Shine Your Sink

 

Do you know The Fly Lady?    She says "Every night before you go to bed, shine your sink."  Meaning, tidy up the kitchen.

She's been around for quite a long time.  I discovered her more than 10 years ago.  Her whole idea for gaining order in your home is "start somewhere & work from there."  

This time it started for me when I had the new lights put up in the sewing studio. HERE    I had to move everything out for the lighting guy. As I moved everything back in I cleaned, weeded and put away. 

It was great motivation as I had let things go... moving around the house to the...kitchen... office...living room....bedroom, etc.  And I did not skip the baseboards!  (Who knew there could be so much dust on such a tiny ledge!)

My whole house is in order, even the garage and potting shed!  Is this what they mean by "Spring Cleaning?"  I just  need a plan for continuing the process.  The Fly Lady has some interesting helps on her website. HERE

Plus, FINALLY found a desk that is perfect for sewing!  Just the right height, sturdy and it does not shake and bounce when I sew fast! (And as you can see, Millie is back!)  Purchased from FB Marketplace AND they delivered!

 And, now all is right with the world and I'm ready for the week!

Happy Play Your Ukulele Naked day!

Feels Like New!

 Sooooo Nice!

Light bars from Wayfair HERE
The spot light is from Home Depot.  HERE

The D.H. wired everything to work from one switch.

As I was moving things back into the studio, I organized,  cleaned  and even purged a few things.  Everything is so shiny and clean, I kind of hate to mess things up with actual sewing.

As part of the organization, I add this 10-drawer rolling cart from Michael's.  HERE

There were several brands and types to choose from. The multi-colored drawer model does not have good reviews.  The model I purchased came together very easy and is very sturdy.  I am liking it so much!  It is pretty perfect. ( A couple deep drawers would have been a plus.)  AND, it's on sale right now, $29.99.

An added bonus, I ended up with 4 empty containers, which I'll pass along to other members of the First Saturday group.

As the UFO challenge progresses this year, I hope to have even more empty containers.

What have you been considering to make your studio better ?
No time like the present to make it happen!

Get Out-a The House -- Ring Them Bells

A California friend and her D.H. are newly retired.  They'd like to move out of CA (for many reasons, not the least of which are the high taxes.)  She asked me if it was "hard" to pull up stakes and move to a new state / city.  

Yes, yes it IS hard.  We humans need "community".  That is the way we're made.  I have my sister here...my "you-have-to-be-my-friend-because-you're-my-sister" friend.  (And, until recently, I had my
dad...who never laughed at my ukulele playing.)  It would be harder still if I did not have/had her/them.

As time marches on, and I get out-a the house, I'm making even more friends and establishing my "community."  The key phrase here is ...
you must get out and about!  Don't just stay home and quilt, or play your ukulele, or garden or cook....Get out there.

Liza Minnnelli sings a song about a women who met her "Mr. Wonderful" when she was traveling around the world and it turned out he was actually her neighbor!  Liza sings "Open up the door and hurry out in the hall!"   HERE

So, on this Quilter's Day Out I went to Backyard Fabrics with my new friend, Betty.  (The introduction came through my B-I-L.  Alas, she won't be in Paducah long, her company is transferring her to the Pacific Northwest.  But, we're friends now.)

 

The place was bursting with shoppers and as promised, there were demonstrations and refreshments and good deals on fabric.  And, I gleaned additional quilting resources I cannot wait to check out! *

Our demonstrator was Cheryl Slaughter.

She demonstrated some very cool products as well as a paper piecing method where you don't actually sew the paper to the fabric...thus not having to rip it out later.  I like this method and made a little video to remind myself how to do it later.

 

And, LOOK at the quilt behind her!  I LOVE IT!

The Garden Party Down Under.  click HERE

This was a BOM for *TheQuiltShow.com
Check it out!! HERE
You could spend a fair amount of time browsing this site.

 

*Picked up a brochure for Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society.  Lots of programs and retreats!!
(Programs where Cheryl is a presenter.)

 

 

And one final thing:  there is a shop in Louisville that has full-day quilt till you wilt sessions once a month.  Cotton To Quilts HERE  Louisville is 3 hours from me, but for a whole day of sewing?  Could be worth it.  Maybe I'll check that out.

It was such a fun day. I came away with a lot of inspiration and some new friends.

Of course no day out is complete without lunch at the local BBQ restaurant.

 A&B BBQ in Mayfield

It Will Be a Day of Celebration!

 Worldwide Quilting Day.

I'm remembering another Worldwide Quilting Day....March, 2020  HERE... right, smack in the middle of the "shelter-at-home" pandemic.  I won't display my quilts this year as it is also....

National Quilting Day and Quilter's Day Out.  I've decided to have a quilter's day out at Backyard Fabrics in Mayfield.  My favorite shop.

I have not been there in a long time and I'm ready for a bit-o-fun.  I'll spend some time this week looking at my UFO pile and decide what I need to finish a few things...but I won't promise I won't come home with some other goodies.

Tincture of Time

When my kids were young I had a reference book,  a guide of childhood illnesses and injuries.  It was a gift when I was "with child" with Matt, my first born.  I can't remember the name of that book now, but I remember I was chuck-full of sage advice when it came to childhood illnesses and such. 

It used flow charts similar to this one to help a new, first-time mom determine the stages of treatment, specifically when it was time to seek medical attention.   (I wish I still had that book...)

More than once I read the words...."Apply the Tincture of Time."  Wise words, and isn't it the truth?!  So often TIME resolves whatever the issue seems to be.

 

 

I've been in my new "home state" for just over a year and the more I live my life, the more settled and content I feel.  This week I met Irene.... a LAQ*.  She was referred to me by Bonnie, one of the ladies in our FSNG**.  She is, as we speak, quilting the lap quilt for my S-I-L that I finished last week.

 

 

 

 

 

As we chatted I mentioned that my S-I-L had cancer and this lap quilt would be her "comfort quilt" on chemo days. And what do ya know!  Irene said...."I make lap quilts for the local cancer out-patient facility. That is my ministry.  It would be my honor if you'd pick one for your S-I-L." 

AND, she knits hats for cancer patients and the local shelter. Donates quilts for local charity auctions.  Her D.H. volunteer's at the Veterans facility and he makes jean rag quilts for them!

AND  she rescues puppies! 
She is amazing.  I'm so happy to have met her!  Thank you, Bonnie!

 

If all that wasn't enough...Irene invited me to the Material Girls quilt group that meets on the second Tuesday of each month...
in the evening....So now my Tuesdays will start with my Ukulele Lesson and end with quilting (at least on THAT Tuesday)...
what could be better!!

Applying the Tincture of Time is definitely helping to fix all that ails me.

*Long Arm Quilter
**First Saturday Needle Group

Sheriff John

 Happy Birthday to me...I'm Another Year Old Today!!

Isn't it funny.... I can't remember where I left my car keys but I can sing along with Sheriff John and not miss a beat!!

Put Another Candle on My Birthday Cake!  HERE