Take control of YOUR life

Do you ever feel super content and just happy? For many years, I sometimes thought I didn't want everything to be perfect because then something bad would happen. That's a pretty common thought. People feel they are not worthy of such happiness. 

Well, I have my unhappy moments, trust me! But overall, I have lots to be thankful for; I have loads to look forward to each day, and I actually look forward to my routine, knowing that at such a time, I can enjoy reading my book, or working on the puzzle, or whatever is on the schedule. 

I even received a somewhat snarky email the other day, and at first I was angry because there was NO NEED for that person to respond that way. I did NOT respond immediately, but thought I would take a couple of days to process the information. I even typed out a response, and then I reworded that response in my head multiple times over the weekend while walking. 

And today? Seriously! If that person wants to lash out like they did, that is their problem, not mine. I have my way of dealing with the situation: I do nothing. I will delete my draft. I'll have a few different choices to make in the future, but it really doesn't affect me at all. 

Life is not what people send to you; it's how you react to what they have sent! I choose to let it go! And you know what? I'm pretty proud of myself! 

Well, Miss Murphy is up to her old tricks! She ventured downstairs yesterday and settled herself EXACTLY where my chair is supposed to go. I'm trying to do a Zoom call! Oh, Murphy!!! I know you are needy, but can't it wait? 

MOM - I need you NOW!!!!

And at one point, I went upstairs, and the two of them were just watching! It's like they are having a staring contest to see who blinks first! It's funny how they love to play together, but they never sleep close together. 

MOM - she's looking at me!!!!!

OH -- I have two things to share, and before I forget them again, here they are. First—when I woke up Sunday morning, I felt a bit hungry. WAIT --- you can't eat - you must take that pill, wait 30 minutes, and then you can eat. So yes—I managed to remember that pill. Yeah me!!! But if I wasn't hungry, I would have surely forgotten. 

The second thing is I was at Fabricland the other day. I swear that is NOT a good place for me to go, as they have some amazing non-cotton fabrics and I don't need any! On the counter, I spotted a rack with packs of this on it. 

Yes—that is a small pack of Mending Wool, and it came in a ton of colors. Yes - I bought one because I have a couple of pairs of wool socks to mend. More on that in a second. 

Mending Wool

I mentioned it to the person checking me out. Yep—apparently, the new thing in the world is for the youth (or anyone) to shun AI by doing hand sewing!! WOW --- and also, they are turning to crafts in general. That is awesome!! The Michaels store that I am teaching at this coming weekend (Teach the World to Sew Day) is right downtown, where I never would have expected a Michaels. I wonder who their clientele is? 

It's going to be a challenge to get down there, even early in the morning, because of the film festival and traffic in general. I need to do some research and make some calls. 

Anyway—let's hope crafts, sewing, handwork, whatever comes back. I think it's something that's really missing from daily life. And when your hands are busy? You can't scroll!! I find doing things with my hands is the most soothing thing I can do. 

I haven't really cleaned up Studio B after the Facebook Live, and there are still loads of things on the floor. I really don't want to go back to having those two tables heaped with stuff, and my plan is to sort through it and prioritize. Hopefully, I can also conceal some of it in the various storage areas. Wouldn't it be nice to have one free table as a clear workspace? 

I'm going on a quilt retreat next week, and I have decided NOT to take a sewing machine. So I have rounded up those socks and my new thread that need mending. I've also tucked all the supplies for my Many Blocks project into a bag, and it's waiting to be packed in the car. I won't be sewing any blocks, but I'll be prepping all the remaining blocks - appliqué, cutting the pieces, etc. So all that will be left is sewing on the machine. 

The Many Blocks project

I did that with my Spice Market quilt, too. That is one I didn't finish in class, and my plan is to go through it and get all the cutting and appliqué prep done. That should keep me busy for a while, and I found some other handwork and craft projects, too. 

The thing that drives me mad, and I'm very good at this -- I get started on a task, and then I can drop that in a heartbeat. And in my case, it's not to start a new project, but to work on something else that is more urgent. And many of those projects set aside will take less than one hour to finish. I am determined to get all those small projects done! This is just ridiculous!

I found a basket and put all the fabric for the 40 Shades of Grey quilt in it. Yes—it's 40 shades of purple and green. 

