New Sewing Space

 New Sewing Space

New house, new sewing space ... it's all beginning to come together. I'm looking forward to many happy hours in our new home and my new sewing space.

Not the final configuration of notions but getting everything visible for some serious organizing. There is still a lot of work to do but, I'm looking forward to every moment of it.

Change Brings More Change

Change Brings More Change

Change as in planning, prepping, priming, painting, purchasing new furniture, and assembly, of course!

Plastic drop clothes ... for the win!

Deciding on the perfect color ... Bit of Sugar by Behr Flat Interior paint

Gathering all the needed tools of the trade.

First up ... prep and priming ... KILZ primer to cover the dark heavy gray color on the walls.

My new sewing room furniture ordered and delivered.

Now for the assembly ...

I promise to post the big reveal of my new space once everything is in place.

 

Gardening Goals

 Garden Goals

For several years I have been wanting to build my backyard into a gardening haven of vegetables, herbs, and fruits ...

and year after year I fail miserably.

In the coming year, I have decided that I am going to focus on a small doable area. My inspiration comes for this book.

I've been complying the types of vegetables, herbs, and fruits I would like to grow. Along with some garden elements I would like to implement. Then this coming spring it is my thought to establish one garden element at a time. 

Once that garden element is fully established, I will add another ... and so on

Maybe 2026 will be my backyard gardening year!

Yard Man Extraordinaire

 Yard Man Extraordinaire

Yesterday was a wonderful day for a great many reasons but one of those reasons was all of the extraordinary work my youngest son did for me in my yard.

Not only has it been wonderful being with and getting to spend time with my son who drove in from afar to be with me for Mother's Day, he brought his nifty tool bag and know how with him. He worked so hard yesterday and knocked out so many of the yard projects on my ever growing list of yard projects.

I have been trying to get my front flower bed planted for over three years. This flower bed is hard as concrete clay soil. Impossible to dig through with a shovel.

A rented garden tiller from Home Depot proved extremely helpful in preparing the soil for planting.

Endless Summer Hydrangeas

From the beginning I wanted to plant hydrangeas but then thought I should plant mountain laurel or azaleas on the advise of others.

At the end of the day, I'm thrilled that I got the hydrangeas that I really really really wanted.  

The hostia plants from my aunt's yard in Ohio were replanted for better spacing.

My son's nifty bag of tools

I didn't get a before picture ... but you couldn't see my shed for the over growth of saplings and underbrush.

A dead tree from my neighbor's yard fell into my yard months ago. Thinking ... incorrectly ... that my neighbor would take care of the issue, the dead tree laid in my yard for months. My son was able to get the tree cut up and moved to the curb to be picked up by the city.

My son planted the hydrangeas, hung the hose minder, detangled and connected the hose. I am amazed with all of the work he was able to complete in one day.

I'm so blessed and happy with all of his hard work.

What a gift.

Preparedness

 Preparedness

I have a N.O.A.A. solar crank radio that I keep charged and close at hand just in case the power goes out. I have taken to filling up all of my water bottles (cups) with water ... just in case. I always have plenty of shelf stable pantry items.

I usually never have to use any of these items but I have them ... just in case.

Glow Ya Little Glow Worm ... Shimmer, Shimmer II

 Glow Ya Little Glow Worm

... Shimmer, Shimmer II

A progress report

Blocks completed from the first Shimmer quilt that I made.

At this point every surface in my sewing room is covered in every piece of Tula Pink fabrics that I own.

It's magical!

Sorting through my Tula Pink stash. Sorting and coordinating fabrics into colorful block combinations.

One of the happiest places on earth for me is in my sewing room with fabrics scattered about. I can do this for hours and hours.

49 blocks are required for the size of quilt that I am making, so I have spent quite a bit of time cutting the fabrics needed for this project.

This makes my brain feel good and my heart very very happy.

Getting Things Done

 Getting Things Done

This year has been a year of getting the things done that I have needed to do for years now.

Yesterday, I took a vacation day in order to get things done.

It seems that I am at the age where I forget just about everything. i.e. no long term memory! I decided to write the tasks that I needed/wanted to get done on post it notes and posted them on my dashboard. As I completed them I removed the posted note ... and was on to the next.

This worked perfectly for me ... I will be doing this again and again!

This made for a very productive day for me! I'm proud of all that I was able to accomplish.

Gratitude and Positivity

 Gratitude and Positivity

I think it is important to train our brains to focus on gratitude and positivity first and foremost. Yet I can't seem to be the grateful and positive person that I strive to be.

That being said, I realize that I am a work in progress and progress is a very positive thing.

