Running out of room!

My neighborhood isn't the only one going to "hell in a handbasket" with unkempt yards. It was noted that even if they are NOT rentals, they are poorly maintained. Why? The beautiful landscaping that some of these houses had has just gone to weeds. Sigh.............   And on that note, I'd better keep after the weeds in my garden! There's a story there, but not today. 

I spent a good part of the afternoon on the phone. Long overdue phone calls were much lengthier than planned but extremely interesting. And I sat in the gazebo while on the phone. Can you guess what happened? 

Before I knew it, a certain someone who shall remain nameless was dropping her ball in the pond. She knows! And if I don't get up to get it, she barks! She is worse than a child, but how can you say no to that sweet face! 

MOM -- I don't know how it happened. The ball jumped into the pond! 

Good lord -- the coyotes are at it again this morning, but this time I'm awake! I thought I heard them faintly when I first got up, and now hearing them again, it was probably them. Let's travel the entire forest and wake up the whole neighborhood. I bet some people would throttle them! But it was short and sweet this morning. Twice in one week, and we haven't heard them (or it) for months. I did some research, and one coyote can sound like many. 

At one point during the day, I went looking for Murphy. She likes to sleep along the side of the house, and I found her way at the end of the side yard by the gate in the last patch of shade!! I let sleeping dogs lie and didn't make a sound, and she never knew I was there!

Let sleeping dogs lie!

But her antics with fetching the ball from the bushes are hilarious. I'm sorry to keep posting it -- NO, I'm not. It's hilarious, and you keep thinking she will fall in, but she doesn't! It's our entertainment while eating. Because she NEVER fails to get the ball when we sit down to eat. 

MOM -- I CAN get the ball

So while I was quilting yesterday, I tackled the cutting table. It looks much better than it has been for a while. 

The cutting table! 

OK -- so a lot of stuff got put on the extra table that never got put away. I know -- I need a few days to get back to sewing, but that just doesn't seem to happen. I managed to get all the Barn Sampler blocks assigned for the summer cut out! So when I get a chance, I can sew those. 

Today is Monday, and I'm supposed to be cutting my brown scraps, but I'm not sure I can make that happen. While I managed some writing yesterday, those deadlines are looming, and I must finish the articles. Fortunately, the quilt for today is small. 

OH -- I found this on the table when I was cleaning. Why did I buy that brush? It was probably from a class, and someone recommended it for something, but what? Nothing comes to mind. Was it for machine embroidery? Or using a digital cutter? 

A mystery brush

And here's the quilt of the day. An unusual quilt, to say the least. It's very modern, and I used a geometric pattern on it, so I was a bit worried about keeping it straight on the long arm, but it turned out pretty good - I think the pattern was only 1/4" off on one side and I doubt anyone will notice that. 

Customer quilt - DONE

The backing was 120" wide or something like that, and the quilt was 103" wide. I'm not a fan of loading large quilts, but it loaded like a charm. You have to love when a quilt you are "dreading" works out beautifully! And I was dreading this one simply because of the size!

So the queue is diminishing, but there are still quilts! It's like my to-do list. Nothing new is added, and slow and steady items are crossed off both lists. 

I need some dedicated time at the computer, and I could make good progress on the list. But I hate when I get one thing done, and it doesn't work, requires much follow-up, or as a result of getting that done, another thing has to be done! 

Like my CrossBorderPickups account, which I tried to get into it the other day, and that didn't work. Why? I changed my password, and that didn't help. So I ended up chatting with them, and they locked my account since I hadn't been in it for a while. So that took time to reactivate it. Then I still couldn't get in. I just tried it, and I'm in! Yeah!!!!

Now I'll be able to knock a couple of other items off my list. Shoot -- I don't have time before I go to spin class, so it'll have to wait until I'm back, and then I might miss part of Monday sewing just to get things tidied up on the computer. 

Speaking of the computer, it's been running slowly, and I couldn't figure out why. I have been turning it off to try and help the situation. But I noticed this last night when I was looking for something. 

WHAT??? A red bar is never good! 

Now why is that when I don't really save anything on this computer - it's all on a separate hard disk. 

I see all my OneDrive is on this computer, but I don't think that's right - it should be on a server somewhere. I have several other questions for Microsoft, so I must call them. Grrrrr --- I hate calling them because I think some people do not know about the product. And I hate when you use the support webpage and get an answer to a question and then find out that your software doesn't have the commands they mention in the solution. HEY -- I'm supposed to have the latest version - why wouldn't I have those buttons? Sigh...................

