I'll do it MY WAY!!!!

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who believes that if you fill your retirement with busyness, it's not right! WAIT --- I get it -- it's your retirement, and you can do whatever makes you happy, but why would you want to be filling the days with running around and not have time for spontaneous stuff? Nope --- I will not let that happen to me. 

And I stand corrected, the movie with the book communication is called Interstellar! Thanks for the correction!

Speaking of free time, I sometimes have to double-check my calendar to make sure I don't end up rushing to get something done! Yep -- it's been so full, with always something that needed to be done, that I struggle to realize I'm free! Or much freer than I was, and trust me, I do NOT want to go back. 

I read yesterday, took a walk, and then had a long nap, yet still got my planned work done for the day. That is a huge luxury!

I pulled out all the threads I'll use for the Cherrywood Challenge, and I got all the appliqué stitching done, though I might redo some of it today. I'm not 100% happy with it; some parts look a bit clunky, so I might redo it with a different thread weight or a different stitching style. It's not much to rip out, so it shouldn't take much time. It's something I can do during Monday Sewing. 

Threads for the Cherrywood Challenge

Then I have the next step to do today, which, again, shouldn't take too long and fits within today's workload. I must remember to get to work on my UFO stuff as well. 

Now that we've had our reveals over the weekend, I can share some of the stuff I've been working on. I set myself four goals on the Visual To-Do list for the Many Blocks class. Well, it's not really a class; it's like a UFO group. I have completed Farm Girl Vintage and Vintage Christmas so far this year, and I have even stitched the labels in place. I sort of double-dipped and used these as UFO projects as well. I don't care - they are done! 

Farm Girl Vintage - DONE

 Both of these were taught as a sew-along in recent years. 

Vintage Christmas - DONE

The third quilt on my list in the Many Blocks is Dear Jen, which I taught a couple of years ago. Now, Dear Jen is one of the few quilts (of the 80 in total) I taught this way that didn't make me happy. I don't know if it was the pattern, the style, or the coloring, but for whatever reason, I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Others felt the same about the quilt, and I kept teaching the class. A few students did all or most of the blocks, but many made the quilt smaller. 

I didn't want to have a UFO hanging over my head, so I decided to make the quilt smaller. In total, I made 25 blocks that I was happy with. I added a frame to each block in alternating black and white. The initial frame was wider than this; I have now cut it down, and the top is almost together. 

My smaller than the original Dear Jen quilt

I like the quilt, but the other blocks just weren't cutting it for me. So it will get quilted, and I'll have another quilt to use as a machine cover in Studio B. 

Here are the rejects! I tried making the quilt with a black background, but it still didn't grab me, so I will use the blocks as the backing. 

The reject blocks will make the backing.

And then I can cross that one off my list. The point is -- if something doesn't grab you and you are not enjoying it, then STOP - think how you can use the blocks that you've already made and move on! I did, and I am NOT going to regret my decision. That is part of learning—know when to throw in the towel. Not everything we do is going to work out! 

This is going to be the LAST SAMPLER quilt I ever take on. I've done quite a few, and I'm done with that style of quilt!

When that is done, there is one more quilt in that category, but I suspect it'll take me until the end of the year to finish it. So all is good! 

You know that Dede and I have been working on our Terrifying Tower - the 3D machine embroidery project from OESD. Well, we got together last week to do the final bit - the assembly!

You should have heard us - we were like two kids playing with toys. I'm sure DH was rolling his eyes!!

But seriously, after a bit of sewing and then some hammering as we punched out holes and cut slits, we started. And we had only made the porch and were totally in awe of its cuteness. 

The porch to the Terrifying Tower

It's three stories high, and so we continued. We learned a lot and had to use various tools to assemble the pieces, but oh my - we couldn't stop admiring it as we built!

Here are the two houses from the front. While we used the same black vinyl, we chose different greens and purples, and our thread colors were slightly different as well. 

The front of the houses

YES -- there is a small balcony on the roof of the first level. 

One side of the houses

Some of the windows have "broken" glass, and others are draped in spiderwebs. 