Fabrics for the 40 Shades of Grey quilt

I also had to "shop" for some red fabric, and I emptied the basket and started my search. I am DETERMINED to only use stuff from my stash. Oh my goodness, there are so many fabrics that I'm likely never to use. I'd better start cutting up for scrap quilts!!! 

Shopping for red fabrics

Speaking of scrap quilts, I'll be sending out the confirmation for the SECOND scrap quilt class later today. There are quite a few people in that one, too. There is so much to share, and I've been thinking about how to organize the information so it makes logistical sense. I think I have a plan, but I'll start assembling the slides tomorrow and see how it goes. 

I found this fabric in the red basket and wouldn't that make a nice mini quilt? That's the first thought that crossed my mind. 

Double Wedding Ring fabric

Some of you have wanted to know how the Visual To Do list is coming along. This morning, I'll share two categories with you. One is UFO and the other is Many Blocks. 

Part of the Visual To Do List

Only one project remains under Many Blocks, and my goal is to have THREE quilt tops ready to quilt (if they aren't already quilted by then) by the end of the year. That is one of the projects packed for the retreat. I've forgotten how many blocks need to be prepped for the final push, maybe 30? And if I can get all of them prepped, then it should be easy to accomplish my goal. 

On the UFO side, starting from the bottom is Tequila Lime. That quilt top is together, and I have pulled fabric for the binding and backing. Today, I hope to get that ready to be quilted. Since I might try custom quilting, that may not get done this year. 

Next is Spice Market, which is also packed for the retreat, and it is doable to finish this year. 

Next is Tula Pink Butterfly, and that one just needs to be quilted, which is very doable. 

The one above that is a quilt I started years ago, and it's called All About Me. It needs a lot of work, and it likely won't get completed, but I hope to have a plan on how to finish it. I need to make more blocks. 

The top one is the two winter quilts. And I'm happy to report that I made significant progress on that one. If those two aren't completely done, I'm in big trouble. I have a wee bit to share with you. 

Here are all the leftover flying geese. I can't believe I made such a silly mistake, but let's move on. Now, once I knew how many I needed, the rest was dealt with. The flying geese units went into the orphan block box, and the rectangles went into the appropriate scrap box. 

The leftover flying geese

Now what else could make me very happy? 

Having four flying geese stitched together and they lie perfectly flat, even when pressing one seam back over the point! 

Beautifully pieced and pressed flying geese

Let's look at it from the back. Yep -- those seams are twirled. 

With twirled seams on the back

I totally get it that people want to buy gadgets, and there are all kinds of pressing gadgets out there. There are also fancy irons. But guess what? You don't need any of that. I have never used gadgets for pressing - I just learned how to press well! 

Here are a few tips

• Press the just-sewn seam from the back to soften the fibers and make them more malleable. 
• Use your finger before pressing the seam to get the fabrics going in the correct direction. 
• Use STEAM WISELY (I ALWAYS press with steam). 
• I put a towel on my ironing board for better grip. 
• Press from the FRONT, never the back. 
• I use a regular inexpensive iron. 

My current iron

I trimmed the flying geese before I sewed them, and I only trimmed a few threads, but it makes a difference. 

Now what could make me even happier? 

The flying geese section

Having the entire section together!!!

And yes—I twirled all the seams. 

Twirled seams

Pressing correctly can make a massive difference in the look and accuracy of your quilt blocks. For those who finger-press while sewing? You are doing a great disservice to the quality of your quilts - well, at least in my opinion. If you are going to do something, do it right. Just because someone on the internet (OK—that could be me) says it's OK to finger-press until the end doesn't make it the best way. 

Look at the quality of the block and then make another where you press with steam on every seam. Which one do you prefer? 

A small sash goes on the sides. And I'm happy to report that one block is completely done and the second just needs the sashing on. 

The sashing on the blocks

but WAIT -- there's more. I was trying to finish my audiobook last night, so I plugged away, and I got one top, minus borders, together!!!!  Now how exciting is that? OH wait—that's not the picture of the top together, but all the blocks are there. I did have to trim a few things that I hadn't trimmed properly when I made the blocks, but all is good. 

All the blocks for one winter quilt are done!

And now you know why I was digging through the basket of red fabric because I wanted to find some reds for the two borders. 

I buzzed around and did more tidying, and it feels good to take control of the mess. Here is my tray of triangles to sew HSTs. While it looks messy, they are sorted by color and on a tray, so if I need to move them, it's easy. 