Well, on that note, I'm out of here to get to spin class. I slept well once I fell asleep, so I suspect I will go to spin class and then return and nap! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

A walk in the dark!

It was a crazy day yesterday, as I got in touch with everyone I called, so I was on the phone the entire morning! I do NOT take calls on my cell phone any longer. If someone wants to talk to me - you must text me, and then I'll call you on my home phone. I don't trust the quality of my cell service (voice only), and I should request Bell pay me back part of the monthly service fee! However, I made good progress on some things that needed to be addressed. I also wrote a few e-mails and one set of classes for one store is decided! Yeah! 

I also have ONE more event this month, but it's a day trip from my house, so it's not a big deal. I'll be at Sew Productive (47 Mill Street East)  in Action on Saturday, July 22nd. They are a quilt shop and a Husqvarna Viking dealer, and they have expanded! Yes --- they have doubled (at least) in size and are having a "reopening" on that day. 

I'll be there doing some demos, and I can't wait! Sergers and quilting, needles and threads, circular attachment, and projects in the hoop on the embroidery machine! It will be a jam-packed day, so watch for the advertising on their Facebook page. Exciting!!!!

As a result of my phone calls, I didn't get much done in the day. However, the next quilt is half done, and I'll get the remainder done today. I got all the bindings on my samples. Wait -- that's not entirely true, The bindings are stitched to the back, which is the hard part, and I'll get them stitched to the front later today.

But not before I emptied another spool of thread! At this rate, I'll be buying thread soon! Hardly -- I have so much; it'll be a long while before I need more piecing thread. Maybe some colors for machine embroidery, but definitely NOT piecing thread. 

Another empty spool

I chuckled as I spotted this little gem on my long arm. Now where did it come from? It's dull on one side. 

A clay spiral?

And sparkly on the other. Did it come from the red/white quilt on the long arm? If so, why was it with the quilt? Another mystery in the great world of things. It's only 1/2 inch in diameter at the most. 

Sparkly, on the other

I got two boxes yesterday! This one was interesting - it's a box of shoes. 

You got mail!

I like the Hoka running shoes, so I ordered two more pair of shoes from them. I'll open them up later today and try them on. But I was most excited about the "recovery" shoe in the plastic bag. 

My latest shoe order

The podiatrist suggested I wear Birkenstocks in the house, and I thought these would be just as good. I debated the style -- between the toes or over the toes. I went for over the toes as wearing socks with them is easier. I went with a size 10; however, I think they are slightly too large. CRAP -- this is why I hate buying online. Now with socks and swollen feet, these might work, but every day? I think they are too big. 

My "too-large" recovery shoes

I was hoping to wear them yesterday, but alas, I must evaluate the situation and see how easy it is to return them. 

And I got another box as well, and this one has a quilt in it that I need to get quilted in the next couple of days. It's a very cool quilt, and I'm sure you'll want to see it, but it's a secret for the moment! 

More mail

Then something extremely unusual happened at our house. As I've mentioned, we have a new cinema that opened up near our house. Near enough for me to walk, but would DH walk? Well, he did! We saw the new Indiana Jones movie last night, and he walked! You could have floored me, and he's much slower than I am, but I didn't complain. 

There are only six screens at this cinema, in addition to a sizeable sit-down eating area and an arcade. But all the seats are cushy recliners!! It's not VIP, but why would you pay the price for VIP when you get this for HALF the price. Seriously --- if I want food, I can buy it and take it in, which is what we did. OK -- we just bought popcorn. But you can purchase alcoholic beverages at the concession stand and take them into the theatre! Yep - I'd pay half the price of VIP for that. 

Cushy seating at the theatre

The movie was great - hey, it's Indiana Jones! And when they start to play the theme song, you just want to stand up and shout - "Go Indie!" A great evening out! I did NOT stand and shout, in case you're wondering!

We even walked home at 9:30 PM when it was darker, but the air was cooling off, and it was a glorious walk. 

I have to confess that I'm obsessed (how long will it last) with digital sorting. I went through TWO more folders yesterday, and when I get looking at it, it shouldn't take too long to go through everything. OK -- so I'm going through the easy (and small folders), but still, it's exciting to see everything is tucked into the appropriate folder. All the items are not necessarily in the correct sub-folder, but when there are fewer items, it doesn't take too long. And I suspect there is a ton of duplicate stuff!