The backs

The other side

But seriously --- that is adorable! It's about 14" high. I was going to take mine apart, but after all the work to put it together, I don't think so. So I'll wrap it in plastic to protect it from the dust and bring it out when the time is appropriate, or I could just leave it out and admire it!!

I had purchased battery-operated tea lights, which make it look super cute!

The houses lit up at night!

I even had time to deal with more digital files. I know - it's going to take forever to get that done, but the more I do, the better I feel, and it's just making me happy. I had to search for a file I'd recently written and saved. Where the heck did I put it? So there are still lots of decisions to make before it's all done. And yes - DELETE is my favorite tool these days. 

What I'm enjoying is looking back and seeing some of the fun things I did. OK - some of them might not have been fun. But I found documentation on the quilt shows that I was part of the organizing team. That show was in 2013 or thereabouts. All that documentation is now gone! 

And I stumbled upon this! 

The logo for Quilter's Quest!

There are a few people around who may remember what this is all about. But in May 2010, a (then) friend and I organized a road rally for our Monday Sewing group. YES -- the same Monday Sewing group that I still run, although almost everyone on the original list has passed, or they are no longer part of my circle! I am NOT going there - it was a messy divorce! 

That road rally was so much fun and brought back some pretty wild memories. I must have blogged about it. Let me see if I can find that. FOUND IT!!! Check this out -- it was a fantastic day!

While I am no longer friends with the person who helped me organize it (not my fault), we had a blast, and it involved finding a castle, interrupting a Mennonite church service, and many other shenanigans!!

So—yes, I could have deleted that folder, since I knew what was in it, but the memory from opening the files—priceless and well worth it. That is why delete is a good tool, but NOT until I do it MY WAY!!!

While it is a lot of work to go through all those files, I'm thrilled. That methodical process makes my brain extremely happy, and I could sit at the computer and do that for hours. Good thing, since I forecast many hours spent sorting files. 

To give you a sense of the mess, here are the stats from my folder titled "Embroidery Designs to Sort."

Look at the SIZE of that folder and look at the number of files!! That is OBSCENE, and it will be interesting to see how many of those are no longer needed. 

I still need to move files between the three hard disks, but I should probably stop and focus on cleaning out this folder, as it's my goal for 2026. But I'll check how many more high-level folders I need to deal with, and I may continue sorting the stuff among the three external hard drives, or I may just stop for now and get into the machine embroidery files. A decision for later today. 

What I am loving is that as a semi-retired person, I have the time to do that at my leisure! I never had time before, which is probably why it's in such a mess. Do you know how luxurious that is? The freedom to finally do the things that I want to do? 

And the ability to travel without having to rejig my entire calendar? Oh yes—NEVER again will I overbook myself. I'm free!!!!!

OK -- enough about that, as I need to get myself to spin class. 

And TOMORROW, it's supposed to be plus ONE!!! What do you think? Will it happen? It's still cold this morning, but two degrees warmer than it was this time yesterday! 

Have a fabulous day!!!!

Ciao!!!

Washing the house!

It's good to hear from all of you, and I hear you about not knowing what the spring/summer will bring for those who are lacking in moisture this winter. I grew up in the prairies in Saskatchewan, and that winter snow was essential for growing crops! Fingers crossed that any further snow that wishes to fall will fall in your area, not ours! I'm done with shoveling! 

Although the anal part of me was out with a shovel yesterday, tidying up parts of the driveway. I know -- I must look crazy, but I hate when the snow encroaches on the sidewalk, and I hadn't cleared the entire patio area of the front step. As we get some melt from the glorious sun, I'll be out there to continue my quest to have a super clear and dry driveway. 

What amazes me is that most people don't care about that. As long as the snow is packed down. I don't get that, but then we are all different. And while snow blowers are great, they do NOT clear down to the pavement, unlike shoveling by hand. 

And NO Shirley -- those Quilts of Valour quilts are not UFOs!!! 

I cannot count! I was thinking I had to make twenty blocks, but alas, I need twenty-four! Good grief -- how does one make a mistake like that? Anyway, there are six blocks left to assemble. And this is all I can show you. 