My ender/leader tray of triangles

Sometimes the smallest things make us content. I don't need a fancy car; I just want a clean floor! Did you know how satisfying it is to use the Swiffer or the vacuum? I'm not a big fan of house cleaning, but I love sweeping the floors!!! 

I even had time to work on the puzzle last night. Oh my—this one is tough!!!!

Progress is slow

I managed a few more pieces after I took the picture, but it's going to take a while. I need to get this done by the end of the month, which means I really only have this week. 

So slow and steady is the name of the game. But even more important is staying in CONTROL. If you aren't in control, you are wandering like a lost soul. At least that's how I feel, and that's why, even though we like to keep those lists in our heads, writing them down is better. With a list, we are in total control.  

And by that, I don't mean being in charge, but taking control. I think we all know someone who has struggled, or is still struggling, with clutter. They don't know where to start or even how to tackle it, and that seems silly, but it is true. When they finally make a decision to take charge and tidy up, declutter, and find homes for everything, life becomes so much more manageable! 

So when you go to your sewing space today, and I don't care if it's huge or small, take a look around. Is the space inviting? Is it ready at a moment's notice for you to sew, or do you have to clean off the sewing tables, the ironing board, or the cutting table? How can you change that? What about those smaller projects that can be completed quickly? 

You would be surprised at how much better you will feel. It's like my office. I feel so much better because of what I have done so far. Imagine how high I'll be when I finish it. I'll be flying higher than a kite!!

Here is a picture of the surprise guest. He arrived late last night, and we haven't really had a chance to visit with him. 

The girls and the boy

He was just staring out the front window, and I spotted that large truck and trailer pass by, and they had two pallets of what looked like paving stones. NO -- that could not be possible; they are not going to put paving stones on that hill. That's what I've been saying all along. But WAIT -- I'm getting ahead of myself -- I have no idea what's going to happen. 

On that note, it's Monday sewing. I did not go to the gym this morning - I'll go tomorrow. I wanted to make sure all the girls and the boy were fine this morning and get them into a wee bit of a routine. 

It's going to be a glorious day today!!

Ciao!!!

Tangled threads

I saw in the comments that Bonnie Hunter covers her ironing boards with freezer paper. Hmm -- I wonder why that product? Wouldn't the freezer paper be slippery? 

I'm a convert to the terry towel on the ironing surface. I wish I had known about that earlier; it never occurred to me. This piece of fabric had a crease down the center, and that crease pressed out like it was butter. I used steam, of course. And then everything else I pressed that day was excellent. I would think the terry towel will prevent the steam from dripping through to the floor when I do a lot of pressing. 

The towel works amazingly well

I even joined some batting, and the only issue was that the towel pulled up a bit when I moved the batting. I figured that would happen, so I'll have to learn to accommodate for that or find a way to secure the towel better, but I want it to be loose, so I can whip it off for washing. 

WAIT - there's more! I had some machine embroidery to press and I pressed it on the towel. If you look closely at the right-hand side, you'll see the impressions where the item was pressed. That is good because it means the machine embroidery isn't being crushed. So far, I LOVE it! Why didn't someone alert me before? 

Impressions on the right from pressing the machine embroidery

There's something else that I'm going to convert to, and I thought old dogs couldn't learn new tricks? But more on that when it arrives. It's got to do with the long arm and will require a good day's work, if not more, to get it back into proper shape! 

Speaking of the long arm, here are the two quilts I also quilted before Quilt Canada, but didn't have a chance to share. The first one is called Around the Block (The Rabbit Factory) and is one of the quilts I taught in 2008. My goal was NOT to put any of my quilts in the show, but I really wanted this one. The top was completed, although I'm fairly certain I didn't finish it during class time. The backing and binding were also prepped, so putting it on the long arm was a no-brainer! Oh -- I meant to take a picture of the backing; I'll show you that tomorrow. 

My quilt - DONE

I'll be getting my act together this week and posting all the pictures and the video from the show. This second quilt is also mine and is called Aviatrix Medallion by Elizabeth Hartman. I taught this in 2020. We started in the store and finished online. I had one of the students' quilts lined up, and then three days before the show, that fell through. Again, I really wanted this quilt in the show. My top was done, and the backing and the binding were prepped. So I quickly threw it on the long arm and got it quilted. Both are bound, and that's TWO large quilts out of the "to be quilted" pile! Yeah!!!! 