I must learn why sometimes I get "copy" versus "move," because when I only get "copy," - I MUST be diligent and delete the duplicate. That's been my problem for years. I copy something instead of moving it, and then I'm afraid to delete the original files. But no more! I deleted so much yesterday that I got a notice from OneDrive asking if everything was OK! 

Clean drives - clean mind!

On that note, I'm off to spin class. 

Then I have a ton of stuff to do - pictures to take, videos to shoot, documents to write, quilts to quilt, quilts to bind, and much more!! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Sorting and filing

 Oh shoot -- I forgot to post these other empty things from the previous day! I emptied TWO bobbins from my machine embroidery project!

Two empty bobbins

Yeah! It's always exciting when you actually use/finish up things that you have. No -- it doesn't mean I can buy more as I do not need more. I have loads of bobbin thread. 

As for that digital sorting? I'm making progress. While I'm good at creating file structures, I'm equally as bad at randomly loading files in the root directory for convenience. So, I went through my OneDrive yesterday and deleted or put those random files in the appropriate folder. 

My somewhat clear directory on OneDrive

Then I sorted two folders, renaming files or creating subfolders as needed. Many of these presentations do NOT need to be saved, but I like to keep them to review them if necessary. It'll be easy to delete the file folder at some point. 

One nicely sorted subfolder

This morning, I worked on one more. I mean, seriously -- how descriptive is a folder called "Documents" only to find pictures for blog posts, Monday sewing, embroidery files, actual documents, and much more! I need to give my head a shake and get myself better organized, and I'll do it one folder at a time. I know some folders will take time to clean up, but that's OK. The point is that it'll all be better in the long run! 

I need something to wear on my feet in the house. I could wear socks, but in the humid air, of which we've had a wee bit, my socks feel damp, so that won't work when trying to keep their feet dry. I'm not good with bare feet, so I looked in the closet and found a pair of occasions. OK -- these are NOT going to work. 

Slippery soles

The bottoms are way too slippery for my liking, and they are just an accident waiting to happen. Since they are still in pretty good shape, they are in the giveaway box! I hope to have new sandals today. I had to order them directly from the company because I couldn't find them at a local store. So -- if you have shoes or other footwear that you are NOT wearing and it's for a specific reason, then ditch them. Personally, I think ANY footwear with a slippery bottom (and yes -- all those fancy leather soles) should be banned! They are accidents waiting to happen! I will NOT wear them. 

As planned, I dug out the brown scrap box during Monday's sewing and started cutting. 

Starting to cut the brown scraps

And when I was done, this is what the boxes looked like. The one at the top of the picture is the pieces saved for the next round of scrap cutting. The middle is the cut-offs that will go into a pet mat. And the bottom one is stuff that still needs to be cut. I made progress, and that is what it's all about -- progress!! I figure a couple more Mondays, and I'll be done. I'm good with that time frame. 

My brown scrap boxes

OH -- how many pieces did I get cut? Well, there were a lot of larger pieces in this container, and I cut quite a bit in those four shapes. 

The results of my scrap-cutting session

I also found some larger triangles, which got put in the appropriate tin so I can make hourglass blocks from them. 

Large triangles got pulled

Hmm - someday, I should rejig that storage space so ALL the scrap stuff can be in one spot. It's in two places right now, but with all this processing I'm doing, and once I start to sew, it shouldn't be hard to contain it all in one spot. 

Notice how I have to backtrack on everything -- sorting digital files, sorting and cutting scraps. It's one long organization thing going on in my life, but I'm OK with that. However, it would have been much better if I had been diligent from the beginning. But you don't know what or how you work when you start something, so how do you know what will work for you? 

Thankfully, in both areas, I've been somewhat diligent, and things are more or less in the right place. It's the fine-tuning that I'm doing now. 

So I walked over to Diane's with more fabric and got finished quilt tops in return. That is a great exchange! 

Four finished quilt tops

The first photo is what I picked up the day before, and the second photo is what I picked up yesterday. There is still more to pick up! And I have a few more things to drop off. 

More community project quilts

But I got several small bags of scraps, and imagine my glee when I spotted a whole pile of BROWN scraps. 

More brown scraps!

I was debating what to do with it all, and then I thought - this is MY fabric, so I put it in the container of brown scraps that need to be cut! Yep --- I'll get it used up! 

I have a few other scraps in that bag to process, and I'll see what I can come up with. 

I didn't get a quilt quilted, but it's on the long arm. Instead, I made miles of binding and started to bind those quilting samples I made the other day. I'll be working on that today, as I need to get them finished. 