I recently purchased the 3 Minute Happiness Journal by Kristen Butler, in the introduction about this journal she quotes,

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's book, My Stroke of Insight.

In her book she states that the natural life cycle of an emotion is just 90 seconds. 

This means that if you don't "hook into" the emotion with your explanations, justifications, and storytelling, the physical sensation of the emotion will leave your system within 90 seconds. When an emotion lingers beyond this point, you have chosen to keep it active.

WOW!

This really struck a cord with me. Life and happiness is all about the choices we ( I ) make.

😃😃😃

I know ... such a simple and truthful statement but like most things it is the real life application of these truths and knowledge that is the tough part.

Projects and Project Containers

 Projects and Project Containers

I suppose I am like most who make things, you always have more than one project going at any given time.

The question is, how to contain those projects in between flourishes of productivity.

When you purchase fabrics and notions from Amy at Stitch Supply Co she sends such things to you in these wonderful project bags. There is a small size and a larger size. I love the clear vinyl zippered pouches for storing projects that I am working on.

Another favorite way of storing projects is the disposable aluminum cake pans with the clear plastic lids. They are spacious and due to the clear lid you can not only contain the project but also clearly see which project is in the pan. It is lightweight and reuseable.

Although you might think this is a project bag it's original purpose is as a clear purse for use at concerts and/or sporting events where your bag is checked. Luckily it also works as a great project bag. It holds everything you might need for a small project, it has a zipper closure, and it is made of clear vinyl. So it is easy to spot which project you want to grab and work on.

Then of course there is the pretty cardboard box.

My sister has inspired me to be more organized ... you should see her closet ... it is a clutter free organized beautiful dream. 💖

Design Wall 08/08/2024

 Design Wall

For many years I didn't have a design wall and looking back I wonder how I ever got anything accomplished. Back then any flat surface would do, table tops, the floor, or the top of the bed.

These days however I do have a design wall and I love it.

It is a place where I can play around with blocks and decide on just the right placement or design. For a quilting nerd like myself ... having a design wall provides hours and hours of entertainment! hahahaha!

There are many different elaborate and expensive design wall products out there on the market but mine is made of a queen size flannel sheet that I purchased at a yard sale years ago. I have it thumbtacked to the wall in my sewing room and it works beautifully for me.

Some blocks I found going through bags and boxes that I rescued from the storage unit that I cleaned out and the English Paper Piecing project that I am currently working on.

Some red/white half square triangles that I found and wonky star block that was in my Red/White box of curiosities.

Red/White 9 patch blocks that I made from scrap fabrics in my red/white box of curiosities. The lost and found blocks that have become SMS Quilt # 23 Half Square Triangles.

Girl Power the English Paper Piecing project that I am currently working on.

#gibbygirl63

New Routine

 New Routine

I have been working on expanding my exercise routine. Over the weekend I joined an online walking route of Paris. I'm doing this one with my daughter.

Monday mornings have become the morning that I bake a loaf of bread. I'm enjoying the bread making and so is my body. The bread that I make doesn't make my throat burn or give me indigestion and heartburn.

My new exercise routine ...

My new Monday morning bread baking routine ...

I love routine

LINT

 LINT

Recently, I cleaned and oiled my sewing machine ... and boy was it in need!

I'm ashamed how dirty my machine was.  YIKES!!!

Lots of sewing as been going on around here as of late. It is so hot outside these days so indoor activities are a must.

New Sewing Room

New Sewing Room

I am culling and downsizing my sewing notions, fabrics, and I also want to get my ongoing quilt projects quilted and bound. I want to begin machine quilting some of my quilts on my domestic sewing machine.

I am researching the best and most efficient way to do this.

Presently I am researching a quilt frame that will keep the quilt from bunching up while trying to machine quilt it.

Work smarter not harder.

 

Pattern Writing

 Pattern Writing

As of late I have been pondering the task of pattern writing. Not only would I like to write a quilt pattern but also patterns for the crocheted Easter Baskets that I make each year. Meaning the actual basket not necessarily the motifs I choose. 

I've decided to write a pattern using the little red houses that I have been piecing.

As I will be constructing the quilt top as I go this one may take a while.

... you had to know that I my first attempt at pattern writing would be a red/white quilt

Quilt math ... I need to look into possible pattern writing software for my computer.

1888 Singer Hand-Crank Sewing Machines

 1888 Singer Hand-Crank Sewing Machines

Earlier in the week I had the greatest pleasure of getting to see two of the most beautiful sewing machines. The detail ... they are amazing. I even had the pleasure of sewing a few lines of perfectly uniform stitches.

Every detail of these machines are an absolute MASTERPIECE!