My quilt - DONE

And remember that blue dot of tape on the wall. Gosh -- it sure looked like a bug while it was there. 

The extra tape marker

However, it was used for the next quilt, and it's now gone! That was several quilts ago! The blue tape works well for marking, even though it's only temporary on each quilt and only for that row. However, it's never caused an issue, so I'm not worried about it. 

Using the blue tape as a marker

I had another quilt loaded on the long arm, and I managed to get it quilted and trimmed. That is hand embroidery that has been colored with crayons. It's an adorable quilt, and it quilted up with zero issues on the long arm. 

Customer quilt - DONE

The next quilt is HUGE. My goal is to get it loaded today, and I'll quilt it tomorrow. We have Monday Sewing today, and I'm not always as productive as I would like. 

Speaking of productivity, I managed to complete all the pieces for the MIDI bag. The fusible fleece is fused to the lining sections, and I made the two handles, but not before I had to look up how to fold the handles. I found a thread to match for the topstitching, and it's back in the retreat bag. I really should trim those lining sections, though - in the event there is no large ruler, and I would be mad at myself! 

The components for the MIDI bag are ready!

I promised another story about a long-arm incident. Well, it was a doozy and had nothing to do with a customer quilt. The bobbin ran out, and I didn't catch it right away. YES - I should install the thread stop guide or whatever it's called. Several maintenance tasks require attention with the long arm, and that is one of them. Anyway, when I went to touch the flywheel because the needle wouldn't move, it was hot. It's not supposed to be hot. 

That's when I realized that when the top thread broke because the bobbin ran out, the end got caught in the take-up lever, and many yards of thread got wound around the needle bar mechanism inside the tiny opening where the take-up lever exits the machine. ACK!!!! That has only happened about three times, and it's a mess to clean out. I grab my hemostats to pull the thread, as it's so tightly wound around that mechanism. The needle wouldn't raise or lower, and that was why that flywheel was so hot! 

It's dirty because there's oil in there, and let's say it wasn't a pleasant job to remove it all. All this thread came out of that little tiny opening. I could take the cover off the machine, but it's not easy to do, so I grab the thread with the hemostats and yank! I was back in business about 15 minutes later, but it's a nasty job. 

The thread was removed from the take-up lever

But the tangled threads don't end there. I was doing laundry yesterday, and for the last couple of days, I had been reminding myself to check my pockets because I had put a large washer in one of them. They were the pants that I wore on the last day of Quilt Canada, and if I find something interesting, I put it in my pocket. I forgot to empty them. 

When I opened the door to the washing machine, YIKES, - what is this mess? After following the thread tail through the clothes, I remembered that I also put a bobbin with thread in my pocket. DUH!!!! Along with the washer and a safety pin. Notice that not all the thread came off the bobbin! 

Odds and ends found in the wash

It's always a good idea to check the pockets of anything you put in the washer. All that got put away. 

I'm working on the cutting table and making good progress. I didn't take a picture this morning, but I'll continue to work on it today. 

I also completed a significant amount of paperwork. For me, the most challenging aspect is paying bills and generating invoices. I have a bit more banking to do, so if you are waiting on money for me, it's coming! And one more invoice to prep. But I have an issue with those invoices. They are easy enough to create. However, I found myself making the invoice, printing a copy for my records, and then forgetting to send it to the person who would pay me. Oh boy - so I had to go back and do that. 

Now I just have to watch for the payments, and all is good! 

I have the next set of paperwork laid out for today, and I'm crossing things off my list. We started the virtual retreat later yesterday, which worked just fine. I was thrilled to have the entire morning and first part of the afternoon off, with no Zoom meetings or commitments, and it was glorious.

I'm looking forward to the coming week, when I have a lot of work to do but no time commitments, although I need to set up a Zoom meeting with someone and make some phone calls. 

On that note, I'm off to spin class! I have another story to share with you about exercise. Let's say that sitting down right now is a bit challenging, but not in a bad way.

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Quilting as usual!

I'm back! Drinking water to rehydrate - I'm sure some would say it's still not enough, but I'm working on it. NO naps required, which was great! I did a slow, puttering pace all day, and that worked just fine for me. Did I make progress? Well, I didn't turn on any sewing machine; however, I'm working through that pile of stuff on the cutting table. 