Binding

And as I walked through the park, I spotted these trumpet flower buds. They are starting to open, and the hummingbirds will be in love! 

Trumpet flowers starting to bloom

OH - so DH thinks I'm a dolt, and perhaps I am! But there are times when Smartphone apps and I do not agree. I HATE passwords with a passion - I suck at keeping them straight, which is part of the problem. But I have a Scene card that will not work when I try to sign into the app. I thought it was still linked to my old e-mail address, and well, it was a runaround, yet it seems to be collecting points. 

So I must have spent 20 minutes with it last night after dinner, and he was about rolling on the floor at my antics, BUT I think I got it working! OK -- bring on the next app! OH -- I know which one that is -- my PC Health app. These things don't work as slick as you would think they should. And it's the logins that are a pain!

I had to go to the library to pick up a book. It was so long ago that I forgot which book it was, and when I looked at my account, I was surprised (OK -- so I wasn't) to see that I was charged for a lost book. Oh crap -- I knew it was still at home, but I had ignored the notifications because I was traveling. So I returned that book but still had to pay an admin fee for the mix-up. 

Then I looked at the Lucky Day loans, which you can have for seven days. HEY -- there's a new Stephanie Plum book. OH -- it's a paperback, but it must still be new. Turns out the book was released in 2022, and I'm just seeing it now! I have seven days, but those are very quick reads, so I'm reading that. 

And then I started my new audiobook - The Golden Sppon by Jessa Maxwell. OH MY GOSH -- this book is hilarious. It's about Bakeweek, and there's a murder. If I didn't know better, it's a direct spoof on the Great British Baking Show, down to the neurotic contestants and the two hosts! It's written from the perspective of each contestant and the primary host, and each has a different voice. It's hilarious. No murder yet, but we know it's coming! I can't wait to get back to reading it today, but I have some writing to do, so not sure how much listening I'll get in! 

And on that note, I'm out of here! I've got loads to do today, and I should be addressing some e-mails and voice mail. UGH! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

A thief amongst us!

I LOVE that Adaptive Cruise Control and see I'm not alone. I bet many people do not know what it is or how to use it properly! Sigh.................  Like most things, it takes a bit of getting used to! The first couple of times I used it, I didn't trust the car, and I still keep alert for the speed of the vehicles in front of me. But it's a fantastic safety feature -- if you have it, learn how to use it! And it does a great job! 

We all know that the cost of living is increasing, and groceries are no exception. We often blame the big companies, shipping costs, or whatever. But imagine if the stores didn't have to worry about theft. What part of inflated prices has to deal with security and theft. And let's not forget the packaging -- anti-tamper proof, etc. 

On the back of a truck the other day, I saw a sign saying, "Only the driver opens the door." That is likely so only one person is responsible for the contents, and there is less potential for theft. It's also a CYA tactic - again, for theft. 

I was at the grocery store the other day shortly after the school kids were let out. Now the mall and the dollar store get swarmed by the school kids, but I never thought about the grocery store. So I was walking down one aisle, and I noticed two boys, one of which had a bag of candy in his hand. I watched him drop his backpack to the floor. He grabbed his hoodie, and in that instance, the bag of candy disappeared into the backpack. 

I couldn't help myself, so I asked him if he put that bag in his bag. He didn't look me in the eye but said NO. Then he and his friend walked to the end of the aisle. I followed them, and they were GONE. So I ran to the front of the store and saw the tail end of them as they had walked BRISKLY through the self-checkout lanes and out the door. They literally ran! The one guy had his hoodie on, and the hood was up! 

I could have confronted them if I had run to the front of the store first. I know -- why would I over a bag of candy. But it's the principal of the thing --- why should I pay higher prices, so they can steal a bag of candy. And while they know it's wrong --- innocent people do NOT run out of a grocery store, they think it's OK to do it. 

I can only hope that by my confronting them, they'll think twice before doing it again. I doubt it! How many other kids (and possibly adults) think it's OK to steal? I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I did that. 

So I have a thief a little closer to home. And we won't name any names; she knows who she is and what she did. 

I had unpacked all the bags from the car but left them in the hallway overnight. With the exception of one sewing machine, everything is downstairs, and it looks like a mess. 

After the rain stopped, I was outside for a few minutes, and Murphy (oops - I named the culprit) was running around barking. Of course, she doesn't listen and thinks everything is a game! Then she ran to the edge of the yard and grabbed something. This was NOT her decapitated bear or her ball. Something black. What has she gotten into now? I figured it was something nasty. 

