in March 2024, and there it sat until just before Christmas 2025, when we spent one day cutting the foam, another day cutting the vinyl, and a third day actually starting to stitch the files. 

Well, I goofed on one piece by not cutting the reverse of it - DUH! And my embroidery machine wasn't happy with one of the designs (still no idea why), so I had a few pieces that needed to be recut. 

I opened the Brother Scan and Cut, which is sitting on the table and ready to use. I managed to cut the required foam piece. Even after using the rolling pin to compress the foam, the cutter still wasn't happy and stopped about 4 times, saying the material I was trying to cut was too thick. And my response was, "I don't care - cut the stuff!" I pressed START one more time, and this time it worked. I'll show you who is the boss!! 

Cutting one last piece of foam for the 3-D tower

Then I had to cut one piece of green and two pieces of purple vinyl. Dede has the black vinyl and will be bringing the missing three pieces for me when she comes tomorrow. I don't know what was happening to me, but I was tired or something, and anyway, it was down to the wire (after two silly miscuts) that I had this small piece of purple vinyl left. OH MY—could I fit my shape onto it? OH YES -- since I now know the fine-tune move tools, I managed to get that piece to fit the vinyl's position on the mat. 

Fine-tuning the position on the screen

And voila - the shape was cut!!!! I refuse to take no for an answer. I did struggle a little bit because I needed to mirror the shapes, and if there were two pieces (a wall with a window), I don't think it's possible to mirror that on the machine, so I had to open the software. Yikes!!!! How the heck do I mirror this as one piece? But I persevered, figured it out, and then transferred the design back to the Scan and Cut, cutting all the pieces I could. 

The last piece of vinyl was cut! 

I did not have someone to ask. I didn't need it. I just used that mouse, hovered over everything on the screen, and clicked menus open until I found the command. And while it's fresh in my memory, I should play with the software again so I remember how to do it next time. And there will be a next time! Dede said, " We couldn't buy another 3D design until this one was done. Hmmmm...... 

I won't worry until I have to, but this thread is getting low. I think I'm going to be OK. 

One of my threads is getting low

I'm kind of following Dede's lead on this, and we both agreed to work on the project at home, although, as mentioned, we are getting together tomorrow. Then, for the UFO Club, she sent me a picture of what she had done and said she wanted all the pieces done by the next UFO Club. YIKES!!!!! I'd better get myself organized. 

I'm using a larger hoop and can fit three or four pieces in it at once. And so at the end of the Monday Sewing session, where I babysat the embroidery machine and trimmed away threads and stabilizers, this is my status. 

The pieces for my 3D tower

There are twenty-three pieces (22 different files). I have 17 pieces complete, and two (completed) are in the hoop on the embroidery machine, with two more to finish later today. That will take me to twenty-one pieces complete, leaving two for tomorrow. I can't go ahead and do those, as I need the black vinyl that Dede is bringing. So, unless there is a significant issue, we should both be able to finish our pieces by the next UFO Club. 

I stitched out the green shapes this morning. They are all part of one section of the house (think of folding corners). It's incredible how they have constructed this, and I'll share how it goes together when we get there. The two purple shapes are the ones for this afternoon. 

My machine embroidery task for today

Since neither my vinyl nor my foam is fusible, you have to hold those shapes in place during the tack-down stitches, which I'm OK with. But Dede started a glue stick, so I tried it, and it works pretty well. You still have to hold the pieces down, but they don't move around as much. 

However, I emptied one glue stick last night. Now, where the heck are my glue sticks? I'm sure I have a small white container of glue sticks, but they were nowhere to be found. As I passed by the retreat supply bag, I remembered there was a glue stick in there. 

The retreat supply box

So that glue stick got pulled out. I MUST remember to put it back or buy a new one! Or try to find that little white box. It is NOT in with the supplies, yet I remember touching it when I was moving a bunch of things around a while back. Hmm - might be just easier to buy a new one. 

The retreat box glue stick

WOW --- what a busy day, and I was mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the day! Which is good - I want to be that way.

Oh, how I wish I could take a picture of the complete scene, but since DH was right in the middle, that won't do. But last night, while I was working downstairs, DH was watching TV. Hmmm -- I haven't heard anything about the remote lately. But Miss Lexi was sleeping in her bed on one side. 

Miss Lexi on the left

And Miss Murphy was sleeping on the other side!!! Dog bookends!!!

Miss Murphy on the right

Well, I'm off on a bit of an adventure this morning, so I'd better get myself organized for that!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!