Here's the cutting table in the morning before I started. YES - I remembered to take a before picture! So much stuff to deal with. 

The cutting table before

The work tables are a mess, and I didn't get a chance to touch them. Hopefully later today. 

The work tables are a mess

The ironing board had crap on it as well. More on that in a minute. 

The ironing surface is a disaster

Here are a couple of pictures from before Quilt Canada that I didn't get a chance to post, but since they involve decluttering and organizing, they fit right in for today. All the yardage in the storage room slated for backings for the community project quilts has now been measured and labeled. The pile on the left is quilt backings that are already made. They are labelled, and I suppose it would be more efficient if I folded them so the labels faced outward! And yet another small organizing task to do! This is why you don't want a lot of stuff - you spend forever sorting and organizing it. 

Yardage for quilt backings is measured and labelled

I took my green folding wagon to Quilt Canada, and when I opened it up, look what I found! A spool of bobbin weight thread and a needle. Hmmm -- that would have been used at the last show in Toronto, in 2017. Yikes!!!! Well, it's nice to find something I didn't even know was missing. 

A cone of black bobbin weight thread

There is just one wee issue. The drawer with all my bobbin thread supplies is jam-packed. I know - why have some bobbin weight thread when you can have lots? I must confess that this is primarily black and white - the actual spools of colored bobbin weight thread are located in another area. But that's OK - I know where it is and that's all that counts. After some Tetris moves, I managed to make it fit. 

The cone of thread won't fit! 

I mentioned that Diane's fabrics are all gone. What a relief, but I sorted through them and picked out all the smaller bits and scraps. They are now stored in this giant tote, and I'll cut them up into squares and make an ender/leader quilt. A box like this can last a long, long time and is perfect for sewing at retreats. Scraps also take up a lot less space than yardage. OK - that's a lie, but I can dream! 

A box of Diane's scraps

These were the three fabrics I purchased while at the retreat. The bottom one is measured and resides with my quilt backings. The middle one is in the beige fabric basket, and the top one is on the table, as I'm trying to get an inspiration for a quilt I have to make. 

Three new fabrics added to the stash

Thank you to everyone who brought me a little something while at Quilt Canada. It was so unnecessary, yet each gift was so thoughtful! 

Thank yous from Quilt Canada

As I distribute them, I'll share more. They are now on my kitchen counter waiting to be put to use. Thank you so much!!!! 

Oh dear - I found another virtual challenge medal! I did this short one a while back because they were retiring the medal. I thought they were retiring the challenge. Nope - it came back with a new medal. I'm not redoing it. It's like a large company that retired its VHS movies into the vault. And then POOF - they were back out again. 

Another virtual challenge medal

Let's take a look at the ironing board. My cover is pretty disgusting. I should try to wash it, and it amazes me how water can stain so badly. I guess it's technically not water, but the crap in the iron. 

My stained ironing board cover

While we were at the retreat, I noticed something about the ironing boards. Both were covered with a fresh towel. Hmmmm -- I don't think I'm going to like this. It's going to shift and move, and it's going to be a pain. And you know what? I LOVE it! At the end of the retreat, the owner can toss the towel in the laundry - yes, the towel has marks on it from the iron! It kind of reminds me of homes that used to put plastic on the furniture to keep it clean.

This morning, I found a jazzy towel in the linen closet, and it fits my ironing surface perfectly! I'm looking forward to ironing something later today to see how it works! My towel is not quite as fluffy as the one at the retreat, but that's OK. I'm excited, and my ironing board looks fantastic. I have a second towel just like this one!  

A new cover for the ironing board

Nothing beats pressing fusible products onto fabric like a steam press. Yes - I was pressing the fusible fleece onto the back of the panels I made for the Midi Bag. I think it's the Midi, rather than the Mondo. Same design - different size. And all was working just fine until I had a wee incident. An operator error incident, of course. It doesn't work so well when you put the fusible directly on the ironing surface! Crap! 

Fusing the fusible fleece to the lining sections

And now that I think of it, a towel would be perfect for this surface as well, to protect it. I need to find a new towel! And I have to cut a new piece of fusible fleece! I cut the fabric for the handles this morning, along with the Decor-Bond for the interfacing, and I'll fuse the bits this afternoon. Then I'll trim everything, and it's ready for the final touches. I don't have the pattern, or maybe I do. I'm searching through my external hard drive to see if it's there. I know I don't have a physical copy of it. This bag will get done! 