So I tricked her with a cookie and went to check. OMG -- she stole my dollar store gloves! AGAIN! I had taken the inexpensive gloves with me, and they had been rolled up in a ball on top of one of the bags. The ball was a sodden mess, so they had been outside overnight. I guess on her way out the door for the before-bed pee, she pilfered the gloves to have fun with outside. That girl!!!!

My dollar store gloves -- a sodden mass

I guess I should be happy because the last time she did that, she tried to bury them! I caught her doing that, and I guess she didn't have time yet. That monkey! I will have to watch her whenever she goes out, or just be careful with gloves! She doesn't care about socks or any other item of clothing or my quilts. She just likes mitts! 

So my list of things that had to be done before I leave is getting shorter, but many things still need to be done. There isn't a minute to spare. 

Now, I'm going to say something, and I don't want anyone to criticize or say, "I told you so" (that's what my mother would say, and I HATE the phrase), and I don't want you to think that I'm overwhelmed because I'm not. Thankfully, my mental well-being is solid, and I can handle a lot. 

But I'm in over my head! I feel like I'm on a treadmill and can't get off. I have no one to blame but myself for it. Thankfully the amount of stuff to do comes in fits and spurts, so it's only sometimes. The crunch is on because of my travel for the next few weeks. The next time, it might be because of a writing deadline. So I'm in a serious mode right now to figure out how to fix the situation! I have commitments, and I will NOT back out of a commitment, but as I schedule classes and such for the next year, I will seriously think about what is important. 

Here are a couple of thoughts --- I run a fair number of clubs, and the participation in some groups is amazing. In some others, the participation is less than stellar. For those with less than stellar participation, that club will NOT happen in 2024. Sorry -- but I'm not taking the time to prep something, and then less than 10% of the class does anything to learn on their own. Nope -- so there are a couple of clubs in danger of going bye-bye. 

And I totally get it -- you are equally as busy as I am. Then we both need to do ourselves a favor and not sign up for all this stuff! It's as easy as that. And I'm looking at ways of combining some stuff (I currently have THREE separate classes on machine embroidery software), and that doesn't need to happen either! 

So that is a wake-up call to people --- the lower the participation in a club, it's likely not going to exist in 2024. And I think I need to go into my calendar RIGHT NOW and block every second Saturday off with a ME day. OK --- I just set aside TWO weekend days a month for ME!!! 

And if anyone has suggestions -- let me know. I like quilting and embroidery, but when it becomes a treadmill? It's not so much fun! And I WANT it to be fun. The problem is -- I'm not having any FUN time to sew for myself. But that's OK --- my brain has wrapped itself around that, and I'll get through, but I don't want to repeat the craziness of this year. And that's a life lesson -- learn from history and don't repeat the bad stuff! 

I don't need your sympathy or excuses or whatever --- the only thing I want is your participation.

OK --- so let's go run in the rain. We sometimes cross a puddle or two on the walk, and Lexi and I love to walk through the mess. We must have gotten a lot of rain because this puddle was HUGE. 

A mud puddle

While I didn't walk right through the middle, I did get my boots wet. WAIT A MINUTE! My boot is leaking! My foot is now wet. 

And when I got home, I realized that the entire back of the boot has a split. How and when did that happen? 

A split in the boot

Then I checked the bottom of the boots, and the heel was worn down. Yep -- time to get a new pair of rain boots. 

OH -- the heel is toast as well

OH -- one other thing about my revelation --- do NOT feel guilty if you have signed up for a class/club and are not participating. You are likely struggling with time, just like me. 

And here's the difference between a CLUB and a CLASS. For me, a class is where we are usually sewing a pattern. We do show and tell, and then I teach something. Some people like to audit for whatever reason, and I'm OK with that. If they want to "waste" their time listening to something that they have no intention of making, then let them waste their time; although they can learn from the show and tell, why can't we learn from their show and tell? 

However, a CLUB requires PARTICIPATION from everyone to be successful. A club is a sharing environment, and if people just sit back, it's not fair to me or the others in the class. We can learn from a beginner's naive questions because it helps to put the rest of the stuff in perspective and let's face it, many people think they know all the basics, and they don't. So the beginners help the more experienced to learn as well. So I'm mainly talking about the clubs!!! 

So as we continue for the remainder of the year, the clubs in question will be notified, and if participation doesn't improve - the club won't exist in 2024. 

I would rather have THREE serious students in a class than 20 people who may or may not participate. So when it comes time to think about what you what to do --- think carefully and sign up for ONE that you can participate 100% in, rather than 5 that you can't get anything done! 