Blue and green scraps from making blocks

Lots of green and blue scraps! Take a big piece of fabric and chop it up! That's what it looks like, and there are larger pieces of green and blue by the sewing machine! It's an unusual quilt design, but I like it, and I'll certainly use it when it's made! I can't wait to take this one off the visual "to-do" list! 

That quilt has to be my priority today, and should have been yesterday, but the sun was too enticing, so I sat in the living room with DH and the girls and read and napped for part of the afternoon! Today, even though I think we are getting sunshine again, I have no choice. I'd really like to have the top together by tonight! 

The clock is ticking, and I have all-day meetings on Monday and Tuesday! 

In preparation for our last session later this week to finish our haunted houses, I needed to rinse all of the pieces to remove the water-soluble stabilizer. I was going to be gentle about it, but then I just dunked the whole lot in a sink of hot water, and within seconds, the water-soluble stabilizer was gone. Don't worry -- I cut most of it away, so there was very little goopy stuff left in the water. 

The house pieces are almost ready to assemble

Even though this was vinyl with foam, they dried pretty quickly, and now all that's left is to punch holes and cut slots, and it's ready to assemble! If you are wondering about the piece at the front that looks unfinished, it got thrown into the water by accident. I had to redo that piece because something happened, and I abandoned it. I must find some battery tea lights before Thursday!

Well, you all know that kitchen duty is not my thing. I was making soup the other day when, for some reason, I burned the onions in my frying pan, and it was bad!! The onions were OK, but the pan was a big mess. I tried soaking it in water and soap, but it did little to help. So I asked Google what to do. 

Step one was to boil water and vinegar, which I did. 

Boiling water and vinegar

And then you add baking soda. Oh my --- I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of that chemical reaction, but it was neat to see. Here's a little bit of the action that was left when I could grab my camera!

The remainder of the chemical reaction

So that did remove some of the burnt marks, but not all. So the pan has sat with a paste of baking soda and water, and I'll see what happens. The worst case is that I need to buy a new pan. I'm sure it will be fine the way it is. GASP --- I really don't care. My mother still uses the same cast-iron frying pan she's used forever! Over 70 years and it's fine! I do not fuss about stuff like that. 

While digging through the papers in the filing cabinet, I came across M's birth certificate and the official Statement of Birth application, which the parents must complete. I remember that day - I was at our first check-up at the doctor's, and they handed me this form. I was in so much pain from the delivery - lots of pushing and stretched/strained tendons in my pelvic area - I needed a walker to walk. It was interesting! 

Anyway, I'm sitting there with this form and trying to fill it out. All I see on it is scratch, scratch as I tried to spell M's middle name! My handwriting has always sucked!

I'm surprised that she even got a name. DH and I could NOT agree on a name. I don't know why he was so fussy! I like Mikeala, but he did not. So we eventually put together a list of 10 names each, and one by one, they got rejected. Madeline was the last name on the list. That's totally insane! And then he wanted a middle name. I wasn't going through that same business for a middle name, so I told him if he wanted her to have a middle name, he would have to pick it, and Frances it was. 

Frances means free, and since she would NEVER sleep with her arms under the blankets from day one, this was where the name came from. I think she was about one week old when I filled out that paperwork. 

It still makes me smile whenever I see it, but it's now time to pass it along to her. She will need it more than I, and especially her birth certificate. 

Good grief -- it's time to take a break from reading! I read 12 books in January! Or listened to them. I have one to finish probably later today, and then NO MORE BOOKS for a while. I have some podcasts to catch up on, and I should do that instead of picking up new books to read. The next audiobook will arrive in a few days. I do NOT need to find one to read right now!

And here is our Muirphy. She had a bone that she had gnawed on as much as she could get, but when the marrow in the middle won't stay in place, and your tongue isn't long enough, you can't get to that part. So I jammed it in there for her, and that kept her entertained for quite a while before it finally got released and she devoured the savory bit!!