As someone said at the retreat, I may like the inside better than the outside, and it's not too late to switch them! That's hilarious! I'm not a fan of this fabric, but this scrappy version looks awesome! 

I've trimmed a couple of quilts, and they are all ready for pickup. It was nice to have some room on the cutting table to actually work. The Mondo/Midi bag is spread out on the left, and I need to continue working on the other items. That table must be clear! 

Progress made on the cutting table

Here's a customer quilt I quilted before Quilt Canada, but didn't get a chance to share with you. There was a minor incident with this quilt - again, not with the quilt, but with the operator. I'll share that story tomorrow. I have a couple of other quilts I quilted before Quilt Canada, and I'll share those tomorrow as well. 

Customer quilt - DONE

This is the quilt I quilted yesterday. I quilted it with an edge-to-edge design, and it looks fantastic! It has a flowery pattern indicative of Hawaiian quilts. It needs to be trimmed today. The next quilt is loaded on the long arm. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I have received some additional customer quilts, so I believe there are now ten in the queue. I've decided that any more quilts that come in will be done in September. I have some quilts to quilt for myself, and I want to finish the batch of community project quilts that I've had sitting around for a while. I also want to have some downtime! I also need to perform some maintenance on the long arm, including replacing the leaders and reattaching all the screws. 

I was outside in the gazebo, aiming for some peace and quiet, but Miss Murphy had other plans. She just sits there and insists on barking when she wants you to play with her. It was hot - I didn't want her running around in the heat. I scolded her and told her she was a "bad" dog. She didn't like that and went and sulked in the bushes beside the gazebo. 

MOM - don't yell at me - I'm a good dog! 

Poor thing, but seriously? The neighbors and I don't want to listen to a barking dog on a lovely afternoon! 

As for that massive To-do list, I got more things checked off yesterday. I hate making the lists, but when there are too many things to do, it's so easy to forget something. So I have a list! I also swept everything off the desktop onto the floor. It was becoming a real mess. I don't know how this happens. Everything is neat and tidy, and then it's not! Where does all the paper come from? 

We had a grand time at the Virtual Retreat last night. There's another one later today, so be sure to pop on and say hi! We saw some new faces and got to catch up on all things Quilt Canada, vacations, school, and so much more!!

Here's the link. Please note that the link starts at 3 PM. The attendance was a bit low at the beginning of last month, and I have a lot of things to do, so a later start time seems to work better for everyone.

Sunday - June 29 --- STARTS AT 3 PM. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838




And on that happy note, I'm out of here! I have a lot to get done today, and I need to start with an hour of paperwork. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

Live each day to the max

A couple of months ago, I met up with a friend whom I hadn't seen in a long time. Our kids used to hang out together and we spent many hours sitting and chatting at dance class or gymnastics or birthday parties while the kids did their thing. I heard from her daughter that Teresa wasn't well. I had coffee with her in May and she told me that she has advanced lung cancer. I was stunned. This woman and no one in her family smoked. She would have had limited access to second-hand smoke. She was told the likely cause was environmental which leaves a wide-open interpretation. She looked amazing. Always well dressed and made up. After we left in our respective cars that day, I later bumped into her at Chapters.

I got word from her daughter yesterday that she passed. She was WAY TOO YOUNG. She was younger than I am. I'm so glad I connected with her and sorry that our lives took us in different directions and that we didn't stay connected. Life must go on.

Life isn't fair and we often say that we can't do anything about it. That's true - we're all going to die at some point. But here's the thing - you can do something about it! You can live EACH and EVERY day with as much in it as you want. If you want to do something or try something - DO IT NOW. There should be no regrets on your death bed. You only have yourself to blame if you do.

As a result, instead of working yesterday afternoon after I heard the news, I sat in the gazebo and enjoyed the beautiful weather. The colder weather is coming and there'll be plenty of time to do stuff in the house!!!

There is one thing that I do want to do and that's to get my stuff cleaned up. I'm a long way from making that happen and I really need to get off my butt and make it so. The last thing I want is to leave my family saddled with my mess. I've got to figure out some way to make that happen and SOONER rather than LATER is the operative word. Then I can stop talking about it!!! How will I do that? I need to book some dates in my calendar - dates that do not get changed. I've done it before, I can do it again. OK -- Just booked FIVE dates between now and the end of the year. The fall is extremely busy and there aren't a lot of free days.