Harsh? Nope -- just realistic with my time. 

Anyway -- it's time to get the day rolling. The two presentations for today are ready, and the rest of the day will be a flurry of packing and sorting. I have an early plane to catch, so there is ZERO time to waste today. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Dealing with detritus

OK -- so where has our warm weather gone? It feels like March! Rainy and cool, but that is better than snow, so we shouldn't complain, and it provides me ZERO temptation to be outside in the gazebo while I have quilts to do! 

Here's the latest customer quilt. This is the Green Tea and Sweet Beans quilt I ran as a sew-along last year, and while the colors in this quilt are NOT my choice, I love the quilt, and it makes me happy to look at it. 

Customer quilt - DONE

One minor issue with the quilt. OK -- it wasn't the quilt but the operator of the long arm. I use tape as a registration mark. No more pins, as I had a BIG issue with using a pin as a registration mark, but we won't go there. After the machine starts the row, I sometimes remove the tape if it's in the way of the stitching. You don't need to understand that -- just know there's a rogue piece of tape running around while I quilt. 

When I went to move the marker, I couldn't find the tape. Now that's not a big deal, but I'd hate to leave the tape on the quilt, and it gets stitched in place. I use green painter's tape, so it was hard to see on this quilt. 

I got a new piece of tape and was good to go, but where is the original? 

Well, I found the tape later in the day -- yep -- it was stuck on my shirt sleeve! Always something silly happening at my house! 

The missing piece of tape

Then I got the bug about the mess on the desktop. Oops -- sorry for the blurry picture, but that is what's on the desktop. It's not a lot, but still, some ugly stuff to go through, including paper, which is NOT my strong point. 

The messy desktop

I am still looking for that box of jewelry. I knew where it used to sit, and when I cleaned up another area, I moved it, but where to?? 

Anyway, I grabbed a basket of crap and sorted it. It literally is the detritus of life on that desktop. All the things that I didn't know what to do with before or just got put in with other junk. What a mess, and where does one start? 

The contents of the basket

Thankfully, I don't have many junk baskets left, but enough. And they are mainly in this office, but giant leaps and bounds in progress have been made, so I feel rather fortunate about that. There used to be boxes, baskets, and bags, but a LOT of it has been dealt with by me. 

I have a friend dealing with a hoarder, and OH MY GOSH -- I can't believe the stories she tells. The house owners definitely have some issues as they CANNOT see the junk. It is disheartening that every week when she returns, the house is WORSE than it was the week before. Rotten food on the counters, in the fridge, rats in the backyard, and they CANNOT see or understand what the problem is. Oh boy -- I told her to call the city and let them deal with the house. 

What did I find in that mess? A LONG, LONG, LONG dog lead. Why do I have that? No idea - it was from a previous dog, and I'll never use it, so it's in the giveaway box. I also found a harness for the car for Murphy. I should keep that and use it, as it's dangerous for a dog to be loose in the car. When I got hit several years ago, EVERYTHING flew in the car, even my glasses off my face, and how weightless those are. Yep --- dogs NEED to be secured in the car, just like babies! 

Dog leads and harnesses

I'll have to watch the video to see how to put it on, as I couldn't figure it out. But I'll need to get one for Lexi as well. Although they are rarely in the car, I would hate to see them hurt because I haven't secured them. They will HATE it. Your arm will NOT hold them in place, but how often do we do that -- we stick out our arm if we have to brake quickly! You don't have time in an accident, and you'll break your arm if you do that! 

Speaking of Murphy, she has become a stick dog! She loves sticks but has never picked them up in the forest; now, it's her thing. The minute we enter, she looks for a stick. I had to laugh as we started with a small one, then graduated to a larger one (this one), and she dropped it by a log. Ah, Murphy -- that is not going to work. Then she got bored of carrying sticks and carried on, scouring for squirrels. 

MOM -- I got a big stick! 

And the trilliums are almost in bloom! Maybe today or tomorrow. 

The trilliums are almost in bloom

Back to the junk basket - what else did I find? Oh god --- a card from Black's so I could print photos. I know there was money on that card, but they no longer exist. I think I can toss that and say goodbye to the money on the card. WAIT A MINUTE  - I just checked, and they have an online store. Maybe I'll rescue that card and get some photos printed. Will they accept the card? If they do -- maybe they print photo books or posters? 