Murphy entertained by her bone

By the way -- that painting over the fireplace was done by Cynthis Frenette, whom I mentioned yesterday, who had done the artwork for a new jigsaw puzzle out. She painted a picture of our previous girls and included Lexi as well. That was before Murphy came along. And the trees are painted from photos of the forest!!!! She is a very cool artist!!!

The snow is compacting, so the girls have made a few more trails in the backyard, and should we get more snow, I will be able to wing it up over the existing banks! But we're not going to get more! Or are we? 

Anyway, I'm off to walk the girls. Good grief -- it's still cold out there. It says minus 15 with a wind chill of minus 25. But seriously -- if you are dressed, it's fine. I wear my fleece-lined jeans, with wool socks and running shoes. Then a long sleeve shirt with a flannel shirt over that, and two thin jackets, with a scarf and two pairs of mitts. Plus the toque! It seems to take forever to get dressed, but I'm toasty warm the entire walk. If I get hot, I can open one jacket! 

Well, I'm off. Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Who let the dogs out?

Good grief -- I don't think I'm going to have issues completing my 2026 Conquerer goal. Wait -- I didn't say that out loud—I don't want to jinx myself. But it's super easy to fit 10K a day into my schedule. It's the extra 2K per day that I scheduled last year that was challenging. But then I have vacations, and work days, and I won't always be able to get in that many steps. 

I chuckle because yesterday, I wasn't sure I was going to make it. I didn't really want to take a walk in the afternoon, but then realized that I needed bran muffins. Yep -- I could have baked them, but going to the grocery store was an excuse for a walk. I ended up walking over 14 KM!!

I've already got more than 1,000 steps under my belt, and it's only 6:30! AM - that is! And gosh only knows how many flights of stairs - I've been upstairs and downstairs multiple times as I dig out samples that I need to take pictures of! 

So all is good in that department. 

The day was a bit of a wild card: I was supposed to have a playdate, but it got canceled. However, we still got together for an hour to touch base. And I'm happy to report that this is the situation this morning. 

I'm done! My embroidery is DONE!

I had two sections left to embroider on my Terrifying Tower, and since I received the missing vinyl pieces yesterday, I could push ahead! I did one of the shapes last night, and finished the second one this morning. There were almost 60,000 stitches just in these two pieces. I can't imagine what the total stitch count for the tower is. OH -- just did a quick calculation - 23 pieces at 25,000 per piece equals 575,000 stitches! I'm OK with that -- I love doing it! 

The last two pieces of the Terrifying Tower

All 23 pieces for the 3-D structure are now complete! And it looks fantastic. I have to trim these last two pieces, then give everything a quick hot-water rinse to dissolve the water-soluble stabilizer. Then I'll set it aside for Dede to catch up, and then we'll get together to assemble!

While we have both looked at the other 3D houses in the Halloween Village, they are no longer on sale, and we can wait! 

I did have one moment this morning when I wasn't sure I was going to have enough of that grey thread. 

Will I have enough grey thread? 

Heck -- what was I worried about - there is plenty left on the spool! 

Plenty left!

I got two of five writing assignments out the door, and the third one is being prepped. For some parts, I have to do some work before I can take the pictures; for others, I can dig out samples to use for the pictures. Today I have to do a combination of both, but I should be able to get a third assignment out the door today. 

Remember, I'm using a glue stick to adhere those vinyl pieces to the foam. The pattern calls for a fusible to be added to the vinyl and then cut out. That's an extra step and extra cost. The glue stick works just fine! Thanks, Dede, for trying that! 

The glue stick works great to stick the vinyl to the foam

I have to chuckle because it seems only AFTER I closed down the digital cutter club that she and I (at least) are using our cutters much more and NOT being afraid to try anything! She did a fantastic job at cutting foam and vinyl on her own! Yeah us!!!!

I found another glue stick in my paper piecing box, and I also found one in a basket on the current project tables. BUT I still went to the drug store and got another one - just in case. This time, it's going to go in the office supply drawer of my desk! And yes, I returned the glue stick to the retreat toolbox. 

A larger glue stick! 