We have so much going on in our lives that we get busy and we abandon things. That's my biggest problem. Or we get so bogged down in the details that we forget our motivations. Sometimes, we just need some encouragement. I LOVE words and there are so many small sayings that are motivating and encouraging. I have FOUR big word posters in Studio U. A couple of weeks ago, I was prepping for an event and I was having a lot of trouble with a particular task. It was new to me and I was struggling. I was frustrated and I was ready to throw in the towel. I sat back in my chair and looked up. Guess what I saw???

Wall hanging in Studio U

What do you think popped out???  YEP - it was the NEVER GIVE UP. I laughed. How absolutely perfect! I laughed again. Took a wee break and went back to finish up the task. There are so many neat sayings on this poster - I should pick one each day and make that the motto of the day.

While some people do not have complete control over their feelings and emotions, I still believe that we are the owners of our own HAPPINESS. If we want to be happy, then we need to figure out how to make that happen. Life is too short and before you know it - your life will be over.

RIP Teresa!!!! I know you're no longer in pain but that doesn't make it any easier to accept.

I take time in the morning to walk the girls and in the last couple of weeks, I've added on a few minutes reflection by the pond when I feed the fish twice a day. They are quite the clowns and eager to show off. It's a beautiful few minutes in the day.

Enough philosophical thoughts for the day. I was out walking the other day and took pictures of this building. I'm totally fascinated by the darn thing but I'm always in the car so no chance to take pictures. No one was in danger as I snapped the photos.

I don't know the name of the building, but it's supposed to resemble a cruise ship which I guess it does. It's still under construction but is getting close to completion at least on the outside. There's retail/commercial in the bottom five floors. AHA -- a wee bit of research (you got to love Google). The building is called the Arc. 

From one side

From the front

From the other side

I'm not sure that I can see myself living in a place like that, but you never know. It'll be a long while because I love our backyard and I'm not willing to give that up!

I did get that paperwork completed yesterday so it wasn't a complete wash. Here's a couple of quilt pictures that I've taken over the past week.

This was from Monday sewing. This is a One Block Wonder by Helen Anne. Can you see that she had to insert two blocks of the original fabric to make the quilt a decent size??  I learned that day about a website that you can visit where you plunk in a picture of your yardage and you get a visual of what the quilt will look like when it's sewn into a One Block Wonder? A great tool, but what happened to the element of surprise which was always the fun thing about these quilts?

Here's a link to the web site. Thanks to Susan who also mentioned it to me this past week. How weird is that? Two people in the same week.

One block wonder by Helen Anne

We all know that pressing matters. We finished up a two-part class last night at Oh Look Fabric on Triangles. Two of the students were eager to move ahead and so they came to class last night with a couple of blocks sewn together. They did not press any of the seams as they sewed. Can you tell which of the two blocks was not pressed?? It's pretty obvious and they went home much happier once they realized they had to press as they went along. They are new sewists and had no idea.

The block on the left is not pressed while the block on the right is pressed

I haven't totally been ignoring the studios. I've been puttering but not seriously and I need to change that. I haven't even touched the long arm. I came across this small project in a box. The center part was complete, but it needs two borders.

Starting the first border

And now that first border is completely sewn on.

Border one is completed

The next one is appliqued on and I'll try to get that done in the next day or so or it'll be a good project for a sit n sew day.

We rarely use our A/C. We haven't turned it on once this year and the windows in our house are usually wide open. However, the temperature has changed a wee bit and I had left the door open this morning for the girls to come and go as they want. Ah - it's a tad chilly outside! I'm now sitting here with a blanket on my bare legs to keep me warm!!! At least, it does warm up during the day and I'm perfectly fine with that.

Two days until the road trip! Lots of planning (not on my part) went into the road trip and now Dorian may have something to say about our final destination!

Remember, our time on earth is precious. Hug your loved ones today or call them and tell them you love them. Have coffee with a friend. Whatever you do - make sure that you make each day count - even if that means sitting in the gazebo and reading a book. If it's important to you - then DO IT.

On that note, I'm out of here. It's going to be a busy day and NO time in the gazebo!!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!