More junk

But seriously -- who prints photos these days? I haven't printed a picture in years! I also found two journals with to-do lists in them. I am notorious for starting lists in a journal, and then it gets abandoned. Now why is that? 

I tried very hard NOT to just move something to a new location. Well, put it back on the desktop to deal with another day. I tried very hard to deal with everything. This is what still sits on the table. 

Stuff still to deal with

Yes, there is a medal from a half-marathon. I did NOT run the marathon, but I volunteered (as I have for many years!) and got the chance to take a medal at the end. Why? I've decided to keep the ribbon to go with the other volunteer stuff from which I want to make a memory quilt, and the medal goes. 

I did not do too badly, but there are a few things I've no idea what to do with, and they might get put back on the desktop, and I'll have to deal with it another day. It's stuff I want to keep -- I'm just not sure where to put it yet. 

I did not get to the dollar store for more tubs for the thread. Nope -- I remembered that I have some blue tubs in my storage area, so I dug those out. They are PERFECT, and they were FREE. I have three of them -- one for each of the 12, 30, and 40-weight threads. No time yesterday to sort it, so that will have to wait a bit. 

Tubs for the thread

You know what they say -- it will get messy while tidying and sorting before it gets clean, and that's what Studio B looks like right now. It's a disaster, but I'm OK with that. 

I had to take the car to PetsMart to get dog food for Murphy, and I spotted this at the same time another customer did. We both chuckled at it and wondered why this was specifically for dogs. I think it's the material it was made of -- it's pretty durable, so their nails don't puncture it. Good thing Murphy wasn't with me as she would have thrown a tantrum wanting it for the pond! It would be great if you were a canoeist -- you could tow it behind the canoe so the dog wouldn't have to swim! 

A raft for dogs

It's incredible how much stuff there is for camping/hiking with your dog. The big question is -- if you're hiking -- who gets to carry the dog's "air-cooled" blanket? Oh, that's why you buy the wagon! Well, not if you're hiking. My dogs would have no issue sleeping on the ground - even Lexi! She loves to sleep in the dirt and hay under the shed in the backyard. 

I spotted this giant fat snail on the sidewalk as we left the restaurant last night. Hopefully, no one squished him!

A giant fat snail! 

Two presentations this morning, and I'm mostly ready for both. The next quilt is loaded on the long arm, and I have something I want to embroider, so it will be a jam-packed day!

Remember that we have the Virtual Retreat tonight and tomorrow! I can't wait to see everyone!!! Be sure to stop by and say HI -- you don't have to stay, but you'll want to! 

Saturday, April 29 Starting at 6 PM. 

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89254233911?pwd=VGQrTnFybW1HMWpleHA4M2Q2NGVwZz09 Meeting ID: 892 5423 3911 Passcode: 982797

Sunday, April 30, Starting at Noon EST

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86119598156?pwd=ZDFxcElxS0NmeTRjczdSR2FXd3N2Zz09

Meeting ID: 861 1959 8156
Passcode: 053861

And on that note, I"m out of here! 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

Spring has arrived

I love Elle's comment about the "screamer" in the spin class. A toddler -- yep -- that's what he reminded me of! 

I try to ignore the noises, but sometimes it's tough. But do you love to watch or observe people? I LOVE it! Especially if they are regulars, like those in my spin class. At any class, there might be 25 - 30 people. And I know most of them by sight and a few by name since our names appear on the screen at the start of the class. But amazing how much you can learn about each person without talking to them -- simply a process of observation! 

I won't go into the details of each, but there's the "social director," the "socialite," the "I'm a "hip" older person, but I want to be part of the crowd," the "get a Kleenix to blow your nose guy," the Italian stud who talks to everyone, and the "kai-ya-yippee" girl. The remainder of the class is pretty silent, but each person has their quirks, like the guy who comes in and says "good morning" to the entire room -- in a very polite way. The woman who NEVER smiles (she's married to the Kleenex guy), but they are always on opposite sides of the room - probably because she can't stand what he does with his nose! 

There are others, but you never hear them for the most part; they don't draw attention to themselves, and I sure hope I'm included in that category! 

You should be sorry you did not sign up for my events at Hamilton Sewing yesterday. One lecture on garment sewing techniques and the other on sergers! You missed out on some great information, and I got rave reviews from all the attendees on how much information they picked up! It was a good day, and we had a lot of fun! 