I've come to the realization, and do not laugh at me, but I need to treat my computer area like one of the three work stations in Studio B. Before I go to bed, I need to tidy up and make sure that everything but the current tasks for the next day are on that desk. DUH!!!! Why didn't that thought come to my head before now? Anyway, I have a few things that I need to deal with - just get it done! And then I'll add that tidy up to my daily routine! 

I had a USB on the desktop, and when I opened it up to see what was inside, I got this. WHAT????

A bunch of gobbledy gook

I used the tools to repair the USB, and it's empty, as I suspected it would be! That's so weird - some of those dates were for 2029!!! Last time I checked, it was 2026!

While the embroidery machine was working last night, I had some extra time, but not enough to turn on another sewing machine. So I tackled this instead. 

These are the Dear Jen blocks I made from the class I taught a while back. I had added a large (1½") frame to the blocks, and I didn't like it. So I was in the process of trimming them down to 1". I managed to get them all trimmed last night! They are now ready to sew! This is on my Visual To-Do list for 2026, so I can keep plugging away at it! But I have other things that need to happen first. 

The Dear Jen blocks are ready to sew together

While searching for samples, I found one with a label, but it's just hanging by a pin. So that needs to be hand-stitched in place. And I happened upon another quilt that I want to keep. It's bound, but doesn't have a label, so I must add that to the pile. Let's get these piddly little things done! Good grief - it's easy to just let those little things languish! 

Murphy is her usual boisterous self, and she wants to play ball all the time! I throw the ball for her from my chair, and if I'm lucky, it goes through the doorway. Then I heard her snuffling around and caught her in Lexi's bed!

MOM -- can I have Lexi's bed too?

I have no idea what she was doing, but what a silly girl! She is so needy, but if you check out the traits of a Golden Retriever, they are needy! And loud, friendly, and boisterous - that is their nature! She fits the bill to a T. 

The aftermath of Murphy in Lexi's bed

While I'm not trying to wish winter away - I love the temperature changes, but I can't wait for summer when we can open the back door. I don't know how many times in a day that we put the dogs out, and then they need to come in, and NEVER at the same time! With three adults in the house, they think they have hit the jackpot and are forever asking to be in or out! And they take advantage of us. I can put them out and bring them in. Then DH comes into the room, puts them out, and sometimes brings them back in. Then KU will enter the room, and they need to go out again! It's all a bit much! But I get bonus steps if I have to come from Studio B to let them in. 

Murphy is hanging out in the snow

Even Miss Lexi was out for a while yesterday, enjoying the weather! 

MOM - Huskies like the snow - sometimes! 

Yes, we had some snow, and I shoveled AGAIN! But the temperature was pleasant, and I was overdressed for the walk to the grocery store. It was my hands - I wore my new felted mittens, but I now realize that those are good for minus 10 and below, not the minus 4 we had! When I got home from the store, I was sweating like mad! 

I subscribe to a free service that lists the real estate activity in my area. I like to check out the houses for sale - not because I want to buy or sell, but to check out the interior. What are people doing with their baths or kitchens, and what about other features? Well, I have always hated the TV over the fireplace. Our TV is NOT over the fireplace, which would be awkward. If you want to watch TV, you have to look up, which isn't comfortable. And if you have a giant TV, it really stands out - that big black thing on the wall. 

But how about this? I love this concept, and if I were going to redecorate, I'd do this -- the TV doesn't stand out on that feature wall, and the fireplace is low, so the TV is at the proper height! Yes, I realize you now have an even bigger black spot, but you can't tell it's a TV. And the scale of the TV and the fireplace work so much better than putting the TV at an awkward height over a fireplace. 

A great way to display the TV

If I were a "Pin" person, I would Pin that picture. But I'll remember it. It's unlikely we will change our fireplace, so I don't really have to worry. 

Oh gosh -- I think I'll have to shovel again today, but these sessions are quick -- less than 20 minutes. Still important to keep that snow out of the driveway so that if we get sun and then cold, it doesn't become a skating rink. Something that many of my neighbors do not understand, but then it's their driveway - they can do what they want. 

And on that note, I'm out of here. There is loads to do today, and I need to get started!! Plus - it's time to let the dogs out! 

Have a wonderful day!

Ciao!

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!!!