My next SVP events are in May, when I'll be at Stitch by Stitch in Kingston (May 18 and 19), and then I'm in Regina on May 23 and 24 for some serging and quilting events! And I believe I'll also be in Saskatoon that week - we're still working on the details. So if you are in those areas --- check out the events. There is always great information to be had -- you get to hear the latest information on whatever machines I'm chatting about, and there are loads of tips and samples with loads of inspiration!

But I'm happy to say I do NOT have to go anywhere for 17 days! Although I think I will attend a show on April 21, I'll find more information and let you know. It's an ART show, not a quilt show, and I know this will be good. 

The weather here is incredible, and if I wasn't at Hamilton Sewing yesterday, I would have been outside! The buds are coming on our NEW trees planted in the front yard last year, so I can't wait to see them in full bloom. It's going to be an explosion of PINK!

Buds on the new trees

And Miss Lexi is trotting off like she owns the world, but it was a glorious morning. 

Walking Miss Lexi

When I walked the dogs at 7:30 (start time), I was wearing shorts! And just mere days ago, I was in my winter jacket. However, the warm weather will not last, so we should all enjoy it, which I fully intend to do, but I have one Zoom class today (on sergers), and then I have sewing to do, but I could sew outside!

Shorts! 

New leaves are sprouting everywhere, which is so exciting. 

Spring!

And more daffodils! 

Daffodils

So I've been scouring the house for anything garment-related or serging that's been done. I found this in Studio U, a jacket M did in the Ontario Skills Competition in 2012. While the jacket is finished, some of the seams are a bit - well, they are a bit wonky! I figured this would be a good challenge for my serger and garment skills to tackle. So with her permission, I will take the jacket apart and redo it. But I'll take lots of before and after pictures to show good and bad techniques. 

A serged jacket to revisit

I think the zipper has a few issues, and the jacket fits me! Although once the zipper is in properly, I don't think I can zip it up! I will say that my serging skills have improved 1000% since I first serged many years ago. I can identify stitches by looking at them and seeing if they are right or wrong! How did I learn that? I certainly didn't take a class. Nope -- it was by experimenting and trying things repeatedly until they were right! 

I also read many books; some of those older books that no one wants are the BEST on the market. I have a couple of great serger books with loads of information. Of course, I provide that information to those who attend my events, but only to them! 

So two days in a row, my car has been on the road, and my "old" spare glasses have worked just fine! However, this is what I had left in my gas tank last night, so I did fill up just before getting home. Yep --- I'm definitely a "fly by the seat of my pants" person -- whether it comes to a presentation (although I do spend HOURS prepping) so I can "wing it" in class. 

Almost on empty

I also hate making firm travel plans weeks in advance. What if I decide to change my mind? What if I want to do something else? I rarely book hotels in advance, and if I can't find a hotel? There's always a hotel! Another reason to travel light! You are never in a bind! Self-sufficient!

So when I went downstairs this morning to do some work, this was the state of the cutting table. UGH!! That wasn't pleasant, and I had to move some things before I could cut! 

What a mess!

But I got some of the homework cut for the three classes tomorrow, and I'll be sewing later today. Hm -- I could move outside to sew, but I don't think I will. I'll just take frequent breaks! 

It will be a busy weekend, with two Zooms (I said one earlier), three tomorrow, and two UFO clubs on Sunday. I think I have a wee bit of prepping to do. 

This was on the doorstep when I got home late last night! My NEW door handle. But instead of sending me just the part that needed replacing -- it looks like they sent an ENTIRE new handle! I'll open it up later today. 

My new door handle

Thank you for that, as it's getting old to have to lock the door all the time as the latch bolt is worn, and the door won't stay shut. The girls love it! Murphy thinks she should go in the car with me whenever I put the suitcases in! I would NEVER trust them before, but I think they would be good now, but I still won't trust them alone outside if they are not on a leash! 

Before, I could drop the leash (in the forest), and Murphy would run like mad from one end to the other, with the leash dragging. I tried it the other day, and she ran about 50 feet, stopped, and looked at me. "What? - Mom, you're not holding my leash! I'll just wait until you catch up!" She's so sweet. 

The bone of my finger where Murphy tried to "attack" me is sore, but it will be fine! 

As I was cutting for one of the sew-alongs tomorrow, I quickly counted the number of sew-alongs I had recorded in that book. OH MY!!! If my count was correct -- there were 46! YES -- forty-six "complicated" quilts that I've done over the years, and I didn't write the earlier ones in the book, so I'm guessing there were at least 60!!! 

Well, I have to run --- there's a lot of stuff to do today. 

Have a super day, and if you are experiencing this weather  - GET OUTSIDE!!!

Ciao!!!